America's 12 Most Haunted Restaurants Offer Both Eeks And Eats

Those who love to feel their blood pumping can't resist a good scare. They get the best seats at the latest horror films, stand in line for the most hair-raising haunted attractions, and count the days until Halloween. However, at restaurants throughout the United States, you can enjoy a spooky thrill and a meal. At some eateries — some which date back a century or more — you just might find an unexpected shadowy figure joining you for dinner. Islands rounded up the restaurants where you're most likely to encounter a few guests who have overstayed their welcome, or even a former owner who just isn't ready to retire.

To decide which restaurants were the most haunted, we consulted past visitor stories, paranormal websites, tourism boards, official restaurant websites, and local news outlets to see which eateries were best known for being haunted. We considered the number of paranormal reports, the variety of reports, the amount of ghostly activity, and the prominence of each restaurant's haunted reputation in the media to determine which were closest to the afterlife. We also considered only restaurants with numerous haunting reports from a wide range of people, from staff to customers.

After Arnaud Cazenave founded Arnaud's Restaurant in 1918, it became home to some of the hottest tables in New Orleans, Louisiana, attracting both high-earning locals and rich tourists. But that success didn't last. After Cazenave's death in 1948, his daughter and new owner, Germaine Cazenave, struggled to keep the lights on. So, she sold it to the Casbarian family, who helm Arnaud's Restaurant today. However, it seems that Arnaud and Germaine couldn't let their Creole restaurant go. These days, the duo supposedly haunts Arnaud's Restaurant, which is not only one of the most haunted, but also the largest restaurant in the Big Easy.

You'll know you've spotted "Count Arnaud" when you see the mustached maître d' like figure looming in the corner of the dining room, clad in a tuxedo. Just like any dedicated restaurateur, he's always busy moving everything from tables to forks to their proper place. He just wants to make sure everything is up to par in his namesake eatery, which serves dishes like Shrimp Arnaud (chilled Gulf shrimp) as well as escargot and baked oysters. Staff and tourists alike have spotted Arnaud, Germaine, and other ghosts hundreds of times. Germaine is thought to be the restaurant's other most prominent ghost, most often seen in the on-site Mardi Gras Museum, where she is the star. She was queen of over 22 Mardi Gras balls throughout the mid-1900s and is featured in the museum. 

The list of hauntings at Big Nose Kate's Saloon is as long as its menu in Tombstone, Arizona, which is America's ultimate Wild West destination. The restaurant serves pub grub with a Western slant, like cowboy cheesesteaks, shotgun shrimp, and chili. Here, people have heard voices from empty basements and rooms, felt cold spots, seen silverware and mannequins move on their own, and had their cameras suddenly stop working properly. Lights switch on and off and doors open and close without a human hand. But when you learn about this restaurant's past — as well as its title as the oldest continuously operating saloon in the city — it seems only natural that it would be haunted. The 1881 saloon was formerly known as the Grand Hotel, and at least seven people died there. It's been visited by iconic Western figures like Wyatt and Virgil Earp and Doc Holliday.

But Big Nose Kate's Saloon is supposedly most haunted by one ghost you won't find in a history book. The so-called "Swamper" was the Grand Hotel's live-in maintenance man before he died in 1910 from unknown causes. From his basement bedroom, he spent countless hours digging to access the mining tunnels underneath the hotel, which were full of silver. Although no one knows where the Swamper's treasure is today, it's thought that he still sticks around his former job, decked out in overalls, to keep an eye on his precious silver.

Essie May Bessent and her husband, Clarence Curtis McCorsley, built and lived in the Victorian home that later became the Brentwood Restaurant & Wine Bistro in 1910. But after Clarence died, Essie was determined to continue living at the Little River, South Carolina, home, so she transformed it into a hotel. Apparently, she still isn't ready to leave. Her ghosts, and perhaps those of others, continue to stay at what's now a restaurant. But don't worry — they're not there to scare, and they even once reportedly splashed water onto co-owner and chef Eric Masson. Besides that, people have experienced what are thought to be the restaurant's ghosts floating down the stairs, talking in the rooms, moving and throwing objects, looking through the windows, hanging out by the bathroom, and moving the dumbwaiter.

There have been so many haunts at the Brentwood Restaurant & Wine Bistro that the restaurant offers a three-course meal paired with a ghost tour several times per month for $65 per person. Visitors can also just pop in for a potential ghost sighting paired with a meal, as the eatery offers high-end fare such as Chilean sea bass, filet Wellington, duck confit, and Belgian chocolate soufflé. But keep in mind that the menu is a far cry from its days as Essie's hotel, when she served a room and breakfast for just $1.50.

