With spooky season upon us, there’s no better time to cozy up with a hot cocktail and hit Netflix for a ghost story or two. But for those who are a bit more daring, why not forgo the theatrics and head straight to the (reportedly) real thing? Thrill seekers who are down to sip a drink in the presence of ghosts can visit one of the many haunted bars and restaurants all over the United States, some of which reside in buildings older than the nation itself.
Many of these local haunts — pun intended — reside in centuries-old structures that once housed business with purposes other than slinging drinks including inns, banks, saloons, gambling halls, and, in many cases, brothels. As such, these historic sites have seen decades of violence, tragedy, and plain old death. From vengeful men committing murder over jealousy and gambling debts to hapless accidents to peaceful passings, there are many reasons that ghosts may haunt these watering holes’ halls. And haunt they do: with hundreds of reports of full-body apparitions in old-fashioned get-ups, phantom hands grazing patrons, flying glassware, and even a supposed portal to hell, the ghostly residents of these bars have made themselves known to ghost enthusiasts and even the most profound skeptics.
Check out the most haunted bars and restaurants in every state below.
*Editor’s note: As the title of “most haunted” is subjective, the below bars are where some of the most-reported and most-famous instances of paranormal activity have occurred.
Alabama: The Peerless Saloon & Grille
The Peerless Saloon & Grille, located in downtown Anniston, is Alabama’s longest continually operating bar — and considered by many to be its most haunted. From its opening in 1899 to 1927, the Atlanta Room on the second floor — which is now used today as a private event space — was a notorious brothel. It’s believed that a policeman once chased brothel owner Lucinda Talley up the stairs of the saloon before shooting and killing her instantly. The madam’s ghost is said to hang around the saloon today, with patrons reporting seeing a woman wearing 1900s-style clothing, the feeling of being watched when the bar is completely empty, and unexplained cold drafts.
Alaska: Red Onion Saloon
First opened in 1898, The Red Onion Saloon was originally both a bar and a brothel. Though the brothel no longer remains, it seems the spirits of those who worked in it have yet to depart. One of the most famous phantoms is Lydia, a sex worker who was believed to have perished from then-incurable syphilis. An apparition said to be Lydia has been spotted around the bar with marks on her face, similar to those that can appear when the disease is left untreated. Other reports of Lydia’s presence include hearing footsteps on the second floor where the brothel once was, the lingering smell of perfume, and even her figure running down the hall and into an empty room. She’s also known to help the current owner of the house, Jen Wrentmore, with watering the plants: on more than one occasion, Wrentmore claims she’s found damp soil in pots despite not having done the watering herself. While Lydia’s spirit is known to be docile towards other women, she’s believed to be quite hostile towards men.
Arizona: Palace Restaurant & Saloon
Originally built in Prescott in 1877, the Palace Restaurant & Saloon reopened in 1901 following two fires. A ghost known as Nevis, a former patron who lost his mortuary business in a game of poker to the sheriff, is one of the most frequently spotted spirits in the building. He’s known to take a seat at the bar’s poker table any time those still living play a hand. Other paranormal reports include glasses flying off racks for no reason, plants clattering to the ground, and a mannequin that was once tossed over the second floor railing when no one was upstairs to have done so.
Arkansas: Four Quarter Bar
North Little Rock’s Four Quarters Bar was opened in 2016, though it operates out of a building constructed over 100 years prior. The establishment was originally a brothel known as The Dirt Bar. Legend has it that in the 1900s, the brothel’s owner grew territorial over one of the women employed, and eventually slit her throat and threw her from the building’s balcony upon discovering she had fallen in love with one of her customers. In what can only be called poetic justice, the owner himself suffered the same fate years later when he, too, was thrown from the balcony after having his throat cut by a patron after an argument. Both the owner and the woman allegedly roam the bar today, as patrons claim they’ve spotted two see-through individuals chasing each other and taps moving all on their own.
