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    Gus Balons Restaurant

    4.1 (208 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Gus Balons Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    GUS BALONS RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Gus Balons Restaurant

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    a truck parked in a parking lot
    Trevor C.

    Excellent comfort food with warm, friendly service to match. You can really taste the difference with the homemade pies and bread, all made in house. The biscuits and gravy are a must-try -- absolutely delicious and the perfect classic comfort dish!

    Chicken fried steak, potatoes, over easy eggs, and white toast.  In the background is my husband's delectable omelet.
    Jennifer S.

    It is truly wonderful to have an old fashioned diner that is now over 50 years old in Tucson. It is even better when you go on a Friday morning and have wonderful food and service. I opted for the chicken fried steak, potatoes (with extra gravy), over easy eggs, and toast (which is from homemade bread). It was so good!!!! My husband opted for the omelette with ham, bacon, sausage, cheese, tomatoes, and peppers topped with salsa and hash browns (my potatoes were better than his hash browns in my humble opinion, but both were outstanding!). I was also thrilled with my Diet RC (RC products are just so good!). But, back to the service - the kindest and most attentive server - she was great! What a great way to start the day!!!! Oh, and pies - their pies looked incredible, and I might cheat for Thanksgiving.

    Hot Turkey sandwich
    Martha C.

    Amazing lunch at breakfast time 10:30 am . Had a hot Turkey mashed potatoes gravy on toasted fresh bread. The waitress was amazing!! This place down home cooking. Closes at 2 .Oh they serve diet RC !!

    Desiree B.

    It is like walking into Alice's restaurant the show not the song. The staff is really friendly, but the food is your average breakfast diner. The hash browns were cooked perfectly for me, crispy on the outside and soft and yummy inside. The sausage was ok not a lot of flavor and the eggs were cooked just right. Perfect over easy is not easy.

    Pork chop, potatoes and omelette.

    Service was top notch! Ambiance was typical cozy diner, smaller than I expected but I like it! Food was great! We had breakfast, eggs, bacon, pork chop, potatoes, and Belgian waffle. No complaints! We ordered their giant cinnamon roll to take home. It was also delicious! We will try lunch next time!

    Lacey G.

    This is a Traditional eatery serving up classic American diner fare for breakfast and lunch, featuring homemade bread, sweet rolls, pies & more in an old school type of diner setting. I also love their well made iced tea. We've been dining here for years, it's one of my husband's favorite places to eat breakfast at. Service is friendly and fast, and the food is tasty.

    French toast with the upgraded cinnamon roll bread for 2 bucks more
    Allison P.

    Stop by for fast and friendly service. Typical breakfast staples with sandwiches and burgers too. Closed on Sundays. If you get the French toast and upgrade to the cinnamon roll bread, you can split it with someone.

    Country Ham

    Always love coming back to Gus Balón! Family-owned and operated. The food is always good.

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    2 months ago

    Home cooking at its best! Friendly staff who are very helpful and our take-out order is always ready as promised.

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    2 years ago

    Best cinnamon rolls in town. Great place for breakfast, food and especially service are wonderful. The make really good pies as well.

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    4 years ago

    Food was very good and service was fantastic. Cinnamon roll was delicious. Will definitely be back.

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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Enjoyed our food. Waffle had a good flavor. Service was quick and our waitress was very friendly.

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    Ask the Community - Gus Balons Restaurant

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    Tito & Pep - Ganache dessert ($12) and Pie Allen after dinner cocktail ($13) 5/2026

    Tito & Pep

    4.5(816 reviews)
    3.1 miPeter Howell
    $$$

    I brought someone who hadn't been here yet despite being a self-declared foodie and living in…read moreTucson for 3 years (whaaat)! Suffice to say she absolutely raved - placing it on par with many of the Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants she has sampled back east. And, we agreed, when Michelin publishes its first-ever SouthWest U.S. edition later this year (2026) I recognize getting a star is a mighty fete but if Tito/Pep does not at least make its S.W. Bib list I will know the fix is in. We started with the Queso Fundido ($13) - with chewy cheese, sauteed mushrooms, and beef chorizo it was a perfect blend of meaty/savory/fatty. We also ordered the Grilled Octopus ($17). What a surprise this was, the crunchy roasted pepper flakes and unusually soft grilled octopus it kicked the pants off of "calamari-style." We inquired and the way they remove the typical rubberiness is by poaching the octopus tentacles for 5(!) hours before grilling. You Go chef Martinez! For our entree we opted for the day's special: deep fried whole Red Snapper for two ($85)... as did about a half-dozen other tables in this intimate 20-tabled venue. See pics as a written description is inadequate. The crisp was excellent and the tender moist fish just beneath, exquisite. The roasted jalapenos were other worldly - somehow only mild heat and with a subtle sweet/acid presence... totally and entirely edible. As fantastic as the vinegar slaw was atop our self-made fish tacos, the tomatillo puree was ridiculous - so fresh and not sour that its scent was nearly as strong as its flavor. We asked again, how?! and were told they first cook the tomatillos for 3 hours. Folks, the effort involved to present this kind of meal would be nearly impossible to do at home for even double the cost. We concluded with the ganache dessert ($12). While so richly decadent it was possibly too rich, only by virtue of its size... it needs to be shared! We were deeply torn over that or the olive oil cake and will opt for the latter... next year, Lol. For drinks we ordered two glasses of their "red blend" (really good for a simple blend) and then the Pie Allen after dinner cocktail ($13) - an interesting combination of prickly pear liquor and port. The staff were amazing - not just in timely attentiveness (a minimum requirement at this level) but especially in terms of being able to field our deep curiosities about several of the dishes. Due to our "layers" of ordering we stayed an easy 2+ hours and were never rushed. Parking will get tight at peak times but everyone will be accommodated. Pre-tip we were at $165 - a special occasion outing for sure but, we both agreed, an (almost) bargain. At this level of quality and degree of effort in Chicago or Miami (places she recently lived) would be closer to $250 for two. Small note: three years ago this began, now it's the norm - restaurants are calculating the tip based upon a total that's After the tax has been added. It's a minor but, nonetheless, unconsented-to, inflation of the tip. Just an fyi :)

    If I could give 6 stars I would. One of the best meals I've had anywhere and certainly the best…read morefood we had during our weeklong stay in Tucson. From the drinks to the entrees and dessert everything was fantastic. Easily the best salmon entree I've ever had. Our service was excellent throughout the night. I ordered a beer that wasn't what I expected and they not only apologized but promptly removed it from the bill, offered a replacement and even went so far as to say they will change the description on the menu to avoid confusion in the future. We will absolutely be thinking about this meal until we return in the future!

    Photos
    Tito & Pep - Cool vibe

    Cool vibe

    Tito & Pep - Whole deep-fried Sea of Cortez Red Snapper for two ($85) 5/2026 special of the day.

    Whole deep-fried Sea of Cortez Red Snapper for two ($85) 5/2026 special of the day.

    Tito & Pep - Steak skewers

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    Steak skewers

    Gus Balons Restaurant - breakfast_brunch - Updated May 2026

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