Cancel

Open app

Search

Hard Times Café

3.9 (411 reviews)
InexpensiveCafes
Open • 8:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

Hard Times Café Photos

Business Info

HARD TIMES CAFÉ ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Hipster
Casual
Good for kids

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Hard Times Café

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Helter Skeltor is a delicious hash brown, egg and veggies/cheese dish. Order corn tortillas for a gluten free option.
Christina K.

This restaurant is vegetarian and vegan with gluten free options. They have classic diner cups of coffee with $1 refills. The cafe has a grunge dive feel- many tables that allow for one to sit awhile and read or play games. Cash only for payment! They have metered street parking for $1.00 an hour or a parking lot that is $3 for 2 hours when you cannot find metered parking. The service is fast. I wish they had gluten free bakery options though. They offer tofu if you do not want eggs and corn tortillas to replace bread for a GF option.

Vegan pistachio sugar cookie
Haley N.

I love that they always have a lil variety of vegan baked goods. I enjoy their vegan biscuits & gravy and meil drink most times lol they have additional food as well but haven't tried yet. Grunge vibe & cash only. Service has always been good and quick!

Vegan philly, non-vegan breakfast plate, and vegan Reuben...trash.
Sal R.

**Avoid This Place - Not Worth the Visit** If you're on Yelp looking for a good place to eat, do yourself a favor and skip this spot. Trust me, you're better off choosing the other option. Here's why this place gets a thumbs down: **1. Food Quality - A Letdown** The food here is disappointing at best. They offer a lot of vegan options, but none of them hit the mark. My vegan Philly cheesesteak was dry and bland--no seasoning whatsoever, and it was practically crying out for some salt. Someone else in our group got the non-vegan breakfast plate, and it was the same story--bland, no flavor, and not a hint of seasoning. My girlfriend ordered the vegan Reuben and they actually served it with REAL cheese! How do you mess that up on a vegan sandwich? To his credit, the cook admitted his mistake, but that doesn't fix the fact that the food was mediocre at best. **2. Atmosphere - Unpleasant** The vibe here is off. It's grungy in a way that just feels gross, not the cool kind of grunge. The music was terrible--literally sounded like nails on a chalkboard. It was so obnoxious we couldn't even focus on eating. The place is dirty, the bathroom door doesn't lock, and you'll probably trip over the entrance if you're not careful. **3. Weird, Annoying Rules** They make you write your order on a piece of paper and hand it to them, which is fine I guess, but they only accept cash. And then there's this weird thing where they want you to scrape your plate when you're done eating? Why? The whole experience just felt like a series of unnecessary, frustrating rules. This was hands down one of the worst dining experiences I've had. It's no surprise the staff always seem miserable--working in a place like this would probably suck too. Do yourself a favor and go anywhere else.

Vegan Heuveus rancheros
Khadijah H.

Super hipster spot located in cedar riverside aims to serves those who are vegan or tempted to try with their cool menu items. They do a great job making regular meals and vegan ones to match. My friend and I stopped in for breakfast and we both ordered the Vegan Heuveus rancheros. The dish was tasty but didn't mesh well together. I felt like their were certain seasonings that could've been included to elevate the dish. I have tasted Heuveus rancheros before so I know it isn't hard to recreate. I felt like the prices were a little high as well which I'm not a fan of when it comes to vegan dishes. They shouldn't be priced with regular items because the ingredients are different. The service was subpar for sure. Get you in and out. One thing I did like were the pastries and food items you could grab to go. I would return to try those.

Ryann C.

Absolutely wonderful!! When overwhelmed I can only do pros and cons Pros: great service, plenty of vegan delicious options, great service ( it matters so very much). They have community publications, they play punk music , they have vegan pastries, extensive menu, a clothing box. I'm visiting Minnesota and I will return back here while I'm visiting. Cons: they only take cash

Vegan blueberry muffin and a chai latte
Rachel W.

I appreciate their low prices and their worker who do their best. The premise is you only pay in cash, write your order on a slip of paper, and they will make it immediately. Inside the Hard time cafe, I noticed that they have accommodating food choices. The pastries are vegan. The pankcakes I got one time was whole wheat. Personally that's not my favorite, so I didn't love the food or drinks I have gotten so far. But everything else about it is great. Places like this are for the people! Thank you for being open.

Seitan Gyro
Elizabeth D.

I've been a vegetarian for going on 17 years and was one of my best vegan meals I've ever had, especially for the price point. I had the Seitan Gyro and I simply cannot recommend it highly enough. Everything was seasoned perfectly, the cut of the Seitan was superb and looked just like a lamb or beef gyro. The pita itself was soft and chewy and the sauce was perfect. I got a side of hummus and pita that was also amazing. My friend got the Reuben and really liked that as well. Atmosphere was very punk, fitting with the name. Service was pretty quick (very appreciated since we paid to park in one of the street parking spaces out front). Staff were friendly but not overly chatty (totally fine by me) SOME THINGS TO NOTE: When I went, it was cash only so be prepared for that. My meal ran around $15. You don't order at the counter. There is a stand with order slips near the menus on the wall. You fill out one slip per person and turn that in to the counter. I've read down and seen comments that this was confusing or unclear, but it seemed pretty intuitive to me. There are some steps leading into the building, but there's a button outside for folks who may have trouble with those.

