The most haunted restaurants and bars in NYC

What is it? A rustic Italian/Mediterranean spot in an 1840s NoHo building.

Why we love it: The food is wonderful–every meal here has that rustic heartiness and sumptuousness that you look for in this kind of cuisine. Excellent cookery sees beautifully temped proteins, al dente pastas, and creamy risottos. The cuisine is not strictly Italian–there’s plenty of influence from Spain. The room wears history proudly, but it’s not musty. The cellar is steeped in Gothic literary history; it was a frequent haunt of Edgar Allan Poe, and lore says it was the basis for his spooky story, The Cask of Amontillado.

Who haunts it? The 200-year-old cellar is notoriously active with ghostly presences. Staff and visiting paranormal investigators have reported unexplained falling objects, sudden temperature drops, and unopened wine bottles that should be full losing their liquid volume. You know, haunty stuff. Some say it’s the ghost of Poe himself. Some say it’s the spirit of an unidentified lady. Don’t assume that stuff falls because the 6 train runs right by the cellar. And DO NOT be silly and suggest that cellars are the rooms most prone to sudden temperature changes because of the stack effect, where heat rises, escapes through the roof, and creates a pressure differential that pulls air in through the foundation’s cracks. And don’t mention that naturally derived corks may have small perforations that allow alcohol to evaporate. It’s g-g-g-g-ghosts!

Address: 47 Bond St, New York, NY 10012

Opening hours: Mon-Thu noon-10pm; Fri, Sat noon-11pm; Sun noon-10pm

Expect to pay: ~20–25/small plates; ~26–115/mains

What is it? A late-19th-century Boerum Hill neighborhood staple with striking original woodwork.

Why we love it: It's a truly beautiful, moody little neighborhood bar–the bones are old and proud. It’s an unpretentious neighborhood bar, but it has a character you simply can’t manufacture.

Who haunts it? Multiple people have independently reported sightings of the "Fedora Man.” Who is this tall, shadowy figure in a long coat and hat who silently watches the bar from the doorway of the former kitchen space? Some say he’s a departed building inspector who just wants to make sure everything is up to snuff. But there’s no way of knowing. Fedora man doesn’t stick around to answer questions. Others have mentioned a feeling of being watched when alone in the bar, or a creeping unease. Can we chalk that up to being alone, late at night, in a dark 19th-century bar? No. The only explanation is spirits.

Address: 148 Hoyt St, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Opening hours: Daily 3pm-2am

Expect to pay: ~5–8/beer; ~8-12/mixed drink

What is it? One of NYC's oldest bars. It's inside the landmark James Brown House (No, not the singer). The place's age shows—in the best way.

Why we love it: Cheap(-ish) beers, late hours, live trad jazz, and a crowd that actually talks… mostly. It's got a ton of soul plus a handy menu of pub food favorites. Plus, they give you crayons and a paper tablecloth; try out some psychography!

Who haunts it? Mickey, the bar's pet poltergeist, is said to be a 19th- or early-20th-century sailor who just never shipped out. Stories range from harmless flirtations in which the object of his affection turns around only to find the handsome young man has disappeared to unexplained sips stolen from unattended pints.

Time Out tip: The kitchen runs late, but the burger is simple yet exactly what you want from a place like this. It can get crowded on the weekends and after work hours, when the neighborhood bros want something else to ruin for everyone. But if you arrive at the right time or stick it out, it's an all-timer.

Address: 326 Spring St, New York, NY 10013

Opening hours: Daily noon-4am

Expect to pay: ~5–10/beer; ~9–15/ glass of wine; ~15/cocktails ~7–18/small plates; ~16–36/mains

What is it? Revolutionary War-era tavern with environs that sell the whole “old world New York” aesthetic because it is definitely that. It's a little labyrinthine and bigger than you might expect, so a wrong turn can get you lost. The creaky wood, narrow rooms, and the documented tragedies here give it an eerie vibe in the right light.

Why we love it: A proper pour in a landmark that also functions as a history lesson; George Washington reportedly lodged here! There's a museum upstairs, a whiskey bar downstairs. Live music nightly.

Who haunts it? It's an old inn so, y'know, unfinished business hangs around. A 1790s murder-suicide tale and reports of apparitions in the barrooms appear on the haunting bingo card. The place also survived a 1975 FALN bombing that killed four and injured dozens.

Time Out tip: There's a ton of seating, so if you don't spot a place right when you walk in, go a little further. The place's museum does seasonal Haunted History tours.

Address: 54 Pearl St, New York, NY 10004

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am-11:30pm; Sat, Sun 11am-midnight

Expect to pay: ~14–20/beer & wine by the glass; ~16–22/cocktails; ~16–25/small plates; ~24–52/mains.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Frida Kill (@fridakillkills)

What is it? A second-floor East Village bar dressed in Soviet posters and deep-red paint, with music, readings, and downtown lifers at the rail. This place is a scene.

Why we love it: Cheapish drinks, literary calendar, live music, and zero influencer lighting. If you show up here thinking people will give a shit who you are, guess again.

Who haunts it? No named ghosties, just slightly-off vibes. That said, the building's history is dubious: mob capo di capi Lucky Luciano had a casino and office here and who knows what horrors took place when someone, say, got caught cheating or couldn't pay their debts or acted up? Violence makes a certain kind of energy linger. And disquieted souls tend to be stirred by bad poetry.

Time Out tip: Most readings start at 7pm; the adjacent Red Room goes late into the night.

Address: 85 E 4th St, New York, NY 10003

Opening hours: Daily ~7pm-4am

Expect to pay: ~8–12/~beer; ~12–14/~well cocktails.

What is it? A restored Gilded Age cocktail room tucked inside Grand Central, featuring cathedral ceilings and old-world vibes. It reads a little mausoleum-adjacent. And late at night, it can feel like you've slipped into a Gozerian time pocket.

Why we love it: It's Midtown–a nexus for commuters. But it's a classy old-world glance at a time when design was less spare, utilitarian, and minimalistic.

Who haunts it? Stories tell of a presence in John W. Campbell's old office. And some have reported odd cold spots in the lofted space. Is it a g-g-ghost or h-h-hvac? You decide.

Time Out tip: There's always a pop during rush hour when people are heading home. Go late on a weekday for a spot on a couch, or Friday or Saturday for live piano.

Address: 15 Vanderbilt Ave, New York, NY 10017

Opening hours: Daily noon-midnight

Expect to pay: ~21–24/cocktail; ~12/beer;~8–$30/small plates and a $90 caviar service.

What is it? An over 100-year-old West Village saloon with serious bohemian and literary history. The dim back rooms, old photos, and that Dylan Thomas story loom large.

Why we love it: It's a West Village bar, so there's plenty of revelry to get into here. It's got a great location on the corner of Hudson Street (which is actually an avenue), and it's prime people-watching real estate.

Who haunts it? Lore says Dylan Thomas bounces between here and the Chelsea Hotel; regulars claim he favors a corner table. Some say if you leave a shot of whiskey unattended for even a moment, it'll be gone when you look back. Note that while legend states Thomas collapsed into a coma here after 18 whiskies, he actually made it back out and collapsed later outside the Chelsea Hotel, passing away days later at St. Vincent's.

Time Out tip: Go off-peak afternoons for space; nights skew tourist-heavy.

Address: 567 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014

Opening hours: Mon-Thu noon-2am; Fri, Sat 11am-3am; Sun: 11am-midnight

Expect to pay: ~7–10/beer; ~18/cocktail;~15–23/starter;~25–$36/main

What is it? Candlelit carriage-house institution. Prix fixe romance is on the menu, but guess what's not? Conspicuous pricing. The creak of the staircase and inexplicably falling picture frames keep the room feeling sp-sp-spooooky.

Why we love it: It's white-tablecloth stuffy, indeed, and pricey, no doubt. But the food is delicious and the room is a kind of old-world pretty that you just can't find much, if at all, elsewhere. If you're planning a milestone, this is a nice place to do it.

Who haunts it? Legend claims this building was Aaron Burr's carriage house, and that he and his daughter, Theodosia, are its occupants. However, that turns out to be myth–it was owned by an inventor named Hallanan. Theodosia Burr famously vanished at sea off the Carolinas, so I doubt she migrated back to NYC when she could spend the rest of eternity haunting boats. Still, a parapsychologist once claimed up to 20 presences here.

Time Out tip: Book the three-course prix fixe over the longer tastings; better value, same room. A reservation is more or less a must.

Address: 17 Barrow St, New York, NY 10014

Opening hours: Wed, Thu 5pm-~10pm; Fri, Sat 5pm-~10:30pm; Sun 5pm-~9:30pm

Expect to pay: ~155/prixfixe (without wine pairing).~20–$24/cocktails.

What is it? The Algonquin Hotel's dining room and its adjoining Blue Bar are where the greatest wits of the Roaring '20s once traded (metaphorical) daggers.

