The Pirates’ House – Haunted Restaurant in Savannah, Georgia

The Pirates’ House isn’t just one of Savannah’s oldest buildings—it’s a legendary haunt where the ghosts of bloodthirsty buccaneers still roam the rooms where they once plotted mutiny, murdered rivals, and met their own violent ends. Built in 1753 as an inn for seafarers, this sprawling restaurant has witnessed centuries of treachery, Shanghai kidnappings, and drunken brawls that ended in death, and the spirits of these rough characters seem determined to keep the party going long after their final voyage.

Historical Background

Year Built: 1753

Original Purpose: Inn and tavern catering to sailors and pirates visiting Savannah’s busy port

Significant Events: The building became infamous as a Shanghai tunnel location where unsuspecting men were drugged, dragged through underground passages, and forced onto ships bound for dangerous voyages—many never returned alive. Captain Flint, the notorious pirate from Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island,” allegedly died in an upstairs room while crying out for rum with his final breaths, and Stevenson himself used the building as inspiration for scenes in his famous novel, cementing the Pirates’ House’s place in both history and literature.

Paranormal Activity Summary

The ghost of Captain Flint is the most frequently encountered spirit, with staff and diners reporting seeing a large bearded man in 18th-century sailor’s clothing stumbling through the dining rooms as if still drunk, sometimes clutching his chest and gasping “rum” before disappearing. The sound of rowdy singing, laughter, and glasses clinking echoes through the building late at night when it’s completely empty, as if phantom pirates are still celebrating their ill-gotten gains in an eternal tavern that exists just beyond our perception.

Visitors report feeling suddenly dizzy or disoriented in certain rooms, possibly experiencing echoes of the drugged victims who were Shanghaied through the tunnels below. The Captain’s Room, where Flint allegedly died, is a hotspot for cold spots, mysterious touches, and the overwhelming smell of rum and tobacco that appears without any source.

Ghost Stories & Reports

Captain Flint’s ghost is so active that employees have given up being surprised by him—he’s been seen sitting at tables, walking through walls, and even appearing in the kitchen looking confused as if searching for something he lost centuries ago. His apparition is described as solid and lifelike until someone tries to interact with him, at which point he fades away or walks through a solid object, revealing his supernatural nature.

The spirit of a young sailor who was allegedly murdered in the rum cellar during a dispute over stolen treasure is said to haunt the lower levels, his anguished cries for help heard by staff members working alone in the basement. A female ghost believed to be a barmaid from the 1700s has been spotted serving phantom drinks to empty tables, continuing her duties long after death, and some diners report seeing her walk past their table carrying a tray before realizing she’s wearing clothing from another century.

Children who visit often report seeing “pirate friends” that adults cannot see, and some claim these spirits tell them stories about life at sea and hidden treasure. Local legend speaks of a cursed doubloon hidden somewhere in the building’s structure, allegedly taken from a Spanish galleon, and some believe the pirates’ ghosts remain because they’re guarding this treasure or are cursed by it.

Most Haunted Spot Inside

The Captain’s Room on the second floor, where Captain Flint allegedly spent his final moments, is the most intensely haunted location with consistent reports of apparitions, disembodied voices, and the sensation of being watched by hostile eyes. Staff members avoid entering this room alone, and numerous guests have requested to be moved to different dining areas after experiencing overwhelming feelings of dread or seeing a large man materialize in the corner who looks angry at their presence.

Can You Visit?

Open to the Public? Yes—it operates as a popular restaurant serving Southern cuisine and seafood

Entry Fee: Free to enter (you purchase meals); lunch and dinner menu items range from $15-$35

Tour Availability: The Pirates’ House is included as a stop on many Savannah ghost tours, with some tours including brief interior visits; the restaurant welcomes ghost enthusiasts and has information about the haunting available for interested guests. Special Halloween events and pirate-themed evenings occasionally include ghost story sessions.

