Grab a Drink, Order Dinner…and Save a Seat for the Ghost
Some restaurants have great food.
Some bars have great stories.
And then there are places where the bartender might tell you about the regular who has been sitting at the same table for 150 years.
The only problem?
He’s been dead for 140 of them.
After more than 25 years of traveling, I’ve learned that some of my favorite places aren’t necessarily the newest restaurants with celebrity chefs or rooftop cocktail lounges. They’re the old taverns with crooked floors, weathered wooden bars and enough history soaked into the walls to fill several books.
And occasionally, those places come with ghosts.
Across America you’ll find centuries-old taverns, Wild West saloons, former brothels, pirate hangouts and historic restaurants where employees and customers have reported everything from mysterious footsteps to disappearing glasses and shadowy figures sitting at empty tables.
Whether you believe in ghosts or simply love a restaurant with a good story, these places are worth putting on your travel list.
So pull up a chair.
Order something good.
And if the chair beside you suddenly moves…
maybe don’t ask for another table.
Here are 21 haunted restaurants, taverns and bars in America with a story to tell.
1. White Horse Tavern — Newport, Rhode Island
Let’s start with a place that had plenty of time to collect ghost stories.
The building housing the White Horse Tavern dates to 1652, and it began operating as a tavern in 1673.
That means people were ordering drinks here more than a century before the Declaration of Independence.
Over the centuries, the building has seen colonial politicians, soldiers, sailors and generations of travelers come through its doors.
Apparently, a few never completely left.
One of the best-known legends involves a mysterious man dressed in colonial clothing who has reportedly been seen around the tavern. Other stories include unexplained footsteps and strange activity around the fireplaces.
Today, White Horse Tavern is an upscale restaurant where you can enjoy dinner surrounded by more than three centuries of American history.
City Unknown Tip
Make reservations and give yourself a few minutes before dinner to walk around historic Newport. The entire neighborhood feels like you’ve stepped backward through time.
Visit: White Horse Tavern, Newport, Rhode Island
2. Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop — New Orleans, Louisiana
If you’re going ghost hunting in New Orleans, you might want to bring a notebook.
You’ll be busy.
Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop sits on Bourbon Street inside a building generally believed to date to the 1700s.
According to legend, pirate and smuggler Jean Lafitte and his brother Pierre used the building as part of their smuggling operation.
Today it’s a wonderfully dark little bar where candles provide much of the atmosphere.
And then there are the ghosts.
Visitors have reported seeing mysterious figures near the fireplace and occasionally a shadowy man believed to be Jean Lafitte himself.
Whether the pirate actually stops in for a drink is debatable.
The atmosphere isn’t.
City Unknown Tip
Visit after dark. Candlelight, old brick walls and a 300-year-old building make this one of the most atmospheric bars in New Orleans.
Visit: Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, New Orleans
3. Captain Tony’s Saloon — Key West, Florida
You know your bar has an interesting history when there’s a tree growing through the middle of it.
But Captain Tony’s gets stranger.
The building has reportedly served as an icehouse, telegraph station, speakeasy and morgue during its long history.
And that tree?
Local lore says it once served as Key West’s hanging tree.
There’s even a grave inside the bar.
Seriously.
While renovations were being completed, human remains were discovered beneath the building. The grave remains visible inside.
Naturally, ghost stories followed.
Bartenders and customers have reported mysterious voices, moving objects and unexplained figures.
City Unknown Tip
Don’t just order a drink and leave. Look around. Captain Tony’s is practically a museum disguised as a saloon.
Visit: Captain Tony’s Saloon, Key West
4. The Pirate’s House — Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is already one of my favorite cities for ghost stories.
Then you add pirates.
The Pirate’s House traces its history to the 1700s and sits near what was once Savannah’s bustling waterfront.
Sailors came here for drinks, food and entertainment.
According to local legend, some unlucky sailors got considerably more adventure than they expected.
Stories claim men were occasionally kidnapped from taverns like this one and forced into service aboard ships — a practice commonly associated with the legends of “shanghaiing.”
There are even stories involving old tunnels beneath the building.
Employees and diners have also reported mysterious figures, footsteps and other unexplained activity.
Today it’s a popular Savannah restaurant filled with maritime history.
City Unknown Tip
Ask about the building’s history while you’re there. Some of the rooms are considerably older — and creepier — than others.
Visit: The Pirate’s House, Savannah
5. Moon River Brewing Company — Savannah, Georgia
Savannah gets two spots because apparently one haunted restaurant wasn’t enough.
The building housing Moon River Brewing Company dates to the early 1800s and originally operated as the City Hotel.
During its long history, the building witnessed fights, illnesses and deaths.
