Zim's Cafe

Name: Zim's Cafe
Address: 215 W Main St, Lexington, KY, United States, 40507
Telephone: (859) 785-3690
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.6

4.6 (513)

$30 and under

American

215 W Main St, Lexington, KY 40507

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 1, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 3 times today

About this restaurant

Great for craft beers
Great for happy hour
Neighborhood gem

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. Order a cocktail, bourbon, or local beer from The Thirsty Fox, the bar component across the atrium with a cozy atmosphere!

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
Tyler McNabb
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

Ask Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Popular dishes

What 513 people are saying

Zim's Cafe reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.3Service
4.3Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Lexington
Neighborhood gem
Lexington
American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Zim's Cafe offers a "unique vibe" within a historic setting, delivering "delicious food" and "excellent service." Diners love the "flavorful falafel" and "fresh, hot french fries." While occasional service delays occur, the "kind staff" and "great ambiance" make it a must-visit. It's a "great place to dine" with "reasonable prices."

513 Reviews

R
Robin
Central Kentucky6 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Food is amazing every time I go! Falafel was so flavorful.
Is this helpful?
C
Cassandra VIP
Central Kentucky7 reviews
4.0
Dined on May 11, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
The waitress was slow and very lackadasical. Waited several minutes to order and then had to ask for them to come to the table so we could order. It was not busy when we were there. 3/4 of our food was good but my sausage was cold and my bacon was barely cooked. Also, on Mother’s Day wknd, you should have a bigger order of big cinnamon rolls. Very bummed that you were out at opening. :( we understood it was a busy weekend but looked forward to that started!
Zim's CafeResponded on May 21, 2025
Hi Cassandra, I'm sorry to hear that service was less than stellar. It was also UK graduation weekend, so our pastries sold out more quickly than usual. I'd like to invite you back and we will have cinnamon rolls for you on the house. Please call us to arrange a reservation, if you'd like. Thank you for your feedback! Julianna General Manage & Beverage Director
Is this helpful?
B
Bob
Central Kentucky4 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 4, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Food and service were great. We were there during buffet lunch time, and what I wanted wasn't in that menu. But they brought it anyway and it was magnificent
Zim's CafeResponded on May 21, 2025
Thank you for your 5 star review, Bob! We are pleased you enjoyed your meal with us. Hope to see you soon! Julianna General Manager & Beverage Director
Is this helpful?
L
Lauren VIP
Indiana54 reviews
4.0
Dined on April 27, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Always great food. Service was a tad slow but they were working hard and were super kind.
Zim's CafeResponded on May 21, 2025
Thank you for your kind review, Lauren! We are pleased to hear you enjoy our food. Come see us soon! Julianna General Manager & Beverage Director
Is this helpful?
M
Maggie
Central Kentucky1 review
1.0
Dined on April 25, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 2
Food took forever with no explanation and service was overall poor. Tables empty and full of dishes the whole time we were there.
Zim's CafeResponded on May 21, 2025
Hi Maggie, We appreciate your feedback and have been working hard to improve service. We hope you give us another try soon. Julianna General Manager & Beverage Director
Is this helpful?
L
Lindsay
Virginia3 reviews
3.0
Dined on April 20, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
It took more time than I would expect to have anyone check on our table. It was not super busy when we went, though I understand they had an Easter brunch rush. We were disappointed that they didn’t have some menu items (mainly muffins) and chose a substitute but they didn’t have the other item either, but we weren’t notified until the rest of the food was brought to the table. One of the plates was completely forgotten as well, so one of our party had to wait another ten minutes for their food. The food itself was tasty, so I would give it another go on a different day and hope the service was a one-off because of the holiday.
Is this helpful?
M
Michael VIP
Indiana17 reviews
3.0
Dined on April 19, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 4
Arrived for a 6 pm reservation and although sotted promptly I was surprised to be seated in the bar. Be sure it was quite stuffy we moved outside. Server was initially attentive and our drink order was quick, our artichoke fritters took a while. But the on to the entree salads. We waited an inordinately long time, and then when they came out they were given to another table, which had ordered their food after ours. And one of their salads was not what they ordered. The server came to the table, surprised we did not have our food, went back inside and when he came out apologized about the mistake and said my salad would be coming out shortly. That salad must’ve taken at least another20 minutes . Additionally it must have taken at least 15 minutes once I gave the server my credit card to get my receipt.
Is this helpful?
b
beth VIP
Atlanta69 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 13, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our first time there and it was excellent. We will visit again while in Lexington for Keeneland.
Zim's CafeResponded on April 18, 2025
Thank you for your 5 star review, Beth! We hope to you soon again when you're in town! Julianna General Manager & Beverage Director
Is this helpful?
D
David
Central Kentucky6 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 6, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Good food and good service. Enjoyed time and introduced some out of town family to a nice local place
Zim's CafeResponded on April 18, 2025
Thank you for your 5 star review, David! We are so pleased your family and yourself had a great dining experience with us. We hope to see you soon! Julianna General Manager & Beverage Director
Is this helpful?
T
Tess VIP
Cincinnati / Dayton37 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 23, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Brunch was great and Edward was awesome, even squeezed fresh grapefruit juice for our mimosas!
Zim's CafeResponded on March 24, 2025
Thank you for your 5 star review, Tess! Edward is a great asset to our team and we are glad you enjoyed his service. We hope to see you again, soon! Julianna co-General Manager & Beverage Director
Is this helpful?

FAQs

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

Zim's Cafe is rated 4.6 stars by 513 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 1, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 3 times today

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
Tyler McNabb
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

About this restaurant

Additional information

Ask Concierge
AI Beta

Popular dishes

Blackened Catfish

Artichoke Fritters

Shrimp and Grits

Menu

What 513 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

Additional information