The atmosphere at this location isn't as nice as others but it's a Hard Times...this one smells like smoking used to be allowed. Food is good and service at the bar was good. The other wait staff also spent an inordinate amount of time chatting instead of working. read more

I really only go here for Caps (or Flyers...they're my favorite team but after living in VA for 16 years, I decided that rooting WITH the home team in ONE sport might be nice...doesn't hurt that DC has the greatest hockey player on earth locked up for all eternity) games. Just broke my own record for most words between a pair of parentheses. Yeah, so Hard Times does $1 domestic drafts on Tues/Thurs during NHL season. From 5pm to 9pm. And they also put out a free chilli and chips bar. Plus there's a newly remodeled bar with about 20 plasmas, featuring at least 2-4 of the available NHL games and then usually some 2nd-tier sport like NBA or college catfish noodling (actually, Noodling would be a 1st Tier sport in my book). All Hard Times restaurant/bars are generally good establishments. Jukeboxes that alternate between booty-rap and thrash-metal. Springfield clientele keeps the music aggressive...I usually hear a few old school Metallica and/or Deftones songs while I'm hear. That's a good thing. The beer selection is good (though Woodbridge actually has a better selection) and will offer you a few very off the wall drafts. The chilli is amazing. I got Texas style, hold the grease (they actually ADD a ladle of grease to the all-meat chilli), add jalapenos, onions, and cheddar cheese. Then I drown it in the red pepper/vinegar 'hot sauce' they have on the table tops. Good stuff. Clean 'ya out though... There are actually 2 separate pool playing zones and both feature ample table space. I've never played here, but there's always a rack of Asians and Latinos rockin' the tables. It does get quite packed during the 5-9pm period, especially during big hockey games. The neighborhood is fine. Sometimes it may appear mildly sketchy, but I've never seen anything (except one time...ok, maybe 2 times, but neither was that bad) bad happen here. Definitely my go-to hockey spot. Definitely not a place you need to look around before you light your cigarette. This'un is smoke-friendly. Again, that's a good thing. If I went out more often, maybe it'd be a go-to watering hole as well... read more

We've been going to Hard Times for many years, and to our surprise we recognized our waitress Aggie from visits when I was an actual baby, which was an amazing coincidence, as this was a different location, and I'm just visiting from LA. Any way, the food was fantastic, the service and staff were great, and attentive. Everything came out in a timely manner, hot, and correct. An all around wonderful experience, thank you. :) read more

Kind of a weird restaurant and bar. The front has a smallish restaurant and the kitchen and is smoke free. The back is a huge pool hall and darts smoking bar. The clientele is not the best and not a nice atmosphere overall at all. Saving grace is the lack of other options in Springfield and the amazing chili. Can't beat their food in many areas for bar food. read more

I'm not a big fan of Hard Times chili. Overpriced and too dry for my liking. But this place gets 4 stars for having really good $5 burgers all day on Mondays. The chili dogs aren't bad either. read more

When I moved to DC, one of my goals was to improve my pool play. I searched for pool leagues in the area and I found one at Hard Times Cafe in Springfield, VA. Now, I'm here every Tuesday night from 7-11pm for their APA pool league. One of the best decisions I have made since I moved here. I have improved greatly at the game and am inching closer to achieving my goal of becoming proficient at pool. For the pool league itself, I would give 5 stars to this place. However, the pool tables aren't the greatest at the moment. The head of the pool league, Donny is actually upgrading each and every table and eventually, this will become one of the hottest pool locations in Northern Virginia. You may want to join before this place becomes too popular! Now for the restaurant and bar: the food is alright, I have ordered the jalepeno poppers, the Cincinnati chili, and tried some of the free chips and ground beef they provide on Tuesdays. The jalepeno poppers were good, but I wouldn't say they were outstanding. They are pretty expensive too for just 6 little balls of jalepenos, bread, and cream cheese. The chili was good, but I've had much better chili. I'm from Ohio and have tried Cincinnati chili, Hard Times does not match up. The service is great, the waitresses are really nice and always smiling. As mentioned in previous reviews, this place has so much smoke I'm shocked the fire alarm doesn't go off endlessly! When I leave, people tell me how strongly I smell of cigarette smoke. Just a warning - you are basically smoking a few cigarettes second-hand every time you come here. Overall, this place is a great hang-out location and my spot to play pool every Tuesday, but the food quality could use some improvement. read more

