Pennsylvania’s Most Haunted Bars

Posted: 03.31.2025 | Updated: 03.31.2025

While there are countless haunted establishments throughout Pennsylvania, there’s something ironic about haunted bars. Where some people go to escape life, others find themselves longing to return to it. All manner of energies soak into every fiber of the tavern, fueling benevolent and malicious spirits. 

With roots embedded in 17th-century American history, modern Pennsylvania exists amongst the shadows of tragedy, death, and war. Its grounds, from the bustling cityscape of Philadelphia to the coastal retreat of Erie, have been permeated by the violent nature of progress. In its wake rose a contemporary society plagued by the specters, phantoms, and apparitions of yesteryear. 

Pennsylvania has no shortage of bars, many of them prime for a haunted pub crawl. Book your Gettysburg ghost tour today to hear about some of the Quaker State’s most haunted bars.

What Are the Most Haunted Bars in Pennsylvania? 

The specters of Jean Bonnet Tavern work overtime to earn it the title of one of Pennsylvania’s most haunted pubs. A woman, a child, and a Colonial settler all call this tavern home.

At Schambacher’s Tavern, Matthias Schambacher’s legacy hangs heavy in the air. Did a malicious entity actually drive him to murder? Only the active haunts at this mountain retreat know the truth.

Then there is Dobbin House Tavern, a historical treasure. The ghosts still bound to it silently relay tales of slavery and bloodied battlefields to any who will listen.

However, there is one ghost that causes quite a bit of mischief at the former The Black Horse Inn. This mafioso murdered in cold blood may never find peace in his eternal torment.

Jean Bonnet Tavern

A historical marker planted outside tells the story of the Jean Bonnet Tavern. However, it leaves out a crucial detail: its ethereal visitors. 

The Bedford County 18th-century relic was built on a worn path, which saw George Washington marching his revolutionaries and settlers heading west for a better life. Purchased in 1780 by its namesake owner, the tavern lived many lives. It wasn’t until 1957 that word of a haunting within the building became public.

So many lives became tied to the Jean Bonnet over the years, making it difficult to pinpoint a spirit’s identity. There are three known haunts, though: a woman in heels, a man donning Colonial clothes, and a young boy typically spotted with a bucket of coal. 

Save for the Colonial spirit, which tends to target lone women, the tavern’s apparitions, while noisy, keep to themselves.

Schambock’s Tavern

The legend tied to Schambock’s Tavern is grizzly. It’s the kind of ghost story friends recite around a campfire. An age-old tale of a hermit in the mountains and missing travelers, where blood is abundant, and the body count is high. 

Mattias Schambacher moved into the tavern with his wife, Margaret, sometime in the mid-1800s, and since then, the air has never been the same. 

There had already been whispers of something evil in Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, and that entity was said to have manipulated Matthias into a deranged killer. At least 11 travelers and merchants were thought to be victims of the tavern’s owner, which surely contributed to the malicious forces in Hawk Mountain. 

Something was never quite right about Schambock’s, and that feeling lingers still today — as do the souls of Matthia’s hapless victims.

Dobbin House Tavern

The Dobbin House Tavern has garnered ample attention for its spectral activity. Its location in South Gettysburg, which borders the Gettysburg National Military Park, makes it a prime location for activity. 

As such, its spirits are extremely active here, and there’s even alleged photographic evidence of one of Alexander Dobbin’s wives. There’s far more to the old tavern than just family memories, though. 

Being in Gettysburg and having been built years before the war, the Dobbin House was privy to the tragedies of the divided nation. Not only did soldiers frequent the establishment, especially when it was converted into a field hospital, but a secret crawl space was also used to hide slaves during their escape. 

The memories of the Civil War and the Underground Railroad are etched into The Dobbin House’s past. The old tavern is not short on spooky occurrences, from blood-stained floors to apparitions lingering within the halls.

The Black Horse Inn

Today known as The Iron Mule, The Black Horse Inn is haunted by a spirit that may be a better fit for New York City. In July 1928, mafioso Saverio “Johnny the Wop” Damiano was shot and killed in The Black Horse. But, it wasn’t a clean or quick death. Reports state he tumbled down a flight of stairs, still alive, and then was finished off with another shot.

His killer, Anthony “Jack Buckles” Tamburro, was acquitted of the killing, leaving Damiano’s spirit without closure. The mafioso takes his frustration out on the former Black Horse, moving objects and engaging the jukebox. His shadow has been spotted in the basement, frightening staff members on his eternal quest for justice.

Valley Hotel Bar and Grill

Converted from the Granger Hotel, the Valley Hotel Bar and Grill bears some similarities to its prior life. For starters, it’s home to some of the same guests who once stayed at the Granger many years ago. Stories of the unusual and the otherworldly spread through the city of Clairton, turning the former Granger into a peculiar spot for travelers and curious locals.

Photographic evidence of orbs has been common for the eatery’s patrons, but those are child’s play compared to what some patrons have witnessed. Ghostly faces appearing in mirrors, impossible screams echoing from the ether, moving objects, spectral whispers, and more have all plagued visitors. 

Local residents have even been run off by the unexpected cacophony that sometimes rings throughout.

White Palm Tavern

Formerly the Topton House Hotel, the White Palm Tavern occupies a 19th-century building in Topton, PA. It even housed a speakeasy at one time, though its specters likely stemmed from its earlier years as a hotel. Patrons have talked about smelling a pungent sulfur aroma, a potential sign of a malevolent or even demonic presence. 

There haven’t been complaints of malicious encounters, though. Just a mischievous little girl, a former farmer, and a priest with a disdain for Christmas. 

The former of the three makes herself known by whispering and laughing in the halls in one of Pennsylvania’s most haunted bars/ She may even be responsible for tripping some guests as she tries to grab anyone’s attention. The ghostly priest is an entirely different story. His anger, oddly enough, is directed toward Christmas decorations. Was his life taken on Christmas Day? Did he find the whole holiday a farce? Whatever the catalyst, he turned on the season and its decor.

City Tavern

An architectural wonder for its time, the City Tavern welcomed many affluent guests throughout the years. In particular, members of Congress were known to stop at the tavern after spending the day deliberating and debating. It was the kind of place where you could kick back and relax after a long day because, at that time, it was spirit-free. 

The original building was torn down after an 1834 fire damaged part of it, but the tavern rose once again by 1976. With it, some new (or rather old) guests came along. One spirit is believed to have died during a duel in 1790. He was a waiter at the City Tavern, returning as if to finish his job. 

The problem? He’s covered in blood. The tavern is also home to a bride-to-be who died during the big fire of 1834, which she may have accidentally caused. She appears as a haunting vision and is gone just as quickly.

Visit Haunted Pennsylvania

Want to see more spooky spots in your favorite history-laden state? Book a Civil War Ghosts tour today, and be sure to catch up on Pennsylvania’s most haunted locations on our blog. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram for even more frights.

Source: 

• https://www.jeanbonnettavern.com/history/
• https://www.hagenbuch.org/schambachers-tavern-real-ghost-story/
• https://www.dobbinhouse.com/history.htm
• https://www.mcall.com/2020/10/21/haunted-pennsylvania-is-a-mobsters-tortured-soul-facing-eternal-damnation-in-easton-restaurant/
• https://www.hauntedbarguide.com/valley-hotel-bar-grill-pittsburgh-pennsylvania/
• https://www.readingeagle.com/2017/10/31/berks-county-is-rich-with-scary-myths-and-legends/