There’s something undeniably alluring about slipping downstairs into a space that feels just a little hidden from the world above — like you’re stepping into a luxurious version of the upside down. Downstairs spaces carry an intimacy all their own — a whisper of discovery, a hint of mystery, a sense that you’ve stepped into a place not everyone knows how to find. In Fredericksburg, some of the town’s most memorable experiences live below street level, where cozy corners, historic cellars and subterranean sanctuaries offer warmth, character and a touch of quiet indulgence. These are the Hill Country’s most inviting “upscale downstairs” gems — the ones worth descending the stairs for.
Maggie’s at the Emigrant Boutique Hotel
There’s a certain alchemy that happens when you step below street level at the Emigrant Boutique Hotel — a shift in mood, in lighting, in tempo. Maggie’s isn’t just another bar; it feels like slipping into a hidden world beneath Fredericksburg, where the nights are sweeter and everything seems just a touch more exciting. This new but already beloved basement gem offers a speakeasy-style escape, just steps beneath Main Street where the vibe invites conversation and laughter, all paired with finely crafted cocktails made by modern mixologists. To find it, walk down the alleyway, look for the entrance marked “Dentist Office,” and go down the stairs.
Maggie’s transforms a night out into moody warmth with plush booth seating, rich woods, soft lighting and a stage that hosts live music from Thursday through Saturday. The hotel’s design draws on classic craftsmanship—mahogany millwork, limestone walls, solid white oak floors and pressed-metal ceilings that evoke another era—grounding Maggie’s in a sense of place and timelessness.
According to Marketing Director Lauren Westbrook, “The music’s fun—people like to get up and dance, but it’s not a nightclub—it’s more chill. Plus, the espresso martini’s one of the best I’ve ever had.”
Maggie’s isn’t just a beautiful space where guests might sip an espresso martini crafted with house-made syrups or savor an Old Fashioned built around rare spirits and thoughtful technique, the team also offers small bites and scratch-kitchen fare, such as charcuterie boards, shrimp cocktail, meatballs and seasonal items—perfect for nibbling while the music plays.
As Lauren puts it, “It’s a very classy, elevated experience. It’s not so loud that you can’t talk to anybody, but it’s also a lot of fun. It’s just about the memories you create with the people you’re with.”
For someone seeking a hidden downstairs experience in Fredericksburg that feels both modern and nostalgic, Maggie’s offers a refined kind of magic. It’s where live music, thoughtfully-crafted drinks, and soft conversation meet the history and soul of the Hill Country — a perfect example of why some of the best nights begin when you step downstairs.
Rathskeller Restaurant
A local’s Fredericksburg favorite for 25 years, Rathskeller is the kind of place that stays with you—thanks to its lived-in charm that only time creates. Set in the stone-walled basement of an historic building, originally a mercantile and formerly the Keidel Memorial Hospital, the restaurant feels like a German-Texas hideaway carved out just for you. It’s intimate and irresistibly inviting—one of those downstairs spots that rewards anyone willing to descend a few steps off the bustling street above.
Tula and Sean Smajstrla are the husband-and-wife team, founders and owners who have been at the heart of shaping Rathskeller into a place where both locals and visitors feel instantly at home.
“There are so many little nooks and crannies down here—spaces where people settle in and feel like they’ve discovered something personal,” Tula said. And she’s right. Each table feels like its own tiny refuge with that unmistakable underground coziness that makes conversation last a little longer, plates empty slower and wine taste fuller. Still, breakfast and lunch can easily move at a quicker pace, if you so choose.
While the setting itself is memorable, Rathskeller’s staying power comes from the food—rustic, comforting, and made from scratch with intention. Tula describes it as Hill Country cuisine with a Texas twist. Expect hearty schnitzels, Opa’s sausages, red cabbage, homemade soups, eggs Benedict with beef tenderloin, Tula’s “badass” sangria, occasional house specialties and comforting American favorites, but it’s the spirit behind the cooking that makes the difference.
“Everything is made with heart,” Tula said simply. “People can feel that when they eat here.” It’s the kind of sentiment you hear often in Fredericksburg’s family-run kitchens, but at Rathskeller, you genuinely taste it—especially in dishes like their famed peach bread pudding with warm caramel sauce and cinnamon whipped cream. Tula jokes it’s their that pudding that put both their children through college.
Even after a quarter of a century, the restaurant continues to feel both timeless and freshly relevant. For many locals, it’s the first place they think to bring out-of-town guests when they want to show them something real. And now on the third Thursday of every month, from 5 to 7 p.m., locals can get something real for a special discounted price.
Slate Theory
Unlike any other downstairs discovery in Fredericksburg, the underground space at Slate Theory doesn’t just sit beneath your feet… it breathes beneath them, offering the most immersive descent into the art of local wine. Born from a family of seven siblings who built their winery from the ground up—literally and figuratively—the Slate Theory experience invites guests into a subterranean sanctuary where wine, art, science and storytelling converge beneath 11 million pounds of concrete. This is not merely a cellar; it’s an atmospheric, architecturally striking wine cave designed around active barrels, living walls and the mysteries of a working winery.
A true family enterprise, Slate Theory is owned and operated by siblings Chase Jones, Cody Jones, Erika Henderson, Justine Thompson, Maranda Mobley and Chad Jones, as well as their parents, Randy and Carroll Jones. Randy Jones is famously in the winery every day, greeting guests and staying hands-on simply because he loves it.
“We all wear a lot of hats,” Marketing Director and Co-Owner Emily Jones, said with a laugh. “Chase will conduct a meeting in the morning and be pruning vines by the afternoon.”
The wine cave—arguably one of the most singular spaces in Texas—unfolds beneath the main tasting room like a hidden network of intimate alcoves. Guests step downstairs into darkness softened by warm light and walls lined with active wine barrels. Each “bay” is a semi-private nook separated by stacks of aging wines, complete with its own furniture arrangement and ambience.
“It feels very intimate,” Emily Jones said. “There are no windows, and you’re truly surrounded by the barrels that are aging your wine.”
Standard cave tastings offer guests a peaceful retreat with Slate Theory’s signature red blends, known for both traditional craftsmanship and unexpected twist combinations that have earned multiple 90-plus point ratings from James Suckling and Decanter’s Jonathan Cristaldi. Emily recommends Schizophrenic 2022 (95 James Suckling Score & Rodeo Uncorked Reserve Texas Class Champion), a white option, Estate Sauvignon Blanc (Rodeo Uncorked Texas Class Champion) and Estate Tempranillo (91 James Suckling Score) as must-try wines that are currently available.
But the superstar experience is the Paired Cave Tasting, curated by their in-house sommelier, who comes with a culinary background. Guests begin with an amuse bouche in the production facility, then follow their guide underground for four paired bites—each handcrafted to complement Slate Theory wines. The journey concludes with a barrel tasting, often served with one of their signature skull-molded chocolate pairings.
Slate Theory also recently launched Library Tastings—an exclusive experience for wine club members hosted in their private lounge and paired with chocolate from Hill Country Chocolates. Only eight guests are seated at a time, making it one of the most intimate tastings in the Hill Country.
But the sentiment that captures it best comes from the guests themselves who rave that it’s unlike any other place in the Hill Country—private, atmospheric and unforgettable—according to Emily Jones. And once you’ve stood in that softly lit cavern with the scent of aging wine all around you, it’s easy to understand why.
Now, who’s ready to dive downstairs and step into a world where every corner, every sip and every bite feels like a little slice of a newly discovered wonderland?