Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

I’ve been to Gus’s Fried Chicken about 5–6 times now, and it never fails to impress. Honestly, I don’t know what kind of sorcery they put into their chicken, but it’s always crispy, juicy, and seasoned with just the right amount of spice, enough kick to make it interesting but not overwhelming. The crust is golden and crunchy without being greasy, which is exactly what good fried chicken should be 😋 The sides were solid too. The coleslaw was fresh and crisp, balancing out the richness of the meal, and the baked beans had a nice smoky sweetness that paired perfectly with the chicken. Food does take a little time since the chicken is fried to order, but it’s absolutely worth the wait. Just be careful as it comes out piping hot, so resist the temptation to dive in too quickly! Service is consistently great, too. The staff is attentive, friendly and even check in midway through your meal to make sure everything is good. Overall, Gus’s is a must-visit if you’re craving fried chicken that’s flavorful, satisfying, and done right. Definitely a spot I’d come back to.

Skippity dippity doo! This place was lit. I was so glad to hear Gus’s was in California. Top notch fried chicken as always. Great sides, particularly the okra and the greens. All the fried stuff had that great crunch you’re looking for. And of course, you gotta end with some pie. Only thing missing was some southern iced tea.

One of the best fried chicken spots! Not only is the chicken on point and cooked perfectly every time, but each table comes with its own bottle of Louisiana. so no need to ask for tons of hot sauce. Mac and cheese fire too!

Gus Fry Chicken serves up some of the best fried chicken I ever had grub. Crispy, juicy, and full of flavor. You can really taste the paprika in the batter, which adds a nice kick without overpowering the chicken. The store is spotless, and even the restroom was impressively clean. We dined in, and the service was fast and friendly. Only downside was that parking was a bit tough to find, but it was well worth it. If you love great fried chicken, Gus delivers big time.

Good fried chicken,deserts,nice restaurant. Don't let the outdoor appearance fool you. Plenty of dining space inside. Juicy flavoral real chicken.

The chicken 🐔 was all right nothing to Bragg About. Ordered two chicken breast with potato salad and mac. The fried chicken was decent tasted mediocre. The sides were below average. Ordered the pecan pie not the best had better pecan pie from the gas station. Overall it was all right. Will I return not Really. The Staff were cool though and Helpful

Simply the greatest fried chicken I’ve ever had. I’ve had Gus across a number of cities now, and there’s simply nothing better when it comes to fried chicken. Forget Korean-styled fried chicken, Nashville Hot chicken etc — this is the real deal. Bonus: the coleslaw and beans are ALSO fantastic.

Very much a bustling, neighborhood eatery. The chicken is unique in that it is has more of a crust & the flavor has a slight kick. Very tasty! I got a couple pieces that were charred, which I enjoyed but I realize is not for everyone. The chicken was still juicy on the inside. Potato salad & beans were also good. The greens, however, were very bland which could be doctored up at home. My only complaint was how soggy the chicken got the next day. I’m not sure if it was just the batch I had but I was very disappointed with the experience the following day. So I recommend eating it fresh & they are sure to serve it piping hot! Oh, the pecan pie was delicious too! PS. It is quite expensive but if you’re in the mood for good chicken it is worth the splurge.

There are few things more satisfying than biting into a piece of chicken at Gus's while it's still hot and crispy. There's something about the frying breading that's just so flavorful and delicious. We've been here countless times and it has yet to disappoint. If you go with friends/family, it's more worthwhile to order a ton of chicken, a few sides and go to town. The individual plates offer customizability, but there's little value doing it that way. We always get the 20 piece chicken (picture) and it has never disappointed us. The fried tomatoes are super unique and would suggest it as a side.

Tried Gus's fried chicken with my girlfriend's meetup group for dinner. We ordered 8 pieces of fried chicken which included 2 wings, 2 thighs, 2 drum sticks, and 2 breasts. Then we added a side of Mac and cheese along with seasoned fries. Plus 2 sodas. They offered beer for those who want an adult beverage with their fried chicken. We were a party of 12 so the staff pushed together several tables so that we could sit together. Once we were seated the server took drink orders from those of us who were there and added others as they arrived. Once the party was all there we ordered food. The servers brought the dinners out as they were ready. Each individual was delivered a tray with their order on it. Everyone enjoyed the food. Most of us ordered fried chicken in some form of plates, a sandwich, and various sides. The fried chicken is slightly spicy so if you need mild food be aware. But it tastes great. Parking is challenging in this part of town. We'll come back.

