The Haunted Olde Pink House Restaurant in Savannah, GA

Is the Olde Pink House haunted? According to staff and diners, very much so. Savannah's famous pink mansion on Reynolds Square has a long list of reported ghosts, from its original owner, James Habersham Jr., to unseen children laughing in the downstairs tavern.

It's also one of the city's oldest buildings and most popular restaurants. Here's the history behind the Olde Pink House, the darker parts included, along with the legends and what to know before you go.

The history of the Olde Pink House

Construction on the house began in 1771, and it was completed in 1789 for James Habersham Jr., a wealthy Savannah merchant from one of colonial Georgia's most powerful families. It was originally known as the Habersham House, and he lived there until his death in 1799.

In 1812 the house became home to Planters Bank, often called the first bank in Georgia, and a columned portico was added to the front. The bank's old vaults are still in the building today.

Over the next century and a half, the house changed hands many times. It served as a law office, an architect's office and a bookstore. In the 1930s it was the Georgian Tea Room. Local tradition also holds that Union officers used it as a headquarters during the occupation of Savannah at the end of the Civil War.

Why is the Pink House pink?

The house is built of brick covered in stucco. The usual explanation for the color is that the red brick bled through the white stucco and turned it a soft pink. At some point, owners stopped fighting it and embraced the shade. It's been Savannah's Pink House ever since.

The Olde Pink House and slavery

Any honest history of the house has to include where the Habersham fortune came from. James Habersham Jr.'s mercantile firm, founded with his cousin Joseph Clay in the 1760s, imported hundreds of enslaved Africans into Savannah. He also owned plantations worked by enslaved people.

The family's wealth, and the elegant house built with it, rested on that system. Enslaved people would also have labored in the household itself. Their names are largely missing from the record, but their presence is part of the building's story, and several of its ghost legends.

The ghosts of the Olde Pink House

Staff and guests have been swapping ghost stories here for decades. None of these can be proven, but they're a big part of the restaurant's lore.

James Habersham Jr.

The most famous ghost is the builder himself. A persistent legend claims he took his own life in the basement, but there's no historical evidence for that. He's buried in Colonial Park Cemetery, which would have been unusual for a suicide at the time. Still, people report seeing a man in colonial-era dress, especially in the cooler months. He's said to straighten place settings and light candles when servers aren't looking. By most accounts, he's a gracious host.

The children in the tavern

Downstairs in Planters Tavern, staff tell of children's laughter and small pranks with no one there. The legend connects them to enslaved children who lived and worked in the house and died young from fire or disease.

The weeping woman

Upstairs, some have reported the sound of a woman crying. Stories differ on who she is.

The soldier at the bar

Another favorite: a friendly man in Revolutionary War-era clothing who raises a glass with patrons, then vanishes before anyone can drink with him.

Then there are the smaller stories, like a ladies' room door that seems to hold itself shut and menus that tip over on their own.

Why the Pink House feels haunted

Part of it is simply age. The house has stood for well over two centuries, through revolution, war, fires and countless owners. Part of it is the setting: candlelit rooms, creaking floors, and a brick cellar tavern where the old bank vaults still sit. And part of it is Savannah itself, a city that has never been shy about its ghosts. Dinner here comes with a side of history whether you believe in spirits or not.

Visiting the Olde Pink House today

The Olde Pink House is an operating restaurant at 23 Abercorn Street on Reynolds Square in Savannah's Historic District. It has been a restaurant since 1971 and serves Southern cuisine across more than a dozen dining rooms.

Downstairs, Planters Tavern is the cozier option, with fireplaces and live piano. It's a great spot for a drink if you can't get a dining room table. The restaurant is famously busy, so book ahead. And remember it's a working restaurant, not a museum, so be courteous to staff and other diners while you look around.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Olde Pink House haunted?

It's considered one of the most haunted restaurants in Savannah. Staff and guests have reported apparitions, crying, children's laughter and objects moving, though none of these stories can be verified.

Who haunts the Olde Pink House?

The most famous ghost is said to be James Habersham Jr., who built the house. Others include children in the downstairs tavern, a weeping woman and a Revolutionary-era soldier.

How old is the Olde Pink House?

Construction began in 1771 and the house was completed in 1789, making it one of Savannah's oldest surviving buildings.

Did James Habersham Jr. die in the Pink House?

He lived in the house until his death in 1799. The popular story that he took his own life in the basement isn't supported by historical evidence.

Savannah might be the most haunted city in America, and dinner at the Pink House is just the beginning. Keep the night going with a Nightly Spirits ghost tour and pub crawl in Savannah.