I came here about two months ago for a family birthday. After having the waitress move us as far from the stage as possible (it's impossible to have any sort of conversation within sight of the stage), we settled down and waited for our meals. About an hour in, I happened to find a fruit fly in my drink. This wasn't a big deal except that the replacement drink that the waitress brought me also had a fly in it! Either the glasses are all generally filthy, or she brought me the same drink; unacceptable either way. The evening got even more interesting later on when someone else in our party found a fruit fly in their drink; three total. After calling the manager over and explaining the situation, we expected to be able to salvage the remainder of our meal when my father-in-law pulled part of a wine label from his mouth that had found it's way into his wine. We had so many problems with our meal that the manager stopped coming over, probably assuming that we had been smuggling in our own flies and wine label for a free meal or something. After we finally got out of there, I emailed the corporate office a couple of times to let them know how shoddy our meal and service were only to be ignored and never receive any sort of response to my concerns. This was my first and only visit to this or any Famous Dave's restaurant.
(1)
Brandon F.
The food is not the greatest here. I am a HUGE fan of bbq, and I try to avoid this place if I am looking to eat. But I am also a huge fan of live music (the folks playing on Sunday nights are fun to listen to), and the sunday happy hour specials are good enough to grab a seat at the bar early and spend the evening. The beer selection is fairly good, though not great. They usually have a couple local beers on tap, which is nice to see.
(3)
dave b.
I went here for lunch,with my older brother,not too long ago,on a saturday afternoon.I remember the decor,as being"junkyard chic".....but it had kind of a "down home"vibe to it.I remember having the pulled pork sandwich,with a side of coleslaw.The meal itself,was basic,but good.I thought the service,to be a little bit slow,though.....considering that the restaraunt,was not really that busy,at the time we were there.A head's up....on august 30th,anybody who's first or middle name is dave,david,davey,or davey-boy,gets a FREE ENTREE!.....well,that would be me!.I like famous dave's though,and plan on going back,probally to the one one snelling ave,in roseville,mn,which is closer to where i live.
(3)
Ninja S.
Once again, the SF chumps have it wrong. This is a blues place that served food. The BBQ is good, but it's not a smokehouse. It's a music venue that serves food. From this perspective, it's great considering the place's focus. I would usually like to come here after my previous favorite downtown basement location named Biscuits and Blues closed. Coming here on a weeknight just to see people bring in instruments and jam is cool and casual. They're just coming in to have a good time, and you can have a drink and some food if you want. It's pretty happening on weekends, so if you're into a more laid back vibe, I would recommend a week night.
(4)
Andy M.
Love the open jam with Moses Oakland on Sunday nights.
(4)
Bruce R.
FD Catered a wedding dinner and it was pretty good. I guess one COULD go wrong with BBQ, but everything seems just fine. Ribs good!
(4)
Jen B.
I love Famous Dave's food. It's reliable, it's delicious, it's reasonably priced. This location is fun, the music is usually pretty good. My only complaint is the cover charge. There's been times I've gone for just the food, but have left because I REFUSE to pay a cover charge to eat! They need to find a happy medium for that. People should never be charged to go in and eat!
(4)
Katy O.
Their new nachos are fantastic and affordable. Wonderful snack for when you're out to dance a little but don't want a full meal.
(4)
Kris L.
Dinner on a Thursday night. It's got a very blues-y, warehouse kind of feel in there. For a chain restaurant, GOOD bbq! They have BIG portions though. I think I barely finished half of my meal. If I were staying at a hotel with a refrigerator and a microwave in the room, I would've taken the rest back home to eat later!
(3)
Lily T.
i didn't actually eat *at* the restaurant -- but i did have the food. there was outdoor music on nicollet ("alive at 5" i think it's called) and there were a bunch of food vendors set up. bbq appealed to me so i got some ribs and a "corn bread muffin" (it's either corn bread or it's a corn muffin, people, they're two different things.) both were tasty, but neither were very authentic, i think... and for a place that claims to have the best ribs in the world or some such thing, i think they're really exaggerating. but maybe the food's better when cooked in the restaurant, i dunno. still, it was enjoyable -- the corn bread muffin was sweeter than corn bread should be, but it was very yummy nonetheless -- and the live music was great.
(3)
Andrew K.
This place is just fun and loud and tasty and affordable. I love the sampler platter on the garbage can cover. The BBQ sauces are all delicious. The ribs can and have tempted vegetarians the world over. I miss this place.
(4)
Ryan D.
$3.00 rail drinks and beer during happy hours 10 pm- close. Fun place, nice second choice for happy hour if Figlios is packed. Make sure and try to catch Stealing Dan a fabulous coverband that plays once every month on their stage. Famous Daves is the best spot to catch a show in Uptown hands down... The ribs are good, the music is banging, and the wait staff is freindly and attractive. Check out brunch on Sundays...when The Uptown Diner is packed. They have a great selection including omelette and Bloody Mary bars....thats right a make your own bloody mary bar!
(4)
Jaclyn C.
Famous Dave's is a fantastic Minnesota hang-out. (I've seen one location in Wisconsin and hope there are more out there). Good BBQ, but mostly - it's the fun, dark, sometimes routy atmosphere with live music that I love. Theme music nights like reggae, swing, jazz, salsa. I'd bring anyone who visited Minnesota for the week to the Famous Dave's in Uptown. **note - long waits at peak hours, and the BBQ is not quite as good at those busy times.
(4)
Brandon S.
Famous Daves serves up decent, hardy portioned BBQ dishes & reasonably priced booze. Depending on the night you can catch an open blues jam, funk, salsa or whatever. I personally go for the blues n booze. Prices are reasonable considering 1 dish will last for 2 meals. Word of caution though: Dont expect to go out to dinner on the weekends after 8 without coughing up a cover charge even if you're just there to eat.
(3)
Michelle W.
Such a great BBQ place. We had many afterwork parties here and they were always super accomodating and lovely. The music is good when they have the blues in the room. The food is great too.
(4)
David J.
Ate at Dave's today the service was good and the food was great!!! I was rushed for time. The staff got me in and out in a flash. The portions were as such that I had enough for another meal. You will definitely enjoy.
(5)
Joel M.
Have tried the brunch a few times now and its ok. I cant believe that people dont understand the concept of using tongs. I saw so many people grabbing chicken wings straight outta the batch and bacon with a bare hand VOMIT! Get some manners!
(3)
Homer I.
First let me say, that from a BBQ perspective, I am NOT a fan of Famouse Dave's, and I will not eat at most locations since I've had several bad experiences with the Dinner menu. However at this location they have a Sunday Brunch and it is EXCELLENT. It is expensive, but it is very good. All of the buffet food is high quality, the food is very tasty, the omellette bar is great, the bloody mary bar is nice, and the fresh French Toast and Pancake station is to die for. Overall, if you don't mind the price, it is very well done. They keep it well stocked and fresh. It doesn't have a lot of BBQ options, but its not really needed since the other options are top notch. Oh, and live music to boot, very nice! They did raise the price yet again awhile back and added prime rib to the buffet. I think it was a BIG mistake as it just makes the buffert much more expensive. The Prime Rib should be a SEPARATE option!
(4)
Charlie C.
This is for some Famous Dave's burnt ends procured by me at a sporting event. Tasted like charred emphysema. Came out of a warmer that had dozens of these servings. Asked the girl for a different one, she said no. Refund? No..Believe it. No, Dave, she said "no ". People around me were asking where I bought THAT?!? People were laughing at your food, Dave. Laughing. Adding insult to injury: 11 Bucks.
(1)
Andrea L.
Ordered famous daves for delivery via grubhub. Brisket was super disappointing... At least 50% chewy fat/gristle... Like the meat wasn't cooked enough for the fat to cook down and tenderize the meat like it's supposed to. Pretty much inedible. At least the cornbread is good?
(2)
Randy T.
Extremely disappointed in Famous Dave's. We have ordered delivery through Bite Squad multiple times and the last couple it just continues to get worse and worse! It started out that they stopped putting sauces in the bag, so now my Famous Dave's had to be eaten with the "Sweet Baby Ray's" that I already had at home... while I love my Sweet Baby Ray's, I would prefer to actually use the Famous Dave's Sauce on my Famous Dave's Food. My order today, however, will be my last from this location. Today we placed an order, and it was to be delivered within 35 minutes of ordering. After an hour, we still did not have our food. Now, it's not really the time it took that matters, it the quality of the food... our food arrived cold (except for my cole slaw, which was warm). We live about 10 minutes away from this location (in heavy rush hour traffic), but it took 30 minutes for order to be delievered. The delivery driver was quite aloof to the issue and concern, the delivery company was not concerned at all, and the Famous Dave's could care less... Apparently everyone's business is so good that they don't need to care about customer service... someday, they will regret that. So... Famous Dave's... Famous Sucks!!
(1)
Eric A.
Famous Dave's knows BBQ! They. Have a good selection, and the waitstaff is ready to help you!
(3)
Brian S.
Horrible service today during brunch. We were seated for fifteen minutes before the server brought us water. They said they were short staff, but the restaurant was not busy.
(2)
Marisa P.
We usually get take out from Famous Dave's, so I can't speak much about dining in the restaurant. Very attentive take out staff. They've always greeted me within 30 seconds of walking in the door. The are precise and articulate when they take your order. The food is usually ready within 10-15 min, we order on weekdays so I don't know if the wait times differ throughout the week. It's always hot and fresh and made to order. They have an excellent selection of BBQ favorites and home style sides. I love their cornbread muffins and I hate cornbread! I also love their private label sauces. If you've never been to a Famous Dave's and you like BBQ you should definitely check it out, he's not famous Dave for not doing something right. ***please make some beef ribs. They are my favorite BBQ item and I wish you had some for me to chow down on. Thank you.
(4)
Ryan F.
Had to write a review for this location as my previous was for the MOA location. Went yesterday for the Sunday Blues Brunch. This is my 4th time going and by far it was the best yet. I happen to know a thing or 2 about these brunches (and my waistline shows it) but this has to be one of the best brunches in the Cities. It has gone up in price...but now has PRIME RIB. And not some dried out piece of sad meat pretending to be prime rib, it is the real deal. Everything, I mean everything, I had was fresh and delicious. For the price you can kind of expect it but they delivered. Service was excellent, everyone had a smile on their face. The band was great as well. Oh, almost forgot to mention, $3 build your own Bloodys, greyhounds, screwdrivers too.
(5)
Parice L.
oh my Life. To have Famous daves agian. I abhor MPLS but uptown i DO NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im down south and all the BBQ Ive tasted here is pure shaite. these ppl are weird they put their bbq on top of dead pan dryazz meat. UGHGHGHK This is the first place in sota that makes me have the urge to miss it, that blackened tender sweet succulent meat the TOAST!! Oh the slither of jelly slime down the side of my mouth. Sad. true Im done. Famous dave's RULLLLLLLLLLLLES. Twas always a big family treat
(5)
Action D.
