State report calls Tempe bar a ‘clear and present danger’ as bar faces possible liquor license revocation

TEMPE, Ariz. — A popular Tempe bar accused of becoming a hotspot for underage drinking could soon lose its liquor license after state regulators released a scathing investigative report detailing years of alleged violations.

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A 37-page report obtained by 12News from the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control concludes that Tempe Tavern has repeatedly allowed illegal alcohol service, ignored fake identification, and operated in ways investigators say endanger the public.

State investigators described the bar’s operations as a “clear and present danger to the community,” accusing the business and its owner of turning a blind eye to widespread underage drinking and routinely prioritizing large crowds and alcohol sales over compliance with state law.

According to the report, investigators have been monitoring Tempe Tavern for years. The document claims management demonstrated a “habitual disregard” for Arizona liquor laws and operated the venue in a way that allowed minors to easily enter and obtain alcohol.

The report highlights two large law enforcement operations conducted by Tempe police and state liquor investigators in 2025 that resulted in hundreds of arrests.

In April 2025, authorities arrested 173 people for underage drinking at the bar. Seven months later, in November, investigators returned and arrested another 249 individuals for similar offenses.

Combined, the operations resulted in more than 400 arrests—one of the largest underage drinking crackdowns in Tempe history.

Investigators said the large number of arrests raised serious concerns about the bar’s practices and oversight.

The report alleges security staff at Tempe Tavern engaged in what investigators described as a “pay-to-enter scheme,” where underage patrons could allegedly pay security guards to bypass identification checks and enter the bar.

Authorities say this practice allowed minors to regularly gain access to the establishment and purchase alcohol.

Investigators also interviewed several patrons during the course of their investigation, including underage college students who admitted they were able to enter the bar with little difficulty.

In one instance cited in the report, an underage student estimated that roughly 95 percent of the patrons inside the establishment were under the legal drinking age of 21.

The report describes the bar as widely known among college students as the “freshman bar,” suggesting it had become a destination for newly arrived students who were not yet legally allowed to drink.

Investigators wrote that the widespread presence of underage patrons made it “common sense” that staff should have known minors were regularly inside the business.

One of the most serious allegations in the report involves a fatal crash in September 2025.

According to investigators, a 19-year-old driver who struck and killed motorcyclist Joseph Gonzalez had been served alcohol at Tempe Tavern hours before the crash.

The report states the driver purchased a drink at the bar on the night of the collision.

Investigators concluded the establishment’s failure to follow alcohol laws—including preventing underage alcohol service—contributed to the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The allegations have prompted calls from local officials for the bar’s liquor license to be revoked.

Tempe City Councilmember Randy Keating said the violations unveiled over the last several months are alarming.

“You know what’s upsetting to me about it is just how brazen it is,” Keating said. “They were caught the first time, and it was the largest bust in Tempe history, the second time even tops that.”

Keating said the city itself cannot revoke a liquor license, which is controlled by the state, but he hopes regulators will take action.

“We would revoke it if we could, but that is the state’s decision, and we certainly hope they do,” he said.

Last month, Tempe Tavern filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Tempe, arguing that authorities exaggerated the findings from the large-scale police operations.

In the lawsuit, the business claims no significant violations were found during the enforcement actions and disputes any connection between the bar and the fatal crash.

The bar’s attorney has not responded to requests for comment regarding the state’s investigative report.

The Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control says the findings will be presented to the state’s seven-member Liquor Board within the next 60 to 90 days.

At that hearing, Tempe Tavern owner Robert Tasso will have the opportunity to challenge the allegations and argue why the establishment should be allowed to keep its liquor license.

If the board ultimately revokes the license, it would effectively shut down the business, as bars in Arizona cannot legally operate without one.

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