Follow the signs on 395 in Olancha. We got the Jalapeno Pistachios, Dried Chili Mangos, and jerky. We got to sample everything before we bought. Love me some good road trip snacks! read more

Gus's Fresh Jerky - Specialty Food Near Me - Olancha, California

See all

WHAT?!?!? NO LOVE FOR THE NON-BEEFEATER?!?!? BACKGROUND: Gus started selling his specialty jerky in 1996 with one defining principle , "give the people what they want." Since then, Gus's line of products has expanded to include honey, dried fruit, nuts, and olives. You may have visited one of his retail locations in California or Arizona, and if you have, you know how dedicated Gus is to making the best jerky in the world. Gus's Fresh Jerky is made from only the best cuts of meat, marinated, seasoned and vacuum sealed to maintain freshness. We do not use preservatives in our jerky, and all of our ingredients are 100% natural. STATS: A long drive from anywhere ESSENTIALS: Hankering for jerky, olives, nuts, & dried fruit EXPERIENCE: Driving up to Mammoth Lakes for a weekend of hiking, I saw a billboard advertising Gus's Jerky. Not a consumer of red meat, I was hoping Gus's would have a variety of meat. Unfortunately, on a mission to get out of the car and hit the trails, we zoomed right by. A stop for another day. Well, that day came several days later. On our way back from Mammoth, we weren't in too much of a hurry to return to the hot, hussle and bussle smog filled air LA traffic, so we stopped in only to be completely disappointed in what they had to offer. The shake looking structure is rather small, but well organized and clutter free. Bags of nuts and dried fruit, jars of honey and olives, and one type of Sweet and Spicy Beef Jerky, that's it. Researching this place online for this review, their website indicates they have a variety of jerkys; Buffalo, Elk, Salmon, Turkey, and Venison, none were available. Not a place I will be getting out of the air condition car for again. read more

Jerky here isn't good.go across the street to the mobile gas station they have better jerky.Hole in the wall place. Two older mexican men just staring at the ladies that walk in. They have a deserted horse in the back which can't be pet. Don't bother stopping here, just my suggestion. read more

I had high hopes for this jerky shop. There has to be a reason why it would stay in business all these years! I know of a another jerky stop in Parker, AZ and it's the cutest thing ever! But alas, disappointment. Gus' has very few selection of jerky. I counted perhaps 6 total. I was expecting more selection. The bf and I opted for the Sweet & Spicy Beef Brisket and found it to be too sweet and salty for our liking. No bueno! read more

Fresh off the prairie...there are cows everywhere. This jerky is as fresh as any can be. We ALWAYS stop on the way to Mammoth. This last time, we tried their beef sticks (they're new...not even on their website). We bought them to eat during a 30 mile back country hike. Oh Good Lord! YUM!!! Slim JIms...eat your heart out. They also carry nuts, great honey and olives. Look for the big, red "FRESH JERKY" sign. Not to be missed. read more

who likes middle of nowhere jerky joints? I am telling you this is that kinda place. The guy that was working when I was there was not the nicest of guys. A regular jerk IMHO... However I tend to stop in here to see if its still the same every few years... and for the most part it has been for years... The jerky is average the prices are high and the samples are few. The parking is plentiful. There are also other products here like honey, olives, etc. It does make for a great way to stretch your legs on your way to or from mammoth or reno and LA if you are cruising up 395. However I think that there are much better places to get jerky at a better price. Then again my favorite jerky is market pantry teriyaki at the moment so u may not be down with my tastebuds. A little bit of background is that all of the jerky is locally produced. Including the cattle that are the basis for the jerky. read more

Yup, finally decided to stop by after seeing those signs along 395 for years. The jerky here is all pre-packaged, which is fine, if it tasted Really Good! as the signs say. I had a sample of the cowboy and spicy jerkies and thought they were OK but too salty. I did end up buying a pack of each though b/c I felt bad. I know I was being a sucker but now I can continue to drive by with a clear conscience and save my jerky money for Mahogany Smoked Meats in Bishop, which might be a tad more expensive but WAY better. Sorry, Gus! read more

This place is a scam. Good advertising to pull you in, but it ends there. Ridiculous price for "jerky" that isn't made there and likely trucked in from elsewhere. You can get better quality at Sprouts, Whole Foods Vons etc. Your $$ to waste, if you don't believe it. You're better off to just keep on driving! read more

