Foundation

Thanks for providing a great tiki experience in Milwaukee. Many top tiki bar lists now include Foundation. And they should. It is top notch. Very detailed authentic decor throughout. They also make some excellent drinks. Fantastic tiki bar. Great escape from the ordinary.

​"Absolute tiki perfection! The drinks are punchy, fresh, and beautifully presented. The attention to detail in the decor is unmatched. It's a total sensory escape. If you're looking for world-class cocktails in an immersive tropical setting, this is it. Fantastic versions of the classic Jet Pilot and Mai Tai and more contemporary Kill-Devil were standouts.

This is the ultimate hole in the wall Tiki themed bar. You order directly at the bar counter once you decide on one of their many unique drinks— all of which are very good. The place is relatively small, it’s dimly lit with some unique colored lighting, and has lots of strange tiki decor. On weeknights it’s quiet and great to be able to just sit and chat, but on the weekends it’s absolutely packed wall-to-wall and very loud so keep that in mind! Note: Sometimes they host bands for that live music appeal which is cool!

We have now been here on three separate trips and each is better than the last! Service was amazing, drinks fantastic and the atmosphere can’t be topped! As you can tell we are major fans. Next time we will stay in the tiki themed Airbnb!

I have been wanting to come here forever. Finally made it. I love house bars.. This one has been around since 1995, I am told. A great selection of rums this place to set up for good conversation and drinks of paradise. A nice little Milwaukee getaway.

Absolutely loved it here and can’t wait to return! Excellent atmosphere and huge drink menu, reasonably priced too.

Great tiki bar in Milwaukee. I had the Zombie and the Mai Tai. They were both strong and delicious. The service was great as well.

An amazing experience, lovely staff, atmosphere is everything, drinks are so good with wide variety of selection, this the place to spend the weekend

A fun time out with my friends From the outside it just looks a dive bar and is fine. But once inside a cool looking dive. Strong drinks too! Good service.

I went here on a Saturday night around 7pm. It wasn't too busy yet and we were seated right away. It's a tiki bar and the atmosphere portrayed that perfectly. It feels like you are transformed into a different world. There were lots of drink options and the two were ordered were yummy; Tonga punch & blue Hawaiian.

Such an impressive tiki bar! You would not know what an amazing atmosphere is inside from just looking at the exterior. The decor and level of detail is spot on. I could've stayed here for hours! Drinks were strong, authentic, and very reasonably priced. I loved the mystery rum mixes and how every drink is so different. We tried the volcano bowl, Mai tai, and zombie. Volcano bowl was obviously a fun drink, but the zombie was my favorite! Can't wait to go back!

Have I know written a review of Foundations?? The first bar I visited during a job interview at UWM. A lovely friend and Riverwest resident brought me to this spot. Because of how much she loved it! Par for the course with tiki bars (as far as I know), the drinks are deceptively strong, delicious, and a nice change from my typical gin and tonic. Cannot recommend enough!

Super quaint tiki bar with an excellent bartender and amazing drinks! I loved the cozy feel it's intimate without losing any of those classic tiki vibes. The drinks were strong. I tried the Barrel, the Port Light, and the Shark's Tooth all were excellent. Highly recommend for anyone who loves great cocktails and tiki!

The drinks are just wonderful. The host or hostess will sit you to your table, and you order at the bar. The drinks are just wonderful. Get there early because it will fill up fast. Quiet enough to have a conversation. But it was a bit dark, but I'm sure if you're younger you'll be just fine. A great 2nd date place.

Foundation Bar is a hidden gem of a tiki bar. My brother who's been going to Milwaukee for years didn't know about this tiki bar. From the exterior you would never know there was a tiki bar inside (except for the teeny sign that says tiki bar). It's so normal looking & boring on the outside. It's located in a residential area. However, upon entering I was delighted with the tiki ambience and style of this small tiki bar. There are two areas to sit - by the bar and in an adjoining room. Everything is bathed with this red glow and the rooms were dimly lit. I ordered a Rum Barrel drink. It was served in a limited edition barrel that I was able to take home. The drink was glowing red which was even more pronounced in the light of the room. There was a light changing square that was put in the drink. The drinks were delicious! The only negative to this place is that they don't serve food. This wasn't a problem for us since we went there after dinner. We loved the ambience, the drinks were delicious and the staff were friendly. We can't wait to go back!

