The 1920s are known for jazz, flappers, the Model-T, and speakeasies. It’s an era known for change and, in many ways, revolution. So when I heard Celina was home to the SPEAKEASY STEAK & ALE HOUSE, my curiosity peaked. The name alone grabbed my attention, but when I heard a regular on the restaurant scene rave about it and say it hands-down produced the best steak money can buy, I knew it had to be the next stop on my POSITIVELY DELICIOUS food blog journey.
Although Speakeasy Steak & Ale House celebrates their fourth anniversary in October 2020, the decor and the lighting sets a mood reminiscent of the speakeasies of the 1920s, especially as the night sky casts its blanket of stars and darkness, adding to the ambiance for the customers inside.
As you approach the entrance, you feel the history of the building.
The tall windows lining the street, wood doors, and tile-work near the entryway symbolize a time when buildings were forms of art whose aesthetics meant more than a builder’s schedule. Upon entering, you’ll find exposed brick, lighting, wood, tiled floor, and decor that works harmoniously, creating an atmosphere that seems light-years away from the one you left when you parked your car at the curb. One step into the Speakeasy, and you know there’s not another place like it.
One of the things I loved during my experience at the Speakeasy is that everyone fits in. From jeans and a t-shirt to families with young children to the LBD, Little Black Dress, casual to dressy attire suits the surroundings. Another perk of the Speakeasy is their booths’ high backs, which create privacy that increases the comfort level of the table-for-one guests and the first-time-daters of the world trying to shake off their nerves.
And now, the menu!
Although I suspected an extensive liquor list, given their name, I did not expect to receive two spiral-bound spirit guides. Even if alcohol isn’t your cup of tea, you’ll likely enjoy reading the vast selection of options. After you order your drinks, strongly consider an appetizer. I suggest the BACON WRAPPED SCALLOPS. They are bites of heaven served with butter and sweet chili sauce, and to be honest, my tastebuds still dream about them.
Moving on to the main event, Speakeasy categorizes their entrees with either a ‘By Land’ or By Sea’ designation. Warning: These entree selections send your tastebuds into a craving frenzy with temptations ranging from FILET MIGNON to GHOST OF JACK DEMPSEY to FIRECRACKER SHRIMP TACOS to the BOURBON GLAZED SALMON.
And don’t forget the sides! From their perfectly executed ASPARAGUS to their crowd-pleasing PARMESEAN & HERB FRIES to their SWEET POTATO that triggers memories of Thanksgiving dinner at grandma’s house, the sides heighten your experience and make for mouth-watering leftovers. If you somehow manage to save room for dessert, their ICE CREAM, CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE, HOMEMADE BREAD PUDDING, and CHEESECAKE are sure to be the sweet avalanche you seek. The Speakeasy even offers a reasonably priced and palate-appropriate kids menu.
As it goes with all my food blog stops, the restaurant does not know I’m a food blogger. I want to experience the food, service, and atmosphere like everyone else. With this in mind, let me share my extraordinary hospitality experience.
When my guest and my’s main course arrived, my guest received the wrong protein. Her sides were perfect, but her protein matched the one I selected. Upon telling the server, not only did the server “make it right,” as she said, she took my guest’s entire experience off the bill. From her food to her beverage, she paid nothing. An $18 dinner and a $3 drink is a gesture of $21, simply because my guest had to wait a few minutes for the correct, perfectly cooked and seasoned ROSEMARY & THYME CHICKEN to arrive. Speakeasy easily could’ve offered a dessert or even gave her a discount on her meal, but no. As our waitress, the co-owner’s wife, said, “We [her husband and her] just love the restaurant business… we make it right if we mess up.”
Not only is Speakeasy Steak & Ale House a phenomenal place to stop for the atmosphere, but it’s also a brilliant place to elevate your tastebuds. When you top their culinary sundae of options with impeccable service, you find a restaurant you want to root for and that you’re grateful is only a road trip away.
I worked in Celina for over a decade and never heard of the Speakeasy. This hidden gem hides no more. It’s time to unearth it and move it to the top of your culinary bucket list.