Beside a giant building that reads GOD BLESS AMERICA on the front and features a dozen or more scenes of looney tunes characters on the side sits a shoebox-sized store emblazoned with tiny stickers and giant hand-lettered signs that say OLIVES, EANUT, SALAM, and FRESH JERKY. Inside there's a guy sitting in a minuscule office in a tiny, badly-lit room crammed with racks and walls bulging with bags of meat, nuts, trail mix, snack mix, pistachios, and a myriad of other over-priced foodstuffs (jars of local honey, olives). I nearly balked at the $9-per-bag prices for the giant vacuum sealed bags in which teeny tiny slivers of meat were suspended, glistening and glazed, but after tasting the flight of sample jerkies at the counter, I decided to go for broke. I liked the cowboy jerky, but the sweet and spicy was my favorite so I bought two bags. I added a bag of the hot and spicy jerky (no sugar) for good measure though it wasn't offered at the tastin' station. It's a nice place to grab novelties for friends and family if you're in a hurry and have money to burn, but I wouldn't fall all over myself trying to get more of the stuff. read more

"Babe, I think I need some $15 jerky." "But hon, I have to piss." "Hold up a minute. We can stop here and do both!" "Don't we make a great team?"* (*the preceeding was a reenactment, inspired by real life events) In all fairness, I should mention two things. The $15 was for buffalo jerky. I wanted to try it. The regular beef jerky was $10. Also, the jerky wasn't bad. In addition to the buffalo, we got the spicy beef jerky. It had a good flavor. But more or less, jerky is jerky. Dehydrated meats plateau at a certain point. Not much discernable difference between this fancy-pants jerky and what can you get at any other place. It's cool stopping here for the one time, road trip, kitschy middle of nowhere USA experience, or if you have to hit the head, which is for paying customers only by the way. But once you have that experience under your belt, or have finished and re-buckled your belt (pee pee call back) you can keep on driving next time. read more

Why did you stop here? I will tell you why I did. For HOURS I had been staring at a sign that said "Best Jerky and RESTROOMS". That's right. For any of you lost souls out there making the trek on the 395, sludging your way to Mammoth/Yosemite/Reno...wherever...you know what I am talking about. I did not want to to run the risk of relieving myself outside and landing myself with a ticket and a record....I decided to stop. First, I bought some jerky. I figured, I am using the establishments restrooms, this is the right the to do. The place where the jerky is sold is relatively small with a fairly limited selection of jerky, but hey, what we did sample was okay. The jerky itself was right up there with Alien Jerky (for all of you hardcore Vegas drivers). If you like the more saucy version of Jerky, you will probably enjoy this. Second was the bathroom. The bathroom starts off by following the red spray painted line on the floor towards the small dwelling out back. I found the bathroom and of course went inside. I was met by one of the most disgusting bathroom facilities I have ever been in. First, you cannot flush ANYTHING down the toilet, outside of waste. I can understand this, especially if they are on septic. So there is a giant trash can, with no lid, to put all of the goodies that you cannot flush down the toilet. Next, there was no toilet paper, but there was paper towels; lucky me. While we are at it, the soap was out; which was fine in my head because I know what I had to touch before I got to the paper towels. Thankfully I had some wipes in the car. I felt duped and may seriously consider the empty Gatorade bottle should I be in that same situation again. read more

I don't know of any of you have ever seen that episode of "I Love Lucy" where the gang was driving to california and they continued to see signs like "100 miles to Aunt Sally's Pecan Pralines", "43 miles to Aunt Sally's Pecan Pralines". Well Gus's Olancha Jerky has signs just like that out on the 395. As you are driving down the highway you mouth begins to water thinking about that tasty jerky. And once you reach the little white shack on the side of the road, they don't let you down. It is the BEST jerky I have ever tasted. It's extremely moisted. My father and I stocked up on it on the way to Mammoth and on the way back. It's utterly addictive. I would definitely say this is a don't miss spot. As others have mentioned Gus's is not limited to jerky, they also sale pistachios, dried fruit (i had dried banana's, they were good too), honey, and much more. Some of the things are pricey, but considering your are getting a "fresh" product that was locally manufactured, it's well worth it. This place also has a pretty clean restroom. read more

Omg. Absolutely the worst jerky I have ever tasted in my life on route 40 in Arizona. What we tasted at the counter was mostly dried but what we bought was gooey raw meat. Positively one of the worst things I have ever put in my mouth. read more

The anticipation of Gus's Jerky is what makes it so darn excellent. There are exactly 13 signs posted for Gus's going North on the 395 after Mojave, roughly a 32 mile stretch (my parents live in Mammoth I make that drive so often I know these things!). The jerky is wonderful, the best deal is to get the 3 for 27, otherwise they are 10-12 dollars each. I always get the teriyaki beef, the nuggets when they had them (too costly to make per the cashier) and the spicy cowboy style. Also don't leave without getting some honey, dried fruit and pistachios especially the jalapeno pistachios. Only down side, avoid the bathrooms, as I washed my hands a cockroach raced out of the sink drain, EWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. Almost died!!! If you need a bathroom cross the street and go to the liquor store/zero's subs bathroom, its WAY better! read more

Yuminess!! Fav stop route to Mammoth! There are so many flavors to chose from and it's also so fresh!