** Updated review: Manager reached out and made things right. 10/10 customer service. Extremely disappointed! I've had this place saved down for awhile and finally got to try today. Overpriced 8 tiny pieces of chicken for $34. Severely UNDERCOOKED. It was red and bloody and gross on the inside. It sucks because everyone there was very friendly but we did takeout and live 30mins away. Feel like such a waste of time and money.

Amazing chicken! The crunch, the taste, the texture. Even when it's sitting and you bite into it, it's still hot on the inside and has a little spice to it which i appreciated. A little on the salty side but that's why you have sides. The Mac n cheese wasn't what i was expecting from this kind of place, kfc has better Mac sad to say, but overall great food. The sweet tea was great, very traditional. FYI there are no refills on the root beer. The place wasn't packed and service was great, i like that the games are on all the TVs as you sit and eat. Will def be coming back.

A friend recommended that we try Gus's and it did not disappoint. A large group of us (about 15), on a Saturday afternoon and there was no wait to seat all of us. Gus's was super cute inside and very spacious. There are various parking options - street, structure, etc. Street parking is what we did and it was easy to find and walk to Gus's. We ordered family style and ordered chicken, sides (fries, beans, Mac and cheese, and coleslaw). The chicken was so yummy and juicy. The server was super attentive and recommended some of her favorites for us to try. We will definitely come back again it is a must try if you're in the area.

Located in Santa Ana you would not think of finding a really good fried chicken spot. However if you are there try to this place. The fried chicken is really good. Fresh, juicy, hot fried chicken is what they do best. Sides are good too especially the greens. Only draw back was the slice of sweet potato pie. Not the good and the portion size was small for you have to pay for it. Otherwise, come on in and get that fried chicken.

Perfectly fried, perfect seasoned, and perfectly crispy. This chicken is definitely one of the best chickens I've ever had. I loved the fact that it was extremely oily, but very crispy on the outside It had a slight kick to it which I loved. Strongly recommend this place The lucid team loved it!!

HOW CAN A FRIED CHICKEN BREAST BE THIS JUICY!!! I came in for a small and casual dinner and ordered a fried Breast and Thigh a la carte. Although I've been to Gus's several times before, this time impressed me as much as all the others, maybe even more! The fried chicken breast was hands-down the juiciest I've ever had for a breast. Normally, you would think that a fried breast will always be dry but Gus does it differently somehow! If their chicken breast is juicy, you can bet that their thigh was amazing as well, with juices bursting on my first bite! The batter was light and seasoned to the edge, not feeling heavy at all. Crystal took great care of me at the table and the food was served shortly after I ordered! Great chicken, honestly the best in SoCal! Please please please come here!

Been to the one in Austin and they are still making great chicken in Cali. Perfect crunch, flavor and juicy inside, delicious. The restaurant has a few tvs and is very clean. All the service was very attentive, friendly and quick. You can count on this place....

Plenty of seating. Friendly and fast service. Food comes out steamy so be careful when taking that first bite! You don't wanna burn off any taste buds. I was hoping to taste more of the foods than the batter. The chicken was a little over cooked.

No wait on a Saturday at 5pm with free parking on the back or meter street parking. Very casual and surprisingly large diner interior. Good for parties and watching sports. Nice staff and food came out super hot. Skin was crispy and chicken was very juicy. Moist and not dry at all. A little bit of spice for that kick. Fried green tomatoes were decent but I think they might be better fresh. Mac & cheese was very rich.

