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Uncork, Unwind

4.9 (54 reviews)
Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM
Updated a few days ago

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Services - Uncork, Unwind

Venue rental

Uncork, Unwind Photos

UNCORK, UNWIND ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Intimate
Romantic
Classy
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Uncork, Unwind

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Reviews With Photos

Yes, we had a few wines
Laura P.

This place is so cute and cozy and I can't believe I hadn't been here before! We stopped in for the special on a glass of wine with a donation to the food pantry and we were going to Dotombori for dinner, but we wound up staying and eating. The owner, Heidi, was so welcoming and told us about how she came to open Uncork, Unwind and we had a really nice conversation. The food and wine were fantastic! We shared a German pretzel and a pinsa- the crust on the pinsa is so light and fluffy. I can't wait to try another one. We had a couple of standard wine glasses off the menu and also tried a couple of the featured wines . It's a cool concept that the part of the world changes monthly for the featured wines and then these are self-service, so you can try as many as you want for a small fee and then get either a small or large glass. I feel like we will be here at least monthly going forward!

This is outside Uncork Unwind and you can see Des Plaines theatre in the background.
Scotty ..

A hidden gem in the revival of downtown Des Plaines, we need more fun places like this in the area. A nice variety of wines to try and the small food portions available are delicious, try the crab cakes. Excellent service. Our next stop will be when they have live music, you may need a table reservation during such times.

Thank you Heidi and Staff for providing gluten free option for me!
Kelly R.

My sister had her shower here! Thanks to our good friend Naomi! I wanted to give Heidi and all her staff a huge shout out and thank you for providing safe food and drink for me. I have celiac disease and didn't think I would eat here today and was not concerned to because I live in the neighborhood or would have brought for myself. Thank you so much for your meticulous care! You provided an excellent and safe margarita pizza that tastes amazing. There is always risk of cross contamination in shared environments, but you were kind and inclusive and went out of your way. Even separating some gluten free cheeses too! Thank you! This place is so cute! We had a blast!

September Australian wine tasting
Morgan S.

I found the Australian wine tasting via Facebook events and decided it was the perfect event to try Uncork, Unwind for the first time. Heidi was extremely accommodating from the beginning when I was purchasing tickets. The sommelier that night, Kimberlee, was extremely insightful and gave helpful tasting notes to the group, provided facts about the small batch wine and checked in on our thoughts. The shop provided an intimate cozy feel for the evening. Only thing I'd change would be larger pours because the wine was so delicious!!

a glass of wine and a menu
Jeanna L.

My 3rd time here, and we celebrated a friend's birthday tonight. I can't rave about Uncork, Unwind enough. This time I need to share how fantastic the food is. Chef does a stellar job. Had the chicken quesadillas and freshly baked homemade chocolate chip cookies, and both were SO good. Service and wine selection, both whites and reds are excellent as always. Phenomenal establishment.

Hans' Pretzel and Charcuterie Board (left) Fromage Blanc (right)
Gabi W.

If you are looking for a local wine bar where you can choose your own wine experience, including pour amount and white or red varieties, then you have to visit Uncork, Unwind! Their wine options are not just limited to the four different whites (on the left side of the wine station) and four different reds (on the right side), you can also order from one of their many bottles too! They have themes based on the month, so why not go back every month to try something new. What is so fun about Uncork, Unwind's ambiance is the variety of different seating options. You can sit at the bar, high top tables, or even on couches. The food options that I was most drawn to were the charcuterie boards on the menu. I love the many different options and you really can't go wrong with any one you pick. We picked two, the Hans' Pretzel and Charcuterie Board and the Fromage Blanc, and both were absolutely delicious! I additionally can't speak more highly of the staff! Each staff member was very interactive. Our server helped me pick which charcuterie board option would be best for my friends and me. I definitely recommend stopping by Uncork, Unwind if you get the chance!

a bar with wine bottles and wine glasses
Chris S.

Great little gem I found on a Sunday afternoon. Host Heidi couldn't be nicer. A wide variety of Wines, every single one was spot on. Best bacon wrapped dates (with Asiago cheese) that I ever had. Tempted to drive by just to pick up another order. Charcuterie pretzel board had just enough for two l, yumm. They also do self purs per ounce visiting different wine regions (have not tried it yet). Space is cozy. Spacious yet intimate. Will definity be back.

Lounge / cozy bar area
Gabriella V.

My husband and I happened upon this place looking for a cute Sunday night place to grab light fare and drinks - sooo impressed! They have the e-system for tasting flights (winerator) and select regionally on a monthly basis so the wines tastings are up to date and don't get boring. Every tasting was great (both Red and White selections). We had the food which was all freshly prepared and very affordable. Well done - highly recommend for parties (we saw a larger group outing there) as well as intimate date night!

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3 years ago

This place is super cute and great service. Lots of options of wine. I would recommend for a quick date night!!

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Heidi S.

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

So above and beyond! This is the best spot in des plaines! Heidi is the best. Pinsa is sooo good!

