The location is so cool as you traverse down a flight of stairs on the side of a building and enjoy dining in the basement. Now don't freak out, it is super bright and cheery with a big window that is lit by an opening in a street grate. The food is fantastic and the prices are affordable. The employees were super friendly and we really had a nice time down here. We were in town on the New Years weekend and we had a super hard time finding a place that was actually open. We were so glad that this restaurant was open and we were so surprised that other places were closed. We will be back! read more

Rathskeller Bistro - The staircase. You can eat in the courtyard up here too. - New American Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

Very cool spot down in the basement of an old Main St building in Fredricksburg. The basement setting really gives this a cool vibe. We were there on a Sunday and the crowd was building, but we got in quickly. I had the Hill Country Dip with a Bloody Mary. Both were quite good! They cut off breakfast a little early (in my opinion), but we're able to accommodate both breakfast and lunch choices although they warned us the breakfast would come out quicker than the lunch items, which they did, but everything got there fairly quickly. Good food in a cool setting. This one is definitely worth a try! More food adventures on Instagram @CheatDay_SA read more

Rathskeller Bistro - Hill Country Dip Come follow me on Instagram @CheatDay_SA - New American Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

Rathskeller in German means "basement restaurant or tavern", and that's much of the fun of eating here. Thick stone walls and a warren of small dining rooms make the place feel cozy, in an ancient sort of way. (Warning: getting in and out requires navigating a flight of stairs.) Food, and service, is AOK but not spectacular. I found the wienerschnitzel on the thick side, but really enjoyed the warm potato salad that came with it. The Keidel omelet, apparently named after an early citizen of Fredericksburg, was chock full of sausage and fresh spinach. It supposedly included Swiss cheese but it was not gooey and chewy - more like a Swiss queso. The fried potatoes that came with it were nice and crispy. The only miss was the biscuits and gravy, which had an odd flavor that I couldn't quite put my finger on. If you want breakfast, it's served exactly between 9 and 11 - don't snooze or you'll be ordering from the lunch menu. read more

Rathskeller Bistro - Wiener schnitzel with red cabbage and warm potato salad - New American Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

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We were looking for a tasty lunch on Main Street. We have a large party (9 of us, 4 adults and 5 kids) so we called ahead. The answering staff member was friendly and told us they could seat 9 of us right away. (We don't mind a wait, we know we're a large group and with kids we didn't really want to separate tables). We arrived at the restaurant and were met by the hostess that said they could not accommodate 9. We told her that we had just called and were told that it would not be a problem, so she huffed off to speak to someone. Another woman returned and said they could put some tables together for us. She said it would be 5 minutes but we needed to wait outside and she would call us once they pushed the tables together....she never called. We waited for 20 minutes when another wanna be patron came out and told her party that they had a table but the hostess refused to seat them because some of their party was waiting outside. Rather than allow them to tell their party there is a table, the hostess seated the group behind them and there was no longer a table. We decided that was our cue to head on down the road. So to be clear, I was unable to rate the food, this is purely a customer service review. I'm sure the owners do not want this to be the face of their establishment, but this is what they have. It's not a good look. I won't be going back, no matter how tasty the food, poor customer service leaves a bad taste in my mouth. #customerservicematters #dobetter read more

Everyone was so nice! Favorite place I've been so far and food was amazing. Even bought a coffee mug to remember this place. read more

Rathskeller Bistro - New American Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

We had an amazing dinner here. The brats! The Kraut! The Schnitzel!!! We were greeted and seated immediately (party of 6). A smiling gentleman got our drink order served in minutes. Our server was friendly, efficient and had our dinners in front of us so quickly, we were shocked (but thrilled as we were all very hungry.) We split a few peach bread puddings but the dessert menu had me wishing I could try most of the desserts. I will have to return for a creme brulee soon! I didn't get pictures. We actually dined a bit later than planned (long travel day as we all came in from different parts of Texas) so I simply dug in. I will be back though so hopefully can get a few pictures of the amazing flavorful food!) read more

The Hill Country Duck hash was phenomenal. I highly recommend this place. Everywhere else had a wait and we walked right in and got a table here. I can't believe this place isn't booked solid all the time. The food was on point, serves was great and the food came out quickly and perfect! read more

Rathskeller Bistro - Hill Country Duck Hash - New American Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

I have been going to Rathskeller Bistro since moved to Fredericksburg, Texas I'back im 2005. It is a staple in my town. The obvious is worth experiencing. read more

