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Zim's Cafe, Lexington, KY

Zim's Cafe

4.2
4.2
476 Reviews
$30 and under
American

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 16 times today
  • Great for brunch
  • Neighbourhood 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
  • Area
    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
    Patio/Outdoor Dining

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

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

Diners' Choice Awards

  • 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

  1. 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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  2. Yolanda

    Western NC

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 8 November 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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  3. Bonnie

    Louisville

    7 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on 2 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was delicious. Music was relaxing. Service was a bit slow.

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  4. Simone

    Orlando

    8 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on 20 October 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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  5. Cas

    Louisville

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 18 October 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.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Mark

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 5 October 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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  7. Chris

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 27 September 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    The restaurant was closed even though it accepted my reservation.

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  8. Miria

    New Mexico

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 26 September 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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  9. OpenTable Diner

    Mobile

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 21 September 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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  10. OpenTable Diner

    Louisville

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 21 September 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 booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 16 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Zim's Cafe

215 W Main St, Lexington, KY 40507

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Located between Short and Main Streets at Upper Street.
  • Area
    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
    Patio/Outdoor Dining
  • 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.
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