You do not have to head to the nearest castle or tudor house to go ghost hunting, because there are plenty of haunted restaurants in the United States. One with a more bloody history than the other, let us take a look at the haunted restaurants where you might encounter a ghostly apparition or dine with the local spirits of the times.
Muriel's (Louisiana) Is One Of The Most Famous Haunted Restaurants Full Of History
Situated in the cultural epicenter of New Orleans, Muriel's is the restaurant we start our most haunted restaurants list with. Compared to most restaurants these days, Muriel's has a really long history, as it was originally found in 1718!
Muriel's is believed to be haunted by a previous owner of the restaurant, Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan. He even has his own reserved table every night, which is set by the staff with bread, cutlery, and wine. Pierre allegedly died in the restaurant in 1814 after losing a game of poker. Since then, many guests and staff have reported sightings of the former owner.
Haunted Restaurants in History - Scarlett O'Hara's (Florida)
As haunted restaurants go, this restaurant is listed in the National Directory of Haunted Places, you may have guessed that this place has quite a haunted history. Many believe that the place is haunted by the man who built the restaurant, a man called George Colee. If stories are to be believed, the founder of the restaurant died in the bathtub right after his fiancé left with another man. Since then, George's spirit is spotted at the restaurant's "Ghost Bar".
Poogan's Porch (South Carolina)
South Carolina is already known for its frequent paranormal activity, yet it would be easy to miss this haunted restaurant if you did not know where to look! Built as a Victorian home back in 1888, this restaurant also comes with a rather sad story.
According to a local Charleston legend, the owner who commissioned the home in 1888 had a dog called Poogan. However, the owner would leave the loyal canine behind and Poogan would die shortly afterward. Today, it is believed that the ghost of the dog is still haunting the place. In fact, the restaurant was named in his honor.
Unfortunately, the tragic history of Poogan's Porch does not stop with the abandoned canine. The woman who owned the restaurant in the 1900s, Zoe St. Armand, allegedly lost her mind when she lost her sister. Shortly afterward, she died after falling down the stairs within the home. Locals say that Zoe still haunts the house to this day in search of her sister.
White Horse Tavern (Rhode Island)
Most people are already familiar with White Horse Tavern, as it is the oldest tavern in the United States. Evidently, such as long history is also accompanied by plenty of stories, including a rather gruesome story of murder.
All locals of Newport know the story that surrounds the White Horse Tavern. It is said that two men stopped at the White Horse Tavern in search of a room in the 1720s. By the next morning, one of the men was found dead by the fireplace, and the other disappeared. Some who have visited the tavern claim that the ghost of the former visitor is still sitting by the fireplace.
Lemp Mansion Restaurant and Inn (Missouri)
Some locations have a creepy look naturally, and this certainly applies to Lemp Mansion Restaurant in Missouri. Being an old Victorian mansion that has been prime investigative ground for paranormal investigators in the past, it is no surprise that the mansion made our list.
The current owners of Lemp Mansion Restaurant and Inn have embraced its paranormal history and currently offer ghost tours. Visitors have reported weird voices and figures, but no explanation has ever been found. And, despite the fact that guests already leave feeling creeped out, Lemp Mansion Restaurant and Inn is still one of the most popular venues in St. Louis.
Brennan's Restaurant (Louisiana)
Let's head back to Louisiana for another haunted restaurant in New Orleans. This time, we are dealing with some strange ghosts, because their backstories are almost too crazy to be believed.
One of the ghosts that are said to be haunting Brennan's is that of its former Chef Paul Blangé. Upon his death in 1977, he was buried with the restaurant's menu as well as a fork and knife across the chest. His passion for the restaurant is said to be the reason why he still keeps an eye on the kitchen.
Not only the kitchen is haunted at Brennan's though, because the wine cellar is the home of a sommelier called Herman Funk. According to witnesses, he likes to clink bottles for no apparent reason.
Succotash (Missouri)
Traveling back to Missouri, this time to Kansas City, we pay a visit to Succotash. Originally a saloon with the name Dutch Hill Bar and Grill, guests regularly smell cigars when they visit the restaurant. However, there is never a cigar in-sight. It is believed that the smell is left by a man called RAdar, who was known to frequent the old saloon with his favorite cigarillo cigars.
Stone's Public House (Massachusetts)
Another restaurant with a tragic and morbid history is Stone's Public House in Massachusetts. In 1845, the owner of the public house - John Stone - allegedly killed one of the guests and buried him down in the basement. There were allegedly several witnesses to the crime, who are still stuck haunting the place. According to witnesses, they love to make a mess and cause regular mischief.
Beardslee Castle (New York)
We end our overview with arguably one of the better known haunted restaurants. The story of Beardslee Castle even gained commercial known as it was featured in Ghost Hunters. The makers of the show would even claim they managed to spot some spirits.
As is usually the case with most haunted locations, Beardslee Castle has a bloody and sad history. One story states that several Native Americans were killed in the venue in the 1700s. Another story states that a former owner who passed away is still haunting the place.
Honorable mentions
It is not difficult to believe that there are lots more haunted restaurants around the United States. In our honorable mentions list, there is the Moon River Brewing Company (Georgia), The Whitney (Michigan), Old Town Pizza (Oregon) and The Twisted Vine (Connecticut). If you should run out of haunted restaurants to visit, be sure to pay a visit to these ones too!
