Gusano's pizza wasn't at all impressing. The beers we were served were warm. Also the wait time was ridiculously long took about 50 minutes. When we received the pizza it basically tasted like spaghetti sauce with bread. Place looked a little dirty also waitresses just talking and giggling rather than asking if we needed another beer or keeping us updated on our long taking pizza.
(2)
Chrissie M.
We came here with our children and in law's last year and the pizza was out of this world. Decided to come back this summer and we were quite surprised in the changes in food quality. First we were brought the wrong pizza. Then we had to wait another 30 mins for the one we did order. Once we got it, the pizza crust was not browned at all and it just didn't taste right. I doubt we'll be back.
(3)
Amy A.
Overall this place was good. They were out of both Coke Zero and any kind of rum I wanted to try. They also didn't have any ginger beer to order a Moscow mule. I had a turkey sandwich with pineapple which was good and enjoyed my dessert. Our waitress didn't do a very good job breaking down our tab but she was nice and we worked it out.
(4)
Jason S.
The customer service in this place is severely lacking our waitress was barely attentive and our food was slow to come out. There is literally a dozen employees all milling about carrying on with personal conversations and no one was working even though it was slow they only came to the table 4 times over an hour stay never bothering to check up on us to see if we were doing fine or whatever. When it came time to pay they didn't bother to come get the check instead just snatching it up on the walk past our table. The strangest thing is they would stare out of the kitchen at the customers like we were fish on exhibit at an aquarium. I looked at our waitress a few times to signal like "hey your table...your paycheck...may need something maybe you should come over and check on them." Customer Service is a big thing to me it doesn't matter how good your pizza is if you can't take care of your customers you are going to lose business.
(2)
Candi O.
Great atmosphere, loved the Chicago style hot dog. Jennifer and Courtney, great bartenders!
(5)
Cynthia M.
Refreshing change from ordinary pizza. The margherita pizza was light but tasty! Very good choice if you don't want heavy red sauce and meat.
(4)
Karl M.
In the last year have eaten here maaannny times. Good Pizza and a different twist on a Chicago style. Don't eat here if you aren't a fan of tomatoes or marinara sauce. Overall the place is good with good cold draft beers and pretty girls behind the bar. Spinach dip is the must try item on the menu but besides that the food is just average. The real reason for going here is for the big tvs and cold beers for a football game
(3)
Jackie C.
Not Chicago style...the "deep dish" style is too thin. It was like eating a Digiorno pizza at home. I lived outside of Chicago as a kid and going to get Chicago style pizza was a great memory for me. I asked the waitress to double check if she heard us say deep dish but she tried to play it off. Very disappointed but now I'm on a mission to find a true Chicago style Pizza place in the area.
(2)
Rob B.
First place we ate dinner on our business trip. The Moosehead Pizze is AWESOME. Jalapenos, green olives, sausage, ample cheese on a not thin but not typical crust. It totally messed me up to have such a good pizza. I would get this pizza again. I will leave it at that because this pizza made up for the short comings. Heck, I almost forgot to take a photo.
(4)
Kearstin B.
Stopped in with the fam on our last night in Little Rock. It's a nice location on the Riverstreet Market with real Chicago style pizza... but we seem to have come on a really bad service night. Granted we were there during March Madness, but I think it was really more about the attractive guys at the table next to us. Our waitress, hmmmguuekl (ok, it was pretty noisy) seemed nice, but then pretty much forgot we existed. Had a small Caesar (and eventually a super as well) salad and a 12inch deep dish (half Hawaiian and half Grub's choice). Really wanted to like the place, and the pizza was good, but not with slow drink orders (over 10 minutes for a beer?), a missing salad, no plates or napkins with the pizza, no drink refills, etc. I just can't say anything better than it was an OK place to get something to eat.
(3)
Matt G.
Best service in Little Rock. Great sports bar with tons of TV's. Great spot for N.F.L. Or college football.
(5)
Brittney M.
Chicago style pizza (the REAL Chicago style), regular pizza, sandwiches, salads..... all good! Both types of pizza are great-- just depending on what mood you are in & how hungry you are. For appetizers- I'm a fan of the pizza dip, but the wings are pretty good. Salads are a pretty decent size. This is a great place to drink beer & watch a game. There are huge tv's everywhere you look. Not only is a great place to eat and hangout but its River Market location makes it a great place for a night out so you can walk to other bars afterward.
(4)
Byoung Kyu S.
Couldn't fall asleep so I decided to go for a stroll. Popped into Gusano's to catch the Spurs/Suns Game 2. There was a live band playing so they wanted a $5 cover. The band sounded decent so I kissed a $5 good bye. It was extremely loud and not just because of the band. There just was a lot going on. Sports games on a number of TVs. Couple of pool tables. Shuffleboard. Etc.... It was pretty cool watching the Spurs/Suns Game on one TV; Blackhawks/Canucks playoff game on another TV; chicks college bowling championship on yet another TV; and of course the World Series of Poker reruns on ESPN 2. While watching all these TVs, the live band was still playing in the background. They also have a few video games and I played a couple games of my all-time-fav-video game........Galaga!!
(4)
MJ S.
Meh. It's fun here, usually. I wish they didn't have loud, mediocre live music so often. The food is very average, in my opinion. However, the house merlot is unusually good, as house wines go.
(3)
Amber L.
Nothing extremely spectacular in regards to the atmosphere or staff- but the pizza is amazing. It reminds me of my oh-so-favorite Chicago style pizza. The only problem is that I forget about Gusano's. Good location for the night life, not so much dinner.
(4)
WILLIAM N.
Not really Chicago pizza. It has a Chicago price that's about it. The pizza was good, but they forgot that Chicago is thick! Anyways, cool sports bar. Just don't ask the manager to change a Plasma screen to a game you want? He's kinda an ASS and needs help with his customer service skills.
(3)
T. C.
Sitting by the open windows can be fun for a people watcher like me during a RiverMarket promotion i.e. Riverfest, River Walk. The good part is that is it a non-smoking establishment per the law...the bad part is that people who smoke stand RIGHT THERE so the potential for me to have a severe asthma attack from the stench of their cigarettes makes me sad. So I end up in the back of the restaurant, but the atmosphere is still nice. I love all of their pizza's, sandwiches and beer.
(3)
Brad T.
Great place for pizza . A local favorite type of place, many beers on tap. Not the deepest of deep dish pizza, but still very tasty. They made nice salads for the ladies.
(4)
Sara B.
Gusano's, I've been to Chicago, I've eaten in Chicago, Chicago pizza is a friend of mine, Gusano's you are no Chicago pizza. The thing is, much like Dan Quayle, it wasn't bad, but it just wasn't what it claimed to be. We got the Leif Erikson. There was no sauce, and worst of all, there was no reason to have a knife and fork. I have since been back and had the hot dog, salads and other pizza... And I stand by it is not Chicago pizza, but it is really good pizza and salad... The highlight of the restaurant was the homemade ranch dressing. I loved it. Loved it so much.
(4)
Ricky M.
Great pizza and friendly wait staff. I would love to come back during a Razorback game. This was my first time to eat here and I will definitely come back.
(5)
Jennifer B.
I really miss the lunch buffet. That was a great lunch option downtown, and they had a decent salad bar. They've replaced that with a lunch special that includes a small pizza and drink for a set price, but the buffet was better in my opinion because you could sample more kinds. Their Chicago style pizza is done right. Deep dish and ooey-gooey with cheese and toppings. Service is "meh.'
(3)
Sara H.
3 stars for the food, (which is great) but no where near Chicago style like they claim. I gotta give the servers 5 stars, had one server, Sarah, who was absolutely phenomenal. She was very polite and sweet. The food could be below par and I'd still return for the excellent service and cold beers
(4)
David H.
I have to give Gusano's sub-3 stars, maybe 2.5 stars. My Calzone = 2 stars The crust was dry and cracker-like, and the filling did not induce that sense of Chicago-style that was promised. (Yes, I've been to Chicago). Edible, not bad, but completely unremarkable. Service = 3 stars. It's a sport's bar more than a pizza place, and the cute college girls in sports themed hoodies and short-shorts reinforce that image. My waitress had a Sookie Stackhouse ala season 1 True Blood kind-of-a-thing going on, if that matters to you. Atmosphere = 1 in my book, but I'm not really a sport's bar kind of guy (I was there for the food). Loud pop music, 20+big screen TVs airing football reruns, and dormroom decor. Gusano's is exactly "bad", but I won't be returning.
(2)
Regina C.
We met family here for lunch during the holidays. We all shared the artichoke spinach dip to start. I felt it was very over cooked or maybe cooked in a smaller dish. This would be killer otherwise. It's served with Fritos scoops that actually work well with the flavors. We also shared a deep dish pizza. None of us had ever had Chicago style pizza before and we all found it good but agreed that the tomato sauce could have used some kind of seasoning as it was very bland. Service was great...very quick and very thoughtful. Plenty of sports on many giant tvs, the men were slack-jawed with awe (yawn). While we don't usually drive 600 miles for lunch this year circumstances arose that required that we venture to Little Rock if we wanted to be together during the holidays, even if just for lunch. Gusano's worked perfectly for our small family to have a decent meal and a relaxed time. I really couldn't ask for more EXCEPT perhaps some kind of dessert. Thanks for turnin me on to deep dish!
(4)
Eric R.
These ain't your usual breadsticks. They are amazing. Good atmosphere and friendly wait staff. The super nice and incredibly attractive waitress didn't hurt my score.
(4)
Kevin M.
Very good, not great pizza & factor in your in down town Little Rock with tons of things to do and see and Gusano's adds up to a Great Place
(4)
Anonymous B.
This place is great! I give it 4.5 stars! I haven't had a beer served perfectly chilled in quite some time, Gusano's hit it out of the park. Service was very good, staff very attentive. Food was good (hard to beat true Chicago pizza). Sports playing on every screen. Overall, great experience!
(4)
Dale R.
A place that serves pizza should have great pizza. The crust was nothing special and was tasteless. The toppings and sauce were a saving grace they were really good. The second visit I had a sandwich which was darn good and a decent portion size. Good drinks and good service.
(3)
Andrew B.
Nothing special here. The food isn't that good even for what it is. I have friends who go every week for trivia and beer which they do well. If you must go, don't go hungry.
(2)
Ryan K.
I'm from Chicago and am picky about my Chicago-style pizza. I'm happy to say that Gusano's is a respectable substitute when away from the Windy City. The height of the pizza was right, the sauce was on the top (which is right), the right amount of cheese, and the flavors are authentic. #1 positive about the pizza was the sauce; a crushed tomato-based sauce that was flavorful. Is it perfect? No. The crust, while the right thickness, tasted a bit like a matzo-cracker; it had a nice crunch to it, but very little flavor; it definitely needed some more hints of garlic and butter. Was the sausage patty-style? No, but it was very flavorful. I have been to many restaunrants claiming to be Chicago-style that do not even come CLOSE, and Gusano's makes a good effort. The price is right, too, and heck--they now have a pizza called the Ditka! How can that go wrong?!
(4)
Saul K.
Very popular in Arkansas, Gusano's offers an interesting mix of pizza and other stuff. Their pizza is good but nothing extraordinary. Good place to watch sports games and try their food challenge if you are feeling it....
(3)
Laura E.
Great place to get a chicago dog!! I was very satisfied!!
(5)
Dana W.
Love their deep dish!! So much better than a chain pizza place. I've never been to Chicago and have never had the real thing. However, this is pretty darn good.
(5)
Brian R.
Food is good. Prices are decent depending on what you order. My dad and I split a pizza which made it cheaper. If I can eat our for under $10, I'm happy. Service wasn't too bad but our waitress (although she got off to a great start) was missing in action for most of the time we were there. We had to get someone else to help us. She finally came and apologized. Don't know what happened. Had it not been for her apology and good attitude, she wouldn't have gotten a tip.
(4)
N T.
Great service! Great pizza pie! The food was a little slow to come out, but well worth the wait.
(4)
Brittany K.
Had a great time at Gusano's. We met friends in the Rivermarket and we decided on Gusano's for pizza and some baseball watching. Hubby & I split a pizza- which is never an easy feat because he isn't a fan of marinara sauce and I'm not a fan of whatever he usually wants. We compromised on the Chaplin- an oil based pizza with chicken, artichokes, onions, tomatoes, mozzarella, and feta cheeses- we subbed out the onions and added bacon. It was AWESOME. Some of the best pizza I've ever had in the Little Rock area. I ate 2 pieces and my husband ended up eating the other SIX... no leftovers to take home! There are about 100 tvs in the restaurant (exaggeration but there are ALOT) and the game we wanted to watch was already on for our viewing pleasure. It is LOUD, so if you're looking for a quiet spot Gusano's is not for you, but for a game-time grub spot I can't think of anywhere better in the area. The service was okay- not exceptional but they were busy so I gave her a pass. We will definitely be back for another Chaplin pizza and good cold beer!
(4)
mark s.
Tried the lunch buffet. Noticed that many of the customers seem to like quantity over quality. Salad bar is ok, pizza is nothing special, very much like frozen pizza. Sorry. I like frozen pizza, but if that is what you do every day all day, man you should rock a pizza. This is just ok. Really, I wanted to love the place. Plus's would be that for those who like to eat a lot, the buffet is cheap enough and their patrons who value quantity seemed to really enjoy the extra space this place offers.
(2)
Rodney B.
I say it's good for kids, but deep in it's soul, it's a bar. Don't go for the great service. The waitresses are all the cutesy college chicks that profit from a drunken crowd, like at Hooter's. I don't think they understand "service," when, most likely, they are more accustomed to people trying to make THEM happy. Sorry for the soapbox speech. That being said, it's not bad pizza. I've never had any of their other menu items, so I can't comment there. I have had the opportunity to go to Chicago recently and made a point to try a few pizza places there. Upon comparison, Gusano's is definitley NOT Chicago style. It's more like Chicago style SHAPED pizza. It's got the high crust around the edge, but that's about it. Their crust is crispy, with some herbs baked in, and it's tasty, but it ain't the buttery heaven I had at Giordano's. The toppings are standard, but the sausage ain't the solid layer like at Lou Malnati's. It is, however, the best Chicago style shaped pizza in central Arkansas.
(3)
Brad B.
Nice place. Lots of sports. Mediocre pizza. Fun atmosphere.
(4)
Kay K.
Gusano's is your typical sunday afternoon sports bar with a bit of southern charm. Although the menu is strickly carbo comfort... The pizzadilla is definitely worth a try!
(3)
Kate P.
