TV Restaurants

What Happened to Rocky Point Cantina After Bar Rescue? (Tempe, AZ)

Closed verified

As of September 2026, Rocky Point Cantina has closed — confirmed via phoenixnewtimes.com, October 2013.

Primary source
phoenixnewtimes.com ·
Secondary source
realitytvupdates.com ·

Last verified

What the source shows: Phoenix New Times reported in October 2013 that the renamed bar had already closed and 'no longer exists,' tying the shutdown to a rejected live-entertainment permit and unpermitted renovation work flagged by the City of Tempe.

  • Season / episode Season 3, Episode 21
  • Original air date
  • Address 1001 E 8th St, Tempe, AZ 85281

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What happened after Bar Rescue?

Rocky Point Cantina operated near Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, under owners Francis and Mary Massimiano, who had purchased the bar in 2010 for their sons Scott and Jason to run, according to the episode and Phoenix New Times' coverage of the visit. By the time Bar Rescue arrived, Scott -- who had no previous bar-management experience -- was losing over $10,000 a month, the family was carrying roughly $1.5 million in debt, and a heavy-metal concert booking strategy meant to draw college students had instead driven away other customers. Jon Taffer's team found the kitchen and bathrooms heavily soiled, chicken stored unwrapped and undated on a prep counter, and a live band whose volume made ordinary bar service impossible.

As part of the rescue, chef Tiffany Derry retrained the kitchen on food-safety basics and a new Mexican-themed menu, and mixologist Russell Davis introduced university-oriented drink options; an outside bar manager, Steve Lynch, was brought in temporarily to mentor Scott. Physically, the bar was renamed from Rocky Point Cantina to Havana Cabana Bar and Grill, with new decor built around a pre-revolutionary Cuba concept.

The rebrand did not last. Phoenix New Times reported in October 2013 -- before the episode had even aired -- that the renamed bar had already closed, and that patrons had already seen a return to hard-rock programming and the original Rocky Point Cantina name within weeks of filming. The outlet traced the shutdown to permitting problems: renovation work done during production, including exterior painting, had not gone through the City of Tempe's permit process, and the resulting scrutiny also invalidated the bar's live-entertainment permit once its name changed, forcing cancellation of already-booked concerts. Reality TV Updates reports the Massimiano family ultimately could not afford the code-compliance repairs the situation required and closed the business for good. The original building was later demolished; a mixed-use apartment and retail development called Valor on Eighth, which set aside a majority of its units for low-income residents with preference for veterans, was built on the site starting in 2016, according to Reality TV Updates.

Featured on Bar Rescue

Season / episode
Season 3, Episode 21
Original air date
Episode title
Crappy Cantina
What was featured
college-town metal bar, heavy debt, Havana-themed rebrand
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
Rocky Point Cantina

Frequently asked questions

Is Rocky Point Cantina still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, Rocky Point Cantina has closed — confirmed via phoenixnewtimes.com, October 2013.

What happened to Rocky Point Cantina after Bar Rescue?

Rocky Point Cantina operated near Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, under owners Francis and Mary Massimiano, who had purchased the bar in 2010 for their sons Scott and Jason to run, according to the episode and Phoenix New Times' coverage of the visit. As of September 2026, Rocky Point Cantina has closed — confirmed via phoenixnewtimes.com, October 2013.

Is Rocky Point Cantina permanently closed?

As of September 2026, Rocky Point Cantina has closed — confirmed via phoenixnewtimes.com, October 2013. We publish a closure only with a dated source behind it, and we say plainly when it has not been independently confirmed.

Where is Rocky Point Cantina located?

1001 E 8th St, Tempe, AZ 85281. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Bar Rescue featured Rocky Point Cantina?

Season 3, Episode 21 of Bar Rescue, first aired October 6, 2013. The episode is titled “Crappy Cantina”.

Did the makeover last at Rocky Point Cantina?

The episode first aired October 6, 2013. Our most recent check was September 7, 2026 — 13 years later —: As of September 2026, Rocky Point Cantina has closed — confirmed via phoenixnewtimes.com, October 2013.

Is Rocky Point Cantina still using the Bar Rescue menu or branding?

As part of the rescue, chef Tiffany Derry retrained the kitchen on food-safety basics and a new Mexican-themed menu, and mixologist Russell Davis introduced university-oriented drink options; an outside bar manager, Steve Lynch, was brought in temporarily to mentor Scott. Anything newer than our last check on September 7, 2026 may not be reflected here.

Every status on this site carries a confidence label and a date, and names the source it rests on. Read the Editorial & Corrections Policy for what each label means and how quickly we act on corrections. The questions above are generated from this record's own published fields — we never publish a question we cannot answer from the data.

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Visit info

Address
1001 E 8th St, Tempe, AZ 85281
Venue type
bar
Official website
None found

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Sources

  • phoenixnewtimes.com — https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/music/10-weird-things-about-bar-rescues-rocky-point-cantina-episode-6608307/
  • realitytvupdates.com — https://realitytvupdates.com/bar-rescue/havana-cabana-rocky-point-cantina/

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