love fettucine and pork ribs and friendly services
Genuinely friendly experience.
The team is very friendly, informative and I believe truly proud of what they serve. We were recommended the Matariki special - Herb Stuffed Otorohanga pork loin served with smoked purple kumara puree, watercress oil, braised cabbage parcels, roasted cherry tomatoes and Pukekawa agria potato game chips.
It was awesome. It tasted fantastic, it looked great and the presentation with the smoke from the glass was excellent. So glad I followed the recommendation of the waitress.
Highly recommended! Kudos to the chef and his team, Dave and his team front of house!
Always enjoy going here! I had the pork belly bites which were quite filling for a starter. Delicious! I am looking forward to trying more meals here, especially the salads.
Have been to Foundation numerous times. The platters are always nice, but never seem to have enough bread for all the toppings (which is a shame). I’ve had dinner here once, and was a little disappointed. I had the Trio of Pork, which was okay but not great and lacked any sort of vegetables. My partner had the Ribs and was a little disappointed also. The service is usually all right, but can be hit and miss. Bar staff is usually very good, and always lovely. I will continue to go to Foundation, as the atmosphere is lovely, it’s great when shopping as it’s in The Base, and not too pricey 😊
Called in for dinner last week. The thirteen year old had the calamari - which she did not enjoy. I had the fillet steak - which I very much enjoyed. My meal was on the small side (compare the size of the asparagus to the rest of the plate). However, it was sublimely tasty. In fact it was the tastiness meal I have had in months.
This place is awesome for a lunch or dinner. It isn't in town and there is heaps of parking.
The last time I went here was for a dinner catch up with a friend. During this night there was a 21st and a rugby game on so needless to say the place was packed and we were lucky to get a table! We ordered our food which was a platter, bread and onion rings to share. Some how people that arrived after us managed to get their food before us.. we asked the waiter and our food order was never put through! The staff and manager were really good about it all and remedied it straight away. The food was amazing and of course I will be back :)
Terrence Tafadzwa Tapera
+4
A friend suggested I check this place out and in all honesty really enjoyed it. The place was busy and we didn't have a reservation so sat in the courtyard. The staff were really really friendly. They had the rugby on which made the night that much better 👌🏿😁. Enjoyed the night. I highly recommend checking this place out.
Went on a Saturday night and although it was very busy, food came out at a reasonable time after ordered.
Service was extremely friendly and helpful, and nothing went wrong.
I ordered ‘The Nutter’ which was a satay pizza and tasted very delicious but definitely didn’t finish it as it was quite big and fulling. Waitress kindly offered to put it in a takeaway bag and now I have leftovers! Overall great experience although not cheap.
Kiriana Eparaima-Hautapu
+4
A great place to dine! The atmosphere is very relaxing yet lively with both a restaurant and bar side. I recommend booking in advance because it gets packed out quickly on weekends. I had the blue cheese fettuccine and it was AMAZING!!! Where else can you get blue cheese pasta?! I rate the pasta 10/10. My friend had the lamb shank and rates it 7/10 (the meat could have been more juicy). A great level of service, staff are very attentive. Overall a lovely location for a date night.
Recommend, visiting NZ and wanted to take my mum out for lunch over the Easter holidays, hit the jackpot!!! The fish and chips were wonderful, desserts fantastic and the staff were outstanding. Yes yes and more yeses
Consistently really good. Thai chicken salad is by far my favourite although the onion rings and pizzas are good too. Staff are always really friendly
went there for a birthday lunch today (9th jan) and had amazing service , friendly staff and really delicious meals had the seafood chowder and the foundy platter .. def would recommend to anything was my 2nd time there (1st was a work do there at xmas over a yr ago) mums first time she adored it and nothing was a prob for the staff (even taking home stuff we couldnt finish was all good)
Great food! We ordered the chicken, thought it was crispy but it wasn't, but that's ok it still tasted really good! Just needs extra sauce. Customer service is so good, very friendly! Kept checking if everything is ok and if we needed anything!
