Three strikes you're out! That's right everyone, I gave them plenty of chances! Hosts do not seem to care that you're there searching for food and drinks. They act like you're an inconvenience for them. Waiters do not greet you and act like you're an inconvenience for them ONCE AGAIN! Did not get water twice. Asked 2 different servers for silverware and water. Got nothing in two different settings. That should give you enough to stay away. Once you drag down your waiter and place in your order your food comes in 2 seconds later. Makes you wonder if the food and kitchen staff are waiting to serve food quickly. Is the food fresh??? No. It's been sitting there all day because the servers don't know how to serve! By the way, the bar isn't even good. You can never get a frozen drink the machine is "down" and my Paloma was missing the main ingredient. Tells you a lot about this place. They don't care about their customers so you're better off going somewhere else on western Ave! Also the waitress or waiter will hand you the pay machine when you check out which is automatically marked 18% tip. They do not deserve 18% if they act like you are an inconvenience to their bills and can't even get you water. read more

The tacos are good but not great! It hits the spot if you are looking for an affordable and fun place to meet up with friends for tacos and margaritas. I don't appreciate the lack of booster seats for children! read more

Very friendly staff but every time I order food it is a bit disappointing. I got a salad with spinach and added chicken to it. The only chicken option was chicken tinga that was very greasy and was very oddly combined with the salad. Chicken tinga is great for tacos and burritos but when you add it to salads it makes it super soggy and unappetizing. I ate only half of it and did not even want to take the rest home because it would not last. The only item that I eat on the menu is chips and guac but it's hard to be ruined. On a brighter side, drinks are very good - margarita pitchers are very strong and have a good kick to it. read more

I have gotten a number of recommendations for this place and so I finally decided to stop in this past Sunday. My ultimate goal was to make it home for the Oscars, so that meant a takeout order. Process: There's a smaller section adjacent to the restaurant that you place your order. Order on one side, receive the electronic device and wait. It was a short line so I waited there. Wait time was about 10 mins The young ladies there were nice and had great customer service. Food: I ordered the pork belly and steak tacos, chips and salsa and an Horchata. The tacos are small. So I could easily see someone who is really hungry ordering 3 unless you have other food to supplement. I'm not the biggest fan of corn tortillas (I prefer flour) but these work for the choice of meat. Pork Belly, I thought was just ok. The steak however was more magical and left me wishing I had gotten two of them. Chips and Salsa ! Good and good Horchata... I've had better. Though I only enjoyed the pleasure of the outside cafe this is nice restaurant in the area if you want a good sit down place that serves tacos and some Mexican inspired dishes. Perhaps for the visiting relatives or a business meeting. But if you want some good down home tacos and Mexican food, I would look to one of the mom and pop places. read more

Big Star - Two tacos to go. (Left) Pork Belly and (Right) Steak - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Big Star is a great bar in the Wicker Park area! There is lots of outdoor seating which is great for big groups. It definitely gets busy at peak times so you can expect a wait then. The margarita pitchers are a crowd-pleaser, and service has always been great as well. read more

This is absolutely my new favorite taco joint in Chicago. Absolutely! The atmosphere alone would be something you'd want to come back for but the drinks and margaritas are absolutely superb! We surveyed the crowd to see what everyone was getting and decided on the pitcher of the classic margarita (def trying the spicy next time) and oh my goodness best. margarita. ever. seriously. We also got the chips & guac!! the salsas were absolute fire and the guac pretty good too!! The tacos were absolutely amazing!! We got two chicken and two carne asada... we will definitely be back for more don't worry!! Definitely better atmosphere than the one in Wrigley! I would absolutely recommend this place!! read more

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Just ok 10 years ago given the prices, not worth it anymore a few years ago given the price increase, just a joke now after the new price increase. Premixed margarita and questionnable food is not ok at that price. Another place I put a cross on. read more

Not worth it, awful reserve tacos are nothing special. Be the the "outsider" and let people know big star is just the worse! you'll be surprised at how many people will agree with you! Considering how this place is crawling with a bunch of "kids" . read more