First off early bird specials are a great value, however consistency plagues this location. My last brisket was mostly gristle, I should have sent it back. Brunch would have been better with ribs. No ribs for $25? C'mon, seriously? Still, when they get it right, all.is forgiven. I do feel quality has diminished over the years, and Uptown is much more competitive, so this location seems more "family focused.'
(3)
Texas V.
First time dinning in at Famous Dave's 10/24/14 I know, I know..I use their BBQ all the time just haven't been in is all..Let me tell you there portions will not disappoint you! soooo good everything no complaints, great bloody!! only stink was a buddy came 20mins after we sat down and was charged $8 due to a event later that evening or something not sure but he got his refund back after dinner.
(5)
Theresa P.
If it wasn't for the music I wouldn't come here. The food is mediocre at best. Tonight was super dry and it seems like it was under the heat lamp. Music is always great though.
(2)
Kimberly C.
I've always been fond of Famous Dave's, but today I discovered their Sunday brunch (yes, just like Columbus did America). For $23 they offer a pretty good buffet with lots of variety. There's fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, pasta, salad, hash browns, mashed potatoes, biscuits, gravy, muffins, fried chicken, wings, rib tips, turkey, sausage, waffles, pancakes, French toast, omelettes, pastries, and several more options to indulge in. I initially missed the waffle/pancake/French toast station the first time around. That's b/c its all the way in the back by the kitchen and directly behind the omelette station leaving it hidden. Though very busy, service was pretty good, attentive, and reliable. The one flaw to the experience was that my friend had the small room near the entrance reserved for her private affair. However with the dart board being in that space a few kids had wandered in to play. Not a HUGE deal, but also not so private. I really enjoyed the meal along with the $3 mimosa (not bottomless) and regret not taking pictures, especially since the brunch isn't listed on their site. Anyway as someone who really likes brunch, I'll definitely be back.
(4)
Kesha M.
All of their sauces have high fructose corn syrup and their hot sauce selection is what you'd expect to see on the shelf at the Dollar Store. If something like regular Tabasco is too high end for Dave's, I wonder how bad they're skimping on their other ingredients. Seems like Dave's is striving to be for barbecue what Taco Bell is for Mexican food.
(3)
Paul G.
I went here on a Sunday and there was hardly anyone in there. I ordered a drink and the bartender was such an ass--I just left. I have eaten here many times and the food was okay, but poor customer service is a deal-breaker for me.
(1)
Fuk Y.
After being in Dallas for 5 months, i went back to Minnesota with high expectation for good baby back ribs at Famous Dave. I had half baby, 1 fresh corn, and 2 slices of grilled pineapple. All were amazing perfect. Service on the other hand is like S%!#. Lunch time, just a few people there but i had to wait 20 mins without anyone coming to my table. So I got up and order to go. Then I sat in my car and finished my lunch. It was the best lunch that I've had for a long time. The food was good, weather was perfect (67 cloudy), and I got to save $4 tip money. Just PERFECT!
(5)
Barbara M.
Food portions are yet getting smaller and the rib tips are yet salty. Several of us has noticed it. The banana puddings started off good but the last few times they have changed to more like whipped cream and instant pudding. Very interesting. We will try again and if it happens we will simply find another eateries to go to.
(3)
Laura M.
Sunday morning brunch buffet. Need I say more? Get there early so you get a spot right away! So many food options, breakfast foods, lunch foods, dinner foods and desserts! Plus a full bar for the bloody Mary's and screw ups if you so desire. Service is always great when we go about every 6-8 weeks or so. Highly recommended! And there is always great live music!! The best!!
(5)
Ellen C.
We went in on a Friday night with a BBQ craving. Well... this place didn't help. We had to pay an additional $6/pp cover fee because there was supposed to be a live band getting on stage @ 9ish (we arrived @ around 8:15). The music wasn't bad, the place is filled with older people, and the music is geared toward an older generation, but it was still classic good rock. The service was okay - the guy was super perky, but as I was informed, he was perky in a "Who's got a case of the Mondays?" type of perky. His "charm" didn't bother me until the end. We got a pulled pork sandwich (which comes with one side) and the 2 meat combo (which comes with a cornbread and two sides). For the sides we got baked beans, mashed potatoes, and mac n' cheese (which has some jalapeno in it). For the meat, we got the briskey and the rib tips. The pulled pork sandwich was good - there were 6 sauces to use on the table! The mac n' cheese side dish was good too. The best part was the corn bread, so buttery, slightly sweet, soft. That's where everything else went downhill. The meats were tough tough tough. These were the stars of why we came. The brisket was hard to chew and didn't have much flavor to them. The rib tips were charred, hard, and stringy. All of them. The mashed potatoes were gummy and not flavorful. Considering the price esp with the additional entry fee... we're not going back.
(2)
Lisa E.
Saturday brunch is where it's at! Nearly $10 cheaper than Sunday brunch with most of the same goodies. The pecan praline sauce for the french toast is killer! Bacon done just right and made to order omelets delivered to you! Finish it all off with some smokie rib tips and you're done eating for the day! What a great find!
(4)
Zack H.
We just got take out from Famous Dave's Uptown, and now I know why he's famous. The All American platter was enough for 7, a true American Meat-Fest (Brisket, Ribs, Chicken, Fries, Beans, etc). The Slaw is something to write home about. Throw some Devil's Spit on everything for added heat!
(4)
Gene H.
Famous Dave's is always solid....this one had a Blues Band playing as well...hell ya!
(4)
C H.
We had Famous Dave's delivered to our office in downtown Mpls today. Whoot - best lunch I've had in ages!! Can't get enough, the chicken, the ribs, the brisket - YUM!
(5)
Lucy M.
Was a wonderful place to grab a drink and food. The only thing that ruined it for me was an overweight gentleman who I believe to be a manager who handled an employee discrepancy in front of customers inappropriately. Someone needs to fire that fool. Other then that I loved the place!
(4)
Elyse M.
I really wanted some ribs. The dude and I decided to go to Famous Dave's, and they said there was a $5 cover... at 8:45 on a Tuesday night. "Even if we're getting dinner?" Yes.. even if we were getting dinner. Because there was a salsa band that night. If I promised to neither listen to or enjoy the band, could I just get some fucking ribs, please? Nope. Sorry, I'm not going to spend $10 just to get in somewhere to eat and spend more money. We went to Rudolph's instead, and I didn't have to tolerate salsa music while I was eating.
(2)
Kurt M.
Here's the deal. This won't be news to most of you. If you plan a night out at this joint because your favorite band is playing, chances are very good that others who also really like the same music will show up. In droves. There will be a wait. Sometimes a loooong wait. The earlier you arrive, the better chance you have of landing a table. Regardless, it will almost certainly be very crowded and very noisy. There will also be a cover charge. Honestly, over the years the staff has done a somewhat uneven job of managing the chaos. On the rare occasion they've seemed overwhelmed and even gotten a bit testy. But generally, I've found the service to be admirable given the challenges posed by an awkward floor plan, constantly churning throngs of people and the widespread high-decibel hubbub. I've had some fantastic times here. Just know that the place can be a little rough around the edges and you may be in for a bumpy ride. I also happen to like Dave's BBQ. Why the hate from some quarters? Because he's from Wisconsin, not Texas, Carolina or KC? The spare ribs are meaty and tasty. The chicken very good. The beef brisket is above average. The Wilbur beans are outstanding. The other sides are more than adequate. The sauces don't disappoint. And the hamburgers are not to be overlooked if you're in the mood. Overall, a solid choice. Go. Have fun. Leave if it gets to be too much. I did, once. But other times I've settled in for the night with friends and family and had a blast. For a quieter meal or takeout, try the Linden Hills location.
(4)
Vicki K.
We were here last night for Corey Stevens. Had the best waiter and manager! Food was awesome , Corey rocked the house but our waiter Jacob was funny, fast great recommendations. It was a fabulous evening we sat by the kitchen and could watch the cooks and staff. Very professional.
(5)
Khyre D.
Okay, I used to love famous daves but they have made some changes to portions sizes and have removed some of the best food off the menu (Devils spit burger, cajun chicken). Location: It is a cool and trendy spot in vibrant and busy part of uptown. It is the Calhoun Square Mall. Pros: Tasty well seasoned food There is live music in the evening (if you are into that sorta thing) Cons: There is a cover charge 5-10 bucks if you come during time a band is playing. And they will make you pay that fee no matter what. Which sucks, if you are like me and not into the live music. Customer Service is not the best. My waitress was extremely cool but it seems most of the staff is super busy and overworked. Very Expensive for portion size: The food portions have gotten smaller and they come in smaller plates, I remember when famous daves used to bring the food out in garbage can tops and it was larger portions. Now the side dishes are bite size. I ordered the salmon and it was very expensive and very small. It taste good but not worth $15 bucks. I had to go home and eat to be full. Overall, I wouldn't go out of my way to go any Famous Daves, because they removed my favs from the menu. I will admit this place is a good place for a girls night or hanging out.
(3)
Matthew S.
The place was empty and the food was still over cooked. There was only a few servers working. Our server only had a few customers. She gave us the worst service we have ever had at Famous Daves. The general manager has no clue that he is running the place into the ground.
(1)
Kit B.
Alright, I'm just going to come out and be a jerk about this - if you bring your baby to this particular location on a Sunday morning during brunch, you deserve all the nasty looks that people (basically, me) are going to be tossing your way. Sure, the band is mediocre most of the time, and way too loud for brunch, but the food is decent. I just do not want your crying baby overpowering the band. By the by, I didn't remove any stars for crying babies. This location lost those three stars for other reasons. I'm going to focus on reviewing the brunch experience, as I've never been here for regular dinner. Ambience here is fine - it's not great, it's not bad. It's just kinda meh. It's dark with a big stage in the front, and brunch is served haphazardly in a kind-of line thing. Service, like any Famous Dave's, is top-notch. Your servers will ensure your glasses won't go dry, and they'll seem to be genuinely interested in what you think of the food. I'm not really sure what Famous Dave's is going for with this brunch, though - it's just mediocre. There were lots of food options, and although it could have been a singular experience, most of the containers on the buffet were empty or going dry. It just looked overall unappealing, and I really, really love bbq. There were lots of meats, but the rib(lets) were tiny and mostly fat. There was a carving station, but the meat on it was pretty dry and definitely not worth going back for a second round. Overall, for Sunday brunch, there are better places. I have to reiterate here that I love live music, but this was just way too loud for a brunch experience. Pair that with a mediocre buffet that was sometimes abundant and sometimes lacking, overall ambience, and overall food quality, and you've just earned yourself two stars.
(2)
Mandy C.
