Great food and drinks before a cubs game. We sat at the bar and took advantage of the $12 nacho deal - this was huge! Great amount of toppings too. I had a refreshing spicy margarita with a mezcal floater. We also split the Crunchwrap supreme with birria beef - this is a brilliant dish but would have liked if it came with salsa or sauce to dip it in. Service was so quick - food came out right away. read more

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The location is spot on, and I like the restaurant space itself but the menu is kind of basic, all of the food is way too salty, and overall we are disappointed. There are way better options in Lakeview than this. read more

Terrible food and drinks. We had several drinks that we were unable to drink. Nachos basic with salty queso. Staff behind the bar was okay, woman did the best with interaction. read more

We had a few hours to kill before we went to the Cubs game, and we all decided to check this place out. We ordered guacamole and salsa for everyone and ordered drinks. We had one server that took our drink order and our food order then halfway through we had another server to take care of us in the end. We sat there for over an hour and only interacted with our servers three times, and there were 5 other customers in the restaurant. My wife had to get up and go ask for refills, and we had to track her down to place our order. My Carne Asada rice bowl had a decent amount of steak, rice, and toppings. My wife's street tacos looked plentiful as well. The overall atmosphere appeared to be a cool place to sit, visit, and watch games on the TVs. read more

Big Star - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My son and I came here prior to a Cubs-Sox game. The place wasn't really packed and we were able to get a seat right away, with a reservation of course. I must say they handled the pre game crowd very well, unlike their neighbors next door. My son ordered their Chilaquiles Taco and Chorizo con Papa taco off their brunch menu. The chilaquiles taco was really good. It came with tortilla chips in Guajillo salsa, scrambled eggs, avocado and pickled red onion. So essentially, tortillas inside a tortilla. Not bad. The chorizo con papa was good as well. It came with chorizo verde, scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, salsa verde and white onion. I ordered their Carne Asada taco, Pescado taco and their Walking taco. These were all ok. Nothing too special and definitely not the worst. They used skirt steak for carne asada. The marinade was ok, but a bit chewy. Would have preferred a more tender bite. The Pescado was good as well but I have never been a big fan of tilapia. These taste better when cod or even catfish is used. The Walking Taco was surprisingly pretty good. I've never been a big fan of Fritos but they made this taste good. They served it with pinto beans dip, crema, cholula sauce, queso chihuahua, onions and cilantro. It also had a nice citrus flavor in it. Overall it's not a bad option for pregaming before a Cubs game. It's definitely not the best tacos in the city, so I'm not sure if I'd come here any other except for when coming to Cubs game. read more

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For a super causal place before a game, Big Star is a good place to visit. The restaurant is directly across the ballpark. The service is super quick and friendly. And the food is better than anything that you will get at the ballpark. Plus, the back side of this restaurant is a good place to request Uber to drop you off for a game. The food is simple- primarily an array of tacos and burritos. There are some unusual tacos that include tacos with brussel sprouts or the infamous Frito taco which I heard is a tik tock sensation. Beyond these tacos, you can get carne asada, panza, camarones, al pastor and veggie tostadas. Ok so what's with the Frito Taco? This is the first time I experience this- apparently, it has all ingredients of a taco in a Frito bag- so you get the crunch of Fritos and all the yummy ingredients of a taco- what a win win! As for drinks- Full bar! They do feature margaritas- but they are a bit weak- and if I am saying this- they must be really week. As for the vibe- the restaurant is yuppie hip- Great environment that is open to the outside. Great tunes being pipped out to the restaurant. Supper modern vibe with tables, booths, and a big bar. Plus, there is a second floor that mirrors the first floor that provides a view of the ballpark but unfortunately you cannot see into the park- bummer. The only negative things are the bathrooms- they are on the second floor (tons of steps) and shared with the next-door restaurant thus they can be super busy. read more

