Royale Lounge

I think it’s a biker bar, but not the kind of biker bar you might be thinking. It’s more like a bicycle bar, tricked out with stolen milk carts jerry rigged to it for storage purposes. Lots of condom machines in the bathrooms, good people watching place.

WOW! I stopped in here at about 10:30am on a Saturday morning. I was on my way to pick up my daughter from the airport and I get a message saying her flight was delayed. Hmm… Bloody Mary?! I think YES! I Unilocal’d BAR and up came Royale Lounge. I pulled in 4 minutes later and was greeted by a straight faced grouchy woman. I asked her how she made her Mary’s and she responded with a «How-dare-you-ask-me-Why-do-you-want-to-know-I-know-what-I’m-doing» attitude. (I ask because I like extra lime, easy tabasco) I looked around while I was waiting for Groucho to serve up my Bloody Mary and I thought the set up was kind of weird. Cheap claw machine, beat up stools… Then I noticed a little girl, maybe about 4 years old or so, sitting at the bar eating Cup O Noodles and a bag of Cheetos. Mom (?) was to the right of her (but was smoking outside when I walked in) and Dad (?) was to the right of mom. Not to judge anyone’s parenting style, but shouldn’t the child be watching Saturday morning cartoons, playing at the park or call me crazy… ANYWHERE BUT IN A BAR?! Forget the fact it’s only 10am and the kid is eating a crappy breakfast, but lets focus in on the fact the kid is in a BAR. A DIVE BAR. Watching her parents/​guardians suck down booze on a Saturday morning. The child ended up getting off the bar stool and proceeded to run around the place. So on top of me feeling super duper uncomfortable with the fact there’s a child in a dingy dive bar, now I feel like I’m at a fucking park with all the commotion! I paid for my 1 drink and got the hell out of there. I won’t ever step foot in that dump again.

It’s a nice, neighborhood dive. Stiff drinks, real people. My kinda place.
Pool, darts and an active jukebox. Clara is an awesome bartender.

Dive bar, yes… is it much more than that? Probably not! Friendly bartenders, not much ambiance and limited drink selections. Worth the visit, but probably not worth the revisit.

Great staff. Helped me when I got accidentally locked out late at night.

Put down that pbr and get a craft cocktail already. If you’re looking for that run down townee feel then welcome home. cash only!
* edit. extra star for having basketball on. Just lost myself in James hardens beard with led zepplins black dog as the sound track.
** edit. Jesus. they have egg rolls for sale. extra star? I want to buy one with the woman with no teeth next to me at the bar. she’s a train wreck. another zepplins song. jim beam ghost whiskey? oh god she’s trying to talk to me.
*** @*$ 745ish 93^ sj £‘=$&38. pqools una stara.

Having visited the Royale a few times in the last 30 years I wrote my first review back in 2012. I did so mostly because of a very good friend of mine Miss Lill. She wasn’t my friend when I wrote that piece but she quickly became one. Since my review a week hasn’t gone by that I didn’t stop by and say hello.
Last week I was lucky to visit on her last night. Things were changing fast and thought we had a few more days before her retirement but things change quickly in the bar world and she had her replacement showing up at 10 PM to get trained.
That was an unusual night. Things seemed different. Change was happening.
Tonight me and my gal dropped in on the bar like we liked to do Tuesday nights when we don’t work the next day. The paint was drying and it was uncomfortably loud as the missing sound absorbing fodder that use to reside on the walls had disapeared. The old wood is white now and the pool table is now awkwardly placed in the middle of the bar. Maybe they will add a 2^nd table like they had back in the late 80s, maybe they will put it back where it was.
Things have changed and maybe for the better but only time will tell. One thing for sure Phoenix has lost an icon and I will miss her dearly.
Thank you Miss Lill I’m gonna miss you

If you like dive bars, and I am talking really dive-y…this is your place! There aren’t many more words to describe it. You just have to go experience the magic yourself. Play some pinball while you are there. Do it, you won’t regret it!

«This is the place everyone is talking about???»
Pretty sure that’s what I said when I walked in. It is indeed a dive bar with cold cheap beer, but I’m not quite sure what the allure is.
Sat at the bar and enjoyed a couple of draft beers for a very great price while I looked around trying to figure out what is making this become the new hipster bar. The crowd was pretty much all older men taking turns playing pool. I don’t remember the music being anything special. Classic rock maybe? We had the pleasure of being served by the famous Miss Lil who was very pleasant. There were all kinds of food specials advertised on the walls but I don’t know that I would ever order any food here. The bar did seem very clean, but it smelled overwhelmingly like soiled diapers.
Overall, I probably wouldn’t come back here though as it really didn’t seem like anything special or maybe I just don’t «get» it.

