This place sucks. I go into the place on a Saturday and the bartender (Matt?) has his iPod hooked into the barwide stereo system. He is playing some gutteral funeral dirge that soon kicks into a hoppy song that would probably work best on a Pride Parade float. Five minutes later, Matt asks for my ID and serves me. I order a Red Bull and Vodka with a Bud Select chaser. I hear snickers at the end of the bar from two regulars as Matt (i.e. "Mr. Customer Service) tells me they don't serve Red Bull & Vodka or Bud products. What is a frat boy to do in a place like this? Drink Bell's Amber? Straight Jamieson? Yeah, right! Then you have the snickering regulars at the end of the bar. They suck as bad as the bar. First of all, there was a guy named Hayo or Hale (or something) who kept giving me the eyeball after he and his friends would pop off a twisted joke. Then this Jackson guy introduced himself to me and was vomit drunk. The stout guy with the green Sox hat on cracking all of the sick jokes was annoying, too. Yet, there were two women, Missy and Mary, among the regulars taking all of it in. Mary was kind enough to ask me if I was "half a f*g or something" for not laughing at their jokes. Real classy dame! That is another thing: it is a Sox bar. WTF? A Northside Sox bar? This is not the kind of place I would go to after a Saturday afternoon at a Cubs game (as I do 8 to 10 times a year). That Hale guy and the stout guy in the green Sox hat look like something out of "The Departed", a couple of Nicholson's stoolies who would make you disappear. I would give this bar a chance if you are into good beers and the feeling of a bar and bartender that appreciates its' customers. If not, I would hit Cans if you want the VRB's, techno, and getting an eyeful of the ladies. read more

Was out of the hood for awhile and now I'm back and Lemming's is in my "rotation," even on the weekend - I have no problem coming here on a Saturday - the crowd is manageable and there doesn't seem to be a trickledown of Cans patrons (thank god). Table by the window is my favorite. Not a destination bar by any means, but a great neighborhood joint. read more

This place is a breath of fresh air from the stank raunchiness of the Wicker Park usurper crowd. Come sit down at the bar in here and enjoy a nice glass of bourbon with a bunch of regulars who range from the bizarre to the frighteningly normal before it's too late! They have billiards which is always a huge plus and I believe on Thursday nights before 9:00 the pool table is free for anyone who wants to come on down rack a game or two. They usually have decent music playing (Pixies, Sonic Youth, Rockabilly, etc.). Their prices on bourbon are on the high end of average, so this is a good place to start out for a couple of drinks before moving on to a more cost-effective alternative such as The Beachwood. Consider it four stars well-earned for the folks down at Lemmings, keep up the good work and I might just make it five stars! read more

I'm not a big dive bar fan, so I was surprised that I liked this place as much as I did. It is just comfortable, completely unpretentious, and easy. We rolled in on a Friday night, quickly got a seat at the bar, and the bartenders were friendly and attentive. Played a little Connect Four, which got more complex the more we drank... "dammit stop playing these mind games!!!" I think there's a pool table in the back? Bonus! All in all, great people, great local bar. read more

If this place were just a few blocks further south, it would not be nearly as good. Not its fault - how could Lemmings know the Bucktown neighborhood would become such crap around it? As others have said, good music, board games, good weekday crowd. I will add: good Scotch selection and free WiFi. read more

Always seem to have a good time here! It is laid back.. not too noisy or smokey.. but still a great time! There is a good beer selection and they even have dice and cards available behind the bar for your amusement. The bartenders are just great! I have to say though.. one of my favorite parts might be their chalkboard sidewalk sign. I love walking home and seeing what witty thing they cooked up that night! read more

I love this bar. It is wonderful. It is never that crowded. It has a good vibe and mix of people. It is close to my house- whenver I get a say in the evening's activities, it usually ends up here! read more

Look up "neighborhood bar" in a dictionary and you'll see a photo of Lemmings. It really is everything you expect in a neighborhood place: a certain musty smell, quality craft beers at affordable prices, solid whiskey selection, never crowded, and not necessarily a dive, but not crazy nice, either. If you find yourself in Bucktown in need of a beer or a Four Roses neat, come on over to Lemmings. 123/365 read more

