TEMPE, AZ (AZFamily) — Tempe Tavern is taking legal action after claiming the city is trying to put the popular college bar out of business with police raids and blaming them for a tragic crash.
Owners of the bar at the northeast corner of McClintock Road and Apache Boulevard say they’re being unfairly targeted with two raids involving dozens of officers in 2025.
The most recent was in November, when Tempe police said nearly 250 arrests were made, 246 were cited and released, and three were booked into the Tempe City Jail.
According to the lawsuit, no liquor or fire violations were found and Tempe Tavern was cited only for a misdemeanor regarding its security plan.
In April, dozens of officers raided the bar, resulting in 173 arrests, 165 of whom were underage and cited and released. The other eight were booked into jail.
During the operation, Tempe Tavern said no illegal alcohol sales were seen and the Arizona Department of Liquor Licensing and Control cited the bar for one liquor law ID violation for a customer having an unacceptable form of ID.
Bar owners said Tempe “smeared” them when police publicly linked the bar to the 19-year-old driver involved in a death in a hit-and-run.
The bar says the driver used a high-quality fake ID to get in, walked home from the bar, and had also been at other parties and an ASU parking lot event where alcohol was served, but the city only blamed the bar.
Because of all the bad press, the bar says they’ve lost 90% of their business and are fighting to stay open.
Tempe Tavern said its constitutional rights were violated and is suing for a jury to decide damages.
Arizona’s Family reached out to the city and was sent the following statement:
The City of Tempe has received a Feb. 24 notice of claim from Tempe Tavern that claims – falsely – that the bar was chosen for selective enforcement by Tempe Police.
Tempe Police Department received multiple complaints from the community regarding underage drinking at the bar, located along Apache Boulevard in Tempe. Subsequent police investigations resulted in hundreds of arrests related to underaged drinking. Investigators also learned that an underaged woman involved in a vehicle accident involving a fatality was present at Tempe Tavern on the evening of the crash.
Over a two-year period, Tempe Police arrested and cited 530 underage customers for providing fake IDs or underage drinking at bars citywide. About 420 of those arrests – just under 80 percent – occurred at Tempe Tavern. This establishment’s actions and continued blatant disregard for the law and public safety speak for themselves.
The notice of claim estimates damages in lost business and “reputational harm” of more than $9 million. The City forcefully rejects this claim as absurd. The City of Tempe and the Tempe Police Department will continue to stand up for the safety of our community and the young people who live and go to school here.
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