Hubby & I were in town for RiverFest and wandered down the street from our hotel to Gusano's. Big, open space, lots of TVs, full of people and great-smelling food. Service was super friendly and pizza was nothing short of awesome. I did a "build-your-own" and Hubby had the "Chaplin". Crust was flavorful, with herbs deliciously and visibly baked in. Both our pies tasted GREAT, not soggy or greasy at all. You can get Chicago-style here, although they have non-Chicago style as well. We cleaned our plates!
(4)
Joanna B.
This summer I had the joy of visiting my family, most of whom are in the South. After flying to Atlanta from Oakland I drove to Little Rock. I had no idea what I was in for... Sure, I expected to meet up with several people I haven't seen in years. Beautiful greenery would surely greet me along the highways. However, I was unprepared for the best pizza I had ever had before in my life. I've been to Chicago. I've been to New York. I have been to Italy!!! The crust was the perfect texture and consistency to compliment the contents of the pie. Call me an oddball but I ordered mine without the standard marinara sauce. You know what that means, right? I didn't have some nummy sauce disguising some possibly old or dry dough. Or, some dreary, runny sauce saturating my crust such that it would become a soggy mess. Next time I find myself on President Clinton avenue I'm going to get more! Additional Details: The service is as good as the pizza!!! This was the perfect place to watch the 2008 Olympics & I am sure it is full of every night of the world series.
(5)
Tanya M.
we stopped for the lunch buffet. it was just OK. the advertise they are Chicago style pizza. yet none on the buffet. that's OK. the pizza they did have out was thin crust. it was OK but gettin hard. as someone who don't care much for peppers most of the pizza's that were out had jalapenos on them. the waitress must have been new. i ask for half and half tea. she brought sweet. my mom asked for coke she got dr.pepper. the waitress was very disorganized. my nephew pick this place because it said video games in the window. there were 3 video games. and was very dark inside. just not what we expected. we set the bar to high and got disappointed.
(3)
Tim C.
Best Chicago syle deep dish pizza in town. Excellent sauce, excellent cheese and toppings. Each slice eats like a meal. For traditional thinner crust New York style pizza I prefer Vino's. Haven't had anything else there. The place is mainly a bar that also serves pizza. Loud, noisy, with huge television monitors showing whatever sports game happens to be on. Extremely annoying entertainers often add to the ruckus. Not a quiet place by any means but their pizza makes the trip worth it every now and then.
(4)
ML S.
Gusano's is conveniently located in the River Market district of Little Rock. Great pizza and fast service. At night, this is a pretty happening hangout as well. The pizza is pretty awesome! Lunch offers a pizza buffet as well as a full menu. Take out is available. Make sure you try the buffalo chicken wrap and or salad.... delish!!!!!
(4)
Mark H.
Okay since Ty Pennington and his crew whipped through there with an extreme makeover, well not really but, I have to say that the place is still the same but with more televisions. I love this place. Great pizzas, cold beer and a typical local hangout/pub. The only thing that concerns me is that the service at the bar isnt as fast as it should be. Other than that, get a waiter and order a great pizza and enjoy an afternoon of football followed by kickballers in their crazy costumes, when in season. A must visit when down town w/ friends.
Great staff and good beer. A solid place to drink excessively and watch sports on TV. This is about where it stops. When they really push the authenticity of Chicago style food I must say...please stop representing authenticity. - The Italian roast beef really didn't have any taste to it even with the au jus dip. It was a lot but when it is billed as full of flavor, etc. I expect to not need to drown it in au jus. - I had also ordered a small Chicago style carnivore. Real Chicago style has sausage patties not crumbed up like that. Also, the dough needed some buttery flavor. I think this made me most cranky. - Cheese sticks were awesome. I was glad they hit the spot. - Friend sitting across from me ordered the Calzone. I really should have ordered that instead. This place should be renamed Gusano's Calzones. Waitstaff was great like I said. I told them I had a rather large group and gave them about an hour head start to see what they could do. They accommodated nicely. I guess ultimately I was peeved at the lack of said "authenticity". really. you could have said it in style without actually bragging/marketing or whatever you call it. One star for the waitstaff, One star for the beer.
(2)
Charles S.
Not good. Pequods, Pizanos, Flo and Santos, Coalfire, Lou Malnati's; these are some of the pizza restaurants in Chicago I've been to. Gusanos would not last in Chi-town. In fact if someone opened a Pizzeria Uno next door, Gusanos would go broke. My wife and I went in on a Friday night and were seated promptly. The waitress came quickly and took our orders, here everything fell apart. We ordered two small deep dish pizzas. Both were delivered wrong. One was even brought as a flat crust? What was delivered had no flavor, worst crust ever. No resemblance to "Chicago" pizza. The crust tasted more like a saltine cracker than anything. Would not go back. Just bad pizza. Someone needs to introduce these cooks to butter. Atmosphere of a sports bar.
(2)
Matthew M.
I came pretty early so I could get a seat for the Memphis Grizzlies game. The staff put the game on for me and brought me a cold drink. I was offered a suggestion by the wonderful waitress who really liked her job. The suggestion was perfect, and priced right. They even allowed me to keep my bicycle inside since the key to my lock broke :/ If I am ever in Little rock again, I will go back.
(4)
Bill S.
The Pizza Tasted like Cardboard and the sauce was straight out of a can. Just terrible food and the service stunk too!! I will never return.
(1)
John S.
I ate at the one in fayetteville and stand by my previous review. The deep dish was worse and just awful.
(2)
Jami C.
Herbivore delight, swap bell peppers for jalapeño..... Greek salad..... Add the Coke & you have one of the yummiest & not-too-pricey lunches in town. Love this place & service is always fine..... We still haven't tried the Chicago style pizza, only because we love that IN Chicago, but we plan to!
(5)
Kristina C.
Great place to watch a sports event. Huge screens. Had the dirty bird pizza. Great flavor. The dough was light but crisp. Service was prompt. Tara was a great waitress.
(4)
Lee F.
I have waited a long time to review this place after 20 plus visits but enough is enough I guess. This really should be the best place to watch any game downtown because of how many tvs they have but thw service is INSANELY bad basically any time of any day. It has actually gotten to thw point where we laugh about it because it is incredible how they can stay in business when it takes 2 hours to get a pizza or 30 mins to see a server or you have to tell a manger that the hostess won't seat you because she has been talking on her cell. The managers are usually nice but it really doesn't make it worth it. The grubs choice chicago style pizza is great but once again it will take way too long to get it. Order it way heforw you are actually hungry if you want to deal with this place
(1)
Eric P.
We came here just about an hour before closing. Overall this place is only 3 stars, but I have to give an extra star to our server who went above and beyond and made us really appreciate Southern hospitality. Gusano's is a perfect place to watch a game due to their numerous projector TV's and flat screen TV's. There is no bad seat in the house. We ordered several different deep dish pizzas to try and split among our group. Pizzas took a somewhat short time to come out, only 20-25min. Guess that might have been the first red flag (typical Chicago pizzas take 45-60min to cook form scratch)The food claims to be Chicago style, sadly the only thing it shares with Chicago pizzas are the names. Crust was way too thin and un-even in how it was cooked. Some parts were crisp, other parts soggy. But on the flip side, our waitress was amazing. We were a group of 10 and she was always checking in on us make sure if we needed another beer and made sure to keep the waters filled. When it came to the bill, she had already split it for each individual and didn't auto-gratuity us. Next time I'm in town I'll be sure to come back here!
(4)
Aye J.
my family and i love coming to eat here. service is good. pizza is good. atmosphere is casual. pricing is okay. will be back again soon.
(3)
William S.
The location and ambiance are ok. What will keep you coming back is the pizza. This is the best I've had since I moved out of NY.
(5)
Jacob B.
Went downtown looking for somewhere to eat and based on the reviews this place sounded great. We had a very attractive, polite, and helpful waitress during our meal, thankfully. As for the meal, I had ordered a small Caesar salad and a mini Carnivore pizza. The salad was good but when the pizza came out, I was disappointed...it was average to say the best, and looked like that too. My friends had ordered a couple of their specialty pizzas and were satisfied but felt they were nothing spectacular. Here's the kicker: stick to just pizza if you do come here. My friend had ordered a Chicken Bacon Ranch sandwich and the chicken was dry...and he had to ask for ranch...even though ranch is in the name? Then my other friend had ordered a Chicago dog...but he felt that he had a better one at Sonic. So definitely advise to stick just to pizza, average pizza.
(3)
Jason S.
The customer service in this place is severely lacking our waitress was barely attentive and our food was slow to come out. There is literally a dozen employees all milling about carrying on with personal conversations and no one was working even though it was slow they only came to the table 4 times over an hour stay never bothering to check up on us to see if we were doing fine or whatever. When it came time to pay they didn't bother to come get the check instead just snatching it up on the walk past our table. The strangest thing is they would stare out of the kitchen at the customers like we were fish on exhibit at an aquarium. I looked at our waitress a few times to signal like "hey your table...your paycheck...may need something maybe you should come over and check on them." Customer Service is a big thing to me it doesn't matter how good your pizza is if you can't take care of your customers you are going to lose business.
(2)
Josue C.
Gusano's pizza wasn't at all impressing. The beers we were served were warm. Also the wait time was ridiculously long took about 50 minutes. When we received the pizza it basically tasted like spaghetti sauce with bread. Place looked a little dirty also waitresses just talking and giggling rather than asking if we needed another beer or keeping us updated on our long taking pizza.
(2)
Chrissie M.
We came here with our children and in law's last year and the pizza was out of this world. Decided to come back this summer and we were quite surprised in the changes in food quality. First we were brought the wrong pizza. Then we had to wait another 30 mins for the one we did order. Once we got it, the pizza crust was not browned at all and it just didn't taste right. I doubt we'll be back.
(3)
Amy A.
Overall this place was good. They were out of both Coke Zero and any kind of rum I wanted to try. They also didn't have any ginger beer to order a Moscow mule. I had a turkey sandwich with pineapple which was good and enjoyed my dessert. Our waitress didn't do a very good job breaking down our tab but she was nice and we worked it out.
(4)
Candi O.
Great atmosphere, loved the Chicago style hot dog. Jennifer and Courtney, great bartenders!
(5)
Cynthia M.
Refreshing change from ordinary pizza. The margherita pizza was light but tasty! Very good choice if you don't want heavy red sauce and meat.
(4)
Karl M.
In the last year have eaten here maaannny times. Good Pizza and a different twist on a Chicago style. Don't eat here if you aren't a fan of tomatoes or marinara sauce. Overall the place is good with good cold draft beers and pretty girls behind the bar. Spinach dip is the must try item on the menu but besides that the food is just average. The real reason for going here is for the big tvs and cold beers for a football game
(3)
Rob B.
First place we ate dinner on our business trip. The Moosehead Pizze is AWESOME. Jalapenos, green olives, sausage, ample cheese on a not thin but not typical crust. It totally messed me up to have such a good pizza. I would get this pizza again. I will leave it at that because this pizza made up for the short comings. Heck, I almost forgot to take a photo.
(4)
Brad T.
Great place for pizza . A local favorite type of place, many beers on tap. Not the deepest of deep dish pizza, but still very tasty. They made nice salads for the ladies.
(4)
Sara B.
Gusano's, I've been to Chicago, I've eaten in Chicago, Chicago pizza is a friend of mine, Gusano's you are no Chicago pizza. The thing is, much like Dan Quayle, it wasn't bad, but it just wasn't what it claimed to be. We got the Leif Erikson. There was no sauce, and worst of all, there was no reason to have a knife and fork. I have since been back and had the hot dog, salads and other pizza... And I stand by it is not Chicago pizza, but it is really good pizza and salad... The highlight of the restaurant was the homemade ranch dressing. I loved it. Loved it so much.
(4)
Ricky M.
Great pizza and friendly wait staff. I would love to come back during a Razorback game. This was my first time to eat here and I will definitely come back.
(5)
Jennifer B.
I really miss the lunch buffet. That was a great lunch option downtown, and they had a decent salad bar. They've replaced that with a lunch special that includes a small pizza and drink for a set price, but the buffet was better in my opinion because you could sample more kinds. Their Chicago style pizza is done right. Deep dish and ooey-gooey with cheese and toppings. Service is "meh.'
(3)
Sara H.
3 stars for the food, (which is great) but no where near Chicago style like they claim. I gotta give the servers 5 stars, had one server, Sarah, who was absolutely phenomenal. She was very polite and sweet. The food could be below par and I'd still return for the excellent service and cold beers
(4)
David H.
I have to give Gusano's sub-3 stars, maybe 2.5 stars. My Calzone = 2 stars The crust was dry and cracker-like, and the filling did not induce that sense of Chicago-style that was promised. (Yes, I've been to Chicago). Edible, not bad, but completely unremarkable. Service = 3 stars. It's a sport's bar more than a pizza place, and the cute college girls in sports themed hoodies and short-shorts reinforce that image. My waitress had a Sookie Stackhouse ala season 1 True Blood kind-of-a-thing going on, if that matters to you. Atmosphere = 1 in my book, but I'm not really a sport's bar kind of guy (I was there for the food). Loud pop music, 20+big screen TVs airing football reruns, and dormroom decor. Gusano's is exactly "bad", but I won't be returning.
(2)
Saul K.
Very popular in Arkansas, Gusano's offers an interesting mix of pizza and other stuff. Their pizza is good but nothing extraordinary. Good place to watch sports games and try their food challenge if you are feeling it....
(3)
Laura E.
Great place to get a chicago dog!! I was very satisfied!!
(5)
Dana W.
Love their deep dish!! So much better than a chain pizza place. I've never been to Chicago and have never had the real thing. However, this is pretty darn good.
(5)
Regina C.
We met family here for lunch during the holidays. We all shared the artichoke spinach dip to start. I felt it was very over cooked or maybe cooked in a smaller dish. This would be killer otherwise. It's served with Fritos scoops that actually work well with the flavors. We also shared a deep dish pizza. None of us had ever had Chicago style pizza before and we all found it good but agreed that the tomato sauce could have used some kind of seasoning as it was very bland. Service was great...very quick and very thoughtful. Plenty of sports on many giant tvs, the men were slack-jawed with awe (yawn). While we don't usually drive 600 miles for lunch this year circumstances arose that required that we venture to Little Rock if we wanted to be together during the holidays, even if just for lunch. Gusano's worked perfectly for our small family to have a decent meal and a relaxed time. I really couldn't ask for more EXCEPT perhaps some kind of dessert. Thanks for turnin me on to deep dish!
(4)
Eric R.
These ain't your usual breadsticks. They are amazing. Good atmosphere and friendly wait staff. The super nice and incredibly attractive waitress didn't hurt my score.
(4)
Kevin M.
Very good, not great pizza & factor in your in down town Little Rock with tons of things to do and see and Gusano's adds up to a Great Place
(4)
Anonymous B.
