Hard Times Cafe Menu (Update 2025)
Welcome to Hard Times Cafe, where the essence of American sports bars meets a delightful array of flavors. Nestled in Rockville, MD, this casual dining spot is a haven for food lovers and sports aficionados alike.
At Hard Times Cafe, the menu shines with its legendary selection of wings and chili. Savor the unique Original Texas Wings or the Honey BBQ choice, each bursting with flavor. A must-try is the Hard Times Traditional Chili, featuring four distinct varieties including the famous Texas Chili, crafted with a secret spice blend that has stood the test of time.
The appetizer lineup is equally impressive, offering Chili Cheese Fries and Santa Fe Egg Rolls that are perfect for sharing. With many vegetarian options and a welcoming atmosphere, Hard Times Cafe is ideal for families and groups. Join us for a satisfying meal, where delicious food and a vibrant ambiance await.
Appetizers
Chili Nachos
piled high with chili, melted cheddar, onions, jalapenos, sour cream and diced tomatoes
Jalapeno Pepper Poppers
mild or hot
Chili Cheese Fries
roadhouse fries topped with chili, melted cheddar and sour cream
Chicken Fingers
regular with honey mustard bbq sauce or ranch
Santa Fe Egg Rolls
crispy tortillas wrapped around chicken, black beans and corn with melted jack cheese
Bacon Cheese Fries
roadhouse fries with bacon and melted cheddar
Onion Rings
our famous beer batter rings
Original Texas
made with our original hard times texas spice
Honey Bbq
basted in succulent honey bbq sauce
Chili Lime
special combo of chili and lime with a spicy kick
Honey Mustard
cooked with a sweet honey mustard sauce
Wings
Hard Times Traditional Chili
Texas Chili
the original. coarse ground beef cooked in its own juice, using an authentic turn of the century family spice blend and recipe.
Cincinnati Chili
introduced in 1922 by greek immigrants, it is a fine grind of beef with a tomato base and sweeter spices including cinnamon.
Terlingua Red
a tribute to the texas ghost town that hosted the first chili cook-off. a redder color and spicy kick of championship chiles.
Vegetarian Chili
soy flakes cooked in a tomato base with fresh mushrooms, onions, green peppers, jalapenos and peanuts.
Chili Mac
your choice of chili over spaghetti
Three Way Chili Mac
spaghetti, chili and cheese
Four-Way Chili Mac
spaghetti, chili cheese and onions
Five-Way Chili Mac
spaghetti, chili, cheese, onions and beans
Chili Mac
Chili by the Bowl
Chili by the Bowl
your choice of chili with or without beans
Cheddar Or Parmesan Cheese
Chopped Onions
Sour Cream
Chopped Fresh Jalapenos
Diced Tomatoes
Toppings
Chili Bubba
Chili Bubba
two pieces of cornbread topped with two of your favorite chilis, then smothered with cheddar, tomatoes, onions, and sour cream.
Frito Chili Pie
back in the 1940's you'd split open a bag of frito's and pour the chili on top. we put the frito's in a bowl, you choose your chili and we load it with shredded cheddar, diced tomatoes and sour cream.
Frito Chili Pie
Chili Changa
Chili Changa
a soft tortilla shell filled with cheddar cheese and choice of chili, topped with cheddar, tomato, lettuce and sour cream, includes salsa and chips.
Chili Cheddarburger
topped with your choice of chili with shredded cheddar and onions
Bacon Cheeseburger
with crisp bacon and choice of cheddar, jack or american cheese
Cheeseburger
choice of cheddar, jack, or american cheese
Hamburger
plain and simple, grilled just right
Veggie-Burger
choice of cheddar, jack, or american cheese
Veggie-Burger with Veggie Chili
Burgers
Grilled Chicken
Bacon and Cheese Chicken Sandwich
with crisp bacon and choice of cheddar, jack, or american cheese.
Texas Chicken Sandwich
grilled with spicy wing sauce, texas spices and served with blue cheese dressing.
Inferno Chicken Sandwich
grilled, with a blend of hot sauces and melted cheese, hot!
Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich
grilled with your choice of cheddar, jack, or american cheese.
Chicken Salad Sandwich
fresh homemade chicken salad.
Chicken Alamo
spicy strips of grilled chicken blended with parmesan, ranch dressing, served on spaghetti and topped with diced tomatoes
Hard Times Chili Dog
1/4 pound all-beef dog with your choice of chili, shredded cheddar and onions knife and fork recommended.
Authentic Coney Dog
two to an order, with just the right amount of cincinnati chili, shredded cheddar and onions.
Foot Long Chili Cheese Dog
all-beef and topped with your choice of chili, shredded cheddar and onions.
Chili Dogs
Salads
Santa Fe Chicken Salad
grilled and chilled chicken on a garden salad tossed with homemade mexi-ranch dressing, fresh sweet corn, red peppers, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar and tortilla strips.
Grilled Salmon Salad
fresh salmon marinated and grilled to order over a garden salad with red peppers, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar and tortilla strips.
Monterey Chicken Salad
crispy strips of chicken diced up on a garden salad with shredded cheddar, tomatoes and chopped egg garnished with tortilla strips.
Buffalo Chicken Salad
buffalo style strips of chicken diced up in a salad mix of romaine and iceberg with red onion, red pepper, shredded cheddar and tortilla strips.
Grilled and Chilled Chicken Breast Salad
grilled and chilled chicken, red peppers, chopped egg, crisp bacon, diced tomatoes and shredded cheddar on a garden salad.
Texas Chicken Salad
chicken breast grilled with spicy wing sauce and texas spices served on a garden salad with red peppers, diced tomatoes, and shredded cheddar.
Chili Salad
your choice of chili on a garden salad with red peppers, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar and tortilla strips, topped with sour cream.
Bbq Ribs
succulent ribs rubbed with our texas spice, slow cooked for tenderness and basted with thick, rich bbq sauce.
Ribs and Wings Combo
1/2 rack of bbq ribs with six hard times wings, your choice of flavors.
New York Strip Steak
10 oz, black angus strip is char-grilled over an open flame and seasoned with our crazy jane's spices.
Crazy Jane's Rib-Eye Steak
11 oz, cut of the most flavorful steak there is, seasoned with crazy jane's of course
Chamayo Chicken
two grilled chicken breasts, basted with thick bbq sauce, topped with bacon, jack and cheddar cheese and a pico de gallo.
Chicken Tender Dinner
breaded chicken tenders served with your choice of dipping sauce and a heaping order of roadhouse fries.
Grilled Salmon
fresh salmon marinated and grilled to order, served with our fresh-cut fries and cole slaw.
Fish and Chips
filet of cod dipped in our beer batter and deep fried, lemon and tartar sauce, along with a heaping order of roadhouse fries.
Suppertime Platters
Side Items
Tenderfoot Three-Way
smaller version of our 3-way with spaghetti, chili and cheese
Tenderfoot Bowl of Chili
smaller portion of chili with cheese
Onions
Chopped Fresh Jalepenos
Roadhouse Fries
freshly cut and homemade
Garden Salad
our fresh garden salad with your choice of dressing
Coke
Diet Coke
Sprite
Mr. Pibb
Fruit Punch
Hard Times Sweet Tea
Regular Iced Tea
Hard Times Old Fashioned Lemonade
Dasani Bottled Water
Beverages
Desserts
Hard Times Root Beer Float
Oreo Brownie Sundae
Hot Apple Pie a La Mode
Desert Special
please ask your server
Hard Times Root Beer
our signature root beer made with honey and without caffeine