Went to eat there tonight and watch the second half of the Super Bowl. Sat in the bar area at a booth. Place was empty, but that was to be expected. Anyways, the bartender/server who waited on our table, who btw had so little to do that she sat at a table playing on her phone most of the time, was ok at first, the food came out fast and was delicious., all was good till towards the end when she just came right over and dropped the check off without asking us if we wanted anything else... I of course wanted another beer and my girl wanted desert to take home. I'm assuming that because it was so slow I'm there that even one table was just to much for her that she wanted to rush us out. Also, she never once came back to the table and asked if everything was good. I had to get up at one point, walk over to her while she was messing with her phone, and ask for a coke., I thought it's the servers job to walk over to us and ask if WE wanted anything I actually told her at the beginning that I used to work there so she should have knew that I know the proper way to wait on a guest.... Guess not. I planned on watching the rest of the game there but was cut short. To sum it all it up, food was great but the service was wack. Just can't seem to find and even ground when you go out to eat anywhere these days.
(2)
Felicia A.
Just what I expected! Good service, delicious food. Centrally located in Laurel, MD, we were seated in a booth immediately and had a good evening.
(5)
Jimmy V.
Very good ribs and the extremely good corn bread. Service also is great. Good atmosphere
(4)
Jessie J.
Man there food is good!!! I ordered the Feast For One. It came with sweet beans, ribs, brisket, fries, coleslaw, corn on the cob, chicken and a corn muffin! The portions were ridiculously big. I am not complaining! When I tell you their food has a lot of flavor, it has a lot of flavor ! Great service, great food!
(5)
Keyanna M.
The St. Louis ribs are awesome. The restaurant is clean and the staff is friendly. The prices are average. I would like if they would extend their dessert menu. Maybe add cheesecake and some sort of pie. My food is always fresh and hot, the menu has changed a little and they have increased the prices. Overall it's a great place for dine in or takeout
(4)
Shaka M.
Love this place. Staff is very friendly and cater to your particular needs. Food is the best. Its hard to drive by them.
(5)
Spencer H.
I only come here for lunch nowadays. I rate restaurants for the type of restaurant it is. Famous Dave's is a cookout style restaurant with NO frills that serves amazing food and very large portions. If you are a fan of BBQ ribs, Catfish, great wings, mouthwatering cornbread, then this is the place for you. You will be licking your fingers before you realize it. I wish they would open one in the Bowie or Upper Marlboro area, who knows, maybe one day!
(5)
Kelley M.
This a a review on the customer service not the food. The customer service is horrible. So bad that I stop going into the restuarant. I only order take out. 1)The employees are not attentive and will keep you waiting 2)They socialize more than they serve 3) I do not need to hear about your personal problems and your foul mouth On top of all this....EVEN WHEN I ORDER TAKE-OUT they mess up my order! Its not hard, I order SIMPLE items - Salad with nothing on it (just chicken and lettus) and still they give me extra crap on it I do not order. They have this new save fave where they can save your fave item everytime you call - still messes up my order. I just don't get it, EVERYTIME I walk in to pick up food something will be wrong. If I order grilled, why am I getting fried? Its simple. Food is cool, customer service is horrible. You will wait at the bar for a drink forever, while the bartender gossip with coworkers. I just wanted a drink while waiting for my food. Side note they were backed up for a long time took over an hour to get my salad, and they messed that up too!
(2)
April C.
Saturday 11.8.2014 Arrived here after trying TGIFs rib trio (disgusting). Hostesses were friendly. We decided to sit in the bar to watch the games. Bartender (didnt get his name, tall white guy) was awesome. Other half got the rib tips, I got the brownie. Both were so damn good. We would come here more often, but I am not a fan of cajun/spicy stuff. Offer the catfish without cajun seasoning and I come once a week.
(5)
Nikki C.
Quick and Tasty. Today while making a salad at home I decided to let Famous Dave's prepare the rest of my meal. I called in and ordered ribs, mac and cheese and cornbread muffins (to go). Within the hour I was full, happy and not broke. The dine-in service at this location is a little slow (imo), but the food always tastes wonderful and the staff is always friendly.
(4)
Richard A.
The performance of this store keeps going down everytime I go there. They don't even deserve a 1 star! Yesterday, I called a take out ordered, arrived 30 minutes later only to be told quite rudely that they didn't have the order. I placed another take out order at the counter, payed for it, and went to wait outside. After 20 minites of waiting, I went to the counter only to be informed that again they didn't have my order, though I had a receipt to prove it. This is in fact the forth time this has happened to me in the past 6 months in this same restaurant. If order takeout from this restaurant be beware!!!!
(1)
Ty C.
My family and I use to eat at this particular location at least once a month. Not anymore! The service is terrible, food is thrown together, all and all the Laurel location is the worst Famous Dave's I've ever been to in the DMV! I love their food, just not here. Do yourself a favor and travel to the one in Columbia, MUCH BETTER!
(2)
Melanie B.
Excellent food with lightning fast and friendly service. Got the All American feast which supposedly serves 4-6 even though there were 7 in our party. We still had piles of food left over. My favorite dish was the ribs, while my husband loved the sausage.
(5)
Chris H.
The best famous daves! Sucks I live close to the one in Kentlands where it really isn't as good. It's been a few years since I've gone but it was our old spot so I took my friend there for his birthday with a large group. The waiter was very friendly and accommodating to our party size, and checked up frequently (along with making some fun jokes). I was very pleased that he got my hints about a birthday, although I probably should have done my duty and blatantly told him. REGARDLESS, he picked up on the hints and came out with a birthday dessert and song to embarrass my friend! :) It was a good experience with great food and great staff. Glad nothing has changed from my years of absence.
(4)
Willie B.
Ordered the brisket based on the bartender recommendation... It was terrific but the sides of Mac and cheese and broccoli were quite terrible. I'm used to having unfriendly and awful service in most of Maryland and while the service here wasn't overly friendly, it was efficient and thorough. I can appreciate that in this area.
(4)
Brittany S.
If you're looking for some good ol' chain BBQ, this is your place. For some reason thats what the boy wanted, so thats what the boy got. My second time eating dinner here and it was consistently good. I love the rich & sassy sauce, I could probably drink it or keep a bottle of it in my purse at all times because you just never know. All the meat is very flavorful but not tender and juicy enough for me. You can tell it's a chain, it's missing all the tender and love that should go into BBQ. I've shared the big platter with my boyfriend and it was a good size so make sure you have an empty belly! The ribs have an acceptable amount of meat on them, more than what I expected would come from this kind of place. The pull porked/chopped pork was good, loved the sauce. I've had the chicken platter for myself and the chicken was also very flavorful. I really like the cornbread and the mashed potatoes are yummy! The green beans really weren't that good, they were more soggy than crispy but I had to force myself to eat something green after all that meat! Those BBQ sauces may have me back for more... maybe.
(4)
Abigail B.
My expectations aren't that high for Famous Dave's however the host was texting on her cell phone the entire time we were there. We felt really rushed by our server Justin I understand it was a Sunday night but come on. I am in the service industry so I understand but you should never slack on your service for that reason.
(2)
Brandi P.
My first visit to this location was great. I took my mom for lunch on a girls day out. The servers are really nice and the food was great as usual. The parking lot is nice and spacious and we did not wait long for a table on a Friday afternoon (around 3 PM). The servers name was Kelly. She was really friendly and she was able to update us on menu changes since it had been a while since we went to a famous Dave's.
(5)
Amanda M.
Pretty much full bar, you just have to ask. I got a strawberry daiquiri, it was amazing. First time I considered getting another. Food came out really fast. Me and my boyfriend shared a rack of ribs, and we both got a side of mac n cheese which was good, with a kick of spice. The string beans with bacon were good too, but they came out in a baggie.... really? You couldn't remove the bag? The corn muffins were really good, especially the top. However I found the ribs to be a little dry. There were about 6 different sauces on the table, I wasn't really a fan of any of them. Moist toilettes and paper towels on the table.
(3)
Rob N.
Why do I keep going to Famous Dave's... particularly *this* Famous Dave's? Well, it's convenient. That's pretty much it. I used to work in Laurel/Beltsville daily, and this was a nearby option for food at lunch. I work from home mostly, these days. But, every once in a while I find myself in my old stomping grounds. And in this case, coming off of widespread power outages due to a huge storm, well... Dave's was open. There's always a hint of fryer grease in the air. Service... sometimes isn't, though I've had some friendly servers there. The food is chain BBQ - not bad, but nothing to fawn over. Everything is ever so slightly sticky. Most of the time, I'd rather eat somewhere else for lunch. But, sometimes I forget myself, and end up stuck to the booth at Dave's, with BBQ sauce on my hands.
(2)
Garry O.
Famous Dave's is the one place I can go where I know I'll get great food and not go bankrupt.
(5)
Jim S.
The food is really good, and I like the faux cabin-in-the-woods-in-the-middle-of-nowhere feel...reminds me of visiting my great grand parents when i was a wee lad. The problem is that the staff is abjectly lazy and slow...I mean they are glacially slow. The ribs are not the best I have had, but they are darned tasty and I never leave hungry. The chicken and brisket are both real good. The sides and the tea are pretty good as well. The only thing keeping them from 4 stars is the staff being slow...do not time them with a stopwatch; use a calendar.
(2)
Wayne N.
Fantastic food. No wait, service was good. Manager even came around and asked everyone how things were. Asked if we were local, and when we told him we were from out of town from georgia, came back around later and dropped off a free bottle of bbq sauce. Good stuff
(4)
Sheldon M.
Surprisingly good. Usually hard to get mass made BBQ done well. Good job. At least today
(4)
Kathy M.
Famous Dave's seems to have everything going for it: the name, which gives the impression that they've really perfected their craft (after all, they're "famous"), the huge sign out front which beckons you in, the wall art filled with good times and good food, even the little old ladies who work in the kitchen and come around to your table to make sure you're enjoying your food. And the wait staff are very courteous and professional. They know their menu and provide recommendations if asked - and they offer samples, which is a super-bonus. The one downside to all of this, is that the food is just okay. It won't be the best bar-b-que you've had, nor will you be in a hurry to come back. If this were the only place for miles and miles and I was hungry, I'd probably stop in and have a mundane pulled chicken sandwich and the mac-n-cheese which isn't very good (but it's edible). Or the potato salad, (which isn't very good, but it's edible), or the banana pudding, which isn't very good (but it's edible), or the brownie sundae which also isn't very good (but it's edible). Hopefully they will continue to perfect their menu, but for now, it's not worth the trip.
(2)
Megs T.
This is an OK lunch option for those working in Beltsville. I usually just grab a seat at the bar. Last week, I ordered the Choose 2 lunch--I got a few bones (dry rub) some pulled pork a corn muffin and fries for about $8. That''s pretty much what you would spend at Wendy's or Chick fil A so I consider it a good deal for a sit down lunch. Also, if you sit at the bar, you are guaranteed to (over)hear some interesting and/or dramatic stories from the bartenders/servers, so doubles as decent entertainment.
(3)
Clyde M.
The tables are always sticky. The food is really good, just don't look at the fireplace. My daughter was facing the fireplace and saw a mouse scurring around. Sure nuff, there was a little mouse scurring around, we all saw it. We will never go back.
(1)
JK N.
It's always dirty and sticky Servers are generally rude Food is below average way below average Frozen would taste better
(1)
Soo W.
Good is always great except they give you these tall glasses for drinks without bendy straws...straw fail...minor issue considering the place is clean, staff is friendly, and the food is great.
(3)
Robert R.
I have been to about a half dozen people Famous Dave's in the DC area and this one by far cooks their ribs the best. Always tender and not tough and chewy like at other locations. And what I like best for lunch when you order your food it will arrive in 5 minutes or less! This location was also recently remodel so everything is clean and new looking. This store does a large carry out business also and orders have always been correct when I picked up my order. The fries, baked beans, and corn bread are also always yummy.
(4)
Summer B.
I love Famous Dave's the ribs are really delicious. We usually go to the location and Alexandria or in Mays Landing New Jersey, but this time we decided to check out the Laurel location. The service was really great the waitress was courteous and efficient. She took the order and I have food arrive very quickly, hot, and delicious. This time we decided not to get dessert, just a tad bit too full and had food to bring home as well. The location had a clean dining room and bathrooms also. I would highly recommend this location to get hot food, and awesome customer service.
(5)
Brittney S.
Came here for lunch. Was greeted by a hostess immediately, but I sat at the bar. The bartender was quick to serve me. I had the brisket tacos. They were fine..nothing super special about them. The taco itself was flaky (in a good way), had lettuce, pico, cilantro, jalapeno, and some kind of sauce that was a little sweet. I wanted something small for lunch, so these were a good choice as the order came with two tacos. I've been to other Famous Dave's before and the ribs are (obviously) where it's at, so that's what you should probably order when you come to BBQ places like this. Overall, it was good.
(4)
Christina S.
I'm not much of barbecue fan but came here because my boyfriend insisted. (Our friend is the bartender). We started with the rib tips for our appetizer which surprisingly was pretty good. I could do with less sauce but that's besides the point. I ended up going with the salmon with mac n cheese as a side. The mac n cheese is amazing. The salmon was pretty good too. Thank goodness I got the sauce on the side because I wasn't a fan of it. Next time I go back I'll stick with the chicken fingers.
(4)
Thomas J.
One of my favorite places to eat. Today I got lunch. I was in a bad traffic jam. I got the idea to call my order in. Wow it was waiting for me when I arrived. Hot food yea boy. I love it. Food quality is excellent I love the brisket sandwich. The chili is always a keeper
(4)
Derek N.
The food is ok, but there are better places like Mission BBQ. Their wifi is useless, you have to through a login process that circles back to the login screen, so you can never get access.
(1)
Pastora Itzel E.
What can I say but yummy yummy yummy yummy yummy yummy... Did I say yummy? The food was so delicious... We had never been there at our friend told us we should go we had the barbecue potato chips OMG I'm hooked!!! We order the family platter I don't remember the name but it was yummy and honestly we will be having it again The service was a little slow but other than that everything was delicious and the corn muffins oh Lord...SOOO GOOD
(4)
Darryl P.
We were a party of 4 upon arriving we were greeted and seated our server arrived and took our order he was polite however 10 minutes later came back and said the kitchen was closing because they closed at 10 p.m. however we arrived at 930 and was seated the waiter offered chicken wings and french fries when the food arrived it was cold since we were hungry we decided to eat and not complain the bill was around $60 I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone I would not ever dine at any famous Dave establishments ever
(1)
Darrell K.
Chain BBQ places can be good, but usually cannot match the Mom & Pop places across the country. Maryland is not BBQ country, so it's off to the chains to get your BBQ fix. Problem with them is that they are hit or miss. They can be really good or really bad. Many times, I get beef jerky since they overcook or overheat their meats. Famous Dave is one of the better chain. I had better luck at the Annapolis branch than here, but it wasn't bad. Good and friendly service.
(3)
Brooke T.
Good and bad man...geez. Sometimes, you want some yummy barbecue. You know the kind where you want to lick your fingers after the bites? Geez. I needed some pork slathered in some rich and sassy sauce. Craved the Wilbur beans. Needed a sweet corn muffin. Gawd. They didn't disappoint. I even tried the beef brisket for the first time, and that was blame good too, chillin on that Texas toast with all the drippins and shiggity. Damn good. Service was pretty chill, she was attentive. Not bad for a chain. Now, had that bathroom looked a bit better, y'all would have gotten four stars. We can't have everything, can we? I enjoyed the food, really I did, I mean I always do, but the bathroom...cheese and crackers. Not sure if I'd go back.
Another looooong review for your entertainment. I would really need to have a sit down and chat with Mr Dave myself.! My friend and I decided to try this place out based on ALL the great reviews..like who are these people leaving these great reviews like do you not have taste buds. Disclaimer we did not have the famed ribs. because it was pork and not beef. who still eats the swine? Now to the special sauce..umm that's definitely sweet baby rays BBQ sauce with franks hot sauce added to it okay. We were seated near the bar. I could probably eat off the plate of the guy who was sitting at the bar that's how close we were it was uncomfortable. I ordered Dave's famous burger or something along those lines, with the famous fries. there was nothing famous about this dish. the fries were basic wedges, I wasn't impressed. The burger came with iceberg lettuce cheese and tomatoes on a greasy bun, with what seemed to be a cross between bread & butter and sweet pickles... who eats sweet pickles? I wasn't prepared and I almost hurled. The pickle was so bad that I was in disbelief so I had to eat another one to actually comprehend how disgusting that pickle was.. to drink I had sweet tea, which was not so sweet, I almost asked our server to just warm it up for me so I could just have warm lipton tea..Oh and I cannot forget about the mac n cheese. I never thought anyone could mess up on mac n cheese like Mr. Dave did. man oh man it is called MAC and CHEESE. why was there jalapenos and corn in the mac and cheese. you ruined a classic dish. who does that? BUT wait here is the kicker, once we finished our meal, my friend said her stomach felt funny, then minutes later I begin to experience the same thing. So Mr. Dave there was a break in sanitation..what's going on in your kitchen, did someone not wash their hands when they came from the restroom. Did you touch some raw meat ad then my burger bun, or did you forget to wash the lettuce, idk, but .Dave I give you an F, You won't see my money again.
(1)
Olivia D.
At first, I thought I might lose some cred by giving a chain 4 stars. But since Su the BBQ Guru has given this place 4 stars, I feel a little better about it. The truth is, Famous Dave's rocks like granite and siltstone. So many places botch up their bbq with a combination of too much salt, too much sugar, too much dryness, tastes like cardboard, no smoky flavor, a chemical smoky flavor, too much sauce, sucky sides and worst of all, overall blandness. But for the past few years, Famous Dave's has consistently served up perfectly semicharred chunks of meat that taste like they've been sitting in a smoker all day while still having the texture of moist chewy pig or cow or chicken. In most cases, the meat tastes great by itself. But if you did that then you would be missing out on the fun array of sauces to experiment with. The BEST thing to do if you come here is to order the All American BBQ Feast which comes on top of an overturned tin garbage pail lid with... A full slab of St. Louis-style spareribs, a whole chicken, 1/2 lb. of either Texas beef brisket or Georgia chopped pork, coleslaw, Famous Fries, Wilbur Beans, four corn-on-the-cob, and four corn bread muffins. You need a group of 4-5 to finish this, but it gives you a great sample of almost everything. The 2nd best thing to do is order the Texas beef brisket. The tender, juicy slices of beef come on top of a slice of texas toast with your choice of two sides. Now the sides also deserve a paragraph. Famous Dave's has THE BEST BAKED BEANS I have ever tasted. I know baked beans are a hobo dish and easy to get out of a can, but man, their Wilbur Beans are good. Perfectly sweet and salty and with a slight bit of crunch from onion pieces. Delightful. The corn bread is also REALLY good. I like my cornbread on the sweet side without chunks of anything in it and this fits the bill. The Drunkin Apples are also tasty with just the slightest hint of liqueur. The only side I would steer clear of in the future is the green beans, which tasted like they were fresh out of the freezer.
(4)
Crissy K.
Very good barbecue. Not as good as Red Hot & Blue . . . but what is? Try the pork-topped salad. It is a completely unhealthy, delicious work of art. Oh, and no pre-packaged shredded cheese here. Delicious. You won't even have room for the corn muffin.
(4)
Su K.
Several warnings: 1) This place is always packed! Even at odd hours, you should expect at least a 15 minute wait. No reservations either, unless you reserve the room in the back for a party larger than 25 or so a week or two in advance. 2) It's physically impossible to finish the All-American BBQ Feast between 2 guys. Trust me. I tried, failed, and somehow lived to tell about it.[1] Still my favorite BBQ place in Laurel. [1] For those interested, this was the Day of Glutonny. I had a burger at Bar Louie's, a POCCC ICS, AND the All-American BBQ feast. I probably consumed 5000 calories that day. So this is what being Michael Phelps feels like. Well, minus the 8 gold medals, the endorsements, the rock hard bod, and being able to swim without thrashing like a whale in shallow water.
(4)
Jay C.
Ok, I must admit that before I gave up the swines flesh this was my favorite places to go. Good service, good food, and good prices. You would slap your momma for the cornbread, and there are multiple bbq sauces on your table to slather your meats and stimulate taste buds. If you never had Famous Daves I suggest you go ahead and blow your mind ASAP!
(5)
Crissy T.
I like this place. Ordered my usual chicken tenders which were cooked perfectly. I like testing out the variety of sauces at the table. Famous Dave's doesn't dissapoint.
(4)
Greg W.
Service was good, waiter was very friendly. Food was good. Sauces are great. A little slow on desert and check. Nice atmosphere, decorated to the just like you are in a lodge.
(3)
Deborah L.
My husband was in the mood for some ribs, so we decided to try Famous Dave's. We chose Famous Dave's because I've used them in the past to cater a company summer picnic and the food was a big hit. Well eating in was another story. Our food was cold and the baby back ribs where tough as leather. Even my 12-year old daughter's cheese burger was cold. I looked around for an adult manager, but all I saw was a bunch of high school kids waiting tables and a barely legal looking kid tending the bar. This was one of the worse meals I've ever paid for. Famous Dave should consider just selling his BBQ sauces and saving the rib cooking for someone else.
(1)
Gregory C.
food was great. The ultimate brisket burger was great and the catfish fingers were fried to perfection. The only complaint I have is that the windows and shades need cleaned.
(3)
Chontelle M.
Famous Dave's SAVED MY ASS! And not as in "I've fallen and I can't get up." More like "OMG! I'm in 92 degree weather with 300 hungry teens and my original caterer didn't show up!" I called Famous Dave's and they rescued me! Just like that! I worked directly with Keith Wilson - THE MANAGER OF THE FREAKING CENTURY- and he was able to deliver on chicken, ribs, cornbread, cole slaw, and baked beans and drinks for 300 people. I admitted to them that I had no money and just my word that I would pay them and they did it anyway!!! Not only was Keith great, but the guys who delivered the food were great too - Mick and (i forgot)! They hurried there and set up in 5 minutes with no complaints. They were also very helpful in calming me down. Which I needed! The also buy their meat from local butchers, keeping the money in the city! I cannot express my gratitude for their willingness to work under pressure for us! I will be going here once a month for the rest of my life to show them my affection.
(5)
Laura E.
Service was okay the food is always good!
(5)
Yelp W.
Food: I got a half of a rack of St. Louis Spare Ribs, Baked Beans, Fries, and Cornbread. Ribs: Best paid ribs I have ever had. I will leave it at that. Baked Beans: I like what they did there. Sausage and Onions in the beans gave it nice texture. Sweet and a little tangy. Thumbs up. Fries: Steak cut, weren't soggy. Solid Cornbread: Buttery and moist. It was so good that I bought 6 more ($5) and I am a cheap dude. Workers: Cool. Atmosphere: As you would expect from a national BBQ chain. Think Texas Roadhouse. Nothing stood out here. Solid spot.
(4)
R R.
Dont get me wrong i love the Ribs but its better to call ahead and order than waiting there .. the "10" minute wait that they claim can turn into 30!
(4)
James L.
Famous Daves ended up being a mixed bag for us. Being that we have lived in Texas for the last three years, I should have tempered my expectations a bit. The good: The corn muffins were delicious. The BBQ sauces were all tasty and the hot version was just hot enough to make you notice. The wife liked her beans. The bad: A bit overpriced for what we got. Almost $30 and the portions did not match that cost. The green beans had no taste to them other than the beans themselves. The fries were fries... no shock here.
(2)
Renee' M.
This place has great BBQ! I ate her with my family for lunch. My parents ordered the BBQ ribs and the my mom who loves HOT and SPICY food thought the hot BBQ sauce was HOT and GOOD! My Dad ordered the chicken nachos which were good and my boyfriend had the BBQ chicken which he said was very good. I had the salmon which was also very good. My favorite side is potato salad and they did a very good job with it. Our waiter was very attentive and very knowledgeable about the menu. He also gave us a nice history about Dave the owner and the restaurant. We came here again for 4th of July and ordered take out. We will definitely be back!
