A good chili restaurant isn't just the perfect place to practice close-up magic on unsuspecting patrons; it's also a great spot to meet friends and share Burton Gilliam gossip. Start your tongue wagging with today's Groupon: for $12, you get $25 worth of chili, wings, burgers, and more at Hard Times Cafe. This Groupon can be used at 15 Hard Times Cafe locations. Menu prices may vary by location.

Inspired by early 20th century chili parlors, Hard Times Cafe aims to preserve the tradition of delectable, hearty fare served in a friendly, lively community eatery. Elevate taste buds to new heights with an order of legendary grilled wings in one of five flavors, including original Texas, chili-lime, honey-barbecue, and eternity ($8.99 per order). Hard Times Cafe serves four distinct varieties of chili. The authentic chili mac is served over spaghetti with your choice of accouterments ($7.49–$8.89). Burgers, sliders, and chili dogs are easily transportable by hand or hovercraft, and savory steaks and other suppertime favorites provide more refined nourishment options. To reward you for your literary prowess, every Groupon reader who texts HTCGRP to 59925 gets an additional coupon good for one order of bar nachos. Combine this offer with a Groupon, or save it for a subsequent visit.

Each Hard Times Cafe is decked out in frontier décor, Wild West photographs, and cowboy movie posters. Observing the pioneer tradition of ritual athletic observance, Hard Times Cafe streams all the hottest sports games on multiple flat-screen TVs. Each restaurant boasts an expansive jukebox collection of vintage country western mp3s spanning 70 achy, heart-breaky years.

Reviews

WTOP listeners voted the Bethesda location of Hard Times Cafe the Best Wings in DC in 2010. The Washington Post featured the Arlington location, and Zagat rated the Manassas location as good to very good:

• Three different types of excellent chili, ice cold beer and a jukebox full of old faves make the Hard Times good. – Joanne Leonard, The Washington Post, Arlington location
• Best chili I've had that I haven't made myself! Love the rustic decor and Johnny Cash music playing in the background. CarolynF8217, Zagat, Manassas location