I just KNEW I had done a restaurant review on Gus’s Fried Chicken. We love it so much I knew there was no way I hadn’t reviewed this amazing restaurant. I searched and searched and the post eluded me and was no where to be found. But tonight, we were reunited! Since originally writing this post we have traveled back to Memphis at least a dozen times to eat this amazing fried chicken! Take a moment to savor and enjoy Gus’s World Famous Hot & Spicy Chicken, Memphis, TN – THE LOST POST. When you are done…grab your kids, grab your wife, grab your neighbors and coworkers and head over to Gus’s for some amazing fried chicken! Gus’s Fried Chicken is one of the best restaurants in Memphis, Tennessee!
Gus’s World Famous Hot & Spicy Chicken, Memphis, TN
It’s hard to believe that a place known around the world for their rockin’ chicken doesn’t even have a web page but such is the case with Gus’s World Famous Hot & Spicy Chicken in Memphis, Tennessee. They have been featured on the Food Network, the Travel Channel, in numerous magazines and on the TNT networks show Memphis Beat. But here at Eggs and Herbs we don’t take their word for it, we try it ourselves.
Who – Myself, My husband, my mother-in-law
What – Lunch
When – Wednesday, July 7, 2010 1:00 PM
Where – Gus’s World Famous Hot & Spicy Chicken 310 S Front St, Memphis, TN 38103 (901) 527-4877
Hours: Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am – 9 pm Fri-Sat 11 am – 10:30 pm
Why – Is it worthy to be called “World Famous Hot & Spicy Chicken”?
We chose to hit the restaurant at 1 on a weekday in hopes of beating the crowd. My husband actually ate here without me a little over a month ago…on a Saturday…during Memphis in May…and the wait was LONG! But he claimed the food was good and he was kind enough to bring me home a piece of chicken that was pretty darn good cold and I knew I had to come back for more.
We made it to Gus’s at the end of the lunch rush but still had to squeeze our way inside to put our name on the list at the counter. We only waited around 20 minutes when our name was called. Since they provided handy paper menus at the front counter we already knew what we wanted and were able to place our entire order when the waitress came by.
The drinks came quickly and the appetizer of Fried Green Tomatoes arrived shortly after. At 5.25 for 5 fried tomatoes this was probably the most (the only) disappointing part of our visit. Don’t get me wrong, they were good but not the best. I honestly feel the fried green tomatoes I make at home are just as good or better. And a lot more cost efficient.
(NOTE: On more recent visits we have become a BIG fan of the fried pickles!)
But not to worry our Family Meal arrived shortly after and was amazing! We ordered the 16 piece family meal so we could try each cut (wing, leg, thigh, and breast) and still have plenty to bring home for leftovers. The meal also came with a large order of baked beans, a large order of coleslaw and white bread. We ordered a large order of the seasoned fries in addition.
The chicken came piled on a huge tray and we were handed paper plates on which to divie up our grub. I went for a leg while the hubby tried a wing and the mother-in-law took a breast. There was silence for at least 3 minutes as all of us processed the hot, spicy and amazingly crunchy, juicy bliss of the chicken. After about 45 seconds all of our eyes widened as the heat from the spices began to kick it and boy was it good. Now I am not a fan of overly spicy stuff so I was a little nervous but this chicken falls into the category of spicy in all the right places and at all the right times. And when it got to be a little too much… I cooled down with a bite of crispy coleslaw. I even got a little daring and sprinkled some of the Louisiana Hot Sauce that adorns every table onto my chicken. WOW was that good! The baked beans were average and likely canned and the white bread was just that. White bread! Served cold, cut in triangles but great for soaking up all the chicken, bean and coleslaw juices that cover your plate.
All in all we managed to polish off about 6 pieces of chicken and half of each of the sides between the three of us. We took home 10 pieces so this meal could easily have fed 6 people no problem.
We finished off the day with some dessert. They were sold out of the soul food staple sweet potato pie so we opted for a slice of chess pie and coconut chess pie. Both were sweet, creamy and served slightly warm with a buttery, flaky crust. YUM.
The Verdict
In our opinions we feel that Gus’s it totally worth the wait and the distance it takes to get there. We drove two hours one way! I would do it again and if you can get there within a day you must do it at least once. If you are visiting Memphis Gus’s is a MUST-EAT restaurant.
The Damage
2 Iced Teas, 1 Coke @ $1.50 each
Fried Green Tomatoes @ $5.25
16 piece Family Meal @ $29.95
Large Fries @ $2.75
2 Slices of pie @ $2.25 each
Tax @ 2.21
Total = $49.16 plus tip (And don’t forget we still had 10 pieces and some sides for leftovers the next day!)
We are not affiliated with Gus’s Fried Chicken in any way. We were not compensated in anyway for our meal, time, or thoughts. Gus’s Fried Chicken has no clue who we are!
I was in Memphis on Monday-Wednesday and totally missed this place! We went to Lou’s (was on Food Network, too) and it was yum-licious. I mentioned Lou’s to a local and she said “Oh, no, you’ve got to go to Gus.” There you have it. Validation.
You have to try it! My husband discovered this little gem and it is wonderful!
Gus’s has been on my list for a long time and I never seems to make it. I’m headed there next month with my young one to see the Avett Brothers, I think we’ll be having fried chicken for lunch.
Do it! It’s so good! Just leave plenty of time – there is often quite a wait to gets table and they cook every order to order so it sometimes takes a while for the food to get to your table. It’s worth the wait though!