Gus's BBQ

If you’re craving real Southern-style barbecue in the LA area, Gus’s BBQ in Pasadena hits the spot. This place has been around for years, and it shows in all the right ways. The atmosphere is warm, welcoming, and just rustic enough to feel authentic without trying too hard. Whether you’re there for brunch, lunch, or dinner, the vibe is always inviting and relaxed. Let’s get to the food: it’s legit. The brisket is tender and smoky with that perfect bark on the outside—exactly how you want it. The pulled pork is juicy and full of flavor, and the ribs? Fall-off-the-bone and packed with that deep, slow-cooked taste. They really know how to do low and slow here. Portions are generous, too, so come hungry. One thing that really stood out for me was the variety of sauces—sweet, spicy, tangy—they let you customize the experience without overdoing it. You can tell they take pride in their recipes. Also, the sides aren’t just an afterthought like in some BBQ spots. The mac and cheese is creamy and rich, the baked beans have that smoky-sweet punch, and the cornbread? Soft, buttery, and served warm. They also have great drink options—a full bar with solid cocktails and a decent beer list. The bourbon peach sweet tea was a standout. Perfect for a summer afternoon. Service was friendly and efficient. Our server knew the menu well and gave us good recommendations without rushing us. Even on a busy night, everything came out on time and hot. ⸻ Gus’s BBQ is a Pasadena staple for a reason. Solid barbecue, awesome sides, great service, and an atmosphere that feels both cozy and classic. Whether you’re a BBQ purist or just want a good meal with friends or family, it delivers every time. Definitely worth the drive if you’re coming from elsewhere in LA

Absolutely wonderful BBQ restaurant that combines delicious food, southern hospitality, and a love for what they do. The ribs are cooked to perfection and fall off the bones, delicious even without any sauce. The kitchen is so efficient and the food comes out quickly. They have 2 toes of ribs and ordering a full rack of ribs lets you do half and half. Very friendly staff and plenty of seats inside.

Gus’s BBQ is definitely going on my list of favorite spots in Pasadena! The service was amazing , our server recommended the cornbread as an appetizer and it did not disappoint. So flavorful and gluten-free! We ordered the chicken and two meats combo, and let me just say… the chicken was cooked to perfection. The house made blueberry mint lemonade was super refreshing and the perfect touch to an incredible meal. Highly recommend!

Old school vibes but well kept and clean. Our server Phillip N is great. Food wise, ribs and smoked sausages are tender and juicy, hot chicken is also flavorful, all the sides are good. The only thing is the brisket is kinda dry. But overall the experience was great and good value for money. Highly recommended.

First time here everything was good but not much better than most BBQ. Large portions and a good ceasar. In fact that was the highlight. Large 23oz beer was worth the extra cost. We had the ribs plus 2 meats and it was more than we could both split. Children's portion was also substantial. No problem parking but not an abundance. Make sure you get a reservation. I'm told the wait can be long

Service was great! The appetizers and side dishes really stood out to us. My only complaint was that when our main course came out afterwards, the brisket was really dried out. My guess was that, as we were eating our appetizers, they already plated our meats and decided to keep it under some heat lamp or oven. I wish they would have just brought out our meats alongside with our apps then. I also asked for my meats not to be drenched in bbq sauce, still though, that doesn't excuse the dryness of the brisket. The rib was still rather juicy inside, especially near the bone. I particularly enjoyed their potato salad.

The food was amazing but the service was even better. Our server syrai went above and beyond to make sure we had a great experience. We ordered the combo, cornbread, and nachos and all were better than we expected. Brisket was fatty but that’s just how we like it. The nachos were savory, sweet, and spicy. All you can ask for in Pasadena when looking for great bbq.

This place is so good. Has probably the best barbecue brisket around. Some of the best I’ve ever had. You definitely won’t be disappointed coming to this place. I must stop shop for any of you barbecue lovers.

South Pasadena. I love Gus's. It's close to home, it's almost always accessible, delish food, helpful service and if you're not in the mood for BBQ like me, I can find other options, mostly Southern fare, which I love. Im good with that. First, when you arrive at Gus's you feel like you've arrived at a dark homey bar but not. You see a host, counter seating in the right for people without reservations. As you walk in to the back you arrive at the dining room and bar that holds parties of 2 and above. It's comfy and neighborhood y. I love it here. The food and the drinks are very good to excellent. I love Southern food and can only have it Gus's , unless I want to drive to another resto 20 miles away, so on a quick dinner run, I love coming here. Service is on point, attentive, friendly, welcoming. yes, I've visited back often. End of Yelp.

