BigStar for the Pollo Tostada!!! But Do Not ask for "Substitutes!"

The awesome Pollo Tostada

the tacos. one is pastor with pineapple and the other is the pork belly taco covered in a butt load of cheese

aerial shot of pollo tostada. showin off the onion rings and pumpkin seeds

there it is, BigStar

to go window

my to go food at the to go benches

horchata (rice water)

liming up the tostadas for eating pleasure

EATING IT!!!

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BigStar for tacos and tostadas! 1531 N. Damen (Wicker Park)

BigStar is a taco spot in Wicker Park  is Monte-licious! I am really into the Pollo Tostada right now. The tacos are great, and you should definitely try em. But when ya go there ya gotta get the Pollo Tostadas!!! And the Horchata!

Let me explain: Pollo Tostada. The pollo tostada for me has become the thing to get at BigStar. Even though the place has been around for a while, I just discovered it. Anyway, the pollo tostada comes on a small, flat & crispy tortilla shell. I say small because it is smaller than yer standard taco shell. BigStar uses the appetizer size shells vs. the standard size shells yer used to seeing most everywhere else. Oh yeah, the food is tasty, but comes at a premium price. Back to the tostada… Atop the hard shell is stewed chicken. The chicken is so soft, tender and delicious! And smothered in a red mild sauce. Then the meat itself is smothered in a silky, sour cream and topped off with pumpkin seeds and extra crispy onion rings. Freakin Monte-licious!!!

The Pollo Tostada is a must have. As well as the Horchata. Which is dairy free!!! It’s made from almond milk vs. milk. So smooth, creamy, vanilla-eee, and cinnamon-eeee.

Big Star is usually packed, so take it to go. They have benches right by the take it to go window. So you can sit there, eat immediately, and not have to leave a tip.

I have a gripe with BigStar though. I went one Saturday at 2 p.m. (on January 7^th.) to the "to go" window and ordered the Pollo Tostadas like I have been doing. I ask em to leave off the raw onions and cilantro. No big deal. But this past Saturday, a woman with a crappy power trip was workin the window, and she said that leaving off the onions and cilantro was “No Substitutions” and they don’t do substitutes. I said I have been there 3 days in a row, ordered the same thing and it was never an issue. Then I let her know I wasn't asking for a substitute, but just do not add the two items. She said it again, "No substitutions!" Of course I left. Angrily. I had just been talking it up to a friend who had never been there, and this happens. I wasn’t asking for a substitute, which by definition is a replacement of something or someone. I was asking them to not add two items they just either throw on top, or not. Again, no big deal. A substitute would have been if I had asked her to replace the chicken for steak. Which really, substitutes should never be an issue in my opinion. But some places are super busy, and have a system, and if you mess with that system, you really bog the system down. I understand that. But to not add two items?! I am saving you time, money, and not asking for a "Substitute!" You can’t hire people with poor educations to work with the public. That is my gripe. Everyone else I have come into contact with that works there has been great!!