California: Silver Dollar Saloon
With L.A.’s infamous One Eyed Gypsy closing in 2014 — a bar rumored to have at least 30 spirits living within its walls — San Francisco’s Silver Dollar Saloon now has a solid claim as the state’s most haunted watering hole. The building was home to a brothel until the early 1970s, and many suspect the place to be haunted by the victims of a Marysville serial killer. The establishment was once called the Guadalajara Cafe and owned by the family of Juan Corona, who was convicted in 1973 for killing 25 migrant farmers, many of whom the public widely speculates were killed by Corona inside the bar.
Colorado: Buffalo Rose
Considering Buffalo Rose predates Colorado’s statehood by 17 years, it’s safe to say the building has seen its fair share of history. The bar, located in Golden, claims to be the “original bar in Colorado” is rumored to be haunted by the spirit of a young girl believed to have drowned in a now-covered swimming pool in the basement. Employees and guests alike have claimed to hear the child running up and down the stairs, believing her to be a friendly and calm spirit. Also lingering among the ghosts are two men who are thought to have been killed in a shootout with police, though they are reported to largely stick to themselves.
Connecticut: Roberto’s Real American Tavern
Roberto’s Real American Tavern, which operates within East Windsor’s historic Jonathan Pasco House, is rumored to be home to a host of spirits. The Jonathan Pasco House was first constructed in 1784 as a family home for Jonathan Pasco, a Revolutionary War-era army general, and it’s believed to be haunted by both Pasco and his wife, Elizabeth — thought to be the infamous Lady in White who’s been spotted on the premises. She’s most often seen sitting in the upstairs dining area or floating down the stairs and towards the bar. An apparition of Jonathan has also been spotted on numerous occasions, often accompanied by items spontaneously flying off tables.
Delaware: Deer Park Tavern
While the Deer Park Tavern may not have opened its doors until 1851, the plot of land it resides upon is much older and once was home to St. Patrick’s Inn, where Edgar Allen Poe is rumored to have written his famous poem, “The Raven.” The St. Patrick’s Inn was torn down and rebuilt, and until the late 1800s, the new Tavern was considered by many to be one of the nicest lodgings on the East Coast. It’s even believed to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad before the Civil War, helping slaves escape to freedom in the north. Those who have entered have reported hearing mysterious sounds going up and down the stairs when the bar is empty, the froot door swinging opening on its own, and a general creepy energy within the building. Many many believe these happenings are e a result of a curse left by Poe shortly after he fell in front of what was then St. Patrick’s Inn. “A curse on this place,” he allegedly said. “All who enter shall have to return.”
Florida: Ashley’s of Rockledge
Located in Rockledge, Ashley’s dates back to the 1930s when it was called Jack’s Tavern. Jack’s was a regular spot for a young woman named Ethel Allen, who was 19 when she was found dead on the banks of the Indian River after being seen at the Tavern with a man named Billy Wilson. No one was ever arrested or convicted of her murder, and her spirit is said to still linger today. Employees have reported seeing a pair of legs in the women’s restroom behind a stall door only to find no one there once the door is opened up. Other paranormal occurrences include the sinks turning on and off by themselves, and guests spotting a woman’s reflection in the bathroom mirror. Employees have also cited incidents of music playing on its own, glasses breaking while untouched, and two individuals claimed to have been pushed down the stairs by a pair of unseen hands.
Georgia: Moon River Brewing Company
Originally constructed in 1821, Savannah’s Moon River Brewing Company was once the City Hotel, where guests would gather to drink the fine imports arriving through the ports. One of those guests was James Stark, an infamous gambler who was shot and killed by a doctor he insulted during a duel. Years later, the hotel was transformed into a hospital to treat the sick and dying during the city’s disastrous yellow fever outbreak. It’s estimated that hundreds died during the 1870s outbreak, leaving a lot of haunting-potential for Moon River, which opened its doors in April 1999. Since then, reports have emerged of a man believed to be James roaming the main floor where he was murdered, as well as fellow “long-term resident” Toby, a well-known nuisance who occupies the basement. Toby has been said to push people down the stairs and speak directly into the ears of those brave enough to enter. The upper floors of the brewery are said to harbor the darkest energy and is home to a lady dressed in white who, like Toby, has also allegedly pushed people down the stairs. Construction crews have even refused to finish the upper floor’s remodel, claiming to have been chased out by unseen forces. It’s also not uncommon to experience flying glassware inside the brewery or to feel someone grab your leg when you’re alone.
