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Foundation
Category: Restaurants Vegetarian Vegetarian [Edit]
2301 Main StVancouver, BC V5T 3C9
Neighbourhood: Mount Pleasant
(604) 708-0881
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
169 reviews for Foundation
Review Highlights
"Because they are the most amazing nachos in Vancouver."
(in 94 reviews)
"Dishes I recommend are spicy peanut and sesame society."
(in 17 reviews)
"The Sugar Pie was a great dessert too."
(in 5 reviews)
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169 reviews in English
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Review from Randall S.
New Westminster, BC
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
One of my favorite spots to eat in Vancouver. Very, very good vegetarian food.
I usually get a cup of their daily soup--never disappointed.
My partner and I usually order two different items and share--we ALWAYS have the Nooswich sandwich. So damn good. I love the spice bread it comes on, and the sheepy cheese just gives it a wonderful tang.
Their veggie burgers are good too. -
Review from Dru C.
1/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I had to come here at least once to see how "great" this place is. I came in with no expectations, but when you go to ANY restaurant, there should always be the basics, of great food and great service. I will give this place a 4 stars as I rounded up, because it is suppose to be 3.5 but I am being nice as usual :3
I love their food here, as it really makes up for their really crude service. The food is worth the waitress judging you and ignoring you when you want to order, or when you want to be seated. I understand you are located in such a terrible part of Main Street (The end), and your regulars are people who are cheap, of course the customer service is just gonna be terrible. But, if there was barely any "service" I would say that the new customers won't even want to try and just leave.
Anyways, onto their amazing food shall we?
Me and my friends had to order the amazing plate of Nachos. We heard so much about their amazing nachos, only thing I didn't like about this plate was there was too much beans and not enough Jalapenos.
Then I ordered the Burger and it was SOOO much I couldn't finish the rest of it. I had to take it home. I had so much of the nachos that I couldn't finish my main.. LOL. It was an amazing night though as we sat and chatted a lot with me and my friends. I don't like how the music is just BLASTING loudly, and the music choice was terrible. I like hip hop a lot and reggae but blasting it over the speakers is really not needed.
I had an amazing time overall, thanks to the food and my friends but if it was worst than that, I would have flipped over a couple of those 70s tables they used. -
Review from Peter T.
1/3/2012
My brother insisted that we come here on a Friday night to try the famous nachos, so we made the trek down Main Street through the rain. I have actually walked past Foundation many times on the way to John's Jukes just up the street and I've always been interested since it's a vegetarian restaurant but I've never gone in. Well, I was pretty surprised once I did go in to see that they don't actually have proper professional stoves in there - they just have a bunch of regular residential stoves lined up against the kitchen wall. Crazy! But it works! We had some beer, ordered some hummus and sweet potato dip, and the special nachos, which we were told had spiced walnuts on them tonight. I'd never had any type of nuts on nachos before so I was excited to try it.
The sweet potato dip was absolutely spectacular. I have no idea how they make this - but the texture was smooth without being gluey or gummy, the flavor was really intense but not overpowering. Really great. The hummus was also good, but not as good as the sweet potato. The nachos were also excellent, but the large was HUGE. They arrange the nachos so there's only one layer of chips and cheese, but the platter they came on was gigantic. The spiced walnuts were a nice complement and I will be ripping this idea off next time I make nachos at home.
The price was very reasonable and we had a really great time here. Highly recommended, especially if you are a vegetarian. -
Review from Manuel S.
Vancouver, BC
2/11/2012
I am constantly surprised by what Canadian people will eat in the name of good health.
The food here is a grotesque hodge podge of vegetable matter. Eating it is like listening to a symphony for djembe and digereedoo. -
Review from Rick N.
Vancouver, BC
2/8/2012
Wow, this place was Fantastic! We ordered 5 dishes and it was all great, no stinkers at all. Great Specials but we stuck with menu items. Good local beers. R&B, i love it. And best of all, the gentleman with the hat and glasses and tattoos was so on it and fun. Good job guys. You Nailed it. see you soon
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Review from Emilie C.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 1/31/2012
Ordered their nachos, at last... 5 of us made it happen. The massive plate of bean-covered nachos arrived and then miraculously, the nachos were gone and in our bellies. Worth the wait, worth the not-so-friendly service, for their deeelicious nachos.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/3/2012
The best destination after a long train ride, or a tasty drunk meal after a night on the town,… Read more »
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Review from Megan S.
