The Tav

Seems like your standard dive bar...this one has no kitchen and an unusual wrap around bar. Plenty…read moreof TV sets and wasn't crowded early on Saturday evening.

When the first song you play is Sweet Caroline and the bar sings along I have found home. Cold…read morebeer. One pool table. Touch tunes to get crowd hype. lol. I had a good time. And they can make a true whiskey sour with bitter Woodford reserve and a splash of coke. Kept on playing songs on TouchTunes and the vibe was on. Snacks-popcorn with seasoning choices and tortilla chips with nacho sauce. My kind of place!

$4.50

Nice cold Guinness.

See all

The 007 Pub

4.4(70 reviews)

3.7 mi

Quite appalling. Apparently establishment is ok with patrons verbally assaulting and harassing…read morecustomers on the premises. If you complain they will claim to address the situation. But if the bullying and harassing party continues to get physically in the space of the person who was already assaulted, they are expected to allow that person to abuse them again. If you assert yourself and don't allow that person in your space, somehow it's officially an altercation and after the assaulting party leaves, the victim will be demanded to leave as well 20 minutes later. Zero honoring of protecting the space of harassed party as was promised. Zero answer when assaulted party asks "what should I have done when person you said would be told to leave me alone again gets in my face? " Get away from me got not response. Aggressive hand gestures didn't work either. I spent a great deal of money in a place where I just wanted to have a peaceful night. Apparently one is expected to tolerate being verbally harassed and should literally run away from abusive people here. I guess legal recourse only option since rational conversation not respected. Promise to tell abusive party to stay away not honored. And basic standards of respect not on the menu.

Locally owned and operated, met the owner who was busy behind the far. Friendly crowd and…read morereasonable prices. Snack available. Ambiance is in the local dive bar style.

Bar

Bar area

See all

Full bar.

Larrys Cocktails

4.0(53 reviews)

4.2 mi

Absolutely love it here!! Rachel is so freakin awesome, hilarious, beautiful, smart, makes a mean…read moredrink and keeps em coming! Hi Mistie! ;) Day or night it's always a great time with great people. They've got it all, darts, pool, munchies, therapy, cheap drinks and a good time. 10/10 would recommend.

We didn't come for food but the drinks were very well made! The bartender was very nice and greeted…read moreus right away. It was homey feeling waking in. The atmosphere was very relaxed and inviting.

My Harley on the far end.

Bar

See all

*must ask for this customization*

FinishLine Bar

4.3(60 reviews)

3.2 mi

Great vibe inside and better than average dive bar. Good service & breakfast. Order was quick and…read moremade to order in front of you. Staff was welcoming fun to chat with. Friendly atmosphere & customers who were around us were just as friendly. Drinks came cold and quickly and so did our second & third round. A lot of fun and will definitely return soon.

Bar with cheap drinks and the people there are pretty nice. It's a small dark bar but the dive bar…read morevibes are 10/10.

Yummmiest breakfast Thanks Shelly

See all

Dave's Place

3.1(76 reviews)

3.2 mi

I was there on Saturday the 8th anniversary been trying to contact the number on Google for this…read moreplacebecause I believe I left my expensive sun glasses there around 5-7 pm give or take. I was there woth my father in law and husband. Wendy was bartender and she was amazing. But I need to know if my sun glasses where there.

I miss this bar I…read morenow live in Prescott Valley. But back in 2002 I lived in Phoenix and went here a few times during the late afternoon weekends.‍ I wished I knew someone in Phoenix so I could visit again. People were fun and nice. One of the most fun dive bars ever in Phoenix. Anyone want to pick me up in Prescott Valley and we go there? ‍

Pool Table

Game Area

See all

Olivia!

Q Bar & Grill

3.5(169 reviews)

0.8 mi

They have a very large menu! The burger was solid. The fried cod was pretty good and the amount you…read moreget was way worth the price. Definitely one of the largest bar grill menus I've seen. I'd go back for sure.

