Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken — Restaurant in Kansas City

I went here a couple times last week for the first time. Upon walking into the establishment I was confused as to seat myself or wait. This is a simple fix with a well placed sign by the door. When I looked at the menu you can tell that this place caters to the concept of bone in chicken. The menu displayed multiple options in multiple places on how to order the few options for this type of chicken. I felt this also could be consolidated in a much better way. Felt as if they were just filling menu space. I do not like bone in chicken. It leaves a lot of pockets where grossed and fat deposits can hide and keep from being liquified by the cooking process. So I immediately looked for chicken strips. I was disappointed to not see them use there strips to offer an easily added variety of things without adding a lot more food cost. I ordered the 4 piece plate the first time with fries, and beans. the 2nd time I replaced the beans for Cole slaw and the fries for potato salad. The fries are simply pre frozen and very mediocre and the bean were more on a unhearty sweet side without really crossing that sweet threshold or any other that would allow it to stand out. Coleslaw was fresh but very typical and left no stain of uniqueness in my taste buds at all. I like that the potato salad like most places was not on the mustardy side but still very typical not unique in flavor. All this was served on a piece of bread that went straight in the trash. A very easy and simple way to amp this up would be simply toast it with butter, maybe offer gravy as a side etc.... I have never said I want flavorless dry bread to eat. now with all that being said.... the chicken...... wow...... the strips came with a unique texture as if to almost bridge and mold the gap between deep fried breadless chicken and chicken thatsbattered and deep fried. the texture is hard to explain but very amazing. crisp and great flavor. I would like to see some extra added spice for and option of a spicer version but by all means was absolutely amazing. My only advice would be to engineer your current sides to stand out as much as the chicken. I would also suggest especially during the winter time, the options of more Warmer sides to choose from. If the chicken had not be as good as it was, I unfortunately would have had to score you with one star. hopefully in the years to come the powers that be will explore their old passion for cooking and allow new light to shine on the products that dont earn a right to sit on the same plate.... as such wonderful chicken. Staff was nice, food was fresh and the service was great. I will return for these chicken...

Went for dinner and got there at 5pm, placed our order within 5 minutes and proceeded to wait 40 minutes for chicken. Normally I would chalk this up to them being super busy, they weren't out the door busy. I watched as the order board was cleared at the 20 minute mark thinking, surely it's almost chicken time, nope. At minute 40 the chicken came out, the breast and tenders were hot from the fryers, the wings were cold. I sent them back, I'm not waiting 40 minutes for cold chicken, it ain't happening.

The next round showed up about 5 minutes later, the wings were undercooked....I didn't blow up. I walked over to the server station and pointed out the issue to the server. She apologized and said she would fix it. The manager came over to touch the table and gave me a giftcard. Another 15 minutes and no wings, we brought it up and they were delivered. The entire meal was comped at that point and we left.

Here are my concerns: The server communicated well that they were training 7 new cooks, there were 8 cooks in the kitchen. Not a great sign. There was one server and one busser for the front half of the restaurant. The sign on the door said they were still having a soft opening, I would have thought the place would be packed with staff training on the floor. Nope There is no formal seating system there, no host at the door. No one giving direction, a complete mess at the front of house. I can't even begin to describe my concerns about the kitchen except to say that they fry three things here: chicken, okra, and french fries. I believe I saw 4 large commercial chicken fryers and a handful of 40 lb fryers as well, how are you 40 minutes in the weeds with that much frying ability?

I will go back, many many many time I will go back. This was a black eye on my impression of Gus's. I hope they get it turned around and fast. I blame no one there but the ownership, the...

My husband stopped in too get himself some chicken. He orders& 2 breast, coleslaw & large fry. ▪︎Omg, he gets home: chicken is just in a brown paper bag, fries in bigger paper sack, then both brown bags are in plastic bag: full of ketchup, & hot sauce (no plastic silverwear in the bag fir the coleslaw) Omg, I was what the heck. My husband knows I like French fries. ▪︎Omg, the fries taste like frozen, then thawed then refroze, not quit sure, I could put my finger on it, but they were NOT GOOD (I love fries in general from places), then I looked at the recipe, omg $ 8.75........ ▪︎The person taking his order couldn't tell him, it was a hugh amount of fries ( but in brown bag (we grease). ▪︎Omg who put fried chicken just a brown paper bag. What they were COMPLETELY out of TO-GO BOXES. ▪︎Then I tried to call, got some young man. Asked her manager in duty. He lays phone down, then comes back on the line, says she is in restroom, it will be 5 minutes, he acts like i should hold for those 5 minutes, it would have been funny, TO EVEN Think OF THIS, REAL.. (what the heck) it really was Happened. ▪︎FIRST, where is the training on phone "Etiquette". You never say in restroom, then He NEVER OFFERED TOBTAKE MY PHONE NUMBER, and THE MANAGER COUKD CALL ME BACK........ ▪︎OMG, what THE HECK HAS HAPPENED. I Never called back, the same evening(11-2-24). ▪︎I will be calling on Sunday when they open to Educate The General Manager, and to get a Full Refund. ▪︎This location HAS CLEARLY LOST THERE MIND. Buyer BEWARE........who ever owns this location (CLEARLY "DOESNT" have Clue or Stuck Their Head in The Sand.) ▪︎I will post a update after I call. I give them: NEGECTIVE 20 STARS ☆ ▪︎BEWARE: has gone sadly down Hill BIG TIME, beware ...