Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken - Knoxville, Tennessee

Jason Yu

Naturally, since this restaurant is in Tennessee, I think it'll will be compared to Hattie B's. After having both this week, I will say that both have their pluses and minuses, and both are very good in their own right. That being said, the fried chicken here is VERY good (we got the half chicken); all the pieces were juicy and were all fried to perfection with a proper crispy crunch. The only thing is that the chicken does pack a kick, which I LOVED, but for people who can't hang with spicy, there's no noted spice levels on the menu, so you're sort of out of luck here. The thing I do think Gus's does very well in is their sides! The fried okra and fried green tomatoes were phenomenal, perfectly fried, and piping hot much like their chicken. Additionally, I saw catfish in the reviews here, and luckily, they had it when I came (it isn't on the menu, so you'll have to ask for it, but you can mix and match with chicken however you choose)! The catfish was delicious; the moment you bite into it, you get that punch of wonderful fish taste and get the textural contrast of the crispy flaky batter against the soft fish meat, overall a very tasty fried fish! Overall, the waitress was extremely attentive and friendly. The food was super fresh and delicious, fried right there and then. This place is definitely worth a try if you want fried chicken or catfish. This place is definitely a solid choice!

Kestlynde Moesch

BOOIIIIII HOWDY

the best dang fried chicken!!
THE CRUNCH
THE JUICINESS
This fried chicken, my husband and I decided to say out loud before discussing said chicken- is the best friend chicken we have ever had. I lost my socks here. And am planning a trip to drive an hour from Cleveland for more. Originally from TX just doing some travel for work- and making it a point to come here again before we leave TN.
I don’t like slaw, Mac was good and cheesy and okra was great as well and the potato salad, a bit sweeter side but I devoured it made me especially happy since they make in house - this chicken YALL . Maybe it’s brined ? Maybe it’s just the best chicken ever and we will never know why, I heard it isn’t even breaded that is the SKIN with so much flavor and crunch, how !? WOW. Officially a Knoxville staple. If you’re in the area and don’t stop by I’m afraid you made a mistake. Not to mention the friendly pricing !!!! If I was a student here this would be MY SPOT! Thank you to the masterminds in the kitchen here at Gus’s. World famous is spot on.

Crystal Sturgis

Every single time I am in Knoxville I Must eat at Gus’s! The chicken is always fresh, flavorful and tender. The employees are always welcoming and friendly. I have been to other locations, but this location is my ultimate favorite.

Lyndsey Andreasen

Wow! Hands down the best restaurant I’ve eaten at in Knoxville! Everything was super delicious. Sweet tea amazing. Fried green tomatoes were the best I’ve ever had. Fried okra was perfect. Mac n cheese you can tell is homemade and layered with cheese. Cole slaw fresh and has a great base. The chicken was outstanding, perfect amount of heat, fresh, and overall just super good. Paired with top notch service by Kim. She was very attentive and you can tell makes her customers the highest priority. She was very welcoming, never let our glasses even get close to halfway empty. Blown away by outstanding service. The restaurant was also very clean.

Chuyin

I ordered chicken through Uber Eats and was surprised by the poor packaging. The food arrived in just a paper grocery bag, not even a box. However, despite the packaging, the chicken itself was amazingly good. It was flavorful, juicy, and tender. I’m definitely gonna try dining in next time!

RG 2.0

So glad we stopped at Gus's for lunch while visiting the area.
Great down home atmosphere. Antique and old tin signs line the walls. Checkered tablecloths and lots of fried chicken and fried catfish being brought out to the tables or packed up for 'to go' orders.
Great open kitchen so you can watch the process.
Our server was delightful and helped us know what was best to try for our specific spice likes.
We had chicken tenders for three less spicy crowd and regular chicken in the bones for a little more kick. All served with a slice of white bread.
We added fried okra and coleslaw as well.
Unfortunately the first couple tenders were super dry. Like almost hard to swallow. The last one was tender and juicier.
Loved the coleslaw, nice mild creamy flavor and texture.
Fried okra was a bit flavorless and mealy.
Spice was just right.
The bone in was super juicy and great flavor.
Thanks so much for the experience.

Marsha Lawson

Some of the best chicken tenders you'll ever eat! Just the right amount of heat and super juicy. The honey mustard is really good too. I had the Cole slaw and baked beans. My husband had the Mac and cheese and baked beans. All of the sides were delicious. The Cole slaw had just the right amount of sweetness...just like my mom makes. The sweet tea is perfect too! Great food, great service. If you leave hungry, it's your own fault because the portions are great.

J N

The chicken is of course the star here, but the sides & extras I had left something to be desired. The obligatory white bread slice was stale dry. The coleslaw was flavorless and could have either been sweeter or tangier. I found the okra quite bland, but my daughter liked it. Tammy's Fried green tomatoes blow these away with their flavor. Don't bother with the mac & cheese, it's basically velveeta over noodles with paprika. The fries were reported to be good. But there is pork in the beans & greens. Given the hype I expect to really be wowed.