What a chill place to go. I went for drinks with my friend on Saturday night here. The outside makes the bar look really small in my opinion. But when I went inside, I was suprised how big it was! I heard good things about this place and other Yelpers seemed to highly recommend Effin Gruven.
I went to SUNY New Paltz and they had a lot of laid back type of bars so I knew I was going to like it here. And I was right. It was very "new paltz". They have this giant chalkboard with all the special craft beers of the day on it. The prices are reasonable and there's a big variety. If you like interesting flavors and are willing to be a bit adventurous with your drinks, try this place! I got a pint of Agave Wheat Ale which was delicious... and only $6. The decorations are "groovy" and the mood is pretty mellow. They have AWESOME music (Florence, Black Keys, etc.) and plenty of space to sit. Oh! And I don't want to forget the pool table.
I'll be back again. Maybe for some chocolate stout next time.
When the moon is in the Seventh House, And Jupiter aligns with Mars , Then peace will guide the planets, Â And love will steer the stars! Â Let the sun shine in! Â Let the sun shine in! Â Someone, please, PLEASE, let the sun shine in!
Peace, Love and Everything Groovy. I'm not going to knock the joint just because it's not my thing. Apparently, it's a lot of folks thing, based on all the positive reviews. So, I'll report the facts - just the facts.
Dark . Really really really really dark. You don't even have to wait until last call. At 1900 everyone looks good here. BTW, that's when Effin opens. 1900.
15 tap beers. Good tap choices. But there's only 15. TGI Fridays has 15. So?
No food. Theres a kitchen, but no food. Kind of like my ex-husbands house. He keeps his winter clothes in his oven.
Incense. Not a fragrant wisp of smoke in the air but a baseball bat smack you in the face kind of smell. Those with allergies, stay back.
Dust. Has that sheet sized peace bandana hanging on the ceiling ever been washed? Aired out? Cleaned?, How about the upholstered chairs I'm sitting in?
The ladies room was renovated. Thank goodness for small favors. And the bartenders were really cool. They were actually pretty groovy.
My favorite bar on Long Island. Great bartenders, great beer selection, good crowd (no Long Island d-bags), and good prices. Tap beers start at $4 (for PBR) and go up to around $7 for craft beers. I think there are 15-16 taps, and they also have a wide variety of bottled beers. During the week, you can get a table tap.
They also have an awesome happy hour where every tap beer is $4 (this might have changed since the last time I went, which was about a year ago). The one drawback is that they don't open until 7pm most days (4 or 4:30 Fridays).
It's a bar by the highway on Long Island called Effin Gruven.
I mean, reread that first sentence. It starts with the odds stacked high as a kite against it.
And yet, it's nice enough in there, and the taps venture toward the crafty among us (though snobs wouldn't likely have been impressed by the banana bread, peach, and three blueberry beers among the 20ish draughts).
Let me put it this way. It was the perfect low-key space for the engagement fete I attended for early-20-somethings. But the same bar (with bigger TVs) would still find happy success in Midtown Manhattan.
Effin Amazing!!! Â Great beer, great ambiance, not much more a beer drinker could ask for. Â I can't really speak for the food, and in all honesty don't even know if they serve food (which is kind of scary being i've been there quite a few times over the last 10 or 12 or however many years they have been around!!!)...but it is what it is!
If you like beer, you won't be disappointed and in my opinion this place blows away Croxley's for a few distinct reasons that you won't appreciate and I won't try to explain unless you experience it yourself. Â
Enjoy!
Great bar. It has a huge selection of beer, wine, microbrews, etc. Some of them I've never heard of.
Conveniently located next to the LIRR, so no excuses for driving buzzed or drunk.
My only complaint is the fact that the drinks aren't labeled vegan-friendly, though they do have plenty of options. I was kind of hoping for something progressive like that. Not a deal breaker, though.
It also gets blindly busy on Friday nights. It usually dies down before closing, though.
Highly recommended.
Well, I can't believe *my un-named friend* gave this place 4 stars. We got booted because he was passed out and other patrons were complaining, but I suppose he wouldn't recall that...