We came in on a Thursday and the place was not too busy. The front door and parking lot are not…read morewell lit and need more light. The service was just service. We've lived in the area now for 3 years and drive by this place all the time. Its definitely a local bar. It was not particularly welcoming and the food wasn't good enough to bring us back. The BLT was on nicely toasted bread but was mostly lettuce with a piece of tasteless, overcooked bacon on bread with no mayo. Fries tasted like they were made from frozen fries and lacked salt. The margarita was margarita-ish but didn't taste like a true margarita. Service wasn't very attentive and was like they couldn't care less that we were there.

Bite view

See all

Looking around is fun with items like the Budweiser Clydesdale model

Paradise Lounge

4.4(104 reviews)

9.0 mi

Friendly Bartenders, great drinks , amazing atmosphere. The staff made you feel welcome and made…read moresure your drink was filled . Thank you

I love a good dive bar and this definitely is in the running for that! My only problem was a went…read moreon a really dead night (Monday)and there was hardly anyone there, but on the flip side I had full control of the TouchTunes! They had lots of fun looking drinks but I just stuck with a vodka/cran. It was strong but not overwhelming like some dive bars. I loved all the funny signs around the bar and the bartender, Joy was very friendly. I want to check out another night when there are more people. Just as a side note, the parking lot was a bit sketchy -- I arrived around 730pm on a Monday so it wasn't very late -- There is a weird split in the parking lot one side is the Aldi side (which seemed more populated with people going in and out of the store) and the other side is a bunch of shops that were closed . There were some interesting people chilling out in their cars and yelling to each other when I came out - I was by myself and felt a little sketched by it, but I was fine.

The bar space with the big group in it plenty of room to talk and enjoy the night

Bar

See all

Entry doors to the bathrooms funny signs

Brigett's Last Laugh

3.5(198 reviews)

5.0 mi

I really came here to talk about the karaoke they have because I'm a karaoke girl and go to shows…read moreall over the Valley... So, let me get that off my chest, first haha! My group came here maybe a month or so ago and it was a great time with a super cool host- Sarah or something like that- and she kept the vibe awesome and was just a cool chick (and that has nothing to do with me thinking she was kinda cute, too, I swear! LOL) Sadly, we came back and the vibe was just NOT the same without her- the staff there said they thought it was she had been out for personal reasons, but thought she'd be back, so that's cool, if true (her coming back NOT her having a rough go or whatever!). Anyway, we were just bummed that the experience wasn't consistent with the fun we had last time with the other host... We'll check back, no big. As for the bar itself? Well, it's a local dive bar that's been around forever and pretty much wears it on it's sleeve! While it could use a serious remodel to update a bit and lose some of the ick, would that ruin the ambiance of "dive bar"? Oh well, we're all still coming back, even after our first trip here many years ago thinking it was a girlie gay biker bar between the name and the location! Hahahaha!!!

Cheap drinks , karaoke, and a good time. I love coming here and they will always get my business…read more The food is pretty good too. One time I hung out here and left my wallet behind. I had no idea for a couple of days so when I realized it, they had it and it was intact with everything in it. The staff is also very nice and it's not because of the tips ! Haha! Love this place!

AZ cheese steak with Jalapeños & fries

Neighbor night out

See all

Pay melt

Cactus Tavern

4.4(138 reviews)

7.3 mi

Its been about 4 years, but Cactus Tavern is still a great stop. Enjoyed some Sunday Football and a…read moregreat lunch with younger Son. Offspring ordered the bacon cheese burger and fries. We ordered a cheese quesadilla and I ordered a pound of wings. The wings were fried, grilled and re-sauced with sweet chili. Still a dive bar ambiance with the best wings, excellent service, and good food.