Vancouver, BC
12/28/2011
"OMGbestnachoseverblahblahblah..." yeah OK, sure, I can't eat cheese. Still a good place to go if you're feeling like some laid-back vegan and vegetarian food. The emphasis here being on "laid-back".
Over the years, my experience with their service has run the gamut of being surprisingly attentive and spot-on, to waiting FOREVER for food, getting food with hair in it, being brought chipped beer glasses, incorrect bills and my personal favourite - the time we had a bizarrely underdressed server who was merely a half-inch away from serving me her breast along with my Final Option veggie curry. Being allergic to milk, I wasn't impressed - hah!
The food, too, is hit or miss. Many items are ridiculously over-sauced, and way way way too sweet. I find that the salads certainly fit that category, and after trying out a few I simply don't bother anymore. I was completely unimpressed with their veggie burger, and one of the curries (can't remember which) claims to be a green curry but it doesn't fit that flavour profile at all.
If you're looking for a nice vegan meal, I recommend sharing an order of the Mingling Yams to start, then going with the Final Option (the sauce has a bit of a butter chicken vibe) or the Spicy Peanut pasta, which is creamy, flavourful and loaded with cauliflower and tofu.
And yes, if you eat cheese...get the nachos. -
Review from Bev H.
Vancouver, BC
12/30/2011
I went here recently for the first time, with a group of girls, for a good friends birthday. Cool decor, dimly lit, nice set up, though we were seated under the speakers which made for a loud evening.
We had the nachos (YUMMY!!), and a few other appies, which were awesome!!
The service is here is laid back, to being non existent. A few friends were really hungry, and flagging down a server to get a drink and food order was painful and difficult, to say the least. However, the nachos rocked, best i have had in ages, so i will be back, despite the crap service this place provides. -
Review from S T.
Richmond, BC
11/29/2011 2 photos
Make sure you order lots of alcohol. Better yet drink before you go. Because if I ever go back I need to drink enough to forget about the centipede found in the
pesto pasta.
I had heard good things from a few friends and the couple standing in the line up ahead of us, raved about the place saying they go there once a week. They suggested the nachos an pesto pasta. We were extremely disappointed after all the wonderful reviews.
Service is terrible, and the place is so dark, you can barely see the plate in front of you. Although I'm now certain that the lightening is a technique to hide the extra crunch and protein in the dishes.
After a night at foundation, we were happy about the nachos however the feeling didnt last. When my friends went to eat the leftovers from Foundation, we were shocked to find a bug. Grossed out, we took a photo an called the restaurant who reassured me that it never happens however, I'm not so sure about that.
Check out the photos it's disturbing.
DO NOT EAT AT FOUNDATION!! N -
Review from Kaeleigh E.
Calgary, AB
12/1/2011
I've only been here twice. And both times I've gotten... wait for it... good food & bad service! Seems like the common theme.
The nachos rock and the warm peanut salad is REALLY good. I enjoyed it a lot.
But the service is SO bad that I can't bring myself to come back or suggest it to friends. The servers aren't nice, nor efficient.
I remember spending well over two hours in this restaurant for one meal with no appies or dessert. I was starving and didn't get my food til over an hour after I had ordered it. And the restaurant wasn't even full. SO BAD.
Sorry Foundation, you gotta step it up. Your food is awesome but everything else is so off-putting that I can't get past it. -
Review from Caley V.
Vancouver, BC
11/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Foundation is my number one spot in the city for Nachos. I have yet to find a better arrangement of cheese, jalapenos, beans and corn matched with fresh salsa and guacamole. The nachos are a large servings for a reasonable price: a great place to go with friends. Add a couple jugs of beer or sangria to wash down the nachos and you have your self a tasty vegetarian party.
Besides the nachos, the 'common salad' is delicious due to the fresh and tasty dressing. For mains you can't go wrong with 'the lower east side' or 'the upper east side' on quinoa.Listed in: Vancouver
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Review from Joanne M.
Vancouver, BC
12/4/2011
You are alright in my books foundation.
Love the atmosphere, but can I please have some hot food! I am a soup kinda gal and I get the lentil soup every time...yet it is always less than luke warm. I'm ok with you nuking my soup, just serve it disgustingly hot please!
