Serial Killers' Favorite Bar Hangouts

Serial killers share many common characteristics. For example, many live with ASPD and have had difficult childhoods. One of the most unexpected and interesting traits is their fondness for local bars. Before, during, and after their crimes, many notorious serial killers frequented local bars. Some even discussed their crimes with police officers! Perhaps alcohol allowed these killers to relax after such monstrous crimes. Maybe it was their way of blending in with regular society or people-watching. Whatever the case, here’s a look at bars frequented by serial killers.

Waterfront Seafood & Bar, Bellingham, WA

Ted Bundy and John Muhammad spent time at the Waterfront Seafood & Bar in Bellingham, WA. The establishment is still in business, some 50 years later. It’s nicknamed the “Killer Bar” and the “Most Dangerous Bar in America.”

The walls are covered in old newspaper clippings. One wall contains a copy of The Catcher in the Rye. Sources say Bundy enjoyed reading the wall copy of the book during his visits to the bar.

Bundy also made his presence known at Dante’s Tavern in Seattle. The bar burned down in 2015. Until then, it was known for fun times, cold beer, and foosball.

The Last Resort, Port Orange, FL

Across the country in Port Orange, Florida, is The Last Resort bar. In the 1990s, serial killer Aileen Wuornos was a regular at the establishment. Aileen was social and well-liked by patrons and staff. None of them knew she was shooting men in the back and robbing them of their cash and valuables.

Staff recalled her being outgoing, very lively, and talkative. She drank beer, mainly Miller Lite, chain-smoked, and played pool at the bar. Some described her as moody or agitated after a few beers.

After Aileen’s 1991 arrest and 2002 execution, the bar owner turned the establishment into a shrine dedicated to her memory. Photos, newspaper clippings, and other Aileen memorabilia line the walls and bar tables. The bar even sells t-shirts, hot sauce, and other goods bearing her likeness.

The Laast Resort is still going strong in 2026.

The Jury Room, Santa Cruz, CA

On the other side of the country, in Santa Cruz, California, sits a bar called The Jury Room. Serial killer Edmund Kemper patronized the bar during his crime spree in 1972-73. He hung out with police officers at the establishment. Ed was well-liked by bar patrons. He sat at a table with the very cops investigating his murders. They revealed many details about his crimes, unaware that he was their most wanted man. He was huge, standing 6’9”, intelligent, and charismatic. He was often described as a big teddy bear. But he certainly had another side that not everyone saw. No one ever suspected him of being a killer.

The Jury Room sits on Ocean Street across from the courthouse. Although the bar has changed owners a couple of times since Ed’s days, it’s still going strong today. It’s now a dive bar with billiards, live music, and cold beer rather than a cop hangout.

Do you know the history of your favorite bar? It's worth a Google search. You never know just who might have enjoyed the scene as much as you.

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