I'm a huge BBQ fan, and when I'm not smoking a pork shoulder or ribs, this is one of two go-to spots near me. The pulled pork, brisket, and burnt ends are awesome. Their baked beans and mac n' cheese are delicious too. You can't go wrong here, and if you decide you are in the mood for an adult beverage, they have some good draft beers and their speciality drinks made with moonshine are really good. The Margarita is delicious. They use salt and BBQ rub to coat the rim of the glass.
(4)
Sophea R.
Here's yet another review complaining about slow service. We arrived around 9pm on a Saturday night. The restaurant was about 20% full. We ordered nachos, a feast for one and a side salad. The drinks were a tall beer and a water. The drinks came 10 minutes after we ordered them. The food came 25-30mins after we ordered them. The entire time before this our waitress was nowhere to be found (maybe hiding since she's used to slow prep. from kitchen? Or was she the reason the food was so slow to arrive?). Our appetizer was also served with our main, with no acknowledgement by the waitress. The worst part was that the restaurant was full-staffed, with low occupancy. Why the delay? The food was average for this chain. We still tipped full, but the service here is simply bad.
(3)
Deb J.
Visited this restaurant while in town and the barbecue was fantastic! I loved the 6 different sauces that you could use as I tried to find my favorite and never come up with that answer as I loved them all. If you are with a few people I would recommend the feast plate as you can sample everything. The cornbread was amazing, the staff was very friendly and the manager came over to speak with us at the end of our meal which rarely happens these days. She was pleasant and allowed us to share the compliments and concerns that we did see. So for the corporate team, the new smaller plates that you have changed to eat off of is very difficult as they are so small you can't get all the different sauces on plus the food at the same time. Also you changed the trash can lid which was an icon for the restaurant and missed. Barbecue is awesome and the staff is very pleasant and informed.
(4)
Sharon S.
First time here. Everything was fine until I tried to eat the St.Louis style Spareribs. Tried to separate them with my butter knife but no go. My husband had to do it with a steak knife. Tough, chewey and disappointing...
(1)
Hazel M.
For take out, we ordered the pulled pork and a half slab of ribs. We asked for a lot of BBQ sauce and in the bag, there were only 2. 2? Seriously? So now we're home eating dry BBQ because the take out server is incompetent. Also, there were no napkins or forks in the bag. Oddly, the last time we ordered, the pulled pork came on Texas toast. This time, it was on a bun? Not sure what that's about. Never ever coming back here again.
(1)
Norman M.
Went to Dave's on a Saturday night at 8 PM. While busy, it was pretty empty in the bar so that is where I ate. First, the bartender and his assistant were more concerned with their friends and smart phones than with the customers. I had to ask for everything, can I have another beer, can I have a menu, can I have this sauce. After customers left the bar, their dirty plates just sat. I had an appetizer and it arrived warm, not hot. My dinner selection of Ribs Tips also was warm, not hot. The menu has changed since my last visit and in my opinion not for the better. This is my last visit to this location.
(2)
Nicholas A.
Bad for groups, bad for ... Just bad. Came here today for lunch with a group of 11. Took about 5 minutes for them to put together 3 (three) tables. Waiter eventually showed up and when we asked for separate checks and indicated we were in a hurry & ready to order, rolled his eyes. The food was warm for some of the group, cold for others - nobody had a hot meal in the lot, but what would you expect for food that showed up 40 minutes after ordering? No drink refills until plates were cleared, and waiting for the check took about as long as the food took to get here. Do not come here. Seriously, let me spare you, do not come here. If you're looking for an alternate place for BBQ, please GOD somewhere else. There are ample alternatives. So very many.
(1)
Paul H.
Normally eat at the bar. Last two times I've been there nobody buses the bar. You sit there with dirty glasses and plates. Bartender more interested In talking to friends than working the bar. If I wanted to eat in dirty kitchen I would stay home. Food seems to have gone downhill also.
(1)
Mark V.
~3.5 stars~ People seem to either love or hate this place, but I think most of the haters are not being realistic with their expectations. After all, this is a chain restaurant, and the DC area is not exactly a barbeque mecca. And this place does some things well. I have enjoyed their meaty rib tips and tasty catfish fingers in the past and I think that their lean sliced brisket is delicious. They also serve excellent potato salad and corn muffins as side dishes. But their pulled pork is mushy and tasteless and their (previously-frozen) fries and too-liquidy and sweet baked beans are disappointing. They have also jacked up their prices to levels that don't make this place a good value any more. But you will always get an abundance of food in a fun atmosphere. And I like trying all of the (six) sauces they offer too. Their spicy "Wilbur's Revenge" will send you reeling, lol. You could do worse for both barbeque and chain restaurants in this area, so give it a shot next time a BBQ urge hits.
(3)
William T.
I have been going to Famous Dave's a couple times a year for a few years now. The food has always been great. However, my last trip has definitely knocked the bbq giant down a few notches. There were three of us going to famous dave's, the third person in our group was running late. It was on a Wednesday night and the place was half empty. We decided to order our drinks and wait a few more minutes for the late family member. My wife and I noticed that famouse daves only had two of its BBQ sauces out on the table. I looked around and noticed the same thing on all of the other tables. Only two BBQ sauces, sweet and zesty and rich and sassy. Those two are sweet and mildly tangy BBQ sauces; I prefer their hotter sauces like Devil's Spit. So my wife and I were a little bewildered at why they got rid of the other sauces. We asked the waitress and she walked off as though we had not spoken to her. We decided not to make a fuss about missing sauces and kept quiet. The waitress seemed annoyed that my family member was running late. I was a little annoyed too, but to have a waitress openly ask and then demand to know when the third party was to arrive, was just rude. My wife and I decided to order a starter. Why not? The waitress did a 180 and started acting nice. The sweetwater cat fish finger starter comes out about the same time as my family member arrives. Only about 15 minutes late. The first thing the waitress says when my family member sits down is "You're here finally!" and then proceeds to immediately what we would like to order. Our family member had literally just sat down and had not had a chance to read the menu. Thankfully, we had already planned on doing the feast for 2 (huge portions of food, it can feed 3 or 4 people). We place our order. The waitress brings our food. She also brings plates. She said that they were fresh out of the washer. Thanks, I guess? Well, my plate happened to still be soaked. You would think that they could have literally taken 5 seconds to dry off a plate. Nope. So I dried it off with my napkin. I did not even bother complaining about this one thing added to the pile of complaints about our waitress. The food was good but the brisket seemed a little off, over cooked, and the chicken was more bland than normal. I longed for the assortment of BBQ sauces but figured it was best not to ask anything more of our waitress. The waitress came by a few times and asked for refills and how we liked the food etc... but you could tell she was being fake about it. Instead of friendly her air come off as condescending and patronizing and of course fake. We are ready to go and ask for the check. The late family member paid for the 3 of us. after she signed the check and gave it to waitress the waitress comes back and says that there has been a mistake. She forgot one of the cocktails my wife had earlier in the meal on the bill. My family member said that we had already paid the bill and that she should have included the drink on the bill. Instead of being apologetic about the mistake the waitress is condescending again and tells us about how our tab is still open even though we've already signed the check etc... and that she can run the card again to pay for the drink. She then acts as though this is something that happens all of the time and that we know exactly what process she is talking about - in that same condescending / patronizing / fake voice... repeatedly saying "You know what I mean?". We paid for the drink and left. The food is always pretty good at famous dave's, maybe it was the attitude of our waitress but the food quality seemed to not be up to their usual. I hope to never get that waitress again.
(3)
Shellie D.
It's a BBQ restaurant chain so there isn't much to expect other than good prices and a lot of food. We had the American feast for two and it was a great deal. I loved the grilled chicken and the ribs, the beef brisket was tenders and juicy. For sides, I loved the corn, the baked beans loaded with bits of pork, the potato salad and the collard greens. The corn bread muffins are a great addition to the meal. The food was great but this is a quick fix for a BBQ craving. There is better BBQ out there an Famous Dave's has a convenient location and great prices for the amount of food they give.
(4)
Mlle B.
Famous Dave's is a friendly, casual place with hard-working staff and nice food. Our family has eaten here for several years, since the place opened--entertaining friends, taking kids along, or having lunch or dinner for two. I've used about every service this highly useful restaurant offers. Takeout for guests in our home has always been well received. More recently, I ordered takeout for a team of 60 hungry high school athletes. They liked it so much that we got another Famous Dave's takeout meal for them two weeks later. Everything was ready on time, wrapped securely, hot, and easy to serve. I also helped to coordinate catering by the Famous Dave's truck at a major school sports event. This catering was very easy to arrange, and kids and grownups enjoyed the pulled pork, pulled chicken, and other delights. Ribs are clearly a specialty, but the fish is nice too. The menu has everything from sandwiches to platters; you don't have to order a gigantic meal. The best salad is the barbecue salad with brisket, in my opinion. My other favorite lightish meal is just a couple of ribs with sides of steamed broccoli and grilled pineapple. But then there are those special times when the rack of ribs calls, and I just have to answer. Yes.
(5)
Emily A.
Ok food. Service is choppy at best
(3)
Kinan M.
Definitely one of my favorites restaurants . I go there at least once a month . Sometimes every week :) I like there nachos and burgers . Service is great and fast . Maybe once or twice was slow but in general I give five stars . Prices fair I think . I recommend going there
(5)
Jamie M.
I should have done a review sooner but I am glad I waited. They seem to have redone their menu and it rocks. I always wondered why you could not get fries or any type of potato at Daves and guess what.. Fries.. steak fries. My husband has always loved this place but it took the new and improved menu to do it for me. Ya baby... last time we were here was on Veterans day for the free meal and it was of course yummy. Last night we went and had the Feast for two.. and wow... WOW... so good. We ate till we were full and then took home the rest and had lunch today. They have a variety of their BBQ sauces on the table ( we got a container of that utterly fantastic sauce) and took it home with us. Oh wait.... you have to have the Kahlua Brownie. Came hot with vanilla ice cream on top with dollops of whipped cream on all four corners and fudge sauce drizzled all over it.... we get it every time we go there big enough for the two of us to share. The wait people are always stellar. Love this place. I think I am still full ..
(5)
Van T.
BBQ ribs is not too bad but not too good either. We go here quite often for lunch because they're fast and you get a good portion size for the price. We prefer family owned restaurants, however we haven't found a hood BBQ one around this are yet.
(3)
Crystal C.
I love famous Dave's, and I normally go to the Woodbridge one. But I go to this one because it down the street from where I live. But this location has the worst food and the worst service. The "service manager" Linda is in the wrong field, she is nasty and should not be in the position. The server Valerie, horrible, with lots of attitude. I was very concerned with the fact, my cousin ordered food and within 2 mins her food was out at the table.. If you want good famous Dave's the Alexandria location is the worst one to go to. I understand why the parking lot is always empty when I drive by it everyday.
(1)
Victoria V.
They don't have many food options, and Honestly their food isn't worth the price. I don't recommend eating here I ended up going to tgi Fridays which turned out way better.
(1)
Stewart S.
I contacted Famous Daves on a Saturday to provide food for a party I was giving the next day, about 8-10 people. As the next day was a Sunday, I wanted to be sure that my food would be ready at 11a, realizing it was their opening time, even tho I my guests would be arriving after noon. My food was not ready at 11a but rather at 1120a. I was given a 5% discount on the spot and a gift certificate amounting to 33% of my bill as an extended courtesy. This was totally unexpected as I seriously did not expect my food to be ready at EXACTLY 11a. (Seriously folks....these people are human too) My order was filled perfectly, and included everything I needed to serve my guests, plates, dinnerware, spoons, etc) The ribs are a wee bit spicy but are flavorful just the same. I recommend them highly.
(4)
Anne P.
Great for pickup but terrible customer service! Sat at a bar table and no onehelped us or acknowledged us. And the manager on duty was too busy watching basketball!
(1)
Maynard A.
This place is good. Ate here with my family and ordered the platter that will feed 6-8 people. Lots of food and was great and the margaritas was awesome!!!
(4)
Chris W.
Its been 5 years since I have gone to a Famous Dave's and it was calling the families name. We were greeted at the door and sat at a booth. I started looking around checking out the place. Floors were dirty, music was really loud and the staff walked like zombies and didn't even notice we were in there until we told them to tell the manager that we were walking out. We sat there for 15 minutes with at least 9 staff members walking by and we never got to see our wait staff , drinks or even place an order. I would not recommend to anyone and will not return.
(1)
Yelp_user M.
It's not expensive and yet better than many other chain places. Corn bread is delicious! Not bad for given price.
(3)
Shawn B.
One word ... GOD AWFUL. their terrible food was only surpassed by their terrible service. Nothing like paying a premium for lousy food AND service. Better bet is to head south on Rt. 1 to Shane's rib shack next to Shoppers. Excellent pulled pork
(1)
Ivonne C.
My husband decided that he would like to be taken to Famous Daves for fathers days, 06/16/2013, since it have been a year or so since we've gone. We arrived around 4 or so and already there was a 45-60 minutes wait, which we didn't mind. Food overall was good and the server Christopher seemed attentive to our table. Once dinner was done and I was ready to pay. I took note on how the server did not forget about our table so I decided to give him a 20% tip. And since I do not carry cash I paid with my debit card. Well the following Friday I was balancing my account and noticed that the famous daves transaction was more then what I put down on my receipt. I called the resturant and spoke to the manager bob who asked for the information on my receipt that I still had. All in all the manager, Bob, said he would correct the issue and apologized for the discrepancy. He requested the card # I used and advised I'd be credited back. Well we are in a new week and have I yet to be refunded...NOPE. Will they now see me in person YES! Why? Because the server tried to dip further then the 20% given and thought he could get away with it. And worse Bob the manager is laggin to return the funds.
(2)
Hilary G.
My husband is a huge BBQ fan and that's not a common DC food. Famous Dave's is a great place to get take out for dinner, especially if you have friends over because you can order a platter. You can also get as many huge bbq sauce packets to take with you as you want which can be addictive. I am a big fan of their chicken bbq and my husband loves their ribs. My favorite item is their catfish fingers appetizer. The service was kinda slow the one time we ate in, so I would stick to take-out. The decor is very crazy and I am sure it's a hit with kids, but it's not my thing. The food is reliable, tasty, and not for the calorie watching crowd.
(4)
Jan S.
So cravings overwhelmed us, had to go back. Famous Bryant was our server, he was phenomenal as was the food and margaritas AGAIN We were well taken care of and the food delish, will definitively be back. Bryant works weekends so we will come back then. Thanks for the excellent service, food and drinks!
(5)
Stephen P.
We love good Texas BBQ and Famous Dave's is as about as good as you can get in the area, especially from a chain restaurant. Meats are good as are their sides. I'm partial to the brisket, ribs and links myself so I can't speak to the other meats as well. Garlic potatoes are excellent, and they have some of the best wedge fries around - crispy outside, soft inside. Mixture of sauces at the tables are great allowing for individual taste. On occasion had a single rib with not much meat, but overall not an issue. CATERING - We did catering for Easter - brisket, links, mashed potatoes, corn, muffins, beans. As good or better then normal lunch/dinner serving. Brisket even had some end pieces you don't normally get - excellent.
(5)
Lindsay C.
This is good barbeque. I have had better, but it is certainly deserving of 4 stars. We had the 2-3 person feast and it was really delicious. The ribs could have been a bit more tender, but the pulled pork, chicken, beans, fries, coleslaw and corn bread were excellent. The service really made this place deserve the 5 stars. Steve, our waiter, was just about the friendliest waiter I've ever had. Explained all the sauces to us, which I guess is standard practice, but he made you feel like he was doing it specially for you. Drinks were constantly refilled, he was constantly checking on the table and taking away dirty dishes. He was super knowledgeable about the food. The manager came over and presented us with a free bottle of our favorite sauce, which again I guess is standard practice if it's your first time there, but they really made it feel like it was all about you. Really excellent staff, excellent customer service. We will definitely be back.
(5)
Heather W.
We went here a few weeks ago, but I won't be able to speak to the quality of the food. For starters, the front entry was dirty and unwelcoming... greasy fingerprints all over the doors. That probably should have been our first clue, but we walked in to find at least five wait staff lingering and socializing around the hostess stand. We were then seated at a grungy table with holes in the table cloth. The final straw was the filthy, sticky menus that were laid in front of us. If this is how you present what the customer sees, I can't imagine what it looks like behinds the scenes. No thank you... we left with out ordering and won't go back.
(1)
Jorge D.
Best place to eat smoke food and RIBS ARE THE BEST also try burnt ends. The best smokehouse restaurant.
(5)
Keith E.
Popped by for a quick lunch. Ordered the two meat lunch combo. Beef brisket and Garlic Red Mashed Potatoes were both cold. Roasted chicked breast was hot, cornbread muffin was slightly warm. Served in a reasonable time based on customers in restaurant. Disappointed food wasn't hot and mashed potato portion was very small. Chicken was pink in some spots, not bloody...just pink. I did enjoy mixing 'Wilbur's Revenge XXX' and 'Sweet & Zesty' hot sauces together. Sodas are $2.49...would have liked a refill, maybe they'll offer me one next time.
I write this as I sit here.... For damn near 10 min just waiting on our check ad a Togo box that we asked for. Somehow our server just keeps disappearing. Why does it take that log to grab our check? Idk. My boyfriend has stepped outside to have a smoke and gotten back still waiting for this check. Besides the service the food is awesome. I was really happy with everything until... Lets see. Going on 15 min now and still no freakin Togo box! Get it together! Oh great. Finally here. And not even a sorry for the delay or wait. Gtfoh!!!
(3)
Manny V.