I'm not a big fan of BBQ or ribs, but this place is pretty cool! We stopped in on a Sunday evening and even though it was late, you could tell this place is popular 7 days a week! There wasn't a cover, so we walked right in and sat down at a table towards the back (the music was a little too loud). Food was good...I ordered the cedar plank salmon with pineapple and broccoli and it was wonderful! Great atmosphere and great music (drop-in jazz band) accompanied by a great meal!
(4)
Jasmine B.
Not a huge fan of BBQ ribs and such - but I love this venue strictly for their big stage and usually fabulous musical acts. If you are looking for a laid-back place to catch some good tunes - stop on by.
(4)
Lisa B.
I'm not a big BBQ fan, but this place was good. I know it's a meat place but I went with my daughter who is working on being a vegan and the choices for her were not a lot. It would be nice to see them have a few xtra things for non meat eaters. I know I know they hate non meat eaters but seriously, sometimes aiding to others can only increase your traffic. I had the pulled brisket sandwich and potatoes. I'm a little worried when meat comes to me not pulled but sliced into to perfectly uniformed squares. It was good, but visually it was a bit too perfect and made me wonder how it was prepared. I did not get a lot of potatoes, honestly maybe two tablespoon full. So portions wise it was okay. Taste was great, but I probably won't go back. There are a lot of BBQ places out there and even though they call it famous I see no reason to head back there. Service was okay. Drinks were semi refilled. Staff was efficent but to the point of not friendly just robotic. Oh my grandson had FF and they were awesome, but again. I'm a FF nut! I LOVE them!
(4)
Latika R.
I'd first like to say, no I'm not a picky individual or some prude that's trying to get someone fired. But seriously, this is the worst famous Dave's I've ever been to. It was my friends birthday on Nov 12th and we stopped in to have a quick, but pleasant meal. No one was at the door or bar and we had to approach an employee just to be seated. Granted, it was later in the evening, still no excuse in my opinion. Should be staffed a tad more if necessary. When me and my friends ordered our first drinks, the waiter began walking away before the birthday girl could finish her sentence. Then he proceeded to bring her her glass of wine before ever carding her, and placed the glass on the table before asking. He then proceeded to bring us the wrong side items on not just mine? but also the birthday girls dish wrong. He forget multiple times the things we asked for (probably because he wrote nothing down) and brought my food out about 8 min before everyone else's food was ready. He brought out cold food and then comped our entire meal. Probably because he noticed our looks of shock by how terrible this experience was. I know maybe the guy was having a rough night but this is just unacceptable. Period.
(1)
Greg F.
I'm new to the twin cities and have been searching for good BBQ. Well my search continues because it wasn't here! I find it funny reading posts calling those of us that don't like Dave's BBQ haters. I think the real issue is the BBQ is terrible. They provide you with plenty of sauce options to mask the badly cook meat. The "Texas" brisket tastes like liquid smoke! The ribs are OK but nothing to shout about from the top of Welch Mountain! I think Famous Dave is a great marketing guy and a very good businessman; NOT A SMOKE MAN! Famous Dave is the BBQ's world version of Paris Hilton; he's famous for being famous!!!
(1)
Lauren D.
I came here for the free swing dance lessons Monday at 7:15. There were a variety of genders and ages, but it appeared most people were 40+. The male female ratio was pretty even. The instructors were clear and fun. I enjoyed it, but I would have liked a more young population to dance with.
(4)
Shawn S.
I would have ranked at 4 but we had a disappointing experience in that on a recent Saturday night - we were trying to figure out why the heck there weren't any tables opening up and realized that EVERY TABLE was occupied by a massive wedding party having a reception there. Would have been nice for the doorman to mention that before we paid cover. He said it would be a long wait but in the past we've been able to find bar space, but that was all taken too. Plus add in the $7 parking and there are better Dave's choices if you just want to eat; visitors this is the only one I think that has bands so for dinner head to another location.
(3)
Marilee A.
"What Ya Famous For Dave? Famous for the FUN Hon?" Mother always warned against the "Fame Monster" bearing Saucy, Messy Food Cornbread Rocks, as does Most of the Bands, but obviously the BBQ isn't gonna be workin for me anytime soon.Not a Vegetarian friendly place, but funny thing, my BBQ lovin friends I go here with, they think Daves 15 Minutes of Fame are Up & Have Moved on Dave Feelin Blue about your BBQ. No Fame,No Paparazzi
So, my family insisted on going to Famous Dave's BBQ and dragged me, the herbivore, along with them. This is not a place for a vegetarian and that isn't surprising to me at all. I don't think it's fair of me to complain about a place known for it's BBQ not having veg. options. I mean, it might be nice for them to have a "fake" chicken nugget option or something, but those are kind of gross, anyway. I wound up getting tortilla chips with salsa and some kind of queso-cheese dip. It was extremely average and I wouldn't have expected anything more. I did enjoy the way the restaurant was set up, but I went pretty late and it was so dark I could hardly make my way to the bathroom. There was live music playing extremely loud but they were a very good band that seemed to fit the atmosphere. The server was friendly. In conclusion: This is an ultra-generic chain restaurant with no vegetarian options, very good for families and groups of people who like really basic American food.
(2)
Ben D.
Stopped in tonight with Kyle since we were already in the neighborhood and in dire need of some meaty goodness for dinner. Vegetarian's beware, you can smell all of the beef, pork, chicken, and other tasteful delights from like three blocks away! We were seated to a cadence of people reminding us that it was happy hour, and happy it was as I had two Whiskey Cokes and Kyle had a Vodka Sprite with Grenadine. $3 a piece?? My inner-alcoholic was delighted. I had the southern rib tips, and Kyle had the Dave's Burger. I didn't have much chance to see what was on it as he gobbled it down so quickly but my dinner was a little rib fallen from heaven. A nice dry rub rib tip platter (a full pound of ribs holy shit), with cole slaw, garlic mashed potatoes, two cornbread muffins, and a really nice pickled jalapeno and red onion salad with some spicy pickles for good measure. Oh, my, god. I was in cow heaven. Dana, our server, was very attentive, and when we told her it had been quite a while since our last visit she brought out some of their housemade chips, complimentary, so we could try the sauces. She even made sure to stop back in every so often to check up on us!!! The ONLY reason that this visit didn't get the full five stars is because as this is the Blues and BBQ, I was kinda hoping for some music, not even necessarily live... just something to listen to that would put me in the mood... Not ESPN SportsCenter. There were no hiccups of service, the food was delicious, and I for one am going to guaruntee that after our move this upcoming week we will probably be back here, and hopefully seated in Dana's section!
(4)
Anya S.
I believe they have salsa nights on Thursdays. They have a good happy hour menu, and I love the sauce. Brisket or burgers are great. Corn on the cob. Definitely a place to pig out. Never ordered anything to drink there, but never heard any complaints from anybody. Its not fancy, but the staff is great and friendly. A very pleasant surprise, considering the pretentious places that surround Daves.
(4)
kyle t.
Don't forget about the Sunday Brunch. There are a lot of lovers of the Famous Daves ribs and pulled pork around town but not everyone realizes they do a Sunday Brunch. We had some friends turn us on to this last winter. I don't know about all locations but the Calhoun square location does a fantastic job. There is a live band every Sunday and a wide range of both breakfast and lunch items. Not a ton of salads for the veggie lovers but what do you expect. They do have good biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs and bacon. Very good french toast and some killer cinnamon rolls. I find it strange that they don't have ribs? Very strange but still recommend it. The large open room and the band makes it a great choice for large groups and kids. If you have friends in from out of town it is a very solid choice to start a Sunday morning. Consume a Bloody Mary, choke down some nice rich French Toast and you're off to the races. Only negative would be the lack of a patio in such a nice area. It would be nice to sit out doors but than again you would miss out on the band so never mind. Go on a cloudy day and enjoy. KT
(4)
Rachel G.
This hands down, is the best Famous Dave's location. It feels authentic, not like a chain at all. Great place to catch live music, even if catching live music isn't your thing. Great Sunday Brunch - cures any hangover. Tip - go on Sunday's, from 3-11 they have $2 taps. Then at 8:00 a jam band, made up of anyone who wants to play (just show up), rocks it out.
(4)
Monica S.
I came here with my boyfriend for a late dinner a few weeks ago. I believe it was a Saturday, so there was a decent crowd. Now I am from NYC, I am fine with spending money... but I don't like paying a cover charge to go into a restaurant. It just kind of rubs me the wrong way. I get it, you have a band... but all I want is some damn BBQ. I guess in their defense the band was alright, it just kind of.. ehhh.. caught me off guard. The food redeemed them though. We split the Dave's feast for 2.. safe to say I gained a cool 15lbs throughout the meal. Also it didn't taste like something that came out of a freezer. I appreciate that, especially knowing this place is a chain. I'd go back.. especially for this Sunday Brunch everybody is yelping about.
(3)
Joshua W.
Famous Dave's, please fix your step from the bar to the outside patio area, I nearly died this afternoon and ended up with 1/4 of my Newcastle on my arm. And a sign on the door doesn't do a foot plus drop off justice...Thank you, me.
(3)
Alex I.
I'm a pretty big fan of BBQ, I've liked all of the other Famous Daves I've been to, but this one wasn't all that fantastic. First of all, it made me super sick. We had lunch there, before hand I felt fine, but about 20 min later I was pretty ill. I will spare you all the details, but suffice to say, the next time we were in the mall I ate elsewhere. I'm sure it was a fluke, but I just don't want to take the risk. I'm still giving them two stars instead of one because the person I was with did not get sick and loved her food, and the staff was very nice and polite when I rushed back in 15-20 minutes later asking for their restroom. Courtney has been back since and she had no problems the second time, but I will always be wary.
(2)
Yolinda B.
Went here for Sunday brunch. Honestly not to good especially considering the price for two people was $42.00 and no booze. I could elaborate on each dish but suffice it to say that only the fresh fruit at the start of the buffet was actually good.
(2)
Ericka A.
I've come to this location two times, once for a concert and the other time was to celebrate a birthday. Both times I was very impressed with the professionalism of the staff and the quality of the food. When we came for the concert they were very quick about seating my party as soon as possible. We didn't have much of a choice in where we sat, but they put us towards the back. Although we didn't have front row seats we could still see the concert and our ear drums weren't blown away. The food is great. My favorite is the chicken that isn't crispy and they have amazing rootbeer floats. Our party also split their chocolate cake and that was also delicious.
(4)
Madelyn S.
We all know Famous Dave's is pretty tasty BBQ for a chain. We all also know that their cornbread and coleslaw taste nummy too. However, I did not know that they had such a fabulous Sunday brunch buffet! It went on for miles! MILES! Omelette station, slabs of meat everywhere you look, bloody mary bar, french toast, cheesy hash browns...you name it. For 15 bucks, you can have whatever your little heart desires. There was also live music and it made it a very family friendly atmosphere. I can't wait to go back.
(4)
Cullen H.
