Zim's Cafe

4.2

476 Reviews

$30 and under

American

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 24, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 11 times today

Great for brunch
Neighborhood gem
Charming

Ouita Michel’s newest restaurant - located in downtown Lexington, Ky. is a cornerstone of the Historic Courthouse Square. Zim’s Cafe features delicious sandwiches, Kentucky classics, fresh salads & innovative bites from executive chef Ethan Bowling. Order a cocktail, bourbon, or local beer from The Thirsty Fox, the bar component across the atrium with a cozy atmosphere!

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, Café, Southern
Hours of operation
Sun 9:00 am–9:00 pm
Phone number
(859) 785-3690
Website
http://www.zimscafe.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Paul Hieb
Private party facilities
Looking for a private event space? We rent out The Thirsty Fox. Email zimscafeky@gmail.com for more information.

Location
215 W Main St, Lexington, KY 40507
Neighborhood
Lexington
Cross street
Located between Short and Main Streets at Upper Street.
Parking details
There are paid lots on Short Street as well as paid parking garages on Main and Short. Street parking is free after 5:00 on weekdays and all day on weekends and federal holidays.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

What 476 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.2

4.2 based on recent ratings

4.2Food
4.1Service
4.1Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Central Kentucky
Great for brunch
Lexington
Great for brunch
Lexington
Healthy

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Nestled in downtown, Zim's Cafe offers a vibrant dining experience with a menu featuring standout dishes like "shrimp and grits" and "artichoke fritters." While service can be slow during busy times, the "food is quality" and worth the wait. Ideal for brunch or pre-show meals, Zim's maintains an inviting atmosphere with attentive staff.

476 Reviews

M
Mike
Houston
42 reviews
vip
5.0
42 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Good brunch menu. The food was well prepared and portion sizes were perfect. Service was excellent. Drinks were refilled quickly and the food came out quickly.
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Y
Yolanda
Western NC
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on November 8, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great food for the price! A great place for a casual meal. Zim's never disappoints.
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B
Bonnie
Louisville
7 reviews
vip
4.0
7 reviews
Dined on November 2, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
Food was delicious. Music was relaxing. Service was a bit slow.
Is this helpful?
S
Simone
Orlando
8 reviews
vip
1.0
8 reviews
Dined on October 20, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 2
Of all the restaurants I have visited owned by Chef Michel, this is by far a disappointment. The food was not what I hoped for. Quite sad since Wallace Station and some of the others are so great. Service was also sub par.
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C
Cas
Louisville
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 18, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I love Zim’s! Every time my friends and I come we always have a great time. The food is top quality and the service is very friendly and attentive.
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M
Mark
San Francisco
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 5, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
We arrived at 5:00. We did not get our food until after6:20, and this required talking to the manager or it would have been later. It was so loud we could not hear each other at the table. Our friends who joined us had a concert at 7 pm m. They had to hurriedly eat the food and run to the concert. They seemed unprepared for a Saturday night crowd.
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C
Chris
San Francisco
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 27, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
The restaurant was closed even though it accepted my reservation.
Is this helpful?
M
Miria
New Mexico
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 26, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This place was great… yummy food… artichoke fritters and the pulled pork platter, and fantastic service from Cassie! Thanks!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Mobile
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on September 21, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I had the Shrimp and Grits and it LITERALLY is one of the top 5 meals I’ve ever had. The shrimp were cooked to perfection (not too dry) and over greens that had the most amazing flavor. The Artichoke Fritter appetizer was, however, not something I would ever order again.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Louisville
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on September 21, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
I’ll start with the best: shrimp and grits! Outstanding! Flavor, presentation, value all top notch. Thankfully that’s what I ordered. My husband got the chicken tenders and said they were overcooked and had too much breading and chicken was kind of dry. Said he preferred Longhorn or Chick-fil-A tenders. Yikes. Service was great and timely. Ambience: music good but too loud. Our table had a sticky finish, clean but sticky, and warped. So a mixed review but we will definitely be back for the shrimp and grits!
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FAQs

Zim's Cafe offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (859) 785-3690.

Zim's Cafe is rated 4.2 stars by 476 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 24, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 11 times today

Order delivery or takeout

215 W Main St, Lexington, KY 40507

Additional information

Cross street
Located between Short and Main Streets at Upper Street.
Neighborhood
Lexington
Hours of operation
Sun 9:00 am–9:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, Café, Southern
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
There are paid lots on Short Street as well as paid parking garages on Main and Short. Street parking is free after 5:00 on weekdays and all day on weekends and federal holidays.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Paul Hieb
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.zimscafe.com/
Phone number
(859) 785-3690
Private party facilities
Looking for a private event space? We rent out The Thirsty Fox. Email zimscafeky@gmail.com for more information.

Zim's Cafe

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Popular dishes

Blackened Catfish

Artichoke Fritters

Shrimp and Grits

Menu

What 476 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Zim's Cafe offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Zim's Cafe restaurant rated?

Is Zim's Cafe currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information