Famous Daves Bar-B-Que

The food is decent. Nothing that will leave you craving it again again. As can be expected of a franchise, you get a consistent quality most of the time. Even though that is consistently average, you know what you are getting. How does this compare to your typical one off BBQ joint? It is really nothing to write home about. I do like their food, unfortunately I have had some unpleasant experiences. Everything from «dry» food to tough sinewy meat.
One thing they haven’t figured out, is how to cater to the lunch crowd. The lunch crowd typically doesn’t have time to sit around and wait for slow service, unfortunately this is typical of this location.
Recently I was in and they reached a new low. Thankfully the manager recognized this and comped my meal. Unfortunately I waited over an hour for my meal. After 45 minutes of waiting, I asked my waitress, and she informed me that they were backed up from the mornings orders. My order showed up 30 minutes later. When my brisket finally did arrive it was not fully cooked. I don’t know how one fails to prepare brisket. Needless to say I didn’t eat it, even though it was «free».
If you are looking for decent BBQ close to the mall, this will suffice (note it is the only place that serves BBQ).
A word of advice, figure out how to serve your lunch crowd efficiently and in a timely manner. I tend to avoid this place for lunch because it takes so long.
I would have liked to have given them 3 stars, but numerous bad experiences would have me rank them at about 2.5. Average to decent.

Famous Dave’s is the same everywhere. It’s tasty, service is good, and prices are fair. This one is no different than the rest. It’s a nice place to take the family. My boys love the ribs. My husband and I like the meal for two.

Good eats– great job with the Q! These folks just deliver on the good food. Go there. Well trained service staff– great food prep. I found every bite delightful. Just wish more places were like this.

Great food and prices!!! Great place and your can order the food to out!!!
We had some food to out it was great!!! I recommend this place.

Great food, great service! If you have a craving for great BBQ, then this is the place. The meats are tender, the sides are fabulous and the selection of sauces is better than anywhere else. whether you like sweet, spicy, mustard based, or just good old Texas style sauce, they have it. If you like extra spice, try the «Wilber’s Revenge XXX Hot». But be careful, it will burn your lips off!

This used to be my birthday go to spot, well, for over 12 years. My best friend has been taking me there religiously, but this year will be the last time we ever go there again.
We got there at around 5:30 and there was hardly any other people in the place, which in the past would have been unheard of, normally you would have to wait to be seated at that time. So our waiter came over and looked less than thrilled to be there, he took our drink orders and then came back to get our food order, since the last time we were there, the menu had been changed around a bit and not for the better. The prices had gone up and what you used to be able to get on a plate had been changed around. Anyway we all put our order in and within quick time, our food was out. We were all surprised at the quantity of meat, I mean you got a leg with thigh, that was normal and you got your sides, which ever you ordered, but here’s the problem, if you ordered chopped pork you used to get a big ol mound of pork, what we got was a little spoon full, and if you ordered the brisket you used to get about 4 or 5 slices of brisket, now you get 3 as for the ribs, you used to get 4 now you get 3.
They have raised the prices and cut the quantity, and for our waiter he was busy stocking soda or something, he sure wasn’t too concerned with us, he stopped by the table once and that was just after he brought us our order. We couldn’t even flag him down to get our bill he just kept going back and forth with his cases like a robot and never looked over at us, and we were in his line of sight… crazy.
I have always had nothing but good things to say about this place for years, but not anymore, I will never go back to that establishment again. And if you do expect to spend alot of money.
We have heard of a new BBQ place close to us that we are going to try… will let you know how it is.

I had my first taste of Famous Dave’s while on vacation in Wisconsin Dells, and I was hooked. Splurge days happen here :) We recently got the urge again while in Appleton for a day of hauling and installing custom made furniture and we worked up quite an appetite. Dave’s didn’t disappoint! We ordered the Feast for Two with chicken, ribs, brisket and pulled pork. Slaw, beans, corn on the cob, two of those beautiful corn bread muffins, potato wedges, and Texas toast. I thought I had died and gone straight to heaven. I couldn’t get the deliciousness into my mouth fast enough!
P. S. Georgia Mustard sauce is the best!
The table service was a bit slow and nonchalant. The food came out fast and hot, but I had to flag down the server for refills on our drinks, even though there were only two other tables occupied at the time.

