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Pinnacle Pete’s in Scottsdale, Arizona.”

You are so right about that. The first time we ever ate there was in 1962. Winding dirt road in, not a directional sign anywhere to be found - you just headed in the general direction. Lots of cut off ties hanging from the beams. Real guitar music and everyone working there lived in a bunk house. Real working cattle ranch which just happened to cook a great steak on a huge outdoor grill.

No menu. You sat down and a bottle of beer appeared, followed by a bowl of beans and a platter of bread and then the largest steak I had ever seen, all cooked outside - medium rare and absolutely perfect.

Of course back then there were also no stop lights in Scottsdale, horses had the right of way and all the bars had swinging doors and hitchin’ posts.

Went back with my family a couple of years ago. Couldn’t believe what had happened to the area. Steak still good but it’s not quite the same.

I'm going to say Pinnacle Peak out of all these listed. Ruth's Chris does a good job for a chain, but I think their white tablecloth experience doesn't match what Pinnacle Peak used to offer with its cowpoke/roper-style beans and bread and mammoth cowboy steak and your party sat at a picnic table.

I have not been able to recreate their beans at home. Ah, well. Canned 'Ranch Style Beans' will have to do.

Yeah, I lost a tie there as a kid. This was the restaurant in Colton CA.

Outback doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in this thread.