Hawaii: Hilton Hawaiian Village
While not technically only a bar or restaurant, the Hilton Hawaiian Village does have 10 drinking and dining establishments on its campus and the hotel has certainly had its fair share of paranormal goings on. The most prolific sightings are those of “The Lady in the Red Dress,” who has been said to wander around the hotel’s grounds and onto the beach nearby. She is thought to be a benevolent spirit, and hasn’t been known to startle or injure anyone. Some employees and visitors speculate that the spirit belongs to that of a woman who died on the property long ago while others believe it to be Madame Pele, the goddess of volcanoes and fire said to have created the Hawaiian islands.
Idaho: White Horse Saloon
Founded in the Spirit Lake area in 1908, the White Horse Saloon is Idaho’s first and longest continually operating bar. Originally used as an eight-room hotel and bar, the building is home to a number of restless ghosts, the most famous of which is an unnamed former maid referred to by locals as Big Girl. The hotel employee’s son is said to have died in front of the building while crossing the street, leading the ghost to break bottles and glasses and “speak” to customers. Her presence is often accompanied by the sounds of phantom footsteps and a slamming door.
Illinois: Liar’s Club
Chicago’s Liar’s Club may not have opened its doors until 1995, but its structure has stood for much longer. The building was the scene of at least two murders, committed in 1958 and 1986, respectively. The former was the result of a dispute between two men when the building served as a homeless shelter. And in the ‘80s, a young woman named Julia Hansen was killed with an axe by her husband, who owned the establishment prior to it becoming the Liar’s Club. To this day, a woman can often be seen lingering behind the Liar’s Club DJ booth only to spontaneously disappear. Spirits have also been reported in the women’s bathroom, and are apparently quite fond of tugging on patrons’ hair.
Indiana: Slippery Noodle Inn
The building Slippery Noodle Inn now calls home was constructed in 1850, and was intended to be a roadhouse and bar for travelers stopping through Indianapolis. Originally called Tremont House, it functioned as a stop on the Underground Railroad, a hotel, a brothel, a speakeasy, and a lawless land of sorts overall. Over the late 1800s and early 1900s, Tremont House bore witness to murders, shootouts, and a number of natural deaths. Among the ghosts is said to be that of a former caretaker named George, who has been spotted around the bar in a pair of overalls still attempting to maintain the bar. George allegedly once appeared in the basement during a keg delivery, standing directly in front of the delivery drivers when they turned on the lights. Other spirits roaming around the Slippery Noodle include a cowboy believed to have been killed in a bar fight, numerous sex workers, and escaped slaves who died on the property while seeking refuge further north.
Iowa: Hotel Blackhawk
Currently housing 400 rooms, a restaurant, and a cocktail lounge with a bowling alley, the Hotel Blackhawk was built in 1915 and has welcomed a number of famous guests over the years — some of whom still seem to hang around. These figures include actor Cary Grant, who passed away at the hotel in 1986. Grant has been seen around the hotel — most often around room 907 where he died — but he’s also been spotted in the lobby and restaurant. Guests have also reported sightings of a woman dressed in a red or blue gown accompanied by musicians. These apparitions are usually accompanied by chills and unexplained noises.
Kansas: The Underground Saloon/Bar
The Underground Saloon & Bar in Ellinwood is stationed fully underground beneath the Wolf Hotel, which was established in 1894. The hotel was constructed above a tunnel system once used to transport alcohol, gamblers, and more. In 1908, a man involved in an embezzlement fraud case took his own life in the building, and 19 years later, there was another suicide in the dining room. Staff have described hearing phantom footsteps and seeing the doors of the saloon swing open on their own accord. Patrons have also reported seeing the figure of a small girl.
