I tried them months before they closed. I'm going to be brutally honest... 1. the mac n cheese was a huge letdown. For their prices, I was expecting something more close to soul food style mac n cheese (even a Popeyes' like version would've been okay enough). It felt like a boxed Velveeta, but dry/reheated with them hastily adding seasoning on top. 2. The fries were also a letdown. The seasoning was actually decent, but I could tell it was reheated. No crispness, but more of a limp, soft exterior. 3. Their chicken, plus the friendly service saved the review from being 1 stars. Out of everything on my platter, it was the only thing that actually tasted fresh & not reheated. The skin was crispy with a juicy interior. It had a spicy kick to it that wasn't too overbearing. Overall, I'd say their chicken is worth the price. It's the sides (from my experience) that could be better. read more

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken - Menu - Southern Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Been to Gus many times but this is my first time reviewing them. I usually get the 2 or 3 piece dark and it is delicious! It is crunchy on the outside and has a lot of meat on the inside. The beans and coleslaw are delicious as well. The beans were warm and tasty and the coleslaw were super fresh. They also provide hot sauce. If you want the honey mustard or ranch, it's an extra 50 cents each. Service has always been good. It is about a 20 minute wait for the food, but it's so worth cause it is yummy and fresh! There are a couple of tables inside to sit and eat at. Street parking. read more

See all

Post-mortem as it seems this spot has also closed since my eating here. Pity, since the chicken is indeed pretty solid and quite juicy. While it's not the best fried chicken ever, it's great for a no-frills chicken dining experience that balances a lot of directions. The sides were nice, but not notable. I'd have placed it 4.5 overall. RIP read more

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken - 3 piece dark with mac and coleslaw - Southern Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

4.5 stars. I've never set foot inside Gus's but I have a friend who brought some to me, fresh & piping hot despite the travel time to cross the bridge. The drumstick & breast (basically the only two chicken pieces I'll eat) were delicious with its crisp, seasoned coating & juicy, meaty interior. I'm not one for overly spicy food but this chicken had the right amount of kick to make it interesting. But, to give another perspective, my bf gave it the fatal critique of being spicy without added flavor; I'll never be able to drag him to Oakland for Gus's, but I'm golden as it seems my friend is as enthusiastic about their offerings as I am. One of my favorite fried chicken joints of all the ones I've tried in recent memory. I'll reserve my five-star review for when I try them again to confirm they're consistent, & when I've had a chance to try their fried okra, greens, & chicken strips (which they were out of the day I received my order.) Winner, winner, chicken dinner! read more

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken - Southern Near Me - Oakland, California

Gus's World Famous Chicken is a nice little place. The decor was simple and ambience was quiet. No public restrooms but 2 unisex restrooms for customers. The service was friendly and welcoming! Order with cashier. We ordered a thigh and coconut chess pie. The thigh was moist, tender, and juicy. Flavorful and had a spiciness to it. Obviously, they brined the chicken as it was very moist and tender. The chess pie is the base for most of their pies. It was sweet, flavorful, and had a nice toasty top. I will be back! Support your local business. read more

See all

I've seen Gus's all over Southern California, but I've never seen a location in the Bay Area The food was really good. Chicken was extra crispy and had a lot of flavor to it. The two piece is probably the best go to item. The pieces of chicken are big and juicy. They season it very well. The chicken sandwich is a good go to for eating on the go. I thought it was a little dry, but I still enjoyed the sandwich. Staff were cool and friendly. They brought us extra napkins and sauces. They created convo and were cracking jokes. Cool guys. read more

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken - Fried Chicken Sandwich - Southern Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Friendly service and such a cute little picnic eating type area. The chicken was really good. Moist, flavorful! Had a little kick, which was great for me. The fried pickle and green tomatoes were fun too! Single stall bathroom "rooms" with open sink for everyone- very convenient! Parking is street parking. There is a paid lot if you don't want to look for parking just around the block. read more