Puff Daddy while I eat vegan food= match made in hippy heaven. -
Review from Raza M.
11/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Can't believe it me 3 years of passing by, before I finally came to this place. And left with a feeling i didn't miss much. In short, nice decor but the food wasn't that great, but then again I'm a carnivore.
Now the longer version, Foundation is as funky as can get. Everything is trendy and hip, retro tables, the candle-lights, glasses that look like empty glass jars, and the inspiring words of wisdom on the walls. It's on of those places which can almost get away with plates with damaged edges. See I said almost, why? For once the music that was playing in the background didn't compliment the rest of the vibe. It was hip-hop and loud. And what's up with the hot source bottle on each table, what was they Mexican hippies.
The food was a let down as well. Yeah, I like meat and vegetables don't have to be bald. They lack the taste, just felt like boiled vegetable randomly missed together. Out of the things, OPPP was OK at best and the nachos were good but with nachos you can't really go wrong.
Prices are decent and portions a also good, the service wasn't the best. -
Review from Dave P.
Vancouver, BC
10/28/2011
Everyone who knows the Foundation know them for one dish.... Nachos. Everyone orders the nachos. They're excellent! Some of the best I've ever had. I even said to the waiter, "Foundation IS nachos" and he echoed back that sentiment. You're right.. the foundation is nachos.
Some Veg-Head friends of our came through town this week and we raved about their cheesy pile of corn chips and toppings. I won't lie. I'm no vegetarian, but I like almost everything I've ever eaten there (except today's crap) . But here's a question...why in Joe-Jesus name can't I order their nachos at 2PM?
Rhetorical question.... because they're hipster dicks.
No nachos until 4pm. Boss's orders! No exceptions! Which is garbage, because their lunch menu is large steaming pile of shat! But vegetarian shat. DON'T ORDER the Molten Tofu. The shattiest of the shat.
The waiter proudly reported that some folks were recently in from India to visit their kid and the same situation came up. Darling daughter raved about there Vexican plate, but their was no way, unless Annupurna was going to come down from heaven herself to make for them, that they were going to get their lips on this cheddar-laced meal. So if THEY weren't getting it, there was no way we were.
Are you shitting me? They're nachos!
You can suck it, Foundation. I'll be back, I'm sure, but NEVER before 4PM. Do yourself a favour... ditch most of your lunch menu, except maybe the peanut burger which was decent according to one of our diners, and stick to your dinner options. Or at least serve the one thing on your menu that isn't hit or miss all day long. I'm sure, on a daily basis, you have tables who leave disappointed because in your view, it's too early for chips and salsa.
And wipe that smug smile off your face having read this review knowing you just chalked one up for the hipster movement. -
Review from Jacqueline T.
Coquitlam, BC
11/4/2011
What: Hipster + Vegetarian + Nachos
Onomatopoeia: Ooo , Ahh, Yummm
Solid, tasty vegetarian comfort food, that won't make you miss meat for the night :) Oh! and the salads are good too!
All served in a hipsterish hole in the wall! -
Review from Joyce P.
Vancouver, BC
11/9/2011
After years and years of persuasion I finally made it to the Foundation after work last night. I believe in meat. I don't understand why meat isn't served with everything. Vegetables are an after thought. Living by myself, the only times I eat vegetables is if it happens to be served with my meat. You'll almost never find vegetables in my fridge. How do people feel full and satisfied without meat??
My roommate hates meat, can't eat anything that looks like it used to be alive, can't eat chicken wings, ribs or any of that sort of goodness.
We needed a compromise, she promised me cheap beer if I went to Foundation and since I wasn't hungry or looking for a meal, I followed along.
God damn the nachos were good!! I've been told so many times to go to Foundation for nachos but I never understood why. Wow, the crunchy, ooey, gooey, texture served with really yummy smokey refreshing salsa and sour cream and of course add the guac on top. Their special topping of the day was yams and red onions. WTF? Yeah that was damn good too! Ok I'm salivating now.
$13 for a pitcher of IPA and I'm a happy girl.
I will be back for nachos and possibly venture into a meal of vegetarianism...if I'm brave enough... -
Review from David D.
Vancouver, BC
11/13/2011
One word NACHOS not much else to say about this place...I kid!