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The Brussels Sprouts tostada with the cheese on top tasted a bit salty for me. I ate the tostada by itself. It tasted crispy. I liked the fish tostada. The fish with the cabbage tasted crispy on the outside and soft in the inside. The service rated an A+. We did not have to wait long for our food. Big Star attracts a hip and young crowd. Big Star makes for a perfect place to hold a birthday, or even bachelor / bachelorette parties. read more

Big Star - Taco De Pescado (Fish) - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Right outside Wrigley Field, this is a great location for pre or post baseball. 2 floors, so a decent amount of seating. We were able to get in right away. Service was super quick and friendly. I got the quessabirria tacos and a margarita, the chips and queso were all great read more

Big Star - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I went to their Wrigley location to try their holiday honky tonk menu and it was pretty good. I tried the birria tacos, a little too salty for me but my friend enjoyed them. We also got the walking tacos, brisket tacos, and brownie skillet...delicious! Their holiday pop up is like a pink Christmas cowboy fusion which was pretty cool. We were seated immediately and service was great. read more

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We stopped in for a quick meal before heading to a Cubs game. We decided to get a few tacos and a burrito. The pork belly tacos and the fish tacos were out of this world good. My husband and son shared a steak burrito and they were raving about it. Our waitress was really helpful. The ambience is really cool. They set us upstairs and it was an open air concept. We could see right outside the Wrigley field stadium. read more

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We've been wanting to try this and finally stopped before one of the games. We had three hours to kill for the game started so we had an ample amount of time to grab a table, order some food and drinks, and relax a bit. We had one server come through and grab drinks and our orders, but barely noticed us after placing our orders. We had another server, deliver our food and asked if we need anything. We requested extra napkins and refills that went unrecognized for several minutes. I ended up having to get up and go find her to request those refills and extra napkins. The salsa and guacamole were very good, buy my street tacos weren't the best unfortunately. They were loaded meat and toppings but lacked flavor in my opinion. The Carne Asada was probably my favorite followed by Al Pastor then the pollo in that order. My oldest devoured his fried tilapia rice bowl. He originally thought it was small but was pleasantly surprised with the amount of rice included that filled him up. My son said his quesabirria was ok but like warm by the time they were served to him. read more

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Honky tonk themed bar and grill. It has a few locations, including this one in Wrigleyville. Big Star is a big place, with a few levels and enough space for large groups and craziness. Has tons of beers and bourbons to choose from. The food is inspired by Mexican street food like tacos and other stuff. Best thing about here is the big list of bourbons. It's known for having more than 20 House Barrel selections. They make good ass cocktails out of these. Also the food. It's okay but things get pricy. That goes for the drinks more than the food it seems. It's about $14 for the cheapest cocktails. Last time got the House Oaxacan Old Fashioned. This has Demerara, grapefruit, Lunazul Reposado, mole bitters, Nixta Elote, and Vecinos Mezcal. Good mixture of bitter and sweet flavors. We had to have food too. It's about $5 to get a taco, but because these are small, you have to get a few. We got the Lion's Mane Al Pastor Tacos. Basically the meat is replaced by mushrooms. These have cilantro, grilled pineapple, Lion's Mane mushrooms, onions, and salsa pastor. Crazy fact is this place has their own recording company. It's a result of the restaurant's soundtrack that's chosen by the staff. There's plenty of authentic inspired items including tacos and tostadas that are okay for vegans and vegetarians. read more

Big Star - House Oaxacan Old Fashioned And Lion's Mane Al Pastor Tacos - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We stopped into Big Star for a quick lunch before a Cubs game. The location is super convenient, right across from Wrigley, so we quickly popped over after grabbing a drink beforehand. For a game day, it was pretty easy to get a table for 4 of us (no wait). Service was super quick too, so we had plenty of time to enjoy our meal while still making it into the stadium for first pitch. Their menu is extensive, offering many choices for both meat- and non-meat eaters. I wasn't super hungry, so I opted for a walking taco - what a blast from the past!! I appreciated that it had the same feel as those from my childhood being served in a Fritos bag, but I loved that it was vegetarian with the inclusion of beans instead of beef. All the other standard toppings (cheese, onion, etc.) rounded out the meal. At $5, it probably is over-priced considering the ingredients, but then again, to feel full after just spending $5 is a win. My husband wanted a more substantial meal, going for the quesabirra tacos, which he enjoyed (although commented that they were quite greasy). Out dining partners (Chicagonians) also enjoyed their meals and spoke highly of Big Star as the perfect pre-game meal. We didn't have any drinks or sides, so I can't speak to that part of the experience. But, for the price, options, and locations, Big Star is a solid choice for those going to / just leaving Wrigley, and it was a solid stop for us out-of-towners! read more