(5)
Shandalyn H.
As I craved some great BBQ for week's now. Since, I was driving from South Carolina on I-95 weeks ago. Smelling all the BBQ & nevered stopped. As I walked in smelling the aroma of BBQ. The hostees was very nice & flirting. As I sat down. My waitress Alexis was such an cutie & helpful. As I order my food, I seen they had an lunch special. Which you have a variety of selection. & can I add cheap! So I chose the BBQ chicken & redskin mashed potatoes, corn-on-the-cob & corn bread. Yummy! The portion size is perfect. & can I add, I had dessert. The bread pudding, that came in a mini. & cheap also. I super recommend this place, for a little BBQ comfort.
(3)
Ji K.
After a poor round of golf I tried to cheer myself with bbq. Dave's really hit the spot. I ordered their Combo Special for $7.99 that's offered between 11am and 5pm (if I remember correctly). Quite a deal! You get two choices of meat, corn bread muffin, corn-on-the-cob and your choice of one side. I chose Louis-style spareribs, Georgia chopped pork, and potato salad. The 2 large ribs were fall off the bone tender but it was too saucy for me. They offer "naked" ribs so I'll have to try that next time. I still prefer RH&B (Laurel location) dry rub ribs than Dave's version but Dave's wasn't far behind. Chopped pork was chunkier version of a pulled pork sandwich. It was again tasty but too much sauce also. I liked the corn bread but corn-on-the-cob and potato salad were just ok. They only have 2 versions of their sauces for take out. Tried their spicy sauce and it wasn't spicy at all for a Korean. After the meal, I forgot all the horrors of Rock Creek golf course.
(4)
Victor O.
I was very hungry and while driving towards red lobster I saw the sign for Dave's. So I did a u turn and had some dinner. I love the sauce on their ribs. O order a combination platter. I'm very happy with the service and the food was excellent.
(4)
Adam T.
I think Famous Dave's is like the Olive Garden of BBQ. It's not amazing food, but it is decent and you should know what to expect. They definitely but enough sauce and calories into the dishes to make them taste good, but that's usually a sign that they are covering up for a lack in other things. If you are a real BBQ fan, then you should find somewhere else, but if you are just in the mood for BBQ, then this place can suit that purpose.
(3)
Steve T.
This rating is strictly on the wait staff, and this location. Out of 10 times we've been there we have one waiter worth asking for again. This person had quit before we could ask for him again. I have eaten at FD's all over the place and the food is great and they seem to find good wait staff. If Laurel was not so over crowded this place would fail.
(1)
Stephanie B.
I HEART BBQ!!!! And this place's BBQ is sooooo good. Huge servings, yummy food, and I'm glad its located a litte far from home... because if it wasn't, I'd def. be shopping plus sizes.
(4)
Jewel J.
The to-go staff is rude. Its really very simple. Now that thats out of the way, the food is decent. My favorite is the hickory chicken sandwich. The swiss cheese, bacon, and chicken interaction is different and sets it apart from anything on the menu.
(3)
Jeff L.
Years ago this place was great. At some point it really went down hill. The flavor isnt there. Its often dry and flavorless requiring food to be drenched in sauces to make it worth buying.
(2)
Mako Y.
Yummm! being from the west coast and hawaii, i don't have the expertise to write this review, but i do admit that i always love coming to this joint whenever i'm in town! pulled pork, beef brisket, spicy sausage, beans, rice, corn bread! it's good for me to revisit every trip.
(3)
Elizabeth E.
Sooooooo good. Barbecue is great. The sauces are spectacular. My recommendation on the most bang for your buck- Get the 2 meat combo platter - 2 meats(obviously), 2 sides, corn, and a corn muffin. You can even add a meat for around 3 or 4 dollars more (if you haven't eaten in a month). Everything I have had from here is GOOD. Just depends on what you are in the mood for. Strangely enough their catfish fingers are really, really, really good (one of the meat choices in the 2 meat platter :) ). The service at this location is ok. The one near Frederick, MD has great service. Take out is good just check your food if you have a large order as I have gotten the wrong thing before.
(4)
Kimberly M.
Okay, frist time eating there... The food was out of this world... Staff is great. But I order the bloody mary and the waiter told me not to. I was told everyone sends them back. So I tried one... OMG it was the worst ever. So if everyone sends it back then it is time to try something new. I know they want to stick to the way they do things. I so love the food but I will never drink that swill again. Not even on a bet!!!
(4)
Chuck K.
If you want award-winning ribs, this is the place. Even though it is a chain, they take great efforts to maintain quality. Good food and good prices. Even the small bar area is a terrific place to stop, grab a meal and adult beverage while catching a sports event on the TVs.
(4)
Marianne S.
Good soup (chicken with rice), ceasar salad was good, loaded baked potato was also good. I stopped here with my son while on a bus tour heading to Baltimore from DC. He ordered a burger and thought it was good, seasoning was good from what he mentioned. The service however was quite slow and in the dining area there was not many customers. Our waiter agreed to get us both on our way by taking the orders immediately, and the drinks too. But he was not to be found sometimes for five minutes or so. We ate fairly quick and he still was slow getting us drinks and bringing out the soup. Friendly by all means, but just not so fast with what we asked for. The take out in front was in much better shape. The prices can be seen as high for a place like this, and for the service it is a bit of a let down. I cannot blame the food though. The staff we dealt with were friendly and even packed up our leftovers so we could take them on the road. That was not slow at all. The decor was nice enough and had the ranch feeling going. Lunch cost a little over $20.00. A good place to go when you are not in a rush to go somewhere, or with the family.
(3)
Stephen C.
I thought the meat was nasty. It tasted like the cook poured liquid smoke all over it; I had the brisket. The sides and salad were good but the meat just tasted like something an elementary school cafeteria would make. There was no bark on the brisket at all. Perhaps I was expecting just too much from a chain restaurant.
(1)
Southern G.
Great place for barbeque and beer! I've had great food and great service everytime I've been to this place. I usually get the barbeque for two, which comes with chicken, sausage, and brisket, among other things. To me, it tastes like Texas, and I love it.
(4)
Ken G.
This is a two star review, if there ever was one. Can't give it one star because.... 1) My beer was fresh 2) My soda was fresh 3) The cornbread was excellent. Otherwise, a very disappointing experience. For $49 (2 adults and a 5 year old) we got: overcooked and fairly tasteless ribs, soggy corn on the cob, and weak service. When our food arrived my drink was almost empty and they didn't ask if I wanted another one. One other thing, the floor was full of grease and I might have had more success walking on the ice at the Verizon Center in DC. The bottom line: overpriced, and next time I'll go to the RH&B instead.
(2)
Melanie B.
Excellent food with lightning fast and friendly service. Got the All American feast which supposedly serves 4-6 even though there were 7 in our party. We still had piles of food left over. My favorite dish was the ribs, while my husband loved the sausage.
(5)
Chris H.
The best famous daves! Sucks I live close to the one in Kentlands where it really isn't as good. It's been a few years since I've gone but it was our old spot so I took my friend there for his birthday with a large group. The waiter was very friendly and accommodating to our party size, and checked up frequently (along with making some fun jokes). I was very pleased that he got my hints about a birthday, although I probably should have done my duty and blatantly told him. REGARDLESS, he picked up on the hints and came out with a birthday dessert and song to embarrass my friend! :) It was a good experience with great food and great staff. Glad nothing has changed from my years of absence.
(4)
Willie B.
Ordered the brisket based on the bartender recommendation... It was terrific but the sides of Mac and cheese and broccoli were quite terrible. I'm used to having unfriendly and awful service in most of Maryland and while the service here wasn't overly friendly, it was efficient and thorough. I can appreciate that in this area.
(4)
Brittany S.
If you're looking for some good ol' chain BBQ, this is your place. For some reason thats what the boy wanted, so thats what the boy got. My second time eating dinner here and it was consistently good. I love the rich & sassy sauce, I could probably drink it or keep a bottle of it in my purse at all times because you just never know. All the meat is very flavorful but not tender and juicy enough for me. You can tell it's a chain, it's missing all the tender and love that should go into BBQ. I've shared the big platter with my boyfriend and it was a good size so make sure you have an empty belly! The ribs have an acceptable amount of meat on them, more than what I expected would come from this kind of place. The pull porked/chopped pork was good, loved the sauce. I've had the chicken platter for myself and the chicken was also very flavorful. I really like the cornbread and the mashed potatoes are yummy! The green beans really weren't that good, they were more soggy than crispy but I had to force myself to eat something green after all that meat! Those BBQ sauces may have me back for more... maybe.
(4)
Abigail B.
My expectations aren't that high for Famous Dave's however the host was texting on her cell phone the entire time we were there. We felt really rushed by our server Justin I understand it was a Sunday night but come on. I am in the service industry so I understand but you should never slack on your service for that reason.
(2)
Brandi P.
My first visit to this location was great. I took my mom for lunch on a girls day out. The servers are really nice and the food was great as usual. The parking lot is nice and spacious and we did not wait long for a table on a Friday afternoon (around 3 PM). The servers name was Kelly. She was really friendly and she was able to update us on menu changes since it had been a while since we went to a famous Dave's.
(5)
Ken G.
This is a two star review, if there ever was one. Can't give it one star because.... 1) My beer was fresh 2) My soda was fresh 3) The cornbread was excellent. Otherwise, a very disappointing experience. For $49 (2 adults and a 5 year old) we got: overcooked and fairly tasteless ribs, soggy corn on the cob, and weak service. When our food arrived my drink was almost empty and they didn't ask if I wanted another one. One other thing, the floor was full of grease and I might have had more success walking on the ice at the Verizon Center in DC. The bottom line: overpriced, and next time I'll go to the RH&B instead.
(2)
Christina S.
I'm not much of barbecue fan but came here because my boyfriend insisted. (Our friend is the bartender). We started with the rib tips for our appetizer which surprisingly was pretty good. I could do with less sauce but that's besides the point. I ended up going with the salmon with mac n cheese as a side. The mac n cheese is amazing. The salmon was pretty good too. Thank goodness I got the sauce on the side because I wasn't a fan of it. Next time I go back I'll stick with the chicken fingers.
(4)
Thomas J.
One of my favorite places to eat. Today I got lunch. I was in a bad traffic jam. I got the idea to call my order in. Wow it was waiting for me when I arrived. Hot food yea boy. I love it. Food quality is excellent I love the brisket sandwich. The chili is always a keeper
(4)
Derek N.
The food is ok, but there are better places like Mission BBQ. Their wifi is useless, you have to through a login process that circles back to the login screen, so you can never get access.
(1)
Robert R.
I have been to about a half dozen people Famous Dave's in the DC area and this one by far cooks their ribs the best. Always tender and not tough and chewy like at other locations. And what I like best for lunch when you order your food it will arrive in 5 minutes or less! This location was also recently remodel so everything is clean and new looking. This store does a large carry out business also and orders have always been correct when I picked up my order. The fries, baked beans, and corn bread are also always yummy.
(4)
Summer B.
I love Famous Dave's the ribs are really delicious. We usually go to the location and Alexandria or in Mays Landing New Jersey, but this time we decided to check out the Laurel location. The service was really great the waitress was courteous and efficient. She took the order and I have food arrive very quickly, hot, and delicious. This time we decided not to get dessert, just a tad bit too full and had food to bring home as well. The location had a clean dining room and bathrooms also. I would highly recommend this location to get hot food, and awesome customer service.
(5)
Brittney S.
Came here for lunch. Was greeted by a hostess immediately, but I sat at the bar. The bartender was quick to serve me. I had the brisket tacos. They were fine..nothing super special about them. The taco itself was flaky (in a good way), had lettuce, pico, cilantro, jalapeno, and some kind of sauce that was a little sweet. I wanted something small for lunch, so these were a good choice as the order came with two tacos. I've been to other Famous Dave's before and the ribs are (obviously) where it's at, so that's what you should probably order when you come to BBQ places like this. Overall, it was good.
(4)
Pastora Itzel E.
What can I say but yummy yummy yummy yummy yummy yummy... Did I say yummy? The food was so delicious... We had never been there at our friend told us we should go we had the barbecue potato chips OMG I'm hooked!!! We order the family platter I don't remember the name but it was yummy and honestly we will be having it again The service was a little slow but other than that everything was delicious and the corn muffins oh Lord...SOOO GOOD
(4)
Darryl P.
We were a party of 4 upon arriving we were greeted and seated our server arrived and took our order he was polite however 10 minutes later came back and said the kitchen was closing because they closed at 10 p.m. however we arrived at 930 and was seated the waiter offered chicken wings and french fries when the food arrived it was cold since we were hungry we decided to eat and not complain the bill was around $60 I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone I would not ever dine at any famous Dave establishments ever
(1)
Darrell K.
Chain BBQ places can be good, but usually cannot match the Mom & Pop places across the country. Maryland is not BBQ country, so it's off to the chains to get your BBQ fix. Problem with them is that they are hit or miss. They can be really good or really bad. Many times, I get beef jerky since they overcook or overheat their meats. Famous Dave is one of the better chain. I had better luck at the Annapolis branch than here, but it wasn't bad. Good and friendly service.
(3)
Brooke T.
Good and bad man...geez. Sometimes, you want some yummy barbecue. You know the kind where you want to lick your fingers after the bites? Geez. I needed some pork slathered in some rich and sassy sauce. Craved the Wilbur beans. Needed a sweet corn muffin. Gawd. They didn't disappoint. I even tried the beef brisket for the first time, and that was blame good too, chillin on that Texas toast with all the drippins and shiggity. Damn good. Service was pretty chill, she was attentive. Not bad for a chain. Now, had that bathroom looked a bit better, y'all would have gotten four stars. We can't have everything, can we? I enjoyed the food, really I did, I mean I always do, but the bathroom...cheese and crackers. Not sure if I'd go back.
(3)
Jessie J.
Man there food is good!!! I ordered the Feast For One. It came with sweet beans, ribs, brisket, fries, coleslaw, corn on the cob, chicken and a corn muffin! The portions were ridiculously big. I am not complaining! When I tell you their food has a lot of flavor, it has a lot of flavor ! Great service, great food!
(5)
Keyanna M.
The St. Louis ribs are awesome. The restaurant is clean and the staff is friendly. The prices are average. I would like if they would extend their dessert menu. Maybe add cheesecake and some sort of pie. My food is always fresh and hot, the menu has changed a little and they have increased the prices. Overall it's a great place for dine in or takeout
(4)
Shaka M.
Love this place. Staff is very friendly and cater to your particular needs. Food is the best. Its hard to drive by them.
(5)
Spencer H.
I only come here for lunch nowadays. I rate restaurants for the type of restaurant it is. Famous Dave's is a cookout style restaurant with NO frills that serves amazing food and very large portions. If you are a fan of BBQ ribs, Catfish, great wings, mouthwatering cornbread, then this is the place for you. You will be licking your fingers before you realize it. I wish they would open one in the Bowie or Upper Marlboro area, who knows, maybe one day!
Another looooong review for your entertainment. I would really need to have a sit down and chat with Mr Dave myself.! My friend and I decided to try this place out based on ALL the great reviews..like who are these people leaving these great reviews like do you not have taste buds. Disclaimer we did not have the famed ribs. because it was pork and not beef. who still eats the swine? Now to the special sauce..umm that's definitely sweet baby rays BBQ sauce with franks hot sauce added to it okay. We were seated near the bar. I could probably eat off the plate of the guy who was sitting at the bar that's how close we were it was uncomfortable. I ordered Dave's famous burger or something along those lines, with the famous fries. there was nothing famous about this dish. the fries were basic wedges, I wasn't impressed. The burger came with iceberg lettuce cheese and tomatoes on a greasy bun, with what seemed to be a cross between bread & butter and sweet pickles... who eats sweet pickles? I wasn't prepared and I almost hurled. The pickle was so bad that I was in disbelief so I had to eat another one to actually comprehend how disgusting that pickle was.. to drink I had sweet tea, which was not so sweet, I almost asked our server to just warm it up for me so I could just have warm lipton tea..Oh and I cannot forget about the mac n cheese. I never thought anyone could mess up on mac n cheese like Mr. Dave did. man oh man it is called MAC and CHEESE. why was there jalapenos and corn in the mac and cheese. you ruined a classic dish. who does that? BUT wait here is the kicker, once we finished our meal, my friend said her stomach felt funny, then minutes later I begin to experience the same thing. So Mr. Dave there was a break in sanitation..what's going on in your kitchen, did someone not wash their hands when they came from the restroom. Did you touch some raw meat ad then my burger bun, or did you forget to wash the lettuce, idk, but .Dave I give you an F, You won't see my money again.
(1)
Michael M.
Went to eat there tonight and watch the second half of the Super Bowl. Sat in the bar area at a booth. Place was empty, but that was to be expected. Anyways, the bartender/server who waited on our table, who btw had so little to do that she sat at a table playing on her phone most of the time, was ok at first, the food came out fast and was delicious., all was good till towards the end when she just came right over and dropped the check off without asking us if we wanted anything else... I of course wanted another beer and my girl wanted desert to take home. I'm assuming that because it was so slow I'm there that even one table was just to much for her that she wanted to rush us out. Also, she never once came back to the table and asked if everything was good. I had to get up at one point, walk over to her while she was messing with her phone, and ask for a coke., I thought it's the servers job to walk over to us and ask if WE wanted anything I actually told her at the beginning that I used to work there so she should have knew that I know the proper way to wait on a guest.... Guess not. I planned on watching the rest of the game there but was cut short. To sum it all it up, food was great but the service was wack. Just can't seem to find and even ground when you go out to eat anywhere these days.
(2)
Felicia A.
Just what I expected! Good service, delicious food. Centrally located in Laurel, MD, we were seated in a booth immediately and had a good evening.
(5)
Kelley M.
This a a review on the customer service not the food. The customer service is horrible. So bad that I stop going into the restuarant. I only order take out. 1)The employees are not attentive and will keep you waiting 2)They socialize more than they serve 3) I do not need to hear about your personal problems and your foul mouth On top of all this....EVEN WHEN I ORDER TAKE-OUT they mess up my order! Its not hard, I order SIMPLE items - Salad with nothing on it (just chicken and lettus) and still they give me extra crap on it I do not order. They have this new save fave where they can save your fave item everytime you call - still messes up my order. I just don't get it, EVERYTIME I walk in to pick up food something will be wrong. If I order grilled, why am I getting fried? Its simple. Food is cool, customer service is horrible. You will wait at the bar for a drink forever, while the bartender gossip with coworkers. I just wanted a drink while waiting for my food. Side note they were backed up for a long time took over an hour to get my salad, and they messed that up too!
(2)
April C.
Saturday 11.8.2014 Arrived here after trying TGIFs rib trio (disgusting). Hostesses were friendly. We decided to sit in the bar to watch the games. Bartender (didnt get his name, tall white guy) was awesome. Other half got the rib tips, I got the brownie. Both were so damn good. We would come here more often, but I am not a fan of cajun/spicy stuff. Offer the catfish without cajun seasoning and I come once a week.
(5)
Nikki C.
Quick and Tasty. Today while making a salad at home I decided to let Famous Dave's prepare the rest of my meal. I called in and ordered ribs, mac and cheese and cornbread muffins (to go). Within the hour I was full, happy and not broke. The dine-in service at this location is a little slow (imo), but the food always tastes wonderful and the staff is always friendly.
(4)
Richard A.
The performance of this store keeps going down everytime I go there. They don't even deserve a 1 star! Yesterday, I called a take out ordered, arrived 30 minutes later only to be told quite rudely that they didn't have the order. I placed another take out order at the counter, payed for it, and went to wait outside. After 20 minites of waiting, I went to the counter only to be informed that again they didn't have my order, though I had a receipt to prove it. This is in fact the forth time this has happened to me in the past 6 months in this same restaurant. If order takeout from this restaurant be beware!!!!
(1)
Ty C.
My family and I use to eat at this particular location at least once a month. Not anymore! The service is terrible, food is thrown together, all and all the Laurel location is the worst Famous Dave's I've ever been to in the DMV! I love their food, just not here. Do yourself a favor and travel to the one in Columbia, MUCH BETTER!
(2)
Kathy M.
Famous Dave's seems to have everything going for it: the name, which gives the impression that they've really perfected their craft (after all, they're "famous"), the huge sign out front which beckons you in, the wall art filled with good times and good food, even the little old ladies who work in the kitchen and come around to your table to make sure you're enjoying your food. And the wait staff are very courteous and professional. They know their menu and provide recommendations if asked - and they offer samples, which is a super-bonus. The one downside to all of this, is that the food is just okay. It won't be the best bar-b-que you've had, nor will you be in a hurry to come back. If this were the only place for miles and miles and I was hungry, I'd probably stop in and have a mundane pulled chicken sandwich and the mac-n-cheese which isn't very good (but it's edible). Or the potato salad, (which isn't very good, but it's edible), or the banana pudding, which isn't very good (but it's edible), or the brownie sundae which also isn't very good (but it's edible). Hopefully they will continue to perfect their menu, but for now, it's not worth the trip.
(2)
Megs T.
This is an OK lunch option for those working in Beltsville. I usually just grab a seat at the bar. Last week, I ordered the Choose 2 lunch--I got a few bones (dry rub) some pulled pork a corn muffin and fries for about $8. That''s pretty much what you would spend at Wendy's or Chick fil A so I consider it a good deal for a sit down lunch. Also, if you sit at the bar, you are guaranteed to (over)hear some interesting and/or dramatic stories from the bartenders/servers, so doubles as decent entertainment.
(3)
Clyde M.
The tables are always sticky. The food is really good, just don't look at the fireplace. My daughter was facing the fireplace and saw a mouse scurring around. Sure nuff, there was a little mouse scurring around, we all saw it. We will never go back.
(1)
JK N.
It's always dirty and sticky Servers are generally rude Food is below average way below average Frozen would taste better
(1)
Soo W.
Good is always great except they give you these tall glasses for drinks without bendy straws...straw fail...minor issue considering the place is clean, staff is friendly, and the food is great.
(3)
Gregory C.
food was great. The ultimate brisket burger was great and the catfish fingers were fried to perfection. The only complaint I have is that the windows and shades need cleaned.
(3)
Crissy T.
I like this place. Ordered my usual chicken tenders which were cooked perfectly. I like testing out the variety of sauces at the table. Famous Dave's doesn't dissapoint.
(4)
Greg W.
Service was good, waiter was very friendly. Food was good. Sauces are great. A little slow on desert and check. Nice atmosphere, decorated to the just like you are in a lodge.
(3)
Chontelle M.
Famous Dave's SAVED MY ASS! And not as in "I've fallen and I can't get up." More like "OMG! I'm in 92 degree weather with 300 hungry teens and my original caterer didn't show up!" I called Famous Dave's and they rescued me! Just like that! I worked directly with Keith Wilson - THE MANAGER OF THE FREAKING CENTURY- and he was able to deliver on chicken, ribs, cornbread, cole slaw, and baked beans and drinks for 300 people. I admitted to them that I had no money and just my word that I would pay them and they did it anyway!!! Not only was Keith great, but the guys who delivered the food were great too - Mick and (i forgot)! They hurried there and set up in 5 minutes with no complaints. They were also very helpful in calming me down. Which I needed! The also buy their meat from local butchers, keeping the money in the city! I cannot express my gratitude for their willingness to work under pressure for us! I will be going here once a month for the rest of my life to show them my affection.
(5)
Laura E.
Service was okay the food is always good!
(5)
Yelp W.
Food: I got a half of a rack of St. Louis Spare Ribs, Baked Beans, Fries, and Cornbread. Ribs: Best paid ribs I have ever had. I will leave it at that. Baked Beans: I like what they did there. Sausage and Onions in the beans gave it nice texture. Sweet and a little tangy. Thumbs up. Fries: Steak cut, weren't soggy. Solid Cornbread: Buttery and moist. It was so good that I bought 6 more ($5) and I am a cheap dude. Workers: Cool. Atmosphere: As you would expect from a national BBQ chain. Think Texas Roadhouse. Nothing stood out here. Solid spot.