Today it has developed quite the paranormal reputation.
One frequently mentioned spirit is Toby, who is said to hang around the basement.
Other visitors report seeing a mysterious woman upstairs.
The building has even attracted paranormal investigators and television programs over the years.
Fortunately, there’s beer.
City Unknown Tip
If you’re doing a Savannah ghost tour, check whether Moon River is included or ask your guide about the stories associated with the building.
Visit: Moon River Brewing Company, Savannah
6. The Olde Pink House — Savannah, Georgia
Okay.
Savannah gets three.
I tried.
But you can’t make a haunted restaurant list without The Olde Pink House.
The mansion dates to the late 1700s and is one of Savannah’s most recognizable historic buildings.
Its best-known ghost story involves James Habersham Jr., an early owner of the house.
Guests and employees have reported seeing a colonial-era gentleman wandering through the building.
There are also stories of mysterious footsteps and unexplained activity in various rooms.
The good news?
The food is excellent.
That’s my favorite kind of haunted house.
City Unknown Tip
Request one of the smaller historic dining rooms instead of simply eating at the bar. Half the experience is exploring the old mansion.
Visit: The Olde Pink House, Savannah
7. The Horse You Came In On Saloon — Baltimore, Maryland
With a name like The Horse You Came In On Saloon, you already know we’re going somewhere interesting.
The Baltimore tavern traces its history to the late 1700s and claims to be one of America’s oldest continuously operating saloons.
Its most famous connection?
Edgar Allan Poe.
Legend says Poe visited the tavern shortly before his mysterious death in Baltimore in 1849.
Over the years, staff and customers have reported unexplained activity that some attribute to Poe.
A ghostly figure nicknamed Edgar reportedly has a habit of moving objects and creating mysterious disturbances.
City Unknown Tip
Pair your visit with Poe’s grave at Westminster Hall and Burying Ground. You’ll have yourself a wonderfully weird little Baltimore afternoon.
Visit: The Horse You Came In On Saloon, Baltimore
8. The Ear Inn — New York City
Manhattan doesn’t immediately come to mind when you think “old haunted sailor bar.”
That’s why I love this one.
The building housing The Ear Inn dates to around 1817 and sits near what was once New York’s busy waterfront.
Sailors, dock workers and travelers passed through the area for generations.
According to legend, one still does.
A sailor named Mickey is said to haunt the tavern.
Customers and employees have reported unexplained touches, footsteps and strange happenings around the building.
Today it’s a wonderfully unpretentious historic pub hiding in one of the busiest cities in the world.
City Unknown Tip
Don’t expect a Halloween attraction. That’s exactly what makes the Ear Inn fun. It’s a real neighborhood bar that happens to have a couple centuries of stories.
Visit: The Ear Inn, New York City
9. One If By Land, Two If By Sea — New York City
This might be America’s most romantic haunted restaurant.
That’s an interesting combination.
Located in Greenwich Village, One If By Land, Two If By Sea occupies a historic carriage house once associated with Aaron Burr.
And yes…
People claim Burr still visits.
His daughter Theodosia Burr Alston is also sometimes associated with the restaurant’s ghost stories. She disappeared at sea in 1813, creating one of America’s enduring historical mysteries.
Employees and diners have reported flickering lights, moving objects and mysterious apparitions.
The restaurant itself is known for romantic dinners.
Nothing says romance like candlelight, champagne and Aaron Burr watching from the staircase.
City Unknown Tip
This isn’t a casual ghost-hunting stop. Make it a dinner reservation and enjoy the history and atmosphere.
10. Stone’s Public House — Ashland, Massachusetts
If you like old New England taverns, this place checks plenty of boxes.
Stone’s Public House dates to the 1800s and has developed a reputation for unusual activity.
Stories include mysterious footsteps, unexplained sounds and sightings of figures inside the building.
One legend involves an employee who died after being struck by a train.
Another involves a young girl said to wander the property.
Paranormal investigators have visited over the years, helping cement Stone’s reputation among New England’s haunted dining destinations.
City Unknown Tip
Come for dinner rather than simply stopping for a photo. Historic taverns are much more interesting when you actually experience them as taverns.
11. The Tavern — Austin, Texas
You can’t drive through Texas without finding at least one ghost who enjoys a cold beer.
Austin’s The Tavern occupies a distinctive old building dating to the early 1900s.
Its best-known ghost is usually called Emily.
According to local lore, Emily died after becoming caught in violence at the tavern.
Since then, people have reported seeing a woman dressed in old-fashioned clothing staring from an upstairs window.
Other stories include changing television channels, ringing phones and unexplained noises from the kitchen.