Really dang good fried chicken! The chicken was juicy and the meat was well seasoned. Possibly the best I've had in quite a while. The coating was thin and not over-breaded, so the skin was crispy and so flavorful. My favorite piece is the leg here, but any chicken cooked here is delicious. The sides are almost just as dang good. The fries were crispy and had an addicting seasoning. The coleslaw was vibrant and paired well with the chicken. The potato salad and mac were also delicious. The dessert was aight. I wouldn't recommend the sweet potato pie; it had a strange aftertaste. The chess pie was decent. Service was attentive, fast, and friendly. Restaurant was spacious, clean, and modest. Parking is minimal. You have to drive around looking for meter street parking or pay to park at a lot. Overall, highly recommend.

Omg not sure why I haven't written a review here but this place is my very once in a while treat for fried chicken. Also cuz it is a bit pricey for it but trust it's worth it!! I rave about this place!! I've done both catering and dining in. The inside definitely gives like a picnic and barn vibes to me. Also pretty spacious!!! They do have a parking lot and I was confused where the parking was at first but after a few times I found out where it was at. Food has been always amazing and chicken is very juicy and crispy. Idk but this place never disappoints me. It's a must try and they definitely need to be more known!!!! Also my fave side is the fried okra!!! Amazing!!!! Idk I can write a whole book about this place!!!

Still the best fried chicken I have ever had. Not giving 5 stars because there is never any place to park. I still don't understand why restaurants open in a location where it is almost impossible to find a parking spot. This alone causes me to rarely go there or recommend this place.

Gus' Fried Chicken is probably one of the best fried chicken spots we have in southern California. I'm so sad that we had a location in Long Beach and that we lost it. Losing the Long Beach location is one of the reasons I started writing yelp reviews again after a ten-year hiatus. It highlights how upset I was to lose such a great local business! Nevertheless, for those few of you who miss the LB location, fear not! You can get their juicy, seasoned fried chicken in Santa Ana. Dining in is the way to go as you could enjoy its juiciness, spice, and seasoning to its peak freshness. The chicken is tender and seasoned to the bone. I like to eat it with their sweet baked beans and their seasoned fries. My wife likes their potato salad, which has an eggy and mustardy mayo that lends some nice creaminess. At $21 for a 3 piece chicken meal, the fried chicken meals are not cheap, but I do think that you could taste the quality in the ingredients and that they didn't cut corners with seasoning the meat. I really believe that Gus' Fried Chicken is one of my favorite fried chicken shops in southern California. They have a location here and a location in LA, but I hope they consider coming back to Long Beach in the future.

(4.5) If you love fried chicken, then you gotta try Gus's! We both ordered the 3-piece dark meat plate with a cup of sweet tea (which comes with free refills!). By default, the plates come with two sides, beans and slaw, but you can substitute a different side for $0.50 each. So we got slaw, fries, mac and cheese, and potato salad. All the sides were delicious! The chicken comes out fresh and super crispy! It was a little salty for my taste, but it might have just been over-seasoned that day. Either way, I'll definitely be back! Service was very friendly and the ambiance feels vintage and cozy. :)

R - Found on Yelp, and my son visited Gus's in Atlanta so I gave it a try. We got an 8-piece, large mac & cheese, and fried green tomatoes to go. The décor is nice, there is a Telecaster body painted with Muddy Waters' portrait, and another Strat-type guitar body artwork. We waited at the bar counter. The chicken was placed inside an aluminum container, so it survived the 20 minute drive home - still crispy. The chicken is dark brown in color, and tasted good, not greasy at all with a little kick of spiciness to it. My wife said the fried tomato batter tasted odd, I kinda agreed. The mac & cheese was good though, but pricy at $10 for a medium container (small is $6). Parked on the corner next to the restaurant in the furniture store lot, because "it was just for a few minutes". I think I will need to try Gus's again and reevaluate.

This was hands down, the best fried chicken I've ever had! The breasts were huge and juicy. The skin was crispy and not overly battered, So good! There was quite a kick, which I didn't expect, but loved. I also tried the Mac n cheese and potato salad, and they were both amazing. The mac tasted homemade with lots of cheese, and the potato salad was so flavorful and balanced. I also had a root beer float, which was so nostalgic. The place itself was cute, too. My only qualm, and I'm nitpicking- is that the chicken was a little too salty. But I added some honey, and I loved it!