Kentucky: Bobby Mackey’s
Bobby Mackey’s is reported to be one of the most haunted nightclubs in the country, residing in a century-old Wilder building with numerous mob connections. Prior to being converted into a nightlife venue in 1978, Bobby Mackey’s was a mob-run dinner club and casino where a number of murders were believed to have been carried out. Some have even dubbed the basement of the bar as a portal to hell: it contains a cell thought to have once served as a torture chamber, and the spirits of those who died there are said to throw items at those who enter the space. Carl Lawson, a former caretaker who lived above the club, once cited feeling two hands forcefully trying to push him beneath the water while taking a bath. Some of the more connected spirits are said to caress some of the women who stop by the nightclub, often accompanied by the sounds of distant male conversations.
Louisiana: Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar
As New Orleans is one of the most haunted places in America, there are dozens of establishments boasting paranormal activity to choose from. One of the most prolific is Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, which was built in the French Quarter in the early 1700s. The space was also once the headquarters of Jean and Pierre Lafitte, smugglers who shuffled cargo in and around the city. Though Jean died in the 1820s, he’s often spotted in sailor’s garb around the fireplace on the first floor. A few decades later, the apartment above the bar was rented out to a woman who took her own life, and is rumored to communicate with bar-goers by whispering to them while they sip their beers. Most frightening, though, is the pair of red eyes that have been reported to peer out from shadowy corners, only to fade away once their eyes are met.
Maine: Jameson Tavern
The building now known as Jameson Tavern was first built as a family home in 1779 for a local Freeport doctor. When it was purchased in 1801 by Captain Samuel Jameson, it was transformed into Jameson’s Tavern, and is supposedly the current home to a young girl named Emily who many believe died in a fire decades ago. She is known to be a playful and kind spirit, often knocking pots and pans to the floor to playfully interact with staff or hiding behind the corners to spook patrons.
Maryland: The Horse You Came In On Saloon
First opened in 1775, The Horse You Came In On Saloon is one of America’s oldest continually operating bars. It’s also believed to be haunted by the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe, as it was the final place the prolific writer was spotted before his untimely death in 1849. Patrons and employees have reported the lights and TVs turning on and off on their own, as well as glasses falling off shelves and shattering. One man even reported to have looked into the bar’s bathroom mirror and saw no reflection looking back at him.
Massachusetts: Stone’s Public House
Stone’s Public House was first established in Ashland in 1832, and is reported to be haunted by founder John Stone himself, as well as six other spirits. Over the decades, stories have emerged of water faucets turning on automatically and guests feeling phantom hands resting atop their shoulders. In the 1980s, the restaurant’s managers were so spooked by the occurrences that they hired a paranormal investigative team to look into the hauntings, who discovered that a murder had taken place in the building sometime in the 1800s over gambling debts. A body was rumored to have been buried in the basement, though it remains unclear what exactly was found when an excavation team was hired. Despite the lack of hard evidence, Butch Adams, assistant manager of Stone’s Public House, has said he refuses to remain in the restaurant alone at night.
Michigan: Fenton Hotel Tavern & Grille
The building in which the Fenton Hotel Tavern & Grille resides dates back to 1856, with the first floor serving as a restaurant and the second and third floors as a hotel. The hotel portion of the Fenton is thought to be haunted by the ghost of Emery, a former custodian who’s been heard walking around upstairs. There’s also the lingering spirit of a bearded man known to randomly appear in the windows and two ghostly women who have been seen wandering the halls. Downstairs in the restaurant, another ghost allegedly haunts table 32, and repeatedly “orders” Jack & Cokes: bartenders make drinks for who they believe to be a guest, but when servers return to the table to serve the man their drink, there’s sometimes no one there.. Guests have also reported seeing his full-body apparition and glasses shatter out of the blue behind the bar.
Minnesota: Black Woods Bar & Grill
Blackwoods Bar & Grill in Two Harbors was opened in 1994 and is said to be home to a spirit named Sarah. The young girl is thought to have died in the orphanage that used to occupy the building after falling down the stairs. Employees have reported hearing ghostly voices when they are alone, along with a figure who suddenly appears and disappears. When closing the bar at night, employees have also said they’ve felt as if someone is breathing down their neck.
