Three of us dined at El Corral recently. Had heard what a great steakhouse it is...a Tucson tradition. Lots of pictures of long-dead cowboy movie stars on the walls. Informal setting. We each ordered a different dish so we could sample. Conclusion: kinda chewy & tasteless. I get better tasting meats at Costco and offer my dinner guests better steak from my own BBQ. At least the bread was fresh. Salads: ordinary. Do make reservations. For reasons that elude me, this is a very popular establishment. Service: OK. The owner also has Pinnicle Peak Steakhouse in Traildust Town. Same. The highlight of the evening was found across the El Corral parking lot at a small shop called Diamond Lil's, a project of the owners sister-in-law. Vintage clothing, some really interesting. Ms. Karen, who seldom buys anything for herself, bought several outfits. jg read more

Great service and wonderful food! The prime rib really is outstanding! The service can run a little slow, but I actually appreciate it because they make me feel like I'm at a friend's house and not a restaurant. The servers always have a smile and are willing to joke and laugh with you. The mud pie is sinful!!! read more

I hadn't been there in 15 years and I was worried that it wouldn't live up to my memory: I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only are they still in business during the pandemic, but their food is just as good as I remember! You absolutely must try the stuffed green chilies. They put prime rib and cheese in them and they are to die for. read more

Had a small prime rib. Was ok. Tables are really small and our party of 4 was cramped. Husband had a steak and it was tough and tasteless. Won't be back. read more

Been there twice. Prime rib is supposed to be the best in Tucson. Hmmm. NOT. But tried it again. Disappointing second time too. Will not go back. But then, I find Tucsonans generally do not have very good tastes and/or expectations in food quality. Every time we drive past the parking lot seems quite full and I have no idea why. But if you like it, keep going. I will keep looking for a good prime rib and steak. read more

We actually had friends from CA introduce us to the restaurant last night . ( we have only lived in GV 1 yr.) Cant tell you how pleased we were! Prime rib x2 was ordered, as well as a chicken dish, and fillet mignon. The service and food was to perfection and love the ambiance. Not a short drive from Green Valley, but well worth it ! We will frequent this restaurant and bring guests here regularly. Thanks for making our evening so special!! E. Hayes , Green Valley. read more

We held the rehearsal dinner for my son's wedding at El Corral last Thursday and I couldn't have been more pleased! The food, venue, and service was fabulous. I highly recommend El Corral! read more

I liked the food but didn't care much for the decor an it was my girls birthday an they did nothing for it also the waitress seemed very dumb. Never coming back read more

We got a fabulous meal and the staff was extra considerate, making sure I found a meal that didn't have any allergens that would make me sick. Would definitely come back again. read more

I stumbled upon this wonderful place by accident. I was visiting from Phoenix and drove by.... the smell alone pulled me right in! The service was top notch (bartender Mike or Micah... cannot remember his name) and the food was tasty! I cannot wait to come back and bring the fiancée! I'm still dreaming about the wonderful salad that comes with the meal read more

Very good prime rib. A bit more expensive than Colt's Taste of Texas. Service was good, attentive, and friendly. Second time there, will definitely return. read more

Tables are spaced, servers stay at a distance but this El Corral still has the same old charm. Meal was great and a really nice evening was had by all. So thankful this place survived! read more

We have been to this restaurant several times. We have never had a bad meal here and the service has always been top notch. We love to take our out of town guests here because of the wonderful food and service and for the western cowboy themed atmosphere. We have never had to wait for a table, even on the week-end, but they were always fairly busy. I agree with a previous poster; they need a happy hour. If they had that, we would probably go there even more! I would recommend this restaurant to everybody. read more

The food was excellent. They tend to undercook what you order, so be sure to order medium if you want a medium rare steak, and so forth. The service was horrible. The waitress ignored a request for a refill on my soda three times. I know the food is cheaper here, but that is no excuse for horrible service. read more

Mtay wife and I went here for our aniversary and We both ate the large filets. Both were cooked to perfection, mine medium rare hers well done. The salad was fresh and crisp the soup was served hot and tasted home made. Baked potato also served hot tamale pie was awesome. Would highly recommend this restaurant for a good steak. read more

