Three-Time Named One of America’s Best Whisky Bars
At Speak of the Devil, whiskey isn’t just something we pour — it’s part of the bar’s DNA.
Over the years, we’ve been honored three separate times by Whisky Advocate as one of the Best Whisky Bars in America, a recognition that still honestly floors us a little. For a small independent cocktail bar tucked into downtown Lorain, that acknowledgment means everything. It speaks not only to the depth of our collection, but to the culture around whiskey we’ve worked hard to build here.
And make no mistake — our shelves go deep.
From beloved everyday pours to cult favorites and unicorn bottles, our whiskey program is built for both the curious newcomer and the seasoned collector. Bourbon, rye, Scotch, Irish, Japanese, world whisky — we chase bottles with stories behind them. Rare single barrels. Dusties. Allocated releases. Independent bottlings. Forgotten gems. Bottles you may never see twice.
But what truly sets Speak of the Devil apart is that we believe whiskey should be shared, not hidden behind velvet ropes and museum pricing.
We’ve become known for our rare bottle tastings and whiskey education nights — evenings where guests have had the chance to taste pours many bars would never dream of opening. Old Fitzgerald decanters. Limited Wild Turkey releases. Vintage Scotch. Legendary ryes. Once-in-a-lifetime pours served not with pretension, but with conversation, laughter, and genuine enthusiasm.
That same philosophy carries into our pricing.
We work incredibly hard to keep our whiskey pours approachable and fair because we believe great whiskey culture should feel welcoming, not exclusionary. Whether you’re exploring your very first neat bourbon or comparing vintage expressions with fellow enthusiasts, the goal is always the same: make the experience memorable, accessible, and fun.
And then there’s the lore.
Every whiskey bar worth its salt develops its own mythology over time, and ours has grown organically through years of late-night conversations, legendary bottle kills, impromptu tastings, cigar smoke on the patio, jazz drifting through the room, and friendships formed over shared pours. Ask a regular about the “one that got away,” the surprise bottle that appeared on the back bar one snowy night, or the tasting that somehow turned into a four-hour storytelling session. Around here, whiskey is more than a spirit — it’s social glue, history lesson, treasure hunt, and ritual all at once.
That’s the heart of Speak of the Devil.
A nationally recognized whiskey bar that still somehow feels like your neighborhood haunt. A place where serious whiskey people can geek out, newcomers can learn comfortably, and everybody leaves with a story.