There's a reason the line is around the block at 11:30am in the morning! Some of the best fried chicken I have ever tasted. Links and ribs are also very good. I had my sauce on the side so I could add as much or as little as I wanted. Coleslaw was too sweet for me. We got the JBL combo, half a chicken, coleslaw, and potato salad(a bit sweet too). Meals come with a side of fries which are put at the bottom of the container. This gives them the smoky taste from the ribs which is just out of this world! I also bought some of their seasoning to cook at home. Highly recommend! read more

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My favorite bbq in Chicago! Get the rib tips. My husband and I live in Roscoe Village but the drive down to Lem's is always worth it.

Lem's offers excellent cuts of meat, hot links and sauce. The staff has a great memory of what you've ordered and once inside the establishment, the service is quick! The ambiance is lively, because of the upbeat music. I highly recommend for your barbecue in Chicago. read more

I'm really disappointed. The community keeps this business thriving but they seem to only be interested in the cash. It was cold yesterday, too cold to stand outside waiting for BBQ. Lem's didn't have any meat ready for approximately an hour. The appropriate business decision should have been to announce temporary closure to public. This would alleviate folks standing outside in snowy weather for an hour plus. Clearly the entity recognizes the weather as evidenced by the ineffective heat lamps surrounding the premises. Not only did they not do this but a guy requested to take photos of folks standing in cold to post on social media. Really?!? FYI, the tips were overcooked, edges literally burnt beyond consumption. Also the food tasted of chemical, similar to lighter fluid or a related compound. Extremely disappointing!! Just to be clear, they sold NOTHING while folks waited for the meat to cook. The policy of only 5 inside doesn't allow them to sell anything if the 5 request ribs. read more

Take out only, long line but so worth the wait. The rib tips are spectacular, their sauce as well. The wings were not my thing but they were decent. The best links my husband has had my mom had the ribs. Everything is served on a pile of fries (omg) and bread. Loved it. I would try off hours because seriously the line is long my husband waited 45 minutes to get to the window and his order was ready in less than 10 minutes.Someone told my husband while he was in line, that in the summer the line is over a block long. We were able to park in their lot but I think we got very lucky. It's a no frills location, everyone was friendly and service focused. read more

Lem's Bar-B-Q - Hubby with the grub. - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Being from KC, I was very ready to be critical of any barbecue that isn't from my hometown, but I have nothing but good to say about this BBQ joint. The only knock it's getting from me is the hour wait in line outside on a busy Sunday afternoon, as there's no place to sit down inside and there seems to be a max of five employees working. As far as the food is concerned, this is legit - the sauce is rich and tangy, with a subtle hint of sweetness. A lot of food is also provided. My husband and I ordered the rib tips and center cut ribs, and we couldn't finish our meals in one setting. The sides (fries accompany most dishes, and I also ordered potato salad) compliment the meats well. Be sure to carry small bills of cash if you want to purchase soda drinks, as they only have a vending machine to purchase them from. read more

It's tasty, consistent and worth it. Each time that I come home to Chicago from South Florida, I say that I'm buying additional food to package and travel back with a container. I finished off the order l yesterday for lunch. There is nothing like Lem's. Please don't tell me about Memphis barbecue. There's no comparison. I wish that they took UberEats orders , but standing in line is entertaining because there's always one person who livens things up. The Hot links are still everything. The sauce is unmatched. No one seems to understand the importance of rib tips so they stand alone. I'll be back for more soon. read more

I saw Samantha Chatman on channel 7. She gave Lem's a great review. They won an award. I drive all the way from Maywood to try their BBQ. I am very disappointed. I spent 78.00 I just knew it was going to be delicious... I was so very wrong. Horrible!!!! I will never ever go back!!!! read more

1 of the best ever ribs I've had tbh, had to go back the next day to have some on my 10 hour drive- it's that GREAT!

