Jump to content

Hard Times Cafe (chain restaurant)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Njh@bandsman.co.uk (talk | contribs) at 15:00, 26 October 2015 (Bethesda is closed. Probably permanently.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Hard Times Cafe
Restaurant information
Established1980
Owner(s)Jim and Fred Parker
Street address1404 King Street
CityAlexandria
StateVirginia
Postal/ZIP Code22314
CountryUSA
Other locations17 total locations
Websitewww.hardtimes.com

Hard Times Cafe (sometimes Hard Times Cafe & Cue) is a restaurant chain serving chili and other foods, primarily in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. area. Hard Times has been recognized in several publications, including USA Today,[1] AOL's City's Best,[2] Zagat's "Top 20 Area Restaurants" from 2003 to 2008,[3] and several others.[4]

History

The first Hard Times Cafe was opened in Old Town Alexandria in 1980 by Jim and Fred Parker.[5] They were also the first sports bar in the DC Area to "grill" their wings. After they've been sauced they throw them on the grill for a minute or two. Locking the flavor in and at the same time making it a bit cleaner to eat.

On September 21, 2011, Hard Times Cafe opened at Washington DC's Verizon Center sports arena, home of the Washington Capitals, Wizards, Mystics, Georgetown Hoyas, concerts and events. Hard Times Cafe now operates two locations on the Verizon Center's lower level concourse—a permanent stand at section 112 and a portable stand at section 119—offering fans a chance to enjoy chili macs, nachos, veggie nachos, chili tots, wings, and chili dogs. Hard Times also has a location at Nationals Park.

Hard Times serves appetizers, burgers, and salads, but they are generally known for their chili. There are four types of chili available:[6]

Awards

Locations

The original location is still in business today, in Alexandria, Virginia. There are a total of 16 locations:[7]

City State Type
Alexandria Virginia Hard Times Cafe
Clarendon Virginia Hard Times Cafe & Cue
College Park Maryland Hard Times Cafe
Fairfax Virginia Hard Times Cafe & Cue
Frederick Maryland Hard Times Cafe & Cue
Fredericksburg (314 Jefferson Davis Highway) Virginia Hard Times Cafe & Cue
Fredericksburg (5099 Jefferson Davis Highway) Virginia Hard Times Cafe & Cue
Germantown Maryland Hard Times Cafe & Cue
Hagerstown Maryland Hard Times Cafe & Cue
Manassas Virginia Hard Times Cafe & Cue
Nationals Park Washington, D.C. Left Field Concourse
Rockville Maryland Hard Times Cafe
Springfield Virginia Hard Times Cafe & Cue
Verizon Center Washington, D.C. Lower Level Concourse
Waldorf Maryland Hard Times Cafe & Cue
Woodbridge Virginia Hard Times Cafe & Cue

References