Pros:Been a regular at this location for years. The food is good, and the service is usually on top of things. The general staff are helpful and courteous. On Friday nights my friend Djs for them in the bar area, and they've got karaoke if that's your thing. They've different specials most days, and on Wednesdays they have big mugs. Cons:As far as I'm aware of they never issued a cover charge. I've no problem contributing to a business provided I know what it's for. I inquired about the cover charge and was told by a "manager" that they "didn't need to give me a reason why." I found this quite disrespectful and unprofessional of a business that wishes to stay in business. I had requested a manager afterwards, and didn't see one until they mistakenly charged me for alcohol I had already paid for. When I tried to dispute it, they threatened to get security. They told me to never come back, and basically justified their unprofessional behavior. I found this surprising, in the sense of how management decided to handle things which could've only escalated the situation instead of resolving it. If you visit this dive, keep an eye on your wallet. And don't look to management for a resolution. read more

This is my watering hole when I want to drink beer and play pool and have bar food. The wait staff are really friendly and I know most of them by now since I've been going there ever since they opened in the strip mall in Springfield. I like their $1 beer nights on Thursdays, well now its $1.25. It used to last till 9pm but got cut back to 8 which isnt too bad cause Im get there in time to take advantage of the happy hour. I also come here for the UFC fight nights which is always packed and I always get the best seats. read more

One of the filthiest places I've ever eaten at. We were there to see some football on a Sunday evening since we had been told it was a sports bar. We expected to find a line to get in but - this should've been a tip off - we were the only customers! Expensive - small glass of wine $7, they were out of several kinds of beer on tap (including Bud and Yeungling) Chili looked like vomit. Avoid at all costs! (yes - we were able to see the football game - fairly small tv screens though) read more

My husband and I tried this restaurant for the first time. We are both originally from Cincinnati and tried the Cincinnati 4-way. It was pretty good, close to what we're used to, but not fully the same. The only problem was is that the place smelled really bad of smoke and could of been a little cleaner. Overall, not a bad experience! read more

My original review still stands for the lunch crew, as they work really hard and provide a great experience, though going into the rear bar area has been disappointing on my last few visits. The wait staff don't pay attention to you, the TVs are set insanely loud, and the food specials will be out of stock with nothing to take their place. The food is still amazing and worth coming for, though I think I'll spend my evenings elsewhere from now on. read more

Used to go every Sunday and Wednesday for $0.25 wings, but then they kept raising the price it wasn't worth it anymore. Their Chicken Alamo pasta is still my favorite, and different types of chili on hotdogs, but that's about it. The pool hall was renovated a couple years ago which opened up the place, even room for poker tournaments. They keep up their pool tables too. But everyone mostly goes their to drink and have a good time w/friends. It's the local spot to play pool. read more

Great wings (Texas Style), great chili (Vegetarian or Cinci Style). I recently moved out here from Ohio & had been craving these two until I rediscovered Hard Times. This is one of the 1st places I was at when visiting b/f the move & believe me I'll keep returning. (However, I just discovered the new Hard Times in Fairfax & love the vibe there, too bad it's not closer to home or I'd be there more often!) read more