This is a tight carryout restaurant that allows four to five customers to enter at one time. I consider it a hole in the wall style restaurant. The short end and rib tips are generally good. However, the wings lack seasoning without the barbeque sauce poured on them and I do not care for the texture of the hot links. I like the thin vinegar-based barbeque sauce, and one can purchase a jug (small or large) of the sauce for home use. A major downside is that the customer service is generally awful. The women cashiers and some of the men taking the orders often have ignorant and disrespectful attitudes regarding where and how to order the food especially toward newcomers to the restaurant. Other downsides are that the quality of cooked barbeque can be inconsistent. Sometimes it seems old and/or dry plus bad management allows them to run out of barbeque while you are waiting in the long line. This causes one to wait an additional 30 minutes to an hour in line if they want the food that badly. Plus, one cannot call in their order for pickup and you cannot prepay and come back for your food when they runout of barbeque while you are in line. read more

Really low grade food. Hostile employees. There are so many good barbeque places on the South Side

Great Bbq fries and rib tips.when you get there to order speak up and don't be shy when it your turn. read more

Lem's Bar-B-Q - Wings - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Gotta love Lems. Only negative thing I gotta say about Lems is that they open at 1pm. Can't they open at least at 11am? Other than that, come at 1pm and it's already packed full of customers wanting some ribs. You can't go wrong with a large order of rib tips and links. The links are cooked to perfection and tasted fresh, not dry and old like some other places I've tried. And the highlight of the meal is of course their rib tips. Juicy, saucy and with a crazy smoky flavor. If you ain't licking your fingers after every rib tip, than ribs tips ain't for you! Just sayin! Their large rib tip combo is a little pricey at $19.99 but I would say it's worth every penny. It comes with two links and a crap load of rib tips on top of a bed of fries. I would probably prefer the fries on top, but hey what the hell. It is what is is. Once you're done eating you can eat those fries that are soaked in a very good bbq sauce. Other places also service rib tips and wings, but not Lems. My wife is not a big fan of links so she usually orders wings instead. So if I wanted wings I'd have to order their JBL special. It comes with rib tips, two wings, two ribs and fries. Like Paul Pierce, Lems bbq is the truth! Also, compared to their competitors, they get you in and out. You yell your order through a bullet proof glass and then you pay. By the time you're done paying, they yell out your order and then you're all set. I'll definitely be back! read more

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I went to this location today with my son---boy was it interesting. Let me give you the heads up, you cannot place your order in advance for pick up. We waited in line for 1 complete hour before we were able to place our order. We ordered the JBL special which comes with 2 ribs, 1 hot link, 2 wings, rib tips, and fries. I asked for spicy bbq sauce on the side. The cashier explained to me that I would need to mix 2 containers together to yield the results of the spicy bbq sauce. There's no place to sit inside to eat. We were so hungry we decided to eat in the car. The ribs and rib tips were pretty tasty. Their original sauce is a watered-down after thought and it's not sweet like normal bbq sauce. It's not very tasty at all. In order to get the spicy bbq sauce that I requested, they recommended that I mix their bbq sauce with picante hot sauce. The end result was so disgusting I am convinced they are not tasting their sauce before serving it to customers. The BBQ sauce should be the easy part. They have mastered the hard part- they can produce ribs and rib tips that are tender and very delicious. They created an epic failure with that BBQ sauce. I understand they've been in business for over 60 years---that bbq sauce couldn't have tasted that bad. If I ever decide that I need a BBQ fix that bad, I will ensure I have some Sweet Baby Rays stashed in my car. read more

It hurts my heart to write this. Lem's has been a family favorite during all our Chicago visits for more than 50 years (not a misprint). Unfortunately, the most recent visit is likely to be my last for quite some time. The flavor of the sauce was changed, giving all the meats and fries a heavy nutmeg flavor that was nothing like I had enjoyed for decades. The chicken not being fully cooked was also a problem. I normally don't mind the long wait, but it's always been worth it before. I'm sure I will go again someday, but if the iconic sauce flavor has been permanently changed, that's a huge mistake IMO. read more

Lem's never disappoints! I was there tonight and got a slab. I always have my slab dipped and I get extra white bread. No wheat bread when you're eating barbecue. The barbecue was tender and flavorful as usual. As as soon as I got home, I tore off a piece of the small in, which was a little burnt, just like I like it and had a little fat. It was so good! Yes, there was a short line and we waited about 20 minutes. As soon as we got inside, we were told there would be another 15 minute wait on barbecue, but we did not mind. If you're coming for Lem's barbecue, be prepared to wait. There's always a line, because this joint has the best barbecue in the Chi. read more

Great BBQ...ole school pit with the best sauce... except a long line but worth the wait......

