Foundation

Comments about Foundation

Lady Kai

Lady Kai is a semi-regular at Foundation.

April 15, 2019, 6:32 PM

First time I went was in 2016. I’ve been here quite a few times in the past few years, but have never said I visited. (???!!) I love this place. Period. Even when it’s 5 degrees out and there are neighborhood only people hanging out, it’s great. Good drinks and nice rum selection. I particularly love that when you sit at the bar, you see the old leopard print wall paper that’s been there before it was seriously tiki.
Cheers to the great staff and Donand Charles.

Lady Kai

Lady Kai is a semi-regular at Foundation.

April 15, 2019, 6:32 PM

First time I went was in 2016. I’ve been here quite a few times in the past few years, but have never said I visited. (???!!) I love this place. Period. Even when it’s 5 degrees out and there are neighborhood only people hanging out, it’s great. Good drinks and nice rum selection. I particularly love that when you sit at the bar, you see the old leopard print wall paper that’s been there before it was seriously tiki.
Cheers to the great staff and Donand Charles.

GrognardGourmand

GrognardGourmand has visited Foundation.

November 26, 2018, 4:37 PM

My wife and I visited Milwaukee on the way to Madison just to have a drink at the bar (and stay in the Captain's Quarters upstairs. We went on a Wednesday night in early November and departed the next morning. The bartender and other patrons were very friendly and knowledgeable about Tiki drinks, the drinks themselves were excellent all around, and the Captain's Quarters are a Tiki fanatic's dream come true. Would highly recommend either, or both of you can swing it!

MichaelJTanner

MichaelJTanner has visited Foundation.

October 24, 2018, 12:05 PM

I actually spent Christmas Eve here last year. It was 0 degrees outside but it felt nice and cozy and downright tropical inside. Milwaukee was a fun town and this was the most fun part.

Kimberry226

Kimberry226 has visited Foundation.

October 13, 2018, 7:05 PM

Drinks are good,nice selection, no wait service you got to go to bar and wait. Music very low . Bar is small , sometimes a wait.

KukePuluke

KukePuluke is a semi-regular at Foundation.

October 4, 2018, 7:46 AM

I LOVE this place.
and for those who are looking for another option on the south side, check out Trader Nick's, run by a former bartender from Foundation.

JimNeumayer

JimNeumayer has visited Foundation.

September 28, 2018, 8:22 AM

If you are a tikiphile, a visit to The Foundation Bar is a must.
We stayed in the Captain’s Quarters above the bar and thought we had died and gone to tiki heaven! Don, who
bartends and manages the place is like a long lost friend
who knows how to make a tiki drink. The decorations and
exotica music are simply over the top, you could spend days
looking around the place. And while the guest room above the bar can be noisy, it was still well worth staying there.
You can’t beat ordering a night cap and just walking upstairs
to your room with a quality Zombie in hand. I would highly
recommend The Foundation Bar!

KillDevilJones

KillDevilJones has visited Foundation.

July 25, 2018, 8:35 PM

We drove through the ‘hood to get there. My wife commented, “It doesn’t even look open!” It was about 6:00 on a Monday night. It was open. From the moment we crossed over the threshold, we were transported away from a sultry, midwestern summer into a cool, dark tropical oasis. It was everything I had hoped it would be. Picture a “tiki bar” in your head. Go ahead. You’re probably picturing The Foundation. The drinks were fantastic. Decor: spot on! Cool
music. You can even bring in your own food from cool local eateries on the same block. Just a great experience. We will be back.

jenkudu

jenkudu has visited Foundation.

March 19, 2018, 7:14 AM

This place is like a dream come true! Decor and drinks are fantastic. The location is in a neighborhood house bar, which is one of the things I love most about Milwaukee. We drank until we collected all 4 souvernir tikis. It was a fun and blurry night..... luckily Collectivo had some really strong coffee the next day.

Raider273

Raider273 has visited Foundation.

March 17, 2018, 10:53 AM

Wife and I visited on Sunday, March 11,, 2018, during a grand tour of tiki bars stretching from Milwaukee to Smyrna, Tenn. Stayed upstairs at the Foundation BnB; a fantastic location and that best way to get from bar stool to bed!!

Foundation is located in a non-descript neighborhood and the building looks kind of like someone's house. We actually drove past it before doubling back! However, walking through the front door is akin to being transported to another world.

The decor is amazing, nice and dark with objects and details everywhere. Drinks were strong and well done. Staff was super friendly. Easy to understand why Foundation rates so highly.