The combination rib, and choice of beef platter is tasty. A very simple dish. I chose the vegetable of the day, which were snow peas. To overly buttered. The bread is nothing to get excited about. The chicken noodle souple is not home made, it tasted ok but I think it's out of a can. The portions on my friends plate were small. The place is very loud from folks trying to converse with one another. Service was ok. read more

This has got to be Tucson's worst beef restaurant. Dinner last night was: 1) a plate of fat and gristle described on the menu as a New York strip steak 2) a plate of fat and "mystery meat" described on the menu as prime rib. Anyone who goes to this "Tucson landmark" does so at their own risk. Really awful!! read more

I made reservations for 10 on my son's birthday. We were seated with no delay. Shortly after being seated we were greeted by our server, drink and appetizer orders were taken. So far so good! Once our appetizer arrived it was cold in the center. That was the start of the downhill with the rest of our meal. Every piece of meat that was ordered at our table was not cooked the way it was asked. For example, one person ordered a hamburger, well done. You could squeeze the blood out of the meat. All of the meat dishes had similar issues. I won't be returning to El Corral and I doubt anyone in our party will either. read more

To be honest this place wasn't as good as I was hoping. I've always wanted to try it but when I did I was very disappointed....check out my full review here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWHuU2gQQno read more

Our experience started with Ellis, a fantastic host. He made us feel so welcomed into the restaurant and made me feel like I was being transported back to the Wild West. Our server, Gabe, was fantastic and attentive to every need. The food was amazing. We had the prime rib. Make sure to try the Tamale Pie and Prime Rio. Super impressed with the prices. 10/10 will recommend to all friends and family. read more

We ate there tonight for the first time. My husband and I both ordered the filet Mignon with salad and tamale pie. The lettuce in the salad was not fresh and the rolls were hard. My steak was tough and full of gristle, my knife would hardly cut it. Tamale pie was good, but cold. Our waitress offered me prime rib and also a free dessert, but I declined. She deserves 5 stars, she was very busy, always had a smile on her face. read more

Just had a lovely date night experience here this evening. We chose El Corral because my boyfriend and his parents frequented the place during his childhood. I love the atmosphere and the decor. It's very Tucson appropriate! We both ordered steak meals and were not disappointed. The garden side salad that comes complementary with each entree was larger than I expected, and they had no issue replacing my garden salad for a caesar. I do agree with other reviews in that I feel the salads are made with prepackaged salad mix, but I use the same stuff at home most times so I'm not upset as the salad was complimentary with my entree. My boyfriend was satisfied as well, it was a perfectly sized side salad and the dressing was plentiful and tasty. I ordered the filet mignon and mashed potatoes. The steak was cooked perfectly, a nice charred medium well with a pink center, and the mashed potatoes were flavored so wonderfully the gravy served wasn't necessary. My boyfriend got a bone in ribeye cooked medium rare which was cooked perfectly as well. He loved his baked potato which was served with ample amounts of the 'loaded' style condiments. My cocktail was delicious, and he enjoyed his whiskey. Our server Wendy was extremely attentive and all measures of safety for the virus were taken during our visit. Needless to say that I am more than excited for our next visit to El Corral when we are craving a delicious steak night that doesn't involve us doing the dishes! read more

Had the T bone medium rare. Very thin cut, chewy, cheap cut. Not worth the money. On the plus side the decor is worth a trip but not the T bone. read more

Great western atmosphere, fantastic service, delicious dinner ... highly recommended!

