This is an update to my previous review... I was contacted by management regarding our disappointing experience at ElCorral. I was pleasantly surprised by the genuine concern they had about the subpar service and food that we received there. I was very impressed with their response. A restaurant that strives to improve and does not make excuses deserves another try. I hope to have a better experience next time and to be able to give them a full 5 stars after that. Previous review... I should have listened to the other reviewers. This has been by far the worst restaurant I've been to in Tucson. Between the unhappy hostess/manager to the inedible food, I am amazed that it is still in business. I ordered prime rib, salad with ranch, and Tamale Pie as my side. The salad was wilted and soggy and the Tamale Pie was hard and room temperature. It was not edible. I ate only the prime rib, which was ok at best. Since I was with a friend we also got apple cobbler for dessert. Wow, that was also horrible. It was cold in the middle and hard in the edges. There is no way that any of the food was worth the high prices you pay. It is cheap diner food quality without the diner food prices.. read more

So I have been going here for longer than I can remember and I love it. A blast from the past a quintessential part of Tucson since 1939. My favorite is the front room with its big windows and beamed ceiling, a great place to hang out and eat with friends while smelling the meat being cooked on the grill, Amazing. Very little has changed since I was a little kid, and they have kept their prices reasonable. This is not a bells and whistles place plastic table cloths, and paper napkins, we're talking meat and potatoes, maybe the tamale pie, it is good basic Americana at a great price. If you want to experience the history of Tucson's western past, from Tom Mix's hat , boots, and suits, it does not get any better than this, I always get the large cut prime rib, and love every bite and every moment of my meal. read more

Here visiting from San Diego and my step mom recommended this place to us, it was soo good I got the Tuscan chicken, husband got the filet with a side and salad best steak he has ever had!! Might have to go again before we head home. Very nice and friendly staff thank you!! read more

El Corral - Steakhouses Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Ahh memories. What was 10 years ago is not today. Onion rings all crust and no onion, sslad poor presentation, prime rib a little tough, mashed potatoes covered in an inedible gravy, rolls plopped on your table in a basket without butter were left untouched. Good service and nice environment. Won't be returning. read more

Ribs and prime rib are definitely their best product. I had the 1/2 slab of ribs and tucson cut prime rib. The ribs were very good. They were tender and very good flavor. The prime rib was very good and the horseradish was great with a hard bite. The portion size was very good and ended up taking home two thirds of the ribs. We also ordered an onion ring appetizers and the meal came with buns and salad. These were just average. I thought the onion rings had a crispy outer coating but the center was mushy. The salad looked like a bag salad with an addition of mushrooms and sunflower seeds. Service was okay. It was fun for the experience of eating in a rustic venue. The meat was the best part and what they do great. read more

El Corral - Onion rings - Steakhouses Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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I was so looking forward to eating here. I purposely was choosey about what I ate all day in anticipation. I just moved back to Tucson and wanted to take my friend for an authentic mesquite grilled steak dinner. The outside and inside decor is the best part of El Corral. We arrived and were grumpily greeted and seated. No direction to walk this way or please follow me. We were given the option to sit wherever we wanted as if it didn't really matter. The waitress arrived and her service was ok. Food on the other hand was something to be desired. We were apologized to because it took so long to get out food. It seemed like a normal time to me. What was off putting was the waitress said they had to fire a second round of steaks because the first ones got burnt. She apologized. Honestly, we wouldn't have known. We went to cut into our T-Bone steaks and discovered the toughest steak and gristle and no mesquite flavor at all. We had both ordered medium rare. My friend got medium well & I received a rare steak. I chose to send it back and my friend didn't. We weren't even half done with out food and the waitress was asking if we wanted boxes for out dinner. The check was put on the table at this point with out a folder for it. We just looked at each other and thought well, OK. Part of our meal was comped for the under cooked steak, that was nice but wasn't necessary. I was pondering weather or not to write a review but the kicker was this morning, I woke up with what I've determined is food poisoning. I thought it was just a funky morning but had to ultimately leave classes I'm taking so that I could be home. I won't be going back. Sorry, El Corral, you may have been a staple in Tucson since 1939, I think you might need to rethink some things and maybe do some housecleaning; literally and figuratively. read more