After reading the reviews and on the advice of my vegetarian friends I decided to give the foundation a try. It was exactly what I thought it would be...self fulfilling prophecy perhaps. The staff not very personable or helpful. Our server seemed rather frustrated when I had questions about the menu which was difficult to read because it looked like scribbles and the lighting was extremely poor. The sangria was delicious, however my partners mason jar glass had a crack in the bottom so the sangria leaked everywhere. We alerted the server and her response was "oh" we had to wipe up the mess ourselves. Five minutes later the guests sitting at the table next to us decided to get into a playful food fight catapulting broccoli at each other... the staff did nothing.
If you need to go to the bathroom hold it in. The men's bathroom has to be in violation of health and safety standards. -
Review from Tai V.
Vancouver, BC
11/1/2011
I love this place!
Mango puree for salad dressing W.T.Heck!
Never been dissapointed, not even a little bit.
one more word: sangrias -
Review from tee a.
11/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great atmosphere, trendy without being pretentious.
Love Nachos! The best so far is still Me & Eds.. however the Foundation Nachos are definitely delicious.. Cheesy goodness along with a healthy dose of corn and black beans. In my opinion, still missing the jalapenos, tomatoes, peppers, olives etc..
Spicy Peanut!! Must try~ It's a pasta dish with a thick, spicy peanut sauce. It's served with veggies, tofu and flatbread. I liked everything about this dish, maybe except for the pasta.. I wonder if they serve it on brown rice instead?!
Will definitely be back! -
Review from Billy L.
Port Coquitlam, BC
9/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
What the fack is up with the attitude from the servers? Drag your feet, be a total mute, "sit where ever.." I should of turned back when i saw so many tables with no food. How long does it take to make a salad? shouldn't be more than 10 minutes. Waiting half hour for one salad. Sesamum salad is fantastic and definitely a good slow-carb meal. I don't appreciate when my plate is tossed onto the table, i don't appreciate when you don't say thanks or acknowledge that i'm paying for your food.
This is probably my last time here. -
Review from Matt L.
10/2/2011
This place pretty much sucks. They don't really have any lights.... So it's super dark. The menu is written like some kind if drunk text, to a girl your trying to finger. And the service Sucks.
The food is ok. It's probably good if your vegetarian, but it's kind if a tease if you're vegan. No vegan cheese, no vegan meats. All the burgers come with salad and some cuscus, that had an olive in it that still had the pit, an when I bit in to it, it cracked my tooth!
I wouldn't recommend this place at all. -
Review from Brent F.
Vancouver, BC
7/19/2011
Who's down with OPPPPPP? "Yeah you know me!"
I suppose with all the hip hop played at foundation, it was only appropriate to start the review off that way. Plus, the OPPP (or opp, or opppp?) is one of the best dishes Foundation has got on the menu. In my opinion of couse, but it's creamy pesto goodness!
I promised myself I will keep my reviews short, so here it is: killer nachos, oppp & final option (that's what you eat.) Plus, good beer on tap, great people all around, non stop hip hop mix, and a great atmosphere make Foundation a Vancouver staple and rock in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. -
Review from Reena M.
Holy mole! If you have a hankering for nachos, this is the place to go! They serve food until 1am.
I was helping a friend move this evening and I around 11pm I was feeling peckish and by midnight we were all hungry... hungry for some nachos! Thank god I remembered this place for its nacho-rep. :-D So a huge plate of nachos, layered properly with cheese (and by proper, I mean lots), beans, corn, and jalapenos, served with salsa, sour cream, and guac ($3 extra) on the side! All for $18. Definitely the best nachos I had in all of Vancouver.
The other menu items looked okay too, but I am not a vegetarian so I am not sure if I would come here for other meals on a regular basis. I would definitely give it try though.Listed in: Na'cho mama's nachos!
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Review from Stephanie M.
Vancouver, BC
7/18/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Wow! I had heard from multiple sources that this place had great nachos, so when I finally got a chance to stop by for my first visit with some old friends for a late night snack, I was really hoping that they'd live up to the hype. Even given said high expectations, I was pretty surprised by the ridiculous amount of toppings and the HUGE tray that arrived at our table. So needless to say, although a half an hour earlier we'd all said that we were "not really that hungry", we all got busy working ourselves into a delicious cheese-and-carb coma. Trust me, it is a challenge for four or five people to finish the "regular" sized plate, even if you are hungry. Aside from the generous plate size and very generous amount of toppings, I really like the fact that these nachos come with corn and black beans baked in. Decent sized bowls of salsa and guac, too.
