New Orleans Haunted Dining
Muriel’s Jackson Square: Dining with a Ghostly Poker Player
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
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 1700s as a holding site before being partially consumed by the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788.
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 1814.
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 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. 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.
More in Southeast
All Southeast places →
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.
Carousel Bar
New Orleans, Louisiana
Since 1949, this iconic French Quarter landmark has offered patrons a literal spin on the cocktail experience. It remains the city's only revolving bar, turning with the same mechanical grace that once charmed literary legends and eccentric performers.