I used to come here somewhat regularly. Great beer selection, fair prices and great, friendly and knowledgeable staff. Sometimes they have free pool (bonus star for that!) Seriously, if you like a nice, clean, friendly neighborhood bar, stop waisting your night reading yelp reviews and go check out Lemmings! read more

After watching our beloved Illini shoot the lights out against evil Gonzaga, Lemmings was the spot for celebration, of sorts. It seems to have a pretty cool vibe - when we arrived, still early in the evening, it was dark, not too loud, with also not so loud music playing, and ample tables. We found a spot, set up shop, and got drinks. The general consensus seemed to be that the drink selection was good, with lots of craft beers on tap, plus the standard PBR and Schlitz. Even as a non drinker, I can't wait until the hipster beers go back out of style. This place, by the way, celebrates Schlitz's entire catalog. Everything in the place (with the exception of a busty mannequin torso, wearing bandoliers of large caliber ammunition) seemed to be Schlitz paraphernalia of some sort. As the evening wore on, it got a little louder - and the music was very eclectic, ranging widely. Kind of out of place for what I thought was a little more of a low key joint with art for sale on the walls. I'm waiting for the day when I can go to a bar and not yell my voice out, but I don't think it will ever happen. This is better than most though. What made it was pushing in to the 11PM hour, when a DVD of what I think was a collection of trailers for 50s and 60s slasher films and bad softcore porn made it's way on to the TV above the bar. Scenes of topless women, awoken by frightening noises, jumping out of their beds and in to the beds of other topless women (for safety in numbers, I assume), someone feeding a fist full of hot dogs, one by one, to a monster that lived in a wicker basket (the movie was "Basket Case" and is totally on my Netflix queue), and plenty of over the top fake gore were endlessly entertaining. Some of the reaction quotes were real gems...but not really reprintable. I can't pull my "will I go back" thing, because I don't really do the bar thing on purpose, but this place had a good vibe and wasn't too annoying - plus good...bizzare...entertainment. So...A-OK. read more

One of the cool things about this bar is they feature special nights with cult movies and Japanese anime. It's good to see a bar establish some sort of character with an affinity for geeky film culture. read more

Lemmings - a neon sign on a building - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

While I'd love to report that I followed others in here and proceeded to order exactly what they did, that's not really the case: Lemmings is a fairly benign pub featuring a variety of brews, including, on this night, a fairly delightful kolsch number that my buddies and I devoured relatively at will. It was the perfect bar to teeter into at late-thirty, and we stayed for a few rounds before we wound down for the evening. There may be few surprises in store for you at Lemmings, but then again, I find that it's only occasionally amusing to surprise the tipsy anyway. We saddled up at a nearby table and kept the cold ones coming. And say what we will about leaders vs. followers, I can't imagine that it would have been anything other than fun to reminisce with some old friends here, which, come to think of it, is precisely what happened. Thanks Lemmings, I'm sure I'll get back one of these days. Perhaps even on my own. read more

This may be my new favorite place to hang out. The beards aren't as serious as the Green Eye but the drink selection doesn't suffer. All the employees were really friendly. Strange thing, to see hipsters smile. Good to know some people aren't totally concerned with cool (ala trying to look unconcerned). Lemmings has all the symptoms of a relaxed evening- good music at an unobtrusive level, exposed brick, a pool table, a chalk bored that lists beers AND prices, plenty of seating, plenty of candles. It would appear that Chinaski's being closed and forcing me to go someplace else turned out to be a good thing. read more

I can only afford an Olympian at a place like this, because even the Oly' will cost you more than it should. That said, the place is cool and the bartenders are really nice and play some good music most of the time. They have a pool table and 2 video games in the back for some wholesome fun... Enjoy Suckas'!!! read more

Connect 4. Beer. Jenga. Beer. Trivial Pursuit. Beer. Just an average night at my old Bucktown favorite Lemmings. And it's not just a name. You head into this delightful favorite and people will follow. Oh yes, people will follow. Excellent beer selection, bar tenders are generally nice, pool table and pinball in the back and a wonderful selection of Zapp's potato chips (which 3 pints in start to taste like gourmet french fries....awesome.) This is a great place to go any night of the week if you want to drink with some friends at a friendly establishment. Lemmings you have my heart. read more

