The Big State
624 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL, 60622
The Big State Menu
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Address :
624 N Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL, 60622 - Phone (312) 631-3914
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :8:00 am - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Jennifer B.
I've been to the Big State twice, each time I had excellent service and even better food. Being a native Texan, I am quite familiar with Tex-Mex, those that claim to be Tex-Mex, and authentic Mexican food. The food served here is of the Tex-Mex that can be found closest to the border, a few steps away from authentic Northern Mexican food, if you will. I feel that other reviewers may have expected this to be more of a Dallas/Houston type of Tex-Mex that is more commonly found around the U.S. To me, the Big State was everything it promised to be, with the added surprise of home-made tortillas. It brought me back to my childhood in Northern Mexico, waiting for my grandmother to make just one more tortilla that would be quickly gobbled up by my little hands. If nothing else, I'd recommend eating one of these tortillas alone, to experience the real flavor of this Mexican staple. The horchata and limonada are also stellar, similar to those that you could buy from street vendors near any market in Mexico.
(5)Arthur M.
I live right down the street and have been frequenting The Big State since a few months after they opened: man, I love this restaurant. The charros are savory slow-cooked beans stewed in pork and chile, perfect for energy on a hot summer day or comfort in the cold Chicago winters. My girlfriend LOVES the tacos, especially the steak and fish tacos. My thing is the tortas. The torta de papas (potatoes) is one of the best vegetarian sandwiches in town. I usually order that along with the torta de aguacate, which I heat up on the lowest oven setting later on. Everything this place makes is homemade and delicious. Don't want to take my word on it? No less than my favorite food blogger in the city of Chicago endorses The Big State: chibbqking.blogspot.com/…
(5)Toni C.
Love love love. Get panza and pastor. Fresh, flavorful, and in case you missed it, these tortillas are hand made when you order. Boom! And so inexpensive!! So glad they joined neighborhood, check it out!
(5)Cam S.
This place is awesome. I saw an article featuring their Mexican hotdogs and knew I had to try it. The hot dog was crazy good, but I'm going to be coming back for the tacos. They make the tortillas in house and you can tell. Where other tortillas fall apart, these stay together, over its very brief lifetime. Do yourself a favor and get a couple. Currently cash only, but our waitress mentioned they're getting a CC processor soon.
(4)Lolis S.
I love this restaurant. There are the best taco, pastor, chicken, etc. they make the tortillas at home, also the mexican hot dog is delicious. If you want caming and try I recomended the The Big Steak 100'/, .
(5)Emily M.
Everyone go eat here :) This is a wonderful neighborhood spot. I've tried almost all the tacos and while they're all good, but my go to is the fish taco, pastor and panza. Those are freaking incredible. And they're $2 each. The tortillas are so incredibly fresh. They also have $5 breakfast which they offer all day. I haven't tried the breakfast but my boyfriend had the french toast. They didn't include any syrup in the to go box but he still enjoyed it. I have my eye on the mexican hot dog next. Also I think they started out as cash only but now they allow credit card with a $10 minimum
(5)Casey S.
So good, and so inexpensive. It's BYOB, and the tortillas were homemade. The de panza tacos were delicious.
(5)Andrew S.
This place is bare bones, but the food is great! Which, as far as a tacqueria is concerned, is what 5 stars is all about. Had the pastor, panza, and fish tacos. All were excellent and definitely seemed to show a little extra effort versus the competition in terms of quality and presentation. These tacos reminded me of Big Star, but at only $2 a taco! Horchata was meh, but for $2 awesome tacos I'm willing to look past that. Will be back to try breakfast. Chips and guac were also great.
(5)turn p.
Long wait for food but i guess its worth it. Huge delicious portions, cheap. Love the burritos
(4)Ross F.
