Dining With a Ghost at Muriel’s Jackson Square in New Orleans

New Orleans has no shortage of haunted places. There are haunted hotels, haunted bars, haunted courtyards, haunted cemeteries, and probably at least one haunted gift shop selling plastic voodoo dolls.

But Muriel’s Jackson Square offers something a little different.

Here, you can have dinner with a ghost.

During our recent visit to New Orleans, we reserved the famous ghost table at Muriel’s Jackson Square, a historic restaurant located in the heart of the French Quarter. The table is permanently set for the building’s alleged resident spirit, Pierre Antoine, with bread, wine, and a place setting reserved in his honor.

Most people visit Muriel’s for the food and historic atmosphere. We visited for all of that, too—but we were also hoping Pierre might join us for dinner.

Did he make an appearance?

Let’s investigate.

The Ghost of Muriel’s Jackson Square

According to the legend told at Muriel’s, the building’s most famous ghost is a former owner named Pierre Antoine Nepardi Jordan.

Pierre reportedly lost the property during a high-stakes poker game. After losing everything, the story claims that he took his own life on the second floor of the building.

Since then, employees and visitors have reported strange activity throughout the restaurant. Stories include unexplained footsteps, sudden cold spots, mysterious shadows, and the appearance of a dark figure moving through the rooms.

Of course, old buildings make plenty of noises. Footsteps can travel strangely through wooden floors, air conditioning can create cold spots, and shadowy restaurants are basically pareidolia playgrounds.

Still, Pierre’s story has become such a major part of Muriel’s identity that the restaurant keeps a table permanently reserved for him.

The table includes a place setting, bread, and wine, just in case Pierre gets hungry.

It seems only polite.

Reserving Muriel’s Ghost Table

When we made our reservation, we specifically booked the ghost table.

I was not completely sure it would work out because we were running around New Orleans all day and trying to fit far too much into one trip. That is our usual travel strategy: create an impossible schedule and then become surprised when we are exhausted.

Fortunately, we made it to the restaurant on time.

When we arrived, Pierre’s place was already set at the table. We left his chair open and made sure not to disturb his food or wine.

I also brought a couple of small paranormal trigger objects to place on the table. The idea behind trigger objects is that a spirit may be curious enough to approach or interact with them.

There is no scientific evidence proving that ghosts communicate through light-up toys, of course. But placing them in a controlled area can still give us something visible to monitor during an investigation.

And if Pierre did decide to activate one, we certainly were not going to complain.

The Unexpected Problem With the Ghost Table

There is one thing you should know before booking the ghost table.

People will stare at you.

The table is positioned near the windows, where visitors walking past the restaurant can see it from the street. Ghost tours also regularly stop outside to point it out.

During our meal, groups seemed to arrive about every fifteen minutes. People looked through the windows, took pictures, and listened to their guides explain the story of Pierre and his permanently reserved seat.

We may have become part of several strangers’ vacation photos.

There is probably someone out there showing their family a picture and saying, “Look at the haunted table!”

Meanwhile, we are sitting beside it, completely stuffed with shrimp and grits.

Guests also walk near the table while heading upstairs to visit Muriel’s séance lounge. Unfortunately, there was a private event taking place during our visit, so we were not able to explore that area.

We could see the mysterious staircase leading upstairs, but the séance lounge remained forbidden territory.

Very rude of the private party not to plan its event around my ghost-hunting needs.

The Séance Lounge at Muriel’s

The upstairs séance lounge is one of the most unusual areas inside Muriel’s.

It is known for its dark, dramatic décor and is often included as part of the restaurant’s haunted experience. Visitors frequently walk upstairs to see it, take pictures, and enjoy the spooky atmosphere.

During our dinner, the doors near the stairs were eventually closed. We suspected this was done to give the private party upstairs more privacy and prevent restaurant guests and ghost tours from wandering into their event.

It also made our corner of the restaurant a little quieter.

That gave Pierre the perfect opportunity to talk to us.

We invited him to approach the table, interact with the toys, or make his presence known in any way he could.

He remained a very quiet dinner companion.

Trying to Communicate With Pierre

Once we settled in, I spoke directly to Pierre.

I told him he was welcome to join us, activate one of the toys, or communicate in some other noticeable way.

We also joked that he could encourage us to order another round of drinks.

He did not.

Perhaps he was trying to be responsible.

One of our friends took an interesting photograph during the meal. The image appeared to show an unusual effect near one of the lights.

The light looked normal when viewed directly, but the photograph captured a strange shape or distortion around it.

Was it paranormal?

Probably not.

Lights can create all kinds of unexpected effects in photographs. Reflections, lens flare, camera movement, exposure settings, fingerprints on the lens, and the angle of the camera can all produce strange-looking images.

It was still interesting, though, and it gave us something to examine later.

A weird photograph is not automatically evidence of a ghost—but it is always worth checking before dismissing it.

Dinner at Muriel’s

Although we came to Muriel’s because of the ghost stories, the food was a major part of the experience.