A while back my dad axed me where I wanted to go.
«I don’t know? What’s good. Remember Kim doesn’t eat dead animals»
«Famous Dave’s is really good… one of the best places around.»
Then my step mom stepped into the conversation offering her opinion.
«It’s so good…»
Well it was fine. Appleton is a town that supports chains so really saying this is one of the better places in town isn’t a stretch. I’m just not convinced it should be famous or what it would be famous for. I think chaining Bar-​B-​Que is kind of an exercise in futility… seems like a lot of variables can be altered. Or maybe not… I’m sure like most places its warmed up food vice authentic. Anyway, go here and become awed.

Just had a memorable meal at Famous Dave’s. I’m not a barbecue snob, I just like grilled wet barbecue, usually pork. We arrived early and were seated by a friendly hostess. Our server greeted us promptly, and asked if we had any questions or wanted to order a beverage. We started with a New Glarus Spotted Cow (recommended by our waiter) and a Sam Adams Boston Lager. Our beers were quickly joined by a onion straws appetizer. They were OK, but nothing particularly great. Our meals were combos, my husband had ribs, brisket, corn on the cob, corn muffin, and mashed potatoes. He said the ribs, brisket, and corn were all perfectly yummy, he basically demolished them! The mashed potatoes were just OK– (he is spoiled for those, as mine are pretty sensational). I had the ribs, hot wings, corn, muffin, and grilled pineapple! The ribs were perfect, hot, tangy, with a nice smoke ring and crispy edges. The wings were served with a sweet spicy pineapple sauce, which was a real treat. The corn was fresh and prepared perfectly. I AM a corn snob! I was too full to eat the muffin, so I have that to look forward to for breakfast. The grilled pineapple was grilled to perfection, and was delectable. What an ingenious, healthy, accompaniment to a BBQ meal. I LOVED it, we will definitely be back. Our server was attentive, prompt, and courteous throughout the meal.

I routinely drive the hour to this town just as an excuse to eat ribs here. The brisket and sides are just as good. If you want a family environment, and blues tunes with your slab of expertly crafted ribs check it out. Wash it all down with sweet tea or brew.

Very poor. Georgia brisket was served luke cold. Uninteresting flavor. Water glass never refilled. Plate was a tin pan with wax paper. Ate more paper than meat. Service was slow. NOT going back.

Big servings of yummy, sugary, fatty food. Fun atmosphere.

I’ve heard about Famous Dave’s & seen him compete on TV in BBQ competition. So I was really excited to try it.
I ordered ribs with sides of beans and corn. Each meal also comes with cornbread.
Service was friendly and fast, & the atmosphere was fine. The waiter kept coming by to check on my tea & see if I needed anything else.
I guess I am probably a BBQ snob as the ribs were just OK. In fact, the beans were the hit of the meal. I should have ordered multiple meats, but I have to believe that their version of brisket would not be what I’m used to getting. However, since I will be back in a couple of weeks, I might give them a 2^nd chance (it takes 2 bad meals for me to write off a place).

