The haunted reputation of Baltimore's Wharf Rat is centered around the ghost of a former owner, John Rutkowski, who was murdered in the tavern in 1907. The bar was a fixture in the historic Fells Point neighborhood for decades before closing in 2021. The most prominent ghost story associated with The Wharf Rat involves John Rutkowski, the bar's owner at the time of his death. In 1907, Rutkowski was shot and killed just inside the tavern's doorway. His ghost is said to still haunt the premises, and customers and staff have reported seeing his apparition over the years. In 2007, on the 100th anniversary of his murder, Baltimore Ghost Tours hosted a tribute to Rutkowski at the bar, complete with the singing of the "Star-Spangled Banner". In addition to Rutkowski, the tavern is also rumored to be haunted by the apparition of another distressed local man.