Vegan biscuit breakfast with mushroom gravy
Alli S.

I LOVED this place. The food was delicious and the ambiance was impeccable. I loved that there was the same meal in both vegan/non vegan options! I would 100% recommend this place to anyone

the outside of the building
Tigra C.

I just didn't love it. Hash browns were great. Scrambled tofu was good after I added salt, pepper, and hot sauce. The biscuit was soft and yummy. The gravy was thin and was a dinner gravy. Biscuits and gravy should come with a thick country or breakfast gravy. I really disliked their gravy. Sausage patty was decent; not bad, not outstanding or memorable in any way. The most disappointing was that pancake. Mine was overcooked so hard that I couldn't even cut it. Along with that $3 syrup *insert hard eye roll* this was a waste of my money. The Cherry Chocolate Chip muffins was excellent. I'm convinced they have mastered the vegan baked good, but not much else. But it could've just been an off day for the kitchen. Not saying I won't be back, but I won't go out of my way either.

Mocha oh so good
Amintha R.

You aren't going to hard times for diner service, they make some delicious coffee, they have lots of tea and lots of food options and they are cheap. It's cash only. These days they have an atm in house and wifi. It's where you go for cheap but healthy and filling eats and strong ass coffee!

See all

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Sal R.
18
12
16

2 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0
Photo of Ryan D.
63
27
3

11 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 1

11 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of L. W.
0
13
0

8 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 2
Photo of Alli S.
145
18
13

3 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Tigra C.
159
890
12159

5 years ago

Helpful 9
Thanks 1
Love this 5
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Cash only! The food and pastries are amazing. Have loved them for years!! It's hardcore hipster vibes as you'd expect. Love it

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Fox E.
4535
16891
49976

7 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

My absolute favorite place to study! Huge portions, great vibes, good coffee & great service!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Nina C.
503
923
2463

9 years ago

Helpful 6
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 6
Thanks 0
Love this 8
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 11

Ask the Community - Hard Times Café

You might also consider

Bridges Cafe - I managed to score some low carbohydrate whole food.

Bridges Cafe

2.9(7 reviews)
0.7 mi•University
•$$

Overall very good for a hospital cafe - 4 stars…read more 1. I have mixed feelings about Bridges Cafe. In general, this facility is impressive. They have a HUGE variety of food options...everything from a fresh fried griddle area, another fresh made area, a salad bar, pre-prepared foods in plastic containers of every type, pastries, cookies, chips, canned & bottled beverages, etc. All of these options are wonderful for people that are stuck in the hospital as a patient or a visitor, not to mention the hundreds of staff. 2. On the other hand, this is a hospital. I wonder about the virtue signaling of the "putting plants forward" initiative (see photo of sign), especially for someone like me that has managed to reverse my metabolic disease & dramatically improve all my blood labs by consciously & explicitly eliminating this stuff with the help of my physician. Worse, they have plenty of chips, cookies, pastries, and sugary beverages. But I also have to keep in mind that everyone has the free will to eat how they choose. And they have plenty of visitors & staff that can eat they way they choose. Hummm...so confusing. I'll let you decide for yourself about the morality all of this stuff. I wouldn't have thought much about these things if it wasn't a hospital and if there wasn't nutrition commentary throughout. Why not just offer the food without the messaging? 3. The dining area is impressive. It isn't fancy. But it has a killer view across the Mississippi and the West Bank (see photo). It's also large with a raised deck area in back. 4. Finally, I had a funny experience with a staff member. I happened to sit at a table next to a medical staff employee in full blue scrubs, face mask, and blue cap. When I sat down, she looked at me, she grabbed her purse, and she moved it from the floor near me to the floor on the side of her other leg, seemingly protecting it. Paranoid? Is there a lot of crime in the cafe? I was definitely worried about my Mom's heart procedure, not plotting to snatch someone's purse! I didn't think I looked scary or like a potential criminal, but I must have looked intimidating that day. Interesting. Thumbs up. -Maxx P.S. There's an awesome coffee shop on the 1st floor!

Breakfast was dope, all things considered. I was surprised to find that this cafeteria has fewer…read moreethnic or health food options that a far smaller hospital would in Akron, Ohio, yet it does have its plus side. The bacon was cooked perfectly (not burnt) and the sausage gravy was delicious. The peace afforded to me while watching the sunrise over the frozen river warrants 4 stars.

Photos
Bridges Cafe - View looking in from the entryway.

View looking in from the entryway.

Bridges Cafe - Interesting...  Highly processed factory snacks.

Interesting... Highly processed factory snacks.

Bridges Cafe - View looking across the dining room from the back raised deck.

See all

View looking across the dining room from the back raised deck.

Momo Cafe - Order here!

