ZBGB

Grabbed a couple appetizers here this weekend with some friends. The waiter seemed flustered the whole evening, and so service lagged a bit. The food, however, made up for it. My sister got the Moroccan Lamb Chili Fries and they were PHENOMENAL. I was only able to steal one bite before she gobbled them up.
I went with the Bahn Mi Spring Roll which came out piping hot with a delish sauce. Really good variety of appetizers. I had a seasonal beer there – honestly could not remember what it was but it was great.
Overall, I’d add ZBGB to the rotation of OTR restaurants to try, but definitely wouldn’t wait more than an hour for a table.

Terrible service. Bartender was really rude. Made a bourbon mule in a glass instead of copper mug. Just ride. Too many good places to go go across the street. Won’t be back Update. Other bartender was really nice. Manager acted shocked.

One of our fav places in the neighborhood. Great ambiance with an effortless sophisticated yet clean design, friendly staff and saving the best for last this is the best burger in town. Great meat quality paired with a good selection of drinks. I am not a beer lover but when I come here I always go for the Belgian one which is a rare find around here. My husband is in love with the burgers here and although we have tons of options around the area when it comes to restaurants this place always seems to win. We usually stick with the classic and we do our own add ons — always hits the spot

My fiancé and I are regulars here at ZBGB, and absolutely LOVE the staff and the food! The quality ingredients and ‘freshness’ of the food never fails to keep us coming back, and on top of that, the staff are all so kind and personable, that we love each of our experiences at ZBGB! I would highly recommend the spring rolls (I know it might not seem like something you would normally order at a burger place… But trust me they are AMAZING!!!) Tina and Nick are great bar tenders and I hope you enjoy this place as much as we do!

Pricey but quality ingredients. They don’t have proper wine glasses which makes it hard for me to enjoy my $ 12 wine. They must know little about proper wine and glassware.
They need to expand the variety on the menu. It just needs more reasons for me to come back.
Try any of the Lamb burgers or do the classic with Goat cheese added. Yummy.

Of the three new (ish) burger places downtown, this one definitely has my favorite veggie burger. Instead of a traditional black bean or soy burger it’s actually a white bean patty that’s been fried like falafel and topped with tomatoes, peppers, and a really good tahini sauce. I haven’t tried any of the sides, but several of them looked good and I will definitely get one the next time I’m there.
Just like every other ‘fancy’ burger place the prices are a little high — my burger was $ 13 — but you get what you pay for.

I’m going to be honest, I’m not someone who is a big fan of burgers nor do I rarely choose a «burger joint» as a dinner spot but Thursday night I felt differently. My boyfriend and I ventured to the Unilocal app to see what was new and what was around us, ZBGB sparked an interest in us both.
From the outside it looks cute and new but it is hard to recognize aside from the few logo markings on their window. (Thank goodness for Waze) Once inside the ambiance in very open, clean, hip and welcoming. A great place to socialize, enjoy some drinks, and eat some burgers.
As soon as we were seated we knew we were interested in trying one of their cocktails, unsure what to order we asked the waitress but she didn’t have much knowledge on the selection so we just risked it! There wasn’t much range in the selection of cocktails, seeming to range from strong to stronger but we wanted to go all out in experiencing this burger joint. I went with the Bubbly and he chose the Paper Plane, upon our first sip both of us agreed the cocktails were too strong for our liking. but for anyone who loves strong alcohol be sure to try one of them out! Just be sure to know what you’re ordering.
The menu isn’t very large so it doesn’t take us much time to decide. My boyfriend quickly decides to order the Triple Bypass burger and his excitement cannot be tamed, he is certainly the burger lover in our relationship. I decide to go with the Italian burger thinking as though it is not too intimidating for a burger novice like myself.
One of the coolest things about this restaurant is that if you sit in the back of the restaurant the kitchen is wide open and you are able to see all that goes into pairing your HUGE burger. I’m not joking either when I say huge, you pay for every dollar of burger you receive.
Our food came rather quickly and was cooked to perfection. My boyfriend paired his burger with their patatas braves, which is comparable to spicy home fries, and I just stuck with their normal fries. It is not hard to sell me on fries or tots…
Overall the ambiance and burger you receive sells me. I know this is a place my boyfriend will be dragging me back to as often as he can.

I rarely indulge in red meat, and doing so at ZBGB was a great choice. Three of my friends and myself got to sit in a cool spot in the restaurant where we saw everyone cooking on the line and making the food. I saw their handmade burger patties come out to the grill, and that made me relieved to know we were getting some top-​notch quality. I ordered the Big Sur and it was big and delicious. The homemade bun was just soft and dense enough to hold up to all of the toppings on the buger. However, the side of patatas bravas were not as successful. Typical Spanish patatas bravas have the great crispy outside with the soft inside. These potatoes needed the extra crisp, and needed to be cooked a bit more in the center. Maybe it’s just a personal preference, but I wasn’t really impressed. I will say that I tried my friends regular fries and those were a lot better. The service was very professional and friendly, which is always good. I would suggest making reservations because this place fills up quickly.
ZBGB, crisp up your patatas bravas and I’ll be back again to try another burger!

