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Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que

3.1 (274 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

Order Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que Takeout or Delivery

Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que Photos

FAMOUS DAVE'S BAR-B-QUE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Happy hour specials
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que

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They actually had to put "recovery Dislike" in their system..., Is this because it's so routine for people to send their food back?

What happened to Famous Dave's? This used to be a go-to spot for my family years ago, so my wife and I decided to go back for some barbecue. Huge mistake. I can now see why Yelp Rating is so poor for them! I ordered the Ribs & Ribs combo..., half slab St. Louis-style and half slab baby backs for $32. When the food came out, the ribs were cold..., not just "sat too long" warm, but borderline refrigerated. On top of that, they were so tough I could barely pull them apart. I would have needed a steak knife just to separate the bones. Completely unacceptable for a BBQ place. I politely called the server over and explained the ribs were cold and tough. His response? "So you don't want them?" Before I could even finish answering, he grabbed the tray and said he'd take it off the bill..., and just walked away. No apology. No offer to remake the dish. No manager. Nothing. After that, we were basically ignored until I had to flag him down just to get the check. Here's what really stood out: on the receipt, there's actually a line item labeled "Recovery Dislike." That got me thinking..., how often does this happen that they've built it into their system? It didn't feel like an exception. It felt routine. No apology for the food. No accountability for the service. Just a quiet removal from the bill and move on. It's honestly disappointing to see how far this place has fallen. We won't be coming back.

Sweet Mama's Backyard Punch
Ida S.

The food here is amazing and Natalie made the experience even more so! From seating through out the entire meal. I got the daily (Wednesday) $18.99 special. 6 slabs, 2 sides and a muffin! My Sweet Mama Backyard Punch is delicious as well! It's not too crowded at 3:43pm. The atmosphere is light, not loud and rowdy at all. And again the customer service from Natalie is amazing! The beans have a tinch of a kick, so be ready! The Mac & cheese Delightful! and I'm here solo DOLO so it is quite a pleasant experience!

Vincent S.

I dined here for the first time on yesterday with a friend. The food was very good and the prices are great. We also received EXCELLENT service from SHELTON. We will return.

Deco
Ana V.

Flipping delicious ribs, the mac and cheese was awesome, the service was quick, the ambiance was just right.

Van H.

What happened to Famous Dave? Food quality SUBSTANDARD, ordered the Build Platter for 2, fried Chicken come to table warm, looking old, pieces unrecognizable...appeared to haven't hit the grease in hours maybe days.... dry and discolored. I ask the manager to come over to table, I ask what this was, she replied in normal don't care about your complaint behavior. Her: chicken, when I asked what part she replied wing, asked if she could bring additional chicken. No apology just bought four more cold pieces. I also ordered hot wings, which were half cooked and rubbery. Famous Dave's no longer Famous with me. Also it's time to update the facility (dark and old) and DEFINITELY THE FOOD

C H.

We ordered delivery. Just look at the photos. The first is how they picture a Brisket sandwich on their menu....chopped and piled high. The other pics are what I got...a few dry thin slices with about a teaspoon of sauce. Complete garbage. I've ordered from them a lot in the past, and the portions were always kinda small; but this is ridiculous. They should be embarrassed to send something like that to a customer. I will never order from this place again.

Oreo Ice Cream (delicious!!)
Jorge P.

Went to the North Riverside location with a group of 8 on a Tuesday and we were seated immediately. We had a nice time here, celebrated my Uncle's birthday (because he wanted some good BBQ) and the service was great too. I didn't have a single complaint! Our waitress was fun and very helpful with the menu. They even have deals everyday of the week (whether it's food or drinks). I had a regular fried chicken sandwich with the hottest BBQ sauce they had and it lived up to the hype... if you want to feel the heat for hours afterwards, try that hot sauce haha On top of that, our waitress gave my uncle a complimentary Birthday dessert! (A very bad idea I had was) I was beyond stuffed when the dessert came out but with one bite into the ice cream... I couldn't stop eating it. You definitely get your money's worth at Famous Dave's. I plan on going back whenever I'm feeling some good BBQ! Personal Review: 7.2/10

The worst service you can possibly imagine. We placed an order at 930AM on NYE for a pickup at 630PM. Sitting here for 3 hours+ with a crowd of people who also placed their orders that morning. The manager was very inconsiderate and didn't give any solution to this growing issue refusing to give his name. There were customers placing orders an hour ago getting it before the people that ordered the morning of/ days before. Uber eats and grubhub also had priority over the people that placed beforehand. There were online orders sitting on a table that were placed at 6pm ready at 630pm. They refused to offer any help or a status on your order. They would simply say "i don't know".