Walk in the place was pretty empty but I heard they were pretty good. So I stayed. Ambiance; very casual , seems very family and kid friendly Decor: OK western theme , they have a BBQ pit to the right as you walk in , nothing was being cooked on it? Food: i ordered the rib combo with the 8oz prime rib, the ribs were pretty meaty and flavorful, but the prime rib was OK had no flavor little overcooked and it was cold. nothing to write home about.... customer service was ok... read more

Went to El Corral tonight for the first time ever. The food was very delicious but the server really made the difference for the night. Little Gabe was our server and he was incredible! He was tons of fun and made us feel important while we were there. If you go there I would recommend you even request him he was that good! read more

This was my first time eating here after quite a few years. Our server was great. He was in training but already had many years of food service under his belt. It was really refreshing how he attended to our needs without being too intrusive. He noted that there was a card next to my mom and asked if it was her birthday. That was really cool. We called ahead and it was a good thing because we still had to wait for for about 20 minutes. It would be better if they actually took reservations but I guess this works for them. We sat at the bar and chatted with the bartender, he was quite funny. In our party we ordered 2 prime rib and one ribeye. The prime rib was served perfectly. The prime rib was cooked to a perfect medium rare. Both prime ribs were served with tamale pie. Well, my mom really liked the tamale pie, me not so much. Not that there was anything wrong with the tamale pie, it was just not my cup of tea. I would have enjoyed my meal much more with some mashed potatoes. The ribeye on the other hand should have been sent back. The meat was extremely gristly and tough. It was heavily mesquite smoked which made it hard for my SO to stomach. It's not like we are not use to mesquite smoke as we grill often and use mesquite to cook, so for him to say it was too heavily smoked it has to be really heavy. He had mac & cheese with his steak which was very cheesy and well seasoned. Would we go back? Maybe, not sure, but we would not order steaks or tamale pie again. read more

Waste of time and money. The prime rib lacked flavor and was gross (I could barely eat it), the ribs were dry, and the tamale pie was soggy.

20 of us went to El Corral after the rodeo. We had Carol as our server and she made the night. Wide range of dishes and all were good. The service was casual and professional at at reasonable price. Would definitely go back especially with a group. read more

My wife and I finally decided to try El Corral after wanting to try it for a while and we were in the area. For a Friday night, it wasn't as busy as we thought it was going to be but it was 7pm. We got seated right away. The server came right away and took our orders. We ordered the spinach artichoke dip. My wife ordered the filet and tamale pie and I ordered the half rack of ribs and mashed potatoes. Both meals also came with a salad so we ordered the house salad with ranch. I also ordered a Moscow mule. The spinach artichoke did came with a side of tortilla chips and it tasted as expected. The house salads then came out with a side of warm garlic bread rolls. The salad looked and tasted like it came from a grocery store salad kit. The garlic bread rolls, however, were very good. We then got our entrees. The filet was cooked at the right temperature but it could've used a bit more seasoning. The tamale pie tasted great. Cheesy and spicy. No big complaints here. The ribs thought, I can honestly say we're the worst ribs I have ever had. They were so dry and reminiscent to dried meat or jerky. It was so dry and chewy. Not even the extra side of bbq sauce helped. It was as if it was a reheated half rack due to the 1/4in top layer of dried jerk. I could get a better half rack from Applebee's. This dish was definitely not worth the price we paid. My wife and I will probably not be coming back here again. It was a very disappointing experience. read more

First timer & will go again. Went at 7:15pm, easy parking and no wait to sit. Food was quick and hot. Atmosphere was nice, really interesting structure. Salads, steaks, baked sweet-potato and veggies were all perfect as we ordered. Too full for dessert. Waitress was great! Second visit July2019, updated to 5star. Everything was perfect. Got there about 6pm, still some parking up front. No wait to seat 2 people. Waitress was great, food was absolutely cooked perfect. Steaks were exactly as ordered, steamed green-beans tasted fresh like just out of a garden. We were seated within sight of the large mesquite grill. The cook had a lot going on and off the grill but he seemed relaxed and attentive to his craft. Great atmosphere. read more

I had ordered their ribs, they were SUPER dry also found a hair in my food. Promise it wasn't mine, I have long blonde hair, this hair was short & brown! The old lady who seems to be a host was very rude, don't why she's a host when she's so angry all the time. Not sure who our waitress was since she never introduced herself either but she sucked as well. 10/10 do not recommend this place. read more

