The Ghosts of the Moss Beach Distillery: California’s Phantom by the Sea



Perched high on a windswept bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Moss Beach Distillery in San Mateo County, California, is a restaurant with a view and a reputation. Though it now welcomes diners with seafood and cocktails, this historic site harbors more than just vintage charm. It is famously haunted by one of California’s most enduring ghost stories: the tale of “The Blue Lady.”

With its Prohibition-era past, coastal isolation, and history of illicit romance, the Moss Beach Distillery has long drawn ghost hunters, psychics, and curious visitors eager to encounter the supernatural. Many come for the food but stay for the phantoms.

A Bootlegger’s Haven

The Distillery was originally opened in the 1920s as Frank’s Place, a speakeasy during the height of Prohibition. Hidden along the fog-shrouded cliffs of Half Moon Bay, it became a secret hotspot for San Francisco’s elite. While booze was illegal, Frank’s Place flowed with contraband liquor smuggled in from ships offshore. It was a place of danger, glamour, and mystery and that energy, many believe, never left.

The Blue Lady: A Tragic Spirit

The most famous ghost of the Moss Beach Distillery is known simply as “The Blue Lady.” Her story has become local legend, passed down for decades.

The Legend

In the 1930s, a young woman, often described as beautiful, dark-haired, and dressed in a flowing blue gown, would visit Frank’s Place regularly with her lover, a piano player. The two carried on a secret, passionate affair. One night, during one of their coastal rendezvous, the woman was murdered, possibly by a jealous ex or an unknown assailant. Her spirit, it is said, never moved on.

Sightings and Activity

Since the 1930s, staff and visitors have reported encounters with the Blue Lady:

• Cold touches on the shoulder or back when no one is near.
• Glasses shattering or moving on their own.
• Bathroom faucets turning on and off without explanation.
• A strong scent of perfume in empty rooms.
• A mysterious woman in blue seen briefly near the bar or walking toward the cliffside only to vanish.

One common account is of the Blue Lady appearing in reflections, especially in mirrors and windows, watching silently before fading away. Children are said to be especially sensitive to her presence, often describing a “nice lady in blue” who plays with them or appears in photographs unseen by adults.

Paranormal Investigations

The Moss Beach Distillery has been featured on shows like Unsolved Mysteries and Ghost Hunters, and numerous paranormal investigators have spent nights there attempting to connect with the Blue Lady. Many report strong electromagnetic anomalies, sudden drops in temperature, and audio recordings of faint female voices saying things like “Why?” or simply crying.

Psychics who have visited the site describe her as lonely but protective, and some believe she sees the restaurant as her home, drawn not just to her past love, but to the energy of the place itself.

A Friendly Ghost?

Unlike some hauntings rooted in violence or vengeance, the Blue Lady is often described as a benevolent spirit. She is said to be curious, playful, and even comforting to some guests, especially women. Though her story is tragic, her presence is not feared but revered,  a kind of coastal guardian spirit.

The owners of the Distillery have even leaned into the legend, with playful nods to the Blue Lady on their website and menu. However, they’ve also confirmed that even skeptics among the staff have had strange experiences they can’t explain.

The Moss Beach Distillery Today

Still in operation as a restaurant and event venue, the Moss Beach Distillery offers breathtaking ocean views, cozy fire pits, and a menu of seafood and craft cocktails. But for those attuned to the paranormal, it offers something else: a lingering spirit, a story frozen in time, and a feeling that you’re never truly dining alone.

As the fog rolls in and the waves crash below, many visitors swear they feel it, a presence watching from the cliffs, waiting by the bar, or whispering just out of earshot.

Final Thoughts

The Moss Beach Distillery is a rare place where history, mystery, and atmosphere converge. It reminds us that even in places of joy and beauty, the echoes of the past may remain, sometimes in the form of a woman in blue, searching still for the love and life that was stolen from her.

If you visit, enjoy the meal, soak in the view, but don’t be surprised if you leave with a chill you can’t quite explain or a photo with someone in blue who wasn’t there when you took it.