Have you ever seen a ghost? Employees and patrons at some of Phoenix’s oldest restaurants and bars believe they have.
From dancing apparitions in bar windows to crying voices in empty rooms, several metro Phoenix restaurants are believed to be haunted. While some are connected to confirmed deaths in the buildings, other tales have been woven largely through word of mouth and contain just enough information gaps to satisfy both skeptics and believers alike.
But even if you don’t believe in the paranormal, these”haunted” restaurants offer an interesting glimpse into the history of the Valley.
Here’s a look at the five “most haunted” restaurants and bars in metro Phoenix.
Casey Moore’s Oyster House
Casey Moore’s Oyster House is one of downtown Tempe’s most iconic and long-running bars. It’s also believed to be haunted. The Irish pub occupies the historic Moeur House. Built in 1910 it was home to William Moeur and his wife Mary. Both William and Mary reportedly died in the house and some say they have seen their spirits dancing in the windows. After the couple’s deaths, the building was believed to be a boarding house and brothel before reopening as a restaurant in the ’70s. Urban legend says another young woman was murdered by an ex-boyfriend during the boarding house days, and she, too, apparently still “haunts” the building.
Details: 850 S. Ash Ave., Tempe. 480-968-9935, caseymoores.com.
Four Peaks Brewing Co.
Four Peaks Brewing Co.’s original Tempe location is housed inside a historic creamery building. And like many old buildings, it has garnered its fair share of ghostly rumors. Employees have reported mysterious shadows, disembodied voices and objects moving all on their own. The ghosts are believed to be victims of a nearby train wreck. The brewery holds haunted tours during the month of October featuring ghost stories, pumpkin beer and limited-edition t-shirts.
Details: 1340 E. Eighth St., Suite 104, Tempe. 480-303-9967, fourpeaks.com.
MacAlpine’s Diner & Soda Fountain
MacAlpine’s Diner is home to one of the last remaining original soda fountains in the U.S. It originally opened as Birch’s 7th Street Pharmacy in 1929 and went through multiple business changes before becoming the diner it is today, but the one thing that has never changed is the iconic soda fountain. Some employees over the years have believed it to be haunted due to unexplained sounds and moving objects, which led to an investigation by the Phoenix Arizona Paranormal Society.
Details: 2303 N. Seventh St., Phoenix. 602-262-5545, macalpines.com.
The Old Spaghetti Factory
The Old Spaghetti Factory is perhaps one of the most well-known “haunted” restaurants in Phoenix. Long before it was a restaurant, it was actually multiple residences that were later connected and converted into a commercial property. In one of the homes, a man was reportedly murdered in his sleep. Another woman is said to have died in the basement some years later. Employees have heard disembodied shrieks and sobs in the basement and upstairs, which many have been attributed to the ghosts of the two murder victims.
Details: 1418 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-257-0380, osf.com.
The Stockyards
The Stockyards Steakhouse opened in 1947 in the building that was formerly a beef packing house owned by Arizona cattle baron Edward Tovrea. A fire destroyed it in 1953, but it was rebuilt and reopened the following year. The design marries Old West imagery with vintage elegance. The restaurant is believed to be haunted by “The Lady in Red,” an unnamed woman who also appears in a painting in the bar. Employees have reported falling trash cans, a piano playing itself and even apparitions of The Lady herself, who is rumored to actually be Helen Tovrea, the wife of Edward’s son Phillip, who took over the Tovrea cattle business after Edward died.
Details: 5009 E. Washington St., Suite 115, Phoenix. 602-273-7378, stockyardssteakhouse.com.
Reporting by Eddie Fontanez, Arizona Republic