I have eaten here many times throughout the past 10 years and I'm not sure what has happened but it's not the same. To begin with, the hostess was very rude to us and to others, so I already had a bad taste in my mouth before we were even seated. The menu for a German restaurant actually was more like a gastronomy dictionary. They do have German food but also everything else from Cajun- American. Now, maybe their other cuisines are good, but the German dishes we ordered paled in comparison to what I had in the past. The sausages barely resembled German sausages. They had little to no spices added to them. The worst was the jalapeño-cheese sausage, and ironically not something I found very often in Germany. The sauerkraut was also bland and not worth mentioning even though I just did. The German potato salad was cold and the potatoes were undercooked. The red cabbage was the best thing on the table and even it was just ok. The server/waiter was friendly but never checked on us other than to take our order and give us the check. The ambiance was pleasant enough. My suggestion is if you want a good German meal, try one of the others in Fredericksburg. read more

hard pass. we got stuck in the "didn't want to drive anywhere" so we got something to go in the tourist spots. horrible food. only thing good was got our food fast |now I know why- meat was chewy and poor quality. I wont go on and on but one example says German but look at what the strudel was. literally I have eaten grocery store sweets that taste better only people giving good reviews are locals or those with no real desire for quality food. read more

Rathskeller Bistro - New American Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

The schnitzel was very good The potatoes were good The cabbage was too sour from too much vinegar I think The peach bread pudding was good read more

The food is always wonderful! Set in the basement of a historical building makes for a memorable experience! We went for lunch on a busy Saturday, so the service was a little slow but weren't in a hurry. Rathskeller is always a stop on our list when in Fredericksburg! read more

Service was excellent! Our waiter was friendly & very attentive. Food was pretty good too! read more

Cute place underground. I had the crepes for lunch. Was delicious but reminded me of eating a lasagna. My husband had the chicken fried steak and seemed to enjoy it. We would definitely return. read more

We visited on a Monday in early January for lunch and it was surprisingly busy. My in-laws were in town so we took them to Fredericksburg to check out the town. We were walking around shopping and came across this place and the menu looked good. It is located in a basement, which is fitting to the name. I don't think there is an elevator, but the stairs weren't bad at all. I got the Bavarian schnitzel, my wife got the jaeger schnitzel, and my in-laws shared the sampler plate. Some sides we tried were cabbage, sauerkraut, green beans, and potato salad. Everything was delicious. I don't know if they had any bar drinks as we just had waters and sodas. We all shared the Apple strudel for dessert and it was large enough that the four of us couldn't finish it. It was nice, tart, and not as sweet as I expected. read more

Rathskeller Bistro - Shared bathroom - New American Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

Rathskeller Bistro is our go to breakfast stop in Fredericksburg. Been here many times for breakfast, although haven't tried for lunch or dinner. But am sure they are great for any meal. Service is great, ambiance us great. read more

So, the wait at The Ridge Cafe in Kerrville was so long, we drove about 30 minutes to Fredericksburg. The Rathskeller has a peach bread pudding we saw on tv and just had to try! Glenda's turkey bacon club was quite delightful. I had the Jaeger Schnitzel with red cabbage and German potato salad. Very seldom does the German potato salad taste authentic, but this did! Delicious. The red cabbage was perfect. The Jaeger Schnitzel was one of the better ones I've had. A great meal so far! Now, it's time for peach bread pudding with whip cream! Glenda absolutely loved it, but I thought it was just good. But it was good, so you should try it. Rathskeller has a great menu, so you will definitely find something you like. Time for a trip to Fredericksburg! read more

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Small underground restaurant on Main Street. A dive but a very different feel. I like breakfast here it's small busy, staff running around and a small menu of normal ingredients .. price is not bad. Fun little setting - and no there are no Rats in the Rat house :-) Pro tip - in general parking is a challenge on the strip. Find a place and walk. * if your in a car with a low air damn stop well before the curb on main street diagonal parking - the curb will hit the grille.. Enjoy read more

Rathskeller Bistro - Double order egg plate - lots of protein - New American Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

The food was better than the German bakery but what gave them a 2 star was the constant use of the microwave which I had a direct line of sight to. Just about everything was going into the microwave, my crepes, the German donuts we ordered, other peoples breakfasts. They did poach my eggs and they made a decent omelette which my husband enjoyed. But do skip ordering the donuts besides being not fresh and microwaved, when they cool as with most items they hardened Throw those dang microwaves in the trash they don't belong in a restaurant and barely in a home. read more

The entrance was warm and welcoming. I especially enjoyed the touch of city pride. The beignets with raspberry jam are a must! The duck hash was the best I've ever had. It wasn't overly greasy and the portion was perfect! Truly can't wait to visit again soon. read more

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We came here on a Thursday evening just as they were opening and we were ushered to a table right next to a window that had some cute Easter decors . I love the history of the place being in the basement of an 18th century hospital . I ordered the seafood stuffed eggplant while my husband ordered the Lois seared salmon fillet . When I ordered my entree they said they ran out of crabmeat which was fine with me . Our orders came in and my husband really loved his salmon while I found the seafood stuffed eggplant quite flavorful . I'm sure if the crabmeat was available it would have been much more better . We will definitely come back and dine in here should we visit Fredericksburg in the near future . read more