How could I have lived in the neighborhood for 2 years and just have been here for the first time?! I have passed by so often during the day, and seem to forget to stop in. It's definitely one of those bars that a regular might stop in, and the bartenders know who you are. It's not a very large bar, so I'm surprised that there's a pool table here. This adds to my desire to come back here. There's quite a good selection of beers here. I wanted to be adventurous, but had a craving for an orange slice so I just went for a Blue Moon. I love the art work on the walls, and it makes me appreciate the bars taste in decor. The bartenders are super nice, and they actually seem like they rush to get your order and to the people who haven't been served yet. The prices are average, but it's such an awesome chill laid back bar. read more

If you hate pretense, you'll love it here. Cheap drinks? Got it. Ambiance? Eh, not so much. In fact--strike that--It's non-existent. If you're looking for a somewhat-quiet place that's not your apartment in which to get drinks, and you really don't care about the crowd, this is your place. My boyfriend thinks this joint is one of the only worthwhile bars in the neighborhood, while I yank out my mobile to check in with my friends in case there's something better going on. At our apartment we've got a fully stocked bar (albeit running into the "almost-cashed" territory these days), and I'd pretty much rather stay at our apartment and serve up the super-cheap drinks with an entire personalized library with multiple smart playlists at our disposal. I think the only reason I'll go back here is if one of our friends is potently allergic to dogs. :-) read more

Updating my review to add that I couldn't love this place any more. Cameron the bartender is an awesome guy and my friends and I love him. They seem to always have Zombie Dust too! Be sure to try one of their many types of jerky and play a board game or two. Free pool on Tuesdays! read more

Lemmings - Zombie Dust FTW - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place has a very chillaxed vibe, but very run of the mill, nothing oh so special about it. They had a wide selection of beers and a few board games set out for you to play, although it's too dark to see what's actually going on in the game sometimes. Good place to go on the regs but nothing to go out of your way for. read more

Is this the least-douchey bar in Bucktown? I believe that it is. PROS: Most laid back bar in the area. You can usually get a table. Friendly, attentive bar staff. CONS: I don't know. I feel like this place is missing something. Can't quite put my finger on it. Good place to stop in and meet friends on your way to somewhere else. I seem to have been doing that a lot lately. read more

Lemmings is the most 'regular' bar in the city of Chicago. The crowd sitting around bar does not change. The bar tenders serving the drinks have been there for years. This is one comfortable place to drink! If you looking for a bar in Bucktown on the weekends that you can get a seat and relax, this is what your looking for. This staple is for those in the neighborhood that need a break from the 'fight you way to the bar and stand around all night' taverns that are all over Bucktown. read more

good Lord, I love this place. Went here for NYE and had a complete blast. They have some of the tastiest beers in the hood. Gumball Head and Rogue Dead guy ale... It was a good mix of girls, indie rock dudes and a girl in a red dress and moon boots. sweet look btw. Can't remember if they have a jukebox, but the i-pod mix someone had only ONE Social D song. the rest was some emo garble..c'mon bro..we wanna rock! laid back..be yourself atmosphere. friendly bartenders, pints we're 5 bones. From the outside it looks like a Old man bar with the Schlitz sign. You can't judge a book by it's cover. Damn, I should have checked out this place long long ago.... read more

Great selection of beer, with many on tap that you don't see other places. Relaxed atmosphere, friendly bartenders, and a pool room in the back. read more

Love the bartenders, love the music, love the environment, love the cheap drinks. Bartenders are always super friendly. I'd suggest a weeknight, from 5-9. Sometimes, it can get pretty damn crowded on the weekends. Finer point of this place: Never, ever full of hipsters and/or snobs. Great place to have a conversation with a stranger. read more

One of my favorite neighborhood joints. Not as busy as maproom on the weekends so a good place for a conversation with buddies or a date. Dark, cozy, and candle-lit. Free pool makes it a lovely pregame or low key night spot as well. Oh.. And $3 schlitz. Can't go wrong! read more