On a recent trip to Maryland for my wife's birthday, we decided to take a quick trip to visit her Cousin in Arlington, VA. and just happen to come across a Famous Dave's BBQ Restaurant. We marked down the location on the GPS and then continued to her Cousin's house for some Hello's and a bit of reminiscing. After a brief stint of visiting family we said our good-byes and then we headed out to Famous Dave's for dinner. For those who don't know, 'Famous' Dave Anderson is one of America's most notable Pitmasters when it comes to BBQ! Famous Dave's Legendary Pit Bar-B-Que, formerly Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que Shack, is a chain of southern-style barbecue restaurants serving pork ribs, chicken, pulled pork and beef brisket. Dave Anderson, an Ojibwe who served as the head of the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs from 2004 to 2005, started the first Famous Dave's restaurant just outside of Hayward, Wisconsin, in 1994. The restaurant chain quickly grew throughout the Midwestern United States. It has since grown to have locations in 37 U.S. states. The flagship restaurant of the chain is Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que and Blues in Calhoun Square, Minneapolis, Minnesota. The decor in the place is the typical decor you would expect to find in a BBQ restaurant like this and for added ambiance the speakers overhead play a nice selection of country music which does provide a comfortable atmosphere for your dining pleasure. The Staff was very friendly and polite, we were seated promtly and the waitress tiook our food and drink orders. We decided to order the All-American BBQ Feast. The order serves four people (we wanted to make sure we had food left over to take back to our hotel!) and consist of 1 full rack of BBQ Ribs, 1 whole BBQ Chicken, 1lb of either Beef Brisket or Pulled Pork, 1/2 lb of Baked Beans, 1/2 lb of Cole Slaw, four Corn Muffins, four ears of Corn and a order of Fries all for $59.99! Our drinks and food were brought promptly to our table and my wife and I started on our BBQ feast. The food, by the way, was brought on a trash can lid - this hails back to Famous Dave's heyday when he served his food from a BBQ cart and used trash can lids toi serve his food on to Customers. That tradition is still carried on at all Famous Dave locations. The food was excellent - even better than I expected! The ribs were meaty, tender and tasted fantastic!! The Chicken was well seasoned and tender as well but not dry either. The Brisket was also cooked well and was very good and we were able to try and sample the different BBQ sauces that Famous Dave has created over the years(Our favorite was the Sweet and Tangy!). Having visited and eaten at numerous BBQ places I have to say Famous Dave's is one of the BEST I've ever eaten at. We plan on returning to Maryland this August for the Crab Fest but we will be visiting Famous Dave's again when we return!
(4)
Kyle B.
Great atmosphere. Not the biggest BBQ fan. But really nice service. And food was decent and a lot of left overs
(3)
Elcin M.
Its one of our favorite burger place around. I enjoy the food and service everytime I go there. I like their nachos very much and the devil spirit burger. I highly recommend this place.
(5)
Sarah C.
do not EVER order online or over the phone...your order will surely be messed up or will not exist when you go to pick it up. it's ridiculous! too bad though, because the food is half decent.
(1)
Chris S.
After having their catering at an event, I wanted to try out the main menu. I was pleasantly surprised. As far as the food goes, it is 5 stars all around. The BBQ chicken was delicious, the brisket was good as well. The sides were a compliment to the overall meal. Minus a star for the adult beverage. When I order a drink, I like to enjoy it, and I was not able to enjoy this due to the terrible taste. The waittress was awkward, most likely her first day or week. She wasn't friendly, didn't even tell us her name. That's ok, I wasn't there for her company.
(4)
Casey C.
Had the Ribs. They were okay...not dry but not flavorful or impressive. I'm not a sauce guy and try to keep the carbs in check. My Standard for Ribs is Charles Vergos' Rendezvous Ribs ( hogsfly.com ) so truth be told, there was nothing "Famous" feeling about this chain. Service was decent but then again I was the only one at the bar (4:30pm) so couldn't tell how they'd be if stressed.
(2)
Mariah S.
Came here during Veteran's day and tried the latest Southside Rib Tips. Hope it's just a promo and they will bring back the original rib tips. This replacement's seasonings were too salty and overwhelming seasoning. In addition, the serving I received was chewy and tough. My thought is that it was sitting under the heat lamp too long and dried up. I mentioned this to the food server and he apologized and brought me some fresh pieces which was adequate but still not fall off the bone soft. I've decided to stick with the regular ribs from now on. The rest of the order was good including the consistently yummy corn cakes.
(4)
Tiger M.
I promise I am a fat girl in a skinny girls body !! The wing plater here is absolutely AMAZING!!!! Sweet and tangy- just the way I like it !!! With a side of potato salad, corn on the cob (sooooo happy I'm no longer wearing braces) and an Arnold Palmer! Not to mention the sweet corn bread muffin..... Yummmmmmm !!! And don't forget the dessert !! The banana pudding or the bread pudding!! You can't not go wrong with either !!!
(4)
Mikey T.
Surprisingly good ribs! Came here on a Sunday night not knowing what else to eat in the area. Got one of their ribs combo. It was definitely rather juicy and falling off the bone. I like how you can get the ribs dry (without sauce) since that's the way I prefer them. The sausage was delicious and had a spicy kick to it. The chicken was rather dry, even for dark meat. The cornbread was delicious with that corn-y crunch to it. The sides left much to be desired though, particularly the mac 'n cheese. Service was friendly and fast, no complaints there.
(4)
paul w.
I tried this place again and ordered the spareribs. Frankly they were very tough and obviously were cooked over too high of a heat.
(2)
Lina M.
Great food and friendly staff.. Love this place!!
(5)
Monk E. R.
BBQ snob here. I own four smokers and have cooked for 150+. I regularly smoke 12lb packer briskets, Memphis ribs, and pork butts. I've sampled Texas clod in Dallas, dry rubbed ribs at the Rendezvous in Memphis, and pulled pork at dozens of roadside pits in the Carolinas, as well as more sickly sweet boiled slop and overpriced boutique urban garbage than I'd care to remember. With that caveat, I actually like Famous Dave's bbq. The decor is what a Texas roadhouse would look like if re-imagined by Walt Disney: circus lights in the ceiling, fake memorabilia on the walls, country music on the PA. I like to hate on chain restaurants as much as the next jerk, but there's a reason why some chains work: consistent product. Barbecuing is an art dependent on quality of ingredients and technique, but there are an infinite number of variables. Two sets of ribs can come from the same pig, but one can end up dry and nasty and the other delicious. Computer controlled commercial smokers eliminate many of those variables. So while the ribs here aren't smoked on site over charcoal, they are pleasantly smokey and reasonably flavorful. Mopped in a mild sweet/vinegary sauce, you're provided with a half-dozen sauces of varying heats to augment your bbq. So if you're one of these sickos who likes to burn your butt off, knock yourself out. We opted for the Feast for Two sampler: half slab of St. Louis ribs, half a bbq chicken, pork or brisket, fries, bbq beans, corn on the cob, cornbread muffins. You can switch out those sides for any thing from garlic mashed potatoes to spicy mac and cheese. For $35, you get a ton of food so unless you haven't eaten in a week, you'll get plenty of leftovers. The ribs have a nice smoke ring with a good hickory tang. They come in a mild sauce, but you can have them hold it. Pulled pork lacked the requisite vinegar tang, but was still moist. Fried potato wedges were perfect; nice and crispy. Corn on the cob had been sitting in the steam tray too long, but the cornbread was tasty. The real star is the bbq chicken: moist, juicy, with a nice char. This may not have been slow smoked, but it was tastier than I was expecting. For those weirdos who go to bbq joints and don't want to eat bbq, you've got burgers and chicken tenders and citrus grilled salmon. The tenders were actual breast meat (not McNuggets) and the kids ate the hell out of them. They've even got steamed broccoli, so you can force them to eat their greens. And for those who are down with the Lent thang, they have an All-You-Can-Eat Fish Friday deal; cod strips, sandwiches, and fish & chips style platters. Those are next on my list of to-dos as they're coated in a combo of cornmeal and panko breadcrumbs. The service was friendly, but occasionally scattered (our waitress disappeared for a while). Fortunately, there were TWO managers on the floor going from table to table ensuring that water glasses were full and meals were delivered as ordered. I wish more restaurant managers actually did this; it would go a long way towards ensuring they had repeat customers. About the worst thing I could say about Famous Dave's is that the beer selection was a little middling (the usual Bud/Miller/Coors products), so if you're looking for a brewpub, you're in the wrong neighborhood. But compared to the other local chain bbq shops (Red Hot & Blue, Rocklands) and even some of the mom-&-pop roadside stands that either boil the meat or just grill the stuff, Famous Dave's offers a consistently tasty product at a reasonable price.
(4)
Brandon S.
This place is slow, no matter what day you go! Horrible service! This location gives Famous Dave's a bad name! We waited over 40 mins for a sandwich and baked potato! I'll never visit this location again.
(1)
Chris A.
Solid. Good. Fun. Burnt tips appetizers are delicious. Got the pork BBQ. And a couple beers. With a buddy. There are 68 stores, the latest one in Puerto Rico. The place doesn't feel corporate. The sauces are good. It's worthwhile and I plan to go back again at some point.
(4)
Cherye H.
This past week, co-workers and I decided to go there for lunch. Two of us ordered the lunch portion of ribs. They were the worst tasting ribs I have ever had in the area. A step in the process of cooking these ribs certainly was missed. They were overcooked, and as tough as leather. Since I don't have canines like a dog,, I could not grind though them. After one rib, I failed to consume anything more than bits of meat under the tough layer of leather. I don't plan to order ribs again, when and if I ever go back to give it a second try. I was also disappointed the apples were taken off the menu. The young lady serving us seemed nice. It's not her fault the cook does not know how to prepare ribs. They are supposed to fall off the bone,.....Not!. Maybe the real cook/chef was off that day. If not, I hope they hire someone with the ablities to cook ribs to make you wanna lick the bones or slap your mamma. Either way, I just want to leave wanting more; right now, I want leave and go somewhere else. I was wondering why there was barely anyone in the place during peak lunch hour. Now, I know why. Until they realize their short falls, no one will return or even chose them as a place to eat lunch or dinner. I know I won't. Thanks, but I certainly have had much better and will not go back until its better.
(2)
Will O.
Food is great, as far as chain style bar-b-que goes. Service is usually fast and friendly.
(4)
Gary T.
We were actually going to go to the restaurant across the street....we didn't know this place was here....but we decided it was time for a BBQ fix so we went on in. The inside of the restaurant looked nice enough, although the hostess that met us at the door had an attitude problem. We stood up there for a few minutes waiting to be seated and we she finally sauntered over she kind of rolled her eyes at us and acted like she was doing us a favor by finding us a seat. However, I do have to say that the guy that waited on us after she left was very friendly. We both got a half-rack of ribs and I got a sausage also with mine. The ribs weren't bad and unless you are a rib snob (like me) you would probably think they were real good. I think they were good, but not as good as some of the other places I have been. My biggest complaint with the meat is that it was what I call "grainy". By that I mean when you are eating it, it kind of breaks up into little slivers of meat as you are chewing it, whereas with some really top quality BBQ, you don't even have to use your teeth to get it off the bone. The last piece of my meat was really dry also....beef jerky dry. The sausage was pretty good but I think I have been spoiled by some other places I go back home that actually make theirs on-site. You can tell the difference. The sauces were good but a little on the hot side for me. If I recall correctly, there was one that was on the sweet side and there was another that was a little hot and another that really hot although not overwhelmingly so. They also have a Georgia Mustard Sauce...I don't remember the name exactly although it was pretty good, but I've never seen this kind of sauce down here in Georgia,LOL. Not a bad place overall.
(3)
Ashley W.
I love Famous Daves. I know its a chain restaurant but it is so yummy. The meal for two is what we always get.
(4)
Todd P.
Previously, I had only been to the Famous Dave's in Oakton VA which is much warmer, kind of having a log cabin lodge with dim mood lighting. The Alexandria Famous Dave's on the other hand has a generically built chain restaurant vibe with very bright lighting. That said, it was clean and well maintained, even if it didn't have the atmosphere of the one I'm used to. The acoustics of this box building are such that it is very loud, but I'll get into that later. The food was good, though much pricier and not as good as places like Red, Hot & Blue or Dixie Bones BBQ. Their sauces are very good though, though I don't know if that would be my basis for choosing a barbeque joint. One thing that I realize in retrospect is that I didn't notice a hickory smoke smell, which should be mandatory for a barbeque joint, but perhaps it was because we were there relatively late (around 8:30PM on a Sunday). One thing I will say is that it is quite lame that they charge $0.99 extra to have your sandwich "Memphis style", i.e. topped with cole slaw. Most places I go do this gratis. So far though, none of these things are deal breakers and if I stopped here I would have given Famous Dave's in Alexandria three stars. The service and patrons however compel me to knock a star off though. When we walked in, the servers who were handling the outside seating were following us in and were quite friendly as was the host that seated us, however our waitress just exuded a "I don't want to be here...I'm going to be as friendly and conversant with you tonight to get you fed and out of here as quickly as possible". It's like she tolerated us rather than wanting us to be there. Then there were our fellow patrons, which gets back to the acoustics and atmosphere. The table to my right had a family whose father was loudly belching and thinking it was funny to blame it on his son. The table behind us had a foul-mouthed woman who explicitly and loudly talked about her sex life to the point that even the guy next to her was bright red. Because of the acoustics of the space, we heard every burp and dildo reference loud and clear. If you want good barbeque, I'd perhaps go to another Famous Dave's if you don't mind paying more for less, or seek out Red, Hot & Blue in Arlington or Dixie Bones BBQ in Woodbridge and pass this location up. These two alternatives are cheaper, better food, better service, and their clientele aren't as boorish.
(2)
John Z.
If you have registered for Obamacare, then it will be safe to eat here. Otherwise, stay away if you have no health coverage.
(1)
Kristen C.
I'm not going to lie -- I really enjoyed my chopped pork sandwich. Two other great surprises were their fresh BBQ chips -- spicy and crunchy! -- and their sweet tea. I have to update my review once I try something else from the menu... For the chopped pork sandwich, I'd recommend it to ya.
(4)
Steph L.
I was told Famous Dave's had better ribs than Red, Hot & Blue. After trying it though, I have to say, me don't think so! Adding on the extra half an hour of driving, it's definitely not worth going out of your way. I'm a HUGE ribs fan so I didn't try any other kind of meat on the menu. The ribs were a little dry and not very tender. The spare ribs were also smaller than I had expected. Maybe I'm just a pig. The dry seasoning was decent but nothing too special. None of the sauces they offered were spicy enough. The green beans were good and very garlicy. The corn muffin was ok but once again Red, Hot & Blue has it beat again. Given that I don't go to Alexandria very often, I probably won't go to Famous Dave's again. But if you're in the area and are craving some meat, this isn't a bad place to stop.
(3)
Garyjoe K.
Food was good (or at least tasted good). Service was the worst I've experienced anywhere in years. And after arriving home 3 of the 6 diners in our party have food poisoning. Last trip to Infamous Dave's - EVER!
(1)
Marianne L.
Dropped in here last night after seeing the new Star Trek with Mike T. and a few friends. We had a good meal - but I've experience better both here and at comparable places. FOOD The BBQ pork nachos were awesome. Should have just gotten a platter of that for myself and not shared. LOL! Loads of chopped pork and beans with just the right amount of cheese, sour cream and jalapenos with nice crispy chips. Normally I'm much more enthusiastic about the BBQ here but last night I just wasn't feeling it. My spareribs were ok - but one end of them was burnt (not nice char - burnt) and likewise my chopped pork had a lot of burnt pieces as well, plus was pretty dry. I don't mind the crispy bits usually - but at one point I actually remarked to one of my friends that one in particular reminded me from the smoking "evil" bit at the end of Time Bandits. The sides were .... sides. Cole slaw had a nicely chopped cabbage and just the right amount of seasoning and "sauce". Potato salad was ok too. Corn on cob could have been warmer and the corn bread muffin was good. Bread pudding was a miserable offering. If you are a fan of bread pudding (which I am greatly), I recommend strongly looking elsewhere. It was mushy - more like bread had been just soaked in milk with a hint of egg and then not properly baked. Certainly it wasn't baked long enough for anything resembling a custard to set up. It was swimming in a caramel sauce that I would have enjoyed better if a. there was far less of it, and b. it didn't contain burnt pecan pieces that completely threw off the flavor of the dish. Honestly - I think the best thing on the plate was the scoop of vanilla ice cream, and I'm pretty sure they serve just ice cream so you can save yourself the trauma of ordering this dish completely. SERVICE AND ATMOSPHERE Service was marginal - nothing I'd be turning cartwheels over. It was probably just our waiter, but seemed like we spent more time looking for him than we should have. The place was crowded - but they appeared to be adequately staffed to deal with the demand and the tables around us seemed to be getting OK service. As for the environment - I expect a place to be loud. After all, its filled with lots of people and families having a good time dining. But their was quite a din and the acoustics were so bad that it was easier to hear the conversations of the tables around us - than the one at our own table, and I really wasn't in the mood to shout over my dinner. Hopefully next visit will be back up to the quality of experience that I've enjoyed here before.
(3)
Joe S.
Great ribs and brisket. Lovely smoke flavor with six different kinds of BBQ sauce on the table. Warm restaurant, good service.
(4)
Becca S.
The Bad: The beef brisket was abominable. You would have to be out of your mind to consider this good. It was reminiscent of bad (hospital or middle school) cafeteria food. If you like smokey, juicy, tender brisket with a crust - DO NOT come here. Dave's brisket was dry and broke apart in strips and hunks - kind of like if you added water to beef jerky and microwaved it. The Good: Our waiter was a little charmer, the macaroni and cheese was creamy and delicious, the cole slaw was great, my ribs were pretty tasty, and the 1.99 bread pudding was a generous portion and delicious!
(3)
Keesh J.
Amazing place for BBQ lovers! I got the BBQ chicken with the side orders, I must say it was hit!
(5)
Scribbling D.
All food is great. All takeout orders are flawless. Wait staff focuses on how to make it better, not how to get it right. Good value for the dollar. Highly recommend - eating in and taking out.