El Corral is just one of those places that everyone loves and you don't really understand it until you actually go. I've been eating here since I was about eight years old and I can only think of one time where the food was subpar. The service can be marginally crappy if you show up on a crowded night. But it's never usually the wait staff that's difficult to deal with. It's usually the hostess stand while you're waiting. I always make sure to show up on an odd evening at about 4:30 to beat the crowds. I ways order the Tucson cut prime rib with tamale pie. I hate to say it, but the tamale pie is probably my favorite part! I love corn, I love longhorn cheese, and I love green chiles. All in the same side dish. I even have the recipe at home. Anyways, back to the prime rib. I generally get it well done and they've never failed to provide me with a tasty cut of prime rib. read more

Our waitress was awesome, the steak, T-bone was nothing special, very unbalanced. Tender one bite, chewy the next. The main issue was the lack of flavor. I tasted smoke but no salt, no seasoning at all. The price was very reasonable and that must be the problem, cheap cuts of meat. With no skill in the cooking. Everything else, atmosphere, sides, wait staff... all good. I came for a great steak. I got much less. read more

One of the worst places in Tucson. I don't know how this place is open. There was a two hour wait for food and when it arrived it was undercooked, bread was stale and coffee was not fresh like they said. Do yourself a favor and forget about this place, I will not be back. read more

We just revisited this restaurant after a 12 year absence. We don't live near here. We had good memories of the place and we wanted to see if they still held true. We weren't disappointed. The food was delicious and cooked to order. The margaritas were still perfection and kicked quite the punch and the service was friendly and efficient. A strong recommend!! read more

El Corral - Steakhouses Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The Prime rib and horseradish is a 10.... wish I lived closer. When I visit Tucson, this is a must visit for dinner.

I cannot believe that this "steakhouse" is rated this high. Sixteen years ago, perhaps, but not now. Over the years we have watched everything fall apart. I won't detail all of our horrible experiences, just the last. My family of 4 goes for dinner on a Wednesday night. Place is almost empty. They are out of prime rib. We ask for fillet. Out of that as well. We remembered the brown, soggy salads and horrid food from before and left immediately. All that was in our minds was, "what the hell were we thinking"? You may ask why we don't give up on El Corral and the answer is simple: years, eons ago, this was the location of my first date with my husband. We keep going back out of nostalgia. Please don't make our mistake. read more

Couldn't say I was too happy. Got the prime rib, pretty plain. They give you an Au Jus sauce, doesn't really do the trick. The mushrooms that I ordered were pretty plain as well. My wife ordered an end piece, it didn't really look like end piece should. read more

This is a standard steakhouse with cowboy flair and some Southwest-style options. Nothing was particularly noteworthy (we got a steak and a chicken dish). The price was right and the service attentive and pleasant. This is probably a good place to take "meat and potatoes" type of people who do not like to be too adventurous with their cuisine. read more

I am sure that there are better Steakhouses in Tuscon than this! Overall, the food was cold, tasteless and bland. The steaks were fatty. They didn't appear to be, or taste like prime-cuts, but rather cheap pieces. The waiter was friendly, but service was slow. The flies in the window (at night) were a real turn-off. It wasn't a thrilling experience, and the food is quite forgettable. 2 stars for the decor! read more

Never going back. I ordered the chicken. It was raw in the center. We ordered the petite fillet, medium, it was bloody and again, raw. Not the first time they can't get the temperatures correct. Gave them a pass the first time, but can't imagine why they can't get it right at a steak house. Unacceptable. read more

Saturday afternoon we were looking forward to a delectable steak dinner. We arrived at approximately 5:15 and were so happy to be seated right away, no waiting list today. As we reviewed all our choices we both decided to have the bone-in ribeye steak. Steak was accompanied by a salad that was very fresh but a bit on the skimpy side, I guess lettuce is on the expensive side right now so they're cutting down on the amount they're serving. We waited just a few minutes for our steak and were pleasantly surprised to see them come around the corner with our plates in hand. We anxiously cut into this beautiful cut of meat AND to our disappointment, it was tough just cutting into the steak. We couldn't wait to savor the bite....we bit down on a "tough as shoe leather" and very gristly piece of meat for $24.99. I was totally disappointed, my husband was very upset because his steak was tough as well. Well, I reported this to the waitress and sent it back but my husband refused to send his back (not knowing what he would end up with). My replacement steak was a wee bit better but still tough!! Needless to say, we will not be returning and will not recommend it either. So disappointed and disgusted to spend $25 on a horrific piece of meat. Service was excellent, great waitress!! read more

