I love the food and mochas. Been going to Hard Times since 1993. Awesome people.
Do not go if you cannot hang with a diverse crowd. And not just black vs white diversity.
Real ppl, different walks of life, different outside the box ways to love life.
I LOVE IT!!!
Longtime institution in the Cedar Riverside area that I highly recommend if you like good vegan/vegetarian food. Love the DIY punk rock aesthetic (I feel like such a poser typing that as I see my little photo icon of myself in a suit). Cash only! I Recommend one of their amazing bigger-than-your-head muffins.
This place is amazing! If you're looking for a worker-owned co-op that serves everything as vegan as possible and as locally with possible, then come to Hard Times Cafe
As somebody who is very much not vegan or vegetarian, this place wasn't bad at all. The vegan sausages hit the spot, hash browns were super crispy, eggs were done well, and the portions were large. Had to ask a few times for silverware to be stocked and to have the empty jelly container filled but overall it was a good brunch.
I used to love this place, but I recently had a TERRIBLE experience with the employees there, who were incredibly rude to me and my friends. I was very disappointed to be treated so disrespectfully when I was a paying customer. I won't be going back, the food isn't good enough to compensate for the truly horrible staff.
Food is great. Tasty vegan options. If it's your first time go with someone who isn't a newb. The employees have been not the least bit friendly the 2 times I've experienced but I hear that's not always the case. :) Must just be the hard times way. Anyway write what you want individually on your own meal ticket and you'll be Gucci
No burgers, wings, or flat-screen TVs. Just good vegetarian/vegan options and a unique environment with lots of cool people.
I met my soulmate here.
Discovered this hidden gem 20 years ago and my initial impression still holds. Sometimes you just need a breather, and I've always been able to breathe at this place. Maybe it's because it doesn't follow the norms of anything, but I feel like it's 'not on the map', and that's the best part about it.
Best biscuits and gravy I've ever had and the baked goods made every day, can't beat it!
Great atmosphere, awesome people, and decent food but... no meat... at all. Was not ready for that. 6/5 though if you're vegan/ vegetarian.
Had a nice vibe, but the food was extremely oily and had no flavor. Its nothing special...food that can be easily made at home (but with much more flavor.) Got the tofu scramble and it was just vegetables with a few chunks of plain tofu! Was excited to go but we were not pleased and wouldn't go back.
Amerikan cash only. They insisted that I use their ATM and wouldn't offer me any help finding a local credit union so I could avoid fees. Their attitudes were terrible about it, unbelievably rude. I had planned on eating all of my meals there for my 5 day trip, but they chose to want to serve their ATM/banker buddie$ instead.
Interesting place is a perfect phrase to describe this place. The food was excellent. The service was prompt. You have to know what to expect, which is clearly stated when you enter. You pick what you want and write it on a slip and give it to the cashier. It's a cash only place, so come prepared. They also have an ATM at the location for your convenience. Overall the taste food made me forget about the below avg ambiance and dingy atmosphere.
Love this grungy vegetarian cafe! Great vibe, dynamic staff, and cheap wholesome food. Be warned, they only take cash.
YUM.
go here. order anything. i'm guessing you won't be disappointed.
Don't judge based on your first experience with service, once you get the hang of the ordering process this place is the best! Great prices, great food!
All vegan food only. and they have quite an impressive menu. you have to write your order down on a scrap of paper tho. and then deliver it to the cooks yourself. its neat. its affordable too + huge portions! chill college student vibe here, but certainly a wide variety of folks hang out here. you dont have to order food, you can sit on the wifi + there are a couple tables that have chess boards embedded into them and lots of other board games while you wait for your food or mingle with the counterculture. open till 4am. i cant believe i just found this place last night. probably cuz theres a lot of crazy people hanging around the area its in.
Great place for food and French press coffee. Inexpensive. Good seating. WiFi. Stay up to date with there show poster board. Plus they're open until 4 am.
Amazing little cafe. Very different kinda of atmosphere that is very refreshing. Breakfast is amazing!
Is any customer welcome in this cafe?!?! I was surprised by the improper handling of the waiter, although I told him that this is the first visit to the place. After finishing eating, I went to him again to ask for a cup of tea but he brutally crushed me saying: There is a regular line !!! Although the role is cyclical and that was standing there before all customers ???
Dude... This place is fantastic the vegan food is incredible. The theme is... Falling on hard times
Good food for a good price. Always have a good variety of music playing and they will refuse service to people who are being jerks. A+
Vibe is chill and there are decent basic vegan/vegetarian options, though the flavoring is pretty bland.
Veggie joint with old school punk ambience. A Talking Heads tune from 40 years ago was playing. Good felafel sandwich.
Always tasty and good. Will be going back more often now!
When I want to work on something late at night, I do it here. Might be intimidating, but it's a rather comfortable place once you get used to it. Helps that I zone out to my own music while working.
Very cheap and open late coffee shop that's very cozy
Used to come here on a weekly basis, and decided that I d had enough after my last experience. Waited an hour and a half for a small plate of eggs and hashbrowns lazily thrown on a plate. When I went up to the line to ask about my order, before I received it, I was patronized and treated very poorly by the chefs. I calmly explained that I had been waiting an hour and a half for a small order, and was greeted by a rude and patronizing wow, an hour and a half, that s a long time . I said I know , and one of the chefs, without even looking at me, replied we are busy, okay? . It was borderline demeaning. They couldn t even make eye contact to apologize for the wait. To salt the wound, I casually waited to grab my order, as I could see he was plating it, and he barked at me to sit down because he would call my name. Terrible experience for everyone in the party that day. Others had similar experiences. I understand that it was busy, but that should NOT make it okay to be rude to a paying customer who was patient enough to wait an hour and a half, while watching people who came in way later get there food.