Lindsay C. and I strolled on over to Famous Dave's for happy hour early this Friday evening, and color me impressed. $2 tap beers, $2 wine, and $2 + $3 happy hour menu items until 7pm. I ordered the BBQ wings and the signature nachos and both were very good. The beer selection is pretty topnotch as well. I had been here once before on a Saturday night for dinner and live music. Both the food and the band (Zep Leppelin) were excellent, although the stage is difficult to see from a number of areas of the restaurant. But all-in-all a pretty, pretty nice little establishment with good food and drink at a decent price. FYI... parking is amply available in the garage, but is not validated. This time we were able to park a couple blocks away on a side street.
(4)
Anne M.
I've only been to Famous Dave's once before - that was at the one located in Bloomington and I was so grossed out that it's taken over 7 years for me to give Famous Dave's another shot (I was disgusted by the cleanliness of the place, which ruined the food experience for me). We had food catered for a lunch meeting so I got to try the pulled pork sandwiches, ribs, cole slaw, cornbread, and the brownie. The buns for the sandwiches fell apart easily so it was a bit hard to eat. I also felt that the pulled pork needed more bbq sauce because it was a little dry. The ribs were much more to my liking. The cole slaw was unusual - it was spicey, but after the first few tentative bites, I decided that I liked the slightly spicey slaw. I'm told that their cornbread is good - I have never had cornbread before today and thought it was too sweet, but I'm not a very good judge since I'm a cornbread newbie. After eating my sandwich and ribs, I decided I had to save the brownie for tomorrow, but it was dripping with fudge. It looks very decadent and I can't wait until I get to eat it tomorrow. Btw, if you get food catered from here, they do a great job. They bring the plates, utensils, napkins, moist towelettes, etc. The food was packaged very nicely and they get the food to you on time.
(4)
Tom L.
I love BBQ, and they do an incredible job even though it's a chain. If you have two to three people get the combination platter. Any sides are great although I like beans and coleslaw, what comes standard. Their coleslaw tastes like 80's Kentucky Fried Chicken cole slaw, which is distinct but very good. Chicken, Ribs, they do it all. Highly recomended!
(4)
Rick L.
The Famous Dave's Saturday Breakfast is great food paired with music. It is a great respite from the bustle of weekday life. Especially wonderful when sharing with a few of your friends and a Bloody Mary. Not a Brunch spread like Sunday, Just a limited menu with good choices for most typical breakfast categories.
(5)
Joshua B.
Good music, mediocre BBQ. That pretty much sums it up. The Sunday brunch is my favorite part of this place. Today's band was Mick Sterling and Cate Fiero. Always a good show, but the service, as always, was spotty.
(3)
Randall R.
A franchise? I had no idea. I was just invited to meet some friends here and see a band. While moving to Texas has made me fall in love with TX-style barbecue, I do miss the saucy goodness of pulled pork. So while one of my buddies went for the ribs and the other for the beef brisket, I went whole hog for the Georgia Chopped Pork. That's a joke, son, don'tcha get it? Anyway, while virtually any pork BBQ with a decent sauce would have likely hit the spot on this occasion, I was able to pull myself back and savor. Thanks Yelp...you've made me less of a pig. Get it? Yeah, sure you do. I'll stop now. Two sauces caught my attention: the original Dave's recipe and the Devil's thingy (Devil's Pit? Devil's Spit?). Both had whang, and the Devil's blend had fire but didn't overwhelm the flavor. And then, we drank into the evening watching a pleasantly surprising 12-piece band. More impressive, perhaps, was Tiny, the house sound engineer, and his ability to get a great mix from a 12-piece band right off the bat. By the way, ever notice that there is no such thing as a small person named Tiny? I mean, you already know what Tiny looks like just because he's called Tiny, right? Even better, it was an unseasonably warm day and evening, especially for late fall in the Twin Cities. Since I had to walk back 6 blocks to my car and my blood has thinned appreciably in the past few years, it was quite pleasant and nostalgic to smell the fall scents without having to utter the phrase "(expletive) it's (expletive) cold."
(4)
Emily S.
Famous Daves has some pretty delicious food. I've been pleasantly full every time I've left this place. I enjoy coming here with friends and enjoy that do have take out as well! I also love the whole overall atmosphere of the place, it really sets a mood and sticks with it. Even though it has a bunch of tacky stuff on the walls, its really not that bad! I've never been here for bands or anything, I'm not really into that kind of music and probably would find myself being bored, but the food makes up for anything else. As for the food...I recommend the brisket...it is always good...always!
(3)
chil k.
Surprised that this chain started in Minneapolis, and the large restaurant was impressive. AND the ribs was surprisingly good. High marks for both the food and atmosphere.
(4)
Annie W.
My boyfriend and I went to Uptown to find a place to eat. Since we're both masochists with a taste for chain restaurants ( irony? who knows) we went to Famous Dave's while laughing all the way about how ridiculous our choice was. As expected at 4PM there was basically no one there. What struck me was how contrived the decorations where. And yet I couldn't in my heart of hearts say that I did not enjoy the fake garage shack that housed the registers. Though neither of us were particularly hungry we are still beasts so we ordered a giant baked potato "smothered" with BBQ chicken and the FAmous Dave's tour plate (beef brisket, 3 ribs, pulled pork, 2 sides, a corn muffin, and a strawberry shortcake with ice cream). I was pleasantly surprised with our food. Not spectacular, but pretty good. The ribs were smoky, the corn muffin was sweet but not too much so, and the sides were pretty hearty. My baked potato was def. not smothered in BBQ, but it was still pretty good. The strawberry shortcake was far from spectacular, but I love a dessert even if it tastes like it was defrosted.
(3)
Lxs S.
Finger-lickin' good Q. We celebrated a family event here on Memorial Day weekend. There were about 75 of us and we had a corner of the restaurant available to us. The food that should be moist & hot was, and the food that should be cold & crisp was too! The staff was helpful and attentive but not too bothersome and let us enjoy ourselves. Everyone had a great time and the price was reasonable.
(4)
Reeree P.
I am usually not a big fan of fast food type barbecue but OMG, we went here for my sisters birthday the server was great and the food was very good I so recommend the sweet water catfish it is the best. I also had a pulled pork slider and jalapeno green beans those were the best.
(5)
Lex F.
Should be renamed "Failure Dave's". Went to this location on Saturday 07/07/12 at 7:25pm. Upon arriving at the front reception podium, was notified by an attendant that there was a mandatory $5 per person entrance fee, due to a show that was to start at 9pm, but if we finished eating and left before, they would refund our money. We went ahead, paid, and was seated. The place was about half full with customers. We sat, and waited, and waited, and waited. We were ready to order not long after being seated. The problem was that we waited at least 15 minutes after being seated, never to be acknowledged by any of the wait staff. There wasn't even water brought to the table by a server or bus person. Wait staff were running around, and I'm not so sure it was clear to their wait staff which one of them was assigned to our table, I couldn't get any of their attention. Frustrated by the lack of attention, we got up, asked up front for the manager. When we got his attention, I informed him of the situation, and that there were plenty of other establishments in walking distance that would more than happy for our business. They refunded our $5 entrance fee, and we left. Needless to say, we never got to try any of that "famous" BBQ they advertised. Lame!
(1)
Todd K.
I was one of those poor souls that grew up with the misconception that 'ribs' were the hard black little sticks that my mom turned pork ribs into in ~15mins on the grill. And this was in a suburb of St.Louis, where folks were supposed to know better!:D Sadly, I never "ate" real ribs until going to a Ribfest competition in my 30's (back when Ribfest was still where it belongs, downtown Minneapolis!:^P): It was a revelation to me that ribs could be meaty, tender and great-tasting! Dave's had a booth in the competition that day, and they smoke a pretty solid rib -- gotta give points to a chain like Dave's, that will field their output at the rib competitions, and come back with some trophies. Anyway, from that point forward I was hooked! In the time since, I've managed to pick up a smoker, and start smoking ribs of my own, but I still try to get over to Dave's several times a year - Hey! smoking your own takes four hours or longer. Famous Dave's has them ready to go in a matter of minutes.:P Dave's St.Louis-style spareribs are juicy and tender, with lots of flavor. I prefer the Rich & Sassy sauce on the 12bone full slab ($17 for the platter). It includes one of their wonderful little honey-cornbread muffins (I'll often order a spare), and a couple of sides. The corn is generally soggy from sitting in water too long, but the meaty "Wilbur" Beans are good, as are the fries. If you've got two people with a healthy appetite (say my brother and I find ourselves there) and want to try a variety of items from the menu, the 'Feast for 2' is a good option. It includes 1/2 slab of ribs, 1/2 BBQ chicken, 1/4lb of Texas brisket or Georgia chopped pork, 2 muffins and 2 corn on the cob. Double it for 4 people and you've got the 'All-American BBQ Feast'. For folks that *gasp!* may not be rib fans, they've got a whole range of other choices including fried catfish, grilled salmon, hot link sausage, and the brisket, pork & BBQ chicken items mentioned above. The decor at the Uptown location is "Chicago-urban-blues", complete with fake 'L' train pillars and blues bands on stage. While some of the suburban locations I've been to (like the Roseville 'fishing shack') have self-service with a walk-up counter, the larger Uptown store has table service and a bar. Menus etc. can be found at famousdaves.com .
(4)
Margaret O.
Food is just "good enough", but I do like the music and general vibe of the place.
(3)
Finn M.
I've never actually been to the restaurant; last time I was in town, I was lucky to run smack into their bbq and blues festival on Nicollet Mall. Their pulled pork, ribs, and cornbread were just phenomenal. Some of the best BBQ I've ever had.
(5)
Colin D.
I seem to end up here once every two months for my BBQ fix. As usual I had the Memphis style ribs and brisket. The Memphis style are a dry rub and come without a sauce. Usually they are delicious but today they were a bit too salty. The brisket was great as usual. Staff were great as always. There's probably better BBQ out there but I until I find a better place Dave's will be my go to place.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Divey Noise Level : Very Loud Music : Live Good For Dancing : Yes Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Fri, Sat, Sun Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Robert M.
I came here about two months ago for a family birthday. After having the waitress move us as far from the stage as possible (it's impossible to have any sort of conversation within sight of the stage), we settled down and waited for our meals. About an hour in, I happened to find a fruit fly in my drink. This wasn't a big deal except that the replacement drink that the waitress brought me also had a fly in it! Either the glasses are all generally filthy, or she brought me the same drink; unacceptable either way. The evening got even more interesting later on when someone else in our party found a fruit fly in their drink; three total. After calling the manager over and explaining the situation, we expected to be able to salvage the remainder of our meal when my father-in-law pulled part of a wine label from his mouth that had found it's way into his wine. We had so many problems with our meal that the manager stopped coming over, probably assuming that we had been smuggling in our own flies and wine label for a free meal or something. After we finally got out of there, I emailed the corporate office a couple of times to let them know how shoddy our meal and service were only to be ignored and never receive any sort of response to my concerns. This was my first and only visit to this or any Famous Dave's restaurant.
