Famous Dave’s

This was my first visit and I would go back again. Great service and the food was also very good. I had the beef burnt end sandwich and it was very very delicious.

Who the heck is Dave? Why is he famous? Well, I still don’t know who Dave is but I now know why he’s famous. Famous for his BBQ and whatnot. Went there earlier for the second time after about 2 years and coincidentally, I sat on the same table as a couple years back. I remember getting the meal for one (or something like that) before and I thought it was pretty good. This time I got the short ribs tips with corn and mashed potatoes. Loved the mashed potatoes! Anything with potatoes is my ish! The ribs tips were good too. The thicker cuts were tender but the thinner ones were like beef jerky but that’s okay because I also like beef jerky… or pork jerky in this situation. As if the tips weren’t good enough, they added this bomb ask sauce with the meal and that really complimented the tips and everything else in the plate. This is my first time noticing the extra sauces they have on the table because I didn’t notice them a couple years back when I was there. I also thought the cornbread was good. I don’t necessarily like cornbread but I finished this one because it was pretty good. Not as good as the one from Heaven Sent Chicken but it was good enough for me to eat it last; wasn’t the best for last but it was pretty much my dessert. Definitely coming back to this place whenever I’m in Washington again. It’s quite a trip down to the Old West if I do say so myself.

The wife and I came here Friday night at 7. It was full but we were greeted with smiles. We were seated right away and got our orders in right away. We got the «feast for two», it was pretty expensive, about $ 42 for it (without tax). Good thing is, it came with a decent amount of food. Bad thing is, some of the brisket was dry and grainy, but overall it was good. 4 stars was for service, after reading the other reviews about bad service maybe it’s just hit and miss but the service was great tonight.

I frequent this place whenever I have a craving for BBQ as it’s quicker than making my own. I’ve had better but I can’t complain about the food here as it’s pretty consistent. The service is touch and go depending on how busy it is. I feel you get better service at the bar when it’s not as busy. The employees are very friendly. They have an ok selection of beer. They did have Deschutes Obsidian Stout on tap. Yummy! Made the visit well worth it just for that pint of beer!

Dave’s is very much not for me. I like BBQ, but I dislike any country and western anything and the only reason why I came was because I was given a gift card. The food was awful and the service was atrocious. Maybe for those who really like BBQ and don’t mind the country music and décor this will be a good place to try. However, the service was bad so best of luck.
We came in on a weekday night and just a handful of tables were occupied. No one was at the hostess stand. I yelled out a hello after waiting to be seated for a few minutes. A gal came running over then asked where we wanted to sit, looking out over a sea of vacant tables. We chose a table near the wall and sat down.
After waiting about 10 minutes, the guy I was with flagged someone down to take our order. It took a long time to get our food, which was just a burger and chicken. My companion liked his chicken.
The dessert was burnt, small and tasted horrible. My burger was also burnt.
We were never checked on. We had to ask for the check and for refills.
If you have a healthy diet, there’s not much to order here.
There’s free parking shared with the rest of the shopping area, the only positive about Dave’s.
Food: 0
Service: 0
Ambiance: 0
Parking: 4

Arrived here on Monday, August 31^st around 1030pm, not so busy night with 4 or 5 parties around. Like every visit my girlfriend and I would always order «All American BBQ Feast» for two which includes half slab of St. Louis-​style spareribs, half Country-​Roasted Chicken, ¼ of either Texas beef brisket or Georgia Chopped Pork, Creamy Coleslaw, Fries, Wilbur Beans, Sweet Corn and Corn Bread Muffins. Serves 2 – 3 for the price of $ 38.99. (FYI: you can swap out one the sides ie. Beans for another side)
I absolutely love their feast because you get a little bit of everything, especially their cornbread. Those are to die for! One of the best cornbread I’ve ever tasted.
Oh Famous Dave’s… been here a total of 3 times. First time, I loved it! Second time, I loved it again! (Sucks I wasn’t into writing reviews back then cause it would have a higher rating) But the third time wasn’t as good as the first two times because the quantity wasn’t there as well as their ribs & chicken seemed off. It wasn’t easy «off the bone» like before as well it was really small also the chicken was fairly dry. No doubt the first two times we were here, there were so much food! Not only there was a lot, it was so so good. Everything was on point, flavourful and the chicken was not dry!
Regardless, we would still come back to Famous Dave’s in Tukwila. Food is still amazing and I believe it was just an off night for them. Everything is still good and I still recommend everyone to try this place out if they haven’t. TRY THEIR CORNBREAD!

