4. Restaurants

Big Star

1531 N Damen, Chicago, IL, 60622
  • (773) 235-4039
  • Store is closed

Big Star Menu

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  • Isra C.

    So I was passing by Big Star yesterday and ordered just one taco al pastor (I had just finished eating at Penny's across the street). Expectations were high since I had heard about this place a lot. Meat and pineapple had great taste and I know tacos since I'm from Mexico City.... But the issue and why I'm giving it only 3 stars is that the tortilla in My taco was cold... So now I don't know if I just got a cold tortilla or if that's what big star does with its tacos, but that killed the taco.

    (3)

  • Steve L.

    Ok, Big Star, you've won me back. The tacos remain awesome, and this time, your service was much better. Back to where you belong - firmly in 4-star territory.

    (4)

  • Jeff K.

    Food was very good, service was horrible. In fact it was probably the worst service that I've gotten in years. Overall the tacos I would give 4 stars and the service gets 1 star. I got 3 tacos: I got the braised pork, which was okay; the potato which was awesome and the ground beef which was also awesome! The atmosphere is a bar environment, noisy, hectic and cramped. I noticed they had a quiet area to the side where you could walk up and order. Next time I will 100% do that as the service and environment was not my cup of tea. If your looking to drink and hang out for a few hours and eat some good tacos then this is your place. But if your looking for a good lunch place in a hour or less then this is 100% NOT the place to go to. Here's the story: We sat down and waited 25 minutes before our server came over to greet us. We ordered drinks and guacamole & chips. Both came incredibly fast, then we sat there for another 30 minutes waiting to order. That's crazy!! I would have grabbed our waitress but she was 100% MIA. Everyone around us was looking for her but where was she? My guess doing nothing; I used to be a server and this is not how you wait on people. We finally ordered and got out food 15 minutes later. Sat down at 12:45 and got our food after 2:00 pm, insane!! After eating our delicious tacos the waitress came over and said do you need anything? Good thing there was nothing wrong with our food. Seriously she just sucked as a server. When she came by I asked for the check because I knew it would take her 10 minutes to bring the check. Sure enough it took her 15 minutes to get the check. Overall the food was very good, not as good as the hype but very good. The price was reasonable, the service was horrible and the atmosphere was not for me. To date my favorite taco place is carbon live, I highly suggest them way over big star.

    (3)

  • Gerald W.

    Very good. The walking taco is something different- all in all; great. Its commercialized, but so good - such an atmosphere and great fun. Well worth the fun!

    (4)

  • Liam M.

    I feel like the taco selection with meats has gone down. I also came back to my seat after going to the restroom to find a missing chair. Not impressed. How does my chair just disappear???

    (1)

  • Gina K.

    Here's the rundown of what I've tried so far: * FISH TACOS (aka tacos de pescado): it's perfection... just TRY IT. I really have nothing else to say. * Walking taco: it's really good, but I feel like I can make them at home. But I always get them anyway. * Panza tacos: honestly, not too big of a fan. The pork was dry and I'd rather just have another fish taco. * Chips & guac: the amount that they give you for the price is kind of ridiculous. I mean, it's good, but seriously, $8 for a tiny bowl of guac?! I would say stop by Chipotle instead... Service is great. Make sure you bring your ID's to avoid hassle with the seating, especially past dark. It's a cash-only place too. I know that if you're just hungry and you can't get seated inside, there's a side section next door, which sell the food items only. There's a couple of benches that you can sit down at. Overall, solid place! Definitely a place I love stopping by with my corworkers after a long day.

    (4)

  • Jessie U.

    Growing up from Los Angeles, I have pretty high expectations when it comes to tacos. Big Star was decent, nothing too special about this place, so I didn't really understand the hype. I From left to right is Taco de Panza, Taco al Pastor, and Taco de Pescado. Taco de Panza (pork belly) was a huge disappoint. It was marinated too much with an interesting flavor that didn't taste savory, just salty (?). Taco al Pastor was by far my favorite. It was rich with sweet sauce sprinkled with pineapple chunks on top. Taco de Pescado had a crisp, but soft fish topped with lime flavored cabbage that was greatly complimented with the chipotle mayo. I enjoyed the cabbage with the fish making it a great combination. Ranking of Tacos: Pastor, Pescado, Panza. Service was great. Even though it was packed on a Friday night, my friends and I were able to quickly get seated at the bar. The bar was packed and loud, and bartenders were busy, but they made sure the customers were cared for.

    (2)

  • Bethany T.

    We came here just as the sun was coming out after a rainstorm. There was no seating available inside. You had to wait for almost half an hour to be seated inside so we decided to order from the to-go window. Each of us got a different kind of taco - fish, carne. The food was delicious - a bit small but very good. Then someone, still hungry, ordered a walking taco. It was a mess of beans, cheese, Doritos, etc. Not recommended. It was a good experience but for several reasons (long wait, bang for buck, walking taco) only giving it 3 stars.

    (3)

  • Gina T.

    Wow this is such a cute place. I love the outdoor patio. Can't wait to come back and dine in. A couple of friends and I took tacos to go and they were delicious. I got the tilapia, beef, and chicken tacos. My fave was the tilapia and this yummy orange sauce that comes with it. It's so fresh and crispy. Don't pass it up!!! Not fishy at all for those who are worried if it tastes too fishy. The beef one is delicious as well. Didn't care for the chicken taco because I only eat chicken breast and this is made up of chicken thigh. So for those who like dark meat, this taco is calling your name. The chips were fresh and crispy. You could tell they just made them and they didn't come straight out of a salsa chips bag. Horchata... Eh I expected it to be better. Really watered down. Overall, definitely coming back. Especially to try the walking taco.

    (4)

  • Betty C.

    Given the big names behind Big Star I was expecting a lot more. Our recent better taco meals at Altiro in Geneva and A Toda Madre in Glen Ellyn really made big star a dud in my book. $4 for most tacos and the tortillas were not fresh, the meat was rather dry and tough and the seasonings too similar for the Al Pastor and the Panza (pork belly), which was nowhere near fatty enough. Guacamole was too sour and once again chips were not that fresh. Cash only this day in age? Get real! Probably will not return.

    (2)

  • Anna G.

    Big Star is definitely in my Top 5 Chicago restaurants so I cannot believe that 1. I haven't already reviewed it and 2. that so many people give it such low ratings! My only real gripe with the place is the long wait times for a table, but I can't really blame them for that (instead I blame all of the seemingly jobless but money having hipsters that pack this place at all hours of the day). The tacos (my favorites being the pastor, chorizo, pescado, and papas....so pretty much all of them, ha) are delicious and, in my opinion, sizable. I also think the price point is very fair. The margaritas are perfect for a sunny day on their patio. Can you get equally good tacos elsewhere in Chicago? Sure. Will they be cheaper? Maybe. But you won't get the same patio atmosphere. It's really comparing apples to oranges. If I'm just looking for a quick taco meal, I head to one of the taquerias found inside local Hispanic grocery stores. But that's not what I'm looking for when I go to Big Star. At Big Star, I want delicious tacos, margaritas, patio seating, and waiter service...and that's what I get. I've probably never had a server go out of their way to be bubbly nice, but I've also never encountered a rude host or server. The cash only thing can be annoying, but it is what it is. And even though the long waits do exist, I like that they take your number and call you when the table is ready. I'm glad they opened the outdoor seating space next door for the take out window...shorter wait times if you're just looking for food and plenty of space to dine outside. Plus, I appreciate how dog friendly they are.

    (5)

  • Julia K.

    The weather was amazing when i went which was perfect with the mood of the place . I got margarita which was pretty strong and two tacos - the fish taco and one of the pork ones (forgot which one) . The fish taco was amazingggg the pork belly one was okay. One of their salsas were also so so good and it has kind of a tangy taste ?

    (4)

  • Maxie H.

    We finally made it to this restaurant! My fiancé has been telling me about this restaurant since I moved to Chicago. This restaurant is usually jammed packed, but we were really lucky this weekend. We were seated immediately upon arrival. Their outside seating and country music reminds me of Austin, Texas. They even serve Shiner ;) Their menu is very simple and straightforward. Get the guacamole and chips. Their salsa is mediocre, and you will be disappointed if you just get that. We really liked the fish tacos, chorizo, and taco al pastor. Don't forget to order the big star margarita! Service is quick and efficient. It's a great place to hang out and grab dinner on a nice day outside. Note: For those under 21, they card everyone at the hostess stand. Also, this is CASH ONLY! They have an ATM just in case you forgot to bring some cash.

    (4)

  • Melia B.

    Fish tacos and chicken tacos are amazing! The queso fundido is good as well. I would avoid the walking taco. It tastes like something I could make myself at a gas station with fritos, nacho cheese, and chili paste. Cash only, unfortunately. Normally a wait for a table, but you can always find room at the bar and have a drink while you wait.

    (4)

  • Tricia S.

    I'm such a Mexican food foodie and this was DAAAA BOOOMB. So fresh and tasty with options I've never see on other menus. The industrial decor added to the street food theme. It's a la carte style with the tacos (avg $4), but these tacos are so stuffed that it's definitely worth the money. The pitcher of margarita my friends bought for themselves was pricy ($37) but the guacamole and quest seemed fair. The guacamole was very lime-y, but I like that. Also the queso wasn't your generic Sysco-brand queso most Mexican restaurants serve. It's definitely fresher with meat mixed in and served with soft corn tortillas...idk why that's always amused me more than chips. The food came out fairly quickly, which was surprising because we came at peak lunch hour when everyone was trying to escape the rain. The zanahorias (carrot) and potato tacos are must-haves. This meat-eater was curious and definitely pleased. The fish taco was also so tasty...one of the best I've had.

    (5)

  • Amber S.

    I've been hearing about Big Star for a few years, so this past Saturday(my birthday weekend) I got to see what all the hype was about. The sign is literally a big 'ol star. Seems to me they have a large outdoor seating area that's probably popping in the better weather months. The weather on the night we visited it was a toasty 37 degrees, so the 45 minute wait just to put your name on a list for a table was fine comfort wise. They also provide outdoor heaters that were blazing hot. Once inside, we gave our name and were told we'd get a text in about an hour for our table. No biggie, because the bar are is huge and the bartenders are on their job. A beer(Shiners Birthday Beer) and 2 shots later(Prairie Dogs) the hostess actually came to find us to take us to our table. So the atmosphere here isn't made by the cinder blocks or lawn furniture, it's all about the food. Tacos. Tacos for days y'all. We had Taco de Panza(pork belly), Taco Al Pastor(pork shoulder), Taco Carne Asada, and the Queso Fundido. My favorite was the Taco Al Pastor because it had these tiny pieces of pineapple that really brought the flavor. The Queso Fundido was a cheese lovers dream, melted perfectly over this delicious homemade chorizo. Excuse me while I reminisce and drool. To avoid long waits, my dining partners suggested coming here during lunch or grabbing a taco at the carry out window.

    (5)

  • Tyler M.

    Awesome margaritas, and the tacos are delicious. I usually find that taco joints have too much hype following them, but that is not the case with Big Star. I suggest the fish taco and the chicken taco. Guac was nothing special, but worth a try. Good not great. I think the salsa with the chips was better than the Guac itself. Also-cash only! Remember so you don't have to pay the $3.50 charge at their ATM.

    (4)

  • George L.

    TERRIBLE chips and salsa, tacos are not even that good only one that is good is the fish taco. If you have ever had a good taco i.e el paso texas area is amazing tacos from actual mexican people not the people at big star. The place is good place to go hangout and drink but do not recommend it if you are truely wanting to have good mexican tacos. Do not recommend for the food unfortunately.

    (1)

  • Allie D.

    It's places like this that make me feel like I'm not cool enough for Wicker Park because I just don't quite "get it". I've had Big Star on my radar for quite some time now, so when I happened to be in the area around lunch time, I was eager to give it a shot. However, I was less than thrilled when I saw the line just to check in with the hostess. She took our number and told us it would be a bit of a wait, so we were free to walk around the area or whatever. What she failed to tell us is that you can sit at the bar and get the same freakin' service that you get at a table. That part we figured out on our own. So, instead of waiting, we made our way to the bar area and found a table near it to place our order. Interestingly enough, there were several open tables not being utilized, even though customers were being turned away due to the "wait". I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume NONE of the people waiting by the hostess stand were 21. Who knows? That was just the first annoyance. The second annoyance came when I discovered they were cash only. Okay, not a huge deal. I'll get cash out at the ATM. Oh, they want to charge me a $3 fee to use it? Ok, whatever. Fine. Take my money. Now, I've worked at cash only joints. I know what the owners are thinking. And most of the time they are thinking about how much money they can make by avoiding CC fees and charging people to use their ATMs. It's a bit of a shady game, especially if you are operating a place as large as Big Star, but you do you and chase that paper, bro. I won't judge. Onto the food and service. Our waiter was nice. The food was good. Was it mindblowingly good? Nah. The guacamole reminded me a lot of the kind you get at Bakersfield on Mass Ave in Indy, for those of you Hoosier folks. Heavy on the lime and garnished with radish. I dig it. It was probably my favorite part of my meal - that and the delicious limeade. The tacos were okay. I had the pork & pineapple one and a walking taco. Maybe my expectations were too high, or maybe I've just had too many delicious tacos in my day that I'm become hypercritical. Maybe I ordered wrong. Would I do it all over again? Yeah. Probably for the people watching alone.

    (3)

  • Darren B.

    Nice vibe, nice service, nice tacos. We had the Pastor, Papas con Rajas, and Pollo Pibil tacos. All were solid. I liked the Pastor best and while I did really like the pickled onions in the Pollo Pibil taco, the meat was pretty dry and the overall flavor lacking a bit. I have been spoiled on some excellent Puerco Pibil (a.k.a. Cochinita pibil) so maybe I was expecting too much when I saw Pibil as a taco option. It's a cool place with a cool staff. I'll be back.

    (3)

  • S S.

    Once again, still delicious! Went around 9:30 this time....still packed....and had a pitcher of margaritas which was a reasonable price, along with the walking taco, picadillo, and al pastor. All were amazing! Tried the chips and quac this time....I'll stick to the queso fundido next time!

    (4)

  • Valerie W.

    Big Star has been on my bookmarks list for... well, a REALLY long time! I sent the whole list to a friend of mine who has slowly been helping me check them off. After the Hawks Rally yesterday we were starving and didn't want to stay in the chaos of the Loop, so she suggested Big Star. For 2pm on a Thursday, it was much more crowded than I thought, but I did see a lot of Blackhawks red - and the weather was beautiful. Luckily, we were able to snag 3 seats at the bar with no wait (SCORE!) and were quickly served by an awesome bartender, I didn't catch his name, but his tattoos were sweet. We ordered a few beers and by the time they came, ordered food. Let me preface by saying that I could not choose a favorite, and if I could've alternated bites of these tacos without making a horrible mess, I would've. Next time, I'm going to come in and plan to sit for a long time, gorging on tacos! I tried: 1) queso fundido - which we shared as a group. SO GOOD. Came out piping hot (too hot to eat, but that's the point when things come out in cast iron, no?) Full of poblanos and chorizo. 2) Taco De Panza: crispy, braised pork belly, tomato guajillo sauce, queso fresco, onion, cilantro. The flavors were great. I added their green hot sauce. 3) Taco Al Pastor: marinated, spit roasted pork shoulder, grilled pineapple, grilled onion, cilantro. Al Pastor tacos are a love affair of mine, and how I judge taco joints. Big Star passes the test, BIG TIME. Don't pass up this taco! 4) Taco de Pescado: beer battered tilapia fillet, chipotle mayo, cabbage, red onion, lime, cilantro. I don't normally dig on tilapia, and I would never order it at a restaurant... EXCEPT HERE. Get this taco. The chipotle mayo has great flavor and everything marries so well. The fish was crispy and delicious (which I again, never say about tilapia.) Big Star will be on my list of places to return to again and again and again.

    (5)

  • Erika G.

    Love this place, SO fun to while away a Sunday Funday afternoon at the lively bar. Micheladas with Tecate, yes, please! Tacos. I was the least excited about the Chicken Thigh tacos, but they turned out to be the ones I liked the best. Juicy and savory and topped with pickled onion. My favorite! Also, Al Pastor, Chorizo and Pork Belly. It was a bit difficult to identify which was which, but when tacos are this delicious, who cares? Good amount of options for vegs, and it says on the menu, they will substitute or omit on request. So, you're covered here. Friendly bartender, and a great space. This is a good one, no wonder it's crowded all the time.

    (5)

  • Monica R.

