Big Star

Big Star, Chicago: The Verdict

With 4,255 Google reviews averaging 4.4 stars and three consecutive years on the Opinionated About Dining Cheap Eats in North America list (ranked #458 in 2024 and climbing to recognition in 2023 before landing at #515 in 2025), Big Star is the kind of taco spot that earns its reputation on merit rather than hype. Under chef Julie Lupinski, this Wicker Park address at 1531 N Damen Ave has built a following large enough to make it one of the most-reviewed Mexican restaurants in Chicago. Book it when you want serious tacos without a serious bill.

What Big Star Does Well

Big Star's editorial angle is cuisine execution, and that's where it earns its OAD recognition. The kitchen operates in the tradition of direct Mexican street food, but the consistency across thousands of visits, reflected in that 4.4 average across over 4,000 reviews, tells you something about the technical floor here. This isn't fusion or reinterpretation: it's the kind of cooking where discipline in sourcing and repetition matters more than novelty. For Chicago's Mexican dining options, that places Big Star in a different register than a destination like Topolobampo, which operates at fine-dining price points with a more elaborate kitchen, or Cariño, which takes a more contemporary approach to the cuisine. Big Star sits confidently in the everyday-excellence tier, which for most occasions is exactly what you want.

If you're thinking about Mexican cooking at the highest level globally, venues like Pujol in Mexico City or Animalón in Valle de Guadalupe operate in an entirely different format and price bracket. Big Star doesn't compete in that category and doesn't try to. What it offers is consistent, well-executed tacos in a lively Wicker Park setting at a price point that makes it genuinely repeatable.

Who Should Book Big Star

Big Star works well for a casual date, a group meal with mixed budgets, or a post-afternoon-in-Wicker-Park dinner. It is not the right call if you want a quiet room for a significant anniversary dinner or a business meal where conversation matters more than food. The setting is informal, the energy leans loud especially on weekend evenings, and the experience is built around the food rather than the occasion. For a special-occasion dinner with stronger service depth, look elsewhere in Chicago's Mexican or broader dining scene. For a genuinely good meal without planning stress, this is one of the easier calls in the city.

Ratings and Recognition

• Google: 4.4 / 5 (4,255 reviews)
• Opinionated About Dining Cheap Eats in North America: Recommended (2023), #458 (2024), #515 (2025)

Booking and Practical Details

Big Star is one of the easier bookings in Chicago's restaurant scene. Given its OAD recognition and high review volume, weekend evenings will be the busiest windows, but this is not a months-out reservation situation. Booking: Walk-ins are likely feasible on weekday lunches; weekend dinner may benefit from checking ahead. Hours: Monday to Thursday 11:30 am–10 pm, Friday 11:30 am–11 pm, Saturday 11 am–11 pm, Sunday 11 am–10 pm. Address: 1531 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60622. Budget: OAD's Cheap Eats listing signals this is a genuinely affordable meal; expect a low per-head spend relative to the broader Chicago dining scene. Dress: Casual. No dress code expectations apply here.

How Big Star Fits Into Chicago's Wider Scene

If you're planning a broader Chicago trip and want to map out your dining across categories, see our full Chicago restaurants guide. For other Wicker Park and Chicago neighbourhood staples in the Mexican tradition, Birrieria Zaragoza and Chilam Balam offer different takes on the cuisine worth comparing. Dove's Luncheonette, which shares a similar neighbourhood energy, is a strong alternative if you want a different format. For a full picture of what Chicago offers beyond restaurants, explore our Chicago hotels guide, our Chicago bars guide, our Chicago wineries guide, and our Chicago experiences guide.

FAQs: Big Star Chicago

• What should I order at Big Star? Specific dishes aren't confirmed in our database, so we won't invent them. What the OAD Cheap Eats recognition and 4.4 Google average do confirm is that the taco program is the core of the kitchen's reputation. Order accordingly, and let the menu's lineup guide you rather than pre-planning around specific items.
• Can Big Star accommodate groups? The high Google review volume and casual format suggest Big Star handles groups reasonably well. Seat count isn't confirmed in our data, but the Wicker Park address and neighbourhood-restaurant positioning make it a plausible group dinner option. Contacting the venue directly ahead of a large booking is advisable.
• What should a first-timer know about Big Star? Go in expecting a casual, lively room rather than a formal sit-down experience. The OAD Cheap Eats ranking means the value-to-quality ratio is the point, not ceremony. Weekend evenings will be the loudest and busiest; if you want a more relaxed first visit, weekday lunch is a lower-pressure entry point.
• What are alternatives to Big Star in Chicago? Within Mexican cuisine, Topolobampo is the fine-dining option if budget is less of a concern. Birrieria Zaragoza and Chilam Balam sit in a comparable register with different regional focuses. Cariño is the call if you want something more contemporary. Outside Mexican cuisine entirely, Dove's Luncheonette shares a similar casual, neighbourhood-restaurant energy.
• Is lunch or dinner better at Big Star? Lunch, specifically on weekdays, is the lower-friction visit. Monday through Friday the kitchen opens at 11:30 am, Saturday and Sunday at 11 am. Dinner on Friday and Saturday nights will be busiest and loudest. If the food is your priority over the atmosphere, lunch gives you the same kitchen with a calmer room.