Spirits & Sips: The Ultimate Guide to New Orleans’ Most Haunted Historic Taverns

In New Orleans, history has a way of following you into the bar. The French Quarter is filled with buildings that have witnessed centuries of fires, wars, epidemics, crime, celebrations, and ordinary nights that stretched into morning. Some of these historic establishments have accumulated another kind of history: stories of unexplained footsteps, mysterious figures, strange voices, and spirits that supposedly never quite left.

For travelers who enjoy a little folklore with their cocktails, New Orleans offers plenty of opportunities to raise a glass with the ghosts. Here are five historic taverns and bars where the atmosphere comes with a side of the supernatural.

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar

Few places look more naturally haunted than Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop. The low, atmospheric building on Bourbon Street is one of the French Quarter’s oldest surviving structures. It is widely associated with the privateer Jean Lafitte, although historians note that the precise connection between Lafitte and the building is part of local legend rather than firmly documented history. 

The structure itself dates to the Spanish colonial period, with evidence pointing to construction in the late eighteenth century. Today, the candlelit bar is famous for its dark interior, ancient-looking walls, fireplace, and stories of paranormal activity.

According to local lore, Jean Lafitte’s ghost sometimes appears near the fireplace. Other reports describe a mysterious woman upstairs and unexplained movements or sounds. Whether you’re there for the history or the haunting, the atmosphere does most of the work for you.

Muriel’s Jackson Square

Across from the iconic Jackson Square, Muriel’s combines fine dining with one of New Orleans’ strangest ghost stories. The property has a long and complicated history, but its most famous ghost is Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan. According to the story, Jourdan restored the house as his dream home before losing it in a poker game in 1814. He subsequently died by suicide at the property.

The restaurant has embraced the legend. Its Séance Lounge maintains a table traditionally reserved for spirits, creating an unusual experience for diners who want their evening to include a little supernatural intrigue. Reports associated with Muriel’s include objects apparently moving on their own, unexplained lights, shadows, and other strange occurrences.

You don’t have to believe the stories to appreciate the experience. Sitting down for dinner in a centuries-old French Quarter building while looking out toward Jackson Square is atmospheric enough. Just be warned that you may be joined by a ghostly guest.

Old Absinthe House

The Old Absinthe House has accumulated much history and legend. Completed in the early nineteenth century, the building began as a grocery before its ground floor became a bar. Soon enough, the establishment had become closely associated with absinthe and developed a reputation as one of New Orleans’ iconic drinking establishments.

Naturally, a place with that much history has acquired a few ghost stories. Local paranormal lore associates the building with figures ranging from Jean Lafitte and Andrew Jackson to Marie Laveau. There are also stories of a woman in white, a mysterious child, and unexplained activity involving bottles, glasses, and doors.

The Old Absinthe House remains a fascinating place to soak up the atmosphere of old New Orleans. And if you’re feeling adventurous, you can order the establishment’s signature absinthe-based drinks and contemplate whether the spirits you’re encountering are in the room with you or just in the glass.

Chartres House Café

Chartres House Café offers another combination that the Big Easy does particularly well: good food, historic architecture, and a few good NOLA ghost stories. 

The restaurant occupies a building at the corner of Chartres and Toulouse Streets with a complicated history stretching back centuries. The property was rebuilt following the devastating fires that swept through the French Quarter in the eighteenth century, and the building that now houses the restaurant is associated with the historic Gally House.

The ghost stories are equally colorful. One frequently repeated legend involves the apparition of a man in 1970s clothing, reportedly seen near the building’s windows or around the intersection. Some accounts connect the figure to a man who died by suicide when the property was used as an apartment building. Other stories surround the building’s former servant quarters and the tragedies associated with New Orleans epidemics.

Grab a classic cocktail, listen to the sounds of the French Quarter outside, and keep an eye on the windows. You never know what you might see.

Kerry’s Irish Pub

Not every haunted tavern in New Orleans needs centuries of history or a famous ghost. Kerry’s Irish Pub, located on Decatur Street, has traditionally been known as a small, neighborhood-oriented pub featuring live music, pool, and an eclectic selection of performers. Its history as a music venue dates to its opening in 1993.

But according to longtime paranormal lore, the pub has its own unexplained activity. Visitors and employees have reportedly experienced cold spots, unexplained footsteps, whispers, and the sensation of being followed. Doors have also allegedly opened or closed without an obvious explanation.

Unlike some of the French Quarter’s more elaborate ghost stories, the reports at Kerry’s are relatively simple: strange sounds, strange sensations, and the occasional feeling that someone else is in the room. But sometimes the simplest hauntings are the most unnerving.

Raise a Glass to the Ghosts

New Orleans’ haunted taverns and its history, deeply intertwined with Voodoo, demonstrate why the city is such a perfect destination for lovers of history and the supernatural. These aren’t simply bars with ghost stories attached to them. They’re places where generations of New Orleanians have gathered, celebrated, argued, played music, shared drinks, and told stories. Over time, history becomes legend, and legend becomes part of the atmosphere.

Of course, there is no guarantee that you’ll encounter a ghost at any of these establishments. Paranormal reports are usually eyewitness accounts, and many have no independently verified explanation. But perhaps that’s part of the fun.

Order a drink. Listen to the music. Look around at the old walls. Take a New Orleans ghost tour. Imagine everyone who occupied the same space before you. And if you happen to hear footsteps behind you when nobody is there, don’t turn around too quickly. After all, in New Orleans, even the dead seem to enjoy the old taverns.