The Rathskeller reopens beneath Andria’s Steakhouse in O’Fallon

The Rathskeller, a basement bar that once offered cocktails, live jazz and standup comedy at Andria’s Steakhouse in O’Fallon, Illinois, reopened in August after closing in the 1980s. Chef Max Kenison, the steakhouse’s third-generation owner, and his wife, Rebecca, are leading the revival, introducing signature drinks and small plates in a space that draws on the family business’s history.

The bar first welcomed guests when Sam and Muggs Andria opened the steakhouse in 1978. Although the downstairs club eventually closed, the family continued operating the restaurant above it. The founders’ daughter, Maureen, and her husband, Larry Kenison, expanded the steakhouse over the years before their son, Max, assumed management of its operations.

The reopened Rathskeller occupies 1,300 square feet and has seating for 26. Guests can enter through an exterior door fitted with a keypad or through a concealed doorway behind a bookcase in the steakhouse dining room. Reservations come with an individual code for the outside entrance. The bookcase shelves were painted French Laundry blue after the owners met chef Thomas Keller while walking in Napa Valley last year.

Inside, subdued lighting, black walls, decorative ceiling tiles and peacock-colored wallpaper establish the speakeasy-inspired setting. Paintings by local artists hang in the room, which is furnished with velvety couches and leather chairs. A screen shows classic movies and images from Andria’s past, while visitors can listen to sports stories from the 1980s through an old rotary telephone.

A wooden bar obtained from the Fox Theatre stands at the rear. LED candles illuminate a gift from patrons: wine corks arranged into the Rathskeller name. Nearby, a record player called Denny honors Dr. A. Dennis “Denny” Sparger, music director and conductor of the Bach Society of St. Louis. According to Rebecca, Sparger spent many evenings with Sam Andria in the original basement club.

The food menu includes blistered shishito peppers, tempura green beans served with wasabi ranch, and whipped ricotta with hot honey and crostini. A dip combining olives, feta, dill and capers arrives in a martini glass with crackers. Fried goat cheese, truffle string fries and miniature burger sliders featuring Andria’s award-winning steak sauce round out the offerings.

Cocktail lead Kaylon Brown oversees drinks including an espresso martini and a Smoked Tequila Manhattan made with mezcal tequila, sweet vermouth, bitters and dried lime. Alcohol-free choices include The Slow Pour, which combines honey, ginger, fresh lemon and soda. Max describes the food as more contemporary while incorporating house traditions intended to encourage conversation.

Max and Rebecca also plan murder mystery dinners and holiday-themed parties for the space. Rebecca said the basement once held diners waiting four to five hours for an upstairs table, and the couple now wants it to offer an experience across generations. The Rathskeller, at 6805 Old Collinsville, opens Thursday through Sunday from 5 to 11 p.m.