Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

Absolutely Outstanding First Experience! Just had my first visit to Gus's World Famous Chicken in Knoxville this past Saturday, and I am completely blown away! From the moment we walked in, we knew we were in for something special. Our server Ben was absolutely incredible - truly the gold standard of hospitality. His enthusiasm for the menu was infectious, and his recommendations were spot-on. He took the time to walk us through their offerings with genuine passion, making us feel like welcomed family rather than first-time visitors. Ben's attentiveness throughout our meal was impeccable, and his warm, friendly demeanor made the entire experience feel effortless and enjoyable. And the food? Simply phenomenal. Every single bite lived up to the "World Famous" reputation. The chicken was perfectly seasoned, crispy on the outside, and incredibly juicy on the inside. You can taste the care and quality that goes into every dish. This is exactly what dining out should be - exceptional food paired with outstanding service that makes you excited to return. Ben and the entire team at Gus's have created something truly special here. We'll absolutely be back, and I can't recommend this place highly enough to anyone looking for an unforgettable meal. Thank you, Ben, for making our first visit so memorable. You're a real asset to the Gus's team!

They always serve the fresh fried chicken. That is crucial not like lots of the fast food chain that used hours old chicken. They serve seconds old chicken just straight out of the pot. And the side dish is amazing. All feel fresh. Time is the key.

Me and my wife had to check this place out. We were super pleased with how the chicken was moist and flavorful. Our server was the most kindest person and made us feel very welcomed. Highly recommend this fine place for anyone who wants real food.

The best chicken, okra, green fried tomatoes, mac&cheese i ever had(seriously I have been everywhere for food). Everything was cooked to perfection. Now I know why they are called world famous. Oh and the people that work there are amazing, so kind and make you really feel at home.

This place never fails to give an awesome lunch. The tea is great, everyone eas nice, and the chicken was so fresh! You can tell the mac and cheese is homemade. If you like a casual vibe for a lunch date, this is the spot.

Ordered through Uber just to try. Chicken is 10/10 flavor and texture is yummy. Mac and cheese is basic but thick and cheesy. Baked beans were yummy. Greens are salty but spot on for southern flavor. Not a fan of the potato salad, found it to be too sweet. But for the price, I will definitely order this again over kfc or bojangles even though it's located about 20 min from me.

Best fried chicken I've ever had! Ate at the location in Memphis at the beginning of a road trip, and stopped here on the way back. Food was just as good as in Memphis. Was welcomed immediately upon entering. Food came out faster than expected! Love this place. Will be returning on future travels!

Its world famous for a reason. Its the best chicken anywhere. As soon as you're walking to the door a lady greeted me. She was super friendly, said, yeah, give her 1 second. She took my order.She was very kind of informative The place was clean and well decorated as most of them are. This isn't my first time being to Gus's. I try to go to them every chance I get across the country. The beans were phenomenal as well as the coast law. The chicken obviously is the main reason to go there. But in this instance, it was very dry, I overcooked to say the least. I was pretty disappointed. Of course, I got it to go so I was already down the road before I realized it so I didn't have a chance to go back but I was very disappointed. I would still absolutely go back again, but this was my first time getting dried chicken and at any one of their establishments.

On our 10th wedding anniversary, my wife wanted to go and try Gus's Fried Chicken, so that is where we went for our anniversary lunch. Gus's was the perfect place to go, their chicken is fresh, hot and juicy, and full of flavor and a little spicy. We also ordered fried okra and Mac n cheese. The price is also very inexpensive for what you get, so it really is a great value. Highly recommend!

Sooo we've traveled 25 states and we've seen A LOT of "BEST OF" so and so ... and so we thought Oh here's another (rolls eyes) BEST of something. Man, we were wrong lol !! THIS place really does have THEE BEST FRIED CHICKEN we've had in 25 states !!

Amazing fried chicken! Very friendly service! Please note the chicken has a little heat to it but nothing overwhelming. I ordered two piece meal with beans and slaw. Chicken served freshly prepared with beans and tasty slaw. Chicken had crispy crust but perfectly cooked inside. Inside and outdoor seating! Must stop when visiting Knoxville.

Great and fast service. Kind employees and delicious food. Loved the fried chicken and fried okra

Place is clean. Workers are friendly. Chicken is great! I love their chess pie. Don't ask for bbq sauce.