So the burgers are really good, and the fries delicious.
BUT, probably the worst drinks I’ve had in a long time. I ordered a bourbon mule along with 2 others at my table. They were absolutely terrible. Honestly it taste like margarita mix. A friend ordered a diet tonic with vodka… the server asked if she wanted it on the rocks or mixed… what???
Second, the server was terrible she messed up ½ of our orders. One of my friends ordered a salad that was basically a dressing soup. When she commented that it had too much dressing and needed more lettuce to the server, the server literally brought her a bowl of lettuce to add to the salad. are you serious?
Last, we gave up on the server actually tending to us so a couple friends ordered drinks at the bar. The blonde guy bartender was insanely rude to both of them on 2 separate occasions.
So overall, very clean establishment and delicious burgers & fries. But the bartenders were absolutely terrible both on mixing drinks and service. And the servers could use some serious training.
One last tip, there’s no need for the host stand to be that big. it really cramps up the dining area.

I came to ZBGB this week after finding them on the Cincinnati Refined list of new restaurants to try out in 2016.
We were seated at the table by the door because it was the only table available. Since it is February, it was freezing and I had to put on my coat to make it tolerable. Because of this (and also because it had been a long work day), I asked for coffee. They had none. We asked for tea, they had none. We asked for any warm beverage, they had none. By this time, the waitress grew annoyed, so I settled on water.
Maybe it was due to our unreasonable request for a warm beverage on a cold night, but it took forever for the waitress to return for our order. I ordered the Lori Burger (which is a falafel burger) and Patatas Bravas (Spanish home fries). Surprisingly, our food came relatively quick. Although it was very messy to eat, it was very good. The wooden planks that the food is served on are great for décor but poor for functionality. Also the price is pretty steep for a burger. Burgers run from $ 12.50−18. Sides are $ 4 – 5.50.
Overall, I was not impressed. But, I MAY come back to ZBGB once some of the service and menu kinks have been worked out.

Probably wouldn’t be writing this review except for the fact that this place is blowing up my Facebook with sponsored ads. Take note all, there is a reason why they have to market as much as they do.
Was excited to see that yet another restaurant has opened up in my hood and once more, a Burger joint. Since my boy and I very much enjoy a tasty burger, we thought we’d give it a try even though after consulting the menu, we realized prices were on the higher side.
After settling into the lovely restaurant, the we decided on the Cuban burger and the braised short cheeks. Initial thought was that the braised short cheeks, which were a recommendation from our waiter, were above average. The actual meat was great! The dish came out a bit cold, but otherwise it was good. Now on to what I thought was going to be the pièce de résistance, the Cuban Burger. While I thought a Cuban burger would be great, I have to admit I was wrong and knew it the minute I tasted it. Personally, after eating this burger I’m not sure how anyone could think it was good enough to include on a menu??? The burger patty was dry and the taste overall was slightly off… and the bun, the bun was overly large, dry and just plain not good. We ate what we could of our meal, and quickly made our way across the street to Taft’s.
Overall my feelings are pretty clear on this joint. There are far to many other restaurants in the neighborhood that have solid offerings and consistently good food. Until the food is better I’ll take my business elsewhere.

Can’t give it five stars… yet. I’ve only been once. After another visit or two I will update. My burger was FANTASTIC. I had the Big Sur. The fries were great, too. Really enjoyed the American classic rock playing. There were some larger tables which was nice to see, I would love to get burgers with a larger group of friends there. The burgers and the food would definitely make for a great time!
Drawbacks: The small serving trays were cute, but not very functional for such messy food. I had to keep rearranging my food so it wouldn’t fall off. The condiments were a little off. I wasn’t particularly fond of any of the three on our table. I love mustard, all types, but this mustard was not enjoyable for me which is the first time that’s happened to me. They were presented in short mason jars, which was cute, but not practical and also made me wonder how many people had touched all over them opening and closing them before me.
I went opening week. I am excited to go back again and see how round two goes! Definitely a welcomed addition to OTR. Who doesn’t love a good burger joint?

