Grovers Tavern

There is a difference between being a dive and a dump. This place is a dump, but if you like dirty bathrooms, warm beer, an arrogant owner, and semi-​crazy intrusive patrons («Buy me a beer, buddy»), all in depressing location of Lemon Grove, this is the bar for you. It feels like a meth heads clubhouse. Jesus, I need a shower after visiting that loser vortex.

If you were to look up «local dive bar» in a dictionary, not that anybody uses those anymore, I wouldn’t be surprised if you found a picture of this place. it is just sheer happenstance that I found this place. I had just left a nearby retailer and was cutting through the parking lot headed back out to the street when I rolled up on «Grover’s Tavern.»
The door was open and I could see the bartender and one patron as I rolled by. It looked inviting, so why not, right? I felt I owed it to Unilocal Nation to give it a try. There were actually four people sitting at the bar when I strolled in. You know you are in a local dive bar when you walk in to find «Malcolm In The Middle» playing on three TV’s.
Nothing fancy and not a lot of fanfare. Just cold, relatively inexpensive beer and a friendly bartender. A large frosty domestic will run you less than four bucks. The bartender even offered up some Taki’s chips from her personal stash. Now that’s local.

Went there last Saturday night for the first time… very clean. But… The owner thinks he’s better than law… HE walked in smoking a cigar. … it’s against the law to smoke in a bar. you know better than that… it hot me sick. I told the bar tender that that shit sucks. She said he’s the owner.. no excuse. … bad for business.. I WILL NEVER GO AGAIN. I SHOOOOOT OF CALLED THE LAW. ASSHOLE… IT’S COMPLETE DISRESPECT…

This place I cool if you just want to hang out for a quick minute. Beer is cheap people from all ages. Say like your grandfather, father, smaller brother, but you still feel comfortable there. Also some girls go there too.

Beer and wine Only. Good music system and the bars really big, never have to wait for drinks. Two pool tables and friendly staff. Cash only which I hope they fix eventually. But if you looking for a nice spot just to go drink with some friends Grovers Tavern is a good place.

Beer bar only, no grain alcohol… sorry, Mitch!
Located in Lemon Grove, it’s your standard issue bar with the typical sports shows on the idiot box, and pool tables. What they lack in drink variety, they make up for in personality and friendliness. if you’re a regular here, I wouldn’t be surprised if they called you «Norm».
So if your in Lemon Grove, and you happen to be on Broadway and Buena Vista, they’re located directly behind the 7 – 11. Stop in, wet your whistle, have a few laughs, hit your buddy in the back of the head with a dart when you miss the dartboard… you know, cool stuff.

I lived in LG for 4 years and only just found this hidden gem. I know the outside and surrounding area looks sketchy, but this little dive bar is great! The bartenders are friendly and they have the best plum wine around. This is a beer bar only otherwise. They have a jukebox and pool tables. It’s a nice happy hour spot.