Best tips in town I highly recommend them.... I'm a southern guy these guys hit the nail on the head. The food was awesome, service was fast, and the have an aquarium smoker talk about am ambiance! Must go to in Chicago read more

You can eat them without the sauce and say OMG ! Wish they would open earlier than 1:00 PM, then again that might mean more pounds than I need. To me best BBQ Tips in that area by far. Been there for years and has not slacked off from serving good quality food. read more

Longstanding perfection. It is a Chicago staple. I am now 64 and my dad used to pick up Lem's on payday for as long as I can remember. In high school, I went to Lem's after parties on Friday and Saturday nights. I now live in Maryland and have to have Lem's every time I come home for family visits. I recently had Lem's catering for my dad's 90th birthday in the nursing home. Our family loves Lem's. Always have and always will. read more

Good barbecue. Sausage and ribs were really good. Fries come with every order and they give you a good amount of sauce on them. Ribs are not fall off the bone, which if fine with me but could be smoked a little longer. Got there about 10min about before opening and there was about an hour. Only 5 people can be in the restaurant at a time for a to go order. Would go back again. read more

Food is o.k. Customer service sucks! If you ever go, don't go on a cold night. You will freeze to death waiting on some ribs. I waited outside a hour and a half. Freezing. This guy name Jamar one of the employees came outside, we asked him to tell the manager to turn the heat lamps on. He told us it's not cold enough. It was 46 degrees. I don't know about you, that is cold to me. What are they trying to do, save electricity? Smh They have to treat their customers better. read more

Lem's is definitely worth standing the long line. The food is all always good, but the links the links is it for me read more

The ribs were burnt and the owner was rude. They did not put enough sauce on the ribs so they were dry. I will not be returning.

I called there to place an order. They did not have what I wanted. I told the cashier to have a good day. The cashier called me back and told me not to contact the restaurant again. Horrible customer service. My colleagues and I will never consider eating there. If I could rate Lems for 0 stars, I would! read more

Still taste good. But If them hot links get any smaller they're gonna have to change the name to hot weiners instead of hot links.

The cashier was very rude! She doesn't have any business etiquettes just plain ignorant towards her customers! She talk at her customers like they're children with no hesitation! She doesn't appreciate the customers! This was my first time coming to this restaurant & it was a terrible experience after spending almost $50 & coming from the Lakeview area on the Northside spending $80 around trip in a cab! My rib tips was dry no sauce & the same on the JBL! Ribs, coleslaw, potato salad & chicken wings was okay nothing to write home about! I heard about Lem's from the news because they received some kind of award! It was all hype if you ask me! Poor people skills will cause them to lose business plus God doesn't like ugly! Lord have mercy read more

Hello and good day I drove from 187th from Lansing Illinois a month ago there was an hour or so wait on the rib tips so I took a chance and went yesterday. I waited in line over an hour, when I got inside I wanted my rib tips cut it thin. I was willing to pay the $1.50 but the young man said they cut thin anyway. I ordered a bucket and a order of links, when I got back home they weren't cut thin. I hardly had no sauce and at the bottom of a bucket was full of grease. Not sauce, I picked through the bucket for good pieces, it was chewy and no sauce on a 38-dollar bucket of tips. I will not be patronizing this location again. It was better in the '70s read more

Bbq rib tips are always on point. Service is quick, as there is only a pick spot no sit in.

Ribs are delicious. Barbecue sauce is too vinegary. Links are good too. Service is fails to accommodate the large number of customers. Must wait in long lines especially during holidays or spry occasions. The shop is carry out and cannot hold only 5 persons at a time to place orders. No delivery service read more

Congratulations on your James Beard award! Lem's really is delicious! As a long time customer I can say I'm proud of Lem's and they deserve this honor! read more

My Fiance & I were at Iems BBQ last week, I ordered a half of white chicken dinner & he I ordered a Turkey Tip Combo , So today I called to see how much was a Turkey Link cost & the lady stated that they did not sell Turkey links or Turkey Tips, We were so disappointed Bc on their menu inside the store has a menu that has Turkey Tips & Turkey Links on it. Beware of this Business, Bc they sold us Pork Links & Pork Tips, Instead of the Turkey Links& Turkey Tips!!!! read more

Ghetto and dangerous. The cooks are rude and unprofessional and I'm not standing outside in the cold to purchase anything. It's not worth it . read more

