5 haunted restaurants to try in New Jersey this Halloween

Fright Fest, "Stranger Things" and el Día de los Muertos — in every corner of the globe, humans have an infatuation with all things creepy. Egypt's got mummies, Texas has chainsaws and, from South Korea, there's "Squid Game."

What makes specific people tremble? I don't know. Some fear graveyards, others mythical creatures. Heck, some filmmakers even fear the apes we once rose from. But, one thing's for sure: People like the feeling of being scared.

And Halloween? Well, that's the finest exemplar of the aforementioned. Only in the human species can you find a cross-cultural holiday that was designed to scare the living you-know-what out of ourselves.

So, as October has officially begun and spooky season is now in full swing, we — as a news source — figured it was about time to start dropping articles on creepy things you can do around the state.

I, the food writer, will begin:

Here are five spooky restaurants where you can eat throughout New Jersey.

The Brass Rail, Hoboken

Nothing says spooky like a good haunting, which is precisely what The Brass Rail, an old-city bar founded in the early 1900s, is known for. Located in Downtown Hoboken, the restaurant has a reputation of being one of the most paranormal landmarks in the state. Here's why.

Legend has it that back in 1904, a just-married bride fell down the building's spiral staircase to a painful (and badly timed) death. Later that night, her groom, claiming — in a handwritten note — he had "nothing left to live for," hanged himself in a room nearby. Though both were pronounced dead on the spot, their spirits are said to linger in the building. Some of the restaurant's staff report having heard voices, or seeing the couple's ghosts, near the stairs.

Whether the myth is true, I wouldn't know. When I go to The Brass Rail, the only dead things I'm paying attention to are the short ribs on my sandwich.

Go: 135 Washington St.; 201-659-7074, thebrassrailnj.com.

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Blairstown Diner, Blairstown

The Blairstown Diner might be the Halloween capital of New Jersey. Back in the '70s, the original "Friday the 13th" movie was filmed at the restaurant, and, to this day, film junkies still flock to the restaurant to eat hot dogs in the space where Jason Voorhees once stalked some teenagers.

Each year, on the actual Friday the 13th, tourists come to the diner to celebrate superstition's favorite holiday. According to past Facebook posts from the restaurant, "members of the cast" have even showed up on the date. This season, Friday the 13th happens to be in October, so I imagine the vintage spot will be pulling out all the stops. Early social media photos already show pumpkin pancakes, milkshakes and pie being offered to set the Halloween mood.

So, though the restaurant itself may not be haunted, the movie version totally is (which, to be honest, sounds like a lot more fun than chowing down in a place where someone actually died).

Go: 53 Route 94; 908-362-6070, blairstowndiner.com.

The Dublin House, Red Bank

Like The Brass Rail, The Dublin House Restaurant & Pub is not just one of the most haunted restaurants in the state, it's one of the most haunted spots in general. Located in Red Bank, the place is so loaded with paranormal activity that Jersey Shore Ghost Tours actually begins its tours there. Unlike at The Brass Rail, though, the pub's dead come in peace.

According to the staff, the ghost present in the building is Mrs. Patterson, the restaurant's former owner. Though a nice spirit, who's likely keeping tabs on her old business and friends, Patterson is a bit rambunctious. Staff and guests report that she slams doors, knocks over items and whispers in the ears of the living. Eugene Devlin, the restaurant's current owner, acknowledged these occurrences and said professional ghost hunters have even confirmed her presence.

If you're looking to eat fried calamari with a real-life Casper the Friendly Ghost, then this Jersey Shore Irish pub is the place for you.

Go: 30 Monmouth St.; 732-747-6699, thedublinhouse.co.

Cafe Archetypus, Edgewater

Deep in the heart of Edgewater lies a restaurant whose interior looks somewhere between a "Flintstones" house and Mars 2112 (please tell me that reference makes sense). Though outwardly a dichotomy, that description checks out when considered through the lens of Warren Sonberg, who designed the cave-themed restaurant.

"What I can say," he said, "is that this may be a time capsule from earth's most distant past, or a future yet to come."

When guests enter Cafe Archetypus, they feel as if they've stepped into prehistoric caverns. Some say it looks like their perception of the underworld. Whatever it means to the individual, though, there's no denying that the dine-in sculpture is a bit chilling. Eating there, in my opinion, feels like eating on another planet.

With each potato chip, the artist's work — which grapples with the space between life and death — makes you keenly aware of your mortality.

Go: 266 Old River Road; 201-941-0609, archetypus.com.

The Old Canal Inn, Nutley

Nutley's Old Canal Inn has a weird claim to fame; it is home to the "Death Chair." In the mid-20th century, the rumor goes, two men were fighting over the coveted seat. I'm not sure who won (not that it matters), but — legend says — both men died of heart attacks 10 days later. And in 1964? Something similar happened again.

Today, the chair hasn't killed someone in a bit (though it's still adorned with a caution sign), but that doesn't mean heart attacks aren't happening in the building. Currently, the restaurant — which is for sale for a cool $2.195 mil — offers a “Death Seat Platter” featuring a beer-battered, deep-fried burger stuffed with mashed potatoes and nacho cheese.

Crush that saturated fat bomb with an IPA and you're dying either way.

Go: 2 E. Passaic Ave.; 973-284-1272, theoldcanalinn.com.

Kara VanDooijeweert is a food writer for NorthJersey.com and The Record. If you can't find her in Jersey's best restaurants, she's probably off running a race course in the mountains. Catch her on Instagram: @karanicolev & @northjerseyeats, join our NorthJerseyEats Facebook group, and sign up for her North Jersey Eats newsletter.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ haunted restaurants: 5 spooky places to eat this Halloween