Ratskeller (German: "council'scellar", pl.Ratskeller, historicallyRathskeller) is a name inGerman-speaking countries for abar orrestaurant located in the basement of a city hall (Rathaus) or nearby. Manytaverns,nightclubs, bars and similar establishments throughout the world use the term.
TheRatskeller inLübeck is one of the oldest in northern Germany, with parts dating from theRomanesque era. The earliest documented use for wine storage dates from circa 1220.
TheCalifornia Hall (formerly Das Deutches Haus) was built in 1912 in San Francisco and had a Rathskeller restaurant in the basement.[2]
The Rathskeller in Boston was a famous rock and roll club from 1974 to 1997, a locus of Boston'salternative rock scene, hosting local bands likeThe Cars andPixies as well as many other bands such asThe Police andMetallica before they achieved breakthrough fame.
TheMinnesota State Capitol, completed in 1905, contains a Rathskeller that was renovated in 2017. It contains 29 painted German mottoes and currently serves as a cafe.[3]
The Rathskeller & Gardens, inState College, Pennsylvania, adjacent to theUniversity Park campus ofPenn State University, was opened by State College resident, "Pop" Flood, three days after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.[4][5] In 1934, Flood sold to C.C. “Doggie” Alexander, who changed the name to "The All-American Rathskeller", the name that remained with the bar until it closed on January 28, 2018.[6]
Manyuniversities and public institutions havepubs orstudent center dining facilities located in repurposed basements. To market these nontraditional eating locations, many are termed "Ratskeller" or some variation thereof.
Kent State University: KSU’s Rathskeller, shortened to “The Rat”, is in the basement of the student center, and has been active to varying degrees since the 1970s. It had a stage for live music and had served food and alcohol to students of age into the early 2000s.[7]
University of Wisconsin–Madison ("Der Rathskeller")[12] Der Rathskeller opened in 1928 as a gathering place for male students but would be opened to female students in 1941. Though modeled after a German beer hall, it would not be until 1933 that Der Rathskeller sold its first beer, making the UW the first public university in the United States to serve beer on campus.[13]
University at Buffalo (SUNY) had a facility called The Rathskeller[14] that served food, alcohol, and occasionally had live music. It was housed in Squire Hall, and closed for good when that building was renovated starting in 1982.
University of California, San Diego: Muir College had a facility called The Rathskeller[15] that served food and non-alcoholic drinks. It was housed in Muir Commons, but was later replaced by the El Mercado restaurant.
McMaster University had a student pub called The Rathskeller for over thirty years, in the basement of The Refectory dining hall. It closed in the early 2000s and was replaced with a restaurant.[16]
University of Florida: Built in the 1960s, the Rathskeller was a dining hall, bar and concert venue. Irish rock groupU2 played at this venue on the second U.S. leg of their Boy tour to a crowd of over 700 attendees in 1981. UF PresidentStephen O'Connell worked in the dining hall as a youth. The venue closed in 1987 after a grease fire caused extensive damage.[17]
The College of New Jersey (TCNJ): TCNJ’s Rathskeller, commonly known as “The Rat,” was a popular campus pub and dining venue located in the basement of theBrower Student Center. It opened in 1976 and became a central social hub for students, hosting live music, open mic nights, and other events. The venue closed in 2015 as part of renovations to the student center, marking the end of its nearly 40-year history on campus.[21]
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