The food here is pretty good but the service really just killed any chance at a good experience.
First, my friend had brought her son and we had asked for a high-​chair when we first got there. They place wasn’t busy when we arrived at 9:30pm on a weekend. They took our drink order and we didn’t see a server for another 10 minutes. They brought our drinks and one of them was missing and we also asked about the high-​chair again. It was another 10 minutes for the second drink and still no high-​chair. They took our order them and asked once more about the high-​chair.
After 5 minutes, we just took it upon ourselves to get the high-​chair. A waitress came out about 10 minutes later and said that they didn’t have the brisket or steamed broccoli that I had ordered. The sandwich they recommended was good but not what I expected. During that time, I heard other waiters go to another two tables and say we are out of a different type of meat. It was apparent at that time that they didn’t want to cook certain meats as during a time they were slow. One table just got up and left at that time and the table behind is was pretty heated about it too.
Our food came out about 50 minutes after we initially ordered. The food would be ⁴⁄₅ stars and the prices were fair. We finished our food and we just sat there with empty plates for about 10 minutes during a time where there is a total of literally 3 tables.
The waiters were nice and were just doing their job when they told us they were out of certain items but blew it with the whole high-​chair fiasco. The service issues come the top so changes need to be made there before they can run a restaurant that provides an enjoyable experience.
With all that said… if you feel like waiting an excessive amount of time for an item you didn’t order, this is the place for you.

I really wanted some good brisket tonight. I mean I REALLY wanted some good brisket. I waited about 10 or 15 min to be seated. Not bad. But, 48 minutes after being seated we STILL didn’t have our appetizer. It was just onion strings. Three minutes in the deep fryer and they should be on the table. WOW! No idea how long we would have to wait for the main course. Walked out. (Still no appetizer.)
Next time, I’ll find someplace else for my brisket.

I ordered the chopped pork, it came out pink/​red, in other words, way undercooked, which in pork is very dangerous.
Two days later, I am still sick
Be careful what you order

First, we live a ways away so when were in the hood we usually stop here for eats.
The place was clean. Our server was Marcus. Nice guy but needs help in the service area. We ordered drinks that took 15 minutes to come out. He left the drinks and it was another 10 before was saw him again to take our order. He’d disappear for long periods of time through out the meal.
Here’s my big issue. The place was fairly empty. We ordered our food including an appetizer. At 15 minutes I asked if the appetizer was coming and was told «right away». At 30 minutes none of our food had arrived. At 35 minutes 3 of 4 meals had arrived. We were told the 4^th, a salad, was on its way. We waited till the 4 meal arrived as to eat together. Five minutes later no salad and I asked to see the manager. I explained how frustrated we were. I was told they were 2 chef’s down and «the kitchen is busy working on catering order». He offered to pick up 50% of our bill. As the manager left the salad was delivered. A moment or 2 after that came our appetizer.
I have no complaint about the food. It was hot and as good as it usually is. But the service left a lot to be desired.

The quality odor the food is okay. For hot sauce they charge 3.99
Like tag pineapple steak, steamed broccoli and corn bread
Did not like beef briskets. They were cold.
They did not even ask us for dessert and just brought the bill, we had to ask.
What kind of restaurant doesn’t try to sell desserts.
In addition very slow service and flies flying around

Service here was a bit of a disaster. Our server was Dereck. The first time he came to the table, he wasn’t sure if anyone had taken our order yet. We ordered, and he promptly brought the drinks, and (I think) someone else brought out our appetizer.
Then the waiting started. We got pretty annoyed when a table of six next to us, who ordered after we did and had a different server, got their food a full 15 minutes before our table of two. Dereck said even though the restaurant wasn’t very busy, they were «working on catering orders in the kitchen.» Orders which apparently didn’t affect the multiple other tables who arrived after we did and got their food before we got ours.
It wound up taking 40 minutes for the food. A very nice gentleman came by and apologized for the wait and took 50% off our meal, which seemed fair. After that, we still experienced significant delays waiting for take-​out boxes, and then the check.
The food itself was also a disappointment. I had the burnt ends sandwich. I was expecting something like a brioche or ciabatta bun, but it was just a grocery store hamburger bun. The barbecue wasn’t anything special, either. I could have made a better sandwich at home.
The fries didn’t have any flavor, and the «hell-​fire pickles» just tasted like bread and butter pickles. The pickled red onions were okay, but I’ve had better. I liked the cornbread, and the onion straws were fantastic, but that didn’t really help when the barbecue was so unremarkable that I couldn’t even eat the whole sandwich.
All that Dave’s is going to be famous for to me is terrible service and mediocre food.

