I have only been once, but totally loved it. It pretty much reminds me of slightly upscale icehouse, from the roll up doors to the nonexistent decor. Started off great by hearing Dolly Parton on the turntable as I walked up, next up was Dwight Yoakam. Food and drinks were all really good. The pork belly taco being the standout of what I had. 6 or seven drinks with food for two was under $50. It was a great way to spend a late afternoon.

Marquee wrote:I have only been once, but totally loved it. It pretty much reminds me of slightly upscale icehouse, from the roll up doors to the nonexistent decor.

Thank you for this description. It's exactly what I think. If Unhappy Hipsters extended beyond domestic settings to include restaurants, the Big Star space would make a fantastically ironic photo.

happy_stomach wrote:

Marquee wrote:I have only been once, but totally loved it. It pretty much reminds me of slightly upscale icehouse, from the roll up doors to the nonexistent decor.

Thank you for this description. It's exactly what I think. If Unhappy Hipsters extended beyond domestic settings to include restaurants, the Big Star space would make a fantastically ironic photo.

While hipsters definitely flock to Big Star, I don't see it being designed for them. It has a minimalistic quality that I don't see fitting in with their layers of torn (tight) jeans, plaids, bad hair, and large accessories.

I vaguely remember reading something early on in the design process that the owners wanted to create a blank slate, that would gain character as it aged, instead of manufacturing the character.

SSDD

headcase wrote:

happy_stomach wrote:

Marquee wrote:I have only been once, but totally loved it. It pretty much reminds me of slightly upscale icehouse, from the roll up doors to the nonexistent decor.

Thank you for this description. It's exactly what I think. If Unhappy Hipsters extended beyond domestic settings to include restaurants, the Big Star space would make a fantastically ironic photo.

While hipsters definitely flock to Big Star, I don't see it being designed for them. It has a minimalistic quality that I don't see fitting in with their layers of torn (tight) jeans, plaids, bad hair, and large accessories.

I vaguely remember reading something early on in the design process that the owners wanted to create a blank slate, that would gain character as it aged, instead of manufacturing the character.

SSDD

Yes, but they had to know, given Paul Kahan's other establishments and the Wicker Park location, who would flock to Big Star (target demographics, etc.). In that sense, I can't imagine early designs would entirely disregard the hipster aesthetic for which the mixing of high and low is essential (in this instance both within Minimalism itself and between the minimalism of this space and the high-end taqueria-bar function).

The crowds at Big Star may change over time, but I highly doubt it. Of course, the appearance of the space will change as far as hipster fashion evolves (i.e. what patrons are wearing), but I'm pretty sure that, even if the space did start as a blank slate (which I don't buy), its character has been more or less established by this point.

happy_stomach wrote:Yes, but they had to know, given Paul Kahan's other establishments and the Wicker Park location, who would flock to Big Star (target demographics, etc.).

As far as the location goes, I'll buy that. But as far as Kahan's other establishments, I've never really seen any of them as magnets for that crowd. I suppose that could just be me ignoring it.

The crowds at Big Star may change over time, but I highly doubt it. Of course, the appearance of the space will change as far as hipster fashion evolves (i.e. what patrons are wearing), but I'm pretty sure that, even if the space did start as a blank slate (which I don't buy), its character has been more or less established by this point.

We as long as it is a relatively cheap option in the neighborhood, that serves (shudder) cheap beer, the crowd really won't change until the neighborhood does; or the next big thing opens. Personally as long as I can show up at 5:30 or so, get a seat at the bar, and sample the whisky/tequila selection, I really don't care who is around me.


SSDD

But does Big Star allow hipster puppies on the patio?

Hellodali wrote:But does Big Star allow hipster puppies on the patio?

Hope not, one of the few things I like less this Hipsters are people that dress up animals.

SSDD

Hellodali wrote:But does Big Star allow hipster puppies on the patio?

Yep.

Ronna

This thing was aimed at hipsters and they are gobbling the concept and tiny overpriced/rated tacos up like lemmings. Blatz and dollar short pours of Shlitz with the gilded palace of sin or some other totally seminal country rock vinyl spinning 15 meters from the epicenter of gentrified yuppiness. Its a gimmick that from the looks of it is being purchased wholesale. That beer garden looks like a soft plaid zoo. Its forgiveable if they werent only offering tiny ass portions for full sized prices.

All this and no 24oz cans of High Life. If they played 12 golden country greats I would change my opinion from 'that place blows' to 'that place blowed except for that one time'.

NAV MAN says no.

NAV MAN wrote:This thing was aimed at hipsters and they are gobbling the concept and tiny overpriced/rated tacos up like lemmings. Blatz and dollar short pours of Shlitz with the gilded palace of sin or some other totally seminal country rock vinyl spinning 15 meters from the epicenter of gentrified yuppiness. Its a gimmick that from the looks of it is being purchased wholesale. That beer garden looks like a soft plaid zoo. Its forgiveable if they werent only offering tiny ass portions for full sized prices.