They seem to have a nice beer selection, but I don't know much about beer other than that i like to drink it, and they aren't very descriptive on their beer board or on the beer menu. They are just named something weird/funny or they are named "Rob's pick" or "Mary's Pick" etc. Prices are just ok.
Otherwise I had a really fun time playing foosb... well, rather getting dominated by elder folk in foosball. I realize now that it's actually a very serious game. I will go back ready. and with a roll of quarters.
I remember thinking to myself that their TVs are way too small. Do they have TVs? I don't remember.
They burn incense in the back to mask the odors coming from the ladies' bathroom.
To be honest, I feel like this bar is misplaced and should be in Astoria or the village. The selection of beer here is great and the bartenders make wise suggestions depending on what your in the mood for. They have a jukebox in the front with a lot of "hipster" music you won't find elsewhere, however most of the time people hog the shit out of it. Foosball table in the back is a good way to kill some time--beware of the 2 old guys though...they are really good. Crowd here varies...but you can always count on the place being packed come 10pm on Fri and Sat.
Review Source:A beer aficionado's heaven.
This place will have things you've never seen or even heard of. Â Don't come here in search of a Budweiser or a Coors Light. Â There's a good chance you'll be laughed out of the building.
The vibe here is great, calm and relaxed. Â The bartenders really know their stuff, and can recommend something you'd enjoy based on what you like. Â The chalk board listing of beers, based on category and alcohol volume, helps as well.
I'd avoid this place much after 10pm though, especially on the weekends when the college age crowd starts to file in and it starts to get a little crowded and rowdy. Â Other than that, Â just plain awesome.
Effin Gruven is a awesome bar that I can't wait to go back to. Last night was the 1st time I've ever been there and I was just blown away by how great it was.
They have a huge selection of fantastic, unique beers which you can't find many other places. I had 4 *different* types of pumpkin beer last night, all of which they served in glasses rimmed with cinnamon sugar... delicious!
Everyone was relatively young, laid-back, non-douchey, & friendly. We even ended up playing a few games of  fooseball with complete strangers. The jukebox cranked out great tunes all night (including Phish!) which nicely complemented the Grateful Dead tapestries hanging from the ceiling, incense burning in the back, & magnetic poetry on the back door. Just an overall fun place with a super chill vibe. Â
The only drawback was the amount of time it took to get drinks. Because it was a Saturday night, it was super busy & the bartenders were running around like crazy the whole time. They only had 2 people behind the bar, though, so it took about 10-15 minutes to get a drink. We ended up ordering 2 each every time we got the bartender's attention, just to save us from the hassle of having to wait the next time we tried to order drinks again. But around 1, the crowd thinned out & it got a lot easier to order.
All in all, I would highly recommend it & can't wait to go back :-)
Fantastic bar with fantastic bartenders and a fantastic selection of brews. One of my top picks for outstanding bars on Long Island.
I've been here a gazillion times and not once did I EVER leave thinking that my night was just okay. Yes, it's kinda hipster and the decor would suggest that the staff wears hemp underwear, but it's not all that outlandish. In fact, it's fun and inviting... you're guaranteed to have a good time here even if it's just for one drink. There's a fooseball table in the back, seats/tables on the upper deck, jukebox for music, naked photo hunt on the bar counter, vending machine for hot (yes, hot) food (questionable).
The biggest highlight of this place is their beer selection. Don't even think about ordering a bud or coors because they don't have it!... but it's a fun way to spot the "newbies". Ask to sample their current offerings or have them make a suggestion... these guys are passionate about their brews and always eager to make some recommendations. You won't find any Snookies or guidos here... it's mostly a laid back crowd comprised of, well, NORMAL people... and some hipsters.
My only complaint is that the music is OBSCENELY LOUD on the weekends... and the place can get packed like a can of sardines. If you go on a weeknight it's always super chill and a great way to kick back and relax from a long crappy day at work.
Effin Gruven will always have a special place in my heart!
