
Boston’s Most Haunted Restaurants
Posted: 01.17.2025 | Updated: 01.17.2025
Be you seeking out history or ghosts; you can quickly garner an appetite when walking Boston’s historic streets. Sure, you can pop in a Dunkin’ Donuts for a coffee and a Boston cream-filled — but you can also patronize one of Beantown’s much more aged and spookier establishments.
Let yourself be transported back in time while dining at some of Boston’s oldest and most haunted venues. Are the flickering lights due to old wiring or phantom patrons of decades past? You must decide on your own.
Come and travel back to years past and uncover some of Boston’s most haunted restaurants. Ready to devour some unearthly tales in person? Book one of our Boston Ghost Tours for a night rich with ghost stories and haunted history.
What Are The Most Haunted Restaurants in Boston?
Looking to sit down and enjoy a bite in one of Boston’s most haunted restaurants? There are plenty of options to choose from. Those who favor seafood may be inclined to visit the Union Oyster House, while those tempted by dessert might prefer Parker’s Restaurant attached to the Omni Parker House. No matter your taste, there are several spirited establishments available, each with its own uniquely haunted history.
Union Oyster House
The Union Oyster House, located at 41 Union Street in Boston, has had a long and storied history. Just shy of 200 years old, this National Historic Landmark and eatery remains the oldest restaurant in Boston as well as the eldest to continuously operate in the United States.
The Union Oyster House opened its doors in 1826, although the building itself dates back to the early 1700s. The structure is a testament to Boston’s little-seen Georgian architecture, containing many tales within its creaking floors and antique memorabilia.
Even the oyster bar itself is historic. This U-shaped counter was fashioned from wood salvaged from the USS Constitution — the warship also known as Old Ironsides.
It has had just three owners over its long history but boasts a long catalog of famous patrons, one of whom is said to still haunt this red-bricked establishment. John F. Kennedy had quite the penchant for seafood, it seems, and used to indulge in a good meal upstairs at the Oyster House. Today, a plaque marks his usual table, dubbing the spot “The Kennedy Booth.”
Rumor says his spirit continues to frequent this favored seafood restaurant even in the afterlife. Observers have claimed to see his ghost in the dining areas, sometimes spying on patrons as they chow down. Others have sighted the spirit in the bathroom mirrors while washing their hands.
Omni Parker House (Parker’s Restaurant)
The Omni Parker House is another famous haunted Boston location. The esteemed hotel and its renowned eatery, Parker’s Restaurant, opened in 1855. Found on 60 School Street, the establishment continues to serve up classic New England fare like the original Boston Cream Pie, invented on the premises in 1856.
The hotel remains the longest-operating one in the U.S. and is thought to be haunted by its original owner, Harvey Parker. Parker was an attentive founder who remained highly involved in both the hotel and restaurant activities throughout his time. Given this, it’s understandable this dedicated proprietor might be reluctant to leave.

Parker seems mostly to keep to the hotel, roving the tenth floor. Accounts of his spirit have persisted for decades. In the 1950s, his misty visage was sighted just outside room 1078. The mustached apparition turned toward the unsuspecting onlooker, looked at her, and faded into nothing. Others have encountered his figure in their rooms as if dropping in to see how their stay is going.
The third floor is another hotspot for spirits. A male ghost is said to haunt room 303. The scent of his whiskey and cigars still stains the air, although the room has been freshly cleaned. Additionally, elevators have been summoned to this floor countless times. Yet no button has been pushed, or guests will be found waiting there.
Charles Dickens often occupied the third floor in life — perhaps he continues to do so in death. Dickens frequently attended Parker’s Restaurant, where he met with other literary guests of The Saturday Club, gathering for dinner and good conversation on the last Saturday of the month at 3 pm. Perhaps a guest dropping by at the same time might spy his spirit sitting in out of habit.
Warren Tavern
Tucked away in the quaint streets of Charlestown lies the oldest tavern in Massachusetts. Warren Tavern, firmly seated at 2 Pleasant Street, stands at nearly two and half centuries old. Built in 1780, the building was one of the first to be reconstructed after the British destroyed the city, although parts of the bar are even older.
The hand-carved wood beams that hang lowly from the ceiling were gleaned from aging boats from the Charlestown Navy Yard. Who knows what stories or spirits they harbor within their creaking spines?
Many renowned figures once visited the site. Paul Revere and George Washington both enjoyed the establishment’s refreshments.
Just who haunts this colonial drinkery? Although George Washington’s funeral speech was delivered at the haunted Warren Tavern, it’s not he who lingers here in the afterlife. Instead, the spirit of Dr. Joseph Warren, the bar’s namesake, is said to haunt the historic drinking hole. Killed by the British in the Battle of Bunker Hill, the ghost of this Harvard doctor appears to have taken a liking to the venue named after him.

But he may not be the only spirit to haunt this watering hole. Sightings have been reported of a woman in Victorian attire frequenting the tavern’s front room. A specter of a man in a colonial wig and tights has been spied as well in the tavern, seen near a porthole window across from the bar.
Although the tavern may be older than the state of Massachusetts itself, its menu is far from antiquated. Come and sit by the fire, enjoy the convivial atmosphere, and partake in a hearty meal. If you feel a chill down your back, know it’s just part of the ghostly ambiance.
Along the Boston Freedom Trail
When walking the Boston Freedom Trail in search of ghostly lore, one can quickly work up an appetite. Luckily, both the Parker Restaurant and Union Oyster House are convenient stops along the path.
Stop at one of Boston’s most haunted restaurants and warm yourself with a spirited drink or hot meal. You never know who or what might lurk in the corner, awaiting a new visitor.
Haunted Boston
Whether looking for Boston’s most haunted hotels or Beantown’s top haunted attractions, this historic city has countless gems to offer. You’re never far from spooks and spirits in one of America’s oldest cities — you only have to know where to look. Have you ever dined in one of Boston’s most haunted restaurants?
Searching for more spectral, spine-tingling tales? Check out our blog to keep reading from the safety of your home. Ready for an experience in the flesh? Satiate your appetite for ghost stories on one of our Boston Ghost Tours, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok for more otherworldly offerings.
Sources:
- http://unionoysterhouse.com/pages/history.html
- https://www.everettpotter.com/2024/08/bostons-union-oyster-house-still-cooking/
- https://www.secretboston.co/blog/union-oyster-house
- https://www.tastingtable.com/1056752/jfks-ghost-allegedly-hangs-out-in-a-boston-seafood-joint/
- https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/boston-parker-house/property-details/history
- https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/boston-parker-house/dining/parkers-restaurant
- https://www.historichotels.org/us/hotels-resorts/omni-parker-house-boston/dining.php
- https://www.omnihotels.com/blog/haunted-hotels-bostons-omni-parker-house/
- https://www.masshist.org/collection-guides/view/fa0358
- https://www.warrentavern.com/
- https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/food/massachusetts/haunted-bar-ma
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