UGH! This was once my favorite restaurant, but they keep messing with the menu removing the really good stuff.
Like the catfish. They took it away but eventually regarded it. Good call!
Second, the Rib tips were replaced by a smaller portion of dry rub (instead of the bbq). Good but not as fulfilling as the old entrée.
Then they messed with the honey corn bread muffins, opting for regular corn bread. I’d compare the old muffins to red lobsters cheesy biscuits on the yummy scale. Something we always got extras of to take home with us.
Wilburs revenge sauce is gone now too! I loved it on their wing platter.
They also used to offer a really spicy moonshine, Devils moonshine or whatever. Great drink, thats gone too.
Wheres the drunken apples?
Today, it’s nothing special. I used to suggest this restaurant to my wife everything we would go out, but now I find myself trying to talk her into going elsewhere.

I’ve been here a few times in the past. Service is consistently good, but that’s something you expect at a chain restaurant. My parents always get this platter that has a little bit of everything and my favorite is always the cornbread and fries! I don’t know! It’s just reaaaallly good and memorable about this place.
The meat is pretty good but it’s nothing to skip towns for. The ribs, though, were a lot better than I remembered them in the past! More tender and with a char flavor. The brisket has never impressed me and still hasn’t. Chicken is good. Beans and coleslaw are standard.
The restaurant big but it feels small compared to their size and amount of tables, so when it’s full, it feels very crowded. Just something I noticed about the feel of the place. They have a patio that seems a lot more roomy, so I would suggest trying that out!

ribs are the best! I love the fact they give me a sauce selection. Server Jose was attentive, helpful with suggestions and quick with service. I asked for a to go cup and he didn’t say no. he improvised :)!
next time I’m in town I will def. be coming back. mostly due to my overall customer experience (thumbs up!!!)

This place was pack with people when we got there at 6 pm. There was a long wait for tables, so we thought that it was a good sign of things to come. Even the Bar seating was full of customers.
Our waiter this even was Derek. He had a good sense of humor, and seem like a really nice guy. The bad thing was that we barely saw Derek this evening. It took 15 minutes to get drinks (water and tea), as oppose to 5 to get the margarita. I always thought water was easier to pour than alcohol. Guess I was wrong. Food took even longer to get to the table. Jennifer, one of the manager was very nice when she came by the table. Ask us how we enjoy the meal and even got us to go boxes. She even took our order for dessert. considering we haven’t seen Derek in half a hour.
The food was okay. my brisket was chewy. A good brisket pull apart but does not fall apart. This brisket had a elastic quality to it. The bread it was serve on was good. The pickle was spicy and tangy. The wilbur beans was probably one of the best bean I had at any bbq in the northwest.
Service was forgetable, food was forgetable except for the beans. My co-​worker enjoy their ribs, so maybe I should give that a try next time.

Love the ribs, the brisket, chicken, fries, coleslaw, baked beans, but my favorite would be their sauce and they have many kind of sauce for you to pick from! Came here several times and always left satisfied and super full! Their portion is quite big so my husband and I usually just share one order. We made a mistake one time and each ordered something which we couldn’t finished and ended up with a lot of left over.
This place can get very crowded but usually are able to get a table right away in the bar area. Their mixed drinks are pretty strong and good and the service here is decent to good most of the time.

Full disclosure — I’m from Kansas City, home of the country’s best BBQ, so I’m very particular about BBQ joints. With that being said, Famous Dave’s is a decent place to grab some pulled pork or smoked brisket.
Hunger pains got the best of me while I was in Tukwila, so I stopped at Famous Dave’s and sat in the bar for a quick bite. Happy Hour is every day from 3 – 6 PM and includes several different plates to fill you up on the cheap.
I opted for the $ 4.99 rib tip basket. It includes about 8 – 9 rib tips and all are good portions. Some tips were very meaty, but others were mostly fat. Either way, I think you get a good value for the price. Though it’s a «basket», sides are not included.
Tip: The Sweet and Zesty sauce was pretty good — try it!

