By Behind the doors of The 4th Horseman lies one hell of a chilling experience.
With walls adorned in horror, a stage built for screams and pizza to “die for,” the bar has gained notoriety for its horror-inspired atmosphere and has earned a reputation as a go-to spot for delicious food, crafted beer and a place to partake in blood-curdling events.
Owner Jeremy Cross sees the space as a spooky sanctuary, envisioned to celebrate the dark and punk rock community. The bar is designed for patrons to gather and talk about their favorite horror flicks, share laughs and help craft a community.
“There is a massive horror community that is very underserved, when we opened this place, there wasn’t really that much at that time,” Cross said. “But we’ve seen in the last five or six years a lot of focus on the horror community because it is a very passionate group of people.”
Saturated in blue and red lighting, the bar doesn’t fully come to life until the heavy rock music rages. No easy listening here as loud rock plays in the background of the bar on a nightly basis, enticing a certain kind of customer to visit this one-of-a-kind location.
The ominous oasis draws horror fans from great distances to make the drive and immerse themselves in a thrilling environment, like customer Lesley Morales, who said they appreciate the appealing aesthetic.
“What I gravitated towards was the fact that it was spooky, I feel like people gravitate towards this if they like scary hard metal music,” Morales said. “It’s very inviting, there are skulls and clown masks everywhere.”
Since the bar’s opening in 2018, arcade games and a pool table have been staples at The 4th Horseman. The game corner, as pictured on Oct. 9, complements the bar’s blend of fun, pizza, beer and themed events. Photo Credit: Christopher Chan
The unique horror is even present in the offered menu items, with dishes bearing names including Slasher, Death to Piggy, and the Hellfire pizzas.
The curation and intention behind each dish is thoughtfully created to reflect the horror environment, according to Cross.
“We have an incredible kitchen manager, Mike Royal, who comes up with most of the recipes. We collaborate with other places to bounce ideas off each other for the pizzas,” Cross said. “What we try to do is keep it simple, but keep it authentic.”
This same trend also extends to drinks, as the selections like Ghost Town Earth Magic Sour Ale and Allagash Haunted House Dark Hoppy Lager are part of the dark, eerie assorted menu that Cross takes pride in.
“We have an amazing selection of craft beers,” Cross said. “We have probably the coolest selection of craft beers in the entire city, that’s no joke.”
Beyond food and drinks, the bar hosts a variety of events that capture the attention of locals, including Katie Arceo, who said she visits the bar daily. Arceo said she first visited for the atmosphere and stayed for the events.
“I think the events are cool, people are into the dark aesthetics [and] they are fun,” Arceo said. “It’s not for everyone, but for those who get it, get it.”
Events at The 4th Horseman include trivia nights, comedy nights, live music and watch parties for the reality show “Dragula,” featuring performances by stars from the show.
“We do 14 different events every month,” Cross said. “Every Tuesday night we’re doing a live watch party for the show ‘Dragula,’ a horror-themed drag show, and we have performers from the show and other drag queens do performances here.”
Horror-themed and performances aside, Cross wants to ensure that The 4th Horseman is a place for everyone to freely express themselves—with some minor exceptions.
“Everybody is welcome here except for bigots and racists,” Cross said. “If you don’t like loud music, if you don’t like horror movies stay away; if you’re into that, then come down here and experience it. Just make sure you’re 21 with an ID.”
