Ratskeller (German: "council's cellar", pl. Ratskeller, historically Rathskeller) is a name in German-speaking countries for a bar or restaurant located in the basement of a city hall (Rathaus) or nearby. Many taverns, nightclubs, bars and similar establishments throughout the world use the term.
The Ratskeller in Lübeck is one of the oldest in northern Germany, with parts dating from the Romanesque era. The earliest documented use for wine storage dates from circa 1220.
The California 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's alternative rock scene, hosting local bands like The Cars and Pixies as well as many other bands such as The Police and Metallica before they achieved breakthrough fame.
The Minnesota 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, in State College, Pennsylvania, adjacent to the University Park campus of Penn 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]
Campus diningedit
Many universities and public institutions have pubs or student center dining facilities located in repurposed basements. To market these nontraditional eating locations, many are termed "Ratskeller" or some variation thereof.
Binghamton University: The original SUNY rathskeller and often referred to as "The Rat".
University at Buffalo (SUNY) had a facility called The Rathskeller[12] 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[13] 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.[14]
University of Florida: Built in the 1960s, the Rathskeller was a dining hall, bar and concert venue. Irish rock group U2 played their second U.S. show at this venue to a crowd of over 700 attendees in 1981. UF President Stephen O'Connell worked in the dining hall as a youth. The venue closed in 1987 after a grease fire caused extensive damage.[15]
^"Rathskeller - History". Rathskeller.com. May 14, 2008. Archived from the original on 14 May 2008.
^Selvin, Joel (1996). San Francisco: The Musical History Tour: A Guide to Over 200 of the Bay Area's Most Memorable Music Sites. Chronicle Books. p. 72. ISBN 978-0-8118-1007-4.
^"Restoration of Capitol Rathskeller Reveals Long-Hidden Art". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on 27 October 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
^"The All-American Rathskeller". The All-American Rathskeller. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
^"All-American Rathskeller - Centre County Encyclopedia of History & Culture". Retrieved 2023-11-23.
^Gleiter, Sue (2018-01-28). "So long All-American Rathskeller: Revered State College bar closes after 85 years in business". pennlive. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
^Czerwienski, Tim (2006). "Linden Lane - Changes at the Rat". Boston College. Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
^"LSC Dining Services". Colorado State University. 25 May 2004. Archived from the original on 10 September 2006. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
^"Union College Hospitality". Union College. 3 February 2022.
^Mann, Charly. "The Rat (Ramshead Rathskeller)". ChapelHillMemories.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
^Medina, Estela (27 August 1978). "FSA clarifies its position on approval of license application". The Spectrum (University at Buffalo) (1978/09/27): 9. Retrieved 11 May 2021.