(5)
nat m.
Famous Dave in the East Coast is def much better than the one in the West Coast. The Chicken was very tender and moist. If you are going with more than 3 people, try to get the feast. It has the St. Louis, Chicken, brisket, muffin and two sides for $58. We left there so full and had enough leftovers for the next day. Awesome service too. Get the refillable lemonade and sweet tea. Def love the Devil's Spit!
(4)
Sonia D.
Best rib tips ever! Never disappointed when coming to Famous Dave's. Services is excellent, food is delicious and once seated the wait is average. Kids & adults alike enjoy the sauce sampling.
(5)
Tommy W.
Just had dinner at this place with my boys couple nights ago. Service was ok not the best. our waitress seem to have a little attitude. food was ok. the ribs were a bit dry. red mash potatoes was on point.
(3)
R P.
I LOVE BBQ. Better yet, let me re-phrase that, I love GOOD BBQ and Famous Dave's it the place to get it. I started loving Famous Dave's after going to the one in Philadelphia and when I moved back down here to DC after college, I discovered this location about 10 minutes from my crib in southwest. This joint rocked in philly and it rocks down here. St. Louis style ribs (half wet..and half dry) is the way to go. My favorite sauce is the Zesty one. I like mine a lil sweet (no Karomo) lol.
(5)
Eddie P.
Forget everything you know about BBQ... Dave's is one of the best BBQ places I've ever been to. We don't have chains like these in San Diego, but the food is pretty damn good, and the price is just right. Sweet teas, and a BBQ meal for 4 came out to about 60 bucks. Well worth it I think. If I'm ever back that way again, I'll definitely eat there if the mood strikes.
(4)
Andrew P.
Bar-b-q is probably my favorite kind of food and that means I'm always up for a bar-b-q restaurant even if it's Famous Dave's. The food is ok.
(3)
Marivic L.
Yes, Famous Dave's is a chain, but it's decent BBQ. It's a fave spot for my co-workers, so I eat there for lunch at least once a month. Went there again today. As usual, we were greeted right away and got a good, friendly waitress. The food is good here. Not the best, but good for some quick BBQ. I tried the buffalo wings today for the first time. Um, I think they gave me the BBQ ones instead of the buffalo ones, but they were still good. No complaints. I also got the St. Louis Ribs (yes, I got the combo platter) and they were good, as always. I recommend the "dry" ones which are flavored well and don't even need sauce. Speaking of which, I like that Famous Dave's has about 5 sauces to choose from, though I LOVE their vinegar based one. The platter comes with cornbread, which is more like a sweet corn muffin (YUM) and corn on the cob (again, sweet and tasty). It also comes with a side of your choice, so I had the green beans, as usual. They're REALLY cooked, but it's what you expect from a BBQ joint. The only side I haven't been happy with is the corn casserole, which has grits and cheese in it. Maybe it came out a little too cold when I got it, because I love cheesy grits. Meh, it's worth another try. I'm a fan of their chopped pork which is cooked well and has good flavor, but I still put sauce on it. I've also had the BBQ salad which had pork BBQ on it. I'd steer clear of the salads. The pork was good alone, but the salad part was nothing to write home about. Think really bad diner. In short, if you're out for lunch and just want some quick BBQ, this place will hit the spot.
(3)
Sara M.
We love this Famous Dave's. The service is usually fantastic and their lunch is great. The family loves the lemonade, wings, and ribs. Oh, and the cornbread muffins are always the best. The fries can be a little dry sometimes, but we don't really order for the sides. I would recommend this place to every meat lover out there! As a note: it is always super busy on Sundays.
(5)
Cass R.
Unpleasant experience. In light of the good reviews, we must have visited on a bad day for lunch. Ribs were overdone to the point of inedibility - like shoe leather. Wife wanted brisket but they were out. Received good service from one waiter, but a waitress was rude when we requested a table change. When I pointed to a table that we wanted, she curtly said...."Go ahead and sit there if you want, but you aint' gonna eat nothin' " meaning that a waiter wasn't assigned to that table. Incredible. I had to keep my wife from walking out. Considering the good reviews in light of my experience, the food and service here is uneven. Don't know if I should give them another chance..
(1)
L Eldub W.
New to the area and new to Groveton/Alexandria. As we moved in we pretty much ate at all of the crappy mid-priced chain restaurants in this part of Richmond Highway. Famous Dave's stood out. The staff was friendly and efficient. The food was well prepared. Sure I could nit pick on the BBQ, but it was overall good and the sides were very good. Making up for any possible nit pick is how above and beyond this place is over the Chili's, TGI Fridays, Outback, etc. If you find yourself in the area and have a hankering for a fine, mi-priced chain restaurant, you can't go wrong here.
(4)
Angel F.
Normally when we eat out for bbq, we usually go for the ribs, but this time I went for the bbq chicken and my husband got the beef brisket. The bbq chicken was so juicy, and the skin slightly burnt and crispy, I didn't want the meal to end. I was in bbq heaven. I had a bite of my husband's beef brisket and I fell in loved with the great smoked flavor. Sides were nothing to sneeze at. Both my cole slaw and green beans were flavorful. The service was excellent. The waiter was attentive and even brought out refills of our drinks without being asked. The service did not diminish even on a Saturday night when the place was packed. This will be my go-to place for bbq whenever I'm in Alexandria.
(5)
Jack F.
CliffsNotes: I wouldn't say that Famous Dave's is the best BBQ throughout the mid-Atlantic area but it's good enough. The $34.99 Fest for 2 with a half-slab of ribs, half a grilled chicken, half-pound of brisket or pulled pork, and sides is just enough to satisfy most BBQ cravings. At the very least, it's a pretty good value. [Original Visit: August 21, 2010]
(3)
Courtney F.
It was cool, there were a lot of trophies that the staff couldn't answer questions about. Lol but their witty answers made it fun, the food is the same as any Famous Dave's.
(3)
Doug M.
Orders the brisket the other night and was disappointed, it was a tough as shoe leather.
(1)
Roxy J.
Above and beyond. So this was my 2nd time around at famous daves. The first was after I tried one of their hamburgers at the beer and bourbon fest at the harbor. Wait did I mention the burger? Man what a darn tasty burger! LOL I know their specialty is their BBQ but that burger you should try! The second we arrived for my childhood friends bday dinner. We walked in and were pleasantly greeted and we were escorted to the table. We had brought a cake which they quickly took it and placed in their fridge without letting the birthday boy see it. Our waiter was great! I secretly told him about the birthdays.......my childhood friend of course knew I was up to something but his girlfriend played it off by saying that I was trying to holler at the waiter! ROFLMAO so I played along for sake of the surprise, smh. The food arrived promptly. The BBQ ribs, brisket, chicken were so moist and tender mmmmm the fries seasoned just right, cornbread just right and baked beans yum! Now the waiter informed me that they don't sing happy birthday but he saw how we had 2 birthday people at the table (one being my mom who is very special of course) so when they brought the cake out (his manager and the waiter) they came out signing! What an absolute treat! Service was top notch both times which adds to the yummy food! Definitely check this place out!
(4)
nicey b.
I'll never forget the first time my husband and I ate here. When we first moved here from the west coast, we would drive by shopping at Lowes and Target, and couldn't figure out where those phenomenal aromas were coming from! We could smell it from Lowe's!! Finally one day, we drove passed it with the windows down and I told him, "I think its that place right there!" We looked at one another, and decided to give it a shot. When we stepped in, we had this extremely friendly waiter who was more than happy to introduce us to the menu, offer a few suggestions and answer any questions we had. We ordered the Feast for Two, and were incredibly impressed with the portion offered! OMG, this Feast for Two will stuff us, plus have left overs to take home that will cover another dinner for the two of us! When our food arrived, he brought out a plate, and began to tell us a story, YES, a story that used each sauce as a event or character, all the while drawing us a very entertaining "pig" image on the plate with the different sauces. BRILLIANT and CREATIVE!! His amazing service has made a lasting first impression on us. Recently, I had a bad experience while visiting to pick up a gift card. To make a long and irritating story short, they tried to sell me a compensation gift card when I was trying to pick one up to gift to someone. I had to deal with really lazy, insensitive workers, and beg for them to find me a gift card. I wrote to Famous Daves about the situation, and cannot begin to tell you how pleased I was with their response. I was contacted immediately by the manager, and had a nice long talk with him. He apologized, and took great care of us the next time we came in. Why am I telling you all this? Because I'm proud to say that Famous Dave's has very professional feedback and takes great care of loyal customers. They really do care. :) Famous Dave's has earned our loyalty back, no doubt about it. Other than that, the food has NEVER failed us. The sauces are a unique addition to the experience of eating your BBQ on the ever-so-adorable garbage lid. You're bound to have EVERYONE happy at this restaurant, as long as they like meat. :) Oh, and for the record? Their Hot Fudge Kahlua Brownie is exquisite. HUGE portion, and melt-in-your-mouth chocolate goodness. *Fun fact that I learned: Unlike other restaurants that have frozen desserts that are delivered to them, Famous Dave's makes all of their desserts on site. Fresh, and delectable to tantalize your taste buds. If you haven't tried Famous Dave's yet, boy are you missing out. Only one suggestion to Famous Dave's--OPEN MORE LOCATIONS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!! :) There's so many here, but so little there.
(5)
Catherine C.
5 stars without hesitation. The waiter was super friendly and even though I am sure he is tired of the FAMOUS jokes, he went right along with it! He suggested our meal since neither my friend nor I had been there and he was, as Simon would say, SPOT ON! We both had the ribs, my friend getting basically a bucket of them, and they were fall off the bone fresh and delicious. The entire night was a win-win-win ... except for maybe my waistband and my blood sugar level after the sweet tea. I have since returned to FD's twice and always good! Thanks Famous Dave wherever you are. you are famous in my book.
(5)
Amanda B.
The food and service is great! I'de definately go again!
(4)
Vin G.
My wife is a vegetarian and one of my sons is a picky eater (diagnosed with autism), so finding a place to eat while on travel is always a challenge. Famous Dave's was very accommodating to our special needs... my wife enjoyed the large special-order garden salad, steamed broccoli, and baked potato. And my son loved the baby back ribs. I had the rib tips and catfish. Catfish was great, and the rib tips were flavorful and generously portioned - some of the rib pieces were dry, but they gave me so many that I had more than enough to eat. Service was quick and attentive; best so far on this trip. Prices were very, very reasonable; fed my family of 4 for $40+tip. Wish we had one of these on the west coast; would like to try a full rack of the ribs my son had.
(4)
Rob H.
I found the secret. I went to the same restaurant, and sat in the bar. The chap that waited on us in the bar was AWESOME, great service, very attentive. I was impressed by the awesome BBQ again. Really awesome stuff. Good smoke line in the ribs, and GREAT smoke flavor in the chicken. Bar Tender chap recommended the sausage for one of the options, and he was right... GREAT sausage. Glad to have a great go-to BBQ place.
(4)
Mark G.
Wow this place was uber horrible. An ex-girlfriend of mine warned me about this chain. She was right. Avoid this place at all costs. There is far better BBQ to be found elsewhere. Dave's was greasy (in a bad way, normally I love grease), gross, and kind of overpriced for the slop they serve. Even the nachos sucked and it's pretty damn hard to screw up nachos.
(1)
Cristina H.
Okay the ONLY reason I cant give it five stars is becasue i'm from Memphis and WE have the best BBQ ;-) but SERIOUSLY.....i got the New Not'cho Ordinary Nachos!!! WoooooHooooo! As good as it gets!!! I thought Neelys Memphis was great!! These were even better becasue they had different ways you could get it besides pulled pork and chicken...they had my favorite...BEEF BRISKET!!! It was delicious!!! I love the interior design, made me feel at home lmao!!! But I would recommned this place for BBQ to anyone...The sauce was good too and thats usually the key to success so I salute you with my fork Famous Daves!!! I shall return!!!
(4)
Mike B.
Ok so its a chain, and the corn and cornbread are mediocre. The key thing, though is that the ribs and the chopped pork were fantastic. The waitstaff was friendly and efficient. I didn't try the brisket on my firm belief that brisket is only brisket in TX. The sauces on the side were flavorful and all different from each other, including a very hot hot-sauce.
(5)
Megan K.
I'm not a huge BBQ person, but I love pulled chicken, and I really enjoy Famous Dave's pulled chicken sandwich with coleslaw. Service is good, and food is consistent.
(4)
Jamie M.
I ordered the chopped pork, which came with two sides (I got beans and fries), as well as corn on the cob and some cornbread. I've only had BBQ once before, so I don't have much for comparison, authenticity wise. I do know that my tastebuds were happy and that's all that matters to me. I did think it wasn't quite as moist as the previous BBQ pork that I had, but it was by no means dry. We also had a coupon for a free dessert so we decided to split the brownie. Sadly for us, we probably needed another two people to split the brownie with since it was the biggest dessert I've ever seen. I really wouldn't have called it a brownie though...it was more like a dense cake. Whatever, it was chocolate and it was free, so I'm not complaining. My leftovers from dinner and dessert lasted me three meals.
(3)
Caitlin S.
I went here for a casual birthday dinner with the family. I wasn't sure whether or not it would go well, but it was awesome. We were seated quickly (especially for such a large group), and the munchkin even got a coloring book and crayons that she adored. The service was fast and friendly, and the food was good, too. The chopped pork was some of the best I've had. The portions were generous and everyone at the table had to take a box home. Great for a quick, decent meal.
(3)
James T.
As a chain, I've had an overall good experience with Famous Dave's. I usually order the Texas beef brisket sandwich, which is generally good, if inconsistent, in how well it is prepared. But my experience at the Alexandria Famous Dave's on Richmond Hwy tonight was so bad that it compelled me to create this Yelp account so I could write a bad review. I went to the To Go counter, and the customer service was poor. My order was ready within about five minutes, which should have set off my internal alarm before I left the place. But it did not, and when I went to eat my beef brisket sandwich I found that the bun was semi-stale and the brisket was lukewarm. I'd expect this sort of thing from a middle-of-the-night fast food run, not from a place where I'm spending ~$10 on dinner.
(1)
Peter M.
Grabbed some take out here last Friday. Mother in law was in town, and wife is busy with finals. BBQ was on everyone's mind, and it was an easy meal for me. So I went for it. Its a relatively new restaurant, and built from the ground up within the last nine months. Frankly, I'm glad to have a good BBQ place in the area. The beef brisket was good. They served it sans sauce, which is good for me. The nice bit is that they put the meat in the take out tray on a piece of toasted bread. Same with the BBQ pulled chicken. The BBQ baby back ribs were good too. So were the garlic mash potatoes. I got a couple of large cans of bush's beans, for a lot less than their cup o' beans cost... and I think I did just as well with the microwave on those. Plus, I had a can left over and is still sitting in my pantry. My one "gripe" is that I would have liked more "smoke" to my BBQ. There was little if any "pink smoke ring" - but many I know don't like the more intense smoky flavors that I do. For this, I still go to Smokey Bones down in Potomac Landing off I-66, but that's a good 45 min drive from me - one way. So this is a very welcomed second choice, which is all of ten minutes away. (both ways when the traffic is light on route one). Bottom line: I'll be back, and update this as I go. It's definitely someplace that has "Good Eats" written all over it, and the service was courteous for take out. Price was reasonable too. I'd just like a little more smoke, please.
(4)
Danny P.
(Everyone Sing with me in there best Jennifer Hudson voice) ANNNNNND I AM TELLING YOU.....I'M NOT GOING...TO EAT AT ANOTHER BBQ RESTURANT...... UNLESS IT FAMOUS DAVES... DARLING THERE NOOOOOOO WAY...DARLING THERE'S NOOOOOOO WAY...I'M LIVING WITHOUT YOUR RIBS...THERE THE BEST RIBS I'VE EVER HAD AND THE PRICES JUST ARENT THAT BAD....... Famous Daves is one of spots where you can just let it all hang out (literally) ladies unbuckle your pants and fellas bring your professional "Man Bib" because its about to real messy and tasty up in here. I am a HUGH fan of BBQ Ribs & Chicken...my 1st experience with Famous Daves was in Laurel after an intense "Laser Tag" session with some friends of mine. We all went across the street and (I kid you not) I think we ordered at least one of each thing on the menu!!!! We were in CHICKEN & PIGGY HEAVEN!!!!!!!! Now the Lord answered my prayers when he had one built in VA (Route-1) I was sooooo excited, I actaully watch them build this piece of heaven from the ground up. The day they opened....again some friends and I went there and relived our 1st time all over again. I LOVE THIS PLACE. The Ribs are 2nd to none...and I LOVE tasting the different BBQ Sauces that they have (Gotta do the BBQ Test...Mmmmm French Fries and BBQ Sauces)
(4)
Christina A.
Wait, did I say there was no where around here that served BBQ that I like? I lied, I love Famous Daves! For those of you from the south, its right on par with Sonny's BBQ... I don't find myself over on Route 1 very often but when I do I try to make room for Famous Dave's in my life... I love their $7 lunch special that I get with pulled pork (that is soooo good) and 2 ribs, a corn muffin, some baked beans, and corn on the cob. Throw some of the sweet BBQ sauce on top and we have a winner. For dessert I tried their bread pudding... oh my god. IT WAS SO GOOD! Some of the best I have had around here... Warm and eggy and chewy and AMAZING with creamy ice cream melting all around it holy hell it gets no better! If you're in the mood for BBQ (and way out of the way on Route 1) I would point you straight to Famous Dave's...
(4)
Gwen B.
I had never heard of Famous Dave's until I moved to the DC area and when one opened up near by, I had to check it out. As the other reviews mentioned, there always seems to be a bit of a crowd waiting, but you move up the line fast and even with a roomful of people, I have not waited longer than 10 minutes. Once you place your order, I swear it is even less than 10 minutes to get your food! The food is sensational. I have only gotten the BBQ Tour Platter, which comes with enough food for a few meals. Each sample of BBQ was rich and moist and I liked that I had my pick of BBQ sauces at the table. I have taken some of my favorite out-of-towners here and they are now all huge fans. Great food with barely any wait!