I know they specialize in bbq but I'm here to spill on their fried chicken which I think is arguably way better than their bbq. Their bbq is good but honestly I don't see much of a difference between it and other bbq restaurants. Their chicken and waffles though?! Different story. They only serve it on weekends so make sure to check it out then. You get this giant plate of fried chicken, waffles and spiced watermelon. The texture of the chicken is perfect and the flavor hits all the right notes. They also provide big portions and I've taken home leftovers from it. The waffles are nice and crispy as well. It comes with spiced watermelon which is refreshing next to the waffles and chicken. I should give a little shoutout to their Mac and cheese and cornbread though because those two are also excellent.

I enjoyed the brisket. I wish they didn't put the bbq sauce on it or let you choose the flavor from the caddy on the table. The mashed potatoes were my favorite part, and the few bites of pulled pork and creamed corn I had were great! My boyfriend really liked the dirty rice. The green beans were bad, tough and flavorless, but it is the wrong time of the year for them right now. Every time we have come here, I feel like we've been put in the "kids table" section. It's just my boyfriend and I, no kids, but without fail we have been sat in the front section by the door with multiple families with very loud, very young children. I understand it's a family restaurant, and I expect it to be loud. Still, when I walk to the bathroom and see the extensive seating in the rear of the restaurant with an older demographic, I'm disappointed. The service was great and our food was out a few minutes after we ordered!

There's lots of Nashville fried chicken sandwich spots, including ones that are almost exclusively focused on them, and yet Gus whips up what I'd argue is the best fried chicken sandwich that I've ever had! It comes out freshly fried with a huge moist hunk of chicken that's flavorful with just the right amount of kick, refreshing cole slaw, served on a fresh bun and with yummy sides (my fave are the beans). From the outside it looks like a small spot but it has a big back area with booths, also like sitting at the bar and there's a small front outdoor area too. Service is friendly and decently fast, haven't tried anything here that I didn't like but honestly since discovering their fried chicken sandwich only come here to fulfill that craving!

My daughter got to pick the place she wanted to go to and she chose Gus's. The place was packed and a long waiting period [about 35 minutes]. I never complain about having to wait because it means that it has to be good, right? We ordered the rib and two meat special and everything was good. My wife ordered the cornbread and while she was not a big fan of corn being in it, I was. Very tasty. The ribs were decent as was the sausage. The brisket was a little tough. We had the green beans and the sweet potato fries. The green beans were a little al dente but I liked them. Scott, our waiter, was awesome and it looked like everyone was happy with the service. I see that they have a nice drink menu too although we didn't have any alcoholic drinks today. The passion tea was very good. Overall, I think the BBQ is good but there are so many good BBQ locations in the area that I think are just better. Not that I would hate coming back but if I am going somewhere more than 10 miles from my house to have BBQ, there are a lot of options. But I ain't hating Gus's.

Wowowow! It's so hard to find a good bbq spot in LA/socal and this spot might be my new favorite. The cornbread was one of the best I've had, collard greens/potato salad were amazing too. For protein, the brisket was my favorite. I thought the St. Louis ribs and sausage was good but not mind blowing. Next time I would skip on the sweet potato fries as well. Service was nice and very attentive. Provides great recommendations too! Parking: there's a small lot that fills up really fast and street parking available.

Round of applause for this place here !!! Walked in, greeted immediately. 100 points already. The quoted time was the quoted time which I love. Another 100. Sat down and our server Syrai gave us a warm welcoming greet and she was ready to take our order and didn't make us wait. She was so sweet and attentive and checked up on us multiple times. Another 100 . Aside from her checking up on us, the staff was attentive as well. We had multiple different people check in to make sure we were great. 100's everywhere. Food was delicious. Sides were great and ambiance is cute and even though it was a busy Sunday, everything was smooth. Definitely check this place out and they have big booths and small booths to accommodate a date night or a family night. Forgot to mention the sweet tea was perfection. Not too sweet just right.

Great ambiance! Came here to celebrate my friend's birthday and the way they set the tables up in the back were perfect. There were 7 adults and 5 kids. It was a great spot to celebrate a birthday with kiddos. The server was great and she knew her food and always kept our drinks filled. The food was good and flavorful but the sides were just okay ... nothing special. The fried chicken was nice a crispy and tender. The string beans needed more flavor and for how much I paid for the side order of tri tip I feel like there should have been more. The tri tip was tender and flavorful though... but idk if it's worth $8 for 5 small pieces. I know they smoke it and it's a good piece of meat but still. Overall I'd definitely come back!