(1)Brandon F.
The food is not the greatest here. I am a HUGE fan of bbq, and I try to avoid this place if I am looking to eat. But I am also a huge fan of live music (the folks playing on Sunday nights are fun to listen to), and the sunday happy hour specials are good enough to grab a seat at the bar early and spend the evening. The beer selection is fairly good, though not great. They usually have a couple local beers on tap, which is nice to see.
(3)dave b.
I went here for lunch,with my older brother,not too long ago,on a saturday afternoon.I remember the decor,as being"junkyard chic".....but it had kind of a "down home"vibe to it.I remember having the pulled pork sandwich,with a side of coleslaw.The meal itself,was basic,but good.I thought the service,to be a little bit slow,though.....considering that the restaraunt,was not really that busy,at the time we were there.A head's up....on august 30th,anybody who's first or middle name is dave,david,davey,or davey-boy,gets a FREE ENTREE!.....well,that would be me!.I like famous dave's though,and plan on going back,probally to the one one snelling ave,in roseville,mn,which is closer to where i live.
(3)Ninja S.
Once again, the SF chumps have it wrong. This is a blues place that served food. The BBQ is good, but it's not a smokehouse. It's a music venue that serves food. From this perspective, it's great considering the place's focus. I would usually like to come here after my previous favorite downtown basement location named Biscuits and Blues closed. Coming here on a weeknight just to see people bring in instruments and jam is cool and casual. They're just coming in to have a good time, and you can have a drink and some food if you want. It's pretty happening on weekends, so if you're into a more laid back vibe, I would recommend a week night.
(4)Andy M.
Love the open jam with Moses Oakland on Sunday nights.
(4)Bruce R.
FD Catered a wedding dinner and it was pretty good. I guess one COULD go wrong with BBQ, but everything seems just fine. Ribs good!
(4)Jen B.
I love Famous Dave's food. It's reliable, it's delicious, it's reasonably priced. This location is fun, the music is usually pretty good. My only complaint is the cover charge. There's been times I've gone for just the food, but have left because I REFUSE to pay a cover charge to eat! They need to find a happy medium for that. People should never be charged to go in and eat!
(4)Katy O.
Their new nachos are fantastic and affordable. Wonderful snack for when you're out to dance a little but don't want a full meal.
(4)Kris L.
Dinner on a Thursday night. It's got a very blues-y, warehouse kind of feel in there. For a chain restaurant, GOOD bbq! They have BIG portions though. I think I barely finished half of my meal. If I were staying at a hotel with a refrigerator and a microwave in the room, I would've taken the rest back home to eat later!
(3)Lily T.
i didn't actually eat *at* the restaurant -- but i did have the food. there was outdoor music on nicollet ("alive at 5" i think it's called) and there were a bunch of food vendors set up. bbq appealed to me so i got some ribs and a "corn bread muffin" (it's either corn bread or it's a corn muffin, people, they're two different things.) both were tasty, but neither were very authentic, i think... and for a place that claims to have the best ribs in the world or some such thing, i think they're really exaggerating. but maybe the food's better when cooked in the restaurant, i dunno. still, it was enjoyable -- the corn bread muffin was sweeter than corn bread should be, but it was very yummy nonetheless -- and the live music was great.
(3)Andrew K.
This place is just fun and loud and tasty and affordable. I love the sampler platter on the garbage can cover. The BBQ sauces are all delicious. The ribs can and have tempted vegetarians the world over. I miss this place.
(4)Ryan D.
$3.00 rail drinks and beer during happy hours 10 pm- close. Fun place, nice second choice for happy hour if Figlios is packed. Make sure and try to catch Stealing Dan a fabulous coverband that plays once every month on their stage. Famous Daves is the best spot to catch a show in Uptown hands down... The ribs are good, the music is banging, and the wait staff is freindly and attractive. Check out brunch on Sundays...when The Uptown Diner is packed. They have a great selection including omelette and Bloody Mary bars....thats right a make your own bloody mary bar!
(4)Jaclyn C.
Famous Dave's is a fantastic Minnesota hang-out. (I've seen one location in Wisconsin and hope there are more out there). Good BBQ, but mostly - it's the fun, dark, sometimes routy atmosphere with live music that I love. Theme music nights like reggae, swing, jazz, salsa. I'd bring anyone who visited Minnesota for the week to the Famous Dave's in Uptown. **note - long waits at peak hours, and the BBQ is not quite as good at those busy times.
(4)Brandon S.
Famous Daves serves up decent, hardy portioned BBQ dishes & reasonably priced booze. Depending on the night you can catch an open blues jam, funk, salsa or whatever. I personally go for the blues n booze. Prices are reasonable considering 1 dish will last for 2 meals. Word of caution though: Dont expect to go out to dinner on the weekends after 8 without coughing up a cover charge even if you're just there to eat.
(3)Michelle W.
Such a great BBQ place. We had many afterwork parties here and they were always super accomodating and lovely. The music is good when they have the blues in the room. The food is great too.
(4)David J.
Ate at Dave's today the service was good and the food was great!!! I was rushed for time. The staff got me in and out in a flash. The portions were as such that I had enough for another meal. You will definitely enjoy.
(5)Joel M.
Have tried the brunch a few times now and its ok. I cant believe that people dont understand the concept of using tongs. I saw so many people grabbing chicken wings straight outta the batch and bacon with a bare hand VOMIT! Get some manners!
(3)Homer I.
First let me say, that from a BBQ perspective, I am NOT a fan of Famouse Dave's, and I will not eat at most locations since I've had several bad experiences with the Dinner menu. However at this location they have a Sunday Brunch and it is EXCELLENT. It is expensive, but it is very good. All of the buffet food is high quality, the food is very tasty, the omellette bar is great, the bloody mary bar is nice, and the fresh French Toast and Pancake station is to die for. Overall, if you don't mind the price, it is very well done. They keep it well stocked and fresh. It doesn't have a lot of BBQ options, but its not really needed since the other options are top notch. Oh, and live music to boot, very nice! They did raise the price yet again awhile back and added prime rib to the buffet. I think it was a BIG mistake as it just makes the buffert much more expensive. The Prime Rib should be a SEPARATE option!
(4)Charlie C.
This is for some Famous Dave's burnt ends procured by me at a sporting event. Tasted like charred emphysema. Came out of a warmer that had dozens of these servings. Asked the girl for a different one, she said no. Refund? No..Believe it. No, Dave, she said "no ". People around me were asking where I bought THAT?!? People were laughing at your food, Dave. Laughing. Adding insult to injury: 11 Bucks.
(1)Andrea L.
Ordered famous daves for delivery via grubhub. Brisket was super disappointing... At least 50% chewy fat/gristle... Like the meat wasn't cooked enough for the fat to cook down and tenderize the meat like it's supposed to. Pretty much inedible. At least the cornbread is good?
(2)Randy T.
Extremely disappointed in Famous Dave's. We have ordered delivery through Bite Squad multiple times and the last couple it just continues to get worse and worse! It started out that they stopped putting sauces in the bag, so now my Famous Dave's had to be eaten with the "Sweet Baby Ray's" that I already had at home... while I love my Sweet Baby Ray's, I would prefer to actually use the Famous Dave's Sauce on my Famous Dave's Food. My order today, however, will be my last from this location. Today we placed an order, and it was to be delivered within 35 minutes of ordering. After an hour, we still did not have our food. Now, it's not really the time it took that matters, it the quality of the food... our food arrived cold (except for my cole slaw, which was warm). We live about 10 minutes away from this location (in heavy rush hour traffic), but it took 30 minutes for order to be delievered. The delivery driver was quite aloof to the issue and concern, the delivery company was not concerned at all, and the Famous Dave's could care less... Apparently everyone's business is so good that they don't need to care about customer service... someday, they will regret that. So... Famous Dave's... Famous Sucks!!
(1)Eric A.
Famous Dave's knows BBQ! They. Have a good selection, and the waitstaff is ready to help you!
(3)Brian S.
Horrible service today during brunch. We were seated for fifteen minutes before the server brought us water. They said they were short staff, but the restaurant was not busy.
(2)Marisa P.
We usually get take out from Famous Dave's, so I can't speak much about dining in the restaurant. Very attentive take out staff. They've always greeted me within 30 seconds of walking in the door. The are precise and articulate when they take your order. The food is usually ready within 10-15 min, we order on weekdays so I don't know if the wait times differ throughout the week. It's always hot and fresh and made to order. They have an excellent selection of BBQ favorites and home style sides. I love their cornbread muffins and I hate cornbread! I also love their private label sauces. If you've never been to a Famous Dave's and you like BBQ you should definitely check it out, he's not famous Dave for not doing something right. ***please make some beef ribs. They are my favorite BBQ item and I wish you had some for me to chow down on. Thank you.
(4)Ryan F.
Had to write a review for this location as my previous was for the MOA location. Went yesterday for the Sunday Blues Brunch. This is my 4th time going and by far it was the best yet. I happen to know a thing or 2 about these brunches (and my waistline shows it) but this has to be one of the best brunches in the Cities. It has gone up in price...but now has PRIME RIB. And not some dried out piece of sad meat pretending to be prime rib, it is the real deal. Everything, I mean everything, I had was fresh and delicious. For the price you can kind of expect it but they delivered. Service was excellent, everyone had a smile on their face. The band was great as well. Oh, almost forgot to mention, $3 build your own Bloodys, greyhounds, screwdrivers too.
(5)Parice L.
oh my Life. To have Famous daves agian. I abhor MPLS but uptown i DO NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im down south and all the BBQ Ive tasted here is pure shaite. these ppl are weird they put their bbq on top of dead pan dryazz meat. UGHGHGHK This is the first place in sota that makes me have the urge to miss it, that blackened tender sweet succulent meat the TOAST!! Oh the slither of jelly slime down the side of my mouth. Sad. true Im done. Famous dave's RULLLLLLLLLLLLES. Twas always a big family treat
(5)Action D.
First off early bird specials are a great value, however consistency plagues this location. My last brisket was mostly gristle, I should have sent it back. Brunch would have been better with ribs. No ribs for $25? C'mon, seriously? Still, when they get it right, all.is forgiven. I do feel quality has diminished over the years, and Uptown is much more competitive, so this location seems more "family focused.'
(3)Texas V.
First time dinning in at Famous Dave's 10/24/14 I know, I know..I use their BBQ all the time just haven't been in is all..Let me tell you there portions will not disappoint you! soooo good everything no complaints, great bloody!! only stink was a buddy came 20mins after we sat down and was charged $8 due to a event later that evening or something not sure but he got his refund back after dinner.
(5)Theresa P.
If it wasn't for the music I wouldn't come here. The food is mediocre at best. Tonight was super dry and it seems like it was under the heat lamp. Music is always great though.
(2)Kimberly C.