Okay so the wait was literally 2 hours long hahaha but honestly worth it? We ate chips and guac while we waited. It also came with salsa verde which was delicious, so once the guac was gone we finished the chips with that. I got the Yuba tofu taco and the taco al pastor. The Yuba was MY FAVORITE!!!!! Sooo yummy, and very unique. I like it when restaurants have a fully vegan option as well. Compared to other taco places, the tacos here were much more full - they really load the filling up, which is amazing. Will definitely come back, but hopefully can make a reservation next time haha. Also, be wary that there isn't anyplace to wait, and it's super loud inside. That being said, the atmosphere is super fun for a night out with friends, just not really a place to go with parents. read more

Absolute garbage bartender wouldn't serve our friend because he "stared at the menu" too long

Food was a** for 6 dollars a taco the worst one was the al pastor taco the pineapple messed the taco up and the Barbacoa was so tough felt like i bit the cow myself. Only reason I'm giving a 3 was because of the server he was nice. Its really just a place to bring your dog for the vibes not the food. Oh yeah and they don't have steak so that sucked read more

Great atmosphere. Definitely a scene. We sat at the bar. Very crowded for a weekday lunch. Gourmet small tapas style tacos. Upscale and somewhat Spicey. Lots of millennials yuppies locals us tourists etc. Bartender was nice but busy. Bathrooms were fine. It reminded me of the village in NYC. also lots of college kids there as well. They card everyone. read more

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Tacos are tasty and decent size. The guacamole was fresh and tasty although it could have used a bit more onion and cilantro. The place was teaming with people and great for watching the world. Chips were plentiful and fed 4 with one order. Both rojo and salsa verde sauces were great. Not too spicy. Tasty place to have a taco or 5. read more

Okay, so here's the thing. Some people will say these are the best tacos in Chicago and really hype this place up. They're wrong. Here, you're paying for the atmosphere, the vibe of Wicker Park and layout of the restaurant. The food is definitely good, I would go back, but it isn't the best Mexican food you can find in the area and definitely not the city. That being said, the queso fundido is bomb and the tacos are good! Worth a visit for sure, but it's more hipster than anything else. read more

Big Star - Queso fundido - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came here on a recommendation from a waiter at Piece Brewery. A fun, large covered patio greets you. We got seated outside and it's a great atmosphere. We came for drinks before we hopped on the train downtown but got a pitcher of margaritas and the queso fundido. Both were excellent. The fundido was served with warm tortillas and it was unexpected but the best way to eat it. read more

It was fine, not sure what the hubbub is all about. Would not say no to a friend if it came up again but won't rush back. I miss the Pontiac. read more

5 stars for the food, but 2 stars for the staff. The food is amazing, hands down. We've been here multiple times and ate our way through the menu, top to bottom, back and forth and it's consistently great. My personal favorite is the fish taco, it's sooooo good, and they serve a big chunk of fish! However, the staff seems the be constantly in a weird mood. Maybe I'm just having bad luck, but every time we've been here we had a strange encounter. The last time around, our waitress would simply not show up. We would have to ask other waiters if they could take our order, or if they could bring us the check. They would then tell our waitress who was just casually hanging out at the bar making goggly eyes to another waiter. But clearly not doing her job. Another time someone mentioned that the tacos come with cilantro and I should order them that way, and not have it removed. What an odd thing to say: half the tacos come with cilantro and you can't expect everyone to like it. I also don't think that cilantro will be the game changer of the dish: either the taco is good, or it's not. But if you add cilantro to my taco then it will be a bad taco for me, guaranteed. read more

Big Star - Mushroom tostada - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Big star! The menu was simple and to the piont. I enjoyed the 21 and up check in the front. The two reasons it's not 5 stars are personal reasons 1) too crowded not just people but the seating 2) crowdedness cause slow service and time wait Other than that.. the crowds didn't affect the actually waiters attitude or the food quality. Got our drinks in no time. Food was fresh and abundant when on the plate. Size was right between finger food and appetizers. Great prices for different tacos and drinks got seven tacos and three drinks for about 50 bucks. read more

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Oh, Big Star, you are definitely a FIVE star! We were recommended to come here for amazing tacos by locals that we met during the solar eclipse event. This was by far one of the best recommendations! Visiting from New York, we always get a variety of food, but Big Star is something else. It is a family style taco spot where you can choose any of their unique tacos. We ended up getting the following tacos: - Taco De Panza- this wasn't a bad combo, braised pork belly with tomato guajillo sauce. - Taco Al Pastor- the grilled pineapple goes well with the marinated roasted pork shoulder. - Taco De Pescado- Delicious beer battered tilapia fillet. You can taste every inch of crispiness! We got three rounds of this! - Taco De Chorizo Discada- my husband said this was his least favorite. - Taco Alambre De Res- grilled steak- how could you go wrong? so gooood! My husband also ordered a beer (lone star) and a drink. I can't remember the names of either or, but he absolutely loved both! Overall, great and friendly staff and the food is banging! There's no doubt we will be back! Note: they check ID when you enter the premises. Have them out ready! The guy was nice enough to let me in since I didn't have mine. read more

