We’ve all heard the stories, or maybe you’ve experienced it yourself: It’s the witching hour, a bartender is closing up for the night, all the patrons have gone and then, suddenly, a glass flies off the shelf, or a stool, balanced perfectly on four legs beforehand, is knocked to the ground. A disembodied voice calls out the bartender’s name. Lights flicker. The bartender finishes closing quickly and races out of there.

Whether you believe in ghosts or think every odd happening has a logical explanation, the Cincinnati bartenders and servers who shared their stories with CityBeat have witnessed these things, and many can only attribute them to the supernatural. Keep scrolling to read their experiences.

Strange Occurrences at Remington Tavern Submitted by Danielle “I’ve worked at Remington Tavern in the Loveland area on and off for about 10 years. The building has been there since the early 1900s and I’ve been told it’s been a train stop, a gas station, and of course, a bar. As most bartenders know, working the night shift always has the possibility of getting a little weird in general, but when you add in things you can’t explain, it makes your shift a little more…interesting. Nothing has ever felt dangerous or evil, more just messing with bartenders. I’ve dealt with glasses and bottles moving, being pulled off shelves, breaking, and moving throughout the night. I’ve gotten used to that happening after my shifts and sometimes during my shifts; it’s just a bit annoying during a busy night. The other things that I’ve witnessed there are a bit more strange and I’m very glad that patrons have been there with me so I have witnesses.” CONTINUED BELOW Photo: facebook.com/Remington Tavern
Jukebox Phil and the Ghostly Bartender Submitted by Danielle “I have seen multiple people standing and walking through the building. These people don’t drink, don’t tip their bartender, and usually disappear as they move into the next room. I’ve named the man who stands next to the jukebox, Phil. The first time we saw him was about 10 years ago and he still shows up a lot but never really does much, just hangs out. We once had a beer delivery man come in with a delivery around the time we opened and he stated that he tried to deliver the beer earlier in the day but the person behind the bar wouldn’t let him in. He said that he knocked a few times and the ‘bartender’ just kept walking back and forth behind the bar, totally ignoring him. Surprise, no one was at the bar that early before opening. No employees and no customers. I’ve also dealt with whistling, humming, knocks on the bar, lights flickering when you talk about them, and the strange feeling of someone watching me or standing next to me.” CONTINUED BELOW Photo: facebook.com/Remington Tavern
The Black Balloon Submitted by Danielle “I’ve had birthday parties in our back room where the pool table is and people have been known to leave their decorations at the bar after they leave. The most memorable night was after an “over the hill” birthday party. Bundles of black balloons and streamers were left in the back room along with a mess of moved chairs. One single balloon was apparently taken out of the bundle and was floating at the end of the hallway at about chest height. It was a little after 2 a.m. at this time, so it was just me and one regular customer in the whole building. We both looked at the balloon and then looked at each other and agreed that it had to have been something to do with the air conditioner. After we said that the balloon, which stayed at the same height, started floating down the hallway towards us. Without thinking I said, ‘Helllll no, take that back there.’ The balloon then stopped and started floating back into the back room. After that, we very quickly decided to leave the decorations up and just leave. I opened the next day so I was going to clean up the mess at the beginning of my next shift. When I walked in around noon to open the bar, the chairs were all put back into place. The streamers were still up, the one single balloon was floating up by the ceiling and the balloon bundles were still on the tables. No one came in overnight to move the chairs back to their normal places. There’s been many other instances of the ‘Remington Friends’ over that last 10 years. The bar has new owners as of a few years ago and the new bartenders have started experiencing ’weird things’ happening. I usually just reply with, ‘Yeah, you’ll get used to them.’” Photo: starryai.com
Kitchen Factory 1609 Chase Ave., Northside This small restaurant with a takeout window prides itself on offering pizza made with ingredients that are easily pronounced (disregarding the common mispronunciation of “mozzarella” that most Americans are guilty of), which indicates simple and natural recipes that don’t rely on tongue-twister chemical enhancements. Their late-night menu (Friday and Saturday 9 p.m.-3 a.m.) also includes veggie burgers and burritos alongside pizza, which also has plenty of vegan options. Photo: Emerson Swoger Photo: Emerson Swoger
