Steak Showdown: Pastiche Modern Eatery vs. Tanque Verde Ranch vs. PY Steakhouse

Where’s the best steak in Tucson? Well, it depends on what you want.

We’ve picked three outstanding steaks from three different parts of town with three different price points.

$15 Tuesday Steak Night Special at Pastiche Modern Eatery

3025 N. Campbell Ave.

Every Tuesday night, executive chef Timothy Moore whips up a different Angus steak special for only $15. Both the cut of beef and preparation vary each time.

During our visit, we enjoyed a Greek-marinated New York strip steak with forbidden black rice, grilled asparagus, and fried artichokes. The garlic, oregano, and lemon provided an addictive brightness that we couldn’t get enough of.

This was a dish we’d easily expect to pay at least ten dollars more at other restaurants. It sounds too good to be true, but the quality is definitely there and the portion was satisfying. With the money you save, you might as well get a nice glass of wine or whiskey.

Pastiche easily provides the best value for $15.

For more information, call (520) 325-3333 or visit pasticheme.com.

$35 Saturday Cowboy Cookout at Tanque Verde Ranch

14301 E Speedway. Blvd.

Every Wednesday and Saturday night at Tanque Verde Ranch, they host their outdoor barbecue experience known as the Cowboy Cookout at Cottonwood Grove. While both nights offer an extensive selection of food, only Saturday includes the steaks.

Admission is $35 per person, half-off for children 12 and under. All-inclusive packages for Tanque Verde Ranch include this experience. Entertainment and the bar opens at 5:30 p.m. and dinner is served at 6 p.m.

Executive chef Justin Macy, executive sous chef Tyler Brady, and the culinary team set up at the pit to grill. The sirloin New York strip steaks are rubbed with blackening spice, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper while grilling over mesquite wood. Guests can also choose from chicken, salmon, mahi mahi, and more depending on the night.

Guests line up to receive their steak cooked to their desired temperature, then roam around the red-and-white checker tablecloth tables to pile up on the countless sides and desserts: macaroni and cheese, cornbread, baked potatoes, collard greens, cookies, peach cobbler, fresh watermelon, and much more. We sampled as many different items as we could, and nothing disappointed. The peach cobbler ran out quickly though, so make sure to get early dibs on that.

Looking around, we saw some guests practicing lassoing, others dancing to acoustic country music from local musician Andy Hersey, and a few admiring the post-monsoon sunset view with saguaros.

For the immersive experience and the generous amount of food, Tanque Verde Ranch is simply magical.

For more information, call (520) 296-6275 or visit tanqueverderanch.com.

$54 Cowboy Rib Eye from PY Steakhouse at Casino Del Sol Resort

5655 W. Valencia Rd.

To the untrained eye, PY Steakhouse’s Cowboy Rib Eye just looks like a $54 steak. However, gourmands will recognize that a significant amount of the value comes from the fact that the steak was aged 25 to 38 days for an intensely beefy, slightly blue cheesy flavor.

As it turns out, the Arizona bone-in rib eye is also rubbed in Whiskey Del Bac prior to aging. Next, it’s cooked precisely via sous vide and broiled for the lovely crust.

Finally, it’s served with bone marrow, oven-dried tomatoes, salt & vinegar chips, Whiskey Del Bac butter, smoked Maldon sea salt, and a variety of elegant house-made steak sauces.

The resulting steak is easily one of the best steaks in Tucson for steak lovers. For quality Arizona beef in a luxurious environment, PY Steakhouse is the best choice.

For more information, read Meat Beat: Dry-Aged Cowboy Ribeye from PY Steakhouse, call (520) 324-9350, or visit casinodelsol.com.

What’s your favorite steak special in town? Let us know in the comments.