Make the pinball machines free and I'll be there 24/7 lol. My friends and I love a good dive bar with pool and games. I recommend for anyone looking for a chill night out. Not too crowded, but just right! -AT read more

Lemming's Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fun hip bar in Bucktown. It didn't look like anything special the first time coming here but it was actually good. Lemming's is a pretty old looking but classic bar to come hang out. Good stiff drinks. This is also close to the 606 trail so you can bike here. Casual atmosphere. It's for sure not a douchey bro bar. There's a few TVs but the bar actually seems kind of quiet at times. It's about $9 for a good cocktail. There's beers on draft, but mostly in cans or whatever. Has no food but you can bring in some. There's entertainment including free games on the pool table. Has a pretty chill atmosphere. It's mostly people at the bar watching TV and chatting a bit. There's not a food menu, the only bad thing, but you can bring in whatever. read more

Lemming's Tavern - Whiskey - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went there last night very spontaneously. We decided to grab dinner at En Hakkore, which is next door. We found out they don't sell alcohol but they suggested we grab our food to go and head next door to Lemming's Tavern because those two place are cool like that! Whoa! That totally worked for us. Pretty cool dive bar that played great music, has a great beer and drinks selections (mine was Old Fashioned and his Moscow Mule), lots of bar games (some include cards, chess, Jenga, sorry and more), game room (one free pool table and two flippers), to my surprise they have live performances (have to guess on weekends) and has a nice atmosphere! Bartender was very attentive, friendly and fast. They do not offer food, but you're welcome to bring your own! Great place to hang out with friends. We'll be back! read more

See all

What a fun night! Huge thank you to John for the drinks, banter, and warding off the creeps from my girlfriend and I. Chill vibes, excellent drinks (even though they don't have skrewball), and humorous locals. We'll be back! read more

Lemming's Tavern - John the Bartender - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

it's not the garrett cabaret and for that it gets 5 stars. i used to go to a terrible open mic down the street and was sad when i thought this was the only option because of a abusive sound guy with a rat tail. this place is better , kinder and more supportive than the jealous sound guy at the other place on oakley. read more

After a long day of stimulating the Chicago economy, I needed a BEEEER! My friend and I really enjoyed the Wicker Park neighborhood and worked up a king sized, dive bar thirst. This fine place popped up in a dive bar category so we walked on over. Now, the dive bar thing means different things to different people. I sometimes expect a bit of grunge and tolerable yuckiness to greet me at the door but don't expect that here. It's dark and lovely; it smelled of Murphy's oil soap and was as clean as can be. The bartender, Matt, knew his craft. I stalked all of his concocting but just had Radeberger, on tap, myself. We joked about the smell of the place and he kind of assured me it can change for the worse as the night goes on. Potential for Dive Bar? Ok. They have a nice sized selection of quality beers on tap and in bottles and the atmosphere was unbeatable. The " peanut gallery", as Matt called his regulars, were all about helping my friend and I find some spicy food in the neighborhood. You can also order food from a kiosk at the bar from another establishment, having it delivered right to your seat with the quickness. It's pizza and stuff but I can't remember the name. Lastly, they have a pool table, will host your event and the bathroom is clean! read more

Sometimes you just need a chill bar...where everyone knows your name. No one knows my name at Lemmings, but I have a feeling that if I was a regular they would. My party of 4 headed here after a delicious dinner at Blu Coral cause we weren't quite ready for our night to end yet. And my friend's sister was throwing her friend a bday party at Lemmings so we thought this may be the perfect spot to end our night. Why is it that I'm always going out to celebrate random peeps bdays? We made our way to the bar to get a few drinks and then my hubby robbed me of all my quarters when he discovered the pinball machine in the back. That pinball machine kept the boys occupied for at least 20 minutes while my friend and I found ourselves a table for some girl talk. My husband and his friend made their way back to us after pinball, but it's worth noting that there is also pool here and apparently board games as well. I heard a fun game of Operation was played after I left at midnight in fear of turning into a pumpkin. I usually prefer lounge type atmospheres, but if you just want to grab a few beers in a laid back atmosphere Lemmings is your place. read more