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Page 2 of 2

Ask the Community - Uncork, Unwind

Review Highlights - Uncork, Unwind

If you want a nice date night out or a nice get together with friends I highly recommend Uncork and Unwind.

Mentioned in 11 reviews

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Patina Wine Bar - Lava cake dessert.  Was perfect

Patina Wine Bar

4.7(40 reviews)
3.7 mi

We've heard very good things about Patina and we're excited to try it tonight. As soon as we…read morewalked in the staff was very kind and attentive. We love the ambiance of the restaurant. It's very peaceful, romantic and a calm atmosphere. All of the food was delicious. The plating is so attractive! The dishes have great flavor but are healthier options. The portion sizes were perfect for what we desired. I'm not exaggerating when I say this was the best branzino I've ever had. The skin was crunchy and delicious. But the fish was not dry at all! There's nothing better than a juicy branzino fish and chef Jose nailed it! Matching with the sauce and beans was so much better than any other veggies or starch. The octopus was also cooked to perfection. The flavor and temperature was just right. Not too hot and such a great texture. We don't always order desserts but we had to see every course of the menu. We decided to go with a lava cake and it did not disappoint. It had that perfect contrast of hot and cold but it's served with gelato which gives it a nice touch of texture compared to standard ice cream. Chef Jose came out and introduced himself. We came in because we were enticed by a beef tartare that was on their menu in the past. We're hoping he brings it back on a special sometime soon. He said to give him a call and he'll try to accommodate whenever possible to make his customers happy. What an amazing restaurant. We cannot wait to come back and see what's new. Thank you for an amazing dinner and night!

Revisited after the full kitchen moved here from their other location. A superb experience! Our…read moreserver was incredibly attentive and friendly. The vibe here definitely meets a park ridge niche that nothing else does - intimate but elevated, a great date night place. Excellent cocktails and decent portions. Tuna tower was a fun app and we ordered lamb chops and a pasta for our mains. My only wish is that they had a slightly larger menu. I hope they add to it or do seasonal offerings because the selection is not too large and we pretty much maxed out what we'd be interested in trying in one visit. But they did it well and we enjoyed the Valentine's Day touched around the restaurant!

Photos
Patina Wine Bar - Nice interior.

Nice interior.

Patina Wine Bar - Beat salad! Great flavor mild sweetness!

Beat salad! Great flavor mild sweetness!

Patina Wine Bar - Unassuming front of a magical place

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Unassuming front of a magical place

Fire + Wine - Park Ridge - Black pepper shrimp

Fire + Wine - Park Ridge

4.5(74 reviews)
3.6 mi

This was our first time here, and we came to celebrate a birthday. We had noted it in the…read morereservation and also had a conversation about it with our server. We were a little surprised when nothing was done for it, which isn't a big deal, but I'll be honest it was disappointing since we did come specifically to celebrate and had talked about it w our server. 3/5 Arancini - Very salty. None of us really enjoyed them because of that. They also came out lukewarm instead of hot. Would have been excellent if it was less salty and came out hot and crispy. 5/5 Fig & Mushroom (subbed for prosciutto) - The menu doesn't specify how the fig is served. Turned out to be fig jam rather than fresh fig, which wasn't what we expected. A little too sweet for me but overall still very much enjoyed it. Their pizza was cooked perfectly with enough toppings and cheese. Very good pizza! 5/5 Braised Short Rib + Polenta - so good! The short rib was excellent, just slightly salty. The polenta was perfect, and it came with a generous portion of wild mushrooms. 2/5 White Wine Cake (recommended as "unique") by our server - This was the most disappointing meal item. Our waitress told us it was special, but it was very bland and didn't match the description or image on their website. Their website showed a cake with a large scoop of ice cream on top, fair amount of whipped cream and raspberry sauce. Ours came with maybe a quarter of the size of that ice cream scoop, a little teaspoon dollop of whipped cream that you eat in one bite and the raspberry sauce was a tiny smear on bottom for decor but there wasn't enough to actually eat it. The cake itself was moist but lacked flavor. It took a really long time to come out, we thought perhaps they forgot, then forgetting we were celebrating a birthday on top of that was disappointing. Atmosphere - Beautiful space, very well done. The only issue is how close the tables are, you can't pull your chair back without hitting someone, and getting to the bathroom requires asking others to move because of how tight the layout is. Overall, we really enjoyed it and would return. While there were a few dishes we wouldn't order again, and others we would. Would love to try the wild mushroom pizza next time! The only thing was that since we had come to celebrate a birthday and didn't end up doing that, the night felt a little less special than we had expected--but still a nice experience overall.

