A week after the death of longtime owner Charles Marthaler on Aug. 18, 62-year-old Tempe dive bar Palo Verde Lounge closed. The bar opened as Park Inn Tavern in 1964, then was renamed Adobe Lounge in 1972 and The Palo Verde Lounge in 1982.
One of Marthaler's bartenders, Rich Thurman, posted a tribute to him on Facebook that read, "Chuck understood something that is becoming harder and harder to find in this world: sometimes people just need a place where they can show up exactly as they are. His passing leaves a vacuum that is going to be extremely hard to fill. Because you can replace a bartender. You can replace an owner. You can replace bottles, pool tables, jukeboxes and neon signs. But you can’t easily replace the person who spent decades
holding the door open and somehow allowing this beautiful, (expletive) little community to grow around him."
After Marthaler's passing, the words RIP CHUCK were graffitied onto the side of the building in his memory.
It's impossible to replace your favorite dive. But it's worth a try. Here are three Valley bars to check out if you're missing the Palo Verde Lounge.
Bikini Lounge
Last year, historic Phoenix tiki bar Bikini Lounge earned a spot on USA TODAY's list of Best Dive Bars in the country list. The bar opened in 1947, nearly 80 years ago, and it's still cash-only. The focal point of the bar is a giant painting of a topless woman in a hula skirt. Its rawness encapsulates the bar's theme — tiki with an edge. On any given day, Bikini Lounge is a refuge for regulars and newbies alike, serving lifelong residents beers alongside touring musicians, novelists and everyone in between.
Details: 1502 Grand Ave., Phoenix. @thebikinilounge on Instagram.
Gracie's Tax Bar
Gracie's Tax Bar, has been open in downtown Phoenix for just under ten years and may not fit the typical "dive bar" description. But it's about as close as any new-school bar can get. With pink walls, "grandma-style" patio furniture, affordable drinks — "Gracie's Tax Beer" is $6 during Happy Hour (4-7 p.m. every day) and wells are $5 — and its old-school film photo booth, Gracie's has cemented itself firmly in Phoenix's bar culture. As such, the indie watering hole was named one of USA TODAY's Bars of the Year for 2025.
Details: 711 N. Seventh Ave., Phoenix; 602-793-1110, graciestaxbar.com. @graciestaxbar on Instagram.
Yucca Tap Room
Iconic Tempe rock bar Yucca Tap Room was named one of USA TODAY’s Bars of the Year for 2026, deservingly so. It first opened as Frank's Yucca Lounge in the '60s before it was bought by Peter Hu and renamed Yucca Tap Room in 1972. The bar hosts live music nearly every night, from local bands to touring acts. Among the most notable acts was Roger Clyne’s college band, the Refreshments' Sunday night residency in the early '90s. Yucca Tap Room is also home to Electric Bat Arcade, the world's largest single-location pinball league; Vinyl Pie pizzeria, offering slices, whole pizzas, pasta and wings; and a "secret" tiki bar.
Yucca Tap Room will host the Palo Verde team to celebrate Marthaler's life on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, at 2 p.m. A Facebook post announcing the event read, "If you knew Chuck, drank at Palo, worked there, played there, or just want to come pay your respects, you are welcome."
Details: 29 W. Southern Ave., Tempe. 480-967-4777, yuccatap.com.
Reach the reporter at eddie.fontanez@azcentral.com. Follow @ERFontanez on Instagram.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Miss Palo Verde Lounge? Drown your sorrows at these Phoenix dive bars