Corn bread
Wendy H.

The fries were so good! So glad we ordered 2 sides of fries. That gets 5 stars. They were also still crispy and warm when they got here 20 minutes later. They're wedge slices. I don't know what sorcery they use. Haha The rest of the meal was okay. The value was pretty good because we were both stuffed afterwards. I didn't like the corn in the mac and cheese, I bit into a piece of corn that was tougher than expected because it was closer to the cob. The peppers in the mac and cheese can stay though. The sandwich was fine, the boyfriend liked the pickles, the sauces they provide are very good. Devil's spit is more runny than the sassy sauce, but still delivered good flavor. The ribs are pretty fatty and have cartilage. The rub they use is very good but I think it was cooked on too high heat and too quickly. The corn bread was a little dry. I wish I had honey at home to put on top. The packaging is great though. They line the boxes with aluminum foil to prevent leaks and the boxes for the food pretty well. They included 5 moist towelettes which was definitely enough.

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Lindsay G.

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3 months ago

We had an Amazing Server name Shelton great personality, very attentive works well under pressure keep up the good work!!

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Sauce'some! Thanks for the review.

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11 months ago

Rib tips were salty, hard and over cooked. It's been 24 hours since eating there and my stomach still aches.

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

It's my to go Famous Dave's but definitely avoid it on the weekends it's over an hour wait on Saturdays. It's clean and the service is ok.

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3 years ago

Told the wait was 15 mins took around 53 minutes just to get seated but food was great and the service was fast

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Bridget W.

Thanks for sticking out the wait. Glad to hear it was worth it!

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2 years ago

It was okay if you're in a mood for some bbq it'll do the job brisket was the best over their ribs

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Ask the Community - Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que

What year did Famous Dave's BBQ open in North Riverside, IL?

2000

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Russell's Barbecue

Russell's Barbecue

3.0(583 reviews)
4.5 mi
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I'm a bit confused by some of the reviews that state things have changed at Russell's (like the way…read morethe meat is or the BBQ sauce). I've been going since I was a baby (I'm now 50+). My parents and grandparents all went to Russell's. We don't live so close these days (1+ hr away), but still get out there a bit to fill the cravings. The way the meat is shaved and the (original) BBQ sauce is the same as it has ALWAYS been. It's always consistent. As for a comment about the floor being uneven? Neither myself nor my mother who uses a walking aid has ever noticed such a thing - regardless of room we're in. Now - I will say this - if you're expecting a 'normal BBQ joint' type of experience, Russell's may not be for you. That's not what it is. It definitely has its own way of doing things. Its own taste. But that's what's been so good for almost 100 years!!! However, they have recently added offerings to the menu to also appeal to that type of taste. New meats, new sides, new sauces. My opinion is you can find those things anywhere. But to enjoy some delicious nostalgia and great classics, try one of the original sandwiches (beef or pork), chicken, or ribs and douse it in that one-of-a-kind magical BBQ sauce. And don't skip fries - sop some sauce up with them too. Their coleslaw is as it has always been. Delicious with a generous sliced pickle to top it off. If you want to venture into newer offerings, do so. But if you want a similar nostalgic experience, it's not in newer sides and meals that weren't even on the menu in your childhood (which it seems like some people ordered while wondering why it wasn't the same). I think Russell's is staying true to their roots, while modernizing some additional offerings. I'm glad they're doing that and think they need to. But for me, I'm there for the classics. And I'm so glad they still exist. There's nothing comparable out there. And I've never found them to not be consistent in those areas. Kiddieland may be long gone - but I'm so glad the gem that Russell's is still exists in its original location (some other locations have come and gone over the years). I'm hoping it'll be there for new generations to continue to enjoy.

I went in to recapture childhood memories. As the saying…read moregoes: "You CAN'T go home again." The quality of the ribs was poor. Reminded me of low budget Sonny's in the south. The service is quick and friendly. None of the employees seems to be overjoyed to be there. The dining area has not changed much over decades. It has a warm and homey feel. It is not SMOQUE!

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Russell's Barbecue - Inside counter

Inside counter

Russell's Barbecue - Rib Tip platter....

Rib Tip platter....

Russell's Barbecue - Front counter

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Front counter

Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que - bbq - Updated October 2026

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