Dear Lord, how I loved it here. The bartender couldn't have been nicer. Gave us samples of beer, and genuinely seemed proud of the place (turns out he's the manager). Great beer selection. Totally unpretentious. Great selection of music playing. If you are a West Coast hophead, you'll find some IPAs to your liking (Bells Two Hearted, Lagunitas, Founders All Day). No food other than exotic jerky and Zapps chips, which is fine. I would bring a sleeping bag and move in here if I could. Neighborhood seems kind of douchebaggy so this is a welcome respite. read more

Lemming's Tavern - Sweet bartender. Ask about the jerky. - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So the bar keeps here are completely inept. I watched 6 people who approached the bar this evening after me be served before me one after the other in only a moderate crowd. Then the mustachioed bartender is about to take my order only to say that the girl next to me was waiting longer, are you kidding me? He realized that I wasn't pleased so he sends the other bar keep down to get my order for a single draft beer. Only to have him now serve an order of three Jamo shots before my beer was even poured. Absolute worst bar service I've received in a long time. I drank my one beer and gratefully left with my friends thereafter. read more

Have a shot of Malort. No, seriously. Do it. You'll love it. I promise. Call it a dive bar. Call it a neighborhood bar. Depending on who you talk with, it could be defined as either. No matter how you define it, Lemmings is a comfy, non-pretentious bar with plenty of room a few TV's, a pool table, music and a pinball machine. Count on Lemmings for real 16oz pints (no cheaters). 3 Floyds Gumballhead = $6 Pabst = $2.75 Cheap beer? Busch Cans = $2.50 read more

Lemming's Tavern - Gotta love the Schlitz globe - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went to my gf's coworker's bar crawl on a Saturday night and the first two destinations were Lottie's followed by Lemming's. What a dichotomy. Lemming's is a dive bar with a front and back room. Front room is where the bar's located and there's a solid amount of seating that lines the walls. In the back there's a couple pinball machines and a pool table. I loved that there were around 5 couples in the entire bar with the back room completely empty. It was easy to navigate without bumping into people and having beer spilled on you, and it was a nice place to actually have a conversation. I enjoyed that we had the pool table to ourselves though it was kinda funny that there was no triangle to hold the balls. Beer on tap was around $6 and I think they had $2 Hamm's? Lemming's is clean and cool. read more

It's been ten years since I was here last, and the place has not changed. Maybe the price of a can of Schlitz went up .50. Relaxed, friendly bar. Very chill and attitude-free, in the midst of oh-so-trendy Bucktown. The lose a star from the shit that was smeared on the TP in the women's room. Ew. Horrified by that. read more

One of my favorite bars in Bucktown. Their beer selection rules, I LOVE how much space there is here as well as the table layout. In the back you can play pool as well and the best part?? it's never super packed here, which I don't understand since the bar is great but I should add I often go during the week verse the weekend. They have open mic nights but I do not remember what day of the week that falls on, sorry. Staff is super super friendly. The biggest plus is they often have Zombie Bust on tap, need I say more? read more

Well.....what to say. Lemmings is a typical bar that you'd find on a college campus...and like. Don't get me wrong, Lemmings is ok. The drinks are reasonably priced. I just didn't love the atmosphere. It is quite dive-y which is ok, but what I was more annoyed about was that the night I was there, we had a relatively large group and there was no where to go. Now, it's not that the bar was overly crowded - because it was not. It's just that, aside from the bar area, there was nowhere to sit. We could stand near some tables, but all of the tables were pushed against the wall. It was fine, but required our group to split into mini-groups to talk which wasn't really what I had had in mind. Also, the spot is a bit dingy, which I suppose is ok for a dive. In general, this spot was just ok. It didn't have really any supreme stand out qualities, but it didn't have any huge detriments, either. I'd probably go back, but wouldn't necessarily seek the place out. read more