The best fries chicken in Knoxville and it's not even close. It's always hot and juicy with the perfect crisp. I had fries and mac and cheese which was very good. Staff is always friendly and quick to refill our drinks. One of my top places to go for lunch.

This place is giving me mixed reviews. First I ordered the 3 piece Chicken Tenders combo with Piece Dark (the menu button has it typed like this), macaroni, and fries. Let me first say the service/server was a 5 star. She was very welcoming and asked if I was new. After finding out she asked if I had any questions and told me the spice levels of the chicken. Now onto the food. The good things were: *French fries cooked and seasoned perfectly *Chicken was crispy and flavorful *Chicken leg was juicy The Cons: *The Mac and Cheese was cold and not a lot of flavor despite the toppings *The Chicken tenders were very dry and not really juicy. It was very stringy and almost like jerky. So overall. Maybe I just got a bad plate by accident. The place has good reviews and people really seem to love it. I definitely recommend trying it yourself! Also the ambiance was very quiet. I could just sit there by myself and enjoy some time on my phone. Another good thing is the bathrooms for Men's was very clean!

Everything was great! The service was really nice, such personable people there. Josh was our sever, he was sweet. Food was delicious and fresh, lots of flavor. Max and cheese looked good, I only got one bite as it wasn't mine. The chicken batter isn't what I typically expect for fried chicken, it seemed like maybe a beer batter but not. Idk, but it was good and crispy. Will be back next time I pass through the area. Go Vols!

Hands down a definite staple in Knoxville! A welcomed treat after a basketball tournament at the Knoxville Convention center. Best freaking sweet tea around these parts. Warning the chicken sandwich is juicy, thick, and a little spicy! I know you not scared though so get it and enjoy! The tea is a southern diabetical sweetness, for me absolutely perfect, grab a gallon to go, sure did! Fries are hot and seasoned with a little seasoned salt! There was a three piece dark with collard greens and I stole a bite of the, collards yep those too good too. The collards had a lasting flavor still dancing on my palate after the stolen bites were swallowed! So yeah, if don't want hot flavorful juicy tender chicken, crispy seasoned fries and a delicious sweeeet tea meal don't go!

Lunch today at my favorite chicken restaurant same as usual 3 piece white with 2 Breast and a drum coleslaw, and okra with half-and-half, sweet unsweet tea with lemon

So having fried chicken obviously isn't the healthiest option, but once or twice a year it just sounds good. We went there for a recent late lunch on a Saturday and this popular spot had every table occupied, but they turn tables over quickly so the wait time was very short. The chicken has the perfect crispness with a more than subtle spice, yet very tender cook on the inside. The baked beans are very flavorful and the coleslaw was good as well without it being overdone with mayonnaise. The service was fast & friendly.

Ok well $40 later for two people 4 tender meal and 2 piece breast and wing meal No BBQ SAUCE WHAT ??? Only Ranch and Honey Mustard -- or hot sauce -- well even heavy dose of that and the chicken was still bland -- no drive thru sit and eat only- again chicken lacked flavor -- it was for sure hot enough not the taste but physically hot enough. Pass on this unfortunate to say Bojangles or Popeyes would be much better and way cheaper ... this is Pass for sure Side note Coleslaw was awesome

Gotta be honest, I did not expect Gus's to live up to the hype (let alone exceed it) but here we are, five yelp stars later. Chicken came out piping hot, fresh out of the fryer. Let's start with the wings - these were whole wings, but drum and flat sections were quite small. Still very well breaded and juicy. Might not be a full meal for some, but certainly worth trying a wing a la carte if that's your preferred cut of chicken. The leg and tenders were both lightly seasoned in a way that really lets the crispy breading and tender chicken shine. Like the wing, the drumstick was kinda small, but the tenders were a good size. Greens are a bacon grease-soaked excuse to eat a vegetable. Tasty. Coleslaw was fantastic - well dressed, but not soggy at all. The cabbage provides a cool refreshing crunch to pair with the chicken and warm greens. tldr; Chicken? CRISPY Slaw? CRUNCHY Greens? GREEN

