Imagine walking home from dinner with friends. As you near your front door, you’re not expecting to find much more upon entering than all your things exactly where you left them, except for the cat who has surely moved from her favorite chair in the corner to a more comfortable position on the blankets piled on the sofa. But what if it were close to your birthday, and your friends had planned a surprise party for you? You’d swing your front door wide to a room filled with your nearest and dearest, a bevy of themed decorations and, likely, a tasty alcoholic beverage or two.
Opening the bamboo pole door of Foundation (2718 N. Bremen St.) is kind of like that. From the outside, particularly during the day, the tiki-themed bar sits so unassumingly amid the residential neighborhood that the average passerby might never get to experience this diamond in the rough come bar time in Riverwest. Only one with an eye for detail may catch the small sign above the door that reads “Aloha” or the tribal face totem poles on either side. And only if you’re feeling extra investigative would you perhaps see the not-yet-lit neon signs that read “Foundation” in one window and “Tiki Bar” in the other. In any case, the subtle details outside just can’t prepare you for all that exists inside this establishment once the sun has set.
The idea of a themed bar admittedly sounds hokey—unless, of course, you’ve ever been to Foundation. This tropical wonderland is bursting at the seams with tiki-themed décor, so much so that you’ll have a worthy distraction if you’re not so keen on the folks who accompanied you. In fact, not one square inch of Foundation is left “tiki-less.” There are the open-style booths in the middle that boast tables shaped like surfboards and an actual tiki hut covering one of the larger seating areas in the back. Hanging lights made from blowfish intermingle with colorful, paper-thin globe lights that span the stretch of counter on the left-hand side of the bar. Rope netting dripping with shells and dried starfish blends together with simple white Christmas lights. And there’s even a real fish tank. (But it’s kept behind the counter in a bartenders-only zone, presumably to keep anyone less than stable on his or her feet from knocking it over.)
Yet somehow these larger observations don’t even begin to cover all of the smaller details, ones that could only arise from much love and dedication put into a highly specific vision. Photos and art pieces evoking warmer temperatures and closer proximity to oceans and islands are scattered throughout, like the triad of photos near the door, which respectively depict a ship out to sea, a young shirtless man proudly standing in front of his surfboards and a bombshell beauty in a bikini. It’s also quite hard to miss the shrunken heads suspended from the ceiling, which look to be made out of dried coconuts. Then there’s the plethora of tribal carvings and faces that are both free standing as well as utilized within furniture and the structure of the bar itself. A final touch: Barrels with the word RUM painted on the side in capital letters serve as tables to lean on in a pinch.
Gazing at the sheer abundance of surf culture paraphernalia is a blessing in disguise if you’re headed to this fun-sized bar on a Friday or Saturday night. On the weekends, the bar is positively swimming with people, making it sometimes tricky to move further than a step or two from the entryway. With only one or two bartenders on, depending on the day, the wait time to place a drink order can leave you with about 20 minutes to pass the time.
If you’re lucky, a table or seats will have opened up by the time you have your tropical cocktail in hand. Yes, tropical cocktail, because unless you’ve been to Foundation so many times that you’ve imbibed in its specialty drinks before (or you’re pinching pennies but still want to soak in the laidback, beachy vibes), you will be trying something off the exotic drink menu, which boasts 37 different fruity alcoholic beverages.
Ranging anywhere from $5 to $15, the cocktails are poured the Milwaukee way: heavy on the booze. After one drink, you’ll be flush in the face and giggling away, wishing you ate a little more to pad your stomach. It’s also quite hard to resist having just one because, frankly, every drink sounds intriguing and tasty, but that makes it safe to assume that you should not be going anywhere unless it’s in a taxi or on foot.
Foundation’s drinks (at left), served in clear glasses printed with a tribal pattern and the bar’s name, are filled to the brim with crushed ice and typically garnished with an umbrella straw and a fruit-filled skewer. A handful of drinks even come with a souvenir cup. The bar’s specialty is the Mai Tai, whose recipe dates back to 1944. In simple terms, it tastes like boozy fruit punch, but calling it that almost feels like a disservice to the bartenders’ skills, who craft these exotic drinks with the utmost precision. They’re worth the wait.
On a calm Sunday night, I asked the bartender what other drink on the menu she recommended, and she insisted I try something with cardamom rum in it. Having spent a fair amount of time poring over the endless options on the menu, I already knew what drink it would have to be: the Piranha, a concoction made from the aforementioned liquor, apricot, lime, orange and ginger beer. The result was something sharply citrus and a wee bit fizzy, which was a welcome change of pace from the super sweet, fruity nature of a number of the other cocktails.
The Volcano Bowl (at left), a large ceramic bowl filled with “rums & exotic juices” and flaming in the middle (which is shaped like a small volcano), cannot go without mention. Watching the bartender pour shot after shot of who knows what into this means two things: This is not the drink you want if you’re trying to take it easy, and this is not something you should attempt to drink alone. Served with straws longer than I’ve ever seen, sharing with a date or significant other may make you feel like you’re in a grown-up version of Lady & The Tramp during the spaghetti scene, swirling straws around the bowl and locking eyes over the glow of the flaming alcohol. (You’re welcome.)
Regardless of whether you prefer a quieter atmosphere or you can handle a little hustle and bustle while out on the town, there’s a place for you at Foundation. But promise me one thing: For goodness’ sake, do not just order a beer. Huli pau! (“Cheers!”)
