Haunted Restaurants from NYC to New Orleans
With Halloween on the horizon, it's the time of year for those of us who like a good scare to enjoy the creepy season before it disappears. In celebration of the spooky spirit of the holiday, we've assembled a list of some of the country's most famously haunted restaurants.
6 Haunted American Restaurants
If you like the possibility of breaking bread with an otherworldly specter, you might want to check out one of the restaurants below.
1. One if by Land, Two if by Sea – New York City
The name of this restaurant (taken from a Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem, "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere") isn't the only part steeped in American history.1 The building housing this now iconic establishment was built as a carriage house in 1767 and originally owned by Aaron Burr, the politician famous for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel. One if by Land is said to be haunted by Burr himself, but some claim to have also seen his daughter Theodosia, who was lost at sea while returning to New York from South Carolina to visit her father.
However, these two have plenty of company; paranormal investigators claim to have experienced the presence of as many as 20 ghosts.2 Over the years, the building was used as an engine house and lodging for firemen, a brothel, and a silent movie theater before it was repurposed for food and beverage businesses before One if by Land, Two if by Sea opened in 1973. In addition to the Burrs, the building's ghosts are reported to include a Ziegfeld follies girl and a blacksmith, as well as spirits who are said to enjoy spending their time in specific areas of the restaurant, such as by the fireplace, on the stairs, or at the bar.
The restaurant is also considered one of the most romantic restaurants in the city, so it's no surprise the space has previously hosted Halloween-themed weddings. If you like your hauntings with a side of romance, One if by Land, Two if by Sea may be the perfect restaurant.
White Horse Tavern – Newport, R.I.
Like many historic buildings in America's northeastern corner, the White Horse Tavern operates out of a structure originally built as a private residence in 1652 for Francis Brinley. After being acquired by William Mayes Sr., it was turned into a tavern in 1673, giving its owners a claim to operating the oldest restaurant in America. With such a long history, it's almost inevitable that ghost stories would haunt the property, and the building's legends don't disappoint.
While some have reported hearing a small girl crying upstairs, the building's main ghostly tenant is an elderly man. The man attributed with making the inn his eternal home arrived with a traveling companion, rented a room, and died during the night. This ghost is said to be seen in the main dining room near one of the fireplaces and the upstairs men's bathroom. There is also an apparition known to tap staff on the shoulder and another that floats above dining room tables.3 Perhaps fearing he'd be put in quarantine, the man's friend fled before morning, so the unidentified man was buried nearby and supposedly still haunts the tavern.
When you're on the hunt for this haunted restaurant, don't get it confused with New York City's White Horse Tavern. That tavern was founded in 1880, making it the second-oldest pub in NYC, and it's been a popular spot for a few well-known authors over the years – which means it's probably haunted, too.
Arnaud's – New Orleans, La.
Arnaud's Restaurant is a well-known institution in New Orleans that's been operating since 1918. The restaurant was founded by "Count" Arnaud Cazenave, who earned his title for the regimented way he ran the restaurant. Those who work at the restaurant claim he still lingers there, watching over operations and fixing any table settings and furniture he is displeased with. Servers have also seen glasses of liquor appear on the bar when the restaurant is empty, only to turn back a moment later to an empty glass.4 His daughter, Germaine Cazenave Wells, is also seen around the building, in both the restaurant and Mardi Gras Museum that bears her name and displays many of her gowns.
Poogan's Porch – Charleston, S.C.
Poogan's Porch is named after a friendly stray dog who was found when the original restaurant owners bought the property. During its beginnings, Poogan would greet incoming guests and was known to eat crumbs and scraps from the dining room floor. The restaurant was opened in 1976, though sadly Poogan passed away in 1978. Children still claim a dog resembling Poogan steals their french fries, and guests often report feeling something brush against their legs under the tables. However, the pup isn't the only specter guests have reported seeing.
Before the building was a restaurant, it was a home where two sisters, Zoe and Elizabeth St. Amand, lived. The sisters were very close, and when Elizabeth passed away, Zoe's health deteriorated. Not long after, she was found wandering the streets and calling her sister's name; she was taken to assisted living, where she passed away a few years later.5 Now, servers at the restaurant claim she can be seen wandering her old home, looking for her sister. More than once, unknowing onlookers have reported seeing an elderly woman in an upstairs window while the restaurant was closed and called the police, thinking she must need help.
There are two other Poogan's properties in Charleston, S.C. including an event space and a smokehouse. Although there haven't been any ghosts spotted at the other establishments, Poogan's Porch is known among the locals as one of the most haunted places in the city.
Muriel's – New Orleans, La.
Dating back to the founding of New Orleans in 1718, the building that Muriel's is housed in has a long history. One of the homeowners in the early 19th century was Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan, who purchased the home after it was damaged in the Good Friday Fire of 1788. He repaired and rebuilt the home into a grandiose residence, but a gambling habit purportedly led him to lose it in a bet, according to the official history from Muriel's. Rather than vacate his beloved dwelling, he hung himself on the second floor where the eatery's Seance Lounge is now located.
Those who work at Muriel's have seen a shimmering light and heard knocking on walls, which has been attributed to the lingering presence of Jourdan. A woman's voice is also occasionally heard downstairs when no one was present.6 The restaurant has been investigated by several paranormal investigators, who have recorded voices and seen inexplicable shadows. In an attempt to placate Jourdan, the restaurant has a table reserved for him each night set with wine and bread.
Gadsby's Tavern – Alexandria, Va.
Gadsby's Tavern was built in 1785 as a tavern and hotel, and its haunting comes with a mystery. In 1816, a married couple arrived at the hotel off a ship from the Caribbean. The wife who arrived in a black veil fell ill soon after her arrival, and though the best doctor in town was called, it became evident she would soon die. Before she did, she and her husband made everyone present, including the hotel owner and doctor, swear an oath that they would never reveal the identity of the couple. The promise was kept, and she was buried in nearby St. Paul's Cemetery in a grave marked "Female Stranger." She is believed to haunt the cemetery, hallways, and Room 8 of the tavern where she died.
There are many speculations as to who the Female Stranger could be, however the most famous theory is that the woman was Theodosia Burr. Theodosia, the daughter of Aaron Burr, was said to have died at sea four years prior to 1816.7 Other theories speculate that the Female Stranger was a rich aristocrat who ran away with her boyfriend to have an affair.
References
- One if by Land Two if by Sea. Paul Revere Heritage Project. Accessed August 2022.
- One if By Land, Two if by Sea – Real Haunt in New York NY. New York Haunted Houses. Accessed August 2022.
- The White Horse Tavern. Ghosts of New England. Accessed August 2022.
- The Delicious Ghosts at Arnaud's. New Orleans Ghosts. Accessed August 2022.
- The Ghosts of Poogan's Porch. Ghost City Tours. Accessed August 2022.
- Our Ghost. Muriel's Jackson Square. Accessed August 2022.
- Gadsby's Tavern Museum. Haunted Houses. Accessed August 2022.