I've always been fond of Famous Dave's, but today I discovered their Sunday brunch (yes, just like Columbus did America). For $23 they offer a pretty good buffet with lots of variety. There's fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, pasta, salad, hash browns, mashed potatoes, biscuits, gravy, muffins, fried chicken, wings, rib tips, turkey, sausage, waffles, pancakes, French toast, omelettes, pastries, and several more options to indulge in. I initially missed the waffle/pancake/French toast station the first time around. That's b/c its all the way in the back by the kitchen and directly behind the omelette station leaving it hidden. Though very busy, service was pretty good, attentive, and reliable. The one flaw to the experience was that my friend had the small room near the entrance reserved for her private affair. However with the dart board being in that space a few kids had wandered in to play. Not a HUGE deal, but also not so private. I really enjoyed the meal along with the $3 mimosa (not bottomless) and regret not taking pictures, especially since the brunch isn't listed on their site. Anyway as someone who really likes brunch, I'll definitely be back.
(4)Kesha M.
All of their sauces have high fructose corn syrup and their hot sauce selection is what you'd expect to see on the shelf at the Dollar Store. If something like regular Tabasco is too high end for Dave's, I wonder how bad they're skimping on their other ingredients. Seems like Dave's is striving to be for barbecue what Taco Bell is for Mexican food.
(3)Paul G.
I went here on a Sunday and there was hardly anyone in there. I ordered a drink and the bartender was such an ass--I just left. I have eaten here many times and the food was okay, but poor customer service is a deal-breaker for me.
(1)Fuk Y.
After being in Dallas for 5 months, i went back to Minnesota with high expectation for good baby back ribs at Famous Dave. I had half baby, 1 fresh corn, and 2 slices of grilled pineapple. All were amazing perfect. Service on the other hand is like S%!#. Lunch time, just a few people there but i had to wait 20 mins without anyone coming to my table. So I got up and order to go. Then I sat in my car and finished my lunch. It was the best lunch that I've had for a long time. The food was good, weather was perfect (67 cloudy), and I got to save $4 tip money. Just PERFECT!
(5)Barbara M.
Food portions are yet getting smaller and the rib tips are yet salty. Several of us has noticed it. The banana puddings started off good but the last few times they have changed to more like whipped cream and instant pudding. Very interesting. We will try again and if it happens we will simply find another eateries to go to.
(3)Laura M.
Sunday morning brunch buffet. Need I say more? Get there early so you get a spot right away! So many food options, breakfast foods, lunch foods, dinner foods and desserts! Plus a full bar for the bloody Mary's and screw ups if you so desire. Service is always great when we go about every 6-8 weeks or so. Highly recommended! And there is always great live music!! The best!!
(5)Ellen C.
We went in on a Friday night with a BBQ craving. Well... this place didn't help. We had to pay an additional $6/pp cover fee because there was supposed to be a live band getting on stage @ 9ish (we arrived @ around 8:15). The music wasn't bad, the place is filled with older people, and the music is geared toward an older generation, but it was still classic good rock. The service was okay - the guy was super perky, but as I was informed, he was perky in a "Who's got a case of the Mondays?" type of perky. His "charm" didn't bother me until the end. We got a pulled pork sandwich (which comes with one side) and the 2 meat combo (which comes with a cornbread and two sides). For the sides we got baked beans, mashed potatoes, and mac n' cheese (which has some jalapeno in it). For the meat, we got the briskey and the rib tips. The pulled pork sandwich was good - there were 6 sauces to use on the table! The mac n' cheese side dish was good too. The best part was the corn bread, so buttery, slightly sweet, soft. That's where everything else went downhill. The meats were tough tough tough. These were the stars of why we came. The brisket was hard to chew and didn't have much flavor to them. The rib tips were charred, hard, and stringy. All of them. The mashed potatoes were gummy and not flavorful. Considering the price esp with the additional entry fee... we're not going back.
(2)Lisa E.
Saturday brunch is where it's at! Nearly $10 cheaper than Sunday brunch with most of the same goodies. The pecan praline sauce for the french toast is killer! Bacon done just right and made to order omelets delivered to you! Finish it all off with some smokie rib tips and you're done eating for the day! What a great find!
(4)Zack H.
We just got take out from Famous Dave's Uptown, and now I know why he's famous. The All American platter was enough for 7, a true American Meat-Fest (Brisket, Ribs, Chicken, Fries, Beans, etc). The Slaw is something to write home about. Throw some Devil's Spit on everything for added heat!
(4)Gene H.
Famous Dave's is always solid....this one had a Blues Band playing as well...hell ya!
(4)C H.
We had Famous Dave's delivered to our office in downtown Mpls today. Whoot - best lunch I've had in ages!! Can't get enough, the chicken, the ribs, the brisket - YUM!
(5)Lucy M.
Was a wonderful place to grab a drink and food. The only thing that ruined it for me was an overweight gentleman who I believe to be a manager who handled an employee discrepancy in front of customers inappropriately. Someone needs to fire that fool. Other then that I loved the place!
(4)Elyse M.
I really wanted some ribs. The dude and I decided to go to Famous Dave's, and they said there was a $5 cover... at 8:45 on a Tuesday night. "Even if we're getting dinner?" Yes.. even if we were getting dinner. Because there was a salsa band that night. If I promised to neither listen to or enjoy the band, could I just get some fucking ribs, please? Nope. Sorry, I'm not going to spend $10 just to get in somewhere to eat and spend more money. We went to Rudolph's instead, and I didn't have to tolerate salsa music while I was eating.
(2)Kurt M.
Here's the deal. This won't be news to most of you. If you plan a night out at this joint because your favorite band is playing, chances are very good that others who also really like the same music will show up. In droves. There will be a wait. Sometimes a loooong wait. The earlier you arrive, the better chance you have of landing a table. Regardless, it will almost certainly be very crowded and very noisy. There will also be a cover charge. Honestly, over the years the staff has done a somewhat uneven job of managing the chaos. On the rare occasion they've seemed overwhelmed and even gotten a bit testy. But generally, I've found the service to be admirable given the challenges posed by an awkward floor plan, constantly churning throngs of people and the widespread high-decibel hubbub. I've had some fantastic times here. Just know that the place can be a little rough around the edges and you may be in for a bumpy ride. I also happen to like Dave's BBQ. Why the hate from some quarters? Because he's from Wisconsin, not Texas, Carolina or KC? The spare ribs are meaty and tasty. The chicken very good. The beef brisket is above average. The Wilbur beans are outstanding. The other sides are more than adequate. The sauces don't disappoint. And the hamburgers are not to be overlooked if you're in the mood. Overall, a solid choice. Go. Have fun. Leave if it gets to be too much. I did, once. But other times I've settled in for the night with friends and family and had a blast. For a quieter meal or takeout, try the Linden Hills location.
(4)Vicki K.
We were here last night for Corey Stevens. Had the best waiter and manager! Food was awesome , Corey rocked the house but our waiter Jacob was funny, fast great recommendations. It was a fabulous evening we sat by the kitchen and could watch the cooks and staff. Very professional.
(5)Khyre D.
Okay, I used to love famous daves but they have made some changes to portions sizes and have removed some of the best food off the menu (Devils spit burger, cajun chicken). Location: It is a cool and trendy spot in vibrant and busy part of uptown. It is the Calhoun Square Mall. Pros: Tasty well seasoned food There is live music in the evening (if you are into that sorta thing) Cons: There is a cover charge 5-10 bucks if you come during time a band is playing. And they will make you pay that fee no matter what. Which sucks, if you are like me and not into the live music. Customer Service is not the best. My waitress was extremely cool but it seems most of the staff is super busy and overworked. Very Expensive for portion size: The food portions have gotten smaller and they come in smaller plates, I remember when famous daves used to bring the food out in garbage can tops and it was larger portions. Now the side dishes are bite size. I ordered the salmon and it was very expensive and very small. It taste good but not worth $15 bucks. I had to go home and eat to be full. Overall, I wouldn't go out of my way to go any Famous Daves, because they removed my favs from the menu. I will admit this place is a good place for a girls night or hanging out.
(3)Matthew S.
The place was empty and the food was still over cooked. There was only a few servers working. Our server only had a few customers. She gave us the worst service we have ever had at Famous Daves. The general manager has no clue that he is running the place into the ground.
(1)Kit B.
Alright, I'm just going to come out and be a jerk about this - if you bring your baby to this particular location on a Sunday morning during brunch, you deserve all the nasty looks that people (basically, me) are going to be tossing your way. Sure, the band is mediocre most of the time, and way too loud for brunch, but the food is decent. I just do not want your crying baby overpowering the band. By the by, I didn't remove any stars for crying babies. This location lost those three stars for other reasons. I'm going to focus on reviewing the brunch experience, as I've never been here for regular dinner. Ambience here is fine - it's not great, it's not bad. It's just kinda meh. It's dark with a big stage in the front, and brunch is served haphazardly in a kind-of line thing. Service, like any Famous Dave's, is top-notch. Your servers will ensure your glasses won't go dry, and they'll seem to be genuinely interested in what you think of the food. I'm not really sure what Famous Dave's is going for with this brunch, though - it's just mediocre. There were lots of food options, and although it could have been a singular experience, most of the containers on the buffet were empty or going dry. It just looked overall unappealing, and I really, really love bbq. There were lots of meats, but the rib(lets) were tiny and mostly fat. There was a carving station, but the meat on it was pretty dry and definitely not worth going back for a second round. Overall, for Sunday brunch, there are better places. I have to reiterate here that I love live music, but this was just way too loud for a brunch experience. Pair that with a mediocre buffet that was sometimes abundant and sometimes lacking, overall ambience, and overall food quality, and you've just earned yourself two stars.
(2)Mandy C.
I'm not a big fan of BBQ or ribs, but this place is pretty cool! We stopped in on a Sunday evening and even though it was late, you could tell this place is popular 7 days a week! There wasn't a cover, so we walked right in and sat down at a table towards the back (the music was a little too loud). Food was good...I ordered the cedar plank salmon with pineapple and broccoli and it was wonderful! Great atmosphere and great music (drop-in jazz band) accompanied by a great meal!
(4)Jasmine B.
Not a huge fan of BBQ ribs and such - but I love this venue strictly for their big stage and usually fabulous musical acts. If you are looking for a laid-back place to catch some good tunes - stop on by.
(4)Lisa B.
I'm not a big BBQ fan, but this place was good. I know it's a meat place but I went with my daughter who is working on being a vegan and the choices for her were not a lot. It would be nice to see them have a few xtra things for non meat eaters. I know I know they hate non meat eaters but seriously, sometimes aiding to others can only increase your traffic. I had the pulled brisket sandwich and potatoes. I'm a little worried when meat comes to me not pulled but sliced into to perfectly uniformed squares. It was good, but visually it was a bit too perfect and made me wonder how it was prepared. I did not get a lot of potatoes, honestly maybe two tablespoon full. So portions wise it was okay. Taste was great, but I probably won't go back. There are a lot of BBQ places out there and even though they call it famous I see no reason to head back there. Service was okay. Drinks were semi refilled. Staff was efficent but to the point of not friendly just robotic. Oh my grandson had FF and they were awesome, but again. I'm a FF nut! I LOVE them!
