Foundation

Fantastic ambience, comfy bar with great lights, rum selection and vibe. Enjoyed the class act bartenders and good drinks.

Great focus to Tiki detail. Favorable, skilled bartenders that crank out drinks immediately. Greatest Mai Tai in Milwaukee. A couple neighborhood regulars sitting near the doorway drinking beer so you do not forget you’re in Milwaukee not a tropical isle. Adore the pufferfish lights over the bar.

As a card-​carrying tiki-​phile, I make it a mission to go to any new tiki bar that I can find. With that in mind, my wife and I took a weekend drive up to Milwaukee to see the city and check out Foundation. I am so glad to say that it is completely worth the drive up. Foundation is one of the best tiki bars I have ever been to, and it truly needs to be seen to be believed. The façade of this place hides one of the best decorated tiki bars ever. The drinks were expertly crafted and delicious. I have been recommending this place to anyone who will listen and I cannot wait until the next opportunity I have to go check it out again.

Great drinks. They do put the right alcohol on them (unlike many other bars that go cheap on it). Its usually crowded and I Wish it would be bigger.

Foundation is the real deal. If you’re a tiki nut (like myself), you must go. And if you’re not, you’re still going to have a damn good time.
I don’t get up to Foundation as much as I should because when you live in Bay View, Riverwest is like SO far away, but I would travel much farther to get to this tropical paradise. Only a simple sign outside this unassuming building hints at the tiki wonderland within, but once you step into the world of masks, mugs and pufferfish lamps, you’re transported from a plain Milwaukee street to a Polynesian fantasy.
Drinks are delicious and powerful. Depending on how busy it is, you might be waiting a while; these cocktails take longer to prepare than your standard rum & coke. But the bartenders are super friendly and very knowledgeable. When I was here during a slow afternoon just after opening, one of the bartenders showed me a bunch of photos from his pilgrimage to Mai-​Kai in Florida… these guys are genuinely devoted to tiki, which I love.
There’s a reason this place keeps ending up on best tiki bar lists… we’re super lucky to have a gem like this in Milwaukee!

A tiki bar in an inconspicuous looking house? Yes please. You’re in Riverwest, and suddenly you are transported to an island far, far away. The bartenders are cool and the atmosphere is one of a kind in Milwaukee. The drinks are strong enough, and the lighting dim enough to make everyone look attractive. You will have a great time, but all good things must end. When it’s time to leave, you will stumble back into the cold Milwaukee air, and wonder… was it all just a dream?
But for real, if you haven’t been, you need to go. Probably sooner vs. later.

This is actually the greatest goddamn tavern in Milwaukee, and perhaps the most effective pub on the North Coast. The Base occupies a spot in my liver heretofore held solely by my locals of 8 years in Champaign Urbana — the Esquire and the sadly-​defunct Blind Pig — and the eternally-​to-​be mourned Point in Atlanta.

A great tiki bar. If tiki bars trouble you, or you anticipate Edward Said’s impatient objections the moment you cross the threshold, just don’t go. But if, every now and again, you enjoy sipping a blue cocktail from a retro glass, then be my guest! The prices are pretty reasonable for drinks that are gargantuan. A $ 12 cocktail will BUY YOU THE GLASS. (Plus, these are ample pours, not the dainty cocktails served up at many establishments these days.) DO I even need to say more? The décor is terrific and tacky, the bartenders are friendly. Try it and you will like it. You may even get drunk and come home with three mermaid mugs in your purse! Now, go and watch the Kids in the Hall’s «Girl Drink Drunk» sketch.

One of the things I miss about living in cities is the plethora of great bars, of all types. Where I live now there isn’t a whole lot of diversity and for the most part they are all pretty interchangeable, with a few exceptions. So for a pre-Valentine’s Day date night with my wife we headed down to Milwaukee to hit the town. I had a full night planned with cocktails first, then dinner, and finally a comedy show.
For cocktails, I wanted something that was as far from what we get at home so I chose Foundation, with their Tiki bar theme and what a great choice I made!
We heard that the place is small and can get busy pretty quickly on a weekend night so we got there right at opening, at 4pm. Let me tell you, other reviewers have said that this place is dark and they weren’t exaggerating! It was a bright, clear winter day, with the sun shining to its full extent when we walked in, and once that door shut behind us, we were totally enveloped by darkness. I literally had to grope my way to a bar stool. Trying to read the drink menu for the first few minutes was an almost impossible task, even with a candle held right next to it. Not to worry though, our eyes eventually adjusted and we were in for a treat. The place is packed, floor to ceiling with Tiki culture kitsch. Tiki idols everywhere, pufferfish hanging light, and a South Pacific vibe permeates everything. It is awesome!!!
The drinks fall heavily on the Tiki culture classics, with a few newer creations thrown in. If you are not familiar with well made Tiki or rum drinks these are not the sickly sweet, overly fruity drinks of the 1980’s & 90’s. No, these are well crafted and perfectly balanced drinks that finds that sweet spot between sweet, sour, and alcoholic. Nor are these drinks for the faint of heart. Most of them pack quite a punch that isn’t readily apparent. Just ask my wife!!!
Drinks are slightly on the expensive side and take a few minutes to make, but this is to be expected when each drink is individually hand crafted with high quality ingredients and not made from a bunch of mixers. Once you get your drink, do yourself a favor and let it sit 2 – 3 minutes. When you first get them they can be a little overpowering. Letting them sit a couple of minutes allows some of the crushed ice to melt, diluting the drink slightly making for a better balanced, more rounded drink.
The 2 guys bartending that day were great, very engaging and helped my wife navigate through the choices. Being a chef, and ex-​bartender myself, and closet Tiki aficionado, I spent a good amount of time talking with the other bartender about the finer points of some of the components they use in their drinks. He was very knowledgeable and very eager to talk about his craft.
By the time we left, at approximately 5:15pm the place was already starting to fill up and I imagine that by 8pm or so the place would be pretty packed, and justifiably so.
This is definitely one to check out, especially if you have never been to a Tiki bar before.