How good Hard Times is depends on what you want it to be. As a restaurant, it's not bad. They specialize in chili, and the four types they have are fair. The prices are good, but the food is pretty average. I'll echo what other posters have noticed, with the bathrooms being in the back of the place, which means a trip through the smoking area and the pool room to get there. The service is good, though. For the restaurant side, I'd give it 2.5 stars. The bar area is a different story. First off, smoking is allowed, so if that bothers you (I tolerate it, but wish there was no smoking), Hard Times might not be the place for you. But it's pretty roomy, has lots of pool tables and dart boards, and lots of TVs for the sports crowd. The music is there, and is loud enough to be heard, but not so loud that you're screaming at your buddies to communicate. Hard Times also recently added two shuffleboard tables, which (at my last visit) were free. And finally, while I didn't rate the restaurant side's food all that high, in terms of restaurants, it is GREAT bar food, compared to others. So, I'd give the bar area 4 stars. Bottom line: 3 Stars. (If I could do 3.5 stars overall I would. If Hard Times went no smoking, I'd rate it a 4.) read more

I'm giving two stars even though I will probably never go back there...the pitcher of beer was good and our waitress was a doll - the manager not so much. Why can't the spaghetti/chilli come without water pooled in the bottom of the dish? Just DRAIN the spaghetti before plating would probably take care of that unappetizing problem. Had to order extra chilli and was charged for a bowl of chili, which was more than $5. I understand the wings come with different sauces, but that doesn't mean the wings shouldn't be seasoned to stand on their own. They were under seasoned and over cooked. I like the crunchy exterior, but wish the interior was juicy instead of dry. When our waitress had to put the wing order in again because we were given the wrong flavors, she told us that they would be removed from our bill. The manager came by and said half the price would be removed. He was glib, but no matter..there are other places with friendly wait staff and pitchers of beer. We probably won't be back. read more

I love this place for so many reasons but the number one is their nachos. Always on ONE HUNNID! lol. And I learned that they have WiFi. Man its my favorite hole in the wall, especially this one! And they have karaoke some nights, and of course pool. :) read more

Hard Times Cafe - Half order of nachos with Texas and Cincinnati chilli. Yum! (A whole order is alot bigger) - American Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

Sometimes you need a place you can go for a few beers, nachos, chili, hot wings, just all the sloppy feel good food you can get and this is my place. They do it all right and the service is great. The staff is very friendly and eager to serve and the bartenders are great. The guys who work at night are pretty funny. They have karaoke on Fridays which is fun and they have a ton of big tv's around the bar area in the back to watch Football, Hockey, UFC, etc. They also have no shortage of pool tables. My only complaint with this place is the smoke in the back. The bar in the back with the pool tables is a smoking area and it gets really bad in there sometimes but if you aren't bothered by second hand smoke it's fine. They do have the front restaurant area that's smoke-free so you always have that. Their buffalo chicken tenders are really good, and so is anything with texas chili (Nachos are the best in town hands down) and the chili taters are really good too. The servings are pretty big so plan to bring a friend or have leftovers. read more

Bad and rude service, don't recommend for drink/wings, i ordered wings and a round of beers for my boys, 40 minutes later i ask for my wings and the waiter decided to act all rude and disrespectful after im asking nicely read more

Had a great lunch here today. Tasty chili over white rice; complete with sweet tea and cornbread. Allyson our server was great; she kept the cold tea coming to quench the spice from our side of diced jalapeños we decided to order. read more

Hard Times Cafe - Chili samples. So many yummy choices. We choose... - American Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

This restaurant and pool parlor needs to have a non smoking pool area. Over twenty tables and none are smoke free. The back room with four tables wo u ld work. read more

I blame management for 1) server was trying to waitress the entire restaurant. A young man stuck to his host duties and guys behind the counter remained chit-chatting while the lone waitress apologized for keeping us waiting to take our order. 2) Meals arrived, except one. Apparently, they got the order wrong . . . I heard the waitress carefully explain several times what went wrong to the cook. It was a Quesadilla - for crying out loud - that arrived about when the rest of us finished our meals. 3) thank you for taking the Quesadilla order off our bill. Sorry, we will not be back. Food is fine. read more

This place has gone down big time! Chili was dry and cold. Cornbread was stale and cold. Tables and floors were filthy. Wow surprised they even pass city health standards here. read more

