Great bar! Had the egg roll appetizer. Just enough for two people. They offered Cincinnati Chili. Being from Ohio this was a great surprise. Tasted just like back home. Serving was huge, took half home. Wide variety of beer and drinks. Will go back again.
(5)
Jen F.
I am an avid Hard Times fan, but this one was great. It is part Hard Times and part pool hall, so you can eat delicious food and play. The place was empty when I went so the service was great. Our server was very nice and so was the manager when I had made a special request. Now.. onto the food! I LOVE the vegetarian chili here. I highly recommend getting it over the meat kind (my carnivorous SO agrees!) I had some over my french fries (instead of the tater tot option on the menu). I would get it on the side because it makes the fries/tots too soggy. On the other hand, it worked wonderfully on top of the nachos, which are awesome. Get nachos and be merry.
(4)
Lin C.
Good reliable food. Cornbread -- yeah-- make sure you ask for it. Sweet and yummy. Almost dessert. A real treat. This place is 2 in one -- a bar with pool tables and a family friendly tv laden restaurant that serves chili multiple ways, burgers, wings, sliders, tator tots, yum. Entire menu is comfort food but you can grab a salad too if you are going a bit lighter. Drinks are served in very generous size glasses. Specialty is the chili. Vegetarian is very good -- ask for a taste sampler if you are not familiar or want to try something new. Can't go wrong with any of them. The add ons of cheese, onions, spaghetti, etc make it 2 to 5 way. A quick enjoyable place to grab a warm and comfy bite.
(4)
Kay G.
I like Hard Times, I have been here a number of times with my sister and the kids. They usually bring your food out in an appropriate time which is important when you have 4 little one with you. The wings are awesome and so are their green salads and they have the "good ranch", hope you know what I mean. The nachos aren't that bad either. Id recommend it!! They have a bar inside as well which is pretty awesome.
(4)
Patricia R.
My husband and I went to this location for dinner the other night and we were very disappointed. When we were living in College Park, we frequented Hard Times. The food was always delicious. We ordered chili cheese fries with teralingua chili. Everything tastes bland and the fries were bordering on burnt. My husband ordered steak tacos and I ordered a bbq burger. My husband said the steak tasted burned and had a bad flavor, my burger wasn't seasoned at all and the onion rings were soggy and cold. The only good thing about our experience was the service from our waitress. We won't be returning again.
(2)
Candice J.
They're chili is ground so fine it becomes mush. Tasteless mush. Had mine on a bed of flavorless spaghetti. I could not even finish it. My friend who had a similar dish couldn't even finish his. How they're famous for their chili is beyond me.
(2)
John M.
Ordered cat fish tacos with sweet potato fries Tacos were soggy, i guess precooked and microwaved, with lettuce and cabbage abs lemon juice on them; no chipotle mayo at all. Overall petty bland. I got about a third of the fries as anyone else at the table, not sure if it was bad portioning or if the waitress, who was so stoned she couldn't read her own notes on what we ordered, got the munchies. Everyone else enjoyed their burgers and chili though so i guess the lesson is that as long as you order what the cooks feel like making your food will be fine. Probably won't come back, unless the rest of my friends are dead set on it, eh.
We walked in as they opened and waited half an hour for cold hot dogs and fries. A guy who ordered off the dinner menu was finished by the time we were starting. There were three people behind the bar who were paying more attention to stocking and chit chatting with each other which I'm sure is the reason for the slow cold food. May have asked for it to be warmed but no one came back to check on the food.
(1)
Dan B.
In my opinion, we ordered Hard Times Chili Nachos with Cincinnati chili, while watching the World Cup. They were excellent! Served piled high with chips, onions, jalapeno peppers, cheese, and sour cream. The serving was huge and tasty. The two of us could barely finish them. This was a big contrast to the "Ultimate Nachos" served at Buffalo Wild Wings--a big waist of time and money--in my opinion.
(4)
Bill S.