Great Mexican street food and very reasonable prices. Some of the dishes seem influenced by Big Star. My favorites are the chicken burrito, pastor & fish tacos, and mexican hot dog. They need to work on the ambiance a little bit though. The space is full of hanging ceiling light fixtures from when it used to be the Gaudi Cafe but these lights are always off and the super bright overhead fluorescents are always on. I feel like that kills the vibe a bit. Also they could maybe use a little more art & decor and some music playing on the speakers if they want people to come there to eat and hang out. They've always just got Spanish news or talk shows on blasting on the tv. I take my food to go 90% of the time because the eating area seems kinda sterile and cafeteria like.
(4)SV V.
OK, I have to give this place 5+ stars. More like 10 stars. The menu has become very extensive and they make the best Denver (turkey) omelette I've every had---with a good variety of fresh fruit to boot. We don't keep food in our house so are constantly calling in orders to Big State almost every single day--I'm sure they are sick of us by now, haha. They are so very accommodating and friendly. My hubby requires quite a bit of food substitutions and requests, and they comply with a smile. We wish these folks the very best and hope they are here for a very long time.
(5)Aaron Jae M.
Pretty new spot and so far they are doing great! I came in with a party of nine and they are BYOB so we brought some beers with us as well. They are still figuring out their whole menu but they already have a lot of good stuff on there and do not need to make many changes. I tried four out of their seven tacos and all four of them were amazing. They make everything in house so be prepared to wait slightly longer than the average mexican restaurant that just throws reheated meat into a tortilla, but not much longer. At two dollars a taco they are very worth it. I tried the asada, pastor, fish, and panza tacos. I need to go back and try pretty much every other menu item they have because if they were half as good as the tacos they would still be worth it. I hope they add a few toratas to the menu since they already have the bread from the mexican hot dog and the meats from the tacos/burritos.
(5)andrea v.
Fresh made to order tortillas, why do you have to be a block from my house? Taco de panza, taco al pastor and taco de pescado were deliciously seasoned and simply delightful. Torta de pollo equally great. Big Star ain't got nuthin' on this place.
(5)Krystin H.
The tacos are delicious, authentic and a great price! Support a local neighborhood spot. The tortillas are made in house and are a noticeable difference from other spots in the area (not to discredit my other favorite neighborhood taco spots). The fish taco was my favorite because it gets everything right . . .best one around! It has a nice crisp outside, but isn't dried out. Pork Belly and Al Pastor are also good options. As another reviewer mentioned, the pineapple in the al pastor is a nice treat. The sauces/salsas (green was my favorite, not too hot) also appear to be made in house. Pretty sure they roast the peppers before. The guacamole is also delicious and the toppings give it more flavor than putting plain guac down). So yea, basically everything we've tried we've enjoyed (we've been twice in the last week). And for those who wonder why I gave it five stars. . . .it is because I'm rating it for what it is. A no frills authentic mexican joint w/ good food and great prices. If you want the frills, go check out Antique Taco, Takito Kitchen or Big Star.
(5)Bob H.
EXCELLENT TACOS Loved the tacos Panza (pork belly) - chewy, deeply flavored, aromatic, served on substantial tortillas. Also tried the special green pork stew - tender and spiced just right. Fish tacos were about the best I've had around here since Baja Fresh disappeared (yes, that Baja Fresh - it was apparently not well-known that they made excellent Baja-style fish tacos). Fresh-made tortilla chips. Mild and smooth but flavorful salsas. No beer or wine, but a good selection of real sugar beverages (including Mexican Coke and Squirt). Only a few blocks from my house so I"m looking forward to checking out the rest of the menu.
(4)Jewels F.
I am so glad to have this great place pop up right down the street! Do try the pastor tacos. Their guacamole has a strong lime flavor and is super delicious. Can't beat the Prices!
(5)Carlos V.
Amazing tacos. The meat is flavorful and the all the ingredients are fresh. These are currently my favorite tacos in Chi!
(5)Eric G.
Nice neighborhood restaurant. Tried 4 different tacos. The pastor and panza we're best!! All the tortillas are freshly made. And they don't skimp on the meat and toppings either. Nice alternative to the other Mexican restaurants in the area. They only downside I would say is the horchata was average and the young lady behind the counter seemed uninterested to be there.