    Big Star Margarita is a MUST! $45 a pitcher but completely worth it. Panza taco is my all time fav! Picadillo could lose the raisins, and guac get the guac! lunch is always best... the food comes out fast, if you go during dinner or the weekend expect a wait!

    (5)

  • Tony A.

    7/10 Fish tacos - the best by far on the menu. They give you a pretty sizable piece of fish so it's a great value. The menu price is per each taco FYI I wish they used their space better. Most of their seating is outside, which is quite bizarre given that Chicago is cold most of the year ;)

    (3)

  • Elizabeth H.

    Another spot that was really close by to where I was staying in Chicago was big star taco. Recently I have been in a huge taco crunch. I can't get enough. Walking in I was eating alone so I decided to sit at the bar. I was the only one. Thus I got a lot of attention from the servers and they were really nice to me. One was joking with me about taking pictures and it not being allowed. She must've noticed that I was in from Chicago. But hey a bloggers got to do what a bloggers got to do. To eat I had three tacos. I had the taco de pescado, taco de pollo pibil and the taco de chorizo verde. The fish taco had a beer battered tilapia fillet, chipotle mayo, cabbage, red onion, lime and cilantro. It was very good; I added a little bit of one of the sauces to add additional flavor. The chicken taco was quite good too; it had chicken thighs steamed in banana leaves with citrus marinade, pickled red onions and cilantro. My favorite, however, was the chorizo taco. It had pork sausage, poblano, serrano, pumpkin and sesame seeds, potato, onion and cilantro and had quite the kick. I absolutely loved it. I love satisfied having had only three tacos and having spent 10 bucks on tacos. That was a win in my book. For anyone who's looking to come in please know that it's cash only.

    (5)

  • Hankyung C.

    Two best parts of this restaurant; 1. the ambience is one of my favorite in chicago. 2. the tortilla has a fluff texture I wasnt too much of the fan when it came to the charred taste of the Panza or the pascado. It was a fairly hectic night but it took forever to get our checks and pay.

    (3)

  • Annie S.

    Delicious tacos, LOTS of patio seating in the summer, and a full bar? YES PLEASE. Overall, the food here is the bomb. I highly recommend the pork belly and fish tacos - the fish is crispy and lightly fried, and the pork belly was perfectly seasoned. The ground beef was pretty good, too. My friend had a walking taco, and for something that's served in a Fritos bag, it looked pretty delicious. Our food definitely got the Snapchat treatment before we ate :) As for seating, there is plenty. The patio is gorgeous in the summer, though it gets a bit crowded inside. There is quite a wait most nights - we went on a Wednesday and the place was packed. Provide your phone number when you put your name in with the host and they'll text you when your table is ready. If you haven't come to drink, you can hit the walk-up stand on the right side of the patio and grab an open seat. Only thing I dislike (outside of the wait and the Chad/Trixie douchebags that seem to gather at the bar - do they have PBR on tap or something?) is the parking sitch, which it awful here at all times of the day/week. If you can avoid driving, do so. If not, the best (i.e, most often available) parking is a few blocks south on Damen. You can occasionally find a spot along one of the sidestreets if you troll long enough, but be aware that some of them are residential permit only. Overall, cute atmosphere, available drinks, and delicious tacos make for a great little lunch or dinner spot.

    (4)

  • Anna B.

    I really do like the food here. I've never had anything I didn't like. The only reason this isn't a 5 star review is that all of their portions are really small. Either I have to spend $50 a person to get full (with drinks) or eat some place else afterwards. But otherwise, great food, decent service, cool design. It gets extremely packed to try coming here before 6pm any day to get a seat if you don't want to wait.

    (4)

  • David C.

    Excellent tacos. My favorite was the fish. Food came out FAST! The guacamole and chips are some of the best that I've had. We got there around 6pm and were told to expect around 20 minutes to get a table. Didn't mind waiting on the sidewalk because the weather was perfect and there was some good "people watching", i.e. attractive young women, dogs, a few bearded hipsters, and a few cute kids. I want to thank the hostess and security guy especially. I gave them my phone number so they could text me when it was our turn to be seated. Well, either I didn't feel/hear the alert or the text was delayed in delivery. So, after 25 minutes, I went to ask how much longer and the hostess said they had already texted us and never got a reply from me. So she offered to put us back in the cue to start over. (The wait time I assume had grown). I wanted to accept defeat and suggested to my friend that we leave or go to their take-out window but my friend did not. So, after she argued about it to the hostess, the hostess relented and gave us the next table. Nice! My first time here. Thanks for cutting us some slack. My only complaint is not really a fault with Big Star. But, since it's so crazy busy and we got seated right across from the hostess stand, I couldn't help but feel pressure to eat and leave. To be clear, nobody made me feel that way. It's just hard to relax when you look to your left and see a bunch of people waiting in line and the hostess/security trying to manage it.

    (5)

  • Angela P.

    I think all of Wicker Park was at Big Star last Saturday. The patio area takes up almost an entire street corner! The wait for a table inside looked long, so we decided to order at the window and then eat at one of the tables outside. The order window is a genius idea for take-out orders, or for anyone that doesn't want to wait for a proper table. I asked my friend Aimee M. what was good here, because I couldn't decide, and if there are maybe six varities of tacos, well...I know I couldn't eat six tacos. At her recommendation, I ordered one fish taco, and at my own accord, one pork taco. THE FISH TACOS ARE SO GOOD. I should have ordered a second one! The fish was perfectly battered and fried. It was crispy all the way through, it wasn't greasy or soggy at all. This is the best fish taco I've ever had! Tacos at Big Star cost a bit more than your neighborhood tacqueria, but this fish taco was absolutely worth $3-4. The pork was good, but I honestly don't remember anything else about it because I'm thinking about that fish taco. The chips and guacamole are also a must-have. The chips were fresh, but again not greasy, and the guacamole blew Chipotle's out of the water. The guacamole was fresh, creamy, but also had nice chunks of avocado. I thought $8 was a bit steep for guac, until I saw the portion that is really meant for sharing. Grab a horchata or limeaid to wash it all down and sit on the patio. The number of people standing or just meandering about is great for people watching. Parking in the area stinks. I tried to come here once before, probably turned the wrong way at a red light at a 5-way intersection, couldn't find parking, so I gave up and went elsewhere. I ended up parking down the street this time, but there was a lot of effort put into finding that spot. Cash only!

    (5)

  • Timothy H.

    This place is a must for any native Chicagoan or someone visiting the windy city. Wicker park is known for its eclectic hipster vibe and this place is their Mecca! The scene is always chill and always crowded. Waiting for a seat can take hours but if you come early (5-6pm) and head over to the bar and poach bar seats from some full and happy exiting patrons, you'll be better off. The bar is where it's at anyway. Better service and a front row seat to the magic. The food never disappoints and the drinks are strong! I recommend starting with a margarita pitcher and the chips and guac. All the tacos are outstanding and the flavored are on point. Go in a group or bring someone special and enjoy this unique hot spot, you won't regret it!

    (5)

  • Kim N.

    This place was packed when we arrived and as we didn't have much time to wait for a table, we darted straight for the bar. Menus were all around so it was easy to browse before deciding on what we wanted. This is probably the first place I've been to where they don't offer Asada tacos. So much for being a 'Mexican' spot. But again, what can you expect in Chicago... I ordered the fish tacos anyhow, and they were surprisingly decent. It would have been even better if they offered salsa to go along with it but the hot sauces sufficed. Lost stars for being cash only and messing up my beer order--place wasn't spectacular. I saw loads of tables order margaritas too, probably should have tried one!

    (3)

  • Miranda T.

    I must say that this is LATE .... I haven't been home in three years but as I am planning my trip from CA back the first thing that comes to mind is the food I missed and Big Star is in the list of a must go / must eat at when I get back .... We went out here / pre game here and it is crowded and loud but they have great deals and a great atmosphere .... But the main thing I will return for is the SONORAN DOG It sounded so gross but honestly it is probably the best hot dog I have ever had! I have had dreams about it since being gone. It is a bit messy but totally worth it ....the hot dog alone earns Big Star five stars ... It is amazing and a must!!! If you like hot dogs you MUST try this and if you are looking for a fun night out Big Star is a must :) Less than one month and I will have my hot dog .... So excited!!!

    (5)

  • Jess P.

    Okay, I get it, a hipster taco place. Packed with people, interesting-looking menu items and a unique selection of beer. But when it came down to execution and taste, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. My al pastor taco with pork shoulder was kind of dry and bland. I ordered the one with pinto beans and bacon expecting it to be a taco and it was soup with a tortilla. What? I mean, that's fine, but I feel like the menu should have been clearer. And if you're gonna have Schlitz, please serve it in a can? That's just a personal preference. And maybe $2 instead of $3, c'mon, it's a cheap beer. And cash only? Really? That's just ridiculous, especially in this part of town. And the service was not great; we had to change servers before we could even order food and then when we wanted to pay, she was NOWHERE to be found for at least 25 min. Back to the food, I just get the feeling that their creativity on paper goes further than their actual cooking skills. I'm really surprised that people aren't noticing the difference.

    (2)

  • Kerl L.

    There are places that will always catch your attention, just because. BigStar has an appeal that most will identify as either trendy, hipster, touristy, casual, the place to be and be seen, or just a spot to enjoy the outdoors with a drink in your hand. I would summit that no two experiences at this place will be rendered the same. The age range varies greatly and difficult to pinpoint the average that makes sense of the crowd. The 21yr olds are there with skimpy clothing and eager to get that drink while the 30's are dressed for casual Club attire looking to be recognized. And then there's the 40's that seem to look in amazement for why there are so many people packed in one spot and trying to find a server for a table, food and/or drinks. Safe to say that it caters to everyone's needs. Seems that the success of this place likely relies on the varying groups that are able to find a niche in what it offers. Like it or not, a sliver of opportunity is often better than a defined demography and/or style. The drinks are good, food tasty (tacos) and atmosphere vibrant while being pretty F'ing loud. :-) BigStar is a place to frequent but be forewarned that there's a time limit of your tolerance and patience of its ways. Nevertheless I somehow manage to not mind the ambiance and have a good time.

    (4)

  • Jackie M.

    Flip through the book and check out the drink menu section of Reserves... there's a few items that are over $100 and guess what... Big Star is CASH ONLY. I wanna see that guy who orders a round of 25yr old bourbon. Big Star used to be the spot to get upscale tacos, but I'm terribly spoiled by the plethora of tacos in Chicago that not only supercedes in service, wait and food options, but if you're playing the cash only route, it's not really cheap either. Big Star's biggest draw is the outdoor patio. They expanded to the side with really nice wooden benches and one of the few places I know that has heat lamps. Unfortunately, it was still too cold to be outside even with the lamps. Bummer. Al Pastor, the pork belly and carrot taco was what I ordered. I'm pretty underwhelmed, nothing memorable, and at $4/piece I only that I know there are way better options a few blocks away. I'm surprised there's still a long wait, granted we were a party larger than 2.

    (2)

  • Jamie B.

    I realize the only other time I've given this place raving reviews it's been after a long night of drinking. The food here is very basic and lacks flavor. Thrown together and really tastes terrible. A good place to go get crazy in the neighborhood with friends but eat elsewhere. Wait was over 2 hours on Friday night for sub par food on a garage patio.

    (2)

  • Ashley M.

    I went in again, with one of my girlfriends, had the pork belly, chorizo, and alpastor... Not sure what happened the first time but, I now see why everyone gets crazy for this place! It was great food, service everything was great!

    (5)

  • Jason M.

    Small miniscule tacos. Plus this place only accepts cash. Place is totally overrated. Don't think I'll be back ever!

    (1)

  • Laura H.

    After hearing rave reviews from multiple friends, I finally decided to give Big Star tacos a try. I do not live close to the Blue Line, so I was reluctant to make the almost 45 min bus commute just for some tacos. This weekend, I was helping my boyfriend move into his new apartment that is only a few blocks away and decided to pick some up for us to eat while we unpacked. The setup is very smart with ample amounts of outside patio seating that looked pretty crowded when I walked up. To order take out, you walk to a window off to the side where there is plenty of room to stand (or sit) and wait for your order. I appreciated that I didn't have to wade through waves of diners in order to place my order and the shortened wait time from having take out and dine in orders/prepped separately. As for the tacos themselves, they were amazing! I am not generally a fan of tacos as I tend to think of ground beef and generic taco seasoning with some tasteless lettuce, shredded cheese and a bit of sour cream, but these tacos are nothing like that. They are as diverse as they are creative. I had the pescado and the pollo while my boyfriend opted for the pazzara and the walking taco. I tried a bit of each, and the chicken was probably my favorite, but they were all tasty! Probably not worth the trip if you live far away and are only thinking about getting take out, but if you have some time to sit back, soak up some sun while enjoying a margarita and delicious tacos, I definitely recommend checking this place out!

    (4)

  • Matt M.

    You may have to wait an extraordinarily long time for a table sometimes but who cares. They don't lie about it, and text you when a table is ready, and you are free to eat and drink inside at the bar if you are in a hurry. I think the fish and the walking stick veggy tacos are the best things going here. The guacamole leaves a little to be desired though. The ambiance is bar none great. It has a real Austin feel to it. I could post up here and drink tecates for hours. I wish you could drink booze on the new left patio but the world isn't perfect, is it?

    (4)

  • Kate L.

    My friend and I came here for some late afternoon beers and tacos. We ordered some food after a short wait. Someone delivered the food to our table and put all the food in front of my place, and none in front of my friend. This included a bag of fritos which I assumed was a weird side dish. 10 minutes later the woman who had taken our order let us know that my friend's taco was inside the frito bag. It was weird. I mean, no where on the menu did it say that her taco was coming in a frito bag, and then the server seemed confused as to why we didn't know that the taco came in a frito bag, as if it's common place to receive your taco in bag of fritos. We just didn't know. And then it took a long time to get our check. I don't know I guess I'm too old to appreciate the nuances of eating tacos poured into a bag.

    (1)

  • Jane O.

    2 Things to always remember about this place: It's CASH ONLY and on beautiful sunny Chicago days, you WILL wait for your table. I've been here countless times and always seem to forget these things! Besides the (sometimes) brutally, I-might-eat-that-dog-next-to-me long wait you may have, the fish tacos here will absolutely never disappoint. I have brought a lot of Big Star virgins to this place and they are always amazed by this one, glorious taco. The portion sizes are decent and the prices are low for about $3/taco. Have yourself some margaritas which are STRONG and enjoy the nice weather on their lovely, lively patio. Service is nothing great but nothing to complain about either.

    (4)

  • Nicole C.

    This is a review for Big Star catering, when I was looking for reviews on their catering I had a hard time finding any. We decided to go with Big Star for our wedding instead of the traditional catered wedding food - and we are SO glad we did! EVERYONE raved about the food!! Our wedding was relatively small with only 60 people, which made doing a taco buffet very easy. Big Star gives a half hour window on when they will deliver and for us they showed up within the first 15 minutes of that window, which was perfect. The set-up was quick and easy, and quiet. I didn't even notice them setting up until I could smell the tacos :) With only 60 people we ordered enough food for 70, and I'm very glad we did as it was the perfect amount, everyone got enough food with many getting seconds, and there were hardly any leftovers. We ordered the 3 taco choices, with 4 tacos per guest, of grilled fish (the best!) pork shoulder and the mole carrots - all extremely delicious - with chips, guac, salsa, side salad, and beans. They put everything for the tacos on the side, which is great when you don't know how picky your guests may be. They also provided plates, napkins and cutlery. While we didn't get drinks from them, we did get ice. The food was hot and fresh! Believe it or not... but it was better than eating at Big Star! Margaret and the rest of the catering/event staff were extremely easy to work with and very helpful - we were able to change our delivery time just a few days before the wedding and they were patient and friendly on the many different iterations of our menu, adding items and changing the order various times, until two days before, and allowing us to order the mole spiced carrots, which isn't offered on their catering menu. We appreciated their friendliness and patience during what can be a stressful time. If you're looking to do something a little different for your wedding (that I promise your guests will love!) or just have awesome food at your party, I highly recommend Big Star Catering - also, there is no wait!

    (5)

  • Danthanh L.

    Honestly, I had higher expectations when I came here after trying tacos at Antique Taco. Presentation is meh, taste is okay in comparison to Antique. I ordered from their take out area. Its not as pretty as the restaurant side w/ patio lighted up but it had a shorter line up and long picnic table area. I imagined food would be same either way? I ordered the Taco Al Pastor (pork belly, tomato guajillo sauce, queso fresco, onion and cilantro) for $4 and did not think there was much toppings or sauce. I also had the Caramel milkshake. It was okay but quite sweet, which server already warned me about. This place is pretty crowded but if you decide to dine here, the patio is the place to be.

