Zip’s Cafe is located in Mt. Lookout Square in Cincinnati and it is an institution. The small tavern opened in 1926 and prides itself on the consistency of their menu.
The location is pretty much unchanged since it opened. In most restaurants, the men and women’s restrooms are close to one another since it makes more sense to locate them together when plumbing a new building. At Zip’s, the men’s room is by the back bar while the women’s is near the dining area in front. This is because when Zip’s opened more than 90 years ago, women were not allowed in the bar room. The bar room is also called the “code room.” During the mid-20th Century, if the blinds were open in the tavern it was a code that illegal bets were currently being taken on horse races.
The classic burger here is called, appropriately enough, the Zipburger, which is a basic but delicious cheeseburger. The meat is a big part of why these simple burgers are so good. The ground beef comes from another Cincinnati institution, a butcher shop called Avril-Bleh & Sons. The patties are formed by hand.
When I went there last with my old college roommate, Dick, who designed the logo for The Gomer and Goober Pyle Comic Book Literary Guild, we started with a side. Zip’s is also known for their sides, their chili being one that is highly recommended. The chili is not a Cincinnati-style chili, a distinctive dish I will eventually discuss. It is a traditional chili though Zip’s has a particularly strong tomato base and is slightly sweet.
Zip’s does offer variations on the Zipburger. Dick was brave enough to try the monstrosity (and I mean that in a good way) called The Train Wreck. The sandwich is a Zipburger with shaved ham and a split grilled mettwurst topped with three types of cheese.
Less enormous variations offered are the Girth Burger and the Flying Pig. The former is a Zipburger with just the mettwurst. The Flying Pig is a Zipburger with the shaved ham and two slices of bacon. I had a Double Zipburger which is simply a double cheeseburger with a slice of cheese on each patty. Simple but a really good burger.
By the way, while you can find mettwurst in other cities, it is a type of German pork sausage most associated with Cincinnati.
You may have to wait to get a seat at Zip’s, but it is worth the wait.