Jennifer McClellan

The Republic | azcentral.com

Just shy of its 90th birthday, Tom’s Tavern in downtown Phoenix closed.

The iconic restaurant, a favorite of Arizona’s movers and shakers, opened in 1929.

Jim Gallen, the current chef-owner, released a statement via The Knight Agency, its Scottsdale-based PR firm:

"After careful consideration, Tom’s Tavern was forced to close on May 5. Owner and Chef Jim Gallen expressed great disappointment with the closure and would like to thank the loyal customers who have been with Tom’s for the last 87 years. Tom’s Tavern has a rich history in Phoenix, and has enjoyed serving many of our city’s finest. At this time, no plans have been made for the location at 2 N. Central Ave. Chef Gallen will continue cooking in the Valley and updates on his career will be announced soon."

Tom’s Tavern served American comfort food like blue plate specials at lunch and steak frittes at dinner. Diners drank soda as often as scotch. Attorneys, media, developers, politicians and other power players were among the most frequent guests.

Photographs of current and former elected officials hung on the wall. Sometimes you could find them eating at tables underneath their pictures. One such time happened in 1999, when then Arizona Gov. Jane Dee Hull dined in the restaurant’s “Governor’s Corner” with then Texas Gov. and Republican presidential hopeful George W. Bush.

In 2015, Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwill and then Gov. Jan Brewer celebrated Arizona winning hosting rights to Super Bowl XLIX at Tom’s.

The Bidwill family purchased Tom's Tavern in 2011 from longtime owner Michael Ratner, who died of cancer. They sold it to Gallen in early 2016.

The original owner, Tom Higley, opened the tavern in the old city morgue and pipe shop. He converted the space into a burger spot and gin mill. It was Ratner who relocated to Renaissance Square in 1982.

Tom's Tavern was scheduled to be the starting point for a Kentucky Derby bar crawl on Saturday, May 6. Following its closure, the bar crawl will now begin at Copper Blues at noon and continue on to Lustre Rooftop Bar, The Arrogant Butcher, and end at The Park at 3 p.m. for the race viewing.

Reach Food & Dining reporter Jennifer McClellan at jennifer.mcclellan@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8546.

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