    (3)

  • Ermin H.

    Great Food! These are the best tacos that I have ever had. The place itself is always packed (for a good reason) and wait times are long at times. I would highly recommend Big star to anyone who does not mind the wait. In particular the fish taco is excellent. Enjoy your food!

    (4)

  • Joanne B.

    I can not stay away from this place. They have the best tacos de pescados in the city

    (4)

  • Jenna S.

    Very interesting tacos would definetly go back would love to try and sit outside. Always very crowded with long wait but they do prefer to text you when your table is ready so you can always go walk around wicker park while you wait. The Horchata was less than desirable but the dulce de leche shake more than made up for that drink.

    (4)

  • Brad T.

    While it's not my typical go to taco restaurant, they do offer Margarita pitchers and decent "street" tacos with a bit of a gourmet/yuppie twist to them. If I want real Mexican street taco's, I would just go down into Pilsen or something and get them there but I like the atmosphere afforded here on a nice day on their patio. Man... I am pretty sure that was one hell of a run on but moving on... The patio is where it's at on a nice day but make sure to get there early to get your name in as it can take a bit to get seated. Once your seated though, your food comes out lighting fast! And drinks more like speed of sound fast. Get it? Speed of light vs. speed of sound? Hahahha... I am a dork.

    (4)

  • Kristen C.

    Great place to day drink on the weekends during the summer months. They have a huge patio with views onto Damen. As far as the food, it was meh. I had a few different tacos and was really excited for the pork belly, but they were dry and chewy. I'll be back for drinks only. There are far too many better places to get your taco craving satisfied at.

    (3)

  • Claudia P.

    Best cheladas in the city! My all time favorite mexican restaurant! I would have given them 5 stars but the recently got rid of their chorizo tacos which was my ALL time favorite! I highly recommend the guac and queso fondido!!!

    (4)

  • Bree N.

    I stopped by with some friends after hearing that this was one of the best taco places in town. While the tacos here were good, they were way too spicy for my liking (but that's not their fault - just my sensitive taste buds'). I ordered the taco de papas con rajas and the walking taco. I ended up switching the papas taco for my boyfriend's taco de zanahorias, which was less spicy & really really good. I got through the walking taco but my mouth was on fire by the end of it. Basically, just be careful coming here if you can't do spicy.

    (4)

  • Jordan K.

    When my friends wanted to meet here for a late night snack I was a bit underwhelmed by the 3.5 star rating, but I came anyway and I'm happy I did! First thing to know is this place is busy. Every time I've seen it all the tables are taken. Fortunately, I showed up late and my friends got to deal with finding a table. For food I had the taco al pastor (pork shoulder) and de pescado (battered and fried tilapia). Both were excellent. If I had to guess the tortilla was about 6" in diameter and well filled. A fair amount of food for each taco, but not to an extreme. My friends ordered the queso fundido and it was also very good. It's made of real cheese which is awesome, but eat it quick. It will cool and solidify into a solid mass if you wait too long! They have a decent beer menu and lots of whiskeys and such to choose from. They make a good effort on the drink menu, but this seems like quick food stop more than anything. Most of the seating was outdoors, I can't imagine how crowded it is in the winter when they only have the indoor area to use.

    (4)

  • Nicolo D.

    Tacos were fine-to-good. No complaints about the food. HOWEVER, this place is so hip that it's literally become stupid. The perfect example is that they're CASH ONLY, and send you to a fee-laden ATM, if you're one of those crazy people who would rather not walk around Chicago with pocketfuls of cash. "But Nicolo, it's a little startup! They can't afford the machines! My jeans are cutting off circulation to my feet and I love it! They want to keep it intimate and kitschy!!" But look at the little iPod Touch the waiter is using to enter your orders. On the back of it, there? That's a credit card reader, built into the very expensive devices they're using to track orders. Which they clearly already bought. Cash only, just like the rest of the hip facade, is just image and "hip", and shows that rather than accommodating their customers using the equipment they've already purchased, they'd rather make money on ATM fees *and* on tacos. If you need tacos, this is a decent place for tacos, but you're also going to get a huge helping of hipster, with a side of crowded and pricy.

    (3)

  • Samar K.

    On a sunny day, head over to this trendy spot that offers delicious tacos. If you have a furry friend, no problem - dogs are welcome to sit in the out door area while you sip on the popular house margaritas and chow on the freshly made guac. Here are a few things to note: - Bring cash! Or else you'll be queuing up at the ATM - which will gobble up $3 ... which could have gone towards more tacos! - If you're headed mid-day during the weekend, be prepared for a bit of a wait. Typically no more than 15 minutes. - Stay away from the potato tacos if you're sensitive to spiciness! (Ooooh fuego!) - I personally find this more of a lighter lunch/dinner because of the portions. In a nut shell: A great place to catch up with friends, sip on your alcoholic beverage of choice, and mix and match tacos. If you're an avid taco lover but don't care so much for the scene - you will be critical!

    (4)

  • Tracy Y.

    The first time I came here I loved it. The second time, not so much, so I averaged the two scores. The first time I was expecting to wait a really long time, but I think it was around 30-40 minutes. Margaritas were good and so was the queso fundido. We ordered one of each taco to try and enjoyed them all! This last time I was a little disappointed. We waited almost two hours for a table. They do take your number and text you when it's ready, but they refused to give any kind of estimate as to how long you have to wait.we were finally seated, but I was not fond of our table. We were seated right near the entrance to the inside so it was super loud from the music and noise coming from the bar. We ordered a pitcher of margaritas and chips and guac to start. The chips and guac were on the table almost immediately. The pitcher came and the guy slowly distributed ice from the pitcher into our glasses, spilling on me as he went. No one wants to go out to eat and get spilled on by a server. We ordered our tacos- 3 pork belly, 2 al pastor, 1 potato, 1 fish, 1 chicken and 1 beef. The two winners were the al pastor and the chicken. No one was impressed with the rest. My fish taco was burnt on one end. The pork belly was just not good. I couldn't even finish it. So overall I felt the my second experience was completely different from the first. There are other places to get good tacos and it doesn't require such a long wait. Things to note- cash only, there is an ATM on site if you forget. They do have a takeout window and an area where you can sit and eat, but no alcohol service.

    (3)

  • Sidney Z.

    This place is a real "scene" in Wicker Park. Always wall to wall people, eating, drinking and having a ball. There are so many people smiling and grinning it makes the mediocre food and weak drinks sort of irrelevant. Expect anywhere for a 20-30 minute wait but that's part of Big Stars charm. You are coming to this establishment to have a good time and be part of what ever it is that they have going. Don't come here thinking Mexico City. Come here thinking Chicago and another pitcher of Margaritas.

    (3)

  • Mara J.

    Hands down, the best damn tacos I've ever had and I'm Mexican! The Tacos de Papa will set your mouth on fire but in suuuuuuuch a good way. Loud music. Awesome service. Great drinks. Why are u still reading this? Go!!

    (5)

  • Dominique S.

    High expections going in, but somewhat of a let down. Service, decor and location are phenomenal...food and drinks only mediocre. Had about a 20 min wait for seating outside which wasn't bad at all, so just had a few drinks at the bar in the meantime. Ordered the blue star margarita pitcher. I asked for no ice so it wouldn't get watered down, but sadly that meant the amount they gave you barely came to half the size of the pitcher. The taste was strong but not very pleasant. Appetizers we ordered were chips, guac and salsa. Really enjoyed the apps and would order them again. Ordered the following for entree: #1 taco - fried fish taco - cooked to perfection and had a spicy mayo sauce that was extremely good. Definitely added a kick of heat to the dish. #2 taco - beef taco - caught me off guard with raisins and peanuts in it, but it was alright. Had a kick of heat as well in it. #3 taco - pork taco - ive had a lot better from places in pilsen area so would have to say thumbs down. I wouldn't order it again and seemed slightly overcooked/dry. Unfortunately wanted to love this place, but I didn't so don't think I will be coming back.

    (3)

  • Fabi G.

    My heart is at Big Star mostly because they have such a great outdoor patio. Every time I go theirs a great vibe, atmosphere is uplifting and full of interesting hip people to watch. The only downside is that there's always a wait. The outdoor window is a genius idea for takeout orders. I'm glad they open the outdoor seating space next door for the takeout window. Important thing to know is that their cash only!! My favorites tacos are the Pork belly, taco pastor, taco de pescado And queso fundido have that with a paloma and you're golden.

    (5)

  • Kiera R.

    This place is more personality than flavor. We showed up around 4 in the afternoon, surprised to see it packed out. The bar was sparse guest-wise and was a nice spot to spend some time sipping a Revolution brew. I generally hate IPAs (don't write me off yet), but Revolution's was one of the best drafts I feel like I've had in recent memory. So try that. Food-wise, nothing spectacular. My SO and I grabbed -The walking Taco: bag of fritos with taco fixings inside. Pretty good and even better if you were hoping to be reminded of middle school lunches. But not in the bad way. -Toastado de Hongos: Really just tasted like a salad with too many mushrooms on a large chip. Not my fave. -Taco de Pescados: My SO ordered these and he reports it was fine but not remarkable. Overall seemed like a drop of concentrated hipster.

    (3)

  • Nickie P.

    High marks for atmosphere and middling marks for food brought me to 4 stars for this place. The outdoor setup is awesome! Perfect place to sit outside and hang out with just a few friends, or even a big group. I loved the colorful decor and the plants everywhere, and the wait staff were friendly, helpful, and patient while we were waiting to get our large party together. The food was pretty okay. The homemade chips and guacamole were tasty, but the salsas we ordered were pretty bland. I tried the al pastor tacos, which were oily and the meat was a little tough, and their veggie taco with carrots, which came with very little actual taco filling in it. I've definitely had better tacos. But cool place nonetheless.

    (4)

  • Hiram C.

    What is not to like about this place? You're typically going to have to wait in line to get in this place, regardless of what time of day it is. That's how popular and good this place is! Big Star has a large outdoor seating area, but if you'd like to get out of the sun, you can sit around their large bar, or snag one of the few tables inside. What to get? Tacos of course! In my opinion, their Fish Tacos, and their tacos Al Pastor are the best. Their Queso Fundido is also a must! They have good Whiskey, good Margaritas, and they can make a good Paloma too! The atmosphere is always great. They really do a great job of cultivating the right feel. Big Star is cash ONLY, so be prepared! They do have an ATM on site, but you're fixing to pay a nice fee to use it. Plan accordingly! Overall, Big Star is totally worth the wait! One of my favorite spots in Wicker Park. Don't plan on staying? They have a to-go window, where you can walk up and order tacos from!

    (5)

  • Tzarina W.

    This place is great for enjoying the outdoors being that Chicago only has the limited seasons to be out and about. You have to come here before 6pm to really beat the crowd because it gets packed quickly during the summer time! Prior to entering, the restaurant checks your ID. A slew of tables and chairs are filled within the patio. Water pitchers and rounds of cups are ready for us. Menus are stacked. Condiments were apparent but napkins and silverware were missing and requested. Waiter took our order within minutes. I ordered: - tostada de hongos: stewed mushrooms, marinated greens and goat cheese was what I got. They forgot to put tomato and Serrano salsa and poblano pepper. No wonder this was bland. $4 -taco de pescado: battered tilapia with cabbage, red onion, lime, cilantro and chipotle mayo on top. This was decent. $4 - chips and salsa: hard chips and 2 kinds of salsa (chipotle and verde) I would say food is mediocre but the socializing area is up there. Cash only but don't worry. An ATM machine is available. Enjoy the margaritas!

    (3)

  • Kyle D.

    Overall: Quality handheld eats at a reasonable price. Defintely a good choice for an easy lunch or dinner. The good: The fillings and tortillas are quality and fresh. I thought the meat was marinated great and the queso was fresh. The tortillas were soft and delicious. Once the order was placed it was pretty quick. Nice to-go boxes. Nice varied menu. The bad: Cash only. The walking tacos were small in size. Atmosphere: 8/10 Service: 7/10 Food: 8/10

    (4)

  • David F.

    I was very pleasantly surprised by my Big Star experience. Judging by the super hipster ambiance and location, I didn't have high hopes for out-of-this-world-flavors but my friends swore up and down that we had to go. I went with 2 other people, one kid, and we shared: - Queso fundido - 4 Al pastor tacos - 4 Fish tacos - 4 Pork belly tacos They were all really really good, but I think my favorite was the al pastor. The chunks of pineapple are a great, classic addition. We also had micheladas which were refreshing, and not over or under spiced -- just right! The bill was just over $100 or so including tip, but that's about right in my mind as you're mostly paying for the atmosphere, location, and so on. Apparently the whiskey selection is a super big deal here, so I look forward to trying a few bourbons when I go back.

    (4)

  • Riva L.

    The good: fish tacos, carrot tacos, mushroom tacos. The GUAC. The pitchers of margaritas - overpriced but worth it. The other cocktails (I had a Something skyline? It was pink and spicy and had cucumbers in it -- so good!!). The atmosphere - loud, boisterous, fun. In the summer, I only want to be on big stars patio with a margarita and a fish taco beneath those lights. The mediocre: any of the pork and chicken tacos!! I've tried a few and they're just so meh.

    (4)

  • Julia S.

    Big Star is incredible, especially in the summer when you can utilize the patio. There is usually a very long wait, but we usually just walk around Wicker Park or go to Stan's Donuts while we wait. The queso is wonderful to share with the table. I don't know if you can go wrong with any of the tacos but my favorite are al Pastor (pork shoulder) and de Papas con Rajas (potato). Positives: FOOD, vibe, service, patio in summer Downsides: only take cash, very crowded feel in the colder months

    (4)

  • Gretchen D.

    Loud, young,and brassy. Cash only. Good bourbon and whisky selection. The food is very good. The chips and guac was excellent (large). Enjoyed the fish tacos and al pastor. It's very good. A bit too hip for its own good :) Service was okay but not great.

    (3)

  • Elaine P.

    I loved where this place was located. Wicker Park is really awesome. The guac & chips were delicious. So was the queso fundido & my friends' tacos. I decided to get fish tacos, but they were full of bones. I couldn't finish it. Besides this.. It was great.

    (4)

  • Joe P.

    What you would expect from place whose clientele's chief aim is to get hammered. Waited an hour for table. First thing was server spilled red salsa on wife's shirt, pants and bag, and on son's shoe. Next, drunk woman at table next to us performed the dumb ass routine. Clearly, the restaurant served here too many shots. Her friends enjoyed taking photos of this person with head down on the table. This was followed by pouring water on her head. We ordered salad which was good and chips and guacamole, which were a bit bland. Some of the chips were chewy. Then we waited for 20 minutes before server returned. But, we got the free entertainment. Suddenly, drunk woman leaned over and vomited about 2 liters of what looked like nacho cheese. This was about two feet from my daughter. No apology from staff., if I was manager, free meal for those next to vomit who had to witness this. I got up and told employee that we were not thrilled by salsa spill, vomit and neglect. About ten minutes later a pleasant manager and her co-worker came over and apologized. He offered a free beer. She vetoed this lame gesture and said she would take items off menu. From that point on our server looked grumpy. We finally got meal. We ate several tacos which were tasty, but nothing we couldn't get in an average California taqueria without the large number of drunk, uninteresting yahoos. Al pastor was my favorite. Fish tacos were liked by kids. Prices are fair. In the end, we were compensated, but place left a bad taste in my mouth, kinda like a vurp.

    (2)

  • Adam B.

    This time, I sat outside on a Saturday afternoon and there was barely a table to be had. Great to see a pitcher of ice water already waiting no the table. It took about 6-7 minutes to get a server, but she was very friendly. I was impressed with the draft beer selection as I ordered a Revolution Fist City and a Three Floyd's Gumball Head. Both were excellent, though the glasses were pretty small. I ordered the al pastor, the pescado, and the pollo tacos. They all came out very quickly, sometimes even faster than the beer. The al pastor was made perfectly again and the fish taco was great too. The chicken thigh one was ok, but nothing too special. I was a little surprised there wasn't a steak taco. I also had some pickled veggies, which were carrots, caluflower, and serrano peppers. They were only $3, but they had quite a bit of heat on them. Another really good experience.

    (4)

  • Diana O.

    I heart this hipster establishment. Great tacos real D.F style and this place never fails, always a great time with great food, drinks, and gente ;)

    (5)

  • Alice J.