Mississippi: Ole Tavern
While Ole Tavern was not opened until 2008, the building it took over has been standing in Jackson since 1910. Over the years, Ole Tavern has served as the town grocery store, a restaurant, and like many bars on this list, a brothel. One spirit rumored to be haunting the bar is that of a former sex worker, and another is said to be a man who once owned the bar and died in a shootout. Those who have entered the tavern recall lights turning on and off, chairs moving around in empty rooms, and a ghostly figure of a man sitting alone at the bar.
Missouri: Port Cape Girardeau Restaurant and Lounge
Before Port Cape Girardeau Restaurant and Lounge was opened, the building it occupies was a headquarters for Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War. While living in Girardeau, Grant was rumored to have frequently spent his time with Belle, a local sex worker who fell in love with the general. Legend has it that when he left the port city to continue fighting the war, she was so heartbroken that she jumped to her death from the top floor of the building. Since then, she’s allegedly been spotted wearing war-era clothing or heard ringing the bell near the bar.
Montana: Vu Villa Pizza
Butte’s Vu Villa Pizza operates in a building dating back to 1886, three years before Montana entered the Union. Originally known as The Parkway, the bar was first owned by Rocco Campana and is now thought to be haunted by Rocco’s wife, Pellegrina. Many have seen the figure of a woman who looks identical to Pellegrina’s portraits wandering around the bar, and she’s also known to be a drinker, even in the afterlife: In the early 2000s, servers were said to keep a singular barstool down when closing for the night to appease the ghost, lest she shatter bottles if they didn’t.
Nebraska: The Speakeasy
Sacramento’s The Speakeasy is said to be haunted by a spirit dubbed Faceless Fred, who is believed to be the seedy former owner of the building. Prior to transforming into a restaurant in the ‘80s, the building was a bar and store where Fred is said to have had a number of extramarital affairs. The story goes that when his wife found out, she killed him and disposed of his body on the property. Today, Faceless Fred is said to shatter glassware, and once even sliced the top of a guest’s Martini glass clean off.
Nevada: The Washoe Club
Featured on TV shows like “Ghost Adventures” and “Ghost Hunters,” The Washoe Club in Virginia City is widely thought to be one of the most haunted places on the West Coast. Opened in 1876, the club was denoted “The Millionaire’s Club” for its reputation of drawing in the rich and elite from the silver mining boom. Today, The Washoe Club is thought to be haunted by three ghosts: a timid young girl, the blonde and gown-wearing “Lady in Blue,” and silver miner known to steal lone drinks off the bar. Patrons have cited incidents of doors locking on their own, barstools clattering to the ground when no one is around, the front door opening automatically for young women, and of course, stolen drinks. To satiate the thirsty spirit, some bartenders have been said to leave a singular shot of bourbon out before locking up at night, only to find the glass empty in the morning.
New Hampshire: The Library Restaurant
Portsmouth’s The Library resides within the old Rockingham House, which was built in 1785 as a private residence. Since then, the building has served a number of purposes, and is rumored to house a number of spirits who have been spotted by both employees and patrons alike. Most of the ghostly activity can be traced to the tunnels in the basement of the building, which extend underground throughout Portsmouth — one of which is rumored to lead all the way to the ocean. Over the years, reports have emerged of items spontaneously falling off shelves and the ghost of a woman in the bathroom. In Oct. 2023, the restaurant posted a video to their Facebook page showing what appears to be the ghostly apparition of a figure passing by security cameras.
New Jersey: The Brass Rail
Hoboken’s The Brass Rail dates back to the turn of the century, and in 1904, it was the site of a series of tragic accidents during a wedding party. The story goes that while descending the stairs to her wedding celebration, the bride tripped and fell, causing her to break her neck and pass away. Her griefstruck husband then allegedly consumed copious amounts of alcohol and took his own life close to the stairs where she died. Employees have claimed they’ve spotted apparitions of a bride and groom floating around the bar and leaving cold spots in their wake, and items around the restaurant are known to disappear only to turn up hours later unannounced.
New Mexico: Double Eagle Restaurant
Built in 1849, Mesilla’s Double Eagle Restaurant was once the home of a wealthy family. One son, Armando, is rumored to have fallen in love with one of the estate’s servants, Inez. Eventually, the two were found out by Armando’s mother, who killed them both with sewing shears in a fit of rage. The two young lovers have been reported to make the lights flicker and have claimed a pair of chairs in the restaurant as their own, wearing down the seams and causing nightmares for anyone brave enough to sit in their seats.
