Lem's Bar-B-Q
Barbecue restaurant · Chatham ·
South Side rib tips, hot links, and aquarium smoker define this landmark
South Side rib tips, hot links, and aquarium smoker define this landmark
"Lem’s has been around since 1951 and is probably the one BBQ restaurant your uncle who’s visited here exactly once knows about. History aside, this carryout-only spot in Chatham still makes some of our favorite ribs in the city. The ribs are aquarium-smoked, and the sweet, vinegary mild sauce is a perfect counterpart to the fatty meat. Also, the ribs come on a bed of fries that soak everything up, so save some room for those." - adrian kane, john ringor
"Even though Lem’s Bar-B-Q doesn’t have a designated place to eat, this Chicago staple draws crowds year-round. But the summer is the prime Lem’s time, since it lets you have instant BBQ gratification. Transform your car hood into a picnic table, dive face first into rib tips slathered in mild sauce, and watch as the line of people grows and it becomes a spontaneous BBQ block party. Definitely ask for extra napkins." - nick allen, john ringor
"Lem’s has been around since 1954, and is probably the only BBQ restaurant your uncle who’s visited here exactly once knows about. History aside, this carryout-only spot in Chatham still makes some of our favorite ribs in the city, which will cover your hands in so much sauce you’ll be unable to constantly refresh your Instagram feed. They’re aquarium-smoked, and the sweet, vinegary mild sauce is a perfect counterpart to the fatty meat. Also, the ribs come on a bed of fries that soak everything up, which is just plain thoughtful." - veda kilaru, john ringor, adrian kane
"I described Lem’s Bar-B-Q as a cornerstone of Chicago’s culinary community with a 70-year legacy, started by brothers Myles and Bruce Lemons in 1954 (joined by brother James B. Lemons in 1968), where James’s youngest daughter Carmen, longtime friend Lynn, and nephews Billy and Kameron continue the family tradition serving rib tips and hot links flavored with hickory wood, charcoal, and fire on an eclectic aquarium-style barbecue pit." - Eater Staff
"Lem’s, a South Side institution, won the 2025 America’s Classic. The small barbecue shack along 75th Street is known for its ribs, rib tips, and links. The restaurant is a family-owned spot that uses an aquarium smoker, one of the most fabled apparatuses in barbecue history." - Naomi Waxman