Zim's Cafe

4.5 (532)

$30 and under

American

215 W Main St, Lexington, KY 40507

About this restaurant

Neighbourhood gem
Innovative
Great for brunch

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!

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

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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
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

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Zim's Cafe.

4.5

(532)

4.5Food
4.4Service
4.4Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

529 Reviews

C
Christopher
New York City9 reviews
5.0
Dined on 3 December 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Excellent food and interesting space. I love this chef.
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c
catherine
South Carolina21 reviews
5.0
Dined on 1 November 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Being in a rush, this place understood the assignment and took care of us! Our waiter, who I did not catch his name on accident, did an incredible job of making sure we were taken care of. Fried pickles are a must order! The burgers were so big and your money's worth.
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R
Rose
Central Kentucky1 review
5.0
Dined on 29 October 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I booked a 7:30 business meal for 7 on a Wednesday. We were seated in the Thirsty Fox, which had a cozy, rustic ambience. The food and service were excellent.
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C
Cheryl Gold
Austin15 reviews
2.0
Dined on 18 October 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 4
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 4
The restaurant was cute and the food was good but the service was horrible. We had a reservation and waited 15 minutes before we were acknowledged and seated by the hostess. We waited 30 minutes before we were greeted by our waitress. It just got worse from there. Overall, we were there for 2 hours and made for a really frustrating meal.
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J
Julie Gold
Indiana10 reviews
5.0
Dined on 15 October 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We were referred by a local from one of our distillery tours. Good food, nice ambience. Easy to find. We enjoyed ourselves!
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R
Robert
Central Kentucky3 reviews
5.0
Dined on 14 October 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great place to eat. We both got their shrimp and grits. The best shrimp and grits we have had. Outstanding. Great service. Highly recommend.
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C
Carolyn Gold
Central Kentucky158 reviews
2.0
Dined on 12 October 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
For a recent lunch outing (around noon) I was surprised to find that two of my menu choices could not be fulfilled. There were not a lot of customers in the restaurant but service was somewhat slow. The food was pretty good with the exception of the cheese grits. The consistency was good but I could not detect any cheese taste in them. Not a bad experience but could have been better.
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c
chuck Gold
Southwest Florida72 reviews
5.0
Dined on 12 October 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had Sunday brunch there. The decor is fun and welcoming. To start with, I had the house made expresso and it was very good. The eggs Benedict were spot on and my friend had the bologna sandwich and he loved it. We just like the vibe there. We’ll be back.
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M
Melissa Gold
Las Vegas9 reviews
5.0
Dined on 10 October 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Great food made with local ingredients. Very affordable and convenient. A great choice before a play at the Opera House, or a concert/basketball game at Rupp. We will be back!
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S
Sarah
Central Kentucky1 review
3.0
Dined on 5 October 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Unfortunately, almost everything we ordered was mediocre, which was surprising since we have eaten at other Ouita Michaels establishments and enjoyed it. The Zimmerman patty melt was served on dry toast rather than grilled bread. The chicken tenders were good enough but nothing special. The cheese grits were very dry. The hot brown was served without any sauce, completely dry. They brought out a side of the cream sauce, but it should have been remade properly. Our server was very attentive and personable.
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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
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

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.