I remember going here a long time ago and now that I live close by, decided to check it out again. Went for dinner on Tuesday around 5, but there was no host/hostess at the door. Around dinner time, it would help to have someone close by/monitoring the door so you don't feel as if you're in the wrong place. The bar was under construction, but I stopped by the existing one for a drink before the rest of my party arrived. The bartender was nice, gave me a cold glass for my beer, and directed me to the big reading room for a more comfortable spot. Good call. As far as the dinner itself: pretty good. Our server was very friendly and she knew the menu. It felt weird to be rushed to order after a couple minutes but then not get our food for about 30-45 min. And it wasn't very crowded. I ordered the prime rib, med-rare, with the tamale pie. Our server informed us the fryers weren't working so no fries for me, but I wasn't disappointed with the tamale pie. A very unique side. Prime rib could've used more seasoning, but cooked nicely. Yes, I could've asked for horseradish that comes with the au jus, but it seems to be a hard thing to miss if you're in the kitchen. I stole a couple of my dad's ribs, and they were nicely sauced and very meaty. Very good portions for the price, with leftovers the next day. I think El Corral is a go-to steakhouse in Tucson because of the history and that giant neon sign out front that you can't miss. Plus the parking lot is almost always packed. Is it the best place for a steak? No. I would plunk down more for Sullivan's or Fleming's. But it's a cozy, authentic, local place with decent service and decent food. Tighten the whole operation up a bit, and this place could be 4-5 stars. read more

El Corral - Where's the horseradish? I don't know. Where's the beef? There it is. - Steakhouses Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Hands down the BEST ribs we've EVER HAD! I'm talking fall off the bone, grab a fork kind of good. This is definitely a spot you don't want to miss out on if you're in the area. Staff is friendly and is a historic little place! read more

Excellent ribs, and Prime rib!!! Margaritas are amazing also!!! Great atmosphere and wait staff! read more

Had the Arizona cut of prime rib this time. It was great. Tried the rice pilaf; it was fine. Didn't get Gabe this time, and we missed him. He was totally on the ball, and always quick to help. While efficient, the lady who waited on us this evening wasn't quite as good as Gabe. Also, I think tonight was "bring-your-loud-mouthed-wife" to dinner night. Three tables around us, the women diners were very loud. One actually started shouting at another patron who was on his cell phone. She was much more disruptive than that guy on the phone. read more

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Came with a party of 8. We were served drinks right away and appetizers came fairly quick. We waited for 40 min before our entree order was taken. The waitress said I don't want to interrupt your conversation but I have another table. Not sure what that means. We placed our food order and waited another 35-40 min. The food was not that good. Waited for drink refills but 28 min later we had to hunt the waitress down. After she took refill order it was another 20 min until they came. The service was horrible and the food mediocre. Sorry to have seen this place like that. We use to enjoy going there. read more

I didn't let the mixed reviews on Yelp deter me, heard from locals this is a must try, so I went and I'm glad I did! You can smell the mesquite from the parking lot and the aroma draws you inside. The decor and ambiance of the place feels a tad cheesy- very 1970s western style, but the food is wonderful. I had the smallest portion of prime rib and it came with a salad and side. There was nothing small about the portion size, two adults could easily share it, the meat was so tender and buttery, melted in your mouth. The house salad they make for you table side was a real treat- a mix between sweet and savory and the baked potato was perfect as well. The only thing missing was how to get some of that dressing to take home! read more

This is such an iconic restaurant and while it may not be five star fine dining, it always delivers on expectations. Good prime rib, good tamale pie and tasty corn fritters. read more

great old school western steakhouse...downhome and very good! excellent location, historical, roomy, quick seating...very Tucson read more

Family style steak house... What's not to love? Prime rib is awesome here. Medium-rare, and cooked to perfection is how I enjoy it, and I have yet to be disappointed by El Corral. Their portions are hefty, and their sides to their Meat Entree's are your typical fair of Steakhouses... and also very delicious. This place has a lot more character than Black Angus, and their food tastes less "franchise-y." They have a lot of signature items that remind me of an old Hungry Hunter, Lodge-style Steakhouse, with a more cowboy feel to it. I especially love how they do your salad right in front of your table... I haven't' had that in so long! I do wish their dinner rolls were more unique... rather than your basic, cold pieces of bread... but you can't win them all. I haven't been there in a couple of years... so maybe they've changed that! read more