(5)
Kat R.
Famous Daves has terrible barbecue. I went when it first open and it was great. However, it has steadly declined. I order green cooked beans and they came out crunchy and not quite done. The chicken tasted like propane........The service I had was good but the meal wasn't. If you want good barbecue go Rocklands or Capital Qs. I am from the South and I know my barbecue chicken.
(2)
Janet B.
Terrific bbq, excellent side dishes, amazing and plentiful sauce selections, and overall tons of different menu options. Since this was our first visit we decided to each go for the 2-meat-bbq option simply to get exposure to different types of meat/sides offered. And needless to say we were completely taken aback by not only the amount of food on the plate, but also by the taste and freshness of the meal. Our favorite meat selections were the rib tips, country roasted chicken, and the brisket. The pulled pork was no slouch either, just a little dry (and really, with the plethora of sauces offered it wasn't too much of a setback). As far as the sides go we really liked the mashed potatoes and baked beans, the fries were definitely alright, however I'd refrain from ever ordering the mac & cheese (it just tasted off). Another great aspect of our visit was pricing of the meal itself. Pints of miller light are only $1.15, not watered down (I realize that sounds like a contradiction), and offered every Monday through Friday. You read that correctly. As for the total bill, I think it was around $34 for 5 pints and 2 gigantic dishes - a great bargain compared to almost any other restaurant. The ambiance/atmosphere left a little to be desired (especially the screaming kids and their parents that thought it was alright for their kids to be running around the restaurant screaming), however the friendly and tentative wait staff more than made up for it. Overall if you're a fan of excellent and affordable bbq, monster portions, and quick and friendly service I'm not sure how you could go wrong here. Highly recommend this place.
(5)
Ami P.
I have loved Famous Dave's for so long!!! The staff and food at the Alexandria, Route 1, location are top notch!!
(5)
Betsi K.
Unbelievable ribs and fun service!!!! Tried all 5 sauces and favorite is sweet and zesty - but all are great!
(5)
M O.
Naomi and Ryan at the To-Go station are awesome!!!!!!!
(5)
Tony M.
Don't let the fact that Famous Dave's is a chain scare you off. They have the best ribs in the area. Comments on the Alexandria location - Front of house staff was not the best. We put our name in and they said 15 - 20 minutes. After watching groups that arrived after be seated I went to see what was up. The hostess forgot to put our name in. Our waiter was much better though. Attentive and fast. The food came out very quickly. As for the food, like I said the ribs are the best around. The sauce selection is great. Something for everyone's tastes. The catfish is very good as well. Noticeably missing from the menu is Mac and Cheese. They have a cheesy corn casserole, but it's not very good.
(4)
Charlie R.
Great food and service. Awesome. Try the Cajun chicken sandwich.
(5)
adam r.
Food is great but the service is your typical route 1 service...aka its good until the regional trainers leave and then it hits the fan.
(2)
CR P.
Well... I was not really impressed with the restaurant. I had been told from several people that the food was very good. The inside was very kid friendly and lots of fun decor. staff were friendly, and polite. The food on the other hand was not good by any means. I ordered Brisket, ribs, and two sides, coleslaw and corn on the cob. they have there own sauces, you can try four kinds. All of them just seems either too strong, or just too sweet. the brisket was over charred and very cold, as well as the ribs. It just seemed like they over smoked everything. I understand the smoking process but this was a little much. the corn on the cob was watery and overdone, coleslaw was very runny (too much mayo) and the cornbread was extremely dry and cold. Maybe it was just bad timing on my part, but I don't really think ill be going back for awhile. As far as my suggestion, go try it and see is all I can say. You may have a different opinion. Thanks! Cp
(2)
Sally H.
We loved this place!!! We live in N Arlington and were in the area for another restaurant, but I saw Famous Dave's and had to go. The lunch combo deal is awesome. My husband and I got to try 4 different kinds of meats and two sides. His favorite was the catfish, and I really liked the chicken. We loved that all of the sauces were available. Although we were stuffed, we felt compelled to try the mini dessert flight - bread pudding hands down the favorite. I wanted to buy a sauce on the way out (would have had trouble deciding which one) but my husband wouldn't let me - he doesn't want any excuse not to go back sometime in the near future.
(5)
Negin Y.
This is our FAVORITE barbeque place. They're food is simply great.
(5)
J X.
I love this place!! They give you huge amount of food and the prices are pretty decent. The service has always been good too! Love their sweet tea! ahh.. so many sauces to choose from. I usually got the combo of everything and that's a better deal as well. Cornbread is perfectly seasoned, same goes to the mac n cheese. Btw, sign up for the pig club and you might get a 'buy 1 entree get 1 for free' on your birthday!
(5)
Erik R.
The beef brisket and buffalo wings were spot on. Service was EXCELLENT. Even though this place is a chain, I will definitely spend the extra 20 minutes driving to return again.
(5)
Jane D.
I absolutely loved this place, best meal out in a while. My dining partner and I picked off one anothers plates so I ended up trying the BBQ chicken and beef brisket for the meat portion. This was hands down the best beef brisket I've ever had. The BBQ chicken was good but not as good as the beef brisket. I typically turn my nose up at coleslaw from restaurants but theirs was amazing. It had bits of pineapple in it which I wasn't too sure about but loved it from the first bite. I also had the mashed potatoes and man n cheese. The mac n cheese had bits of pepper in it which made it taste like queso dip. Their complimentary corn bread was amazing and the best I've had in years. The meal also came with corn on the cob which was sweet. To top it all off we shared a chocolate brownie with ice cream. I left very happy and will return any time!!!
(5)
Hiroyuki T.
I really like this BBQ joint and especially like their wide selection of sauces. I usually get a whole rack of baby back ribs, with slow cooked bbq beans, coleslaw, and corn bread. Soooo~ yummy and hits the spot when you're just looking for some decent bbq. I find myself always licking them bones and my fingers til I get back home.
(3)
Miranda B.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Famous Daves!! We (my husband and I) are BIG FANS. The only reason I would give it a *4.5* is because I have had better, but this place is consistently good. :) Definitely give it a try!! :)
(4)
Lindsay B.
This is huge for my husband. We recently discovered that Famous Dave's opened a restaurant in Gilroy. It's about an hour and a half drive for us, but way more convenient than the flight to the East Coast.
(5)
Laila L.
Absolutely no complaints here. The missing star is because I cannot rate service -- we took our food to go so we could watch House. I ordered the wings dinner, with firecracker green beans and mac & cheese on the side. Alex ordered a pulled pork sandwich. We ordered chicken tenders to start and bread butter pudding to end the meal. Everything was fatty, flavorful, and delicious.
(4)
David D.
I was recommended by a local that the BBQ here is pretty good. That night I drove out here for some 'cue and it was in fact pretty good. The pork ribs were very moist and almost fall of the bone like. They also have various sauces ranging from tart to sweet. Quite nice.
(3)
Chyrell B.
I Love Famous Dave!!!! I was so excited when they built this one so close to my house!!! The whole new Route 1 restaurants were really a much needed change. Ok back to Dave's you can smell the greatness from outdoor so when you go in and they say 1 hour wait how can you leave with you already foaming at the mouth. I do a lot more take out then eat in!!! The takeout service is great!!! The dine in service is Excellent because of the bbq test with there fries!!!! I love there fries though I love there mac and cheese and baked beans more and only get 2 sides. I can go on and on about Famous Dave!!!
(5)
Steve W.
My wife and I really like the early bird menu when I get off early (before 5). The service is good and quick.
(4)
chris v.
If you love Barbecue and all the delectable southern food you know isn't heart friendly then this is the place for you! The feast for two served in a trashcan lid is a nice change from conventional dining with a range of dishes and sides sure to please your palette.
(4)
Constance G.
I had some of Famous Dave's Barbecue at an office function at HQ Marine Corps and was SOOOO impressed that I made my hubby drive to the nearest one that weekend, it was 22 miles away. Fortunately, one just opened up closer to home in Alexandria. Why am I high on FD's?? Excellent quality ribs, chicken, pulled BBQ, potatoes, and the best chicken and wild rice soup ever. Dave is a Chippewa indian who loves BBQ and travelled across the USA looking for the best BBQ recipies. He has hit the mother lode as evidenced by the popularity of the restaraunts and the quality of the food. There is a brisk takeout business as well. Do not be put off by the size of the lines/crowd. They move fast. This one is a keeper!
(5)
Kelly M.
I was blown away by the amazing food and service here! The waitresses were top notch! The all American feast was crazy big and yummmmmy! Our family of five was stuffed and we had left overs! The restrooms were very clean and service was fast.
(5)
Jesse S.
Came here on a Friday night. Restaurant was almost completely empty. Like a ghost town. The restaurant seems to run on auto-pilot with no signs of any type of management. Wait staff vanishes for long periods of time. I have no idea where they go or what they're doing. Service is slow and random. If they're this slow when the restaurant is empty, can you imagine what would happen if they were full to capacity? Not a problem they will ever have to worry about. Every time I come here, the dining area is emptier, the service is slower, and the food portions are smaller. I don't know how they stay in business. I expect them to be closed very soon. This place is circling the drain and the circles are getting smaller and smaller and faster. They desperately need to close this place for renovation, clean the whole place with bleach, and fire the entire awful staff, especially the inept management.
(2)
Jessamyn D.
Let me start off by saying that the service here was prompt and our waitress was very attentive (I visited on a random Tuesday night). I ordered the two meat combo that consisted of Fried Catfish fingers and BBQ brisket with a side garden salad, cornbread, fries and sweet tea (whew!) , and my boyfriend ordered the spareribs with collards, cornbread, sweet tea and potato salad. I ended up not eating more than one bite of my brisket after I saw that it was literally 50% fat (where's the beef?) and my boyfriend's ribs looked 'tough'. The garden salad was yummy with bits of real bacon added, the catfish fingers were tasty and the sides (fries, cornbread) were excellent! I'll come back for their burgers or catfish fingers, but not for their BBQ!
(3)
Robert A.
Famous Dave's has good BBQ! It's a good spot to eat and to catch a beer while watching the game in the bar area. The ribs fall off the bone and the KC style sauce is tangy and delicious. The freshbaked cornbread is outstanding (it might be a little sweet for some folks, but personally I like it that way). Also...don't forget to order teh baked beans. The biggest drawback is the beer selection which is skewed towards hoppy IPAs. Otherwise it's pretty standard stuff. There's lots of potential to be a bit more creative with the beer selection considering the local competition. The bar itself is separated from the main dining room which is nice for both sets of customers. I would say Dave's is some of the better BBQ in the area.
(3)
Kim S.
I was suppose to be grocery shopping but I decided to grab a bite to eat first! You shouldn't shop on an empty stomach. Table for one please. It was lunch time on st. Pattys day and very quiet in the restaurant. I was seated at a nice sized booth instead of in the middle of the restaurant at a tiny table. I loved my comfy booth. I knew I wanted some onion rings or something similar so I ordered onion strings. My server Tim was awesome. I'd go back just to be seated in his area. Never have I had such great service while dining alone. Tim got me my togo box in advance of me asking for it. I told him when I ordered that I was ordering enough food to have lunch the next day. The hostess at the front was great. Tim was awesome. I can see myself going back the next time I'm running errands on my day off.
(4)
Zee B.
Rib tips are the bomb! I haven't been here in 7 yrs because they don't have one where I live and the rib tips are still awesome! I had the two meat combo, rib tip and brisket very yummy.
(5)
Dani P.
I'm not a huge barbeque fan, but my husband is, so we went for his birthday on a weekday night. It was empty, so we received our food quickly. Even though I don't eat barbeque, I LOVE their sides. I could eat their cornbread all day. We ended dinner with a kalhua brownie sundae. It was tasty, though I couldn't taste the kalhua. In general, a pretty good place for being a chain.
(3)
Colin C.
I've been to this chain before but never this location. It's my opinion that while super amazing bbq is hard to find, you can do it decently well at home or a restaurant very easily. When you drown a meat in bbq sauce and have it cook a while it's hard to mess that up. And so many great sides like cornbread and Mac and cheese, plus different types of bbq sauce to use. And everyone loves big pieces of beef and pork. Having said all that, they kind of messed it up here, and while it probably deserves three stars, I'm knocking them down for the aforementioned reasons. The rib tips were very dry and mediocre. The fries were weirdly over salted and had a strange batter, they were more like kfc potato wedges too. They didn't have a variety of BBQ sauces to try, just two and they were ok. The menu was big and had lots of tasty sounding things but most I tried were just meh. The servers were nice but it was very slow. HH specials were only alcohol and they apparently weren't ever honoring the one for domestics despite it being on the sign. Go elsewhere, although not many BBQ places around here unfortunately.
(2)
E L.
Food, service, atmosphere, cleanliness were all sub-par at this location of famous dave's. The only reason I ate my food was because it was so overpriced I felt like I needed to at least get some nourishment out of the whole experience.
(1)
Eric L.
So I love bbq... and just to clarify bbq is the way the food is cooked and rubbed. Its NOT sauce. On that note this place is a chain and they do put some rub on their food and they have ALOT (6 to be exact) sauces which vary in sweet and hot. So... I tell people all the time... rib tips and the lunch portion is the best value for your dollar and its enough to get you full. The lunch option comes with one side and like 6 riblet pieces and a corn bread. Add on a sweet tea and your bill is $14. So four stars because of taste and value! My only gripe... no more grilled pineapple. :'(
(4)
Scott B.
It has been so long since I have been to Famous Dave's. Took the family on vacation and we passed through the area and found this place. I just ordered a brisket sandwich but I tried a little of everything else. Not one thing was bad. I was going to take a picture but I ate it so fast. I just wish we had Dave's where I live.
(5)
James W.
A good example of the type. I've had trouble with some other locations but this one is pretty much always good. Very good brisket. I haven't tried the ribs at this location.
(4)
Dee C.
First time experiencing FDs. Service was great. always checked on us and made sure we had our refills. cleaned up nicely after using napkins because of all the BBQ sauce. Tried the combo of Ribs and Burnt Ends... yummy! Baked beans were also delish and fries were a plus add on. Nice atmosphere with a south western feel. I definitely would go back or recommend it to anyone visiting the area.
(3)
Tim B.
It's a chain and as you'd expect it is not the utmost greatest BBQ you can find. But I think it is of surprising quality and could hold it's own in parts of the country where BBQ is more common. They do a solid job across the board on all BBQ staples beef brisket, pulled whatever,ribs etc. The only semi nearby place I know to have clearly better pulled pork is Red Hot n Blue. tip: always say it's your first time. they bring you really good reaaallly crispy chips with which to munch and sample all of their BBQ sauces. I know they win awards and what not but overall I do not think any particular sauce is all that great (try caolina gold at your local trader joes and of course sweet baby reyes is everywhere) but they have a full gamut of styles and levels of sweet spicy or tangy. The variety is great compared to your typical random BBQ joint on the side of the road. I suggest this as a good lunch spot. They make very affordable (less than $10) options of various meat combos or a good BBQ salad for ~7 bucks. Service at this location is average. No complaints but not great. Out of easily 2 dozen visits the only issue we've had is them bringing us and charging us for 'dinner' versions of the 'lunch' platters at 12pm on a weekday.
(3)
Trina J.
This Famous Dave's isn't like it use to be. The service sucks!!! The foods sucks!!! The manger, really could careless. The employees, you will see a lot of them outside for their smoke breaks all at the same time!! Don't waste your time or your money.
(1)
Candice B.
Meh! Not bad, but not really great either. We had the burnt ends for a app. Which tasted kind of like pre packed meat. The ribs were decent but not a lot of smoke flavor. It is a decent BBQ fix, but nothing to write home about Just really subpar bbq.
(2)
Iirma A.
The food is delicious! Not to mention I'm obsessed with the corn bread, however the service is horrible, the waiter does not enjoy his job and he can't make it anymore noticeable, my brother in law had a talk with someone who I think is part of management and all he said was "yea we've had a lot of complaints about slow service"... This place has good food but if they want more business, they should train their staff better or replace them simple as that.
(3)
Jeff C.
Yeah, I know it is a chain, but it's a chain for a reason, it's rib chomping good. I always get the classic Barbeque Combo withe rib tips and delicious brisket. The only thing bad to say about this place is that it is located on Rt 1 which means you're likely to fine next to a cast of characters that can be a little out there at times. Still, the q is yummy all day long.
(4)
Carla M.
Dropped by for lunch and had a hard time choosing what we wanted to eat. Many things looked good but we wanted something lunch-sized. We chose the burgers. I had the Devil's Spit and Steve had Dave's Favorite. Yummy. Great tasting sauce and the toppings were fresh. Steve got the fries and they were hot and crisp. I got the steamed broccoli and it was perfect. Still crisp and it looked fresh. Overall it was a good lunch and we are looking forward to trying dinner here. ....just not today because we're full. ;)
(4)
David H.
Famous? More like mediocre to slightly subpar chain BBQ based on this visit. I enjoyed my last visit a couple of years ago but things have apparently gone down hill since my last visit. The prices have increased, they don't have a specific lunch menu (on Saturdays at least), and the sandwiches only come with one side at a cost of nearly $10. The brisket sandwich was subpar for a BBQ restaurant. The flavor is acceptable but the texture was much drier than at most places. Forget cutting this with a fork due to its tenderness, this needed some extra sauce because it was bone dry. It almost had the texture of that pre-cooked brisket you can buy at the grocery store. The BBQ beans side was spicy and enjoyable. There are an increasing number of BBQ restaurants in the DC area so I'm not sure whether I'll be back here. If so, I think I'll try something other than the brisket.
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Patrick J.