NeilSmith

NeilSmith has visited Foundation.

September 23, 2017, 11:36 AM

When we booked our trip to Chicago, a friend said we couldn't miss the chance of going to Foundation, although we didn't have a car rental, the friend arrange for us to get the Metra to her house, then her friend borrowed his Fathers car and drove us all across the state line the whole 90 miles for two drinks at Foundation, which was totally worth it.
When we arrived I couldn't believe where it was and what it looked like from the outside, and on walking through the door, it felt like we had walked into someone's home bar, it had such a great intimate feel, so homely, I imagined how it must feel going in there when the temperature outside drops to below freezing.
The decor, exotica music, drinks, and service were all equally amazing. Don was Bartending and he was an excellent host, this was by far the best Tiki Bar we visited during our Chicago vacation. They also have a great signature Tiki Barrel Mug too, and stunning Air BnB.
Thank you

KukePuluke

KukePuluke is a semi-regular at Foundation.

August 25, 2017, 4:59 PM

So, I visited 2 more times on my trip to my birthplace and they were not as good. The first time it was surf music playing=OK, but the Mai Tai's did not taste right=different bartender than I'd not seen before. 2nd time it was old Jazz which my female companion enjoyed, but the bartender was slightly surly about her requesting her beer be served in a tiki mug and suggested she buy a mug from which to drink......a coupla years ago the bartender was gracious and happy to serve a beer in a tiki mug.........what happened to the Aloha/ge·müt·lich·keit?!! but this place is still good in my opinion.

KukePuluke

KukePuluke is a semi-regular at Foundation.

August 19, 2017, 6:42 PM

I like this place. The neighborhood is nostalgic for me cuz across the street I shared a double storefront with 4 others as our art studios, way back before Foundation existed.
Our studio space is the Kabob Hut and Foundation is fantastic.
Everytime I return I appreciate it more, as I've visited more bars all over the place....most don't compare well to this jewel box!
The time I reviewed this place it was VERY BUSY, and service was lousy, but subsequent visits have shown it to be fine. The drinks are excellent, and the prices reasonable compared to my visit to Tiki To in LA.
The 3 of us had a superb time sitting around a surf board shaped table, sipping superb concoctions, enjoying our conversation AND the Exotica playing loud enough to hear and soft enough to enjoy EVERYTHING!
Nice to visit my birthplace. So glad this is here. Highly Recommended!

Tige

Tige has visited Foundation.

July 31, 2017, 1:57 PM

If you walk into Foundation during the day, after your eyes adjust to the fabulously dim light inside, prepare to leave River West and enter the south Pacific. The vibe inside of Foundation is sublime. You can just feel the stress exit your body as you settle in.

The drinks are always great. Mixed with care and expertise. The bartenders are always friendly and quick to help with drink suggestions.

The decor is as good as it gets. Tikis, lights, surfboard table, the "Ladies Lounge". It's all so good.

The music is 99% of the time solid exotica. I have heard some bosa nova but it really worked.

Just go. Most Milwaukee beer is over rated. Our best tiki bar is not.

GeekyTiki

GeekyTiki has visited Foundation.

May 29, 2017, 8:29 PM

Everything good that has ever been said about Foundation is 100% true. Excellent drinks, perfect atmosphere, friendly and helpful bar staff, Tikis EVERYWHERE ! It is everything a good Tiki bar should be.

Stacy Gomes

Stacy Gomes has visited Foundation.

May 16, 2017, 7:09 PM

What an unexpected surprise Foundation is on the inside! The drinks, the music, the decor, the lighting! I wish this was in San Diego! It would be go to bar!

Kahiki Guy

Kahiki Guy has visited Foundation.

April 26, 2017, 11:45 AM

One of my top 3 tiki bars of all time. Wish I could go back soon.

rsully95

rsully95 is a semi-regular at Foundation.

January 13, 2016, 7:44 PM

Foundation is my favorite tiki bar on the planet. It is quiet, the drinks are fantastic, and they play a great selection of exotica/Martin Denny/bossa nova. The main bartender, Michael, is an absolutely fantastic guy who will sit down with you and talk rum and drinks as long as you want.

I lived in Chicago for many years and would drive the 1.5 hours up to Milwaukee to go to Foundation over Chicago's two main tiki bars, Three Dots and a Dash (turns into a 20-something club approximately 30 minutes after opening where no one actually cares about tiki drinks) or Lost Lake (which has great drinks, but I definitely felt out of place not having a weird mustache or some other thing that said I was a hipster).