After attending an event in the area, we stopped by Cactus Tavern for a late night bite to eat and…read morea drink on a Saturday night. Located on Cave Creek Road, I had passed by this bar several times and was excited to finally try it out. While I parked across the street at the venue where I was for my event prior, I did notice that they had a decent amount of free parking available. Ambiance (4/5): Cactus Tavern is a dive bar with some Arizona flair. Given the name of the bar, I expected some cactus decor. It did not disappoint...including square lights with cactus cut-outs above each table. There are several high top tables as well as seating at the bar. It's not a huge bar, probably fits 50 people or so, and it was about 90% at capacity when I was there. They also have one pool table. Seems like the type of place where regulars come, which is always a plus in my book. Service (4.5/5): Our waitress did a great job taking care of us despite being quite busy. She was friendly, efficient, and made some recommendations when I asked for some. Pro tip: they give you a cash discount, so if you'd like to save a little bit, make sure you bring cash. Drinks (4/5): With it being a dive bar, the options are going to be on a simpler side. They had eight or so beers on tap, so not a large selection, but I ended up going with a WOW Wheat. A few local beers, plus some usual suspects like Coors Light, Dos Equis, Modelo, etc. While the selection didn't blow my socks off, the prices are reasonable. That counts for a lot. Food (4.5/5): According to Yelp, Cactus Tavern is known for their quesabirria tacos. Since quesabirria is one of my favorite Mexican foods, I couldn't say no. I'm glad I didn't. You get three quesabirria tacos (birria meat, cilantro, cheese, and onions), fresh off the griddle, served with a green salsa and consommé. These were hands down some of the best birria tacos I've ever had. They were served right off the grill, the meat was flavorful, and the oozy cheese was delicious. With a side of elote (on the cob), it made for the perfect meal. This is not your typical bar food, y'all. It's a notch or two above. I was pleasantly surprised. And like the drinks, the food prices are affordable too. Pro tip #2: if you're looking for deals beyond the cash discount, they have daily discounts on various items including a burger and a pint, Philly cheesesteak, etc. depending on the day.

Phoenix AZ dive bar

Cactus Tavern drink specials

See all

Local craft beer at Cactus Taver

The Other Room

3.8(20 reviews)

7.8 mi

This is a hidden gem for pool and dart players. Without four 7' tables and four dart boards, there…read moreis usually a place to play. Plus, they have tournaments and leagues come through the bar. The first thing I noticed is the cleanliness of the bar area. It is, without question, one of the best maintained and clean bar stations around. So, far i have experienced bartenders with great personalities that remember your name and usual drink of choice. Mix the ladies service behind the oak bar tops with the TouchTunes jukebox and it's a definite dive bar worth your visit.

First time there and was disappointed by the poor service. I used to bartend so I know bar…read moreetiquette but to feel like some kid by a bartender who is as old as my kids is bullshit. I'll never come back!

Energetic Dana! Great smile! Great service.

See all

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

9 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Laurie

19 days ago

It's taken me a couple of days to write this because I am still in shock by the way my group was treated by the owner of The Tav. We have been going to the Tav for several years and have always had a good experience. Unfortunately, this time over shadowed any previous good feelings. Our waitress was new and told us so. Consequently, things were forgotten..no big deal. We didn't complain or question her. We were patient and kind. When our food arrived, my friend still had not gotten his utensils that he asked for. He went up to the bar and asked and then saw that there was a container with the wrapped utensils and grabbed one and came back to the table. Then all hell broke loose. The owner of the establishment came to our table and started yelling at him while pointing her finger in his face. He tried to explain and she said she didn't want to hear it and walked away. Weirdly, not one of us argued, yelled back..nothing. I think we were all in shock. We were finishing up our appetizers. We did not order any more drinks as we wanted to get out of there. The owner comes over AGAIN and start yelling at my friend again. It was unhinged. We quickly got the bill, scrambled for some cash as to get out as quickly as we could. The waitress apologized to us. We gave her a $20 on a $60 bill because it wasn't her fault her boss lost her mind. As we were walking out..she followed us out yelling obscenities. One of which was we were all "ugly F'N C&nts". Class act, she is. I don't know what would possess a sane human being to treat others the way we were treated. If she didn't like my friend taking the utensil..so many better ways to handle it. Even asking us to leave..that is her right. Instead, she wanted to yell and scream. It felt like she was putting on a show for her regulars. When I got home, I looked at other reviews and really all the negative reviews focused on this woman. What a terrible human being. I would encourage anyone reading to cross the Tav off your list--I wouldn't put one more dime in her pocket. read more