(4)Leigh C.
6-stars! This place was amazing. Chips were warm with delicious red sauce. Enchiladas with green sauce were cheesy and awesome, not over sauced. Tacos are way better than big star. Loved this place and will be back.
(5)Gabe S.
SOMEHOW THESE ARE THE BEST TACOS IN THE AREA - BETTER THAN BIG STAR AND LESS EXPENSIVE! EVERYTHING ELSE IS GREAT TOO. We now live in a post Hot Doug's world. I was nowhere near a big a fan as many, but I do know how amazing it was. This place is not (yet ?) the Taqueria-equivalent of Hot Doug's...but I thought about making the comparison because what I am really stunned by is that I went there tonight, and the place was empty when it should have been packed! There should be a line of people waiting to get $2 tacos and $3 Frijoles Charros. Seriously, they could raise their prices and I would still think this place was amazing. -- Better than Traspasada -- Better than La Pasadita -- Better than F-ing Big Star. Less Expensive than all of them. Not sure how long that last part will last, but go while it does, and go again afterwards. THE HORCHATA TASTES THE WAY HORCHATA *SHOULD* TASTE, which I'm not sure I've ever really found outside of a couple places BREAKFAST ALL DAY. The one thing they still need is a go-to dessert (they are new enough that the Dulce de Leche is not available yet), but it is honestly of little consequence b/c everything else is so good!
(5)Charlie G.
After tonight I feel any rating higher than one star would be lying. This visit was terrible. I will say the food was great but the service was terrible. Just to prove I'm not just making empty comments, I will elaborate. We had to beg to get more water. Took 45 minutes to get 5 tacos. Granted we were the only ones aside from another table. The server was more occupied with her phone, not the guests. It's so frustrating. The food is so good. The pickup times and service is just dreadful. I couldn't wait to post this. I hope they can right this ship.
(1)Davin L.
Cash only at the moment, but still, pretty good food. Can't beat three tasty pescado tacos and a soda for $4.50. Imma definitely be back for the mexcian hot dog.
(3)Cindy P.
Been here twice in 3 days...it's becoming an addiction! Tortillas are so fresh, they're made "in the moment" and it shows. They are absolutely delicious! Have ordered tacos on both visits to dine in, and was served a basket of homemade chips and salsa. Chips are salted to perfection and very fresh. Quality of tacos has been great, love the pastor (pork) due to the seasoning and bits of pineapple. Will have to try for breakfast next...
(5)Abe Z.
I love it here. I've gone 3 times this week.
(5)Becca M.
I tried this place today and it was great. I had the pork (Pastor) tacos. They have that sweet and tangy flavor of authentic Pastor style tacos because they use pineapple like they do in Mexico. My friend also raved about the Mexican Hot Dog which I will try on my next visit.
(5)Marc L.
New place with some good fish tacos...might be the best on a per dollar basis. Hope this place is open late night...
(4)Madie P.
Love the fish tacos. Great service. Great prices. Excited this has opened in our neighborhood!
(5)Peter B.
I stopped in after work and got the 3 pastor tacos and Pepsi deal for $4.99. The pork was seasoned really well and savory. The tacos were generous on the pork too. Will definitely be going back.
(5)Ryan L.
You can never go wrong with a few tacos from here. I may have tried them all and they always come through. Fresh ingredients and good spice.
(5)Dan S.
Good food and super cheap. I recommend it. $5 specials include a drink and 3 tacos, you can't go wrong.
(5)chelsie j.
Eat here now people!!! These are the best tacos I've ever had in my life. They just added a bunch of veggie options too! The chef here is a freakin' food genius who has a full understanding of flavor harmony. The fish taco is my favorite one. Not over battered and is perfectly crispy. My boyfriend and I have been eating here several times a week and the food is top notch every time. The tortillas are made fresh the moment you order. The breakfast is also good as hell !! The Chilaquiles and Huevos Rancheros are total flavor blasts. I'm so happy to have this new addition to my neighborhood and have been telling everyone about it. Cheap and delicious.
