Nicholasville Cafe

First impression of the restaurant is that the interior is very dated. The walls are painted "Pepto Pink" with various Kentucky Wildcat memorabilia scattered around. Each table was neatly set with a place mat, rolled silverware, and some flake flowers in the middle. Salt and pepper plus sweetener was also set. There were only two or three other tables with customers which is odd since it was noon on a Friday. I was greeted by the only waitress with her telling me they were "cash only" and that they "no longer take cards". I was directed I could access the ATM across the street, as it happened though I had cash on me which is a miracle since I almost never do. Probably a habit I should shake. The menu is typical dinner/cafe Americana food. Burgers, Chicken and the like. I really like how the menu was one page of simple selections and brief descriptions. I ordered "The Nicholas" burger which is a standard cheeseburger plus sour cream. For a side I selected "Hand Cut" French fried and cole slow. Unfortunately I was informed they were out of cole slaw. I asked instead for some tomatoes and cottage cheese. I was offered a tomato "stuffed with cottage cheese". Later I was also informed of they were out of sour cream too so I guess I was just having a regular cheeseburger. Which is fine. My burger was absolutely delicious! Juicy and well dressed. Mayo on both buns which I appreciated. Fries were indeed hand cut and hot although I needed to add salt. The cottage cheese and tomato were also very tasty. Over all I would definitely eat again. And maybe try something different next time. The owner told me they had been open for 26 years and business has been slow since the pandemic. In spite of the rocky greeting and dated decor I will definitely visit again and hope others give it a chance we well. TL:DRVery dated. Great food.

Bernie (spelling may be incorrect) & her husband, the chef were excellent, locals spot & specials. The Club Sandwich, Chicken & Rice special, Cheeseburger looked good. We shared the Beef & Veggie Soup & Hot Ham & Cheese w/ hand cut potato fries. All good, especially the ham! Ordered coffee, they don't carry Splenda, no worry used sugar. Wasn't convinced I'd leave 5 stars, but overall, this isn't a town w/ a lot of options so have to say no disappointments & good help is hard to find. Bernie & her husband did it all themselves w/ the amount of people on a Thursday I have to give them credit. Thank you!

Looking for a place in such a small town wasn't easy but got lucky on this one. The place is family owned and the husband (the cook/chef) and the wife (food server) runs the place. They've been here for 22 years, the place shows its age. Looks like a local fav. At first, the wife seems grumpy and unhappy, but once you get to talk to her, she warms up and she's actually nice. Now for the food. As usual, went for meat, the rib eye was well flavored, don't need any steak sauce for it. Shrimp was crispy!!! Chicken was tender and well marinated. Let's just say the plate was cleaned. Glad we stopped here by accident. Will be back when the opportunity comes.

I have driven by this place a hundred times and it was never open so I assumed it was a long-gone downtown establishment. I recently saw a social media post about it that shared the restaurant's hours and so we made it a point to visit. It's a small dated little place that is run by just a husband and wife but the food is great and the prices very reasonable. We stopped in for dinner on a Saturday night and there were just two other tables taken. Gertie, the wife and co-owner seated us. She is the hostess, server, and cashier. I had the dinner special of the night, 2 charbroiled pork chops with one side, salad, and garlic bread for $8.95. I had the green beans as my side and they were like my grandma used to make. I could have eaten 3 servings of them given the chance. My fiancé had the Nicholas burger and home cut fries. The burger was topped with sour cream which was a different twist. The fries were excellent! The place isn't fancy but the food was really good. There aren't a lot of places where you can get home cooking anymore and especially get dinner for two for less than $25. Hours are really limited (dinner is Friday and Saturday 5-8) but it's worth stopping in!

The good:Prices are very good in my opinion. Food is a fairly standard diner type fare. Suspect the other review may have been expecting something different. With this expectation and the prices you pay, the food is solid across the board and enjoyable. The restaurant was clean too.Neutral:Decorations are fine and comfortable enough. Nothing to really write home about but not the worst either. Kind of like a trip next door to the nice lady that lives there and needs help with her groceries.The bad:While it's nice to meet the owners, and they are nice, they were the only ones working so service was slow. The diner was not busy enough to justify hiring additional staff, but one cook and one person doing everything else is just not enough to run a fast efficient diner.Overall:Would have liked to give 3.5 stars. Gave 4 to help average out the one other review. I will go back, but not if I'm in a rush.

When I moved to Nicholasville I was hoping this could be a great, simple local place to get food. It was seriously disappointing. Everything tasted old and was just thrown on the plate. It seems that the business was mainly people who had been eating there for years and didn't know better.

This place is a true gem! It's like taking a step back in time in so many ways. Owned and operated by husband and wife, Gerry and Gertie, for decades, you'll find loving care in his cooking and her service. The clean, well-maintained decor is a charming time capsule. The burgers, hand cut fries and onion rings were all delicious! Cash only, but their prices are a welcome blast from the past, as well. Give it a try, you might just find your new favorite lunch spot!

One of the best homemade hamburgers I have ever had. The Service is excellent and down home friendly. The interior is just an old diner, fun place to be. Back to the burger, it was very close to my Grandma's burger.

Those of us who have lived in Nicholasville awhile KNOW that the food at Gerald and Gertie's Nicholasville Cafe is ALWAYS cooked to order, with the exception of Gerald's homemade vegetable soup, which he tells me is a two day process --- and worth every minute of the time it takes! The homemade pimento cheese, chicken salad and other spreads are delicious and the hamburgers and homemade fries are to die for as are the homemade pies (Gertie's Dirty Pie was published in Southern Living Magazine). I'm so hungry now just talking about it, that I must GO!