We were in Memphis for the first time last year and were well aware of the flagship Gus's location there. But we passed it up after I'd already had the absurdly good fried chicken at the Log Cabin in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee on the way down to Memphis. Evidently missing Memphis Gus's was a mistake (we went to the dreary Central BBQ instead), because we recently visited the Knoxville Gus's location--still, the first Gus's for us--and thought its fried chicken was superb in its own right. Perfectly crispy skin with a pleasant degree of spicy heat, and juicy meat with great flavor. It might've been second-best to the Log Cabin's, but the two them together were easily the best fried chicken I've had in recent memory, if not altogether. Probably as remarkable as the fried chicken at this Gus's location was the super-friendly, efficient, and informative service from every staff member we encountered. Maybe everyone was having a great day, but upper-echelon hospitality regardless. I've been driving back and forth between Cincinnati and Athens, Georgia every few months now for about 15 years now and have suffered through plenty of dismal interstate dining on those trips. This was only a couple of minutes off the interstate but annihilated all the prior competition.

Best fried chicken I have had in years! The chicken is HOT, well seasoned, and not greasy. This will be on my visit list every time.

Great sides. Love their slaw, beans and collards. I like the taste of their fried chicken but for my taste they over fry their chicken where the chicken approaches jerky. I have requested they fry it shorter time but no luck. Way too tough. I have had their chocolate chess pie, chess pie and pecan. All were tasty but average. Crust tends to be soggy.

The chicken was amazing!! A little spicy which I usually shy away from but the crust was perfectly cooked and so was the chicken and it was delicious. Definitely a keeper for us we will go back every time we go through! Town.

I wasn't disappointed when I came to Gus' after eating at the Gus' in Downtown Oakland in the Bay Area. The 3 piece is my favorite with the mac and cheese and green beans. I can never not get the fried green tomatoes, my absolute favorite! The service was fast and the staff was friendly :)

So I had tried this chain in Memphis and bragged to my wife about how good it is. Usually when I brag about a place they never live up to the hype I've created but Gus' did. The food was everything I promised her and so were the staff, friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, and patient. The food is cooked per order so it's always hot and fresh. It's my favorite chicken joint these days, it's a little spicy in my opinion as I don't usually get spicy food, but it's so good and the sweet cole slaw is a perfect compliment to the heat. I highly recommend Gus' as I've never had a bad experience at any location. Save room for their coconut pie too!

Holy smokes this is good chicken! My boyfriend and I have ordered 8 times within 3 weeks. Gus's always has a spot on my table!

Gus's is my husband's first choice for his birthday dinner three years running. The food here is always great. The friendly staff and the service they provide is fantastic! Highly recommend if you have a fried chicken lover in your dinner group. Nothing fancy, but really good food served with a smile!

Can't recommend this place enough! I've been to other locations in Memphis and Little Rock, and this one surely didn't disappoint! Fast and Great service from our waitress. The chicken was flavorful and hot right out the fryer. If you're in the area or driving by make sure to stop and check this place out.

Hands down, the BEST Fried Chicken in Knoxville! Hubby and I arrived around 2pm, hoping the lunch crowd would be gone, NO such luck! As we entered the establishment, we were immediately hit with the wonderful aroma of southern fried chicken and greeted with a warm welcome by the staff and told to sit wherever we'd like. The place was filled with customers, but we found the perfect table for two. Our server, Amy, placed our order which consisted of a 4-piece tender plate with slaw and seasoned fries (easily shared by two.) Amy was attentive with a kind and friendly disposition. Shortly afterwards, our order arrived piping hot, served by a gentleman who appeared to be running the front of the house. He checked to make sure everything appeared satisfactory and to our liking. The chicken was seasoned perfectly with just the right amount of spice and batter. The slaw was perfect as well, not overly sweet or wet. The fries were hot with the right amount crunch, not re-fried or over fried! For sure, whenever we are in the area, this will be our go to spot. They have mastered their recipe! Good job, Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken!

Updating my review, this is a wonderful place for a quick lunch but if you ever need catering in a pinch for time, this is the go to place! They are not only fast, dependable but so friendly with such a helpful staff!! They helped me feed 10 people in under 15 minutes!! Get your chicken at Gus's!!!

GUS'S FRIED CHICKEN -World Famous. This is a place that knows chicken. Located on Sutherland Avenue near Campus, Gus's is a great chicken and lace with a staff that hustles the whole time. I was in and out, well fed, and ready for the rest of my day in about 20 minutes. Gus's started in Memphis, TN and migrated east. They have kept the original recipe and they know how to turn out some excellent chicken. I sat at the counter and enjoyed watching them buzzing around in the kitchen, and behind the counter. If you have never been to Gus's you need to check it out. College students this is where you will get fed like family without paying $20.00. I had chicken and cole slaw for $7.00! Follow me on Yelp for more great places to eat and fun things to do inOl Knoxville and East Tennessee.