This place is great! I give it 4.5 stars! I haven't had a beer served perfectly chilled in quite some time, Gusano's hit it out of the park. Service was very good, staff very attentive. Food was good (hard to beat true Chicago pizza). Sports playing on every screen. Overall, great experience!
(4)
Dale R.
A place that serves pizza should have great pizza. The crust was nothing special and was tasteless. The toppings and sauce were a saving grace they were really good. The second visit I had a sandwich which was darn good and a decent portion size. Good drinks and good service.
(3)
Andrew B.
Nothing special here. The food isn't that good even for what it is. I have friends who go every week for trivia and beer which they do well. If you must go, don't go hungry.
(2)
Ryan K.
I'm from Chicago and am picky about my Chicago-style pizza. I'm happy to say that Gusano's is a respectable substitute when away from the Windy City. The height of the pizza was right, the sauce was on the top (which is right), the right amount of cheese, and the flavors are authentic. #1 positive about the pizza was the sauce; a crushed tomato-based sauce that was flavorful. Is it perfect? No. The crust, while the right thickness, tasted a bit like a matzo-cracker; it had a nice crunch to it, but very little flavor; it definitely needed some more hints of garlic and butter. Was the sausage patty-style? No, but it was very flavorful. I have been to many restaunrants claiming to be Chicago-style that do not even come CLOSE, and Gusano's makes a good effort. The price is right, too, and heck--they now have a pizza called the Ditka! How can that go wrong?!
(4)
Brian R.
Food is good. Prices are decent depending on what you order. My dad and I split a pizza which made it cheaper. If I can eat our for under $10, I'm happy. Service wasn't too bad but our waitress (although she got off to a great start) was missing in action for most of the time we were there. We had to get someone else to help us. She finally came and apologized. Don't know what happened. Had it not been for her apology and good attitude, she wouldn't have gotten a tip.
(4)
N T.
Great service! Great pizza pie! The food was a little slow to come out, but well worth the wait.
(4)
Brittany K.
Had a great time at Gusano's. We met friends in the Rivermarket and we decided on Gusano's for pizza and some baseball watching. Hubby & I split a pizza- which is never an easy feat because he isn't a fan of marinara sauce and I'm not a fan of whatever he usually wants. We compromised on the Chaplin- an oil based pizza with chicken, artichokes, onions, tomatoes, mozzarella, and feta cheeses- we subbed out the onions and added bacon. It was AWESOME. Some of the best pizza I've ever had in the Little Rock area. I ate 2 pieces and my husband ended up eating the other SIX... no leftovers to take home! There are about 100 tvs in the restaurant (exaggeration but there are ALOT) and the game we wanted to watch was already on for our viewing pleasure. It is LOUD, so if you're looking for a quiet spot Gusano's is not for you, but for a game-time grub spot I can't think of anywhere better in the area. The service was okay- not exceptional but they were busy so I gave her a pass. We will definitely be back for another Chaplin pizza and good cold beer!
(4)
Kearstin B.
Stopped in with the fam on our last night in Little Rock. It's a nice location on the Riverstreet Market with real Chicago style pizza... but we seem to have come on a really bad service night. Granted we were there during March Madness, but I think it was really more about the attractive guys at the table next to us. Our waitress, hmmmguuekl (ok, it was pretty noisy) seemed nice, but then pretty much forgot we existed. Had a small Caesar (and eventually a super as well) salad and a 12inch deep dish (half Hawaiian and half Grub's choice). Really wanted to like the place, and the pizza was good, but not with slow drink orders (over 10 minutes for a beer?), a missing salad, no plates or napkins with the pizza, no drink refills, etc. I just can't say anything better than it was an OK place to get something to eat.
(3)
Matt G.
Best service in Little Rock. Great sports bar with tons of TV's. Great spot for N.F.L. Or college football.
(5)
Brittney M.
Chicago style pizza (the REAL Chicago style), regular pizza, sandwiches, salads..... all good! Both types of pizza are great-- just depending on what mood you are in & how hungry you are. For appetizers- I'm a fan of the pizza dip, but the wings are pretty good. Salads are a pretty decent size. This is a great place to drink beer & watch a game. There are huge tv's everywhere you look. Not only is a great place to eat and hangout but its River Market location makes it a great place for a night out so you can walk to other bars afterward.
(4)
Tim C.
Best Chicago syle deep dish pizza in town. Excellent sauce, excellent cheese and toppings. Each slice eats like a meal. For traditional thinner crust New York style pizza I prefer Vino's. Haven't had anything else there. The place is mainly a bar that also serves pizza. Loud, noisy, with huge television monitors showing whatever sports game happens to be on. Extremely annoying entertainers often add to the ruckus. Not a quiet place by any means but their pizza makes the trip worth it every now and then.
(4)
Byoung Kyu S.
Couldn't fall asleep so I decided to go for a stroll. Popped into Gusano's to catch the Spurs/Suns Game 2. There was a live band playing so they wanted a $5 cover. The band sounded decent so I kissed a $5 good bye. It was extremely loud and not just because of the band. There just was a lot going on. Sports games on a number of TVs. Couple of pool tables. Shuffleboard. Etc.... It was pretty cool watching the Spurs/Suns Game on one TV; Blackhawks/Canucks playoff game on another TV; chicks college bowling championship on yet another TV; and of course the World Series of Poker reruns on ESPN 2. While watching all these TVs, the live band was still playing in the background. They also have a few video games and I played a couple games of my all-time-fav-video game........Galaga!!
(4)
MJ S.
Meh. It's fun here, usually. I wish they didn't have loud, mediocre live music so often. The food is very average, in my opinion. However, the house merlot is unusually good, as house wines go.
(3)
Amber L.
Nothing extremely spectacular in regards to the atmosphere or staff- but the pizza is amazing. It reminds me of my oh-so-favorite Chicago style pizza. The only problem is that I forget about Gusano's. Good location for the night life, not so much dinner.
(4)
WILLIAM N.
Not really Chicago pizza. It has a Chicago price that's about it. The pizza was good, but they forgot that Chicago is thick! Anyways, cool sports bar. Just don't ask the manager to change a Plasma screen to a game you want? He's kinda an ASS and needs help with his customer service skills.
(3)
T. C.
Sitting by the open windows can be fun for a people watcher like me during a RiverMarket promotion i.e. Riverfest, River Walk. The good part is that is it a non-smoking establishment per the law...the bad part is that people who smoke stand RIGHT THERE so the potential for me to have a severe asthma attack from the stench of their cigarettes makes me sad. So I end up in the back of the restaurant, but the atmosphere is still nice. I love all of their pizza's, sandwiches and beer.
(3)
mark s.
Tried the lunch buffet. Noticed that many of the customers seem to like quantity over quality. Salad bar is ok, pizza is nothing special, very much like frozen pizza. Sorry. I like frozen pizza, but if that is what you do every day all day, man you should rock a pizza. This is just ok. Really, I wanted to love the place. Plus's would be that for those who like to eat a lot, the buffet is cheap enough and their patrons who value quantity seemed to really enjoy the extra space this place offers.
(2)
Tanya M.
we stopped for the lunch buffet. it was just OK. the advertise they are Chicago style pizza. yet none on the buffet. that's OK. the pizza they did have out was thin crust. it was OK but gettin hard. as someone who don't care much for peppers most of the pizza's that were out had jalapenos on them. the waitress must have been new. i ask for half and half tea. she brought sweet. my mom asked for coke she got dr.pepper. the waitress was very disorganized. my nephew pick this place because it said video games in the window. there were 3 video games. and was very dark inside. just not what we expected. we set the bar to high and got disappointed.
(3)
Rodney B.
I say it's good for kids, but deep in it's soul, it's a bar. Don't go for the great service. The waitresses are all the cutesy college chicks that profit from a drunken crowd, like at Hooter's. I don't think they understand "service," when, most likely, they are more accustomed to people trying to make THEM happy. Sorry for the soapbox speech. That being said, it's not bad pizza. I've never had any of their other menu items, so I can't comment there. I have had the opportunity to go to Chicago recently and made a point to try a few pizza places there. Upon comparison, Gusano's is definitley NOT Chicago style. It's more like Chicago style SHAPED pizza. It's got the high crust around the edge, but that's about it. Their crust is crispy, with some herbs baked in, and it's tasty, but it ain't the buttery heaven I had at Giordano's. The toppings are standard, but the sausage ain't the solid layer like at Lou Malnati's. It is, however, the best Chicago style shaped pizza in central Arkansas.
(3)
Brad B.
Nice place. Lots of sports. Mediocre pizza. Fun atmosphere.
(4)
Kay K.
Gusano's is your typical sunday afternoon sports bar with a bit of southern charm. Although the menu is strickly carbo comfort... The pizzadilla is definitely worth a try!
(3)
Kate P.
Hubby & I were in town for RiverFest and wandered down the street from our hotel to Gusano's. Big, open space, lots of TVs, full of people and great-smelling food. Service was super friendly and pizza was nothing short of awesome. I did a "build-your-own" and Hubby had the "Chaplin". Crust was flavorful, with herbs deliciously and visibly baked in. Both our pies tasted GREAT, not soggy or greasy at all. You can get Chicago-style here, although they have non-Chicago style as well. We cleaned our plates!
(4)
Joanna B.
This summer I had the joy of visiting my family, most of whom are in the South. After flying to Atlanta from Oakland I drove to Little Rock. I had no idea what I was in for... Sure, I expected to meet up with several people I haven't seen in years. Beautiful greenery would surely greet me along the highways. However, I was unprepared for the best pizza I had ever had before in my life. I've been to Chicago. I've been to New York. I have been to Italy!!! The crust was the perfect texture and consistency to compliment the contents of the pie. Call me an oddball but I ordered mine without the standard marinara sauce. You know what that means, right? I didn't have some nummy sauce disguising some possibly old or dry dough. Or, some dreary, runny sauce saturating my crust such that it would become a soggy mess. Next time I find myself on President Clinton avenue I'm going to get more! Additional Details: The service is as good as the pizza!!! This was the perfect place to watch the 2008 Olympics & I am sure it is full of every night of the world series.
(5)
ML S.
Gusano's is conveniently located in the River Market district of Little Rock. Great pizza and fast service. At night, this is a pretty happening hangout as well. The pizza is pretty awesome! Lunch offers a pizza buffet as well as a full menu. Take out is available. Make sure you try the buffalo chicken wrap and or salad.... delish!!!!!
(4)
Mark H.
Okay since Ty Pennington and his crew whipped through there with an extreme makeover, well not really but, I have to say that the place is still the same but with more televisions. I love this place. Great pizzas, cold beer and a typical local hangout/pub. The only thing that concerns me is that the service at the bar isnt as fast as it should be. Other than that, get a waiter and order a great pizza and enjoy an afternoon of football followed by kickballers in their crazy costumes, when in season. A must visit when down town w/ friends.
Pizza Dip for appetizer and traditional meat lovers Great service, draft beer 18 TVs
(4)
Carol M.
Great little spot to people watch in downtown Little Rock. We grabbed a table up front so we have a great view of all the activies on President Clinton Avenue. We came here for just an appetizer and a few drinks before a concert. We ordered the spinich dip, which is not your average spinich dip. It was served on a small skillet filled with a blend of various cheeses, spinich, tomatoes and spices. Something else that was unique about this is that it was served with fritos. Definately different but definately delicious. The place was slammed but the service was on point. I would definately venture back here if ever back in downtown LR.
(4)
Phillip B.
Chicago deep dish-style pizza in The Rock. One pie fed 3 people. Nice atmosphere close to all downtown attractions.
(4)
Elton D.
Good service. Very poor quality food. Visiting Little Rock for business and stumbled into this place. Food is cheap and so is the quality. Not satisfied. Crust of pizza probably frozen.
(1)
James B.
Best sports bar in town. All of the sports packages on many tv's. Sweet pizza sauce is great. Can't ask for much else.
(5)
Noah H.
The land of a thooooousand Televisions!! But, seriously, that's a lot of TVs. I even took an awkward photo in the men's room because there are TVs *in the stalls.* TV in the urinal. I mean, really. There is literally not a single wall you can look at that doesn't have three TVs on it. It's nearly impossible to look away from several screens. If that's what you're after, rock on! But man, that's just not my jam. The other kind of odd quirk there is that the screens are all at funny heights and angles, and many of the screens are faded or have distorted colors, so even if you're there to watch a game, it's kind of inconvenient. It was also LOUD, really loud, even after the big game was over and many of the other patrons had left, we were shouting to hear each other across the table. On the positive side, I had very good service - with humor and some ribbing, like many other patrons - enjoyed the passable (and heavily local, nice touch!) beer selection, and liked my pizza a lot. It was thin(ish) crust with a crispy rim, and a wonderfully cheesy top. Really hit the spot! Picky eaters be warned though, if you plan to "pick (something) off" a pizza, many of the toppings are cooked into the cheese, so good luck. But I loved that, personally, because I wanted all those toppings and am always sad when something tasty falls off a slice. Also, credit where credit is due, there's a cool little arcade balcony that I was itching to try out, but never made it up there. May come back just to try that. So, solid sports bar, fun place to go with a loud crew, I imagine it's a fine lunch spot because the pizza came out quickly. But, I would recommend a number of places down the road more highly.
(2)
Fred H.
Son liked his cheese pizza. GF said her salad was also. My meat calzone? Definitely needs an upgrade in flavor. Sause was terribly tangy and the dough looked grayish and way over seasoned.
(3)
Kolin G.
In LR on business and saw this had OK reviews so we gave it a shot. Yuck. This is a chain that must freeze most of their ingredients or just use bad stuff because the pizza was terrible. Specifically, the crust. The waitstaff was awesome, however, and the beer was good, but the food was just so very very bad. Flying saucer is next door and has decent food, I suggest going there.
(1)
M Julie R.
Absolutely a disappointment. The two pizza orders came wrong and were not good. I'm embarrassed that they put Chicago's name all over this place. The hot dog, the beef and the pizza -all wrong, all gross. It was an expensive night with very little concession. SMDH
(1)
Hilary P.
Stopped in to Gusano's when there wasn't much in the way of GF options in the River Market. Ordered the Gluten Free pizza(I'm Celiac), it was good, but nothing to rave about. The rest of the table seemed to enjoy their food. I wouldn't rate this place high for atmosphere, it was pretty empty and the music was incredibly loud, for the time of the day.
(2)
Camille V.
I ordered a Greek salad which was ok and a dirty bird pizza which didn't taste good. The crust tasted like frozen pizza and the ingredients on the pizza tasted frozen no flavor at all. Stay away you would have better luck getting Pizza Hut or papa johns pizza. First time and will not be back.
(1)
J R.