Lost a few long-time customers today. Would not recommend after this poor experience.
However, the barista staff has always been kind and helpful.
Probably the cheapest vegan grub in town. Also love the atmosphere.
Super quick service, reasonable prices, a great chill/punk atmosphere, plenty of tea and coffee selections, and everything is vegetarian/vegan. All-day breakfast, Mexicali fare, soups, salads, and sandwiches. The food is unpretentious, filling, plenty of protein if you're looking for it, and tasty - it is a cash only cafe, though, so heads up on that.
Relaxing environment for meeting friends or work. Not the cleanest cafe ever.
I've been coming here for years because it's awesome. Tasty, the baristas are rockstars, it's where all the cool people hang-out. Be forewarned there will be loud music of an unpredictable genre, but to me that's not a negative.
This place was amazing! Highly recommend the falafel platter!
Just when you realize that you have been away for a while, you go back quickly. This place is for everyone who loves Minneapolis to its artistic, alternative, and inclusive core. You're not a full Minneapolitan until you have had breakfast, lunch, and dinner here once. If don't like this place, you're too uptight and you don't belong here.
Great cheap vegan/vegetarian place. Almost always open and the food is pretty good considering the cost. Definitely has a punk theme going on so if you're looking for a place with frills go somewhere else. Great for college students.
One of my favorite places. I'm not vegan, but their vegan food is great. Hours are fantastic; I've driven across town to come here because it was the only place I knew would be open so late and that was going to have good food and great tea.
Awesome priced food and cool decor, not very kid friendly, but great lunch hangout with friends
Long ago, this place was great. Now it is a cesspool of aging punk and social justice orthodoxy. There is a sign on the front congratulating the place for being a sanctuary of piece, then inside there's a newspaper clipping that celebrates someone burning a cop car.
Punk isn't dead, but it can't die soon enough. These people have nothing more to contribute.
Good Vegan and Vegetarian food choices at affordable prices. Cash only and worth it.
One of the few places open late. The vibe is cool. Nothing pretencious.
Great food with a lot of vegan and vegetarian options you don't get hardly anywhere else.
The biscuits and gravy are a must-have. A half-order is plenty too!
Every time I come here the food is amazing and the service is great!! I wish I still lived in the cities cuz I d be there every night. ITS DELICIOUS. And the staff ROCKS!
Vegan/vegetarian fare galore. Fantastic food. Even more, a business model worth supporting on the regular.
This place has an underground artistic vibe to it. Many delicious vegan dishes.
Restrooms could have been cleaner. Nice stop otherwise.
i love a lot of their dishes!! the falafel, the quasadia, the tea selection, the omelete with spinach and cream cheese!!! so good.
Pretty neat study spot, especially because they're open so late. The coffee was alright, and the atmosphere was mature. The music varied from jazzy indie stuff to some quicker metal music but it was all surprisingly good background noise. Overall, I liked it. I will definitely be back.
Good vegan options in an eclectic college ambience.
Thanks for the free food for 150. The falafel and hummus from scratch were world class. The extended family feels so much love from y'all. We cannot thank you enough. Thanks for continuing to be a strong pillar of the community.
I am ashamed to admit that I never visited this place as a U of M student. Returning now as a beginner vegan does make me appreciate the experience, however. On my quest for the best vegan biscuits and gravy in the city, I ordered a heap of food that was lovingly arranged in a compostable container. I ordered a couple of muffins and enjoyed one while I waited. the chocolate muffin was rich and delicious. I took the food on the bus to work and everyone remarked on the appetizing aroma. It was very filling although the texture and flavor profile was pretty mild. Make sure you bring cash so that you don't have to burn three bucks at the ATM as I did.
Worker-owned cafe which has been a steady source of caffeination and inspiration since 1992. Good coffee, good food. Muffins and other baked goods are created right there. Shout out to Baker Ariel!
Great food for cheap. I've been coming here regularly for years. Good place to hang out and grab a bite after going to a concert or bar. Bring cash. A Minneapolis staple!
Great breakfast all day and the dirty Chai was on point.
A comfortable, historic, and genuinely diverse place to enjoy good food and excellent coffee.
great coffee selection, all vegetarian mostly; great staff
Been eating here since it was the Urban Peasant - Hard Times is a West Bank Staple for well over 30 years. The food is excellent, reasonably priced, coffee too. If you're on a budget a bagel and cream cheese or hash browns was always a favorite. The Haystack and the XTC drink was my favorite in college. Almost all the bakery items are made in house. This is an excellent collective. And if your politics don't let you eat here - then you would have never eaten here to begin with in the first place. Loved when it was open 24 hours a day and also loved when you could smoke cigarettes in there. But it's still a great spot for chess, studying, gathering, cards, and late or early morning food.
Chill spot for relaxing with friends n having a cofee, spending some time online or even enjoying board games with friends ina friendly welcoming atmosphere.
Great food, great price, great place to hangout. Where all the vegans who have fun go.
Has a hippie kind of feel to it. Lay back atmosphere, tasty food and nice staff.
A great diverse spot and great food.
No meat on the menu but they make it work.
If you are uptight stay home. If you like eclectic try it.
Super vegan food in a very comfortable quirky environment
Ignore the 1 star reviews left by bigots, Hard Times is a great spot that is safe and welcoming to all kinds. Truly crucial late night eats for vegetarians and vegans.
Quaint brunch place, bring cash. Vegetarian american diner style food, amazing coffee.
Vegan, cash only, free box. There is a one dollar minimum to hangout. Good place if you're on a budget.