Aside from the food, I really like the funky and laid back vibe of this place, which goes perfectly with the Main Street 'hood in which it's located. You'll find random pearls of wisdom painted on the wall and cool music to entertain. The servers are friendly and attentive, as well. (They clearly knew from experience that keeping water glasses topped up is a must when tackling these nachos.)
Overall, definitely worth the trip for a casual night out for a couple of drinks and reasonably-priced food. I happened to make a second nacho-related visit a week and a half after the first one, but I would like to return not just for that but also to try other stuff on their menu, which had lots of other tasty-sounding vegetarian options.Listed in: Best Nachos
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Review from Jordan S.
Vancouver, BC
6/19/2011 4 Check-ins Here
The Foundation is like that friend you have that always pushes the boundary a little further than you would. He or she is amazing to party with but you better not expect them to hold your hand while they careen from one crazy house party to the next.
Their nachos are hands down best in the city, their East Side plate is delicious, their beer is cheap and tasty, their service...well...their service is...*scans other Yelp reviews*...yeah their service is...is when that friend I mentioned earlier suddenly disappears at the party you're at and you realize you don't know where you even are, who these people you're partying with are or, for that matter, where you left your keys/cellphone.
I've dined here with HARDCORE Foundation fans, people who continue to come here even after they've told horror stories of waiting for orders that the server FORGOT to place. My favourite is the part when they feel really terrible, so they decide to comp the meals and then when the bill arrives, they forget to comp the meals.
In the end, The Foundation is like that friend. If you choose to party with them, and it IS worth it, then you have to take good with the bad. I'm the type of person who stays in line once I've got to a place, I like plans and sticking to them...even if they're plans made up on the spot. I'll stick by the Foundation, it's not clinically clean, it's service is poor but damn...those nachos...those nachos are REALLY REALLY good. -
Review from Jeff M.
Vancouver, BC
11/20/2011
if you're a meat eater: nachos and beer are your main interests here.
if you're stricly veggie: this place has pretty good variety and options.
I'm of the aforementioned, so I can only comment on nachos and booze. Booze is booze, not overly expensive and serviced in mason jars. how hipstery. nachos are quite good. didn't make me miss meat at all.
Washrooms i found weren't thaaaat bad. I'd think twice about anything that would take more than a minute though.
I had to chuckle re: the other comments about service from the wait staff. They're by no means "Starbucks super-perky" friendly, but I found them more than able to get the job done. They're not there to be your friend, they're just there to do their job. -
Review from Isabelle G.
Vancouver, BC
8/24/2011
Service: The service each time, which has only been twice with 5 years distance between visits. Maybe it is just luck that we scored twice with decent, laid back service. It was nothing terrible, nothing over the top, below average but above pretentious.
Food: I came back with a date 'cause everyone that I met, pre-yelp, raved about how these are the best nachos ever.....didn't happen. The nachos aren't bad, however, they weren't "The Best" as everyone had claimed it to be. It was nachos, peppers and beans with dip on the side. Basic. The cheese was over cooked and rather than being melty, most of them arrived on my plate hard and somewhat burned. As for the pile high of ingredients that everyone claimed to have received on their reviews....my nachos were flatter than Scarlet Jo's chest. I know that everyone gets a bad plate of nachos, it happens, however, my luck, being a first timer...I got the bad batch which means I will not order this again.
Location: It's near the end of Main (the cool district) at Kingsway. I've walked by a few times and finally after a Zombie Walk, had dinner. Based on location I will go back to try the maple chilli even though the nachos were an epic fail with me. If you're not sociable with others, don't go. Snobbery can be left at the door. It seemed like somewhat of a social atmosphere. -
Review from Lisa C.
Vancouver, BC
6/1/2011
Wow, that was lame.
I've been to Foundation a couple of times before & found their food to be a bit hit & miss. This time it was all miss. Blech. We ordered nachos, which were great last time we were there a couple of years ago. But what we were served was a couple of flat layers of nacho chips, covered with super-greasy orange cheddar & burned all around the edges. The cream cheese & salsa were fine & plenty came with it. The guacamole was also plentiful (though maybe it just seemed that way with such a dearth of chips to dip in it) but pretty bland.