Really great value overall. Lem's is known for their rib tips so my party of 5 decided to go big or go home. We shared the largest size option, a bucket of tips (takeout), and we were all pretty full by the end of the meal with some leftovers too. The bucket came with around 5 lb of rib tips (we measured it on a scale at home since we were curious) -- that means we each got about a pound of meat! We also got some BBQ fries on the side which were a good complement to the ribs though they did get soggy on the ride home. All of this for $30 plus tax. The actual meat was hot, fresh, and tender. However, the sauce was a bit too vinegary and thin so it pooled at the bottom of the bucket, making the tips on top too dry and the ones on the bottom too wet. I would still come back though because that price can't be beat. Of note, they only open at 1 p.m. so plan your meal accordingly. read more

Lem's Bar-B-Q - Bucket of tips and fries - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERIVCE... The LEM sisters are super rude and very unprofessional. You can't even explain nothing without them cutting you off. The cook is way more understanding and polite. How do you get mad at a customer for an order that you guys messed up. She gave me a partial refund. As I read the other reviews they are all true. Ms. Lem is super rude and the ribs are terrible. I will never support this business again. read more

I was disappointed the last time I ordered from Lem. I ordered a large rib tip, and it had no barbecue flavor. It tasted like it had been pre-boiled. This happened during the New Year holiday; maybe they were trying to cut corners for time's sake, but they were horrible. The delivery service was on time, but the food was cold. read more

Having been raised on quality Carolina Q and Texas brisket, I have long despaired of getting decent barbecue in Chicago the land of parboiled ribs in ketchup. Sure, things have gotten somewhat better with Smoque and similar restaurants, but we don't have really legit BBQ joints like in the South. Lem's, though not for everybody, was pretty darn close. It's a takeaway place and there will likely be a line but it moves along and folks were nice. Parking is catch as catch can in their lot but theres some on the street and clearly they are used to having lots of cars in and out of the area. Have your order ready, they want it the second you make it in the door. I got the JBL combo - ribs, tips, chicken wings, hot link sausage, fries. It comes in a foil container pretty much swimming in sauce. Rib tips were the best I've had and they chop them in front of you. Smoky, crispy and meaty bits abound. Chicken reminded me of Aretha Franklin's Blues Brothers line "best damn chicken in the state". it is crispy in some kind of honey breading sauce and spectacularly good. Ribs are solid. Definitely smoked and pretty good preparation. Tough to do better in Chicago, though not to the level of a top Carolina or Tennessee place. More of a dry rub with their light sauce not quite sticking to them. The hot link I did like but not outstanding - slightly overdone maybe. Nice taste and crunchy skin though and it went well with the sauce. The fries were buried under all this and ended up being more like poutine by the time I got to them. Which is a good thing. $22 for all that is a bargain these days. I'd go back and order the chicken and either tips or a few ribs again. read more

Be ready to wait for awhile. They ran out of bbq so had to wait for the next batch. But it's all worth the wait. Make sure check the menu before hand and have your order ready. As soon as you walk in, they will yell at you asking for your order quickly. They don't have the time to let you peruse the menu and think of what you may want to order. Also they give huge portions. The small combo can feed 2-3 people. The sausage is ok for me but the fried chicken wings and rib tips were so juicy, flavorful and finger-lickin' good! The coleslaw had too much mayonnaise for my taste. But the potato salad was delicious and perfect pairing for the wings and rib tips. Will sure visit this place when I come back to town. read more

Lem's Bar-B-Q - This is a great deal! I should Have seen it first before ordering. - Barbeque Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is true south side Chicago bbq at its finest. I love the whole menu but the ribs and hot links are my favorite with their unique vinegary sauce which is second to none! I wish they would ship nationwide and I would order! If you want different bbq than the traditional Kansas City, North Carolina or Texas then come to Lems and experience the uniqueness and richness of true Chicago bbq! read more

Open during the COVID-19 Pandemic! The place has always been take-out only. Drive to it and give the south side some of your love. We really enjoyed the ribs and the french fries with sauce slathered all over the place. Recommend that you get your sauce on the side. Should you drive back 20 minutes to home to eat, the condition of the fries is not ideal. We ate leftovers for three days, and I eat a lot of food during every sitting read more