I started with the shrimp gumbo.

New Orleans seems like the proper place to order gumbo, and Muriel’s version did not disappoint. It was warm, flavorful, and an excellent way to begin the meal.

For my main course, I ordered shrimp and grits.

I had not really eaten grits before, so I was not entirely sure what to expect. Fortunately, they were delicious.

The shrimp were flavorful, the grits were rich and filling, and the serving was larger than I expected. By the end of the meal, I had one shrimp left and could not convince myself to eat it.

I offered it to Pierre.

He declined.

My husband ordered the chicken, which also looked excellent. He may not have been as excited about sitting beside a ghost as I was, but he definitely enjoyed the food.

That seems to be the secret to getting a skeptical spouse to visit haunted locations: make sure the investigation includes dinner.

Dessert With a Ghost

Even though we were already completely stuffed, we still had dessert coming.

I ordered the crème brûlée.

It looked beautiful when it arrived, with a crisp caramelized top and creamy custard underneath. I managed to eat some of it, although I was quickly reaching the point where moving would become difficult.

Once again, I offered the rest to our invisible dinner companion.

Surely, I thought, Pierre must have been a dessert person.

According to the story we heard, he preferred enjoying life to working. We respected that philosophy.

We, too, aspire to never work.

Unfortunately, the bills, the cats, and the need to purchase more paranormal equipment continue to interfere with that dream.

Did Anything Paranormal Happen at Muriel’s?

We did not experience anything that I would consider strong paranormal evidence.

The trigger objects did not activate. We did not hear unexplained voices or footsteps near the table. We did not feel any dramatic cold spots, and no shadow figure appeared beside Pierre’s chair.

The interesting light effect in the photograph was worth examining, but a photographic anomaly by itself is not enough to prove that a ghost was present.

That does not mean Pierre was not there.

It simply means we did not document anything that could not be explained naturally during our visit.

Ghost investigations often work like that. You can visit a famously haunted location, sit quietly, invite communication, and receive absolutely nothing.

Ghosts are very inconsiderate when it comes to content creation.

Is the Ghost Table a Tourist Attraction?

Absolutely.

The ghost table has become one of the restaurant’s most recognizable features. Ghost tours stop outside, visitors take pictures, and people specifically reserve the table because of Pierre’s legend.

That does not necessarily mean the story is fake.

Historic ghost stories often develop through a mixture of documented events, oral history, local folklore, business promotion, and details that grow more dramatic each time the story is retold.

Separating those pieces can be difficult.

It is possible that employees and visitors have genuinely experienced things they could not explain. It is also possible that natural sounds, old-building quirks, expectations, and the power of suggestion have contributed to the restaurant’s haunted reputation.

Once you know that a ghost is supposed to be nearby, every creaking floorboard suddenly becomes suspicious.

The table may be clever marketing, but it is also a memorable tradition that keeps Pierre’s story connected to the building.

Whether he is actually sitting there is another question.

Is Muriel’s Worth Visiting?

Yes.

Even without a paranormal experience, dining at Muriel’s ghost table was one of the most unusual meals we had in New Orleans.

The building is beautiful, the atmosphere is historic and slightly theatrical, and the food was excellent. The shrimp gumbo, shrimp and grits, chicken, and crème brûlée were all worth trying.

Sitting at the ghost table also turns dinner into an experience rather than just a meal.

You get to hear the legend, watch the ghost tours gather outside, speak to an invisible dinner guest, and wonder whether something might happen while you eat.

Just be prepared for people to watch you through the windows.

You may feel less like a paranormal investigator and more like part of a haunted restaurant exhibit.

Tips for Booking the Ghost Table

Reserve the table in advance and make it clear that you are requesting the ghost table. Since it is a specific table, availability may be limited.

Be prepared for attention from ghost tours and people outside the restaurant. This is not the most private table at Muriel’s.

Ask whether the upstairs séance lounge is open during your visit. Private parties may prevent restaurant guests from entering.

Bring a camera, but remember that strange lights and shadows are not automatically paranormal. Take several comparison photographs from different angles whenever possible.

Most importantly, arrive hungry.

The ghost might not eat his dinner, but you certainly will.

Our Final Thoughts on Muriel’s Ghost Table

Muriel’s Jackson Square combines several things I love about dark tourism: a historic building, a tragic legend, reported paranormal activity, unusual traditions, and excellent food.

We did not capture convincing evidence of Pierre during our meal, but we still enjoyed spending the evening at his table.

Before leaving, we thanked him for allowing us into his home. We also told him that the food was excellent and that it had been nice meeting him—even if he never officially introduced himself.

Perhaps Pierre was sitting quietly in his chair the entire time.

Perhaps the table is simply an imaginative way to preserve a local legend.

Either way, Muriel’s gave us a memorable evening, a very filling meal, and an unusual ghost-hunting experience in the middle of the French Quarter.

And Pierre, should you ever decide to make yourself known, dessert is still on the table.

Stay spooky, cats!