I'm a huge BBQ fan, and when I'm not smoking a pork shoulder or ribs, this is one of two go-to spots near me. The pulled pork, brisket, and burnt ends are awesome. Their baked beans and mac n' cheese are delicious too. You can't go wrong here, and if you decide you are in the mood for an adult beverage, they have some good draft beers and their speciality drinks made with moonshine are really good. The Margarita is delicious. They use salt and BBQ rub to coat the rim of the glass.
(4)Sophea R.
Here's yet another review complaining about slow service. We arrived around 9pm on a Saturday night. The restaurant was about 20% full. We ordered nachos, a feast for one and a side salad. The drinks were a tall beer and a water. The drinks came 10 minutes after we ordered them. The food came 25-30mins after we ordered them. The entire time before this our waitress was nowhere to be found (maybe hiding since she's used to slow prep. from kitchen? Or was she the reason the food was so slow to arrive?). Our appetizer was also served with our main, with no acknowledgement by the waitress. The worst part was that the restaurant was full-staffed, with low occupancy. Why the delay? The food was average for this chain. We still tipped full, but the service here is simply bad.
(3)Deb J.
Visited this restaurant while in town and the barbecue was fantastic! I loved the 6 different sauces that you could use as I tried to find my favorite and never come up with that answer as I loved them all. If you are with a few people I would recommend the feast plate as you can sample everything. The cornbread was amazing, the staff was very friendly and the manager came over to speak with us at the end of our meal which rarely happens these days. She was pleasant and allowed us to share the compliments and concerns that we did see. So for the corporate team, the new smaller plates that you have changed to eat off of is very difficult as they are so small you can't get all the different sauces on plus the food at the same time. Also you changed the trash can lid which was an icon for the restaurant and missed. Barbecue is awesome and the staff is very pleasant and informed.
(4)Sharon S.
First time here. Everything was fine until I tried to eat the St.Louis style Spareribs. Tried to separate them with my butter knife but no go. My husband had to do it with a steak knife. Tough, chewey and disappointing...
(1)Hazel M.
For take out, we ordered the pulled pork and a half slab of ribs. We asked for a lot of BBQ sauce and in the bag, there were only 2. 2? Seriously? So now we're home eating dry BBQ because the take out server is incompetent. Also, there were no napkins or forks in the bag. Oddly, the last time we ordered, the pulled pork came on Texas toast. This time, it was on a bun? Not sure what that's about. Never ever coming back here again.
(1)Norman M.
Went to Dave's on a Saturday night at 8 PM. While busy, it was pretty empty in the bar so that is where I ate. First, the bartender and his assistant were more concerned with their friends and smart phones than with the customers. I had to ask for everything, can I have another beer, can I have a menu, can I have this sauce. After customers left the bar, their dirty plates just sat. I had an appetizer and it arrived warm, not hot. My dinner selection of Ribs Tips also was warm, not hot. The menu has changed since my last visit and in my opinion not for the better. This is my last visit to this location.
(2)Nicholas A.
Bad for groups, bad for ... Just bad. Came here today for lunch with a group of 11. Took about 5 minutes for them to put together 3 (three) tables. Waiter eventually showed up and when we asked for separate checks and indicated we were in a hurry & ready to order, rolled his eyes. The food was warm for some of the group, cold for others - nobody had a hot meal in the lot, but what would you expect for food that showed up 40 minutes after ordering? No drink refills until plates were cleared, and waiting for the check took about as long as the food took to get here. Do not come here. Seriously, let me spare you, do not come here. If you're looking for an alternate place for BBQ, please GOD somewhere else. There are ample alternatives. So very many.
(1)Paul H.
Normally eat at the bar. Last two times I've been there nobody buses the bar. You sit there with dirty glasses and plates. Bartender more interested In talking to friends than working the bar. If I wanted to eat in dirty kitchen I would stay home. Food seems to have gone downhill also.
(1)Mark V.
~3.5 stars~ People seem to either love or hate this place, but I think most of the haters are not being realistic with their expectations. After all, this is a chain restaurant, and the DC area is not exactly a barbeque mecca. And this place does some things well. I have enjoyed their meaty rib tips and tasty catfish fingers in the past and I think that their lean sliced brisket is delicious. They also serve excellent potato salad and corn muffins as side dishes. But their pulled pork is mushy and tasteless and their (previously-frozen) fries and too-liquidy and sweet baked beans are disappointing. They have also jacked up their prices to levels that don't make this place a good value any more. But you will always get an abundance of food in a fun atmosphere. And I like trying all of the (six) sauces they offer too. Their spicy "Wilbur's Revenge" will send you reeling, lol. You could do worse for both barbeque and chain restaurants in this area, so give it a shot next time a BBQ urge hits.
(3)William T.
I have been going to Famous Dave's a couple times a year for a few years now. The food has always been great. However, my last trip has definitely knocked the bbq giant down a few notches. There were three of us going to famous dave's, the third person in our group was running late. It was on a Wednesday night and the place was half empty. We decided to order our drinks and wait a few more minutes for the late family member. My wife and I noticed that famouse daves only had two of its BBQ sauces out on the table. I looked around and noticed the same thing on all of the other tables. Only two BBQ sauces, sweet and zesty and rich and sassy. Those two are sweet and mildly tangy BBQ sauces; I prefer their hotter sauces like Devil's Spit. So my wife and I were a little bewildered at why they got rid of the other sauces. We asked the waitress and she walked off as though we had not spoken to her. We decided not to make a fuss about missing sauces and kept quiet. The waitress seemed annoyed that my family member was running late. I was a little annoyed too, but to have a waitress openly ask and then demand to know when the third party was to arrive, was just rude. My wife and I decided to order a starter. Why not? The waitress did a 180 and started acting nice. The sweetwater cat fish finger starter comes out about the same time as my family member arrives. Only about 15 minutes late. The first thing the waitress says when my family member sits down is "You're here finally!" and then proceeds to immediately what we would like to order. Our family member had literally just sat down and had not had a chance to read the menu. Thankfully, we had already planned on doing the feast for 2 (huge portions of food, it can feed 3 or 4 people). We place our order. The waitress brings our food. She also brings plates. She said that they were fresh out of the washer. Thanks, I guess? Well, my plate happened to still be soaked. You would think that they could have literally taken 5 seconds to dry off a plate. Nope. So I dried it off with my napkin. I did not even bother complaining about this one thing added to the pile of complaints about our waitress. The food was good but the brisket seemed a little off, over cooked, and the chicken was more bland than normal. I longed for the assortment of BBQ sauces but figured it was best not to ask anything more of our waitress. The waitress came by a few times and asked for refills and how we liked the food etc... but you could tell she was being fake about it. Instead of friendly her air come off as condescending and patronizing and of course fake. We are ready to go and ask for the check. The late family member paid for the 3 of us. after she signed the check and gave it to waitress the waitress comes back and says that there has been a mistake. She forgot one of the cocktails my wife had earlier in the meal on the bill. My family member said that we had already paid the bill and that she should have included the drink on the bill. Instead of being apologetic about the mistake the waitress is condescending again and tells us about how our tab is still open even though we've already signed the check etc... and that she can run the card again to pay for the drink. She then acts as though this is something that happens all of the time and that we know exactly what process she is talking about - in that same condescending / patronizing / fake voice... repeatedly saying "You know what I mean?". We paid for the drink and left. The food is always pretty good at famous dave's, maybe it was the attitude of our waitress but the food quality seemed to not be up to their usual. I hope to never get that waitress again.
(3)Shellie D.
It's a BBQ restaurant chain so there isn't much to expect other than good prices and a lot of food. We had the American feast for two and it was a great deal. I loved the grilled chicken and the ribs, the beef brisket was tenders and juicy. For sides, I loved the corn, the baked beans loaded with bits of pork, the potato salad and the collard greens. The corn bread muffins are a great addition to the meal. The food was great but this is a quick fix for a BBQ craving. There is better BBQ out there an Famous Dave's has a convenient location and great prices for the amount of food they give.
(4)Mlle B.
Famous Dave's is a friendly, casual place with hard-working staff and nice food. Our family has eaten here for several years, since the place opened--entertaining friends, taking kids along, or having lunch or dinner for two. I've used about every service this highly useful restaurant offers. Takeout for guests in our home has always been well received. More recently, I ordered takeout for a team of 60 hungry high school athletes. They liked it so much that we got another Famous Dave's takeout meal for them two weeks later. Everything was ready on time, wrapped securely, hot, and easy to serve. I also helped to coordinate catering by the Famous Dave's truck at a major school sports event. This catering was very easy to arrange, and kids and grownups enjoyed the pulled pork, pulled chicken, and other delights. Ribs are clearly a specialty, but the fish is nice too. The menu has everything from sandwiches to platters; you don't have to order a gigantic meal. The best salad is the barbecue salad with brisket, in my opinion. My other favorite lightish meal is just a couple of ribs with sides of steamed broccoli and grilled pineapple. But then there are those special times when the rack of ribs calls, and I just have to answer. Yes.
(5)Emily A.
Ok food. Service is choppy at best
(3)Kinan M.
Definitely one of my favorites restaurants . I go there at least once a month . Sometimes every week :) I like there nachos and burgers . Service is great and fast . Maybe once or twice was slow but in general I give five stars . Prices fair I think . I recommend going there
(5)Jamie M.
I should have done a review sooner but I am glad I waited. They seem to have redone their menu and it rocks. I always wondered why you could not get fries or any type of potato at Daves and guess what.. Fries.. steak fries. My husband has always loved this place but it took the new and improved menu to do it for me. Ya baby... last time we were here was on Veterans day for the free meal and it was of course yummy. Last night we went and had the Feast for two.. and wow... WOW... so good. We ate till we were full and then took home the rest and had lunch today. They have a variety of their BBQ sauces on the table ( we got a container of that utterly fantastic sauce) and took it home with us. Oh wait.... you have to have the Kahlua Brownie. Came hot with vanilla ice cream on top with dollops of whipped cream on all four corners and fudge sauce drizzled all over it.... we get it every time we go there big enough for the two of us to share. The wait people are always stellar. Love this place. I think I am still full ..
(5)Van T.
BBQ ribs is not too bad but not too good either. We go here quite often for lunch because they're fast and you get a good portion size for the price. We prefer family owned restaurants, however we haven't found a hood BBQ one around this are yet.
(3)Crystal C.
I love famous Dave's, and I normally go to the Woodbridge one. But I go to this one because it down the street from where I live. But this location has the worst food and the worst service. The "service manager" Linda is in the wrong field, she is nasty and should not be in the position. The server Valerie, horrible, with lots of attitude. I was very concerned with the fact, my cousin ordered food and within 2 mins her food was out at the table.. If you want good famous Dave's the Alexandria location is the worst one to go to. I understand why the parking lot is always empty when I drive by it everyday.
(1)Victoria V.
They don't have many food options, and Honestly their food isn't worth the price. I don't recommend eating here I ended up going to tgi Fridays which turned out way better.
(1)Stewart S.
I contacted Famous Daves on a Saturday to provide food for a party I was giving the next day, about 8-10 people. As the next day was a Sunday, I wanted to be sure that my food would be ready at 11a, realizing it was their opening time, even tho I my guests would be arriving after noon. My food was not ready at 11a but rather at 1120a. I was given a 5% discount on the spot and a gift certificate amounting to 33% of my bill as an extended courtesy. This was totally unexpected as I seriously did not expect my food to be ready at EXACTLY 11a. (Seriously folks....these people are human too) My order was filled perfectly, and included everything I needed to serve my guests, plates, dinnerware, spoons, etc) The ribs are a wee bit spicy but are flavorful just the same. I recommend them highly.
(4)Anne P.
Great for pickup but terrible customer service! Sat at a bar table and no onehelped us or acknowledged us. And the manager on duty was too busy watching basketball!
(1)Maynard A.
This place is good. Ate here with my family and ordered the platter that will feed 6-8 people. Lots of food and was great and the margaritas was awesome!!!
(4)Chris W.
Its been 5 years since I have gone to a Famous Dave's and it was calling the families name. We were greeted at the door and sat at a booth. I started looking around checking out the place. Floors were dirty, music was really loud and the staff walked like zombies and didn't even notice we were in there until we told them to tell the manager that we were walking out. We sat there for 15 minutes with at least 9 staff members walking by and we never got to see our wait staff , drinks or even place an order. I would not recommend to anyone and will not return.
(1)Yelp_user M.
It's not expensive and yet better than many other chain places. Corn bread is delicious! Not bad for given price.
(3)Shawn B.
One word ... GOD AWFUL. their terrible food was only surpassed by their terrible service. Nothing like paying a premium for lousy food AND service. Better bet is to head south on Rt. 1 to Shane's rib shack next to Shoppers. Excellent pulled pork
(1)Ivonne C.
My husband decided that he would like to be taken to Famous Daves for fathers days, 06/16/2013, since it have been a year or so since we've gone. We arrived around 4 or so and already there was a 45-60 minutes wait, which we didn't mind. Food overall was good and the server Christopher seemed attentive to our table. Once dinner was done and I was ready to pay. I took note on how the server did not forget about our table so I decided to give him a 20% tip. And since I do not carry cash I paid with my debit card. Well the following Friday I was balancing my account and noticed that the famous daves transaction was more then what I put down on my receipt. I called the resturant and spoke to the manager bob who asked for the information on my receipt that I still had. All in all the manager, Bob, said he would correct the issue and apologized for the discrepancy. He requested the card # I used and advised I'd be credited back. Well we are in a new week and have I yet to be refunded...NOPE. Will they now see me in person YES! Why? Because the server tried to dip further then the 20% given and thought he could get away with it. And worse Bob the manager is laggin to return the funds.
(2)Hilary G.
My husband is a huge BBQ fan and that's not a common DC food. Famous Dave's is a great place to get take out for dinner, especially if you have friends over because you can order a platter. You can also get as many huge bbq sauce packets to take with you as you want which can be addictive. I am a big fan of their chicken bbq and my husband loves their ribs. My favorite item is their catfish fingers appetizer. The service was kinda slow the one time we ate in, so I would stick to take-out. The decor is very crazy and I am sure it's a hit with kids, but it's not my thing. The food is reliable, tasty, and not for the calorie watching crowd.
(4)Jan S.
So cravings overwhelmed us, had to go back. Famous Bryant was our server, he was phenomenal as was the food and margaritas AGAIN We were well taken care of and the food delish, will definitively be back. Bryant works weekends so we will come back then. Thanks for the excellent service, food and drinks!
(5)Stephen P.
We love good Texas BBQ and Famous Dave's is as about as good as you can get in the area, especially from a chain restaurant. Meats are good as are their sides. I'm partial to the brisket, ribs and links myself so I can't speak to the other meats as well. Garlic potatoes are excellent, and they have some of the best wedge fries around - crispy outside, soft inside. Mixture of sauces at the tables are great allowing for individual taste. On occasion had a single rib with not much meat, but overall not an issue. CATERING - We did catering for Easter - brisket, links, mashed potatoes, corn, muffins, beans. As good or better then normal lunch/dinner serving. Brisket even had some end pieces you don't normally get - excellent.
(5)Lindsay C.
This is good barbeque. I have had better, but it is certainly deserving of 4 stars. We had the 2-3 person feast and it was really delicious. The ribs could have been a bit more tender, but the pulled pork, chicken, beans, fries, coleslaw and corn bread were excellent. The service really made this place deserve the 5 stars. Steve, our waiter, was just about the friendliest waiter I've ever had. Explained all the sauces to us, which I guess is standard practice, but he made you feel like he was doing it specially for you. Drinks were constantly refilled, he was constantly checking on the table and taking away dirty dishes. He was super knowledgeable about the food. The manager came over and presented us with a free bottle of our favorite sauce, which again I guess is standard practice if it's your first time there, but they really made it feel like it was all about you. Really excellent staff, excellent customer service. We will definitely be back.
(5)Heather W.
We went here a few weeks ago, but I won't be able to speak to the quality of the food. For starters, the front entry was dirty and unwelcoming... greasy fingerprints all over the doors. That probably should have been our first clue, but we walked in to find at least five wait staff lingering and socializing around the hostess stand. We were then seated at a grungy table with holes in the table cloth. The final straw was the filthy, sticky menus that were laid in front of us. If this is how you present what the customer sees, I can't imagine what it looks like behinds the scenes. No thank you... we left with out ordering and won't go back.
(1)Jorge D.
Best place to eat smoke food and RIBS ARE THE BEST also try burnt ends. The best smokehouse restaurant.
(5)Keith E.
Popped by for a quick lunch. Ordered the two meat lunch combo. Beef brisket and Garlic Red Mashed Potatoes were both cold. Roasted chicked breast was hot, cornbread muffin was slightly warm. Served in a reasonable time based on customers in restaurant. Disappointed food wasn't hot and mashed potato portion was very small. Chicken was pink in some spots, not bloody...just pink. I did enjoy mixing 'Wilbur's Revenge XXX' and 'Sweet & Zesty' hot sauces together. Sodas are $2.49...would have liked a refill, maybe they'll offer me one next time.
(2)Mia N.
This is a good chain restaurant. Good for families with huge booths and a fun atmosphere. We sat near the fireplace, which was fun and warmed us up on a frigid January day. This is a reliable place with good food. I don't do ribs, but I got the pulled pork on a piece of white bread. It was pretty good. Husband got the chili and salad, which he liked. The best thing though was the small sized Nachos we ordered before the meal. Next time that could just be my entrée with a huge Pepsi.
(4)Tierra K.
I write this as I sit here.... For damn near 10 min just waiting on our check ad a Togo box that we asked for. Somehow our server just keeps disappearing. Why does it take that log to grab our check? Idk. My boyfriend has stepped outside to have a smoke and gotten back still waiting for this check. Besides the service the food is awesome. I was really happy with everything until... Lets see. Going on 15 min now and still no freakin Togo box! Get it together! Oh great. Finally here. And not even a sorry for the delay or wait. Gtfoh!!!