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To each their own...some less than stellar reviews. Haters gonna hate. Shmm. Rathskeller is by far my very favorite restaurant for German food in F*burg!!! Always hit it up the first night in town. Housed in the basement of the old Keidel Hospital built in the 1800s, the space is charming, casual, and admittedly a bit creepy...just kidding; however, I am always on the look out for a ghost siting. Lol. They're open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (the 1st two I can not speak of since I've never been). For dinner, I highly recommend the Jaeger Schnitzel with mushroom gravy and German potato salad. The first time my hubby and I visited many years ago, we thought we would get an app and split the schnitzel. Huge mistake, huge. After taking the first bit we quickly order another plate. I tend to be a bigger oinker than usual when dining at Rathskeller and also order a side of their perfectly cooked country-style green beans and sauerkraut (I do share with the other). The $17.99 price tag might turn some people off, but I assure you this is very fair particularly for portion size and by F*burg cost standards. It's actual on the verge of budget dining for the area. The service has always been friendly and prompt. Just stick to the German items and I highly doubt you'll be disappointed. I understand why they put pastas an other items on the menu to please a variety of palates; however, why in the world would you go to a German restaurant in a German town and order Mexican food? I think there might just be a few other places in Texas that do great Mexican fare. Come on people. Keep on Yeeping! read more

Rathskeller Bistro - New American Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

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What a delicious lunch! This downstairs bistro was a treat in every way. Our meals were all tasty treats, and now I don't know what I would order if I went back--everything was well done. I had their take on the Reuben and it did not disappoint. I wanted to try the Monte Cristo--my favorite sandwich, the calories were more than I could justify. To get this quality food at a decent price in a place geared toward tourism was a really nice surprise! read more

Dined here for the first time last Saturday night. Shortly after we arrived, a waitress told me we were sitting in the old hospital's morgue. The room we dined in faced the kitchen area (which was nothing to look at). The entire time, I just watched the staff come in and out that kitchen door, thinking that I'm about to dine in the very room they kept the plagued dead. It was all I could think about until my food arrived. The rib-eye was chock-full of gristle, and woooo weeee! So freaking spicy, too! There was nothing I enjoyed about that steak. I've had better for less than half the price at Denny's. The sides were merely okay. Then the next day I'm informed by someone else who has worked for years in a different part of this building that none of this morgue business is true. This hospital NEVER HAD A MORGUE! Damnit, Rathskeller! Why are you telling people such bullshit?! It certainly doesn't make your food any more bearable. read more

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We we're in Fredericksburg on Labor Day weekend and had lunch here. I had the chicken fried chicken and it was delicious!! My husband had one of their German dishes and he thoroughly enjoyed his too. They were quite busy as you would expect on Labor Day weekend ,but we're able to seat us right away and we're very efficient and getting our order out to us very quickly. read more

Rathskeller Bistro - New American Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

Great service, quick service, good food, nice ambiance. Does get busy, but quick. Busy during 12 to 1 pm rush.

Phenomenal food! Have never had a bad meal here at Rathskeller! Bloody Mary's are amazing: pro tip get it spicy! Service is great! I love the basement bistro atmosphere! I'm a regular with my family and we can't stop coming back! read more

This place is awful. People have lost their ability to differentiate good food from slop. This was nearer that latter. I saw some lower reviews that did not seem to focus on the food so I paid attention to the better reviews. That was a mistake. I will give credit to them as my wife said her sausage platter with a bratwurst and knockwurst was very good. My Jaeger Schnitzel was absolutely horrific. The meat was clearly a pre frozen patty from a bag with a quick battering and the mushroom gravy was literally cold. Awful food. My 12 y/o ordered Fettuccine Alfredo which seemed he said had an aftertaste but I tasted bland.. You can order German, Italian, Mexican, and several other cultures from this mush mash of a menu. The wine list was amateur and they don't even have a decent selection of German beer. Their wines are cheap wines overpriced. The more I write about this place the more I wonder why I am giving it two start. read more

Rathskeller Bistro - My wife said this was the best German mustard she ever had. - New American Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

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It's been a year since I visited Rathskeller. Our history/ghost tour guide recommended this place for an awesome dinner while in town. It gets very busy, so you need to beat the rush when they open at 5pm for dinner. We showed up at 15 'til but still 3rd in line to get a table. This quaint restaurant is located in the basement of the old Keidel Hospital. This same quaint spot used to be the morgue for the said hospital. I sure did have the creeps using their restroom. Creepiness aside, we had their steak and chicken fried steak. Both were cooked perfectly and for a morgue (lol) the service is phenomenal. They offer local wines from the surrounding vineyards, great bottled selections and few lovely spirits (see what I did there?) A breakfast, lunch, dinner plan here is a must if you are in town. read more

