Famous Daves BBQ


 
It's better than Chili's or Fridays.

It can vary depending on the pitmaster(s).

It may not be as good as your backyard BBQ.
 
I agree with Mike, better than a Chili's or Friday's but your backyard WSM fare is probably better. Not bragging or anything but we have one here and I've had many guests say they should have saved their money and just brought meat here for me to smoke.

I'd save your money and apply it towards smoking meat.
 
I just smoked the best d@mn butts using 6 chunks of pecan and hickory and a flower pot bottom. Talk about a smoke ring. Never have I been so impressed with my own butts until now. Heaven has arrived! Stay home, Grasshopper.
 
I went there in Aug 2007 in WI. It was much better than fast food, but not close to my WSM production. I did think the ribs were decent, though was not impressed at all with the brisket.
 
I think you answered my question. I went to a BBQ restaurant in Cooperstown, NY and the babyback ribs that I make were far better then theirs. I find that most restaurants cover the taste of the meat with too much sauce.
 
Tried the FD near me. Tried the pulled pork, ribs and brisket. Didn't think either were fantastic, but ok. But then I'm spoiled at this point. I much rather look for the non-chain single operator in the shack with picinic tables and paper towels and plates :-) I've had much better luck there.
 
FD's isn't bad and like Mike said, a lot depends on the cook. I don't go there very often but when I do I usually order the rib tips.

The big difference is that a restaurant wants to appeal to a broad range of people while the stuff we cook for ourselves can be very specific when it comes to seasoning, smoke, etc. I've eaten more worse than better commercial barbecue than FD's...

Brad
 
If you start out assuming that it won't be as good as you can make at home then you don't go with any high expectations. I have 2 FD's in the area of my home and I really haven't had a bad meal from either, the 4 times I've been there in the last 3 years.

It is what it is, a chain BBQ rest. that is much better than what other chains pass off as Q and it's not as good as what you can make.

The one saving grace to every FD's though, and it's worth the trip just for this...the Bread Pudding....the best I've ever had anywhere!!!!!
 
While I'd agree that you could probably do better at home with the WSM, IMHO FD's is actually pretty good when compared to other big chain restaurants.
 
I would agree with Bruce and Eric. I still gravitate toward the smaller, private operators if I have the option.
 
I think Famous Dave's is really awful. I may be wrong, but I don't think they even smoke the meat there on the grounds. It comes pre-cooked.
IMO, the ONLY chain restaurant that has anything worth eating (that I have tried) is Corky's.
 
Originally posted by Charlie D.:
Corky's buys their ribs frozen...do all large bbq restaurants do that?[/QUOTE
I would think they would have too. The difference is, Corky's smokes thier ribs on location. I would venture to guess F Dave's are cooked at a central locations, then sealed and shipped. I would love to know.
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Corky's does a lot of their cooking off-site, near the airport. Catering, mail-order and overflow from the restaurants.
 
I cannot speak for all of the Corky's, but the one I go to on Brentwood TN has a pit behind the restaurant on which they cook.
 
Originally posted by Charlie D.:
Corky's buys their ribs frozen...do all large bbq restaurants do that?
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When they are on sale I buy a case of frozen ribs. Thaw them when I need them.

I would go to a small non-chain bbq joint. Better Q usually.
 
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