Lemon

Chicago

Zesty new kid on the Chi-town cocktail block

Part neighbourhood hangout, part cocktail bar, part performance venue, Lemon started as a backyard summer concert series and has since evolved into one of the city’s most intriguing ‘third places’. Located in the former Grand Bar space at Grand and Ashland, the bar opened in 2023 under the management of a pedigreed crew including Jeremy Owen Barrett (GreenRiver, Billy Sunday), Mason McIntire and Zack McMahon (both formerly of Billy Sunday), and director of operations Seth Blumenthal.

With three of the four founders coming from lauded cocktail bar Billy Sunday, it’s no surprise the cocktail programming is thoughtful and well-executed, though significantly more relaxed than its Logan Square predecessor. Instead of a serious approach to an intricate list of drinks, a tight menu of quirky house concoctions is accompanied by a board above the bar that displays a rotating list of familiar classics. Happy hour, a somewhat rare thing in the city, puts a discount on a handful of options, including a delightful rendition of a classic daiquiri.   

As a self-proclaimed creative sanctuary, the expansive space also functions as a performance venue, featuring eclectic local musical acts (expect everything from jazz to prog rock and honky-tonk), burlesque, industry education and networking events, and more. The vibes land somewhere between dive bar and neighbourhood music venue: relaxed, convivial, unpretentious.

While all these things make Lemon a beloved Chicago bar, what really sets it apart is the way it puts its employees first: the extra cents added on to cocktail and snack prices pays for health care benefits and higher wages for visiting bands. In doing so, the bar has established itself as a safe (and fun) haven for people from all walks of life, including those working behind-the-scenes to make the whole shindig shine, making it a deserving recipient of the Campari One To Watch Award as part of North America’s 50 Best Bars 2025.

Contact