(4)
R R.
Dont get me wrong i love the Ribs but its better to call ahead and order than waiting there .. the "10" minute wait that they claim can turn into 30!
(4)
James L.
Famous Daves ended up being a mixed bag for us. Being that we have lived in Texas for the last three years, I should have tempered my expectations a bit. The good: The corn muffins were delicious. The BBQ sauces were all tasty and the hot version was just hot enough to make you notice. The wife liked her beans. The bad: A bit overpriced for what we got. Almost $30 and the portions did not match that cost. The green beans had no taste to them other than the beans themselves. The fries were fries... no shock here.
(2)
Renee' M.
This place has great BBQ! I ate her with my family for lunch. My parents ordered the BBQ ribs and the my mom who loves HOT and SPICY food thought the hot BBQ sauce was HOT and GOOD! My Dad ordered the chicken nachos which were good and my boyfriend had the BBQ chicken which he said was very good. I had the salmon which was also very good. My favorite side is potato salad and they did a very good job with it. Our waiter was very attentive and very knowledgeable about the menu. He also gave us a nice history about Dave the owner and the restaurant. We came here again for 4th of July and ordered take out. We will definitely be back!
(5)
Olivia D.
At first, I thought I might lose some cred by giving a chain 4 stars. But since Su the BBQ Guru has given this place 4 stars, I feel a little better about it. The truth is, Famous Dave's rocks like granite and siltstone. So many places botch up their bbq with a combination of too much salt, too much sugar, too much dryness, tastes like cardboard, no smoky flavor, a chemical smoky flavor, too much sauce, sucky sides and worst of all, overall blandness. But for the past few years, Famous Dave's has consistently served up perfectly semicharred chunks of meat that taste like they've been sitting in a smoker all day while still having the texture of moist chewy pig or cow or chicken. In most cases, the meat tastes great by itself. But if you did that then you would be missing out on the fun array of sauces to experiment with. The BEST thing to do if you come here is to order the All American BBQ Feast which comes on top of an overturned tin garbage pail lid with... A full slab of St. Louis-style spareribs, a whole chicken, 1/2 lb. of either Texas beef brisket or Georgia chopped pork, coleslaw, Famous Fries, Wilbur Beans, four corn-on-the-cob, and four corn bread muffins. You need a group of 4-5 to finish this, but it gives you a great sample of almost everything. The 2nd best thing to do is order the Texas beef brisket. The tender, juicy slices of beef come on top of a slice of texas toast with your choice of two sides. Now the sides also deserve a paragraph. Famous Dave's has THE BEST BAKED BEANS I have ever tasted. I know baked beans are a hobo dish and easy to get out of a can, but man, their Wilbur Beans are good. Perfectly sweet and salty and with a slight bit of crunch from onion pieces. Delightful. The corn bread is also REALLY good. I like my cornbread on the sweet side without chunks of anything in it and this fits the bill. The Drunkin Apples are also tasty with just the slightest hint of liqueur. The only side I would steer clear of in the future is the green beans, which tasted like they were fresh out of the freezer.
(4)
Crissy K.
Very good barbecue. Not as good as Red Hot & Blue . . . but what is? Try the pork-topped salad. It is a completely unhealthy, delicious work of art. Oh, and no pre-packaged shredded cheese here. Delicious. You won't even have room for the corn muffin.
(4)
Su K.
Several warnings: 1) This place is always packed! Even at odd hours, you should expect at least a 15 minute wait. No reservations either, unless you reserve the room in the back for a party larger than 25 or so a week or two in advance. 2) It's physically impossible to finish the All-American BBQ Feast between 2 guys. Trust me. I tried, failed, and somehow lived to tell about it.[1] Still my favorite BBQ place in Laurel. [1] For those interested, this was the Day of Glutonny. I had a burger at Bar Louie's, a POCCC ICS, AND the All-American BBQ feast. I probably consumed 5000 calories that day. So this is what being Michael Phelps feels like. Well, minus the 8 gold medals, the endorsements, the rock hard bod, and being able to swim without thrashing like a whale in shallow water.
(4)
Jay C.
Ok, I must admit that before I gave up the swines flesh this was my favorite places to go. Good service, good food, and good prices. You would slap your momma for the cornbread, and there are multiple bbq sauces on your table to slather your meats and stimulate taste buds. If you never had Famous Daves I suggest you go ahead and blow your mind ASAP!
(5)
Deborah L.
My husband was in the mood for some ribs, so we decided to try Famous Dave's. We chose Famous Dave's because I've used them in the past to cater a company summer picnic and the food was a big hit. Well eating in was another story. Our food was cold and the baby back ribs where tough as leather. Even my 12-year old daughter's cheese burger was cold. I looked around for an adult manager, but all I saw was a bunch of high school kids waiting tables and a barely legal looking kid tending the bar. This was one of the worse meals I've ever paid for. Famous Dave should consider just selling his BBQ sauces and saving the rib cooking for someone else.
(1)
Shandalyn H.
As I craved some great BBQ for week's now. Since, I was driving from South Carolina on I-95 weeks ago. Smelling all the BBQ & nevered stopped. As I walked in smelling the aroma of BBQ. The hostees was very nice & flirting. As I sat down. My waitress Alexis was such an cutie & helpful. As I order my food, I seen they had an lunch special. Which you have a variety of selection. & can I add cheap! So I chose the BBQ chicken & redskin mashed potatoes, corn-on-the-cob & corn bread. Yummy! The portion size is perfect. & can I add, I had dessert. The bread pudding, that came in a mini. & cheap also. I super recommend this place, for a little BBQ comfort.
(3)
Ji K.
After a poor round of golf I tried to cheer myself with bbq. Dave's really hit the spot. I ordered their Combo Special for $7.99 that's offered between 11am and 5pm (if I remember correctly). Quite a deal! You get two choices of meat, corn bread muffin, corn-on-the-cob and your choice of one side. I chose Louis-style spareribs, Georgia chopped pork, and potato salad. The 2 large ribs were fall off the bone tender but it was too saucy for me. They offer "naked" ribs so I'll have to try that next time. I still prefer RH&B (Laurel location) dry rub ribs than Dave's version but Dave's wasn't far behind. Chopped pork was chunkier version of a pulled pork sandwich. It was again tasty but too much sauce also. I liked the corn bread but corn-on-the-cob and potato salad were just ok. They only have 2 versions of their sauces for take out. Tried their spicy sauce and it wasn't spicy at all for a Korean. After the meal, I forgot all the horrors of Rock Creek golf course.
(4)
Victor O.
I was very hungry and while driving towards red lobster I saw the sign for Dave's. So I did a u turn and had some dinner. I love the sauce on their ribs. O order a combination platter. I'm very happy with the service and the food was excellent.
(4)
Adam T.
I think Famous Dave's is like the Olive Garden of BBQ. It's not amazing food, but it is decent and you should know what to expect. They definitely but enough sauce and calories into the dishes to make them taste good, but that's usually a sign that they are covering up for a lack in other things. If you are a real BBQ fan, then you should find somewhere else, but if you are just in the mood for BBQ, then this place can suit that purpose.
(3)
Steve T.
This rating is strictly on the wait staff, and this location. Out of 10 times we've been there we have one waiter worth asking for again. This person had quit before we could ask for him again. I have eaten at FD's all over the place and the food is great and they seem to find good wait staff. If Laurel was not so over crowded this place would fail.
(1)
Stephanie B.
I HEART BBQ!!!! And this place's BBQ is sooooo good. Huge servings, yummy food, and I'm glad its located a litte far from home... because if it wasn't, I'd def. be shopping plus sizes.
(4)
Jewel J.
The to-go staff is rude. Its really very simple. Now that thats out of the way, the food is decent. My favorite is the hickory chicken sandwich. The swiss cheese, bacon, and chicken interaction is different and sets it apart from anything on the menu.
(3)
Jeff L.
Years ago this place was great. At some point it really went down hill. The flavor isnt there. Its often dry and flavorless requiring food to be drenched in sauces to make it worth buying.
(2)
Mako Y.
Yummm! being from the west coast and hawaii, i don't have the expertise to write this review, but i do admit that i always love coming to this joint whenever i'm in town! pulled pork, beef brisket, spicy sausage, beans, rice, corn bread! it's good for me to revisit every trip.
(3)
Elizabeth E.
Sooooooo good. Barbecue is great. The sauces are spectacular. My recommendation on the most bang for your buck- Get the 2 meat combo platter - 2 meats(obviously), 2 sides, corn, and a corn muffin. You can even add a meat for around 3 or 4 dollars more (if you haven't eaten in a month). Everything I have had from here is GOOD. Just depends on what you are in the mood for. Strangely enough their catfish fingers are really, really, really good (one of the meat choices in the 2 meat platter :) ). The service at this location is ok. The one near Frederick, MD has great service. Take out is good just check your food if you have a large order as I have gotten the wrong thing before.
(4)
Amanda M.
Pretty much full bar, you just have to ask. I got a strawberry daiquiri, it was amazing. First time I considered getting another. Food came out really fast. Me and my boyfriend shared a rack of ribs, and we both got a side of mac n cheese which was good, with a kick of spice. The string beans with bacon were good too, but they came out in a baggie.... really? You couldn't remove the bag? The corn muffins were really good, especially the top. However I found the ribs to be a little dry. There were about 6 different sauces on the table, I wasn't really a fan of any of them. Moist toilettes and paper towels on the table.
(3)
Rob N.
Why do I keep going to Famous Dave's... particularly *this* Famous Dave's? Well, it's convenient. That's pretty much it. I used to work in Laurel/Beltsville daily, and this was a nearby option for food at lunch. I work from home mostly, these days. But, every once in a while I find myself in my old stomping grounds. And in this case, coming off of widespread power outages due to a huge storm, well... Dave's was open. There's always a hint of fryer grease in the air. Service... sometimes isn't, though I've had some friendly servers there. The food is chain BBQ - not bad, but nothing to fawn over. Everything is ever so slightly sticky. Most of the time, I'd rather eat somewhere else for lunch. But, sometimes I forget myself, and end up stuck to the booth at Dave's, with BBQ sauce on my hands.
(2)
Garry O.
Famous Dave's is the one place I can go where I know I'll get great food and not go bankrupt.
(5)
Jimmy V.
Very good ribs and the extremely good corn bread. Service also is great. Good atmosphere
(4)
Jim S.
The food is really good, and I like the faux cabin-in-the-woods-in-the-middle-of-nowhere feel...reminds me of visiting my great grand parents when i was a wee lad. The problem is that the staff is abjectly lazy and slow...I mean they are glacially slow. The ribs are not the best I have had, but they are darned tasty and I never leave hungry. The chicken and brisket are both real good. The sides and the tea are pretty good as well. The only thing keeping them from 4 stars is the staff being slow...do not time them with a stopwatch; use a calendar.
(2)
Wayne N.
Fantastic food. No wait, service was good. Manager even came around and asked everyone how things were. Asked if we were local, and when we told him we were from out of town from georgia, came back around later and dropped off a free bottle of bbq sauce. Good stuff
(4)
Sheldon M.
Surprisingly good. Usually hard to get mass made BBQ done well. Good job. At least today
(4)
Kimberly M.
Okay, frist time eating there... The food was out of this world... Staff is great. But I order the bloody mary and the waiter told me not to. I was told everyone sends them back. So I tried one... OMG it was the worst ever. So if everyone sends it back then it is time to try something new. I know they want to stick to the way they do things. I so love the food but I will never drink that swill again. Not even on a bet!!!
(4)
Chuck K.
If you want award-winning ribs, this is the place. Even though it is a chain, they take great efforts to maintain quality. Good food and good prices. Even the small bar area is a terrific place to stop, grab a meal and adult beverage while catching a sports event on the TVs.
(4)
Marianne S.
Good soup (chicken with rice), ceasar salad was good, loaded baked potato was also good. I stopped here with my son while on a bus tour heading to Baltimore from DC. He ordered a burger and thought it was good, seasoning was good from what he mentioned. The service however was quite slow and in the dining area there was not many customers. Our waiter agreed to get us both on our way by taking the orders immediately, and the drinks too. But he was not to be found sometimes for five minutes or so. We ate fairly quick and he still was slow getting us drinks and bringing out the soup. Friendly by all means, but just not so fast with what we asked for. The take out in front was in much better shape. The prices can be seen as high for a place like this, and for the service it is a bit of a let down. I cannot blame the food though. The staff we dealt with were friendly and even packed up our leftovers so we could take them on the road. That was not slow at all. The decor was nice enough and had the ranch feeling going. Lunch cost a little over $20.00. A good place to go when you are not in a rush to go somewhere, or with the family.
(3)
Stephen C.
I thought the meat was nasty. It tasted like the cook poured liquid smoke all over it; I had the brisket. The sides and salad were good but the meat just tasted like something an elementary school cafeteria would make. There was no bark on the brisket at all. Perhaps I was expecting just too much from a chain restaurant.
(1)
Southern G.
Great place for barbeque and beer! I've had great food and great service everytime I've been to this place. I usually get the barbeque for two, which comes with chicken, sausage, and brisket, among other things. To me, it tastes like Texas, and I love it.
(4)
Chris H.
The best famous daves! Sucks I live close to the one in Kentlands where it really isn't as good. It's been a few years since I've gone but it was our old spot so I took my friend there for his birthday with a large group. The waiter was very friendly and accommodating to our party size, and checked up frequently (along with making some fun jokes). I was very pleased that he got my hints about a birthday, although I probably should have done my duty and blatantly told him. REGARDLESS, he picked up on the hints and came out with a birthday dessert and song to embarrass my friend! :) It was a good experience with great food and great staff. Glad nothing has changed from my years of absence.
(4)
Willie B.
Ordered the brisket based on the bartender recommendation... It was terrific but the sides of Mac and cheese and broccoli were quite terrible. I'm used to having unfriendly and awful service in most of Maryland and while the service here wasn't overly friendly, it was efficient and thorough. I can appreciate that in this area.
(4)
Brittany S.
If you're looking for some good ol' chain BBQ, this is your place. For some reason thats what the boy wanted, so thats what the boy got. My second time eating dinner here and it was consistently good. I love the rich & sassy sauce, I could probably drink it or keep a bottle of it in my purse at all times because you just never know. All the meat is very flavorful but not tender and juicy enough for me. You can tell it's a chain, it's missing all the tender and love that should go into BBQ. I've shared the big platter with my boyfriend and it was a good size so make sure you have an empty belly! The ribs have an acceptable amount of meat on them, more than what I expected would come from this kind of place. The pull porked/chopped pork was good, loved the sauce. I've had the chicken platter for myself and the chicken was also very flavorful. I really like the cornbread and the mashed potatoes are yummy! The green beans really weren't that good, they were more soggy than crispy but I had to force myself to eat something green after all that meat! Those BBQ sauces may have me back for more... maybe.
(4)
Abigail B.
My expectations aren't that high for Famous Dave's however the host was texting on her cell phone the entire time we were there. We felt really rushed by our server Justin I understand it was a Sunday night but come on. I am in the service industry so I understand but you should never slack on your service for that reason.
(2)
Brandi P.
My first visit to this location was great. I took my mom for lunch on a girls day out. The servers are really nice and the food was great as usual. The parking lot is nice and spacious and we did not wait long for a table on a Friday afternoon (around 3 PM). The servers name was Kelly. She was really friendly and she was able to update us on menu changes since it had been a while since we went to a famous Dave's.
(5)
Laura E.
Service was okay the food is always good!
(5)
Chontelle M.
Famous Dave's SAVED MY ASS! And not as in "I've fallen and I can't get up." More like "OMG! I'm in 92 degree weather with 300 hungry teens and my original caterer didn't show up!" I called Famous Dave's and they rescued me! Just like that! I worked directly with Keith Wilson - THE MANAGER OF THE FREAKING CENTURY- and he was able to deliver on chicken, ribs, cornbread, cole slaw, and baked beans and drinks for 300 people. I admitted to them that I had no money and just my word that I would pay them and they did it anyway!!! Not only was Keith great, but the guys who delivered the food were great too - Mick and (i forgot)! They hurried there and set up in 5 minutes with no complaints. They were also very helpful in calming me down. Which I needed! The also buy their meat from local butchers, keeping the money in the city! I cannot express my gratitude for their willingness to work under pressure for us! I will be going here once a month for the rest of my life to show them my affection.
(5)
Yelp W.
Food: I got a half of a rack of St. Louis Spare Ribs, Baked Beans, Fries, and Cornbread. Ribs: Best paid ribs I have ever had. I will leave it at that. Baked Beans: I like what they did there. Sausage and Onions in the beans gave it nice texture. Sweet and a little tangy. Thumbs up. Fries: Steak cut, weren't soggy. Solid Cornbread: Buttery and moist. It was so good that I bought 6 more ($5) and I am a cheap dude. Workers: Cool. Atmosphere: As you would expect from a national BBQ chain. Think Texas Roadhouse. Nothing stood out here. Solid spot.
(4)
R R.
Dont get me wrong i love the Ribs but its better to call ahead and order than waiting there .. the "10" minute wait that they claim can turn into 30!
(4)
Amanda M.
Pretty much full bar, you just have to ask. I got a strawberry daiquiri, it was amazing. First time I considered getting another. Food came out really fast. Me and my boyfriend shared a rack of ribs, and we both got a side of mac n cheese which was good, with a kick of spice. The string beans with bacon were good too, but they came out in a baggie.... really? You couldn't remove the bag? The corn muffins were really good, especially the top. However I found the ribs to be a little dry. There were about 6 different sauces on the table, I wasn't really a fan of any of them. Moist toilettes and paper towels on the table.
(3)
Rob N.
Why do I keep going to Famous Dave's... particularly *this* Famous Dave's? Well, it's convenient. That's pretty much it. I used to work in Laurel/Beltsville daily, and this was a nearby option for food at lunch. I work from home mostly, these days. But, every once in a while I find myself in my old stomping grounds. And in this case, coming off of widespread power outages due to a huge storm, well... Dave's was open. There's always a hint of fryer grease in the air. Service... sometimes isn't, though I've had some friendly servers there. The food is chain BBQ - not bad, but nothing to fawn over. Everything is ever so slightly sticky. Most of the time, I'd rather eat somewhere else for lunch. But, sometimes I forget myself, and end up stuck to the booth at Dave's, with BBQ sauce on my hands.
(2)
Garry O.
Famous Dave's is the one place I can go where I know I'll get great food and not go bankrupt.
(5)
Jimmy V.
Very good ribs and the extremely good corn bread. Service also is great. Good atmosphere
(4)
Jim S.
The food is really good, and I like the faux cabin-in-the-woods-in-the-middle-of-nowhere feel...reminds me of visiting my great grand parents when i was a wee lad. The problem is that the staff is abjectly lazy and slow...I mean they are glacially slow. The ribs are not the best I have had, but they are darned tasty and I never leave hungry. The chicken and brisket are both real good. The sides and the tea are pretty good as well. The only thing keeping them from 4 stars is the staff being slow...do not time them with a stopwatch; use a calendar.
(2)
Wayne N.
Fantastic food. No wait, service was good. Manager even came around and asked everyone how things were. Asked if we were local, and when we told him we were from out of town from georgia, came back around later and dropped off a free bottle of bbq sauce. Good stuff
(4)
Sheldon M.
Surprisingly good. Usually hard to get mass made BBQ done well. Good job. At least today
(4)
Kathy M.
Famous Dave's seems to have everything going for it: the name, which gives the impression that they've really perfected their craft (after all, they're "famous"), the huge sign out front which beckons you in, the wall art filled with good times and good food, even the little old ladies who work in the kitchen and come around to your table to make sure you're enjoying your food. And the wait staff are very courteous and professional. They know their menu and provide recommendations if asked - and they offer samples, which is a super-bonus. The one downside to all of this, is that the food is just okay. It won't be the best bar-b-que you've had, nor will you be in a hurry to come back. If this were the only place for miles and miles and I was hungry, I'd probably stop in and have a mundane pulled chicken sandwich and the mac-n-cheese which isn't very good (but it's edible). Or the potato salad, (which isn't very good, but it's edible), or the banana pudding, which isn't very good (but it's edible), or the brownie sundae which also isn't very good (but it's edible). Hopefully they will continue to perfect their menu, but for now, it's not worth the trip.
(2)
Megs T.
This is an OK lunch option for those working in Beltsville. I usually just grab a seat at the bar. Last week, I ordered the Choose 2 lunch--I got a few bones (dry rub) some pulled pork a corn muffin and fries for about $8. That''s pretty much what you would spend at Wendy's or Chick fil A so I consider it a good deal for a sit down lunch. Also, if you sit at the bar, you are guaranteed to (over)hear some interesting and/or dramatic stories from the bartenders/servers, so doubles as decent entertainment.
(3)
Clyde M.
The tables are always sticky. The food is really good, just don't look at the fireplace. My daughter was facing the fireplace and saw a mouse scurring around. Sure nuff, there was a little mouse scurring around, we all saw it. We will never go back.
(1)
JK N.
It's always dirty and sticky Servers are generally rude Food is below average way below average Frozen would taste better
(1)
Soo W.
Good is always great except they give you these tall glasses for drinks without bendy straws...straw fail...minor issue considering the place is clean, staff is friendly, and the food is great.
(3)
Gregory C.
food was great. The ultimate brisket burger was great and the catfish fingers were fried to perfection. The only complaint I have is that the windows and shades need cleaned.
(3)
Renee' M.
This place has great BBQ! I ate her with my family for lunch. My parents ordered the BBQ ribs and the my mom who loves HOT and SPICY food thought the hot BBQ sauce was HOT and GOOD! My Dad ordered the chicken nachos which were good and my boyfriend had the BBQ chicken which he said was very good. I had the salmon which was also very good. My favorite side is potato salad and they did a very good job with it. Our waiter was very attentive and very knowledgeable about the menu. He also gave us a nice history about Dave the owner and the restaurant. We came here again for 4th of July and ordered take out. We will definitely be back!
(5)
James L.
Famous Daves ended up being a mixed bag for us. Being that we have lived in Texas for the last three years, I should have tempered my expectations a bit. The good: The corn muffins were delicious. The BBQ sauces were all tasty and the hot version was just hot enough to make you notice. The wife liked her beans. The bad: A bit overpriced for what we got. Almost $30 and the portions did not match that cost. The green beans had no taste to them other than the beans themselves. The fries were fries... no shock here.
(2)
Crissy T.
I like this place. Ordered my usual chicken tenders which were cooked perfectly. I like testing out the variety of sauces at the table. Famous Dave's doesn't dissapoint.
(4)
Greg W.
Service was good, waiter was very friendly. Food was good. Sauces are great. A little slow on desert and check. Nice atmosphere, decorated to the just like you are in a lodge.
(3)
Olivia D.
At first, I thought I might lose some cred by giving a chain 4 stars. But since Su the BBQ Guru has given this place 4 stars, I feel a little better about it. The truth is, Famous Dave's rocks like granite and siltstone. So many places botch up their bbq with a combination of too much salt, too much sugar, too much dryness, tastes like cardboard, no smoky flavor, a chemical smoky flavor, too much sauce, sucky sides and worst of all, overall blandness. But for the past few years, Famous Dave's has consistently served up perfectly semicharred chunks of meat that taste like they've been sitting in a smoker all day while still having the texture of moist chewy pig or cow or chicken. In most cases, the meat tastes great by itself. But if you did that then you would be missing out on the fun array of sauces to experiment with. The BEST thing to do if you come here is to order the All American BBQ Feast which comes on top of an overturned tin garbage pail lid with... A full slab of St. Louis-style spareribs, a whole chicken, 1/2 lb. of either Texas beef brisket or Georgia chopped pork, coleslaw, Famous Fries, Wilbur Beans, four corn-on-the-cob, and four corn bread muffins. You need a group of 4-5 to finish this, but it gives you a great sample of almost everything. The 2nd best thing to do is order the Texas beef brisket. The tender, juicy slices of beef come on top of a slice of texas toast with your choice of two sides. Now the sides also deserve a paragraph. Famous Dave's has THE BEST BAKED BEANS I have ever tasted. I know baked beans are a hobo dish and easy to get out of a can, but man, their Wilbur Beans are good. Perfectly sweet and salty and with a slight bit of crunch from onion pieces. Delightful. The corn bread is also REALLY good. I like my cornbread on the sweet side without chunks of anything in it and this fits the bill. The Drunkin Apples are also tasty with just the slightest hint of liqueur. The only side I would steer clear of in the future is the green beans, which tasted like they were fresh out of the freezer.