Momo Cafe

4.8(53 reviews)
3.7 mi•Northeast

Such a cute spot with incredible food and coffee! Upon entry they've got cute winter decor built…read moreupon their worldly Asian influenced decor that makes it feel like a nice break from the cold winter roads. Meanwhile the staff greets you with a kind smile that makes you feel welcomed in. I had the Ube Latte and the mixed Momo platter. The Ube Latte is well balanced between sweet Ube flavor and coffee and cream. The mixed momo platter comes with meat filled and potato filled dumplings that come with a spicy sauce for dipping. They are perfectly plump, warm and delicious and lend themselves well to a cold day. Absolutely recommend this hidden neighborhood gem if you're in the area (or even if you're not! It's worth it!)

While out running errands, stopped by Momo coffee for a quick snack and drink. It was pretty busy…read morebut also super cute and well decorated with nostalgic and cultural elements. They had a few cute items for sale, like momo merch, stickers and more. I got the black sesame latte which was strong but good. We also ordered potato and chive momos and they were decent. I think it could have used a bit more flavor, a bit starchy tasting. But the soy sauce helps a tiny bit. Would for sure come back to check out more. I was a bit shocked that they had to put signs on some of the lower tables for people to not put their feet on them. In a cafe/food establishment that should be common sense but I definitely get it. As it was busy it was a bit loud but I really like the vibes and aesthetic of this cafe!

Photos
Momo Cafe - Hojicha with oat milk and maple syrup

Hojicha with oat milk and maple syrup

Momo Cafe - Water station

Water station

Momo Cafe

See all

Alma - Sautéed Alaskan Halibut

Alma

4.3(719 reviews)
1.0 mi•Northeast
•$$

My wife and I spent a weekend at Alma's Inn and had dinner there on a Saturday night in late March…read moreand it was simply fabulous from the minute we arrived to our departure on Sunday. Our dinner on Saturday was superb -- we opted for wine pairings with each course and they were spot on. I don't think you can go wrong with any of selections on the menu, but our highlights were the celery root soup, the toasted rye & buttermilk crepe and the roasted duck breast & confit. As good as our dinner was, the service was every bit as good -- the staff at Alma was a highlight of our dinner and of our stay.

Wow! Restaurant Alma(not the cafe)…read moreCan't believe it's taken me years to visit here, I had an amazing 3 course dinner here with the wine pairings All the dishes were fantastic and my friend and I shared all of our dishes so we could experience most of the menu The service here was truly excellent from coat check to our server Miles who was super friendly and knowledgeable Everyone we encountered was so passionate about the food it made me feel good especially as the quality was so high! There wasn't anything I didn't like except dessert was not included in our meal so for extra $ we did split one and was delicious They did send me home with some mini coconut macaroons which was a nice touch Ambiance - was lovely sitting at the counter, restaurant was full but not crazy loud for a Saturday night! The menu changes seasonally so I'll be back in the fall to try that Parking- free street parking If your looking for a high quality tasting menu book here

Photos
Alma - Excellent room 5 with the terrace and extra sitting area.  Love this room!

Excellent room 5 with the terrace and extra sitting area. Love this room!

Alma - Buckwheat Crepe; Wild Mushrooms, savoy spinach, foie grass butter

Buckwheat Crepe; Wild Mushrooms, savoy spinach, foie grass butter

Alma

See all

Honour Coffee & Raw Juice - Build your own Açaí Bowl Strawberries, raspberries, bananas, dragon fruit, kiwi, cacao nibs, chia seeds, Gigi berries & blue spirulina honey

Honour Coffee & Raw Juice

4.3(47 reviews)
2.0 mi•Northeast

I'm not sure if I reviewed Honour Coffee after my first visit, but I have to now -- because wow…read more The first time I stopped in, I tried their cold brew with homemade lavender simple syrup, and it was amazing. Smooth, refreshing, and just the right touch of floral. That alone was enough to impress me, but what really got me back in the door? The chocolate chip cookie I didn't grab the first time around. You guys! Let me say this with all the excitement I can put into words: this is the best chocolate chip cookie I've ever had. Seriously. Thick, with crispy edges and a soft, gooey center -- every bite was perfect. I'm still thinking about it. I also picked up a cheddar frittata to take home, and the staff gave me simple instructions on how to reheat it -- it turned out great. Shoutout to Annette, who was so friendly and made my morning visit even better. I left with a huge smile thanks to the great customer service. I even got to meet the owners on my first visit, and they were just as warm and welcoming. Honour Coffee is the kind of place you want to keep all to yourself, but it's too good not to share. I'll keep recommending it to friends and coming back to enjoy their thoughtful menu, cozy vibe, and amazing people. This place is truly something special.

Ordered a build your own acai bowl and it was amazing! Fresh fruits and a mix of honey, peanut…read morebutter, and almond butter. Service was excellent and food came out quick. They have wifi and a good playlist, so it's a great study spot! Free parking:)

Photos
Honour Coffee & Raw Juice - Entrance

Entrance

Honour Coffee & Raw Juice - Inside

Inside

Honour Coffee & Raw Juice

See all

Hard Times Café - cafes - Updated May 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...