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken - 8 Piece Special, Fried Pickles and fried Fried Green Tomatoes - Southern Near Me - Oakland, California

The most amazing soulful delicious fried chicken and sides I've had on the West Coast ever! The chicken was perfectly crispy. The sweet potato pie rivals my grandmother's The service was amazing as well, kind, attentive and quick. read more

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken - 2 piece dark combo, bbq Baked Beans, Collard Greens, and Mac & Cheese. - Southern Near Me - Oakland, California

Came here for lunch. 23$ after tax. Tenders look good but are bland and mid. -1 for missing ranch sauce. Edit: not even ranch sauce can save this. Baked beans taste like they came from a can. read more

Great portions and delicious flavor. The guy at the cashier is always friendly. They serve beer as well as yummy looking deserts. Nothing special about the ambiance. Also, note that there's no parking because there's a bus stop right outside. You'll have to park down the street and walk. read more

See all

My family ordered some food from this place to-go, and they raved about it when they dined and ate it there. I'm happy to say I also raved about it even after eating it to-go! The fried chicken is super flavorful with a hint of spicy-ness, and although I got a breast piece it was still juicy (that's how you KNOW it's good). Coleslaw was sweet and creamy. Mac and cheese was sooooooo cheesy and seasoned to perfection. Baked beans surprised me and tasted sweet yet savory. If you haven't given this originally southern restaurant yet, do yourself and favor and DO IT! One of my favorite fried chicken places now fssss for the chance to taste true soul food. read more

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken - Fried Chicken w/ side of Cole Slaw, Baked Beans, and Mac & Cheese - Southern Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Gus's fried chicken is always a good idea. The chicken has so much flavor and is crispy yet never dry. The collard greens here are flavored well and taste freshly cooked. The fried green tomatoes were perfectly cooked and has a good tang. Fries were a little soggy. The sweet potato pie was also a yummy ending to our meal, not too sweet. Service was fast even though it was busy as heck. They had 1 girl running the place and she did amazing. There's not much seating and it's kind of dark in here. Doesn't look open from the outside. Glad we came though read more

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken - Southern Near Me - Oakland, California

Fried chicken is one of my guilty pleasures in life. I have been wanting to try this place as I've heard a lot of great things about it. Well, I used to live in Austin, Texas and they have Gus's there too but never tried it. When I moved to San Francisco, I knew that they have one in Oakland. So, this was the day for me to give it a shot and it DID NOT disappoint! One of the best of the many fried chickens I've had in my whole entire life. INCOMPARABLE! The staff were very welcoming, nice and accommodating. The restaurant isn't that big but it surely is cozy, clean and homey. Will definitely come back here over and over again. Highly recommended! read more

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken - Southern Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

So first off the chicken here is really amazing ! On most days I only eat my mom's fried chicken but this is the one spot that makes me go out of my comfort zone to eat chicken! The chicken is so good! It reminds me of a place I used to eat at growing up down in compton but today I Checked and there is no affiliation. Still delicious though. The service here is really great it was my first time walking in and ordering usually I order it for delivery when I'm being lazy and don't feel like walking in. It's small inside but that's a good thing especially being downtown you can't trust the foot traffic! I'll be back again. Soon read more

Fried chicken at its best!! So juicy, perfectly seasoned, batter was unbeatable, sooo sooo damn goood!! Friendly staff was also quite hospitable and thoughtful. How I wish they serve all the food in real dishes and utensils but the owners probably think their food would simply make up for that part. I'm happy they have a branch here in the Bay Area after we enjoyed it during a visit in Memphis. Yummy!! read more

Fried chicken was incredibly flavorful and the texture (crust) was amazing, But,... it was very very salty (to me). Pairing it with slaw cut the salt a bit, or bread. Hoping maybe next time that won't be so extreme. Slaw was very good (quite sweet, a bit runny, but good). Beans were good. Fries - very tasty but again, I don't think they need so much salt. Clean, pleasant atmosphere; "picnic area" is cute/inviting but we took ours to go. read more