Photography Allowed? Yes

Visiting Hours: Open daily for lunch and dinner, typically 11:00 AM to 9:30 PM (hours may vary seasonally)

Best Time to Visit

Paranormal activity occurs consistently during operating hours, though staff report the most intense encounters happen after closing when they’re cleaning and preparing for the next day—sounds of footsteps, voices, and objects moving are common between 10:00 PM and midnight. Late afternoon visits around dusk seem to produce frequent sightings, particularly in the Captain’s Room where the lighting creates shadows that sometimes move independently.

First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports

A server named Amanda reported in 2018 that she clearly saw a bearded man in old-fashioned clothing sitting at a table in the Captain’s Room—when she approached to take his order, he looked directly at her with piercing eyes and said “rum” before vanishing completely, leaving her shaking and refusing to serve that room for the rest of her shift. A family dining in 2020 captured a photograph that shows a translucent figure standing behind their group that wasn’t visible when the picture was taken, a bearded man in what appears to be 18th-century sailor’s attire.

Kitchen staff have reported items mysteriously moving overnight, with one cook finding an entire rack of rum bottles rearranged to spell out what looked like “FLINT” when he arrived for the morning shift. A paranormal investigator named David visited in 2019 and recorded an EVP in the empty Captain’s Room that clearly says “get out of me room” in a gruff, angry voice with what sounds like an English or Scottish accent.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

The Pirates’ House has been investigated by numerous paranormal teams and featured on several ghost hunting shows, with investigators consistently documenting unexplained phenomena throughout the building. Teams have recorded multiple EVPs including sounds of sea shanties, arguments in old English dialects, and what appears to be someone calling out orders to a ship’s crew.

Thermal imaging cameras have captured human-shaped cold spots moving through dining rooms and appearing in the Captain’s Room, with temperature drops of 15-20 degrees occurring suddenly and without explanation. EMF detectors spike dramatically in areas associated with the Shanghai tunnels, suggesting residual energy from the violence and trauma that occurred in those underground passages.

One investigation team used a spirit box in the Captain’s Room and received responses that included the name “Flint,” the word “rum” repeated multiple times, and what sounded like “aye, Captain” as if a ghostly crew was still responding to their leader’s commands. Full-spectrum cameras have captured shadow figures moving along walls and what appears to be a full-bodied apparition sitting at a table in the early morning hours.

Local Legends & Myths

The most famous legend involves Captain Flint’s treasure, supposedly buried somewhere on the property before his death—some believe his ghost remains because he’s guarding this hidden fortune, while others think he’s cursed to haunt the building until someone finds it and gives it proper burial at sea. Pirates who drank at the tavern allegedly carved a map into one of the original wooden beams, but it’s either been lost to renovations or remains hidden, waiting for someone clever enough to decode it.

Another enduring tale claims that the Shanghai tunnels beneath the building connect to the Savannah River and other historic buildings throughout the city, creating an underground network where the ghosts of kidnapped sailors still wander, lost and confused. Local storytellers say that if you press your ear against certain walls in the basement, you can hear the sounds of men screaming and fighting in the tunnels below, echoes of violence that will never fade.

Some believe the building sits on cursed ground, a spot where pirates executed traitors and buried them in unmarked graves, and the spirits of these murdered men add to the paranormal activity. A particular legend speaks of “One-Eyed Jack,” a pirate who was betrayed by his crew and hanged from a beam in what’s now the dining room—his ghost allegedly appears to people who are being deceived or betrayed, serving as a spectral warning from beyond the grave.

Cursed or Haunted Objects

An ancient rum barrel in the restaurant is believed to be cursed, possibly the same barrel from which Captain Flint demanded his final drink—staff refuse to touch it without good reason, and some claim that moving it brings bad luck and increased paranormal activity. Several antique nautical items displayed throughout the restaurant are said to have come from actual pirate ships, and psychics claim these objects carry the violent energy of their former owners.

The original floorboards in the Captain’s Room allegedly still contain bloodstains from Flint’s death that can’t be completely removed despite centuries of cleaning and refinishing—some visitors claim these stains grow darker on the anniversary of his death. A particular chair in the main dining room is known to staff as “the Captain’s chair,” and it’s said that anyone who sits in it uninvited may feel a sudden shove or cold hand on their shoulder, as if an invisible pirate is reclaiming his favorite seat.