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Came down this way on Father's Day and took him out for lunch to this restaurant. Having been here before and having a good experience that time thought it would be a not bad choice again. And we were not proved wrong. Even though it was busy as when we went in we were quickly seated in a " conservatory " type area. It was actually good because it kept us away from the far noisier main part of the restaurant. The service was really good and the orders taken pretty quickly despite how busy it was. We chose the Sticky Pork Ribs for my other half, the Steak, egg & chips for me and my parents both had the fish & chips. I also ordered the boysencider....which as you can guess is cider with the flavour of boysenberry . That added flavour made it quite nice actually...bit of a break from the normal old cider. My parents had ordered a couple of glasses of wine but instead the waiter came along with a couple of coffees!! This was quickly remeded and the correct order brought to the table. This was the only flaw in the service and the reason why i didn't give it the full 5 /5. Shame ....because everything else was great. Our orders came out quickly and enjoyed by all, except the ribs though good were not as good as other ribs we'd tasted; the steak for me which i had asked to be done medium rare was done exactly as i had asked, the fries were nice and chunky ....great to go with the steak and the eggs were just perfectly cooked that when you cut into them the yolk ran out. The fish and chips was very good too. Still with enough room in our stomachs i ordered the rice pudding and my other half the creme brulee off the desert menu. The rice pudding was delicious and one of the best i've had in a restaurant for quite a while. As for the creme brulee , i tasted a little and it too was very nice...the custard cooked well and the burnt sugar top cracking as it should. Perfect. So anyway overall the service was great bar that mistake with the drinks , the price what you would expect and the food great. All in all deserving a return visit sometime.,
Stopped by for lunch and it looked the best option at the Te Awa restaurant area.
The restaurant was quite large and has a really nice interior. We just got a table in the main dining area but there were booths and outdoor seating as well.
Service was quite good. Aside from waiting a bit for menus, we were well taken care of.
Lots of options on the menu, standard pub food selection. The scotch was good but a bit overcooked. The ribs were quite nice. Portions were quite good.
Nice place to stop by for decent food.
I have been here twice for lunch and dinner. For lunch, I had the pizza and dinner I had a pasta. Both were great portions and tasted delicious. This place is family friendly too which is great.
Dropped in for a quick dinner. Great service and food. The pizza's were delicious but to large. But the waitress offered to put the rest in a box to take home without being asked.
We went to this joint on the spur of the moment and we're pleasantly surprised with a plate if the most yummy ribs. The staff were super nice and the ambiance was both comfortable and fun. Highly recommended .
My friend and I had an enjoyable meal here. We ordered the parpadelle with bacon, a steak sandwich and onion rings and winter veges to share. The food was great and the portion sizes impressive. The only downside was service - it was hard to get anyone's attention for drinks and food orders at the beginning and then after the meal it was like we had someone coming over every minute to "check in" - which felt more like we were being hurried out. A bit more balanced service would have been really appreciated, otherwise it was a good experience food-wise!
Stopover for lunch yesterday on our way back to Auckland. Nice contemporary decor and outfit, Excellent customer service and love the fish and chips probably the best I have had in Hamilton. Also butter prawn were so delicious. Price is also very reasonable and good portion size as well. Highly recommend seating next to fire place. Will be back again.
I have eaten here a few times and the food has always been good. They do a really good pork belly but there was nothing spectacular about everything else, just like any other restaurant. Fast and friendly service.
I had the steak sandwich, which was more like a burger. The bread was too much for a sandwich. I did enjoy my meal. The chips were delicious and the aioli is so yummy. My friend got the pasta and she loved it. They are big potions so that's a plus too
Foundation is the unicorn of bars, one of the rare few all-rounders with great food, great service, a variety of drinks, and good atmosphere. We’ve been here a couple of times now, and each time we were greeted and seated promptly by friendly waiters, with our food arriving quite quickly as well (and with custom requests adhered to!). Honestly, this place puts a few ‘fine dining’ restaurants (that shall not be named) to shame in the service department.
Had a fish and chip lunch here a couple of weeks ago. Interesting way of serving it with the chips on the bottom bundled in newspaper. Plenty of chips but a slight lack of fish certainly for the price which wasn't the most competitive price in town by far. A bit of greenery would have been a nice addition to the meal but on reflection there was no room whilst wrestling with the chip bundle. Good level of service and a nice modern ambience with a quirky selection of furniture. Reasonably heavy pricing but the pick of places to go at "the base" and they serve a very well structured flat white.