Been open for 29 years. No frill, relax tiki bar, using good ingredients, can't beat the price. Talk with your bartender, ask for courtney if possible. Bartender knows what they're doing and they can give you suggestion based on ur preference. Worth to visit even though it's out of downtown Milwaukee. I went there twice last week at odd times, place is not busy, ordered from the bar. U can bring outside food too. Really chill place

For the modest price, these drinks pack a punch. They are tasty, and I enjoyed my libations a great deal. I did not notice a huge difference in taste when it came to my mai tai and my second drink, the Tonga Punch. Maybe it's just because I'm typically not a rum person, so two rum drinks tasted similar. Both were really good though. Just mentioning it in case someone like me goes in and would like two distinct flavor profiles. And I say "two" because more than two drinks here would be a mistake, given their powerful effect! We were there early enough that it was not busy, and ordering at the bar and having drinks delivered was convenient, but I am curious why they don't do table ordering before they become busy. It works for them, so it's fine. I really appreciated the affordable prices for drinks that are so inventive and flavor-packed. The interior is decorated in a fun way, per a typical tiki bar, albeit a small one. I especially appreciated that they had a Malort drink. I'm from Chicago, and Malort is a Chicago thing. I did not order, as I wanted fruity and not bitter, but if I go back, and they still have it, I will be having it as a first drink.

Great drinks, great decor, loved the souvenir glasses. I will definitely be back. The staff was great and friendly. They were able to make me a mojito even though it wasn't on their drink list. Only gripe was it was hard to find a parking spot. Could have just been it was on Halloween when i went there.

We love Foundation! Tiny place with great ambience. The drinks are a great price and strong!

Foundation was exactly what I'd hoped it be! I feel like there's two types of tiki bars generally speaking, there are ones that are more trendy with loud music and then ones that are good vibes and good drinks, this one is the latter! It was super relaxing, loved the music and the drinks, can't wait to go back! If you want a casual tiki drink, this is the place!

Ok - this place is an absolute gem. I would have never expected this to exist where it is. I didn't even know we were going here - my friend moved to the area recently and said he wanted to try this place out based on the hype, and wow - when we walked in I was very impressed. We were sat by the hostess (yes, they seat you here) and quickly decided on drinks (which you order at the bar). You're in Milwaukee so you can find these nice cocktail drinks here for roughly $8-9 which I found absolutely amazing as an LA transplant that lives in Chicago. Any tiki bar I've ever been to, you're easily spending $12-14 at least for a drink. We love Milwaukee! I absolutely recommend this spot for a date or catching up with friends.

Stopped by Foundation on a week night for a drink. Lots of tropical drinks to choose from. We each had one then wanted to try the volcano bowl. It was pretty neat. We definitely took out time just the two of us but it could easily be for up to 4 ppl. Cool place, nice ambiance, helpful bartenders. Definitely recommend. Unique spot for sure!

Foundation: Considered by many to be one of the top ten tiki bars in the world, this hidden treasure is located not under the sea, but in Milwaukee. Awhile back, I was introduced to the bar during one of my friend's bachelor party. Even though it wasn't my bachelor party, this is the perfect bar for me as I'm a fan of all things tropical (and a hater of WI notoriously bad winters). The owners have spent years constructing one of the most interesting interiors in MKE and that's no easy task with a tiki bar in the north. An amazing collection of Polynesian carvings, artifacts, decor, and appropriate lighting all contribute to accomplish the south pacific atmosphere. Their goal is to provide the best cocktails around, in an exotic setting that takes visitors away to another place and time. I'm definitely due for another visit, but from what I recall this place easily accomplishes the owner's goals. Doughboy approved

My friends and I love it here! The dark ambiance of the room makes it a great place to end the night! The bartenders are always welcoming and kind as well. Greats cocktails!

