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Best Haunted Restaurants and Bars In Sacramento

As Halloween is quickly approaching, online searches are on the rise for haunted places around the United States. With its rich history, Sacramento is certainly the center of many ghost stories and claims of haunted buildings and homes. From the Governor's Mansion to the underground of Old Sacramento, followers of haunted places will delight in touring Sacramento's numerous alleged haunted spots. However, if you are hoping to grab a drink with one of the local spirits, your options are a bit more limited. Ghosts and spirits are seemingly not that fond of making an appearance at local bars and restaurants in Sacramento, preferring to haunt more residential-type structures. Don't despair though as there are a couple places within the greater Sacramento area where you can keep your eyes peeled for a ghost or two.

Biba Restaurant
The restaurant is in a 150-year-old building known as the Old Tavern Building. It was housed a popular bordello in the 1800's. Hauck says people report seeing the ghost of woman in old-fashioned clothing in the bar area. She is thought to be the spirit of a prostitute named "Mary" who was killed by a client in the 1890s. Biba Restaurant is located at 2801 Capital Avenue in Sacramento. (credit: bibarestaurant.com)

Biba Restaurant
2801 Capitol Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95816
(916) 455-2422
www.biba-restaurant.com

Biba Restaurant is one of the top restaurants in Sacramento with celebrity chef Biba Caggiano serving up authentic Italian cuisine. You have to give the alleged ghosts credit for having good taste by frequenting the building of one of the best restaurants in town. There are inconsistencies in the stories surrounding what part of the building is actually haunted, but it seems the offices upstairs from Biba Restaurant may be what is tainted. The confusion lies in that Biba is on the ground floor, which was at one time the second floor. Confused? The original first floor is now the basement and you can see the original bricks and arches where windows and doors once stood. According to Haunted Honeymoon, servers tell of phenomena like sounds of a party occurring when no one is present, phones and other electrical equipment randomly not working and there is one report of a ghost supposedly appearing in a large mirror.

Related: Where to Find the Best Halloween Costumes in Sacramento

Cozmic Cafe
(credit: justinwdavis via flickr.com)

The Cozmic Cafe & Pub
594 Main St.
Placerville, CA 95667
(530) 642-8481
www.ourcoz.com

The Cozmic Cafe & Pub is located in The Soda Works building that is listed as one of the most haunted spots in the greater Sacramento area. Also known as Placerville Soda Works or Pearson's Soda Works Building, reports indicate the old owner just cannot let the building go. It's located in the heart of California Gold Rush country and was established back in 1859. The back of the building houses an old unfinished goldmine which is said to originally have served as a morgue. Before refrigeration, the area was said to be used to store ice, butter, vegetables, wine, etc. Reports of hauntings include taps randomly turning on and doors opening and closing. The former owner has been seen at the upstairs bar and the new owner claims to have received phone calls of a suspicious nature. No one was on the phone line, but the caller ID showed the call was coming from the Soda Works itself.

delta-king
Delta King offers wonderful dining options and a truly unique hotel. (Credit: deltaking.com)

Delta King
1000 Front St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 441-5464
www.deltaking.com

The 285-foot-long paddlewheel steamboat was christened back in 1927 and has a rich history in California. It's not surprising that there are several haunted legends associated with the Delta King. Today, it is moored in Old Sacramento and serves as a hotel with restaurant, bar and theater. While there are a number of stories, the most repeated and widely accepted ones include a young girl, about 8-10 years old, who is often heard giggling or singing in the hallways. She has long blonde hair and wears a full-length dress. Employees have reported seeing her footprints in the early morning dew. The other reported spirit is that of an adult male who wears a light shirt, dark pants and some sort of cap. He has been seen wandering the lobby and hallways. Current employees have been interviewed by paranormal investigators and shared details from personal sightings of both apparitions. There are reports of strange happenings in the restaurant and theater involving broken glasses, more ghosts and unexplained movement of papers and other objects when no one is present.

Related: Guide to the Best Haunted Houses & Scary Sights

Erin De Santiago is a freelance travel and food/wine writer and photographer from Sacramento, California. She is a regional membership coordinator for the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) and writes for a number of publications in addition to publishing her own blogs. She has traveled to over 40 countries on five continents in search of the best food and wine around the globe. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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