I can't believe I have not yet reviewed this fine establishment. This is where I tend to go when I just need a bit of a getaway. It has it all, a very old carved bar, pews, a fun group of wayward souls, chalkboard with a big beer list, and well chosen music. You can order food from some other place, or bring it in, if need be. So, what I'm trying to say is that they don't serve food, I guess. It's also very close to the 606. So you can continue your walk over here for a beer. Why, yes, it's a somewhat hidden gem. read more

See all

Fun artwork, reasonably priced drinks, and free pool! Went here on a Thursday. It was rather quiet because a couple groups of regulars. Definitely worth checking out. read more

I'll go right ahead and mimmick a few reviews of this bar and say that this is one of, if not the only, douchebag-less bars of the Bucktown/Wicker Park neighborhood. Lemmings is a cozy comfy spot adjacent to one of the 606 trail exits to just relax and forget about your daily problems, with an extensive brew list with some affordable pricings. The atmosphere is really unintimidating. The bartender was very friendly and hospitable. Never had I had a bartender ask if I wanted a glass of water with my beer (We need more of these people). Pool table is here, apparently games are free until 7pm. Nice craft beers on tap, again for an affordable price. And of course, some TV's to watch a game or two. No kitchen in here but you're welcome to bring in any outside eats. Open booths and tables ready for any hangout sessions. I had such a nice experience here I think I'll be back when I'm in the area. read more

Take a step into a slower paced and enjoyable neighborhood pub that has a relaxed feel, in a good way! Lemming's always guarantees a good time. The pool table in the back can create some great games and fun way to chat with other patrons. Hope to go soon once it reopens. Stay strong Lemming's! read more

From Wikipedia, [with slight additions by yours truly]: "The behavior of lemmings is much the same as that of many other rodents [Bucker Parkers] which have periodic population booms and then disperse in all directions, seeking the food [tamales] and shelter [4am bars] that their natural habitat [Lemmings Pub] cannot provide [after 1:45am]." Of course, the beer selection hits that oft sought after "balance" between domestics (PBR, Miller Lite) and crafts (Rogue, Bells, etc), keeping the hipsters happy at any price point. And, the general population as well...of course. Bartenders were busy but smiling, the bar is cleaned up well, the bathrooms didn't scare me off, and there is a pool table in the back... Bonus points for juke box selections: End of the Road (Boyz II Men) and Regulators (Warren G). Billie Jean for good measure. Cheers to whomever had the guts to play that trifecta. There is a $25 min on credit cards....which shouldn't be too hard to hit. The price is right, the vibe is chill, and you may just look up when the lights go on and think "Wow, is it time to go already?" This rarely ever happens to me, so I attribute partially to Lemmings, and to the company of good people. Cheers! ps. Does anyone else things Bell's Oberon smells like cotton candy? read more

CALL THE APOSTROPHE POLICE! Unless a lemming actually owns this bar, in which case, false alarm. I really like this place. They've got a respectable selection of beers including Left Hand, Rogue, and the ever popular Schlitz, the atmosphere is laid-back and social, and they've got a decent selection of board games. It's like Guthrie's South. read more

Holy Schlitz! That's a thing here, apparently. That's not why I came, but I thought it was worth mention for that schlitz fan out there. Lemmings. What can I tell you about Lemmings that hasn't already been said? Hmmmm... How 'bout, it was one of my fave computer games back in the green screen days on the old Hewlett Packard. Mmmmeeemmmmmories! Now, about the bar? The art, I'm going to assume gets swtiched out every so often because I've been here before and don't remember whose paintings on the wall. On my last visit, they were stick odd paintings of people who were either holding guns or looked like they had been shot in the face with a gun. Normally, this kind of art would be right up my alley but something about these ones just made me feel a bit queer. It was the day after my birthday, so maybe my ballz are just getting to old for this kind of edgy ish. The beer- they had a decent-ish selection, but it wasn't really anything special. Still a fantastic place to have as a neighborhood bar. The crowd- I wasn't thinking this was a sports bar, but apparently any bar with at least one tv on a march madness weekend is a sports bar. Lots of cheering about things I don't understand or care about. I felt confused... another sign of my elder age. Overall, I like Lemmings and I know I'll be back... even though it was damn hard to get a drink here. Stupid Final Four! read more