    Love the down-to-earth yet hip atmosphere, friendly service, and delicious food. We got guac and 5 tacos, 2 for her and 3 for me: roasted pork, walking taco, fish, chicken, and chorizo --Her-- -I thought the concept of the walking taco was kinda gross, but it tastes great. -Roasted pork was tender and juicy --Me-- -Chorizo was the best of the 3 I had -I have a pretty high standard for fish tacos (having had some amazing ones back in Pittsburgh), which this one didn't meet. Not bad, though -the chicken was a bit disappointing for me

    (4)

  • Dalia M.

    Good tacos, drinks, large outdoor space, buzzin' atmosphere. Everyone from Chicago had told me about this place and I finally got to enjoy it on a nice day in April. It's packed at all hours if it's warm out. You can get tacos with no alcoholic drinks from the stand on the side. We ate: Guacamole and chips - good as I tend to dislike guac when they smoothie the avocado and add too many ingredients; they don't do that here Al pastor - good but I'm starting to think I will never find an al pastor taco like the one I had at a hole-in-the-wall in CA Pescado - very, very good! Rivals the Dos Piñas one in SF I used to love Chorizo - different and tasty; same flavor palate as an indian dish we make at home called keema Pork belly - also good! I would've given this place 4 stars but it's a super popular spot so I knocked it for a couple annoying things given how easily they could make it a better customer experience: No reservations and cash only. It's 2015. Get open table and square!

    (3)

  • Daryll D.

    CHECK YOUR RECEIPT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, we were at the the office, and decided we wanted tacos for lunch. I volunteered to walk the few blocks to Big Start. I went to their walkup window and placed an order, and was told the price was $36. I pay, and step back to wait for my food. While waiting I glance at the receipt, and see the total was $35.97, and that i was due back $4.03. I step up to the window and inform the young lady that i was due some change. She looked me straight in the face and said, " No! We don't carry change. We round up!" I asked her what was that suppose to mean. I told her she had told me the price was $36, and I had given her $40. I showed her the receipt showing she has misstated the price and owed me money, to which she replied, "It's only 3 cent." I informed her that no, it was theft! That if they were taking more that the actual price for the service they were rendering, they were stealing, and that while it was only 3 cent from me, if they did this ti everyone that came to the restaurant, then that 3 cent would turn into considerable cash in no time! I told her that what they were doing was illegal, and that they were only getting away with it because people weren't paying attention. I demanded to see the manager, and she disappeared. She soon came back to the now closed window in the company of a man. I could not hear the conversation, but could see him giving her directions. She produced her purse, pulled out a turquoise wallet, removed coins. She then opened the window and, saying, "Here you are, sir!", gave me my 3 cent. Unless you have money to throw away, or enjoy being scammed, don't go to this place! i know i never will again.

    (1)

  • Missy B.

    For what it's worth, there is a lot of hype around this restaurant. It's best to expect a decently long line for a table. However, I can assure you that the food lives up to the hype. I've dined here a few times over the years and the food quality is always good. The tacos are moderately priced and the varieties are tasty, sometimes even unexpected. The zanahorias is a roasted carrot taco; the walking taco is served in a Fritos bag; I loved every bite of both! In addition to the tasty food and fun set-up--there's a huge patio and the restaurant is in an old garage--Big Star has a solid alcohol selection. The tequila collection is pretty special, but the bourbon options especially caught my attention. I will happily return just to try the Blanton's Gold Label.

    (5)

  • Heather W.

    This is one of my favorite places to go in the city for mexican food! I love the atmosphere and enjoy the amazing tacos! The outdoor patio is great on a nice day and makes it even better that there are umbrellas to keep you shaded while spending a few hours eating and drinking on a summer afternoon. I usually order the el pastor or steak tacos with a beer which always hit the spot! When I lived in Montreal, this was always a place I had to come back to when I was in town. Now that I am back I am excited to have it just a few miles away. There really is only a couple downsides to this restaurant... 1) you have a wait forever on a weekend (generally 2 hours) and 2) it is cash only. The downsides are minimal and never make me consider not going unless I am really hungry and not willing to wait. I always bring people here when they visit Chicago and look forward to continuing to going!

    (5)

  • Joanne L.

    What's not to like about Big Star??? My son and his family have lived in Chicago for years and we rarely spend any time there without stopping into Big Star for a quick bite. This past weekend was no exception--gotta get my guac fix every trip. My grandsons love the food too, so we opted to make a picnic out of our outing, and walked around the corner to Wicker Park for a relaxed meal in the sun. Waiting for our takeout from the order window, was pleasant as always...really enjoyed the newish seating area. The last time I was in town, the new area wasn't open, so to me--it feels new. For a 2 & 4 year old, there is enough space to hang out and not get too board while waiting for lunch. We typically order a few tacos, quesadillas for the kids and quac-n-chips to share. As always, I had a happy filled tummy when the meal is over.

    (4)

  • David C.

    I wanted to really like Big Star. When I told people I was moving to Wicker Park, they would tell me, "Oh, yeah. That's where Big Star is. You have to try it!" After an evening of drinking, we decided it was time to head on over. We were seated right away even though it seemed pretty crowded. For reference, it was after midnight on a Saturday night. It wasn't until we were seated that we realized this place was cash only. Oops. Luckily, my girlfriend had $20 on her, so we decided to ration the money among the two of us for sustenance. I already had a bad taste in my mouth about Big Star for being cash only. I mean, come on. You get that much business and you can't afford to get with the times and buy a credit card machine? We enjoyed complimentary chips and salsa as we perused the menu. I ended up getting something called a "walking taco" and a potato taco. Imagine my surprise when our food comes out and my "taco" is actually some taco fillings thrown into a small bag of Fritos. What!? Typical hobo-chic Wicker Park, I thought. It tasted fine, but it was just odd, ESPECIALLY because there's nothing at all on the menu description of the item that suggests it's actually a glorified bag of Fritos for way too much money. At the end of the night, I didn't feel like we spent our $20 well. I was still hungry when we left.

    (2)

  • Shweta K.

    Big-Star lately has been fantastic!! I love their Palomas!!! :) Yumm! Me and my boyfriend have found that the best time to go there is on a weekend, for brunch right when it opens. We've had no problem so far. It's so much better than waiting for hours in the evening when everyone else wants to get there for dinner.

    (5)

  • Jimmy G.

    Great local Taco Bar to go to for some fast food and a drink. The tacos were slightly over-priced when compared to some of the other great taco places in Chicago. The food was pretty good. I ended up getting the Taco De Panza, Taco Picadillo, Tostada de Hongos, and Taco De Pescado. The Panza was a great braised pork belly taco, onions, cilantro mix with this great tomato based sauce that had some heat on it. Out of everything I ordered this taco is a probably the shining star. Tostada de Hongos is probably the next best thing that I ordered at Big Star. Tostadas are basically a crispy corn tortilla base with toppings on it. In the Tostada de Hongos, the stewed mushrooms acted as the protein and it was mixed with some fresh greens, goat cheese, and fresh tomato based salsa. My first bite into this vegetarian dish made me think that they had given me the wrong food; the mushroom tasted almost just like meat and I enjoyed the dish a lot. The goat cheese went surprisingly well with the stewed mushrooms and helped give it another layer of flavor. The Picadillo, ground beef, and Pescado, tilapia filet, tacos were mediocre and could be ignored. Picadillo almost reminded me of your regular taco meat and while Pescado had a crispy outer shell, was extremely soggy in the middle and had a layer of oil between the fish and the crispy exterior; not very pleasant. Overall, if I were in the area and wanted food near the Damen-O'Hare Blue line train stop I would definitely stop by Big Star for some food, but I wouldn't make a detour on my trip just to drop by.

    (3)

  • Karen T.

    I'm not going to try and pretend I'm adding anything new to the wealth of information and reviews out there. This really is more a reminder for myself than a review, because while I don't go to Big Star often enough to remember which tacos I love the most, I certainly revisit enough that I should have a frame of reference by now. Sadly, I don't. I blame the margarita pitchers and the whiskey shots for this embarrassing tragedy. Luckily, there exist writing utensils and paper with which at least on one occasion I had the sense to take notes. And from one such scrap, I found the following: "Pescado, pastor, pork belly, chicken, walking taco, papas." And that's my rank of the tacos from most to least worth re-ordering. That's pretty much it.

    (4)

  • Anh N.

    This rating is really a 3.5 stars. The tacos are cheap (cash only) and delicious, but the wait is often ridiculously long. Came here with a big group so we tried most of the taco varieties, my favorite was the Tacos de Panza (pork belly). I've come here a few times prior trying to get in and the wait was too long so we just opted to come back another time. Final verdict: good tacos, cheap prices, worth trying...but not worth waiting a long time to try. Go during slow hours!

    (3)

  • Robby K.

    Popped into Big star last minute on a Sunday; high noon; no wait. "ID's please" "Would you like to sit outside?" "Yes" "Would you like to sit in the sun or in the shade?" "Shade Please" **We were sat in the 85 degree sun** "Can we sit is the shade please?" "We are trying to save the larger tables for larger parties" We compromised with the hostess and found a table that was 1/2 in the shade. it's just kind of frustrating. -1 star Big Star. I love the open air ambiance and the good old American music "sometimes vinyl. The prices are honest. the Queso Fundido and Ensalate are a perfect, cheesy meal for 2. The Michelada is made with salsa (maybe Pico) and oh so flavorful. The drink is $5 and definitely a fair price given the neighborhood. Cash only! get their EARLY! or with time to spare. Drink a tall boy while you wait at the to-go area taco bar. THIS JUST IN::: They are expanding! This place is gonna be massive as they are taking over the shitty parking lot just north of them.

    (4)

  • Deepan M.

    Real Mexican food! The flavor is on spot! The crowd is young and the alcohol is flowing. Make sure you bring and ID, even if you just come for food. The outdoor patio was closed when I came because of the cold, but it looks like it would be a great place to hang with friends.

    (4)

  • Allie H.

    Every time I walk by this place it's overflowing with people and I see why! The food is delicious. The tacos are some of the best I've had and each one is unique. The prices are great but the only negative is that it's cash only. Definitely worth the usual 45 minute wait, though!

    (4)

  • Linda L.

    I stoped by today and tried an El Pastor taco. The main ingrediants were pork, pineapple (!), and cilantro. I thought it was a bit pricey ($4 for a small taco), but have to admit they were pretty solid. Not quite what I was expecting though. Next time, I will try the pork belly tacos.

    (3)

  • Paul J.

    Love the pastor taco, fish taco, and big star margs. This place is always packed especially when the weather is nice. Plan ahead and enjoy one of Chicago's finest places to dine.

    (5)

  • Aubrey L.

    The outdoor seating was nice on a sunny Saturday. My friend and I were seated right away since we didn't mind sitting in the sun. The other option was waiting for a table in the shade. We didn't mind sitting in the sun because we were hungry! The sun was blazing though. Hopefully, we didn't look like sweaty pigs gourging on our food! All in all, the food was great. We ordered the chips and guac, which were good. I ordered the crispy fish tacos and chicken tacos. Both were tasty! Oh, and the margs! Yes, the margs. Those were refreshing!

    (4)

  • Mike R.

    This place is a Chicago institution. If you've been living in the city recently for more than say 6 months and you don't know what this place is, then you might get weird looks. I'll be honest - the place is overrated for its food. Yes, they have an extensive list of whisky and their drinks aren't bad. The place is buzzing usually and has an at least decent vibe usually. If you're coming here for the drinking, then no problem with that. The food is what I have the problem with. No it's not bad food, but it's overrated. You will hear people describe it as the best tacos in town, which is downright offensive when you consider the plethora of authentic taco joints in town that are much better, especially on the SW side of the city. The tacos are in no way bad, but they aren't even close to the best that this city has to offer. They are usually about average when compared to what you'd get in the Mexican parts of town (which are many). If you aren't familiar with tacos and think that Cantina Laredo offers great, authentic Mexican food, you'll probably think these are great too. However, if you have a lot of experience with authentic Mexican food and especially good tacos, you might be let down by these if you have heard the hype. Anyway, not a bad place, and the food is not bad, but be suspicious of people who claim these are the best tacos that Chicago has to offer. I could list you at least 50 better places for that.

    (3)

  • Olivia C.

    I swear people want to hate Big Star. Are these the world's best tacos? No. But they're good. And if you can snag a seat on the patio during an off time, you're golden. I've been twice, both on weekday afternoons - so no complaints about crowds or service. Fish, veggie and chicken were solid. The Paloma was great. Grab a beer if you're trying to keep it even cheaper.

    (4)

  • Alexis J.

    37 bucks for a 3/4 's filled pitcher of margaritas, with for giant scoops of ice. That's all I have to say.

    (1)

  • Silvio R.

    The atmosphere is what makes this place. Lots of outdoor seating which makes it a perfect spot for those sunny days. Good margaritas and inexpensive yet delicious food. Queso fundido and guac were both good and tacos were on par as well. Make sure to prepare for a long wait of at least an hour or two on a busy day. Also remember to bring cash as they don't take cards.

    (5)

  • Katie B.

    Good tacos and super cheap! I've been on multiple occasions, and even had tacos to go! It's best to go during the summer months when their outdoor patio is open. It's a fun atmosphere with reasonably priced drinks too. Downside: after midnight on a Saturday, it seemed like more of a frat party inside with a bunch of creepy guys. Not the establishment's fault, just an observation. Would recommend for groups or a fun afternoon or night out during the summer!

    (4)

  • Erin M.

    Two hour wait, but we had no other plans so we decided to wait it out. Right away after being seated we were greeted by our waitress who was very friendly and attentive. Our food came out very quickly & was delicious. The margaritas are pricey, but definitely worth it in my opinion. I suggest putting your name in early & walking around the neighborhood!

    (4)

  • Sabrina B.

    The food is nothing short of mediocre, but the portion size is big enough, for sure. The servers are nonchalant, but cool. The patio is the number one (only) reason to come. I'd probably still come even if they only had one menu item just to kick it on the patio. The drinks aren't the best I've ever had, but they have the same effect as any alcohol, so come drink some middle of the road margaritas until they start to taste top notch

    (3)

  • Ivan M.

    Phenomenal place! Been going here since it basically opened, its a great date spot, great place to mingle and have some yummy food. all staff is great and its worth the wait because, yes, you do have to wait a little while to get seated, but go to the bar and have a drink while you wait, if you ask me, the food tastes so much better if you sit at the bar lol..... P.s. Don't you ever leave without trying one of the following drinks. Michelada, Pitcher of Bigstar margarita and/or TEXAS SERENADE... Its mind blowing!!

    (5)

  • Daniel H.

    Right off the Damen blue line stop in Wicker Park. This is a super fun taco place. I've been here a few times for Taco Tuesday's with friends. They don't really have a Tuesday special, but the prices are reasonable to begin with ($3-4/taco, $3 tecate). The tacos are really good. I like the fish, but they also have chorizo, al pastor, pork belly, etc. I also highly recommend the margarita. You have to order chips and salsa if you want them. Normally I would criticize a Mexican place for not having these on the table when you walk in, but it doesn't feel wrong at big star. Maybe because this isn't an average Mexican place.

    (4)

  • Davin L.

    OVER. RATED. Yeah, I said it. Had the pescado and steak tacos here last weekend. Pescado was alright, but on the small side. Steak was simply unimpressive. And at $3-4 bucks apiece, it's not worth the hype. Especially considering the noise levels and crowded space. If you want delicious tacos for the price in Wicker Park AND be able to use your credit card, Antique Taco is the spot for you.

    (2)

  • Tiffany R.

    Food was great, I had the Fish tacos. The service was superb and very quick. I ordered and extra taco and turned around and it was right there. The only knock is that they are cash only. There is also great people watching. I went on a Friday night and there were tons of people.

    (5)

  • Brad N.

    Some of the best tacos I've ever had. Plus it's in a great location so you can just walk and drink all night. Make sure to god the quest because it is so unique and will change your life.

    (5)

  • Jaquie K.

    I do not get the appeal of this place at all whatsoever. The tacos were barely okay. The guacamole was bland. Uber waste of time

    (1)

  • Shannon N.

    Man oh man, I love the tacos at Big Star. You'd be hard pressed to find a better fish taco in the city. The food is always awesome here, the thing that stops me from giving it that last star is the attitude of the place. First of all, just plan on there being a massive wait when you go and then you won't be disappointed when you only wait 45 minutes for a table. Like I said, the tacos are worth it. And that's not the staffs fault. Their food is really freaking good and their patio and bar just can't quite keep up. Once you are seated, the food and drinks are reasonably quick! The thing that gets me, and this has been the case on multiple visits, is the way some of the servers act like they are way too cool to be serving you. It's like they're annoyed that you think you can hang. I'm very easy going, I've worked in the service industry for years, I'm well aware of the high volume of this joint and I'm positive there are nights when they don't want to be there, but please don't talk to me like I'm an idiot. I'm just tryna up my Taco de Pescado game. I will definitely be back for the pork belly tacos, the fish tacos and a mezcal margarita or three. Don't forget to bring cash!