Big Star - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My party of 5 (lol) headed over to Big Star after the cubs game. We were stewed pretty quickly, did not have to wait. We got a delicious assortment of tacos: carne asada, panza, camarones, al pastor, and veggie tostada. The tortillas are the best I've ever had: hearty and not flimsy. Drink: can't go wrong with a michelada. We were in and out in 35 minutes read more

Big Star - Taco De Panza (Pork Belly) - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

im overall surprised by the ratings and reviews as i have always enjoyed the food here every time i go. the quesibirria tacos are so good here with the consome. while this location is across wrigley and can be busy i have never had a bad/long waiting time to be seated. their upstair area is nice, especially when they open the windows for the summer read more

Big Star - Quesabirria - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I enjoyed my time here! We went to Wrigley Field right next door and were hungry afterwards and we got tons of tacos. Everything was good! Service was also super attentive and friendly. This place is huge since after games it must get super crowded. Great for groups and decent amount of stuff on the menu. My favourite tacos in the bunch were the braised beef tacos and the pork belly tacos (these were so juicy and flavourful!). I didn't get to try the fritos tacos but they did look super interesting (they come in the fritos bag). read more

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This is a great spot before a game or concert at Wrigley. I love that there is a lot of open air too. It's a fun environment. The family style tacos are unique and it's great you're able to order one instead of being stuck with multiple. Last time I was here, my brother ordered a burger and loved it! Our servers have always been fun and attentive. I have always enjoyed the margaritas that I've gotten at Big Star too. Their brunch menu looks good; so I do want to try that soon! read more

After my first disappointing experience ordering from Big Star, I ventured into the restaurant for the first time. Surprisingly they had numerous tables available on Cinco de Mayo / Cubs Game which may be an indication of the restaurant's reputation in the area. The tacos were much better this time around, the guacamole was also very good. The service seemed a little slow where we had to flag down the waiter to order more drinks but he was friendly enough. The seats were a little uncomfortable bench style seating. The upstairs seemed much quieter and might be worth sitting in if you want to escape from the Wrigleyville noisiness. Three stars- you can get an adequate meal and it's not a bad option if looking for something in the neighborhood. Not a place I would likely return to frequently but it's not a bad option. read more

Big star more like 10 STARS!! This is a gay paradise me and my partner got the best meal here this evening. The workers? Unmatched. The food? Unreal. The outdoor space? Out of this world. Pop in after the Cubs game to take your taste buds on an adventure of a lifetime. Thank me later, Darling *Sashays away* read more

Big Star - Sorry Darling I forgot to take a photo before I started eating. This is the Elote and rice and beans. - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was at a work event at a Chicago Cubs game on a rooftop and we came here for dinner afterwards. Such a fun place, especially on a game day. We had some good food. It came fast and they took good care of us. We started with Chips & Salsa: chipotle salsa and salsa verde and guacamole. Fresh chips, good guac, flavorful salsas. I had two types of tacos: Al Pastor and Shrimp - both were great. The sauce on the shrimp one was a bit spicy but not overwhelming. Good pineapple flavor on the Al Pastor. Al Pastor: (Pork) marinated pork shoulder, grilled pineapple, grilled onion, cilantro Camarones Fritos: (Shrimp) fried shrimp, avocado crema, corn pico de gallo, cilantro To drink, I had a Seattle Co. "Honey Crisp" Cider. Nice flavor. Refreshing. Overall a fun place, good food, good drinks. read more