Effin Gruven is a great bar! Â I find myself coming here for my birthday almost every year!! Â The decor is really fun and is different than most bars you find on Long Island. Â They offer a lot of craft brews along with some of their own "Effin" beers that are usually a great find!!! Â
I just wish they were able to serve food here. Â With all that beer, sometimes it would be nice to be able to order something to go along with it!
Local hangout for the hipster on Long Island.
I've been here a few times and for a smallish bar it's actually not bad at all. The beer selection is very eclectic and always offers a nice variety. Not you're Bud or Coors type of place, more specialty beer which are great in taste and full in body. They also always have a great selection of limited edition and seasonal beers. Good but I do have a few complaints. It is more of a Brooklyn "hip" scene that isn't necessarily my thing and it's usually pretty hot in the place. It's also sometimes difficult to grab a seat around the bar or up the stairs but honestly, what bar is it easy to find a seat? Â It also has a small parking lot so you might find yourself parking up the block.
I'm a fan mostly for the superb beer selection, give it a try!
Effin Gruven is definitely a nice fresh breath of air in the club-infested, guido-driven bar scene of Long Island. Â This is a spot where the common-folk of Long Island can not only enjoy a great atmosphere, but awesome beer. Â
This is one of the few spots in Long Island that you can have a wider variety of beer than the usual Corona, Heinekein, Bud, and Coors. Â They have beers that I've never heard of, and all of them awesome.
The only reason this doesn't have a 5/5 star rating is because, while the bartending staff is friendly - good luck getting a freebie for being a loyal customer there...unless you have boobs. Â They really need to get a female bartender or two. Â It's male dominated, and some of them really only cater to their female loyals - and ditch the others in favor of trying to get some. Â The culprits of this should watch that new show "Bar Rescue".
No Budweiser!!
Walking in and smelling incense, then seeing the Grateful Dead decor you may think you have entered Hippy Central! Â But actually you have walked into one of the coolest bars on Long Island!
A menu rich with beers from all over the globe, plus some Effin Originals (probably with the aide of their friends at Brooklyn Brewery) to really make the visit special. Â
A few gems on tap, and a menu & chalkboard with literally countless other beers to choose from, you could easily have a very eventful night!
Add in the internet backed jukebox, the foosball table, and the willingness of the staff to order you a pizza or 2, you will want to come back again and again!
They also offer a discount to people who come straight from a show at the Jones Beach Theatre (it is right near where the Wantagh parkway hits Sunrise Highway). Â All you have to do is show your ticket... and risk being mocked if the staff feels your show choice was lame.
My favorite thing is in the corner of the chalkboard it says "No Budweiser!"
"Hey Doc, why don't you like Budweiser?"
"Oh, that's cause I have taste buds!"
Highly Recommended;
Right across from the Bellmore LIRR train-station, there is no excuse to not come and tie on a serious buzz
Effin Gruven has by far the best beer selection anywhere and I'd consider it to be one of the best bars on the island as far as selection.
They have tons of beers from all over the world as well as popular local selections. Â They even have a few good hard ciders as well. Â Fear not mixed drink drinkers..they have lots of top shelf alcohol.
You can also taste test any beer you like. Â The staff is always friendly, helpful in drink selection and attentive. Â They constantly clean and take old drinks away, I like the lit candles and the incense burning.
I always loved the vibe of this place, there's usually good music on, you can hear a lot of good indie or alternative. Used to be a more hipster vibe. Â It does depend on who's buying songs in the machine but sometimes the bar tenders will put in a bunch of songs and they usually have good taste. Â Usually the crowd puts on good music but every now and again some crowd of friends just have to put on some cheesy top 40's hits or something..which stinks if you have to hear 10 crappy songs in a row but that's not really anything to do with the bar, that's the people going there. Â The crowds vary here a lot more now although they still tend to lean more towards people who like indie/alternative rock.
The reason I took off a star is because it used to be crowded but you could actually hold a conversation without screaming, now it has gotten progressively louder. Â If you have no problem with that then you'll be fine but personally I like a place where I can talk without screaming over ear damaging music levels.