New York: White Horse Tavern
Nestled in the city’s Greenwich Village neighborhood is the White Horse Tavern, which was opened in 1880 under the name Longshoremen’s Bar. The bar was popular among the city’s literary community in the ‘50s and ‘60s, and was a personal favorite of Dylan Thomas, a notorious drinker who visited the tavern in 1953 and returned to the Hotel Chelsea bragging about having consumed 18 straight whiskeys. He died a few days later, and his spirit has been reported to linger around his favorite table at the bar today. Phantom beers and shots are also said to appear without the staff pouring them.
North Carolina: Rí Rá Irish Pub
The Rí Rá Irish Pub was opened in 1997, though the parts that makeup the bar have been around for centuries. The interior of the pub actually originated in Ireland in the 1700s where it was discovered in the Phoenix Park barracks of Dublin in the 1920s and placed into proper storage. In the 1990s, the bar’s pieces were shipped to the United States, repainted, and restored to make the Charlotte pub. The bar is believed to be haunted by ghosts that remain from the bar’s days in Dublin, the most infamous of which are a pair of two young men who have been dubbed “the lads.” The duo are believed to have died in Ireland sometime in the late 1800s and have been heard speaking around the Charlotte bar in Irish accents and an unknown dialect. The lads have even been spotted roughhousing at the bar, and in one reported encounter in the 1990s, a gaping wound could be seen on the back of one of their heads. Another ghost rumored to be haunting the Rí Rá Irish Pub is that of a young Victorian girl who has been heard reciting her ABCs out loud, and practices writing them on the chalkboard behind the host stand.
North Dakota: Peacock Alley
Located in Bismarck, Peacock Alley was once The Patterson Hotel, though the former rooms have been renovated into a senior living space and the former lobby now serves as a restaurant and bar. The bar is apparently haunted by spirits presumed to have been former employees of the hotel, as the spirits have a tendency to shuffle around with service-specific items. For example, though glasses are left in their racks overnight, employees frequently return to find them taken down and placed around the bars and on tables. Napkins will also be found folded and laid flat on the tables along with silverware rearranged come opening. Employees and guests have also reported hearing phantom male voices during service, and one server even claimed to have been touched by unseen hands while she was waiting to pick up an order for a table.
Ohio: The Golden Lamb Restaurant & Hotel
The Golden Lamb was founded in Lebanon in 1803, and quickly became known as “Lebanon’s Living Room” to its regulars — some of whom are still believed to be around today. One of these ghosts is thought to be Clement L. Callandingham, an Ohio congressman who allegedly misfired a gun and accidentally killed himself in the bar. He shares the space with former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Charles R. Sherman, who died in the building when it was an inn at age 41, and Sarah Stubbs, a young girl who supposedly lived at the inn. Employees and guests have reported experiencing lights turning on and off, the figure of a man reflected in the windows, and the smell of cigar smoke despite the fact that the establishment has been smoking-free for years.
Oklahoma: Kendall’s Restaurant
Kendall’s operates out of a century-old building in Noble that once served as a grocery store, a funeral home, and stables before becoming the now-bar and restaurant in the ‘80s. One of the alleged spirits roaming Kendall’s is a young boy haunting an upstairs room nicknamed “the kids’ room” for the abundance of toys it once held for children to play with. Other spirits are a bit more helpful: Kim Lock, the restaurant’s co-owner, recalls a time when she forgot she was cooking a dish in the oven and left the restaurant. Upon remembering, she returned fearing the worst. But when she entered the kitchen in a panic, she found the oven doors wide open with her food in fine condition. Employees and guests have also reported feeling someone pulling their hair or touching their clothing.