(4)
Christina S.
I'm not much of barbecue fan but came here because my boyfriend insisted. (Our friend is the bartender). We started with the rib tips for our appetizer which surprisingly was pretty good. I could do with less sauce but that's besides the point. I ended up going with the salmon with mac n cheese as a side. The mac n cheese is amazing. The salmon was pretty good too. Thank goodness I got the sauce on the side because I wasn't a fan of it. Next time I go back I'll stick with the chicken fingers.
(4)
Thomas J.
One of my favorite places to eat. Today I got lunch. I was in a bad traffic jam. I got the idea to call my order in. Wow it was waiting for me when I arrived. Hot food yea boy. I love it. Food quality is excellent I love the brisket sandwich. The chili is always a keeper
(4)
Derek N.
The food is ok, but there are better places like Mission BBQ. Their wifi is useless, you have to through a login process that circles back to the login screen, so you can never get access.
(1)
Pastora Itzel E.
What can I say but yummy yummy yummy yummy yummy yummy... Did I say yummy? The food was so delicious... We had never been there at our friend told us we should go we had the barbecue potato chips OMG I'm hooked!!! We order the family platter I don't remember the name but it was yummy and honestly we will be having it again The service was a little slow but other than that everything was delicious and the corn muffins oh Lord...SOOO GOOD
(4)
Darryl P.
We were a party of 4 upon arriving we were greeted and seated our server arrived and took our order he was polite however 10 minutes later came back and said the kitchen was closing because they closed at 10 p.m. however we arrived at 930 and was seated the waiter offered chicken wings and french fries when the food arrived it was cold since we were hungry we decided to eat and not complain the bill was around $60 I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone I would not ever dine at any famous Dave establishments ever
(1)
Darrell K.
Chain BBQ places can be good, but usually cannot match the Mom & Pop places across the country. Maryland is not BBQ country, so it's off to the chains to get your BBQ fix. Problem with them is that they are hit or miss. They can be really good or really bad. Many times, I get beef jerky since they overcook or overheat their meats. Famous Dave is one of the better chain. I had better luck at the Annapolis branch than here, but it wasn't bad. Good and friendly service.
(3)
Brooke T.
Good and bad man...geez. Sometimes, you want some yummy barbecue. You know the kind where you want to lick your fingers after the bites? Geez. I needed some pork slathered in some rich and sassy sauce. Craved the Wilbur beans. Needed a sweet corn muffin. Gawd. They didn't disappoint. I even tried the beef brisket for the first time, and that was blame good too, chillin on that Texas toast with all the drippins and shiggity. Damn good. Service was pretty chill, she was attentive. Not bad for a chain. Now, had that bathroom looked a bit better, y'all would have gotten four stars. We can't have everything, can we? I enjoyed the food, really I did, I mean I always do, but the bathroom...cheese and crackers. Not sure if I'd go back.
(3)
Jessie J.
Man there food is good!!! I ordered the Feast For One. It came with sweet beans, ribs, brisket, fries, coleslaw, corn on the cob, chicken and a corn muffin! The portions were ridiculously big. I am not complaining! When I tell you their food has a lot of flavor, it has a lot of flavor ! Great service, great food!
(5)
Keyanna M.
The St. Louis ribs are awesome. The restaurant is clean and the staff is friendly. The prices are average. I would like if they would extend their dessert menu. Maybe add cheesecake and some sort of pie. My food is always fresh and hot, the menu has changed a little and they have increased the prices. Overall it's a great place for dine in or takeout
(4)
Shaka M.
Love this place. Staff is very friendly and cater to your particular needs. Food is the best. Its hard to drive by them.
Another looooong review for your entertainment. I would really need to have a sit down and chat with Mr Dave myself.! My friend and I decided to try this place out based on ALL the great reviews..like who are these people leaving these great reviews like do you not have taste buds. Disclaimer we did not have the famed ribs. because it was pork and not beef. who still eats the swine? Now to the special sauce..umm that's definitely sweet baby rays BBQ sauce with franks hot sauce added to it okay. We were seated near the bar. I could probably eat off the plate of the guy who was sitting at the bar that's how close we were it was uncomfortable. I ordered Dave's famous burger or something along those lines, with the famous fries. there was nothing famous about this dish. the fries were basic wedges, I wasn't impressed. The burger came with iceberg lettuce cheese and tomatoes on a greasy bun, with what seemed to be a cross between bread & butter and sweet pickles... who eats sweet pickles? I wasn't prepared and I almost hurled. The pickle was so bad that I was in disbelief so I had to eat another one to actually comprehend how disgusting that pickle was.. to drink I had sweet tea, which was not so sweet, I almost asked our server to just warm it up for me so I could just have warm lipton tea..Oh and I cannot forget about the mac n cheese. I never thought anyone could mess up on mac n cheese like Mr. Dave did. man oh man it is called MAC and CHEESE. why was there jalapenos and corn in the mac and cheese. you ruined a classic dish. who does that? BUT wait here is the kicker, once we finished our meal, my friend said her stomach felt funny, then minutes later I begin to experience the same thing. So Mr. Dave there was a break in sanitation..what's going on in your kitchen, did someone not wash their hands when they came from the restroom. Did you touch some raw meat ad then my burger bun, or did you forget to wash the lettuce, idk, but .Dave I give you an F, You won't see my money again.
(1)
Michael M.
Went to eat there tonight and watch the second half of the Super Bowl. Sat in the bar area at a booth. Place was empty, but that was to be expected. Anyways, the bartender/server who waited on our table, who btw had so little to do that she sat at a table playing on her phone most of the time, was ok at first, the food came out fast and was delicious., all was good till towards the end when she just came right over and dropped the check off without asking us if we wanted anything else... I of course wanted another beer and my girl wanted desert to take home. I'm assuming that because it was so slow I'm there that even one table was just to much for her that she wanted to rush us out. Also, she never once came back to the table and asked if everything was good. I had to get up at one point, walk over to her while she was messing with her phone, and ask for a coke., I thought it's the servers job to walk over to us and ask if WE wanted anything I actually told her at the beginning that I used to work there so she should have knew that I know the proper way to wait on a guest.... Guess not. I planned on watching the rest of the game there but was cut short. To sum it all it up, food was great but the service was wack. Just can't seem to find and even ground when you go out to eat anywhere these days.
(2)
Felicia A.
Just what I expected! Good service, delicious food. Centrally located in Laurel, MD, we were seated in a booth immediately and had a good evening.
(5)
Spencer H.
I only come here for lunch nowadays. I rate restaurants for the type of restaurant it is. Famous Dave's is a cookout style restaurant with NO frills that serves amazing food and very large portions. If you are a fan of BBQ ribs, Catfish, great wings, mouthwatering cornbread, then this is the place for you. You will be licking your fingers before you realize it. I wish they would open one in the Bowie or Upper Marlboro area, who knows, maybe one day!
(5)
Robert R.
I have been to about a half dozen people Famous Dave's in the DC area and this one by far cooks their ribs the best. Always tender and not tough and chewy like at other locations. And what I like best for lunch when you order your food it will arrive in 5 minutes or less! This location was also recently remodel so everything is clean and new looking. This store does a large carry out business also and orders have always been correct when I picked up my order. The fries, baked beans, and corn bread are also always yummy.
(4)
Summer B.
I love Famous Dave's the ribs are really delicious. We usually go to the location and Alexandria or in Mays Landing New Jersey, but this time we decided to check out the Laurel location. The service was really great the waitress was courteous and efficient. She took the order and I have food arrive very quickly, hot, and delicious. This time we decided not to get dessert, just a tad bit too full and had food to bring home as well. The location had a clean dining room and bathrooms also. I would highly recommend this location to get hot food, and awesome customer service.
(5)
Brittney S.
Came here for lunch. Was greeted by a hostess immediately, but I sat at the bar. The bartender was quick to serve me. I had the brisket tacos. They were fine..nothing super special about them. The taco itself was flaky (in a good way), had lettuce, pico, cilantro, jalapeno, and some kind of sauce that was a little sweet. I wanted something small for lunch, so these were a good choice as the order came with two tacos. I've been to other Famous Dave's before and the ribs are (obviously) where it's at, so that's what you should probably order when you come to BBQ places like this. Overall, it was good.
(4)
Kelley M.
This a a review on the customer service not the food. The customer service is horrible. So bad that I stop going into the restuarant. I only order take out. 1)The employees are not attentive and will keep you waiting 2)They socialize more than they serve 3) I do not need to hear about your personal problems and your foul mouth On top of all this....EVEN WHEN I ORDER TAKE-OUT they mess up my order! Its not hard, I order SIMPLE items - Salad with nothing on it (just chicken and lettus) and still they give me extra crap on it I do not order. They have this new save fave where they can save your fave item everytime you call - still messes up my order. I just don't get it, EVERYTIME I walk in to pick up food something will be wrong. If I order grilled, why am I getting fried? Its simple. Food is cool, customer service is horrible. You will wait at the bar for a drink forever, while the bartender gossip with coworkers. I just wanted a drink while waiting for my food. Side note they were backed up for a long time took over an hour to get my salad, and they messed that up too!
(2)
April C.
Saturday 11.8.2014 Arrived here after trying TGIFs rib trio (disgusting). Hostesses were friendly. We decided to sit in the bar to watch the games. Bartender (didnt get his name, tall white guy) was awesome. Other half got the rib tips, I got the brownie. Both were so damn good. We would come here more often, but I am not a fan of cajun/spicy stuff. Offer the catfish without cajun seasoning and I come once a week.
(5)
Nikki C.
Quick and Tasty. Today while making a salad at home I decided to let Famous Dave's prepare the rest of my meal. I called in and ordered ribs, mac and cheese and cornbread muffins (to go). Within the hour I was full, happy and not broke. The dine-in service at this location is a little slow (imo), but the food always tastes wonderful and the staff is always friendly.
(4)
Richard A.
The performance of this store keeps going down everytime I go there. They don't even deserve a 1 star! Yesterday, I called a take out ordered, arrived 30 minutes later only to be told quite rudely that they didn't have the order. I placed another take out order at the counter, payed for it, and went to wait outside. After 20 minites of waiting, I went to the counter only to be informed that again they didn't have my order, though I had a receipt to prove it. This is in fact the forth time this has happened to me in the past 6 months in this same restaurant. If order takeout from this restaurant be beware!!!!
(1)
Ty C.
My family and I use to eat at this particular location at least once a month. Not anymore! The service is terrible, food is thrown together, all and all the Laurel location is the worst Famous Dave's I've ever been to in the DMV! I love their food, just not here. Do yourself a favor and travel to the one in Columbia, MUCH BETTER!
(2)
Melanie B.
Excellent food with lightning fast and friendly service. Got the All American feast which supposedly serves 4-6 even though there were 7 in our party. We still had piles of food left over. My favorite dish was the ribs, while my husband loved the sausage.
(5)
Crissy K.
Very good barbecue. Not as good as Red Hot & Blue . . . but what is? Try the pork-topped salad. It is a completely unhealthy, delicious work of art. Oh, and no pre-packaged shredded cheese here. Delicious. You won't even have room for the corn muffin.
(4)
Su K.
Several warnings: 1) This place is always packed! Even at odd hours, you should expect at least a 15 minute wait. No reservations either, unless you reserve the room in the back for a party larger than 25 or so a week or two in advance. 2) It's physically impossible to finish the All-American BBQ Feast between 2 guys. Trust me. I tried, failed, and somehow lived to tell about it.[1] Still my favorite BBQ place in Laurel. [1] For those interested, this was the Day of Glutonny. I had a burger at Bar Louie's, a POCCC ICS, AND the All-American BBQ feast. I probably consumed 5000 calories that day. So this is what being Michael Phelps feels like. Well, minus the 8 gold medals, the endorsements, the rock hard bod, and being able to swim without thrashing like a whale in shallow water.
(4)
Jay C.
Ok, I must admit that before I gave up the swines flesh this was my favorite places to go. Good service, good food, and good prices. You would slap your momma for the cornbread, and there are multiple bbq sauces on your table to slather your meats and stimulate taste buds. If you never had Famous Daves I suggest you go ahead and blow your mind ASAP!
(5)
Chuck K.
If you want award-winning ribs, this is the place. Even though it is a chain, they take great efforts to maintain quality. Good food and good prices. Even the small bar area is a terrific place to stop, grab a meal and adult beverage while catching a sports event on the TVs.
(4)
Marianne S.
Good soup (chicken with rice), ceasar salad was good, loaded baked potato was also good. I stopped here with my son while on a bus tour heading to Baltimore from DC. He ordered a burger and thought it was good, seasoning was good from what he mentioned. The service however was quite slow and in the dining area there was not many customers. Our waiter agreed to get us both on our way by taking the orders immediately, and the drinks too. But he was not to be found sometimes for five minutes or so. We ate fairly quick and he still was slow getting us drinks and bringing out the soup. Friendly by all means, but just not so fast with what we asked for. The take out in front was in much better shape. The prices can be seen as high for a place like this, and for the service it is a bit of a let down. I cannot blame the food though. The staff we dealt with were friendly and even packed up our leftovers so we could take them on the road. That was not slow at all. The decor was nice enough and had the ranch feeling going. Lunch cost a little over $20.00. A good place to go when you are not in a rush to go somewhere, or with the family.
(3)
Stephen C.
I thought the meat was nasty. It tasted like the cook poured liquid smoke all over it; I had the brisket. The sides and salad were good but the meat just tasted like something an elementary school cafeteria would make. There was no bark on the brisket at all. Perhaps I was expecting just too much from a chain restaurant.
(1)
Southern G.
Great place for barbeque and beer! I've had great food and great service everytime I've been to this place. I usually get the barbeque for two, which comes with chicken, sausage, and brisket, among other things. To me, it tastes like Texas, and I love it.
(4)
Ken G.
This is a two star review, if there ever was one. Can't give it one star because.... 1) My beer was fresh 2) My soda was fresh 3) The cornbread was excellent. Otherwise, a very disappointing experience. For $49 (2 adults and a 5 year old) we got: overcooked and fairly tasteless ribs, soggy corn on the cob, and weak service. When our food arrived my drink was almost empty and they didn't ask if I wanted another one. One other thing, the floor was full of grease and I might have had more success walking on the ice at the Verizon Center in DC. The bottom line: overpriced, and next time I'll go to the RH&B instead.
(2)
Jeff L.
Years ago this place was great. At some point it really went down hill. The flavor isnt there. Its often dry and flavorless requiring food to be drenched in sauces to make it worth buying.
(2)
Deborah L.
My husband was in the mood for some ribs, so we decided to try Famous Dave's. We chose Famous Dave's because I've used them in the past to cater a company summer picnic and the food was a big hit. Well eating in was another story. Our food was cold and the baby back ribs where tough as leather. Even my 12-year old daughter's cheese burger was cold. I looked around for an adult manager, but all I saw was a bunch of high school kids waiting tables and a barely legal looking kid tending the bar. This was one of the worse meals I've ever paid for. Famous Dave should consider just selling his BBQ sauces and saving the rib cooking for someone else.
(1)
Elizabeth E.
Sooooooo good. Barbecue is great. The sauces are spectacular. My recommendation on the most bang for your buck- Get the 2 meat combo platter - 2 meats(obviously), 2 sides, corn, and a corn muffin. You can even add a meat for around 3 or 4 dollars more (if you haven't eaten in a month). Everything I have had from here is GOOD. Just depends on what you are in the mood for. Strangely enough their catfish fingers are really, really, really good (one of the meat choices in the 2 meat platter :) ). The service at this location is ok. The one near Frederick, MD has great service. Take out is good just check your food if you have a large order as I have gotten the wrong thing before.
(4)
Shandalyn H.
As I craved some great BBQ for week's now. Since, I was driving from South Carolina on I-95 weeks ago. Smelling all the BBQ & nevered stopped. As I walked in smelling the aroma of BBQ. The hostees was very nice & flirting. As I sat down. My waitress Alexis was such an cutie & helpful. As I order my food, I seen they had an lunch special. Which you have a variety of selection. & can I add cheap! So I chose the BBQ chicken & redskin mashed potatoes, corn-on-the-cob & corn bread. Yummy! The portion size is perfect. & can I add, I had dessert. The bread pudding, that came in a mini. & cheap also. I super recommend this place, for a little BBQ comfort.
(3)
Ji K.
After a poor round of golf I tried to cheer myself with bbq. Dave's really hit the spot. I ordered their Combo Special for $7.99 that's offered between 11am and 5pm (if I remember correctly). Quite a deal! You get two choices of meat, corn bread muffin, corn-on-the-cob and your choice of one side. I chose Louis-style spareribs, Georgia chopped pork, and potato salad. The 2 large ribs were fall off the bone tender but it was too saucy for me. They offer "naked" ribs so I'll have to try that next time. I still prefer RH&B (Laurel location) dry rub ribs than Dave's version but Dave's wasn't far behind. Chopped pork was chunkier version of a pulled pork sandwich. It was again tasty but too much sauce also. I liked the corn bread but corn-on-the-cob and potato salad were just ok. They only have 2 versions of their sauces for take out. Tried their spicy sauce and it wasn't spicy at all for a Korean. After the meal, I forgot all the horrors of Rock Creek golf course.
(4)
Victor O.
I was very hungry and while driving towards red lobster I saw the sign for Dave's. So I did a u turn and had some dinner. I love the sauce on their ribs. O order a combination platter. I'm very happy with the service and the food was excellent.
(4)
Adam T.
I think Famous Dave's is like the Olive Garden of BBQ. It's not amazing food, but it is decent and you should know what to expect. They definitely but enough sauce and calories into the dishes to make them taste good, but that's usually a sign that they are covering up for a lack in other things. If you are a real BBQ fan, then you should find somewhere else, but if you are just in the mood for BBQ, then this place can suit that purpose.
(3)
Steve T.
This rating is strictly on the wait staff, and this location. Out of 10 times we've been there we have one waiter worth asking for again. This person had quit before we could ask for him again. I have eaten at FD's all over the place and the food is great and they seem to find good wait staff. If Laurel was not so over crowded this place would fail.
(1)
Stephanie B.
I HEART BBQ!!!! And this place's BBQ is sooooo good. Huge servings, yummy food, and I'm glad its located a litte far from home... because if it wasn't, I'd def. be shopping plus sizes.
(4)
Jewel J.
The to-go staff is rude. Its really very simple. Now that thats out of the way, the food is decent. My favorite is the hickory chicken sandwich. The swiss cheese, bacon, and chicken interaction is different and sets it apart from anything on the menu.
(3)
Mako Y.
Yummm! being from the west coast and hawaii, i don't have the expertise to write this review, but i do admit that i always love coming to this joint whenever i'm in town! pulled pork, beef brisket, spicy sausage, beans, rice, corn bread! it's good for me to revisit every trip.
(3)
Kimberly M.
Okay, frist time eating there... The food was out of this world... Staff is great. But I order the bloody mary and the waiter told me not to. I was told everyone sends them back. So I tried one... OMG it was the worst ever. So if everyone sends it back then it is time to try something new. I know they want to stick to the way they do things. I so love the food but I will never drink that swill again. Not even on a bet!!!
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Michael M.
Went to eat there tonight and watch the second half of the Super Bowl. Sat in the bar area at a booth. Place was empty, but that was to be expected. Anyways, the bartender/server who waited on our table, who btw had so little to do that she sat at a table playing on her phone most of the time, was ok at first, the food came out fast and was delicious., all was good till towards the end when she just came right over and dropped the check off without asking us if we wanted anything else... I of course wanted another beer and my girl wanted desert to take home. I'm assuming that because it was so slow I'm there that even one table was just to much for her that she wanted to rush us out. Also, she never once came back to the table and asked if everything was good. I had to get up at one point, walk over to her while she was messing with her phone, and ask for a coke., I thought it's the servers job to walk over to us and ask if WE wanted anything I actually told her at the beginning that I used to work there so she should have knew that I know the proper way to wait on a guest.... Guess not. I planned on watching the rest of the game there but was cut short. To sum it all it up, food was great but the service was wack. Just can't seem to find and even ground when you go out to eat anywhere these days.
(2)Felicia A.
Just what I expected! Good service, delicious food. Centrally located in Laurel, MD, we were seated in a booth immediately and had a good evening.
(5)Jimmy V.
Very good ribs and the extremely good corn bread. Service also is great. Good atmosphere
(4)Jessie J.
Man there food is good!!! I ordered the Feast For One. It came with sweet beans, ribs, brisket, fries, coleslaw, corn on the cob, chicken and a corn muffin! The portions were ridiculously big. I am not complaining! When I tell you their food has a lot of flavor, it has a lot of flavor ! Great service, great food!
(5)Keyanna M.
The St. Louis ribs are awesome. The restaurant is clean and the staff is friendly. The prices are average. I would like if they would extend their dessert menu. Maybe add cheesecake and some sort of pie. My food is always fresh and hot, the menu has changed a little and they have increased the prices. Overall it's a great place for dine in or takeout
(4)Shaka M.
Love this place. Staff is very friendly and cater to your particular needs. Food is the best. Its hard to drive by them.
(5)Spencer H.
I only come here for lunch nowadays. I rate restaurants for the type of restaurant it is. Famous Dave's is a cookout style restaurant with NO frills that serves amazing food and very large portions. If you are a fan of BBQ ribs, Catfish, great wings, mouthwatering cornbread, then this is the place for you. You will be licking your fingers before you realize it. I wish they would open one in the Bowie or Upper Marlboro area, who knows, maybe one day!
(5)Kelley M.
This a a review on the customer service not the food. The customer service is horrible. So bad that I stop going into the restuarant. I only order take out. 1)The employees are not attentive and will keep you waiting 2)They socialize more than they serve 3) I do not need to hear about your personal problems and your foul mouth On top of all this....EVEN WHEN I ORDER TAKE-OUT they mess up my order! Its not hard, I order SIMPLE items - Salad with nothing on it (just chicken and lettus) and still they give me extra crap on it I do not order. They have this new save fave where they can save your fave item everytime you call - still messes up my order. I just don't get it, EVERYTIME I walk in to pick up food something will be wrong. If I order grilled, why am I getting fried? Its simple. Food is cool, customer service is horrible. You will wait at the bar for a drink forever, while the bartender gossip with coworkers. I just wanted a drink while waiting for my food. Side note they were backed up for a long time took over an hour to get my salad, and they messed that up too!
(2)April C.
Saturday 11.8.2014 Arrived here after trying TGIFs rib trio (disgusting). Hostesses were friendly. We decided to sit in the bar to watch the games. Bartender (didnt get his name, tall white guy) was awesome. Other half got the rib tips, I got the brownie. Both were so damn good. We would come here more often, but I am not a fan of cajun/spicy stuff. Offer the catfish without cajun seasoning and I come once a week.
(5)Nikki C.
Quick and Tasty. Today while making a salad at home I decided to let Famous Dave's prepare the rest of my meal. I called in and ordered ribs, mac and cheese and cornbread muffins (to go). Within the hour I was full, happy and not broke. The dine-in service at this location is a little slow (imo), but the food always tastes wonderful and the staff is always friendly.
(4)Richard A.
