Rathskeller
Encyclopedia
Ratskeller is a name in German-speaking countries for a bar
or restaurant
located in the basement of a city hall (Rathaus) or nearby. As a proper noun
, many tavern
s, nightclub
s and similar establishments throughout the world now use this as a name.
The word had been used in English since the mid-19th century.
At least one New York restaurant called itself a "rathskeller" in the 19th century.
(nicknamed The Rat) was a Kenmore Square
live music
venue that opened in 1974. It is notable for being one of Greater Boston
's premier music venues for three decades and the starting point for the WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble
.
The Ram's Head Rathskeller in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
, was opened in 1948 by an Austria
n Jew by the last name of Danziger, who came to Chapel Hill as a refugee from the Holocaust. "The Rat" was the first restaurant in the area to employ an entirely African-American staff. Long a popular spot with students and alumni, the restaurant, which extends over a catacomb-like basement with many different rooms, was filled with UNC memorabilia and history. "The Rat" was one of the oldest continuously operating businesses in Chapel Hill, but was closed down in 2008 due to non-payment of taxes. Its decor and memorabilia was auctioned off leaving just the bones of the structure. It is scheduled to reopen under new management in early 2011.
Read House in New Castle, Delaware
served as a speakeasy
during Prohibition
, using the underground location to hide the covert activity.
Das Deutsche Haus
ratskeller restaurant in Indianapolis, Indiana
received historic landmark status. Now called Athenaeum, it has served Bavarian fare since 1894.
The Aztec Brewing Company
in San Diego, California
included a ratskeller as the tasting room at the brewery. Murals on the wall depicted various scenes of Aztecs painted by renowned Spanish artist Jose Moya del Piño. When the city tore down the structure, the murals were preserved for future use.
James Lawrence Kernan
operated an upscale ratskeller in the basement of the Maryland Theater (Baltimore)
in Baltimore, Maryland.
The Seelbach Hilton
in Louisville
, KY has a Ratskeller decorated with rare Rookwood Pottery. Today, the Seelbach Ratskeller remains the only surviving ensemble of its kind.
Another notable Ratskeller is located on the campus of St. Bonaventure University
. It was founded in 1963.
The Ratskeller in Southbury, CT
is a very popular area restaurant known for its seafood specials and is a popular Friday night hot spot. It was awarded the title "Best Wings In Town" by The Brew Crew Social Club.
The Ratskeller in the Memorial Union (Wisconsin)
is a German-style beer hall. It holds many social events such as an open mic event, and outdoors there is often free live music, weather permitting. It was the first union to serve beer at a public university.
In the basement of the State House Capitol building in Springfield Illinois there is a cafeteria named the Rathskellar. Famous politicians, community and civil servant's (Diners) not to mention parollee's (Servers) have walked it's halls and passed through the old brick archways and still to this day the cafeteria serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as stays open late for nights when the Illinois General Assembly is in Session.
. Quentin Tarantino's
film Inglourious Basterds features a major scene and gun battle taking place in a ratskeller. In The Naked Brothers TV shows and movies, the father character plays the accordion
at a fictional restaurant called The Hoboken Rathskeller. Child actress Adele De Garde
starred in a 1918 silent movie
called The Rathskeller and the Rose.
have pubs or student center dining facilities located in re-purposed basements. To market these untraditional eating locations to students, many of these are termed "ratskellers" including:
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
or restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
located in the basement of a city hall (Rathaus) or nearby. As a proper noun
Proper noun
A proper noun or proper name is a noun representing a unique entity , as distinguished from a common noun, which represents a class of entities —for example, city, planet, person or corporation)...
, many tavern
Tavern
A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food, and in some cases, where travelers receive lodging....
s, nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s and similar establishments throughout the world now use this as a name.
The word had been used in English since the mid-19th century.
At least one New York restaurant called itself a "rathskeller" in the 19th century.
Notable Ratskellers
The Boston, Massachusetts, RathskellerThe Rathskeller
The Rathskeller was a Kenmore Square live music venue in Boston, Massachusetts that was open from 1974 to 1997. As implied by its name "Ratskeller" , the Rathskeller was a dimly-lit establishment...