I like the selection and variety at the bigger place in bishop, but now that I've found the best jerky I've ever had, I'm coming back to gus's. had the beef brisket jerky and it is the first "soft" jerky I've ever had. It is super flavorful but the texture is the king. On a side note, if you like spicy the habanero pistachio's are pretty good too, and yes the bathroom's are good too. the sandwich spot across the street is nothing to write home about, but does the job if you starving. read more

The tiny teriyaki jerky sample was just okay. 15 dollars for one bag not that much jerky in it. Or 3 for 39. I didn't get any.

Some friends and I were on our way to seek some adventure at the Whitney Portal. While traveling on HWY 395, you can't help but notice a series of road signs advertising, Gus's Really Good Fresh Jerky littering the entire floor of the Owens Valley to the point of it being Really annoying. Curiosity got the better of me since it advertised the Jerk as being "Really Good". I mean the road signs are so compelling to the point of it being hypnotic. I had to try, I couldn't resist. As you pull up to the place, there are two dilapidated buildings or rather shacks. The real store has wooden floors that sports dust blown in from the entire Owens Valley. The shop is tiny and although as ghetto looking as the place is there are many curious visitors looking for the Really Good Jerky, either that or a place to relive themselves after miles on the road. The store clerk offered samples of their ware and I tried the "Hot" and "Teriyaki". The "Hot Stuff" was too dry and tough but the "Teriyaki" was excellent and just as they advertised, "Really Good Fresh Jerky". Although a little pricey, the Jerky was soft moist and had good flavor. Probably the best I've had, I purchased their deal of 3 for $33 dollars, all Teriyaki. I wish I had bought more. Next time I'll have to try their Venison. Due to the extraordinary high price I can't recommend this place. Update These bastards had my update pulled. Very poor on line experience. They require a credit card, don't give it to them. They messed with my Visa password and then denied it. If they allow PayPal or something similar use it instead. read more

Gus' 'real good jerky' signs are plastered along the 395 making you think, 'hey maybe this place has real good jerky', but no, it's not. It's subpar at best but the stuff you can buy at any grocery store is just as good if not better. There are not many varieties to choose from and the bags are all vacuum sealed removing any potential air or moisture from the meat. The result? Paper thin, hard to chew, pieces of meat. If you like that style then maybe you'll enjoy Gus' 3x$33 bags of jerky. But I'd never recommend this place to anyone. If you want REAL good jerky head into Bishop and try Mahogany which has a vast selection and is delicious. read more

Not as cool as it used to be. I don't know if they changed ownership but the jerky isn't as good as I remembered. They no longer have turkey jerky which makes one question their supply source and wether or not it continues to be local product. The coolest thing about this place is the multitude of stickers that past patrons have pasted on the walls. Leave your sticker mark. Visit once but no need to visit again. read more

YUM, beef jerky is amazing. seriously, you need to try this. A little pricey at 39$ for 3 packs, but well worth it! I always get the Cowboy Jerky, Sweet and Spicy Jerky, and the Hot Jerky, for me to last about a week, if it doesn't get munched before we make it to a camp site in Mammoth lakes, Also love olives, garlic, which is what I got today! Honey is great, but sometimes I just don't wanna spend like 100 dollars at a jerky shack in the middle of the desert. Get 3 jerky packs, it is a great deal and should have enough for 2 or 3 servings. Yelp says more required, so I will just put some gibberish till it says it is fine. Duekshaknswshskowdjjdsooqjdjxjsiidjfidjdieoajdhdixi It is good now. Thank you Gus' Beef Jerky for making wonderful times here! I give you an INFINITY out of 5! read more

Seriously the Jerky here is garbage. When I stopped in they only had hot jerky, it was so so dry and tough. I thought they sold me shoe leather. The dush bag working the counter should take his sun glasses off when taking care of customers. Be careful when you use the bathrooms, you 'll feel like your entering a horror movie. Very creepy place in general. read more