Big Star - Tacos on tacos - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love the atmosphere, it has a cute outdoor seating area as well as an open indoor dining area. I absolutely loved their fish taco, it was perfection! Crispy and flavorful. We also ordered the pork belly taco and pretty much all their beef tacos, which we loved. read more

This place is always packed on a nice day, which always shows that a resturant either has good drinks or great food. The staff is super nice and friendly and has a great turn around time if you want to get in and out. Sitting at the bar we ordered a beer and a few tacos for a snack. The fish tacos were delicious! More than the other 3 we had. Overall though it was alittle underwhelming for all of the hype I've heard around this place. read more

Big Star - Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped in on a whim and so glad we did! Great fun atmosphere, with amazing service! Food order is instantly placed by your server and arrives within minutes! It's mid February so the glass doors are obviously closed but I can't wait for summer when tables and chairs and doors open up to let the summer breezes in! Time to eat! Chow! read more

Big Star - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have ate here in person and the tacos here are great, but I am giving it three stars because the first time I ordered take out from them they didn't give any napkins or silverware and majority of our order were walking tacos, not really finger food. Also I did not receive one of the things I ordered. read more

The line to if you want a table at Big Star is usually pretty long but it's worth the wait. I'd say, if you have the time, put your name down and just go to the bar area or walk around and check out the rest for the restaurants and bars around the area until your number comes up. The food is great, I liked the fish and potato tacos particularly so make sure to try those. The place is dog friendly too! read more

Big Star - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A guest review from my high school Prom Queen and new Wicker Park resident, Molly: "Just moved to Wicker Park and WOW! I used to live in Lincoln Park where me and my girls used to hang on the reg but after I heard an AD from Ogilvy talk about how up & coming Wicker Park I knew we had 2 move! My bf Todd and I walked our two purebred husky/malamute crossbreeds over from our recently rehabbed single family home a couple of blocks away and we were just BLOWN AWAY at how cute it was! They had these colorful little menus and margarita pitchers with a big wooden spoon in them, like, that is TOTES adorbsies! I'll def be repinning that on my home inspo board. I can. not. WAIT. to bring my gals here for happy hour after a long day pitching athleisure influencers on sponsorships! Christine is straight up gonna lose her marbleS! The tacos were 2-die-4, i could've eaten at least two, maybe even three of them but Todd knows when to cut me off... I can't gain back my sorority weight lol! I did smell the walking taco as it *walked* past me ato another table and it smelled like heaven in a tiny little Frito bag - so cutie! Everyone was so so sooooo nice. We got a seat on the patio no prob, unlike other reviews i have read, and everyone was like, totally respectful of our space. I guess that's why it's good to go when it's raining! Todd started talking to some guys he knows from his intermural kickball league but the server gave me these fun little puzzles they put on the inside of the beer caps to play with while he was busy. I only got a couple of them right but they are HARD! Still fun tho lol. Annnnywaze, all in all it was a great experience and they even let Bryhann and Kaehlynn (our husky/mals) sit on the patio with us! Next time we go back I want to try a chip." read more

I finally had the chance to check out this little sweet spot! This is located right in Wicker Park surrounded by other unique shops, treats, and scenery! I think the combo of good food, delish coffee, and books will always keep me coming back to Wicker Park. Environment - I think I am beyond the point of looking like a fool when I go out to eat alone lol but seems like this is a common thing at Big Star. A lot of local people just order food from the carry out window and take a seat in the outdoor sitting area. You are surrounded by the locals, children, and dogs! This was a fun place to people watch! I can not wait to return here with family! Food - I am all about fish tacos! TACOS are life..fish tacos add to it! I had the Taco de Pescado. Which is a tilapia fillet, chipotle mayo, cabbage, red onion, and cilantro! This was delish..the fillet was the perfect size! I also had the Walking Taco (this reminded me of grade school...nostalgia kicked in all the meanwhile!) This has corn chips, spicy pinto beans dip, tamazula salsa, crema, queso chihuahua, onion, cilantro all mixed into a Frito bag! I paired this with mandrain Jarritos! This was a quick meal which was on point! read more