Oregon: White Eagle Saloon & Hotel
The Wild West was alive and well in 1905 when the White Eagle Saloon & Hotel opened its doors. The establishment would eventually be dubbed the “Bucket of Blood” for the violent incidents that occurred in subsequent years. Many of these nefarious events took place in the tunnels dug under the saloon to transport alcohol and other goods from the sea to the city during Prohibition. As sailing was incredibly challenging and more workers were always needed aboard ships, captains were known to drug innocent men at the bar and drag them through the tunnels and onto the ships for forced labor. Today, employees have said they feel like someone is watching them as they enter the basement, and believe it to be the spirit of a former bouncer who was dragged out to sea. The above-ground rooms are rumored to be haunted by the ghosts of Sam, a former caretaker, and Rose, a sex worker allegedly murdered by a customer. Guests have reported hearing crying, feeling watched, and once, a server was pushed down the stairs by unseen hands.
Pennsylvania: Jean Bonnet Tavern
The Jean Bonnet Tavern was first built in the 1750s as a headquarters for the British General John Forbes and sits on what was once the only East-West trail in the region. As such, the majority of people venturing out west stopped at the tavern, and it’s said to house the spirits of many who tried to pass through. One of those spirits is said to be a man found guilty of a crime and executed, and was buried beneath the floorboards in the basement. His skeleton was discovered in the 1950s, and bar-goers report seeing a figure dressed in old-fashioned clothing wandering around. This spirit enjoys an after-hours drink, too: an employee once was once closing up the bar with a friend when the two noticed a lone patron who had too much to drink. They shuffled him out of the bar to take him home, and locked the doors behind them with the intention of coming back to clean the otherwise empty establishment. While on the porch, the two looked back through the bar windows and saw a man sitting at the bar sipping from a glass.
Rhode Island: White Horse Tavern
Newport’s The White Horse Tavern was established in 1673 making it the oldest bar in the state. In the 1700s while the tavern was still operating in part as an inn, a smallpox outbreak claimed the life of a man whose ghost is said to have been spotted around the tavern dressed in Colonial-era clothing in the men’s room. And around the fireplace, a young woman has been seen and heard crying when no one appears to be present.
South Carolina: Blind Tiger Pub
Charleston was a booming city during Prohibition, with a number of illicit establishments using the name “Blind Tiger” to refer to bars masquerading as exhibition halls. Of those bars was the Blind Tiger Pub, and its present-day name pays homage to its 1920s moniker. The bar is reportedly haunted by a woman in a black dress who’s known to have an unfriendly disposition, throwing coffee mugs and other glassware across the pub and pulling customer’s hair. Some employees have even reported hearing loud stomping noises emanating from the bar when they’re alone, and even hearing calls for help coming from illicit tunnels beneath the bar’s floorboards.
South Dakota: The Fairmont Hotel Oyster Bay Bar
The Fairmont Hotel Oyster Bay Bar has been the subject of numerous paranormal investigations, including those carried out on TV shows like “Ghost Adventures” and “Dead Files.” Prior to operating as a restaurant and karaoke bar, the hotel served as a brothel where numerous murders took place. The restaurant, which hosts a nightly ghost tour, is reportedly haunted by these spirits, who have been known to move objects on their own and leave lingering cold spots throughout the space.
Tennessee: Earnestine & Hazel’s
Located in downtown Memphis, Earnestine & Hazel’s is widely considered to be one of the most haunted bars in America. The building the bar resides within was constructed in the late 1800s as a church, but over the years has hosted a pharmacy, jazz cafe, brothel, and now a bar. Earnestine & Hazel’s is said to be home to a number of spirits, some with apparent musical taste: employee Karen Brownlee told Vice she witnessed the jukebox playing songs like “I Feel Good” during a conversation with a fellow employee about James Brown, and again playing “Sympathy for the Devil” by The Rolling Stones during a conversation about exorcisms. The piano is also known to play from upstairs while no one is around, and footsteps can often be heard in empty rooms. The ghosts of Earnestine and Hazel themselves are said to be particularly benevolent, especially to employees in need.
Texas: White Elephant Saloon
The White Elephant Saloon is located in the Stockyards in Fort Worth, a location known for its spooky happenings. The bar — which was constructed sometime between the late 1700s and early 1800s — was the site of the last known large-scale gunfight in Fort Worth between the town sheriff and the bar’s then-owner in 1887. The corrupt sheriff is rumored to haunt the bar today, spotted by employees and guests alike. In the 1800s, the bar’s basement was also the site of a series of murders tied to a gambling debt, and the spirits remaining are said to make glasses shatter and cause items to go missing. Another former owner of the establishment is also believed to occupy the bar and has been heard shouting orders at employees from the afterlife.