    (4)

  • Kenneth Y.

    just tacos. I was hungry at the time on my way back from a flight so I was tempted to give it three stars. Other than that. It has a nice late night vibe. Careful with the late night drunk people they might blow you out of the water

    (2)

  • Ilyssa R.

    I was really expecting more from this place considering the reviews I read. The food was really good but the service, not so much. On a patio full of umbrellas, we were sat in the direct sunlight. I seriously thought I was going to melt. We asked for our ticket because we just couldn't take sitting there anymore and were told their computers were broken so our waiter would have to wait until they were fixed to give us our check.... so at an all cash restaurant, with all taxes included, that only has a few menu items, you can't just add up our order real quick!? i was seriously miserable so finally we had to ask again to be helped. they offered for us to sit inside at the bar but finally we just asked if they could put some type of bill together for us to get the hell out of there. I understand things like this happen sometimes, but I was just really displeased with how it was handled

    (2)

  • Kat C.

    Damn, cash only... oh, wait... I'm loaded!! $3 whiskey shots? WHISKEY SHOTS ALL AROUND! Be sure to make aggressive eye contact with the bartender so you get service. Also, smile and talk to strangers. People are nice here! I got a pork belly taco and a tilapia for balance...but I should've gotten more pork belly. YUM. If the regular hot sauce on the table isn't burning the way you like, get a side of their house sauce. No idea why it's green but it lingers on your tongue. Coming from SF/Oakland where Mexican is on every corner, the tacos aren't anything to write home about but they are filling and tasty. Horchata with a shot of rum. Do it.

    (3)

  • Jake C.

    I think this place is overrated. The patio is nice and the location is convenient, along with the to-go window but that's about all it has going for it. There are way better tacos at other places nearby. Every time I've dined in the service was lack luster.

    (2)

  • Kelly C.

    Great tacos, ambiance is average in the winter but would be great in the summer with the outdoor patio. Service was nice and fast - almost too fast. We ordered chips and guacamole (which was quite overpriced for what you get) and less than a minute later our tacos came out. Would have liked some time to enjoy the chips before the tacos since we didn't want the tacos to get cold. Note: check ids at the door, cash only.

    (3)

  • Justin E.

    I just wanted to mention that this place has recently increased their prices from $3 to $4 on some of their more popular tacos. Definitely still worth the money as I would easily pay $5 / taco and walk out happy. This is one of my favorite food spots in Chicago.

    (5)

  • Jen W.

    I personally think Big Star is over-hyped, and much of the experience is the atmosphere as much as it is the food, but it's solid Mexican food. I live in Dallas now though, so I've become pickier about my tex-mex. It's not that it's not good, it's just not great. And, the cash only thing is rather annoying. Guac, Queso Fundido, Tacos, they're all good, but nothing I haven't had elsewhere, either.

    (3)

  • Katharine T.

    Nothing too much to rave about here. Much talked about, certainly over-hyped, taco place in Wicker Park. Split 2 tacos with a friend, the al pastor and the crispy pork. Both were just okay with basically the same sweet sauce making them almost indistinguishable from each other. Guacamole was good, needed salted, over priced at $8.00. $1 mini bottles of Miller Highlife greatly enjoyed. Big restaurant and bar, lots of outdoor seating, take out window. It's a cool place, I totally see why people go here but it's not Mexican food to brag about. It's a cool place in Wicker Park, not a good taqueria. I want good, authentic tacos and knowing how many great little restaurants are out there in Chicago I feel like bit of a sell out for even trying this place. Go for the atmosphere and to day drink, not for authentic Mexican.

    (2)

  • Jason B.

    Okay, I'm a fan again. After a very rude experience we tried again and hot damn they have some tasty tacos. Go there when it's not too busy and you'll probably be a happy camper like we were. Pricey, but you pay for quality.

    (4)

  • Jialing L.

    The tacos here are sooo good. Been here a few times late at night and never really had much of a wait. I always get the al pastor, de panza and de pescado. I always want to go back but Wicker Park is a little far from where I am now but I'll probably make a trip sometime soon.

    (4)

  • Daniel J.

    Amazing food. Being on the wait list wasn't bad. Even though it looks packed. They called us in less then 10 minutes. Quick service, friendly service, and great food. Fish tacos are the bomb!

    (5)

  • Sarah G.

    I wanted to give 3.5 stars...I really did...but decided to round down because I didn't really dig their chips and this is a tex mex spot so you sort of have to have awesome chips in my book and because the chorizo was not the red chorizo sausage like I am used to either and lastly because for $8 we really should get more guac than that...I know, I know, avocados are expensive, but if just chips and salsa you charge $3 for (which is another thing I think should just come with a tex mex experience without having to pay extra for it...) for $5 for guac, I would have liked a little more guac love. But this is a fun spot to grab some tacos for sure, and their queso fundido was super tasty--nothing quite like melted cheese and poblano and some pretty tasty fresh tortillas to brighten up my day. The taco de panza (aka pork belly) was also pretty tasty too, and the boys at the table were fans of the fish taco too and the al pastro with that pineapple salsa topping was also a table fav. Combining this with outdoor seating and if you are in a rush they had their food truck up and running outside too, so clearly this place knows how to operate a business. But their margaritas were a little pricey for what they were and we had to track down our server quite a bit too, but in general, we had a good time here, and it was a happy space :-)

    (3)

  • Jessi R.

    This might be the most hipster place I have ever been in. And it's cash only, so hit up an atm before you go to avoid paying the fees that you'll pay at a restaurant atm. Obviously, we started with chips and guac, because you can tell a lot about a place from their guac. The chips were fresh, crisp and salty; the guac tasted great most of the time--it wasn't very well blended, so we got some bites that didn't have all the flavors. Plenty of both for 4 people though, which is a feat in my book. Taco al Pastor: VERY tender pork, with a nice, sweet dressing Taco de Polo: VERY spicy, not sure I noticed the yogurt or queso fresco Taco dr Pescado: now, I like my fish tacos to be fried, but this was mostly batter, barely tasted the fish; the dressing was nice and light though Frijoles Charros: it would be nice if they mentioned you got 2 taco shells. Beans were soupy, kind of made a mess of things Tostada de Hongos: VERY nice!! My friends had some other items, but I didn't try any of them--everything was finished though, so nothing could have been too bad. I was pretty happy with the beer menu: a good selection of craft bottles, although I might have expected a bigger selection of local from this kind of place. The tables aren't big enough for 4 and the music is super loud, but the staff was friendly, everything was clean and fresh.

    (4)

  • Anne M.

    Finally made it to Big Star! ...on a Tuesday night in November. And there was still a wait. Not a long wait, mind you, but this place was hopping. We waited at the bar (with seats), not even long enough to finish a margarita when our table opened up. After trying the food, I'd wait that long or even a little while longer, but I would not wait an hour or two+ for these tacos... They're good and all, but come on now. We started with some chips and salsa (they have two kinds at each table) - fresh, crispy, hot tortilla chips. Real good, especially with the margarita. Food came out pretty quick, and we ordered a variety of tacos - he had the pork and chicken, I ordered the 'walking taco' (served in fritos bag), the fish, and chicken tacos. Everything tasted fresh and delicious - I liked the fish taco the best. Fun place, great food, nice big patio for warm weather, but be prepared to wait - even in the winter, on a weeknight!

    (4)

  • Chirag P.

    This is a great place for unique and authentic tacos. Whenever we are in the wicker park area this place is a must. There is indoor and outdoor searing. I had three tacos, one barbacoa and two steak. Topped it off with some tecate beer. It has great atmosphere with live music at times, and can also be a good spot to have drinks and food with friends. Service was a bit slower but it is usually busy . great authentic tacos with a twist.

    (5)

  • Jacob G.

    Big Star has very good food. It's one of the best Mexican restaurants in Chicago.

    (4)

  • Mattech S.

    There is no truth. There are truths; many many truths. And each truth discovered reveals a pathway to yet another. And so on. All the mounting truths laid out before mankind like a dotted highway trailing off into the distance. Where does it lead? How can I string it all together, and is my string any more purposeful and pointed as Kierkegaard's? Or Fred Flintstones? Uncovering more truth is increasingly painful, blinding really. Each is yet a further departure from the mother question, which if you are like me, can't even be recalled. There must have been a starting truth, or quest for one, perhaps drilled into our first human animal moments of self doubt. Or maybe it was after our first disciplining from the parents; or further back, into the tribal fire circle when someone just blurted out "what the f@&£ is going on here." We can't know. Anthropologists can presuppose and theorize, but the mother question is too many truths removed from now. And tomorrow, I think, will be too removed from this question to be able to cognitively compute yet another heaping spoonful of new truths. There are too many and too many more to come. So stop already. Forget truth. Forget looking. Your moment is in the next taco. The only truth worth reviewing is the type of beer to serve as base within a perfect michelada. Sure, yes, even the Pacifico of that answer could ignite another snake dream into discovery and realization. But please, please stop. Just be right here for a minute and enjoy. . . Actually, do more than enjoy: savor.

    (5)

  • Leah W.

    I've heard about these tacos for years, but never trusted the hype; most of their customers would fail a random breathalyzer test, so how good can their taste buds be? But they deliver on Grub Hub now so I figured I'd give it a try. The order came super fast (I live about a mile away) - in just about 30 minutes. I ordered 5 tacos so I could try most of them. I was disappointed that there wasn't a steak option, but they may have been out of it for the day. Much to my dismay, the tacos arrived with no condiments - NO SALSA! Ach! Not a drop! I would have dropped dead if I didn't have some of my own in the fridge! I would have liked to try their salsa, but perhaps you have to buy it separately? Odd. I have to agree with the other reviewers and say the tacos are pretty pricey for their small size, between $3-$4 bucks each. They are served on the smaller more traditional Mexican style tortillas, and the tortillas were pretty good. The spice level of each of the tacos was pretty good as well. Where the food fell short was flavor. Overall, the only taco I really liked was the al pastor. Here is the breakdown: Chorizo Taco - made with what I assume is house chorizo, the meat had a ground beef flavor, and was pretty bland, with a strange after taste and none of the spicy succulent sauciness of chorizo. It was also an odd color, very grey. Chicken taco - the sauce and toppings were good on this one, but the chicken was quite dry. Veggie Taco (potato & rajas) - this taco was just all potato, also dry and bland, with no rajas to be seen. I was looking forward to the peppers as the description said "chipotle rajas" which sounds delicious and certainly would have added more flavor to the taco, but they were MIA. Al Pastor - al pastor is one of my favorite Mexican dishes. I found this taco to be delicious, though it wasn't very authentic. It didn't have the traditional red sauce and spicy rub, but it was smoky, grilled, and seasoned properly, and the pineapple chunks were great. Overall, I was disappointed in these tacos and the only one I would order again is the al pastor.... unless I was drunk, then I might try some others ; )

    (2)

  • Christopher M.

    Delicious food. Fantastic drinks. And perpetually crowded. If you can get a seat outside on a beautiful day, welcome to heaven. But doing so is nearly impossible. The inside is nice, though very loud. Best bet is to pony up to the bar. Shockingly good: The guacamole. I say shockingly good because places like this tend to cheap out on the guac because, well, they can. You come to a taco place you're probably ordering the guac no matter what, so restaurants just serve you some cheap stuff. Not here my friends. Delicious and fresh. I've never had a bad taco here either, though my favorite is the chicken one. Sounds boring, I know, but very delicious. 313/365

    (5)

  • Sarah H.

    I love the addition of their larger outside area for the walk up counter - a little annoying that they're cash only and it's REALLY hard to find parking, but I understand the cash motivation and parking isn't their fault. I probably would have gone 4 stars but with the larger outside dining area...let's go ahead and push it to 5 :) Great tacos...nice environment...friendly staff!

    (5)

  • Ady G.

    This place is kicking, food is banging and prices are cheap for the area. Everyone loves to ascend on this place when's it's hot out because of the great patio. One thing that prevented five stars here is the service at times. Last night was an example of the exactly what I mean. We sat outside and had appetizer plus main (tacos) before our beers arrived. The girl couldn't handle her section and everyone around us talking to each other about it while waiting for her to come back to get the check, drinks or check on items that haven't arrived. A friend on another table sent shots over to our table and on his way out said, "you get the shots!" "Er no we didn't!" Lol. Uncomfortable! I just feel coaching needs to be involved here cos obviously the server was either overwhelmed or wasn't capable. The management presence could help this situation out. Anyways, I will still go here but pray the service improves to match the prime real estate they have for a place that could go from good to great!

    (3)

  • John L.

    I've been waiting over a year to try this place. I recently moved to Chicago from Southern California so good tacos are something I have had a taste for since the move. We had to wait about 25 minutes for dinner on a Monday night...not too bad. They will not let you wait inside unless above 21. I tried 3 different tacos and the chips and guacamole. Maybe it was over hyped. I did t think anything was extraordinary about the food. We were also pretty cramped inside, and it's cash only. 2015. This place will continue to do well for the area based on word of mouth. Looking forward to boozing here on a weekend to see if it's a better experience.

    (3)

  • Kevin W.

    Love the food and atmosphere. I used to go frequently when I lived in the area. There will always be a wait, and they only accept cash, but their tacos are pretty great. Price is moderate. Last week (7/22 around 630pm) I tried to take some family from out of town to big star and had the rudest hostess I've ever interacted with. After explaining there was a wait and taking our name and number, I kindly asked what the estimated wait time was. At first my hostess responded with a shrug. Not understanding if she heard me, I kindly asked again to which I got the response of, " I don't know, I don't decide how long these people stay" I was caught of guard by her snarky attitude and asked her to ball park it. She then said, " I don't know, how long do you stay at a restaurant when you eat?" I told her usually an hour or 2, and she finally said that the group ahead of us has been waiting for 2 hours. I don't understand why it was such an inconvenience for her to give me an estimated wait time. That's her whole job. We left and ate elsewhere, which was unfortunate because I really talked it up to my family. They were not impressed either, and asked if all Chicago people are so rude.

    (3)

  • Inoh C.

    If you can muster the two hour long wait, go with a group of friends, order every single craft beer on the menu, and pass the time with addicting tacos and good company. A Wicker Park must

    (5)

  • Sarah T.

    Since everyone talks this place up, my first time was A-OK. The fact we were waited an hour while starving does not help but honesty it was my groups fault. If ate before arriving it would have been fine. I suggest eating beforehand if you plan on going on a Friday or Saturday. The outdoor setup is beautiful and would want to go on a date some warm summer day. Even though the place was packed, it wasn't hard to hear the person next to me. I ordered the first five tacos on the menu. They were good. I enjoyed the chips and salsas. The snack completely helped settle the hunger and the anger. The anger was due to girls thinking they can just walk in pretending they are going to a bar but really sitting down at an empty table. That is rude! Grow up and please wait your turn. You are no better than the rest of us just because you "know" the bouncer (even though the bouncer ratted you out himself). I wish I ordered drinks but since were planning on going somewhere else for drinks, it seemed stupid. I would try it out again IF I wasn't starving.

    (3)

  • Erin E.

    You will feel weirdly old just interacting with the staff. My advice? Just don't. Big Star has $1 delivery on grub hub! I'm never going to the restaurant again! Their walking taco is my love language. If you brought one to me as a gift, it would constitute a betrothal. All of their other tacos are just as heavenly. I have no complaints about their food, and now for $1, it is at my disposal without the hassle of that hipsterhell.

    (5)

  • Tatiana B.

    I'm never disappointed whenever I come here. I always get the first two tacos in the menu (forgot the names), but they are soooo good. All their tacos are packed with flavors! Their margaritas are also the bomb! Share a pitcher with a friend and you will be super buzzed, so beware. Three per pitcher would probably be more ideal. If you need a little more to fill your tummy up, then the guacamole and chips is a great option. BUT, parking sucks!!

    (5)

  • Sarah C.

    I spent about $20 on 3 tacos and 2 non alcoholic drinks at the take-out window. The tacos were lukewarm and whatever mix they used for the horchata was gritty. Both my bf and I ended up with wicked heartburn; I usually have a cast-iron stomach. The last time I got heartburn was about 18 years ago from some old zebra cakes I found in a pantry when I was babysitting. I'll just make my own tacos at home next time and save myself $20, a trip to the city, and a roll of tums.