Not only was the food super, but the wait staff is the absolute the best!. Don't forget the chili sampler...
(5)
Lee D.
I enter to hard times last night and had a blast! We went to see dead eye stare and had drinks and food it was the best time ever! The food and service was top notch! If your looking to kick back and Enjoy this place is for you! Five stars baby!
(5)
Kim T.
I hadn't been to Hard Times in nearly seven years, since my Alexandria days. The last time I had it I remember the chili being too greasy for my liking. However, I was REALLY craving a chili dog, and perhaps a Frito pie. Plus, I was excited to see that they have fried pickle spears, and I was stoked that there was a location in Frederick, about 20 minutes from my house. We got to the parking lot but didn't even make it through the front door. Rather, we were greeted by a sign notifying us that there would be a $5 cover charge for the live music. I'm sorry, but I come to Hard Times strictly for the cheap food, and I'm not going to willingly add another $10 to my bill to hear some crappy live musician in a strip mall. Thank the goddess that Famous Dave's is in the same parking lot. Maybe we'll try again in another seven years...
(1)
Joe D.
Bad service. Wasn't busy at all. Paid cover. Got a pool table. 15 minutes later we asked for our server and the Manager told us he didn't know who it was. Another 15 minutes passed with no server. We consulted with the Manager on duty and he did not offer us any explanation. Waste of a cover charge since we were there for over 30 minutes around 11pm (prime time) and the band played 0 songs.
(1)
Lenny M.
Not a great experience. Our food was much overpriced and the service was sub par. I would not recommend. Drinks were overpriced and the place reminded us of a pool hustlers bar.
(1)
Molly G.
I was shopping in Frederick with my daughter so we stopped here for lunch. Their 6.99 menu is fantastic! We both had a meal and the chili nachos for under 20. The service was friendly and attentive and the food was amazing; chili Mac with Texas chili and my daughter had a kid meal with the best tater tots I've ever seen! Go
(4)
Diane M.
Have been here twice with my grandkids for lunch after sports games. Even though the restaurant was not crowded, the service was pathetically slow. The food is just fine - standard Hard Times fare and consistent quality. Excellent wings. I thought the first time was a fluke so we tried it again today in hopes of getting better service. No luck. I'd give the service 1 star and the food 3 stars. We won't be back.
(2)
K G.
We had lunch there and the food was Okay... we tried wings for an appetizer. It was warm and good, but the chili's was not great. We make chili's at home and its better. We ordered chicken nuggets for our son and u could tell it came out from freezer and they just heated up. Fries had same situation as well. How hard it is to make fries? Our waiter was nice and friendly, but the speed of service was slow even though it was not crowded. The staff in the kitchen were not very active and they were wondering around.
(3)
Mike M.
Had lunch at this location on Saturday. It was a little after noon so the crazies hadn't shown up yet. That's the deal with Hard Times, good food, good value, always good people working there, you just have to get out before the drunks and party people show up. It can get a little rough in the evenings and on big football Sunday's. So, that cleared up, I ordered something a bit unusual this time, a fish sandwich. It was very good, served with tarter, lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles on a crusty roll. I added cheddar cheese and opted for tater tots. Washed it down with a couple of $2 beers (their Saturday special). I'm looking forward to having that particular combination again. On top of that, as previously mentioned, the workers are always great and this visit was no exception. Our server was attentive and enjoyable. My buddy got Terlingua Chili with beans loaded all the way and enjoyed it as usual. They've got some crazy toppings if you want to go that route. It's served with cornbread which is a bit on the sweet side but very good. The only suggestion I have regards the hot dogs. I LOVE a good chili dog and would love to have one at Hard Times but it is not to be. A good chili dog has a steamed bun and the cheese is melted. Hard times serves the bun right out of the package, no steam, and the cheese is scattered on top with no heat to melt it other than the chili which, in my experience, has not been hot enough to do the job. Fortunately there are plenty of other good menu choices but man, I'd love to have a GOOD hot dog at Hard Times. So, in conclusion, not really a family place except maybe at lunch. Kind of a Buffalo Wild Wings (BW3 for the initiated) but with much better food, and, if you're into it, pool tables.