Great service and food. The prime rib is their specialty. A true steakhouse. The appetizers were great. Try the green Chile and the tamale pie scrumptious. If you are not too hungry, the beef stroganoff was delicious! Prices are reasonable. You can't make reservations, however, you can call ahead to be put on their wait list! read more

El Corral - Steakhouses Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Not really a review but some comments. We live in Maricopa and are thinking of coming down and trying out el corral. But in reading the reviews probably won't. The reason being after reading reviews going back a year, the same issues keep cropping up. So, despite Caseys' prompt and kindly responses as to 'fixing' the problems, sadly they don't seem to get 'fixed'. Sorry, but won't be visiting. read more

Tasteless food without seasoning. We ordered prime rib as medium rare but came out ruby red looking completely rare. We asked the waitress who then grilled the same meat for us which helped with the cook on it however the taste was still not there. Tamale pie was dry and again no real taste to it. It tasted like dry cornbread. Would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

How is it possible that a restaurant of this magnitude in popularity doesn't take reservations for Valentine's day and only has TWO bartenders for the entire HUGE space?! I called in advance and was assured that if my group arrived between 5-5:30pm we would probably be seated right away because "it probably wouldn't be busy at opening". LOL there was already over an hour wait at opening. We were also told that we could wait in the "lounge" where there are seats. The lounge was completely filled, with many empty seats that people were saving for members of their parties who hadn't arrived yet. We were lucky to scrounge together enough seats for our party at the bar (one person in our group could not walk or stand well for more than a short period of time and needed a seat). The bar was a disaster. It was filthy, the two bartenders seemed to be struggling, and all the people at the bar were upset because they had been waiting a long time and not gotten drinks or drink orders taken. An hour and 15 minutes later we were called to our table and our poor server- though he did a good job- seemed so busy that he was out of breath and rushed in taking our orders. Our food was good when it came, but for the amount of money our dinner cost this was not the experience we were hoping for. (A group of 4 in a small room with a group of ~15+ people was not fun, was super loud and just not worth the wait.) read more

I have been going to this place for more years than I like to admit to. It has been here a long time. The decor is pretty similar to many years ago-old time Western. They changed owners a few years ago and some things were lost like the great dishes, cups etc. with a western theme and the yearly calendar. Nevertheless, food is similar. The steaks are cooked on a grill and the mesquite taste is there. They cook it the way you request. I have always gotten a t-bone or filet mignon and it has always been moist and tasty. Some of my family's favorite things are the onion cheese bread and Sonoran chiles appetizers and the tamale pie as a side dish. I probably have a tie to the place having grown up going there but I still like the food and so do my children and grandchildren. read more

I first tired El Corral a few years ago, and that experience was so bad that I thought I'd never set foot in the place again. My steak was burned so badly that all I could taste was that burnt flavor. It was awful. So I swore it off until recently, when a friend decided to have her retirement party there. Needless to say, I wasn't excited to have to eat at El Corral again, but I came back with an open mind. Our party was about 25 people, so they gave us a room to ourselves and two waitresses dedicated to us. That worked out perfectly. The service was impeccable! Never was there an empty pitcher of sangria, bottle of wine, or glass of water/soft drink! They took our orders in a very organized manner and delivered the food without any question as to who ordered what. Perfect service! The food was much better this time than last time. My husband and I both ordered the petit filet mignon. The steak was cooked maybe a hair under than I ordered, so closer to medium rare than medium, but I dealt with it. My husband's was cooked to his requested temperature, though. The flavor on the steak was actually good this time. It's not knock-your-socks-off good with complex flavor profiles, but it's good. It's a meat and potatoes kind of place, you're not getting fancy sauces and stuff. Both of our steaks were tender and juicy. I had the mashed potatoes and gravy for my side, and they were creamy and tasty. The portion was tiny, though. My husband had the tamale pie, and he thought it was very good. I'm not a fan, so I can't really speak much about it, but I will say that this portion was also very small. Based on our last experience at El Corral, I'd be willing to give them another try. Hopefully my first visit was just an off night for them, because my second visit was good. It's an A-OK meat and potatoes, old west, kinda place. read more

Apparently it used to be good; no longer. Poor cuts of meat, poor service, dirty restaurant (there was FOOD GARBAGE under our table). Gross.