The suck continued with our drinks. The beer was a couple degrees below room temperature, but not really cool enough for a lager. There was a seed floating around in my water glass. The tea selection was decent, but one bag of Twinings chucked in a mug doesn't really impress me.
To cap off the experience, they were playing obscenity-ridden gangsta rap at a volume that precluded conversation.
I think I understand why they were so empty at dinner time. Until I hear that they've got a new cook, I ain't going back. -
Review from Simon G.
Vancouver, BC
7/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have this interesting relationship with Foundations. I love their food - being a vegan, there are plenty of options. Healthy, delicious, non-pretentious food.
The flip side of it is the occasional too-noisy atmosphere, which can be conducive if I want to sit by myself and read a book, yet tricky if I am with others and want to socialize while I eat.
And then there is the service. At times awesome, and at other, random and unpredictable times, annoyingly slow. -
Review from Rick C.
We hit up the Foundation on Main and it was packed at 9pm when we showed up. We ended up waiting outside for a while hoping for a table for ten.
I really dug the hip, indie, veggie style place. I could have done without the super loud, pulsing rap music though. The veggie nachos were quite delicious and inviting.
I was full from earlier in the night but all the food looked great. The nachos were especially massive, full of cheese, beans, and plenty of dips. All the pastas and hip mains were fresh and tasty looking. -
Review from Zee K.
Vancouver, BC
8/7/2011
I like the food here, and that they are open late. Unfortunately, they don't believe in spelling (or, rather they think it's hip and cool to deliberately misspell things like 'brockly') which is why it took me 3 years to even set foot inside. The food is decent, If you can decipher the menu, but the service is consistently below average, and the ingredients are not very high quality.
They are open way later than anything else that isn't pizza in the vicinity, and have a lot of creative options, so I do frequent this establishment on a semi-regular basis, only to spend half the time complaining with my friends about the service. Takeout is a great option.
Recommend the spicy peanut (pnut or peenut on the menu) and the final option. Small nachos are good, large nachos are often soggy, though. -
Review from Michael L.
Vancouver, BC
1/2/2012
Again I'm a meat eater but I love their vegetarian food. My favourite is the OPPP for dinner. I usually take out. A must try place if you're a meat eater not wanting vegetarian food. You'll be turned!
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Review from Tessa B.
4/11/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I really *want* to love this place, but I just don't. As a lifelong vegetarian, I appreciate any decent vegetarian cuisine, but this place just doesn't hit the spot. I've never had good service, the best I've ever had could maybe be considered decent. I understand they are super busy, but when I can see my drinks prepared and ready to be served, but our server is just standing around chatting, that is a pretty big annoyance. I think perhaps the staff are hired more on their hipness than their capabilities.
That being said, this is a nifty place that I am glad exists, I'd just really like to see them a little bit more on their game.Listed in: Gluten Free, Happy Me!
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Review from Kas D.
Vancouver, BC
7/22/2011
A very enjoyable vegetarian restaurant in East Van. I used to eat here all.the.time (maybe too often?) when I lived closer, and it was always a personal fave. Love the nachos and the OPPP (or however many Ps are in it).
It's a funky little restaurant, filled with various quotes around the walls.
The staff can be pretty hit and miss. Often a miss. A very slow, too-cool-to-do-my-job vibe sometimes. Alas. Still heart Foundation! -
Review from Emma L.
Vancouver, BC
2/2/2011
Delicious, great atmosphere, great service, amazing nachos.
I come here all the time, alllll the time. Partly because of the food, partly because of the mood of the place. It's fun. It's the perfect place for a relaxed date or a weekend evening out with a large group. The music is loud, the people are cool, the drinks are CHEAP and the food comes in huge portions.
I love the service, too, by the way. They're relaxed and helpful and only seem cold to people who are after Cactus Club style service, aka 'hi is everything okay?' every three minutes. They never ask here because they already know the answer!
The Nachos, Spicy Peanut Pasta, Hummus and Peanut Pesto Pasta are my favorites
And the Sangria- the best ever
muah, long live foundations.!Listed in: Night Prowling
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Review from Erin U.