During the week it's still very low key and quiet though. Â I also don't like that they allow people to order food in from outside.. I know it seems like "what's the big deal?" but when there is hardly anywhere to stand and people are taking up a huge space to put a large pizza it's kind of annoying.
On the weekends if you're here before 9 you might think the place is gonna be dead but don't be fooled.. after 10 it gets crowded quick and the tables fill up quick so if you see one grab it! Â
Overall I do recommend this bar highly because they really have a fantastic selection.
It was a Sunday night, VERY slow but I'm sure this would be very different had it been the night before. Â The beer selection at this place was great and the bartender was extremely friendly. Â He let us know what new beers they had on tap, gave us great recommendations, and let us try all the different beers before deciding what to buy. Â After we picked our beers out he stuck around for a bit, hilarious stories and great to talk to!
I would like to know what this place was like on a Friday or Saturday night, but Sunday's seemed like a perfect quiet day to relax with a good beer and a few friends. Â Plus when it's slower the bartender can give you more one on one time and make sure you find a new beer to try. Come to this bar to try new things, do not get the same old beer you'd always get!
Do you hate Budweiser and all of their affiliated beer products??? Then you have come to the right place.
The selection of beers offered by such a small bar is really astounding. Â The staff knows what they are talking about when it comes to the brews, which is a great change of pace from the normal ditzy-bottle-opener-bartenders you normally find in Nassau. And they have heard of a little concept called "buy-backs" which is a four letter word at some other area bars. Â
The atmosphere tends to be different at Gruven with no blasting DJ or huge grinding dance floor. Despite the lack of food, this is a great place to start and/or end the night. Â It can get crowded, but they offer a ton of seating.
Great beer, great atmosphere. One of my favorite bars on the island.
I was introduced to Effin Gruven courtesy of a close friend that has lived in the area for many years and it has become a regular staple for us to attend. If you like a good beer bar with lots of choices, head to Effin Gruven.
The owners pride themselves on making sure you're having a great time and really get to know you the more you go to the bar. If you're not sure what to get, their recommend selection for you based on the types you like, sometimes, they'll even throw a drink in, on the house.
I like going in a little later, when the crowd has died down some, but always have a great time no matter when I get there.
Best Beer Selection by far. I went one day and decided to try out a dark beer. The bartender served me a sample of Mothers Milk, along with a chocolate chip cookie. I looked back at him puzzled. He said nothing except, "Just try them together"...... It pretty much changed my life. And my outlook on dark beer.
Don't come here expecting to just order Coronas or Heinekens all night, live a little.
I am so happy my lovely sister brought me to Effin Gruven while I was back on Long Island over Thanksgiving. Living in Boston is making me into quite the beer lover and I was really surprised to find a bar serving an array of quality, reasonably priced beers on LI. The bartenders were friendly and knowledgeable and happily allowed me to try 3 or 4 beers at a time. The space is pretty small and was packed by 10 o'clock, but I definitely liked the atmosphere and setup - especially the sign that points you to Mulcahy's if you're craving a bud light...haha. I'll definitely return when I'm back on the island and am relieved to have found a place to bring visitors!
Review Source:I can't believe that I haven't written a review for Effin yet. I've only been going here for a few years!
Anyway, this place is pretty awesome. There are times it gets on my nerves (particularly when it's around midnight on a Friday or Saturday in the fall, spring or winter and all of a sudden, it's packed with a hundred people) but besides those old lady complaints of mine, the place isn't so bad.
They have an excellent selection of beer which is hard to find on Long Island. The bartenders know their stuff, yes, but can be somewhat snobby - a friend of mine once asked for a rather girly drink and the bartender was a bit condescending. That's OK, maybe he was just having a bad night. It's not her fault she doesn't drink beer like the rest of us.
Otherwise, the Foosball table is a big hit with my friends and the variety of beer keeps us coming. Hey, we've even been the obnoxious ones there a few times but they didn't say anything when we put a bunch of songs on their [awesome] jukebox and made our own makeshift dance floor this past summer.
