Lem's Bar-B-Q House

I have been eating Lem's for two decades, starting on 59th with Mike and when that location closed I followed Lem's to the 75th street location. I travel from the far west suburbs to get Lem's at least once a month and the ribs are never the same. One month they are great and the next they are so hard that I can't eat them! The same thing goes for their chicken wings, they are either great or under cooked. Customer service is not the best either, we could do with out the coldness of the women who work on the cash register, they should treat every customer the same way they treat the food critics who give Lem""s such high regards. Somebody need to inform the owners of Lem's of the fact that six chicken wings should not cost over six dollars and you should not have to take out a loan to buy an order of rib tips! Lem's you are located in an urban area with gold coast prices... WAKE UP before it's to late because you will not get a bail out loan from yhe government to stay in business! Pros: Food Critics Love Lem's Cons: Lacks consistency, poor customer service, parking more

I have had them all over town and Lem's is still the king. A unique tangy sauce with a hint of clover and just a bit of heat slathered on tender rib tips or a more chewy st. louis style rib. If you like meat falling off the bone go for the tips or head to Chilis. Instead of getting the standard preparation of meat packed on top of the fries and white bread - get the meat on the side w. extra sauce. This keeps the oil smell from the fries from infiltrating the main event. Prepare for a drive thru some sketchy areas but the people at Lem's are great. Beware of getting a bad batch of yesterday's ribs by heading in too early in the shift - but prime time lems is an experience any bbq afficianato would treasure. more

you've gotta be kidding. after reading the reviews posted here I visited this place. I am from Kansas City where BBQ comes in many styles and varying qualities. I've eaten BBQ from coast to coast. This places wins for toughest ribs. The worst I've ever had, anywhere. Not smoked or slow cooked or anything that makes BBQ good, just cheap meat with toughness preserved or even augmented with high heat fast cooking. I am now suspect of all reviews on this site. Most are probably written by interested parties, like Lem, in this case. more

Best B-B-Q in existence. My now-deceased maternal was an old friend of “Lem,” and this take-out hut was... more

Best B-B-Q in existence. My now-deceased maternal was an old friend of “Lem,” and this take-out hut was a favorite stop for him and his business b... more

i'm from detroit and i found this place by complete accident. what a find!! we got the fried shrimp and ribs with the fries. the sauce is great. it's open till 4am on the weekends and food is fast. so much sauce i didn't know what to do with it. the best is when the lay the ribs on top of the fries and then pour the sauce all over it. the fries get drenched in sauce. so messy and so good!!!!! Pros: food, late night kitchen, sauce Cons: none, but do ask for a lot of napkins... more

I have been to this pure south side rib joint. It is by far the best I have tried the patio, Georges, The old Red Barrell,and many others all over chicago and the suburbs hands down Lem's is the best no question Pros: Taste, price, Quality Cons: none, none, small place more

I HAVE BOUGHT LEM'S BARBEQUE FOR YEARS AND THERE IS ALSO A STORE ON 59th AND STATE STREET AND IT ALSO HAS THE SAME GREAT BARBEQUE. more

I have been eating at LEMS for about 20 years. I have tasted many BBQ restaurants but nothing comes close. The sauce is so addictive. I now live in Long Beach, California, but when I go home I pick up a gallon of BBQ sauce to bring back to California! Now my native Californian husband is hooked!!! Keep up the good work! more

These Ribs are nothing but Good! Lem's begins by slow cooking a premium slab of ribs over a hickory wood fire. After the slow cooking process they mop the ribs and french fries with a secret, spicy, tangly sauce. In my estimation Lem's is without doubt the finest rib joint in the city of Chicago. Pros: The Ribs, Crowded but cheering, Good value Cons: Ambience, Parking on weekends more

If your tired of copies and good imitations at best. Lem's authentic barbeque without the ""fu-fu"". Pros: Inexpensive, Quality, Authentic more

Every one loves to pick up a slab and get messy and this place is one of the best places to do this. I loved the BBQ'ed Ribs. more

There is no better then a shack for BBQ. Moved to LA and haven't had decent ribs since. Lem's has THE BEST sauce smothering their ribs, hot links, fires and white bread. I miss it so much. Go there late night on the weekend drop you $8 or so and eat em up! It's the sauce, I'm telling you! Pros: Inexpensive, Great sauce, Quick more