Delicious food, great service, beautiful outside area. I do enjoy the plates a little more than the sandwiches. Since there's a little more food with the plates.

I have driven by my entire life and finally decided to try Gus's and I'm honestly upset I didn't try sooner. There can be a short wait during peak hours on peak days like weekends but it's nothing too long. I came on a Friday evening and only waited about 10 minutes. The service is really efficient. Food comes out fast, water always gets refilled, and empty plates get taken away almost immediately. I love that! My partner and I shared the chicken and two meat combo with brick chicken, brisket, and pulled pork with two sides as well as an onion strings appetizer. The portions were generous and everything was moist and tasty. I enjoyed the sauces they had on the table as well. Don't sleep on the side of ranch that comes with the onion strings! I also love that there's free parking in the back as well as street parking. The ambiance is casual and chill. I definitely plan on making this my go-to for bbq!

Came in on a Friday afternoon to try Gus's barbecue and it did not disappoint. Everything was delicious from the appetizers to the drinks. Starting with mac & cheese, the perfect amount of sauce without making it too cheesy, my deviled egg bites were very good I recommend those starters. I had the spicy chicken sandwich and it was very delicious, it wasn't too crunchy, and the sweet potato fries on the side were perfect. My old-fashioned was very tasty and the blueberry bourbon drink as well was also a good choice. The service was great, we were often. Waters were refilled before we had to ask which was great. The restaurant is south is pretty cool because you have a section when you walk in for bar sitting quick lunch sitting, and then you have the back room with finer dining and bar area. I will definitely come back again I love the pictures from way back when old-school Pasadena.

So, we came on a busy Saturday night and they told us 45 minute wait but turned into an hour and a half wait. Granted, there was a group of 7 of us. This place isn't so much for large parties but smaller ones. After the long wait we got sat and had great service. Food came out quickly and was delicious. No issues with orders at all. We loved the wide array of sauces. The blueberry mint lemonade was to die for! We tried both the original and jalepeno cheddar sausage and preferred the jalepeno cheddar over the original. Same for the st loud ribs over Memphis! No complaints, would return but would make reservation far ahead of time for a party as big, If they'd take a reservation. Otherwise will be returning likely just my significant other and I.

This is a special place. Ambiance from the 1930's or so. The bbq is delicious but the catfish was absolutely the star of the dinner. I cant wait to try the fried chicken now that I tasted their fried catfish. We had a wonderful server( Jael). She was funny, smart and perfectly attentive. Never pushed us to finish. We were there 3 hrs. Great dinner!

Both the fries and the burger with bacon and onion rings were outstanding. Pork ribs were tasty and tender. Efficient service; a few small outdoor tables in front of the restaurant.

Three friends and I came to Gus's after being luckily being next door at the Fair Oaks Cigar Lounge to watch the Dodgers game, and man did we luck up into some AMAZING food and even more spectacular service. Everything we ordered came out in what felt like record time and it was hot, with amazing flavors, and the servers clearly had a system that worked because they operated so flawlessly in not only answering our questions but making great recos. We started with the pulled pork nachos and two orders of deviled eggs for the table which was great but then I had the fried catfish and chips with a side of mac n cheese for dinner and let's just say I left extremely satisfied and promise I will be back to try more of the menu. The whiskey flight was extremely well priced and had a bevy of options to choose from and was a great addition to all the food being consumed. Excellent bbq spot and highly recommend if you're in the area.

By all means, not a bad American BBQ spot, but I think it does fall short of when you carve juicy and tasty BBQ. Came here on a Friday with a craving, right after 4th of July with a friend. We ordered a half rack of Baby Back Ribs and a 10oz Beef Brisket. Both orders came with two orders of sides each so definitely a nice experience when you can try and share more things. We got the cream corn, BBQ baked beans, mac n cheese, and mash potato. I would say.. both the ribs and brisket was lacking in flavor and juiciness. They did have a large variety of BBQ sauce on the side but they didn't have anything that was just plain tangy and sweet (they did have everything else though). The sides were really tasty though except for the BBQ baked beans! Solid mac n cheese, cream corn, and mash potato. They are probably what saved this review plus the easy experience of being able to share a lot of the food.