Curtis C.

19 days ago

Table of four sitting near us. Suffering from a severe dose of entitlement! Brought outside food to a bar that serves food then determined they were so important that they could just go up to the bar demand something and not wait two seconds for the bartender to provide it and just stormed back into an employees only space to get what they wanted. They were being very rude to the staff and I was just surprised at how inappropriate they were being and how unnecessary it was. As they were leaving they were screaming obscenities read more

Jcie M.

1 year ago

That new bartender ya'll hired... I think her name is Jamie???? Terrible customer service. Terrible human. Told my husband & his friends to die of an overdose. Brigett.. ma'am- y'all should have a better hiring process because you're losing customers left and right. Super sad to see our favorite local bar going to shit because of the people you choose to support. Thank goodness Dee is still there- she's the only reason people come back. DO BETTER. Only did one star because I had to. read more

Joe H.

11 years ago

Ribs are unbelievable, best in Phoenix, ASC Custom Detail supports local businesses I send all my customers since we are just one block north of the Tav read more

Scott A.

10 years ago

Leslie is our bartender and has a full bar and handles it with what looks like ease First time in. I'll be back.

Ryan M.

484

2 years ago

Used to be a good place until other management took over. I used to recommend that place, but I don't anymore.

Brayden S.

20 days ago

Owner yells homophobic slurs at their patrons. Tell all your friends, don't support this place.

Victor F.

4 years ago

It's good. Will recommend it to outsiders and local people. Will go back for my fish tacos.

Heather A.

11 years ago

The Tav - divebars - Updated October 2026

Browse Nearby

BEST of Phoenix, Arizona Restaurants near The Tav

BEST of Phoenix, Arizona Coffee near The Tav

BEST of Phoenix, Arizona Happy Hour near The Tav

BEST of Phoenix, Arizona Desserts near The Tav

BEST of Phoenix, Arizona Breakfast near The Tav

BEST of Phoenix, Arizona Things to Do near The Tav

BEST of Phoenix, Arizona Parking near The Tav

BEST of Phoenix, Arizona Dance Clubs near The Tav

BEST of Phoenix, Arizona Pool Table near The Tav

BEST of Phoenix, Arizona Bowling near The Tav

Best of Phoenix

Things to do in Phoenix

Browse Brands

Brands by name

Browse Articles

Articles by date

People who viewed The Tav also viewed

Toso's Bar and Restaurant

3.3

(70 reviews)

Excellent dive bar. They take their darts very seriously. Also has a couple pool tables. The food…read moreis great. They have a happy hour. Service is always excellent. One of my favorite places just to relax and have a good time. Also as a bonus, it is a Cleveland Browns bar.

This is a family owned Bar & Grill. Mike , Amanda and Rick are an amazing family…read more They food is delicious and the family atmosphere is amazing. The service is great. The have a room the rent out for parties and small weddings. We have done several fundraisers for our kids sports it's the only place that has a room that is not inside the bar so our kids don't have to walk into the bar part. But even the customers are friendly. The have darts for soft tip and hard tips they have pool tables We love this Bar

Dave's Place

3.1

(76 reviews)

Kimmyz on Greenway

4.2

(147 reviews)

Best place! Please open one in Goodyear so I don't have to drive so far for good food, cold beers…read moreand a GREAT BARTENDER (Greg). Definitely worth the 45 minute drive. Great Western Burger!!!