(3)
Jim A.
Hard Times is better than meh, but not quite A-Ok. If you like really good chilli flavors and not a ton of grease, get the vegetarian chili. I am NO vegetarian, but this is about the only one of their Chilli's I'll eat and it is actually quite good. If you're not looking for chilli at all, find somewhere else to go. The rest of the food is basic Sysco product (maybe not that brand, but it comes off as something similar). They do have a decent beer selection (from what I remember) and they've hosted some cool events like a beer tasting for a local micro brewery. All in all, fun place to be with the guys, maybe even the kids. BUt I don't frequent it.
(2)
Fred R.
Definitely a place to go for great customer service, really good food/prices, and of course...to shoot some pool. Sampler chili given if you've never been there before. Awesome onion rings and Whiskey River BBQ sandwich is a must!!! Management visits with customers to keep a constant pulse of the place & the staff on its toes. Not a place for quiet talk as this is a pool hall with good loud music. Will definitely make this a regular stop in Frederick.
(4)
justin p.
At least they have a vegetarian option! and you can play pool too. just like the old days at champion billiards under the giant. wonder if that is still even there?
(3)
Audrey W.
Chili parlor... when in doubt, ask for a free sampler and taste all FOUR - Texas, Cinci, Terlingua and Vegetarian.
(5)
Kayla S.
I was quite disappinted. I love chili 5-ways, but did not like it here. The actual chili was pretty good. My hubby said the chicken sandwich was good.
(1)
Thomas O.
Okay, I don't give five stars lightly unless the tummy is satisfied. You get your choice of four types of chilli and they're all good. I wish one was closer to home or I got more events at the Frederick Elks Lodge.
(5)
Mitch D.
Have been going to Hard Times Cafe locations in the region for almost 20 years. Their menu is unique and the food is consistent across locations. This particular Frederick location can get quite noisy at times, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. It has gotten to the point where we will avoid it during those days/times for that reason, which is too bad. It definitely has a "Frederick vibe" to it, especially on the pool hall side, which isn't always a good thing (See the Mitch S. review below, which explains the vibe in a bit more detail). But I still give it 4 stars. Good, consistent food across all of their locations, and has been a great lunch meeting place over the years for both business and social.
(4)
Casey S.
The hours listed are misleading. Food stops at 9 pm! We had to learn this the hard way. Otherwise, we very much like their food, especially the Cincinnati chili mac 4 or 5 way. We went during lunchtime and things were civil and orderly. It's a good place to eat if you avoid certain days and times of day.
(4)
Deborah N.
Hey! I liked this place! Pool tables galore, space galore, and customers galore for a Friday HH. Was good to be able to order some chili-covered food instead of regular bar food. Very nice crowd - wait could that be because it's in Frederick and not MC? Yep, took a little road trip last Friday, a little "staycation" and enjoyed a change of scenery (mountains) a change of climate (colder) and a change of attitude (people and prices were friendly!). Oh and the chili was all right too. (I had the chili nachos with the Texas chili. The chili was a bit salty but tasty and not too spicy.) Also, pool is free on weekday afternoons. (Something like 1pm to 5pm - don't quote me).
(4)
Jaime A.
My boyfriend and I generally make it here once a week to shoot some pool and drink beers. The environment is always comfortable and there are always good drink specials. The servers are friendly and attentive.
(4)
Allison D.
