6/18/2018

Gus's just landed in my top five for LA bbq yesterday. My first test for whether a pit is legit is: "Can I smell the smoker before I enter the building?" Check. Do they do at least three sides really well? Their potato salad is thick and well balanced; their beans are textured, muliti-colored, sweet/savory/spicy, and loaded with bits of bbq scrap (not the usual uniformly mushy, too-sweet bowl of slop most places serve up); their jalapeno cheese grits having a pleasing heat that counterbalances the rich cheddar. The brisket's tender and marbled, the spareribs can be torn apart with your hands, the pulled pork's got a nice carbonization around the edges, and the sauces lean much harder into the molasses and spices than the vinegar.



Place has been around since the 40s and maintains a charmingly retro feel. And it was jumping at 3 PM on a dreary Sunday in a sleepy section of Pasadena. Hope it sticks around another 70 years.