Went to here during memorial day weekend. Came here on recommendation from Tourist vs Local youtube video. The menu is pretty big, this place has a lot of selections. Luckily they have decent combos so one person can eat a variety of things. Had the Fried Chicken and 2 meats. The fried chicken was good (8.5/10) and a nice portion. The sausage was solid (8/10) as well as the brisket (8/10) . Mac was ok (7/10) and green beans were decent but nothing special (6.5/10) . I ordered Ice Tea (7.5/10) on the side, and they were quick to generously refill. Parking is annoying here, and I had to drive around a few times till I got a spot. I was able to get a outside table for myself which was good. Service was quick and professional. Recommended to go if you want to eat BBQ alone at a decent price/value. Its an old standby, and has stayed in business for it consistency. Its not the top place in LA, but you could do fine to take folks from out of town to eat here. Fried chicken and meat combo- sausage and brisket with mac and cheese and green beans

i remember coming here several years ago and finally came back this past weekend. My hubby and I shared the rib & 2 meat combo plates and also got the iron cast cornbread. Do not pass up on the cornbread here. It is moist and delicious. I have yet to find a place that makes good corn bread. As for the plate combo, we got the Memphis baby back ribs, brisket and smoked sausage. Each plate comes with 2 sides and we went for the sweet potato fries and the creamed corn. Everything was so delicious and meat was tender and fall of the bone. On the table, there are extra bbq sauces and different types also. I personally like the original the best, then the spicy bbq. The service is amazing and make sure you get reservation, since it gets packed quickly. Parking can be a Hassel since there's only a small lot on the side. If you're lucky you can also find street parking.

What happen? That's what I want to know. Been to this place so many times for many years and revisited this spot to grab lunch but oh man this place has declined beyond you can imagine?! From food quality to service quality. First the food was so salty and there must have been loaded with msg that my throat locked in and I was drinking so much water throughout the day. Let me mind you that I couldn't even finish my lunch that's how bad it was. Did I want to take the rest home?! I say no thank you! Service quality was out of site out of mind. She only came to get our order deliver our order and deliver our check. Did I want to give her any tip no but I did. Would I recommend this spot?! No they should get zero support. I heard that they're racist against Asians which is pretty disgusting behavior who wouldn't give table to them?! Please work on yourselves and work on food quality.

While I'm not a huge fan of bbq, Gus' does it well. Introduced my bf to it yesterday and he's from Tennessee. We split a combo of Memphis ribs (or was it St Louis?), pulled pork, brisket, sweet potato fries, and potato salad. The meat was moist which is not always the case at bbq places. We especially liked the brisket. While I often find potato salad has too much Mayo this was good. They have great cocktails too. I've also been for happy hour and enjoy their devil eggs and burger.

The best thing that we got here was the barbecue chicken which was quite good (8/10). Everything else was just ok. Ribs, nachos, cornbread...all were pretty mediocre/would not come back for these.

I was looking for a place comparable to the old Famous Dave's and Dallas BBQ back in NYC so when I was recommended this place, I was more than excited to try. I didn't get any briskets but the people at my table that did loved it. I was super curious about the corn bread so I ordered that. Two orders to be exact. It was served on a skillet drenched with honey. It also had actual corn in it which I love. At first, I thought it was a bit too heavy for my tastes but the more I ate it, the more I loved it. Of course, the question is going to be if this is the best corn bread I ever had? I would have to say the one I bake is still better. ;) I haven't been to Famous Dave's in a while so I can't compare but if I were to compare this to Dallas BBQ, I will say this place has less food options and less drinks but has a less ghetto feel to it. The other thing I had was the Salmon salad. Dressing was on par. I know this is not the place to order salad but hey, I had to keep regular. I also tried their cream corn. It was too heavy for me since they replaced the milk with heavy cream. Not my thing but very delicious. They were busy but the food came quickly. I saw they got kid's sliders which came with fruit. I wish they would allow me to get fruit on the side. The waiter was super patient and friendly. I would love to come back again.

Meh. Meats are meh, sides are meh, service is meh. Disappointing. Go to Moo's Craft BBQ. So much better!

The beer selections here keep me coming back. The BBQ is exactly what you're looking for and the salads are big and satisfying. The tri tip sandwhich, the half chicken and the burgers are my favorite item on the menu.

The quality of Gus's has changed significantly over the years. It's a shame to charge $28 for a small piece of chicken with a side of mash and beans. My piece of chicken had lots of fat and luck luster flavor. The $42 baby back meal was also not impressive as the ribs were too dry. The baked beans served here are very very bad and the flavor profile should be looked at because not one person liked it. This would be a one star experience if it wasn't for the customer service. I feel ripped off and wish I could get our $80 back.