Not gonna lie, to this date, I still think Gus's has the best chicken tenders on the planet. And the exciting thing to me, is that they are consistently awesome amongst the different markets (I have been to multiple locations in Memphis, Atlanta, and now here). When I was coming back last year from my distillery trip (and was severely let down by the original KFC in Corbin), I decided to show my friend what Gus's was all about. I decided to get a 4 pc to go, and she loved it. And so did I. Fast forward a year later, I asked her if she wanted Gus's (mind you she lives in SF, this doesn't exist out there), and she was thrilled. This time, we decided to dine in. It was busy, but thankfully they had the Yelp app you could use to waitlist (or you could just go to counter and they will set you up). It was a very simple process, and we waited less than 10 min- even on a busy Sunday afternoon. Our server was so friendly, and the food came out fast. I will only get tenders (even though they offer bone in on dark and white meat)- since to me I love them, so why change? I don't get to eat at Gus's as much as I used to (in fact, the last time I went was the time before here). It was so good, and my friend was thrilled as well. I think I made her a convert for great fried chicken. The sides are great, and along with some of the best fried green tomatoes I have ever had, it is a knock out. It isn't too spicy either (maybe I will get some for my mom one day, see what she thinks). All in all, I just can't get enough of it. Thank you all so much for expanding to Knoxville, this is literally the only place I have eaten when I have driven through. If you like fried chicken and want to expand your horizons, this is not to be missed.

The service and food were great. I had white meat 3 piece with fried okra and slaw side. Servers were friendly and took our orders right away.

The customer service is on point! They're friendly and attentive. I ordered the 2pc white meat chicken meal w/2pcs of catfish (I ordered one more piece of catfish before I left lol), baked beans plus mac & cheese. The meats are the star of the show! The sides are decent. The mac & cheese is similar to Kraft. The baked beans aren't anything special. They're good. Just nothing really special. Overall, I will be back! Their chicken and catfish is worth the visit

Worth the pitstop to try a classic southern meal. The chicken has a spicy kick while being so juicy that it was running down my hands. The Mac and cheese had a colorfully bright cheese sauce that stayed hot the whole meal. Just seat yourself and you'll be served quickly.

Five stars alone for the service. You go in and seat yourself and a server comes to your table to take your order. I've been twice and have had incredibly nice, helpful servers both times. They're always around to refill your sweet tea (a little too sweet but perfect over a ton of ice and after some spicy chicken with Louisiana) and provide any suggestions on the menu. I'd go for bone in fried chicken over chicken tenders. While good, the bone in chicken is just so much juicer! Love the collard greens and okra the most. Plus, you get a souvenir at the end with your sweet tea cup! Will forever come back and also bring out of towners if they want a life changing fried chicken experience.

Stopped in on a recommendation - was a great food experience. My son claims it's his new favorite chicken.

Cool place but the food is average. If I'm dying for some great fried chicken, this wouldn't be in my top 3. And considering their prices, it should be. Sides are okay. I've given Gus's 3 tries at 2 different locations and it was always decent but never great.

The chicken tenders were big but they were not tender. I was disappointed they didn't measure up to the southern traditional fried chicken. I will say the service was awesome!

My family tried Gus's restaurant. You have haft to know that it's really hard to find parking. It took us a few minutes before someone to Left. Now the restaurant restaurant is really cute Inside and outside. How ever when we went up to order takeout. The lady must have been having a bad day. She was the friendliest. We ordered our food. We sat down to wait. The lady taking the orders was telling all the customers about her problems with the people on the phone. Now the lady who hand us the food was really nice. We get home and start eating our food. The chicken was really good and don't even mind that it was spicy but it could have been less of it. My husband and my daughter's Fry's were Cold and tasted old with no flavor. I will be recommending this restaurant and be giving it another try.

Hands down the best chicken I have ever had. My requirements for good chicken is easy. Less is more and flavor is a must. Gus's chicken it the best.

Great Place to eat great service love their food Would Recommend If you haven't tried there food need to eat there it's great food....