Marge of Wilwood Golf Club Submitted by Madeline Fening “Summer, 2015. A few other staffers finished their duties and headed home for the night as I closed the bar, leaving me completely alone in the golf club’s huge lodge. As I was counting down the drawer, laser-focused on basic math, the TV playing sports highlights abruptly shut off three seconds before I heard a *knock knock knock* come from the women’s locker room. The knocks sounded like they were coming from inside the wall itself. There was no mistaking the distinct, melodic cadence: someone was seeking my attention, and they had it. I threw the cash in the drawer, grabbed my bag, power walked to the door, locked and left. The following morning, my coworkers told me about ‘Marge.’ She was the notorious ghost known for announcing herself in the women’s locker room area, knocking utensils around in the kitchen and for leaving her literal scent behind. One former employee told me she would walk into dense clouds of Marge’s perfume during close, long past the time any guests would have been freshening up after hitting the links.” Photo: facebook.com/Wildwood Golf Club
A Disembodied Voice at Wiedemann’s Brewery Submitted by Theresa Schrand “I am a bartender at Wiedemann’s Brewery. Wiedemann’s Brewery’s location used to be an old funeral home. One night, I was in the kitchen cleaning dishes with my back towards the door, and a man said, ‘Hey, Theresa.’ I said, ‘Yeah,’ without turning around first. Well, when I didn’t get a response, I turned around to find no one was there. The hairs on my arms immediately stood up and needless to say I didn’t finish the dishes that night.” Photo: Hailey Bollinger
An Offering for Frida Submitted by Luis Saucedo Lomeli “I used to bartend in Mexico before and this bar was all about Frida Kahlo, a Mexican painter from the early 1900s. So for Day of the Dead, we would make a big offering to Frida with pictures of her, food she liked, booze and everything that would make us remember her and it’s Mexican tradition to light up candles around the offering. Every day I would go start my shift and light up every candle and at the end of the night blow them out to avoid risk of fire. One morning I got to work and found a single candle lit and for whatever reason I checked the cameras and found out that the candle got lit in the middle of the night around 3 a.m. when everyone was already gone and all lights were off. I remember blowing all the candles out before I left that night and there was no way for someone to be in the building; we had the security alarm on. On the cameras, we were able to watch how that single candle got lit by itself with no logical explanation, no one was in the frame, it was pitch black and then the light from the candle. Anyway, we thought that might have been Frida coming to see her offering and that she was happy to see it.” Photo: Sotheby's/Wikimedia Commons
The Grand Finale The Grand Finale restaurant in Glendale announced in January on Facebook that they would be permanently closing. Known for its delicious desserts, the Cincinnati staple has been operating for 46 years. “It is with a heavy heart that I announce, Grand Finale Restaurant has permanently closed,” owner Virginia Chambers wrote in the post. Chambers did not provide a reason for the restaurant’s closure. She says they are grateful for all the support they have received, ending the note with: “Through our generational friendship, you are family and we will miss you!” Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Woman Waiting for Her Husband’s Return Submitted by Justin Dean “308 Greenup Street in Covington is haunted; it’s the old Lil’s Bagels space! I’ve seen a middle-aged woman in a white nightgown numerous times, usually at the top of the steps to the second floor. I’ve been told stories that her husband was lost in the river, and she would look out the windows waiting for him to return.” Photo: facebook.com/LilsBagels
Oddfellows Liquor Bar 2014 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine Columbus-based watering hole Oddfellows Liquor Bar is an eccentrically-themed place to hang out and drink. Attached to its sister operation, Mikey’s Late Night Slice on Elm Street, it’s almost too convenient that the bar is located next door to everyone’s favorite drunken food craving. Oddfellows features tons of beers on tap and a seasonal cocktail menu. Photo: Facebook.com/oddfellowscincinnati
Stories from Dancing Wasabi in Hyde Park Submitted by u/OmnislasheR0 on Reddit “Coworkers had many stories of seeing apparitions or shadows on the second and third floors or hearing people being there well after close. The rumor was that one or multiple of the former owners of the building way back in the day committed suicide there, no idea if that is true in any way. I never saw any of this, but there was definitely an off and creepy feeling about the third floor, which was just used for extra fixtures and supplies. The only thing I’ve seen or heard personally was seeing motion sensor cameras triggered multiple times many days with nothing or no one being there, especially in the basement. Could’ve been a bug or an animal, no idea. One time after close, the only other people and I were all sitting together and heard a motion paper towel dispenser going off in a bathroom. Well, after close with no one else there, coincidence maybe, but who knows?” Photo: Google Maps
A ghost walks into a bar… Photo: starryai.com