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken - Southern Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

This place is beyond over rated ! The food lacks flavor especially the sides. Some of the worse mac n cheese and greens I've ever tasted in my life. The fried orka is 9 dollars and you literally get 15-19 little orka I asked the cashier was this the correct portion for 9 dollars he explained in the past they would give you a lot of orka but corporate came down and downsize the portion but doesn't drop the price that makes 0 sense. Lovely staff but horrible food read more

My husband and I took our nephew here for his birthday dinner because it's one of his favorite places. We drove from Sacramento if that tells you how much he loves it! We've had Gus's before but never fresh (usually from kind family members bringing it for us from their trip to Oakland) so we were excited. We were not disappointed! Everything was absolutely perfect, served fresh and fast. Their sauces are obviously homemade and very good. We had chicken (of course), tenders, fried green tomatoes, fried pickles, fries and the Mac and cheese and everything was perfect. No misses. 10/10 on everything. However - the real star of our meal was Mark!! He was so incredibly friendly, helpful and nice. He joked with us about our huge order (we wanted leftovers lol) and was just a breath of fresh air. Thank you Mark! You helped our nephew to have a wonderful birthday. read more

Saw they had Gus' in the bay and I was like.... "wut?!" Tried it once in LA and it was fantastic. The Bay Area location is much different, aesthetically. The locations in SoCal felt more like what it's suppose to be whereas the location in Oakland feels like it was once an Italian restaurant that got converted. Nothing against it, the food was just as good. Do yourself a favor and get the 8 piece meal. They do not cheap out on your chicken! It's nothing crazy flavorful, just your general fried chicken - nothing more nothing less. Mac and cheese is a skip for me. It literally tastes like Kraft. Service was great, the lady at the register was phenomenal and really friendly. read more

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken - Southern Near Me - Oakland, California

Here is an update on Gus's in Oakland CA. After my original review a generous $50 gift card from Gus's GM in my support was sent to me!! I spoiled myself with a spread of items. Chicken sandwich, tenders, and half chicken. As reviewed before, I rather have plain fried chicken and add my heat/spice on the side; Gus's is spicy and infused in the batter, no need for hot sauce. The crispiness and fresh ingredients remain through and through. I'm sure you all will enjoy it! read more

See all

I was in Oakland doing some business and while I was trying to find some place to eat across in this parking garage, this one guy yelled out, "Hey, were you looking for?" And said some good place to eat and he referred me over to Gus's World-Famous Fried Chicken. It did not disappoint. Picnic tables out, picnic tables outside, no dining inside. Fantastic meal, oh my god, some of the best food I've had in a long time. The staff is really exceptional and kind of rough-and-ready at the same time, but the food by all terms is just absolutely phenomenal. Highly, highly recommend. read more

(1 star) Gas's Fried Chicken - Broadway, Downtown Oakland Visited: Wednesday at 1:00 PM Crispy food, no flavor -- but good vibes and friendly service. I ordered the fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, and fried okra. Everything came out looking great -- golden and crispy -- but the taste? Totally flat. * Fried green tomatoes were completely unseasoned, and the crust was bland. Ranch sauce was included, but even that couldn't save them. * Fried chicken was juicy but had no seasoning -- not even salt. * Fried okra had good crunch, but again, no flavor. There's a major seasoning issue here, and that's hard to overlook at a fried chicken spot. That said, the service was friendly, and you could tell the cashier was new -- she didn't even know fried green tomatoes were on the menu, but she was polite and trying her best. Points for effort. Ambiance was nice -- chill music playing and some cool artwork on the walls. Definitely a comfortable place to sit and eat... just wish the food matched the vibe. read more

See all

Them green need some smoke turkey or turkey butts because they had no seasoning and they should have spicy and non spicy chicken the potato salad was dry it was so stiff the chicken tenders was very juicy I didn't like the Mac either tasted like box Mac yea but them green yall need to put some soul in to them!!‍ read more

