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The restaurant was founded by Leon Finney Sr., originally of Mississippi, in 1940. [1] It was one of the earliest barbecue establishments in Chicago. Along with other restaurants like Lem's Bar-B-Q, Leon's popularized the "Delta style" of barbecue that predominates in the South Side.
After saving up $30,000, he purchased the restaurant from his boss and renamed it Leon's Bar-B-Q. [3] Finney is considered to be a "pioneer" of Chicago-style barbecue which adapted Southern cooking styles. [4] He taught the Bracy's of Barbara Ann's Bar-B-Que how to use the "aquarium smoker", a type of smoker invented in Chicago during the ...
Other notable Chicago barbecue restaurants included Uncle John's BBQ, [6] Leon's Bar-B-Q and Lem's Bar-B-Q, the latter of which helped to popularize aquarium smokers. Italians and Greeks in Chicago also founded barbecue restaurants during the mid-20th century. [5]
The restaurant has been called a "barbecue icon" in the United States by Eater and a "civic treasure" in Chicago by the Chicago Reader. [1] [6] It was named one of Eater's "essential barbecue restaurants in Chicago" in 2019. [1] Lem's has also been named one of the top barbecue restaurants in the country by Time Out and Zagat. [3]
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The restaurant was known for serving Chicago-style barbecue, including rib tips and hot links cooked in an aquarium smoker, [6] using hickory and oak wood. [7] They began experimenting with the use of the aquarium smoker, a Chicago invention, in the 1960s with help from Leon Finney Sr. [4] It also served barbecue chicken, turkey links and ribs. [5]
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