Today we’d like to introduce you to John and Chris Bicos.
Thanks for sharing your story with us John and Chris. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
We both grew up in a restaurant — The Original Tops — right here in Pasadena, owned and run by our late father Steve Bicos. He had us work in the restaurant as kids growing up, partly to discourage us from ever going into the business! But we took it over as he went into retirement, and then the opportunity to purchase Gus’s in South Pasadena came up. We’d gone there often as family, and the owner was actually our godfather. We saw so much potential in addition to the well-earned loyalty and love Gus’s had gained over its decades in the neighborhood. The restaurant got a little face lift and a fresh menu that we worked on for months, and we reopened the place. It’s been over ten years now, and we feel proud to feel like we’ve earned a lot of love and respect and kept the legacy of this great place in tact.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
A smooth road–what a concept! When we first re-opened the place, a lot of the guests had been coming to the old version for decades, and let’s just say that made their concerns known. We worked really hard to talk to each of those folks and re-earn their trust and loyalty, and we’re happy to say that many of them are still regulars!
Gus’s BBQ – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Gus’s celebrates the culinary traditions of the South, serving up fresh and inventive takes on regional Southern fare while bringing the roots of true Southern hospitality to the West Coast. Everything from our rubs to our sauces are made from scratch daily — meats are seasoned overnight, then smoked to perfection over whole pecan logs. We’re known for really authentic BBQ, smoked and seasoned on site, and it all tastes better because we pair it all with “true Southern hospitality.” For us, that means treating the dining room like an extension of our home and making sure each person feels entirely welcome and comfortable here like they’ll be taken care of no matter the need or the craving.
There are no shortcuts to great BBQ and we’ve made it our mission to stay authentic to the craft. All of our meats are seasoned overnight and smoked low and slow over whole pecan logs for up to 16 hours. Our rubs and sauces are made from scratch daily, and when it comes to inspiration we keep it simple and let the food speak for itself.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I think a big one for us is our team. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the kitchen crew, the servers, the hosts, the bussers, bartenders, the managers, and the office staff that makes everything run and makes it looks smooth and seamless while they do it! Many of our co-workers have been with us since day one which was ten years ago–and if you know anything about the restaurant business you probably know that staff retention is so low. We’re really proud of the folks we work with and that many of them have stayed with us so long. They are some of the warmest, hard-working, dedicated people we know and we feel really lucky to have them. Our little slice of success is in no small part due to them; they are the ones facing the guests most often every day and creating the relationships and the joyful meals that keep folks want to come back.
Contact Info:
- Address: 808 Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA 91030
- Website: www.gussbbq.com
- Phone: 626.799.3251
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: gussbbq
- Facebook: gussbbq
- Twitter: gussbbq
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/guss-barbecue-south-pasadena
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