(4)Latika R.
I'd first like to say, no I'm not a picky individual or some prude that's trying to get someone fired. But seriously, this is the worst famous Dave's I've ever been to. It was my friends birthday on Nov 12th and we stopped in to have a quick, but pleasant meal. No one was at the door or bar and we had to approach an employee just to be seated. Granted, it was later in the evening, still no excuse in my opinion. Should be staffed a tad more if necessary. When me and my friends ordered our first drinks, the waiter began walking away before the birthday girl could finish her sentence. Then he proceeded to bring her her glass of wine before ever carding her, and placed the glass on the table before asking. He then proceeded to bring us the wrong side items on not just mine? but also the birthday girls dish wrong. He forget multiple times the things we asked for (probably because he wrote nothing down) and brought my food out about 8 min before everyone else's food was ready. He brought out cold food and then comped our entire meal. Probably because he noticed our looks of shock by how terrible this experience was. I know maybe the guy was having a rough night but this is just unacceptable. Period.
(1)Greg F.
I'm new to the twin cities and have been searching for good BBQ. Well my search continues because it wasn't here! I find it funny reading posts calling those of us that don't like Dave's BBQ haters. I think the real issue is the BBQ is terrible. They provide you with plenty of sauce options to mask the badly cook meat. The "Texas" brisket tastes like liquid smoke! The ribs are OK but nothing to shout about from the top of Welch Mountain! I think Famous Dave is a great marketing guy and a very good businessman; NOT A SMOKE MAN! Famous Dave is the BBQ's world version of Paris Hilton; he's famous for being famous!!!
(1)Lauren D.
I came here for the free swing dance lessons Monday at 7:15. There were a variety of genders and ages, but it appeared most people were 40+. The male female ratio was pretty even. The instructors were clear and fun. I enjoyed it, but I would have liked a more young population to dance with.
(4)Shawn S.
I would have ranked at 4 but we had a disappointing experience in that on a recent Saturday night - we were trying to figure out why the heck there weren't any tables opening up and realized that EVERY TABLE was occupied by a massive wedding party having a reception there. Would have been nice for the doorman to mention that before we paid cover. He said it would be a long wait but in the past we've been able to find bar space, but that was all taken too. Plus add in the $7 parking and there are better Dave's choices if you just want to eat; visitors this is the only one I think that has bands so for dinner head to another location.
(3)Marilee A.
"What Ya Famous For Dave? Famous for the FUN Hon?" Mother always warned against the "Fame Monster" bearing Saucy, Messy Food Cornbread Rocks, as does Most of the Bands, but obviously the BBQ isn't gonna be workin for me anytime soon.Not a Vegetarian friendly place, but funny thing, my BBQ lovin friends I go here with, they think Daves 15 Minutes of Fame are Up & Have Moved on Dave Feelin Blue about your BBQ. No Fame,No Paparazzi
(2)Will B.
You can't go wrong with Famous D's.
(4)Jana H.
Famous Dave's is your typical BBQ that you can find at most places in the Midwest. I personally do not think that the food is bad by any means, however it's not amazing and or a place that you will find me licking my fingers for the very last drop of BBQ sauce. The portions are pretty big and they give you a decent amount of food - AKA you won't leave there hungry! I personally would like the food a bit spicier; however the spice level well suits the typical standard spice tolerance of your stereotypical Minnesotan and Scandinavian . The service is fast, quick and nothing extraordinary, but not bad by any means; I guess the best word for their service is average? I would have given a bigger tip if the waitress didn't seem to be in a rush ( when it wasn't busy) and pretty much only stopped by to take our order, give us our food and drinks and leave us the bill - no check in's to see how the food was tasting. The food came pretty fast which I appreciated! I had the Rib Tips with corn bread muffin, corn on the cob, onion strings& spicy mac & Cheese. All three of my friends who I went with had the Georgia Pork Chopped Sandwich and loved it! The ribs were nummy; however I wish they would have been tenderer. The mac & cheese was fine, but nothing special that I would order again. The corn bread muffin was good and I was surprised in a happy way, because whenever I have ordered the corn bread muffin at other locations, the muffin is usually dry and undesirable. They have a variety of BBQ sauces on the table, which I was very unimpressed by because their spiciest BBQ sauce was very tame - If they had rooster sauce there, I would have added it to the BBQ sauce in a heartbeat! There is typically a blues band or musician playing at this location. The music was only was just fine, kind of like the Macy's grand piano player on weekends. The décor is dark and garage band kind of feel. Make sure to call this particular location in advance if you are planning on heading there before 7PM!!! They often have bands and charge a cover fee after a certain time. Parking isn't great in uptown, if you find free parking you will be walking for quite a while to get to your destination. On the flipside, I am not sure if free parking really exists in uptown besides Sunday's when meters are free! The food is good; the service is average, nothing to write home about! I do think that the food is slightly over priced; however you do get a lot of food. If I happen to be in the uptown area and craving BBQ, I would maybe catch a quick bite here. All in all AVERAGE!
(3)Jessie I.
So, my family insisted on going to Famous Dave's BBQ and dragged me, the herbivore, along with them. This is not a place for a vegetarian and that isn't surprising to me at all. I don't think it's fair of me to complain about a place known for it's BBQ not having veg. options. I mean, it might be nice for them to have a "fake" chicken nugget option or something, but those are kind of gross, anyway. I wound up getting tortilla chips with salsa and some kind of queso-cheese dip. It was extremely average and I wouldn't have expected anything more. I did enjoy the way the restaurant was set up, but I went pretty late and it was so dark I could hardly make my way to the bathroom. There was live music playing extremely loud but they were a very good band that seemed to fit the atmosphere. The server was friendly. In conclusion: This is an ultra-generic chain restaurant with no vegetarian options, very good for families and groups of people who like really basic American food.
(2)Ben D.
Stopped in tonight with Kyle since we were already in the neighborhood and in dire need of some meaty goodness for dinner. Vegetarian's beware, you can smell all of the beef, pork, chicken, and other tasteful delights from like three blocks away! We were seated to a cadence of people reminding us that it was happy hour, and happy it was as I had two Whiskey Cokes and Kyle had a Vodka Sprite with Grenadine. $3 a piece?? My inner-alcoholic was delighted. I had the southern rib tips, and Kyle had the Dave's Burger. I didn't have much chance to see what was on it as he gobbled it down so quickly but my dinner was a little rib fallen from heaven. A nice dry rub rib tip platter (a full pound of ribs holy shit), with cole slaw, garlic mashed potatoes, two cornbread muffins, and a really nice pickled jalapeno and red onion salad with some spicy pickles for good measure. Oh, my, god. I was in cow heaven. Dana, our server, was very attentive, and when we told her it had been quite a while since our last visit she brought out some of their housemade chips, complimentary, so we could try the sauces. She even made sure to stop back in every so often to check up on us!!! The ONLY reason that this visit didn't get the full five stars is because as this is the Blues and BBQ, I was kinda hoping for some music, not even necessarily live... just something to listen to that would put me in the mood... Not ESPN SportsCenter. There were no hiccups of service, the food was delicious, and I for one am going to guaruntee that after our move this upcoming week we will probably be back here, and hopefully seated in Dana's section!
(4)Anya S.
I believe they have salsa nights on Thursdays. They have a good happy hour menu, and I love the sauce. Brisket or burgers are great. Corn on the cob. Definitely a place to pig out. Never ordered anything to drink there, but never heard any complaints from anybody. Its not fancy, but the staff is great and friendly. A very pleasant surprise, considering the pretentious places that surround Daves.
(4)kyle t.
Don't forget about the Sunday Brunch. There are a lot of lovers of the Famous Daves ribs and pulled pork around town but not everyone realizes they do a Sunday Brunch. We had some friends turn us on to this last winter. I don't know about all locations but the Calhoun square location does a fantastic job. There is a live band every Sunday and a wide range of both breakfast and lunch items. Not a ton of salads for the veggie lovers but what do you expect. They do have good biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs and bacon. Very good french toast and some killer cinnamon rolls. I find it strange that they don't have ribs? Very strange but still recommend it. The large open room and the band makes it a great choice for large groups and kids. If you have friends in from out of town it is a very solid choice to start a Sunday morning. Consume a Bloody Mary, choke down some nice rich French Toast and you're off to the races. Only negative would be the lack of a patio in such a nice area. It would be nice to sit out doors but than again you would miss out on the band so never mind. Go on a cloudy day and enjoy. KT
(4)Rachel G.
This hands down, is the best Famous Dave's location. It feels authentic, not like a chain at all. Great place to catch live music, even if catching live music isn't your thing. Great Sunday Brunch - cures any hangover. Tip - go on Sunday's, from 3-11 they have $2 taps. Then at 8:00 a jam band, made up of anyone who wants to play (just show up), rocks it out.
(4)Monica S.
I came here with my boyfriend for a late dinner a few weeks ago. I believe it was a Saturday, so there was a decent crowd. Now I am from NYC, I am fine with spending money... but I don't like paying a cover charge to go into a restaurant. It just kind of rubs me the wrong way. I get it, you have a band... but all I want is some damn BBQ. I guess in their defense the band was alright, it just kind of.. ehhh.. caught me off guard. The food redeemed them though. We split the Dave's feast for 2.. safe to say I gained a cool 15lbs throughout the meal. Also it didn't taste like something that came out of a freezer. I appreciate that, especially knowing this place is a chain. I'd go back.. especially for this Sunday Brunch everybody is yelping about.
(3)Joshua W.
Famous Dave's, please fix your step from the bar to the outside patio area, I nearly died this afternoon and ended up with 1/4 of my Newcastle on my arm. And a sign on the door doesn't do a foot plus drop off justice...Thank you, me.
(3)Alex I.
I'm a pretty big fan of BBQ, I've liked all of the other Famous Daves I've been to, but this one wasn't all that fantastic. First of all, it made me super sick. We had lunch there, before hand I felt fine, but about 20 min later I was pretty ill. I will spare you all the details, but suffice to say, the next time we were in the mall I ate elsewhere. I'm sure it was a fluke, but I just don't want to take the risk. I'm still giving them two stars instead of one because the person I was with did not get sick and loved her food, and the staff was very nice and polite when I rushed back in 15-20 minutes later asking for their restroom. Courtney has been back since and she had no problems the second time, but I will always be wary.
(2)Yolinda B.
Went here for Sunday brunch. Honestly not to good especially considering the price for two people was $42.00 and no booze. I could elaborate on each dish but suffice it to say that only the fresh fruit at the start of the buffet was actually good.
(2)Ericka A.