The performance of this store keeps going down everytime I go there. They don't even deserve a 1 star! Yesterday, I called a take out ordered, arrived 30 minutes later only to be told quite rudely that they didn't have the order. I placed another take out order at the counter, payed for it, and went to wait outside. After 20 minites of waiting, I went to the counter only to be informed that again they didn't have my order, though I had a receipt to prove it. This is in fact the forth time this has happened to me in the past 6 months in this same restaurant. If order takeout from this restaurant be beware!!!!
(1)Ty C.
My family and I use to eat at this particular location at least once a month. Not anymore! The service is terrible, food is thrown together, all and all the Laurel location is the worst Famous Dave's I've ever been to in the DMV! I love their food, just not here. Do yourself a favor and travel to the one in Columbia, MUCH BETTER!
(2)Melanie B.
Excellent food with lightning fast and friendly service. Got the All American feast which supposedly serves 4-6 even though there were 7 in our party. We still had piles of food left over. My favorite dish was the ribs, while my husband loved the sausage.
(5)Chris H.
The best famous daves! Sucks I live close to the one in Kentlands where it really isn't as good. It's been a few years since I've gone but it was our old spot so I took my friend there for his birthday with a large group. The waiter was very friendly and accommodating to our party size, and checked up frequently (along with making some fun jokes). I was very pleased that he got my hints about a birthday, although I probably should have done my duty and blatantly told him. REGARDLESS, he picked up on the hints and came out with a birthday dessert and song to embarrass my friend! :) It was a good experience with great food and great staff. Glad nothing has changed from my years of absence.
(4)Willie B.
Ordered the brisket based on the bartender recommendation... It was terrific but the sides of Mac and cheese and broccoli were quite terrible. I'm used to having unfriendly and awful service in most of Maryland and while the service here wasn't overly friendly, it was efficient and thorough. I can appreciate that in this area.
(4)Brittany S.
If you're looking for some good ol' chain BBQ, this is your place. For some reason thats what the boy wanted, so thats what the boy got. My second time eating dinner here and it was consistently good. I love the rich & sassy sauce, I could probably drink it or keep a bottle of it in my purse at all times because you just never know. All the meat is very flavorful but not tender and juicy enough for me. You can tell it's a chain, it's missing all the tender and love that should go into BBQ. I've shared the big platter with my boyfriend and it was a good size so make sure you have an empty belly! The ribs have an acceptable amount of meat on them, more than what I expected would come from this kind of place. The pull porked/chopped pork was good, loved the sauce. I've had the chicken platter for myself and the chicken was also very flavorful. I really like the cornbread and the mashed potatoes are yummy! The green beans really weren't that good, they were more soggy than crispy but I had to force myself to eat something green after all that meat! Those BBQ sauces may have me back for more... maybe.
(4)Abigail B.
My expectations aren't that high for Famous Dave's however the host was texting on her cell phone the entire time we were there. We felt really rushed by our server Justin I understand it was a Sunday night but come on. I am in the service industry so I understand but you should never slack on your service for that reason.
(2)Brandi P.
My first visit to this location was great. I took my mom for lunch on a girls day out. The servers are really nice and the food was great as usual. The parking lot is nice and spacious and we did not wait long for a table on a Friday afternoon (around 3 PM). The servers name was Kelly. She was really friendly and she was able to update us on menu changes since it had been a while since we went to a famous Dave's.
(5)Amanda M.
Pretty much full bar, you just have to ask. I got a strawberry daiquiri, it was amazing. First time I considered getting another. Food came out really fast. Me and my boyfriend shared a rack of ribs, and we both got a side of mac n cheese which was good, with a kick of spice. The string beans with bacon were good too, but they came out in a baggie.... really? You couldn't remove the bag? The corn muffins were really good, especially the top. However I found the ribs to be a little dry. There were about 6 different sauces on the table, I wasn't really a fan of any of them. Moist toilettes and paper towels on the table.
(3)Rob N.
Why do I keep going to Famous Dave's... particularly *this* Famous Dave's? Well, it's convenient. That's pretty much it. I used to work in Laurel/Beltsville daily, and this was a nearby option for food at lunch. I work from home mostly, these days. But, every once in a while I find myself in my old stomping grounds. And in this case, coming off of widespread power outages due to a huge storm, well... Dave's was open. There's always a hint of fryer grease in the air. Service... sometimes isn't, though I've had some friendly servers there. The food is chain BBQ - not bad, but nothing to fawn over. Everything is ever so slightly sticky. Most of the time, I'd rather eat somewhere else for lunch. But, sometimes I forget myself, and end up stuck to the booth at Dave's, with BBQ sauce on my hands.
(2)Garry O.
Famous Dave's is the one place I can go where I know I'll get great food and not go bankrupt.
(5)Jim S.
The food is really good, and I like the faux cabin-in-the-woods-in-the-middle-of-nowhere feel...reminds me of visiting my great grand parents when i was a wee lad. The problem is that the staff is abjectly lazy and slow...I mean they are glacially slow. The ribs are not the best I have had, but they are darned tasty and I never leave hungry. The chicken and brisket are both real good. The sides and the tea are pretty good as well. The only thing keeping them from 4 stars is the staff being slow...do not time them with a stopwatch; use a calendar.
(2)Wayne N.
Fantastic food. No wait, service was good. Manager even came around and asked everyone how things were. Asked if we were local, and when we told him we were from out of town from georgia, came back around later and dropped off a free bottle of bbq sauce. Good stuff
(4)Sheldon M.
Surprisingly good. Usually hard to get mass made BBQ done well. Good job. At least today
(4)Kathy M.
Famous Dave's seems to have everything going for it: the name, which gives the impression that they've really perfected their craft (after all, they're "famous"), the huge sign out front which beckons you in, the wall art filled with good times and good food, even the little old ladies who work in the kitchen and come around to your table to make sure you're enjoying your food. And the wait staff are very courteous and professional. They know their menu and provide recommendations if asked - and they offer samples, which is a super-bonus. The one downside to all of this, is that the food is just okay. It won't be the best bar-b-que you've had, nor will you be in a hurry to come back. If this were the only place for miles and miles and I was hungry, I'd probably stop in and have a mundane pulled chicken sandwich and the mac-n-cheese which isn't very good (but it's edible). Or the potato salad, (which isn't very good, but it's edible), or the banana pudding, which isn't very good (but it's edible), or the brownie sundae which also isn't very good (but it's edible). Hopefully they will continue to perfect their menu, but for now, it's not worth the trip.
(2)Megs T.
This is an OK lunch option for those working in Beltsville. I usually just grab a seat at the bar. Last week, I ordered the Choose 2 lunch--I got a few bones (dry rub) some pulled pork a corn muffin and fries for about $8. That''s pretty much what you would spend at Wendy's or Chick fil A so I consider it a good deal for a sit down lunch. Also, if you sit at the bar, you are guaranteed to (over)hear some interesting and/or dramatic stories from the bartenders/servers, so doubles as decent entertainment.
(3)Clyde M.
The tables are always sticky. The food is really good, just don't look at the fireplace. My daughter was facing the fireplace and saw a mouse scurring around. Sure nuff, there was a little mouse scurring around, we all saw it. We will never go back.
(1)JK N.
It's always dirty and sticky Servers are generally rude Food is below average way below average Frozen would taste better
(1)Soo W.
Good is always great except they give you these tall glasses for drinks without bendy straws...straw fail...minor issue considering the place is clean, staff is friendly, and the food is great.
(3)Robert R.
I have been to about a half dozen people Famous Dave's in the DC area and this one by far cooks their ribs the best. Always tender and not tough and chewy like at other locations. And what I like best for lunch when you order your food it will arrive in 5 minutes or less! This location was also recently remodel so everything is clean and new looking. This store does a large carry out business also and orders have always been correct when I picked up my order. The fries, baked beans, and corn bread are also always yummy.
(4)Summer B.
I love Famous Dave's the ribs are really delicious. We usually go to the location and Alexandria or in Mays Landing New Jersey, but this time we decided to check out the Laurel location. The service was really great the waitress was courteous and efficient. She took the order and I have food arrive very quickly, hot, and delicious. This time we decided not to get dessert, just a tad bit too full and had food to bring home as well. The location had a clean dining room and bathrooms also. I would highly recommend this location to get hot food, and awesome customer service.
(5)Brittney S.
Came here for lunch. Was greeted by a hostess immediately, but I sat at the bar. The bartender was quick to serve me. I had the brisket tacos. They were fine..nothing super special about them. The taco itself was flaky (in a good way), had lettuce, pico, cilantro, jalapeno, and some kind of sauce that was a little sweet. I wanted something small for lunch, so these were a good choice as the order came with two tacos. I've been to other Famous Dave's before and the ribs are (obviously) where it's at, so that's what you should probably order when you come to BBQ places like this. Overall, it was good.
(4)Christina S.
I'm not much of barbecue fan but came here because my boyfriend insisted. (Our friend is the bartender). We started with the rib tips for our appetizer which surprisingly was pretty good. I could do with less sauce but that's besides the point. I ended up going with the salmon with mac n cheese as a side. The mac n cheese is amazing. The salmon was pretty good too. Thank goodness I got the sauce on the side because I wasn't a fan of it. Next time I go back I'll stick with the chicken fingers.
(4)Thomas J.
One of my favorite places to eat. Today I got lunch. I was in a bad traffic jam. I got the idea to call my order in. Wow it was waiting for me when I arrived. Hot food yea boy. I love it. Food quality is excellent I love the brisket sandwich. The chili is always a keeper
(4)Derek N.
The food is ok, but there are better places like Mission BBQ. Their wifi is useless, you have to through a login process that circles back to the login screen, so you can never get access.
(1)Pastora Itzel E.
What can I say but yummy yummy yummy yummy yummy yummy... Did I say yummy? The food was so delicious... We had never been there at our friend told us we should go we had the barbecue potato chips OMG I'm hooked!!! We order the family platter I don't remember the name but it was yummy and honestly we will be having it again The service was a little slow but other than that everything was delicious and the corn muffins oh Lord...SOOO GOOD
(4)Darryl P.
We were a party of 4 upon arriving we were greeted and seated our server arrived and took our order he was polite however 10 minutes later came back and said the kitchen was closing because they closed at 10 p.m. however we arrived at 930 and was seated the waiter offered chicken wings and french fries when the food arrived it was cold since we were hungry we decided to eat and not complain the bill was around $60 I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone I would not ever dine at any famous Dave establishments ever
(1)Darrell K.
Chain BBQ places can be good, but usually cannot match the Mom & Pop places across the country. Maryland is not BBQ country, so it's off to the chains to get your BBQ fix. Problem with them is that they are hit or miss. They can be really good or really bad. Many times, I get beef jerky since they overcook or overheat their meats. Famous Dave is one of the better chain. I had better luck at the Annapolis branch than here, but it wasn't bad. Good and friendly service.
(3)Brooke T.
Good and bad man...geez. Sometimes, you want some yummy barbecue. You know the kind where you want to lick your fingers after the bites? Geez. I needed some pork slathered in some rich and sassy sauce. Craved the Wilbur beans. Needed a sweet corn muffin. Gawd. They didn't disappoint. I even tried the beef brisket for the first time, and that was blame good too, chillin on that Texas toast with all the drippins and shiggity. Damn good. Service was pretty chill, she was attentive. Not bad for a chain. Now, had that bathroom looked a bit better, y'all would have gotten four stars. We can't have everything, can we? I enjoyed the food, really I did, I mean I always do, but the bathroom...cheese and crackers. Not sure if I'd go back.
(3)Sharon W.
We had a really nice experience at Famous Dave's at lunchtime yesterday. I was craving a pulled chicken bbq sandwich so started reading Yelp reviews and checking out restaurant menus. Husband and I only eat poultry and seafood, so sometimes finding a restaurant geared towards meat, meat and more meat is a challenge. We decided on Famous Dave's because they had a good variety of sides, chicken and seafood dishes, and decent reviews. When we entered the restaurant I noticed a bunch of jackets and hats hanging on the coat rack and thought, wow, people here are forgetful. But then I realized it was part of the "hunting lodge" décor. That hunting lodge décor prevailed throughout the multiple rooms. We were seated in a main dining room that included a fireplace. It looked like a gas fireplace but I never got close enough to confirm and whatever, it looked authentic and added a nice ambiance. When I first looked at my menu I thought it was dirty, but I compared it with my husband's and saw they were just printed "unevenly" to continue the rustic theme. A few minutes after we were seated, our server, Dwight, came to our table to take our orders. Dwight was one of the most genuinely enthusiastic servers I've ever had. It wasn't forced like some chain restaurants, but he really seemed to believe in his restaurant and in his fellow employees, including his manager. We ordered drinks, a margarita and a draft beer, to start with and continued to debate what we wanted to order for lunch. I got my bbq sandwich with fries as my side dish. When I read the menu I was sorry to hear they were wedge fries, but these were delicious and really crispy. The chicken sandwich was very good and perfectly satisfied my craving for one. Husband ordered a half bbq chicken with mac and cheese and greens as his sides. His chicken was moist and nicely sauced. On the table were 2 bottles with different sauces and he did add a little of each to his plate as a dipping sauce. We both liked the greens (and ignored that they are cooked with pork). The mac and cheese was creamy with a little corn added. I prefer my mac and cheese more cheesy than creamy, but husband prefers his creamy so gave it high reviews. After we finished stuffing ourselves, Dwight came and offered us dessert. There was no way we could eat another bite. A few minutes later he came back with a bottle of Famous Dave's bbq sauce. Oh, I thought he's going to try to sell it to us, but no, it was gratis. No idea what we did to deserve it but it was a welcome gift. When our check arrived we were told if we filled out a short survey on our phones right then we would get a confirmation number to record on the bill and it would entitle us to a free dessert to take home. Sure, why not, so we filled out a quick survey and selected the brownie for our take-home dessert. I was so impressed at how it was packaged, not to mention how delicious it was, and I'm not even a dessert fan. It arrived in a cardboard box like you might get a slice of pizza in at a ball game. Inside the box was that awesome brownie, plus a small container of whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and a small vanilla ice cream. The box had instructions for warming the brownie and sauce. I know it's a chain restaurant but we still very much enjoyed our food and the little extras. We were also surprised at how reasonable the check was considering all the food we had, plus 3 drinks. We'll be back again and we will ask for Dwight as our server, if he's available.
(4)Daphnee D.
Another looooong review for your entertainment. I would really need to have a sit down and chat with Mr Dave myself.! My friend and I decided to try this place out based on ALL the great reviews..like who are these people leaving these great reviews like do you not have taste buds. Disclaimer we did not have the famed ribs. because it was pork and not beef. who still eats the swine? Now to the special sauce..umm that's definitely sweet baby rays BBQ sauce with franks hot sauce added to it okay. We were seated near the bar. I could probably eat off the plate of the guy who was sitting at the bar that's how close we were it was uncomfortable. I ordered Dave's famous burger or something along those lines, with the famous fries. there was nothing famous about this dish. the fries were basic wedges, I wasn't impressed. The burger came with iceberg lettuce cheese and tomatoes on a greasy bun, with what seemed to be a cross between bread & butter and sweet pickles... who eats sweet pickles? I wasn't prepared and I almost hurled. The pickle was so bad that I was in disbelief so I had to eat another one to actually comprehend how disgusting that pickle was.. to drink I had sweet tea, which was not so sweet, I almost asked our server to just warm it up for me so I could just have warm lipton tea..Oh and I cannot forget about the mac n cheese. I never thought anyone could mess up on mac n cheese like Mr. Dave did. man oh man it is called MAC and CHEESE. why was there jalapenos and corn in the mac and cheese. you ruined a classic dish. who does that? BUT wait here is the kicker, once we finished our meal, my friend said her stomach felt funny, then minutes later I begin to experience the same thing. So Mr. Dave there was a break in sanitation..what's going on in your kitchen, did someone not wash their hands when they came from the restroom. Did you touch some raw meat ad then my burger bun, or did you forget to wash the lettuce, idk, but .Dave I give you an F, You won't see my money again.
(1)Olivia D.
At first, I thought I might lose some cred by giving a chain 4 stars. But since Su the BBQ Guru has given this place 4 stars, I feel a little better about it. The truth is, Famous Dave's rocks like granite and siltstone. So many places botch up their bbq with a combination of too much salt, too much sugar, too much dryness, tastes like cardboard, no smoky flavor, a chemical smoky flavor, too much sauce, sucky sides and worst of all, overall blandness. But for the past few years, Famous Dave's has consistently served up perfectly semicharred chunks of meat that taste like they've been sitting in a smoker all day while still having the texture of moist chewy pig or cow or chicken. In most cases, the meat tastes great by itself. But if you did that then you would be missing out on the fun array of sauces to experiment with. The BEST thing to do if you come here is to order the All American BBQ Feast which comes on top of an overturned tin garbage pail lid with... A full slab of St. Louis-style spareribs, a whole chicken, 1/2 lb. of either Texas beef brisket or Georgia chopped pork, coleslaw, Famous Fries, Wilbur Beans, four corn-on-the-cob, and four corn bread muffins. You need a group of 4-5 to finish this, but it gives you a great sample of almost everything. The 2nd best thing to do is order the Texas beef brisket. The tender, juicy slices of beef come on top of a slice of texas toast with your choice of two sides. Now the sides also deserve a paragraph. Famous Dave's has THE BEST BAKED BEANS I have ever tasted. I know baked beans are a hobo dish and easy to get out of a can, but man, their Wilbur Beans are good. Perfectly sweet and salty and with a slight bit of crunch from onion pieces. Delightful. The corn bread is also REALLY good. I like my cornbread on the sweet side without chunks of anything in it and this fits the bill. The Drunkin Apples are also tasty with just the slightest hint of liqueur. The only side I would steer clear of in the future is the green beans, which tasted like they were fresh out of the freezer.
(4)Crissy K.
Very good barbecue. Not as good as Red Hot & Blue . . . but what is? Try the pork-topped salad. It is a completely unhealthy, delicious work of art. Oh, and no pre-packaged shredded cheese here. Delicious. You won't even have room for the corn muffin.
(4)Su K.
Several warnings: 1) This place is always packed! Even at odd hours, you should expect at least a 15 minute wait. No reservations either, unless you reserve the room in the back for a party larger than 25 or so a week or two in advance. 2) It's physically impossible to finish the All-American BBQ Feast between 2 guys. Trust me. I tried, failed, and somehow lived to tell about it.[1] Still my favorite BBQ place in Laurel. [1] For those interested, this was the Day of Glutonny. I had a burger at Bar Louie's, a POCCC ICS, AND the All-American BBQ feast. I probably consumed 5000 calories that day. So this is what being Michael Phelps feels like. Well, minus the 8 gold medals, the endorsements, the rock hard bod, and being able to swim without thrashing like a whale in shallow water.
(4)Jay C.
Ok, I must admit that before I gave up the swines flesh this was my favorite places to go. Good service, good food, and good prices. You would slap your momma for the cornbread, and there are multiple bbq sauces on your table to slather your meats and stimulate taste buds. If you never had Famous Daves I suggest you go ahead and blow your mind ASAP!
(5)Crissy T.
I like this place. Ordered my usual chicken tenders which were cooked perfectly. I like testing out the variety of sauces at the table. Famous Dave's doesn't dissapoint.
(4)Greg W.
Service was good, waiter was very friendly. Food was good. Sauces are great. A little slow on desert and check. Nice atmosphere, decorated to the just like you are in a lodge.
(3)Deborah L.
My husband was in the mood for some ribs, so we decided to try Famous Dave's. We chose Famous Dave's because I've used them in the past to cater a company summer picnic and the food was a big hit. Well eating in was another story. Our food was cold and the baby back ribs where tough as leather. Even my 12-year old daughter's cheese burger was cold. I looked around for an adult manager, but all I saw was a bunch of high school kids waiting tables and a barely legal looking kid tending the bar. This was one of the worse meals I've ever paid for. Famous Dave should consider just selling his BBQ sauces and saving the rib cooking for someone else.
(1)Gregory C.
food was great. The ultimate brisket burger was great and the catfish fingers were fried to perfection. The only complaint I have is that the windows and shades need cleaned.
(3)Chontelle M.
Famous Dave's SAVED MY ASS! And not as in "I've fallen and I can't get up." More like "OMG! I'm in 92 degree weather with 300 hungry teens and my original caterer didn't show up!" I called Famous Dave's and they rescued me! Just like that! I worked directly with Keith Wilson - THE MANAGER OF THE FREAKING CENTURY- and he was able to deliver on chicken, ribs, cornbread, cole slaw, and baked beans and drinks for 300 people. I admitted to them that I had no money and just my word that I would pay them and they did it anyway!!! Not only was Keith great, but the guys who delivered the food were great too - Mick and (i forgot)! They hurried there and set up in 5 minutes with no complaints. They were also very helpful in calming me down. Which I needed! The also buy their meat from local butchers, keeping the money in the city! I cannot express my gratitude for their willingness to work under pressure for us! I will be going here once a month for the rest of my life to show them my affection.
(5)Laura E.
Service was okay the food is always good!
(5)Yelp W.
Food: I got a half of a rack of St. Louis Spare Ribs, Baked Beans, Fries, and Cornbread. Ribs: Best paid ribs I have ever had. I will leave it at that. Baked Beans: I like what they did there. Sausage and Onions in the beans gave it nice texture. Sweet and a little tangy. Thumbs up. Fries: Steak cut, weren't soggy. Solid Cornbread: Buttery and moist. It was so good that I bought 6 more ($5) and I am a cheap dude. Workers: Cool. Atmosphere: As you would expect from a national BBQ chain. Think Texas Roadhouse. Nothing stood out here. Solid spot.
(4)R R.
Dont get me wrong i love the Ribs but its better to call ahead and order than waiting there .. the "10" minute wait that they claim can turn into 30!
(4)James L.
Famous Daves ended up being a mixed bag for us. Being that we have lived in Texas for the last three years, I should have tempered my expectations a bit. The good: The corn muffins were delicious. The BBQ sauces were all tasty and the hot version was just hot enough to make you notice. The wife liked her beans. The bad: A bit overpriced for what we got. Almost $30 and the portions did not match that cost. The green beans had no taste to them other than the beans themselves. The fries were fries... no shock here.
(2)Renee' M.
This place has great BBQ! I ate her with my family for lunch. My parents ordered the BBQ ribs and the my mom who loves HOT and SPICY food thought the hot BBQ sauce was HOT and GOOD! My Dad ordered the chicken nachos which were good and my boyfriend had the BBQ chicken which he said was very good. I had the salmon which was also very good. My favorite side is potato salad and they did a very good job with it. Our waiter was very attentive and very knowledgeable about the menu. He also gave us a nice history about Dave the owner and the restaurant. We came here again for 4th of July and ordered take out. We will definitely be back!
(5)Shandalyn H.
As I craved some great BBQ for week's now. Since, I was driving from South Carolina on I-95 weeks ago. Smelling all the BBQ & nevered stopped. As I walked in smelling the aroma of BBQ. The hostees was very nice & flirting. As I sat down. My waitress Alexis was such an cutie & helpful. As I order my food, I seen they had an lunch special. Which you have a variety of selection. & can I add cheap! So I chose the BBQ chicken & redskin mashed potatoes, corn-on-the-cob & corn bread. Yummy! The portion size is perfect. & can I add, I had dessert. The bread pudding, that came in a mini. & cheap also. I super recommend this place, for a little BBQ comfort.
(3)Ji K.
After a poor round of golf I tried to cheer myself with bbq. Dave's really hit the spot. I ordered their Combo Special for $7.99 that's offered between 11am and 5pm (if I remember correctly). Quite a deal! You get two choices of meat, corn bread muffin, corn-on-the-cob and your choice of one side. I chose Louis-style spareribs, Georgia chopped pork, and potato salad. The 2 large ribs were fall off the bone tender but it was too saucy for me. They offer "naked" ribs so I'll have to try that next time. I still prefer RH&B (Laurel location) dry rub ribs than Dave's version but Dave's wasn't far behind. Chopped pork was chunkier version of a pulled pork sandwich. It was again tasty but too much sauce also. I liked the corn bread but corn-on-the-cob and potato salad were just ok. They only have 2 versions of their sauces for take out. Tried their spicy sauce and it wasn't spicy at all for a Korean. After the meal, I forgot all the horrors of Rock Creek golf course.