(nicknamed The Rat) was a Kenmore Square
Kenmore Square
Kenmore Square is a square in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, consisting of the intersection of several main avenues as well as several other cross streets, and Kenmore Station, an MBTA subway stop. Kenmore Square is close to or abuts Boston University, Fenway Park, and Lansdowne Street, a...
live music
Live Music
Live Music is a reggaeton company owned by DJ Giann.-Artists:* Jowell & Randy* Tony Lenta* Watussi* De La Ghetto* Guelo Star* Galante "El Emperador"-Producers:*DJ Blass*Dexter*Mr. Greenz*DJ Giann*Los Hitmen*Dirty Joe*ALX...
venue that opened in 1974. It is notable for being one of Greater Boston
Greater Boston
Greater Boston is the area of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts surrounding the city of Boston. Due to ambiguity in usage, the size of the area referred to can be anywhere between that of the metropolitan statistical area of Boston and that of the city's combined statistical area which includes...
's premier music venues for three decades and the starting point for the WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble
WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble
The WBCN Rock 'n' Roll Rumble, begun in 1979, is a Greater Boston "battle of the bands" competition co-sponsored by WBCN-FM and its local music show Boston Emissions....
.
The Ram's Head Rathskeller in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
, was opened in 1948 by an Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Jew by the last name of Danziger, who came to Chapel Hill as a refugee from the Holocaust. "The Rat" was the first restaurant in the area to employ an entirely African-American staff. Long a popular spot with students and alumni, the restaurant, which extends over a catacomb-like basement with many different rooms, was filled with UNC memorabilia and history. "The Rat" was one of the oldest continuously operating businesses in Chapel Hill, but was closed down in 2008 due to non-payment of taxes. Its decor and memorabilia was auctioned off leaving just the bones of the structure. It is scheduled to reopen under new management in early 2011.
Read House in New Castle, Delaware
New Castle, Delaware
New Castle is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, six miles south of Wilmington, situated on the Delaware River. In 1900, 3,380 people lived here; in 1910, 3,351...
served as a speakeasy
Speakeasy
A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an establishment that illegally sells alcoholic beverages. Such establishments came into prominence in the United States during the period known as Prohibition...
during Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
, using the underground location to hide the covert activity.
Athenæum (Das Deutsche Haus)
The Athenæum, originally named Das Deutsche Haus , is the most ornate and best-preserved building affiliated with the German American community of Indianapolis. Once used as a German American turnverein and clubhouse, it currently houses many groups, organizations, and businesses...
ratskeller restaurant in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
received historic landmark status. Now called Athenaeum, it has served Bavarian fare since 1894.
The Aztec Brewing Company
Aztec Brewing Company
A one-time regional brewery in Southern California, the Aztec Brewing Company holds the unique distinction of being the only brewing company ever to move from Mexico to the United States.-Baja California:...
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
included a ratskeller as the tasting room at the brewery. Murals on the wall depicted various scenes of Aztecs painted by renowned Spanish artist Jose Moya del Piño. When the city tore down the structure, the murals were preserved for future use.
James Lawrence Kernan
James Lawrence Kernan
James Lawrence Kernan was a theater manager and philanthropist based in Baltimore, Maryland.He born in Baltimore, Maryland at the southeast corner of Pratt and High streets, on July 29, 1838. He was educated at Loyola College in Maryland, Baltimore, and Mount St. Mary's College, Emmitsburg, Maryland...
operated an upscale ratskeller in the basement of the Maryland Theater (Baltimore)
Maryland Theater (Baltimore)
The Maryland Theater was a music venue in Baltimore, Maryland, home to that city's first jazz band, led by John Ridgely. It was originally built by James L. Kernan, as a vaudeville house, in 1903, and included a rathskeller in the basement. Kernan also owned a large hotel, in the same building as...
in Baltimore, Maryland.
The Seelbach Hilton
Seelbach Hotel
The Seelbach Hotel is a hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, founded by Bavarian-born immigrant brothers Louis and Otto Seelbach. It has since been renamed the Seelbach Hilton. The hotel was envisioned by the Seelbach Brothers to embody the old-world grandeur of European hotels in cities such as Vienna...
in Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, KY has a Ratskeller decorated with rare Rookwood Pottery. Today, the Seelbach Ratskeller remains the only surviving ensemble of its kind.
Another notable Ratskeller is located on the campus of St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
. It was founded in 1963.
The Ratskeller in Southbury, CT
Southbury, Connecticut
Southbury is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, USA. Southbury is located north of Oxford and Newtown; it also is east of Brookfield. Southbury's population was 18,567 at the 2000 census....
is a very popular area restaurant known for its seafood specials and is a popular Friday night hot spot. It was awarded the title "Best Wings In Town" by The Brew Crew Social Club.