Gus's Fresh Jerky - Specialty Food Near Me - Olancha, California

See all

THIS PLACE SUCKS The jerky isn't isn't that good, the prices are for tourons. I've been going by this place for years on my way to Mammoth and they never fail to disappoint. They're products are OK, nothing to write home about but the place is a clip joint. They get you thinking that it's so authentic and down-to-earth but it's really just a place run by crackers charging exorbitant prices to yuppies. Like an idiot I stopped for some gifts to bring home. I selected the smalled size they sell for some honey, pistachios and jerky. It came to $24.00. Then the dork behind the register had the the effing gall to charge me a dollar extra because I wanted to use my credit card! Screw them. I'll never go back and I'm going to tell everyone I know how bad they suck. That will be the most expensive $24.00 plus $1.00 they'll ever make. Gus, you suck! read more

Gus's Olancha Jerky is one of those great places you only run into on road trips. As the name suggests Gus's Olancha Jerky is in Olancha-- on 395 just before the 190 turnoff towards Death Valley. You can't miss it, as there are only about 12 buildings in Olancha, and only one with an enormous sign declaring FRESH JERKY. While we first went to Gus's for the sheer novelty and slice of Americana we thought it would afford us (think Wall Drugs), we quickly realized that Gus is really quite serious about his food. Every year we have to stop by to stock up on excellent honey (they have numerous different kinds, all of which are good, but I'm particularly fond of the blue curl. they also have "lemon honey" which is a blend of lemon juice and honey and is quite tasty in tea), olives and, yes-- jerky. I'm honestly not much of a jerky fan-- bad flash backs to childhood camping-- but Gus's jerky is surprisingly tasty and moist and is pretty much the only dried meat product I'll even consider putting in my mouth. They also have good jellies and fruit syrups. While stopping at Gus's ALWAYS puts me over budget on my trips to the area the minor budget infractions pay dividends in my pantry throughout the year. I always look forward to a stop at Gus's. read more

Pretty darn good jerky! Recently stopped on the way home from Mammoth after passing 101 signs for Gus' "FAMOUS JERKY." You can't miss it, unless you're really not that observant. Not sure why so many signs are necessary, but I guess it worked on us, so... Upon arrival, I thought I was being taken into a serial killer's hideout. Place gave me the creeps. However, the attendant inside was pretty cordial! But that's probably how serial killers get you... Anyways, we really just wanted some "olives, nuts, or dried fruit" (as the signs kept repeatedly stating) but the guy working there gave us a sample and we simply couldn't resist purchasing some jerky. He then informed us no one has denied a purchase after a sample. Trap after trap. We ended up with three bags, each around $12, which was pretty pricey, seeing about a pound would be near $40-$50. Pricey? I think yes. The jerky was really good! It was on the saucy side, if you're into that thing. I didn't think I was, but I am now. It was just as good if not better than usual drier jerky. We tried the Sweet & Spicy Beef, Teriyaki Beef, and Teriyaki Turkey Jerky. Each was flavorful and really fulfilled those salty taste buds. We used the bathroom before we left, and I honestly thought someone was going to pop out and pull a bag over my head. Overall, if you need a quick snack, I guess buy a bag of super-tasty super-pricey jerky, but if you can wait for dinner, don't waste your time. read more

I like the "hot jerky", "spicy sweet jerky" that's kind of gooey, and the "Cowboy jerky"! Also I love to look at all of the stickers out front! It is pricey, but so delicious! If you can take the heat the Habanero pistachios are really good too! read more

Gus's Fresh Jerky - Gus' Jerky - Specialty Food Near Me - Olancha, California

We stop here every time we pass by, it's necessary! This is the best jerky I've ever had. It's so juicy and flavorful. It may be pricey, but I'll gladly spend a few extra bucks for a product that's ten times better than store bought jerky. Also, I wish they would bring back the habanero flavor!! Haven't seen it in a while, but it was tasty. read more

i wouldn't buy it on a frequent basis, but, good for a treat on a long drive. expensive a$$ jerkey, but, soooo EFFFING good! damnit. damn these guys and their secret herbs and spices. we bought 1 beef and 1 turkey. i think i liked the turkey more, surprisingly. we also picked up some pistachios. the "backhouse" bathroom needs some attention, but, it works, considering you're in the middle of nowhere. the little kids play area is just genius. our kids didn't want to leave until i bribed them with more cookies from Schatt's. watch out for that quick left turn cause it comes up quick. we'll save up more money to come back next year for more jerky. read more