Although I work in Old Town and live in Landmark, when I need a Hard Times fix, I almost always opt for the Springfield location. First of all, parking is MUCH easier, thanks to its location in a strip mall, with ample free parking. And secondly, it's bigger, so I've never had to wait to be seated, even at peak times. Since VA banned smoking this past December, the Springfield location is even MORE enjoyable, since they're forced to keep the doors closed to the pool hall (where smoking is still permitted), which cuts down on the noise and stench considerably. The service is generally pretty decent and the food is a slight notch above standard bar quality. I've had most items on their menu, but Hard Times is really my go-to place for grilled wings and cornbread (Texas Inferno and Honey Barbecue are my fave flavors). I also enjoy the nachos (which is large enough to feed several people), although you may want to ask for the chili on the side, because they can get pretty greasy. Helpful Hint: They give you about a dozen grilled wings per order, for the (current) price of $8.59. It's cheaper to order in multiple single orders, rather than opting for the 25 wings/$22.99 option. Not sure why it works out that way, but it does. read more

There was this Spanish waitress we were standing there to wait to get the cue balls and she literally looked at us as walked away on purpose. She seemed like she doesn't like her job, but yet I don't know why she is still working there. I use to love coming here like over ten years ago but it is sad that the owner let this place go down hill. All they need to do is hire a happy waitress and bet they would do better again. Revolutions next door space is a lot smaller and it is packed. read more

Having the girl next to us dancing on top of her pool table was enough to justify the cost of admission to this place. I usually don't judge people, but this tiny asian girl was definitely exhibiting excellent pole skills. A definite 9 in my book. Unfortunately I can't say the same about the pool hall itself. This place doesn't really take care or note the wear and tear on the tables caused by the customers - including the heels of that girls shoes. I didn't like the fact that people were allowed to smoke within the confines of the pool hall. I guess I've always taken that for granted on the west coast. Service was terrible and can't say I expect anything else from a pool hall, but it served its purpose for a Tuesday night. read more

There really isn't much to do in Springfield other than maybe go to Jaxx for a metal show. Hard times is pretty decent, especially for the slim offerings that Springfield has. It's pretty big, they have karaoke, good bar food(at least I thought so before I transformed my diet), pool, tv's to watch sports(I don't watch sports, but I believe it's still essential to bar atmosphere), cheap beers(gave up drinking, but might be useful info for you). I would find out what their specials for the days are, I think they have a lunch special pretty much every day. I remember we went one day for the burger special and we got a burger, a huge helping of fries, and some cornbread for around 5 bucks, these are not McCrap burgers, they're fresh, large, and delicious, no I'm not talking about your manhood. read more

I often hit this place for happy hour and it can get a little crowded at the bar with their weekday specials. The beer prices are probably the best in town. The wait staff that has been there a while is pretty good. However there are others, (the place seems to. have a high turnover) that are not as good. Most act like they would rather not be there. It is not the cleanest place that I have ever been. Food is typical bar food type stuff. The chili is Ok but not extraordinary. I would say the same thing about most of the items that I have had here to eat. I agree with those who say it is probably not the best place to take kids and there are no tables for larger groups. Six large men would have a difficult time eating together here unless they went into the back room and there you will have to tolerate the smoke which can be thick They really need a better ventilation system back there. I have tried their poker night and a few other special events. The cliental can be a little bit on the rough side at some of these events. Show up in a tie at any time and people will look at you funny. read more

Hard Times Cafe is a great casual place for enjoying chili and more. There have made a concerted effort to improve service recently. The place is family friendly and a cute atmosphere. We have liked most things on the menu, but we really love that we can all order the chili (or burger for my one picky kid) that suits us. From mild, medium to smoking hot there is something for everyone - even vegetarian! read more

All I can say is that the place reeks of cigarette smell. Food is basic american/mexican fare. Nothing outstanding EXCEPT the service of our server. She is wonderful. The only bright spot in the dingy place. read more

First, don't let it's location in a run down strip mall fool you... This place have delicious food!! Second, you have to get their chili sampler! What a better way to figure out which one you want? 3) Great casual atmosphere, great price, and great service! read more