The Ratskeller in the Memorial Union (Wisconsin)
Memorial Union (Wisconsin)
The Memorial Union, known locally as simply "the Union", is located on the shore of Lake Mendota on the campus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Madison, Wisconsin. Between the building and the lake is the Terrace, a highly-popular outdoor space....
is a German-style beer hall. It holds many social events such as an open mic event, and outdoors there is often free live music, weather permitting. It was the first union to serve beer at a public university.
In the basement of the State House Capitol building in Springfield Illinois there is a cafeteria named the Rathskellar. Famous politicians, community and civil servant's (Diners) not to mention parollee's (Servers) have walked it's halls and passed through the old brick archways and still to this day the cafeteria serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as stays open late for nights when the Illinois General Assembly is in Session.
Popular culture
Ratskellers occasionally show up in popular culturePopular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
. Quentin Tarantino's
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
film Inglourious Basterds features a major scene and gun battle taking place in a ratskeller. In The Naked Brothers TV shows and movies, the father character plays the accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
at a fictional restaurant called The Hoboken Rathskeller. Child actress Adele De Garde
Adele De Garde
Adele DeGarde was an American actress, who appeared in 114 films between 1908 and 1918....
starred in a 1918 silent movie
Silent Movie
Silent Movie is a 1976 satirical comedy film co-written, directed by, and starring Mel Brooks, and released by 20th Century Fox on June 17, 1976...
called The Rathskeller and the Rose.
Campus dining
Many universitiesUniversity
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
have pubs or student center dining facilities located in re-purposed basements. To market these untraditional eating locations to students, many of these are termed "ratskellers" including:
- Boston CollegeBoston CollegeBoston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
("The Rat")http://bcm.bc.edu/issues/fall_2006/linden_lane/changes-at-the-rat.html - Binghamton UniversityBinghamton UniversityBinghamton University, also formally called State University of New York at Binghamton, , is a public research university in the State of New York. The University is one of the four university centers in the State University of New York system...
- California Institute of TechnologyCalifornia Institute of TechnologyThe California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
- Colorado State UniversityColorado State UniversityColorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
("The Ramskeller") website - Cornell CollegeCornell CollegeCornell College is a private liberal arts college in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Originally called the Iowa Conference Seminary, the school was founded in 1853 by Reverend Samuel M. Fellows...
- Florida Institute of TechnologyFlorida Institute of TechnologyFlorida Institute of Technology, also known as Florida Tech, is an independent private technical research university located in Melbourne, Florida, United States. Founded in 1958 as Brevard Engineering College, the institute has been known by its present name since 1966. Florida Tech's curriculum...
- Florida International UniversityFlorida International UniversityFlorida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
(also known as Gracie's Grill) - Fordham UniversityFordham UniversityFordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
"The Ramskeller" - Gallaudet UniversityGallaudet UniversityGallaudet University is a federally-chartered university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing, located in the District of Columbia, U.S...
- George Mason UniversityGeorge Mason UniversityGeorge Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
- Hofstra UniversityHofstra UniversityHofstra University is a private, nonsectarian institution of higher learning located in the Village of Hempstead, New York, United States, about east of New York City: less than an hour away by train or car...
- Hollins UniversityHollins UniversityHollins University is a four-year institution of higher education, a private university located on a campus on the border of Roanoke County, Virginia and Botetourt County, Virginia...
- Kent State UniversityKent State UniversityKent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
- McMaster UniversityMcMaster UniversityMcMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
(Converted into a vegetarian restaurant.) - Montclair State UniversityMontclair State UniversityMontclair State University is a public research university located in the Upper Montclair section of Montclair, the Great Notch area of Little Falls, and Clifton, New Jersey. As of October 2009, there were 18,171 total enrolled students: 14,139 undergraduate students and 4,032 graduate students...
- Oberlin CollegeOberlin CollegeOberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
- Pennsylvania State UniversityPennsylvania State UniversityThe Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
- Quinnipiac UniversityQuinnipiac UniversityQuinnipiac University is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in Hamden, Connecticut, United States at the foot of Sleeping Giant State Park...
- Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteRensselaer Polytechnic InstituteStephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
- Rochester Institute of TechnologyRochester Institute of TechnologyThe Rochester Institute of Technology is a private university, located within the town of Henrietta in metropolitan Rochester, New York, United States...