We've visited Foundation several times both as a large group of workmates or family and as a couple. We have not been disappointed yet.. The service is fast & friendly and the food is awesome.. both from the full menu & the pub type food and nibbles.. There is always a relaxed atmosphere here and a place you would like to take visitors to..
A good run of the mill pub and eating house. I had the fish and chips. It was a generous size portion, the fish batter was crunchy but the chips were a little soggy. A good place to go when you just want standard pub fare and atomosphere.
Have been here a bunch of times and it's great! Decent menu options etc. Staff are friendly and you don't have to wait too long for your food. I find they don't give you water unless you ask, which I find a bit odd. My only other gripe is that they don't put sugar syrup in their mojitos (lol) but I guess that is pretty minor.
If you're gluten free or dairy free this is the place for you - they have a whole separate menu!
Nice chill atmosphere, will most definitely keep returning :)
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Greeted and seated right away, so that's a good start. A;though we were not offered water glasses, so was forced to empty the candle glass and drink from that.
Our first drinks came within a reasonable time frame considering it was valentines day and the restaurant was pretty busy.
I had the chicken liver pate with apple jelly and cranberry reduction, wish there was more variation in terms of the bread on the board besides ciabatta. The other person had the pulled pork taco and enjoyed it.
For mains, I had the steak sandwich with chips. The menu said served medium rare and when I cut it open, hello it was overcooked. Luckily the duty manager was in my sight and came to look at the steak-he agreed with me and immediately took it back. Got a free mojito as a result of the kitchens mistake and his nice positive attitude. When the dish was returned with the new steak, it was delicious.
My mojito tasted nice, but found the mint flavour didn't come through enough
A few things I found annoying
The sun was in my eye for some of the night, so had to wear sunglasses.
When I went to pay the bill at the bar, the person spoke to me in a rude and questionable tone. She questioned why my mojito was free, like if you don't believe me- find the DM and ask.
The girl who brought over the mains the first time, she did not know who had what dish. Either she was new or lacked confidence in her role.
The DM as I said in a previous paragraph was nice and had a positive attitude, he made sure that my problem was fixed immediately.
I would like to see a menu change as I noticed many of the starters had a substantial amount of cheese, cream based items or bread.
Likely to be back as it is up the road from my house
one of the best places in the city to relax on a Friday night with friends...
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Background information for our Reviews: My husband and I (late 30s with 3 young kids) are fortunate enough to have 2 sets of grandparents in town. We both love eating out, so therefore we try to ditch the kids and get out whenever possible. The reviews we write are our (subjective) opinion based on that day’s experience, so obviously can vary greatly depending on staffing/food etc on the particular day. We love a bargain, so use our entertainment book or deal vouchers where possible :)
We headed here after some late night shopping so decided on sharing some starters/nibbles as our 'main'. (Had a 25% off entertainment voucher, so that worked well also...) Shared the squid (REALLY yum and great value), buffalo wings (also yum, but not enough for the $17), pizza bread, and risotto balls (ah-mazing). Food was delicious and staff attentive. Atmosphere was great - fire roaring, however cold breeze kept blowing in from somewhere (and we were sitting inside, not in the outside part).
Would definitely return here - and would probably do the same again - shared snacks rather than mains.
My sister and I went out for dinner at Foundation Bar on a busy Friday night. We were greeted immediately and seated in a lovely booth. Our waitress (Michelle) came over - introduced herself and told us the specials. She was very well mannered and helped me to decide on my meal (great mac n cheese!). The starter came out very quick - hot and tasty! Michelle then asked if we would like our meals to be called away as we ate our starter - we said yes as we were very keen for the next course. Everything was cooked wonderfully. We were offered desserts but were way too stuffed with cheese to eat anything else!
I used to manage a restaurant and this is how service should be. Big ups to Michelle who was a fantastic waitress - thank you Michelle :)
My first visit to Foundation Bar and I will be back! The cleanliness, atmosphere and music were great. The food fantastic and the service I have to say was the best I have ever had at a restaurant in Hamilton (20years). Thank you Michelle.