(3)Manny V.
On a recent trip to Maryland for my wife's birthday, we decided to take a quick trip to visit her Cousin in Arlington, VA. and just happen to come across a Famous Dave's BBQ Restaurant. We marked down the location on the GPS and then continued to her Cousin's house for some Hello's and a bit of reminiscing. After a brief stint of visiting family we said our good-byes and then we headed out to Famous Dave's for dinner. For those who don't know, 'Famous' Dave Anderson is one of America's most notable Pitmasters when it comes to BBQ! Famous Dave's Legendary Pit Bar-B-Que, formerly Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que Shack, is a chain of southern-style barbecue restaurants serving pork ribs, chicken, pulled pork and beef brisket. Dave Anderson, an Ojibwe who served as the head of the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs from 2004 to 2005, started the first Famous Dave's restaurant just outside of Hayward, Wisconsin, in 1994. The restaurant chain quickly grew throughout the Midwestern United States. It has since grown to have locations in 37 U.S. states. The flagship restaurant of the chain is Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que and Blues in Calhoun Square, Minneapolis, Minnesota. The decor in the place is the typical decor you would expect to find in a BBQ restaurant like this and for added ambiance the speakers overhead play a nice selection of country music which does provide a comfortable atmosphere for your dining pleasure. The Staff was very friendly and polite, we were seated promtly and the waitress tiook our food and drink orders. We decided to order the All-American BBQ Feast. The order serves four people (we wanted to make sure we had food left over to take back to our hotel!) and consist of 1 full rack of BBQ Ribs, 1 whole BBQ Chicken, 1lb of either Beef Brisket or Pulled Pork, 1/2 lb of Baked Beans, 1/2 lb of Cole Slaw, four Corn Muffins, four ears of Corn and a order of Fries all for $59.99! Our drinks and food were brought promptly to our table and my wife and I started on our BBQ feast. The food, by the way, was brought on a trash can lid - this hails back to Famous Dave's heyday when he served his food from a BBQ cart and used trash can lids toi serve his food on to Customers. That tradition is still carried on at all Famous Dave locations. The food was excellent - even better than I expected! The ribs were meaty, tender and tasted fantastic!! The Chicken was well seasoned and tender as well but not dry either. The Brisket was also cooked well and was very good and we were able to try and sample the different BBQ sauces that Famous Dave has created over the years(Our favorite was the Sweet and Tangy!). Having visited and eaten at numerous BBQ places I have to say Famous Dave's is one of the BEST I've ever eaten at. We plan on returning to Maryland this August for the Crab Fest but we will be visiting Famous Dave's again when we return!
(4)Kyle B.
Great atmosphere. Not the biggest BBQ fan. But really nice service. And food was decent and a lot of left overs
(3)Elcin M.
Its one of our favorite burger place around. I enjoy the food and service everytime I go there. I like their nachos very much and the devil spirit burger. I highly recommend this place.
(5)Sarah C.
do not EVER order online or over the phone...your order will surely be messed up or will not exist when you go to pick it up. it's ridiculous! too bad though, because the food is half decent.
(1)Chris S.
After having their catering at an event, I wanted to try out the main menu. I was pleasantly surprised. As far as the food goes, it is 5 stars all around. The BBQ chicken was delicious, the brisket was good as well. The sides were a compliment to the overall meal. Minus a star for the adult beverage. When I order a drink, I like to enjoy it, and I was not able to enjoy this due to the terrible taste. The waittress was awkward, most likely her first day or week. She wasn't friendly, didn't even tell us her name. That's ok, I wasn't there for her company.
(4)Casey C.
Had the Ribs. They were okay...not dry but not flavorful or impressive. I'm not a sauce guy and try to keep the carbs in check. My Standard for Ribs is Charles Vergos' Rendezvous Ribs ( hogsfly.com ) so truth be told, there was nothing "Famous" feeling about this chain. Service was decent but then again I was the only one at the bar (4:30pm) so couldn't tell how they'd be if stressed.
(2)Mariah S.
Came here during Veteran's day and tried the latest Southside Rib Tips. Hope it's just a promo and they will bring back the original rib tips. This replacement's seasonings were too salty and overwhelming seasoning. In addition, the serving I received was chewy and tough. My thought is that it was sitting under the heat lamp too long and dried up. I mentioned this to the food server and he apologized and brought me some fresh pieces which was adequate but still not fall off the bone soft. I've decided to stick with the regular ribs from now on. The rest of the order was good including the consistently yummy corn cakes.
(4)Tiger M.
I promise I am a fat girl in a skinny girls body !! The wing plater here is absolutely AMAZING!!!! Sweet and tangy- just the way I like it !!! With a side of potato salad, corn on the cob (sooooo happy I'm no longer wearing braces) and an Arnold Palmer! Not to mention the sweet corn bread muffin..... Yummmmmmm !!! And don't forget the dessert !! The banana pudding or the bread pudding!! You can't not go wrong with either !!!
(4)Mikey T.
Surprisingly good ribs! Came here on a Sunday night not knowing what else to eat in the area. Got one of their ribs combo. It was definitely rather juicy and falling off the bone. I like how you can get the ribs dry (without sauce) since that's the way I prefer them. The sausage was delicious and had a spicy kick to it. The chicken was rather dry, even for dark meat. The cornbread was delicious with that corn-y crunch to it. The sides left much to be desired though, particularly the mac 'n cheese. Service was friendly and fast, no complaints there.
(4)paul w.
I tried this place again and ordered the spareribs. Frankly they were very tough and obviously were cooked over too high of a heat.
(2)Lina M.
Great food and friendly staff.. Love this place!!
(5)Monk E. R.
BBQ snob here. I own four smokers and have cooked for 150+. I regularly smoke 12lb packer briskets, Memphis ribs, and pork butts. I've sampled Texas clod in Dallas, dry rubbed ribs at the Rendezvous in Memphis, and pulled pork at dozens of roadside pits in the Carolinas, as well as more sickly sweet boiled slop and overpriced boutique urban garbage than I'd care to remember. With that caveat, I actually like Famous Dave's bbq. The decor is what a Texas roadhouse would look like if re-imagined by Walt Disney: circus lights in the ceiling, fake memorabilia on the walls, country music on the PA. I like to hate on chain restaurants as much as the next jerk, but there's a reason why some chains work: consistent product. Barbecuing is an art dependent on quality of ingredients and technique, but there are an infinite number of variables. Two sets of ribs can come from the same pig, but one can end up dry and nasty and the other delicious. Computer controlled commercial smokers eliminate many of those variables. So while the ribs here aren't smoked on site over charcoal, they are pleasantly smokey and reasonably flavorful. Mopped in a mild sweet/vinegary sauce, you're provided with a half-dozen sauces of varying heats to augment your bbq. So if you're one of these sickos who likes to burn your butt off, knock yourself out. We opted for the Feast for Two sampler: half slab of St. Louis ribs, half a bbq chicken, pork or brisket, fries, bbq beans, corn on the cob, cornbread muffins. You can switch out those sides for any thing from garlic mashed potatoes to spicy mac and cheese. For $35, you get a ton of food so unless you haven't eaten in a week, you'll get plenty of leftovers. The ribs have a nice smoke ring with a good hickory tang. They come in a mild sauce, but you can have them hold it. Pulled pork lacked the requisite vinegar tang, but was still moist. Fried potato wedges were perfect; nice and crispy. Corn on the cob had been sitting in the steam tray too long, but the cornbread was tasty. The real star is the bbq chicken: moist, juicy, with a nice char. This may not have been slow smoked, but it was tastier than I was expecting. For those weirdos who go to bbq joints and don't want to eat bbq, you've got burgers and chicken tenders and citrus grilled salmon. The tenders were actual breast meat (not McNuggets) and the kids ate the hell out of them. They've even got steamed broccoli, so you can force them to eat their greens. And for those who are down with the Lent thang, they have an All-You-Can-Eat Fish Friday deal; cod strips, sandwiches, and fish & chips style platters. Those are next on my list of to-dos as they're coated in a combo of cornmeal and panko breadcrumbs. The service was friendly, but occasionally scattered (our waitress disappeared for a while). Fortunately, there were TWO managers on the floor going from table to table ensuring that water glasses were full and meals were delivered as ordered. I wish more restaurant managers actually did this; it would go a long way towards ensuring they had repeat customers. About the worst thing I could say about Famous Dave's is that the beer selection was a little middling (the usual Bud/Miller/Coors products), so if you're looking for a brewpub, you're in the wrong neighborhood. But compared to the other local chain bbq shops (Red Hot & Blue, Rocklands) and even some of the mom-&-pop roadside stands that either boil the meat or just grill the stuff, Famous Dave's offers a consistently tasty product at a reasonable price.
(4)Brandon S.
This place is slow, no matter what day you go! Horrible service! This location gives Famous Dave's a bad name! We waited over 40 mins for a sandwich and baked potato! I'll never visit this location again.
(1)Chris A.
Solid. Good. Fun. Burnt tips appetizers are delicious. Got the pork BBQ. And a couple beers. With a buddy. There are 68 stores, the latest one in Puerto Rico. The place doesn't feel corporate. The sauces are good. It's worthwhile and I plan to go back again at some point.
(4)Cherye H.
This past week, co-workers and I decided to go there for lunch. Two of us ordered the lunch portion of ribs. They were the worst tasting ribs I have ever had in the area. A step in the process of cooking these ribs certainly was missed. They were overcooked, and as tough as leather. Since I don't have canines like a dog,, I could not grind though them. After one rib, I failed to consume anything more than bits of meat under the tough layer of leather. I don't plan to order ribs again, when and if I ever go back to give it a second try. I was also disappointed the apples were taken off the menu. The young lady serving us seemed nice. It's not her fault the cook does not know how to prepare ribs. They are supposed to fall off the bone,.....Not!. Maybe the real cook/chef was off that day. If not, I hope they hire someone with the ablities to cook ribs to make you wanna lick the bones or slap your mamma. Either way, I just want to leave wanting more; right now, I want leave and go somewhere else. I was wondering why there was barely anyone in the place during peak lunch hour. Now, I know why. Until they realize their short falls, no one will return or even chose them as a place to eat lunch or dinner. I know I won't. Thanks, but I certainly have had much better and will not go back until its better.
(2)Will O.
Food is great, as far as chain style bar-b-que goes. Service is usually fast and friendly.
(4)Gary T.
We were actually going to go to the restaurant across the street....we didn't know this place was here....but we decided it was time for a BBQ fix so we went on in. The inside of the restaurant looked nice enough, although the hostess that met us at the door had an attitude problem. We stood up there for a few minutes waiting to be seated and we she finally sauntered over she kind of rolled her eyes at us and acted like she was doing us a favor by finding us a seat. However, I do have to say that the guy that waited on us after she left was very friendly. We both got a half-rack of ribs and I got a sausage also with mine. The ribs weren't bad and unless you are a rib snob (like me) you would probably think they were real good. I think they were good, but not as good as some of the other places I have been. My biggest complaint with the meat is that it was what I call "grainy". By that I mean when you are eating it, it kind of breaks up into little slivers of meat as you are chewing it, whereas with some really top quality BBQ, you don't even have to use your teeth to get it off the bone. The last piece of my meat was really dry also....beef jerky dry. The sausage was pretty good but I think I have been spoiled by some other places I go back home that actually make theirs on-site. You can tell the difference. The sauces were good but a little on the hot side for me. If I recall correctly, there was one that was on the sweet side and there was another that was a little hot and another that really hot although not overwhelmingly so. They also have a Georgia Mustard Sauce...I don't remember the name exactly although it was pretty good, but I've never seen this kind of sauce down here in Georgia,LOL. Not a bad place overall.
(3)Ashley W.
I love Famous Daves. I know its a chain restaurant but it is so yummy. The meal for two is what we always get.
(4)Todd P.
Previously, I had only been to the Famous Dave's in Oakton VA which is much warmer, kind of having a log cabin lodge with dim mood lighting. The Alexandria Famous Dave's on the other hand has a generically built chain restaurant vibe with very bright lighting. That said, it was clean and well maintained, even if it didn't have the atmosphere of the one I'm used to. The acoustics of this box building are such that it is very loud, but I'll get into that later. The food was good, though much pricier and not as good as places like Red, Hot & Blue or Dixie Bones BBQ. Their sauces are very good though, though I don't know if that would be my basis for choosing a barbeque joint. One thing that I realize in retrospect is that I didn't notice a hickory smoke smell, which should be mandatory for a barbeque joint, but perhaps it was because we were there relatively late (around 8:30PM on a Sunday). One thing I will say is that it is quite lame that they charge $0.99 extra to have your sandwich "Memphis style", i.e. topped with cole slaw. Most places I go do this gratis. So far though, none of these things are deal breakers and if I stopped here I would have given Famous Dave's in Alexandria three stars. The service and patrons however compel me to knock a star off though. When we walked in, the servers who were handling the outside seating were following us in and were quite friendly as was the host that seated us, however our waitress just exuded a "I don't want to be here...I'm going to be as friendly and conversant with you tonight to get you fed and out of here as quickly as possible". It's like she tolerated us rather than wanting us to be there. Then there were our fellow patrons, which gets back to the acoustics and atmosphere. The table to my right had a family whose father was loudly belching and thinking it was funny to blame it on his son. The table behind us had a foul-mouthed woman who explicitly and loudly talked about her sex life to the point that even the guy next to her was bright red. Because of the acoustics of the space, we heard every burp and dildo reference loud and clear. If you want good barbeque, I'd perhaps go to another Famous Dave's if you don't mind paying more for less, or seek out Red, Hot & Blue in Arlington or Dixie Bones BBQ in Woodbridge and pass this location up. These two alternatives are cheaper, better food, better service, and their clientele aren't as boorish.
(2)John Z.
If you have registered for Obamacare, then it will be safe to eat here. Otherwise, stay away if you have no health coverage.
(1)Kristen C.
I'm not going to lie -- I really enjoyed my chopped pork sandwich. Two other great surprises were their fresh BBQ chips -- spicy and crunchy! -- and their sweet tea. I have to update my review once I try something else from the menu... For the chopped pork sandwich, I'd recommend it to ya.
(4)Steph L.
I was told Famous Dave's had better ribs than Red, Hot & Blue. After trying it though, I have to say, me don't think so! Adding on the extra half an hour of driving, it's definitely not worth going out of your way. I'm a HUGE ribs fan so I didn't try any other kind of meat on the menu. The ribs were a little dry and not very tender. The spare ribs were also smaller than I had expected. Maybe I'm just a pig. The dry seasoning was decent but nothing too special. None of the sauces they offered were spicy enough. The green beans were good and very garlicy. The corn muffin was ok but once again Red, Hot & Blue has it beat again. Given that I don't go to Alexandria very often, I probably won't go to Famous Dave's again. But if you're in the area and are craving some meat, this isn't a bad place to stop.
(3)Garyjoe K.
Food was good (or at least tasted good). Service was the worst I've experienced anywhere in years. And after arriving home 3 of the 6 diners in our party have food poisoning. Last trip to Infamous Dave's - EVER!
(1)Marianne L.
Dropped in here last night after seeing the new Star Trek with Mike T. and a few friends. We had a good meal - but I've experience better both here and at comparable places. FOOD The BBQ pork nachos were awesome. Should have just gotten a platter of that for myself and not shared. LOL! Loads of chopped pork and beans with just the right amount of cheese, sour cream and jalapenos with nice crispy chips. Normally I'm much more enthusiastic about the BBQ here but last night I just wasn't feeling it. My spareribs were ok - but one end of them was burnt (not nice char - burnt) and likewise my chopped pork had a lot of burnt pieces as well, plus was pretty dry. I don't mind the crispy bits usually - but at one point I actually remarked to one of my friends that one in particular reminded me from the smoking "evil" bit at the end of Time Bandits. The sides were .... sides. Cole slaw had a nicely chopped cabbage and just the right amount of seasoning and "sauce". Potato salad was ok too. Corn on cob could have been warmer and the corn bread muffin was good. Bread pudding was a miserable offering. If you are a fan of bread pudding (which I am greatly), I recommend strongly looking elsewhere. It was mushy - more like bread had been just soaked in milk with a hint of egg and then not properly baked. Certainly it wasn't baked long enough for anything resembling a custard to set up. It was swimming in a caramel sauce that I would have enjoyed better if a. there was far less of it, and b. it didn't contain burnt pecan pieces that completely threw off the flavor of the dish. Honestly - I think the best thing on the plate was the scoop of vanilla ice cream, and I'm pretty sure they serve just ice cream so you can save yourself the trauma of ordering this dish completely. SERVICE AND ATMOSPHERE Service was marginal - nothing I'd be turning cartwheels over. It was probably just our waiter, but seemed like we spent more time looking for him than we should have. The place was crowded - but they appeared to be adequately staffed to deal with the demand and the tables around us seemed to be getting OK service. As for the environment - I expect a place to be loud. After all, its filled with lots of people and families having a good time dining. But their was quite a din and the acoustics were so bad that it was easier to hear the conversations of the tables around us - than the one at our own table, and I really wasn't in the mood to shout over my dinner. Hopefully next visit will be back up to the quality of experience that I've enjoyed here before.
(3)Joe S.
Great ribs and brisket. Lovely smoke flavor with six different kinds of BBQ sauce on the table. Warm restaurant, good service.
(4)Becca S.
The Bad: The beef brisket was abominable. You would have to be out of your mind to consider this good. It was reminiscent of bad (hospital or middle school) cafeteria food. If you like smokey, juicy, tender brisket with a crust - DO NOT come here. Dave's brisket was dry and broke apart in strips and hunks - kind of like if you added water to beef jerky and microwaved it. The Good: Our waiter was a little charmer, the macaroni and cheese was creamy and delicious, the cole slaw was great, my ribs were pretty tasty, and the 1.99 bread pudding was a generous portion and delicious!
(3)Keesh J.