So, yeah, this place has grown on me, and makes me appreciate fine brews. Head on over .. unless you drink Bud, Coors, or Miller, then you should probably go elsewhere.
This is the anti-Long Island bar that proudly takes its stance by declaring NO couches, NO karaoke, and NO budweiser. Instead, it offers bartenders that make every guest feel like a a regular, and a healthy selection of quality brews on tap and bottled. These include both local and belgium varieties, and sampling is encouraged. The chalkboards behind the bar make the options less daunting by listing new beers on tap, staff favorites, and top picks marked with alcohol content and price.
This is an especially great spot on a less hectic night when you can really dive into more meaningful discussions on the more finite things in life: beer, music, and shark week.
I love Gruven.
It's my go to bar on the Island, my default "there's nothing better to do" spot, and my favorite place to find new beer. Not sure what you want? Tell one of the bartenders and they'll have a suggestion or give you a taste.
It has the normal internet jukebox and 4 or 5 screens that will alternately play sports, action sports, or movies.
Saturdays it is totally unnavigable and full of guys inexplicably wearing tapout shirts, so I avoid it unless I'm already drunk and crave carbombs.
Good people.
Dark, ambient, cool. Looks like it was a Utopia-turned-bar. Beer geeks and the somewhat "after college" crowd wander around here. I have the ability to try a random ale , hate it/love it and not get laughed at either way for a weird choice. Not bad.
You can listen to everything from death cab for cutie to string, drink framboise, try new things and chill. All minus the "my new haircut crowd" that is all too common in LI bars. I have yet to take advantage of the fact that it's in stumbling distance of the train station.
I am sooo happy I stumbled in here a few years back.
Since 2005, 3 things have made Long Island seem more boring.
1) Turning 21. (All the places I'd been sneaking into suddenly seemed way less cool)
2) Living in Boston (Wait, there's more than TWO Sam Adams beers??)
3) Living in NYC (duh)
Effin Gruven keeps the island sparkling in the distance as I pay $2-$5 more for my booze in Manhattan. It keeps me thinking that there are SOME normal Long Islanders who go to happy hour. And it puts me in check when I lead myself to believe I'm a know-it-all about beer!
This place is great. Its dark, its cozy, quirky, and it literally has one million beers. The bartenders are friendly and either know or fake know everything about every beer. They also have VanGogh vodka, which is extremely hard to find and sometimes just what you need to send you on your way.
I always bring people here and stop in when I'm home for the holidays. Half price beers I think, during happy hour... or some other pretty good special.
Beware drunk eaters: there's no food! But the bartenders are more than happy to let you order something to the bar if its not packed. Or you can just walk down the block to Applebees. Mmmm.
For what the immediate area has to offer in the way bars serving up high quality, imported and domestic beers, Effin Gruven is the best. The selection is extensive and impressive; and the staff is kind and attentive, ready to give you a good, honest recommendation based on your preferences. And they make mean mixed drinks as well.
The space itself is quite small and narrow, which can feel claustrophobic when Effin is crowded..,virtually all night on Friday and Saturday. If you're going with a group and would like to sit down (or wouldn't like to be stuck standing next to the bathroom!), I highly suggest getting there as early as possible. The atmosphere is otherwise great; very laid back, fun, and enjoyable. Effin is a fantastic place to relax, put on some good music, hang out with friends, and drink a few wonderful beers.
A word to the wise: bring a bit more dough than you'd like to because Effin is a bit expensive. I'd even go so far as to say overpriced in some cases (but by no means all). On the other hand, if you have a few beers, the staff will usually give you a freebie. At least that's been my experience.
Overall a great neighborhood spot--I always head over to Effin if I'm on Long Island.
