If you take the polished glitz of Glam Doll and literally imagine the complete opposite vibe, you may be somewhere close to Hard Times Cafe. From the haphazard ‘80s board games stacked on shelves to the facetious menu signange alerting patrons of the stupid questions surcharge, this employee-owned cafe is pretty much the most divey greasy spoon you can imagin. While I imagine the gritty ambiance could be off-putting for some, the sunny corners filled with plants and photos of employees’ travels displayed proudly on the walls, kind of makes Hard Times Cafe feel more like you’re eating cheap, comforting diner favorites in your grumpy, but warm-hearted punk-rock friend’s basement.

The menu is all vegetarian (including plenty of vegan options) with a Tex-Mex twist, and like any good diner, breakfast is served all day along with other diner favorites to round out the menu. The ordering system is a bit confusing- you get a menu and an ordering slip from the counter, write down your selection and its associated price, and bring it up to the counter. This gives you plenty of time to peruse and select from the expansive menu, but I do suspect this method of ordering (and the overall utilitarian vibe of the restaurant) may discourage substitutions or other modifications to your order. Once you pay (cash only!), you just go sit down and people-watch the regulars (an interesting crowd, for sure) until they call out your order.