I'm glad I finally got to check this place out, as I've been curious about it for some time. This…read moreplace is swanky and sophisticated, and a nice addition to the Park Ridge restaurant scene. I came to meet some folks and we sat at the bar. They have an extensive beverage program here, including mocktails, and that's what I settled on. I got one called Strawberry-Basil something, and it was so good. The strawberry-basil shrub was a key ingredient, and I don't get to a lot of places that use a shrub in their drinks. There was definitely a STRONG vinegar taste but for me, that was great. I also ordered a pasta dish, orecchiette and sausage with peas and a sweet, creamy sauce. Orecchiette and sausage are such a classic combo and I hadn't had this sauce before; it was a pleasant dish and was perfectly al dente. Service was good for the bar area. There's parking around, both in the lot right outside and the public parking lot below. And then of course there's the lots by the library and whatnot, so you should be able to find something.

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Fire + Wine - Park Ridge - Inside

Inside

Fire + Wine - Park Ridge - Pork belly with polenta. Good, but too fatty.

Pork belly with polenta. Good, but too fatty.

Fire + Wine - Park Ridge - Outside

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Outside

Off the Wall Cafe - Loco Motive

Off the Wall Cafe

4.2(82 reviews)
3.6 mi
$

After multiple visits, the one question that comes to mind is: why isn't Off the Walk busier? They…read moretruly deserve all the business! I'm a sucker for a good coffee shop with fun flavored lattes. I'm also a sucker for cute atmospheres. So when you pair a great coffee shop with a board game cafe, how can you go wrong? Off the Wall is a cute storefront that is a branch off their establishment next door serving craft beer. I would often go to Off the Wall mid day throughout the week, and each time I go I'm shocked that it's not filled with remote workers and families. The staff are all pleasant and more than happy to provide recommendations if you feel stuck deciding what you want to order. With a variety of beverages, food, and even gluten free pastries (a win in my book!) you really can't go wrong with any choice. I always opted for coffee, and I really loved their specialty flavor this month featuring banana and caramel. The flavors aren't overpowering and aren't overly sweet, so for a coffee lover that actually likes the taste of coffee this is perfect. Their board game selection is vast and the interior of here is so cozy, I could stay for hours. Did I also mention they're wheelchair accessible? That's right - there's a wheelchair ramp and wide spacing to ensure everyone can enjoy their experience here. Can't wait to try their next fun coffee flavor!

Off the Wall Cafe is a tiny, low-ceilinged and dim-lightingish but definitely cozy neighborhood…read morebreakfast restaurant that can double as a coffee spot for catch-ups and get-togethers. It's intimate without a lot of privacy and they have excellent coffee creations (lots of lattes), super friendly staff, and a fun board-game vibe (featuring a wall sized bookcase of board games) that makes it easy to linger and relax. Their seasonal lattes, tasty pastries, breakfast sandwiches and welcoming atmosphere make it an easy place to hang out plus it's right across the train tracks from the Park Ridge Metra train station.

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Off the Wall Cafe - Interior

Interior

Off the Wall Cafe - Croissant, chai latte with oat milk, and lavilla with oat milk

Croissant, chai latte with oat milk, and lavilla with oat milk

Off the Wall Cafe - Inside

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Inside

The Log Cabin - 5 TVs wide across the bar.  Probably another 12 scattered indoors and outdoors.

The Log Cabin

4.3(95 reviews)
1.5 mi
$

Stopped at a Route 66 diner in Pontiac, IL for lunch, The Log Cabin. It was established in 1926…read moreand they are celebrating their 100th anniversary in May 2026. The Yelp reviews were mostly five stars, and it was touted to be a locals' favorite, so we decided to give it a try. We both chose the patty melt with a cup of vegetable soup. The soup sounded like an excellent choice on this cold cloudy day. The food, the service and the ambience were all wonderful. We finished off the meal sharing a slice of hot peach pie with vanilla bean ice cream. It was all fantastic.

Sports bar with good Polish food and the vibe of a tiki bar mixed with a pirate bar with multiple…read morebocce alleys out back. This place is a little slice of heaven. Established (as the wall told me) in 1936, I expected "Polish" to be in menu alone...and I was wrong. The gal behind the bar had an accent. Halfway through the Bears game, I started hearing folks concerning and cheering in Polish. I felt like I had slipped into a cool little club to which I would never have otherwise been invited. Loud (but not too loud) and boisterous. I read some other reviews talking about rude regulars: rubbish. Chicago is loud and direct. If you don't like that vibe, the shoulders in this city may just be a little too broad for you. The pierogi and the pyzy were great, both served with sour cream. The beers, while not draft, had a wide, Euro-leaning selection but still respected some local favorites (Old Style). Good food. Good folks. Confusingly brilliant ambiance. You're missing out if you skip The Log Cabin.

Photos
The Log Cabin
The Log Cabin - The Log Cabin. 346 Potter Rd, Des Plaines, IL . Cool!

The Log Cabin. 346 Potter Rd, Des Plaines, IL . Cool!

The Log Cabin - The Log Cabin.346 Potter Rd, Des Plaines, IL . Cool!

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The Log Cabin.346 Potter Rd, Des Plaines, IL . Cool!

Uncork, Unwind - wine_bars - Updated May 2026

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