(5)Allison H.
I agree with the other reviewer! These really are better tacos than Big Star, 5 star, and takito! The fish taco is so refreshing and delicious as well as the al pastor! Give them a shot, it's a little out of the way but totally worth the trip!
(5)Maria D.
Loved it! I absolutely fell in love with the pastor I really like the flavor it has along with the flavor the pineapple adds. The asada has great seasoning that gives it a good flavor. Panza tacos were good too, but I'm not a big fan of panza. The place is clean and you can see your food being prepared. The service isn't so good but the food makes up for it and arrives quick, plus the place just opened so I guess the waitress is new and training. Oh yeah and the tortillas are hand made which is another plus to their delicious food! Hopefully they will have full menus because I want to try their platillos.
(5)Elizabeth M.
I was on my way to work at 10 AM and this was the only place not serving breakfast, so I decided to take a quick trip. The inside decor is nice and the service is par, average. As for the food...i ordered the fish taco and one steak. Super average steak, and the fish tasted like cheap frying oil. I don't think I'll come back here.
(2)Lani N.
The service is slow and weak, so it's just my takeout spot when I want a snack or something easy. The chips are lame and store bought. But the $2 tacos here are so damn good. The potatoes and rajas tacos are super flavorful, and the corn tortillas are homemade.
(4)Matthew S.
Our burrito was fantastic. Order in, and you get your burrito presented on a plate unlike any other location in the city. The al pastor burrito was not greasy, full on flavor and wonderfully satisfying. I am not close to this location but I will definitely be back to try other items. They stick to simple, Mexican-American cuisine and I love it. BYOB is a wonderful option for this little diner.
(5)Evelyn B.
I live close by to this place and have gotten takeout on many occasions. Each time was absolutely delicious. Great service, great food, and very reasonably priced. Can't wait to try the breakfast soon which I unfortunately haven't gotten a chance to yet. Either way, can't say enough good things about this place and the people who own it.
(5)Bill W.
I'll start saying two things: (1) I hardly ever write reviews so the fact that I was compelled to do so today should tell you something and (2) I'm a Texas native so maybe I had unreasonable expectations for this "tex mex". Let's start w/ the latter. This is NOT Tex Mex. They were very nice people but I'd bet money that they don't really know what Tex Mex is. It was obvious to me immediately that it was just a marketing thing. Decor sucks but can't fault them for that. Times are tough. There's a random strip of garlic hanging next to door. Tex Mex is all about the red chilis. That was the first give away. Second was the fact that they didn't have crispy tacos. That's the stable of Tex Mex. Chips were cold. I don't expect for EVERYONE to make their own chips but atleast heat those bad boys up. Salsa was not very good in my opinion and they served it in the these stupid little mason jars. I get it. Mason jars is supposed to be a southern thing but you can't dip your chip in it, it's that small (see photo). Their menu sucks in my opinion. Not enough options and none of them really resembled anything Tex Mex to me. Once again, I'd bet money that they have never really lived down there at all. I ordered cheese enchiladas and they were OK but came out room temp. Dude handed me the plate instead of putting it down in front of me. Most people are like "careful, plate is hot". Nope, none of that. Warm enchiladas. Not hot. My wife and friends had some tacos and said they were "pretty good, nothing special". I wanted to like this place. I drove all the way from Ravenswood for it. Sadly I will not go again.
(1)Justin B.
I came in pretty high on Big State after my first visit in February. That was dashed today--quick-like, too--when my wife and I stopped by for lunch this afternoon. Service speed is still incredibly slow; today, I waited about 25 minutes for a shredded chicken, rice and bean burrito. No disrespect to Mexican cuisine, but how on Earth does it take 25 minutes to roll chicken into a tortilla? 25 freakin' minutes! I'm ok with the space being minimal (at best), and the prices here are generally cheap for the portion size. But the speed is terrible. But nothing was as terrible as the burrito itself (note: my wife got a torta and a rajas taco and finished eating before I got my food, so kitchen speed and style is getting worse!). The middle of the burrito was a significantly cooler temperature than either end of the taco, so I'll let you do the math on that one. The rice and beans on the side? Maybe the worst I've had in town, but I'll have to check my other reviews to be sure of that. And it was absolutely bathing in a terrible ranchera sauce (I don't know what "ranchera" is, to be honest), so everything was soaked. Straight bust today. Also, do NOT order the chips and salsa; $5 for this is a crazy bad ripoff. Tough day today; I really wanted Big State to do well, but for now, I'll work with the other 30+ taco stands within one mile of my Wicker Park home.