I'm not from Frederick, but I love Hard Times in Bethesda, so when I was out there this weekend I stopped by on Saturday night with a friend. And to be honest, I only write a review on here when things are this bad. The bartender was beyond intoxicated or on something. She was all over the place, sloppy and not paying attention what so ever. The other bar tender seemed to be extremely over whelmed and I felt awful for her. I have worked in the service industry over the years, but never have I seen a bartender who can barely see straight. I watched her take several shots and then sit on one of the other guests laps at the bar. I wanted to help the poor girl who was literally working the entire full bar alone, but we left, with no sign of a manager for me to even say something to. Needless to say I will not be back to Frederick. Ever. However I do hope that because it was so obvious that the employee was hammered, that the other bartender at least compensated for her work, because it was so busy. If there were an option to give zero stars, I would have done so. This girl not only embarrassed herself, she embarrassed your entire restaurant. Not sure how this mess of a "bartender" got hired, but I'd suggest replacing her with someone who won't down entire bottles of Patron and rail vodka during her shift while her coworker is left stranded at a busy bar...
(1)
Emily B.
Of you go for pool, drinks, and bar food... This place is good. If you go for a sit down meal, this place is a disappointment. Service was slow, food was bland... Hot items were cold, cold items were warm. We will go back for the bar side... But never for a meal.
(3)
Chef A.
I have a love-hate opinion on Hard Times. I love the food, but hate the noise and drunk scene. The pool tables are great as is the bar, but at times it is just too damn noisy if you're here just for some eats. Not everything is bar room food to Hard Times. It tries to combine a sports bar with a club and can pull it off some times. The food is solid and consistent, and I can eat till I puke then eat again. I love the food. I love the chili, the poppers, the burgers, but not really in to spaghetti-chili. I do not find the food to be greasy as some people say on here. I think the food is pretty much the same between all the locations. In the day this was the place to get chili, but now they cater more towards the beer and pool crowd than the foodies. However if you are there for dinner on a Friday night or Saturday night, the noise from the bar and pool hall bleed over way too hard in to the dining area and can be a bit of a put off. During the day the teens who work there can be pretty apathetic, though watching the waitress, usually in their teens get hit on by drunk college frats can be relatively amusing to say the least which may be why they are apathetic. I now take the food to go, and would not suggest trying to bring kids here when the music is loud, the drunks are out and people want to get laid. The first HT I went to years ago did not have the games so it wasn't so bad, but the the Frederick location is a combination of a pool hall and sports bar which makes the place a little less family friendly. Still love the food though.
(3)
Angela U.
Went here with friends, we had everything from salad, to burger, to chili. My husband had the Texas chili, with the Hard Times vinegar chili, he enjoyed it. I had the Cincy chili, with beans. Very tasty.
(3)
Ram-a-lama D.
great bar and the food is good... I'd like to see theprotions on chili be a bit larger.... but then again.. I'm a bit larger... lol
(4)
Tim S.
Man, the food is greasy here. I'm not a big Chili-on-Spaghetti fan: But I enjoyed it. We have been here a couple times because kids eat free on Sundays. So, we visited after church. Both times that we visited we were served by teenagers that didn't seem to have the greatest customer service skills. Yet, overall it was a decent experience. We'll try them out again to take em up on the free-kids meals on Sundays.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Divey Noise Level : Average Music : Juke Box Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Wed, Thu, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Jene B.
Great bar! Had the egg roll appetizer. Just enough for two people. They offered Cincinnati Chili. Being from Ohio this was a great surprise. Tasted just like back home. Serving was huge, took half home. Wide variety of beer and drinks. Will go back again.
(5)Jen F.
I am an avid Hard Times fan, but this one was great. It is part Hard Times and part pool hall, so you can eat delicious food and play. The place was empty when I went so the service was great. Our server was very nice and so was the manager when I had made a special request. Now.. onto the food! I LOVE the vegetarian chili here. I highly recommend getting it over the meat kind (my carnivorous SO agrees!) I had some over my french fries (instead of the tater tot option on the menu). I would get it on the side because it makes the fries/tots too soggy. On the other hand, it worked wonderfully on top of the nachos, which are awesome. Get nachos and be merry.
(4)Lin C.
