Rathskeller Basement Bistro

Fredericksburg’s Only Basement Bistro

What makes it fun

Rathskeller's Basement Bistro opened in 1990. In 1852, the Old School House Lot of the German Emigration Company was the first name for Townlot 180. The land changed hands several times before Charles F. Priess bought it in 1878. He built a two-story limestone building with a basement, which was finished in 1883 and turned into a general goods and hardware store. In 1919, Dr. Victor Keidel bought the land and added a two-story wing to start a new hospital, the Keidel Memorial Hospital. In 1960, Dr. Perry bought the land, and it has stayed in the Perry family ever since. Today, Der Kuchen Laden & Rathskeller Basement Bistro are located in the building. In Old Germany, a rathskeller was the basement of the Town Hall (Rathaus), which was usually used as a restaurant or bar that sold beer.

Google Reviews

Rathskeller Bistro

4.2

Based on 2265 reviews

Crystal Maes

01:53 17 Nov 25

Ordered the German Gobbler. Menu notes it being a Ruben (German sausage, sauerkraut, cheese, ect) . Wonderful, exactly what I wanted. Received our order, it was ham, bacon and Swiss on Rye. We are finally able to speak with our waitress and she tells us the menu has the item listed incorrectly. That what we have is indeed their version of a Ruben. My husband and I were super confused. She kindly offers to have a brat sandwich made to replace our “Ruben”. New sandwich is pretty awful. Brat has no flavor, nor did the sauerkraut. Very bland.

I did enjoy watching the cook kindly eat 1-2 chips from every bag of lays chips he dumped onto everyone’s plates.

23:31 16 Nov 25

Kenneth Coons

01:54 16 Nov 25

Did not eat but everything looked good that I seen

Kaylene York

15:47 13 Nov 25

Ron Morgan

21:00 05 Nov 25

Just bad vibes from this place, as well as meh food. The staff looked like they worked in the back at Walmart, although our server was a nice young man. The food was godawful. My wife and her mother got the "Greek Salad." Instead of a made-up salad in a bowl, it was just scoops of SEPARATE things - lettuce, feta cheese, some strips of chicken, and a little bowl of dressing. I guess customers are supposed to bring a salad bowl and toss it themselves. It also came with ...yuck... hummus. But they deleted that on request, thank goodness. My wife just nibbled on her chicken strips (which were flavorless) and a little lettuce. Her mother didn't eat that much. She's been eating in restaurants with us for 40 years, and said, "that's the ugliest thing I've ever seen in a restaurant."

I got the Reuben sandwich. It was OK, but was NOT like any Reuben I ever ate. It had sourkraut, thin layers of ham and burned turkey, melted cheese and some kind of sauce. No pastrami. It was just "food," and absolutely not a Reuben. Oh, and it came with a scoop of potato chips. Wheeeee.

One note from a trip earlier this past summer: this woman on the staff was wiping tables with a rag, using the same rag with no spray or anything. It was a little warm in the place, and a couple of times she would pause and wipe her face and all around her neck with that rag, then continue wiping tables with it. Gag.

So this place is off our "go to" list.

Tobby Ehlers

21:20 11 Sep 24

Briasia Nashia

00:21 09 Sep 24

I had the bacon wrapped filet mignon and it was delicious! My dad had chicken fried steak and liked it as well. While the food was good, the restaurant itself was a little disappointing. It is very small and cramped so not great for large groups. There is only one restroom inside. The waitress we had wasn’t very friendly.

Dean Zalesnik

20:12 06 Sep 24

We have always loved Rathskeller's, love the food, service, and the atmosphere. Highly recommend the Greek salad and the chicken parmesan.

Claire Melton

16:29 05 Sep 24

Cute place, good service

Devin Acosta

00:36 05 Sep 24

Don’t. Just don’t. It was a waste of time and money. Our server barely said 10 words to us the whole meal. I couldn’t even finish the food. Plus, the restaurant was hot. There was a floor fan, pointed in the opposite direction. Ironically, after returning home, I told a friend about our trip and she mentioned how they went to FBG a few years ago and ate at a place downtown that was terrible. Guess what place it was?! 😫

joy smith

22:59 22 Jan 24

S W

08:58 21 Jan 24

Horrible service at lunch, incredibly underwhelming food.

The one curly haired guy seemed to try to attend to all the tables, while the other two waitresses walked around doing nothing and refused to acknowledge our existence.

Apple strudel was worse than the frozen stuff they have at my grocery store.

20 mins to get seated and another hour wait for one lunch order and a strudel with coffee.

Cindy Armstrong

05:48 20 Jan 24

Our hostess was ok, just not especially welcoming or friendly. Our waitress, however, was very nice and provided great service. It is kind of cool that it is in a stone-walled basement, but the food was just mediocre (sausage sampler plate with German pot. Salad, picked red cabbage, and kraut). I was surprised it wasn't better, given the good reviews.

John

02:54 18 Jan 24

Order and expect to Have Left Overs

Luis Sonsin

19:46 24 Nov 23

Indulging in the culinary delights at this restaurant is truly an experience beyond compare. The beignets are a heavenly delight, and the German sausage is a savory symphony of flavors. The friendly service adds a warm touch, making you feel right at home. Tula, the owner, takes pride in sharing dishes inspired by her grandmother, infusing each bite with a sense of tradition and love. A visit to this place is a culinary journey where history meets gastronomy, and I recommend delving into the building's rich history for an extra layer of appreciation. It's a must-visit gem!

Jane G

17:09 03 Nov 23

This place is top notch! We can here after being turned away at another place since they weren’t able to accommodate even with reservations!

We were a party of 10 and everyone was seated promptly and we were all able to order food came out quick and hot! Everything was delish! Everything ate everything! Here are pics of the country crepes and the chicken fried steak! Amazing service and amazing food! Thank you for having us!

jesus castro

01:24 20 Jun 23

Talk about a fabulous place. The staff had smiles and are delightful people. Our food came out hot and fresh. And every thing was mouth watering delicious. I literally want to lick off the plates. Our server Ismael was the best.