Famous Dave's is coming to erie,pa!!!

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les3176

Master of the Pit
Original poster
Feb 10, 2009
1,290
22
harborcreek,pa
I just found out that famous dave's is going to take over our old damon's resturant,that has been closed down now for about a year. I have never eaten at one before but i have heard some good things about them from friends. Now i know that our homeade Q is probably far better that a chain but i just have to ask,as someday i would like to maybe try it.So what do you all think of famous Dave's...is it good? or just hyped up???We do have a smokey bone's...and i have eaten there before but was not impressed!!! Is famous dave's similar to smokey bone's or no?? Just wondering if when i do finally cheat from my diet,if this would be a good reward or not. Thanks,LES
 
Famous Dave's isn't anything to brag about in my opinion. It's OK but like you said we can make way better Q at home. We use to like eating there but after learning how to make my own now we never eat there. My wife tells me every time we drive by Famous Dave's how she doesn't like eating there any more after eating my BBQ. If you need a BBQ quick fix  it will get the job  done but  I doubt you will be frequenting the place.
 
I do like their pickles but I can get them in a jar at Costco now so I no longer stop
 
Just my 2 cents here, but I would rather eat a double quarter pounder with cheese then Famous Daves. And fries too. 

I hear tons of folks talk about how much they like it but I just cant see or taste it for myself. 

Kansas City always talks about arthur bryants BBQ and OMG I would rather eat DIRT..... there sauce is like eating sand. His meat may be decent if it had no sauce on it but you cant even get it dry. That tells me the meat sucks as well, since they wouldn't serve it dry to me.

We have one place called LC's BBQ and its cooked in a wood fired pit that is tended by hand, no thermostats here. Its all old school. 

If any of ya are to make it to KC let me know and I'll take ya by there. Its not the best of neighborhoods but the food more then makes up for it. 
 
Just my 2 cents here, but I would rather eat a double quarter pounder with cheese then Famous Daves. And fries too. 

I hear tons of folks talk about how much they like it but I just cant see or taste it for myself. 

Kansas City always talks about arthur bryants BBQ and OMG I would rather eat DIRT..... there sauce is like eating sand. His meat may be decent if it had no sauce on it but you cant even get it dry. That tells me the meat sucks as well, since they wouldn't serve it dry to me.

We have one place called LC's BBQ and its cooked in a wood fired pit that is tended by hand, no thermostats here. Its all old school. 

If any of ya are to make it to KC let me know and I'll take ya by there. Its not the best of neighborhoods but the food more then makes up for it. 
Tom,

 Most of the true low and slow make ya slap your granma  meat comes from places that aint in the best part of town.
 
Here is a nice little write up on the place.

http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Reviews/2640/l-cs-barbq

I stopped by there one day for lunch, BTW LC has his office on one of the 4 top tables next to the coke machine. Files, phone and all. 

He was sitting there going thru the mail talking to us off and on between the mail. 

He opened up one and says, ( oh no not again ) It was an invite to the jack daniels  comp, in the invite was 4 plane tickets. 

If thats not cool, I don't know what is. 

I can say that if you have a chance to try it, DO IT...... It just won't be the same when he's gone.

He tried to open another restaurant for his kids to run but it just didnt make it.  

He is a true legend in the BBQ world.
 
Famous Dave's isn't anything to brag about in my opinion. It's OK but like you said we can make way better Q at home. We use to like eating there but after learning how to make my own now we never eat there. My wife tells me every time we drive by Famous Dave's how she doesn't like eating there any more after eating my BBQ. If you need a BBQ quick fix  it will get the job  done but  I doubt you will be frequenting the place.


Ditto what rbranstner says.  Ever since I started smoking, restaurant Q is no match!  I had to remind myself of that this past weekend when I ordered some baby backs (not FD's) and fell waaaay short of what I make at home.  But, if you've never had FD's, you have to try it once.  I like the "Devil's Spit"  BBQ sauce.  It has a nice kick!  I put it on the brisket sandwich and it's not bad.
 
I just found out that famous dave's is going to take over our old damon's resturant,that has been closed down now for about a year. I have never eaten at one before but i have heard some good things about them from friends. Now i know that our homeade Q is probably far better that a chain but i just have to ask,as someday i would like to maybe try it.So what do you all think of famous Dave's...is it good? or just hyped up???We do have a smokey bone's...and i have eaten there before but was not impressed!!! Is famous dave's similar to smokey bone's or no?? Just wondering if when i do finally cheat from my diet,if this would be a good reward or not. Thanks,LES
Sorry to hear about Erie's Bad Luck...  I guess everyplace can't have the choices KC does...
 
I really like there sauces, the texas pit and the devils spit are my favorite. I dont like the sweet and sassy one. The brisket is tender but not overly amazing. Its good but as all have said We make better brisket at home. The recipe I use, any other sauce just gets in the way of the flavor. At FD the Q is more of a medium for using there sauce. There is a place close to me in new Paris Ohio called Baumbacks and it is probably the worst Q ever. Brisket does not have a ton of flavor and the sauces are absolutely horrible. The meat is tender but just does not have the Q flavor it should. Taste more like it was done in a crock pot. The owner is said to be from south Florida so that leaves me to believe that folks down there dont know anything about Q. At leas FD had great sauces. Ridgewood BBQ in Bluff City Tennessee is good.
 
I think inexperienced people think Famous Daves is good because of their sauces. With all of the sauce on there you can barely even taste the meat. But then again that is how a lot of people judge their BBQ. (By the sauce) The sauce doesn't make the BBQ, the flavor, texture and juiciness of the meat makes good BBQ. The sauce should just be an enhancer. But that's just my opinion. My favorite sauce they make is the purple bottle which I believe is Sweet & Sassy. I like my Sauce to be on the sweet side though.
 
I did have it figured that it would not be as good as my homeade Q, But it sounds like they have differant bbq sauces(hopefully on the side or the table) that is always fun to try differant ones.

But bbq should not be judged on sauce in my book...its all about the meat. I might try it sometime......if i feel adventurous!!!LOL
 
I did have it figured that it would not be as good as my homeade Q, But it sounds like they have differant bbq sauces(hopefully on the side or the table) that is always fun to try differant ones.

But bbq should not be judged on sauce in my book...its all about the meat. I might try it sometime......if i feel adventurous!!!LOL
A couple of their sauces are pretty good.  I like the Georgia Mustard.  And yes they have them all in big squeeze bottles at the table.  I tend to mix a couple together.  I eat lunch there every once in a while.  It's not bad and cures that craving to tide you over til you can do your own. Check it out that way you'll know for sure.
 

PS. I was ust looking at the website and he's selling tons of stuff now.  Including a Famous Dave special Cookshack smoker.

http://www.famousbbq.com/bbqshop.html
 
 
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