FOUNDATION

Awesome little speakeasy, focused on great cocktails using spirits and other ingredients from NC or, when that's not possible, the USA. Our server turned out to be the owner. He was great and has built a special business. The drinks were excellent.

Almost missed this place walking by! Love the vibe of an underground bar. The atmosphere, despite being just after 4pm, was really nice with the dim lights and dark accents. A point of note--they don't carry imports or many dairy-based liqueurs. Very locally-sourced which is nice. I'll start with the good: my drink.I love myself a drink that you would mistake for being juice. Nothing on the menu really screamed that to me so I asked the bartender if he could do something like a Malibu Sunrise? He said he'd see what he could do (no Malibu rum) and he DELIVERED. What he gave me was delicious. It had all the same flavor notes as a malibu but I'm not sure what liquor he used, the burn was very mild. I'd 100% ask for his experimentation again. The bad (the quality of the drinks aside):My SIL doesn't drink, nor has she had any kind of mocktail so this was her first experience. We noticed the menu had a few zero-proof drinks and as she was new she asked for the bartender's recommendation. He replied with the name of one of the drinks (Something with "Tiki") which my brother and I had also recommended as it seemed to be the most sweet rather than a more sophisticated bitters and ginger kind of drink. The ingredients included passion fruit and zero-proof rum. However, the drink she received was NOT that. Seeing as she doesn't drink, she was rightfully worried he'd maybe made something with alcohol. We believe she received the drink with mint in the ingredients and whose name I cannot remember. It had a bit of a spice to it. We're not sure if the bartender mixed up the names of the drinks or what but it didn't match her taste. Nothing to do with the drink itself, just that you may want to confirm the recommendation given matches what's on the menu. Very nice place overall though.

Great speakeasy bar, it's underground you might miss walking by. Pretty small inside. Their drink menu is great, but it was pretty loud so it made it hard to hear my partner.

This was such a cute place to end the night! It's tucked away and has a speakeasy vibe inside. The bartenders and waiters were really nice and didn't mind us coming in towards the end of the night. I love how they have a lot of classic cocktails on their menu because a lot of bars don't know how to make the classic drinks. I had the south side and it was delicious. They also make their own soda there which is nice. Definitely recommend if you want a good cocktail!

I went with a group of other grad students to the Foundation for some drinks before our formal. Although we initially got lost (couldn't find the stairs to go down), we did enjoy our experience there. The bartender was kind and provided us waters as well. One thing I didn't love about my experience was the ambiance- personally, I like to see what I'm drinking. It was only around 7 pm when we walked in but it was pretty dark in the bar. Since my espresso martini was delicious, I would come back!

So good .... The drinks we amazing and the service was top tier. Love the fact that this is a speak easy So cute for a date night

What a cool little spot! Located in a basement with a neon sign by the stairs, this place is an intimate affair with a nice selection of spirits and a creative menu. The bartenders all had great style and know how to work fast! Great for walk up service at the bar, or with a group at a table. They have a patio outside, but there are no servers so you have to go in for drinks.

Such a cool hidden gem! This bar is built in the basement, and gives a dark and moody private setting as soon as you enter. To find it, look for the red neon sign at ground level + take the steps down! The exposed brick gives it a very speakeasy vibe and the drinks do not disappoint. They are known for their Old Fashioned but they also have a unique variety of craft cocktails! TIP: arrive early on the weekends because there will be a line or be prepared to wait! (But it's worth it)

By far one of the best craft cocktail bars on my go-to list for 2023. The bartender quickly noticed us and cleared our table as people left.I felt an exclusive hidden gem vibe. Very small and intimate. Extremely fitting for the spaces I enjoy. Foundation is tucked away downstairs in a basement-like space. Very easy to overlook. We dropped in for a nightcap. I ordered The Eastside as the bartender suggested. Very good. The bartenders are top-tier and highly experienced. All around good drinks and laid back atmosphere where I enjoyed being in the moment, so much so that I forgot to snap a photo of the menu. It appeared to change, as there were many specialty craft cocktail options. I look forward to coming back soon.

First Timer! I got lost at first, didn't expect it to be under ground level. First impression I was surprised, the low lighting, smooth audio and tempo of the place along with the dimmable ambient lighting was nice. It feels very masculine, although it's comforting. Glad my partner & I asked how they made the drinks and what ingredients they used. I appreciate the feedback from the bartender named Ian who was very helpful with showing and telling us how they crafted the drinks even when they ran out of ingredients. Overall, very pleased. Definitely recommend a "guys" night out to have a chat and relax. I definitely recommend you try this place but BE PREPARED... They have authentic liquor.