(4)Victor O.
I was very hungry and while driving towards red lobster I saw the sign for Dave's. So I did a u turn and had some dinner. I love the sauce on their ribs. O order a combination platter. I'm very happy with the service and the food was excellent.
(4)Adam T.
I think Famous Dave's is like the Olive Garden of BBQ. It's not amazing food, but it is decent and you should know what to expect. They definitely but enough sauce and calories into the dishes to make them taste good, but that's usually a sign that they are covering up for a lack in other things. If you are a real BBQ fan, then you should find somewhere else, but if you are just in the mood for BBQ, then this place can suit that purpose.
(3)Steve T.
This rating is strictly on the wait staff, and this location. Out of 10 times we've been there we have one waiter worth asking for again. This person had quit before we could ask for him again. I have eaten at FD's all over the place and the food is great and they seem to find good wait staff. If Laurel was not so over crowded this place would fail.
(1)Stephanie B.
I HEART BBQ!!!! And this place's BBQ is sooooo good. Huge servings, yummy food, and I'm glad its located a litte far from home... because if it wasn't, I'd def. be shopping plus sizes.
(4)Jewel J.
The to-go staff is rude. Its really very simple. Now that thats out of the way, the food is decent. My favorite is the hickory chicken sandwich. The swiss cheese, bacon, and chicken interaction is different and sets it apart from anything on the menu.
(3)Jeff L.
Years ago this place was great. At some point it really went down hill. The flavor isnt there. Its often dry and flavorless requiring food to be drenched in sauces to make it worth buying.
(2)Mako Y.
Yummm! being from the west coast and hawaii, i don't have the expertise to write this review, but i do admit that i always love coming to this joint whenever i'm in town! pulled pork, beef brisket, spicy sausage, beans, rice, corn bread! it's good for me to revisit every trip.
(3)Elizabeth E.
Sooooooo good. Barbecue is great. The sauces are spectacular. My recommendation on the most bang for your buck- Get the 2 meat combo platter - 2 meats(obviously), 2 sides, corn, and a corn muffin. You can even add a meat for around 3 or 4 dollars more (if you haven't eaten in a month). Everything I have had from here is GOOD. Just depends on what you are in the mood for. Strangely enough their catfish fingers are really, really, really good (one of the meat choices in the 2 meat platter :) ). The service at this location is ok. The one near Frederick, MD has great service. Take out is good just check your food if you have a large order as I have gotten the wrong thing before.
(4)Kimberly M.
Okay, frist time eating there... The food was out of this world... Staff is great. But I order the bloody mary and the waiter told me not to. I was told everyone sends them back. So I tried one... OMG it was the worst ever. So if everyone sends it back then it is time to try something new. I know they want to stick to the way they do things. I so love the food but I will never drink that swill again. Not even on a bet!!!
(4)Chuck K.
If you want award-winning ribs, this is the place. Even though it is a chain, they take great efforts to maintain quality. Good food and good prices. Even the small bar area is a terrific place to stop, grab a meal and adult beverage while catching a sports event on the TVs.
(4)Marianne S.
Good soup (chicken with rice), ceasar salad was good, loaded baked potato was also good. I stopped here with my son while on a bus tour heading to Baltimore from DC. He ordered a burger and thought it was good, seasoning was good from what he mentioned. The service however was quite slow and in the dining area there was not many customers. Our waiter agreed to get us both on our way by taking the orders immediately, and the drinks too. But he was not to be found sometimes for five minutes or so. We ate fairly quick and he still was slow getting us drinks and bringing out the soup. Friendly by all means, but just not so fast with what we asked for. The take out in front was in much better shape. The prices can be seen as high for a place like this, and for the service it is a bit of a let down. I cannot blame the food though. The staff we dealt with were friendly and even packed up our leftovers so we could take them on the road. That was not slow at all. The decor was nice enough and had the ranch feeling going. Lunch cost a little over $20.00. A good place to go when you are not in a rush to go somewhere, or with the family.
(3)Stephen C.
I thought the meat was nasty. It tasted like the cook poured liquid smoke all over it; I had the brisket. The sides and salad were good but the meat just tasted like something an elementary school cafeteria would make. There was no bark on the brisket at all. Perhaps I was expecting just too much from a chain restaurant.
(1)Southern G.
Great place for barbeque and beer! I've had great food and great service everytime I've been to this place. I usually get the barbeque for two, which comes with chicken, sausage, and brisket, among other things. To me, it tastes like Texas, and I love it.
(4)Ken G.
This is a two star review, if there ever was one. Can't give it one star because.... 1) My beer was fresh 2) My soda was fresh 3) The cornbread was excellent. Otherwise, a very disappointing experience. For $49 (2 adults and a 5 year old) we got: overcooked and fairly tasteless ribs, soggy corn on the cob, and weak service. When our food arrived my drink was almost empty and they didn't ask if I wanted another one. One other thing, the floor was full of grease and I might have had more success walking on the ice at the Verizon Center in DC. The bottom line: overpriced, and next time I'll go to the RH&B instead.
(2)Melanie B.
Excellent food with lightning fast and friendly service. Got the All American feast which supposedly serves 4-6 even though there were 7 in our party. We still had piles of food left over. My favorite dish was the ribs, while my husband loved the sausage.
(5)Chris H.
The best famous daves! Sucks I live close to the one in Kentlands where it really isn't as good. It's been a few years since I've gone but it was our old spot so I took my friend there for his birthday with a large group. The waiter was very friendly and accommodating to our party size, and checked up frequently (along with making some fun jokes). I was very pleased that he got my hints about a birthday, although I probably should have done my duty and blatantly told him. REGARDLESS, he picked up on the hints and came out with a birthday dessert and song to embarrass my friend! :) It was a good experience with great food and great staff. Glad nothing has changed from my years of absence.
(4)Willie B.
Ordered the brisket based on the bartender recommendation... It was terrific but the sides of Mac and cheese and broccoli were quite terrible. I'm used to having unfriendly and awful service in most of Maryland and while the service here wasn't overly friendly, it was efficient and thorough. I can appreciate that in this area.
(4)Brittany S.
If you're looking for some good ol' chain BBQ, this is your place. For some reason thats what the boy wanted, so thats what the boy got. My second time eating dinner here and it was consistently good. I love the rich & sassy sauce, I could probably drink it or keep a bottle of it in my purse at all times because you just never know. All the meat is very flavorful but not tender and juicy enough for me. You can tell it's a chain, it's missing all the tender and love that should go into BBQ. I've shared the big platter with my boyfriend and it was a good size so make sure you have an empty belly! The ribs have an acceptable amount of meat on them, more than what I expected would come from this kind of place. The pull porked/chopped pork was good, loved the sauce. I've had the chicken platter for myself and the chicken was also very flavorful. I really like the cornbread and the mashed potatoes are yummy! The green beans really weren't that good, they were more soggy than crispy but I had to force myself to eat something green after all that meat! Those BBQ sauces may have me back for more... maybe.
(4)Abigail B.
My expectations aren't that high for Famous Dave's however the host was texting on her cell phone the entire time we were there. We felt really rushed by our server Justin I understand it was a Sunday night but come on. I am in the service industry so I understand but you should never slack on your service for that reason.
(2)Brandi P.
My first visit to this location was great. I took my mom for lunch on a girls day out. The servers are really nice and the food was great as usual. The parking lot is nice and spacious and we did not wait long for a table on a Friday afternoon (around 3 PM). The servers name was Kelly. She was really friendly and she was able to update us on menu changes since it had been a while since we went to a famous Dave's.
(5)Ken G.
This is a two star review, if there ever was one. Can't give it one star because.... 1) My beer was fresh 2) My soda was fresh 3) The cornbread was excellent. Otherwise, a very disappointing experience. For $49 (2 adults and a 5 year old) we got: overcooked and fairly tasteless ribs, soggy corn on the cob, and weak service. When our food arrived my drink was almost empty and they didn't ask if I wanted another one. One other thing, the floor was full of grease and I might have had more success walking on the ice at the Verizon Center in DC. The bottom line: overpriced, and next time I'll go to the RH&B instead.
(2)Christina S.
I'm not much of barbecue fan but came here because my boyfriend insisted. (Our friend is the bartender). We started with the rib tips for our appetizer which surprisingly was pretty good. I could do with less sauce but that's besides the point. I ended up going with the salmon with mac n cheese as a side. The mac n cheese is amazing. The salmon was pretty good too. Thank goodness I got the sauce on the side because I wasn't a fan of it. Next time I go back I'll stick with the chicken fingers.
(4)Thomas J.
One of my favorite places to eat. Today I got lunch. I was in a bad traffic jam. I got the idea to call my order in. Wow it was waiting for me when I arrived. Hot food yea boy. I love it. Food quality is excellent I love the brisket sandwich. The chili is always a keeper
(4)Derek N.
The food is ok, but there are better places like Mission BBQ. Their wifi is useless, you have to through a login process that circles back to the login screen, so you can never get access.
(1)Robert R.
I have been to about a half dozen people Famous Dave's in the DC area and this one by far cooks their ribs the best. Always tender and not tough and chewy like at other locations. And what I like best for lunch when you order your food it will arrive in 5 minutes or less! This location was also recently remodel so everything is clean and new looking. This store does a large carry out business also and orders have always been correct when I picked up my order. The fries, baked beans, and corn bread are also always yummy.
(4)Summer B.
I love Famous Dave's the ribs are really delicious. We usually go to the location and Alexandria or in Mays Landing New Jersey, but this time we decided to check out the Laurel location. The service was really great the waitress was courteous and efficient. She took the order and I have food arrive very quickly, hot, and delicious. This time we decided not to get dessert, just a tad bit too full and had food to bring home as well. The location had a clean dining room and bathrooms also. I would highly recommend this location to get hot food, and awesome customer service.
(5)Brittney S.
Came here for lunch. Was greeted by a hostess immediately, but I sat at the bar. The bartender was quick to serve me. I had the brisket tacos. They were fine..nothing super special about them. The taco itself was flaky (in a good way), had lettuce, pico, cilantro, jalapeno, and some kind of sauce that was a little sweet. I wanted something small for lunch, so these were a good choice as the order came with two tacos. I've been to other Famous Dave's before and the ribs are (obviously) where it's at, so that's what you should probably order when you come to BBQ places like this. Overall, it was good.
(4)Pastora Itzel E.
What can I say but yummy yummy yummy yummy yummy yummy... Did I say yummy? The food was so delicious... We had never been there at our friend told us we should go we had the barbecue potato chips OMG I'm hooked!!! We order the family platter I don't remember the name but it was yummy and honestly we will be having it again The service was a little slow but other than that everything was delicious and the corn muffins oh Lord...SOOO GOOD
(4)Darryl P.
We were a party of 4 upon arriving we were greeted and seated our server arrived and took our order he was polite however 10 minutes later came back and said the kitchen was closing because they closed at 10 p.m. however we arrived at 930 and was seated the waiter offered chicken wings and french fries when the food arrived it was cold since we were hungry we decided to eat and not complain the bill was around $60 I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone I would not ever dine at any famous Dave establishments ever
(1)Darrell K.
Chain BBQ places can be good, but usually cannot match the Mom & Pop places across the country. Maryland is not BBQ country, so it's off to the chains to get your BBQ fix. Problem with them is that they are hit or miss. They can be really good or really bad. Many times, I get beef jerky since they overcook or overheat their meats. Famous Dave is one of the better chain. I had better luck at the Annapolis branch than here, but it wasn't bad. Good and friendly service.
(3)Brooke T.
Good and bad man...geez. Sometimes, you want some yummy barbecue. You know the kind where you want to lick your fingers after the bites? Geez. I needed some pork slathered in some rich and sassy sauce. Craved the Wilbur beans. Needed a sweet corn muffin. Gawd. They didn't disappoint. I even tried the beef brisket for the first time, and that was blame good too, chillin on that Texas toast with all the drippins and shiggity. Damn good. Service was pretty chill, she was attentive. Not bad for a chain. Now, had that bathroom looked a bit better, y'all would have gotten four stars. We can't have everything, can we? I enjoyed the food, really I did, I mean I always do, but the bathroom...cheese and crackers. Not sure if I'd go back.
(3)Jessie J.
Man there food is good!!! I ordered the Feast For One. It came with sweet beans, ribs, brisket, fries, coleslaw, corn on the cob, chicken and a corn muffin! The portions were ridiculously big. I am not complaining! When I tell you their food has a lot of flavor, it has a lot of flavor ! Great service, great food!
(5)Keyanna M.
The St. Louis ribs are awesome. The restaurant is clean and the staff is friendly. The prices are average. I would like if they would extend their dessert menu. Maybe add cheesecake and some sort of pie. My food is always fresh and hot, the menu has changed a little and they have increased the prices. Overall it's a great place for dine in or takeout
(4)Shaka M.
Love this place. Staff is very friendly and cater to your particular needs. Food is the best. Its hard to drive by them.
(5)Spencer H.
I only come here for lunch nowadays. I rate restaurants for the type of restaurant it is. Famous Dave's is a cookout style restaurant with NO frills that serves amazing food and very large portions. If you are a fan of BBQ ribs, Catfish, great wings, mouthwatering cornbread, then this is the place for you. You will be licking your fingers before you realize it. I wish they would open one in the Bowie or Upper Marlboro area, who knows, maybe one day!
(5)Sharon W.
We had a really nice experience at Famous Dave's at lunchtime yesterday. I was craving a pulled chicken bbq sandwich so started reading Yelp reviews and checking out restaurant menus. Husband and I only eat poultry and seafood, so sometimes finding a restaurant geared towards meat, meat and more meat is a challenge. We decided on Famous Dave's because they had a good variety of sides, chicken and seafood dishes, and decent reviews. When we entered the restaurant I noticed a bunch of jackets and hats hanging on the coat rack and thought, wow, people here are forgetful. But then I realized it was part of the "hunting lodge" décor. That hunting lodge décor prevailed throughout the multiple rooms. We were seated in a main dining room that included a fireplace. It looked like a gas fireplace but I never got close enough to confirm and whatever, it looked authentic and added a nice ambiance. When I first looked at my menu I thought it was dirty, but I compared it with my husband's and saw they were just printed "unevenly" to continue the rustic theme. A few minutes after we were seated, our server, Dwight, came to our table to take our orders. Dwight was one of the most genuinely enthusiastic servers I've ever had. It wasn't forced like some chain restaurants, but he really seemed to believe in his restaurant and in his fellow employees, including his manager. We ordered drinks, a margarita and a draft beer, to start with and continued to debate what we wanted to order for lunch. I got my bbq sandwich with fries as my side dish. When I read the menu I was sorry to hear they were wedge fries, but these were delicious and really crispy. The chicken sandwich was very good and perfectly satisfied my craving for one. Husband ordered a half bbq chicken with mac and cheese and greens as his sides. His chicken was moist and nicely sauced. On the table were 2 bottles with different sauces and he did add a little of each to his plate as a dipping sauce. We both liked the greens (and ignored that they are cooked with pork). The mac and cheese was creamy with a little corn added. I prefer my mac and cheese more cheesy than creamy, but husband prefers his creamy so gave it high reviews. After we finished stuffing ourselves, Dwight came and offered us dessert. There was no way we could eat another bite. A few minutes later he came back with a bottle of Famous Dave's bbq sauce. Oh, I thought he's going to try to sell it to us, but no, it was gratis. No idea what we did to deserve it but it was a welcome gift. When our check arrived we were told if we filled out a short survey on our phones right then we would get a confirmation number to record on the bill and it would entitle us to a free dessert to take home. Sure, why not, so we filled out a quick survey and selected the brownie for our take-home dessert. I was so impressed at how it was packaged, not to mention how delicious it was, and I'm not even a dessert fan. It arrived in a cardboard box like you might get a slice of pizza in at a ball game. Inside the box was that awesome brownie, plus a small container of whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and a small vanilla ice cream. The box had instructions for warming the brownie and sauce. I know it's a chain restaurant but we still very much enjoyed our food and the little extras. We were also surprised at how reasonable the check was considering all the food we had, plus 3 drinks. We'll be back again and we will ask for Dwight as our server, if he's available.
(4)Daphnee D.
Another looooong review for your entertainment. I would really need to have a sit down and chat with Mr Dave myself.! My friend and I decided to try this place out based on ALL the great reviews..like who are these people leaving these great reviews like do you not have taste buds. Disclaimer we did not have the famed ribs. because it was pork and not beef. who still eats the swine? Now to the special sauce..umm that's definitely sweet baby rays BBQ sauce with franks hot sauce added to it okay. We were seated near the bar. I could probably eat off the plate of the guy who was sitting at the bar that's how close we were it was uncomfortable. I ordered Dave's famous burger or something along those lines, with the famous fries. there was nothing famous about this dish. the fries were basic wedges, I wasn't impressed. The burger came with iceberg lettuce cheese and tomatoes on a greasy bun, with what seemed to be a cross between bread & butter and sweet pickles... who eats sweet pickles? I wasn't prepared and I almost hurled. The pickle was so bad that I was in disbelief so I had to eat another one to actually comprehend how disgusting that pickle was.. to drink I had sweet tea, which was not so sweet, I almost asked our server to just warm it up for me so I could just have warm lipton tea..Oh and I cannot forget about the mac n cheese. I never thought anyone could mess up on mac n cheese like Mr. Dave did. man oh man it is called MAC and CHEESE. why was there jalapenos and corn in the mac and cheese. you ruined a classic dish. who does that? BUT wait here is the kicker, once we finished our meal, my friend said her stomach felt funny, then minutes later I begin to experience the same thing. So Mr. Dave there was a break in sanitation..what's going on in your kitchen, did someone not wash their hands when they came from the restroom. Did you touch some raw meat ad then my burger bun, or did you forget to wash the lettuce, idk, but .Dave I give you an F, You won't see my money again.
(1)Michael M.
Went to eat there tonight and watch the second half of the Super Bowl. Sat in the bar area at a booth. Place was empty, but that was to be expected. Anyways, the bartender/server who waited on our table, who btw had so little to do that she sat at a table playing on her phone most of the time, was ok at first, the food came out fast and was delicious., all was good till towards the end when she just came right over and dropped the check off without asking us if we wanted anything else... I of course wanted another beer and my girl wanted desert to take home. I'm assuming that because it was so slow I'm there that even one table was just to much for her that she wanted to rush us out. Also, she never once came back to the table and asked if everything was good. I had to get up at one point, walk over to her while she was messing with her phone, and ask for a coke., I thought it's the servers job to walk over to us and ask if WE wanted anything I actually told her at the beginning that I used to work there so she should have knew that I know the proper way to wait on a guest.... Guess not. I planned on watching the rest of the game there but was cut short. To sum it all it up, food was great but the service was wack. Just can't seem to find and even ground when you go out to eat anywhere these days.
(2)Felicia A.
Just what I expected! Good service, delicious food. Centrally located in Laurel, MD, we were seated in a booth immediately and had a good evening.
(5)Kelley M.
This a a review on the customer service not the food. The customer service is horrible. So bad that I stop going into the restuarant. I only order take out. 1)The employees are not attentive and will keep you waiting 2)They socialize more than they serve 3) I do not need to hear about your personal problems and your foul mouth On top of all this....EVEN WHEN I ORDER TAKE-OUT they mess up my order! Its not hard, I order SIMPLE items - Salad with nothing on it (just chicken and lettus) and still they give me extra crap on it I do not order. They have this new save fave where they can save your fave item everytime you call - still messes up my order. I just don't get it, EVERYTIME I walk in to pick up food something will be wrong. If I order grilled, why am I getting fried? Its simple. Food is cool, customer service is horrible. You will wait at the bar for a drink forever, while the bartender gossip with coworkers. I just wanted a drink while waiting for my food. Side note they were backed up for a long time took over an hour to get my salad, and they messed that up too!
(2)April C.
Saturday 11.8.2014 Arrived here after trying TGIFs rib trio (disgusting). Hostesses were friendly. We decided to sit in the bar to watch the games. Bartender (didnt get his name, tall white guy) was awesome. Other half got the rib tips, I got the brownie. Both were so damn good. We would come here more often, but I am not a fan of cajun/spicy stuff. Offer the catfish without cajun seasoning and I come once a week.
(5)Nikki C.
Quick and Tasty. Today while making a salad at home I decided to let Famous Dave's prepare the rest of my meal. I called in and ordered ribs, mac and cheese and cornbread muffins (to go). Within the hour I was full, happy and not broke. The dine-in service at this location is a little slow (imo), but the food always tastes wonderful and the staff is always friendly.
(4)Richard A.
The performance of this store keeps going down everytime I go there. They don't even deserve a 1 star! Yesterday, I called a take out ordered, arrived 30 minutes later only to be told quite rudely that they didn't have the order. I placed another take out order at the counter, payed for it, and went to wait outside. After 20 minites of waiting, I went to the counter only to be informed that again they didn't have my order, though I had a receipt to prove it. This is in fact the forth time this has happened to me in the past 6 months in this same restaurant. If order takeout from this restaurant be beware!!!!
(1)Ty C.
My family and I use to eat at this particular location at least once a month. Not anymore! The service is terrible, food is thrown together, all and all the Laurel location is the worst Famous Dave's I've ever been to in the DMV! I love their food, just not here. Do yourself a favor and travel to the one in Columbia, MUCH BETTER!
(2)Kathy M.
Famous Dave's seems to have everything going for it: the name, which gives the impression that they've really perfected their craft (after all, they're "famous"), the huge sign out front which beckons you in, the wall art filled with good times and good food, even the little old ladies who work in the kitchen and come around to your table to make sure you're enjoying your food. And the wait staff are very courteous and professional. They know their menu and provide recommendations if asked - and they offer samples, which is a super-bonus. The one downside to all of this, is that the food is just okay. It won't be the best bar-b-que you've had, nor will you be in a hurry to come back. If this were the only place for miles and miles and I was hungry, I'd probably stop in and have a mundane pulled chicken sandwich and the mac-n-cheese which isn't very good (but it's edible). Or the potato salad, (which isn't very good, but it's edible), or the banana pudding, which isn't very good (but it's edible), or the brownie sundae which also isn't very good (but it's edible). Hopefully they will continue to perfect their menu, but for now, it's not worth the trip.
(2)Megs T.
This is an OK lunch option for those working in Beltsville. I usually just grab a seat at the bar. Last week, I ordered the Choose 2 lunch--I got a few bones (dry rub) some pulled pork a corn muffin and fries for about $8. That''s pretty much what you would spend at Wendy's or Chick fil A so I consider it a good deal for a sit down lunch. Also, if you sit at the bar, you are guaranteed to (over)hear some interesting and/or dramatic stories from the bartenders/servers, so doubles as decent entertainment.
(3)Clyde M.
The tables are always sticky. The food is really good, just don't look at the fireplace. My daughter was facing the fireplace and saw a mouse scurring around. Sure nuff, there was a little mouse scurring around, we all saw it. We will never go back.
(1)JK N.
It's always dirty and sticky Servers are generally rude Food is below average way below average Frozen would taste better
(1)Soo W.
Good is always great except they give you these tall glasses for drinks without bendy straws...straw fail...minor issue considering the place is clean, staff is friendly, and the food is great.
(3)Gregory C.
food was great. The ultimate brisket burger was great and the catfish fingers were fried to perfection. The only complaint I have is that the windows and shades need cleaned.
(3)Crissy T.
I like this place. Ordered my usual chicken tenders which were cooked perfectly. I like testing out the variety of sauces at the table. Famous Dave's doesn't dissapoint.
(4)Greg W.