On a mission to find the best dive bars in America, I stumbled upon this gem while in town, thanks to the glowing Unilocal reviews. I was not dissapointed.
The Royale Lounge reminded me of why I love dive bars. Open at 6am? Check. Wood paneling on the walls? Check. Pinball, pool, and a CLAW MACHINE? Check. Smokeeter? Check. Interesting drunk locals? Check. Bad classic rock and country on the jukebox? Check (except when I played Donna Summer and Katy Perry later in the night. No one complained. Thanks guys!)
If I lived in the area, I’d definitely be a regular. Gina, the bartender on duty, was beyond friendly and awesome to talk to. I played pool all night, and got drunk for about $ 20. Usually I have to be in Vegas or know the bartender to get drunk for that cheap hahaha.
Thanks for the good times Royale Lounge. Can’t wait to go to Phoenix again to get all drunk up in you!

What can I say this place is a dive bar and they offer egg roles but I don’t dare try them. If you want to have a low key night where you can let your alcoholism run wild this is the bar.

Heather is a breath of Fresh Air. Love this Dive Bar! Great juke box! Cold Amber Bock!

Divey dive, not one, but TWO Simpsons pinball games!

This place is an icon. Lil has been here for years. We like to have a PBR and listen to some music and just relax in this great little neighborhood bar.

The other reviewers have summed up this place well. It’s a dive, unpretentious, welcoming to all, inexpensive and hosted by the beautiful, delightful and 83 year old Lil.
Sit down at the bar, be nice and talk to her. She has a ton of great stories. Ask about the girl who was kicked out and returned naked.
Looking for a place to hang? Come see Lil at the Royale Lounge.

Dive bar, most definitely. This place rocks. I was picturing something completely different, after driving by so many times, but found my self incredibly comfortable here. Miss Lil was a great bartender and many would do good to see how she works behind the bar.
If you have an open mind and don’t cause drama I would recommend giving the Royale a try.

I’ve driven by this place many times and though curious, I had convinced myself that I would emerge from this place with a black eye and a few missing teeth should I ever venture in.
We popped in on a Sunday for a few drinks between brunch and dinner. The place was divey but clean, a mix of clientele but everyone kept to themselves. The bartender was friendly and attentive and they served 8 oz beers for $ 2.75 (or was it $ 1.75…we’d been drinking at brunch). Anyway, it worked for me having smaller beers and at less $$.
Not that I’m complaining about price at all, as this place is CHEAP… I think it just worked for me by having smaller beers. I’m curious how this place is a on Friday night… the neighbourhood is not the nicest… so stay tuned!

Ok, I’m all for dive bars. Places with a place to belly up and have a few. But c’mon, this place smelled a bit. Like someone took a leak in the corner.
I showed up because of the Unilocal reviews. Was looking for a place to kill some time playing pinball. Yeah, one drink of Ye Olé PBR and I was outta there.
The pee smell was just too much.

A real dive. CHEAP drinks! 4 cocktails and a beer came out to $ 14.50! The bartender was at least 75 years old, and she was a sweet as a southern belle, but I bet she doesn’t take crap from anyone. She said she had worked there for 30 years, and I believe her!
Hell of a great place. Friendly crowd of regulars.

The first reviewer says it all pretty much. The regulars are pretty nice, everyone knows your name here. $ 1.25 for a beer (bud/​bud light/​Amber bock) and $ 6 for a large pitcher, and $ 3.50 for a small pitcher). They also have a small kitchen in the back where they bake pizza ($ 2.75 for a pizza that will serve 2! Tehy also have chicken wings, and cheese crisp) They really have it all. Roof leaks when it rains. The A/​C works great, though, and all the air comes down out of a slot lining the bar. The tenders know how to mix a drink, and if you tip decent, they’ll load up those drinks to the brim.
They also have a download-​capable jukebox, and an ATM. They dont take CC’s at the bar. IF you are nice and they know you, they’ll cash your paycheck for ya. True service!
…“TO ALL MY FRIENNNNNNNNNNDS”