All this and no 24oz cans of High Life. If they played 12 golden country greats I would change my opinion from 'that place blows' to 'that place blowed except for that one time'.

NAV MAN says no.

You're just bitter because Kahan and Co. gobbled up your planned site for THUNDERCANS.

NAV MAN wrote:...with the gilded palace of sin or some other totally seminal country rock vinyl spinning 15 meters from the epicenter of gentrified yuppiness. Its a gimmick that from the looks of it is being purchased wholesale. That beer garden looks like a soft plaid zoo...If they played 12 golden country greats I would change my opinion from 'that place blows' to 'that place blowed except for that one time'.

I dunno man, the above portions of your post sound pretty hipster-ish to me ("the music is totally pedestrian, the whole concept is so played out and mainstream...if they played some deep cuts by <insert name of band that hopefully no one else has heard of>, then it might be slightly less sucky...")

Also, re. the prices, I don't get your beef: a tiny li'l taco at La Pasadita is two bucks (give or take a dime or two). A tiny li'l taco at Big Star is three bucks. Every time I've gone there, I've had 3 tacos, half a queso, and enough beers & whiskeys to induce slurring, and have never paid more than $40 per person. Heck, an evening of Miller Lite, Malört shots & tater tots at Harrigan's costs more than that. $40 apiece for 3-4 hours of eating & drinking at Big Star, that ain't not too bad. So it's not like Paul Kahan is turning people upside down & shaking them until all their money falls out.

NAV MAN -- Meet me at Alfredo's Bar with a bag of Pasadita asap. And don't look at this.

http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/yBJecZgm ... wXYNxQdqLA

(LA ironic "dive bar" overrun with hipsters has a genuine Old Style sign. The sincerest form of flattery.)

cilantro wrote:

NAV MAN wrote:

gleam wrote:Aside from the lamb (which was a dollar less and goat when they opened), all of the taco prices are the same as they've ever been.

The pastor is still $2, the pork belly is still $3, the fish and chicken tostadas are also still $3.

No, they were 1.80 at the beginning.

If only there was some way to check this....

They were never $1.80 unless it changed within 3 days of opening. Dunno what you're thinking of. Other Big Star prices have gone up, though: the mexican sodas are now $3 instead of $2, and the chelada/michelada have both gone up $1 each, I think.

While we're talking about taco stands raising their prices: Las Asadas has bumped their steak tacos up from $1.65 to $1.80, and La Pasadita has bumped the price of their steak burritos as well... rising cost of beef and all that.

What is going to need to be done to get a patio seat on 75 degree sunny Saturday afternoon?

Went with an out-of-town friend for lunch a couple weeks back and I enjoyed the place a lot. My houseguest and I both thought the flavor of the tacos compensated for the relatively up-market prices and somewhat small portions, the room wasn't packed and the bartender was casual and welcoming. I don't think I'd want to be there at peak hours, but for a light lunch on a chilly day, it was just what the doctor ordered.

I Do It Daily wrote:What is going to need to be done to get a patio seat on 75 degree sunny Saturday afternoon?

Well first it will actually have to get back to 75 degrees!

After that, I don't know, the weather wasn't good enough while the patio was open for me to really get a feel of how the crowd is going to go. But if it was me, and I wanted to sit outside, I would go shortly after opening.

SSDD

If they played 12 golden country greats

NAVMAN - is that a Ween reference by chance?

headcase wrote:

Hellodali wrote:But does Big Star allow hipster puppies on the patio?

Hope not, one of the few things I like less this Hipsters are people that dress up animals.

I think the site is a takeoff on Unhappy Hipsters

gleam wrote:While we're talking about taco stands raising their prices: Las Asadas has bumped their steak tacos up from $1.65 to $1.80, and La Pasadita has bumped the price of their steak burritos as well... rising cost of beef and all that.

Kick ass chivo and al pastor tacos for $2 each today at Tierra Caliente.

rmtraut wrote:

If they played 12 golden country greats

NAVMAN - is that a Ween reference by chance?

I would assume so!

I've been twice and both times I walked out amazed at how cheap my tab was. If it's stacked up against a typical taco joint it might be expensive, but for what it is and the quality of product, I have no problems with the price. That applies to the draft beer selection as well.

I really like the place and don't mind the demographic. Anyone who does mind the hipster hordes should probably stay away from that intersection/area in general, as it's impossible to avoid.

I Do It Daily wrote:What is going to need to be done to get a patio seat on 75 degree sunny Saturday afternoon?

I met up with some buddies two or three weeks ago on one of those Saturday nights when it was in the 60s. They got there at 5PM, put their name in for a table outside and settled up to the bar. We got our table outside at about 7PM. I imagine it'll take at least another hour on top of that once the summer kicks in. The good news is that once you get outside, most other tables are just enjoying the weather and having some drinks. There's absolutely no rushed feeling.

