Uncork'd Wine Bar & Grill in McKinney is a locally-owned gathering place where community members can enjoy handcrafted cuisine, premium wine and signature cocktails in a welcoming atmosphere.

Uncork’d is the vision of owner Cassandra Hernández and her business partner Mike Baird. Baird and his wife were frequent guests of the last restaurant Hernández worked at and he noticed her passion for food and people and encouraged her to open her own restaurant.

“I'm the second of six children, and we did a lot of cooking at home,” Hernández said. “I always loved food and the community that it creates with family or friends.”

At the heart of the restaurant is its craft kitchen, where nearly everything is made from scratch. Hernández, her husband Agustín and the restaurant team take pride in using fresh, high-quality ingredients to create dishes that are both comforting and elevated.

Must-try menu items:

• The Texas-sized board: three meats and three cheeses served with grapes, olives, mixed nuts, crackers and raspberry habanero jam
• Fried cauliflower: served with house-made buffalo sauce and ranch
• Uncork’d burger: half-pound premium beef patty served on a brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, red onion and cheddar cheese
• Ruby Red salad: mixed greens, grilled chicken, fresh raspberries, fried avocado, croutons and raspberry vinaigrette
• Filet mignon: premium beef filet, herb butter, mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus

In addition to an extensive selection of wine and beer, the restaurant offers cocktails which are $1 off Tuesday-Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.

The cocktail menu features:

• McKinney Mint: Bacardi rum, sugar rim, fresh lime, simple syrup, muddled mint, club soda and pineapple
• Frisco Express: Absolut vanilla vodka, kahlua, espresso and butter pecan sippin’ cream
• Stonebridge Ranch Water: Casamigos blanco tequila, topo chico, fresh lime and simple tajin salt rim
• Uncork’d cocktail: Hendrick’s gin, fresh lime, simple syrup and muddled cucumber

Uncork’d Wine Bar & Grill fosters a true neighborhood feel with live music and events. Acoustic performances by local musicians fill the space every Friday and Saturday, while Thursday night karaoke has become a guest favorite.

“We have some wonderful musicians in the area, so a couple nights a week, on Fridays and Saturdays, we have live music,” Hernández said. “We've got a great mix of different artists. We have about 15 to 20 musicians that play here regularly, and we have a lot of fun. I think the guests enjoy that because they can come in for a great meal and enjoy some live music, but it’s close to home.”

As Uncork’d Wine Bar & Grill approaches its seven-year anniversary, its success highlights the impact of its strong connection to the community.

“The restaurant industry is a tough industry, but we've been here almost seven years and we're really proud of that,” Hernández said. “I think that speaks to what we do, and also our community’s support. They've been great.”

Uncork’d Wine Bar & Grill is located at 301 N. Custer Road, Ste. 180, McKinney. To explore its menu, wine offerings, career opportunities, and upcoming events, visit uncorkdwinebar.com.

The above story was produced by Multi Platform Journalist Mary Katherine Shapiro with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.