With so many new places constantly popping up in OTR, you really have to stand out to succeed. I think this place has a few quirks to work out (keep in mind they opened 2 weeks ago) but has potential for long term success in a neighborhood that thrives on unique bars and restaurants with hip, modern vibes.
First off, the location is prime. Right across the street from one of my local faves – Taft Ale House! The ambiance is really cool; tons of wood, and plenty of two tops /​tables for groups! We started with beers at the bar since we arrived at 5 pm, early any night but especially on a Wednesday when people are just trickling out of work. The bartender was very friendly and competent. She described drinks well and made a great beer rec that resulted in me enjoying a super refreshing Pilsner.
Since it was not busy yet we are seated immediately and greeted by our very friendly and enthusiastic waiter. He told us some history about the restaurant and you could see he was passionate about their mission to make everything from scratch. Which I should talk about! Guys, they make everything from scratch – the food, the burger buns, the ketchup (a bomb spicy and a regular). ALL OF IT. The lamb is local from Indiana, the produce is from Findlay market. Love supporting the local community.
Let’s talk food. It was my dad’s birthday so we wanted to celebrate. We all split 3 appetizers: the carbonara Mac n Cheese, the pork belly and ear, and the Bbq pork cheek with polenta. All were very unique and tasty but not the stars of the show. I think their burgers were more worth chatting about. The lamb on the Moroccan was moist and the middle eastern seasonings were strong and flavorful. The Italian burger was my personal favorite – the beef was moist and juicy and I really enjoyed the eggplant on the burger. We also got a Cuban burger and I can say with certainty that this was a waste of money. The pork burger was fry and flavorless. The toppings all combined together did not remind me of a Cuban sandwich at all. The sides were good not great. The home fries were good but too spicy for the average palate. The French fries were well seasoned and crispy. I enjoyed the pickled veggies too and I consider myself a pickle expert. They were tangy and still had a crunch.
Overall it was a fun treat. The service was awesome, the meal was exciting and different, and the ambiance was inviting and felt more spacious than the typical OTR spots. I want to share a few constructive things though– the food was too expensive. The burgers were about 17 each which is steep. The drinks were very pricy too. The menu is incredibly adventurous and not an every day place that will appeal to everyone but it is nice to have different options than the standards. Those things aside it was a fun meal with good service.

Good burgers, Mac n’ cheese is amazing! I have been there twice. The night they opened and last week. First time I went, I wanted to add avocado to my burger, they were unable to do that. Second time I went, I wanted to substitute the goat cheese for American cheese, they were unable to do that. Not very accommodating. I hope the Chef/​owner knows that he is in the small town of Cincinnati.
All in all, good burgers, Mac n’ cheese is on point, great atmosphere, no substitutions, no take out (it’s a burger!), can’t add any toppings to your burger, and they don’t serve tea or coffee! It was gourmet, high end, packed, and had a famous chef. There are a handful of other places just like this that just recently opened, customer service needs to come first!

Zula Bar Gourmet Burger! Why not?
ZBGB immediately caught my eye when I was passing OTR. Already from the outside it looks homey and inviting.
The choice of beers is quite good, although they were out of 4 drafts from the menu on a Saturday night. The price per pour is a bit higher than in surrounding bars, so I’m curious if this will evolve to be more of a bar, or more of a restaurant.
For now, it certainly serves as both! My husband and I enjoyed a nice drink and some apps at the bar. The cocktail menu is quite extensive as for a burger place!
Will definitely be back for a burger! Didn’t try their staple yet!

With at least 3 gourmet burger bars opening downtown/​OTR in the last month or so, you probably need to stand out in order to survive. I guess the bourbon selection helps set this place apart a bit. They also have locally sourced lamb from a farm in Indiana that they grind in house to ensure its freshness. Location is decent too, directly across Race St. from Taft’s Ale House. Just a block north of Washington Park, this place will be hoppin’ whenever there is an event at the park for sure. Definitely a solid burger! Definitely a pricey burger, but I believe I read somewhere that they use aged beef that they grind in house. So there’s a reason for the price, and locally sourcing ingredients comes at a price. If you want local quality, you gotta pay for it. We sat at the bar, so service was great. 18 craft beers on tap, mostly regional/​locals. Huge bourbon selection, and I even spotted some Icelandic vodka (Reyka) next to the OYO vodka (out of Columbus). This restaurant is brought to you by the same people that run Zula, down the block. ZBGB = Zula Bar Gourmet Burgers.

Absolutely delicious burgers, but it seems a few things in seating need to be worked out (which is understandable because it just opened).
I came here last weekend with my other half. When we put our name in they said it would be an hour and a half, which seemed odd because there were two giant tables completely open (with a group of people standing around waiting to be seated as well). There isn’t much standing room which made it a little awkward so we went to Taft’s to grab a beer while we were waiting. Not 2 minutes after getting our beer they called us saying our table was ready so we chugged our beers and headed over. After that little mishap everything was great; service, drinks food, all wonderful!

Worth checking out.
Great burger variety: Beef, lamb, and vegetarian. Prices are a little ridiculous. I’m all for paying good money for a burger, but the patties weren’t even that thick, and the add-​ons very steep. Buns were just ok… a little too chewy.
Sides were lacking. Pickled veggies were good, but the fries tastes like they’d come from Penn Station. Homemade ketchups were yummy.
They really like their beers. Almost $ 8 for a MadTree???
Cool ambiance. Nice hardwood floors and searing options.

A great addition to OTR. Nice bourbon and beer selection, beautiful bar, community and lively tables, unique pork based appetizers and big, well executed burgers… Beef as well as lamb, extensive cheese selection and the homemade buns are the key. Vic has done a great job… ZULA is also a top place to go (my #1 goto for out of town guests).
Fritz

This place is a brand new addition to the OTR neighborhood and sets itself apart with an impressive and creative burger menu that is unlike any other in the city. If you’re wondering how creative a restaurateur can get with a burger then you need to check out this menu and experience the quality of food at ZBGB! They so have a nice selection of nearly 20 craft beers on tap for your enjoyment.