One of those places you walk into and instantly love. Wasn’t expecting a tiki bar based on the name, but it is wall-​to-​wall kitschy tropical décor. I had the Blue Hawaiian, which was scrumptious. The bartenders were a little slow to take our order, but ultra friendly and fun. I felt welcome: probably one of the only bars where you walk in and feel like everyone is glad you’re there! Would love to go back.

One of the classier bars in Milwaukee, Foundation can be a stop on any adventure — a date, a meetup with friends or just to chill solo.
There are drinks for every type of liquor drinker. There are strong ones. There are fruity ones. Last time I enjoyed a nice one with gin. Not into cocktails? They have a nice (albeit stagnant) beer list.
The atmosphere makes this a place I keep coming back to and it’s a short walk from my house. The bartenders are friendly, and — perhaps most importantly, make great drinks.

This is the spot. Best Mai Tai’s around MKE. Great service and just an all around killer place to get inebriated. Also a perfect place to have a cocktail before going to dinner. The atmosphere is chill and casual. All in all a gem tucked into the Riverwest neighborhood.

I’ve been here multiple times, and recently took some out-​of-​towners visiting from LA and SF. They all raved about the drinks, the atmosphere, and the reasonable prices! I agree. I love coming here, especially on a quiet weeknight, where you’ve got more room to spread out and have good conversation & a solid cocktail. The menu has a wide variety for all tastes — from sweet and fruity to pretty boozy. Perfect spot for a date or with a group of friends. Cheers!

This is the best bar in Milwaukee. The staff is kind and knowledgable. You could order a $ 2 bottle of PBR or a fancy cocktail, and you’ll be treated the same. The tiki flair combined with the dive bar mentality makes for the most welcoming, warm environment. Tiki mugs make your house look cooler. Best spot for a weeknight date, since the low lighting is permanently flattering.
Foundation didn’t really need this review, I just wanted to talk about my favorite place. Welcome to paradise!
(It gets busy on weekends.)

Excellent tiki bar with a very nice collection of authentic tiki decorations. A wide selection of tropical drinks and glassware. The Mai Tai was decent as were many of the other exotic drinks. The bar tenders were friendly and answered many of our questions. We will be back!

This bar has one of the most unusual and yummy drinks, the curse of ku. i get it every time i go. it has some type of cashew or some other nut in it that gives it a unique flavor.
Love the tiki concept of this bar. Especially the blow fish lights… i want one.
Always a fun time. Strong drinks and it’s fun to sit in front of the bartender and watch the drink creations get made. Go!

Oh my gosh I love Foundation. Possibly the coolest bar I’ve been to in Milwaukee and I mean cool. The decorations are spot on. The menu is extensive and the drinks are tasty. You can pay more to get a take-​home mermaid glass which of course I did. My one and only complaint is they don’t have an outdoor seating area beyond the front sidewalk area. But ignore that last comment if you haven’t been because you should be out the door right now on your way to Foundation.

Went here on my first trip to Milwaukee, and it was the second tiki bar I went to right after Summerfest. Hahaha… Someone please correct me if I’m wrong, but this is the only tiki bar in Milwaukee other than Lucky Joe’s???
Anyway, the doorman was cool, chatting it up with the patrons before going in. Witty guy.
Took me some getting used to in regards to the décor. LOL. I’m not used to going into what looks like houses for bar establishments. The inside wasn’t as low-​key on being tiki-​themed, but it made it very distinct as in I will be able to easily recall this place in my memory.
As for service inside the bar, it wasn’t as good as I hoped it would. Boyfriend had to wait awhile on the bartender to make our drinks and pay for them. I honestly enjoyed my drink (Missionary’s Demise), but he made the boyfriend’s too strong — he actually didn’t finish it.

There isn’t much I could say that hasn’t already been said. So I’ll simply highlight:
–Yes, it’s very busy on weekends. Go during the week or at an off-​peak time if you want a seat.
–No, you can’t get a bad drink here. Everything is delicious. All of it.
–Yes, it’s delightful. Go at least once.

Summer is around the corner.
Get transformed to a tropicool location minus the heat, minus the sand, minus the grass skirts, minus the spinning torches. Close your eyes. Listen to the waves crashing. In my mind I’m in Hawaii. Physically I’m in Riverwest Milwaukee.
Love the décor. Great beer selection and skilled bartender to mix your choice of tropical drinks, shaken, stirred or blended.
I feel summer is just around the corner.
Amb 5
Ser 5 fairly quick and attentive.
Loc 3
Val 3
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