Haunted restaurants in the Corpus Christi area that you have to visit

Corpus Christi is filled with restaurants that cater to everyone's taste buds, but what if we told you there are some places that also cater to the dead?

Even if you've visited these eateries a dozen times, you may have never heard of the ghostly tales that occur before and after hours.

Ghostly apparitions, unexplained footsteps and mischievous spirits that like to mess with guests make these restaurants places to satisfy not only your stomach, but your hunger for "the unknown."

Blackbeard's on the Beach

3117 Surfside Blvd., North Beach Corpus Christi

Over the years, Blackbeard's on the Beach has become a top seafood destination for tourists. But for paranormal enthusiasts, it has earned another title: one of the most haunted places in Corpus Christi.

Since opening its doors in 1991, a mischievous ghost has been reported to sometimes taunt and haunt the staff and owners of Blackbeard's, according to the restaurant's website.

The mysterious poltergeist is said to open doors spontaneously, play with salt shakers, move chairs and start and stop video tapes. It has even followed the owners home every now and then.

In September 2008, on the day after Hurricane Ike made landfall on the Gulf Coast, the restaurant's general manager discovered loud music playing inside the eatery and an empty shot glass sitting at the bar. No one had visited the restaurant the night before, the website states.

Want to dine here? Blackbeard's on the Beach is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, visit Blackbeard's on the Beach on Facebook or call 361-884-1030.

Pier 99

2822 N Shoreline Blvd., North Beach Corpus Christi

This restaurant on North Beach is the perfect seafood stop in between visits to the USS Lexington and the Texas State Aquarium.

But it's also a great place to enjoy some haunted history. 

While some visitors have reported ghostly encounters at Pier 99 over the years, it is not clear if this eatery is truly haunted.

Max Lennox, the restaurant's general manager, said while he hasn't personally heard any tales of ghosts haunting the decades-old pier restaurant, the land it sits on does have an eerie past.

More than a hundred years ago, North Beach was a bustling area for tourists, but was nearly wiped out by the 1919 Hurricane.

According to Caller-Times archives, by the time the storm made landfall, North Beach, which was only 5 feet above sea level, was completely submerged during the storm surge. 

The Judge Henry McDonald home on North Beach and the Spohn Sanitarium on North Beach (which is where the Texas State Aquarium is now located), were two of only three buildings that survived the 1919 hurricane in Corpus Christi.

Want to dine here? Pier 99 is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday through Tuesday and Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday. For more information, visit Pier 99 on Facebook, on their website or call 361-887-0764.

The Mess Deck Cafe

2914 N. Shoreline Blvd.

This eatery, which is located inside the USS Lexington, isn't just the perfect place to get a snack at the museum, but also a great spot for ghostly sailors.

Bill Miller, volunteer and paranormal tour guide at the Lexington, said he has heard reports from damage control members of hearing noises like shouting, and seeing shadow figures running across the hangar near the cafeteria after hours.

Miller said he believes what officers are witnessing at night are sailors running for cover after a torpedo attack hit the ship in Hangar Bay Three and the Fan Tail in 1943.

"They're constantly doing the same thing over and over again ... maintaining the ship," he said of the ghosts he suspects roam the ship. "This was their home and they don't want to go anywhere else."

Want to dine here? The Mess Deck Cafe is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside the USS Lexington and is located at the aft end of the hangar deck. For more information, visit www.usslexington.com.

Roosevelt’s at Tarpon Inn 

200 E Cotter Ave, Port Aransas

For decades, Roosevelt's has charmed visitors with its unique history and fine dining experience, but for those who work at the restaurant, things aren't always as they seem.

Aimee Vanwinkle, an employee who has worked at the eatery since 2008, said she and her colleagues have experienced unexplained phenomena before and after hours.

Some of the experiences include an uneasy feeling of being watched when alone at the restaurant, employees' names being called out of nowhere, unexplained sounds of a person walking and strange apparitions of children appearing on camera in the eatery's outdoor dining area.

Vanwinkle said the restaurant sits on Tarpon Inn's property, which was first established in 1857. In the 1860s, the area was used as a campground for Union soldiers during the Civil War. At the time, the Union had control over Port Aransas.

"We definitely have paranormal activity in the restaurant," Vanwinkle said. "I think it definitely has to do with the history of the land it sits on."

Want to dine here? The restaurant is open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, visit Roosevelt's at the Tarpon Inn on Facebook.

On Oct. 30-31, Roosevelt's will host a special Halloween-themed dinner for guests that will include a four-course meal and ghost stories about the haunted location. Tickets start at $75 per person. To make a reservation, call 361-749-1540.

House of Rock

511 Starr St., Corpus Christi

Since 2005, the House of Rock has been a go-to venue for live music, good food and a diverse collection of craft beers in downtown Corpus Christi.

But for some employees at the restaurant, it's also the center of unexplained phenomena when the doors are closed to patrons. 

Owner Casey Lain said he along with other employees have reported unexplained noises at the restaurant late at night and objects floating or moving across the bar without a "logical explanation."

Lain said at the turn of the 20th century, the spot where the restaurant stands was the location of the first Maxwell P. Dunne Funeral Home. 

Dunne, who became Corpus Christi's first professional embalmer and funeral director, owned the funeral home at the location in the 1910s. The basement of the restaurant was used as a morgue. 

Lain said he has personally experienced an unusual presence in the eatery's basement over the years.

"There's definitely been some funny stuff going on here throughout the years," Lain said. "People have seen some strange things or heard unexplained noises, but I usually try to dismiss it with some logical explanation."

Want to dine here? The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. The House of Rock will host a socially distanced sugar skull decorating event from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 26 to celebrate Dia de los Muertos.

For Halloween night, the eatery will host a free show featuring The Fundaze from 9 p.m. to midnight. For more information, visit House of Rock on Facebook or call 361-882-7625.

Mesquite Street Pizza and Pasta Co.

617 N. Mesquite St.

This pizzeria and comedy club has been a go-to spot for locals looking to enjoy the city's downtown night life.

But according to Mesquite Street Pizza owner Brandon Gonzalez, it has also been the hub for unexplained paranormal activity.

"The pizzeria was built into the first location of the Menard Hotel, which was first established in 1905 on Mesquite Street," Gonzalez said. "The hotel used to be a brothel in the 1930s and 1940s and is most definitely haunted."

In 1919, the 700 block of Mesquite Street in downtown Corpus Christi was filled with lumber and other debris after the hurricane, which decimated the city's downtown and North Beach area, according to Caller-Times archives.

Want to dine here? Mesquite Street Pizza is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays, noon to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, visit Mesquite Street Pizza and Pasta Co. on Facebook or call 361-882-7499.

Gonzalez also hosts Fright Night Haunted House, which is located behind the eatery, every weekend in October and Saturday, Oct. 31 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are limited for this Halloween season and are only available online.

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Meagan Falcon covers entertainment, things to do and trending news. Support more coverage like this by checking out our subscription options and special offers at Caller.com/subscribe