    (1)

  • Sacha F.

    Ordered all 6 tacos and shared with a friend. I thought that this place was great. I think I prefer Antique Taco over Big Star but I'll have to try them both again. I didn't feel gross after eating here, thought they were flavored really well, nothing too heavy. The chips were a bit stale =[ Favorite Tacos: Taco De Panza - you really cannot go wrong with Pork Belly. Taco De Chorizo Verde - YESS Not Bad: Both vegetarian tacos. The potato one was refreshing, mild, and the potatoes were crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Eh: I thought that I would enjoy the Taco De Pescado more than I did. The fish was good, but could of used a hell of a lot more flavor, thank god for the chipotle mayo or I would have been pretty disappointed. CASH ONLY.

    (3)

  • Bernard L.

    I have been here a couple of times so I think it's time for an official review. Big Star is very spacious inside and our and has the traditional feel of a hipster establishment, but with the style of a modern restaurant/bar. The pork shoulder and belly tacos are obviously delicious and flavorful, but don't skip past the fish tacos. You get a golden deep fried piece of fish that's not to greasy or flaky. The beer selection is good and has a lot of craft beer options. I would like to see a section where they have speciality original cocktails as I think it would be a huge hit in the hot summer months. However, I understand that would probably not fit into their image so I should probably not hold my breath. Good original tacos and quality beers. You can't go wrong with that.

    (4)

  • Magda M.

    Love the food and the ambient. The wait staff could get more training though- our waitress was completely out of it. First she gave us the wrong check then she didn't count the change right and when my friend explained to her she made a mistake she acted like he disrespected her somehow. Girl chill, your tip was already on the table no need taking it from the change yourself.

    (4)

  • Lia E.

    Tacos and margaritas were great and cheap! Service and hostesses have bad attitudes! Go for the food and forget the rest.

    (4)

  • Luisana R.

    I can't believe I haven't written a review of this place! I have never been disappointed when I come to big star. Their fish taco is my favorite! I also really enjoy the al pastor and pork belly tacos. The Big star margarita is my favorite margarita, love the smokiness of the mezcal. I have tried other drinks on the menu and have enjoyed them all. Service has always been pretty good as well, not stellar but never bad.

    (5)

  • Nick E.

    This was 4 star downgraded to 3 star due to host's attitude...My girlfriend and I came here after a few drinks for some grub, at the suggestion of a local bartender! I loved the place when I walked in. Really cool atmosphere. Lets talk food - at the bar, we were eating food ontop of one of the wine barrel "tables" next to a trashcan. First off, oh god trashcan, but...al pastor taco is a must, fish taco is a close 2nd, and chorizo pulls up the rear. Hot sauces are also great - some of the best i've had outside of Los Angeles. Their cocktails are pretty good - check out the paloma, but don't check the hostess' attitude. Now about that... We asked how long the wait was at the host stand, and they could only say 5 people ahead of us, no average wait time - "some people can take 5 minutes, others can take 5 hours". What? No average wait time? And you're giving me serious attitude as if that were unreasonable to ask? She laughed alongside her other hostess. On your POS system you can see average wait times - i've been on the other side too...

    (3)

  • Stephanie H.

    After a few years or so of hearing about this place, I finally made it! But I can't say it lives up to the hype. I was suprised to see that this place is basically a patio bar. It's loud and there's a wait. Oh, and it's cash only. Awesome. We were quoted an hour wait for a table (it was Friday around 7pm) but we managed to get 2 seats at the bar. Our bartender/server took good care of us and we had prompt service all night. I really like the taco menu. There's something for everyone here and it's very reasonably priced, but I will say that the guacamole was disappointing. I got 2 taco de panzas and 1 taco de pollo. Both were really good in their own special way. My friend got 2 tacos and I was confused when they came over with 4 tacos on a tray and then a small basket with a bag of fritos in it. I didn't recall either of us ordering chips and I felt bad that my friend's fifth taco hadn't arrived yet. But she was a seasoned Big Star chick so she knew that her walking taco was served in a Frito bag! Cute... We shouted at each other to hold a conversation the whole time we were there. My margarita was fine and there were quite a few people ordering pitchers of them around us, but I can't say there were amazing as some other yelpers claim. Around 9/9:30 the bar wasn't as packed so we didn't have to shout at each other anymore. We left shortly thereafter and the patio was still PACKED with people, and there were people waiting to be seated. Would I wait an hour plus for a table here? no. I wouldn't wait more than 20 minutes.

    (3)

  • Gabriella P.

    I feel like taco places get hyped up and I go, and it's a huge disappointment, however, I've learned that when it comes to tacos everyone has an opinion and a preference. Someone out there reading this is probably going to disagree with me, but I love Big Star. Usually new wave taco places tickle me in all the right places for a bit and then after a while they change their menu and I want to run away as far as I can and never return (cough Taco Joint cough), however, I'm completely sold on Big Star. Keep in mind that I'm the kind of person that eats at the taco places in grocery stores, and eats tamales from the corner vendor. Quality food, at an almost reasonable price. Word to the wise: get the fish tacos, I promise you won't regret it!!!!

    (5)

  • Rachel A.

    Overhyped I typically try and avoid 3 star ratings but U feel pretty neutral about Big Star. After hearing a lot of extremely amazing things about Big Star, so I was really excited to finally go! The food was good but there was nothing magical about it that would warrant 5 stars for it. Aside from that, the service as pretty slow and the noise level was outrageous!! I think the noise almost ruined the rest of our experience because I had to yell for the person sitting next to me to had me. We eventually gave up trying to talk and sat in silence. (This was inside) The menu is very small so beware!! Additionally, they do not accept credit cards... you know, because it is only 2014. They have an ATM in the restaurant but it was not my banks ATM so there was a surcharge for using it and my bank charged me too... Wahhh :( Luckily, we had no wait for a party of 5 but friends have told me the wait is usually pretty long, so I would not recommend waiting for a long time! It was not a horrible experience but I would also not recommend it!

    (3)

  • Shirley W.

    Tacos- $3-$4, pretty good when you are hungry and tipsy. I loved it. Guac- $8 pretty expensive, huge chunks of avocados in there we have to break it down ourselves. The waitresses were alright. Not as nice as I thought they would be. But again the place was very busy so I can understand it was very stressful for them. I would come back if I'm in the area and if I were craving tacos again.

    (3)

  • Nicole S.

    I came to Big Star at 1230 for lunch, knowing that the tacos were great. I've been many times before with great experiences. My complaint is with today's service. Ordered from the takeout counter. There was no one else in line but the employees made me stand there for 10 minutes while they finished their own conversation before acknowledging that I was there. When I asked for water one of the employees made a snide remark telling me only bottled water was served. Food was excellent but service killed the experience.

    (1)

  • Naomi L.

    I live very close to this place and i always see that it is very busy. In my opinion i thought because they may be adding crack to whatever they are serving which keeps people coming back! (RELAX I'M JUST KIDDING) My girlfriends and I came here because we were craving Tacos and Margaritas! It was about 10 PM on a Friday night and we caught an uber over to this place. This place was so freaking crowded, i literally had to bully my way through to find a seat at the bar. I honestly think that we were super lucky to find 3 seats right next to each other. First off their Taco menu is DRY. I mean it was a waste of my time reading the menu because they did not have STEAK. All that other rubbish that was on there turned me off, where i then decided i was just going to drink and then go to Flash Taco and get myself a steak taco. When my girlfriends got their Tacos they were pretty much disgusted by what was served to them. Since i have already made the executive decision that we were going to Flash Taco after we got some drinks in us; they both were on board with my decision (its not like they were going to veto this decision). The music was too damn loud as well. I felt like i was in a night club and couldn't hear Jack! I understand that this is a bar but lord please turn the music down just a bit! Also the majority of the female bartenders were just RUDE! I was looking for a reason why they could possibly ALL have nasty attitudes but it wasn't like supermodels were serving me to have a stank attitude. Maybe its a trend in there that they all collectively decide to be nasty to paying customers. I really wanted to like this place but NOPE! The only reason they are getting a two star was because the margarita they served me got me real ready for the night!

    (2)

  • Amanda P.

    You can't hate this place, yes it's trendy and yes it's packed...to a ridiculous point we are talking freezing cold people huddling under heat lamps ridiculous. Anyway, good margaritas although the pitcher prices have risen dramatically. Food is ok, nothing super special, but not bad either, BUT it's the place to be in the summer...there is no arguing that. The only people who argue that it's not the place to be are the ones who don't want to wait to get in. Btw put your name in BEFORE you want to go and wait an hour or two they will text you and then head over, easy peasy.

    (4)

  • Olga Z.

    Came here for lunch on a Friday, It gets really busy, but the wait was not very long regardless. The taco's were excellent, but maybe a little over-filled. We split 6 tacos between two people.

    (4)

  • Lisa T.

    This place is CRAZY crowded! Get your name on the list and take a walk to burn some time. Otherwise you'll suffocate in that small waiting area. Tacos were delicious! The salads ordered at the table (or maybe bowls--whatever it was, it wasn't a taco) did not seem well liked. The spicy alcoholic beverage (my memory fails me -- I think it's like a Bloody Mary but with beer) was yummy but isn't for everyone.

    (4)

  • Rasko L.

    Taco's are decent at best. The service is sub-par. It's more crowded than a Tokyo subway 95% of the time.

    (1)

  • Sarah H.

    Friday night, 6 pm...buddied up to the bar with my friend visiting from Ohio. She got the Michaletta drink - they use homemade hot sauce- she said it was spicy but delish! I had a big star margarita - it had a surprising smoky aftertaste. The chips and quac are better than average, hit the spot, as well with the pickled veggies. We had walking tacos, but the fish taco and chicken were my favorite! Afterword, we had dessert across the street at Stan's Donut - perfect dessert to compliment our spicy evening!

    (4)

  • Daniel G.

    Welcome to taco paradise. I used the take out area during the Green Festival and ate the taco de panza, chorizo verde and the fish taco. I could see why people were waiting in line. Muy sabrosos! Regreso pronto.

    (4)

  • Tunaidi A.

    Heard a lot of good things about Big Star. However, all the hype ended up in mild disappointment. The tacos here are decent, but definitely not worth writing home about. Sizes are small, and for tacos, slightly overpriced. The selection is okay, but missing some staples. They're also on the fusion side, rather than purebred Mexican tacos.

    (3)

  • Bill S.

    Great for lunch. Had the talapia taco which was So So grilled would have be better than fried , the cerezho taco was probably the best I ever had and I also had the Chicken one which was very good , my son had another on with the pork shoulder and pineapple he said it was great , we sat at the bar and the severs were great I highly recommend this place if your in the area .

    (4)

  • Jonathan N.

    Hipster, busy, and cash only. No, I'm not always in the mood to deal with this hipster infested madhouse but let me tell you why Big Star deserves 5 stars. Three years later and I still crave these tacos. If you don't want to deal with the chaos just go on a weekday, I personally avoid this place like the plague on the weekend. The food though really is amazing, highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Shuangshuang W.

    I enjoyed their tacos everytime. It has great atmosphere, especially in summer. The waiters are a bit snobbish though.

    (4)

  • Cat G.

    Stopped by for takeout and was able to avoid the crowds, though now that it's getting warm out, the patio is open and there's a lot more space. I ordered the tacos al pastor, de panza, and de pescado, all of which were delicious (even though I didn't eat them until an hour after I'd gotten them). Tacos are pretty small - you'd probably need at least three or so to make up a whole meal, unless you're getting sides as well - but I really enjoyed them. Minus one star for the limeade - I was really looking forward to trying it (it's lime flavored agua fresca), but it was overly sweet and more or less tasted like the lime version of powdered lemonade. Nowhere near worth the three dollars I paid for it.

    (4)

  • Jessie L.

    This is probably the best place to get simply tacos and chips and guac. Every flavor combination of every distinct taco was wonderful, and the flavors just explode in your mouth! All proteins were tender and the garnishes were on point.

    (5)

  • Allison G.

    I'm a big fan of Big Star when the weather is warm and you can hang out on the patio. The tacos are fantastic, the margarita pitchers strong, and the guac is the best I've had in Chicago. I strongly recommend the Taco Al Pastor- pork shoulder and pineapple. I'm sold, but I love anything with pineapple. Don't forget to bring cash.

    (4)

  • Tonette P.

    The food is reasonably priced and quite delicious. The fish tacos are my favorite paired with the margaritas.

    (4)

  • Shan D.

    Simply amazing. Hands down some of the best guac in the city. The taco pescado is so flavorful. And yes, the margaritas are toxic, but in the best way. Can't wait for the summer when the outdoor patio is open.

    (5)

  • Alia S.

    Awesome food, great atmosphere, but small portions for the price. The two of us who went got six tacos (three each) and I got horchata. With tax and tip, we paid almost $30. The tacos and tostadas are small, so just keep that in mind. Each taco/tostada was about the size of a coaster. If you do go, my recommendations are the spicy potato tacos and the mushroom tostadas. Glad I tried this place once!

    (3)

  • Jeana C.

    Great late night spot to eat tacos and drink especially for people who work late! Oh, cash only!

    (5)

  • Kimberly K.

    I've been to Big Star countless times since my last review in 2011. While I still agree with the inconsistency of the margaritas, I think they are quite good most of the time. The wait does get very frustrating, so I've learned to go with a small group (2-3 people) and try for a bar seat. The best time to go is on a weeknight early in the evening. The tacos are so good, but I agree with my 2011 opinion at they are a bit pricey for what they are.

    (4)

  • Adele F.

    TACO AL PASTOR AHHHHHH. That night, my stomach capacity could only accommodate one taco, and I'm very glad I chose this one. For those not dining in, they have a take-out window on the right side of the building that's quick and easy. The TACO AL PASTOR, $3, comes with one flour tortilla topped with marinated spit-roasted pork shoulder, grilled pineapple, grilled onion, and cilantro ( yelp.com/biz_photos/big-… ). It is bombdotcom amazeballs. I love the fact that it's one lone tortilla instead of two tortillas, and that it's flour instead of corn (flour tortillas hold toppings better without splitting). I love the fact that it's affordable. Most of all, I love the quantity of pork and pineapple that they shovel on top of your tortilla ( yelp.com/biz_photos/big-… ). So juicy. So succulent. So worth. I had heard that the Taco de Pescado and the Walking Taco (aka taco fillings in a Frito chip bag) were also must-tries, but I'll have to save those for another time when my belly has more space. Oh, and cash only! That perfect union of savory pork & sweet pineapple. AHHHHHH.

    (5)

  • Chris R.

    Nothing bad on the menu. Great beer selection...great everything selection. Vegetarian options. Cash only.

    (5)

  • Herb L.

    Food is top notch, margaritas tasty, guac one of the best I've had other than homemade. Service could be a bit more attentive and I don't get the cash only. That said I'll be back and I would recommend Big Star to others.

    (4)

  • Connie L.

    I came here on a weekday afternoon for lunch and I had no problem getting a table for four. Although there's only street parking, it wasn't a huge issue either--I just circled around the block and found parking nearby. I ordered two tacos de pollo (chicken tacos) to see what all the hype was about and although the tacos were decent, I would not drive all the way back here just for overpriced tacos. 2-3 tacos would probably be enough, but you should order 4 tacos if you're famished.

    (3)

  • Pam B.

    Awesome place! Best margarita I've had in a long time. Queso fundido was delicious and so was the fish taco. Didn't have to wait too long bc weather looked like rain. Will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Jen B.

    Man is this place popular! Went here with two others to grab a drink after work. The wait for a table was too long so we decided to try our luck at the bar. We ended up finding a spot and ordered a few beers. They have some Imported, some domestic and some craft beers so overall a pretty good beer list for such a small place. The bartenders are attentive and fast. It looked like they were constantly making margarita pitchers. We would have ordered some food because I hear it is so delicious but they only accept cash. This is a major lose for me because I never have cash on me I actually had to have a friend pay for me because I didn't have any on me while we were there. Maybe if I am in the area again I will give it another go and this time come prepared now that I know.

    (3)

  • Monte H.

    Another restaurant in Wicker Park propped up by the Hype Machine. I really can't fathom why people rave about this place or why they even to endure the 1+ hour to get in. I've gotten take-out twice (both times waited over 15 mins for the food!) and the tacos were average at best and a bit on the smaller & over-priced side to boot. The first time I ate here; I got the fish, al pastor & chorizo tacos. The al pastor taco is perfect for vegetarians as you taste nothing but cooked pineapple and no meat taste at all. The fish was decent but was a small portion that could've been classified as a Fish McNugget and had a $4 price-tag. The chorizo was the best of the sad lot and had decent flavor but it's really hard to mess up a chorizo taco. Like other reviewers have mentioned, there a hordes of taco joints in the vicinity that have much better tacos and are cheaper. I think Big Star appeals to xenophobic people too scared to check out a real Taqueria run by real Mexicans.