Service was good, waiter was very friendly. Food was good. Sauces are great. A little slow on desert and check. Nice atmosphere, decorated to the just like you are in a lodge.
(3)Chontelle M.
Famous Dave's SAVED MY ASS! And not as in "I've fallen and I can't get up." More like "OMG! I'm in 92 degree weather with 300 hungry teens and my original caterer didn't show up!" I called Famous Dave's and they rescued me! Just like that! I worked directly with Keith Wilson - THE MANAGER OF THE FREAKING CENTURY- and he was able to deliver on chicken, ribs, cornbread, cole slaw, and baked beans and drinks for 300 people. I admitted to them that I had no money and just my word that I would pay them and they did it anyway!!! Not only was Keith great, but the guys who delivered the food were great too - Mick and (i forgot)! They hurried there and set up in 5 minutes with no complaints. They were also very helpful in calming me down. Which I needed! The also buy their meat from local butchers, keeping the money in the city! I cannot express my gratitude for their willingness to work under pressure for us! I will be going here once a month for the rest of my life to show them my affection.
(5)Laura E.
Service was okay the food is always good!
(5)Yelp W.
Food: I got a half of a rack of St. Louis Spare Ribs, Baked Beans, Fries, and Cornbread. Ribs: Best paid ribs I have ever had. I will leave it at that. Baked Beans: I like what they did there. Sausage and Onions in the beans gave it nice texture. Sweet and a little tangy. Thumbs up. Fries: Steak cut, weren't soggy. Solid Cornbread: Buttery and moist. It was so good that I bought 6 more ($5) and I am a cheap dude. Workers: Cool. Atmosphere: As you would expect from a national BBQ chain. Think Texas Roadhouse. Nothing stood out here. Solid spot.
(4)R R.
Dont get me wrong i love the Ribs but its better to call ahead and order than waiting there .. the "10" minute wait that they claim can turn into 30!
(4)James L.
Famous Daves ended up being a mixed bag for us. Being that we have lived in Texas for the last three years, I should have tempered my expectations a bit. The good: The corn muffins were delicious. The BBQ sauces were all tasty and the hot version was just hot enough to make you notice. The wife liked her beans. The bad: A bit overpriced for what we got. Almost $30 and the portions did not match that cost. The green beans had no taste to them other than the beans themselves. The fries were fries... no shock here.
(2)Renee' M.
This place has great BBQ! I ate her with my family for lunch. My parents ordered the BBQ ribs and the my mom who loves HOT and SPICY food thought the hot BBQ sauce was HOT and GOOD! My Dad ordered the chicken nachos which were good and my boyfriend had the BBQ chicken which he said was very good. I had the salmon which was also very good. My favorite side is potato salad and they did a very good job with it. Our waiter was very attentive and very knowledgeable about the menu. He also gave us a nice history about Dave the owner and the restaurant. We came here again for 4th of July and ordered take out. We will definitely be back!
(5)Olivia D.
At first, I thought I might lose some cred by giving a chain 4 stars. But since Su the BBQ Guru has given this place 4 stars, I feel a little better about it. The truth is, Famous Dave's rocks like granite and siltstone. So many places botch up their bbq with a combination of too much salt, too much sugar, too much dryness, tastes like cardboard, no smoky flavor, a chemical smoky flavor, too much sauce, sucky sides and worst of all, overall blandness. But for the past few years, Famous Dave's has consistently served up perfectly semicharred chunks of meat that taste like they've been sitting in a smoker all day while still having the texture of moist chewy pig or cow or chicken. In most cases, the meat tastes great by itself. But if you did that then you would be missing out on the fun array of sauces to experiment with. The BEST thing to do if you come here is to order the All American BBQ Feast which comes on top of an overturned tin garbage pail lid with... A full slab of St. Louis-style spareribs, a whole chicken, 1/2 lb. of either Texas beef brisket or Georgia chopped pork, coleslaw, Famous Fries, Wilbur Beans, four corn-on-the-cob, and four corn bread muffins. You need a group of 4-5 to finish this, but it gives you a great sample of almost everything. The 2nd best thing to do is order the Texas beef brisket. The tender, juicy slices of beef come on top of a slice of texas toast with your choice of two sides. Now the sides also deserve a paragraph. Famous Dave's has THE BEST BAKED BEANS I have ever tasted. I know baked beans are a hobo dish and easy to get out of a can, but man, their Wilbur Beans are good. Perfectly sweet and salty and with a slight bit of crunch from onion pieces. Delightful. The corn bread is also REALLY good. I like my cornbread on the sweet side without chunks of anything in it and this fits the bill. The Drunkin Apples are also tasty with just the slightest hint of liqueur. The only side I would steer clear of in the future is the green beans, which tasted like they were fresh out of the freezer.
(4)Crissy K.
Very good barbecue. Not as good as Red Hot & Blue . . . but what is? Try the pork-topped salad. It is a completely unhealthy, delicious work of art. Oh, and no pre-packaged shredded cheese here. Delicious. You won't even have room for the corn muffin.
(4)Su K.
Several warnings: 1) This place is always packed! Even at odd hours, you should expect at least a 15 minute wait. No reservations either, unless you reserve the room in the back for a party larger than 25 or so a week or two in advance. 2) It's physically impossible to finish the All-American BBQ Feast between 2 guys. Trust me. I tried, failed, and somehow lived to tell about it.[1] Still my favorite BBQ place in Laurel. [1] For those interested, this was the Day of Glutonny. I had a burger at Bar Louie's, a POCCC ICS, AND the All-American BBQ feast. I probably consumed 5000 calories that day. So this is what being Michael Phelps feels like. Well, minus the 8 gold medals, the endorsements, the rock hard bod, and being able to swim without thrashing like a whale in shallow water.
(4)Jay C.
Ok, I must admit that before I gave up the swines flesh this was my favorite places to go. Good service, good food, and good prices. You would slap your momma for the cornbread, and there are multiple bbq sauces on your table to slather your meats and stimulate taste buds. If you never had Famous Daves I suggest you go ahead and blow your mind ASAP!
(5)Deborah L.
My husband was in the mood for some ribs, so we decided to try Famous Dave's. We chose Famous Dave's because I've used them in the past to cater a company summer picnic and the food was a big hit. Well eating in was another story. Our food was cold and the baby back ribs where tough as leather. Even my 12-year old daughter's cheese burger was cold. I looked around for an adult manager, but all I saw was a bunch of high school kids waiting tables and a barely legal looking kid tending the bar. This was one of the worse meals I've ever paid for. Famous Dave should consider just selling his BBQ sauces and saving the rib cooking for someone else.
(1)Shandalyn H.
As I craved some great BBQ for week's now. Since, I was driving from South Carolina on I-95 weeks ago. Smelling all the BBQ & nevered stopped. As I walked in smelling the aroma of BBQ. The hostees was very nice & flirting. As I sat down. My waitress Alexis was such an cutie & helpful. As I order my food, I seen they had an lunch special. Which you have a variety of selection. & can I add cheap! So I chose the BBQ chicken & redskin mashed potatoes, corn-on-the-cob & corn bread. Yummy! The portion size is perfect. & can I add, I had dessert. The bread pudding, that came in a mini. & cheap also. I super recommend this place, for a little BBQ comfort.
(3)Ji K.
After a poor round of golf I tried to cheer myself with bbq. Dave's really hit the spot. I ordered their Combo Special for $7.99 that's offered between 11am and 5pm (if I remember correctly). Quite a deal! You get two choices of meat, corn bread muffin, corn-on-the-cob and your choice of one side. I chose Louis-style spareribs, Georgia chopped pork, and potato salad. The 2 large ribs were fall off the bone tender but it was too saucy for me. They offer "naked" ribs so I'll have to try that next time. I still prefer RH&B (Laurel location) dry rub ribs than Dave's version but Dave's wasn't far behind. Chopped pork was chunkier version of a pulled pork sandwich. It was again tasty but too much sauce also. I liked the corn bread but corn-on-the-cob and potato salad were just ok. They only have 2 versions of their sauces for take out. Tried their spicy sauce and it wasn't spicy at all for a Korean. After the meal, I forgot all the horrors of Rock Creek golf course.
(4)Victor O.
I was very hungry and while driving towards red lobster I saw the sign for Dave's. So I did a u turn and had some dinner. I love the sauce on their ribs. O order a combination platter. I'm very happy with the service and the food was excellent.
(4)Adam T.
I think Famous Dave's is like the Olive Garden of BBQ. It's not amazing food, but it is decent and you should know what to expect. They definitely but enough sauce and calories into the dishes to make them taste good, but that's usually a sign that they are covering up for a lack in other things. If you are a real BBQ fan, then you should find somewhere else, but if you are just in the mood for BBQ, then this place can suit that purpose.
(3)Steve T.
This rating is strictly on the wait staff, and this location. Out of 10 times we've been there we have one waiter worth asking for again. This person had quit before we could ask for him again. I have eaten at FD's all over the place and the food is great and they seem to find good wait staff. If Laurel was not so over crowded this place would fail.
(1)Stephanie B.
I HEART BBQ!!!! And this place's BBQ is sooooo good. Huge servings, yummy food, and I'm glad its located a litte far from home... because if it wasn't, I'd def. be shopping plus sizes.
(4)Jewel J.
The to-go staff is rude. Its really very simple. Now that thats out of the way, the food is decent. My favorite is the hickory chicken sandwich. The swiss cheese, bacon, and chicken interaction is different and sets it apart from anything on the menu.
(3)Jeff L.
Years ago this place was great. At some point it really went down hill. The flavor isnt there. Its often dry and flavorless requiring food to be drenched in sauces to make it worth buying.
(2)Mako Y.
Yummm! being from the west coast and hawaii, i don't have the expertise to write this review, but i do admit that i always love coming to this joint whenever i'm in town! pulled pork, beef brisket, spicy sausage, beans, rice, corn bread! it's good for me to revisit every trip.
(3)Elizabeth E.
Sooooooo good. Barbecue is great. The sauces are spectacular. My recommendation on the most bang for your buck- Get the 2 meat combo platter - 2 meats(obviously), 2 sides, corn, and a corn muffin. You can even add a meat for around 3 or 4 dollars more (if you haven't eaten in a month). Everything I have had from here is GOOD. Just depends on what you are in the mood for. Strangely enough their catfish fingers are really, really, really good (one of the meat choices in the 2 meat platter :) ). The service at this location is ok. The one near Frederick, MD has great service. Take out is good just check your food if you have a large order as I have gotten the wrong thing before.
(4)Amanda M.
Pretty much full bar, you just have to ask. I got a strawberry daiquiri, it was amazing. First time I considered getting another. Food came out really fast. Me and my boyfriend shared a rack of ribs, and we both got a side of mac n cheese which was good, with a kick of spice. The string beans with bacon were good too, but they came out in a baggie.... really? You couldn't remove the bag? The corn muffins were really good, especially the top. However I found the ribs to be a little dry. There were about 6 different sauces on the table, I wasn't really a fan of any of them. Moist toilettes and paper towels on the table.
(3)Rob N.
Why do I keep going to Famous Dave's... particularly *this* Famous Dave's? Well, it's convenient. That's pretty much it. I used to work in Laurel/Beltsville daily, and this was a nearby option for food at lunch. I work from home mostly, these days. But, every once in a while I find myself in my old stomping grounds. And in this case, coming off of widespread power outages due to a huge storm, well... Dave's was open. There's always a hint of fryer grease in the air. Service... sometimes isn't, though I've had some friendly servers there. The food is chain BBQ - not bad, but nothing to fawn over. Everything is ever so slightly sticky. Most of the time, I'd rather eat somewhere else for lunch. But, sometimes I forget myself, and end up stuck to the booth at Dave's, with BBQ sauce on my hands.
(2)Garry O.
Famous Dave's is the one place I can go where I know I'll get great food and not go bankrupt.
(5)Jimmy V.
Very good ribs and the extremely good corn bread. Service also is great. Good atmosphere
(4)Jim S.
The food is really good, and I like the faux cabin-in-the-woods-in-the-middle-of-nowhere feel...reminds me of visiting my great grand parents when i was a wee lad. The problem is that the staff is abjectly lazy and slow...I mean they are glacially slow. The ribs are not the best I have had, but they are darned tasty and I never leave hungry. The chicken and brisket are both real good. The sides and the tea are pretty good as well. The only thing keeping them from 4 stars is the staff being slow...do not time them with a stopwatch; use a calendar.
(2)Wayne N.
Fantastic food. No wait, service was good. Manager even came around and asked everyone how things were. Asked if we were local, and when we told him we were from out of town from georgia, came back around later and dropped off a free bottle of bbq sauce. Good stuff
(4)Sheldon M.
Surprisingly good. Usually hard to get mass made BBQ done well. Good job. At least today
(4)Kimberly M.
Okay, frist time eating there... The food was out of this world... Staff is great. But I order the bloody mary and the waiter told me not to. I was told everyone sends them back. So I tried one... OMG it was the worst ever. So if everyone sends it back then it is time to try something new. I know they want to stick to the way they do things. I so love the food but I will never drink that swill again. Not even on a bet!!!
(4)Chuck K.
If you want award-winning ribs, this is the place. Even though it is a chain, they take great efforts to maintain quality. Good food and good prices. Even the small bar area is a terrific place to stop, grab a meal and adult beverage while catching a sports event on the TVs.
(4)Marianne S.
Good soup (chicken with rice), ceasar salad was good, loaded baked potato was also good. I stopped here with my son while on a bus tour heading to Baltimore from DC. He ordered a burger and thought it was good, seasoning was good from what he mentioned. The service however was quite slow and in the dining area there was not many customers. Our waiter agreed to get us both on our way by taking the orders immediately, and the drinks too. But he was not to be found sometimes for five minutes or so. We ate fairly quick and he still was slow getting us drinks and bringing out the soup. Friendly by all means, but just not so fast with what we asked for. The take out in front was in much better shape. The prices can be seen as high for a place like this, and for the service it is a bit of a let down. I cannot blame the food though. The staff we dealt with were friendly and even packed up our leftovers so we could take them on the road. That was not slow at all. The decor was nice enough and had the ranch feeling going. Lunch cost a little over $20.00. A good place to go when you are not in a rush to go somewhere, or with the family.
(3)Stephen C.
I thought the meat was nasty. It tasted like the cook poured liquid smoke all over it; I had the brisket. The sides and salad were good but the meat just tasted like something an elementary school cafeteria would make. There was no bark on the brisket at all. Perhaps I was expecting just too much from a chain restaurant.
(1)Southern G.
Great place for barbeque and beer! I've had great food and great service everytime I've been to this place. I usually get the barbeque for two, which comes with chicken, sausage, and brisket, among other things. To me, it tastes like Texas, and I love it.
(4)Chris H.
The best famous daves! Sucks I live close to the one in Kentlands where it really isn't as good. It's been a few years since I've gone but it was our old spot so I took my friend there for his birthday with a large group. The waiter was very friendly and accommodating to our party size, and checked up frequently (along with making some fun jokes). I was very pleased that he got my hints about a birthday, although I probably should have done my duty and blatantly told him. REGARDLESS, he picked up on the hints and came out with a birthday dessert and song to embarrass my friend! :) It was a good experience with great food and great staff. Glad nothing has changed from my years of absence.
(4)Willie B.
Ordered the brisket based on the bartender recommendation... It was terrific but the sides of Mac and cheese and broccoli were quite terrible. I'm used to having unfriendly and awful service in most of Maryland and while the service here wasn't overly friendly, it was efficient and thorough. I can appreciate that in this area.
(4)Brittany S.
If you're looking for some good ol' chain BBQ, this is your place. For some reason thats what the boy wanted, so thats what the boy got. My second time eating dinner here and it was consistently good. I love the rich & sassy sauce, I could probably drink it or keep a bottle of it in my purse at all times because you just never know. All the meat is very flavorful but not tender and juicy enough for me. You can tell it's a chain, it's missing all the tender and love that should go into BBQ. I've shared the big platter with my boyfriend and it was a good size so make sure you have an empty belly! The ribs have an acceptable amount of meat on them, more than what I expected would come from this kind of place. The pull porked/chopped pork was good, loved the sauce. I've had the chicken platter for myself and the chicken was also very flavorful. I really like the cornbread and the mashed potatoes are yummy! The green beans really weren't that good, they were more soggy than crispy but I had to force myself to eat something green after all that meat! Those BBQ sauces may have me back for more... maybe.
(4)Abigail B.
My expectations aren't that high for Famous Dave's however the host was texting on her cell phone the entire time we were there. We felt really rushed by our server Justin I understand it was a Sunday night but come on. I am in the service industry so I understand but you should never slack on your service for that reason.
(2)Brandi P.
My first visit to this location was great. I took my mom for lunch on a girls day out. The servers are really nice and the food was great as usual. The parking lot is nice and spacious and we did not wait long for a table on a Friday afternoon (around 3 PM). The servers name was Kelly. She was really friendly and she was able to update us on menu changes since it had been a while since we went to a famous Dave's.
(5)Laura E.
Service was okay the food is always good!
(5)Chontelle M.
Famous Dave's SAVED MY ASS! And not as in "I've fallen and I can't get up." More like "OMG! I'm in 92 degree weather with 300 hungry teens and my original caterer didn't show up!" I called Famous Dave's and they rescued me! Just like that! I worked directly with Keith Wilson - THE MANAGER OF THE FREAKING CENTURY- and he was able to deliver on chicken, ribs, cornbread, cole slaw, and baked beans and drinks for 300 people. I admitted to them that I had no money and just my word that I would pay them and they did it anyway!!! Not only was Keith great, but the guys who delivered the food were great too - Mick and (i forgot)! They hurried there and set up in 5 minutes with no complaints. They were also very helpful in calming me down. Which I needed! The also buy their meat from local butchers, keeping the money in the city! I cannot express my gratitude for their willingness to work under pressure for us! I will be going here once a month for the rest of my life to show them my affection.
(5)Yelp W.
Food: I got a half of a rack of St. Louis Spare Ribs, Baked Beans, Fries, and Cornbread. Ribs: Best paid ribs I have ever had. I will leave it at that. Baked Beans: I like what they did there. Sausage and Onions in the beans gave it nice texture. Sweet and a little tangy. Thumbs up. Fries: Steak cut, weren't soggy. Solid Cornbread: Buttery and moist. It was so good that I bought 6 more ($5) and I am a cheap dude. Workers: Cool. Atmosphere: As you would expect from a national BBQ chain. Think Texas Roadhouse. Nothing stood out here. Solid spot.
(4)R R.
Dont get me wrong i love the Ribs but its better to call ahead and order than waiting there .. the "10" minute wait that they claim can turn into 30!
(4)Amanda M.
Pretty much full bar, you just have to ask. I got a strawberry daiquiri, it was amazing. First time I considered getting another. Food came out really fast. Me and my boyfriend shared a rack of ribs, and we both got a side of mac n cheese which was good, with a kick of spice. The string beans with bacon were good too, but they came out in a baggie.... really? You couldn't remove the bag? The corn muffins were really good, especially the top. However I found the ribs to be a little dry. There were about 6 different sauces on the table, I wasn't really a fan of any of them. Moist toilettes and paper towels on the table.
(3)Rob N.
Why do I keep going to Famous Dave's... particularly *this* Famous Dave's? Well, it's convenient. That's pretty much it. I used to work in Laurel/Beltsville daily, and this was a nearby option for food at lunch. I work from home mostly, these days. But, every once in a while I find myself in my old stomping grounds. And in this case, coming off of widespread power outages due to a huge storm, well... Dave's was open. There's always a hint of fryer grease in the air. Service... sometimes isn't, though I've had some friendly servers there. The food is chain BBQ - not bad, but nothing to fawn over. Everything is ever so slightly sticky. Most of the time, I'd rather eat somewhere else for lunch. But, sometimes I forget myself, and end up stuck to the booth at Dave's, with BBQ sauce on my hands.
(2)Garry O.
Famous Dave's is the one place I can go where I know I'll get great food and not go bankrupt.
(5)Jimmy V.
Very good ribs and the extremely good corn bread. Service also is great. Good atmosphere
(4)Jim S.
The food is really good, and I like the faux cabin-in-the-woods-in-the-middle-of-nowhere feel...reminds me of visiting my great grand parents when i was a wee lad. The problem is that the staff is abjectly lazy and slow...I mean they are glacially slow. The ribs are not the best I have had, but they are darned tasty and I never leave hungry. The chicken and brisket are both real good. The sides and the tea are pretty good as well. The only thing keeping them from 4 stars is the staff being slow...do not time them with a stopwatch; use a calendar.
(2)Wayne N.
Fantastic food. No wait, service was good. Manager even came around and asked everyone how things were. Asked if we were local, and when we told him we were from out of town from georgia, came back around later and dropped off a free bottle of bbq sauce. Good stuff
(4)Sheldon M.
Surprisingly good. Usually hard to get mass made BBQ done well. Good job. At least today
(4)Kathy M.
Famous Dave's seems to have everything going for it: the name, which gives the impression that they've really perfected their craft (after all, they're "famous"), the huge sign out front which beckons you in, the wall art filled with good times and good food, even the little old ladies who work in the kitchen and come around to your table to make sure you're enjoying your food. And the wait staff are very courteous and professional. They know their menu and provide recommendations if asked - and they offer samples, which is a super-bonus. The one downside to all of this, is that the food is just okay. It won't be the best bar-b-que you've had, nor will you be in a hurry to come back. If this were the only place for miles and miles and I was hungry, I'd probably stop in and have a mundane pulled chicken sandwich and the mac-n-cheese which isn't very good (but it's edible). Or the potato salad, (which isn't very good, but it's edible), or the banana pudding, which isn't very good (but it's edible), or the brownie sundae which also isn't very good (but it's edible). Hopefully they will continue to perfect their menu, but for now, it's not worth the trip.
(2)Megs T.
This is an OK lunch option for those working in Beltsville. I usually just grab a seat at the bar. Last week, I ordered the Choose 2 lunch--I got a few bones (dry rub) some pulled pork a corn muffin and fries for about $8. That''s pretty much what you would spend at Wendy's or Chick fil A so I consider it a good deal for a sit down lunch. Also, if you sit at the bar, you are guaranteed to (over)hear some interesting and/or dramatic stories from the bartenders/servers, so doubles as decent entertainment.
(3)Clyde M.
The tables are always sticky. The food is really good, just don't look at the fireplace. My daughter was facing the fireplace and saw a mouse scurring around. Sure nuff, there was a little mouse scurring around, we all saw it. We will never go back.
(1)JK N.
It's always dirty and sticky Servers are generally rude Food is below average way below average Frozen would taste better
(1)Soo W.
Good is always great except they give you these tall glasses for drinks without bendy straws...straw fail...minor issue considering the place is clean, staff is friendly, and the food is great.
(3)Gregory C.
food was great. The ultimate brisket burger was great and the catfish fingers were fried to perfection. The only complaint I have is that the windows and shades need cleaned.
(3)Renee' M.
This place has great BBQ! I ate her with my family for lunch. My parents ordered the BBQ ribs and the my mom who loves HOT and SPICY food thought the hot BBQ sauce was HOT and GOOD! My Dad ordered the chicken nachos which were good and my boyfriend had the BBQ chicken which he said was very good. I had the salmon which was also very good. My favorite side is potato salad and they did a very good job with it. Our waiter was very attentive and very knowledgeable about the menu. He also gave us a nice history about Dave the owner and the restaurant. We came here again for 4th of July and ordered take out. We will definitely be back!
(5)James L.
Famous Daves ended up being a mixed bag for us. Being that we have lived in Texas for the last three years, I should have tempered my expectations a bit. The good: The corn muffins were delicious. The BBQ sauces were all tasty and the hot version was just hot enough to make you notice. The wife liked her beans. The bad: A bit overpriced for what we got. Almost $30 and the portions did not match that cost. The green beans had no taste to them other than the beans themselves. The fries were fries... no shock here.
(2)Crissy T.