Good reliable food. Cornbread -- yeah-- make sure you ask for it. Sweet and yummy. Almost dessert. A real treat. This place is 2 in one -- a bar with pool tables and a family friendly tv laden restaurant that serves chili multiple ways, burgers, wings, sliders, tator tots, yum. Entire menu is comfort food but you can grab a salad too if you are going a bit lighter. Drinks are served in very generous size glasses. Specialty is the chili. Vegetarian is very good -- ask for a taste sampler if you are not familiar or want to try something new. Can't go wrong with any of them. The add ons of cheese, onions, spaghetti, etc make it 2 to 5 way. A quick enjoyable place to grab a warm and comfy bite.
(4)Kay G.
I like Hard Times, I have been here a number of times with my sister and the kids. They usually bring your food out in an appropriate time which is important when you have 4 little one with you. The wings are awesome and so are their green salads and they have the "good ranch", hope you know what I mean. The nachos aren't that bad either. Id recommend it!! They have a bar inside as well which is pretty awesome.
(4)Patricia R.
My husband and I went to this location for dinner the other night and we were very disappointed. When we were living in College Park, we frequented Hard Times. The food was always delicious. We ordered chili cheese fries with teralingua chili. Everything tastes bland and the fries were bordering on burnt. My husband ordered steak tacos and I ordered a bbq burger. My husband said the steak tasted burned and had a bad flavor, my burger wasn't seasoned at all and the onion rings were soggy and cold. The only good thing about our experience was the service from our waitress. We won't be returning again.
(2)Candice J.
They're chili is ground so fine it becomes mush. Tasteless mush. Had mine on a bed of flavorless spaghetti. I could not even finish it. My friend who had a similar dish couldn't even finish his. How they're famous for their chili is beyond me.
(2)John M.
Ordered cat fish tacos with sweet potato fries Tacos were soggy, i guess precooked and microwaved, with lettuce and cabbage abs lemon juice on them; no chipotle mayo at all. Overall petty bland. I got about a third of the fries as anyone else at the table, not sure if it was bad portioning or if the waitress, who was so stoned she couldn't read her own notes on what we ordered, got the munchies. Everyone else enjoyed their burgers and chili though so i guess the lesson is that as long as you order what the cooks feel like making your food will be fine. Probably won't come back, unless the rest of my friends are dead set on it, eh.
(2)Art T.
Would barely get one star if not for the fact that this was a Hard Times, and as such, the food was worth it. Otherwise, no thanks. I'll just drive down to the College Park or Waldorf locations. Totally not worth it otherwise, and here's why. Service: could not have been more amateur if they tried. Had to ask three times to change the channel, and each time was told "Oh yeah, that's not a problem, I just need to ask the manager." And it's not like I bugged her every time I saw her. We're talking about a half hour total time here. Insane. Took them forever to get all of our drink orders right, couldn't wait for dinner orders. Food: always worth it. Hard Times serves up authentic Texas and Cincinnati style chilis and for not a lot of dough. When someone in your party orders a side of steamed veggies, though, it shouldn't take the entire meal for them to come out. That's not an approximation, that's the literal truth: we were paying the bill when the veggies finally showed up. Inexcusable. They still had the rice for a Southwest Chili Mac, though, which was a huge win for me. So, mostly good on this front. Oh, and one of the other patrons got just a bowl of chili... hers came out last... WAY last... as in, several minutes after we all received our meals. When the simplest dish (put the chili in a bowl) takes the most amount of time... I blame the coaching. Cleanliness: Fail. Décor: way too dark to read the menus, we had to use our cell phones in order to see anything. That's just embarrassing. Chairs were non-uniform, shoddy, old, falling apart. Also embarrassing. Noise: too loud and the band was only just setting up, they didn't start until after we left. Inexcusable. Overall, not worth it really. If it weren't for the food, we wouldn't have gone in the first place. We only visit the area when we're stopping by to see relatives, and we will definitely not be coming back in the future. There are a ton of good places in Frederick to choose from; this is not one of them. Don't get me wrong, I will continue to patronize other Hard Times Cafes in the area, specifically the College Park location, but this location sadly falls short of the mark by a lot. Thank goodness they can't tinker with the recipes at least.