Amazing place for BBQ lovers! I got the BBQ chicken with the side orders, I must say it was hit!
(5)Scribbling D.
All food is great. All takeout orders are flawless. Wait staff focuses on how to make it better, not how to get it right. Good value for the dollar. Highly recommend - eating in and taking out.
(5)nat m.
Famous Dave in the East Coast is def much better than the one in the West Coast. The Chicken was very tender and moist. If you are going with more than 3 people, try to get the feast. It has the St. Louis, Chicken, brisket, muffin and two sides for $58. We left there so full and had enough leftovers for the next day. Awesome service too. Get the refillable lemonade and sweet tea. Def love the Devil's Spit!
(4)Sonia D.
Best rib tips ever! Never disappointed when coming to Famous Dave's. Services is excellent, food is delicious and once seated the wait is average. Kids & adults alike enjoy the sauce sampling.
(5)Tommy W.
Just had dinner at this place with my boys couple nights ago. Service was ok not the best. our waitress seem to have a little attitude. food was ok. the ribs were a bit dry. red mash potatoes was on point.
(3)R P.
I LOVE BBQ. Better yet, let me re-phrase that, I love GOOD BBQ and Famous Dave's it the place to get it. I started loving Famous Dave's after going to the one in Philadelphia and when I moved back down here to DC after college, I discovered this location about 10 minutes from my crib in southwest. This joint rocked in philly and it rocks down here. St. Louis style ribs (half wet..and half dry) is the way to go. My favorite sauce is the Zesty one. I like mine a lil sweet (no Karomo) lol.
(5)Eddie P.
Forget everything you know about BBQ... Dave's is one of the best BBQ places I've ever been to. We don't have chains like these in San Diego, but the food is pretty damn good, and the price is just right. Sweet teas, and a BBQ meal for 4 came out to about 60 bucks. Well worth it I think. If I'm ever back that way again, I'll definitely eat there if the mood strikes.
(4)Andrew P.
Bar-b-q is probably my favorite kind of food and that means I'm always up for a bar-b-q restaurant even if it's Famous Dave's. The food is ok.
(3)Marivic L.
Yes, Famous Dave's is a chain, but it's decent BBQ. It's a fave spot for my co-workers, so I eat there for lunch at least once a month. Went there again today. As usual, we were greeted right away and got a good, friendly waitress. The food is good here. Not the best, but good for some quick BBQ. I tried the buffalo wings today for the first time. Um, I think they gave me the BBQ ones instead of the buffalo ones, but they were still good. No complaints. I also got the St. Louis Ribs (yes, I got the combo platter) and they were good, as always. I recommend the "dry" ones which are flavored well and don't even need sauce. Speaking of which, I like that Famous Dave's has about 5 sauces to choose from, though I LOVE their vinegar based one. The platter comes with cornbread, which is more like a sweet corn muffin (YUM) and corn on the cob (again, sweet and tasty). It also comes with a side of your choice, so I had the green beans, as usual. They're REALLY cooked, but it's what you expect from a BBQ joint. The only side I haven't been happy with is the corn casserole, which has grits and cheese in it. Maybe it came out a little too cold when I got it, because I love cheesy grits. Meh, it's worth another try. I'm a fan of their chopped pork which is cooked well and has good flavor, but I still put sauce on it. I've also had the BBQ salad which had pork BBQ on it. I'd steer clear of the salads. The pork was good alone, but the salad part was nothing to write home about. Think really bad diner. In short, if you're out for lunch and just want some quick BBQ, this place will hit the spot.
(3)Sara M.
We love this Famous Dave's. The service is usually fantastic and their lunch is great. The family loves the lemonade, wings, and ribs. Oh, and the cornbread muffins are always the best. The fries can be a little dry sometimes, but we don't really order for the sides. I would recommend this place to every meat lover out there! As a note: it is always super busy on Sundays.
(5)Cass R.
Unpleasant experience. In light of the good reviews, we must have visited on a bad day for lunch. Ribs were overdone to the point of inedibility - like shoe leather. Wife wanted brisket but they were out. Received good service from one waiter, but a waitress was rude when we requested a table change. When I pointed to a table that we wanted, she curtly said...."Go ahead and sit there if you want, but you aint' gonna eat nothin' " meaning that a waiter wasn't assigned to that table. Incredible. I had to keep my wife from walking out. Considering the good reviews in light of my experience, the food and service here is uneven. Don't know if I should give them another chance..
(1)L Eldub W.
New to the area and new to Groveton/Alexandria. As we moved in we pretty much ate at all of the crappy mid-priced chain restaurants in this part of Richmond Highway. Famous Dave's stood out. The staff was friendly and efficient. The food was well prepared. Sure I could nit pick on the BBQ, but it was overall good and the sides were very good. Making up for any possible nit pick is how above and beyond this place is over the Chili's, TGI Fridays, Outback, etc. If you find yourself in the area and have a hankering for a fine, mi-priced chain restaurant, you can't go wrong here.
(4)Angel F.
Normally when we eat out for bbq, we usually go for the ribs, but this time I went for the bbq chicken and my husband got the beef brisket. The bbq chicken was so juicy, and the skin slightly burnt and crispy, I didn't want the meal to end. I was in bbq heaven. I had a bite of my husband's beef brisket and I fell in loved with the great smoked flavor. Sides were nothing to sneeze at. Both my cole slaw and green beans were flavorful. The service was excellent. The waiter was attentive and even brought out refills of our drinks without being asked. The service did not diminish even on a Saturday night when the place was packed. This will be my go-to place for bbq whenever I'm in Alexandria.
(5)Jack F.
CliffsNotes: I wouldn't say that Famous Dave's is the best BBQ throughout the mid-Atlantic area but it's good enough. The $34.99 Fest for 2 with a half-slab of ribs, half a grilled chicken, half-pound of brisket or pulled pork, and sides is just enough to satisfy most BBQ cravings. At the very least, it's a pretty good value. [Original Visit: August 21, 2010]
(3)Courtney F.
It was cool, there were a lot of trophies that the staff couldn't answer questions about. Lol but their witty answers made it fun, the food is the same as any Famous Dave's.
(3)Doug M.
Orders the brisket the other night and was disappointed, it was a tough as shoe leather.
(1)Roxy J.
Above and beyond. So this was my 2nd time around at famous daves. The first was after I tried one of their hamburgers at the beer and bourbon fest at the harbor. Wait did I mention the burger? Man what a darn tasty burger! LOL I know their specialty is their BBQ but that burger you should try! The second we arrived for my childhood friends bday dinner. We walked in and were pleasantly greeted and we were escorted to the table. We had brought a cake which they quickly took it and placed in their fridge without letting the birthday boy see it. Our waiter was great! I secretly told him about the birthdays.......my childhood friend of course knew I was up to something but his girlfriend played it off by saying that I was trying to holler at the waiter! ROFLMAO so I played along for sake of the surprise, smh. The food arrived promptly. The BBQ ribs, brisket, chicken were so moist and tender mmmmm the fries seasoned just right, cornbread just right and baked beans yum! Now the waiter informed me that they don't sing happy birthday but he saw how we had 2 birthday people at the table (one being my mom who is very special of course) so when they brought the cake out (his manager and the waiter) they came out signing! What an absolute treat! Service was top notch both times which adds to the yummy food! Definitely check this place out!
(4)nicey b.
I'll never forget the first time my husband and I ate here. When we first moved here from the west coast, we would drive by shopping at Lowes and Target, and couldn't figure out where those phenomenal aromas were coming from! We could smell it from Lowe's!! Finally one day, we drove passed it with the windows down and I told him, "I think its that place right there!" We looked at one another, and decided to give it a shot. When we stepped in, we had this extremely friendly waiter who was more than happy to introduce us to the menu, offer a few suggestions and answer any questions we had. We ordered the Feast for Two, and were incredibly impressed with the portion offered! OMG, this Feast for Two will stuff us, plus have left overs to take home that will cover another dinner for the two of us! When our food arrived, he brought out a plate, and began to tell us a story, YES, a story that used each sauce as a event or character, all the while drawing us a very entertaining "pig" image on the plate with the different sauces. BRILLIANT and CREATIVE!! His amazing service has made a lasting first impression on us. Recently, I had a bad experience while visiting to pick up a gift card. To make a long and irritating story short, they tried to sell me a compensation gift card when I was trying to pick one up to gift to someone. I had to deal with really lazy, insensitive workers, and beg for them to find me a gift card. I wrote to Famous Daves about the situation, and cannot begin to tell you how pleased I was with their response. I was contacted immediately by the manager, and had a nice long talk with him. He apologized, and took great care of us the next time we came in. Why am I telling you all this? Because I'm proud to say that Famous Dave's has very professional feedback and takes great care of loyal customers. They really do care. :) Famous Dave's has earned our loyalty back, no doubt about it. Other than that, the food has NEVER failed us. The sauces are a unique addition to the experience of eating your BBQ on the ever-so-adorable garbage lid. You're bound to have EVERYONE happy at this restaurant, as long as they like meat. :) Oh, and for the record? Their Hot Fudge Kahlua Brownie is exquisite. HUGE portion, and melt-in-your-mouth chocolate goodness. *Fun fact that I learned: Unlike other restaurants that have frozen desserts that are delivered to them, Famous Dave's makes all of their desserts on site. Fresh, and delectable to tantalize your taste buds. If you haven't tried Famous Dave's yet, boy are you missing out. Only one suggestion to Famous Dave's--OPEN MORE LOCATIONS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!! :) There's so many here, but so little there.
(5)Catherine C.
5 stars without hesitation. The waiter was super friendly and even though I am sure he is tired of the FAMOUS jokes, he went right along with it! He suggested our meal since neither my friend nor I had been there and he was, as Simon would say, SPOT ON! We both had the ribs, my friend getting basically a bucket of them, and they were fall off the bone fresh and delicious. The entire night was a win-win-win ... except for maybe my waistband and my blood sugar level after the sweet tea. I have since returned to FD's twice and always good! Thanks Famous Dave wherever you are. you are famous in my book.
(5)Amanda B.
The food and service is great! I'de definately go again!
(4)Vin G.
My wife is a vegetarian and one of my sons is a picky eater (diagnosed with autism), so finding a place to eat while on travel is always a challenge. Famous Dave's was very accommodating to our special needs... my wife enjoyed the large special-order garden salad, steamed broccoli, and baked potato. And my son loved the baby back ribs. I had the rib tips and catfish. Catfish was great, and the rib tips were flavorful and generously portioned - some of the rib pieces were dry, but they gave me so many that I had more than enough to eat. Service was quick and attentive; best so far on this trip. Prices were very, very reasonable; fed my family of 4 for $40+tip. Wish we had one of these on the west coast; would like to try a full rack of the ribs my son had.
(4)Rob H.
I found the secret. I went to the same restaurant, and sat in the bar. The chap that waited on us in the bar was AWESOME, great service, very attentive. I was impressed by the awesome BBQ again. Really awesome stuff. Good smoke line in the ribs, and GREAT smoke flavor in the chicken. Bar Tender chap recommended the sausage for one of the options, and he was right... GREAT sausage. Glad to have a great go-to BBQ place.
(4)Mark G.
Wow this place was uber horrible. An ex-girlfriend of mine warned me about this chain. She was right. Avoid this place at all costs. There is far better BBQ to be found elsewhere. Dave's was greasy (in a bad way, normally I love grease), gross, and kind of overpriced for the slop they serve. Even the nachos sucked and it's pretty damn hard to screw up nachos.
(1)Cristina H.
Okay the ONLY reason I cant give it five stars is becasue i'm from Memphis and WE have the best BBQ ;-) but SERIOUSLY.....i got the New Not'cho Ordinary Nachos!!! WoooooHooooo! As good as it gets!!! I thought Neelys Memphis was great!! These were even better becasue they had different ways you could get it besides pulled pork and chicken...they had my favorite...BEEF BRISKET!!! It was delicious!!! I love the interior design, made me feel at home lmao!!! But I would recommned this place for BBQ to anyone...The sauce was good too and thats usually the key to success so I salute you with my fork Famous Daves!!! I shall return!!!
(4)Mike B.
Ok so its a chain, and the corn and cornbread are mediocre. The key thing, though is that the ribs and the chopped pork were fantastic. The waitstaff was friendly and efficient. I didn't try the brisket on my firm belief that brisket is only brisket in TX. The sauces on the side were flavorful and all different from each other, including a very hot hot-sauce.
(5)Megan K.
I'm not a huge BBQ person, but I love pulled chicken, and I really enjoy Famous Dave's pulled chicken sandwich with coleslaw. Service is good, and food is consistent.
(4)Jamie M.
I ordered the chopped pork, which came with two sides (I got beans and fries), as well as corn on the cob and some cornbread. I've only had BBQ once before, so I don't have much for comparison, authenticity wise. I do know that my tastebuds were happy and that's all that matters to me. I did think it wasn't quite as moist as the previous BBQ pork that I had, but it was by no means dry. We also had a coupon for a free dessert so we decided to split the brownie. Sadly for us, we probably needed another two people to split the brownie with since it was the biggest dessert I've ever seen. I really wouldn't have called it a brownie though...it was more like a dense cake. Whatever, it was chocolate and it was free, so I'm not complaining. My leftovers from dinner and dessert lasted me three meals.
(3)Caitlin S.
I went here for a casual birthday dinner with the family. I wasn't sure whether or not it would go well, but it was awesome. We were seated quickly (especially for such a large group), and the munchkin even got a coloring book and crayons that she adored. The service was fast and friendly, and the food was good, too. The chopped pork was some of the best I've had. The portions were generous and everyone at the table had to take a box home. Great for a quick, decent meal.
(3)James T.
As a chain, I've had an overall good experience with Famous Dave's. I usually order the Texas beef brisket sandwich, which is generally good, if inconsistent, in how well it is prepared. But my experience at the Alexandria Famous Dave's on Richmond Hwy tonight was so bad that it compelled me to create this Yelp account so I could write a bad review. I went to the To Go counter, and the customer service was poor. My order was ready within about five minutes, which should have set off my internal alarm before I left the place. But it did not, and when I went to eat my beef brisket sandwich I found that the bun was semi-stale and the brisket was lukewarm. I'd expect this sort of thing from a middle-of-the-night fast food run, not from a place where I'm spending ~$10 on dinner.
(1)Peter M.
Grabbed some take out here last Friday. Mother in law was in town, and wife is busy with finals. BBQ was on everyone's mind, and it was an easy meal for me. So I went for it. Its a relatively new restaurant, and built from the ground up within the last nine months. Frankly, I'm glad to have a good BBQ place in the area. The beef brisket was good. They served it sans sauce, which is good for me. The nice bit is that they put the meat in the take out tray on a piece of toasted bread. Same with the BBQ pulled chicken. The BBQ baby back ribs were good too. So were the garlic mash potatoes. I got a couple of large cans of bush's beans, for a lot less than their cup o' beans cost... and I think I did just as well with the microwave on those. Plus, I had a can left over and is still sitting in my pantry. My one "gripe" is that I would have liked more "smoke" to my BBQ. There was little if any "pink smoke ring" - but many I know don't like the more intense smoky flavors that I do. For this, I still go to Smokey Bones down in Potomac Landing off I-66, but that's a good 45 min drive from me - one way. So this is a very welcomed second choice, which is all of ten minutes away. (both ways when the traffic is light on route one). Bottom line: I'll be back, and update this as I go. It's definitely someplace that has "Good Eats" written all over it, and the service was courteous for take out. Price was reasonable too. I'd just like a little more smoke, please.
(4)Danny P.
(Everyone Sing with me in there best Jennifer Hudson voice) ANNNNNND I AM TELLING YOU.....I'M NOT GOING...TO EAT AT ANOTHER BBQ RESTURANT...... UNLESS IT FAMOUS DAVES... DARLING THERE NOOOOOOO WAY...DARLING THERE'S NOOOOOOO WAY...I'M LIVING WITHOUT YOUR RIBS...THERE THE BEST RIBS I'VE EVER HAD AND THE PRICES JUST ARENT THAT BAD....... Famous Daves is one of spots where you can just let it all hang out (literally) ladies unbuckle your pants and fellas bring your professional "Man Bib" because its about to real messy and tasty up in here. I am a HUGH fan of BBQ Ribs & Chicken...my 1st experience with Famous Daves was in Laurel after an intense "Laser Tag" session with some friends of mine. We all went across the street and (I kid you not) I think we ordered at least one of each thing on the menu!!!! We were in CHICKEN & PIGGY HEAVEN!!!!!!!! Now the Lord answered my prayers when he had one built in VA (Route-1) I was sooooo excited, I actaully watch them build this piece of heaven from the ground up. The day they opened....again some friends and I went there and relived our 1st time all over again. I LOVE THIS PLACE. The Ribs are 2nd to none...and I LOVE tasting the different BBQ Sauces that they have (Gotta do the BBQ Test...Mmmmm French Fries and BBQ Sauces)
(4)Christina A.
Wait, did I say there was no where around here that served BBQ that I like? I lied, I love Famous Daves! For those of you from the south, its right on par with Sonny's BBQ... I don't find myself over on Route 1 very often but when I do I try to make room for Famous Dave's in my life... I love their $7 lunch special that I get with pulled pork (that is soooo good) and 2 ribs, a corn muffin, some baked beans, and corn on the cob. Throw some of the sweet BBQ sauce on top and we have a winner. For dessert I tried their bread pudding... oh my god. IT WAS SO GOOD! Some of the best I have had around here... Warm and eggy and chewy and AMAZING with creamy ice cream melting all around it holy hell it gets no better! If you're in the mood for BBQ (and way out of the way on Route 1) I would point you straight to Famous Dave's...
(4)Gwen B.
