The Most Haunted Restaurants in Atlanta

Posted: 02.26.2025 | Updated: 02.26.2025

Atlanta is home to many dark and mysterious locations that will make your hair stand on end. You can find haunted hotels, as well as historic homes and businesses emanating a dark energy from beyond the grave. But the haunted restaurants in Atlanta can be a great place to visit if you want to enjoy a good meal and a great ghost story.

Are you interested in learning more about the creepiest places in Atlanta? Find out about the hidden secrets and urban legends this Georgia city has to offer by booking your ghost tour with Atlanta Ghosts today!

What is the Most Haunted Restaurant in Atlanta?

From spirits communicating through random knocks and morse code to a prankster entity throwing food from the cupboards, it’s hard to pinpoint which haunted restaurant in Atlanta is the most haunted of them all. You are sure to find one that feeds your curiosity if you dare to visit any of these spooky Atlanta locations.

DBA Barbecue

DBA Barbecue is a popular eatery with more than 15 years of experience perfecting its slow-smoked meat recipes. Located in the Virginia Highland part of Atlanta, DBA Barbecue has a quaint, welcoming atmosphere and a menu featuring delicious traditional barbecue sandwiches as well as their famous in-house brisket. 

While it may be a lively place to eat, especially during the lunchtime rush, this restaurant is also home to energy from the dearly departed. Several encounters with strange and unusual activity have been reported at this location. 

So much in fact that the owners decided to bring in some professionals to assess what was truly happening. While they were investigating, the experts managed to capture various creepy noises, including people speaking inaudibly in the darkness. 

The visitors attempted to communicate with the spirits, and after a few attempts, they got a response. Three distinctive knocks could be heard within the dining area, immediately followed by the chilling sound of a woman screaming. But that isn’t nearly as creepy and unsettling as their next discovery.

As the experts walked through the restaurant, they found what they believed to be a fear cage. A fear cage is an enclosed space that gives off a high EMF reading. These areas are often found near some electrical wire or an electric box. These spaces are known to make those around them feel nauseated and fearful. They can cause one to develop a rash or experience extreme paranoia.

The eerie activity is ongoing at this Atlanta establishment, so if you are interested in trying out some of the best local barbecue while also satisfying your craving for a good haunting, DBA Barbecue is the place to be!

The Estate (Formerly Anthony’s Fine Dining)

The Estate has changed hands and purposes several times throughout the past two centuries. It was originally known as the Pope-Walton house and was built in Washington County in 1787. 

Years later, the house was disassembled and rebuilt in Buckhead in 1967, where it officially opened as Anthony’s Fine Dining Restaurant. While the building has endured many changes over the years, one thing that has remained the same is how it manages to attract dark energy, even today.

Former guests and staff members have mentioned seeing and hearing spirits lurking around this historic property. The energy is especially high around the old wooden staircase, where apparitions have been seen going up and down the stairs at times.

Some have witnessed plates and silverware being tossed throughout the kitchen and dining room. Lights will flicker in all areas, and there are specific locations where you can feel a shift in the temperature as you become very cold. Perhaps the most eerie legend locals have shared is the sight of a woman hanging by her neck in the front yard.

Anthony’s Fine Dining closed its doors in 2011 due to financial issues caused by the recession. However, the building is still in use, going by its new title of The Estate. Special events such as banquets, family reunions, and wedding receptions are held there throughout the year.

Rhodes Hall

While it is technically not a restaurant, the historic Rhodes Hall is a luxurious Victorian-style mansion used to host weddings and other special events. Built in 1904, this mansion located on Peachtree Street was built by one of the youngest architects of the time, Willis F. Denny II. 

Denny built the mansion for the wealthy furniture magnate Amos Rhodes and his wife Amanda. It is believed that the home’s elegant and sophisticated style was inspired by the Rhodes’ trips through the German Rhineland in the 1890s. 

Following the deaths of the Rhodes and their children, J.D. Rhodes and Mrs. L.O. Bricker, Rhodes Hall was deeded to the state of Georgia. It was restricted to only being used for historical purposes. 

In 1930, it was the home of the State Archives until a modern location was built on Capitol Avenue. After that, the building served as the Peachtree Branch of Archives.

