In a city full of great bars, this cocktail joint stands out for its inclusive atmosphere, dynamic event programming, and top-notch cocktails. Discover what makes Lemon Chicago’s main squeeze.
Though Lemon only opened its doors in West Town at the close of 2023, it exudes the warmth and familiarity of a decades-old Chi-town bar. Conceived by Zak McMahon, Jeremy Owen Barrett, Mason McIntire and Seth Blumenthal, the concept started via DIY basement shows with “drinks that were, quite frankly, much better than they should have been at a house party,” says creative director Mason McIntire.
That spirit lives on in the hybrid cocktail bar and performance venue that’s drawn buzz for both its cocktails and community-centric ethos. Here are five things that make Lemon worthy of its recent accolade: winner of the Campari One To Watch Award as part of North America’s 50 Best Bars 2025.
1. It cultivates a creative sanctuary
Lemon began as a DIY basement concept
Lemon was always meant to be a live performance space with great cocktails, inspired in part by classic Chicago mainstays like The Whistler, The Green Mill, Cole’s Bar and Hungry Brain. The owners have all been involved in the arts, so it was important to help preserve the city’s vibrant indie venue culture.
“We found that independent venues have started to disappear with big conglomerates taking over the scene, so we wanted to create an ode to the owner-meets-operator establishments of yesteryear,” McIntire says. Styled in the spirit of traditional Chicago jazz clubs, the performance list runs the gamut of styles and mediums, featuring everything from music to comedy and dance. “Chicago has such a rich history of music from blues to jazz, hip hop and indie rock and punk. We didn’t want to change anything, we just wanted to add to it,” McIntire explains, adding how many performers are new artists looking for a break. “We’ve all been in positions of starting a new band or being a newcomer to a scene and we don’t want to be the ones gatekeeping the stage from new, touring or ‘weird’ artists.”
2. It’s giving that bar next door energy
As a self-described “come-as-you-are neighbourhood cocktail bar”, Lemon’s interior design is minimal. Timeless. The sort of classic, Chicago-style tavern that feels as though it could have opened in both the 1920s and the 2000s. In short, think comfortable and approachable, rather than flashy or deliberately Instagrammable. “We wanted the space to feel lived-in,” says McIntire. “Some of our favourite bars are places that have been around forever and there’s just no way to match that vibe – you have to create it over years and years.”
With a long and narrow bar flanking one side of the room, half-booths on the other, and the stage at the very end of the room, it is a large space compared to many of the city’s other clubs and cocktail joints, but, when the room is buzzing with locals packed in for a live show, it feels as intimate as any other space with a smaller footprint.
3. It thrives on inclusive, neighbourly hospitality
The Lemon team ensures the bar welcomes people from all walks of life
Lemon’s one major goal is to be a place where people from many walks of life feel welcome and taken care of. “We don’t care who you are – as long as you’re not a racist or a fascist you’re at home here!” says McIntire. This ethos is expressed primarily through the diverse staff’s 'no-bull' hospitality. Every bartender is knowledgeable and skilled in the art of making drinks, but it comes with an open and friendly attitude that ensures nobody feels uncomfortable.
“People who are coming here are trying to unwind, relax and have fun. We should be facilitating that,” adds McIntire. “We try to give people the service they desire: if you want to sit quietly and enjoy some jazz, by all means we’ll leave you alone to enjoy it. If you want to try some cool stuff and talk shop – let’s go!”
4. It delivers high-end cocktails with zero pretension
Custom cocktails, classic concotions and ice-cold beers are served with equal care at Lemon
The bar programme is built on a foundation of meticulous prep – think custom infusions, syrup and garnishes – but the menu is fun and approachable. A gold-framed blackboard of 16 options broadcasts timeless hits like French 75s and sazeracs alongside modern favourites like the Old Cuban (mint, rum, lime, sugar syrup, champagne) and Trinidad Sour (whiskey, bitters, orgeat syrup, lemon).
A short printed menu adds seasonal specials filed under ‘Bartender’s Choice’ or ‘The Basics,’ indicating which drinks are “broad and whacky,” versus “simpler, and simply more attainable,” says co-beverage director Jeremy Owen Barrett. Playful names like the Expresso-Yo-Self, an espresso martini variation, keep the mood light. “You can spend $17 and change for our most creative cocktails or sip on a $5 beer and shot combo, it’s up to you. Honestly if you can’t find something on this menu that you like there’s something wrong with you, not us,” Owen Barrett adds.
5. It puts people first
To support their staff, Lemon is phasing out sub-minimum wages in favour of liveable hourly rates. Instead of adding a service fee or raising prices to eliminate tips entirely, menu prices were bumped up by five percent; a cocktail that would have cost $14 now costs $14.70, for example. “Essentially, this is a philosophy of incorporating the actual cost of providing a product or service into its price,” says director of service Preston Lee. “Although it's unusual to see cents on a menu, it shows how we don’t have anything to hide behind. This is what the price is and, if you want to know why it's there, we’ve opened the conversation about the efforts we’re making to give back to our staff.”
Employees are also offered healthcare, regardless of whether they are full- or part-time. “We are trying to contribute toward a broader cultural shift that working in hospitality is a real job, a real career, in a world where many do not see it that way,” says director of operations Seth Blumenthal.
"It’s also about supporting bartenders by giving them agency and validation", says Lee. “We try to impart a sense of ownership of their craft and over the space at which they work. Hopefully changes like this will catch on across the board and we’ll see people in our industry supported in the ways they deserve.”
Miss this year's ceremony? Watch the highlights here:
The list of North America’s 50 Best Bars 2025, sponsored by Perrier, was revealed at an awards ceremony in Vancouver on 29 April 2025.