I wasn’t expecting much from a a small bar called Grovers Tavern in Lemon Grove but I wasn’t expecting it to be sooo little.
Drunk Bums (DBs) are a staple in many dive bars especially when they are busy and there is only one bartender running the place. Who can keep track of all the commotion in a small bar on a busy night. Plus, they can be entertaining when the DBs have plenty of things to keep them distracted and you can watch from afar. There is a point though when a DB changes to Drunk Over-​served Bums (DOBs) and that’s where things change.
When I stopped in on a Sunday afternoon with a friend there were about 5 people in the bar, 2 staff members and the DOB. Well maybe B um is too harsh and he has a place to live, but it certainly doesn’t have a shower he uses too often (if ya catch my drift).
Upon entering the bar, the DB requests a beer from me and my pal. Okay, fine that’s how DOBs get to be so Drunk & Over-​served in the first place, sneaking beers from guests. I politely decline, «not today my friend» and the DOB raises his voice and asks again. I politely decline again. He walks away and we order some beers. After our pints are in hand, the DOB comes back again, with the same request. «CAN I GET A COORS LIGHT PRETTY LADY?» At this point, I would have left if I wasn’t so ready to drink my domestic lager.
The DOB continues to ask other patrons and right after he finishes asking the only other female in the bar the bartender finally tells the guy he can’t keep asking for beers from the other patrons. «Thanks for the back-​up,» I think.
He goes back to his seat and begins shouting about football and at various people in the bar. He becomes board with this and DOB continues around the bar asking everyone for a Coors Light (again!) with most all refusing. At one point, the Bartender cracks one open and sets it on the counter. I didn’t see who purchased said beer– one of the other 5 in the bar, or said DOB himself, but he certainly wasn’t in need of another beer.
This beer only fuels further rants about football at the top of his lungs. He’s shouting scores and about he has made so much money of wagering on football. A man shouts back, «ha! Where did it all go?» and the whole bar chuckles. He continues shouting over the football and has now requested a dollar from everyone for the juke box. From somewhere he finds enough change to turn on the juke and starts playing some cool classic rock. I start to hope this is what he needs to settle down and let me enjoy the rest of my cheap domestic lager.
Well, let’s just say I was not even close. He now begins shouting for the music to be turned up, the lyrics of the songs and what song will be on next… At this point, I’m just bummed that the DOB is still in the bar harassing everyone instead of walking down the sidewalk doing the same. I mean, I actually have funds in my bank and I’ve only had one beer. I would have stayed longer, maybe even ordered some food, but instead my pal and I decided enough is enough and we decide our second beer will be else where.
Was DOB family? Is he a regular? Was it his first time in the Bar? The bartender did say his name at one point, so I imagine he’s been around. Does that mean he should be 86d for life? Nah. A DB is fine. A DOB is not. When DOB has reached his limit, cut him off or kick him out. Don’t leave all your paying customers annoyed and creeped out. And trust, Grovers is NOT the bottom of the barrel as far as bars go, and not even at the bottom of places I’ve personally been.
The staff was otherwise friendly and the other patrons a hoot. Regardless, if you have a DOB harassing guests you can rest assured you’re not running your bar the way I’d run my own. Hey, not my bar, not my choice but at least now I can check Grover’s Tavern off the list of places I will be heading back to.

Cool place to stop in for a few beers either on your way home or with a lady friend to play some pool. People are friendly and the bartenders are adorable. The 6 pm crowd seems a bit more stable than the late night crowd but I am a fan. Don’t like my bartender sitting behind the bar though, it makes me feel like I am inconveniencing them every time that i ask for a drink.

I stopped in here on a Saturday afternoon. There were about half dozen people in there, and they were all just talking over a beer. Nobody started any trouble and the bartender seemed nice enouph to me. I will go back.

Place is far from being scary Old place quaint neiggborhood bad juke box with great music for everyone lots of oldie goldie music.
One MAJOR reason we go there every week is a bartender named Brittany she is like a fresh breath of fresh air., Beautiful smile great personality talks sports and is wuick with her servive she is why we go there every week, best bartender in East County I have found

Havinig moved back to LG after a long while of being a hipster in North Park, I wanted to have a local to frequent. The various other «pubs» in town looked a bit grotty, but this one looked promising. So we just went in to play a game of pool and grab a drink or two. Well, the pool table was 3 inches shorter on one end than the other so that the ball kept rolling downwards. So that was hopeless. Then I don’t know what I was hoping for, but maybe they could cobble together a cocktail. They have the fixings there. But it just seemed to be out of their reach. I don’t do beer, but if I did perhaps it would have worked. And it’s one thing to be in different leagues/​classes of bar, but every bar should be clean and not smell of stale, old spilled beer from 1982.

This place is scary. I’ve been here twice, and probably won’t be back. First, it’s in a bad neighborhood. I know, because I lived two houses away and the 7 Eleven situated «in front» of Grovers isn’t safe. (Shootings, one in the face, a death, not good).
Surely there are a lot of regulars here. We felt like we were being stared down bike gang style simply because we wanted to play pool. Every time we drive pass the place, there are hoochies spilling out of the door, glaring at passers by. It’s like a clubhouse for creeps, yet it seems to be the nicest bar in Lemon Grove. God I can’t wait to move.