See all

Tasty beef jerky, but not cheap-- buy the 3 packs for a slight discount, which helps. Bathrooms are.... clean but smelly in the summer. Hard to recommend, I don't even think all of the jerky is produced even semi-locally... more of a gimmick than anything else. A pretty tasty gimmick, but still a gimmick. read more

I've made a stop at Gus's a tradition whenever I drive out to Mammoth. It's in the middle of nowhere. Proud and standing like timeless lone icon awaiting for you to come in to try their wares. Not only do they carry jerky of all variety; beef, turkey, elk, venison and salmon in various popular flavors like teriyaki, hot and the star of the show- the sweet and spicy beef brisket jerky. It's more moist than traditional jerky but my- such an exquisite blend of hot pepper flakes and delicious sweetness. They also sell olives, local honey and other treats. While $9 per bag of brisket jerky seems like a lot, it is totally worth it. Plus, if you buy select 3 bags of jerky, you get a discount. They also serve up samples galore but I'm OG so I just go straight for the bag! The facade is littered with band stickers and other branding from sportswear companies and other entities- it's a testament to their popularity with those who come to worship at this shrine of jerky. Bathroom is in the back building where there is a chicken coop and some old west looking accoutrements. read more

Way over-priced on everything there. The selection of honey and nuts is lacking too. Basically a tourist trap. Too bad too, because I really wanted to like it. read more

My husband & I stopped here on the way to Reno...... We tried the teriyaki jerky & it was love at first bite! We ended up buying a bag of the teriyaki jerky & it is the most moist, sweet, peppery, and soft, fresh jerky I have ever had in my mouth..... and my husband agrees. This jerky is SO DAMN GOOD. Like so good that I'm convinced it may not be made of beef.... it's got to be something more sinister and/or illegal. The store front & bathrooms look like rickety rape shacks and this particular location is in the middle of nowhere. It looks like an easy place to go missing..... I have a theory, and call me crazy but what if, and this is a HUGE what if...... but what if the jerky is actually made from human meat, made from all the people that they abduct in the middle of the desert. Perhaps I let the storefront spook me out too much, but I'm convinced that there's something weird going on..... I just can't figure out exactly what.... I mean, the other locations are also pretty isolated. I REALLY SINCERELY HOPE that this jerky is made with local beef, or just beef in general because damn dude, this stuff is so so so so so soooooooo GOOD. This place would have gotten a 5 star review but the store gave me the heebie jeebies & $12 for one small package of jerky is kind of pushing it..... so 4 stars for tasty jerky that may or may not actually be made of beef. Hahahahaha. read more

A wonderful little pit stop! Devoured the jerky they sold. Can't wait to stop there again. Edited: went there again as we drove through to Disneyland. I love it! We ate the sweet and spicy before our destination. Bought a few more bags for the road. Thanks! We will be ordering online read more

BEST JERKY HANDS DOWN! I haven't tried all of the flavor, but I CANNOT get enough of the beef hot and spicy jerky!!!! I live in Rowland heights, and I would legit drive all the way here just to get them jerkies! When I die, I want 50 packs of these delicious jerky scattered in my coffin! DEEEEEEEELICIOUS 100% read more

Awesome jerky I recommend the teriyaki flavor but only 4 stars because the bathrooms and building itself can be improved. Ps they sell snacks and honey read more

Upsetting, the store doesn't seem to honor store hours, perhaps it's in the winter when they must close early? It would be nice if they updated adjusted hours on line to give customers a heads up. read more

We had to follow those "real good jerky" signs on 395, and ended up at Gus's. We tried samples, and decided to go for it... Then we did what I'm sure many road weary roadtrippers do, and gorged ourselves on the regular jerky as we drove the next fifty miles. And then we got tummyaches. The jerky is real good, as the signs say. But if you're someone who likes jerky only in moderation, like I do, you might be best off with just the sample. read more

I can't understand why this only has 3 overall stars. This place is great. Their jerky is top notch and their honey and pistachios are outstanding. Sure, they may be out of a product or two occasionally (just stopped in and saw they were out of the Chili/Lemon and Jalapeno pistachios) but that happens with any good product. If you are making your way up or down 395 then you HAVE to stop in at this place and get some fresh, natural, no-sugar-added jerky. This is a great place. And to all of those people who are bitching about price... remember... you get what you pay for! This is the real deal and I love this place. I will ALWAYS stop here. read more

Not the BEST jerky I've had, and for the price, it's not really worth it. But, the regulary jerky IS good and the teriyaki is wayyyy too sweet. read more

Small shop off of HWY395. Most of the packaged goods are $7-8 which seems kind of steep. There are a whole bunch of samples for you to try: pistachios, honey, and olives. read more