Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken – Knoxville TN

Laurie and I love good fried chicken!  What we normally find when we order it is OK…but perhaps it’s too dry, too bland, don’t like the breading/coating or the pieces are so small they could come from an oversized pigeon.

As much as we hate to admit it, Kentucky Fried Chicken (extra crispy) is what we measure new fried chicken experiences against.  However, the last time we were in Maplewood Missouri, Laurie’s sister Bonnie and her husband Bill introduced us to a chicken joint we hadn’t eaten at previously.

This is Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken in Knoxville Tennessee.  When we ate at the Gus’s in Maplewood Missouri, I’d recalled our friends Norm and Linda, back in Tennessee, telling us about eating chicken at a place called Gus’s in Knoxville.  So, after running errands in Knoxville one afternoon, we decided to find Gus’s and see if it was as good as the restaurant in Maplewood…

This is a pretty basic joint… Mismatched chairs and stools, a counter for diners who are so inclined, a few TVs on the wall, concrete floor, a hodgepodge of various wall décor items and a tin ceiling with a contrasting tin half wall.  The perfect look for a chicken shack!

The menu is all about the chicken!  There are chicken snacks (without sides), chicken plates with baked beans, coleslaw and white bread, fried pickles, okra and green tomatoes as appetizers, a handful of sides and a grilled cheese sandwich for kids.

The photo shown above shows my dinner.  I had the 3-Piece White Plate with 2 chicken breasts and a wing with French fries and coleslaw. ($11.10) The fries and coleslaw were good but, as we remembered from Maplewood Missouri, the chicken was excellent!  I ate the whole thing!

If you’re not into spicy chicken, no worries here.  This is not Nashville Hot Chicken but rather nicely seasoned fried chicken with just a little ‘pop’ to it.  Our friend Linda does not like spicy hot food, but she likes Gus’s chicken.  FYI, this chicken is not overwhelmed with too much breading either...

This was Laurie’s dinner.  She ordered a Memphis Special, 2-Piece Dark with 2 thighs, (plus 2 extra thighs to take home), along with Mac and Cheese and Coleslaw. ($10.25) She liked her mac and cheese as well as the slaw…but like yours truly, she loved the chicken!

Oh by the way... We also decided to share a piece of Gus's Coconut Pie.  It was quite different than most coconut pies...not the usual custard base.  You'll have to try it as its hard to define.  But, it was a winner!

How well did we like it?  Well since Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken is about 45 minutes from our home, we ordered 3 more breasts and 8 thighs to take home with us!  We enjoyed 2 more Gus’s chicken meals at home and I had a snack leftover as well.  The good news is that unlike some leftover fried chicken, Gus’s is very good leftover, warmed or cold!

Currently Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken has 28 restaurants in 13 states.  Gus’s locations can be found in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas. 

   

FYI, Gus’s Knoxville does serve beer.  Laurie had a Stella Artois ($4.50) and I had my Miller Lite. ($3.50) Gus’s is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.  This restaurant is located at 3101 Sutherland Avenue in Knoxville Tennessee.  Phone: 865-200-6468.  The link to the Knoxville locations website is http://gusfriedchicken.com/knoxville-tennessee-location/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by to see what was for dinner!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave