Anyone eat at Famos Daves?

I've eaten there twice and i wont go back again, first time was in Wis, Dells and the 2nd time was at the new part of Branson, Mo.
Both times i tried the brisket sandwich and both times 3 little chunks of meat and afew drops of sauce.
the place to try at Branson is the new "Garfields" now that place you wont walk away hungry and besides its next to the new BASS PRO SHOP to walk that food off

I think you're first problem is spending too much time in tourist traps! Just kidding.

Of all the chain places,Famous Dave's is my favorite. Now I've only had a few things from there, but I always leave wanting more. Nothing but good experiences, friendly staff, etc.

I had Smokey Bones this past weekend in Springfield, IL, it was not good.

even i know you could be right on that first part

I have eaten there a couple of times.I haven't been back for about 2 years. I can do better at home. Their food is good,but I have a thing about chains. I just don't eat out that often. JT

We've eaten there once in K.C. Kansas last year and it was the best Que of the bunch that trip. We ordered the sampler platter that comes on a trash can lid. The review of our experience is posted here: http://www.barbecuebible.com/board/view ... hp?p=90755

Stopped at the one just south of D.C. (around Dale City/Woodbridge area of Virginia) and wasn't overly impressed with their food. Some good sauces, but the quality of the meats left a little to be desired.

This might have been just a fluke, but I wasn't impressed.

I've always liked the Famous Dave's sauces, but the restaurant was not very good.

Had them for the 1st time yesterday.
Food was decent. I had the brisket platter and it was tasty.
My wife wasn't too happy with the BBQ chicken potato she got (she doesn't like dark meat and thats all it was).

They're sauces were OK...the regular one has too much celery seed (or something very similar) in it for my liking.

I prefer Smoky Bones over Famous Dave's but I like Tony Roma's sauces the best of them all.

I am a big fan of the Famous Dave's in Madison, WI.
The food is very good, the employees are friendly, and the place is CLEAN, which is something I can't say about some BBQ places I have visited.

I've eaten at the Madison, Wisconsin Dells, and Owatonna, MN locations. I ordered the exact same thing at all 3 - brisket - and all 3 tasted different. One was really good and the other two were fair. I think Famous Dave's corporate needs to take a lesson from the fast food chains - all their locations need to offer a consistent product. I don't like McD's, but a Big Mac in NY tastes the same as a Big Mac in AZ.

But the ingredients in a NY Big Mac are nearly identical to those in an AZ Big Mac (some probably even come from the same distributor). I'm willing to bet that all FDs follow the same basic guidelines and procedures but the variances found in whole cuts of meat and wood can have a noticeable effect on the final product.

Brad

I can see that if we're talking about locations across country, but these three are within a few hours (as the bird flies) of each other, especially the Dells and Madison locations. There should be no differences in the taste of an exact same item at these locations. It's a lack of strong quality control. If you let each location do their own thing, then one location with bad food can bring the entire chain down. If FD wants their locations to do this, then name the menu choices differently at least.

I ate the Famous Dave's in Plantina, Illinois last year (manufacturing site of Weber-Stephan Products) on a business trip. I have never found one in this part of California.

The ribs were good if you ordered them "naked". In other words, no sauce applied and you are permitted to pour your own sauces from their offerings into dipping cups. Then dip the sauce you want to taste, not what the kitchen chef applies. With just the rub, they were great and there is only one sauce worth the trouble, in my opinion.

Interesting to note, Famous Dave's won the BBQ Rib cookoff at John Asguaga's Nugget in Sparks, Nevada for the second consecutive year on the Labor Day weekend. I was not there, because the crowds were horrible I am told. I was there the day after.

Famous Dave's wins and has won a lot of comps - this is how he got his start -but as another famous ribber and friend of Famous Dave on another forum points out - what you cook at a comp is not necessarily what is cooked in a restaraunt especially a corporate franchise.
We all like to think that we can do as good if not better than some of the barbecue joints that we've tried - especially the franchises.
Personally I'm a sucker for Famous Dave's rib tips - this is what I order when I go. Been about a year since we've gone and don't remember exactly how it was done but my wife had a pork loin that was in an apple cider sauce that was quite good - think it was a limited time special.

Their cooking team wins lots of rib comps but this isn't the garbage they serve in their restaurants. Their brisket is always dry, never will you see a smoke ring, gas-fired cookers, TGI Fridays contrived atmosphere.