As we were cruising town looking for a place to eat we spied the Hard Times Café. Aside the term "café" we had no idea what to expect. Diner, bar, barbeque place, or pool hall were our guesses. We were right on some guesses and wrong on others. We almost didn't go in, though, because it just wasn't clear what to expect. The meal and service, though were good. The chile was tasty and prices reasonable. read more

Very large location with a good pool room in the back. This place always seems to have plenty of patrons, and the servers keep up. I usually opt for take out, and just slide in to the bar, pick up my food and enjoy the chili goodness at home. The chili nachos are unbelievably HUGE! One take out serving is two meals for a guy that can eat healthily (me). So take that into account if you order them. read more

Watched game 5 of the 2012 NBA Finals here and was impressed until the DJ started his gig at 10pm (Thursday nights). Although his music was blasting I could still somewhat hear the game. Service was definitely attentive! Probably a bit to the extreme as the waitresses always asked if I was okay even though I had plenty of beer ($1.50 long-necks). Perhaps I should have taken her up on the offer as the HEAT shot lights out in the 3rd quarter putting away my THUNDER! :( read more

Great place for chili! I'm a fan of the chili menu. I've never wanted to try anything else. read more

If you've read my review of Hard Times in Fairfax, please understand that it doesn't even half compare to Springfield. Springfield has great, quick service, the bartenders are awesome (hooked me up on my birthday... like, seriously), and it's huge. Tons of pool tables, arcade games, and the juke box. Love it. Springfield has so much more space than Fairfax, and it really makes a huge difference when you can walk around without having to push through gaggles of drunk people. I may live in Fairfax, but if I can help it, any time I have a hankering for chili or booze, I'll try my damndest to rally the troops and head to Springfield - definitely worth the drive. read more

Great place to watch your sporting events. Don't be fooled by the small facade in the front, this babys got back. One of the largest pub/watching rooms I've seen. The service is what it is, the good is pretty good. Negative star for smoking. You come out smelling like cancer, but business is business. read more

While it's hard to beat homemade, this place is definitely an alternative when you just don't have the time to do it up right. Hard to live in NoVA and not have stopped at a Hard TImes at least once. We've been to this one a couple times - once for pool and once for a late lunch. Food's the same as the other locations. Pool is available but the tables are hard-used. Not a location to go out of your way for, but not one that you'd necessarily seek to avoid. read more

Been here a few times and the service has never been the greatest, and today started out a little bad being we sat for a Lil being the host sat us without notifying a server...after a brief debate of who would take us when one of the servers, a waitress jessica came over asked if we had been helped then quickly took our order. She didn't want to give the boys big cups being kids cups are free reach fills (weird being I thought normal sodas we're free refills as well) anyway food took a bit for the food to come and when it did my wife's buffalo chicken wrap had blue cheese vice ranch (no bueno) the wife muscled threw being she wanted to eat with us vice wait for a new wrap. Burgers were a.little small but decent, the server tried to make up for the poor start but that's a challenge after your left sitting to long waiting to order.... read more

Hard Times Cafe - Charbroiled burger...a Lil small but decent. - American Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

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Walked into the empty restaurant and sat down at a table for 5 minutes. The two guys behind the counter never acknowledged us. We walked out as one guy kept his back to us and the other stared at his phone. Ended up at Bob & Edith's next door and had an amazing double bacon and egg cheeseburger and blueberry milkshake! read more

We really enjoy the Hard Times on King Street. This one however is clinging to some ancient notion that second hand cancer is an acceptable thing. I'm one of those rare folks with an adventure gene combined with disposable income. I won't be disposing of any more of it here. Yeah, the food isn't healthy, you know that going in. I love a great craft beer so it is enticing, but I had to throw my clothes away because of the cigarette smoke. The door between the smoking / non-smoking section is academic at best. Terrible. It took more than one visit to learn my lesson, but I won't fall for it again. read more