I would always go to Foundation as soon as they opened and found it to be a quiet place where you could drink peacefully, make new friends, and enjoy one heck of a mai-tai.

Put simply, Foundation is my own quaint version of heaven.

Kuai Craig

June 13, 2015, 7:31 PM

When I travel, I try to find a Tiki Bar. Last week, business made me go to Milwaukee. I looked on Critiki for a bar and two popped up. Foundation had a high score.

I went there and boy was I impressed. I would rank it as a top 10 tiki bar. Yeah, I was a little weirded out by the neighborhood and yeah, the place looks like an old house on the outside with an Easter Island head nailed to the side of it, but when you open the door, you are in a tropical wonderland. The crowd is friendly, the drinks are strong and authentic. None of your orange juice and pineapple "Mai Tai" here.

Don Nelson is a mixologist extraordinaire and loves his tiki culture. The music playing at Foundation is a wonderful mix of exotica, Bossa Nova, lounge, surf and the rest of the good stuff that is era specific and perfect.

I checked out another Tiki Bar in the area, had a decent Mai Tai, got a snoot full of pop rock and rockabilly and headed right back over to Foundation. Honestly, this was one of the best Tiki Bars that I have been to and I am looking for an excuse to return to Milwaukee... just to visit Don and Foundation again.

Wiki Tiki

Wiki Tiki has visited Foundation.

July 28, 2012, 12:51 PM

I just visited last weekend, and I'm glad I did. The decor reminds me of Frankie's Tiki Room, without the bartop video poker and the haze of cigarette smoke. The drinks are good, and they have a decent selection of souvenir mugs. The bar pizza is nothing special, but it helps soak up the rum. We'll definitely be back (and next time, someone else will be driving so I can drink more than half of one tiki drink).

Chappy

Chappy is a semi-regular at Foundation.

December 2, 2011, 10:29 PM

I've been to the Foundation twice now, and it is my new favorite place in Milwaukee. Great attention to quality drinks (had the Jet Pilot last week, which was very tasty). The decor is well done as well (maybe the tin ceiling is not totally Tiki, but still very cool). Definitely worth a visit if you are traveling to Milwaukee, or if you are a local, you should make this a regular hang.

demontech

demontech is a regular at Foundation, and is usually there never thought it could get better. it did!.

July 21, 2011, 8:23 PM

come on, i didnt think it could get better but the new menu and don going crazy with the decor is amazing- its great with the back now done up like the front so no more pool table. i am so in love with this place, escape and crafted drinks from great bar tenders and mix's made in house!

ktiki

ktiki is a semi-regular at Foundation.

July 6, 2011, 3:32 AM

Foundation Tiki Bar's new menu, which premiered a month or two ago, is pretty great. In addition to the Trader Vic's style Mai Tai they've added a nice collection of classics like a nice Donn Beach inspired Zombie; also a number of old staples like the Fog Cutter, Jet Pilot, and Shark's Tooth to name a few. One of their original drinks that I like a lot is called Al's Grog.
I always have a great time here, especially during the weekdays... weekends can be very busy and it is a small place to begin with.
But check out the new menu... you won't be disapointed.

KaitlinPD

KaitlinPD is a semi-regular at Foundation.

March 16, 2011, 5:31 PM

This place is rad! I just moved a few blocks away and I'm glad I did, the drinks are good and resonably priced. Has a down to earth vibe and plays good surf music!!!! That is a must in tiki bars for me and some don't live up to it, but Foundation does. I fully support this place and you should check it out if in the area.

NauTiki

NauTiki is a regular at Foundation, and is usually there Tuesdays and Saturdays.

May 8, 2010, 2:35 PM

From the unequaled, delicious Mai Tais to the music, Foundation is the ideal tiki bar. It tantalizes the senses. There is an evident personal passion in the decorating, that is missing in many other tiki bars. Just when you think it can't get any better it does, with the addition of new and interesting decor. I absolutely love the Foundation and I've never been disappointed in any way.

Pineapple Princess

Pineapple Princess is a semi-regular at Foundation.

May 3, 2010, 11:01 AM

Getting your tiki on in bleak midwinter is no small feat, but Foundation will get you there. Technicolor blow-fish lamps swim through this leopard and bamboo treasure; the perfect little island escape in Riverwest Milwaukiki.

Otto von Abbattoir

Otto von Abbattoir is a regular at Foundation, and is usually there After 10PM..

