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Guide to Steaks in Tucson

Guide

Guide to Steaks in Tucson

by Jackie TranFeb 23, 2025Updated Aug 4, 20267 min read

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 steak in Tucson.

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23 spots

Rib-eye with Roasted Poblano Chile Scalloped Potatoes at Casa Madre (Photo by Jackie Tran)

Casa Madre

119 East 18th StreetDowntown

Casa Madre offers an intimate dining experience within a historic building. The interior features a glowing Himalayan rock salt wall, white tablecloths, vintage tableware, and fine crystal glassware for a cozy yet sophisticated ambiance.

Start with some savory Dirty Turniptinis and crispy loomi style Pork Belly Wings in a brown butter sauce with a bright apple lime slaw. Signature dishes include the Chile Relleno with Cuban black beans and arroz con crema, and the adobo-rubbed rib-eye with cheddar chipotle poblano scalloped potatoes, sautéed veggies, fresh organic chimichurri, Worcestershire & Doma’s turnip pickles.

Charro Steak (Photo by Jackie Tran)

Charro Steak & Del Rey

188 East Broadway BoulevardDowntown

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.

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(Photo courtesy of El Corral)

El Corral

2201 East River RoadFoothills

El Corral draws diners to the Catalina Foothills with its identity as a long-running prime rib and steakhouse. The building dates to 1926, making it one of the oldest dining spaces in the area. Inside, the dining room leans into an Old West aesthetic, with wood-paneled walls, dim lighting, and Western memorabilia.

The restaurant draws a loyal audience for its prime rib, along with steaks and ribs. On the side, the tamale pie, a slightly spicy corn and chile casserole topped with melted cheddar cheese, has been made in-house since 1975 and remains a house staple.

Flying V Bar & Grill (Photo by Jackie Tran)

Flying V

7000 North Resort DriveFoothills

In an upscale environment with a Southwestern vibe, Flying V offers a handful of mesquite-rubbed and grilled steaks stopped with pickled onion and grilled jalapeño. Choose from the Filet Mignon, Rib-Eye, or Ranch T-Bone.

Forbes Meat Company

747 South 6th AvenueDowntown

Forbes Meat Company offers a modern industrial ambiance with exposed piping, white marble high-top tables, and refrigerator and freezers with a variety of local meats, house-made sausages, and high-end seafood on display for purchase to-go.

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.

Kingfisher Bar & Grill

2564 East Grant RoadUniversity & 4th Ave

While Kingfisher is best known locally for its seafood, they also live up to the "grill" in their name with beef. As of June, their menu features a grilled bistro tenderloin with chimichurri, pickled onions, bacon charro beans, sautéed corn and zucchini, and a flour tortilla.

Porterhouse Steak (Photo courtesy of Lil Abners Steakhouse)

Li’l Abner’s Steakhouse

8501 North Silverbell RoadMarana

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.

Steak Frites at NEX (Photo by Jackie Tran)

NEX

220 North 4th AvenueDowntown

NEX aims to blend elevated dining with food with Sonoran influences and a cocktail-forward program into one cohesive downtown experience. The menu leans seasonal and ingredient-driven, while the beverage program pushes both zero-proof and spirit-forward creativity.

Order the Burnt Sage Mezcal cocktail with a platter of the Sonoran Squid with craggy, crunchy calamari, jumbo shrimp, and peppers with lemon, cilantro, and spicy aioli. The Steak Frites features Arizona steak, chimichurri, aioli, and roasted poblano ketchup. They also offer a rib-eye course with a vegan option.

Pinnacle Peak (Photo by Jackie Tran)

Pinnacle Peak

6541 East Tanque Verde RoadEastside

Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse immerses diners in a lively Old West atmosphere, complete with rustic wooden beams, cowboy memorabilia, and a ceiling adorned with thousands of neckties as a nod to the restaurant's "No Ties Allowed" policy. Located in Trail Dust Town, the restaurant's interior features cowboy paintings, antlers, and other Western-themed décor, creating a frontier-town feel.

The steakhouse takes pride in its Cowboy Steaks, cut from the short loin and cooked over mesquite wood.

Rib-Eye Steak at PY Steakhouse (Photo credit: Jackie Tran)

PY Steakhouse

5655 West Valencia RoadSouthwest

PY Steakhouse, located within Casino Del Sol, offers an elegant dining experience with seasonal menus with local ingredients. The bar features warm earth tones for sophisticated yet inviting atmosphere, while the main dining room has white tablecloths and chandeliers for more of the upscale ambiance.

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.

(Photo courtesy of The Leo Kent Hotel)

St. Cruz at the Leo Kent

1 South Church AvenueDowntown

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.

For steaks, choose from a rib-eye or filet steak with Boursin whipped potato, grilled asparagus, and salsa macha.

The Cork

6320 East Tanque Verde RoadEastside

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 UnCork'd Kitchen & Cocktails also offers a hanger steak frites with a mushroom cream sauce.