Located next to the Hudson River, the Ear Inn in New York City, New York, was once a popular hangout for sailors looking to kick back with a drink and free grub after a long voyage. And at least one sailor is still ringing up his tab at this bar, which, dating back to 1817, is one of the oldest in the city. Among the Ear Inn's ghosts, the most iconic is Mickey, a former sailor and regular Ear Inn customer. Although no one is sure how he died or why he decided to spend eternity at his local watering hole, local lore whispers of alcohol poisoning at the bar or being hit by a car on his way home. Regardless, he remains up to his old antics at the Ear Inn, supposedly drinking from patrons' glasses and grabbing at servers.

To have a beer or two alongside Mickey, head to the Ear Inn for bar eats and beyond, with items such as lamb burgers, steamed mussels, and steak quesadillas on the menu. Besides Mickey, you might also meet other ghosts at the Ear Inn, including a man who was supposedly seen lingering in the corner of a guest room.

These days, Earnestine & Hazel's in Memphis, Tennessee, has several claims to fame, as it's been called home of the best burger in the state, the best dive bar, and one of the best bars in the region. But in its former life, it was a brothel, not a bar — leading to what's perhaps its most well-known accolade. After the murders of several prostitutes upstairs, Earnestine & Hazel's became known as one of the most haunted spots in the country. People have experienced hearing the upstairs piano play by itself, seeing orbs or even faces in photos, seeing flashlights go on and off by themselves, hearing voices, and seeing the bar lights brighten by themselves.

Besides being a brothel, Earnestine & Hazel's was also a jazz hangout frequented by jazz greats like Ray Charles, who wanted to unwind after performing at nearby Club Paradise, which was owned by Earnestine's husband.

One legend has it that an Earnestine & Hazel's employee was talking about James Brown when the bar jukebox switched on by itself and started playing a James Brown song. The bar has a few tasty nods to its jazz café past, too. It's best known for its "soul burger," an otherwise basic burger topped with "soul sauce." Plus, it continues to offer live soul, jazz, and blues music. If you're looking for more Memphis eats with music — and historic — twists, check out Coletta's, an Elvis Presley favorite with family-owned charm and Italian flavor.

It wasn't Michelle and Eric Jurisin's original plan to name their new Jerome, Arizona restaurant Haunted Hamburger. But after a stretch of strange occurrences they encountered while preparing their eatery for business in the 1990s, the name choice felt like an obvious one. That's especially true considering Jerome has been dubbed the largest ghost town in the country, as well as the "wickedest town in the West." 

During the Jurisins' renovation, three of their hammers disappeared — only to reappear in bizarre spots. Doors also slammed without a breeze for explanation. The spooky behavior then only continued, with haunted happenings including water turning on by itself, a mystical woman appearing in photos, and cans moving by themselves.

Since then, the Haunted Hamburger has further leaned into its haunted reputation by naming its food after scares, too. Its dishes include the Haunted Burger with bacon, cheddar, Swiss cheese, mushrooms, green chilies, grilled onions, and guacamole; and the Ghostly Burger with mushrooms, bacon, and cheddar cheese. "P.S. I think a ghost followed us back to the hotel," one past visitor wrote on Google. "Seriously."

At least four ghosts are said to haunt Pioneer Saloon, which is one of the oldest saloons in Nevada. It's located in Goodsprings, a once-thriving town transformed into an abandoned beauty. Those ghosts have even earned the 1913 saloon a feature on the Travel Channel's "Ghost Adventures" as well as spotlights by media like Fox 5, Thrillist, People, and the "Today Show." Plus, it attracts Las Vegas tourists looking for a haunt, as the saloon is only about 40 minutes from Sin City.

Here, people have felt random chills, heard footsteps, seen shadowy figures, seen doors open and close without a human hand, and heard crying near the bathroom. That crying is thought to be from Pioneer Saloon's most prominent ghost, that of former actress Carole Lombard, who passed away in a 1942 plane crash. According to legend, Lombard cries in the saloon because it's where her husband, actor Clark Gable, drank to soften the blows of her loss in the immediacy of her death.

Evidence of the saloon's other most famous ghost is right on the walls. Bullet holes from a 1915 shooting that killed a cheating poker player can still be seen. The whole story is in a framed letter written by a coroner that's also on the wall. Supposedly, the cheating player hasn't left the scene of the crime, and he still drinks at the bar, walks through the bathroom, and shuts doors.

You didn't just imagine that brush against your legs while sitting at a Poogan's Porch table in Charleston, South Carolina, and munching on Southern food like fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese fritters, and shrimp and grits. Supposedly, that brush is from Poogan, a stray neighborhood Wheaton terrier that hung on the porch even back when the restaurant was a home. He stuck around when the building was converted into an eatery until he died in 1979. But many believe that Poogan is still the steward of the building, even as he's buried in the restaurant's front lawn. You might just see his spirit on the porch, or your kids might feel him padding under the table, as he loves children most.

