Zip's Cafe

Busy atmosphere but it was fun, good energy, the staff kept everything moving smoothly. Packed but it had an overall bustling feel as opposed to hectic or frantic. Can't go wrong with a Zip's burger. If you've got friends with social anxiety with you, point out the train going around the top of the restaurant, it seemed to distract them enough.

Great place to eat burgers and chili while watching a model trail run about the place. Cincinnati is known for chili, so grab some of the chili here with jalapenos and cheese on top. The atmosphere has a nice bar-ish old-school feel to it. The prices are somewhat high, and none of the burgers or sandwiches come with any sides. Parking is also rough. There are some parking meters and some side streets you can try to get lucky on. Otherwise, there is no dedicated parking.

Zip's is on every list of best burgers in Cincinnati. We had to try it for ourselves. My husband ordered the Girth burger with cheese, and I had the Zip burger with cheese. Burgers were cooked well and were very juicy. We also split a chili cheese fry(yum!). The food was all very good, but we thought it was expensive for the portions. The biggest downfall (and what would prevent us from returning in the future) is the atmosphere here. There is no hostess, and it is first come, first served. The dining room is very small, with no real waiting area. We were unfortunate to get a table near the door, so we were surrounded by people hovering over our table the entire time we were seated. We even had someone reach across our table to grab a menu! The other drawback is parking. It is on street parking and depending on the time of day, you may have to park up the road a ways. Zip's is worth a visit, but I recommend going at an off time during the week for smaller crowds and better parking.

They’ve increased the prices pretty significantly, but it’s still one of my favorite places to go. The chili and burgers are fantastic and fries perfect crispness in an old “hole in the wall” that has been preserved for a step back to a simpler time. The community tables lead to fun conversations with strangers or a booth tucked out of the way. Love the trains circling up top. I’ve been going there for 30 years and is a must stop whenever I’m home