(4.5) After hearing all the hype about Gus's Fried Chicken, I finally got the chance to try it. The waitress was nice and friendly. The vibe of the place is cozy, with a vintage feel that makes you at ease. Parking can be tough especially towards dinner time Friday-Sundaay. I ordered the three-piece dark meat with mac and cheese and slaw. What really stood out was the batter on the chicken -- it's unlike any other fried chicken I've had. Not that oily greasiness. It's a unique blend, like a cross between a light tempura and the classic flour batter, giving it a crispy yet airy crunch. The seasoning had a nice kick, with bold flavors that kept me going back for more. It was a bit on the salty side, but the mac and cheese and slaw balanced it out perfectly. It is a bit in the pricier side, but you can taste the effort of making the dish. Overall, a solid spot for fried chicken lovers. Definitely worth checking out if you're craving something with a bit of spice and a crispy fried ness. They also had various beer and pies there that would pair perfectly!

Chicken is great, next time when i'm here i might just order multiple drumsticks since I like those. The side(mac n cheese and coleslaw) was great too. Heard portion was on a smaller side it was average i'd say.

We went an hour before closing and there was still a good amount of customers picking up take out orders and dining in. The parking situation is a bit annoying but the food is good and comes out quickly. The service was fast and everyone was knowledgeable about the menu and history of the restaurant. It's a little out of my way but if I ever ran into another one I would definitely eat it again

Bad Food , stupid management , inattentive staff . You can get your chicken there 2 ways Extra Greasy or Extra Extra greasy . Dirty , tables was dirty and sticky . Waitress wore a dirty outfit , Kitchen was dirty . Avoid this dump . Health Department should close it now

First time here. The service off the bat was impressive. Super nice employees, very helpful and friendly. Cute, welcoming dining area. Chicken was really tasty. Wasn't dry, great flavor, nice fry. We had all of the sides minus the greens. They were ok. Not quite sure if they're made in house but nevertheless they were good. Worth coming back.

Great & tasty fried chicken. Happened to drive by and was craving for some fried chicken. The place is casual 80s decor but cozy and airy place. Enjoys their friend green tomatoes. Good service overall. Will stop by when in the area and in mood for it.

Stopped in for a late lunch take-out. Service was speedy and my chicken tenders, coleslaw and beans order was out in about 15 minutes. Everything was great but the chicken was excellent. Glad I made the decision to stop in! Next time I'll dine in. It's a nice, well appointed dining area.

Good friend recommended this joint for some good fried chicken, and man were we impressed! We started with fried pickles, which come as spears btw, not coins. And the hubby loved it! Food: 1. Seasoned fries - came out piping hot and generously seasoned (I think Larwry's). Crispy, fluffy on the inside and good portion for small size. 2. Chicken - these bad bois are battered and it has a good kick! Just enough to tickle your tongue, not overly spicy. Juicy, moist and oh so crispy! I prefer dark meat and the hubby likes white and we were both happy! 3. Beans - not overly sweet! And you can taste the bacon. 4. Greens - garlicky and didn't have that bitter bite some places have 5. Mac n cheese - the winner for best side here! 6. White bread - reminded us of wonder bread and it was nice and soft Service: attentive and quick Ambiance: moderate noise, sports playing on the TVs Parking: street or parking structure; read all the signs and pay your meters! Tickets were given out. Give them a try! You won't regret it.

Came here and was surprised to see it wasn't too busy on a Memorial Day. Our waitress/server was so kind and explained their menu throughly, even to the extent of mentioning what dishes had pork in it. They also offer samples of their sides which was awesome! We tried their collared greens, Mac and cheese, and beans, all were a hit so we got them all with our chicken which was nice and crispy!! Wasn't too spicy, I was happy with my dinner. Thank you for a great experience!

Service was great! Diana was nice and attentive. Food was delicious, perfectly crispy mildly spicy chicken, beans and Mac & cheese was good and the sweet tea was perfect. It's pretty big inside with plenty of tables and seating, sports tv on with music. I'd come back. Only downfall is parking, there's a parking lot across the street.