Lemmings might be a more appropriate name for some warehouse bar in Wrigleyville, with the name of the rodent redolent of mass suicide and stupidity. I first stumbled upon Lemmings when in search of a bar with the following criteria: good craft beer choices, few hipsters, not too crowded, and not a dive. Lemmings was the winner. I'm still getting acclimated to this bar, and it's deserving of a much longer and detailed review, but initial observations are very positive. A recent highlight was a Two Brothers Northwind Imperial Stout at the extremely reasonable price of $6.50. That's a 9.1 ABV beer, so while the beer itself is something to sniff at, the price is not. The same offering was $10 at Northside just a few blocks south. Looking forward to many return visits here. read more

I come here for the ART. sigh. I don't have a problem with the bar - it's generic, inoffensive, it has schlitz ... but oh! those paintings? I know they probably change which artist is being crucified on the wall on a regular basis, but these were like... the visual equivalent of fingernails on a blackboard. Save us! read more

It's official - I love this place! I recently celebrated the dawn of my 28th year of life (yes, a belated "Happy Birthday to me") at Lemmings. I had people coming in from all over the city and suburbs (yes, I'm that cool) so I wanted a place with the following: 1. Solid beer selection 2. An easy walk from the El 3. Assured cab-access for rides home (I want my birthday party-goers to be safe, yo!) 4. Space (you know, to mingle with my posse) Lemmings provided all that and more. What more, you ask? Champagne! That's right - a little birdie told the bartender the cause for our celebration. He immediately got out a bottle, many glasses, and popped open champagne in my honor. Swoon! read more

Good stuff this "Lemmings" place. Fine selection of brews I seem to recall, good atmosphere and laid back. Nice interior decoration going on, quite timeless. Pretty smart looking really but still quite a relaxed little oasis amidst the mean, and ever changing, streets of Bucktown. I also do appreciate the board games on offer. No complaints! read more

Okay, Okay, Okay... I so wanted to hate this bar. I never like places w/ board games. Or at least I thought I never liked places w/ board games. I guess that was then and this is now. They have SO much more than just board games. They have a pool table and a huge beer selection. The bar tenders are fast and friendly. The place just feels like the type of place that you want to be a regular. MONEY read more

When I want a mellow spot to relax with a good beer, this place delivers. There's always regulars here having a great time, but also somehow always plenty of room for you at either the bar or a high top. Wood, candles, low light, but truly a neighborhood bar with no ego. You can easily make a new friend here, or just as easily hide in the corner with a book and no one will bother you. Or you can roll in with all of your friends and start a party. I mean, follow your dreams. read more

I walk by here all the time. And always smile at the witty stuff they have written on their outdoor chalkboard. So after the yelp winterscape I decided on grabbing another beer here. As I walked in I realized what a nice size this place was. I was a bit inebriated already and didnt wanna scope the plce out so I sat at the bar to see what they had on tap. Hello Gumballhead. If a place has that on tap that's what I'm drinking. Had one... Or maybe more? The bartender was nice, very laid back place. I'll be there again soon. I think I saw a pool table in back too :) read more

Great old corner tavern. Clean and in great shape. Nice beer list and reasonable prices. read more

Lemming's Tavern - Pool table in the back - Dive Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The same night when I had to wait for 40 miserable minutes in a dark small room with 10 other people at the Violet Hour, this place comes to mind. I was only there for an hour or so because my friends were finishing up their sumptuous meal at Takashi. I only had a beer and spoke a few words with the bartender. I liked the place :) :) It was just a good place to chill when it was starting to become pretty cold outside. I m going to go back again soon and pay more attn when I get there, but Lemmings...was...chill read more

Quintessential neighborhood bar. Friendly staff. Good mix of patroons. A clean, well-lighted place. Hemingway would be proud. They fill the back room with a billiard table and two pinball machines. Everything is immaculate and meticulously cared for. You can tell the owners are proud of their establishment. Ordered beer on draft and received an excellent hefty pour of a pint. I recommend their Xmas ale now on draft. Cheers! read more

