What to order at Lem's Bar-B-Q

The dish to know
Rib tips, hot links
Editor tip
Cash and counter only; open until 02:00 most nights. The tip-and-link combo on white bread is the canonical Saturday-night order.
CuisineAmerican BBQ
Price$
HoursMon 12:00-22:00, Wed-Thu 12:00-22:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-22:00
The dishRib tips, hot links
Last verified

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Location

Address: 311 E 75th St, Chicago, IL 60619

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More budget eats in Chicago

Honey 1 BBQ ★ 4.5

$ American BBQ

Honey 1 BBQ in Chicago is the South Side aquarium-smoker BBQ counter on 43rd Street from the Henry family, with the rib-tip-and-link plate for under $12.

TryRib tips, smoked links

TipClosed Sundays. The brisket sandwich is the under-the-radar order; sliced thick and dressed with the sweet-vinegar sauce on the side.

Directions

Uncle John's BBQ ★ 4.4

$ American BBQ

Uncle John's BBQ in Chicago is the South Side aquarium-smoker BBQ counter on Cottage Grove, with the rib-tip plate locals send out-of-towners to first.

TryRib tips

TipCash only and the wait is long; arrive 16:30 to beat the 18:00 rush. The link-and-tip combo is the all-the-way order.

Directions

Borinquen Lounge ★ 4.3

$ Caribbean

Borinquen Lounge in Chicago is the North Center Puerto Rican kitchen on Western Avenue from the family that invented the jibarito in Humboldt Park.

TryJibarito, mofongo

TipOrder the steak jibarito with garlic-mayo. The mofongo is the second visit; the jibarito is the first.

Directions

Staropolska Restaurant ★ 4.4

$ Modern Polish

Staropolska Restaurant in Chicago is the Avondale Polish dining room on Milwaukee Avenue, with handmade pierogi, kielbasa plates and hunter stew (bigos).

TryPierogi, kielbasa, Polish hunter stew

TipLunch is the cheaper visit; the daily $12 plate with pierogi, kielbasa and stew is the menu's value benchmark.

Directions

Ghareeb Nawaz (budget) ★ 4.5

$ Pakistani

Ghareeb Nawaz in Chicago is the West Ridge Pakistani halal counter on Devon Avenue, with the $7 chicken biryani that feeds two and runs from 11:00.

Try$7 chicken biryani special

TipCash only and large portions. Bring a container for leftovers; the biryani plate is at least 2.5 portions for the price.

Directions

Irazu ★ 4.3

$ Latin American

Irazu in Chicago is the long-running Bucktown Costa Rican BYOB on Milwaukee Avenue since 1990, with the casado plate (rice, beans, plantain, salad.

TryCosta Rican casado

TipBring your own wine or beer; the casado is the under-$15 dinner. The horchata in oat-milk is the house drink.

Directions

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