    (2)

  • Stacey L.

    The first time I had Big Star tacos was a late-night excursion about two years ago and it was not a good experience. I think it was mostly just bad luck - I ordered a chicken taco and got a filling that was more fat and gristle than meat. I had taken a bus to Chicago from Madison after work and hadn't eaten in like, ten hours, so starting off with a mouthful of skin (or whatever it was) put me off Big Star real quick. Fast forward to last weekend where I had both a chicken and pork taco from Big Star catered in at a party. Much better the second time around. They aren't the best tacos I've ever had, but they were pretty tasty. I don't think I'd object to future Big Star trips, but it's not anything I'd particularly look forward to, either.

    (3)

  • Jason D.

    Amazing tacos, A wonderful patio, and a phenomenal bourbon list with large pours for a great value in the city! Couldn't ask for more.

    (5)

  • Damaris C.

    Big Star is found in the heart of Wicker Park. Seating is outside and decor is laid back and creative. Parking is free on Damon. First come first served seating and cash only! I came with three friends and we waited an hour and a half until we were seated. I ordered the Taco de Pollo (chicken taco), Taco al Pastor (pork taco) and Ensalada de Big Star (salad) as well as trying Queso Fundido (multiple cheese quesadilla). I enjoyed my meal, but wasn't blown away to the point where I would come running back. Tables are really close together, so when this place is packed it almost feels claustrophobic. Okay food with a ridiculously long wait.

    (3)

  • Anthony N.

    My, my. It looks like they've expanded. Let's hope the quality of the food hasn't... Hmm, this meat on my taco isn't even room temperature. What's up with that. These sauces are a tad crumbly too. This can't be good. Ah, but the beer. The pretty people. The friendly bartenders. The awesome patio. Yes, YES! This is why Big Star is my first stop every time I drop by Chicago. But alas, after some years and tasting hundreds of tacos around the country, my favorite Tex Mex joint has become yet another average staple. Not that it'll keep me from returning. I shall return. I just wish my meats were at least a little hot when it comes out. Is that too much to ask?

    (3)

  • Zach A.

    Tasty but the tacos are too small for the price and they don't take credit cards. Perhaps every table should get chips and salsa for free, I didn't find value going there and won't return.

    (2)

  • Megan G.

    LOVE LOVE LOVE Big Star. Been coming for years, and will continue to. The wait can be long on any given day, but worth it. You can hang out at the bar until your table is ready! A great place to go with a group of friends, enjoy a pitcher of margaritas, a few tacos, and enjoy the outdoor seating. And the margaritas are dangerously tasty. If you're a lightweight, one will do. My favorite taco is the Pescado, crunchy on the outside and the slaw on top adds nice texture. Add the red hot salsa at the table! I wish they would introduce a shrimp taco- I feel like they could do this well. My second and third faves are the El Pastor and De Panza: tender delicious meat and the grilled pineapple on top of the Pastor adds nice flavor. I enjoy that the menu is simple, and the cash only doesn't bother me. You can stay well within $20 for a meal if you aren't ordering drinks.

    (5)

  • Ammir G.

    Big star has awesome some awesome Tex Mex. The majority of the seating is patio which is quite nice. We ordered most of the tacos on the menu and they were all quite good. They were all fairly balanced. Most taco joints over do it with the sauce, but big star do a really good job of it.

    (4)

  • Jason L.

    place has a lot of hype especially for its shrimp tacos. Visited recently and the menu was rather small and tacos overpriced. I was disappointed to learn that they no longer offer the shrimp tacos, and had to settle on beef tacos. I was highly disappointed at paying $4 a taco and it being very tiny and regular in taste. Sticking to authentic Taquerias, with better tasting tacos and way better priced.

    (1)

  • Beth A.

    Took me years to eat/drink here. Used the walk up window to snag a taco, it was pricey but I really liked the tropical hint of sweet. Stayed for a drink and it was crowded beyond my comfort zone, also my margarita was gross, no Buena for a mex joint I wasn't super impressed but it wasn't horrible either

    (3)

  • Carolyn T.

    My friend absolutely RAVED about this place as being The Place to Go in Wicker Park. We finally made plans to eat here at 9PM on a Saturday night and the wait was an hour and a half! It was so crowded that it was not even possible for me to squeeze past to use the bathroom during that insane wait time, so I had to run to another business to go. Awkward. Service was friendly, but not particularly attentive. My water glass was empty for half the meal without any notice from our server. He didn't fill it until we were done eating and had been sitting at the table chatting for a while. I found the atmosphere a bit loud and therefore difficult to converse. That being said, I really enjoyed sitting outside. The atmosphere was charming for late summer. The fish tacos were highly recommended to me, so I ordered those and they were indeed delicious, though a bit overpriced for a small amount. I was still a bit hungry after finishing the tacos which is not at all typic for me, which could give you an idea of the portion. I recommend the tacos but I also recommend ordering something else! Three of us shared the guacamole, which was so plentiful that we struggled to finish it. My first and so far only experience at Big Star didn't knock my socks off, but I enjoyed the food. I would certainly return here in the future though I will probably opt for a weeknight instead to avoid the big (hipster) crowds.

    (3)

  • Caryn E.

    Best place in Chicago for a taco and a whiskey. Bring cash - no credit cards here. Summertime's patio is fantastic when playing hooky from work.

    (5)

  • Marlyn V.

    Tips for surviving Big Star: 1. Go have a drink across the street at Violet Hour 2. Wait til midnight 3. Get a taco de panza 4. Bring cash, they're $3 a pop 5. Get multiple tacos or regret it the rest of your life 6. Repeat

    (4)

  • Claire S.

    Incredible service. Went there with the significant other around 7:30 or 8 on a weeknight, and the place was packed. Estimated wait for 2 was around 45 minutes. As we were walking out, the hostess chased us down, and told us there were a ton of spots at the bar. She even cleared the way for us, and set up a nice little spot adjacent to the bar. Food was average-to-great. My favorite was the fish taco: the fish was tender and well battered, the coleslaw was crunchy and sweet, and the sauce underneath the fish was tart, smoky, and spicy. The taco was a little large, but that's ok. Also had the frijoles charros. It was ok--after the great fish taco, this was a little disappointing. Boyfriend liked the chorizo taco the best. The cocktails and beer lists both looked fantastic; extenuating circumstances made us skip drinks this time. We'll definitely be back for drinks and probably a taco or two. 4 star service, 4 star food, 3.5 star atmosphere (kinda loud, but we were by the bar). Note: cash only.

    (4)

  • Elise F.

    I love big star. The pescado and the pastor will always be two of my favorite things. Plus that red salsa!!!! Mmmmm. But lately (as in the past year or so) the other things on the menu are seriously lacking. One taco has dates another has raisins? Come on. What happened to the Sonoran hotdog? Don't get me wrong with that patio and my go to tacos I will always be a regular but I would just like to see some of the classics come back.

    (4)

  • Greg H.

    Popped in to grab some drinks and tacos while waiting for Violet Hour to open. We were able to easily grab spots at the bar, which would have been unheard of in the warm months of April / May. Per ALWAYS, get the pork belly tacos (the pineapple on top delish). Cash only.

    (4)

  • Carlos R.

    Tacos, Tacos, and more Taco! Straight to the point, service and food was excellent! Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • John M.

    The place is really decent looking place in the middle of the or so trendy the Bucktown / North and Damen area. The food itself is firmly between three and three and a half stars. Well prepared and tastes good. So why is it that I am giving it two stars? Because the FOOD IS SO DAMN EXPENSIVE !!! Four buck for a taco! Three bucks for chips. That's right, they charge for the chips that every other Mexican restaurant ON EARTH gives your for free before they even take your order. One simple word......ridiculous. So if I ever hit the lottery, I will go back for dinner.

    (2)

  • Sarah T.

    Hands down best fish tacos and guacamole I've ever had! Their margaritas will definitely sneak up on you, so be careful! ;-)

    (5)

  • Tushar B.

    There are some delicious tacos at this joint. Our group got some tacos at their take out stand they have next to the main restaurant. Big Star has some nice outdoor seating. It is a great place to eat and hang out on a beautiful late night in Chicago. As for the food, we got some some fish and pastor tacos. Both were really good but I liked the fish taco a little bit better. The tacos are filling; two to three tacos were more than enough to fill us up. If you are looking for a Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant, Big Star is not the place you want to go. Personally, I would classify Big Star as American or Mexican-American, which is closer to but different from Tex-Mex cuisine. As many others have pointed out, it is cash only. For the price, you get a decent number of tacos. Overall, don't go in with super high expectations and you will have a taste of some delicious tacos.

    (4)

  • Clarice W.

    For a Midwestern city, Big Star's tacos are good. Probably even great. But when you've had incredible tacos on the West Coast for $1.75 a pop it's hard not to compare. For me, though, the biggest annoyance was how crowded this place gets; patrons at the bar literally spill over into the people seated at the table. I like people but not THAT much. Perhaps the location opens up a bit when the patio is open, but I found that my pork belly taco was not worth the long shoulder-to-shoulder wait. 3 big stars for Big Star, but no more.

    (3)

  • Josh M.

    Came on a rainy day after the Chicago Marathon. The place was inviting, the bartender was attentive and nice. We enjoyed 4 or 5 different tacos none of which were amazing. I think its a cool place for a stop by for a drink but I wouldnt go out of my way to eat here.

    (3)

  • Rob R.

    The best taco in town. Love the atmosphere and ambiance. Great spot for a quick delicious tacos after few drinks.

    (4)

  • Sergio R.

    So it is close to 12:30am. I haven't eaten dinner because the hostess at Big Star took my number at 8:30. She told me the wait would be about 1.5 hours and it's been 4 hours. One might ask, did he speak clearly when he said his phone number so he could get a text when his table was ready, yes I said my number twice for clarity purposes and she even repeated my number right back to me. I'm so disappointed. Big Star needs to get over itself. Also their "bouncer" was a jerk, very unwelcoming, and condescending. I don't know if I feel comfortable coming back to this place again.

    (1)

  • Brian J.

    Girlfriend ordered salad and added chicken for four dollars. They forgot the chicken which they charge four dollars for. So I called to let them know their mistake but no one picked up the phone and went to voice mail. I called the four time with no answer on a Sunday night at 7 pm during prime dinner hours. No one ever picked up so I had to leave a voice mail. Absolute joke.. never spending any money here again.

    (1)

  • Sandy W.

    Hey Big Star, sprinkling in Spanish words into your menu doesn't make you any less white. Food is OK. Drinks are good. Over priced, super whitey.

    (3)

  • Jen K.

    I sat at the bar on a Thursday night. The place was packed. I was informed it's usually like that. I got a pitcher of margaritas to split with 1 other taco lover. The bartender that was helping us seemed like a no bullsh*t kind of person, which I can appreciate but the eye rolling was unnecessary. I ordered the pastor, papas con rajas and the pescado. All were very good. I can see why the papas is ranked one of the best in the city. It's cash only and there's an ATM. Price point is good and they have some good whiskey specials. This is a party place. You go for drinks and shove some food in your mouth at the same time but I wouldn't recommend it for a nice dinner.

    (4)

  • Vivienne H.

    This is my first time to have tacos since I used to thought it might not fit my Asian taste. But after I had it, it's totally changed my mind. Last Saturday afternoon, my boyfriend and I finally made it while a festival also be hold in that area. Befor came, we read a lot of reviews on Yelp and already made good preparation for the long time waiting. HOWEVER, the fortunately thing is it just took us about 3-4 mins to get the table! The first four tacos on their menu, we ordered 1 of each of them. I love the 2nd one (pork belly one), it's so flavored and tasty! The 1st one (which my boyfriend loved) is also good though, but the 2nd rock more. Hard to find a parking spot near street, so recommend you start to find it as early as possible. Busy surrounding with friendly service. Heard that they'll close the outdoor seating area when raining. Oh, one last important thing: CASH ONLY!! But don't worry, there's ATM around the corner.

    (4)

  • Oliver S.

    Had some tacos to go and had a seat in the open area. Very nice location and seating options, though the food was really average. Not real authentic tacos and way overpriced. For 3 USD you get literally 2 bites. Better off at Dove next door.

    (3)

  • Sondre Lerche And Herremannen V.

    We were headed to Las Vegas and I managed to twist Sharif Productions's arm to stop in Chicago for at least ONE hour on this God forsaken journey to stretch our legs, eat some good food and drink some good coffee. It was a miracle that he obliged so, out of fear that this sudden endorsement of fun would take a turn, I hurriedly texted my new friend Richard Cole for some restaurant suggestions. --Richard curates shows with "Get Off the Couch Presents" and we met when he brought me into town with Jeff Taylor for a show at Reggie's Joint. I remember that show well because Richard and his gf Becky were so cool, the whole room was filled with their friends and musicians who were also cool, and everyone was just really polite and supportive of the whole evening. The guys in Jeff Taylor's band met a couple of sweet and beautiful girls, so we all pulled up chairs at their table. Unfortunately the aforementioned sweet girls were also really loud talkers and everybody in the room kinda hated them for pulling focus while the other bands played. I tried to slowly inch my chair away from the table, but it was a little late for that. We were already associated with these girls and officially on the shit list of most people in the club. (Sorry about that Richard! We had no idea.) -- Richard is sort of a man about town and, despite his British roots, I trust his taste in good food. He highly recommended "Big Star" for lunch and when our bass player Chris Holm heard the word "Mexican," he clapped his hands, did three jumping jacks in the van, and we set our digital sails for Wicker Park. The first thing we ordered when we sat down was the guacamole and I will tell you with confidence that it is the BEST guacamole I've ever had. Chris ordered the chorizo taco and the mushroom tostada. He enjoyed them both, but the taco was a lot more exciting for his Norwegian taste buds. Sharif Productions ordered the mushroom tostada and the Al Pastor taco, but, similar to Chris, he feels the tacos are a much stronger choice. I ordered the mushroom tostada with a side of beans and rice and loved it. This place has indoor/outdoor seating, the aesthetic is on point, the food is great, and the staff is quick and polite. We were in and out super fast, which is good when you have a Tour Mangaer that feels like you "don't have time" to do A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G, so there's really no reason NOT to come eat at Big Star. Just remember to get the GUACOMOLE! ~Herremannen

    (4)

  • Rafia J.

    Got here with a friend to try their incredibly 'famous' tacos and much to my dismay was extremely disappointed with the food. First of all, we waited for almost 1 hour on a random weekday, which actually got me super excited because that meant the food was that good. We were seated after our much anticipated wait and ordered a whole plate of chicken, beef, fish, and potato tacos. None of the tacos were impressive in terms of flavor. Absolute disappointment! We were so hungry but could not even finish the tacos because they just did not taste like anything. The only notable one was the potato taco with a bit of flavor and a kick to it. Other than that the beef taco (taco de papas con rajas) had a bit of a weird taste to it and couldn't get past one bite, taco de pescado was alright, nothing too special. Also, none of the sauces there were hot or flavorful enough, and even when we tried loading our tacos with the sauce hoping for SOME flavor, it just did not work out. Anyways, the place was very hipster, loud, busy and pretty nice actually but not worth the food. Highly unlikely will return there.

    (2)

  • Ashley I.

    This is one of my favorite places in Chicago! The tacos are hands down the best. You can't go wrong with ordering off the menu. My favorite drink is the Paloma. Big Star is a great Sunday funday place in the summer. There is also a take out window for quick service.

    (5)

  • Jason H.

    Very crowded, very hipster and very tasty. I had four tacos: Chicken - Quite good, a bit bland, would have liked it to be spicier. The pickled onion was a great touch. Chorizo - Loved it, honestly the best part is that it isn't greasy. The potatoes were a nice compliment. Potato - Good, but I wouldn't order it again, especially since there are potatoes in the chorizo tacos. Fish - The piece of fish is gigantic! The veggies on top were a nice touch, though altogether it wasn't my favorite. The service was a bit egh, but I won't dock the rating because it was slammed.

    (5)

  • Jordan W.

    This is the place I miss the most since moving from Chicago four years ago, and I go back whenever I'm in the city... in the warmer months. Great tacos for cheap, strong drinks, and my favorite patio in the city. Also, you should try the hot dog. ... to repeat what a lot of reviewers have already said, these are not the best tacos in the city, not by a long shot, but they are good, and the atmosphere and drink menu make this place a favorite of mine.