(2)Megan R.
We walked in as they opened and waited half an hour for cold hot dogs and fries. A guy who ordered off the dinner menu was finished by the time we were starting. There were three people behind the bar who were paying more attention to stocking and chit chatting with each other which I'm sure is the reason for the slow cold food. May have asked for it to be warmed but no one came back to check on the food.
(1)Dan B.
In my opinion, we ordered Hard Times Chili Nachos with Cincinnati chili, while watching the World Cup. They were excellent! Served piled high with chips, onions, jalapeno peppers, cheese, and sour cream. The serving was huge and tasty. The two of us could barely finish them. This was a big contrast to the "Ultimate Nachos" served at Buffalo Wild Wings--a big waist of time and money--in my opinion.
(4)Bill S.
Not only was the food super, but the wait staff is the absolute the best!. Don't forget the chili sampler...
(5)Lee D.
I enter to hard times last night and had a blast! We went to see dead eye stare and had drinks and food it was the best time ever! The food and service was top notch! If your looking to kick back and Enjoy this place is for you! Five stars baby!
(5)Kim T.
I hadn't been to Hard Times in nearly seven years, since my Alexandria days. The last time I had it I remember the chili being too greasy for my liking. However, I was REALLY craving a chili dog, and perhaps a Frito pie. Plus, I was excited to see that they have fried pickle spears, and I was stoked that there was a location in Frederick, about 20 minutes from my house. We got to the parking lot but didn't even make it through the front door. Rather, we were greeted by a sign notifying us that there would be a $5 cover charge for the live music. I'm sorry, but I come to Hard Times strictly for the cheap food, and I'm not going to willingly add another $10 to my bill to hear some crappy live musician in a strip mall. Thank the goddess that Famous Dave's is in the same parking lot. Maybe we'll try again in another seven years...
(1)Joe D.
Bad service. Wasn't busy at all. Paid cover. Got a pool table. 15 minutes later we asked for our server and the Manager told us he didn't know who it was. Another 15 minutes passed with no server. We consulted with the Manager on duty and he did not offer us any explanation. Waste of a cover charge since we were there for over 30 minutes around 11pm (prime time) and the band played 0 songs.
(1)Lenny M.
Not a great experience. Our food was much overpriced and the service was sub par. I would not recommend. Drinks were overpriced and the place reminded us of a pool hustlers bar.
(1)Molly G.
I was shopping in Frederick with my daughter so we stopped here for lunch. Their 6.99 menu is fantastic! We both had a meal and the chili nachos for under 20. The service was friendly and attentive and the food was amazing; chili Mac with Texas chili and my daughter had a kid meal with the best tater tots I've ever seen! Go
(4)Diane M.
Have been here twice with my grandkids for lunch after sports games. Even though the restaurant was not crowded, the service was pathetically slow. The food is just fine - standard Hard Times fare and consistent quality. Excellent wings. I thought the first time was a fluke so we tried it again today in hopes of getting better service. No luck. I'd give the service 1 star and the food 3 stars. We won't be back.
(2)K G.
We had lunch there and the food was Okay... we tried wings for an appetizer. It was warm and good, but the chili's was not great. We make chili's at home and its better. We ordered chicken nuggets for our son and u could tell it came out from freezer and they just heated up. Fries had same situation as well. How hard it is to make fries? Our waiter was nice and friendly, but the speed of service was slow even though it was not crowded. The staff in the kitchen were not very active and they were wondering around.
(3)Mike M.