We had wonderful service thanks to a team effort . The bar tender brought us drinks and the manager made sure we had water. read more

Big Star - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is my second time. The first time was on a weekday with no event. Service at the table was good. The second time was at the bar after the pride parade. The place wasn't crazy busy but couldn't get the bartender's attention. I ordered and paid right away, avoiding another long wait. In both experiences, tacos were good. read more

Big Star - 06.30.24 cool skateboard - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I never leave reviews on yelp but after how bad this was i have to. First off, got water when we first sat down, server didn't refill them even after we reminded her. The food was extremely mid and took forever to come out. We got in around 6:30pm, took 25 mins for us to even get somebody to order drinks, then another hour for us to get the check and be done with our dinner. $5 for a canned diet coke, $7 for a taco thats all beans, and just not a great experience. Avoid at all costs tbh read more

I was actually very impressed by this spicy margarita - very strong and not too sweet! And a quality salt rim too. This spot has a cool indoor outdoor feel and a great fun location right next to Wrigley Field. It was nice to sit inside on a hot day but still enjoy the ambiance of the outdoors. Also to note - they have matchbooks! read more

Big Star - Margarita - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Lunch special is great - 2 tacos and chips and salsa for $10. Great service. Spicy marg was delicious, will def do a pitcher next time!

Stepped in while killing time until Wrigley opened. Pretty run of the mill corporate vibe. The nachos were decent, but I would skip the added chicken, which was pretty disappointing. read more

Always walked past this place but never went in until this day because we were hungry + wanted a drink. We decided to share the nachos pictured (2 of us) which was a good choice. They were pretty tasty and I'd say generous. All of the ingredients tasted fresh which I appreciate. Our waiter was very friendly and had good service. The drinks were fine but didn't do much. The place itself is pretty big and could be great for large groups! read more

Big Star - Big Star Nachos (full size) - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very confrontational management. We chose not to spend our money there Saturday night after being aggressively approached by the manager who was seemingly just trying to cause a fight--escalating a non-issue into much more. Sad because the bartender and the rest of the staff were all very friendly. You're only as good as the people you promote into leadership. The manager clearly doesn't care about the place making a profit or his staff receiving tips. Skip this place until they figure it out. read more

I have been a big fan of Big Star in Wicker Park since the beginning, but didn't realize they had one in Wrigleyville too. A friend and I stopped in at the bar for a couple of tacos and a drink while out riding around on the Lime scooters. The bar wasn't too full, so we grabbed a seat there and ordered. Everyone who worked there was super friendly and talkative, definitely would be a great summer hangout to watch a game, drink, and eat. They have different drink specials depending on how the Cubs are doing in the game, which is fun and affordable. Onto the food- I had the papas con rajas taco (potato) and a pescado (fish) taco. Both were delish, although I wish they had put a little more sauce on the fish taco. I also wish you automatically got hot sauce for the tacos. The bartender brought me some chipotle hot sauce when I asked for it though, and it's really tasty. My friend had the panza (pork belly) and asada (steak) tacos. He was really happy with his food too. I tasted a piece of the pork belly and would be down to order that one in the future. I love that the whole restaurant is open with a nice summer breeze coming through. It is also two floors with good views of the area. Prices are reasonable for the area too. Worth checking out, especially on a nice day. read more

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3 stars is solely the price. $$$. Great service and decent food. There are a hundred taco places just N on Clark. Better tacos, better $. read more

Big Star - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Got the fish taco, el pastor. Fish was overly bettered and raw. Service was slow but friendly Could just be an off night, but this was my first time at the wrigleyville location read more

Big Star - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I take umbrage and personal offense with some of the low-star reviews on here. First of all, it was very easy to book an advanced reservation for this location. The staff was communicative, attentive, and super quick. Food arrived SO fast. I had allotted over 1.5 hrs prior to the game to dining here and we were in/out in under 45 minutes. Having been to other Big Star locations, I was expecting it to be busy and take a while. To reiterate, the food service was so fast! If I come back to the Wrigley area, this will be a top choice. read more