However, Poogan's Porch isn't known as one of the most haunted spots in the city just for one pup. The restaurant is also thought to be haunted by Zoe St. Amand, the building's former resident. Supposedly, she haunts the structure while searching for her sister Elizabeth, who she lived with in the building prior to Elizabeth's 1945 death. People have claimed to have seen Zoe in the upstairs windows and even heard her banging on the windows. They've also said that they saw her in the women's bathroom and heard her knock over stools and open and close doors. However, that hasn't scared off everyone, as Poogan's Porch has been visited by celebrities including Amanda Seyfried, Calvin Klein, Bette Midler, and Justin Long.

Local lore says more than a few untimely deaths occurred at Shaker's Cigar Bar, leading to so many ghosts that the Huffington Post has called it one of the most haunted bars in the country and Thrillist one of the most haunted restaurants. Human remains of several people have been found in the bar, which is inside an 1894 building. The first two skeletons were found under the basement floor. Although no one is sure who those skeletons belong to, another skeleton later found is known as Molly, a rumored murdered woman who haunts the building's penthouse. That skeleton is thought to date back to the 1920s, when the bar was a speakeasy and brothel owned by Al, Ralph, and Frank Capone. While some people have said they have noticed items moved to odd places in the penthouse, others claim that they have seen Molly's figure.

Another ghost that supposedly haunts Shaker's Cigar Bar is that of Elizabeth, an eight-year-old girl who died on the site before it was a bar. After falling from an apple tree, she's now found peace in the bar's women's bathroom, where she swings a stall open, turns the faucets on and off, whispers, and laughs. Visitors can meet all the Shaker's Cigar Bar ghosts on a guided ghost tour, available every night for $35-$52 depending on the evening.

It's hard to forget the deathly past of the Legendary Silver Dollar Saloon while you're chowing down on unique dishes like rabbit and rattlesnake sausage and yak burgers. That's because hanging over the bar is the noose that executed the last man ever put to death in the state, all located in Leadville, Colorado, which is America's highest city and is packed with old saloons. Plus, a 1980s framed photo displays supposed evidence of just one of the eight ghosts that now call the saloon home.

The ghosts of the saloon love to make themselves known – kindly — by turning televisions on and off and simply walking around. However, the little girl's ghost is not so kind. After dying in the tunnels underneath the building, she now watches over the basement and has even pushed people near its stairs. To keep her at bay, staff keep what were thought to be her shoes in a glass case under the bar. However, that doesn't mean they're all ready to march into the basement — some still refuse to go down once the sun sets.

John Stone built his hotel — the Railroad House – in 1832, once he discovered that train tracks were to be laid on land in Ashland, Massachusetts. But unfortunately, it was those same tracks that led to at least one of the ghosts in the structure, which is now a restaurant called Stone's Public House. Supposedly, the restaurant is haunted by a little girl named Mary who died after being hit by a train in 1863. Police officers have claimed to see her on the top floor of the restaurant, while an employee said he saw a little girl's fingerprints on a restaurant mirror.

Mary's ghost, along with that of five or six others, has led to Stone's Public House being featured on Discovery Channel's "Ghost Lab." People have experienced lights turning on and off by themselves, doors opening and closing by themselves, strange voices on recordings, shattering glasses, and even birdseed falling through holes in the ceiling. Some employees refuse to be alone at the eatery at night. But those interested in checking out the building's haunts can simply ask a staff member for a tour. Beforehand, they shouldn't miss bites like the pub cheeseburger or the chicken, cheddar, and chutney sandwich.

Smell an apple-like scent in the air at Turner's Seafood in Salem, Massachusetts, and can't figure out what fish goes with apple? Quit trying to crack the code, and instead, keep an eye out for doors opening by themselves, lights turning on by themselves, or even a ghostly woman in a white dress. That's because this restaurant is located in a former apple orchard once owned by Bridget Bishop, who was the first accused "witch" put to death in the infamous town. She was hanged after she allegedly used her witchcraft to entrance young women and pigs, among other charges.

Now, she supposedly hangs around her former property. It's now an acclaimed seafood eatery known for its fish and chips, raw bar, and clam chowder. But thanks to paranormal media, Turner's Seafood may be better known these days for its ghosts. The restaurant has been featured on the Travel Channel's "Ghost Adventures" and Syfy's "Ghost Hunters." If you are heading to Salem for haunted fall fun, here's the best time to do so without battling hectic crowds.