Pizza was good, not a Chicago pie in my mind but I appreciate a good selection of toppings which they have. Place is LOUD, it's more sports bar than restaurant but it functions fine for a small group. I have to say the service was good AND amusing, very non traditional in the way they interact with clients but I appreciate acerbic wit so I was right at home. I'll be back for a thin crust and will save my Chicago cravings when back in the land of Lou Malnotti's, Geordano's and Uno's.
(3)
Bart B.
Major letdown. The family and I are in Little Rock for the weekend. We travel a lot all over the country, and we really make a point of Yelping a short list of "must-visit" places along the way. Gusano's was at the very top of our list in Little Rock. Unfortunately, though, we'll never be able to rate their rendition of Chicago style pizza in comparison to the real thing. We planned to take a party of 6 together and arrive around 8:00. We called ahead when we left our prior engagement. Us: "Can you add us to the wait list now? We're on our way, approximately 5-10 minutes away from arrival." Gusano's: "No, you have to be standing here in front of me to be on the list." Us: "No problem. How long is the wait right now?" Gusano's: "An hour." Fine. Really. No problem. I totally get it. On a busy Saturday night, people come and go, and this kind of policy helps keep things in line and running smoothly for customers who are committed to getting a table. If I ran a restaurant, I imagine I may well do the very same thing. Fast forward to literally 5 minutes later. We park on the same block, without issue, and walk up. Us: "Hi, we'd like to register for a table for 6, please?" Gusano's: "Well, there's an hour and 45 minute wait." Us: "Really? We called just a couple minutes ago, and the wait was an hour." Gusano's: "Well, it's an hour and 45 minutes now." I have quoted this exchange verbatim, but what I can't possibly recreate is the expression of the hostess, whose nonverbal message said, "Go away and do not come back." Want further proof of what I'm saying? We ultimately put our name on the list without arguing or complaining about anything. They were going to call us when we came up or got close. That was literally more than 2 hours ago, and we've still not heard from them. In a nutshell, my take is they're far more proud of themselves than they deserve. That's pretty much the extent of it. I wouldn't go back here if my life depended on it. UPDATE: They never called us, even though we put our names on their wait list.
(1)
Taylor R.
A fun place to watch a game. That does make it loud at times, but it's a great atmosphere! Though we didn't have any Chicago-style pizza, we loved our traditional pizzas, especially because they came in a mini (6") size. Our server was funny and (perhaps most importantly) served us promptly. We really enjoyed it!
(4)
Jackie C.
Not Chicago style...the "deep dish" style is too thin. It was like eating a Digiorno pizza at home. I lived outside of Chicago as a kid and going to get Chicago style pizza was a great memory for me. I asked the waitress to double check if she heard us say deep dish but she tried to play it off. Very disappointed but now I'm on a mission to find a true Chicago style Pizza place in the area.
(2)
Gilbert L.
Great staff and good beer. A solid place to drink excessively and watch sports on TV. This is about where it stops. When they really push the authenticity of Chicago style food I must say...please stop representing authenticity. - The Italian roast beef really didn't have any taste to it even with the au jus dip. It was a lot but when it is billed as full of flavor, etc. I expect to not need to drown it in au jus. - I had also ordered a small Chicago style carnivore. Real Chicago style has sausage patties not crumbed up like that. Also, the dough needed some buttery flavor. I think this made me most cranky. - Cheese sticks were awesome. I was glad they hit the spot. - Friend sitting across from me ordered the Calzone. I really should have ordered that instead. This place should be renamed Gusano's Calzones. Waitstaff was great like I said. I told them I had a rather large group and gave them about an hour head start to see what they could do. They accommodated nicely. I guess ultimately I was peeved at the lack of said "authenticity". really. you could have said it in style without actually bragging/marketing or whatever you call it. One star for the waitstaff, One star for the beer.
(2)
Phillip B.
Chicago deep dish-style pizza in The Rock. One pie fed 3 people. Nice atmosphere close to all downtown attractions.
(4)
Elton D.
Good service. Very poor quality food. Visiting Little Rock for business and stumbled into this place. Food is cheap and so is the quality. Not satisfied. Crust of pizza probably frozen.
(1)
Carol M.
Great little spot to people watch in downtown Little Rock. We grabbed a table up front so we have a great view of all the activies on President Clinton Avenue. We came here for just an appetizer and a few drinks before a concert. We ordered the spinich dip, which is not your average spinich dip. It was served on a small skillet filled with a blend of various cheeses, spinich, tomatoes and spices. Something else that was unique about this is that it was served with fritos. Definately different but definately delicious. The place was slammed but the service was on point. I would definately venture back here if ever back in downtown LR.
(4)
Hilary P.
Stopped in to Gusano's when there wasn't much in the way of GF options in the River Market. Ordered the Gluten Free pizza(I'm Celiac), it was good, but nothing to rave about. The rest of the table seemed to enjoy their food. I wouldn't rate this place high for atmosphere, it was pretty empty and the music was incredibly loud, for the time of the day.
(2)
Camille V.
I ordered a Greek salad which was ok and a dirty bird pizza which didn't taste good. The crust tasted like frozen pizza and the ingredients on the pizza tasted frozen no flavor at all. Stay away you would have better luck getting Pizza Hut or papa johns pizza. First time and will not be back.
(1)
Noah H.
The land of a thooooousand Televisions!! But, seriously, that's a lot of TVs. I even took an awkward photo in the men's room because there are TVs *in the stalls.* TV in the urinal. I mean, really. There is literally not a single wall you can look at that doesn't have three TVs on it. It's nearly impossible to look away from several screens. If that's what you're after, rock on! But man, that's just not my jam. The other kind of odd quirk there is that the screens are all at funny heights and angles, and many of the screens are faded or have distorted colors, so even if you're there to watch a game, it's kind of inconvenient. It was also LOUD, really loud, even after the big game was over and many of the other patrons had left, we were shouting to hear each other across the table. On the positive side, I had very good service - with humor and some ribbing, like many other patrons - enjoyed the passable (and heavily local, nice touch!) beer selection, and liked my pizza a lot. It was thin(ish) crust with a crispy rim, and a wonderfully cheesy top. Really hit the spot! Picky eaters be warned though, if you plan to "pick (something) off" a pizza, many of the toppings are cooked into the cheese, so good luck. But I loved that, personally, because I wanted all those toppings and am always sad when something tasty falls off a slice. Also, credit where credit is due, there's a cool little arcade balcony that I was itching to try out, but never made it up there. May come back just to try that. So, solid sports bar, fun place to go with a loud crew, I imagine it's a fine lunch spot because the pizza came out quickly. But, I would recommend a number of places down the road more highly.
(2)
Kris B.
Pizza Dip for appetizer and traditional meat lovers Great service, draft beer 18 TVs
(4)
Fred H.
Son liked his cheese pizza. GF said her salad was also. My meat calzone? Definitely needs an upgrade in flavor. Sause was terribly tangy and the dough looked grayish and way over seasoned.
(3)
Kolin G.
In LR on business and saw this had OK reviews so we gave it a shot. Yuck. This is a chain that must freeze most of their ingredients or just use bad stuff because the pizza was terrible. Specifically, the crust. The waitstaff was awesome, however, and the beer was good, but the food was just so very very bad. Flying saucer is next door and has decent food, I suggest going there.
(1)
M Julie R.
Absolutely a disappointment. The two pizza orders came wrong and were not good. I'm embarrassed that they put Chicago's name all over this place. The hot dog, the beef and the pizza -all wrong, all gross. It was an expensive night with very little concession. SMDH
(1)
James B.
Best sports bar in town. All of the sports packages on many tv's. Sweet pizza sauce is great. Can't ask for much else.
(5)
Bart B.
Major letdown. The family and I are in Little Rock for the weekend. We travel a lot all over the country, and we really make a point of Yelping a short list of "must-visit" places along the way. Gusano's was at the very top of our list in Little Rock. Unfortunately, though, we'll never be able to rate their rendition of Chicago style pizza in comparison to the real thing. We planned to take a party of 6 together and arrive around 8:00. We called ahead when we left our prior engagement. Us: "Can you add us to the wait list now? We're on our way, approximately 5-10 minutes away from arrival." Gusano's: "No, you have to be standing here in front of me to be on the list." Us: "No problem. How long is the wait right now?" Gusano's: "An hour." Fine. Really. No problem. I totally get it. On a busy Saturday night, people come and go, and this kind of policy helps keep things in line and running smoothly for customers who are committed to getting a table. If I ran a restaurant, I imagine I may well do the very same thing. Fast forward to literally 5 minutes later. We park on the same block, without issue, and walk up. Us: "Hi, we'd like to register for a table for 6, please?" Gusano's: "Well, there's an hour and 45 minute wait." Us: "Really? We called just a couple minutes ago, and the wait was an hour." Gusano's: "Well, it's an hour and 45 minutes now." I have quoted this exchange verbatim, but what I can't possibly recreate is the expression of the hostess, whose nonverbal message said, "Go away and do not come back." Want further proof of what I'm saying? We ultimately put our name on the list without arguing or complaining about anything. They were going to call us when we came up or got close. That was literally more than 2 hours ago, and we've still not heard from them. In a nutshell, my take is they're far more proud of themselves than they deserve. That's pretty much the extent of it. I wouldn't go back here if my life depended on it. UPDATE: They never called us, even though we put our names on their wait list.
(1)
Taylor R.
A fun place to watch a game. That does make it loud at times, but it's a great atmosphere! Though we didn't have any Chicago-style pizza, we loved our traditional pizzas, especially because they came in a mini (6") size. Our server was funny and (perhaps most importantly) served us promptly. We really enjoyed it!
(4)
Lee F.
I have waited a long time to review this place after 20 plus visits but enough is enough I guess. This really should be the best place to watch any game downtown because of how many tvs they have but thw service is INSANELY bad basically any time of any day. It has actually gotten to thw point where we laugh about it because it is incredible how they can stay in business when it takes 2 hours to get a pizza or 30 mins to see a server or you have to tell a manger that the hostess won't seat you because she has been talking on her cell. The managers are usually nice but it really doesn't make it worth it. The grubs choice chicago style pizza is great but once again it will take way too long to get it. Order it way heforw you are actually hungry if you want to deal with this place
(1)
J R.
Pizza was good, not a Chicago pie in my mind but I appreciate a good selection of toppings which they have. Place is LOUD, it's more sports bar than restaurant but it functions fine for a small group. I have to say the service was good AND amusing, very non traditional in the way they interact with clients but I appreciate acerbic wit so I was right at home. I'll be back for a thin crust and will save my Chicago cravings when back in the land of Lou Malnotti's, Geordano's and Uno's.
(3)
Charles S.
Not good. Pequods, Pizanos, Flo and Santos, Coalfire, Lou Malnati's; these are some of the pizza restaurants in Chicago I've been to. Gusanos would not last in Chi-town. In fact if someone opened a Pizzeria Uno next door, Gusanos would go broke. My wife and I went in on a Friday night and were seated promptly. The waitress came quickly and took our orders, here everything fell apart. We ordered two small deep dish pizzas. Both were delivered wrong. One was even brought as a flat crust? What was delivered had no flavor, worst crust ever. No resemblance to "Chicago" pizza. The crust tasted more like a saltine cracker than anything. Would not go back. Just bad pizza. Someone needs to introduce these cooks to butter. Atmosphere of a sports bar.
(2)
Matthew M.
I came pretty early so I could get a seat for the Memphis Grizzlies game. The staff put the game on for me and brought me a cold drink. I was offered a suggestion by the wonderful waitress who really liked her job. The suggestion was perfect, and priced right. They even allowed me to keep my bicycle inside since the key to my lock broke :/ If I am ever in Little rock again, I will go back.
(4)
Bill S.
The Pizza Tasted like Cardboard and the sauce was straight out of a can. Just terrible food and the service stunk too!! I will never return.
(1)
John S.
I ate at the one in fayetteville and stand by my previous review. The deep dish was worse and just awful.
(2)
Jami C.
Herbivore delight, swap bell peppers for jalapeño..... Greek salad..... Add the Coke & you have one of the yummiest & not-too-pricey lunches in town. Love this place & service is always fine..... We still haven't tried the Chicago style pizza, only because we love that IN Chicago, but we plan to!
(5)
Kristina C.
Great place to watch a sports event. Huge screens. Had the dirty bird pizza. Great flavor. The dough was light but crisp. Service was prompt. Tara was a great waitress.
(4)
Eric P.
We came here just about an hour before closing. Overall this place is only 3 stars, but I have to give an extra star to our server who went above and beyond and made us really appreciate Southern hospitality. Gusano's is a perfect place to watch a game due to their numerous projector TV's and flat screen TV's. There is no bad seat in the house. We ordered several different deep dish pizzas to try and split among our group. Pizzas took a somewhat short time to come out, only 20-25min. Guess that might have been the first red flag (typical Chicago pizzas take 45-60min to cook form scratch)The food claims to be Chicago style, sadly the only thing it shares with Chicago pizzas are the names. Crust was way too thin and un-even in how it was cooked. Some parts were crisp, other parts soggy. But on the flip side, our waitress was amazing. We were a group of 10 and she was always checking in on us make sure if we needed another beer and made sure to keep the waters filled. When it came to the bill, she had already split it for each individual and didn't auto-gratuity us. Next time I'm in town I'll be sure to come back here!
(4)
Aye J.
my family and i love coming to eat here. service is good. pizza is good. atmosphere is casual. pricing is okay. will be back again soon.
(3)
William S.
The location and ambiance are ok. What will keep you coming back is the pizza. This is the best I've had since I moved out of NY.
(5)
Jacob B.
Went downtown looking for somewhere to eat and based on the reviews this place sounded great. We had a very attractive, polite, and helpful waitress during our meal, thankfully. As for the meal, I had ordered a small Caesar salad and a mini Carnivore pizza. The salad was good but when the pizza came out, I was disappointed...it was average to say the best, and looked like that too. My friends had ordered a couple of their specialty pizzas and were satisfied but felt they were nothing spectacular. Here's the kicker: stick to just pizza if you do come here. My friend had ordered a Chicken Bacon Ranch sandwich and the chicken was dry...and he had to ask for ranch...even though ranch is in the name? Then my other friend had ordered a Chicago dog...but he felt that he had a better one at Sonic. So definitely advise to stick just to pizza, average pizza.
(3)
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Address :313 President Clinton Ave
Little Rock, AR, 72201
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
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Josue C.
Gusano's pizza wasn't at all impressing. The beers we were served were warm. Also the wait time was ridiculously long took about 50 minutes. When we received the pizza it basically tasted like spaghetti sauce with bread. Place looked a little dirty also waitresses just talking and giggling rather than asking if we needed another beer or keeping us updated on our long taking pizza.
(2)Chrissie M.