    (4)

  • Noelle O.

    I don't understand how or why people think that these are authentic tacos, especially living I'm Chicago. They were decent, but not worth the wait and the hype. Would rather go to an authentic mom and pop place any day, where the workers are friendly and salsa is included.

    (2)

  • Annie V.

    The tacos are good, they have a lot of different meats/options that are seasoned/prepared in different ways. Although I do enjoy the food, I do not enjoy, however, the ridiculous line/wait time. I have been there three times, once we waiting so long we decided to eat elsewhere. It definitely is a fun experience as they have outdoor seating and a bar as well as pick up window, but be prepared for a long line.

    (4)

  • Katy S.

    So I just moved here from Miami. If you've ever visited my hometown, you will know what aholes people can be. They're rude, swanky lifestyle is a must, and if you don't look a certain way you are definitely not getting into the hottest club on South Beach. Well, I didn't know a RESTAURANT could be so discriminatory like the South Beach nightclubs until this past Saturday night. Let me give you the low down: My friends have been raving about this place the whole month I've lived here. I was dying to try their tacos! We had gone out to a few bars in the area and decided to give it a shot as a "food coma after party." Fast forward to us being in the restaurant. It was packed. We put our name on the "list." The male hostess, which now I am convinced was pretending to be a bouncer at a hot nightclub, did not keep a list per say. He just said, "how many are you?" We responded, "three." He said it'd be a few minutes. We thought, "no big deal. We'll wait." Well, tick tock tick tock TICK TOCK. Approximately half an hour later, if not more, there were about 5-6 empty tables. Since then, I had already personally went up to the male hostess and asked him what the deal was. Why was it taking so long? He kept telling me we had to wait and that was that. So here's when his true colors came out. Full disclaimer: I consider myself a pretty good looking girl, I'm not conceited or anything, but if you see pics, you know I am not at all ugly. I was dressed in jeans, a long sleeve blouse, and since it was cold, I kept my coat on during the long wait. Well, here comes a group of half naked girls walking in as if they own the joint. They open the door, say hi to the "hostess", and get a table immediately. WOW! Are you kidding me, guy? I was in awe. We tried to sit at one of the other empty tables (one of the ones the promiscuous girls did not snatch from us) and were told that was not allowed. So I personally went up to the male hostess once again and asked him his name. Let me just tell you: he thought about his name for a solid 10 seconds so I'm assuming it wasn't his real name and he didn't give a rats butt if he threw a coworker under the bus. The name I was given was Peter. Was it Peter? I don't know. But I will give you a full description of the discriminatory male hostess so that people who walk in and see this guy, can immediately avoid the place like the plague if he is there. Or so that MANAGEMENT (the people who should be reading these reviews and should want to make these awful situations better) will do something regarding this insanity. He was a tall, black guy, not super dark skin, but a lighter black complexion. He did have an oddly shaped head (sorry to say) and was bald. Please, for the love of God, Big Star. Do something about his discriminatory actions. Sorry I wasn't dressed to his expectations. Maybe if I was, we would've gotten a table, I would've fallen in love with your tacos, you would've had a new, devoted customer, and my friends would've continued dining at your establishment. Unfortunately, this was the WORST experience I've had at a restaurant, EVER; even in Miami.

    (1)

  • Daniel M.

    I am a taco purist... That is unless we are talking about Asian inspired fusion tacos, then I can deviate. The tacos here are overdone and overdressed using too many ingredients to try to make these acceptable. The guacamole was bland and the wait was entirely too long for what you end up getting. All the while, the crowd around you is getting more annoying because they think the food is amazing. The service was good, but I never go to a restaurant because the service is good. Not recommended.

    (2)

  • Andrew D.

    Agree with the MEHs I see in a lot of these reviews. Everyone and their mother rave about Big Star, with their delicious tacos and refreshing cocktails. However, after numerous visits, I gotta say there's not that much there to write home about. They're good, but not great, let alone the best in Chicago; especially when you consider the ludicrous wait associated with this joint. Luckily the staff is amazing - a well oiled machine, if you will. If you have to wait, they will call you when your table opens, giving your party ample time to have a drink at the neighboring Violet Hour or Revel Room. Despite consistently being packed, the drinks and food always come out on time. So while the food isn't as great as the rest of trendy, hip Chicagoans make it out to be, the place is relatively affordable with a cool ambience and very hard-working staff. I will be back in typical fashion. When my friends from other neighborhoods come here, I will make them wait... and meet them when the table is ready! Muah.

    (3)

  • Valerie B.

    Fish tacos were delicious! One of my favorite fish tacos I've had-- they manage to fry and batter the tilapia and sauce it up with chipotle mayo, without it tasting greasy or soggy at all. Chips and guac were good as well. I was not a fan of the al pastor (something about the sauce on the pork just didn't taste good to me, like sweet and sour sauce from a bad takeout place) but the pineapple added a nice touch. Constructive criticism: I ordered from the side window and got my meal "for here" to sit at the tables they have there, but they wrapped it to go. I sat down at the bench to eat there anyway, and my tacos had gotten kind of squashed in the tin foil they use to wrap it for takeout. Not visually appealing. But still tasted good!

    (3)

  • Shajan K.

    Still haven't made it into this place because of the pretentious hipsters standing at the front acting like it's a super elite night club...went on a Friday evening around 5pm and was told there were 26 parties of four ahead of us. Who does that? Also it's 2015, start accepting credit cards!

    (1)

  • Erica S.

    Extremely good margaritas, and on tap! Good was great too, and there are plenty of options for vegetarians.

    (4)

  • Sarah Y.

    Whiskey and tacos, two of my favorites. Get here early to grab a booth seat, and then settle in for a fun night. Also, queso fundido is my third favorite.

    (4)

  • Lindsey C.

    I'm addicted LOL Here are my favs... the Taco de Pescado and the Walking Taco! The guac is amazing and I have to have the Fist City beer. SO yummy! I only wish it was open just a little bit longer on the weekends or at least late night walk up window for those of us who go to the bars on the weekend :p

    (4)

  • Daniel N.

    Came here for a late night bite. The place was packed! But fortunately we were able to grab a seat. Luck for me, but unlucky for my wife, the place was too loud and we had to be a same side couple. As you can tell, I enjoy sitting on the same side with her haha. The food was really decent. I mean yes I would not come here just for the food, but this place was open and served really good food. And the service for us on this night was great! We were served beer rapidly and they kept it coming. The food came quickly and we were able to leave the loud noise to let the hipsters have the booth. Yes I called them hipsters. Seems to be more of an alternative bar, especially by the decor. Maybe it was a late night and that is all that is out that late? I dunno, maybe I'm old and am wearing a tie. Sure I'll come back! I live down the street!

    (4)

  • Nicole L.

    Absolutely a no go for me. Please note this is not traditional Mexican food, which is fine as long as the concept works. In this case it did not. The service was horrible and the drinks were mediocre at best. Our server may have been in training which would of been okay had we not received a bitter face every time they came by and paid attention to the fact I returned my food at first bite. I was surprised that giving my plate back didn't prompt them to question my experience with both meals I ordered. My table and I felt that the service was unwelcoming and the food wasn't at all as described as the menu said. After asking for the bill soon after receiving our food the server brought it back and left. No questions were asked about our experience or how our food was. Needless to say I won't come back.

    (1)

  • Christelle S.

    I love going to Big Star in the summer to enjoy their outdoor patio, their margarita pitchers, and their amazing tacos! Their fish taco is my favorite, but the al pastor is a close second. They do get ridiculously busy during peak lunch and dinner hours, but stay open until 2 am! They also are cash only. You can also sit with your dog outside for those with pets

    (4)

  • Lauren B.

    We were lucky enough to find some seats at the bar during their busy lunch time last Saturday. They had great margaritas, and very flavorful tacos. I was a happy camper.

    (5)

  • Michelle S.

    I don't have much variety from what's already been written about Big Star but I figured I'd throw my two cents into the mix anyway. We ventured down here on a Saturday afternoon that was full of sunshine and summer vibes. We knew there would be a wait so we put our name on the list and perused the many shops near by. I expected the wait to be a lot longer but within 30 minutes we were seated at a table on the patio. While I know waiting can be annoying I think the advantage here is that there is enough in the neighborhood to keep you occupied while you wait. Once seated we needed a few minutes to browse the drinks menu and when our server swung back through for the second time we grabbed 2 gumball heads and ordered chips and guac. So so so so soooooo yummy! I can't say why I thought it was so good, I've eaten guacamole all over the country and in Mexico but this really hit the spot. We took our time enjoying the sunshine, beers and appetizer. When we were ready we ordered three tacos each. I enjoyed the taco al pastor (delicious! the pineapple was perfection with it and it's one of the best pastor tacos I've had in a while), the taco de panza (perfectly cooked pork belly and the sauce that was on it was so damn good!) as well as the taco de pescado (this was seriously one the top 3 fish tacos I've had. I don't usually do beer battered fish tacos but it was amazing.) I can't wait to come back here this summer, the food was delicious and the beers were cold. I will agree with most of the comments about the staff. They were kind of a pain in the ass. Pretentious and seemingly either annoyed about the fact that they're at work or just annoyed with people in general. I get annoyed with people in general too but when you're job involves dealing with people I think you should at least pretend to be happy about being at work. Maybe that's just me. But now I do know what to expect and I look forward to more patio time with fish tacos and a beverage in hand.

    (4)

  • Evelyn B.

    Oh Big Star, I want to like you. I really do. I'd like to join the bearded and schwinn riding masses that line up for your tacos and bask in your newly renovated patio (which is quite nice) but you've blown about every chance I've given you. First, I ask for a Walking Taco with no beans. Stopping to inform a customer that the beans come mixed with the meat was too much work for you so you opted to take my money and give me a bag of Frito's with shredded cheese and lettuce. Thanks for not taking an extra 1.5 seconds to give decent customer service, but ok I thought. I'll give it another shot. It was busy that day and there was a line of people behind me. I'm a reasonable person after all. Second, I decided to dine in with a group of friends. It was noisy and obnoxious but the atmosphere was fun and the margaritas were killer. Everything was going great until my boyfriend took a bite of his taco and proceeded to pull a giant black curly hair out of his food. No amount of margarita can make someone forget that unfortunately. The waitress was great and replaced our entire platter of remaining tacos (or at least that's what we were told) but we took her word for it because she was nice. Now as I sit here taking shots of pepto to ease my food poisoning from the 3rd attempt at liking your food, I can't lie to myself anymore. Not worth the hype. The service is good if you get lucky enough to have a decent server, there are some hygiene issues to be addressed, and please check the freshness of your food. The second star is only being generous because the margarita pitchers were fantastic.

    (2)

  • Danny M.

    We have been wanting to try this place for the longest, but somehow we always end up going somewhere else. This place is pretty busy and if you come during the winter season, the outdoor patio is closed, so expect longer waiting times. My impression? I honestly think this place is overrated. The food here is good, but nothing really stand out. We ordered taco al pastor, taco de panza, taco de pescado, taco de chorizo verde, queso fundido, and Sonoran dog. I felt like all the tacos are just okay for the most part. My favorite taco was the pescado as the fish was really fresh. The Sonoran dog was actually good and I would recommend getting this. Overall, it is good at best, but not worth the wait.

    (3)

  • Nino B.

    Decent food and ambience , but the service and the bad attitude of most of the staff is just not the greatest and quite inexcusable !

    (2)

  • Nathan L.

    We tried this place after the nearby, the Violet Hour. Big Star has an impressive outdoor seating section and an indoor area as well. We were there on a Thursday night and it was packed! We found a couple seats inside quickly. It has a very cool tex-mex theme. Everything was very clean and the staff was friendly, quick and helpful. We ordered a few different tacos, the chips and guacamole and a pitcher of margaritas. The margaritas were delicious and the tacos were amazing! I tried a bite of a couple different tacos and all were just awesome. The guac was fresh and tasty also. The food was all reasonably priced. This place is very popular so I could see having to wait on a weekend. The food was great and the drinks were strong. I would definitely recommend this place. But keep in mind it is cash only. It would probably be nice for a family earlier in the day.

    (4)

  • Amanda C.

    We came here after dinner for a margarita. Just a single margarita. But then oh my god tacos. They called to us. We got a fish, a chicken and a pork belly and basically polished them off in about 7 minutes. They were each unique and perfect. And they came out from the kitchen in mere moments. Our margaritas were superb. This place has no need for drink specials or happy hour prices since basically everyone and their mom is looking to get a table to eat at all times. And at $3/4 a taco, it's not a bank break to eat your fill. Go early or go late to get a spot, but stay a while because the drinks are great and you never know when you're going to be hungry for another taco.

    (4)

  • Olivia B.

    Fun environment, killer tacos, delicious drinks! I love that the Big Star Margarita has some mezcal in it. As for food: the pescado and panza tacos are amazing. And the walking taco! As much as I love this place in the summer, it's just as fun in the winter. Only 4 stars because (even though they have an ATM right inside) it's annoying that it's cash only.

    (4)

  • Marta S.

    Love the food!!!! Usually a wait out the door so choose a time that is not so busy such as between lunch and dinner, cash only place but worth it!!!!! The fish taco is great and their margaritas are pretty delicious and pretty strong :)

    (5)

  • Sam A.

    2 hours and 22 minutes later.......ridiculous! Food and drinks are great, but not worth waiting 2.5 hours for a taco. Also, how about adding a steak or ground beef taco?

    (3)

  • Mironda R.

    "I can't believe I had never been here before" So yes... it is crowded.. and yes it is cash only.. and yes it can take you a while to get a drink or place your order, but once those things come together, this place is awesome. This is definitely the place where patience is a virtue. I thought the drinks were tasty and the variety of tacos was really good too. I had the fish tacos, the veggie tacos, and the chicken tacos.. all pretty tasty and the side salsas are good too. The place is high-energy and inviting with the huge outdoor sitting area and open air/bright light bar area. I would totally go back!

    (4)

  • Orlando P.

    I was a fan of the place... until today. Yeah, I may come back but not soon. I take bad service to the heart! It was apparently a busy day for them which I get. I learned today that this is the place you need to know people if you want to get in fast. Literally we waited about an hour an a half, which I get, it was "busy". People cool with the security man and the girl at the door were being seated left and right. The girl at the door had the bitchiest attitude. Her only answer was "we'll text you when your table is ready".... Some more people showed talked to the door man, and wait for it wait for it... They get a table.... We finally get our table.... Took forever before any one greeted us.... The waitress finally came and we ordered everything we wanted including drinks.... It takes forever before someone comes back to check on us... We needed more food, because you gotta give it to the... The food it's pretty good..... It took the longest time to get a couple more tacos.... Before our last order of tacos comes out... They come and clean up our table! Ugh....! I wouldn't have done a bad review if the waitress had been a little more attentive... And the girl at the door didn't have that bitchy attitude.... It's just a bummer you gotta know people here if you want to get fast cordial service.... Unfortunately, this is the case at this place... I'll come back but not anytime soon....

    (1)

  • Joslyn B.

    I love this place!!!!! The wait is long, yes, but it's absolutely worth it. And the host staff is very friendly. We waited over an hour and a half, BUT you have to come here knowing you have to wait!!! Don't walk up at 7 and get pissed that you have to wait till 8:30 to get a table. It's just how it goes. Their margaritas - AMAZING. Their tacos - AMAZING. Al pastor is my favorite. You will not be disappointed if you come here. Just come with cash! They have an ATM but it's better to come with cash. When you come here, just effing relax and roll with the punches. The people who don't belong here are the people who get angry about a long wait. Chill, be patient, enjoy. Chicago.

    (5)

  • Scott C.

    Meh. Don't see the appeal. Had lunch here today and food was slightly above average, prices were average, service was horrific, and that's about it. Not worth the wait on a summer day.

    (3)

  • Kait G.

    Big Star is A-OK. I would go back, mainly for the walk up taco stand at 2:00 in the morning. The fish taco is delicious but in general, this place is overpriced. Drinks are just okay, stingy on the tequila. Service was slow but not too painful to where I wouldn't come back. Go for the patio on a sunny day, it's a decent place to enjoy with a friend!! But expect average drinks and slightly overpriced food. They are still CASH ONLY so come prepared! food: 4/5 drinks: 3/5 service: 3/5 so if I could give them 3.5 stars I would!

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : Yes
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : No
    Good For : Lunch, Dinner, Late Night
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : No
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Hipster
    Noise Level : Loud
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
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Mexican Cuisine

If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.

Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.

Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.

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