Apparently Emily doesn’t approve of what’s on TV.
City Unknown Tip
Look up at the upstairs windows before entering.
You know.
Just in case.
12. La Carafe — Houston, Texas
Walking into La Carafe feels like entering another century.
That’s because the building is among Houston’s oldest surviving commercial structures.
The tiny candlelit wine and beer bar is packed with old photographs, antique furniture and enough atmosphere to make your phone’s flashlight seem inappropriate.
Ghost stories include a mysterious former bartender and a woman sometimes seen upstairs.
Visitors have also reported hearing children’s voices from empty rooms.
If you’re looking for polished nightlife, this probably isn’t your stop.
If you’re looking for character?
Jackpot.
City Unknown Tip
Bring cash and don’t expect a modern cocktail lounge. La Carafe’s wonderfully old-school atmosphere is the whole reason to go.
13. Shaker’s Cigar Bar — Milwaukee, Wisconsin
When a business openly embraces being haunted, you know you’re in for an interesting night.
Shaker’s Cigar Bar occupies a building with a colorful history that includes its time as a speakeasy and brothel.
Numerous ghost stories surround the property.
One of the most famous involves a woman named Molly, while another spirit known as Elizabeth has reportedly been encountered around the building.
Shaker’s has leaned into its paranormal reputation and has offered ghost tours and other spooky experiences.
This is one of those places where you’re not awkwardly asking the bartender:
“So…have you ever seen a ghost?”
They’ve heard the question.
City Unknown Tip
Check the current tour schedule before visiting. If you’re going specifically for the paranormal history, take the tour rather than simply stopping for a drink.
14. The Palace Restaurant & Saloon — Prescott, Arizona
Welcome to the Wild West.
Prescott’s famous Whiskey Row once contained dozens of saloons packed with miners, cowboys, gamblers and characters whose evening plans occasionally ended badly.
The Palace traces its roots to the 1800s and survived the enormous fire that swept through Whiskey Row in 1900 — sort of.
Legend says patrons carried the massive bar across the street while the town burned.
Now that’s dedication.
Over the years, visitors and employees have reported mysterious figures and strange happenings connected to the building’s colorful past.
City Unknown Tip
Walk the rest of Whiskey Row after dinner. The Palace makes a perfect starting point for exploring historic downtown Prescott.
15. Pioneer Saloon — Goodsprings, Nevada
If you like your ghost stories served with a side of Old West desert, this is your place.
The Pioneer Saloon opened in 1913 in tiny Goodsprings, Nevada.
The building still looks wonderfully Western, complete with stamped-metal walls and a historic bar.
One story involves a gambler who was killed inside the saloon.
Visitors have reported seeing mysterious figures and experiencing unexplained activity.
There’s another famous piece of history here involving Hollywood legend Clark Gable, who reportedly waited at the saloon while search efforts were underway following the plane crash that killed his wife, actress Carole Lombard.
City Unknown Tip
Goodsprings is roughly a road-trip detour from Las Vegas, which makes Pioneer Saloon a fantastic alternative when you’ve had enough casinos and neon.
16. The Golden Fleece Tavern — Dover, Delaware
Some haunted places come with centuries of political history attached.
The Golden Fleece Tavern has roots stretching into America’s colonial era and was an important gathering place in early Delaware history.
Taverns weren’t simply places to grab dinner back then.
They were community centers, meeting halls, political headquarters and places where practically everybody eventually passed through.
Naturally, stories accumulated.
Over the years, local lore has connected mysterious sounds and ghostly activity with historic taverns throughout the area.
City Unknown Tip
When visiting truly old taverns, look beyond the ghost stories. You’re often eating inside buildings where important pieces of local history actually happened.
17. Blind Tiger Pub — Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston has history layered on top of history.
Blind Tiger Pub sits right in the middle of it.
The term “blind tiger” was once used for establishments that secretly sold alcohol when legal restrictions made drinking establishments difficult to operate.
The modern Blind Tiger occupies historic property where local legends and ghost stories have accumulated.
Visitors and employees have reported unusual activity, including unexplained figures and sounds.
The pub is even incorporated into some Charleston haunted pub tours.
City Unknown Tip
Charleston is one of the best cities in America for combining food and ghost stories. Consider doing a haunted pub crawl rather than visiting only one location.
18. The Brick Saloon — Roslyn, Washington
Fans of Northern Exposure may recognize Roslyn.
But there’s more to this little Washington town than television history.
The Brick Saloon traces its roots to the late 1800s and is generally recognized as Washington’s oldest continuously operating bar.
Coal miners once packed the place.
And according to local stories, a few old customers may still be hanging around.