The waitress was nice. Food was bland. Expected more for the hype on this place. Tamale pie tasted like a moist piece of corn bread. Prime rib was over cooked as well from what was requested. My beef stroganoff had no flavor, tasted like hospital food. Place shows age, had dead bugs on the windowsill next to my table. Chair was broken as well. Save your money go somewhere else. read more

Nice historic restraurant on river rd. North side of town. Great for special occasion or just a night out. Informal dining with tasty steaks and prime rib, served with salad and potatoes / cornbread casserole . Everything was delicious but I'd skip on thee cornbread, it was like a heavy/ greasy corn (bread) something ? Not soufflé . ? Staff very friendly ! Make sure you order your meat exactly as you like it, the cook is spot on !! read more

Very disappointed in the service!!Normally food and service is great however today was not the case you would think since they aren't as busy as normal they would have it together however when I went to pick up curbside tonight everyone was lost. Then when I finally got my order 35 mins after they told me it would be ready they forgot part of it. I ordered the sonoran chiles and I literally got a scoop of meat and one chile very sad!! read more

El Corral - Sonoran Chiles - Steakhouses Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Read the reviews and heard from word of mouth that this was a great place for prime rib and great atmosphere. Cute restaurant Tamale Pie was GREAT! However; the service was like the prime rib poor... waitress only refilled water glasses once. We sat at our table for 45 minutes visiting with empty glasses - NOT ONE WAIT STAFF ASKED IF WE NEEDED ANYTHING the wouldn't even make eye contact it was like we were in the no customer service zone! The gift shop in the parking lot was super cute, it is worth 2 starts. Save your money and eat elsewhere. read more

Five of us went last night to celebrate my wife's birthday. To start off they brought us our utensils. My stepsons were dirty and caked with dry crud. He promptly sent them back to be replaced. Then came the salads which were not fresh. Maybe they were yesterday. Four of us ordered the half rack of ribs. Again, another disappointment. They were probably fresh yesterday,but not today. They were dry and cool to the touch. The tamale pie was cold and the cheese on top was a dried out scab. Our granddaughter ordered the caesar salad and the chicken on it was cold and unappetizing. So long El Corral as this will probably be our last meal there. read more

Oh el corral. As much as I want to give you a better review I can't. Service was ok but not stellar but that wasn't the big deal here. We were sat in the room by the bathrooms. And the strong sewer smell filled that whole place the whole time. Really dampers my appetite. I mean you can smell it from river rd it's that bad. Might want to get that checked out soon. Cause it's bad. Felt like I was eating in a nasty bar full of crap . It's disgusting!! And considering it's supposed to be a nice restaurant it certainly didn't feel like it I don't know what the issue is but there is definitely an issue that's needs fixed and that kind of issue only gets worse. Honestly made it feel like the restaurant wasn't clean either. Now the food. The prime was ok... just ok. Not much flavor and the Auju was cold and the fries were hard and cold. Not at all to what I was expecting on one of the most expensive items on the menu!! The bread was hard and cold, the salad had hardly any dressing on it. Extremely disappointed and I'm not sure I want to try this place again after two times this year with the same results. read more

A typical old Tucson steakhouse but with a much greater differentiated menu. Good options for all in any party.

The four of us were out for Valentine's Day dinner looking for meat. So were dozens of other seniors at 6 pm. After an hour wait in the crowded bar aea we were seated in the back room where Maria served us with a sassy smile and a pepper grinder on her hip like a taser. The prime rib and baked potato was the perfect combo on this cool rainy night preceded by a much improved house salad (with tomato and onion) and almost-warm dinner rolls. The jus and horseradish added a juicy punch for dipping. We were glad we ordered the smaller "House" cuts as the portions are fair and we weren't looking for leftovers. The Road House Western decor, the tilt of the floors, the come-as -you-are dress code make this a safe, cozy and convivial classic. read more

Been coming here for decades but it has been awhile. 3 of us ordered their signature prime rib. Just ok at best, and tough. Don't think we will be going back. read more

Very average. We're from the east coast and trying to find all the great steak Tucson has to offer. Not great. Good average family restaurant. read more