Overview
- State investigators issued a 257-page report on March 9 recommending immediate, permanent revocation and labeling the bar a clear and present danger while citing 11 categories of violations.
- Raids in 2025 produced roughly 422 underage arrests, including about 246 minors found inside during the November action, when the venue was nearly 60% over legal capacity.
- Findings describe systemic noncompliance, including a pay-to-enter scheme, lax or skipped ID checks, acceptance of paper or mismatched IDs, overserving, and overcrowding.
- The report links a September fatal hit-and-run suspect to hours inside the bar that night through texts, GPS data, and purchase records, while prosecutors had not received a charging submittal.
- Tempe Tavern disputes the report, says it learned of it through media, notes no citations were issued to the bar the night of the November raid, and vows to fight the action as the city reports about 80% of its underage drinking arrests over two years occurred there.