Finally got here yesterday, and I really like this place. Laid back, nice tequila selection, and schlitz on tap. We got a couple of the last seats at the bar around 4:30. Place was crowded, but not packed. I enjoyed a shot of mezcal(I had the bartender choose), and a big draft of Schlitz. I was kind of full from a previous stop @ Toons, but I really wanted to try at least a taco, and since I went to Tierra Caliente earlier for an al pastor taco, i figured i would do a kind of head to head comparision, authentic vs Big Stars version. Big Stars was a nice taco, nice meat, perfectly chopped, and some nice flavor, it just didnt have the character of the carniciera version I had earlier in the day. I believe other tacos ordered were pork belly, and another version, feedback was that they were ok.

Prices are good here, friendly staff, interesting decor, etc. I really can see going back for an extended visit to try some more tacos, whiskey, and tequila.








If it wasnt Mothers Day Id want to go back today.

the NAV MAN had a delicious lunch de pastor, queso fundido, and the NAV MANs words.

I made my second trip to Big Star last night with some ladies I work with. I ride past Big Star on my way to and from work each day and have found that until about 5:30pm there are plenty of seats to be had on the patio, but once 6:30 rolls around there is about a 30-40 minute wait for a sunny table.

We ordered the pitcher of margaritas inside, thinking it would be more of a deal, but I can't say that it was. There were three of us and from the whole pitcher we each got one full glass and a little top-off. For $30 we were probably better off getting independent $7 drinks. However, they were super strong, and I was quite buzzed, (dare I say drunk) after the one.

We got called for out outside table and ordered food and more drinks. I had the San Antonio Sling- I can't remember the ingredients due to my intoxication level, but it was delicious and grapefruity; strong, but not overly so. $5 for chips and guacamole is a steal here, IMO.
6 tacos, 3 drinks and chips and guac the bill came to $38. I love this place.

got a hankering for some mezcal, bourbon, and good tacos.

any ideas on how kid friendly Big Star is on a Sunday afternoon. When i was there a few weeks ago it was later in the day and I dont remember seeing any kids.

thanks

We were just there yesterday for the first time (awesome, btw -- totally blew me away). We had my 3-year old daughter who basically hoarded a big tin of chips, which kept her happy -- but, in general, I think it would be very kid-friendly. That said, we got there right when they opened at 11:30 a.m. and managed to get a booth for the three of us -- and there did not seem to be anyone waiting for tables. The weather was not as nice as it is right now, but I would think that between the large space both inside and outside, that you could find a table.

P.S. - Be sure to get the fish tostada.

After a few months, I thought I'd retry the tacos al pastor at Big Star. They're still not particularly good. This time just chewy, cubed pieces of underseasoned meat instead of the over carbonized crisps in the last batch. Fish tostada was better today though, and Big Star makes a good margarita (the "classic" - not the "Big Star margarita" with mezcal. Mezcal in a margarita is a terrible idea). The people-watching scene is top notch.

Kennyz wrote:After a few months, I thought I'd retry the tacos al pastor at Big Star. They're still not particularly good. This time just chewy, cubed pieces of underseasoned meat instead of the over carbonized crisps in the last batch. Fish tostada was better today though, and Big Star makes a good margarita (the "classic" - not the "Big Star margarita" with mezcal. Mezcal in a margarita is a terrible idea). The people-watching scene is top notch.

I'm with you Kenny. My last trip there was a lot of fun in spite of the uninspiring food. My favorite was the queso fundido, but its really hard to mess up chorizo and chihauha. On my way home I was having a wish I had eaten at Pasadita moment.

The best part was the cheap beer and shot combos, and all the hot hipster dudes and dudettes prancing around. For that, I'll be back.

Habibi wrote:

Kennyz wrote:After a few months, I thought I'd retry the tacos al pastor at Big Star. They're still not particularly good. This time just chewy, cubed pieces of underseasoned meat instead of the over carbonized crisps in the last batch. Fish tostada was better today though, and Big Star makes a good margarita (the "classic" - not the "Big Star margarita" with mezcal. Mezcal in a margarita is a terrible idea). The people-watching scene is top notch.

I'm with you Kenny. My last trip there was a lot of fun in spite of the uninspiring food. My favorite was the queso fundido, but its really hard to mess up chorizo and chihauha. On my way home I was having a wish I had eaten at Pasadita moment.

The best part was the cheap beer and shot combos, and all the hot hipster dudes and dudettes prancing around. For that, I'll be back.

Thirding this - I only eat from the takeout window now, but after three perfect visits with well-packaged and tasty foods [usual order is some combo of panza, rajas, pollo, agua], I rolled the dice on the pastor yesterday and it was far too sweet and rubbery to enjoy. Furthermore, the pork belly (usually great, or at least salty) was stringy and flavorless, and the dulce de leche shake had separated into grainy curds, not at all the genius product I've enjoyed since they opened. I'll give them a re-balancing period for the summer rush, but this last order sucked.