Had lunch at this location on Saturday. It was a little after noon so the crazies hadn't shown up yet. That's the deal with Hard Times, good food, good value, always good people working there, you just have to get out before the drunks and party people show up. It can get a little rough in the evenings and on big football Sunday's. So, that cleared up, I ordered something a bit unusual this time, a fish sandwich. It was very good, served with tarter, lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles on a crusty roll. I added cheddar cheese and opted for tater tots. Washed it down with a couple of $2 beers (their Saturday special). I'm looking forward to having that particular combination again. On top of that, as previously mentioned, the workers are always great and this visit was no exception. Our server was attentive and enjoyable. My buddy got Terlingua Chili with beans loaded all the way and enjoyed it as usual. They've got some crazy toppings if you want to go that route. It's served with cornbread which is a bit on the sweet side but very good. The only suggestion I have regards the hot dogs. I LOVE a good chili dog and would love to have one at Hard Times but it is not to be. A good chili dog has a steamed bun and the cheese is melted. Hard times serves the bun right out of the package, no steam, and the cheese is scattered on top with no heat to melt it other than the chili which, in my experience, has not been hot enough to do the job. Fortunately there are plenty of other good menu choices but man, I'd love to have a GOOD hot dog at Hard Times. So, in conclusion, not really a family place except maybe at lunch. Kind of a Buffalo Wild Wings (BW3 for the initiated) but with much better food, and, if you're into it, pool tables.
(3)Jim A.
Hard Times is better than meh, but not quite A-Ok. If you like really good chilli flavors and not a ton of grease, get the vegetarian chili. I am NO vegetarian, but this is about the only one of their Chilli's I'll eat and it is actually quite good. If you're not looking for chilli at all, find somewhere else to go. The rest of the food is basic Sysco product (maybe not that brand, but it comes off as something similar). They do have a decent beer selection (from what I remember) and they've hosted some cool events like a beer tasting for a local micro brewery. All in all, fun place to be with the guys, maybe even the kids. BUt I don't frequent it.
(2)Fred R.
Definitely a place to go for great customer service, really good food/prices, and of course...to shoot some pool. Sampler chili given if you've never been there before. Awesome onion rings and Whiskey River BBQ sandwich is a must!!! Management visits with customers to keep a constant pulse of the place & the staff on its toes. Not a place for quiet talk as this is a pool hall with good loud music. Will definitely make this a regular stop in Frederick.
(4)justin p.
At least they have a vegetarian option! and you can play pool too. just like the old days at champion billiards under the giant. wonder if that is still even there?
(3)Audrey W.
Chili parlor... when in doubt, ask for a free sampler and taste all FOUR - Texas, Cinci, Terlingua and Vegetarian.
(5)Kayla S.
I was quite disappinted. I love chili 5-ways, but did not like it here. The actual chili was pretty good. My hubby said the chicken sandwich was good.
(1)Thomas O.
Okay, I don't give five stars lightly unless the tummy is satisfied. You get your choice of four types of chilli and they're all good. I wish one was closer to home or I got more events at the Frederick Elks Lodge.
(5)Mitch D.
Have been going to Hard Times Cafe locations in the region for almost 20 years. Their menu is unique and the food is consistent across locations. This particular Frederick location can get quite noisy at times, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. It has gotten to the point where we will avoid it during those days/times for that reason, which is too bad. It definitely has a "Frederick vibe" to it, especially on the pool hall side, which isn't always a good thing (See the Mitch S. review below, which explains the vibe in a bit more detail). But I still give it 4 stars. Good, consistent food across all of their locations, and has been a great lunch meeting place over the years for both business and social.
(4)Casey S.
The hours listed are misleading. Food stops at 9 pm! We had to learn this the hard way. Otherwise, we very much like their food, especially the Cincinnati chili mac 4 or 5 way. We went during lunchtime and things were civil and orderly. It's a good place to eat if you avoid certain days and times of day.
(4)Deborah N.