Chicken, ribs or steak, it don’t matter what you cook. If it ain’t been barbecued, then it don’t cut it in my book. From the back roads of the deep South to the Texas panhandle, I have had the pleasure of sampling some of this country’s best BBQ. Arthur Bryant’s, Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous, Baker’s Ribs and countless other juke joints throughout the South have left me with an insatiable craving for that myoglobin/​carbon monoxide reaction that can only come from slow smoking unsuspecting and lethargic animals in huge pits of fire and brimstone! YUM!
Enter, stage left, Famous Dave’s. I first discovered Dave’s BBQ at his Blues Club on Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis soon after moving to Wisconsin from South Texas (what the hell was I thinking?). I enjoyed a great night of beer, blues and cue with some co-​workers and I have been a loyal follower ever since!
I recently had the opportunity to sample Dave’s Appleton, Wisconsin store. Same décor as most of his other stores (There’s a sale at Penny’s!) with the all too familiar aroma of burnt offerings coming from the kitchen. Those burnt offerings rejuvenate everything! If you close your eyes, you can see the old empty steel drums found by Billy Bob and Bubba down by that der canal over yonder, cut in half and brimming with hardwood coals and ashes. Betcha can get some good flavor from them drums. Heck, they got them bone pictures on ‘em! But I digress.
I was seated by the hostess (fancy!) and then ordered the Rib Tips (naked, of course) with the Roasted Chicken, BBQ beans and fries. Being the lunch rush, things took about 15 minutes, but I was able to entertain myself by scribbling dirty words, in alphabetical order (I have to do it in alphabetical order, I am a little CDO), on all of the sugar and not-​so-​sugar packets. The couple seated behind me must have thought me strange when I kept giggling and then kindly asked to exchange my container for theirs. Luckily, the food arrived before I got the letter «F».
The naked tips were mounded on half my plate. I read a review of this restaurant on Urbanspoon by ManBearPig that you should never order the tips because they are meat scraps and the marrow leaks out of the bones. YUM! Apparently, this neanderthal had no idea that rib tips are short, meaty sections of rib that are attached to the lower end of the spare ribs, between the ribs and the sternum. Unlike back ribs or spare ribs, the structure of the rib is provided by dense costal cartilage, NOT BONE! Bonehead! Rib tips are cut away from the spare ribs when preparing St. Louis Style spare ribs.
Anyway, the tips were a bit greasy with loads of fat but the dry rub is full of flavor and lends itself quite well to be dunked with a multitude of sauces. The beans were great with a nice BBQ flavor and the chicken was a little dry but flavorful. Now, you might ask why I got my Rib Tips NAKED? Simple, really. If you get them naked, you can savor each one with a different sauce! The Texas Pit, Devil’s Spit, and the Georgia Mustard are my favorites and I never, ever, use ketchup for my fries. With all of those sauces on the table, why would you use anything else?
The service was okay, but nothing to write home about. So I won’t write about it.
Overall, for a Northwoods boy, Dave does a fine job with BBQ and I am able to get my smoke fix whenever I have the occasion to be traveling near one of his joints. The best part of the meal was that wonderful corn muffin they serve on every plate! Like sucking Kansas through a bee’s ass (maybe they will use that characterization in their menu)! Not sure how they make those delectable little morsels, but i’m certain Dave will be more than willing to share his recipe with me so I can then post it to this blog and become famous myself! But I’m not holding my breath because, just like the rib tips, there’s a fat chance of that!

Terrible service, servers do not appear to care. Food is fair. I ordered a bbq salad and friends had bbq platters. Could not get anyone for drink refills or bill. Manager no where to be found.

I’ve been to a few Famous Dave’s places and this one just doesn’t measure up to its reputation. Seated quickly, good server, but the food just wasn’t what I’ve enjoyed at other locations. My mom’s salad was supposed to have dressing and it came out dry. My pulled pork sandwich had a number of fat chunks I had to extract before eating It was nearby when we wanted dinner, but would choose someplace else for dinner on a return visit.

Decided to come here with a large group for lunch on a Saturday, Thanksgiving weekend. After a couple of days of eating Turkey, some beef or pork sounded pretty appealing.
We were seated quickly enough. Interior decoration was kind of a blend of Hooters and Cracker Barrel. Fake vintage metal signs, photos of old BBQ joints and rolls of paper towels to use as napkins. As always, they asked what we would like to drink. One negative here, I asked for Diet Coke and they said «No Diet Coke — Diet Pepsi». I hate Diet Pepsi.
I ordered the Texas brisket sandwich and the others ordered either ham, ribs, chicken strips or caesar chicken salad. My sandwich was served with potato wedges. The sandwich itself, while ample consists of chunks of beef instead of the Kansas City style sliced beef. It tasted fine but was difficult to eat as a sandwich as all the chunks kept spilling out.
Overall, the food and service was fine, the cost was reasonable. But it is not real «slave over a hot pit or smoker for 15 hours» barbeque in my book.
Close but no cigar. Stick with the family owned joints unless this is your only choice for BBQ.