Steak n Egg: brunch menu on Sat/Sun 4.5-star It's a pretty decent size of steak pc cooks any way you like, and it's right on spot! It comes w/ eggs cooking any style u like. Side dishes n choice of bread. It's always right on spot! Meat is juicy tender packed in flavor. Butter n jam to pair w/my English Muffins. Side of fresh fruit is full of berries. They sure hv a really nice brunch menu, which I consider it's way better than their regular manu.

This was my 1st time here and love the atmosphere of the restaurant. I fell in love and we were seated right away. I ordered the 5 Bones St. Louis Spare Ribs and share the Fried Pickles appetizer with my sister in law. It was the bomb and really enjoy my meal. I highly recommend this place if you're craving some good BBQ. Best time to go is during Happy Hour! Enjoy!

My understanding is they have discontinued their amazing beef ribs. so sad as their BR were amazing. However, they are my go to for chicken and waffles on Saturday and Sunday.

I was really excited to try this place, especially after just returning from Asia and craving some good American comfort food. My boyfriend and I had this spot on our foodie list for a while, so we finally decided to give it a go. We started with the pulled pork nachos, and they did not disappoint! The guacamole was fresh and generously piled on, and the pulled pork was juicy, tender, and packed with flavor. Definitely my favorite. For our main course, we opted for the chicken and two-meat combo. I was pleasantly surprised by how moist and flavorful the chicken was, considering I usually expect chicken at BBQ places to be on the dry side. As a big fan of comfort sides, I couldn't resist the mac and cheese and sweet potato fries--both were exactly what I hoped for: creamy, crispy, and totally satisfying. Service was great too! Our server was super friendly and made sure we had everything we needed. I'll definitely be recommending this place and look forward to coming back soon!

**We interrupt your regular scheduled programming to get this review hot off the press** TLDR: 4.5/5 - Everything my server said was true about the food options so trust in Scott, big portions, great service, chill vibe and a parking lot in LA?? Food: Cornbread: 5/5 - Truly no notes. Warm, moist with real corn. The jam was too sweet considering how sweet corn bread is and that plus the butter was too small of a portion for how big this cornbread is but its not like it needed it and maybe that's the point. Sweet tea: 5/5 - It was the kind of sweetness that once you add ice in it, it brings it down to just the perfect level of sweet, refreshing wo it being a juice almost Dirty Rice: 5/5 - Against my judgment, Scott was right- the dirty rice was very good. The sausage was seasoned super well, juicy. The rice was cooked well with a nice touch of heat. Baked Beans: 4.5/5 - Objectively these beans were quite good and I think if you like baked beans you will too. Not a lot of heat which I was okay with. I just like Bush's baked beans and its hard to compete with that but they have themselves on the board for sure. Mac and Cheese: 3/5 - As I was told it is not baked which fundamentally changes and to be de elevates how far mac and cheese can go. Not much frills going on in it as in seasoning but I did like the pasta in of itself, good chew, cheese was perfectly coated. Deviled Eggs: 3/5 - I am a fiend for deviled eggs and I can't describe it other than I needed more Devil in my eggs Coleslaw: 2/5 - Scott was right, it was not it. Where was the flavor, where was even a hint of vinegar? Brisket: 5/5 - I was so afraid it would be dry but alas this was a good batch. So good it was one of those that you wish was on your plate. Mains: Ordered Fried Chicken and Spare ribs w two sides ($33) Fried Chicken: 4/5 - Actually not bad. It was more of a flattened cutlet. It was cooked quite well I just think it lacks a bit of flavor on the breading so I did need some sauce. Spare ribs: 4/5 - Not bad either. He was right it was in fact off the bone and tender, so much so that I was eating the bone itself. Service: 5/5 Scott treated us really well and put up with our many questions (for a party of 8) and my shenanigans. By that I mean he agreed to grab the cake that was hiding underneath my chair and put it on a plate with the candles for us to give to our friend, all very incognito. It was just a really considerate thing for him to do just to make them feel a little more special on their day so the kindness and care does not go unnoticed. Vibes: 4/5 It depends what you're looking for. Its split into 3 parts: The diner, the main room and the backroom. We reserved for 8 so if you have a larger party you'll have some screens of some sport playing above the bar and some pretty large seating. The diner portion is tight but really cozy. Parking: They do have a small lot but it will be mostly street parking. There is a public parking if you turn left on the first street heading east but just be mindful Pasadena parking patrol is no joke. Again just want to thank Scott, he was a real one and literally just listen to him he knows what's up.

