White Horse Tavern
567 Hudson St., New York, NY
at 11th St.; 212-989-3956
Leave it to a poet to go out in a dramatic fashion. Since 1953, this West Village establishment has been infamous as the place where Dylan Thomas had his last round. He reportedly took down eighteen whiskeys before returning to his room at the Hotel Chelsea, after which he was driven to St. Vincent’s hospital by ambulance where he was pronounced dead. According to employees, Thomas did not go gentle into that good night, but still returns to shift his favorite writing table, which stands in the middle of the tavern to this day.
Photo: Shanna Ravindra; Corbis
Ear Inn
326 Spring St., New York, NY
nr. Greenwich St.; 212-431-9750
Built in 1817, this designated landmark has been a boarding house, smugglers’ den, and a pub since it first opened its doors. It was a popular gathering place for sailors in the nineteenth century, including a particularly unlucky one named Mickey who was struck by a car on the street outside and died instantly. But he hasn’t travelled far since, and rumor has it he still comes by to spontaneously ignite the fireplace or zap the power from patrons’ cell phones, which suddenly go dead. The bar’s website asks that you let them know of any ghost sightings, so speak up if you spot him.
Photo: Carmen Lopez and A.J. Wilhelm; Corbis
The Waverly Inn
16 Bank St., New York, NY
at Wavery Pl.; 917-828-1154
Guests at Graydon Carter’s hot spot may find their eyes scanning the room for more than just celebrities. The Bank Street restaurant is said to be haunted by a mischievous ghost in turn-of-the-century garb with pyromaniacal tendencies. The fire that overtook the building in 1997 proved a mystery to firefighters who were unable to find a reasonable cause, and Room 16, the restaurant’s smoking room and the only area left unscathed, was where the ghost allegedly preferred to spend his evenings.
Photo: Mark Peterson/Redux
One If By Land, Two If By Sea
17 Barrow St., New York, NY
nr. Seventh Ave. South; 212-255-8649
This seemingly romantic restaurant is located in the former carriage house of the notorious Aaron Burr whose spirit is said to have spooked employees by throwing plates and chairs amongst the tables for two. The ghost of Burr’s daughter, while less of a disruption, also supposedly inhabits the building after she mysteriously disappeared while traveling from North Carolina to New York to visit her father.
Photo: Shanna Ravindra; Corbis
Barcade
388 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY
nr. Ainslie St.; 718-302-6464
Bar meets arcade meets burial ground? The popular Williamsburg spot, whose walls are lined with classic video games like Super Mario and Ms. Pac-Man, is actually built on an old cemetery, which once serviced the Attorney Street Methodist Church and the First Methodist Protestant Church of Williamsburg. The bodies were reportedly removed when the churches closed in 1856, but many wonder if a few skeletons still remain.
Photo: Andrew Karcie; Corbis
BONUS ACTIVITY:
Ghosts of NY Walking Tours
Join this spooky tour company on its Phantom Pub Crawl of the West or East Village to hunt for more of New York’s famous ghostly boozers. The spirits of Oscar Wilde, Thomas Paine, Jack Kerouac, Thomas Wolfe, Edgar Allan Poe, and other restless souls are included in either of these haunted adventures (the drinks, however, are not). Oct. 20, 26 at 6:30 p.m.; $20 by credit card online; $25 in person. Group rates and private tours are available.
Photo: Courtesy of Ghost Tours NYC