It would be a 3.5 but marked down to 3 based on this visit. Perhaps it would be better on another day? Food (4/5): We ordered half chicken ($23) that came with four pieces: breast, wing, drumstick, and thigh. They were not extremely big. The breast was really well-done--spicy, juicy, and crispy. I felt they had the chicken ready and refried it after the order was place. Everything we lukewarm, not hot. We enjoyed the crispiness and the right amount of spice level (not too spicy for me). The plate came with slaw and beans; we swapped the slaw with mac & cheese for an additional $0.50. Mac & cheese was not great; the cheese tasted fake, but it was not overly greasy. We enjoyed the BBQ beans--sweet, smokey, with a hint of spiciness. Service (3.5/5): It was ok, not great, but not "bad" (meaning they were not rude). The soda fountain was out. When we arrived, it was not busy at all, but they were not very attentive. We had to walk up to the counter twice to receive service. Ambiance (4/5): It didn't feel extremely clean, but we appreciated how spacious the restaurant was. They also didn't overcrowd the tables. The space between each table/group was comfortable. Music wasn't too loud or obnoxious. Restrooms were clean as well. Parking: Some Yelp folks mentioned private parking lot, which we were not able to find. There is a small lot adjacent to the restaurant, but all spaces were parked for the furniture store use. We ended up parking on the street (metered).

The best fried chicken on the planet. A must try. I know it from its Los Angeles locations and was thrilled to see that they opened up an Orange County location. Now I wish they would open up another location in South Orange County.

OVERALL : Hands down the BESTTT fried chicken ever! I love that their chicken is fresh, never frozen, and hand-bettered. Everything is made to order, but the wait is never too long and always worth it. It's super casual and no-frills here, but service is still friendly. The food never takes too long, as I usually come during off hours on the weekends! They specialize in southern spicy fried chicken served with various sides/starters, and homemade pies. PARKING : We found street parking (metered) on one of the side streets not too far from the shop. As a heads up this is in the city, so they don't have a big lot / plaza parking directly next to the shop. FOOD/DRINKS : I got the 3 Piece Plate with 2 thighs and 1 drum + baked beans and coleslaw! It comes with a slice of white bread too. Their menu is pretty simple, but the fried chicken is some of the juiciest, crunchiest chicken I've had. The sides are on the sweeter side, but it helps balance out the savory chicken and tangy hot sauce.

My favorite fried chicken place. Discovered this place at a food festival and have been coming ever since. They have specials like Memphis Midday for $12 you get four drumsticks and two sides. Come and eat here and you will be very happy. Happy Yelping!

Updated review: CUSTOMER SERVICE and the manager 10/10 for handling this right away ORIGINAL REVIEW: This message is for the quality of the food not for my server as she was awesome. I spent $28 on three pieces of chicken, mac & cheese, and french fries and I am disappointed while the chicken was hot. It was burnt and the grease tasted old. My fries didn't have any seasoning on it ... pretty sad as I seen photos on yelp that looks nothing like my plate

Gus's has some of the best chicken in the area. Unfortunately, it takes me about an hour to get to this location so I can't visit as often as I would like. A few years ago, Gus's expanded its locations in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas, but closed some of the new locations. This Santa Ana location survived the cuts. The chicken here is great. Gus's has figured out to keep the outside crunchy and the inside moist. There is a mild level of spice added, enough to add taste but not too much in the way of heat. The chicken is very tasty. I've sometimes taken some home, refrigerated it, and it was just as good the next day. There are options for dark or white meat, both are equally good. By default, baked beans and slaw are provided as sides. You can change one or both of them to potato salad, greens, mac & cheese, or fries. Starter dishes include Fried Pickles, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Fried Okra. All of them are good. Recently, they added a Fried Chicken Sandwich. Good, but I think I prefer the more simple chicken items. Service has always been polite and inside clean. Parking is a little problematic - some people use the CVS lot across the street, but there are parking meters and a parking structure nearby.