A 3 star rating is pretty accurate. Came for a date on a Sunday afternoon. Wasn't too busy. Got a marg and two tacos - shrimp and barbacoa. Drink was decently strong. Average tasting. Pretty pricey for the size and what you get, even for this area. Tacos were meh. Not much taste. The barbacoa came with beans which was unexpected as if didn't say beans were with it on the menu, at least not in English. And it's not an authentic Mexican spot so I'd expect it to be clear what the ingredients were. Expensive for what you get as well. We sat at the bar and service was friendly and quick. I'd come back if my friends wanted to grab a drink before a cubs game but otherwise wouldn't choose to come here with so many other bars in the area. read more

Big Star - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This will be short and not so sweet. Stopped in before a ballgame. Small, mediocre, overpriced tacos. The only reason for two stars is location. The only reason. read more

Big Star - Dried out El Pastor - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The patio is great in the evening when it's not too hot, and all out food came out super quickly! For food - we ordered the Loaded nachos, which were good but nothing to crazy. Huge portion, definitely need to share with a few friends. The Papas con Rajas (potato taco) came highly rated, surprisingly spicy. I would recommend trying, but not my favorite. The Pollo (chicken) and Al Pasto (pork) tacos were more to my taste. This would be great space for a large group. read more

Big Star - Big Star Nachos (full size) - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I stopped in for dinner at Big Star before a concert a The Metro and had an enjoyable meal. It's a pretty neat spot and to grab a meal, very chill. They have a big indoor space, with a HUGE 4-sided bar, and a decent outdoor space that can accommodate several tables. There are very large windows that provide plenty of natural light and it just has a relaxed, and semi-hipster, atmosphere (reinforced by the bartenders "DJing" a collection of immaculately kept LPs stored in protective plastic). I sat at the bar and the bartender was attentive and friendly. The food came out in relatively quick order as well! Starting with chips and salsa (very tasty) and moved on to the tacos. I had a selection of several tacos and topped it off with a Walking Taco (YUM to all!!!). Everything came out hot and fresh and I was definitely pleased. Overall, I enjoyed my meal very much and will return in the future more some more tacos! read more

I would be giving Big Star a 5 star rating but there was one major issue we had. We were seated on the patio on their wooden bench and all was good for the first 5 or so minutes. Then, we started seeing an ungodly amount of spiders crawling out of the wood and near us. In the span of 3-4 minutes we probably saw 8 or 9 spiders (one very large one too). We then moved to a table away from the woodwork, but we still saw spiders further inside the restaurant. It wasn't as many, so it was not as bad, but still not very nice. If this was any normal restaurant I would be giving it 3 stars just for that, but the food more than made up for our experience. I felt that everything we ordered tasted amazing! The walking taco is especially a must. The pricing was also relatively decent given the area it's in. read more

Big Star - The Walking Taco, and others that I don't remember - Beer Bar Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

For the price, this is the worst place for tacos in the city. $5-$7 tacos with about half the meat most places give you. And they didn't bother warming the tortillas. Even stellar fillings aren't going to save a cool, flaccid tortilla and these fillings weren't stellar at all. Service is fine, the patio is cool, but there's no reason whatsoever to eat here. El Burrito Mexicano, just a block away, runs circles around this place. One Off Hospitality should be ashamed. read more

I think I've been to this location upwards of 50+ times over the last four years. To be accurate, I think my average rating would be a 3.5 stars over the years- that's to say it's almost always a net-positive experience and the food is reliably fast and good. I don't think I've ever had a bad experience with the staff- they are consistently helpful and kind, even on the busy nights. Sometimes consistency with tacos can waver- but I think that's to be expected when operating at such a scale. I prefer the offerings of the wicker park spot, but the Wrigley location is our go-to. read more

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One thing I can always say about Big Star is that it will always be a clutch restaurant. Yes at times it can be a little more on the pricey side , the deliciousness of the food always makes up for it. Every location I go to hits the same as before. My favorite meal is usually the fish tacos. If you have never I suggest you go right now. read more