House Smoked Chicken Wings at The Horseshoe Grill (Photo credit: Jackie Tran)

The Horseshoe Grill

7713 East Broadway BoulevardEastside

The Horseshoe Grill centers its menu around live mesquite fire cooking. The restaurant uses a J&R charbroiler that runs strictly on mesquite wood for all steaks, burgers, and fish. Inside, the space carries a casual Western feel, with wood paneling, mounted decor, and an open layout that keeps the energy of the grill visible from the dining room.

Meat lovers can indulge in the THG Meat Sampler Plate with pulled pork, sliced brisket, baby back ribs, and Polish sausage on a single platter with ranch beans and Texas Toast. Enjoy the mesquite-grilled steaks any day of the week, but visit weekends for surf-and-turf specials.

Johnny Steak & Frites plus shrimp at the Parish (Photo by Jackie Tran)

The Parish

6453 North Oracle RoadNorthwest

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.

(Photo courtesy of Silver Saddle Steakhouse)

The Silver Saddle Steakhouse

310 East Benson HighwaySouth Side

Best Steakhouse

“Old Southwest tradition greets customers in every corner of this family-owned steakhouse. A custom steel and brick mesquite wood grill and pit are used to fire up Arizona’s native mesquite wood, which lends an unmatched smoke flavor to the food.”

Tito & Pep

4122 East Speedway BoulevardMidtown

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.

Wild Garlic Grill

2870 East Skyline DriveFoothills

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.
While their menu often features a grilled New York strip steak, keep an eye out on the specials menu for an Elk steak every now and then.

Frequently asked questions

Tucson has options across every price point and style. Charro Steak & Del Rey on Broadway offers six cuts of house-butchered, mesquite-grilled grass-fed beef. PY Steakhouse at Casino Del Sol carries USDA prime and wagyu. Forbes Meat Company downtown serves everything from skirt steak to Japanese A5 wagyu.

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A new Chihuahuan-style restaurant and tortilla factory is opening in Tucson! @Tortillaschiwas debuts Thursday at 914 N. Grande Ave. in Barrio Hollywood, inside the former Grande Tortilla Factory.

Phoenix restaurateurs Armando Hernandez and chef Nadia Holguin, a married couple originally from Chihuahua, Mexico, are behind the project. The James Beard-nominated duo will bring a roughly 15-item menu featuring dishes from their Phoenix restaurants, including Cocina Chiwas and Espiritu Cocktails + Comida.

Tortillas Chiwas will initially be open Thursdays through Saturdays from 5–10 p.m. with just 38 seats. Reservations are available on OpenTable. The team also plans to mill nixtamal on-site for hand-pressed tortillas, continuing the building’s long tortilla-making history.

Photos by @jackie_tran_ 
Read @jackie_tran_’s article on Tucsonfoodie.com

#tucsonfoodie #tucsonnewsA new Chihuahuan-style restaurant and tortilla factory is opening in Tucson! @Tortillaschiwas debuts Thursday at 914 N. Grande Ave. in Barrio Hollywood, inside the former Grande Tortilla Factory. Phoenix restaurateurs Armando Hernandez and chef Nadia Holguin, a married couple originally from Chihuahua, Mexico, are behind the project. The James Beard-nominated duo will bring a roughly 15-item menu featuring dishes from their Phoenix restaurants, including Cocina Chiwas and Espiritu Cocktails + Comida. Tortillas Chiwas will initially be open Thursdays through Saturdays from 5–10 p.m. with just 38 seats. Reservations are available on OpenTable. The team also plans to mill nixtamal on-site for hand-pressed tortillas, continuing the building’s long tortilla-making history. Photos by @jackie_tran_ Read @jackie_tran_’s article on Tucsonfoodie.com #tucsonfoodie #tucsonnews
An evening of food, plants, and connection returns under the desert sky.🌵✨

In partnership with @salus.healers, join us THIS SATURDAY, August 29, at @tohonochul for Desert Magic, a one-night celebration of the edible and medicinal beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Stroll the gardens, drink in hand, and discover chef and wellness stations along the way.

🌿SWIPE TO SEE OUR WELLNESS PRACTITIONERS offering sound healing, massage, somatic therapy, readings, reiki, plant walks, workshops & more: @awakenedwombs | @curavidabodywork | @dharmawellness.center | @drkorigiudici | Ease Bodywork | @itsme.emmav | @healingspiritsoaks | @marie.heartnectar | @innerblissenergetics | @jessi.kyte.bodywork | Medicine Within | @monsoonmystics | @morosomedicalcenter | @intuitive_readings_by_zev | @sugarmelovetucson | @tantricheart_coaching | @gathering_point_ | @thehealinghubaz | The Somatic Sound 

🔥FOOD: @el_chef_padilla (@copperashculinary) | @landofmilknhoney (@tohonochulgardenbistro) | @chefdevonsanner (@sandpcreative) | Chef Gracie Soto (@anita_st_market) | @chefjosetucson (@ameliastucson) | @kenneth.foy | Obie Hindman & @tuckerhartford (@tucsoncityofgastronomy & @solpuebloprovisions) | @archimagirus_cultro (@scratchingtheplate)

🥣 SOUNDS @tucsonmodernjazzquartet | DJ Sets by Rosa Dragona & LaDev

Ticket includes wellness stations, herb walks, workshops, sound healing, & botanical drinks.