It's a cute little bar on the east side with delicious drinks and a cute and moody ambiance. The service is good. Sometimes it's crowded and loud but when you get in there early enough it's great!

Fun and kitschy with fantastic tiki drinks - what more could you want?!? Street parking only and the place fills up pretty fast on weekend nights but I've never waited more than 20ish minutes.

My girls and I wanted a place to have drinks and catch up and chose Foundation. They had been here and loved it, but it was new to me. When I walked in I was thinking, "wow the ambiance is super dark. Are we going for spooky and intimate?" Turns out the electricity was out in the whole neighborhood lol, but they had candles on all the tables. They were cash only while the electricity was out. The drinks all sounded delicious and were pretty reasonably priced. We went with the volcano bowl. I would only do that with my besties and my husband in the age of covid lol. The bartenders were personable and we were totally comfortable staying and chatting- we were there for nearly 5 hours lol. I don't think that would be as easy on the weekends, as on a Monday night it was fairly full by the time the electricity came back on. Anyways, I loved it and can't wait to bring my husband back with me.

I visited Foundation on a date on a recent Saturday night. Although we got there around 8, the place was packed. We were seated immediately though. The decor is over-the-top tiki in the best way. The walls are dark, the lighting is warm and wacky - I'm looking at you puffer fish lights. We placed our orders at the bar and waited. A friend came to join us, ordered her drink, got her drink and still we waited. It turns out that our order was somehow "lost." Not great. But, the bartender comped the drinks and eventually we got two tiki cocktails we really enjoyed. I got the Martinique and it was herbaceous and refreshing. I definitely want to visit this place many more times. I want to try a bunch of the drinks, but I'm also seriously impressed by their deep rum list.

I really love this bar and have been coming here for years, so I'm writing this in hopes that they are going to look at this review and really take a look at their current host. I came in there on a date recently, and the host was quite rude; I'm not gonna give this place one star like a lot of different people would because it is typically five stars and higher. But what they need to do is they need to work on their host? Get rid of that guy. Otherwise, this place is pretty amazing. He basically made fun of us and told us to stand to the side, if he's the owner. Wow what a disappointment.

I'm a super big fan of tiki bars so when I was planning on coming to Milwaukee I knew I had to make a stop but when I was planning my visit I was pleasantly surprised to discover this bar also has an Airbnb above it. Owned by the owner, it is also heavily decorated in everything tiki with so many sweet touches (tiki bar, record player etc) The stay and bar combo were so amazing. We would have our nightcaps down stairs and enjoy the lights, cocktails and that wonderful bromine smell. Can't wait to come back!

I've struggled here a few times. Bars: please please please do not ask your patrons to remove their halloween mask to show ID AND face, especially since putting up more C19 crowd control barriers making it hard to step aside and fumble through wallets. An ID should suffice. (If it looks homemade and intricate plus the person is solo: really how likely is it that you're dealing with teens trying to underage drink?) Also please don't say "okay, awesome" when I confirmed that I was leaving to the next bar. Drinks are okay, but very pricey and haven't ever knocked my socks off. Could do for some bar seating. Even more cramped layout in 2023. Good ambience.

By far my favorite bar in Milwaukee! There is absolutely everything to love about Foundation. The drinks are all amazing and my favorite has to be the Blue Hawaiian! Service is also great and the atmosphere of the bar is unlike any other bar in Milwaukee!

Cute tiki bar! You definitely can't tell by looking at it from the outside. They are very particular about seating and there are no options to wait inside if they are full. Drinks are awesome and the vibe is fun. Good place for small groups or date night. Not a lot of seating for large groups.

Recommended by a book we were given re: best tiki bars around the country, I'm honestly shocked we hadn't found our way here sooner. The BEST tiki vibes, deliciously easy to drink tiki drinks, it might honestly be worth Uber or Lyft-ing yourself here to really enjoy this without worries.

Foundation has made some changes since the pandemic, but the ambiance and quality are just as stellar. They have done away with bar seating and a host will check ID and seat your party. You still order up front (wear your mask!) but they'll bring your drinks out to your table. The process runs very smoothly and eliminates the crowding around the bar ordering and waiting. The bathrooms are now both unisex, too. If you check their Instagram, you can still order cocktail kits for home.

