Rathskeller

[raht-skel-er, rat-, rath-]

Rathskeller (German: "council cellar", modern spelling: Ratskeller) is a name in German-speaking countries for a bar below street level. The term originally referred specifically to restaurants that were located in the basement of city hall (Rathaus). As a proper noun, many taverns, nightclubs and similar establishments throughout the world now use this as a name.

The word had been used in English since the mid-19th century.

Notable Rathskellers

The Boston, Massachusetts, Rathskeller (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 Austrian 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, is filled with UNC memorabilia and history. "The Rat" is one of the oldest continuously operating businesses in Chapel Hill. Unfortunately, The Rams Head Rathskeller 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. The future of its unique location is unknown, but its for certain that Chapel Hill has lost one of its most valued and unique establishments.

Another Rathskeller restaurant is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and has served Bavarian fare since 1894.

Many universities have pubs or student center dining facilities bearing this name including Colorado State University ("The Ramskeller") ,University of Tampa, Tulane University, University of Miami, Binghamton University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, McMaster University, Pennsylvania State University, College of New Jersey, Montclair State University, Quinnipiac University, Boston College ("The Rat") , Florida Institute of Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Dallas, St. Bonaventure University, Oberlin College, Kent State University and Wheeling Jesuit University.