We had an excellent time dining here. I ordered St. Louis Spare Ribs and I liked it a lot! The garlic mashed potato was good too. My husband had Chicken, pulled pork, and brisket which were excellent as well. Their Chicken was just amazing. I enjoyed it. The ribs are savory and flavorful. I recommend this place!

Good food, HH! And great service. Some patrons are annoying and territorial but it's worth it. (Small bar)

Come here early because they run out of menu items like ribs and the brisket. Last visit we had the corn bread with jalapeño jelly and honey butter, Beef brisket sandwich with sweet potatoes fries. Everything was delicious! Come here with a big appetite because the servings are generous!

This is the best barbecue in California, the ribs are tender and smoked, the brisket is also excellent. Truly, when it comes to barbecue, this is the best I ever had in California.

Food for the soul. Everything at Gus's BBQ is so delicious, no wonder why it was packed. The corn bread is just art. The taste and tenderness of the ribs just makes your mouth and heart happy. A short wait time to be seated (between 10-15 min) but definitely worth it. Our host was excellent and always checking on us. The parking is a little limited but we were lucky enough to get one as we were arriving.

Yesterday, we stopped by for a bite to eat & it was well worth it. We only waited 10 mins for a table. Our waitress was super friendly & very helpful. We ordered the pulled pork nachos & full slab of spare rib with sweet potato fries & red skin potatoes. The nachos are big enough to share. The spare ribs were so good & almost fall off the bone. For drinks we had a Gus's old fashion, Peach don't kill my vibe & Strawberry melon Aperol spritz. Oh & of course some water. You can never go wrong with an old fashion. If you're looking for a sweet drink, the Peach drink is perfect. The only drawback about this location is that it's fairly small. It can get really loud to the point you can't have a decent conversation. Nonetheless, the service, food & drinks are great.

On my way home from Pasadena , I decided to stop at Gus's barbecue. The parking was a little tricky, but I was able to find a space. My waitress was prompt and professional. The restaurant is modern looking. I ordered a brisket sandwich and mac & cheese. The brisket was juicy and tasty. The mac & cheese left something to be desired. I look forward to coming back and trying different items on the menu.

We made a reservation on OpenTable for 11:15am on a Sunday and got seated right away when we got there. We got the cast iron cornbread and the ribs and chicken combo with the sweet potato fries and sautéed beans as sides. It was pretty quick to get all of our food and service is great! I'm not sure if the cornbread is pre made but I wish it's a little warmer but I love the butter cream and the jalapeño jelly that came with it! For entrees, we got the ribs and chicken combo to share, which comes with two sides of your choice. There was also an option to add a salad for $5.95. We got the baby backs and BBQ brick chicken - both are soooo tender and cooked to perfection! Absolutely love the BBQ sauce and the meat is very juicy! There's also extra BBQ sauce condiments on the side if you want to add more flavor but for us, it was already perfect. There's indoor and outdoor seating! There is parking right next to the restaurant but if it's full, there are more across the street in the public parking lot. Great experience and will be back!

It was my first time coming in here and it is a dim light place, kind of like a bar, and there's music there. It has a bar setting, so it's more like a friend's hang out. If you'd like to bring family would be best to sit outside, if you want to avoid a closed, dark loud area but overall very friendly. The service is amazing as well as the food. There are some unique dishes ordered that may seem odd at first but once you take the actual bite, it's just so delicious. The servers do help give out great suggestions if you don't know what to eat or drink. The drinks here are okay, my taste is different so everyone else might enjoy it! I tried this corn drink with a margarita mix, I can't remember the name, unique tastes a bit bitter. Again I have a different taste and prefer sweet drinks but if I were to get a drink here again, my safe choice would be this one and I know I can enjoy it.

Gus's BBQ has not lost a touch! It has definitely maintained its quality and all the food we ordered was simply well made with full of flavors. Service was great and servers were super calm with taking orders and bringing it in right amount of time. Food was served at right temperature and it all tasted delicious. Cornbread is a must. You cannot go wrong with it. Full rack of baby back ribs was delicious, super tender and cooked up to mark. Pulled pork and fried chicken was delicious as well. Overall if you are looking for a bbq place and want to enjoy a good quality meat, this place will not disappoint you. I recommend this place.

I've been to Gus's bbq several times for dinner. But this time decided to try the breakfast for the first time. Order the Gus omelette and blueberry pancakes. Pancakes were nice big and fluffy just like a memory foam pillows. The server asked me if I wanted one or two pancakes. I went with two pancakes but when the pancakes arrived I could see why she asked if I wanted one or two. The restaurant had a great ambiance.