I like this place. Ordered my usual chicken tenders which were cooked perfectly. I like testing out the variety of sauces at the table. Famous Dave's doesn't dissapoint.
(4)Greg W.
Service was good, waiter was very friendly. Food was good. Sauces are great. A little slow on desert and check. Nice atmosphere, decorated to the just like you are in a lodge.
(3)Olivia D.
At first, I thought I might lose some cred by giving a chain 4 stars. But since Su the BBQ Guru has given this place 4 stars, I feel a little better about it. The truth is, Famous Dave's rocks like granite and siltstone. So many places botch up their bbq with a combination of too much salt, too much sugar, too much dryness, tastes like cardboard, no smoky flavor, a chemical smoky flavor, too much sauce, sucky sides and worst of all, overall blandness. But for the past few years, Famous Dave's has consistently served up perfectly semicharred chunks of meat that taste like they've been sitting in a smoker all day while still having the texture of moist chewy pig or cow or chicken. In most cases, the meat tastes great by itself. But if you did that then you would be missing out on the fun array of sauces to experiment with. The BEST thing to do if you come here is to order the All American BBQ Feast which comes on top of an overturned tin garbage pail lid with... A full slab of St. Louis-style spareribs, a whole chicken, 1/2 lb. of either Texas beef brisket or Georgia chopped pork, coleslaw, Famous Fries, Wilbur Beans, four corn-on-the-cob, and four corn bread muffins. You need a group of 4-5 to finish this, but it gives you a great sample of almost everything. The 2nd best thing to do is order the Texas beef brisket. The tender, juicy slices of beef come on top of a slice of texas toast with your choice of two sides. Now the sides also deserve a paragraph. Famous Dave's has THE BEST BAKED BEANS I have ever tasted. I know baked beans are a hobo dish and easy to get out of a can, but man, their Wilbur Beans are good. Perfectly sweet and salty and with a slight bit of crunch from onion pieces. Delightful. The corn bread is also REALLY good. I like my cornbread on the sweet side without chunks of anything in it and this fits the bill. The Drunkin Apples are also tasty with just the slightest hint of liqueur. The only side I would steer clear of in the future is the green beans, which tasted like they were fresh out of the freezer.
(4)Christina S.
I'm not much of barbecue fan but came here because my boyfriend insisted. (Our friend is the bartender). We started with the rib tips for our appetizer which surprisingly was pretty good. I could do with less sauce but that's besides the point. I ended up going with the salmon with mac n cheese as a side. The mac n cheese is amazing. The salmon was pretty good too. Thank goodness I got the sauce on the side because I wasn't a fan of it. Next time I go back I'll stick with the chicken fingers.
(4)Thomas J.
One of my favorite places to eat. Today I got lunch. I was in a bad traffic jam. I got the idea to call my order in. Wow it was waiting for me when I arrived. Hot food yea boy. I love it. Food quality is excellent I love the brisket sandwich. The chili is always a keeper
(4)Derek N.
The food is ok, but there are better places like Mission BBQ. Their wifi is useless, you have to through a login process that circles back to the login screen, so you can never get access.
(1)Pastora Itzel E.
What can I say but yummy yummy yummy yummy yummy yummy... Did I say yummy? The food was so delicious... We had never been there at our friend told us we should go we had the barbecue potato chips OMG I'm hooked!!! We order the family platter I don't remember the name but it was yummy and honestly we will be having it again The service was a little slow but other than that everything was delicious and the corn muffins oh Lord...SOOO GOOD
(4)Darryl P.
We were a party of 4 upon arriving we were greeted and seated our server arrived and took our order he was polite however 10 minutes later came back and said the kitchen was closing because they closed at 10 p.m. however we arrived at 930 and was seated the waiter offered chicken wings and french fries when the food arrived it was cold since we were hungry we decided to eat and not complain the bill was around $60 I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone I would not ever dine at any famous Dave establishments ever
(1)Darrell K.
Chain BBQ places can be good, but usually cannot match the Mom & Pop places across the country. Maryland is not BBQ country, so it's off to the chains to get your BBQ fix. Problem with them is that they are hit or miss. They can be really good or really bad. Many times, I get beef jerky since they overcook or overheat their meats. Famous Dave is one of the better chain. I had better luck at the Annapolis branch than here, but it wasn't bad. Good and friendly service.
(3)Brooke T.
Good and bad man...geez. Sometimes, you want some yummy barbecue. You know the kind where you want to lick your fingers after the bites? Geez. I needed some pork slathered in some rich and sassy sauce. Craved the Wilbur beans. Needed a sweet corn muffin. Gawd. They didn't disappoint. I even tried the beef brisket for the first time, and that was blame good too, chillin on that Texas toast with all the drippins and shiggity. Damn good. Service was pretty chill, she was attentive. Not bad for a chain. Now, had that bathroom looked a bit better, y'all would have gotten four stars. We can't have everything, can we? I enjoyed the food, really I did, I mean I always do, but the bathroom...cheese and crackers. Not sure if I'd go back.
(3)Jessie J.
Man there food is good!!! I ordered the Feast For One. It came with sweet beans, ribs, brisket, fries, coleslaw, corn on the cob, chicken and a corn muffin! The portions were ridiculously big. I am not complaining! When I tell you their food has a lot of flavor, it has a lot of flavor ! Great service, great food!
(5)Keyanna M.
The St. Louis ribs are awesome. The restaurant is clean and the staff is friendly. The prices are average. I would like if they would extend their dessert menu. Maybe add cheesecake and some sort of pie. My food is always fresh and hot, the menu has changed a little and they have increased the prices. Overall it's a great place for dine in or takeout
(4)Shaka M.
Love this place. Staff is very friendly and cater to your particular needs. Food is the best. Its hard to drive by them.
(5)Sharon W.
We had a really nice experience at Famous Dave's at lunchtime yesterday. I was craving a pulled chicken bbq sandwich so started reading Yelp reviews and checking out restaurant menus. Husband and I only eat poultry and seafood, so sometimes finding a restaurant geared towards meat, meat and more meat is a challenge. We decided on Famous Dave's because they had a good variety of sides, chicken and seafood dishes, and decent reviews. When we entered the restaurant I noticed a bunch of jackets and hats hanging on the coat rack and thought, wow, people here are forgetful. But then I realized it was part of the "hunting lodge" décor. That hunting lodge décor prevailed throughout the multiple rooms. We were seated in a main dining room that included a fireplace. It looked like a gas fireplace but I never got close enough to confirm and whatever, it looked authentic and added a nice ambiance. When I first looked at my menu I thought it was dirty, but I compared it with my husband's and saw they were just printed "unevenly" to continue the rustic theme. A few minutes after we were seated, our server, Dwight, came to our table to take our orders. Dwight was one of the most genuinely enthusiastic servers I've ever had. It wasn't forced like some chain restaurants, but he really seemed to believe in his restaurant and in his fellow employees, including his manager. We ordered drinks, a margarita and a draft beer, to start with and continued to debate what we wanted to order for lunch. I got my bbq sandwich with fries as my side dish. When I read the menu I was sorry to hear they were wedge fries, but these were delicious and really crispy. The chicken sandwich was very good and perfectly satisfied my craving for one. Husband ordered a half bbq chicken with mac and cheese and greens as his sides. His chicken was moist and nicely sauced. On the table were 2 bottles with different sauces and he did add a little of each to his plate as a dipping sauce. We both liked the greens (and ignored that they are cooked with pork). The mac and cheese was creamy with a little corn added. I prefer my mac and cheese more cheesy than creamy, but husband prefers his creamy so gave it high reviews. After we finished stuffing ourselves, Dwight came and offered us dessert. There was no way we could eat another bite. A few minutes later he came back with a bottle of Famous Dave's bbq sauce. Oh, I thought he's going to try to sell it to us, but no, it was gratis. No idea what we did to deserve it but it was a welcome gift. When our check arrived we were told if we filled out a short survey on our phones right then we would get a confirmation number to record on the bill and it would entitle us to a free dessert to take home. Sure, why not, so we filled out a quick survey and selected the brownie for our take-home dessert. I was so impressed at how it was packaged, not to mention how delicious it was, and I'm not even a dessert fan. It arrived in a cardboard box like you might get a slice of pizza in at a ball game. Inside the box was that awesome brownie, plus a small container of whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and a small vanilla ice cream. The box had instructions for warming the brownie and sauce. I know it's a chain restaurant but we still very much enjoyed our food and the little extras. We were also surprised at how reasonable the check was considering all the food we had, plus 3 drinks. We'll be back again and we will ask for Dwight as our server, if he's available.
(4)Daphnee D.
Another looooong review for your entertainment. I would really need to have a sit down and chat with Mr Dave myself.! My friend and I decided to try this place out based on ALL the great reviews..like who are these people leaving these great reviews like do you not have taste buds. Disclaimer we did not have the famed ribs. because it was pork and not beef. who still eats the swine? Now to the special sauce..umm that's definitely sweet baby rays BBQ sauce with franks hot sauce added to it okay. We were seated near the bar. I could probably eat off the plate of the guy who was sitting at the bar that's how close we were it was uncomfortable. I ordered Dave's famous burger or something along those lines, with the famous fries. there was nothing famous about this dish. the fries were basic wedges, I wasn't impressed. The burger came with iceberg lettuce cheese and tomatoes on a greasy bun, with what seemed to be a cross between bread & butter and sweet pickles... who eats sweet pickles? I wasn't prepared and I almost hurled. The pickle was so bad that I was in disbelief so I had to eat another one to actually comprehend how disgusting that pickle was.. to drink I had sweet tea, which was not so sweet, I almost asked our server to just warm it up for me so I could just have warm lipton tea..Oh and I cannot forget about the mac n cheese. I never thought anyone could mess up on mac n cheese like Mr. Dave did. man oh man it is called MAC and CHEESE. why was there jalapenos and corn in the mac and cheese. you ruined a classic dish. who does that? BUT wait here is the kicker, once we finished our meal, my friend said her stomach felt funny, then minutes later I begin to experience the same thing. So Mr. Dave there was a break in sanitation..what's going on in your kitchen, did someone not wash their hands when they came from the restroom. Did you touch some raw meat ad then my burger bun, or did you forget to wash the lettuce, idk, but .Dave I give you an F, You won't see my money again.
(1)Michael M.
Went to eat there tonight and watch the second half of the Super Bowl. Sat in the bar area at a booth. Place was empty, but that was to be expected. Anyways, the bartender/server who waited on our table, who btw had so little to do that she sat at a table playing on her phone most of the time, was ok at first, the food came out fast and was delicious., all was good till towards the end when she just came right over and dropped the check off without asking us if we wanted anything else... I of course wanted another beer and my girl wanted desert to take home. I'm assuming that because it was so slow I'm there that even one table was just to much for her that she wanted to rush us out. Also, she never once came back to the table and asked if everything was good. I had to get up at one point, walk over to her while she was messing with her phone, and ask for a coke., I thought it's the servers job to walk over to us and ask if WE wanted anything I actually told her at the beginning that I used to work there so she should have knew that I know the proper way to wait on a guest.... Guess not. I planned on watching the rest of the game there but was cut short. To sum it all it up, food was great but the service was wack. Just can't seem to find and even ground when you go out to eat anywhere these days.
(2)Felicia A.
Just what I expected! Good service, delicious food. Centrally located in Laurel, MD, we were seated in a booth immediately and had a good evening.
(5)Spencer H.
I only come here for lunch nowadays. I rate restaurants for the type of restaurant it is. Famous Dave's is a cookout style restaurant with NO frills that serves amazing food and very large portions. If you are a fan of BBQ ribs, Catfish, great wings, mouthwatering cornbread, then this is the place for you. You will be licking your fingers before you realize it. I wish they would open one in the Bowie or Upper Marlboro area, who knows, maybe one day!
(5)Robert R.
I have been to about a half dozen people Famous Dave's in the DC area and this one by far cooks their ribs the best. Always tender and not tough and chewy like at other locations. And what I like best for lunch when you order your food it will arrive in 5 minutes or less! This location was also recently remodel so everything is clean and new looking. This store does a large carry out business also and orders have always been correct when I picked up my order. The fries, baked beans, and corn bread are also always yummy.
(4)Summer B.
I love Famous Dave's the ribs are really delicious. We usually go to the location and Alexandria or in Mays Landing New Jersey, but this time we decided to check out the Laurel location. The service was really great the waitress was courteous and efficient. She took the order and I have food arrive very quickly, hot, and delicious. This time we decided not to get dessert, just a tad bit too full and had food to bring home as well. The location had a clean dining room and bathrooms also. I would highly recommend this location to get hot food, and awesome customer service.
(5)Brittney S.
Came here for lunch. Was greeted by a hostess immediately, but I sat at the bar. The bartender was quick to serve me. I had the brisket tacos. They were fine..nothing super special about them. The taco itself was flaky (in a good way), had lettuce, pico, cilantro, jalapeno, and some kind of sauce that was a little sweet. I wanted something small for lunch, so these were a good choice as the order came with two tacos. I've been to other Famous Dave's before and the ribs are (obviously) where it's at, so that's what you should probably order when you come to BBQ places like this. Overall, it was good.
(4)Kelley M.
This a a review on the customer service not the food. The customer service is horrible. So bad that I stop going into the restuarant. I only order take out. 1)The employees are not attentive and will keep you waiting 2)They socialize more than they serve 3) I do not need to hear about your personal problems and your foul mouth On top of all this....EVEN WHEN I ORDER TAKE-OUT they mess up my order! Its not hard, I order SIMPLE items - Salad with nothing on it (just chicken and lettus) and still they give me extra crap on it I do not order. They have this new save fave where they can save your fave item everytime you call - still messes up my order. I just don't get it, EVERYTIME I walk in to pick up food something will be wrong. If I order grilled, why am I getting fried? Its simple. Food is cool, customer service is horrible. You will wait at the bar for a drink forever, while the bartender gossip with coworkers. I just wanted a drink while waiting for my food. Side note they were backed up for a long time took over an hour to get my salad, and they messed that up too!
(2)April C.
Saturday 11.8.2014 Arrived here after trying TGIFs rib trio (disgusting). Hostesses were friendly. We decided to sit in the bar to watch the games. Bartender (didnt get his name, tall white guy) was awesome. Other half got the rib tips, I got the brownie. Both were so damn good. We would come here more often, but I am not a fan of cajun/spicy stuff. Offer the catfish without cajun seasoning and I come once a week.
(5)Nikki C.
Quick and Tasty. Today while making a salad at home I decided to let Famous Dave's prepare the rest of my meal. I called in and ordered ribs, mac and cheese and cornbread muffins (to go). Within the hour I was full, happy and not broke. The dine-in service at this location is a little slow (imo), but the food always tastes wonderful and the staff is always friendly.
(4)Richard A.
The performance of this store keeps going down everytime I go there. They don't even deserve a 1 star! Yesterday, I called a take out ordered, arrived 30 minutes later only to be told quite rudely that they didn't have the order. I placed another take out order at the counter, payed for it, and went to wait outside. After 20 minites of waiting, I went to the counter only to be informed that again they didn't have my order, though I had a receipt to prove it. This is in fact the forth time this has happened to me in the past 6 months in this same restaurant. If order takeout from this restaurant be beware!!!!
(1)Ty C.
My family and I use to eat at this particular location at least once a month. Not anymore! The service is terrible, food is thrown together, all and all the Laurel location is the worst Famous Dave's I've ever been to in the DMV! I love their food, just not here. Do yourself a favor and travel to the one in Columbia, MUCH BETTER!
(2)Melanie B.
Excellent food with lightning fast and friendly service. Got the All American feast which supposedly serves 4-6 even though there were 7 in our party. We still had piles of food left over. My favorite dish was the ribs, while my husband loved the sausage.
(5)Crissy K.
Very good barbecue. Not as good as Red Hot & Blue . . . but what is? Try the pork-topped salad. It is a completely unhealthy, delicious work of art. Oh, and no pre-packaged shredded cheese here. Delicious. You won't even have room for the corn muffin.
(4)Su K.
Several warnings: 1) This place is always packed! Even at odd hours, you should expect at least a 15 minute wait. No reservations either, unless you reserve the room in the back for a party larger than 25 or so a week or two in advance. 2) It's physically impossible to finish the All-American BBQ Feast between 2 guys. Trust me. I tried, failed, and somehow lived to tell about it.[1] Still my favorite BBQ place in Laurel. [1] For those interested, this was the Day of Glutonny. I had a burger at Bar Louie's, a POCCC ICS, AND the All-American BBQ feast. I probably consumed 5000 calories that day. So this is what being Michael Phelps feels like. Well, minus the 8 gold medals, the endorsements, the rock hard bod, and being able to swim without thrashing like a whale in shallow water.
(4)Jay C.
Ok, I must admit that before I gave up the swines flesh this was my favorite places to go. Good service, good food, and good prices. You would slap your momma for the cornbread, and there are multiple bbq sauces on your table to slather your meats and stimulate taste buds. If you never had Famous Daves I suggest you go ahead and blow your mind ASAP!
(5)Chuck K.
If you want award-winning ribs, this is the place. Even though it is a chain, they take great efforts to maintain quality. Good food and good prices. Even the small bar area is a terrific place to stop, grab a meal and adult beverage while catching a sports event on the TVs.
(4)Marianne S.
Good soup (chicken with rice), ceasar salad was good, loaded baked potato was also good. I stopped here with my son while on a bus tour heading to Baltimore from DC. He ordered a burger and thought it was good, seasoning was good from what he mentioned. The service however was quite slow and in the dining area there was not many customers. Our waiter agreed to get us both on our way by taking the orders immediately, and the drinks too. But he was not to be found sometimes for five minutes or so. We ate fairly quick and he still was slow getting us drinks and bringing out the soup. Friendly by all means, but just not so fast with what we asked for. The take out in front was in much better shape. The prices can be seen as high for a place like this, and for the service it is a bit of a let down. I cannot blame the food though. The staff we dealt with were friendly and even packed up our leftovers so we could take them on the road. That was not slow at all. The decor was nice enough and had the ranch feeling going. Lunch cost a little over $20.00. A good place to go when you are not in a rush to go somewhere, or with the family.
(3)Stephen C.
I thought the meat was nasty. It tasted like the cook poured liquid smoke all over it; I had the brisket. The sides and salad were good but the meat just tasted like something an elementary school cafeteria would make. There was no bark on the brisket at all. Perhaps I was expecting just too much from a chain restaurant.
(1)Southern G.
Great place for barbeque and beer! I've had great food and great service everytime I've been to this place. I usually get the barbeque for two, which comes with chicken, sausage, and brisket, among other things. To me, it tastes like Texas, and I love it.
(4)Ken G.
This is a two star review, if there ever was one. Can't give it one star because.... 1) My beer was fresh 2) My soda was fresh 3) The cornbread was excellent. Otherwise, a very disappointing experience. For $49 (2 adults and a 5 year old) we got: overcooked and fairly tasteless ribs, soggy corn on the cob, and weak service. When our food arrived my drink was almost empty and they didn't ask if I wanted another one. One other thing, the floor was full of grease and I might have had more success walking on the ice at the Verizon Center in DC. The bottom line: overpriced, and next time I'll go to the RH&B instead.
(2)Jeff L.
Years ago this place was great. At some point it really went down hill. The flavor isnt there. Its often dry and flavorless requiring food to be drenched in sauces to make it worth buying.
(2)Deborah L.
My husband was in the mood for some ribs, so we decided to try Famous Dave's. We chose Famous Dave's because I've used them in the past to cater a company summer picnic and the food was a big hit. Well eating in was another story. Our food was cold and the baby back ribs where tough as leather. Even my 12-year old daughter's cheese burger was cold. I looked around for an adult manager, but all I saw was a bunch of high school kids waiting tables and a barely legal looking kid tending the bar. This was one of the worse meals I've ever paid for. Famous Dave should consider just selling his BBQ sauces and saving the rib cooking for someone else.
(1)Elizabeth E.
Sooooooo good. Barbecue is great. The sauces are spectacular. My recommendation on the most bang for your buck- Get the 2 meat combo platter - 2 meats(obviously), 2 sides, corn, and a corn muffin. You can even add a meat for around 3 or 4 dollars more (if you haven't eaten in a month). Everything I have had from here is GOOD. Just depends on what you are in the mood for. Strangely enough their catfish fingers are really, really, really good (one of the meat choices in the 2 meat platter :) ). The service at this location is ok. The one near Frederick, MD has great service. Take out is good just check your food if you have a large order as I have gotten the wrong thing before.
(4)Shandalyn H.
As I craved some great BBQ for week's now. Since, I was driving from South Carolina on I-95 weeks ago. Smelling all the BBQ & nevered stopped. As I walked in smelling the aroma of BBQ. The hostees was very nice & flirting. As I sat down. My waitress Alexis was such an cutie & helpful. As I order my food, I seen they had an lunch special. Which you have a variety of selection. & can I add cheap! So I chose the BBQ chicken & redskin mashed potatoes, corn-on-the-cob & corn bread. Yummy! The portion size is perfect. & can I add, I had dessert. The bread pudding, that came in a mini. & cheap also. I super recommend this place, for a little BBQ comfort.
(3)Ji K.
After a poor round of golf I tried to cheer myself with bbq. Dave's really hit the spot. I ordered their Combo Special for $7.99 that's offered between 11am and 5pm (if I remember correctly). Quite a deal! You get two choices of meat, corn bread muffin, corn-on-the-cob and your choice of one side. I chose Louis-style spareribs, Georgia chopped pork, and potato salad. The 2 large ribs were fall off the bone tender but it was too saucy for me. They offer "naked" ribs so I'll have to try that next time. I still prefer RH&B (Laurel location) dry rub ribs than Dave's version but Dave's wasn't far behind. Chopped pork was chunkier version of a pulled pork sandwich. It was again tasty but too much sauce also. I liked the corn bread but corn-on-the-cob and potato salad were just ok. They only have 2 versions of their sauces for take out. Tried their spicy sauce and it wasn't spicy at all for a Korean. After the meal, I forgot all the horrors of Rock Creek golf course.
(4)Victor O.
I was very hungry and while driving towards red lobster I saw the sign for Dave's. So I did a u turn and had some dinner. I love the sauce on their ribs. O order a combination platter. I'm very happy with the service and the food was excellent.
(4)Adam T.
I think Famous Dave's is like the Olive Garden of BBQ. It's not amazing food, but it is decent and you should know what to expect. They definitely but enough sauce and calories into the dishes to make them taste good, but that's usually a sign that they are covering up for a lack in other things. If you are a real BBQ fan, then you should find somewhere else, but if you are just in the mood for BBQ, then this place can suit that purpose.
(3)Steve T.
This rating is strictly on the wait staff, and this location. Out of 10 times we've been there we have one waiter worth asking for again. This person had quit before we could ask for him again. I have eaten at FD's all over the place and the food is great and they seem to find good wait staff. If Laurel was not so over crowded this place would fail.
(1)Stephanie B.
I HEART BBQ!!!! And this place's BBQ is sooooo good. Huge servings, yummy food, and I'm glad its located a litte far from home... because if it wasn't, I'd def. be shopping plus sizes.
(4)Jewel J.
The to-go staff is rude. Its really very simple. Now that thats out of the way, the food is decent. My favorite is the hickory chicken sandwich. The swiss cheese, bacon, and chicken interaction is different and sets it apart from anything on the menu.
(3)Mako Y.
Yummm! being from the west coast and hawaii, i don't have the expertise to write this review, but i do admit that i always love coming to this joint whenever i'm in town! pulled pork, beef brisket, spicy sausage, beans, rice, corn bread! it's good for me to revisit every trip.
(3)Kimberly M.
Okay, frist time eating there... The food was out of this world... Staff is great. But I order the bloody mary and the waiter told me not to. I was told everyone sends them back. So I tried one... OMG it was the worst ever. So if everyone sends it back then it is time to try something new. I know they want to stick to the way they do things. I so love the food but I will never drink that swill again. Not even on a bet!!!
(4)