Muriel's Jackson Square

An elegant Creole restaurant overlooking Jackson Square, housed in a building dating to 1718. The second floor features the Seance Lounge, adorned with luxurious red drapes and vintage furniture, dedicated to the building's most famous resident ghost.

Muriel's Jackson Square occupies a beautiful Creole townhouse overlooking Jackson Square in the heart of the French Quarter, serving refined Louisiana cuisine to guests who share the dining room with at least one permanent resident who never leaves. On the second floor, in what is now called the Séance Lounge, the ghost of Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan lingers in the space where he took his own life nearly two centuries ago—and the restaurant has learned to make him feel welcome.

The building's history stretches back before the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788, which destroyed much of the French Quarter including this property. Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan, a wealthy merchant, purchased the ruins and restored them to their original elegance. He adored his beautiful home, perhaps more than anything else in his life. That devotion would prove his undoing.

Jourdan was a man who could never quench his thirst for gambling. In 1814, he wagered his beloved home in a poker game and lost everything—the one thing he treasured most in the world, gone on the turn of a card. Unable to bear parting from his most prized possession, Jourdan climbed to the second floor and took his own life in the room that now bears his memory.

When Muriel's Restaurant opened in March 2001, the staff quickly realized they were not alone. Glasses flew across rooms. Bottles of wine launched themselves from shelves. Objects moved without explanation throughout the building. The incidents were so frequent and so unsettling that management contacted a medium to investigate.

The medium made contact with Jourdan—and discovered the source of his displeasure. The ghost was upset that no one was inviting him to dinner.

The solution was elegantly simple. Muriel's now keeps a table permanently reserved for Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan, complete with bread and a glass of red wine. The table remains set for him every night, a place of honor for the original master of the house. Guests can view the table, and those who wish to dine at Jourdan's spot may book it for a nominal upcharge.

The Séance Lounge on the second floor, decorated with luxurious red drapes and vintage furniture, serves as the epicenter of paranormal activity. Investigators have recorded unexplained knocks on the brick walls that seem to respond to questions—intelligent communication from the other side. Audio equipment has captured a female voice when no women were present. Distinct shadows move through the room without corresponding sources.

Jourdan's ghost has been described as "a glimmer of sparkly light" that appears most often near his reserved table. Patrons and employees have witnessed objects moving throughout the restaurant, particularly on nights when the séance rooms see heavy traffic. Multiple paranormal investigations over the years have confirmed what the staff already knew: Muriel's is genuinely haunted.

The restaurant embraces its supernatural resident. If you would like to view the séance rooms or see Jourdan's table with its waiting bread and wine, simply ask a staff member. They are accustomed to the request—and to sharing their historic dining room with a guest who lost everything at cards but gained an eternal home.