Underground Fun ?
Foundation Lounge
Hotel Commonwealth
Kenmore Square

Off the entrance to the Lobby of the Hotel Commonwealth there is a big, subterranean bar named the Foundation Lounge. We will get the good out of the way first. There is often live music in a jazz, lounge vein which is quite enjoyable. The drinks are pretty strong, if too often under poured. The space is extremely comfortable – couches, low chairs, ottomans and booths fill every square foot of the space and lend themselves perfectly to an after work, a “let’s get the evening started” drink or a night cap to wind down a wild night. Foundation is not a destination unto itself though.

Now for the bad. The drinks, while strong and tasty, are extremely overpriced for the area. The 12 dollar martinis are glaringly more expensive than the drinks at Eastern Standard (in the same hotel!) that start from around $8. The limited food menu is disgraceful. Why trendy bars deem it necessary to “do sushi” is beyond me. You would do better getting sushi at the Star Market than at Foundation. Always served creepily warm, and never tasting fresh and crisp, the sushi simply is a waste of 14 dollars. That’s right, a spicy tuna maki roll can cost over $14! To say it ludicrously overpriced is an understatement.

The décor, while comfortable, is bland and the grays, blacks and oranges simply seem bleak. The back room is so overfull of ottomans that it becomes nearly impossible to navigate. Service is at best “iffy.” The servers, while all friendly and courteous, are too few and far between and it doesn’t help that bar service is very, very slow.

Bottom Line: Stop in for an after work drink, but avoid the food at all costs. Remember, all those weekly papers you read that claim certain things about restaurants write their reviews for advertising partnerships. If you trusted the buzz, you would think the food at foundation was the best sushi in the city. And if you do stop in, get one drink or else you will regret it once the check rolls around!