- Rutgers University-Camden
- St. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
- State University of New York College at Old Westbury
- The College of New JerseyThe College of New JerseyThe College of New Jersey, abbreviated TCNJ, is a public, coeducational university located in Ewing Township, New Jersey, a suburb of Trenton....
- Transylvania UniversityTransylvania UniversityTransylvania University is a private, undergraduate liberal arts college in Lexington, Kentucky, United States, affiliated with the Christian Church . The school was founded in 1780. It offers 38 majors, and pre-professional degrees in engineering and accounting...
("The Rafskellar", a nod to 19th Century professor Constantine Samuel Rafinesque) - Tulane UniversityTulane UniversityTulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
("Der Rathskeller" or "The Rat" operates a branch of the Wow Cafe and WingeryWow Cafe and WingeryWOW Cafe and Wingery was founded in 2001 by Paul, Scott, and Steve Ballard in Covington, Louisiana in 2001. Since opening their first restaurant, the franchise has expanded and opened locations all over the United States, including more than 50 in 2008. The headquarters are still located in Covington...
restaurant chain). - Union CollegeUnion CollegeUnion College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
(Opened on December 2, 1949 as the Dutchmen's Rathskeller) - University of California, San DiegoUniversity of California, San DiegoThe University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
- University of CincinnatiUniversity of CincinnatiThe University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
("The Catskeller") - University of DallasUniversity of DallasThe University of Dallas is a private, independent Catholic regional university located in Irving, Texas, established in 1956, which is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. According to U.S...
- University of Göttingen
- University of Illinois at ChicagoUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoThe University of Illinois at Chicago, or UIC, is a state-funded public research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its campus is in the Near West Side community area, near the Chicago Loop...
(Now converted for use by the Muslim Student Association.) - University of MiamiUniversity of MiamiThe University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
(Set to be demolished in summer 2011, will reopen in 2015 in a more permanent place with the opening of the new student center in roughly the same location.) - University of TampaUniversity of TampaThe University of Tampa , is a private, co-educational university in Downtown Tampa, Florida, United States. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2006, the University celebrated its 75th anniversary...
- University of West FloridaUniversity of West FloridaThe University of West Florida, also known as West Florida and UWF, is a mid-sized public university located in Pensacola, Florida, United States. UWF is a member institution of the State University System of Florida. The University of West Florida is a Research University, which specializes in...
- University of Wisconsin–MadisonUniversity of Wisconsin–MadisonThe University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
- Washington University in St. LouisWashington University in St. LouisWashington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
- West Chester University of PennsylvaniaWest Chester University of PennsylvaniaWest Chester University of Pennsylvania is a public university located in West Chester, Pennsylvania, about miles west of Philadelphia. It is one of the 14 state universities of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education . West Chester was ranked 69th in the Master's Universities ...
- Wheeling Jesuit UniversityWheeling Jesuit UniversityWheeling Jesuit University is a private, co-educational Roman Catholic university in the United States. Located in Wheeling, West Virginia, it was founded as Wheeling College in 1954 by the Society of Jesus . Today, Wheeling Jesuit University is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of...
- Wright State UniversityWright State UniversityWright State University is a comprehensive public university with strong doctoral, research, and undergraduate programs, rated among the 260 Best National Universities listed in the annual "America's Best Colleges" rankings by U.S. News and World Report. Wright State is located in Fairborn, Ohio,...
- Kansas State UniversityKansas State UniversityKansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
("The Catskellar", in the Student Union)
See also
- The RathskellerThe RathskellerThe Rathskeller was a Kenmore Square live music venue in Boston, Massachusetts that was open from 1974 to 1997. As implied by its name "Ratskeller" , the Rathskeller was a dimly-lit establishment...
in BostonBostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... - Athenæum (Das Deutsche Haus)Athenæum (Das Deutsche Haus)The Athenæum, originally named Das Deutsche Haus , is the most ornate and best-preserved building affiliated with the German American community of Indianapolis. Once used as a German American turnverein and clubhouse, it currently houses many groups, organizations, and businesses...
in IndianapolisIndianapolisIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S... - Beer gardenBeer gardenBeer garden is an open-air area where beer, other drinks and local food are served. The concept originates from and is most common in Southern Germany...
- Beer hallBeer hallA beer hall is a large pub that specializes in beer. Bavaria's capital Munich is the city most associated with beer halls; almost every brewery in Munich operates a beer hall...