When it comes to indulgence, few dishes rival the deep, savory satisfaction of a steak.
An exceptional steak features a beautifully caramelized crust and a tender, juicy interior. Cooking methods vary — grilling over open flames creates a distinctive smokiness, while pan-searing lets chefs meticulously baste with butter and aromatics such as garlic and thyme.
The optimal doneness depends on the cut. Enjoy a lean filet mignon rare to retain its natural juiciness and tenderness. A New York strip or ribeye benefits from medium-rare, which allows the marbling to render properly for a rich, buttery texture. For cuts with more connective tissue, such as hanger or skirt steak, cooking to medium doneness breaks down more connective tissue for additional tenderness and perception of juiciness.
Whether you want a saucy, tender filet mignon, a hefty mesquite-grilled cowboy rib-eye, or classy and comforting steak frites, here are some places to get the best steak in Tucson.
We have five photos of steaks from Agustin Kitchen, but not their most recent one, so the photo above will have to do for now.
Currently, they offer an Argentinian beef strip loin in two forms. The steak frites come with maitre d butter, while the elegant entree version features fennel soubise, smoked potato, shallot gastrique, and creme fraiche.
Charro Steak & Del Rey takes great pride in the house-butchered, mesquite-grilled, grass-fed beef they serve, even taking the time to fly out to the farm. They offer six different cuts along with a 22-day aged prime rib with smoked ancho rub and green chile mashed potatoes.
As Tucson’s only Brazilian steakhouse, Churrasco de Brasil serves an unlimited amount of rotisserie-roasted steaks along with some cuts of pork, chicken, and lamb.
Make sure to get some picanha, Brazil’s favorite cut of beef. A uniform cap of fat balances the lean, tender beef.
Meat lovers can indulge in the parillada mixed grill with tenderloin, lamb chops, rib-eye, Argentinian chorizo, roast marrow, salsa verde, and seasonal vegetables.
A Tucson staple since 1966, the Cork offers steakhouse classics alongside rarer meat options such as bison and kangaroo tenderloin. Their version of surf & turf features an Angus filet mignon with bordelaise alongside a lobster tail with drawn butter and a touch of Tajín.
Their sibling restaurant The Cork also offers a hanger steak frites.
This Southwest-style steakhouse was established in 1990 and is listed in the book “100 Things To Do In Tucson Before You Die”. They grill and smoke their steaks, ribs, and wings over their outdoors open-fire mesquite wood pit.
Forbes functions as both a butcher shop and a restaurant. In the refrigerators and freezers, find a variety of local meats, house-made sausages, and high-end seafood.
The restaurant offers steaks ranging from a humble skirt steak all the way to luxurious Japanese A5 wagyu with wasabi cream and spicy microgreens. For an extra-special occasion, indulge in freshly shucked oysters topped with caviar.
Li’l Abner’s Steakhouse has graced the northwest side of Tucson with a southwestern-style picnic table experience since 1947. They offer a small menu specializing in steaks, ribs, chicken, and salmon mesquite-grilled over their open fire grill outside.
Nook lives up to its name with its bright, verdant patio. While they offer modern, fun takes on brunch staples, the secret gem of the menu is the Hanger Steak and Eggs with smoked chimichurri and smashed hash.
The Parish packs bold flavors and entertainment into a dark and sexy Southern gastropub. Their Johnny Steak & Frites features a NY strip steak covered in a Johnnie Walker whisky cream sauce and fine herbs, served atop a bed of crunchy fries. Pay extra to add shrimp on top.
PY Steakhouse, located inside Casino Del Sol, features seasonal menus with local ingredients.
Steaks range from a basted porterhouse for two to a broiled USDA prime, Whiskey Del Bac-rubbed dry-aged cowboy rib-eye. Additionally, they offer red wagyu and Miyazaki A5 wagyu.
Located in the Leo Kent in the heart of downtown Tucson, St. Cruz offers an elegant, yet warm environment with southwestern influences in both the décor and menu.
The 16-ounce rib-eye comes topped with a pat of lightly piquant and savory cowboy spiced butter.
Tito & Pep earned the semi-finalist nod for the 2022 James Beard Awards thanks to their approachable yet sophisticated take on Tucson food. The mesquite-fire centric kitchen features often features their steak skewers with chipotle-tomatillo salsa along with a seasonal NY strip entree. The Thai-inspired one pictured above is from a past summer menu, but the current version features a more decidedly Mexican take with salsa de árbol, roasted chiles, charro beans, and green onions.
Owner Maudi Gourdin-Schultz provides her style for the interior and knack for hospitality, while her husband chef Steven Shultz applies his classic French training with Arizona and California ingredients for a constantly evolving specials menu with a deep appreciation of Gilroy garlic.