This was def some amazing fried chicken! It has a little heat to it but it does not last long and the spices they use are perfect. All pieces were nice and meaty esp the breast. The crisp is so perfect and that heat complements so good w the potato salad and coleslaw. The potato salad was perfectly blended w eggs and was so delicious especially w the chicken. The coleslaw was like an improved version of KFC but not as sweet. I had the half chicken and will probably get a full order next time cuz it's so delicious. The prices are more than a KFC but worth it if you're looking for a quality experience. The sweet potato pie was the perfect way to end the meal so fresh and delicious. My belly was so happy after this meal :)

Nothing to complain about but I did finally try the greens and they were so good. A bit on the salty side but will happy order them again. Brought my dad and he is already planning on coming back lol

I've heard of Gus's for quite some time. Living in Tennessee and being from Los Angeles, fried chicken is something I'm beyond "familiar" with. Now I'm living in Anaheim where soul food is scarce to say the least. But a 20min drive for some southern cuisine was an easy decision to try out Gus's and grab some pie and sweet tea was a bonus. I went relatively early, 4pm, I was hoping I'd find a line full of people and half the seats taken up. The hustle and bustle of a restaurant doing well. Unfortunately it was empty. The music was soulful Jazz and the fo-brick wall and pictures were giving the South a good representation of a local diner. The sign stating that the food was "made to order" and that it's not a "fast food restaurant" made me hopeful that I was in for a treat. The staff were all very friendly and answered my questions regarding how the food was prepped (didn't want to get my hopes up considering there was no cornbread, candied yams etc on the menu). I ordered my 3pc plate and paid extra for mac & cheese and greens. Even grabbed some pie while I waited for my food. So how did it taste? Sweet Tea - Devine! Cold, Sweet and refreshing. Chicken - the batter, from the looks, may be wet. It was crunchy but not flaky. Super flavorful and moist. My only critic was that they didn't have heat levels. However, crystals or Louisiana hot sauce and jalapeños were readily available. Collard Greens - they use bacon grease to cook down their greens. I didn't taste or see bacon in the greens themselves. They were chopped too fine for my liking and they sour spicy kick you get in the juice was missing. Definitely nothing to brag about. Mac & Cheese - so sad. I mean the biggest let down is not to have from scratch Mac & Cheese. It was giving "canned cheese". No roux, no love, more like something you'd fine at KFC or something. I mean Chic Fi Le blows this out of the water. Sweet Potato Pie - Good. Not as rich as I prefer but the only critique is the crust was lacking. Not bitterly and flaky. Definitely not their own crust. For the price I just expected more. For the drive I was hopeful. It's just a good name that fell short.

The fried chicken here is flavorful and juicy but with a crispy skin. All the right textures. I would have enjoyed my seasoned fries with more seasoning and the slice of white bread is just that; a slice of white bread. The service was friendly and helpful for a first time customer. I would definitely recommend this spot for the chicken alone.

Went here for my first time and I loved it. The menu was simple. We ordered all three of the appetizers. Fried pickles, okra, and green tomatoes. All three were fried just crispy right. My friend who is from Alabama said it reminds him of home. The chicken was crispy, spiceful and moist. I liked the baked beans flavor. A bit sweet and tangy. Coleslaw was ok. We both enjoyed the collard greens. Next time I come back which I will be. I'll have to order extra chicken. Service was friendly and welcoming.

Just super delicious chicken with awesome sides especially the collard greens. Don't eat a ton of fried chicken but when I do I go here.

Fresh , HOT, clean. Sounds horrible but good service . Beers ummm maybe. Who's up this weekend be aware or be SQ.

Some of my fav fried chicken I've had. Skin is super crispy and meat isn't dry. Definitely get the dark meat over the tenders. Fried tomato's and all the sides were delicious. Plenty of seating inside but service was below average. Still will definitely be back if I'm ever in the area.