My partner and myself dined in a couple of nights ago, the food was amazing, I asked for my dish to be adjusted slightly, and the waiter accepted my change with no hesitation, and who ever cooked it aced it, the music set an awesome atmosphere, and the staff were very friendly and polite. Will definitely be coming back. Cheers guys
Fabulous service and food for a late lunch for 2 adults and 2 children. Kids meals were a great size and taste, main meals were divine!! We had no less than 3 people come to our table - they introduced themselves and were friendly yet non-intrusive or pushy. Kids described the lunch and bar as "the bomb"!! We had to agree!
Overall a good experience, wonderful mains but needs work on some of the dessert options. Next time would do a first course & main and forget about dessert, although a main would be sufficient for me personally - good size.
Our waiter could do with a refresher in how to serve with a smile & the art of chatting regardless of how he felt about having to work for a living.
We were seated near the front, side and access for waiters was not easy - at times we found ourselves yelling our orders out to the waiter at the top of the table and when the food came having to pass food along in a chain. This was only in one area of the restaurant and not wide spread but we as paying guests like our space and personal attention.
Would more than likely go back but not for a while.
Fantastic service and wonderful food.
We visited for lunch and had the twice baked cheese souffle and the vegetarian pizza. Both were scrumptious!
To see photos and a more in depth review, visit http://celestereviews.com/a-solid-foundation/
We went to Foundation to kill time before a movie @ Hoyt's upstairs. It was reassembly busy but they were advertising 'No Surcharge" (it was labour day) so we thought we'd give it a go. We started with a garlic pizza bread to begin and our drinks arrived at about the same time. The kids meals followed soon after which was a nice touch considering we hadn't specified this. Both my steak and my partners chicken were cooked to perfection but the side of vegetables that was recommended to us seemed unnecessary. I know the waitresses are compelled to suggest it but sometimes it really is not necessary. We didn't have time for dessert so just grabbed some coffees to go. These were fantastic and have made me want to return for them alone. The movie was horrible however. Give 'Diana' a miss.
We enjoyed a really great dinner on Sunday evening, I went for the beautifully cook medium steak, it was fabulous, I would go again and the staff were friendly as well. This came on a recommendation from a friend and I thought it would be great to try. It was great!
went here on friday for a business meeting brunch and ended up staying several hours. The food is divine, Staff are very friendly and helpful. loved the music aswell. A+. Food was so fresh
We always have a great night at Foundation, the food is good and there is a large variety, there is plenty of tables including indoor and outdoor seating, and they always plays the rugby with sound which is awesome. They have enough staff on to cope with the large amount of tables, and good specials. We are never disappointed.
good service top food will vist again
Great food and service....made for a lovely experience thanks
P.M
Great service, great food. No long waits for your meals. Staff very friendly and attentive. My only gripe was that they didn't have decaff coffee so I was awake half the night. Will definitely go again.
We booked online when they couldn't find our booking they gave us free drinks so we where pleased the meal and service was 1st class, we would go again.
OMG went there over the weekend before a movie
Service was great, meet at the door by a lovely young girl directed us to a table, fast efficient service and man the place was busy, drink order taken straight away man i love that.
Menu presented quickly, had entrees the Buffalo wings and my partner had the chowder it was great
Then we moved on to a Lamb Shank and a pizza, entrees were out in 10mins and mains out shortly after our entrees were cleared. The service was so good we called back in for Dessert after the movie.
thumbs up
Went there for lunch with friends and family , loved it. The staff were friendly and helpful. The place was quite full, yet we didn`t have to wait too long for the 6 meals.
The meals were very well presented and superb tasting . They were plentyful and value for money. A great experience and a great team!!
Had a look at their menu yesterday. (A professional restaurateur) I liked the look and the staff's approach so we came back for lunch. Loved it!
Staff professional AND friendly. Meal and drinks served in good time, well presented and at value for money - the latter is something becoming increasingly rare these days as pretentious "joints" charge outlandish amounts for mediocre cuisine. Great ambiance, staff were very much on top of everything, washrooms clean and beautifully appointed.