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Big star was taking good covid precautions and I felt very safe eating outside. I usually get the tacos but I wanted to try something new and got the salad. Definitely will stick to the tacos! Salad was nothing special at all. read more

Big Star - Salad with fish - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My wife snd I are major fans of other restaurants in the One Off Hospitality Group. In fact, we've eaten at Avec, Publican, and Blackbird multiple times in the last 4-5 weeks. So, we had high hopes for our first visit to Big Star after a fun concert at The Riv. Unfortunately, the bad service from the blond girl bartender with an attitude and the absolutely horrible horchata (which I drink regularly at Mexican restaurants throughout the city) really soured our experience. The chips/salsa, fish taco, and al pastor taco were decent, but there are too many other options around the city to waste our time with coming back -- only to have lousy service. I used to work at restaurants and this is the first time I've not tipped a waitress/waiter in 30+ years. No one from the wait staff checked on me or my wife throughout our entire meal -- even though our waitress was literally making drinks right in front of us at the bar. Horrible!!! read more

Big Star - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We came here for a fun Saturday dinner with some pals and after a ~40 min wait (ordered some margs at the bar ‍) got seated outside. The margaritas were strong n yummy. We were a party of 5 but seated at a table of four, so we were quite squished and were very rushed to order. However, the company was great. The food came promptly (within 15 min) which took us off guard, and was delivered in a rushed manner. Very good tho!!!!! I'd say overall good night! read more

Wow has Big Star gone down the drain. The food was delicious as usual but the service is completely nonexistent. We got seated and when the waitress came over she looked affronted that we had been seated in her section. I ordered chips and salsa and a margarita and she looked so confused that I was ordering from her. Chips and salsa were delivered by another girl. As was the margarita. We wait for her to come by so we can order food but she just would walk around staring at her phone. I stared at her and nothing. Finally someone else got seated next to us and she came by to check on us. No, how's your drink or ready to order. I told her I was ready to order and she looked confused that I wanted to order something from her. Her, the waitress in a restaurant where you order food at the table and not at a counter. I order and food is delivered by someone else. She never comes back to check on the meal or ask if everything was alright. Nothing. I finish my meal and my drink and start looking for the waitress to come back so I can get my check. She avoids eye contact with me whenever she walks around. Finally someone else - maybe a manager - comes by and notices our table has been cleared and asks if need anything. She delivers the check, not the waitress. I'd write down the name of the waitress but she never introduced herself. And I would've said something if she had ever showed up. I used to love Big Star but I'm not going to spend money on a meal if the service isn't there. I can get good tacos anywhere. I used to come for the atmosphere and the overall experience. So unfortunately I can't recommend this place. Go somewhere else. It's Wicker Park - there's food everywhere you look. read more

This place has good food. We catered food for 25 this weekend and were not disappointed. Portion size was perfect and our guests really enjoyed everything. The carne asada and hongos tacos were a hit. The chafing dishes I purchased were perfect. All the toppings came clearly labeled ( I ended up transferring everything into my own owls as I wanted everything iv to look more upscale). I wish I had asked how to keep the actually tortillas warm as they weren't the greatest. I spent about 900 to feed 25 people which was pricy for such a casual meal but all in all ended up being worth it for the ease of it all and the food was solidly good. If money not an issue, I'd recommend big star for catering a casual party read more

Oh big star. Sometimes you are super fun. And you know, have great tacos. But today , alas, the blondish girl bartender was in a dark place I think. Dark , dark , dark , dark place. She absolutely would not look our way as much as we shouted. And hey, we shouted. Just to order food . So let it be known, the service , kinda erratic. I know it can stink being on the other side of the bar, but don't agree to it then, ok? Ok. So consider yourself warned and stuff. Ok we went back and Blerg. Ceviche special had no lime and was raw. The waitress got our order wrong - gave us chicken tacos when we ordered fish. The sound, whoa, was really bad. Speakers were terrible. Are they new? Cuz sheesh , they stink. Very muddled sound, caustic and unnerving. Not sure what happened here. Sorry big star. Frowny face. read more