We came here with our children and in law's last year and the pizza was out of this world. Decided to come back this summer and we were quite surprised in the changes in food quality. First we were brought the wrong pizza. Then we had to wait another 30 mins for the one we did order. Once we got it, the pizza crust was not browned at all and it just didn't taste right. I doubt we'll be back.
(3)Amy A.
Overall this place was good. They were out of both Coke Zero and any kind of rum I wanted to try. They also didn't have any ginger beer to order a Moscow mule. I had a turkey sandwich with pineapple which was good and enjoyed my dessert. Our waitress didn't do a very good job breaking down our tab but she was nice and we worked it out.
(4)Jason S.
The customer service in this place is severely lacking our waitress was barely attentive and our food was slow to come out. There is literally a dozen employees all milling about carrying on with personal conversations and no one was working even though it was slow they only came to the table 4 times over an hour stay never bothering to check up on us to see if we were doing fine or whatever. When it came time to pay they didn't bother to come get the check instead just snatching it up on the walk past our table. The strangest thing is they would stare out of the kitchen at the customers like we were fish on exhibit at an aquarium. I looked at our waitress a few times to signal like "hey your table...your paycheck...may need something maybe you should come over and check on them." Customer Service is a big thing to me it doesn't matter how good your pizza is if you can't take care of your customers you are going to lose business.
(2)Candi O.
Great atmosphere, loved the Chicago style hot dog. Jennifer and Courtney, great bartenders!
(5)Cynthia M.
Refreshing change from ordinary pizza. The margherita pizza was light but tasty! Very good choice if you don't want heavy red sauce and meat.
(4)Karl M.
In the last year have eaten here maaannny times. Good Pizza and a different twist on a Chicago style. Don't eat here if you aren't a fan of tomatoes or marinara sauce. Overall the place is good with good cold draft beers and pretty girls behind the bar. Spinach dip is the must try item on the menu but besides that the food is just average. The real reason for going here is for the big tvs and cold beers for a football game
(3)Jackie C.
Not Chicago style...the "deep dish" style is too thin. It was like eating a Digiorno pizza at home. I lived outside of Chicago as a kid and going to get Chicago style pizza was a great memory for me. I asked the waitress to double check if she heard us say deep dish but she tried to play it off. Very disappointed but now I'm on a mission to find a true Chicago style Pizza place in the area.
(2)Rob B.
First place we ate dinner on our business trip. The Moosehead Pizze is AWESOME. Jalapenos, green olives, sausage, ample cheese on a not thin but not typical crust. It totally messed me up to have such a good pizza. I would get this pizza again. I will leave it at that because this pizza made up for the short comings. Heck, I almost forgot to take a photo.
(4)Kearstin B.
Stopped in with the fam on our last night in Little Rock. It's a nice location on the Riverstreet Market with real Chicago style pizza... but we seem to have come on a really bad service night. Granted we were there during March Madness, but I think it was really more about the attractive guys at the table next to us. Our waitress, hmmmguuekl (ok, it was pretty noisy) seemed nice, but then pretty much forgot we existed. Had a small Caesar (and eventually a super as well) salad and a 12inch deep dish (half Hawaiian and half Grub's choice). Really wanted to like the place, and the pizza was good, but not with slow drink orders (over 10 minutes for a beer?), a missing salad, no plates or napkins with the pizza, no drink refills, etc. I just can't say anything better than it was an OK place to get something to eat.
(3)Matt G.
Best service in Little Rock. Great sports bar with tons of TV's. Great spot for N.F.L. Or college football.
(5)Brittney M.
Chicago style pizza (the REAL Chicago style), regular pizza, sandwiches, salads..... all good! Both types of pizza are great-- just depending on what mood you are in & how hungry you are. For appetizers- I'm a fan of the pizza dip, but the wings are pretty good. Salads are a pretty decent size. This is a great place to drink beer & watch a game. There are huge tv's everywhere you look. Not only is a great place to eat and hangout but its River Market location makes it a great place for a night out so you can walk to other bars afterward.
(4)Byoung Kyu S.
Couldn't fall asleep so I decided to go for a stroll. Popped into Gusano's to catch the Spurs/Suns Game 2. There was a live band playing so they wanted a $5 cover. The band sounded decent so I kissed a $5 good bye. It was extremely loud and not just because of the band. There just was a lot going on. Sports games on a number of TVs. Couple of pool tables. Shuffleboard. Etc.... It was pretty cool watching the Spurs/Suns Game on one TV; Blackhawks/Canucks playoff game on another TV; chicks college bowling championship on yet another TV; and of course the World Series of Poker reruns on ESPN 2. While watching all these TVs, the live band was still playing in the background. They also have a few video games and I played a couple games of my all-time-fav-video game........Galaga!!
(4)MJ S.
Meh. It's fun here, usually. I wish they didn't have loud, mediocre live music so often. The food is very average, in my opinion. However, the house merlot is unusually good, as house wines go.
(3)Amber L.
Nothing extremely spectacular in regards to the atmosphere or staff- but the pizza is amazing. It reminds me of my oh-so-favorite Chicago style pizza. The only problem is that I forget about Gusano's. Good location for the night life, not so much dinner.
(4)WILLIAM N.
Not really Chicago pizza. It has a Chicago price that's about it. The pizza was good, but they forgot that Chicago is thick! Anyways, cool sports bar. Just don't ask the manager to change a Plasma screen to a game you want? He's kinda an ASS and needs help with his customer service skills.
(3)T. C.
Sitting by the open windows can be fun for a people watcher like me during a RiverMarket promotion i.e. Riverfest, River Walk. The good part is that is it a non-smoking establishment per the law...the bad part is that people who smoke stand RIGHT THERE so the potential for me to have a severe asthma attack from the stench of their cigarettes makes me sad. So I end up in the back of the restaurant, but the atmosphere is still nice. I love all of their pizza's, sandwiches and beer.
(3)Brad T.
Great place for pizza . A local favorite type of place, many beers on tap. Not the deepest of deep dish pizza, but still very tasty. They made nice salads for the ladies.
(4)Sara B.
Gusano's, I've been to Chicago, I've eaten in Chicago, Chicago pizza is a friend of mine, Gusano's you are no Chicago pizza. The thing is, much like Dan Quayle, it wasn't bad, but it just wasn't what it claimed to be. We got the Leif Erikson. There was no sauce, and worst of all, there was no reason to have a knife and fork. I have since been back and had the hot dog, salads and other pizza... And I stand by it is not Chicago pizza, but it is really good pizza and salad... The highlight of the restaurant was the homemade ranch dressing. I loved it. Loved it so much.
(4)Ricky M.
Great pizza and friendly wait staff. I would love to come back during a Razorback game. This was my first time to eat here and I will definitely come back.
(5)Jennifer B.
I really miss the lunch buffet. That was a great lunch option downtown, and they had a decent salad bar. They've replaced that with a lunch special that includes a small pizza and drink for a set price, but the buffet was better in my opinion because you could sample more kinds. Their Chicago style pizza is done right. Deep dish and ooey-gooey with cheese and toppings. Service is "meh.'
(3)Sara H.
3 stars for the food, (which is great) but no where near Chicago style like they claim. I gotta give the servers 5 stars, had one server, Sarah, who was absolutely phenomenal. She was very polite and sweet. The food could be below par and I'd still return for the excellent service and cold beers
(4)David H.
I have to give Gusano's sub-3 stars, maybe 2.5 stars. My Calzone = 2 stars The crust was dry and cracker-like, and the filling did not induce that sense of Chicago-style that was promised. (Yes, I've been to Chicago). Edible, not bad, but completely unremarkable. Service = 3 stars. It's a sport's bar more than a pizza place, and the cute college girls in sports themed hoodies and short-shorts reinforce that image. My waitress had a Sookie Stackhouse ala season 1 True Blood kind-of-a-thing going on, if that matters to you. Atmosphere = 1 in my book, but I'm not really a sport's bar kind of guy (I was there for the food). Loud pop music, 20+big screen TVs airing football reruns, and dormroom decor. Gusano's is exactly "bad", but I won't be returning.
(2)Regina C.
We met family here for lunch during the holidays. We all shared the artichoke spinach dip to start. I felt it was very over cooked or maybe cooked in a smaller dish. This would be killer otherwise. It's served with Fritos scoops that actually work well with the flavors. We also shared a deep dish pizza. None of us had ever had Chicago style pizza before and we all found it good but agreed that the tomato sauce could have used some kind of seasoning as it was very bland. Service was great...very quick and very thoughtful. Plenty of sports on many giant tvs, the men were slack-jawed with awe (yawn). While we don't usually drive 600 miles for lunch this year circumstances arose that required that we venture to Little Rock if we wanted to be together during the holidays, even if just for lunch. Gusano's worked perfectly for our small family to have a decent meal and a relaxed time. I really couldn't ask for more EXCEPT perhaps some kind of dessert. Thanks for turnin me on to deep dish!
(4)Eric R.
These ain't your usual breadsticks. They are amazing. Good atmosphere and friendly wait staff. The super nice and incredibly attractive waitress didn't hurt my score.
(4)Kevin M.
Very good, not great pizza & factor in your in down town Little Rock with tons of things to do and see and Gusano's adds up to a Great Place
(4)Anonymous B.
This place is great! I give it 4.5 stars! I haven't had a beer served perfectly chilled in quite some time, Gusano's hit it out of the park. Service was very good, staff very attentive. Food was good (hard to beat true Chicago pizza). Sports playing on every screen. Overall, great experience!
(4)Dale R.
A place that serves pizza should have great pizza. The crust was nothing special and was tasteless. The toppings and sauce were a saving grace they were really good. The second visit I had a sandwich which was darn good and a decent portion size. Good drinks and good service.
(3)Andrew B.
Nothing special here. The food isn't that good even for what it is. I have friends who go every week for trivia and beer which they do well. If you must go, don't go hungry.
(2)Ryan K.
I'm from Chicago and am picky about my Chicago-style pizza. I'm happy to say that Gusano's is a respectable substitute when away from the Windy City. The height of the pizza was right, the sauce was on the top (which is right), the right amount of cheese, and the flavors are authentic. #1 positive about the pizza was the sauce; a crushed tomato-based sauce that was flavorful. Is it perfect? No. The crust, while the right thickness, tasted a bit like a matzo-cracker; it had a nice crunch to it, but very little flavor; it definitely needed some more hints of garlic and butter. Was the sausage patty-style? No, but it was very flavorful. I have been to many restaunrants claiming to be Chicago-style that do not even come CLOSE, and Gusano's makes a good effort. The price is right, too, and heck--they now have a pizza called the Ditka! How can that go wrong?!
(4)Saul K.
Very popular in Arkansas, Gusano's offers an interesting mix of pizza and other stuff. Their pizza is good but nothing extraordinary. Good place to watch sports games and try their food challenge if you are feeling it....
(3)Laura E.
Great place to get a chicago dog!! I was very satisfied!!
(5)Dana W.
Love their deep dish!! So much better than a chain pizza place. I've never been to Chicago and have never had the real thing. However, this is pretty darn good.
(5)Brian R.
Food is good. Prices are decent depending on what you order. My dad and I split a pizza which made it cheaper. If I can eat our for under $10, I'm happy. Service wasn't too bad but our waitress (although she got off to a great start) was missing in action for most of the time we were there. We had to get someone else to help us. She finally came and apologized. Don't know what happened. Had it not been for her apology and good attitude, she wouldn't have gotten a tip.
(4)N T.
Great service! Great pizza pie! The food was a little slow to come out, but well worth the wait.
(4)Brittany K.
Had a great time at Gusano's. We met friends in the Rivermarket and we decided on Gusano's for pizza and some baseball watching. Hubby & I split a pizza- which is never an easy feat because he isn't a fan of marinara sauce and I'm not a fan of whatever he usually wants. We compromised on the Chaplin- an oil based pizza with chicken, artichokes, onions, tomatoes, mozzarella, and feta cheeses- we subbed out the onions and added bacon. It was AWESOME. Some of the best pizza I've ever had in the Little Rock area. I ate 2 pieces and my husband ended up eating the other SIX... no leftovers to take home! There are about 100 tvs in the restaurant (exaggeration but there are ALOT) and the game we wanted to watch was already on for our viewing pleasure. It is LOUD, so if you're looking for a quiet spot Gusano's is not for you, but for a game-time grub spot I can't think of anywhere better in the area. The service was okay- not exceptional but they were busy so I gave her a pass. We will definitely be back for another Chaplin pizza and good cold beer!
(4)mark s.
Tried the lunch buffet. Noticed that many of the customers seem to like quantity over quality. Salad bar is ok, pizza is nothing special, very much like frozen pizza. Sorry. I like frozen pizza, but if that is what you do every day all day, man you should rock a pizza. This is just ok. Really, I wanted to love the place. Plus's would be that for those who like to eat a lot, the buffet is cheap enough and their patrons who value quantity seemed to really enjoy the extra space this place offers.
(2)Rodney B.
I say it's good for kids, but deep in it's soul, it's a bar. Don't go for the great service. The waitresses are all the cutesy college chicks that profit from a drunken crowd, like at Hooter's. I don't think they understand "service," when, most likely, they are more accustomed to people trying to make THEM happy. Sorry for the soapbox speech. That being said, it's not bad pizza. I've never had any of their other menu items, so I can't comment there. I have had the opportunity to go to Chicago recently and made a point to try a few pizza places there. Upon comparison, Gusano's is definitley NOT Chicago style. It's more like Chicago style SHAPED pizza. It's got the high crust around the edge, but that's about it. Their crust is crispy, with some herbs baked in, and it's tasty, but it ain't the buttery heaven I had at Giordano's. The toppings are standard, but the sausage ain't the solid layer like at Lou Malnati's. It is, however, the best Chicago style shaped pizza in central Arkansas.
(3)Brad B.
Nice place. Lots of sports. Mediocre pizza. Fun atmosphere.
(4)Kay K.
Gusano's is your typical sunday afternoon sports bar with a bit of southern charm. Although the menu is strickly carbo comfort... The pizzadilla is definitely worth a try!
(3)Kate P.
Hubby & I were in town for RiverFest and wandered down the street from our hotel to Gusano's. Big, open space, lots of TVs, full of people and great-smelling food. Service was super friendly and pizza was nothing short of awesome. I did a "build-your-own" and Hubby had the "Chaplin". Crust was flavorful, with herbs deliciously and visibly baked in. Both our pies tasted GREAT, not soggy or greasy at all. You can get Chicago-style here, although they have non-Chicago style as well. We cleaned our plates!
(4)Joanna B.
