Say Goodbye to Gringo Star Street Bar in Tempe

Say adios to Gringo Star Street Bar in Tempe, as the Mill Avenue nightspot is apparently closing its doors for good.

A post to the bar’s Facebook page on Friday, January 19, announced the closure and thanked patrons for their business.

“It’s been real and it’s been fun but now it’s time to go. We know many of you have had some of your wildest nights at our lovely bar and we are glad we were able to be part of it,” the post stated. “It’s been a great ride! Peace out.”

No explanation about why Gringo Star is closing was given. And it was unclear whether the bar will be open this weekend for a final hurrah. Phoenix New Times has been unable to reach anyone at the bar for further details.
Gringo Star, which is located at the intersection of Mill Avenue and Fifth Street, first opened in 2013 and offered a mix of arcade games, street art, and street food, as well as all the usual nightlife thrills like drinks, DJs, and dancing.

The 6,500-square-foot bar featured a collection of joystick classics like Mortal Kombat 3 and Ms. Pac-Man, as well as murals from such local artists as JB Snyder and Sierra Joy.

Reactions to the news of Gringo Star’s sudden closure was a mix of shock and surprise with a few blissfull recollections of misadventures at the spot.

AJ Fernandez, who DJ’d at Gringo Star as AJ Slim over the years, offered up a few memories of Gringo Star on his Facebook page on Friday.

“This place was one of the first places that I partied at, I loved it so much I was determined to become a part of it,” Fernandez wrote. “After four years of being with Gringo I’m sad to say it’s time to say goodbye!”