Gus's is a local favorite and for good reason. The portions are large and delicious, and the ambience is great for couples, families, or friends. My go to combo is baby back rib, brisket, and sausage, all of which were tender, juicy, and smoky. The mustard sauce has a nice sweet and tart balance and the bbq sauce is quite addicting. Lastly, the service is always friendly and attentive. I highly recommend trying this spot out if you're in the area!

Love love love Gus's! The food is always good here. We typically like to snag a seat at the bar in the back of the restaurant but they were pretty full on a Saturday night around 6pm. I was lucky to join the waitlist on Open Table as we were parking so when we went to the hostess stand, we didn't have to wait long. The service is always bubbly and they're like a well oiled machine in how efficiently they turn over tables. It's appreciated when they're so busy. Their brisket and baby backs are really good. I tend always order bbq "dry" to have the flavors of the meat shine through. They have all of the bbq sauces on the table so if you want to add more, you can be as liberal as you want. Don't forget the cast iron skillet cornbread too!! It is a MUST! It's even great reheated at home. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu ... their chicken and waffles are also a must (even though I haven't had it in a while).

If you love bbq, Gus's is the place to go. Usually the service is great. Today, our server was missing in action for 50% of the meal. He was probably busy but he completely forgot about us for the boxes and the check. We ended up walking to the front to check out. So minus one star. The meats are always consistently juicy, smokey, and tasty. I usually order the brisket because it melts in your mouth. The chili was a bit overpowered with too much flavor. It was like eating a spoon of straight up seasoning. The Cesar salad is always tasty and especially with blackened shrimp. Parking can be tricky because of the small lot in the back. Street parking is probably your best bet.

My family and I have always been a fan of Wood Ranch, and we were sad to see them leave! Finding Gus's on Yelp, I felt like this was a great alternative to have American BBQ. The parking lot is a bit small and you can mainly only park from entering one side, so make sure you enter the parking lot from the main street. It was our first time here and we were celebrating for my dad's birthday. We were a party of 4 and we were promptly seated when we arrived about 5:30pm on a Saturday evening. There was so much on the menu that I was indecisive to choose! We ended choosing our usuals from wood ranch, which was the full rack of baby back ribs, salmon salad, the all American burger, and the smoke sausage (original and jalapeno cheddar). Once we ordered, it didn't take too long, nor did it was quick, but I would say it's an adequate amount of wait time for the order to arrive. Everything also came at once. I wish they offered free bread or something beforehand! Side note, I also really liked how clean the tables and the sauce bottles were. Now trying out the food, I would have to say the All American Burger was oddly my favorite. The meat was juicy and tender, the bread was so soft, and the flavors altogether were really good! We also got sweet potato fries with it, which came with a garlic aioli and I really liked that sauce! Dipping it with the burger was really good. Trying out the baby back ribs, they're a bit skinnier than I thought, but I liked how the meat would just fall off the bone. It was a bit more on the dry side, but overall it was pretty decent. I wish it was meatier. The salmon salad, the kale was pretty nice and refreshing, although the salmon was a bit overcooked that the burnt sides tasted a bit too salty. The salmon was also a bit small as well. The smoked sausage, it was smaller than I thought as well, I imagined it being longer but the overall flavors and texture were pretty nice. It was definitely juicy, but the jalapeno cheddar was oddly too cheesy. The other sides such as the mac and cheese, french fries, garlic mashed potatoes, they were all good! The whole experience was all enjoyable, but a lot of the entrees were smaller than expected. They're not that quite sharable with a large group, but it seems like the portions are more intended for a single person, besides the full rack of baby back ribs. Appreciated how they also offered a sundae for my dad's birthday treat!