Let me preface this by saying that I’m a fan of this chain, they have decent bbq (for this part of the country) and that’s why they get 3 stars from me. sides are good, cornbread’s good, the meat is usually pretty tasty. but If it was based off of service alone, it’d be 1 star.
I was born and raised in the south, and I was happy to find a decent small chain of barbecue here in the pacific north west. I have eaten here at least 6 or 7 times over the past several years, and I usually do carry out. After my experience dining in yesterday, I will continue to do carry out only at this restaurant when the craving for bbq kicks in.
My friend and I arrived at the restaurant and were immediately seated around 3:00. we were seated at a table and told who our server would be. after a moment of getting settled, we noticed that the table was sticky and there were grains of salt scattered all over it, so it was very clear that the table had not been wiped off before we sat down. my friend and I sat for over 10 minutes as we watched the people around us (some of who were seated after us) place their drink orders and promptly receive their beverages. we were the only table in the area without drinks, and not a single one of the three servers who passed us stopped to inquire with us or ask if our order had been taken.
We flag down a bar back who was cleaning a table next to us (she had a rag on her so I asked her to wipe our table down too) and asked where our server was. she offered to take our drink orders, but when we asked what they had to drink she stumbled. maybe she was new? no biggie. she disappears and brings back a gentleman who apologizes for the wait — which is great; except that he then places the blame of our wait on the host who sat us, stating «…the host didn’t tell us that the server who had this table was just going home as you sat down…» pretty unprofessional, but again, moving on.
drinks come. we both have lemonades, my friend has a regular one and I ordered strawberry. the server takes our order and disappears. about 10 or 15 minutes later, we see a different server come out of the kitchen with our food and she walks over to a table that already has their food and is in the middle of eating it. she asks them if this is their order and they say no. instead of just glancing at the two people sitting at a table and equating that the two meals in her hand just might be theirs, she returns to the kitchen to obviously ask where this meal goes. she comes back a few moments later and drops off our food without asking if we need anything. it’s at this point I notice we have no paper towels, as they never bothered to bring any to our table (paper towels are on every table as a big roll). I had to steal one from an adjacent empty table.
as we are eating our meal our drinks get empty and the server is nowhere to be found. he eventually comes back and asks me if I want a refill, and urges me to try a different flavor of lemonade that they have. I agree, but he doesn’t even address my friend, who also had a nearly empty cup. he completely ignores her and doesn’t bother to ask if she’d like a different flavor of lemonade; in fact, he doesn’t even look at her. he returns with two lemonades– the flavor I chose, and her plain one.
we finish our meal, in which mine was somewhat disappointing as my Georgia chopped pork was VERY dry, and the server comes back with our checks and states that he’s giving these to us early because they’re really busy now. we looked around and the level of customers hadn’t really changed. We were rushed off after already feeling ignored throughout our entire meal.
my advice to this establishment would just be to not place blame on other employees and do the best you can to turn around a situation where a customer feels ignores instead of perpetuating it.

We use this place for corporate lunches.
They deliver… which is perfect.
They are so good… which is perfect.
They provide spoons, utensils and all the fixens… WHICH IS PERFECT!
I adore the Beef Brisket… I add some coleslaw on bun and it is a perfect marriage.
The baked beans have little bits of meat in them… so good. And by that, I mean SOOOO GOOOD!
I ate AT the restaurant for the first time a few weeks ago. It was lunch time on a Thursday and they were pretty busy… That is a good sign!
Ok. here is the fun part. they have like 5 – 6 sauces on the table, and the server will bring you a basket of chips and spread out all the sauces for you… giving you the low low on what each are!
I felt like I was wearing FANCY PANTS!
What can I say… it doesn’t take much for me to feel special! :p
oh… and the lemonade is so good. I was sure it came from Heaven itself, but sadly, when I asked, it doesn’t. HOWEVER, I am a believer.
They have great lunch specials and I plan on returning.
Thank you Famous Dave’s for making my lunch fun AND yummy!