When it comes to dining out and picking the perfect restaurant, the atmosphere is almost as important as the food you’re eating. Sure, fantastic food can be enjoyed in any setting, but it doesn’t hurt to have a cool story to think about while you’re sitting somewhere. That’s one of the reasons haunted diners and restaurants are so exciting: they seem intriguing and mysterious. Sometimes what you’re eating doesn’t even matter — you’re just totally focused on seeing if any of the ghosts that haunt the place are going to send you some secret message from another world. It’s kind of awesome.
There are lots of haunted places all over the country (and the world) that are worth checking out, like haunted houses or old buildings. But haunted diners are just a little bit more fun. They usually aren’t so scary that they’ll give you nightmares forever; instead, they’re just scary enough to be thrilling. They also come with food, which is obviously a great plus. Diners and other similar spots are always a good idea because they’re cheaper than some of the fancier haunted restaurants (yes, they exist!) and you can get a comforting meal while you’re experiencing goosebumps from the ghosts floating around you. Check out some of the spookiest haunted diners in the United States, and start planning your road trips!
1. Earnestine & Hazel’s — Memphis, Tennessee
Earnestine & Hazel’s in Memphis brags that they are the best dive bar in the country, but they are also known for their fantastic diner food… and their spooky past. Called one of the most haunted places in America, there are rumors that 13 different people died in Earnestine & Hazel’s, and all of them stuck around. You can supposedly hear phantom piano music from upstairs during off-hours, footsteps at all times of the day, and a jukebox that goes on whenever it wants. There’s lots of spooky history to be found!
2. Ohana’s 1950’s Diner — Tupper Lake, New York
Head to Ohana’s 1950’s Diner in the Adirondacks for a dose of nostalgia and creepy ghosts. The owners of the restaurant have reported hearing voices calling their names when no one else was around, and one woman even said she saw two young men in 1920’s attire one night. Over the years, two servers had similar creepy experiences during different times: one spotted a man running towards her who looked like a shadow, and another felt two fingers run down her neck, although no one was around. Very spooky indeed!
3. Old Town Pizza — Portland, Oregon
Old Town Pizza in Portland is home to the ghost of Nina, a young slave who was sold into prostitution in the 1880s. After traveling missionaries convinced Nina to give them information so they could set her free, she was found dead at the bottom of the elevator shaft. Diners say they have seen Nina, and the ghost looks like a woman in a black dress who smells like perfume. It’s even believed that Nina carved her own name into the wall of the elevator shaft where she was murdered. Stop by for pizza (and maybe a visit from her).
4. Jean Bonnet Tavern — Bedford, Pennsylvania
Jean Bonnet Tavern was actually a courthouse in the 18th century and was the site of many criminal hangings, so it’s not surprising to hear that it is almost definitely haunted. Both employees and guests have reported seeing and hearing spirits, who do things like unroll paper towels, move eyeglasses around, and open and close doors. One owner said that every time she walked by the basement door, it would be in a new position, even if no one else was there but her.
5. Pinecrest Diner —San Francisco, California
Pinecrest Diner is your typical 24-hour diner in San Fransisco’s Union Square area, but it has a bloody and spooky past. In 1997, a cook murdered a waitress in cold blood after she told him off for cooking a customer poached eggs (they weren’t on the menu). Many believe the waitress’s ghost haunts the restaurant now — and they also refuse to serve poached eggs. If you order them, she just might turn up…
6. Gadsby’s Tavern Restaurant — Alexandria, Virginia
Gadsby’s Tavern Restaurant in Virginia has been around for a very long time — since 1785. The hauntings began in 1814, though. Supposedly, a mysterious female spirit known as the Female Stranger haunts the place. Many employees and guests have said they’ve seen her in the form of a beautiful woman who disappears before your eyes. The woman supposedly died in Room 8 at the tavern, and visitors sometimes say they see her standing at the window of that room.
7. The Ear Inn — New York, New York
The Ear Inn is a very old, worn-down drinking spot in SoHo in Manhattan, and is said to be haunted by an old sailor named Micky. Most of the guests and employees who have claimed to see Micky are females, and guests have also claimed that he has finished their drinks. Because the place has so much history, Mickey probably isn’t the only ghost… but he’s definitely the most well-known.
8. Julep’s — Richmond, Virginia
Julep’s is a very popular restaurant that was once a gun and weapon shop in the 1820s. Legend says that in 1826, an apprentice gunsmith named Daniel Denoon was shot by the owner of the shop, and now, Denoon’s ghost haunts the place. In 2003, when it was renovated, people began reporting strange activity. Employees have reported unexplained thumps and other noises coming from the storage closet that was once the place where Denoon was murdered.
9. Parkview Restaurant — Oswego, New York
Parkview Restaurant was originally a hotel that was built back in 1867. In 2008, it was renovated to become a restaurant, and a lot of paranormal activity has been recorded. The owners have heard noises, like weird chiming dinner bells. One found a sealed-up, hidden room. Mysterious things are known to happen, and both employees and guests have been witnesses. Go if you dare!
10. Casey Moore’s Oyster House — Tempe, Arizona
Casey Moore’s Oyster House in Arizona may seem innocent enough, but it’s actually haunted by multiple spirits. The house was built in 1910 by William Moeur, and he and his wife Mary both lived and died there. In 1973, it was turned into a restaurant. Many people have reported seeing a couple dancing in an upstairs room around 4 a.m., said to be William and Mary. Employees have reported forks flying off tables and hitting the same spot on the wall every time, paintings crashing down from walls, and lamps swinging for no reason.
11. The Savoy Grill — Kansas City, Missouri
The Savoy Grill is located inside the Savoy Hotel, which is thought to be one of the oldest continuously operating hotels in the U.S. It is said that in the late 1880s, Betsy Ward died in Room 505 of the hotel by committing suicide in the bathtub. Today, guests and employees have reported hearing voices, and seeing and hearing doors slam, right near Room 505 — and those certainly aren’t the only creepy stories. Yikes!
12. Pioneer Saloon — Goodsprings, Nevada
If you look at a photo of Pioneer Saloon, you might think you’re looking at a photo from the Old West. Inside is a cool diner-type place and bar, and also a spirit of an old man. He was supposedly killed there in 1915 after he got caught cheating during a card game, and can sometimes be seen hanging around over other gamblers there. There are additional ghosts as well, like a miner who hangs around the bar and a woman who haunts the ladies’ bathroom.
13. Simon’s Tavern — Chicago, Illinois
Simon’s Tavern was once a speakeasy and is now supposedly haunted. The story says that a married woman who was having an affair with owner Simon’s son, Roy, ended up dying in a car accident. When the news of the affair came out after that, the family cut her image out of a mural in the bar. Since they did that, customers and employees report feeling weird paranormal feelings, like a spirit is nearby.
14. Herringbone — La Jolla, California
Herringbone is an adorable place in La Jolla that doesn’t seem like it would be haunted, although many say it is — by the former owner, C. Arnholt Smith, whose nickname was Mr. San Diego. When he died in 1996, his ex-wife Maria believed he was scaring people away. During the renovations of Herringbone, owners reported sightings of unexplained shadows believed to be spirits.
15. Country Tavern — Nashua, New Hampshire
Country Tavern has a long history and was once the home of Captain Ford and his wife Elizabeth, back in 1741. When he came home from being away for a year, he discovered Elizabeth had given birth to someone else’s child, and he locked her in a closet, then murdered the child, burying the body under an apple tree. He eventually murdered Elizabeth and threw her body down the well. Now it’s said that Elizabeth haunts the tavern, moving dishes, and other things, staring at the spot in the yard where her child was buried.