My kids brought me here for my birthday and we all had a great time! I had the fish fry…read more Everything was good but the fries were the best! Everyone at our table really enjoyed their food. Plenty of tv's to watch the games and the environment seemed very friendly. The waitress was great and made sure we were taken care of.

Bailey's Pub

3.6

(39 reviews)

Bailey's Pub has got to be the personification of a great neighborhood dive bar - in the greatest…read moresense of phrase. You walk in the door of this nonchalant exterior into its dark and somewhat foreboding interior and your back to the good old days of what a bar is supposed to be. From the darkness and shadows exudes an ambience of quiet, unpretentious and reclusive good feel of what a bar was meant to be. Be it quiet conversation with a buddy, talk things over with a terrific bartender, shelves full of almost anything drinkable, really cold tap brews and some munchies worth writing home about. This is what I remember the corner bar being and should be. These folks have been around for a while, and you can tell why. This watering hole offers ambience that on any day can ease you in a comforting, laid back and inviting way. We just happened to stumble on Bailey's by accident, and we're glad we did. It was a pleasant and relaxing experience. And, we'll be back in the neighborhood. Bailey's, don't ever lose you allure - you've got a terrific atmosphere and persona.

Ask to play billiards and get "security" to kick you out and try then to fight you. Bartender was…read morecourteous but overall shit customer service.

The Stillery

3.4

(351 reviews)

My brother and his family came to town and wanted some bar food, so I took them to The Stillery. I…read morefigured it would be a good spot where they could watch the football games on the TVs, listen to some live music, and grab some food. They really enjoyed the vibe! For bar food, the food was actually pretty good overall. My sister-in-law ordered a wedge salad and chicken wings. She said the salad was in delicious. I didn't try it because blue cheese dressing is definitely not my thing, but I did try her wings, and those were delicious! My nephew ordered the spicy chicken sandwich with fries. I forgot to take a picture before he dug into it. The fries were really good, but unfortunately, the chicken sandwich wasn't. The chicken itself tasted good, but the spicy sauce was "yucky," according to my nephew--and I have to agree with him! He didn't even finish it, so I ended up sharing my pizza with him. We probably should've sent the sandwich back, but oh well. I ordered the Meatza pizza. When it came out, it looked a little dry, but it ended up tasting much better than it looked! I enjoyed it and was happy to share it with my nephew. My brother ordered the catfish and fries, and that was SO good! The fish was very flavorful with a nice, light, crispy batter. I would definitely recommend the catfish. And once again, the fries were really good! The only real issue we had was the service. Our server didn't come around often enough to refill our drinks, and we had to wait a while to get our check. Other than that, we had a good experience. My brother and his family really enjoyed themselves and said they'd happily come back the next time they're in town. Between the football games, live music, good atmosphere, and mostly good food, it was a fun place to take family visiting from out of town.

Stopped into The Stillery around 1 PM on a Sunday and had a really good experience. They had a guy…read moreplaying live music and he played some good songs, including Brown Eyed Girl! The staff was also really thoughtful about seating us farther from the music since I was with my deaf friend and we wanted to be able to communicate comfortably. The loaded fries were SO good and absolutely worth the wait. We also got the Tomato + Pesto pizza, which was delicious with a perfectly crispy crust. The Blueberry Smash was a little lackluster. It tasted more syrupy and didn't have mint or lime, which I feel like really makes the drink. I've had it at the Goodyear location and liked it better there. Bathrooms were clean, service was friendly, and despite a little wait, the food delivered! Definitely want to come back and try brunch.

Twin Peaks

3.4

(213 reviews)

Great place to watch sports. The girls are great. Emma and Moriah were behind bar and were…read morefantastic. Johnny the manager was great as well

First time here…read more Service was kinda slow had to ask the bus boy for utensils and etc. We got wings as starters. We got half of the classic wings which were really good and we got bone in breaded hot honey. The hot honey was good, it was sweet. I also got the turkey avocado smash. It was really good.