This summer I had the joy of visiting my family, most of whom are in the South. After flying to Atlanta from Oakland I drove to Little Rock. I had no idea what I was in for... Sure, I expected to meet up with several people I haven't seen in years. Beautiful greenery would surely greet me along the highways. However, I was unprepared for the best pizza I had ever had before in my life. I've been to Chicago. I've been to New York. I have been to Italy!!! The crust was the perfect texture and consistency to compliment the contents of the pie. Call me an oddball but I ordered mine without the standard marinara sauce. You know what that means, right? I didn't have some nummy sauce disguising some possibly old or dry dough. Or, some dreary, runny sauce saturating my crust such that it would become a soggy mess. Next time I find myself on President Clinton avenue I'm going to get more! Additional Details: The service is as good as the pizza!!! This was the perfect place to watch the 2008 Olympics & I am sure it is full of every night of the world series.
(5)Tanya M.
we stopped for the lunch buffet. it was just OK. the advertise they are Chicago style pizza. yet none on the buffet. that's OK. the pizza they did have out was thin crust. it was OK but gettin hard. as someone who don't care much for peppers most of the pizza's that were out had jalapenos on them. the waitress must have been new. i ask for half and half tea. she brought sweet. my mom asked for coke she got dr.pepper. the waitress was very disorganized. my nephew pick this place because it said video games in the window. there were 3 video games. and was very dark inside. just not what we expected. we set the bar to high and got disappointed.
(3)Tim C.
Best Chicago syle deep dish pizza in town. Excellent sauce, excellent cheese and toppings. Each slice eats like a meal. For traditional thinner crust New York style pizza I prefer Vino's. Haven't had anything else there. The place is mainly a bar that also serves pizza. Loud, noisy, with huge television monitors showing whatever sports game happens to be on. Extremely annoying entertainers often add to the ruckus. Not a quiet place by any means but their pizza makes the trip worth it every now and then.
(4)ML S.
Gusano's is conveniently located in the River Market district of Little Rock. Great pizza and fast service. At night, this is a pretty happening hangout as well. The pizza is pretty awesome! Lunch offers a pizza buffet as well as a full menu. Take out is available. Make sure you try the buffalo chicken wrap and or salad.... delish!!!!!
(4)Mark H.
Okay since Ty Pennington and his crew whipped through there with an extreme makeover, well not really but, I have to say that the place is still the same but with more televisions. I love this place. Great pizzas, cold beer and a typical local hangout/pub. The only thing that concerns me is that the service at the bar isnt as fast as it should be. Other than that, get a waiter and order a great pizza and enjoy an afternoon of football followed by kickballers in their crazy costumes, when in season. A must visit when down town w/ friends.
(4)Brian L.
River Market area is nice, yet small and confined. Classic décor, but a little rugged. Bathrooms should of been cleaner. Pizza was very good, certainly not the best I have ever had but was definitely very good for the price. If you want pizza in this area, I would recommend it. I reiterate what another reviewer said, the bar service was S-L-O-W! If you want beer it is priced quite fairly, they had buckets of 5 bottles for $10 which was pretty good deal. We caught on to get beer, once we tried there mixed drinks, they were pricey, very small and took forever. I guess I can forgive it a little bit, because it seems all service in the Little Rock area is downright slow!
(3)Gilbert L.
Great staff and good beer. A solid place to drink excessively and watch sports on TV. This is about where it stops. When they really push the authenticity of Chicago style food I must say...please stop representing authenticity. - The Italian roast beef really didn't have any taste to it even with the au jus dip. It was a lot but when it is billed as full of flavor, etc. I expect to not need to drown it in au jus. - I had also ordered a small Chicago style carnivore. Real Chicago style has sausage patties not crumbed up like that. Also, the dough needed some buttery flavor. I think this made me most cranky. - Cheese sticks were awesome. I was glad they hit the spot. - Friend sitting across from me ordered the Calzone. I really should have ordered that instead. This place should be renamed Gusano's Calzones. Waitstaff was great like I said. I told them I had a rather large group and gave them about an hour head start to see what they could do. They accommodated nicely. I guess ultimately I was peeved at the lack of said "authenticity". really. you could have said it in style without actually bragging/marketing or whatever you call it. One star for the waitstaff, One star for the beer.
(2)Charles S.
Not good. Pequods, Pizanos, Flo and Santos, Coalfire, Lou Malnati's; these are some of the pizza restaurants in Chicago I've been to. Gusanos would not last in Chi-town. In fact if someone opened a Pizzeria Uno next door, Gusanos would go broke. My wife and I went in on a Friday night and were seated promptly. The waitress came quickly and took our orders, here everything fell apart. We ordered two small deep dish pizzas. Both were delivered wrong. One was even brought as a flat crust? What was delivered had no flavor, worst crust ever. No resemblance to "Chicago" pizza. The crust tasted more like a saltine cracker than anything. Would not go back. Just bad pizza. Someone needs to introduce these cooks to butter. Atmosphere of a sports bar.
(2)Matthew M.
I came pretty early so I could get a seat for the Memphis Grizzlies game. The staff put the game on for me and brought me a cold drink. I was offered a suggestion by the wonderful waitress who really liked her job. The suggestion was perfect, and priced right. They even allowed me to keep my bicycle inside since the key to my lock broke :/ If I am ever in Little rock again, I will go back.
(4)Bill S.
The Pizza Tasted like Cardboard and the sauce was straight out of a can. Just terrible food and the service stunk too!! I will never return.
(1)John S.
I ate at the one in fayetteville and stand by my previous review. The deep dish was worse and just awful.
(2)Jami C.
Herbivore delight, swap bell peppers for jalapeño..... Greek salad..... Add the Coke & you have one of the yummiest & not-too-pricey lunches in town. Love this place & service is always fine..... We still haven't tried the Chicago style pizza, only because we love that IN Chicago, but we plan to!
(5)Kristina C.
Great place to watch a sports event. Huge screens. Had the dirty bird pizza. Great flavor. The dough was light but crisp. Service was prompt. Tara was a great waitress.
(4)Lee F.
I have waited a long time to review this place after 20 plus visits but enough is enough I guess. This really should be the best place to watch any game downtown because of how many tvs they have but thw service is INSANELY bad basically any time of any day. It has actually gotten to thw point where we laugh about it because it is incredible how they can stay in business when it takes 2 hours to get a pizza or 30 mins to see a server or you have to tell a manger that the hostess won't seat you because she has been talking on her cell. The managers are usually nice but it really doesn't make it worth it. The grubs choice chicago style pizza is great but once again it will take way too long to get it. Order it way heforw you are actually hungry if you want to deal with this place
(1)Eric P.
We came here just about an hour before closing. Overall this place is only 3 stars, but I have to give an extra star to our server who went above and beyond and made us really appreciate Southern hospitality. Gusano's is a perfect place to watch a game due to their numerous projector TV's and flat screen TV's. There is no bad seat in the house. We ordered several different deep dish pizzas to try and split among our group. Pizzas took a somewhat short time to come out, only 20-25min. Guess that might have been the first red flag (typical Chicago pizzas take 45-60min to cook form scratch)The food claims to be Chicago style, sadly the only thing it shares with Chicago pizzas are the names. Crust was way too thin and un-even in how it was cooked. Some parts were crisp, other parts soggy. But on the flip side, our waitress was amazing. We were a group of 10 and she was always checking in on us make sure if we needed another beer and made sure to keep the waters filled. When it came to the bill, she had already split it for each individual and didn't auto-gratuity us. Next time I'm in town I'll be sure to come back here!
(4)Aye J.
my family and i love coming to eat here. service is good. pizza is good. atmosphere is casual. pricing is okay. will be back again soon.
(3)William S.
The location and ambiance are ok. What will keep you coming back is the pizza. This is the best I've had since I moved out of NY.
(5)Jacob B.
Went downtown looking for somewhere to eat and based on the reviews this place sounded great. We had a very attractive, polite, and helpful waitress during our meal, thankfully. As for the meal, I had ordered a small Caesar salad and a mini Carnivore pizza. The salad was good but when the pizza came out, I was disappointed...it was average to say the best, and looked like that too. My friends had ordered a couple of their specialty pizzas and were satisfied but felt they were nothing spectacular. Here's the kicker: stick to just pizza if you do come here. My friend had ordered a Chicken Bacon Ranch sandwich and the chicken was dry...and he had to ask for ranch...even though ranch is in the name? Then my other friend had ordered a Chicago dog...but he felt that he had a better one at Sonic. So definitely advise to stick just to pizza, average pizza.
(3)Jason S.
The customer service in this place is severely lacking our waitress was barely attentive and our food was slow to come out. There is literally a dozen employees all milling about carrying on with personal conversations and no one was working even though it was slow they only came to the table 4 times over an hour stay never bothering to check up on us to see if we were doing fine or whatever. When it came time to pay they didn't bother to come get the check instead just snatching it up on the walk past our table. The strangest thing is they would stare out of the kitchen at the customers like we were fish on exhibit at an aquarium. I looked at our waitress a few times to signal like "hey your table...your paycheck...may need something maybe you should come over and check on them." Customer Service is a big thing to me it doesn't matter how good your pizza is if you can't take care of your customers you are going to lose business.
(2)Josue C.
Gusano's pizza wasn't at all impressing. The beers we were served were warm. Also the wait time was ridiculously long took about 50 minutes. When we received the pizza it basically tasted like spaghetti sauce with bread. Place looked a little dirty also waitresses just talking and giggling rather than asking if we needed another beer or keeping us updated on our long taking pizza.
(2)Chrissie M.
We came here with our children and in law's last year and the pizza was out of this world. Decided to come back this summer and we were quite surprised in the changes in food quality. First we were brought the wrong pizza. Then we had to wait another 30 mins for the one we did order. Once we got it, the pizza crust was not browned at all and it just didn't taste right. I doubt we'll be back.
(3)Amy A.
Overall this place was good. They were out of both Coke Zero and any kind of rum I wanted to try. They also didn't have any ginger beer to order a Moscow mule. I had a turkey sandwich with pineapple which was good and enjoyed my dessert. Our waitress didn't do a very good job breaking down our tab but she was nice and we worked it out.
(4)Candi O.
Great atmosphere, loved the Chicago style hot dog. Jennifer and Courtney, great bartenders!
(5)Cynthia M.
Refreshing change from ordinary pizza. The margherita pizza was light but tasty! Very good choice if you don't want heavy red sauce and meat.
(4)Karl M.
In the last year have eaten here maaannny times. Good Pizza and a different twist on a Chicago style. Don't eat here if you aren't a fan of tomatoes or marinara sauce. Overall the place is good with good cold draft beers and pretty girls behind the bar. Spinach dip is the must try item on the menu but besides that the food is just average. The real reason for going here is for the big tvs and cold beers for a football game
(3)Rob B.
First place we ate dinner on our business trip. The Moosehead Pizze is AWESOME. Jalapenos, green olives, sausage, ample cheese on a not thin but not typical crust. It totally messed me up to have such a good pizza. I would get this pizza again. I will leave it at that because this pizza made up for the short comings. Heck, I almost forgot to take a photo.
(4)Brad T.
Great place for pizza . A local favorite type of place, many beers on tap. Not the deepest of deep dish pizza, but still very tasty. They made nice salads for the ladies.
(4)Sara B.
Gusano's, I've been to Chicago, I've eaten in Chicago, Chicago pizza is a friend of mine, Gusano's you are no Chicago pizza. The thing is, much like Dan Quayle, it wasn't bad, but it just wasn't what it claimed to be. We got the Leif Erikson. There was no sauce, and worst of all, there was no reason to have a knife and fork. I have since been back and had the hot dog, salads and other pizza... And I stand by it is not Chicago pizza, but it is really good pizza and salad... The highlight of the restaurant was the homemade ranch dressing. I loved it. Loved it so much.
(4)Ricky M.
Great pizza and friendly wait staff. I would love to come back during a Razorback game. This was my first time to eat here and I will definitely come back.
(5)Jennifer B.
I really miss the lunch buffet. That was a great lunch option downtown, and they had a decent salad bar. They've replaced that with a lunch special that includes a small pizza and drink for a set price, but the buffet was better in my opinion because you could sample more kinds. Their Chicago style pizza is done right. Deep dish and ooey-gooey with cheese and toppings. Service is "meh.'
(3)Sara H.
3 stars for the food, (which is great) but no where near Chicago style like they claim. I gotta give the servers 5 stars, had one server, Sarah, who was absolutely phenomenal. She was very polite and sweet. The food could be below par and I'd still return for the excellent service and cold beers
(4)David H.
I have to give Gusano's sub-3 stars, maybe 2.5 stars. My Calzone = 2 stars The crust was dry and cracker-like, and the filling did not induce that sense of Chicago-style that was promised. (Yes, I've been to Chicago). Edible, not bad, but completely unremarkable. Service = 3 stars. It's a sport's bar more than a pizza place, and the cute college girls in sports themed hoodies and short-shorts reinforce that image. My waitress had a Sookie Stackhouse ala season 1 True Blood kind-of-a-thing going on, if that matters to you. Atmosphere = 1 in my book, but I'm not really a sport's bar kind of guy (I was there for the food). Loud pop music, 20+big screen TVs airing football reruns, and dormroom decor. Gusano's is exactly "bad", but I won't be returning.
(2)Saul K.
Very popular in Arkansas, Gusano's offers an interesting mix of pizza and other stuff. Their pizza is good but nothing extraordinary. Good place to watch sports games and try their food challenge if you are feeling it....
(3)Laura E.
Great place to get a chicago dog!! I was very satisfied!!
(5)Dana W.
Love their deep dish!! So much better than a chain pizza place. I've never been to Chicago and have never had the real thing. However, this is pretty darn good.
(5)Regina C.
We met family here for lunch during the holidays. We all shared the artichoke spinach dip to start. I felt it was very over cooked or maybe cooked in a smaller dish. This would be killer otherwise. It's served with Fritos scoops that actually work well with the flavors. We also shared a deep dish pizza. None of us had ever had Chicago style pizza before and we all found it good but agreed that the tomato sauce could have used some kind of seasoning as it was very bland. Service was great...very quick and very thoughtful. Plenty of sports on many giant tvs, the men were slack-jawed with awe (yawn). While we don't usually drive 600 miles for lunch this year circumstances arose that required that we venture to Little Rock if we wanted to be together during the holidays, even if just for lunch. Gusano's worked perfectly for our small family to have a decent meal and a relaxed time. I really couldn't ask for more EXCEPT perhaps some kind of dessert. Thanks for turnin me on to deep dish!
(4)Eric R.
These ain't your usual breadsticks. They are amazing. Good atmosphere and friendly wait staff. The super nice and incredibly attractive waitress didn't hurt my score.
(4)Kevin M.
Very good, not great pizza & factor in your in down town Little Rock with tons of things to do and see and Gusano's adds up to a Great Place
(4)Anonymous B.