I had been eager to try Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken for ages, and I finally got my chance when I visited the Santa Ana area. I got myself the 3 Piece Dark Chicken Plate, substituting the Baked Beans for Seasoned Fries ($21.50). At first glancec the fried chicken might appear simple, but it's cooked to perfection. The moment you take a bite, you can feel the steam and juices pour out of the chicken. There is a subtle spice embedded into the batter that gives it additional flavor. While the sides were decent, they nicely complemented the meaty chicken. Service felt slow. It took 20 minutes for the food to arrive. To be fair, I was with my family and all of our meals were served together. Word of advice: steer clear of the LA tap water. Let's just say it's better left untouched. Maybe go for their domestic beer or house-brewed iced tea instead. If I return to Gus's, I will be sure to try their starter items and white meat chicken. This was overall a great experience.

This is the best fried chicken I have ever had! First tried it at the Pacific Food and Wine Festival and they were making bone in fried chicken breasts. It was delicious! I love their baked beans and their fries. The fried green tomatoes are great too! Service was great and we were served by an LA Kings fan which was another plus! The inside is very homey like you are invited to the cookout. And what could be better than being invited to the cookout?

$10 for a bag of Medium fries - I'm not sure if I'll ever get used to this price. I probably need $30-$40 of just fries to feed a family. I did not try any other sides or pies. Took my fries for to-go which was packed in a paper bag but noticed a piece of white paper on the bottom when I took out all the fries - not sure if purpose was to catch grease or to make bag look full - interesting. Chickens are definitely crispy outside and soft inside. They tasted fresh as well and flavorful, well marinated. It was very well done that I can chew the bones off which is a plus for me! : ) However, they are definitely salty and does not taste good when you air-fried left-over at home so just order what you can finish. I'm sticking to Korean fried chickens. The inside is very well kept. Staff is very friendly and polite explaining and answerings all your questions. I did not have to wait long at all. Food came out pretty quick. Parkings: Staff shared that there is not any parkings for their restaurant. Customers would have to do street parking/meter/parking garage and walk over. If you're picking up, have another driver wait in the car so you can dash in and dash out or your car will be towed if you parking in nearby business parkings.

I've heard good things about this place so I gave it a try. 2 piece dark meat w Mac n cheese & Cole slaw: 3/5- The skin was crunchy, but personally I like my chicken skin to have more batter and be on the thicker side. It was really salty and not spicy for me. The inside meat was very juicy. The Mac n cheese is on the heavier side. Cole slaw is like your average Cole slaw. I'm not usually a fan of beans, but this one was actually pretty good.

This area used to be my old stomping grounds in college for late night events, so I never thought to come here during the day. What a difference to see Downtown Santa Ana during the day. We've heard about Gus' through word of mouth, so we decided to make a pit shop in while running errands locally. The courtyard had a special event. I think it was called a Vintage Market, so it was quite busy. Parking in the structure was $20! We ended up finding metered parking and only spent $2 to top up the time. We came for lunch and the restaurant was super empty! It was great since we got to spend some time figuring out our options. Decided to share a few plates: 4-piece tender with potato salad and fries + 3-piece Dark Meat with coleslaw and mac n cheese. The mac and cheese was obsessively good. Ooegy gooey richness and absolutely cheesy. Coleslaw was light to counter balance the flavors. Dark meat was juicy with 2 thighs and 1 drumstick. We took the tenders home with the extra sauces we had since they were $0.50 each for ranch and honey mustard. I liked the honey mustard with the tenders tho. Wished we found out about this place sooner, but it's good to return to when we're nearby.

Everything from the food, service, atmosphere, and the space was amazing. My family will be back during the week to try the specials.

Because they were near closing, I decided to call ahead and place a order, but was immediately placed on hold. After waiting on hold for 15 minutes, I decided to roll a dice and pull up to the establishment, hoping that they would still be open and able to take my order. Once I arrived, I was immediately greeted and had my order taken by a friendly cashier. I was told that it would be a 20 minute wait but it turned out to only be a 10 minute wait, which was a pleasant surprise. As far as food goes the fried chicken was juicy, crispy and flavorful. However, I feel that they dropped the ball when it came to the sides. I've been eating soul food my entire life, and I must say they definitely could have done better with the macaroni and collard greens. The macaroni lacked all the cheesy goodness one would expect in a perfect serving of mac & cheese. The greens consisted of a flavor that I personally didn't find that appealing. They were both pretty much plain and lacked flavor in my opinion.