Famous Dave’s BBQ Chain is Coming to Midtown
According to a tipster, and confirmed on their website, World famous (?) BBQ chain Famous Dave’s Legendary Pit Bar-B-Que is opening their first Manhattan branch right smack dab in the middle of Midtown Lunch central (on 47th btw. 6+7th). I would be down with some good BBQ in these parts (right now, the Daisy May’s BBQ cart on 50th btw. 6+7th is about all I can fully get behind) but considering how many touristy, big box BBQ joints we already have in Midtown (Dallas BBQ, Virgil’s, & Spanky’s) this may not be the answer to our prayers.
I don’t have anything against BBQ chains (if Corky’s opened a NYC branch, I’d probably pass out from excitement), and I’ve never been to a Famous Dave’s, which apparently has locations all over the U.S., but the background info doesn’t seem reassuring: it was founded in Minnesota (huh?) about 15 years ago by the same guy who helped found the “Rainforest Cafe“. Sweet!
There is a menu posted on their website, but there aren’t any prices, so I’m not sure if this place is even going to fall under the Midtown Lunch price range. I’m not holding my breath. Have you been to a Famous Dave’s? Let us know in the comments if we should be excited…
A interior taken-through-the-cracks-of-the-plywood photo is after the jump (if such a thing excites you).
Posted by Zach Brooks at 2:00 pm, January 12th, 2009 under BBQ, Famous Dave's BBQ.
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39 Comments
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You guys shouldn’t let the other New York state location’s prices get you all excited. Let’s keep in mind where this midtown location is; it’s virtually catty-corner to the new TKTS booth (now new and improved with red steps!) practically right in the middle of Times Square, the one in New York City! Add at least $5 to every price at that other location and we may get the minimum of what we should expect. Either way, can’t wait to try it out.
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As regards FD, I have eaten at both LI locations, and I like it. What do I like the most, you ask? I know you want to know… It is this:
All-American BBQ Feast®
A full slab of St. Louis-style spareribs, a whole chicken, 1/2 lb. of either Texas beef brisket or Georgia chopped pork, coleslaw, Famous Fries, Wilbur Beans, four corn-on-the-cob, and four corn bread muffins. Serves 4-5. Pick a location to see pricingFeast for Two
All the flavor, but half the size of our All-American BBQ Feast®. Serves 2-3. Pick a location to see pricingMy wife and I, both big eaters, would split the combo for 2 and we’d still be eating it for 3 days.See, you get the choice between the brisket or the pork? We asked if we could have both and they always added it for a few bucks more.
Plus, they serve it on a garbage can lid. Really.
Is it the best BBQ? Maybe not… but man, so much food, the price was cheap and BBQ is hard to find on LI.
Also, do you think we will get a FD Shill here? I love shills!
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Famous Dave’s is terrible – save for their cornbread and their $1 drafts (Guiness, Blue Moon, Great Lakes, et al.) on Wednesday nights.
At least that’s how it is in Ohio….
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I went to the Famous Dave’s in Maple Grove, MN and was more entertained by the server’s accent than the food. Its BBQ quality in NYC would probably land somewhere between Dallas BBQ (crap) and Virgil’s (meh). It was, however, a sleazy thrill to eat off a trash can lid.
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Famous Dave’s is great for chain BBQ. In Kansas City Missouri, there outpost actually ranks as one of the better places in this storied BBQ town, this is a little far fetch, yes, but I have been to the one in Westbury LI, many times, it is by Rosevelt Filed Races Way. And it is pretty good, they have tasty wings, and pretty decent cue. Now remeber, any BBQ place that opens in midtown has to use an electric smoker, so this could lead to some variation, lets hope not. Oh and they have half price happy hour aps, at the bar, at least in LI, so that was a pretty good deal on wings.
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I have been to the one in Westbury/Garden City, Long Island… Its OK, I would rather go to Virgils… unless it is that much cheaper, but I dont think it will be.