Growing up in Wisconsin, I would have given a kidney to have a tiki bar like Foundation to hang at. Alas, I moved away to warmer weather before punk gave way to pineapples. The good news though is for every holiday at home with the family, I have a tropical escape. Foundation checks the boxes on creating a nice tiki vibe, friendly service and well balanced drinks. Always love a place that has exotica standards on their playlist but that's not usually the case when I'm there. After a few zombies though, who notices? Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas break-you will know where to find me!

Who knew one of my favorite tiki bars of all time would be at the end of a quiet residential street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin! Foundation is Epic! It is everything you want a tiki bar to be. Dimly lit, windowless with amazing tranquil, tiki vibes. Plus, they have amassed quite a collection of amazing tiki decor. It's enchanting. I had a zombie because I just had to try theirs. It was complex and amazing and only like $10. You should try one if you go! I found out Foundation has been here for about 25 years! Here's to 25 more and can't wait to return when I'm in town!!

i love the ambiance. i love the decor. i spend a lot of time trying to decide which i like more- the ambiance or the decor.

The Foundation is a great tiki bar in a non-descript house on a side street in Riverwest. My bandmates and I love coming here to unwind with a Mai Tai (the very best!). The décor is classic Tiki kitsch, and on our last visit we got the table shaped like a surf board, for the win. Milwaukee's own The Exotics surf band play here periodically, adding to the great festive environment. Be careful, the Foundation drinks pack a punch!

Amazing drinks and atmosphere, best cocktails in the city. Strong exotic drinks for a great price and the people are always kind too :) (Would absolutely recommend the drink "Spice Trader" to anyone)

Preface this with the fact that I love tiki bars. This was a date night go-to for my hubs and I pre-Covid, and we were able to get a babysitter and get some drinks recently to check out how it has fared. I will say, it was much less busy than it used to be, but, sign of the times, I guess. Its nice and dark in here (as a tiki bar should be!), with small tables throughout. The menu is large, with lots of variety, and some drinks you can even take home the glass (just make sure to ask for a new one before you leave, they will give you a clean / dry one to take home). Recommended to stop in here, its got a good vibe.

5 stars but upset that there is no tiki music or oceans sounds. Wished they had Jungle Bird #1. 4 stars now because not all drinks came with an umbrella

What's not to love at Foundation (unless you're not a fan of tiki bars, in which case, why are you checking out reviews for Foundation?) This is not simply Milwaukee's best tiki bar but also one of the best in the US. (Don't believe me? Do a minute or two of searching online.) The place has all the tiki goodness you expect, with the right mix of 50s kitsch, Pacific Island decor, and rum drinks (but the menu offers other options as well.) The place isn't huge, but there are a few nooks and crannies for a more private drink, plus room for larger groups to spread out. The walls and backbar are packed with tiki gods, masks, nets, fish, and the like. The bartenders are friendly and expert at offering advice, which you may need given a drink menu with several dozen options. I enjoyed the Pulau (with Navy-Strength Gin, 57 percent alcohol by volume), and my friends complimented their Madalenas (with Mezcal.)

Nice little spot in the middle of a neighborhood. As soon as you walk in, you are transformed to another place ( the lighting is very dim and has that old tiki feel to it.)We came pretty early on President's day and there was only one other person. I ordered a Tahitian sling and my my friend got a happy hour special dark brew. There was only one person working there who didn't seem very attentative but later engaged in some conversation. Apparently this is a popular spot for out of towners, especially folks from chicago. Can't comment too much on the drinks since we only had one drink each, but from what I had it was pretty tasty and fresh.

Absolute gem! The atmosphere is fantastic, and the drinks are delicious. The prices is so reasonable, and the back of the menu has drinks where you can bring the glass home as a souvenir. The only tiny issue is this is the only bar I've ever been where I remember thinking, I wouldn't mind if they played the music a little louder. It is so soft, and it fits the vibe so well, they could play it a bit more. But in no way does that detract from the fact this is a five star tiki bar, with service to match.