According to locals, Mrs. Rhodes died inside the house, and there are many who believe her spirit remains inside, as well as the ghosts of her two children. People have reported hearing noises throughout the years, such as children talking or Amanda’s voice. There is also a rumor that an additional deity resides inside the hall along with the Rhodes family, which is far eviler and more sinister.

Visitors to Rhodes Hall have reported the lights going dim for no reason and hearing footsteps in the distance. There have been several ghost sightings reported as well.

The location is considered haunted by so many in Atlanta that in the 1980s, Rhodes Hall was used for haunted house tours around Halloween.

Rootstock & Vine

Located not far away from Atlanta in nearby Woodstock, GA, is Rootstock & Vine, a fun and casual place to visit featuring traditional American menu items. But this location was once known for serving a much simpler snack back when it was called Hot Dog Heaven. 

While it may sound like a peaceful name, the energy surrounding this restaurant during its early days was far from heavenly. It has been reported that a trickster spirit with a penchant for pranking would roam around the kitchen, turning the hot dog cooker on and off. 

There are also tales of the spirit taking hot dog buns from the cupboard and throwing them throughout the room. Some believe the devilish spirit of Hot Dog Heaven is the ghost of an old postmaster. 

That is because the building is located on the site where the old post office was once located. While there hasn’t been much ghoulish activity since the restaurant switched from serving hot dogs to a more contemporary menu, a spirit still lingers there. 

To celebrate the past and the fact that Rootstock & Wine is such an important part of Atlanta’s horror history, the restaurant hosts an annual haunted dinner experience for locals to enjoy. During the event, patrons are immersed in a night filled with fear and flavor. Each special course is inspired by an urban legend, and spooky ghost tales are shared throughout the night, making it a delicious and devilish experience for all.

The Shakespeare Tavern

The historic Shakespeare Tavern located on Peachtree Street near Rhodes Hall, is another haunted place in Atlanta that horror enthusiasts shouldn’t miss out on. Witnesses at this dinner and a show theater have reported seeing mysterious shadowy figures and strange orbs of light bouncing around. 

There has been an assortment of apparitions that show up at random times, including a young boy. The little ghost is dressed in a 19th-century blue velvet suit. The spirit of an elderly man has been seen as well, roaming about the tavern.

Staff members of the tavern have mentioned feeling a great sense of unease as they enter the top level of the tavern. This is due to the many cold spots that can be felt in the area.

The Shakespeare Tavern suffered from extreme water damage following a fire in August 2023 inside the mail room. Investigators suspect that arson was involved. Fortunately, no one was inside when the fire broke out, and the public areas of the tavern are still available to be used by the public.

Village Inn Bed and Breakfast

The location formerly known as the Village Inn Bed and Breakfast may not be a restaurant; however, this super spooky location deserves to be an honorable mention on this list. Built in 1820, the house served as a prosperous bed and breakfast for several decades before the Civil War. 

During the war, many larger buildings throughout the South were used as makeshift hospitals for injured Confederate soldiers. There were many soldiers who died at the Village Inn, and it is believed they have been stuck there ever since.

The inn is now the site of many strange and eerie events. People have witnessed seeing a variety of spirits, including an African American man who can be heard singing and whistling throughout the halls. There have also been reports of hearing unexplained footsteps, doors slamming, and even the unnerving sound of what many believe someone is sending a message through Morse code.

The spirits inside the Village Inn make their presence known to visitors by flickering lights and knocking photos off the wall. The original owner of the house, Reverand Jacob Stillwell, is also seen in spirit form at times. Even if he doesn’t make an appearance, the staff members have said they would occasionally smell his cigar smoke in the air.

Haunted Atlanta

These are just a sample of the many haunted restaurants and businesses scattered throughout the Atlanta area. If you have a love for the history of the U.S. southern states or want to indulge in some eerie lore, taking a trip to Atlanta should be on your travel wish list. And while you’re there, book your ghost tour with Atlanta Ghosts for an experience you won’t soon forget. 

To keep up with all the latest news and featured ghost tales about Atlanta, be sure to check out our blog. You can also follow us on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram for information about the greatest haunts throughout the country.

Sources:

• https://atlanta.eater.com/maps/haunted-restaurants-bar-hotels-atlanta
• https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10151218489196768
• https://dbabarbecue.com
• https://rhodeshall.org
• https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/food/georgia/haunted-restaurants-in-ga