If you're into beer and you're stuck on Long Island, Effin is the place for you. Â Not only do they have an amazing bottle list, they also have a rotating draft selection with some really great brews that you won't find in any other local bar. Â
The bartenders know it all. Â Anything you have in mind- just ask. Â Their recommendations are right on and can truly lead you down a new path of beer appreciation that you never knew existed. They're also super laid back and extremely friendly- no attitudes here. Â Â
The place tends to be mellow on the weeknights (perfect- you can gain some beer knowledge from the bartenders), but on the weekend it is CROWDED. Â Expect to be standing for the majority of the night. There are about ten or so tables that are empty Sun-Thurs but fill up right away on Friday and Saturday. Â The crowd tends to stay the same though- cool people just looking to hang out and drink some good beer. Plus, they have a Megtouch machine (yes!) and a foosball table. Â Great tunes on the jukebox.
I try to visit this place every time I'm back east. Â Great beer, friendly bartenders, cool atmosphere... you'll be hooked immediately.
Hanging out at Effin is one of the very few things I miss about LI. Ridiculous beer selection poured by the best bartenders in town. If you're ever stumped and have trouble picking something, you can always consult the trusty Top 5 (or is it 10?) list behind the bar of just tell the bartenders what you like and they'll find your perfect match.
Effin also has one of those neo-jukeboxes so you can download any obscure artist/song that you like and queue it up.....it might eventually come on after 10+ songs! The best part about Effin? Nudie photo hunt!
I'm a low maintenance woman (no matter what I look like) who loves her beer... and this place fits the bill. Awesome atmosphere. Great for a low key night out with friends or even a date. I was a little overwhelmed by the decisions but  I got very good guidance from the bartenders who poured me my perfect beer. They even have a great selection of strong beers... yummy.
Only downside to a bar like this, is that you need to drive if you're from anywhere on the Island north of it. Upside is that I believe you can take the train from the city or most of the south shore stops.
This seems to be one of the new hipster bars around the island these days. I was reunited with a couple of old high school friends and came here for some after dinner drinks, simply 'cause we didn't wanna end up dealing with a bunch of teenagers at a local bowling alley. Absolutely a great decision!
The atmosphere is definitely different than your average pub/bar. They have low ceilings that are painted in a very celestial and psychedelic feel. The bar has all sorts of beer you can imagine! Beers you've never even heard of! Beers imported from EVERYWHERE! Literally!
This place certainly fit in its name to the T. It certainly was effin' groovin', I felt like I was in the middle of a time warp where I didn't quite finish warping. Everyone's still in clothes of today, but the incense, the celestial patterns, the entire room, gave it that "I'm not quite sure where I am feelin'".
The bartenders effin' rocked, not to mention, cute! This one dude made me a fantastic drink, which I have no idea what it was, but it was fruity and delish and loaded with plenty of alcohol. I likey!
The music was a bit loud and definitely got louder as the night progressed that we were practically screaming at each other in order to hear one's words.
Despite the loud music, I certainly will have to make another visit the next time I'm back in town.
This was my home bar when I lived on LI, and is the only bar I've gone back for after moving back into the city. Â I was a "Norm", usually frequenting every night for about 3 years or so. I always joked with the bartenders that this is a City bar stuck on LI, and I think that's why I love it so much. Â Sundays we played chess with the patrons and bartenders, during the week I got to catch up on some reading, Fri and Sat we usually went late as the place fills up with LI folk who don't appreciate a good beer even if it handed them an iron to flatten their collars back down.
Highlights:
An ever changing beer menu, with quite possibly 15 taps and another 40 bottle varieties
foosball table
pacman table
that bowling and golf arcade game that everyone loves
an ATM that you have a chance to win a free beer with if you get a receipt with your $20-40 withdrawal
an internet jukebox
buy-backs every three or so drinks
and uber friendly bar staff.
See something on the menu you want to try? Ask for a sample. Not sure what to try? Name what you like/are looking for and they'll make a suggestion.
I love this place, and is quite possibly the only thing I miss on LI. Sad, isn't it?
My FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE Long Island bar. They have EVERY kind of beer you can possibly imagine, great mixed drinks (try the belgian kiss) and GREAT music. Always love going here because it's the perfect place to sit down and relax at a table with some friends and some drinks. You can also "get your foosball on", there's a table in the back by the bathrooms. Have fun :)
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