This place is great! I give it 4.5 stars! I haven't had a beer served perfectly chilled in quite some time, Gusano's hit it out of the park. Service was very good, staff very attentive. Food was good (hard to beat true Chicago pizza). Sports playing on every screen. Overall, great experience!
(4)Dale R.
A place that serves pizza should have great pizza. The crust was nothing special and was tasteless. The toppings and sauce were a saving grace they were really good. The second visit I had a sandwich which was darn good and a decent portion size. Good drinks and good service.
(3)Andrew B.
Nothing special here. The food isn't that good even for what it is. I have friends who go every week for trivia and beer which they do well. If you must go, don't go hungry.
(2)Ryan K.
I'm from Chicago and am picky about my Chicago-style pizza. I'm happy to say that Gusano's is a respectable substitute when away from the Windy City. The height of the pizza was right, the sauce was on the top (which is right), the right amount of cheese, and the flavors are authentic. #1 positive about the pizza was the sauce; a crushed tomato-based sauce that was flavorful. Is it perfect? No. The crust, while the right thickness, tasted a bit like a matzo-cracker; it had a nice crunch to it, but very little flavor; it definitely needed some more hints of garlic and butter. Was the sausage patty-style? No, but it was very flavorful. I have been to many restaunrants claiming to be Chicago-style that do not even come CLOSE, and Gusano's makes a good effort. The price is right, too, and heck--they now have a pizza called the Ditka! How can that go wrong?!
(4)Brian R.
Food is good. Prices are decent depending on what you order. My dad and I split a pizza which made it cheaper. If I can eat our for under $10, I'm happy. Service wasn't too bad but our waitress (although she got off to a great start) was missing in action for most of the time we were there. We had to get someone else to help us. She finally came and apologized. Don't know what happened. Had it not been for her apology and good attitude, she wouldn't have gotten a tip.
(4)N T.
Great service! Great pizza pie! The food was a little slow to come out, but well worth the wait.
(4)Brittany K.
Had a great time at Gusano's. We met friends in the Rivermarket and we decided on Gusano's for pizza and some baseball watching. Hubby & I split a pizza- which is never an easy feat because he isn't a fan of marinara sauce and I'm not a fan of whatever he usually wants. We compromised on the Chaplin- an oil based pizza with chicken, artichokes, onions, tomatoes, mozzarella, and feta cheeses- we subbed out the onions and added bacon. It was AWESOME. Some of the best pizza I've ever had in the Little Rock area. I ate 2 pieces and my husband ended up eating the other SIX... no leftovers to take home! There are about 100 tvs in the restaurant (exaggeration but there are ALOT) and the game we wanted to watch was already on for our viewing pleasure. It is LOUD, so if you're looking for a quiet spot Gusano's is not for you, but for a game-time grub spot I can't think of anywhere better in the area. The service was okay- not exceptional but they were busy so I gave her a pass. We will definitely be back for another Chaplin pizza and good cold beer!
(4)Kearstin B.
Stopped in with the fam on our last night in Little Rock. It's a nice location on the Riverstreet Market with real Chicago style pizza... but we seem to have come on a really bad service night. Granted we were there during March Madness, but I think it was really more about the attractive guys at the table next to us. Our waitress, hmmmguuekl (ok, it was pretty noisy) seemed nice, but then pretty much forgot we existed. Had a small Caesar (and eventually a super as well) salad and a 12inch deep dish (half Hawaiian and half Grub's choice). Really wanted to like the place, and the pizza was good, but not with slow drink orders (over 10 minutes for a beer?), a missing salad, no plates or napkins with the pizza, no drink refills, etc. I just can't say anything better than it was an OK place to get something to eat.
(3)Matt G.
Best service in Little Rock. Great sports bar with tons of TV's. Great spot for N.F.L. Or college football.
(5)Brittney M.
Chicago style pizza (the REAL Chicago style), regular pizza, sandwiches, salads..... all good! Both types of pizza are great-- just depending on what mood you are in & how hungry you are. For appetizers- I'm a fan of the pizza dip, but the wings are pretty good. Salads are a pretty decent size. This is a great place to drink beer & watch a game. There are huge tv's everywhere you look. Not only is a great place to eat and hangout but its River Market location makes it a great place for a night out so you can walk to other bars afterward.
(4)Tim C.
Best Chicago syle deep dish pizza in town. Excellent sauce, excellent cheese and toppings. Each slice eats like a meal. For traditional thinner crust New York style pizza I prefer Vino's. Haven't had anything else there. The place is mainly a bar that also serves pizza. Loud, noisy, with huge television monitors showing whatever sports game happens to be on. Extremely annoying entertainers often add to the ruckus. Not a quiet place by any means but their pizza makes the trip worth it every now and then.
(4)Byoung Kyu S.
Couldn't fall asleep so I decided to go for a stroll. Popped into Gusano's to catch the Spurs/Suns Game 2. There was a live band playing so they wanted a $5 cover. The band sounded decent so I kissed a $5 good bye. It was extremely loud and not just because of the band. There just was a lot going on. Sports games on a number of TVs. Couple of pool tables. Shuffleboard. Etc.... It was pretty cool watching the Spurs/Suns Game on one TV; Blackhawks/Canucks playoff game on another TV; chicks college bowling championship on yet another TV; and of course the World Series of Poker reruns on ESPN 2. While watching all these TVs, the live band was still playing in the background. They also have a few video games and I played a couple games of my all-time-fav-video game........Galaga!!
(4)MJ S.
Meh. It's fun here, usually. I wish they didn't have loud, mediocre live music so often. The food is very average, in my opinion. However, the house merlot is unusually good, as house wines go.
(3)Amber L.
Nothing extremely spectacular in regards to the atmosphere or staff- but the pizza is amazing. It reminds me of my oh-so-favorite Chicago style pizza. The only problem is that I forget about Gusano's. Good location for the night life, not so much dinner.
(4)WILLIAM N.
Not really Chicago pizza. It has a Chicago price that's about it. The pizza was good, but they forgot that Chicago is thick! Anyways, cool sports bar. Just don't ask the manager to change a Plasma screen to a game you want? He's kinda an ASS and needs help with his customer service skills.
(3)T. C.
Sitting by the open windows can be fun for a people watcher like me during a RiverMarket promotion i.e. Riverfest, River Walk. The good part is that is it a non-smoking establishment per the law...the bad part is that people who smoke stand RIGHT THERE so the potential for me to have a severe asthma attack from the stench of their cigarettes makes me sad. So I end up in the back of the restaurant, but the atmosphere is still nice. I love all of their pizza's, sandwiches and beer.
(3)mark s.
Tried the lunch buffet. Noticed that many of the customers seem to like quantity over quality. Salad bar is ok, pizza is nothing special, very much like frozen pizza. Sorry. I like frozen pizza, but if that is what you do every day all day, man you should rock a pizza. This is just ok. Really, I wanted to love the place. Plus's would be that for those who like to eat a lot, the buffet is cheap enough and their patrons who value quantity seemed to really enjoy the extra space this place offers.
(2)Tanya M.
we stopped for the lunch buffet. it was just OK. the advertise they are Chicago style pizza. yet none on the buffet. that's OK. the pizza they did have out was thin crust. it was OK but gettin hard. as someone who don't care much for peppers most of the pizza's that were out had jalapenos on them. the waitress must have been new. i ask for half and half tea. she brought sweet. my mom asked for coke she got dr.pepper. the waitress was very disorganized. my nephew pick this place because it said video games in the window. there were 3 video games. and was very dark inside. just not what we expected. we set the bar to high and got disappointed.
(3)Rodney B.
I say it's good for kids, but deep in it's soul, it's a bar. Don't go for the great service. The waitresses are all the cutesy college chicks that profit from a drunken crowd, like at Hooter's. I don't think they understand "service," when, most likely, they are more accustomed to people trying to make THEM happy. Sorry for the soapbox speech. That being said, it's not bad pizza. I've never had any of their other menu items, so I can't comment there. I have had the opportunity to go to Chicago recently and made a point to try a few pizza places there. Upon comparison, Gusano's is definitley NOT Chicago style. It's more like Chicago style SHAPED pizza. It's got the high crust around the edge, but that's about it. Their crust is crispy, with some herbs baked in, and it's tasty, but it ain't the buttery heaven I had at Giordano's. The toppings are standard, but the sausage ain't the solid layer like at Lou Malnati's. It is, however, the best Chicago style shaped pizza in central Arkansas.
(3)Brad B.
Nice place. Lots of sports. Mediocre pizza. Fun atmosphere.
(4)Kay K.
Gusano's is your typical sunday afternoon sports bar with a bit of southern charm. Although the menu is strickly carbo comfort... The pizzadilla is definitely worth a try!
(3)Kate P.
Hubby & I were in town for RiverFest and wandered down the street from our hotel to Gusano's. Big, open space, lots of TVs, full of people and great-smelling food. Service was super friendly and pizza was nothing short of awesome. I did a "build-your-own" and Hubby had the "Chaplin". Crust was flavorful, with herbs deliciously and visibly baked in. Both our pies tasted GREAT, not soggy or greasy at all. You can get Chicago-style here, although they have non-Chicago style as well. We cleaned our plates!
(4)Joanna B.
This summer I had the joy of visiting my family, most of whom are in the South. After flying to Atlanta from Oakland I drove to Little Rock. I had no idea what I was in for... Sure, I expected to meet up with several people I haven't seen in years. Beautiful greenery would surely greet me along the highways. However, I was unprepared for the best pizza I had ever had before in my life. I've been to Chicago. I've been to New York. I have been to Italy!!! The crust was the perfect texture and consistency to compliment the contents of the pie. Call me an oddball but I ordered mine without the standard marinara sauce. You know what that means, right? I didn't have some nummy sauce disguising some possibly old or dry dough. Or, some dreary, runny sauce saturating my crust such that it would become a soggy mess. Next time I find myself on President Clinton avenue I'm going to get more! Additional Details: The service is as good as the pizza!!! This was the perfect place to watch the 2008 Olympics & I am sure it is full of every night of the world series.
(5)ML S.
Gusano's is conveniently located in the River Market district of Little Rock. Great pizza and fast service. At night, this is a pretty happening hangout as well. The pizza is pretty awesome! Lunch offers a pizza buffet as well as a full menu. Take out is available. Make sure you try the buffalo chicken wrap and or salad.... delish!!!!!
(4)Mark H.
Okay since Ty Pennington and his crew whipped through there with an extreme makeover, well not really but, I have to say that the place is still the same but with more televisions. I love this place. Great pizzas, cold beer and a typical local hangout/pub. The only thing that concerns me is that the service at the bar isnt as fast as it should be. Other than that, get a waiter and order a great pizza and enjoy an afternoon of football followed by kickballers in their crazy costumes, when in season. A must visit when down town w/ friends.
(4)Brian L.
River Market area is nice, yet small and confined. Classic décor, but a little rugged. Bathrooms should of been cleaner. Pizza was very good, certainly not the best I have ever had but was definitely very good for the price. If you want pizza in this area, I would recommend it. I reiterate what another reviewer said, the bar service was S-L-O-W! If you want beer it is priced quite fairly, they had buckets of 5 bottles for $10 which was pretty good deal. We caught on to get beer, once we tried there mixed drinks, they were pricey, very small and took forever. I guess I can forgive it a little bit, because it seems all service in the Little Rock area is downright slow!
(3)Kris B.
Pizza Dip for appetizer and traditional meat lovers Great service, draft beer 18 TVs
(4)Carol M.
Great little spot to people watch in downtown Little Rock. We grabbed a table up front so we have a great view of all the activies on President Clinton Avenue. We came here for just an appetizer and a few drinks before a concert. We ordered the spinich dip, which is not your average spinich dip. It was served on a small skillet filled with a blend of various cheeses, spinich, tomatoes and spices. Something else that was unique about this is that it was served with fritos. Definately different but definately delicious. The place was slammed but the service was on point. I would definately venture back here if ever back in downtown LR.
(4)Phillip B.
Chicago deep dish-style pizza in The Rock. One pie fed 3 people. Nice atmosphere close to all downtown attractions.
(4)Elton D.
Good service. Very poor quality food. Visiting Little Rock for business and stumbled into this place. Food is cheap and so is the quality. Not satisfied. Crust of pizza probably frozen.
(1)James B.
Best sports bar in town. All of the sports packages on many tv's. Sweet pizza sauce is great. Can't ask for much else.
(5)Noah H.
The land of a thooooousand Televisions!! But, seriously, that's a lot of TVs. I even took an awkward photo in the men's room because there are TVs *in the stalls.* TV in the urinal. I mean, really. There is literally not a single wall you can look at that doesn't have three TVs on it. It's nearly impossible to look away from several screens. If that's what you're after, rock on! But man, that's just not my jam. The other kind of odd quirk there is that the screens are all at funny heights and angles, and many of the screens are faded or have distorted colors, so even if you're there to watch a game, it's kind of inconvenient. It was also LOUD, really loud, even after the big game was over and many of the other patrons had left, we were shouting to hear each other across the table. On the positive side, I had very good service - with humor and some ribbing, like many other patrons - enjoyed the passable (and heavily local, nice touch!) beer selection, and liked my pizza a lot. It was thin(ish) crust with a crispy rim, and a wonderfully cheesy top. Really hit the spot! Picky eaters be warned though, if you plan to "pick (something) off" a pizza, many of the toppings are cooked into the cheese, so good luck. But I loved that, personally, because I wanted all those toppings and am always sad when something tasty falls off a slice. Also, credit where credit is due, there's a cool little arcade balcony that I was itching to try out, but never made it up there. May come back just to try that. So, solid sports bar, fun place to go with a loud crew, I imagine it's a fine lunch spot because the pizza came out quickly. But, I would recommend a number of places down the road more highly.
(2)Fred H.
Son liked his cheese pizza. GF said her salad was also. My meat calzone? Definitely needs an upgrade in flavor. Sause was terribly tangy and the dough looked grayish and way over seasoned.
(3)Kolin G.
In LR on business and saw this had OK reviews so we gave it a shot. Yuck. This is a chain that must freeze most of their ingredients or just use bad stuff because the pizza was terrible. Specifically, the crust. The waitstaff was awesome, however, and the beer was good, but the food was just so very very bad. Flying saucer is next door and has decent food, I suggest going there.
(1)M Julie R.
Absolutely a disappointment. The two pizza orders came wrong and were not good. I'm embarrassed that they put Chicago's name all over this place. The hot dog, the beef and the pizza -all wrong, all gross. It was an expensive night with very little concession. SMDH
(1)Hilary P.
Stopped in to Gusano's when there wasn't much in the way of GF options in the River Market. Ordered the Gluten Free pizza(I'm Celiac), it was good, but nothing to rave about. The rest of the table seemed to enjoy their food. I wouldn't rate this place high for atmosphere, it was pretty empty and the music was incredibly loud, for the time of the day.