Tap the link in bio to grab yours! 🎟️✨ 

#tucsonfoodie #tucsoneventAn evening of food, plants, and connection returns under the desert sky.🌵✨ In partnership with @salus.healers, join us THIS SATURDAY, August 29, at @tohonochul for Desert Magic, a one-night celebration of the edible and medicinal beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Stroll the gardens, drink in hand, and discover chef and wellness stations along the way. 🌿SWIPE TO SEE OUR WELLNESS PRACTITIONERS offering sound healing, massage, somatic therapy, readings, reiki, plant walks, workshops & more: @awakenedwombs | @curavidabodywork | @dharmawellness.center | @drkorigiudici | Ease Bodywork | @itsme.emmav | @healingspiritsoaks | @marie.heartnectar | @innerblissenergetics | @jessi.kyte.bodywork | Medicine Within | @monsoonmystics | @morosomedicalcenter | @intuitive_readings_by_zev | @sugarmelovetucson | @tantricheart_coaching | @gathering_point_ | @thehealinghubaz | The Somatic Sound 🔥FOOD: @el_chef_padilla (@copperashculinary) | @landofmilknhoney (@tohonochulgardenbistro) | @chefdevonsanner (@sandpcreative) | Chef Gracie Soto (@anita_st_market) | @chefjosetucson (@ameliastucson) | @kenneth.foy | Obie Hindman & @tuckerhartford (@tucsoncityofgastronomy & @solpuebloprovisions) | @archimagirus_cultro (@scratchingtheplate) 🥣 SOUNDS @tucsonmodernjazzquartet | DJ Sets by Rosa Dragona & LaDev Ticket includes wellness stations, herb walks, workshops, sound healing, & botanical drinks. Tap the link in bio to grab yours! 🎟️✨ #tucsonfoodie #tucsonevent
@vegantucsonnightmarket returns September 5th from 6–10pm with over 60 vendors!

Come support our amazing local makers, small businesses, and restaurants while eating an absolutely ridiculous amount of vegan food. 

🐖 FREE ENTRY | FREE PARKING | DOG-FRIENDLY
📍RILLITO PARK • 4502 N 1ST AVE, TUCSON, AZ

Check out the vendor list in our bio✨

Thank you to our sponsors: @semperfi_heatingandcooling, @tucsonprimeleaf and @trulieveaz_ 

Photos by @astra1wanderer 
#tucsonevents #vegantucson 
#tucsonsmallbusiness #tucsonlocal@vegantucsonnightmarket returns September 5th from 6–10pm with over 60 vendors! Come support our amazing local makers, small businesses, and restaurants while eating an absolutely ridiculous amount of vegan food. 🐖 FREE ENTRY | FREE PARKING | DOG-FRIENDLY 📍RILLITO PARK • 4502 N 1ST AVE, TUCSON, AZ Check out the vendor list in our bio✨ Thank you to our sponsors: @semperfi_heatingandcooling, @tucsonprimeleaf and @trulieveaz_ Photos by @astra1wanderer #tucsonevents #vegantucson #tucsonsmallbusiness #tucsonlocal
“Indian food represents many different regions and cooking styles, featuring far more than the curries that it is popularly known for — though those are certainly found in abundance at Tucson’s Indian restaurants. For religious reasons, beef and pork are not common in the Indian diet, but carnivores can enjoy plenty of chicken, lamb, and seafood dishes. Most Indian restaurants have large sections of their menus devoted to vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes, too.

Kitchens are almost always accommodating about adjusting spice levels but as a rule of thumb, the hottest dishes are the vindaloos, while the mildest are the kormas and biriyanis.” — @ediebjarolim 

Find @ediebjarolim’s guide on Tucsonfoodie.com“Indian food represents many different regions and cooking styles, featuring far more than the curries that it is popularly known for — though those are certainly found in abundance at Tucson’s Indian restaurants. For religious reasons, beef and pork are not common in the Indian diet, but carnivores can enjoy plenty of chicken, lamb, and seafood dishes. Most Indian restaurants have large sections of their menus devoted to vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes, too. Kitchens are almost always accommodating about adjusting spice levels but as a rule of thumb, the hottest dishes are the vindaloos, while the mildest are the kormas and biriyanis.” — @ediebjarolim Find @ediebjarolim’s guide on Tucsonfoodie.com