Gus's Barbeque
(626) 799-3251
808 Fair Oaks Ave
South Pasadena,
CA
91030
34.1166
-118.1501
Neighborhood: San Marino
What People Are Saying About Gus's Barbeque
The Editor
Martha Burr
Citysearch
In Short
This South Pasadena landmark, which has beckoned diners with its glorious neon sign for more than 62 years, has a newly revamped interior, plus an updated menu that attracts old-timers, snooty foodies and barbecue freaks alike. The retro feel is carried out with dozens of vintage black and white photos, corrugated tin and a painting of music legend Robert Johnson. Chowing down to a bluesy beat, the eclectic crowd of families, Cal Tech students, hipsters and yuppies all agree on one thing: Barbecue rules. American regional specialties range from Carolina pulled pork and St. Louis spare ribs to beer-braised Texas brisket and Memphis-style baby back ribs. Seasonal cobblers and red velvet cake are a closing sweet note.
User Reviews
kettleking99
March 28, 2009
First time ever leaving a comment here but was compelled to after experiencing the worst BBQ I've ever had at Gus's. I ordered the Combo Brick Chicken & Ribs for $22.95. I got a dry piece of charred and burn't flat chicken and 3 bones of baby back ribs. That's it on the meat for $23.00 bucks. Two side dishes were beans and cole slaw. The beans were a mushy mess of who knows what and the slaw was almost dry and flavorless. The plate was served without any type of bread. If you want cornbread it's an extra $6.95. What the f__k? I then find out that they bake the ribs with liquid smoke and that they don't have a smoker. This isn't BBQ. Many people knock Barnburner a mile north on Fair Oaks but at least they have a real smoker. At Robin's BBQ on Rosemead Blvd in Pasadena they include an excellent blueberry cornbread with every meal and they also have a real smoker. In fact they have a separate smokehouse behind the restaurant. I'm ranting because to charge $23.00 for a minescule portion of meat falsely labeled BBQ is a joke. These guys should stick to running their burger joints.
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thegoodchuck
February 24, 2009
I had passed Gus's many times before, but never thought to stop in. I guess the giant glowing sign out front just reminded me of checkered table clothes, sawdust on the floor, the kinda place you wear a Garfield t-shirt and a fanny pack to. I was pleasantly surprised though by the clean, warm decor and large colorful paintings and photos decorating the walls. We started with the cornbread as an appetizer: it might be the best cornbread I've had. Served in a small cast iron pan with butter and jalapeno jelly, a very nice beginning. Next my girlfriend ordered a burger with arugula, grilled onions and potato salad. I got the Baby Back Rib and Pulled Pork Combo with Creamed Corn and Red Beans 'n Rice. Ribs and Pork were both very tender, flavorful, and tasty. Read Beans 'n Rice, I could have eaten just a bowlful of those they were that good. Creamed Corn was also very nice,as was my girl's burger. The only dish to fall flat was the Potato Salad, which seemed to need a bit more salt and lacked the complexity the rest of the food had. As we are both Chefs in the L.A. area, we kept commenting about how all the food seemed to have a depth to it's flavors, the built up layers of taste that can only come from cooking with love, patience and confidence. The portions were also very generous and we had to take half of it home! We will certainly be coming back for more, and making sure we have empty stomachs beforehand! And a quick note to the previous reviewer (wdlarson): THEY HAVE A GIANT GLOWING PIG ON THE SIGN OUTSIDE, THAT MIGHT BE A SIGN IT'S NOT A GOOD PLACE FOR VEG LOVERS TO EAT. And it's also highly disrespectful to be bringing in outside food to a restaurant. As a Chef myself, I would have done the same as they did to you, so try not to be so surprised. I respect people's right to choose what they will eat, but if an establishment doesn't serve what you can have, then don't eat there. (or take people there who can't eat their food just because YOU can.)
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wdlarson
January 07, 2009
IF YOU (OR ONE OF YOUR EATING MATES) ARE A VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN THEN I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU DO NOT GO TO GUS'S BBQ. I went to Gus's tonight with one Gus's semi-regular, my vegan girlfriend, and two friends from out of town. From previous experience, I know that Gus's carnivorous menu and staff are vegan-unfriendly so she picked up food for herself from Patakan (which I highly recommend), about a 2 min walk up Fair Oaks. The waiter didn't complain when she proceeded to discretely eat it along with the glass of wine that she had ordered from Gus's while we ordered. It wasn't until we had received drinks that we had ordered and were about to order food that the waiter loudly and rudely barked at my girlfriend, telling her that she could not eat outside food inside the restaurant. This was unacceptable. I put down the drink that I was about to sip and sent my semi-regular friend to the front to reason with the manager. I had ordered the drink under false pretenses. The manager (I don't know her name but she was described to me as a strawberry blonde female) could not be reasoned with so we brought our service to a finer South Pasadena establishment. I never touched my drink. My parents and their friends are semi-regulars and regulars here and they won't be bringing me back here anytime soon. I miss the old Gus's.
read full reviewThe Details on Gus's Barbeque
Know Before You Go:
Even though there's no special menu for kids, there are great selections like sliders, mac-and-cheese and sweet potato fries--not to mention the hand-scooped shakes and malts.
The Extras:
The menu is canny enough to satisfy vegetarians with classics like shredded onion strings, spinach and artichoke dip, Greek and Caesar salads, and a slew of sides like sauteed greens and roasted garlic mashed potatoes.
What to Drink:
The full bar in back is a destination unto itself, stocking classic bourbons and Southern cocktails like the mint julep and a traditional hurricane. The wine list offers fairly standard Californian selections.
Category:
Restaurants, Barbecue Restaurants
Payment Methods:
Carte Blanche, American Express, Diners Club, Discover, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Family-Friendly Dining, Historic Setting, Lunch Spot, Group Dining, Dine At The Bar
