Travel guide names 8 notoriously haunted Ohio restaurants to try, and two are here in Central Ohio
If you’ve already been to a haunted house, we have the next best thing—a haunted restaurant.
There’s plenty of them in Ohio, according to local lore, and the travel guide Unearth the Voyage provided a rundown of some you should absolutely try during the spookiest month of the year. Plus, two are right here in Central Ohio.
From least to most haunted, here are some Ohio restaurants with menus that may just be to die for:
8. The Haunted House Restaurant, Cleveland Heights
This horror-movie themed restaurant isn’t technically actually haunted, but the spooky decor, cobwebs, and creepy props certainly makes you feel like you’re on the set of Halloween.
7. Maumee Bay Brewing Co. At The Oliver House, Toledo
The Oliver House dates all the way back to 1859…and so do its spirits. It’s now a multi-restaurant complex featuring Maumee Bay Brewing, but it’s also famous for ghostly encounters that seriously spook guests that are dining and drinking. It’s even a stop on Toledo ghost tours–and the employees will absolutely tell you their firsthand ghost experiences.
6. Ye Olde Trail Tavern, Yellow Springs
Ohio’s oldest taverns is of course deemed to be extremely haunted. First opened in 1827, the tavern’s legend has stories of “The Woman in Blue,” who apparently lives in the tavern. Workers have clearly seen the woman walking up and down the restaurant halls. A blonde woman in a white nightgown was even mistaken for a customer, only for the bartender to realize she was otherworldly.
5. Amber Rose, Dayton
Come for the pierogies, stay for Chickee, the resident ghost that makes itself so known to guests and employees that it even has its own name. Chickee is known for clattering glasses, flickering lights, and teasing guests.
4. Elevator Brewery & Draught Haus, Columbus
Murder is on the menu at this Columbus hotspot. Well, not actually (but really great burgers and fries are!); lore has it that a murdered colonel’s spirit haunts the restaurant and brewery and spooks patrons and employees. It happened during a snowstorm, and apparently, people still see ominous footprints in the snow outside of the brewery.
3. Spread Eagle Tavern & Inn, Hanoverton
This 1800s building was originally part of the Underground Railroaded, founded by abolitionists. Nearly every home and building on this street in Hanoverton was part of the Underground Railroad, too. Inside of Spread Eagle Tavern & Inn, there’s a secret tunnel on the property that leads to the basement, where enslaved people would hide by day. The restaurant and inn has kept antique memorabilia, such as a 16th century French bread safe, a ticket to the Ford Theater from the night of Lincoln’s assination, an original Revolutionary War flag, and…some spirits. Rumor has it that there’s a ghost of an escaped enslaved 8-year-old-girl who died in a fire back in the 1800s, who runs around and plays on the property. Historical records show that a woman, Olevia Nicholas, took her own life there. There are reports of her pulling covers off guests, and many more encounters.
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2. The Buxton Inn, Granville
Numerous reports of paranormal activity have been made here since the 1930s. There’s even a ghost cat! If you really want to lean into a spooky night, book Room 9, where Bonnie Bounell died. They refer to her as “The Lady in Blue” who haunts the property and especially that bedroom. Room 7 and the basement are also rumored to be haunted. Guests and staff reported doors opening and slamming shut, footsteps in empty hallways, names being called out, obs appearing in photos, the smell of perfume, rocking chairs rocking when no one is there…and so much more.
1. The Golden Lamb, Lebanon
Just north of Cincinnati lies a restaurant and hotel that’s known to be haunted by numerous spirits. The Golden Lamb is Ohio’s oldest continually operating business, since 1803. Beyond its delicious menu and gorgeous rooms, the Golden Lamb is equally known for….its ghosts. Strange sights, unexplained sounds, and face-to-face encounters have happened here. The most famous ghost is Sarah Stubbs, a young girl who seems to reside on the fourth floor. There’s also a sad, gaunt man often seen gazing from windows, and sights of Eliza Clay, who died at the restaurant and inn in 1825. While dining or staying here, don’t be surprised to find flickering lights, strange sounds, footsteps, and even laughter and crying in the halls.
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