This is one of my favorite bars in Milwaukee and a Riverwest institution. I believe this is also the only true tiki bar in Milwaukee. Their drinks take some time to make and they are not inexpensive, but they are worth the wait. I have really not made it past the Mai Tai which seems to be made with an original trader Vic's style recipe. The best past is the chipped ice the drinks are served over. In addition to great decor and an air bnb upstairs with a tiki theme, they also have jerky as a snack. Take an Uber because these drinks are strong!

Cute and well decorated spot with an expansive drink menu! Love that the drinks are categorized to easily tell apart the fruity ones from the stronger spirited ones. While their cocktails are strong, there are also fun mocktails on the menu so there is something for everyone. Limited seating inside, and there was a wait around 7 pm on a Friday night. However, we came back about 2 hours later and were seated immediately. Would maybe be difficult to get a larger group in but if your party is smaller between 2-4 people it should be pretty easy. Intimate enough for a date night but also fun enough for a night out with friends, Foundation is definitely worth checking out at least once!

Ah, Foundation, you are a gloriously festive spot to enjoy a fruited rum drink and the best atmosphere. We frequent many of the tiki bars and lounges in the Milwaukee area and Foundatuon has been a go to, especially bringing friends who are visiting. Tip - be sure to go during happy hour and get the happy hour bevvies- in most cases close to half off a true work of art drink.

My bf is a tiki bar aficionado and took me here on a whirlwind 2 night trip to Milwaukee. If we weren't going to a Brewers game, we would have made it here both nights :-) The ambience is top notch! It's dark and decorated fabulously. The music and lovely drinks transport you to somewhere other than Wisco. We enjoyed a couple drinks and had to be on our way, but I am already looking forward to returning.

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 decor. 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 53/ 2014

Foundation is another Milwaukee institution that took me forever to get to. Fortunately, fellow Yelper Mike M suggested we hit Foundation up après volleyball and it was the perfect end to Sunday Funday. The decor is really well done - what you can see of it anyway as it's super dark inside. Lots of attention to detail - fish tanks, puffer fish lights, surfboard tables. There's even a "Ladies Lounge" with some places to sit in case you have to wait for the bathroom. It's a nice touch especially for those ladies who need to take a bunch of friends with every time they pee. Drinks are STRONG - like you'll want a cab if you have more than two. I had a Dark & Stormy and it was delicious - very boozy, but delicious. I also had a sip of the Kill Devil, which is described as a mix of "rum and danger" - that pretty much sums it up. Most drinks are in the $7-8 range which is fair considering they're quite strong and made very well. I see a lot of gripes here about service - like Bryant's, they make everything by hand and there are often lots of ingredients. Patience is a virtue - you'll be rewarded with a delicious libation. It's probably a good idea to order a new drink when yours is about half gone. Since we came on a Sunday night, the wait times weren't too bad but I would not want to be hitting Foundation up at prime time on a Friday or Saturday. Inevitably, there will be comparisons to Lucky Joes in the 5th Ward. Foundation is the original and has better decor and drinks. Lucky Joes does have a little more space and servers to take your order. That said, I prefer Foundation - I'm just sorry it took me so long to get here.

This place reminds me of Chicago so much - love it. It's fun, intimate, warm, and strong alcohol always makes a great social situation. "The Planters Punch" and " Mai Tai" are must tries in my book. However, I must say that they are both really strong...especially the Mai Tai! Two of those and you should be good... ( I feel I have a pretty strong alcohol tolerance. ) Truly a Milwaukee gem, and a must stop establishment. The service was great as well!

Probably one of the most "hidden gems" in Milwaukee. The bar is tiki themed with some serious cocktails. Highly recommend.

