An old DFW favorite is making a comeback in McKinney: Tin Star, now Tin Star Tacos & Tequila, has re-emerged, bringing nostalgic favorites, fresh recipes, and its new aesthetic to 8801 El Dorado Pkwy., Ste. 100, former home to Maple Street Biscuit Company, which closed in 2025.

The reboot, as anticipated, resurrects best-sellers from the original 1999 menu, including the iconic Cheeseburger Taco, along with new takes on Tex-Mex plus weekend brunches, according to a press release.

Years before Torchy’s, Revolver, Velvet Taco and other concepts creating colorful and over-the-top tacos entered the market, Tin Star was trailblazing Dallas' gourmet-taco scene.

Leading the Tin Star revival is Tin Star co-founder and CEO of Reach Hospitality Rich Hicks and operating partner Aaron White, whose resume includes Nick & Sam's and Mooyah Burgers. White was the first franchisee when Hicks co-founded Mooyah in the 2000s.

Hicks has enlisted Tin Star alum Ruben Velazquez to help restore some of the original recipes. “For its return, Tin Star's menu leans proudly into its roots, delivering the unexpected flavor combinations and playful culinary creativity that made the brand a North Texas favorite,” says the release.

Other items making a return to the Tin Star menu include:

• OG #9 — a savory-sweet combination of grilled chicken, red onion-jalapeño marmalade, crispy sweet potato straws, and melted Jack cheese
• Cowboy Kimchi Taco — layers of tender pork and grilled onions with cool crema fresca in a house-made corn tortilla
• Portabella Taco — a combination of earthy portabella mushrooms, roasted corn, crema fresca, crispy sweet potato straws, and pesto, all tucked into a house-made corn tortilla

New standouts include:

• The Maverick — seared ribeye, creamy avocado, caramelized onions and salsa verde wrapped in a golden, cheese-crusted flour tortilla
• Salmon BLT Taco — a lighter but equally indulgent combination of grilled salmon, smoky bacon, fresh pico de gallo, and chipotle sauce served in a crisp lettuce cup

For “the more, the spicier, the better” set, guests may help themselves to Tin Star's popular salsa bar. And for those who favored the cheeseburger above all, Tin Star 2.0 offers an even more indulgent Steakhouse Burger Taco, piled with smoky bacon and crisp fried onions.

Both burger- and steak-centric tacos are served with fries "because some classics are simply too good to reinvent,” the release notes.

Mouths aflame from all that spice can cool off with one of eight signature frozen cocktails. Overheated eaters might opt for the Star Rita over the Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita, or there's the Prickly Pear Paloma, Espresso Martini, Old Fashioned, or Frosé. They are all $6 before 6 pm weekdays. As the updated restaurant name implies, an array of tequilas also is available to quell the pain.

Weekend brunches — Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am-3 pm — feature $5 mimosas and five signature breakfast tacos including La Reina, a hearty combination of fluffy eggs, fajita steak, rich demi-glaze potatoes, and melted Jack cheese and The Waffle, a sweet-and-savory creation featuring crispy chicken tenders, a sunny-side-up egg, jalapeño gravy, and maple syrup, all wrapped in a waffle-batter-pressed flour tortilla.

Tin Star Tacos & Tequila features updated murals, signage, menus, and uniforms and includes a full bar, "an architectural surprise for a fast-casual concept," according to the release, "with a striking limestone wall, warm woodgrain bar top, plush stools, and custom purse hooks fashioned from railroad ties.”

McKinney marks but the first chapter of the Tin Star return, according to the release. A second location is slated to open in late February 2027 at The Mix, a 112-acre development in Frisco touted as a hub of upscale retail, dining, office, hotel, and residential offerings surrounding a vibrant nine-acre central park.

For more information, visit tinstartacos.com or follow @tinstartacos.