Zim's Cafe

215 West Main Street UNIT 25, Lexington
(859) 785-3690

Recent Reviews

Maria Nagelkirk

Despite part of our salad toppings being missed. We were genuinely appreciative for both staff and manager for helping assist in the issue. Everything was resolved and when we return to Kentucky, we will be visiting again.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

WCDG

Dined at the bar alone before a downtown event. Asked about the fried or blackened catfish and chose the blackened catfish with cheese grits and greens, which was outstanding! Catfish seasoned and cooked perfectly. Spicy and flavorful, but not hot. Pan sautéed or grilled. Cheese grits light and not too buttery or cheesy. Greens flavorful and vegetarian, which I prefer. Enjoyed draft local lager with dinner. Will be returning with my wife and friends soon.

Mark

We had the music beside us on Sat at lunch and that was by far the best part. It was hard to get refills on drinks and when we got our food most of it was cold or room temp. We have been before and it was a much better experience food wise, but having the music playing - that made this trip.

MindyV

My first time visiting, most everything was wonderful.. we started with the artichoke fritters and espresso martini, both were  fabulous! I had the club sandwich with fries, it was very good, and we ended with a coconut cream pie, we were all disappointed with the pie? But I will definitely return!!”

It was my first time coming for dinner and it was excellent. Sadly, they only had one waitress working out section so she missed a few things, but we obviously didn't hold that against her.

EricT

The restaurant was difficult to find because we did not see any signs. It is inside a courthouse building. We had to call to find our way. Lots of parking close. Once we found the restaurant our experience was wonderful. Kind servers, the food was delicious and did not take too long to arrive. Everyone was very pleased with the experience.

LynneM

This was our first visit and we went on UK game day which turned out to be a mistake. We had a reservation and were seating promptly, however we weren't approached by a server for at least 10 minutes. We ordered drinks, and 20 minutes later they finally arrived, but were missing a glass of wine. Our server disappeared for another 10 minutes, and we actually felt sorry for her because the restaurant was severely understaffed. After placing our food order, it took around another 20-25 minutes to get the food. The food was good (fried pickles were excellent), but not good enough to warrant another visit (especially on game day).

DianaD

First of all, we are regulars. Food has always been excellent in regards to portion and taste but I tried the salmon “bowl” (which was served on a plate) with a disappointingly small amount of every part of it....butternut squash, quinoa, salmon, etc. I finished in half the time as the rest of our party since it seemed like a child's portion and definitely left hungry. What I did have was really good but should definitely be a larger portion, especially for the $22 price.

Kevin Kinney

Honest review, let me preface this by saying I used to love this place, however, recent changes have made it a much worse as a lunch option in downtown. I work downtown and I used to eat here 3 times a week for lunch consistently and it was my favorite, now I eat here maybe twice a month. I would order the chicken tenders, a side of home fries and a simple salad. I considered this a filling, somewhat healthy, homestyle meal and it was reasonably affordable. I think with a generous tip it would turn out to be around $14. Since then, they've removed my favorite side items for no clear reason and increased the price substantially by 20-25%. The portion sizes are also less consistent now, the new sides are not tasty and lack healthy options. Now, if you want to get a side salad you pay a lot more for a worse tasting side salad. The online interface is more limited now and anything out of the norm costs extra and the additional costs seems arbitrarily overly priced. If I were to order the same thing now it would easily be over $20 every time and this is just frankly unreasonable for a lunch option in Lexington regardless of current economic climate.My suggestion would be to revert them lunch menu options to what they were before, prices could even stay the same and I would accept it. In my opinion, the changes offered very little improvement and seem like an attempt to streamline the menu to save costs and increase profits.I will end this on a positive note and say the service and staff has always been exceptional.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

KeithE

The food was really good. Half price appetizers during Happy Hour. The Artichoke Fritters were great. Staff was friendly and helpful. Have the option to make any sandwich a wrap if you're counting calories.

KristyC

The food was delicious, especially the artichoke fritters. Good variety. Service was a little spotty. We were able to get an item on the after 5 menu at 4 pm. But We waited 15-20 for our check and actually had to ask someone who was not our regular server for it.

Brian Sawdust

Most of the food was excellent. The short rib special was amazing. Shrimp and grits were delicious. The greens were perfect. The broccoli Rabe was garlic forward. The old fashion was average at best. Biggest negative, all our food came out at the same time, appetizer, salads and entrees. Hard to eat that way.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Shrimp & Grits

PoppyS

The short rib special was amazing, although the broccoli rabe was very garlic forward. Shrimp and grits were delicious, the greens were outstanding. Artichoke fritters were very good, the remoulade made the dish. Sassy sorghum and blue cheese salad dressings should be available in bottles. Cookies were just good. The old fashion was average at best. Biggest issue, and it did impact our first Zim's dining experience, all of our food arrived simultaneously. Salads, appetizer and entrees were delivered to the table, a small two top, at the same time. This made dining feel rushed to enjoy the hot food hot.

ChristopherS

Had an amazing dinner here NYE which was also our anniversary! We made last minute reservations and made a special request which the went over and above to complete! Food was amazing. Snack board with fried bologna...can't beat it! We both got the NY strip with onion rings and green beans...perfect. We got the clean plate award! Give this place a try! We will be back soon!!!

Sandra Dunahoo

Fresh, locally made foods from a thoughtfully designed menu in a historic building. Bright decor, high ceilings and quirky art pieces set the stage for interesting menu options spiked with traditional Bluegrass flavors. Just when you think there can’t be a better chili, along comes the Zim’s version infused with a hint of orange and that familiar full warm flavor of bourbon. Don’t miss the delightful bakery counter for a box of homemade treats.Parking: Parking is possible and close by and Zim’s is worth the effort. Finding parking is less difficult than most cities but LexPark is aggressive in ticketing unfortunately.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: All Day Breakfast Platter, Bourbon Trail Chili

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