I love tiki bars because it's a trip to the tropics without leaving town. A good tiki bar is equal parts ambiance, kitch, and craft. Foundation excels at all. Entering Foundation is truly like taking a trip to your favorite Caribbean or Hawaiian hole in the wall. The decor is exceptional, especially the blowfish lamps. The bartenders are friendly, and they're also helpful if you're not as familiar with the usual flavors and ingredients of the tiki world. The drinks are OUTSTANDING. Tiki cocktails are all about balance, lest they become cloyingly sweet. Thankfully Foundation is all about balancing flavor. Drinking one of their cocktails is great because the flavors are layered in a way that keeps things interesting from the first sip to the last swig. Many of their drinks are also quite strong, and often deceptively so. I'd recommend newcomers pace themselves. Take your time, soak in the authentic tiki atmosphere, and pretend you're in the tropics, not sub-zero Milwaukee!

There's never a bad time to tiki, but a snowy night in Milwaukee is a GREAT time to get tropical. We made our first trip a couple Valentine's Days ago. It was cozy even with a crowd, though we've also been on a quiet Sunday night which was even better. The drinks may not have as many frills or quite the array of ingredients as our Chicago tiki faves but they're also cheaper and very good. They have a fantastic Mai Tai. Some of the drinks have a take home glass at an unbeatable price. If I lived in Milwaukee, I'd be a regular. Maybe I'll just move right in. See you on the loveseat in the ladies lounge.

Recently caught some evening drinks with friends here. When we pulled up on a Thursday night the outside of the bar looked like it was closed. I got pretty mad cuz I normally go to restaurants the day that they are closed. Luckily I tried the door and realized that it's just really dark in this place. Inside of the bar is really cool. Tons of tiki related items are plastered on the ceiling and all the walls. Really cool booths bar and seating areas available for customers when they come in. Plenty of drink choices to suit anyone's taste buds. It was really dark in here though so you really couldn't enjoy the decorations as much as you if it was brighter. I have seen photos with it lit up so I'm sure it's not always dark in there. While there we tried the lonely virgin, El Diablo, Tahitian sling, mai tai,and the famous Volcano Bowl. All the drinks here are pretty strong. I preferred the Tahitian slang over the mai tai. Volcano Bowl was delicious and it's pretty much a must try there if you got a couple people with you. 3 l Diablos had one of our guests pretty lit. Enjoyed the two hours we spent here nice place to go for a drink before dinner or after.

I've been going to Foundation since before its incredible transformation into a 50's surf rock tiki bar. I moved away 4 years ago, but every trip home I make a point at spending one of my nights at Foundation. I recently remarked to a friend that even though being in New Orleans with lots of really cool bars, Foundation is one of the best I've been in the country. And I mean it! Bartenders=awesome! Special kudos to Lacy whom concocted a special drink just for me one night--we called it The Surfer Girl. I believe I drank 4 of them before I really had to go home. (Potent+Delicious=Dangerous, Dangerously wonderful that is.....) Decor=Super cool! From the fishnets hanging from the ceiling to the iridescent blow fish bar lamps--this place doesn't have a single spot where they could cram more 50's surf rock memorabilia. The women's room once had arcade games just outside the door where most of us would wait, but as of a recent visit, the games are gone, a cool white vinyl bench seat takes its place with a wooden bead divider to create a "women's lounge" where we can wait-more respectively. The tables in the front of the bar are large, stained dark and open. This is where the balance of the decor makes sense. Tables are clean and open to contrast the art and artifacts inside. Food? Oh yes! The best thin crust pizza you can get at any late night bar! I think the supreme runs at the moderately priced $7, where single topping pizzas are $6. Music? Awesome. I'm not sure just how to capture how in love I am with this bar. Also, since Foundation is right off of Center St. you can catch a bus there if you live on the East side without a car. Super convenient. Last but not least, the drinks! Mmmmmm! Not only do they have a wide array of locally brewed beers, including others brewed in the Midwest, as well as the always available PBR, Foundation offers specialty tiki drinks that you can order with or without the signature cup. I made it a point over the duration of one year to acquire as many signature cups as possible. I think I have about 8. Some of the liquors found here can't be found anywhere else as far as I'm concerned, and if you are unsure of what type of signature drink you want to try, Lacy or any of the other bartenders will steer you in the right direction. Whether you live in Milwaukee, or just visiting, make a point to sail on over to Foundation.