I've come to this location two times, once for a concert and the other time was to celebrate a birthday. Both times I was very impressed with the professionalism of the staff and the quality of the food. When we came for the concert they were very quick about seating my party as soon as possible. We didn't have much of a choice in where we sat, but they put us towards the back. Although we didn't have front row seats we could still see the concert and our ear drums weren't blown away. The food is great. My favorite is the chicken that isn't crispy and they have amazing rootbeer floats. Our party also split their chocolate cake and that was also delicious.
(4)Madelyn S.
We all know Famous Dave's is pretty tasty BBQ for a chain. We all also know that their cornbread and coleslaw taste nummy too. However, I did not know that they had such a fabulous Sunday brunch buffet! It went on for miles! MILES! Omelette station, slabs of meat everywhere you look, bloody mary bar, french toast, cheesy hash browns...you name it. For 15 bucks, you can have whatever your little heart desires. There was also live music and it made it a very family friendly atmosphere. I can't wait to go back.
(4)Cullen H.
Lindsay C. and I strolled on over to Famous Dave's for happy hour early this Friday evening, and color me impressed. $2 tap beers, $2 wine, and $2 + $3 happy hour menu items until 7pm. I ordered the BBQ wings and the signature nachos and both were very good. The beer selection is pretty topnotch as well. I had been here once before on a Saturday night for dinner and live music. Both the food and the band (Zep Leppelin) were excellent, although the stage is difficult to see from a number of areas of the restaurant. But all-in-all a pretty, pretty nice little establishment with good food and drink at a decent price. FYI... parking is amply available in the garage, but is not validated. This time we were able to park a couple blocks away on a side street.
(4)Anne M.
I've only been to Famous Dave's once before - that was at the one located in Bloomington and I was so grossed out that it's taken over 7 years for me to give Famous Dave's another shot (I was disgusted by the cleanliness of the place, which ruined the food experience for me). We had food catered for a lunch meeting so I got to try the pulled pork sandwiches, ribs, cole slaw, cornbread, and the brownie. The buns for the sandwiches fell apart easily so it was a bit hard to eat. I also felt that the pulled pork needed more bbq sauce because it was a little dry. The ribs were much more to my liking. The cole slaw was unusual - it was spicey, but after the first few tentative bites, I decided that I liked the slightly spicey slaw. I'm told that their cornbread is good - I have never had cornbread before today and thought it was too sweet, but I'm not a very good judge since I'm a cornbread newbie. After eating my sandwich and ribs, I decided I had to save the brownie for tomorrow, but it was dripping with fudge. It looks very decadent and I can't wait until I get to eat it tomorrow. Btw, if you get food catered from here, they do a great job. They bring the plates, utensils, napkins, moist towelettes, etc. The food was packaged very nicely and they get the food to you on time.
(4)Tom L.
I love BBQ, and they do an incredible job even though it's a chain. If you have two to three people get the combination platter. Any sides are great although I like beans and coleslaw, what comes standard. Their coleslaw tastes like 80's Kentucky Fried Chicken cole slaw, which is distinct but very good. Chicken, Ribs, they do it all. Highly recomended!
(4)Rick L.
The Famous Dave's Saturday Breakfast is great food paired with music. It is a great respite from the bustle of weekday life. Especially wonderful when sharing with a few of your friends and a Bloody Mary. Not a Brunch spread like Sunday, Just a limited menu with good choices for most typical breakfast categories.
(5)Joshua B.
Good music, mediocre BBQ. That pretty much sums it up. The Sunday brunch is my favorite part of this place. Today's band was Mick Sterling and Cate Fiero. Always a good show, but the service, as always, was spotty.
(3)Randall R.
A franchise? I had no idea. I was just invited to meet some friends here and see a band. While moving to Texas has made me fall in love with TX-style barbecue, I do miss the saucy goodness of pulled pork. So while one of my buddies went for the ribs and the other for the beef brisket, I went whole hog for the Georgia Chopped Pork. That's a joke, son, don'tcha get it? Anyway, while virtually any pork BBQ with a decent sauce would have likely hit the spot on this occasion, I was able to pull myself back and savor. Thanks Yelp...you've made me less of a pig. Get it? Yeah, sure you do. I'll stop now. Two sauces caught my attention: the original Dave's recipe and the Devil's thingy (Devil's Pit? Devil's Spit?). Both had whang, and the Devil's blend had fire but didn't overwhelm the flavor. And then, we drank into the evening watching a pleasantly surprising 12-piece band. More impressive, perhaps, was Tiny, the house sound engineer, and his ability to get a great mix from a 12-piece band right off the bat. By the way, ever notice that there is no such thing as a small person named Tiny? I mean, you already know what Tiny looks like just because he's called Tiny, right? Even better, it was an unseasonably warm day and evening, especially for late fall in the Twin Cities. Since I had to walk back 6 blocks to my car and my blood has thinned appreciably in the past few years, it was quite pleasant and nostalgic to smell the fall scents without having to utter the phrase "(expletive) it's (expletive) cold."
(4)Emily S.
Famous Daves has some pretty delicious food. I've been pleasantly full every time I've left this place. I enjoy coming here with friends and enjoy that do have take out as well! I also love the whole overall atmosphere of the place, it really sets a mood and sticks with it. Even though it has a bunch of tacky stuff on the walls, its really not that bad! I've never been here for bands or anything, I'm not really into that kind of music and probably would find myself being bored, but the food makes up for anything else. As for the food...I recommend the brisket...it is always good...always!
(3)chil k.
Surprised that this chain started in Minneapolis, and the large restaurant was impressive. AND the ribs was surprisingly good. High marks for both the food and atmosphere.
(4)Annie W.
My boyfriend and I went to Uptown to find a place to eat. Since we're both masochists with a taste for chain restaurants ( irony? who knows) we went to Famous Dave's while laughing all the way about how ridiculous our choice was. As expected at 4PM there was basically no one there. What struck me was how contrived the decorations where. And yet I couldn't in my heart of hearts say that I did not enjoy the fake garage shack that housed the registers. Though neither of us were particularly hungry we are still beasts so we ordered a giant baked potato "smothered" with BBQ chicken and the FAmous Dave's tour plate (beef brisket, 3 ribs, pulled pork, 2 sides, a corn muffin, and a strawberry shortcake with ice cream). I was pleasantly surprised with our food. Not spectacular, but pretty good. The ribs were smoky, the corn muffin was sweet but not too much so, and the sides were pretty hearty. My baked potato was def. not smothered in BBQ, but it was still pretty good. The strawberry shortcake was far from spectacular, but I love a dessert even if it tastes like it was defrosted.
(3)Lxs S.
Finger-lickin' good Q. We celebrated a family event here on Memorial Day weekend. There were about 75 of us and we had a corner of the restaurant available to us. The food that should be moist & hot was, and the food that should be cold & crisp was too! The staff was helpful and attentive but not too bothersome and let us enjoy ourselves. Everyone had a great time and the price was reasonable.
(4)Reeree P.
I am usually not a big fan of fast food type barbecue but OMG, we went here for my sisters birthday the server was great and the food was very good I so recommend the sweet water catfish it is the best. I also had a pulled pork slider and jalapeno green beans those were the best.
(5)Lex F.
Should be renamed "Failure Dave's". Went to this location on Saturday 07/07/12 at 7:25pm. Upon arriving at the front reception podium, was notified by an attendant that there was a mandatory $5 per person entrance fee, due to a show that was to start at 9pm, but if we finished eating and left before, they would refund our money. We went ahead, paid, and was seated. The place was about half full with customers. We sat, and waited, and waited, and waited. We were ready to order not long after being seated. The problem was that we waited at least 15 minutes after being seated, never to be acknowledged by any of the wait staff. There wasn't even water brought to the table by a server or bus person. Wait staff were running around, and I'm not so sure it was clear to their wait staff which one of them was assigned to our table, I couldn't get any of their attention. Frustrated by the lack of attention, we got up, asked up front for the manager. When we got his attention, I informed him of the situation, and that there were plenty of other establishments in walking distance that would more than happy for our business. They refunded our $5 entrance fee, and we left. Needless to say, we never got to try any of that "famous" BBQ they advertised. Lame!
(1)Todd K.
I was one of those poor souls that grew up with the misconception that 'ribs' were the hard black little sticks that my mom turned pork ribs into in ~15mins on the grill. And this was in a suburb of St.Louis, where folks were supposed to know better!:D Sadly, I never "ate" real ribs until going to a Ribfest competition in my 30's (back when Ribfest was still where it belongs, downtown Minneapolis!:^P): It was a revelation to me that ribs could be meaty, tender and great-tasting! Dave's had a booth in the competition that day, and they smoke a pretty solid rib -- gotta give points to a chain like Dave's, that will field their output at the rib competitions, and come back with some trophies. Anyway, from that point forward I was hooked! In the time since, I've managed to pick up a smoker, and start smoking ribs of my own, but I still try to get over to Dave's several times a year - Hey! smoking your own takes four hours or longer. Famous Dave's has them ready to go in a matter of minutes.:P Dave's St.Louis-style spareribs are juicy and tender, with lots of flavor. I prefer the Rich & Sassy sauce on the 12bone full slab ($17 for the platter). It includes one of their wonderful little honey-cornbread muffins (I'll often order a spare), and a couple of sides. The corn is generally soggy from sitting in water too long, but the meaty "Wilbur" Beans are good, as are the fries. If you've got two people with a healthy appetite (say my brother and I find ourselves there) and want to try a variety of items from the menu, the 'Feast for 2' is a good option. It includes 1/2 slab of ribs, 1/2 BBQ chicken, 1/4lb of Texas brisket or Georgia chopped pork, 2 muffins and 2 corn on the cob. Double it for 4 people and you've got the 'All-American BBQ Feast'. For folks that *gasp!* may not be rib fans, they've got a whole range of other choices including fried catfish, grilled salmon, hot link sausage, and the brisket, pork & BBQ chicken items mentioned above. The decor at the Uptown location is "Chicago-urban-blues", complete with fake 'L' train pillars and blues bands on stage. While some of the suburban locations I've been to (like the Roseville 'fishing shack') have self-service with a walk-up counter, the larger Uptown store has table service and a bar. Menus etc. can be found at famousdaves.com .
(4)Margaret O.
Food is just "good enough", but I do like the music and general vibe of the place.
(3)Finn M.
I've never actually been to the restaurant; last time I was in town, I was lucky to run smack into their bbq and blues festival on Nicollet Mall. Their pulled pork, ribs, and cornbread were just phenomenal. Some of the best BBQ I've ever had.
(5)Colin D.
I seem to end up here once every two months for my BBQ fix. As usual I had the Memphis style ribs and brisket. The Memphis style are a dry rub and come without a sauce. Usually they are delicious but today they were a bit too salty. The brisket was great as usual. Staff were great as always. There's probably better BBQ out there but I until I find a better place Dave's will be my go to place.
(3)