Just a lil gem in downtown Oakland in my opinion this is one of best fried chicken spots out there! The sides are pretty solid service is super quick Parking just sucks there is only a few spots in front of the place and there not really for the place lol But a definite must try read more

Overall, my experience had mixed results. The dark chicken pieces, lacked variety; all thighs because they ran out of leg and wings. They were all overly salty and unexpectedly spicy, I wish it was noted on the menu or that they had a choice of mild or spicy. Although the chicken did have a consistent satisfying texture. The mac & cheese, slaw, potato salad, and seasoned fries all received average ratings of 3 out of 5. The sweet potato pie also received a rating of 3 out of 5. The lack of utensils in the takeout bag required improvisation with Starbucks straws as makeshift chopsticks I found in my car. Considering everything, I may consider revisiting the place if I happen to be in the area, but the experience didn't leave a lasting impression. read more

See all

got the half chicken with fries and mac. Loved the crunch and spice. I've never had fired chicken with this much flavor or crunch. The inside was juicy and tender. But everything was insanely salty. The fries tasted frozen, with some kind of msg seasoning. The mac was good but also way too salty. 4 pcs of chicken and 2 small sides was $30. More like 3.5 pcs since the wing barely had and meat... read more

Ordered this early before closing through DoorDash so we could have a late night meal. Delivery was prompt and the food smelled great. We got two 2-piece dark plates and a side of fried okra. We got different sides for the plates so we could try everything. The chicken was easy to re-heat. It was tasty! I wish I could try it fresh next time. The fried okra was nicely battered and crispy too. For the sides, we got mac and cheese, beans, potato salad, and coleslaw. I want to try their collard greens sometime. We drizzled our own hot honey on the chicken and it was so good. Fried okra is one of my favorite things to eat so I'm glad this spot exists. Solid place for a meal! read more

Solid hot chicken and delicious sides. Detailed breakdown below: **Service, 4/5** Very friendly service but be prepared to wait since everything is fried to order. **Price & portion, 4.5/5** Hearty portion sizes for the sides and chicken, but smaller portion than expected for the fried tomatoes. For $7, the portion feels like ~almost~ 1 large tomato (~4 or 5 slices), and I was expecting almost double the amount. **Presentation of the food, 4/5** Even if you intend to eat in, everything is packaged to go, and all the cutlery is plastic, which feels unnecessarily wasteful. **Taste of the food, 4/5** - Fried green tomatoes, 5/5: Delicious and definitely my favorite item at the restaurant. The breading is super crispy and had great flavor. An awesome side or appetizer for anything you order. - Coleslaw, 5/5: Refreshing with just a hint of sweetness -- the perfect compliment for the hot chicken. - Potato salad, 3/5: Creamy and smooth with well-cooked pieces of potato and boiled egg, but missing seasoning or a kick of something fresh. - Fried chicken thigh and wing, 4/5: The batter is inconsistently spicy, so the wing I got was so spicy to the point I struggled to eat it whereas the thigh was more bearable. I'm also personally not a fan of the thin batter coating and prefer a crust with lots of crunch. This style of fried chicken might just not be for me, but the chicken meat itself was juicy and flavorful which I could appreciate. **Other notes** Bring coins for the parking meetings/street parking, because there's a good chance the parking meeting doesn't work or rejects your card. read more

See all

What are the odds that yet another time I come here, I get shorted a piece of chicken? Great tasting food still but someone needs to check before the lid is closed! And it was a cold walk here today! read more

See all

Made to order fried chicken was on point and delivered on texture and taste, which was worth the additional wait time. Also appreciated the sides we tried (potato salad, collard greens and cole slaw), The potato salad was creamy with tender chunks of potato. The collard greens were tender and had the right level of saltiness, and the cole slaw reminded me about the KFC style with a good flavor but a little watery for our taste. Overall, it was a great lunch from Gus' and also to be able to support a local Oakland business -- we will definitely be back! read more

See all

Probably the best sweet tea I've had outside of the state of Georgia! Chicken was on point and a little hotter than I expected, which made it even better. The only downside was the non-stop random uber drivers pestering the hell out of the staff but that's not their fault at all. read more

Dam good. Some of the best fried chicken in the Bay Area. All the sides are quality, liked each one I tried.

