TEMPE, AZ — A state investigator is recommending the permanent revocation of Tempe Tavern's liquor license, citing 11 categories of violations and calling the bar a "danger to the community."
ABC15 obtained the investigation report from the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control, specifically covering the second raid — conducted in November 2025 — targeting underage drinking at the Tempe bar. The DLLC has described both raids, in April and November 2025, as among the largest enforcement actions in the agency's history.
The November report was released to ABC15 exactly two weeks after Tempe Tavern filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Tempe and others, including the DLLC director, alleging selective enforcement and constitutional violations.
THE RAIDS AND WHAT INVESTIGATORS FOUND
The DLLC's April and November 2025 raids resulted in hundreds of citations against patrons. It is the November 2025 investigation report — obtained exclusively by ABC15 — that is now recommending permanent revocation of the bar's liquor license.
Tempe police later said the suspect in a September 2025 fatal hit-and-run was at the bar just before the crash. ABC15 previously reported on that investigation.
The new DLLC report states the driver was "drinking" inside Tempe Tavern before the collision. As of publication, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office had not received a charging submittal for the suspected driver.
Investigators said text messages and interviews show the bar was known as a place where "minors get in easily."
"It was known as the freshman bar," one Arizona State University student told investigators.
When another patron was asked to estimate how many people under 21 they typically saw inside on a given night, the response was: "Probably 95%."
The report alleges Tempe Tavern was systemically non-compliant, allowed a "pay-to-enter" scheme that failed to protect patrons, and did not verify that IDs matched the people presenting them – a pattern ABC15 previously detailed.
During the November raid, the bar was also found to be operating at nearly 60% over its legal occupancy limit.
THE BAR’S RESPONSE
Since the raids, Tempe Tavern has maintained through emails and social media that it has always worked in good faith with police and state regulators. The DLLC report notes that a bar doorman declined to cooperate with investigators and that the licensee failed to appear for a scheduled interview.
ABC15 reached out Monday to Timothy La Sota, the attorney representing Tempe Tavern. He said he had not yet seen the report and later provided a statement:
"Despite submitting a public records request for this report, as usual, Tempe Tavern reads about this in the media. We can now add their failure to adhere to the Arizona public records law to DLLC's violations of law.
On the night of the November 20, 2025 raid, DLLC issued not a single citation to Tempe Tavern and gave us a 100% score on our liquor inspection. And yet, nearly four months later, after we file a federal civil rights lawsuit against them, DLLC claims we are a clear and present danger and must be shut down immediately?
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DLLC cannot just shut a business down. There is a process that must be followed if the DLLC seeks revocation of a liquor permit. We will vigorously fight any such efforts, and it is noteworthy that we have not been cited by DLLC for anything related to the November 20, 2025 raid.
Tempe Tavern will have an additional response once we actually receive the report — it appears we may have to sue DLLC to vindicate our rights to public records."
La Sota also accused the DLLC of failing to comply with Arizona's public records law, saying the bar learned of the report through media coverage despite having submitted a public records request. He said Tempe Tavern would "vigorously fight" any revocation efforts.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Tempe Tavern may continue to operate while the case is referred to the Office of Administrative Hearings.
DLLC Deputy Director and General Counsel Gino Duran told ABC15 that the State Liquor Board holds ultimate authority over the outcome.
"The Board will act based on the recommendation of an Administrative Law Judge," Duran said. "The Liquor Board may accept, reject, or modify the decision and impose the sanction it deems appropriate. The Department will recommend revocation in this case based upon the results of our thorough investigation."
The city of Tempe provided a statement to ABC15 noting that roughly 80% of all underage drinking arrests in Tempe over a two-year period occurred at Tempe Tavern.
"Tempe Police Department received multiple complaints from the community regarding underage drinking at Tempe Tavern," the statement read. "We appreciate the DLLC's work to make our community a safer place."
ABC15 will update this story as developments warrant.