Lemmings - I could and did drink these all night. $3 schlitz - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great casual neighborhood bar with an excellent selection of beers. Don't miss playing a game of pool in their backroom, it's FREE which is unheard of in Chicago. Tip: Stick with beer, we asked the bartender to make a sazerac and hands down, worst drink ever (the bartender improvised in his enthusiasm) but the experience was so comical and fun we didn't mind. Lemmings definitely has a friendly Bucktown vibe without the Wicker Park attitude. read more

So convenient with friendly faces. Grab casual drinks. Stay until close. Just a great easy place to drink and meet friends. Love everyone here. read more

This is your average dive bar. Good drink specials! Essentially an okay place to end up when everywhere else is too crowded. Decent service.

Went to Lemmings after a successful mapquest on New Years Eve-- and it did not disappoint. In my dreams, Lemmings is a place where everybody knows your name-- but in reality, it's a place to see and be seen... especially when your friend wore her moon boots with a cocktail dress THROUGH A BLIZZARD to the bar. (thanks John M.) Oh yeah, rockin' all you can drink champagne toast and pinball machine. read more

Quite honestly, I didn't spend a huge amount of time at Lemmings last Friday night. But based on my three hour stint at this bar, I can tell you this: IT'S HOT AS BALLS IN LEMMINGS. Dress accordingly. Drink prices aren't offensive, but aren't cheap, either. The good news is that the bartender will give you a tall cocktail instead of a shortie for the same price. I'm fairly certain you get the same amount of alcohol, but I feel less like a lush when I don't pound down my cocktail in 2 minutes, which is what normally happens when I have a short glass. And they have a pretty heavy pour, so that's good. Aside from that... HOT. My God. It's not a good thing when your friend comments that your boobs are damp when she adjusts your cleavage for you. (Don't ask.) read more

I met some friend here last month. Drank a lot of Stella and Stiegel. Enough that i should have been in bad shape the next day. Don't know what happened but there was barely any hangover. Maybe Lemmings has the freshest kegs, or maybe they have the cleanest lines... cant really say for sure but whatever it is I REALLY appreciate it and will be going back next time I have some heavy drinking with old friends to do. read more

I discovered this place when they turned BORDERLINE (north and damen) into one of those yuppie jock sports bars. If you don't wanna deal with the bullshit and you just wanna have some beers this is the place to go. read more

I love Lemmings. It has a super laid back atmosphere and you can almost always get a seat. This is truly my neighborhood bar. And my friend has a crush on one of the waitresses...maybe that's why I'm there so often! read more

Eight words: Crazy light show set to music at closing. Oh, and such a fun bar. You might miss it surrounded by all the other Bucktown/Wicker Park establishments. But seriously, don't miss it. read more

Any bar that offers board games deserves a thumbs up in my book. This is a super chill, laid back bar that has a very neighborhood-y feel to it. 3 of my friends and I ended up here, where we imbibed numerous Schlitz + Fireball specials (yes, it was that kind of night...) and played numerous games of Jenga. The bartender was super nice and we all had a great time. Definitely a good spot to go if you're looking for something chill read more

I did not feel like a herd of small rodents about to commit mass suicide by jumping off a cliff into the sea below, so that's good.

i've only been here once but i dug it. we went on a friday night and it was busy but not crowed and we didn't have to wait long for the bartenders to notice us. the bartenders by the way are hilarious. very funny and entertaining. good beer at fair prices. they also have a pool table in the back room. read more

I really enjoy this place: The people are usually very chill and it has a nice selection of drinks. Most importantly, it is a haven from the types that love Cans and are slowly infiltrating Wicker Park / Bucktown ;) read more

Nice selection of beers. Honestly, that's the most important thing when it comes to a bar for me. Prices aren't too high either, typical of most places in the city in with a decent amount of microbrews and imports. I can't recall if there was a jukebox or just a bartender playing music through the house system. Either way the musical selections were all over the place, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Chill place, good size that allowed a small party to gather without feeling squished into a table and yet we didnt dominate the bar with our antics either. read more

Beer selection for everyone and the only "bar" in the Damen/Milwaukee/North Avenue area.