We were a party of 7 on a busy Friday night. Service was adequate. I ordered the prime rib rare. My husband ordered the T-bone. Both orders arrived cold. The waitress asked if it was okay to put it on the grill to warm it. BIG MISTAKE! It came back barely edible, charred and over-cooked. My husband said his steak was full of gristle and the worst meal he's ever had up to and including the C rations he had in 'Nam! read more

Well, this used to be one of my favorite restaurants and I have recommended it to so many tourists. Unfortunately, this evenings experience was a huge let down. After waiting 10 minutes, we were finally given waters with no offers on appetizers (or even a chance to order them. Another 10 minutes go by and the rest of our group of 11 joined us- the server still didn't stop by for another 15 minutes to even take drink orders or appetizer orders. After waiting a total of 45 minutes, I tracked down a hostess and asked if we could have some bread for the kids and refills on our drinks. Next we got our salads. These sorry salads were so small with wilted yellowish lettuce (mainly iceberg with a small bit of romaine) as well as a soggy tomato slice and very watery ranch dressing. The macaroni and cheese was extremely dry and you could tell it was under the heat lamp for quite a while (super hot plate and Luke warm food). The dinner portions got smaller and the prices got higher. Most of the table sat with nothing to drink for most of our meals. To top it off, the bathrooms were out of toilet paper and smelled like stagnet sewer. Unfortunately, I was highly disappointed. read more

El Corral - The salad was far worse looking in person - Steakhouses Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all

My wife and I decided to try out what was on offer at El Corral (against her better judgement might I add). My stubborn streak came about due to me having my T Bone napper on. We entered cowboy territory and were promptly seated in the corner which was fine by us, as the wee sweaty uncomfortable looking man sat up the back corner looked like Ed Gein sedated on Diazepam. We were then given glasses of water by a sour faced waitress, who gave off the dagger eyed stare of Evil Lyn from a bad He-Man cartoon. She didn't want to be there, and it appeared that there was an underlying feeling of contempt emanating from her tortured soul. Next up was a seemingly pleasant enough woman who took our orders... T Bone steak and fries for me, and the chicken breast with rice pilaf. Fair enough, this place isn't fine dining by any stretch of the imagination. Out came our salads within 3 minutes of ordering. Fine. The salad appeared to be fresh, although messy in presentation. Basically chucked on by a blind, arse scratching kitchen member (probably the kitchen porter). Our seemingly pleasant waitress became unpleasant as she zipped back again after approximately 2 and a half minutes saying "you've finished, mmhmm?" We decided to name her Passive Patty, due to her passive/aggressive personality disorder. Next up was our main meal, which must have taken all of 3 minutes to prepare. Doesn't the steak need a rest period? I expected something a lot better for $20.99. The chicken breast was criminally small and served with what looked like very bland rice that could have been boil in the bawbag Uncle Ben's stodgy worst. Seriously, the small single chicken breast, butterflied to make it look bigger, was shamefully small. 15 Dollars for a piece of pish chicken that wouldn't look out of place in a retirement home, or a Peruvian prison. Our waitress was one of those types who like to watch customers eat with a steely hawk like stare, which made this dining experience definitely the worst experience of my life. I would advise anyone who isn't of retirement age to avoid this place like the plague. The food is substandard, and the service is abysmal. read more

Authentic southwest steakhouse, great atmosphere and vibes if you're going for that true ranch style kind of thing. Almost feels like you've gone back in time to the Wild West era. Steaks are big and cooked how you like it. They serve sarsaparilla which is dope. read more

Our waiter (Micah?) was probably the most patient man I've ever met. My grandmother looked up and asked him 'what exactly is this Bone-in Ribeye?' He slowly and carefully pointed out it was a steak. I was laughing pretty hard without letting my 88 year old grandmother know. She then asked what her options were to cook, he gave her the a very basic Rare, Medium and Well-Done lesson. She then told me to order, which I ordered the Filet-mignon, M/R. She then said, "I'll have that too, but what is between Rare and Well-Done again?" We were treated very well, and I enjoyed my steak. Our steaks ended up being switched by accident, so we traded and didn't bring it up since it was an easy fix. I got the tamale pie for my side, and thought it was more like cheesy cornbread than a tamale. I'd take my grandmother here again. read more