Hey! I liked this place! Pool tables galore, space galore, and customers galore for a Friday HH. Was good to be able to order some chili-covered food instead of regular bar food. Very nice crowd - wait could that be because it's in Frederick and not MC? Yep, took a little road trip last Friday, a little "staycation" and enjoyed a change of scenery (mountains) a change of climate (colder) and a change of attitude (people and prices were friendly!). Oh and the chili was all right too. (I had the chili nachos with the Texas chili. The chili was a bit salty but tasty and not too spicy.) Also, pool is free on weekday afternoons. (Something like 1pm to 5pm - don't quote me).
(4)Jaime A.
My boyfriend and I generally make it here once a week to shoot some pool and drink beers. The environment is always comfortable and there are always good drink specials. The servers are friendly and attentive.
(4)Allison D.
I'm not from Frederick, but I love Hard Times in Bethesda, so when I was out there this weekend I stopped by on Saturday night with a friend. And to be honest, I only write a review on here when things are this bad. The bartender was beyond intoxicated or on something. She was all over the place, sloppy and not paying attention what so ever. The other bar tender seemed to be extremely over whelmed and I felt awful for her. I have worked in the service industry over the years, but never have I seen a bartender who can barely see straight. I watched her take several shots and then sit on one of the other guests laps at the bar. I wanted to help the poor girl who was literally working the entire full bar alone, but we left, with no sign of a manager for me to even say something to. Needless to say I will not be back to Frederick. Ever. However I do hope that because it was so obvious that the employee was hammered, that the other bartender at least compensated for her work, because it was so busy. If there were an option to give zero stars, I would have done so. This girl not only embarrassed herself, she embarrassed your entire restaurant. Not sure how this mess of a "bartender" got hired, but I'd suggest replacing her with someone who won't down entire bottles of Patron and rail vodka during her shift while her coworker is left stranded at a busy bar...
(1)Emily B.
Of you go for pool, drinks, and bar food... This place is good. If you go for a sit down meal, this place is a disappointment. Service was slow, food was bland... Hot items were cold, cold items were warm. We will go back for the bar side... But never for a meal.
(3)Chef A.
I have a love-hate opinion on Hard Times. I love the food, but hate the noise and drunk scene. The pool tables are great as is the bar, but at times it is just too damn noisy if you're here just for some eats. Not everything is bar room food to Hard Times. It tries to combine a sports bar with a club and can pull it off some times. The food is solid and consistent, and I can eat till I puke then eat again. I love the food. I love the chili, the poppers, the burgers, but not really in to spaghetti-chili. I do not find the food to be greasy as some people say on here. I think the food is pretty much the same between all the locations. In the day this was the place to get chili, but now they cater more towards the beer and pool crowd than the foodies. However if you are there for dinner on a Friday night or Saturday night, the noise from the bar and pool hall bleed over way too hard in to the dining area and can be a bit of a put off. During the day the teens who work there can be pretty apathetic, though watching the waitress, usually in their teens get hit on by drunk college frats can be relatively amusing to say the least which may be why they are apathetic. I now take the food to go, and would not suggest trying to bring kids here when the music is loud, the drunks are out and people want to get laid. The first HT I went to years ago did not have the games so it wasn't so bad, but the the Frederick location is a combination of a pool hall and sports bar which makes the place a little less family friendly. Still love the food though.
(3)Angela U.
Went here with friends, we had everything from salad, to burger, to chili. My husband had the Texas chili, with the Hard Times vinegar chili, he enjoyed it. I had the Cincy chili, with beans. Very tasty.
(3)Ram-a-lama D.
great bar and the food is good... I'd like to see theprotions on chili be a bit larger.... but then again.. I'm a bit larger... lol
(4)Tim S.
Man, the food is greasy here. I'm not a big Chili-on-Spaghetti fan: But I enjoyed it. We have been here a couple times because kids eat free on Sundays. So, we visited after church. Both times that we visited we were served by teenagers that didn't seem to have the greatest customer service skills. Yet, overall it was a decent experience. We'll try them out again to take em up on the free-kids meals on Sundays.
(3)