Why we love it: It's definitely old-world New York—a long and storied fixture of the theater scene. Also, Hamlet, the legendary orange boy cat. We love him.

Who haunts it? Some say ghostly traces of the famed literary cadre (The Vicious Circle) abide, with Dorothy Parker most often cited as the central lingering presence. Visitors have spoken of inexplicable shapes and hushed voices. Some believe Parker's spirit has quieted since her remains were reinterred in 2020, but what this article presupposes is… maybe it didn't?

Time Out tip: Slide to Blue Bar before a show (why the hell else would you be in this neighborhood?) and have a martini. It feels right to drink one here. For a cool $10k, you can get a martini with diamonds in it. Yes, seriously.

Address: 59 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036

Opening Hours: Mon-Thu 3pm-11pm; Fri, Sat 3pm-midnight; Sun 2pm-10pm

Expect to pay: ~10/beer;~21–24/cocktails;~18/glass of wine; ~17–28/small plates; ~20–48/mains

What is it? 1868 proper Irish Hell's Kitchen survivor overlooking the West Side Highway, all tin ceiling and charm. The upstairs rooms feel like they've been preserved in amber.

Why we love it: Pints by the river after a walk on the esplanade. Also, the room has a ton of character. Lovely bar, beautiful back bar, gorgeous hardwood and tile mosaic floors–if you love a pub, this will ring a bell for you. Irish comfort food is also hard to argue with.

Who haunts it? Tales tell of a Confederate soldier who was stabbed in a fight downstairs and carried himself upstairs only to die in a bathtub. The ghost of movie star George Raft is said to linger here. If that weren't enough, a spectral young Irish immigrant girl who died of cholera has been seen wandering the third floor. Some say her soul will remain restless until she wins the Hell's Kitchen housing lottery.

Time Out tip: Ask for an upstairs table if it's open. It's quieter.

Address: 626 11th Ave, New York, NY 10036

Opening hours: Daily noon-midnight

Expect to pay: ~8–10/beer; ~14–15/cocktail; ~15–22/pub plates.

What is it? The restored lobby lounge of the Hotel Chelsea (commonly known as the Chelsea Hotel). Stained glass, heavy wood, and a placidity that belies decades of unruly genius upstairs.

Why we love it: I remember this place well, the Chelsea Hotel. It's a great place to talk brave and sweet. Those are the reasons; this is New York. This place is famous; its heart is a legend.

Who haunts it? The hotel's famous ghosts—poets, painters, visitors who never quite left—are the lore. There are a lot of them, including an orphan boy, Larry the Hipster, Nadia with the severed hand, and Mary, a beautiful young woman who'd been a passenger on the Titanic. She survived the harrowing ordeal while her beloved husband did not. Along with others pulled from the frigid Atlantic that night, she was triaged in the Chelsea. Unbearable grief drove her to hang herself on the fifth floor. It's said she can now be spotted mooning over her reflection in the hotel's many mirrors. I guess in this next century, vain ghosts will be seen posing for their selfie camera.

Time Out tip: Daytime is perfect for a quiet booth; evenings stretch to 2am. Larry the Hipster is said to be friendly—a guide happy to inform, so hang with him. Mary is testy and best avoided.

Address: 226 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011

Opening hours: Daily 11am-2am

Expect to pay: ~18–24/cocktails; ~16–30/small plates.

What is it? A storied West Village townhouse playing host to a dining room cloaked in candlelight and ivy. The kind of unsettling encounter you're likely to have is running into a celebrity pretending that they don't love to act, annoyed at feeling forced to pretend that they aren't being noticed. Mysteries abound.

Why we love it: Its mix of old-New York allure and modern sensibilities. Low ceilings, velvet banquettes, and that incredible Edward Sorel mural. It feels like being let in on a secret.

Who haunts it? A male figure sporting 1920s formal wear has been seen–the so-called “Accidental Arsonist” who haunts Room 16. He's been known to fiddle with the andirons and pokers. Making his habit of lighting fires a boon to smokers. Other supernatural mischief reportedly includes footsteps, doors slamming–typical ghostly disquietudes. If you see him, you'd better be polite. Or else he might try again to set the building alight. But he won't succeed; that much is assured. So if you eat here, the spirits are best ignored. If you're asking, no—I don't know why I decided to rhyme. If you've made it this far, sorry for wasting your time.

Address: 16 Bank St, West Village, Manhattan, NY 10014

Opening hours: Daily 5pm-11pm; Sat, Sun 11am-5pm

Expect to pay: ~27–35/small plates; ~29–265/mains