New Orleans Haunted Dining
Muriel’s Jackson Square: Dining with a Ghostly Poker Player
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
By the Wicked Cool Places editors · Published · Updated
Why it’s cool
This French Quarter institution honors its resident spirit by setting a permanent table for him, complete with bread and wine, inside a building featuring a dedicated second-floor séance room.
Deep within the heart of the French Quarter, a refined dining room hides a tragic history born of a lost wager. While many visitors come to Muriel’s Jackson Square for the Creole cuisine, they often find themselves dining alongside a permanent guest who never actually left the premises.
The building’s history is a layered chronicle of New Orleans’ past, originating in the early s as a holding site before being partially consumed by the Great New Orleans Fire of .
Why It Stands Out
The most compelling chapter of this property belongs to Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan. After the fire, Jourdan painstakingly restored the home for his family, only to lose his beloved estate during a high-stakes poker game in .
Devastated by the loss, he chose to end his life on the second floor rather than hand over the keys. Today, the restaurant owners embrace this legacy rather than shy away from it.
They have preserved the upper floor as a dedicated séance room, where the atmosphere is thick with the memory of the former owner. The New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum also explores the city's spiritual traditions.
The hauntings are more than just local lore; staff and guests have reported seeing glassware shatter without cause, objects drifting across tables, and disembodied whispers echoing through the halls. To keep the peace, the restaurant maintains a nightly ritual: a table is set specifically for Mr.
Jourdan, adorned with fresh bread and a glass of wine, ensuring the resident spirit remains a welcome part of the evening service.
Before You Go
While the restaurant is open for standard dining, the paranormal elements are not always front and center on the menu. The Carousel Bar is another historic establishment in the neighborhood.
To see the séance room or view the ghost’s reserved table, you should speak with a member of the waitstaff. For those who want an even closer encounter, the restaurant allows guests to book Jourdan’s specific table for their own meal, provided they pay a small additional fee and wait for the spirit to finish his portion of the evening first.
Questions worth answering
Is there really a ghost sitting at the table?
The management keeps a place set every night for Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan, who lost this property in a card game. You'll find his spot prepared with a glass of wine and bread to keep the resident spirit content.
Can we see the area where the hauntings are strongest?
The second floor houses a room specifically for séances, reflecting the building's history since the 1700s. You won't find it on the menu, so you'll need to ask the staff to show you the way.
What kind of strange things happen during dinner?
People working here have seen objects move across tables and glassware break for no reason. It's common to hear faint whispers in the hallways while you're eating your Creole meal.
Where did the research for this entry begin?
We used a report on the Séance Room at Muriel's Jackson Square as a starting point and built our own editorial from there. It's a useful look at how the restaurant handles its 1814 tragedy.
More in Southeast
All Southeast places →
Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1
New Orleans, Louisiana
As the most ancient burial ground in New Orleans, this site has served as a silent witness to more than two centuries of the city's evolving history.
The Tree of Life
New Orleans, Louisiana
This centuries-old live oak offers massive, climbable limbs and a secret vantage point into the neighboring zoo's giraffe habitat.
The Singing Oak
New Orleans, Louisiana
Tucked away in City Park, this ancient tree functions as a giant instrument. Its hidden chimes are tuned to the same pentatonic scale found in the city’s jazz and gospel roots.