Rathskeller Bistro - Central Texas Ribeye. - New American Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

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Well I was hoping to leave 5 stars but it's not that great. Omelet pretty good, pancake super flat & dense, smoked sausage tough, sausage patty out of a box, potatoes also out of a bag/package- dry no flavor. French toast was good but they poured cold syrup onto the nice hot French toast w peaches & pecans & made it soggy n cold. Will not return. read more

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Each time we visit Fredericksburg we eat brekfast at Rathskeller. They do a good job cooking breakfast. Like the history of the place too.

As a non local, I always consistently return to Rathskeller for the excellent food/drinks, service, and welcoming atmosphere! I have never had an experience any less than amazing. Rathskeller is the first place I go every time I am in town and the first recommendation I give to people visiting as well. read more

Wanted a place to chill after our walk. The service is great and so is the food. My husband and I split the German gobbler (Rueben) sandwich. It was delicious. My only complaint are to watch your bill. We got charged $5 for splitting our sandwich and $4 for a juice we never ordered. Overall good food. read more

Perfect start to the day! Friendly staff. Amazing food. Stellar atmosphere. We will stop here again next year when we return to Fredricksburg. Highly recommended. read more

Rathskeller Bistro - Sign above entrance. - New American Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

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I am at a toss between two and three stars. This establishment was not all that. It could had been a dive restaurant or a hidden gem but it was not. As soon as we walked in it seemed that we were a hassle to deal with, we were seated and I went to the rest room. Well the rest room would had been better if it was an outhouse. The door would not close or lock. The room looked like it hadn't been clean in years. Anyway, maybe the place was just busy and was not cleaned yet. I sat down and ordered a drink with my family, my wife and I received ours and it took forever for my daughter to get her Dr. Pepper. Pretty sure they forgot the two times we asked. We continued to precede with our order which my wife and I ordered a German sample meal and my daughter took a burger and fries. I will say this place was not good at making German food, it may had back in the day but it seems family recipes were changed and lost in translation. My daughters burger was good but I could had got the same at Whataburger. The best part of the meal was the French fries. I stuck with two stars because the service was horrible. Every plate that was brought to our table looked as it had someone else's meal still on it. The place looked to be needing a good cleaning and should probably change from a German restaurant to a burger joint. Do yourself a favor and walk to the next restaurant. read more

Rathskeller Bistro - Come in to check it out. Looking around Fredericksburg today. - New American Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

Took a friends trip this past weekend the Fredericksburg and stopped at this place because it seemed like a nice place to eat. Prior to going we called to confirm if they could accommodate 8 adults and 2 5 year olds and they said yes. Upon arrival we were met with attitude by Reina. Half of our party came in thru the back and the other half thru the front (wasn't aware there were 2 entrances). When we got inside she told us to fetch the rest of party and then she'd seat us. When a server came to us she said "you can deal with them". Our server Ishmael was great at making sure our cups were filled and if we needed anything as well as the older gentleman. I had the breakfast burrito and it was great. Food was good but crappy first impression. Reina needs to work on her people/customer service skills. read more

This restaurant is located in the basement of an old hospital from the 1800's. The place itself isn't fancy but has a cozy feeling. There's a surprising amount of seating. I had the Chicken Fried Chicken with the cheddar mashed potatoes, and it was delicious! My only complaint was that the corn served on the side was bland and needed some butter and/or salt & pepper. For dessert, we ordered the Peach Bread Pudding. It was amazing and definitely my favorite part! It tasted very similar to Peach Cobbler. I actually came back a different day just to order more Peach Bread Pudding! read more

Rathskeller Bistro - Peach Bread Pudding - New American Near Me - Fredericksburg, Texas

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The food was decent. I ordered the chicken artichoke and the artichoke dip. The dip was drowning in olive oil which grossed me out. The actual meal was decent. A lot of oil is used which I think is unnecessary. I could not finish the dip because of the huge layer of oil on top. Service was good along with wait time. Not sure if I'll be back read more

A local at a wine tasting recommended this place for German food. What a disappointment. We got an OPA's German sausage sampler. First, the sausage was generic tasteless American made right out of the basic grocery store. Piled on the plate was some shredded cheese right out of the Kraft bag cheese. Two slices of lettuce. Service was non existent. Ordered our drinks, an appetizer and entree. Waited and waited and finally the appetizer and entree came at the same time. No drinks! The straw was they have a one-holer toilet and the line was 6 people long. Avoid at all costs. read more

This restaurant is in the basement. The meals were prepared quickly, service was attentive, price was good for portions. Our server was good in every way read more