Congrats to all concerned. You deserve the popularity that you're getting!
We had a great dining experience at Foundation last night. The wings on the tapas menu were (according to my husband) the best he'd eaten in a very long time. But the biggest plus is that the staff and kitchen were very friendly and accomodating about catering to my dietary requirements. Thank you!
A friend and I went to Foundation for dinner last weekend. It was a great night. The service from our waiter Andrew was fantastic, as was the food. My friend and I shared an entree and then a pizza and then each had a dessert. All was really yum. The Base is the other side of town to where I live, but it was definitely worth the trip.
Hi I was impressed with the menu, the prices and the presentation of the food. I simply loved the pork sandwich. I've been there with mates about 6 times now and being a restaurant manager myself, I am pretty impressed overall with what the chef has presented to us every time.
Good work chef
Great place for a girls lunch. Food fantastic, parking easy, friendly staff. The caesar salad is to die for . The fish and chips in the wrapping paper a great look.
Will be back for more.
Carolyn.
I had a good time there. Food was good, very creative. Overall for food and venue I'd give 9/10. Complements to the chefs.
Called in for a casual afternoon beer and snack. Paul, Toni and the crew were great to deal with. Wheat beer was fantastic and the fish n chips were truley Kiwi and the presentation is so cool! Paul can't sing but good music and the staff obviously enjoy doing what they do so well.
Congratulations
Have visited the Foundation Bar twice since opening. Found the staff very friendly and helpfull.
The "Mother of all Burgers" was fantastic. Full of flavours and great chips...with T.sauce.
Ceasar Salad is out of this world as is the twice baked blue cheese soufle.Coped well with food alergies of one of my guests.
Had to wait a little for the 1st drinks to arrive.
Very impressed...hope the standard keeps up.
A new watering hole.
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Went to Foundation Kitchen/Bar for the first time last night 25/8/2011 to check it out!
Great Service among all things. Place was rather busy, but staff were handling the load extremely well. They were lovely, and attentive (but not overbearing). Our table ordered a few nibbles such as Steak Fries, The Foundation Pizza, and a friend ordered Buffalo Wings - which he thoroughly enjoyed. A range of snack food to hit the spot! The dinner menu was VERY tempting, but we decided to stay on for a couple of hours for a few drinks instead since we were enjoying the atmosphere so much! The venue has been set to cater to everyone and anyone of all ages for all occasions.
Great outdoor area, which kept me cosy with the open fireplaces
I have never bothered to write a review before, but I felt what Aaron had said was a bit off, since we were obviously there the same night...
Who complains about waiting on staff for 5 minutes? and confusion over Aioli? Ask next time or make a suggestion perhaps? Come on give people a chance!
I will definitely be returning to Foundation in the near future.
Booked a table for Friday night, got seated by friendly staff but then waited and waited for the waitress to come see us, after about 15-20 Min's we had to call the waitress over and I complained that they didn't come to serve us, in this she apologised and gave us a free drink each and after that she was very good and excelled at being friendly and attentive. Food was amazing, absolutely Delicious.. I had the Risotto balls for entree and gnocchi for main, both were superb, partner had Buffalo wings and pork belly... the pork belly was divine.. Cocktails also Delicious!!! Will be back for sure :)
I was visiting my brother the other day and both families decided to do some shopping at The Base... found the Foundation Bar and absolutely loved it. Real Kiwi look and feel about it. I had the the Foundation Pizza (amazing) and one of their own Pale Ale beers... they called it the Steam Brewing Company I believe.
All in all, very deserving of the 5 star rating and I would highly recommend it.
Newly opened so we thought we try. Very nice comfortable and spacious restaurant. Nice to be able to order lunch at 11am, I'm not a brunch fan. I've never struck this before, anywhere in the world....we were asked for either a credit card or a drivers license! I was rather insulted, I asked as we left why and it was so they could find us! We ordered the foundation pie and the burger. The burger was huge and delicious (expensive at $20) but I think worth it. The pie was a pot pie and after adding salt was very nice. The staff were helpful and friendly (and obviously enjoying there work dancing to the music), the meal however took a little long to arrive. Will definitely go back.