(2)Salil G.
The food quality is very good. Only reason it's not five star is that I ordered a three taco special and asked for a couple extra sauces and was told I could only get 3. Being stingy on sauce is definitely not something a new spot should be doing. If a customer asks for sauce give it to them! I really like the food. It's cooked fresh to order and is well seasoned. I've been here twice as it's just down the block from me and both the burritos and tacos are good. Tacos are single shelled and burritos are prepared properly with a pretty good tight roll. Don't bogart the sauce and I'd up this to five stars easy.
(4)Iman J.
I was in the neighborhood starving and truth be told wasn't in the mood for tacos. I pulled up Yelp to see what's in the area and convenient and nothing sounded good. It was one of those days... I saw all the recent and glowing reviews for Big State and said what the hell, I'll have some tacos. Boy am I glad I did! It's your typical, neighborhood fast food setup inside. No glitz, thousands were definitely not spent in the decor. Tables with mismatched seats, etc.... I don't care though, I came for the food. I'll sit on the floor if the food is good. So let's get to the main show. I decided to eat there and was immediately presented with chips and salsa. Yummy, salty tortilla chips. I ordered a panza, a pastor and an asada taco. A few minutes later, my 3 sexy tacos arrived. Looking good, lookin good. Now let's see how you all taste. Started off with the pastor... I'm immediately wondering how they'll stack up against other Chicago pastor's. Yep, they do, they might just be my favorite pastor tacos right now. Followed up by the panza and asada. The tortillas are made on the spot, the meat is quality, actually all the ingredients are quality, they don't skimp on meat, they get it all right. Diamond in the rough. 3 delicious tacos, some chips and salsa and a Mexican coke for under $10. Winner, winner, taco dinner.
(5)Benjamin F.
First time here, had free chips and salsa to start and the fish, carne asada, and al pastor tacos. Fish taco was excellent and the al pastor was very good. You can find better carne asada in Chicago, but it wasn't by any means bad. As far as I could tell however, the meat was cooked on the flat top and not flame grilled. House made tortillas helped keep everything together. Service was friendly. Overall, a good first visit and I'll be back to try some other stuff on the menu like the Sonoran dog and frijoles charros.
(4)Reuben H.
As of today after only my second visit here, I can say with certainty that The Big State has some of the best cheap Mexican food - specifically tacos - in the city. With Chicago having outstanding options all over town for tacos and other Mexican food, my statement may seem hyperbolic, but I promise this place delivers really delicious food. So far, I've stuck with the panza and al pastor orders and have walked away from devouring them at home really impressed. Which is kind of a problem considering I live only two blocks away, and each taco is priced at only $2.00... Each taco starts with a super fresh homemade tortilla (delicious and substantial on its own) before being piled high with what you order, with the addition of onions and cilantro and two kinds of salsa (salsa verde and a chipotle one). As mentioned my orders have been panza (marinated pork belly with caramelized onions) and al pastor (marinated pork shoulder with pineapple), but my wife adores the rajas con queso (roasted strips of poblano peppers covered with a crumbled white cheese), and thought the aguacate (avocado) option was pretty good too. Basically, Big State aren't a one trick pony, unless you mistakenly think all tacos are built and taste the same... in which case, I cannot consider you a friend of mine. Come here. Order a bunch of tacos. They will take a bit of time to get to you, but that's because everything is made to order. Enjoy the nice service, and come back again. The food will ensure your return.
(5)