(2)Camille V.
I ordered a Greek salad which was ok and a dirty bird pizza which didn't taste good. The crust tasted like frozen pizza and the ingredients on the pizza tasted frozen no flavor at all. Stay away you would have better luck getting Pizza Hut or papa johns pizza. First time and will not be back.
(1)J R.
Pizza was good, not a Chicago pie in my mind but I appreciate a good selection of toppings which they have. Place is LOUD, it's more sports bar than restaurant but it functions fine for a small group. I have to say the service was good AND amusing, very non traditional in the way they interact with clients but I appreciate acerbic wit so I was right at home. I'll be back for a thin crust and will save my Chicago cravings when back in the land of Lou Malnotti's, Geordano's and Uno's.
(3)Bart B.
Major letdown. The family and I are in Little Rock for the weekend. We travel a lot all over the country, and we really make a point of Yelping a short list of "must-visit" places along the way. Gusano's was at the very top of our list in Little Rock. Unfortunately, though, we'll never be able to rate their rendition of Chicago style pizza in comparison to the real thing. We planned to take a party of 6 together and arrive around 8:00. We called ahead when we left our prior engagement. Us: "Can you add us to the wait list now? We're on our way, approximately 5-10 minutes away from arrival." Gusano's: "No, you have to be standing here in front of me to be on the list." Us: "No problem. How long is the wait right now?" Gusano's: "An hour." Fine. Really. No problem. I totally get it. On a busy Saturday night, people come and go, and this kind of policy helps keep things in line and running smoothly for customers who are committed to getting a table. If I ran a restaurant, I imagine I may well do the very same thing. Fast forward to literally 5 minutes later. We park on the same block, without issue, and walk up. Us: "Hi, we'd like to register for a table for 6, please?" Gusano's: "Well, there's an hour and 45 minute wait." Us: "Really? We called just a couple minutes ago, and the wait was an hour." Gusano's: "Well, it's an hour and 45 minutes now." I have quoted this exchange verbatim, but what I can't possibly recreate is the expression of the hostess, whose nonverbal message said, "Go away and do not come back." Want further proof of what I'm saying? We ultimately put our name on the list without arguing or complaining about anything. They were going to call us when we came up or got close. That was literally more than 2 hours ago, and we've still not heard from them. In a nutshell, my take is they're far more proud of themselves than they deserve. That's pretty much the extent of it. I wouldn't go back here if my life depended on it. UPDATE: They never called us, even though we put our names on their wait list.
(1)Taylor R.
A fun place to watch a game. That does make it loud at times, but it's a great atmosphere! Though we didn't have any Chicago-style pizza, we loved our traditional pizzas, especially because they came in a mini (6") size. Our server was funny and (perhaps most importantly) served us promptly. We really enjoyed it!
(4)Jackie C.
Not Chicago style...the "deep dish" style is too thin. It was like eating a Digiorno pizza at home. I lived outside of Chicago as a kid and going to get Chicago style pizza was a great memory for me. I asked the waitress to double check if she heard us say deep dish but she tried to play it off. Very disappointed but now I'm on a mission to find a true Chicago style Pizza place in the area.
(2)Gilbert L.
Great staff and good beer. A solid place to drink excessively and watch sports on TV. This is about where it stops. When they really push the authenticity of Chicago style food I must say...please stop representing authenticity. - The Italian roast beef really didn't have any taste to it even with the au jus dip. It was a lot but when it is billed as full of flavor, etc. I expect to not need to drown it in au jus. - I had also ordered a small Chicago style carnivore. Real Chicago style has sausage patties not crumbed up like that. Also, the dough needed some buttery flavor. I think this made me most cranky. - Cheese sticks were awesome. I was glad they hit the spot. - Friend sitting across from me ordered the Calzone. I really should have ordered that instead. This place should be renamed Gusano's Calzones. Waitstaff was great like I said. I told them I had a rather large group and gave them about an hour head start to see what they could do. They accommodated nicely. I guess ultimately I was peeved at the lack of said "authenticity". really. you could have said it in style without actually bragging/marketing or whatever you call it. One star for the waitstaff, One star for the beer.
(2)Phillip B.
Chicago deep dish-style pizza in The Rock. One pie fed 3 people. Nice atmosphere close to all downtown attractions.
(4)Elton D.
Good service. Very poor quality food. Visiting Little Rock for business and stumbled into this place. Food is cheap and so is the quality. Not satisfied. Crust of pizza probably frozen.
(1)Carol M.
Great little spot to people watch in downtown Little Rock. We grabbed a table up front so we have a great view of all the activies on President Clinton Avenue. We came here for just an appetizer and a few drinks before a concert. We ordered the spinich dip, which is not your average spinich dip. It was served on a small skillet filled with a blend of various cheeses, spinich, tomatoes and spices. Something else that was unique about this is that it was served with fritos. Definately different but definately delicious. The place was slammed but the service was on point. I would definately venture back here if ever back in downtown LR.
(4)Hilary P.
Stopped in to Gusano's when there wasn't much in the way of GF options in the River Market. Ordered the Gluten Free pizza(I'm Celiac), it was good, but nothing to rave about. The rest of the table seemed to enjoy their food. I wouldn't rate this place high for atmosphere, it was pretty empty and the music was incredibly loud, for the time of the day.
(2)Camille V.
I ordered a Greek salad which was ok and a dirty bird pizza which didn't taste good. The crust tasted like frozen pizza and the ingredients on the pizza tasted frozen no flavor at all. Stay away you would have better luck getting Pizza Hut or papa johns pizza. First time and will not be back.
(1)Noah H.
The land of a thooooousand Televisions!! But, seriously, that's a lot of TVs. I even took an awkward photo in the men's room because there are TVs *in the stalls.* TV in the urinal. I mean, really. There is literally not a single wall you can look at that doesn't have three TVs on it. It's nearly impossible to look away from several screens. If that's what you're after, rock on! But man, that's just not my jam. The other kind of odd quirk there is that the screens are all at funny heights and angles, and many of the screens are faded or have distorted colors, so even if you're there to watch a game, it's kind of inconvenient. It was also LOUD, really loud, even after the big game was over and many of the other patrons had left, we were shouting to hear each other across the table. On the positive side, I had very good service - with humor and some ribbing, like many other patrons - enjoyed the passable (and heavily local, nice touch!) beer selection, and liked my pizza a lot. It was thin(ish) crust with a crispy rim, and a wonderfully cheesy top. Really hit the spot! Picky eaters be warned though, if you plan to "pick (something) off" a pizza, many of the toppings are cooked into the cheese, so good luck. But I loved that, personally, because I wanted all those toppings and am always sad when something tasty falls off a slice. Also, credit where credit is due, there's a cool little arcade balcony that I was itching to try out, but never made it up there. May come back just to try that. So, solid sports bar, fun place to go with a loud crew, I imagine it's a fine lunch spot because the pizza came out quickly. But, I would recommend a number of places down the road more highly.
(2)Kris B.
Pizza Dip for appetizer and traditional meat lovers Great service, draft beer 18 TVs
(4)Fred H.
Son liked his cheese pizza. GF said her salad was also. My meat calzone? Definitely needs an upgrade in flavor. Sause was terribly tangy and the dough looked grayish and way over seasoned.
(3)Kolin G.
In LR on business and saw this had OK reviews so we gave it a shot. Yuck. This is a chain that must freeze most of their ingredients or just use bad stuff because the pizza was terrible. Specifically, the crust. The waitstaff was awesome, however, and the beer was good, but the food was just so very very bad. Flying saucer is next door and has decent food, I suggest going there.
(1)M Julie R.
Absolutely a disappointment. The two pizza orders came wrong and were not good. I'm embarrassed that they put Chicago's name all over this place. The hot dog, the beef and the pizza -all wrong, all gross. It was an expensive night with very little concession. SMDH
(1)James B.
Best sports bar in town. All of the sports packages on many tv's. Sweet pizza sauce is great. Can't ask for much else.
(5)Bart B.
Major letdown. The family and I are in Little Rock for the weekend. We travel a lot all over the country, and we really make a point of Yelping a short list of "must-visit" places along the way. Gusano's was at the very top of our list in Little Rock. Unfortunately, though, we'll never be able to rate their rendition of Chicago style pizza in comparison to the real thing. We planned to take a party of 6 together and arrive around 8:00. We called ahead when we left our prior engagement. Us: "Can you add us to the wait list now? We're on our way, approximately 5-10 minutes away from arrival." Gusano's: "No, you have to be standing here in front of me to be on the list." Us: "No problem. How long is the wait right now?" Gusano's: "An hour." Fine. Really. No problem. I totally get it. On a busy Saturday night, people come and go, and this kind of policy helps keep things in line and running smoothly for customers who are committed to getting a table. If I ran a restaurant, I imagine I may well do the very same thing. Fast forward to literally 5 minutes later. We park on the same block, without issue, and walk up. Us: "Hi, we'd like to register for a table for 6, please?" Gusano's: "Well, there's an hour and 45 minute wait." Us: "Really? We called just a couple minutes ago, and the wait was an hour." Gusano's: "Well, it's an hour and 45 minutes now." I have quoted this exchange verbatim, but what I can't possibly recreate is the expression of the hostess, whose nonverbal message said, "Go away and do not come back." Want further proof of what I'm saying? We ultimately put our name on the list without arguing or complaining about anything. They were going to call us when we came up or got close. That was literally more than 2 hours ago, and we've still not heard from them. In a nutshell, my take is they're far more proud of themselves than they deserve. That's pretty much the extent of it. I wouldn't go back here if my life depended on it. UPDATE: They never called us, even though we put our names on their wait list.
(1)Taylor R.
A fun place to watch a game. That does make it loud at times, but it's a great atmosphere! Though we didn't have any Chicago-style pizza, we loved our traditional pizzas, especially because they came in a mini (6") size. Our server was funny and (perhaps most importantly) served us promptly. We really enjoyed it!
(4)Lee F.
I have waited a long time to review this place after 20 plus visits but enough is enough I guess. This really should be the best place to watch any game downtown because of how many tvs they have but thw service is INSANELY bad basically any time of any day. It has actually gotten to thw point where we laugh about it because it is incredible how they can stay in business when it takes 2 hours to get a pizza or 30 mins to see a server or you have to tell a manger that the hostess won't seat you because she has been talking on her cell. The managers are usually nice but it really doesn't make it worth it. The grubs choice chicago style pizza is great but once again it will take way too long to get it. Order it way heforw you are actually hungry if you want to deal with this place
(1)J R.
Pizza was good, not a Chicago pie in my mind but I appreciate a good selection of toppings which they have. Place is LOUD, it's more sports bar than restaurant but it functions fine for a small group. I have to say the service was good AND amusing, very non traditional in the way they interact with clients but I appreciate acerbic wit so I was right at home. I'll be back for a thin crust and will save my Chicago cravings when back in the land of Lou Malnotti's, Geordano's and Uno's.
(3)Charles S.
Not good. Pequods, Pizanos, Flo and Santos, Coalfire, Lou Malnati's; these are some of the pizza restaurants in Chicago I've been to. Gusanos would not last in Chi-town. In fact if someone opened a Pizzeria Uno next door, Gusanos would go broke. My wife and I went in on a Friday night and were seated promptly. The waitress came quickly and took our orders, here everything fell apart. We ordered two small deep dish pizzas. Both were delivered wrong. One was even brought as a flat crust? What was delivered had no flavor, worst crust ever. No resemblance to "Chicago" pizza. The crust tasted more like a saltine cracker than anything. Would not go back. Just bad pizza. Someone needs to introduce these cooks to butter. Atmosphere of a sports bar.
(2)Matthew M.
I came pretty early so I could get a seat for the Memphis Grizzlies game. The staff put the game on for me and brought me a cold drink. I was offered a suggestion by the wonderful waitress who really liked her job. The suggestion was perfect, and priced right. They even allowed me to keep my bicycle inside since the key to my lock broke :/ If I am ever in Little rock again, I will go back.
(4)Bill S.
The Pizza Tasted like Cardboard and the sauce was straight out of a can. Just terrible food and the service stunk too!! I will never return.
(1)John S.
I ate at the one in fayetteville and stand by my previous review. The deep dish was worse and just awful.
(2)Jami C.
Herbivore delight, swap bell peppers for jalapeño..... Greek salad..... Add the Coke & you have one of the yummiest & not-too-pricey lunches in town. Love this place & service is always fine..... We still haven't tried the Chicago style pizza, only because we love that IN Chicago, but we plan to!
(5)Kristina C.
Great place to watch a sports event. Huge screens. Had the dirty bird pizza. Great flavor. The dough was light but crisp. Service was prompt. Tara was a great waitress.
(4)Eric P.
We came here just about an hour before closing. Overall this place is only 3 stars, but I have to give an extra star to our server who went above and beyond and made us really appreciate Southern hospitality. Gusano's is a perfect place to watch a game due to their numerous projector TV's and flat screen TV's. There is no bad seat in the house. We ordered several different deep dish pizzas to try and split among our group. Pizzas took a somewhat short time to come out, only 20-25min. Guess that might have been the first red flag (typical Chicago pizzas take 45-60min to cook form scratch)The food claims to be Chicago style, sadly the only thing it shares with Chicago pizzas are the names. Crust was way too thin and un-even in how it was cooked. Some parts were crisp, other parts soggy. But on the flip side, our waitress was amazing. We were a group of 10 and she was always checking in on us make sure if we needed another beer and made sure to keep the waters filled. When it came to the bill, she had already split it for each individual and didn't auto-gratuity us. Next time I'm in town I'll be sure to come back here!
(4)Aye J.
my family and i love coming to eat here. service is good. pizza is good. atmosphere is casual. pricing is okay. will be back again soon.
(3)William S.
The location and ambiance are ok. What will keep you coming back is the pizza. This is the best I've had since I moved out of NY.
(5)Jacob B.
Went downtown looking for somewhere to eat and based on the reviews this place sounded great. We had a very attractive, polite, and helpful waitress during our meal, thankfully. As for the meal, I had ordered a small Caesar salad and a mini Carnivore pizza. The salad was good but when the pizza came out, I was disappointed...it was average to say the best, and looked like that too. My friends had ordered a couple of their specialty pizzas and were satisfied but felt they were nothing spectacular. Here's the kicker: stick to just pizza if you do come here. My friend had ordered a Chicken Bacon Ranch sandwich and the chicken was dry...and he had to ask for ranch...even though ranch is in the name? Then my other friend had ordered a Chicago dog...but he felt that he had a better one at Sonic. So definitely advise to stick just to pizza, average pizza.
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