The best chicken ever!!!! Great service! We can't wait to take friends here. We had this at a Vols football tailgate before and glad we found it again!

We had heard all about Gus's Fried Chicken from others so we had to try it out while driving thru. You should, too. Arriving for a late lunch, business was still kickin but we were seated immediately. Kind of a sports bar vibe, looking around you could tell the locals eat here and not just tourists looking for a famous chicken joint. Drinks arrived quickly and we put our food order in. After a very reasonable wait out food arrived. The wife ordered a plate of Wings, Okra, and Mac & Cheese. I eyeballed an order of chicken fingers while being seated so I ordered a plate of Fingers, Seasoned Fries, and Greens. The wings were right! The meat was tender and hot with a nice crunch from the breading. I'd say they nailed the breading to meat ratio. The okra was good but just your regular run of the mill fried okra. The mac & cheese noodles were cooked al dente then smothered in a cheese sauce. I liked it but my wife did not. The chicken fingers were honestly some of the best I've ever had! Not over breaded, these things came out piping hot and cooked perfectly. Really, your typical basket of fingers from most places sucks compared to these. The fries were good but nothing to write home about. The greens.... some of the best I've ever had from a restaurant. Usually I find greens too sweet, too vinegary, or bland. Not these. I was very pleased with the seasoning. My wife felt they were salty. Overall, this was a great fried chicken experience. If I was local this would probably be my go to chicken joint.

This was our first trip to Gus's, and we were NOT disappointed. The atmosphere of the place was a perfect place to celebrate our son's basketball team win for the day. The wife and I split a four piece tender meal with fries and okra. It was all AMAZING! Temperature of the food was perfect, and we had a good amount of each. The wife loved the pecan pie. Service was perfect! Our waitress, Sheena, was the best. She was very friendly and cut up with us while we were there. Every need our table of twelve had, she took care of.

Excellent food and friendly service. The chicken was perfectly cooked, golden and crispy, and deliciously seasoned. Recently transplanted from the west coast, eating here felt like the quintessential southern experience.

Fast service. Easy to find. Wanted some chicken on my way home from Virginia on a Sunday evening. Seated right away. Food came out fast, delicious, and hot.

The okra is so damn gas. Also the sweet tea is out of this world. Service was good they're sweet and has a super nice vibe like old country

Yes, go ahead and try this location!! The chicken is delicious. Not too spicy just the right amount of heat. The service was great and the restaurant lighting was good. The pies were absolutely delicious, yes...I said pies because I get a slice of each one on the menu. Try this location you will enjoy the meal. I will go back every time I'm in the area.

Do I dream about Gus's Fried Chicken on the daily, yes. When I tell you this is literally the best fried chicken I've ever had, I'm not even joking. It always comes out fresh, hot, juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside! They have plenty of seating inside and also have a nice sitting area outside as well. They have plenty of different beers to choose from in the fridge if you're into that. The service is always just straight to the point, not overly friendly but it's fast and efficient! I'm not a big fan of any of their sides, I've tried them all and none of them have wowed me. They aren't bad, just ok to me. But we do love coming here for the chicken about every week or so and will continue to do so!

Everyone brags on it but I don't see it. Ordered from door dash & some of my chicken was missing & my bread also.

Overall it was good. We got it togo but made sure to take a bite once we got in the car. It wasn't as crispy as I had expected. The spice is good. Mac and cheese was good too. Beans and coleslaw taste like any other place. The reason I'm giving this three stars is mainly because for 40$ I can get spicy chicken from Popeyes and get twice the amount. I'd love to eat local and not eat at chains but 40$ for two meals of fried chicken is expensive.

Loved it! The chicken was crispy crunchy. The mac n cheese was super saucy! I have no idea what the fried pickle spears are breaded with but they are delish! Loved the entire vibe of this joint and the food was fabulous! Cheyenne our waitress was super helpful and speedy! 2 thumbs up! Highly recommend! Will definitely return!

Best fried chicken in Knoxville, Tn! Chicken is somewhat spicy hot, not Nashville Hot, but very good. I was visiting from out of town and would recommend to anyone wanting good home cooked chicken.

This depends on who is doing the frying of the food that night. Sometimes the chicken comes out spot on( moist not greasy) and other nights it's like I can moisturize my skin with chicken oil. Either way the flavors and the service is great and atmosphere is good for a fried chicken restaurant.