Really good BBQ in South Pasadena. We wanted to meet friends close to their homes, so I suggested Gus's which wasn't far away from their place (in fact they ended up walking there and we gave them a ride back). It was a Wednesday night around 6 pm, and it was fairly crowded (they do take reservations). It's fairly large inside, with different types of seating. The booths are wide enough to sit 6, so the four of us had plenty of room...which is useful for a BBQ restaurant with a lot of different dishes. The quantity of food can vary greatly for mixed platters at BBQ restaurants, so we went a little conservative for the four of us, and the amount of meat given was probably accurate for the current price We did start out with 3 draft beers ($9.50 for 23 oz)...came out frosty cold and was a great starter. [Heavenly Hefeweizen from Craftsman Brewing....very refreshing; Saber Toothed Squirrel Amber Ale, which had a surprising amount of hops in it]. We also got the cast iron cornbread ($8.95), a must if you like/love cornbread (it came with a jalapeno jelly that I absolutely loved, along with honey butter). We ordered 2 ribs&2-meat combos ($33.95), both of which came with 2 sides, and everyone shared. - texas beef brisket - very good. Had plenty of dark bark, and was very moist (i.e. fatty). - st louis spare ribs - a generous half slab of ribs. Really well executed, not quite soft enough to fall off the bone, but easy enough to remove with a fork if you didn't want to eat with your hands. - memphis baby backs - our friends seemed to enjoy it and it was a decent portion (little under half rack - pulled pork - tender enough, and not much gristle which was appreciated - fries - shoestring size and deeply battered. I'm not a big fan of this type...the battered seems to make the fries even more greasy and they had been cooked extra long so were a bit dry. - braised southern greens - our friends really seemed to like it. - mac'n'cheese - not bad, It used cavatappi noodles, which is a great choice for mac-n-cheese. It was cooked al-dente and the cheese sauce was OK. - cole slaw - vinegar based, could have used more, but was a great complement to the richness of the meats. We also got an order of texas brisket tacos ($13.95), which came with freshly fried tortilla chips. They were two decent size tacos, filled with brisket and topped really beautifully. It was a good bite for sure. Not as good as what we've eaten in Texas, but something you wouldn't be ashamed to bring your TX friends to eat, either. The quantity of the meats were good, definitely sharable by two if having other apps, One thing they don't offer is free slices of white bread or raw white onion.. both tend to help in controlling your meat intake. You have your choice of 4 in-house BBQ sauces at each table, and I found the carolina version to be good. The set-up kinda reminded me of famous dave's except smaller portions with better ingredients. We interacted with a lot of different staff during our visit, and EVERYBODY was attentive and polite. It's a really good sign that they have the right folks even when it gets really crowded, and shouldn't be a turn-off even when the place is packed. It did get fairly loud inside so sometimes outdoor voice was necessary, but it just adds to the fun when around great company. We'll definitely come back here at the next opportunity.

Fourteen years ago, Sunset Magazine rated Gus's BBQ as one of the BEST BBQ joints west of the Mississippi. This was according to the hanging plaque near the exit. "If such SoCal perennials as Phillips Bar-B-Que in Leimert Park are hall of famers, then think of this as the rookie of the year. Brothers Chris and John Bicos took a beloved though tired restaurant that dated back to 1946, updated its interior, and reinvigorated the barbecue menu with superior versions of classics like beer-braised Texas brisket." We went to Gus's BBQ for a big party. This location was the only one that accepted large group reservations. There's limited parking at the side entrance and rear, but street parking is available. The interior had a Southern theme with artwork of Ray Charles and another jazz musician. There were various regional BBQ sauces on the table from Memphis, Kansas City, and the Carolinas. The appetizers here were all GREAT. My favorite among the ones we ordered was the CAST IRON CORNBREAD - A MUST-ORDER ITEM. Along with their jalapeno jam, this was possibly the BEST cornbread I've tried. We also ordered SPICY SMOTHERED HOT WINGS, SHREDDED ONION STRINGS, and CLASSIC SPINACH & ARTICHOKE DISH. The wings came with Jicama Slaw, which was a unique combination and a healthier alternative to the potato. Shredded Onion Strings were filled up like a mountain with long, deep-fried, stringy onion layers. The Artichoke Dish came with two bags of chips and a gratin filled with artichoke dip. BLACKENED SALMON SALAD (Salmon, Kale, Mixed Greens, Quinoa, Bell Pepper, Tomato, Cucumber, Smoke Tomato Vinaigrette) - I ate too much before and chose a healthier option: the Blackened Salmon Salad. It resembled a quinoa salad with homemade vinaigrette and filled me up.

Restaurant is located on fair oaks near the freeway 110. Parking lot is a little small so be ready to look for parking around the area. Highly recommended to make reservations or be ready to wait 45 minutes. My wife and I order a plater and It was delicious!! Service was great. We definitely coming back to this amazing restaurant.

Came here really wanting to try the beef ribs but turns out they got rid of the beef ribs!! Sad! My boyfriend got the platter with multiple options including baby back ribs, sausage link and beef brisket. Beef brisket was good until it had sudden burst of salt in random bites, don't know why it was so salty in certain pieces. The spicy bbq sauce was good. Babyback ribs were nothing special. Best thing for me was actually the creamed corn, really delicious. However the bbq was certainly not the star of the show unfortunately.