See all

I like Lemmings. I have a couple of friends who ARE regulars here, and it's definitely the sort of place where you'd walk in and have everyone shout your name a la Norm from Cheers... If you were a regular. If not, you'll still be treated like a valued customer. Like a lot of Wicker Park bars, there's no food. Don't come here looking for a meal (Although Claudio the Tamale Guy frequents this place, so be sure to grab some tamales if/when you see that famous blue cooler). The people are friendly, and this is the perfect type of place to go to get a beer after work during a weekday where you can sit down and know that the music won't be oppressively loud, and the beer selection will be fantastic... And you'll be able to play pool... Guaranteed. I've never seen the pool table packed for more than an hour at a time. It's a great little hole in the wall... A great place to get a great beer (or even a Schlitz). Stick around, and everyone might know your name some day. And you want to go where everyone knows your name (I admit it's corny, but the correlation is definitely there). read more

It's a beer drinkers bar, a place with selections not commonly found everywhere. With that said to drink good beer and beers that have travelled as far as breweries in California, there's an associated cost. The bar.. well it looks to be an all about oak type of setting. Nothing fancy here, just good beer and a place to drink it with good friends you've brought with you. Not much to expect and not somewhere I'd go out of my way to be at. It seems composed of many which are localites and some restaurant industry people that often meet up here. read more

Great place. Good draft beer selection covering a variety of styles. Barkeep was great. Offered samples of any beer I wanted to try and had good opinions on beers I asked about. He couldn't have been more pleasant. Decor is old school and awesome. Wife had some mixed drinks and those were great too. Literally can't think of a negative here. read more

One of my favorite mellow bars in Bucktown or in all of Chicago for that matter. The scene is always laid back and the barstaff is just plain awesome - super friendly and helpful. They have a nice selection of beer here so don't just stick with a Miller Lite. I cannot say enough good things about Lemmings. I just wish I lived closer so I could go more often! read more

Nice place: decent vibe, decent selection, same feel as other bars in the family, as noted by other reviewers. Just nothing really special about it, except maybe the cool bartenders from Green Eye & Underbar. Generic Bucktown pub: nice, but nothing really special; kind of hip, but not pretentious; the crowd is laid back and not super self-obsessed, like in Wicker Park. People tend to keep to themselves. I'd say this is a great bar to have a drink with a friend and a good discussion. read more

Great Wicker Park bar! Even on a Friday or Saturday, not very crowded. Great beer selection (including small microbrews) and decent prices. Nice TVs for any sporting event and they even have board games! I love a bar with board games (a few versions of Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble and such). Good snack food (albeit a bit pricey) and a pool table in the back. This is a great spot in Wicker Park considering all the other places are insanely packed. read more

Oh, I love Lemmings! We've been together through Bloody Mary soaked Sundays to after work drinks with my only sibling to birthday celebrations with friends. This last trip to Lemmings brought it all together with a Summer-Friday, late-afternoon, post-work, sibling-bonding happy hour. Bartender Chris whipped up a truly delicious bloody mary with a wee beer chaser for me and a whiskey, with a side of rocks for the sib. Nice touch, that. The service was fantastic, the music was great and by the 3rd round, we'd all made a few new friends. Yay Lemmings! read more

I cant knock this joint. Went here on a Saturday night (big mistake for most places). There are few things I look for in a nightspot. 1. Music. Probably one of the most important things to me. It seems I cant find a place in the city that plays good music...most of the stuff played here was bad. There were a few songs I liked, but it was all popular stuff from the past 10years or so. 2. The seating situation. I love being able to sit and have an actual conversation. Even better if the place has really comfy seating. No comfy seating here, but on a Saturday night we were able to grab a table and talk under the dim light (love the lighting in the place) 3. Beer selection. Gotta give at least 3stars to places that have good beer. Sipped on a pumpkin ale that made me feel like it was actually fall. When I was 16 the purchase of eggs made me feel like its fall, but now pumpkin ale does the trick. Wow that last sentence was random Random things: there is also a little back room w/ a pool table. And my friend the Tamale guy (see review) made an appearance. I'm more interested in checking this place out during the week...when the douche bag factor is lower. read more

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