The Haunted Restaurants of Ohio

You can sit down to a nice dinner at any old restaurant in the country, but the real fun is when you sit down to a meal in a haunted restaurant. You never know when something might come flying across the room, or when you might just see something staring at you in the bathroom. In Ohio you can find haunted restaurants scattered all across the country, from old-fashioned taverns to newer fast food joints.

Johnny's Pub and Grill in Brunswick is haunted by a ghost who likes to play with employees. This ghost often breaks salt shakers by throwing them against the wall and opens or closes the door to the walk in freezer. It also likes to change the recipes to dishes the employees are trying to make.

At the Cross Keys Tavern in Chillicothe you can kick back with a cold drink, but keep an eye out for flying glasses. The ghost here was supposedly murdered nearby and now shows his frustration by throwing glasses against the wall. In Cridersville, stop by the Dixie Lee Restaurant. Hector is the name of a ghost that has been spotted by many employees and diners.

Lebanon is home to the Golden Lamb. Though the restaurant has a number of ghosts, one of the more popular ones is a little girl who likes to play ball. Employees have heard a ball bouncing many times. On a side note, I had my Prom dinner in the restaurant and didn't experience anything unusual.

The Medina Steakhouse and Saloon is haunted by three different spirits: one man and two different women. Their ghosts are often seen wandering around the building. A teenage boy haunts Sam's Pizza Place in Newton Falls. The boy supposedly died on the property before the restaurant appeared. The boy is known to speak softly, and some blame him for the constant ringing of the telephone. When an employee answers, the line goes dead.

You can also visit the Loyal Oak Tavern in the Summit/Norton area of Ohio. Their ghost is a former bartender who committed suicide there. Many employees have reported being touched, feeling the room suddenly get colder, and seeing things move. Occasionally the man also appears to employees.

Marietta's Levee House Café is also haunted. Supposedly the building was once a house of ill repute. A local man embarked on a relationship with one of the working girls and before long their relationship became known throughout the town. One of his sons followed the man there one night and killed both him and his lover. Now the ghost of that son can still be seen walking into the building through the back door.

For a truly unique experience, try the Old Jail Restaurant in Wooster, which was actually once part of the county jail. The ghost of a former inmate likes to bang the walls and play with the lights. He is also known to play with the telephone lines.

And if you're in Fort Recover, stop by the Homestead. This restaurant has a female spirit who likes to play with the door to the women's bathroom. She also sometimes makes herself known by appearing to employees and diners.

If you think that you need to sit down in a fancy restaurant to experience some paranormal activity, think again. There are several fast food restaurants in the state that are haunted. The Arby's in Miamisburg is haunted by the ghost of a bald man. Employees feel someone watching them and hear the sounds of kids laughing. Other employees have had their hair pulled, and seen dark shadows moving around. The bald man is usually seen in the kitchen area.

The Taco Bell in Twinsburg is also haunted. There have been several occasions of employees seeing dark shadows and figures standing in the employee only areas. Supposedly one ghost is that of a young girl in a white nightgown while the other is a man wearing outdoor gear. Another ghost is that of a teenage boy wearing an old fashioned Taco Bell uniform who occasionally helps out with restaurant duties. Many people, myself included, think these stories might be the result of overactive imaginations.

The Twinsburg Taco Bell isn't the only haunted Taco Bell in Ohio, so to is one in Wooster. This ghost is believed to be a female spirit. She likes to play music in the restaurant and to give employees hugs.

I bet you never realized there were so many haunted restaurants in Ohio!

Sources:

http://www.forgottenoh.com/haunted.html

http://theshadowlands.net/places/ohio.htm