The tacos at this place are so good and the drinks are even better! The drinks are strong and decently priced. I liked the steak taco way better than the chicken. The little bite of a friend's fish taco that I had seemed good too. The highlight of the show is their homemade hot sauce, that stuff is so good and spicy! Def a must for whenever I am in Chicago. read more

Big Star - Steak taco and hot sauce - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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After getting dinner somewhere else in the area, we were still feeling a little hungry, so we decided to stop by Big Star to grab a quick snack. There is a dine-in option, and to-go place. Since we were just grabbing a snack we just got it to-go. Not so smart since it was drizzling, and the outdoor seating has no cover. At least there was no line. Meanwhile, the in-door area looked pretty packed. We got two tacos. They are $4 each, which is quite pricey for how small they were. However, they were of good quality. I really enjoyed the Taco de Pescado, as the flavors were great, and I felt like all the toppings balanced together. The one drawback was that the actual fish was a little soggy, and didn't have that hot crispiness that I so love in a fish taco. But I would get it again. On the other hand, The Taco de Panza was underwhelming. There was just way too much meat, and the meat was pretty dry. Overall I need to come back and try some of their other options to really make a decision whether I like this place or not. read more

Big Star - Taco de Pescado and Taco de Panza - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

You've probably seen this place before in videos, pictures, and just walking around wicker area because it's super famous. I am a taco lover, and I was disappointed with the cost/taste of these tacos. Sure it's super cute inside, and nice to bring friends if you wanna drink or get trashed, but DONT expect amazing tacos. I had the walking taco which was actually really good considering it was vegetarian and I am a huge carnivore haha. It was something different to try. I was sad because they did not have steak tacos :/ instead I got the chicken (plain/basic) and the al pastor (hate pineapples in savory dishes). Shots are cheaper than what you would normally find in the city, and we did get the pitcher of margaritas which was fun to get tipsy on! Overall super average. read more

Honestly, this place is mainly popular for the atmosphere and location. Food and drinks are okay but not worth the price AND if you want to sit outside, good luck. I waited over 1.5 hours for a 2 seater BUT if you're willing to wait...order the queso fundido :) - Food (3.5/5 stars) - Atmosphere (5/5 stars) - Accommodations/wait (3/5 stars) read more

SO DISAPPOINTED. We waited so long and they messed up our order. Was really excited to try this place considering they are always packed and the patio looks fun. There was an hour wait on a Monday so we decided to just order five different tacos to go. They ended up giving us completely wrong tacos and missing one. Really wanted to try the pescado and the barbacoa but didn't get them. The ones we had (I think al pastor and panza) were mediocre and the salsa was very bland. Very sad. read more

Big Star used to be one of my favorite stops in Chicago. The last couple of visits had the same problem -- good food, affected service, and a general "better than you" vibe, and as if seating is highly curated to avoid uncool parties being near the front. Still, was looking forward to another try. Unfortunately, they have somehow decided to implement an absurd policy that they check IDs to enter the restaurant. To eat dinner you're required to show IDs, and when I had forgotten mine at the hotel after a long day of traveling, the bouncer ignorantly refused my girlfriend and I entry. We're both obviously over 35, and this guy was an egotistical doorman, not the police, so he could have used his discretion. This is also to eat dinner at 8PM on a Wednesday. Management needs to fix this policy and work on customer service. read more

Been to Big Star probably 50x in the last 8 years but I took my boyfriend for his first time last night and we had a great time. I thought a review might help anyone else during covid and especially on a FREEZING night. The tented area that was once their outdoor patio is perfectly warm, you don't need a coat. They keep tables at least 6" apart and not a lot of groups next to each other. You can also sit inside at their booths but it was nice pretending we were on the patio :) we had the Big Star margarita pitcher, chips with salsa and guac, queso fundito, pastor and pescado tacos - all delicious as usual! Highly recommend if you haven't checked out their winter set up yet. read more

Did you know that Al Pastor is not pronounced like you are saying the pastor from my church? We did but it didnt stop me from calling it the pastor over and over and over and over. Celia was going to attempt to stab me in the neck with a tortilla chip but it unfortunately broke and didnt penetrate the jugular vein so she is stuck with me until her next attempt. We recommend the agua fresca and the my dad's friend Al the Pastor tacos. They also have good chippies read more