May 3, 2010, 10:15 AM

Surprisingly, one of America's best tiki bars is in this unassuming building in a dodgy Milwaukee neighborhood. Don't let the gay bar name or the lack of blenders fool you, this bar is at the cutting edge of rum mixology at thrift shop prices! The barmen are definitely more skilled during the workdays and watching them assemble your tropical libation is a thing of beauty. More importantly, this is a bar for those who've spent countless hours guesstimating what a particular tiki cocktail will taste like with a particular combination of quality rums. The frozen tundra may not be a cornucopia of fresh juices and fruits, but they are clearly a destination of the rum trade. For half the price of a more upscale joint, you can experience a Mai Tai made with your choice of name brand rums. Wonder what that Mai Tai will taste like with specific Jamaican and Brazilian rums? Not a problem. Just order one! A must do destination for any serious rum afficianado. My mouth just salivates at the heavenly aroma rising from the mint as I raise the Mai Tai to my lips and I can be secure in the knowledge that I'll be able to afford another. My inner Lono is soothed as my synapses wrap around this delightful concoction, happily tranquil that the DJ will not kill my buzz with a blaring Jimmy Buffet, Bob Marley, limbo party medley. Tiki for the working man; as it was meant to be.

jpurcell

jpurcell is a regular at Foundation, and is usually there Every Thursday for The Surfer's Stomp and weekends.

May 3, 2010, 8:07 AM

I went on an extensive surfing Jack Kerouac backpacking trip in Hawaii in 2008 and out of all the Mai Tai's I've tried there, The Foundation's are the best tasting and the freshest! The decor is highly detailed and every time you go, you see something you hadn't the last time you were there. The service has always been amazing and extremely friendly (even one of the bar-tenders has a nickname "Smiley"). Other than the Mai Tai's, their list of tropical/exotic tiki drinks is vast and explore-worthy (my favorite besides the Mai Tai is "The Zombie"). There's plenty to do while you enjoy the decor and excellent music. There's a quality pool table in the back surrounded by old school paintings of the ocean and wave breaks. If you want to challenge the regulars, go on Thursdays for their weekly "Surfer's Stomp" when Rick "Real Job" Royale spins old classic and abscure surf-rock records, but the competitors are fierce (especially Dustin and Jeff). So check this place out on a hot summer night, cause you'll leave thinking you flew to Kona for the evening. It's really the only bar I go to (and there's no douchey college dick-heads). Mahalo!

PhilTiki

PhilTiki is a semi-regular at Foundation.

May 3, 2010, 5:21 AM

The Foundation has the best Mai Tais in Wisconsin. No, scratch that. The Midwest. Hand-made while you wait like they should be. No pre-mix here. Amazing decor with attention to the little things like the frames around the pictures and the moulding around the doors. Plus, how did they get candles in the pufferfish lamps? Anyone can throw tikis on a bar and call it a Tiki Bar but when you step into Foundation, you'll know the real thing. The music is the best I've heard in any Tiki Bar as well. Once again the attention to detail sets this place apart. Tiki music mixed with Surf and Lounge heightens the atmosphere. Not being a local (it's a 2 hour drive for me), I always feel welcome here. The look, the vibe, the music, the people. Can this be the perfect Tiki Bar? If I had a Tiki Bar, it would be a clone of Foundation. Yeah, I like this place.

Articles about Foundation in Critiki News

Regulars and Visitors of Foundation

Regulars

People who go to Foundation at least a few times a month.

• SweetieTiki
  weeknights
• mjrasque
• Boy Howdy
  couple times a month
• jpurcell
  Every Thursday for The Surfer's Stomp and weekends
• Otto von Abbattoir
  After 10PM.
• Son of Li Pon
• NauTiki
  Tuesdays and Saturdays
• allisonv
• NauMai
• demontech
  never thought it could get better. it did!
• KaluaPork
  Weeknights
• Lake Surfer
• ntylla
• bongoboy
  only on days that end in 'y'
• Cactus32
  always
• cliffidson
  every day except thursdays
• Ginnypig
• Jonny
  Monthly
• Cactus1932
  everyday
• nichali
  Pretty recently.
• srw1109
• Capt1320
  9:00pm or later

Semi-Regulars

People who go to Foundation at least a few times a year.