Utah: Shooting Star Saloon
Shooting Star is now Utah’s longest, continually operating bar, first established in 1879 by a bootlegger named Holken Olsen who’s rumored to be haunting the bar today. Employees have reported coming back to the bar in the morning to find all of the lights on despite them being off at closing. Employees and patrons also believe the bar to be haunted by the spirit of a patron who never had enough money to cover his tab: Whiskey Joe kickstarted the bar’s tradition of nailing bills to the ceiling, as whenever he did have enough money, bartenders would hang it up to prove it. Some guests have even claimed to have seen phantom images of Whiskey Joe on the property.
Vermont: Jasper Murdock’s Alehouse
Jasper Murdock’s Alehouse can be found inside the historic Norwich Inn, which was built in 1797. Back then, the alehouse was operated by a woman named Mary “Ma” Walker and was a reliable place to find beer during Prohibition. It was also allegedly frequented by Dr. Seuss. The bar is said to be haunted by Walker today, who has been reported to turn water faucets on and off, knock glasses over, and move the rocking chairs while the bar is empty. One man who stayed in the building overnight reported hearing strange noises and even felt hands on his shoulders gently shaking him awake.
Virginia: Gadsby’s Tavern
Gadsby’s Tavern was opened in 1785 in Old Town Alexandria, and was an essential part of economic, social, and political life in the American colony. The most famous ghost currently residing within Gadsby’s is referred to as The Female Stranger, who arrived in Virginia while very ill and was taken to the inn wearing a black veil to conceal her identity. She died in Room 8 after making those present swear to never reveal who she was. The Female Stranger has since been spotted moving candles around the tavern and relighting candles and lanterns that had just been blown out. Other diners have reported seeing the woman who appears young and beautiful and dressed in black, only to disappear when she’s spotted.
Washington: Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub
The building Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub is located in was first constructed in 1903 to serve as the town mortuary. For many years, nearly all those who died in Seattle were transported through the building, and some of their souls are rumored to remain in the modern-day bar. One of the most famous spirits is a man named Charlie, who many employees and patrons have reported seeing in the reflection of the bar mirror smiling and drinking a beer. Another young girl believed to haunt the bar has been known to stomp up and down the stairs in a red dress.
West Virginia: The Empty Glass
Charleston’s The Empty Glass is a dive bar thought to be haunted by a former bartender. The man, who was killed in a car accident, is said to play his favorite songs on the bar’s jukebox. Once, an employee went to unplug the machine and saw a man’s shadow cross over the cord in his path. Other reported paranormal activity includes chairs moving on their own and items like money bags going missing only to turn up months later in random places.
Wisconsin: Shaker’s Cigar Bar
While Milwaukee’s Shaker’s Cigar Bar opened in 1986, its host building was constructed in 1894 as a cooperage for Schlitz Brewing before it was transformed into a brothel owned by the Capone brothers. Prior to the building even being constructed, though, the land was a cemetery. And as many families didn’t have the money to rebury their loved ones when the building was raised, it’s said their spirits still haunt the structure. Among the dead is rumored to be an 18-year-old sex worker who was murdered in the fireplace in the Capone-era brothel, and an eight-year-old girl who’s been heard speaking around the bar and is fond of pulling open the bathroom door while people are using the toilet.
Wyoming: Shoshone Bar & Grill
Lovell’s Shoshone Bar & Grill was founded in 1906, though the building itself dates back to 1887. In the 1940s, the bar was paid a visit by Ted Louie, a traveling cigarette and candy salesman who disappeared from the bar and set off a nationwide search. Louie is believed to have been buried in the basement of the bar, and his spirit has since been dubbed “The Candy Man.” Reports have emerged of appliances around the restaurant operating on their own accord, strange noises emanating from the basement, and even thievery: rumor has it that if any money is left behind on the bar, The Candy Man will take it right from under your nose.
