With more than 700 awards and counting, Famous Dave’s® is one of the most decorated barbeque joints in the country, and there’s one in your backyard. Conveniently located at 8605 Citadel Way just off Hurstbourne Parkway, Famous Dave’s has served mouthwatering barbeque to East End residents since October 2003.
Famous Dave’s knows their stuff. The chain was founded in 1994 by Dave Anderson, who spent 25 years traveling the country in search of the best barbeque. He used his research to develop world-class recipes of his own.
“We’re well known for all of our dishes being homemade,” says Frazer Lebus, General Manager and Director of Operations for the Louisville franchise. “Our recipes are not out of a box or a bag. They were really developed by Dave Anderson and his love for barbeque.”
In fact, photos of Dave in front of various barbeque joints adorn the walls of each of the 153 Famous Dave’s locations.
“The fact that Dave is a real person whose passion for barbeque transcends into the entire management team and all of the employees makes us stand out among other barbeque restaurants,” Lebus says. “Our passion for barbeque is very consistent across every location.”
The authentic barbeque starts in a live-wood smoker stoked with genuine hickory logs, and pitmasters hand-rub the meats with a custom blend of spices before cooking them for hours to extract the natural flavors. Famous Dave’s sources the highest quality meats and trims them up to competition-style quality.
One of the most popular items on the Famous Dave’s menu is the St. Louis-Style Spareribs, hand-rubbed with Dave’s secret blend of spices, pit-smoked for three to four hours and slathered with sauce to seal in the Famous flavor with a crispy, caramelized coating.
The juicy, tender Texas Beef Brisket is another favorite. The brisket is rubbed with a blend of secret spices, coarse black pepper and a hint of brown sugar, then slow-smoked over hickory.
If your mouth isn’t watering yet, check out the Georgia Chopped Pork (smoked for up to 12 hours and chopped to order) or the Country Roasted Chicken (a specially-seasoned half chicken, roasted and char-grilled to perfection).
Along with side options and sauces like the Rich & Sassy®, Sweet & Zesty® and Pineapple Rage®, you’ll be sure to create your own legendary barbeque experience on every visit to Famous Dave’s.
If you can’t possibly narrow down what you want from all of the delicious choices — you’re in luck! The All-American BBQ Feast® includes a full slab of St. Louis-Style Spareribs, a whole Country-Roasted Chicken and a half pound of either the Texas Beef Brisket or Georgia Chopped Pork, joined by Creamy Coleslaw, Famous Fries, Wilbur Beans, six pieces of Sweet Corn and four Corn Bread Muffins. The family-style meal serves four to six people and will be discounted to just $49.99 on Fridays throughout the summer, starting June 1.
“Barbeque is the up-and-coming thing right now, and there are a lot of people out there doing it,” Lebus says. “But I think we really do have the best barbeque in Louisville. We have better recipes, more passion and a skilled head chef who tries to give people the best barbeque every day.”
Aside from the restaurant dining experience, Famous Dave’s also offers full-service catering options for your every need.
“We are wedding catering experts,” Lebus says. “We can set up tastings and can even make dishes that are not available on the menu at the restaurant.”
With competitive, all-inclusive pricing, Famous Dave’s is the perfect choice for weddings, graduation parties, family get-togethers and everything in between. Their experienced catering manager, Carla Graham, joined the team a few months ago and will work with you to cater the event of your dreams. For more information on catering, you can reach Graham at 502-500-8686.
Aside from the food, Famous Dave’s has a focus on customer service that puts them a step above the rest.
“We have a family culture and atmosphere, both for our guests and employees,” Lebus adds. “We have famous food, smokin’ service, and we make all of our guests feel like a five-star guest. We have that little extra care that goes a long way.”
Famous Dave’s Louisville is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. For more information, and to see a full menu, visit famousdaves.com/louisville.