Have only had the pub food, never tried the mains here, so don't know about them. Casual dining has been good. The burger is huge and delicious, other good sandwiches as well. Reasonably good beer selection. Friendly service, but sometimes a pain when you have to go to the bar for another drink or to pay as it can be busy and take a while to get helped. Looking forward to going back.
Amazing food! The serving is more than what we can eat but still manage to finish it though. We went there during lunch time and ordered Pork Ribs, Fish and Chips and a dessert platter. The Pork ribs is a bit salty for my taste, on the other hand the fish and chips is perfect. I highly recommend the dessert platter, it’s a little bit of every dessert they have, really good. The staff are accommodating, and the ambience is quiet and relaxing.
I had a beautiful salad with chicken which has always been consistently good and i enjoyed once again today. Was missing the red onion from it though. We all enjoyed our food. The interior changes have lightened the venue. The waitress now brings a tablet to table for customers to order. Felt in the time it took her to explain how to do it our order could have simply been taken. Only negative was way too much ice in our drinks, so will know for next time. Great portion sizes.
Enjoyed our lunch was a steady flow of customers, not to over crowded, Customer service was very efficient. The ability to order via tablet was quick and easy. We didn't wait to long for our meal and drinks. The food was delicious 😋
Amazing steak and chips! I haven't had such a nice chips like this in ages. Perfectly cooked steak. Well portioned. Even my daughter diving in her kid fish n chip. Spacious. I think it would be great for party hire as they have an area that doors can be closed to make it more private.
Decided to catch up with friends here for lunch, and it was a great choice of venue.
Friendly service and great food,
It was a rather busy lunchtime being black Friday, so a bit noisy at times.
Took a little while to actually place our meal orders. But
The meals came out fairly quickly and everyone enjoyed what they ordered.
I don't often gi to the base however I would definitely return in the future.
Food really good bacon on our burgers was a bit salty but edible place was very busy close to being booked out which made for a bit more voice noise but my wife and I had no trouble communicating all in all recommended score of 19/20
Random choice to eat at Foundation in the Base, Hamilton. Best decision because the seafood chowder is delicious, but the bread is 🔥🔥. Tandoori pizza is also good. Will be coming back here regularly. Great service from staff, very helpful and genuinely pleasant to deal with.
Went as a group, couldn't get a booking over the phone so booked via website and pre ordered our meals. The Foundry burger was good. I have been visiting this place often.
Breakfast pizza was so yum what a great idea, tea tasted good. The milk jug spills and tea cup bit small to hold onto handle. The roof started to leak next to us and onto our table. Not there fault although had to request new cutlery that had been dripped on. Asked for large coffee got regular and nearly charged for a large till I pointed it out. Waitress who took our payment at the end seemed quite good. Will be back for the pizza for sure. But maybe I'll sit in a different seat away from that part of the air con lol.
Absolutely delicious food consistently, nice atmosphere and the most lovely staff. Definitely my favourite restaurant in Hamilton. Only rating it 4 instead of 5 is because they have started making people use tablets to order their food on. The system is very annoying, I prefer waitresses/waiters to take my orders.
Was an excellent experience. Great eggs bene done 2 different ways. Coffee was excellent 👌
Enjoyed lunch here with friends
Food v good bar food at good price. Staff good but not sure about way they offer menu. Need to be tech savvy.
Went to celebrate my mums 50th birthday, all staff were amazing especially our waitress Meg, she was friendly and helpful. Made the day super easier and less stressful for me even when I was being a pain about possibly moving tables around. Was able to get in earlier and decorate. Thank you so much the food was lovely as well.
I really love the food and service here. Even when it's packed, the service isn't too slow. They checked for Vaccine Passes but they didn't scan them.
My go to is the Blue Cheese caramelized onion bread (entrée) and the Foundation "Chicken Salad". Even if you don't like blue cheese, you may like this one. My daughter loves it even though she hates blue cheese. What I love most about the chicken salad are the caramelized walnuts and sweet chilli dressing. So yes, it is a little bit hot but my opinion may differ to yours. My mum got the fish n chips, it's tasty and fresh fish.
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