Don't Wear A Tie To This Old West-Style Arizona Steakhouse

I grew up in Arizona, the heart of the Old West. Fascinated by cowboy culture, I couldn't get enough of hats, boots, kerchiefs, and horses. Which is why I loved visiting Trail Dust Town. This little slice of the Old West is a quirky, family-favorite spot in Tucson, Arizona. It features restaurants, stores, and Old West-themed attractions like a shooting gallery, gold panning area, Wild West stunt shows, and a miniature train ride. It's also home to one of my favorite childhood restaurants, Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse. 

Since 1962, it has served mesquite-grilled, cowboy-cut steaks in an authentic, Old West atmosphere. Its menu features classic cowboy cookout fare, like baby back ribs, steaks, burgers, grilled chicken, loaded baked potatoes, and corn on the cob. The adjoining Silver Dollar Saloon is modeled after an 1890s bar, and offers wine, local draft beers, and hand-crafted cocktails with cute names like the Huckleberry Martini and the Cowgirl Mule. The bar is so authentic, in fact, that it even has a spittoon. But the best part about dining at Pinnacle Peak is its "No Ties Allowed" policy.

If you look up at the ceiling when you walk in, you'll see ties of all styles, colors, and patterns hanging from its rafters. This is because visitors who show up in a tie will have it ceremoniously cut off by a staff member while guests count down, chanting, "one, two, three, yee-haw!" And some guests wear a tie exactly for that reason, because it's all done in fun and is part of a 64-year-old tradition that makes Pinnacle Peak one of the best historic restaurants to visit if you want a taste of the Wild West.

Trail Dust Town and Pinnacle Peak were designed by developer Howard Hamm, who transformed an old Western movie set from the 1950s into a mini amusement park and one of the best themed restaurants in the U.S. you haven't heard of. The "No Ties" policy started the same year that the restaurant opened, and was meant to be a cheeky way to thumb one's nose at hoity-toity guests who showed up in suits. The steakhouse was built for the working class, not the wealthy. Despite the fact that everyone is welcome to dine there now, the funny tradition continues today. In fact, in 2019 owner Casey Wills told a local news station that they cut at least 100 ties off the necks of guests each week (via K-GUN).

However, all of those ties hanging from the rafters of the restaurant may have been the cause of a terrible fire in 1971. The entire property burned to the ground, forcing the owners to completely rebuild. Yet the restaurant and saloon emerged from the ashes better than ever. Known as the original Cowboy Steakhouse and the birthplace of the Cowboy Steak, this restaurant is worth visiting the next time you're in Tucson. Pinnacle Peak is open seven days a week, and you can catch Wild West shows at Trail Dust Town on Thursdays through Sundays. The venue also hosts holiday-themed special events as well as family-friendly theme parties like Pirate and Mermaid Night. Enjoy an ice cold glass of Arizona beer and a thick steak cooked over a mesquite log fire, which is the best wood to smoke bold and flavorful steaks. Then take the Old West train around Trail Dust Town and see the sights.