• 
  Quince at Dannys
• 
  gucky
• 
  Chappy
• 
  easterrecords
• 
  PhilTiki
• 
  WaukeeTiki
• 
  Pineapple Princess
• 
  DarthMalaguti
• 
  ktiki
• 
  KaitlinPD
• 
  Luau Lou Lou
• 
  bobeperu
• 
  Ragbag Comics
• 
  eli
• 
  BitnerDesign
• 
  tikenya
• 
  rsully95
• 
  eric
• 
  KukePuluke
• 
  GR8Y
• 
  Schwafish
• 
  Chester Copperpot
• 
  Creepykate
• 
  dominodamsel
• 
  Tiki_Will
• 
  BeccaSchmecca
• 
  GitcheeTiki
• 
  ChicagoTiki
• 
  paxattaxer
• 
  MaikeTai
• 
  tikitikidumke
• 
  Midwest Tiki
• 
  the-moleman
• 
  Lady Kai
• 
  jhilla

Visitors

People who have been to Foundation at least once.

• 
  Trader Mike
• 
  ted tiki
• 
  ExoticSabina
• 
  hala bullhiki
• 
  Princess P.
• 
  Tikinaut
• 
  aloha.taboo
• 
  skyrule
• 
  pittsburgh paulie
• 
  RumRandy
• 
  phynix
• 
  ortha
• 
  croe67
• 
  KeithH
• 
  AtomicToby
• 
  EnchantedTiki
• 
  twitchums
• 
  fourfathermedia
• 
  pearl
• 
  TikimanDan
• 
  gooneybird
• 
  Wiki Tiki
• 
  Quasimodo57
• 
  Mono-Tiki-Tia
• 
  pocphil
• 
  thedrunkentiki
• 
  Smazik
• 
  Whaia-Muri
• 
  Test_subj
• 
  mllekat
• 
  Comicbookhero
• 
  atomicginger
• 
  trev
• 
  JeffCleveland
• 
  DJMaxPayola
• 
  swiz
• 
  WinkyN
• 
  JimNeumayer
• 
  erichauser
• 
  Lknatcal
• 
  TheMeekTiki
• 
  thedrgram
• 
  NuclearDan
• 
  lesamonster
• 
  Stacy Gomes
• 
  Helen Alice
• 
  abacab
• 
  rapscallion
• 
  CarbondaleTiki
• 
  Wolftiki
• 
  NeilSmith
• 
  Claymontgomery
• 
  mattyt
• 
  elliepritts
• 
  AtomicLady
• 
  DaveValdez
• 
  geotiki
• 
  Mnchuck
• 
  Raider273
• 
  Tonga Trader
• 
  Misterkingdom
• 
  Marilyn Mercury
• 
  MOETIKI
• 
  Murray
• 
  Bungalow Robb
• 
  Wernsiki
• 
  miss_hilda
• 
  kemika_popoki
• 
  Uapu'uwai
• 
  adriancardwell
• 
  roddog
• 
  TikiCatKC
• 
  traderandy
• 
  Tiki Carl
• 
  A.E.Mitchell
• 
  VintageVixen
• 
  Kahiki Guy
• 
  AWESOM-O
• 
  Cap'nHaddock
• 
  GeekyTiki
• 
  DesertTiki
• 
  KillDevilJones
• 
  Lacers
• 
  DevynBeth
• 
  Geoff_lundy
• 
  rkseal
• 
  Tige
• 
  Garrlicbread
• 
  Monkeydead13
• 
  JTiki
• 
  LoaLaur
• 
  bak2exodus
• 
  Jader
• 
  TikiShrug
• 
  AlohaEric
• 
  Mik-Tai
• 
  Tiki Mistress
• 
  Jayy Beach
• 
  roxydanger
• 
  wendyfitzhugh
• 
  MoVengeance
• 
  ApeMummy
• 
  SweetLeilani
• 
  jenkudu
• 
  BarnztheTiki
• 
  TropicAmber
• 
  MichallaMarie
• 
  KillDevil
• 
  Ualani
• 
  TheFuzzyMusk
• 
  ElsieBee
• 
  zerobot
• 
  theCursedislands
• 
  michigan_rummy
• 
  meirybomb
• 
  TraderBaaBaa
• 
  okuma
• 
  Hobo Tiki
• 
  Kimberry226
• 
  MichaelJTanner
• 
  Jefftiki
• 
  FujiyamaLana
• 
  GrognardGourmand
• 
  Bonnegan
• 
  Kona Coffee
• 
  Trader Stank
• 
  TikiTiny
• 
  DoctorGazma
• 
  chitiki
• 
  dandolista
• 
  Von_Kraut
• 
  TheBeef