Yelp users say Poogan’s Porch among most most haunted restaurants

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The Holy City is known for its ghostly haunts – whether pirates, confederate soldiers, or lifetime residents of an old city jail – but the porch of one popular downtown restaurant might be home to a spirit on four legs.

Poogan’s Porch has been serving traditional Southern cuisine inside a Victorian townhouse at 72 Queen Street since 1976. Many customers who eat there have claimed to feel a ghostly pooch brushing past their legs.

Yelp, which publishes crowd-sourced reviews about businesses, compiled a list of 10 American restaurants that get high ratings from its users for “ghost tales and delicious food.” Poogan’s Porch ranked #2 on the list.

The stray dog was a fixture in the neighborhood and “graciously accepted table scraps and back scratches from every family on the block,” according to the restaurant’s website.

He showed up when the new owners began renovating the property and became a welcome wagon of sorts for diners until his death in 1979. Since then, some say they’ve either caught a glimpse or felt a furry body scurrying past.  

“Believers say Poogan’s ghost still searches for scraps of buttermilk biscuits on the restaurant’s original wood flooring. And who can blame him? The “buttery, warm, fresh” complimentary treats are “perfection on a plate,” according to fans,” Yelp wrote in its article.

But the pup isn’t the only ghost rumored to be haunting the restaurant. A former teacher who lived in the home until her death in 1954 is also said to turn on water faucets and walk the halls.

Other restaurants that made Yelp’s list include the Lemp Mansion Restaurant and Inn in St. Louis, Missouri, The Pirates’ House in Savannah, Georgia, and Turner’s Seafood in Salem, Massachusetts.

You can find the full list by clicking here, and to book a reservation or to learn more about Poogan’s Porch you can click here.