I had never heard of Famous Dave's until I moved to the DC area and when one opened up near by, I had to check it out. As the other reviews mentioned, there always seems to be a bit of a crowd waiting, but you move up the line fast and even with a roomful of people, I have not waited longer than 10 minutes. Once you place your order, I swear it is even less than 10 minutes to get your food! The food is sensational. I have only gotten the BBQ Tour Platter, which comes with enough food for a few meals. Each sample of BBQ was rich and moist and I liked that I had my pick of BBQ sauces at the table. I have taken some of my favorite out-of-towners here and they are now all huge fans. Great food with barely any wait!
(5)Kat R.
Famous Daves has terrible barbecue. I went when it first open and it was great. However, it has steadly declined. I order green cooked beans and they came out crunchy and not quite done. The chicken tasted like propane........The service I had was good but the meal wasn't. If you want good barbecue go Rocklands or Capital Qs. I am from the South and I know my barbecue chicken.
(2)Janet B.
Terrific bbq, excellent side dishes, amazing and plentiful sauce selections, and overall tons of different menu options. Since this was our first visit we decided to each go for the 2-meat-bbq option simply to get exposure to different types of meat/sides offered. And needless to say we were completely taken aback by not only the amount of food on the plate, but also by the taste and freshness of the meal. Our favorite meat selections were the rib tips, country roasted chicken, and the brisket. The pulled pork was no slouch either, just a little dry (and really, with the plethora of sauces offered it wasn't too much of a setback). As far as the sides go we really liked the mashed potatoes and baked beans, the fries were definitely alright, however I'd refrain from ever ordering the mac & cheese (it just tasted off). Another great aspect of our visit was pricing of the meal itself. Pints of miller light are only $1.15, not watered down (I realize that sounds like a contradiction), and offered every Monday through Friday. You read that correctly. As for the total bill, I think it was around $34 for 5 pints and 2 gigantic dishes - a great bargain compared to almost any other restaurant. The ambiance/atmosphere left a little to be desired (especially the screaming kids and their parents that thought it was alright for their kids to be running around the restaurant screaming), however the friendly and tentative wait staff more than made up for it. Overall if you're a fan of excellent and affordable bbq, monster portions, and quick and friendly service I'm not sure how you could go wrong here. Highly recommend this place.
(5)Ami P.
I have loved Famous Dave's for so long!!! The staff and food at the Alexandria, Route 1, location are top notch!!
(5)Betsi K.
Unbelievable ribs and fun service!!!! Tried all 5 sauces and favorite is sweet and zesty - but all are great!
(5)M O.
Naomi and Ryan at the To-Go station are awesome!!!!!!!
(5)Tony M.
Don't let the fact that Famous Dave's is a chain scare you off. They have the best ribs in the area. Comments on the Alexandria location - Front of house staff was not the best. We put our name in and they said 15 - 20 minutes. After watching groups that arrived after be seated I went to see what was up. The hostess forgot to put our name in. Our waiter was much better though. Attentive and fast. The food came out very quickly. As for the food, like I said the ribs are the best around. The sauce selection is great. Something for everyone's tastes. The catfish is very good as well. Noticeably missing from the menu is Mac and Cheese. They have a cheesy corn casserole, but it's not very good.
(4)Charlie R.
Great food and service. Awesome. Try the Cajun chicken sandwich.
(5)adam r.
Food is great but the service is your typical route 1 service...aka its good until the regional trainers leave and then it hits the fan.
(2)CR P.
Well... I was not really impressed with the restaurant. I had been told from several people that the food was very good. The inside was very kid friendly and lots of fun decor. staff were friendly, and polite. The food on the other hand was not good by any means. I ordered Brisket, ribs, and two sides, coleslaw and corn on the cob. they have there own sauces, you can try four kinds. All of them just seems either too strong, or just too sweet. the brisket was over charred and very cold, as well as the ribs. It just seemed like they over smoked everything. I understand the smoking process but this was a little much. the corn on the cob was watery and overdone, coleslaw was very runny (too much mayo) and the cornbread was extremely dry and cold. Maybe it was just bad timing on my part, but I don't really think ill be going back for awhile. As far as my suggestion, go try it and see is all I can say. You may have a different opinion. Thanks! Cp
(2)Sally H.
We loved this place!!! We live in N Arlington and were in the area for another restaurant, but I saw Famous Dave's and had to go. The lunch combo deal is awesome. My husband and I got to try 4 different kinds of meats and two sides. His favorite was the catfish, and I really liked the chicken. We loved that all of the sauces were available. Although we were stuffed, we felt compelled to try the mini dessert flight - bread pudding hands down the favorite. I wanted to buy a sauce on the way out (would have had trouble deciding which one) but my husband wouldn't let me - he doesn't want any excuse not to go back sometime in the near future.
(5)Negin Y.
This is our FAVORITE barbeque place. They're food is simply great.
(5)J X.
I love this place!! They give you huge amount of food and the prices are pretty decent. The service has always been good too! Love their sweet tea! ahh.. so many sauces to choose from. I usually got the combo of everything and that's a better deal as well. Cornbread is perfectly seasoned, same goes to the mac n cheese. Btw, sign up for the pig club and you might get a 'buy 1 entree get 1 for free' on your birthday!
(5)Erik R.
The beef brisket and buffalo wings were spot on. Service was EXCELLENT. Even though this place is a chain, I will definitely spend the extra 20 minutes driving to return again.
(5)Jane D.
I absolutely loved this place, best meal out in a while. My dining partner and I picked off one anothers plates so I ended up trying the BBQ chicken and beef brisket for the meat portion. This was hands down the best beef brisket I've ever had. The BBQ chicken was good but not as good as the beef brisket. I typically turn my nose up at coleslaw from restaurants but theirs was amazing. It had bits of pineapple in it which I wasn't too sure about but loved it from the first bite. I also had the mashed potatoes and man n cheese. The mac n cheese had bits of pepper in it which made it taste like queso dip. Their complimentary corn bread was amazing and the best I've had in years. The meal also came with corn on the cob which was sweet. To top it all off we shared a chocolate brownie with ice cream. I left very happy and will return any time!!!
(5)Hiroyuki T.
I really like this BBQ joint and especially like their wide selection of sauces. I usually get a whole rack of baby back ribs, with slow cooked bbq beans, coleslaw, and corn bread. Soooo~ yummy and hits the spot when you're just looking for some decent bbq. I find myself always licking them bones and my fingers til I get back home.
(3)Miranda B.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Famous Daves!! We (my husband and I) are BIG FANS. The only reason I would give it a *4.5* is because I have had better, but this place is consistently good. :) Definitely give it a try!! :)
(4)Lindsay B.
This is huge for my husband. We recently discovered that Famous Dave's opened a restaurant in Gilroy. It's about an hour and a half drive for us, but way more convenient than the flight to the East Coast.
(5)Laila L.
Absolutely no complaints here. The missing star is because I cannot rate service -- we took our food to go so we could watch House. I ordered the wings dinner, with firecracker green beans and mac & cheese on the side. Alex ordered a pulled pork sandwich. We ordered chicken tenders to start and bread butter pudding to end the meal. Everything was fatty, flavorful, and delicious.
(4)David D.
I was recommended by a local that the BBQ here is pretty good. That night I drove out here for some 'cue and it was in fact pretty good. The pork ribs were very moist and almost fall of the bone like. They also have various sauces ranging from tart to sweet. Quite nice.
(3)Chyrell B.
I Love Famous Dave!!!! I was so excited when they built this one so close to my house!!! The whole new Route 1 restaurants were really a much needed change. Ok back to Dave's you can smell the greatness from outdoor so when you go in and they say 1 hour wait how can you leave with you already foaming at the mouth. I do a lot more take out then eat in!!! The takeout service is great!!! The dine in service is Excellent because of the bbq test with there fries!!!! I love there fries though I love there mac and cheese and baked beans more and only get 2 sides. I can go on and on about Famous Dave!!!
(5)Steve W.
My wife and I really like the early bird menu when I get off early (before 5). The service is good and quick.
(4)chris v.
If you love Barbecue and all the delectable southern food you know isn't heart friendly then this is the place for you! The feast for two served in a trashcan lid is a nice change from conventional dining with a range of dishes and sides sure to please your palette.
(4)Constance G.
I had some of Famous Dave's Barbecue at an office function at HQ Marine Corps and was SOOOO impressed that I made my hubby drive to the nearest one that weekend, it was 22 miles away. Fortunately, one just opened up closer to home in Alexandria. Why am I high on FD's?? Excellent quality ribs, chicken, pulled BBQ, potatoes, and the best chicken and wild rice soup ever. Dave is a Chippewa indian who loves BBQ and travelled across the USA looking for the best BBQ recipies. He has hit the mother lode as evidenced by the popularity of the restaraunts and the quality of the food. There is a brisk takeout business as well. Do not be put off by the size of the lines/crowd. They move fast. This one is a keeper!
(5)Kelly M.
I was blown away by the amazing food and service here! The waitresses were top notch! The all American feast was crazy big and yummmmmy! Our family of five was stuffed and we had left overs! The restrooms were very clean and service was fast.
(5)Jesse S.
Came here on a Friday night. Restaurant was almost completely empty. Like a ghost town. The restaurant seems to run on auto-pilot with no signs of any type of management. Wait staff vanishes for long periods of time. I have no idea where they go or what they're doing. Service is slow and random. If they're this slow when the restaurant is empty, can you imagine what would happen if they were full to capacity? Not a problem they will ever have to worry about. Every time I come here, the dining area is emptier, the service is slower, and the food portions are smaller. I don't know how they stay in business. I expect them to be closed very soon. This place is circling the drain and the circles are getting smaller and smaller and faster. They desperately need to close this place for renovation, clean the whole place with bleach, and fire the entire awful staff, especially the inept management.
(2)Jessamyn D.
Let me start off by saying that the service here was prompt and our waitress was very attentive (I visited on a random Tuesday night). I ordered the two meat combo that consisted of Fried Catfish fingers and BBQ brisket with a side garden salad, cornbread, fries and sweet tea (whew!) , and my boyfriend ordered the spareribs with collards, cornbread, sweet tea and potato salad. I ended up not eating more than one bite of my brisket after I saw that it was literally 50% fat (where's the beef?) and my boyfriend's ribs looked 'tough'. The garden salad was yummy with bits of real bacon added, the catfish fingers were tasty and the sides (fries, cornbread) were excellent! I'll come back for their burgers or catfish fingers, but not for their BBQ!
(3)Robert A.
Famous Dave's has good BBQ! It's a good spot to eat and to catch a beer while watching the game in the bar area. The ribs fall off the bone and the KC style sauce is tangy and delicious. The freshbaked cornbread is outstanding (it might be a little sweet for some folks, but personally I like it that way). Also...don't forget to order teh baked beans. The biggest drawback is the beer selection which is skewed towards hoppy IPAs. Otherwise it's pretty standard stuff. There's lots of potential to be a bit more creative with the beer selection considering the local competition. The bar itself is separated from the main dining room which is nice for both sets of customers. I would say Dave's is some of the better BBQ in the area.
(3)Kim S.
I was suppose to be grocery shopping but I decided to grab a bite to eat first! You shouldn't shop on an empty stomach. Table for one please. It was lunch time on st. Pattys day and very quiet in the restaurant. I was seated at a nice sized booth instead of in the middle of the restaurant at a tiny table. I loved my comfy booth. I knew I wanted some onion rings or something similar so I ordered onion strings. My server Tim was awesome. I'd go back just to be seated in his area. Never have I had such great service while dining alone. Tim got me my togo box in advance of me asking for it. I told him when I ordered that I was ordering enough food to have lunch the next day. The hostess at the front was great. Tim was awesome. I can see myself going back the next time I'm running errands on my day off.
(4)Zee B.
Rib tips are the bomb! I haven't been here in 7 yrs because they don't have one where I live and the rib tips are still awesome! I had the two meat combo, rib tip and brisket very yummy.
(5)Dani P.
I'm not a huge barbeque fan, but my husband is, so we went for his birthday on a weekday night. It was empty, so we received our food quickly. Even though I don't eat barbeque, I LOVE their sides. I could eat their cornbread all day. We ended dinner with a kalhua brownie sundae. It was tasty, though I couldn't taste the kalhua. In general, a pretty good place for being a chain.
(3)Colin C.
I've been to this chain before but never this location. It's my opinion that while super amazing bbq is hard to find, you can do it decently well at home or a restaurant very easily. When you drown a meat in bbq sauce and have it cook a while it's hard to mess that up. And so many great sides like cornbread and Mac and cheese, plus different types of bbq sauce to use. And everyone loves big pieces of beef and pork. Having said all that, they kind of messed it up here, and while it probably deserves three stars, I'm knocking them down for the aforementioned reasons. The rib tips were very dry and mediocre. The fries were weirdly over salted and had a strange batter, they were more like kfc potato wedges too. They didn't have a variety of BBQ sauces to try, just two and they were ok. The menu was big and had lots of tasty sounding things but most I tried were just meh. The servers were nice but it was very slow. HH specials were only alcohol and they apparently weren't ever honoring the one for domestics despite it being on the sign. Go elsewhere, although not many BBQ places around here unfortunately.
(2)E L.
Food, service, atmosphere, cleanliness were all sub-par at this location of famous dave's. The only reason I ate my food was because it was so overpriced I felt like I needed to at least get some nourishment out of the whole experience.
(1)Eric L.
So I love bbq... and just to clarify bbq is the way the food is cooked and rubbed. Its NOT sauce. On that note this place is a chain and they do put some rub on their food and they have ALOT (6 to be exact) sauces which vary in sweet and hot. So... I tell people all the time... rib tips and the lunch portion is the best value for your dollar and its enough to get you full. The lunch option comes with one side and like 6 riblet pieces and a corn bread. Add on a sweet tea and your bill is $14. So four stars because of taste and value! My only gripe... no more grilled pineapple. :'(
(4)Scott B.
It has been so long since I have been to Famous Dave's. Took the family on vacation and we passed through the area and found this place. I just ordered a brisket sandwich but I tried a little of everything else. Not one thing was bad. I was going to take a picture but I ate it so fast. I just wish we had Dave's where I live.
(5)James W.
A good example of the type. I've had trouble with some other locations but this one is pretty much always good. Very good brisket. I haven't tried the ribs at this location.
(4)Dee C.
First time experiencing FDs. Service was great. always checked on us and made sure we had our refills. cleaned up nicely after using napkins because of all the BBQ sauce. Tried the combo of Ribs and Burnt Ends... yummy! Baked beans were also delish and fries were a plus add on. Nice atmosphere with a south western feel. I definitely would go back or recommend it to anyone visiting the area.
(3)Tim B.
It's a chain and as you'd expect it is not the utmost greatest BBQ you can find. But I think it is of surprising quality and could hold it's own in parts of the country where BBQ is more common. They do a solid job across the board on all BBQ staples beef brisket, pulled whatever,ribs etc. The only semi nearby place I know to have clearly better pulled pork is Red Hot n Blue. tip: always say it's your first time. they bring you really good reaaallly crispy chips with which to munch and sample all of their BBQ sauces. I know they win awards and what not but overall I do not think any particular sauce is all that great (try caolina gold at your local trader joes and of course sweet baby reyes is everywhere) but they have a full gamut of styles and levels of sweet spicy or tangy. The variety is great compared to your typical random BBQ joint on the side of the road. I suggest this as a good lunch spot. They make very affordable (less than $10) options of various meat combos or a good BBQ salad for ~7 bucks. Service at this location is average. No complaints but not great. Out of easily 2 dozen visits the only issue we've had is them bringing us and charging us for 'dinner' versions of the 'lunch' platters at 12pm on a weekday.
(3)Trina J.
This Famous Dave's isn't like it use to be. The service sucks!!! The foods sucks!!! The manger, really could careless. The employees, you will see a lot of them outside for their smoke breaks all at the same time!! Don't waste your time or your money.
(1)Candice B.
Meh! Not bad, but not really great either. We had the burnt ends for a app. Which tasted kind of like pre packed meat. The ribs were decent but not a lot of smoke flavor. It is a decent BBQ fix, but nothing to write home about Just really subpar bbq.
(2)Iirma A.
The food is delicious! Not to mention I'm obsessed with the corn bread, however the service is horrible, the waiter does not enjoy his job and he can't make it anymore noticeable, my brother in law had a talk with someone who I think is part of management and all he said was "yea we've had a lot of complaints about slow service"... This place has good food but if they want more business, they should train their staff better or replace them simple as that.
(3)Jeff C.
Yeah, I know it is a chain, but it's a chain for a reason, it's rib chomping good. I always get the classic Barbeque Combo withe rib tips and delicious brisket. The only thing bad to say about this place is that it is located on Rt 1 which means you're likely to fine next to a cast of characters that can be a little out there at times. Still, the q is yummy all day long.
(4)Carla M.
Dropped by for lunch and had a hard time choosing what we wanted to eat. Many things looked good but we wanted something lunch-sized. We chose the burgers. I had the Devil's Spit and Steve had Dave's Favorite. Yummy. Great tasting sauce and the toppings were fresh. Steve got the fries and they were hot and crisp. I got the steamed broccoli and it was perfect. Still crisp and it looked fresh. Overall it was a good lunch and we are looking forward to trying dinner here. ....just not today because we're full. ;)
(4)David H.
Famous? More like mediocre to slightly subpar chain BBQ based on this visit. I enjoyed my last visit a couple of years ago but things have apparently gone down hill since my last visit. The prices have increased, they don't have a specific lunch menu (on Saturdays at least), and the sandwiches only come with one side at a cost of nearly $10. The brisket sandwich was subpar for a BBQ restaurant. The flavor is acceptable but the texture was much drier than at most places. Forget cutting this with a fork due to its tenderness, this needed some extra sauce because it was bone dry. It almost had the texture of that pre-cooked brisket you can buy at the grocery store. The BBQ beans side was spicy and enjoyable. There are an increasing number of BBQ restaurants in the DC area so I'm not sure whether I'll be back here. If so, I think I'll try something other than the brisket.
(2)