Maverick Saloon

3.9

(42 reviews)

Great bar with a whole lot of history! I love that the weight staff still dresses in very old-time…read moreattire. It adds so much to the ambience of the place. The food is really good. They used to have a corn chowder here that would knock your socks off and they did away with it, which was pretty unfortunate, but the food is still good. Bring back the corn chowder!

If you've ever wondered what it feels like to accidentally teleport back to 1992 without warning or…read moreconsent... I have the place for you. So here's the thing: I recently moved kinda sorta into the area, and my drinking buddy asked if we wanted to stay local or wander elsewhere. My gut said, "Not around here" and listen, my intuition is usually correct. But then he pulls up this list of "Best Dive Bars in Phoenix," and apparently this gem made the cut. We walk in and BOOM! Instant time-warp, for me. I'm talking back-in-the-day bar with my mom doing karaoke while everyone chain-smoked indoors like it was a personality trait and I wasn't legal to be in there... only back then, no one cared. They call the place a "patio," but let's be honest: if nicotine had a spiritual home, it would be right here. If you're a non-smoker or someone who believes oxygen should be unobstructed by Marlboro ghosts, turn around. This is not your ministry. The bartender was an absolute icon. She announced she wasn't even supposed to be working, which is EXACTLY the kind of energy a true dive bar requires. She was slammed, running around like she was bartending both the Super Bowl and a family reunion, so the drinks took a looong while... but when they came? Suddenly I understood life again. And the karaoke... let me tell you. I went in there ready to sing something from this century. The options, however, politely declined. This was old-school karaoke, baby. Like, the kind of setup where you half expect to write your song down on a napkin and hand it to a man named Chuck. No new music that I could find. No modern selections from my lists. If you want to sing something post-2005, bring a Bluetooth speaker and emotional support. And yet? I had so much fun. Like... stupid fun. Unexpected fun. "Why am I having a euphoric experience inhaling secondhand smoke in 2026?" fun. I didn't get to check out the bathroom, which honestly might be a blessing or a missed adventure.... unclear. But everything else? Chef's kiss. Friends french fries were fresh and hot... and actual potato as far as we could tell... double kiss. Dive-bar perfection. If you want sterile, curated, Instagrammable vibes: run. If you want to scream-laugh, smell like nostalgia and cigarettes for three days, and hear music older than some of the patrons? This place is your destiny. Will I be back? Absolutely. Probably with eyeliner smudged like a raccoon and ready to request karaoke songs that don't exist there.

Lookout Tavern

3.4

(604 reviews)

Stopped in 1st last week for lunch. Our server, Alexa, was VERY personable, upbeat, informative and…read morehelpful.My husband and I both had burgers, fries/tater tots & we both enjoyed the food. LOVED the vibe of the place & will definitely return to try something else on the menu. one negative comment. One of the draft beers I really like was listed on the menu but it is no longer available. So an updated menu or whiteout (lol) would have been nice. But with Alexa's help I found a tasty replacement.

I've been to Lookout Tavern several times, and it's become a frequent spot of mine. They have great…read morefood and drink specials, and their happy hour is what you'd expect from a tavern but not bad. I also like that they update the menu from time to time, so there's usually something new to try while still keeping plenty of reliable favorites. We like the burgers but something a bit more unique that they offer are Tavern Bowls. If you're looking for a place to watch a game, this is one of the go-to spots in the area. There are TVs throughout the restaurant, making it easy to catch whatever sporting event is on. It's also very family-friendly (until later at night), which makes it a great option whether you're meeting friends or bringing the kids. Service has been consistently good on my visits, and the staff does a great job even when it's busy. Overall, it's a fun atmosphere with good food, great specials, and dependable service. Highly recommended.

Willy's Bar

4.0

(35 reviews)