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While this and Virgil’s are spitting distance of my office, I won’t be frequenting either anytime soon. Not that it’s bad barbecue, it’s just mediocre chain barbecue mass produced for the masses. For the real deal, I’d hit up Blue Smoke (the originator of quality NYC que), RUB, Daisy Mays, Hill Country, or Wildwood (and don’t forget Dr. BBQ at Southern Hospitality). But what do I know? ;)
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If Queens counts as Long Island (and they are certainly contiguous), the best BBQ I’ve had on LI is Legend’s in Jackson Heights. It’s also the best in the city. Famous Dave’s isn’t bad though in Westbury.
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There was a Famous Dave’s location in Winona, MN. My dad loved it, so much so that he single handedly tried to keep it’s doors open by dragging the entire family there weekly. It closed despite our best efforts. This restaurant’s greatest competition in Winona was a Perkins. That about sums it up.
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When my good friend Jess(see above) told me about this I was ecstatic! This is my all time favorite bbq joint and I should know being from Kansas. With their 6 pack of BBQ sauce on each table how can you go wrong?! The wait for this place back home is at least 45 minutes usually.
Awesome!
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My DH loves the one in Mountainside, NJ near his work. He even had them cater his office picnic.
Now he can visit me :)
(But don’t go by me, I’m still jealous he has a Hometown Buffet near his work also!)
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i’ve eaten at FD in Mall of America, MN and the one in Westbury and it’s not bad. aren’t they known more for their sauces rather than food? on a gluttonous splurge, my bf and i shared the appetizer sampler AND the feast for two. after eating as much as we could, we still had enough leftovers for the both of us the next day for two meals. cornbread was good, rib meat was extremely tender and they serve it on a trash can lid. what can you really expect from a chain?
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FAMOUS DAVE’S! I visited a FD in Indiana and it was great. The ‘All American BBQ Feast’ was supposed to feed 4-5, but it easily could have fed 6(perhaps even 7)! Yeah…it was that large. And the food is very tasty. The server was so friendly and the wait time was supposed to be 1hour but we got served within 30mins. BUT seeing as how this will be NYC,…I don’t think it’ll be the same. Chains are never the same when they come to NYC, but hopefully the food will still be awesome.
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Daves is outrageously great! The food is delicious (all of it, even the warm corn muffins), and what a friendly wait staff and management. We went to the Suffolk restaurant and had a wonderful experience. In addition, we got the sampler for four- tons of delicious foods at a bargain price. I highly recommend.
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I love Dave’s! We had one here in CT (New Britain), until it closed in April, 2008. In the last month, I’ve had Dave’s in Philly and also in Springfield, MA. Any idea when the Manhattan location will open? I will be frequenting them once they’re ready to go, and are open for buisness!
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Dallas BBQ < Hill Country < Blue Smoke < Famous Dave’s. That’s all the ‘cue I’ve had in the city. Frankly, very underwhelmed by Blue Smoke and Hill Country. I still need to hit Dinosaur BBQ and I guess Virgil’s from what people have posted. Where else can you get good ‘cue in manhattan? Moved from Louisville, KY were good stuff abounded, including Famous Dave’s (what’s with all the BBQ snobs from NYC – Ha!).
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Dinosaur and Daisy May’s are the best in the city for my tastes. Blue Smoke was underwealming and expensive. Never been to a Famous Dave’s, but the location works for me… all depends on the beer selection I think because from the reviews, its unlikely they will be in the same league as Daisy’s or Dinos.
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Lived in Virginia for 1 year and ate at sevearal FDs at least 1x per week in Alexandria/Arlington area. I thought the food was great, but what would I know as a New Yorker!
I would agree that the Times Sq store will be pricey – got to be.Stoped in there yesterday to have lunch and stood in the doorway for 5 minutes. Not one of the10 assorted managers, hosts, etc even greeted me. They weren’t busy, I guess they don’t care. They lost me as a potential customer. If I want NY barbecue I will go somewhere else.
A predection – they will close in less than a year. Too many places in NY where they have decent food and CUSTOMER SERVICE~
Doc Chuck has been to an Iowa trip mall. It is where he met Hogzilla while she was dumpster diving for leftover Happy Meals.