This place definitely has some of the best fried chicken I've ever had. I like the flavor, the juiciness, everything! I also like that you can request dark meat vs white meat for the combo chicken platters. Shared a platter of thighs and legs with friends. It was all tasty! Tried their collard greens, Mac and cheese, and baked beans also. It was all good! Still want to try other side dishes in the future. I wish there was a location in SF because I hate crossing the bay bridge. But it's definitely worth a visit, especially if you're in the east bay. Can't speak to the service or ambiance too much because I've only been twice and gotten takeout both times. The service for taking my order over the phone was fine. My friend went inside to pick up the food, but I think it was all good. Just had to wait a few minutes. read more

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken - Southern Near Me - Oakland, California

Chicken is great - juicy and spicy. Everything else was less great. Fried pickles were crispy but coating was really hard and thick, hard to chew, and the ranch was gross. The chess pie is tooth-achingly sweet. I know it's supposed to be sweet but this is like eating pure sugar. 5 stars for kind service. As much as I don't like DoorDash as a company, I would've liked to order online for pickup but there's no kids menu listed online. Annoying since online ordering is way more convenient when you have a kid with you. read more

As a foodie, I am always on the lookout for hidden gems and delicious food. This is my first time trying Gus World Famous Fried Chicken in Oakland, CA. We stopped by on a Sunday for dinner and from the moment I first stepped in to when I left, I was greeted with a smile from the staff. As soon as i stepped in the restaurant, the air was filled with fries and fried chicken smell. The chicken was crispy on the outside and meat on the inside is juicy. We ordered small fries and 5 drumsticks and it was very filling. I can tell that they used fresh ingredients and chicken. The fries were just normal, nothing special. The store isn't anything fancy but the tables, bathroom and floors were clean. If you don't want to wait, I recommend getting there 5 minutes before they open. read more

See all

Gus's in Oakland is officially CLOSED. Just a heads up to anybody that's planning on going out their way to get it. I wasted about an hour drive to go here just to find a sign that says "closed for today" despite the place permanently shutting down. Very sad about this considering how good the food was. To Los Angeles I go! read more

So, I came here on the reputation of their fried chicken. I looked down at the menu, and I was beyond shocked to see the two pieces of white meat fried chicken with two small sides and a slice of bread was $19. Seems pretty outrageous to me, so a big part of the rating here is based on that alone. The chicken came and I will say it was quite good: juicy, crunchy, and spicy. Beans were OK, a bit sweet for my taste, but definitely serviceable. And the coleslaw was just a bunch of shredded cabbage and carrots with sugar and mayo dropped in. Not good at all. read more

Southern fried chicken, fried okra to die for!! Gus has it going on. I stumbled into Gus World famous fried chicken and fell into lap of chicken paradise. This place is tiny but powerful. The decor is old western. The staff are knowledgeable cordial and friendly. You can tell the everyone here at Gus s. Is a good industry veteran Chicken wings no sauce. (10). Extremely flavorful to the bone! Fried okra. Best in the industry. Crispy crunchy outside, tender but firm perfection inside. I'll be back! read more

See all

Truly is the best fried chicken in America. May take a while to get your order but it's definitely worth the wait! read more

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken - 3 Piece Dark Plate - i substituted beans with fries - Southern Near Me - Oakland, California

Quick service, juicy tenders, got a lemonade. Dipped it all in ranch. Delicious. Gotta say though the beans were where it was at. I demolished those little creamy things read more

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken - 3 tenders, mac n cheese, Baked Beans - Southern Near Me - Oakland, California