Wicker Park's taco stop of choice has been jammed since it opened. Some come for the al pastor, some for the whiskey and shit-kickin' tunes. Don't be fooled by the fact that Big Star shares a name with a '70s power-pop band—the bartenders spin old, old-school hillbilly and outlaw stuff, tough tunes for tender meats. Though the mustaches here tend to be ironic.
Though Chicago sits well above the Mason-Dixon Line, our city has a legitimate claim as a country-music hub. After all, this is the birthplace of Bloodshot Records and alt-country music. Local musicians like Uncle Tupelo, the Handsome Family and Robbie Fulks put the outlaw back in country. You don't have to plan a weekend getaway to sip a Lone Star while listing to twangy ballads. Country is the barbecue of music—it's everywhere. So throw on your flannel and denim—we have a joint for all tastes, from Hank Williams to Taylor Swift.
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