Employees and visitors have reported unexplained figures, strange sounds and the unmistakable feeling that somebody else is in the room.
City Unknown Tip
Explore Roslyn while you’re here. The historic cemetery and old mining-town architecture make this far more interesting than simply stopping for a beer.
19. Simon’s Tavern — Chicago, Illinois
Chicago has plenty of historic neighborhood bars, but Simon’s Tavern comes with an especially unusual ghost story.
The Andersonville tavern dates to the Prohibition era and has ties to Chicago’s Scandinavian immigrant community.
One local legend involves a woman whose relationship with the owner’s son ended tragically after she died in an automobile accident.
Stories claim her image was later removed from a mural inside the tavern.
Some customers believe her presence remained.
Visitors have reported strange sensations and unexplained occurrences inside.
City Unknown Tip
This is exactly the kind of City Unknown place I love — a neighborhood establishment with a fascinating history that many tourists walk right past.
20. The Stanley Hotel’s Whiskey Bar — Estes Park, Colorado
Technically we’re stretching “restaurant and bar” into hotel territory.
I’m allowing it.
Because it’s The Stanley Hotel.
The historic hotel helped inspire Stephen King’s The Shining after King and his wife spent a night here in 1974.
The Stanley has accumulated numerous ghost stories involving former owners, children, mysterious piano music and unexplained figures.
And you don’t necessarily need to stay overnight to soak up some of the atmosphere.
The hotel’s restaurants and whiskey bar give visitors a chance to enjoy the historic property while sampling one of its famously enormous whiskey selections.
City Unknown Tip
Take one of the hotel’s nighttime or history tours before grabbing a drink. The stories are much more entertaining when you know exactly which hallway you’re looking at afterward.
21. Muriel’s Jackson Square — New Orleans, Louisiana
We’re ending exactly where a haunted-food article probably should.
New Orleans.
Muriel’s Jackson Square sits in one of the most atmospheric corners of the French Quarter.
The restaurant’s best-known spirit is Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan, who once owned the property.
According to the restaurant’s legend, Jourdan lost his beloved home in a gambling wager and died there afterward.
Today Muriel’s acknowledges its resident spirit in a wonderfully New Orleans way.
There’s a Séance Lounge upstairs.
And the restaurant has traditionally kept a special table associated with Jourdan’s ghost.
Now that’s hospitality.
Most restaurants won’t hold your table for 15 minutes.
Muriel’s has apparently been holding Pierre’s for more than 200 years.
City Unknown Tip
After dinner, ask about the Séance Lounge. Even if Pierre doesn’t show up, it’s one of the most unusual restaurant spaces you’ll find in the French Quarter.
Are These Restaurants Really Haunted?
Maybe.
Maybe not.
And honestly?
That’s part of the fun.
Old taverns naturally accumulate stories. Think about what these buildings have witnessed: celebrations, arguments, romances, political meetings, soldiers heading off to war, travelers arriving from distant places and generations of bartenders hearing everybody’s secrets.
Add creaky wooden floors, ancient plumbing, candlelight and a bartender who’s particularly good at storytelling and you’ve got all the ingredients for a ghost story.
But there’s something else these places share.
History.
Even if Captain Tony never appears beside your bar stool and Aaron Burr doesn’t interrupt dinner, you’re still sitting inside places where generations of Americans ate, drank, argued, celebrated and occasionally got themselves into serious trouble.
That’s worth experiencing.
The ghosts are just gravy.
Hopefully not literally.
City Unknown Tips for Visiting Haunted Restaurants & Bars
Don’t show up expecting a haunted-house attraction. These are working restaurants and bars first, historic destinations second and paranormal playgrounds a very distant third.
Make reservations when appropriate, especially around Halloween. Check current operating hours before making a special trip because historic businesses sometimes have unusual schedules.
If the establishment offers a history or ghost tour, take it. You’ll hear considerably more of the building’s story than you will during a busy Saturday-night dinner.
Most importantly, respect the staff, other diners and the history of the property.
And here’s one final rule I’ve developed during years of traveling:
If the bartender tells you not to go upstairs…
Don’t go upstairs.
There’s probably a perfectly reasonable explanation.
Probably.
Keep Exploring the Unknown
The places we remember most aren’t always the famous attractions.
Sometimes they’re hidden inside old brick buildings, down forgotten streets or behind saloon doors that have been swinging open for more than a century.
That’s what City Unknown is all about — finding places with stories.
So on your next trip, skip the predictable chain restaurant for one evening and find the oldest tavern in town.
Order whatever the locals recommend.
Ask the bartender about the building.
You never know what story you’ll hear.
Or who might be listening from the empty chair beside you.
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