10/13/2011
the service isnt the best but if I made 8 bux an hour and got no tips from the cheap people who eat lots there but complain about the service nonstop I probably wouldnt be catering to every need either. The nachos were really good the first few times I went but are definitely progressively going downhill since then. portions are getting smaller also but thats not a big issue because they are still big. They have an amazing appetizer platter called the catered affair that comes with a variety of yum yums, perfect for sharing and only costs 11 bux!! I gave an extra star for that alone, like 3 people could share this thing easy. All the other food i have tried has been good. the pitchers of sangria are kinda the thing to drink here and I always feel great surrounded by good friends with cute candlelite atmosphere. All in all a great place to spend a weekday.
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Review from Melissa E.
Vancouver, BC
3/23/2011
Is it a coincidence that Foundation is across the street from Gene cafe? I wonder if they trade staff around from one to the other. Would make a lot of sense...
I go to Foundation about once or twice a year with a certain friend, mainly because we like the nachos. And the nachos do rock. We arrived at about 6.30 and had to wait a good 20min for a table. To be expected. Once we sat down the service was actually decent and relatively fast. We had a few pints of Red Devil and ordered...yes, the nachos. Once we received our food and beer though, we were never attended to again! Never asked if we wanted another beer or more food etc. About an hour and a half later another waiter brought us the bill at which point we asked for another beer and he retreated in shock.
Once it was really time for us to get the bill we noticed they made a mistake...no biggie. We waited and waited some more...then i finally brought it to him. OH, of course! he replied. Like they had over charged us on purpose or something. Classic. A new bill was brought over which was ALSO wrong. Anyway, we went through this a few times until we got the right one.
Overall, I guess I have nothing new to add. Service is lacking, nachos are awesome. -
Review from Emily-Anne P.
Vancouver, BC
6/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I would say something about the service, but it's clear to me from a quick scan of reviews that I don't need to. If you want good service, hell if you even want your food packaged away for you when you cant finish it don't go to Foundation.
If you want to be so full from the most orgasmically good nachos that you can't walk and have left overs for days. Go to Foundation.
While the service is appalling, the beer is good and the food is better. It really is a vegetarian institution in Vancouver and it is absolutely worth the bla bla of service. -
Review from Robin M.
Updated - 7/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I stand by my 4 stars, but have to say that I finally received my first plate of burnt nachos. It happens to us all folks, just eat around it and all will be fine.
Listed in: Let's tour!, Main Street Mainstays, I'm not a hipster but..., Because I Love Me A Good Glass…, Fill Me Up Vancouver
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/17/2011
I'm going to just go right ahead and say it: the first time I ate at Foundation I had no idea it was… Read more »
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Review from Kari C.
11/22/2010
I can't stand The Foundation and now only go when other people insist on visiting, which has been about 5 times so far. Okay food, sigh, piss-poor service, not okay, ever. How the hell does this place stay in business? One word: NACHOS.
The nachos platters are huge and the last time I went, a year ago, they were still cheap. Red, yellow and blue corn chips topped with corn, black beans, lots of cheese, and sides of guac, salsa, and sour cream. I've been lucky enough to escape soggy or burnt plates that other YELPers have suffered from, but that's not saying much, it's like Russian roulette. The peanut pesto pasta is all right, but nothing special.
The loud, angry hip-hop blaring from the speakers makes it so that you can't hear the person across from you, they keep the shutter windows above the doors open at night, even when it's frickin' freezing, and the "staff" don't give a poop whether or not you're having a good time or get what you want.
I understand that hipsters are supposed to be devoid of emotion and everything, but if they're not putting effort out there because they think they're too good for a job that probably pays garbage, the reason why they're not raking in the tips is because their performance is consistently garbage, which is the only consistent thing about the restaurant. It's not rocket science. Have a shower and put on a clean shirt, y'all. Every one of them looks like they were dragged out from under Dov Charney's basement couch after a weekend party.
Can someone please open a halfway decent vegetarian spot across the street that will put them out of business? This place deserves props for getting my stubborn little bro interested in vegetarian food, and for being one of the few vegetarian restaurants in Vancouver, but people's wallets deserve better. I'm voting to keep mine the eff out of there because nachos at home take 5 minutes of prep and don't come with a side of eye rolling and zombie-paced, grouchy service in a deafening room.Listed in: Eff THIS Noise!
