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Link to Famous Dave's of America
AWARDS - Local Recognition
Here’s a list of the awards
for Famous Five Dining:

A Few Award Highlights:

Toast of Music City 2014 - Best BBQ - Top 3 in the City 2014
Best of Nashville 2014 - Best Ribs - Top 3 in the City 2014
Ruthies Awards 2014 - Favorite BBQ Restaurant, Favorite BBQ Ribs, Favorite Chili Finalist
Best Fun Food 2014 - Taste of Donelson/Hermitage
Most Likely to Return to Dine 2014 - Taste of Williamson County
Favorite Ribs 2013 - Knoxville Sentinel Readers


Nashville:

Best Ribs - Best of Nashville - Nashville Scene Readers
2012, 2011, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2004
Best BBQ - Toast of Music City Awards -The Tennessean 2011
Best BBQ Finalist - Toast of Music City Awards - The Tennessean 2012, 2009, 2008
Best Restaurant in Nashville Finalist - Toast of Music City Awards - The Tennessean 2011, 2008
Best Lunch in Nashville Finalist -Toast of Music City Awards - The Tennessean 2011
Friendliest Family Dining Finalist - Toast of Music City Awards - The Tennessean 2008
Best Burger Finalist - Toast of Music City Awards - The Tennessean 2011
Best Catfish Finalist - Toast of Music City Awards - The Tennessean 2011
#1 Best BBQ - AOL's City's Best - 2008

Hermitage:

"Best BBQ" - 2011 Taste of Old Hickory
Best in Show" & "Best Entrée" - 2011 Taste of Donelson/Hermitage
Restaurant of the Year - Famous Dave's of America 2002 & 2003
Rookie Restaurant of the Year - Famous Dave's of America 2002
Best of City Search.com - 2003:
#1 BBQ restaurant
#1 Family Dining
#1 Group Dining
"Barbecue Food Find" - Food Network 2003
Nashville Scene - 2002 & 2003: [one of Nashville's Best... ]
#2 Best Ribs
#2 Best BBQ
#2 Friendliest Wait Staff
#2 Best Caterer

Hermitage & Cool Springs:

Nashville Scene - 2006
#1 Best Ribs
Nashville Scene - 2005
#1 Best Ribs
Nashville Parent - 2005 Top 3 BBQ Restaurants in Nashville
Nashville Scene - 2004 [Note: no other restaurant won in more than 2 categories but FD]
#1 Best Ribs
#2 Best Barbecue
#2 Best Catering
#3 Best Take Out
#3 Best Wait Staff with Personality
#3 Best Kid Friendly

Cool Springs:

2010 Sizzle Award - 1st place - Best BBQ; 2nd place - Best Children's Menu
2009 Sizze Award - 1st place - Best BBQ
2008 Sizzle Award - 1st place - Best BBQ
2007 Sizzle Award - 1st place - Best BBQ
Franklin Sizzle Award - 1st place - Best BBQ
Franklin Sizzle Award - 3rd place - Best BBQ
Williamson Parent - 2005 #1 BBQ Restaurant in Williamson County

Cedar Bluff:

WIMZ "Knox Rocks" winner - Best BBQ - 5-07
Best Ribs - runner up - Knoxville News Sentinel Readers - 2010, 2009, 2008 & 2007
Best BBQ - runner up - Knoxville News Sentinel Readers - 2010, 2009, 2008 & 2007
Best Ribs - runner up - Metro Pulse Readers - 4-07
WBIR -TV "Style" show - one of Knoxville's top 5 BBQ restaurants
WBIR -TV Knoxville's Top 5 BBQ Restaurants 2011

Hamilton Place:

Best of the Best Awards 2012 - Finalists: Best Ribs, Best Carry Out
Best of the Best Awards 2011 - Finalists: Best BBQ, Best Ribs, Best Caterer, Best Carry Out
Best of the Best Awards 2010 - Best Caterer Finalist
Best of the Best Awards 2009 - Best Caterer
Best of the Best Awards 2008 - Best Caterer
Best of the Best Awards 2010 - Finalist, Best Caterer
Best BBQ - 2007 - Chattanooga Times Free Press
Best Caterer - 2007 - Chattanooga Times Free Press
Best Ribs Runner up - 2007 - 2007 - Chattanooga Times Free Press
People's Choice - Taste of Chattanooga - 2003 & 2004
Best Dessert - Taste of Chattanooga - 2003 & 2004
Runner Up - Signature Dish - Taste of Chattanooga - 2003 & 2004
Rookie Restaurant of the Year - Famous Dave's 2003
Best New Restaurant - 2003 - Chattanooga Times Free Press

Smyrna:

Best Meal for the Money - The Ruthies 2012 - Daily News Journal Readers
Favorite BBQ Restaurant - The Ruthies 2012-Daily News Journal Readers
Favorite Restaurant - The Ruthies 2012-Daily News Journal Readers
Favorite Caterer - The Ruthies 2012-Daily News Journal Readers
Best Place for a Business Lunch - The Ruthies 2012-Daily News Journal Readers
Best Dessert - Taste of Smyrna 2012 (Banana pudding)
Best BBQ - finalist, Daily News Journal Readers Poll (Ruthies) 2011, 2010
Favorite Burger Restaurant - Finalist - The Ruthies 2012-Daily News Journal Readers
Favorite Dessert Place - Finalist - The Ruthies 2012-Daily News Journal Readers
Favorite Place for a Quick Lunch - Finalist - The Ruthies 2012-Daily News Journal Readers
Hottest Hot Wings - The Ruthies 2012-Daily News Journal Readers
Best Catfish - The Ruthies 2012 - Daily News Journal Readers
Favorite Restaurant in Smyrna - finalist, Daily News Journal Readers Poll (Ruthies) 2009
Best New Restaurant - Clipper Magazine readers
Best Dessert - Taste of Stones River

Famous Five Dining:

Tennessee Small Business Persons of the Year 2012
Franchisee of the Year 2009, 2004, 2003
Enduring Flame Award for commitment/development to our people 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007
Famous Neighbor Award 2011, 2010
Community Involvement Award 2007; second place 2008, 2009
Mike Lister, Chairman, Franchise Advisory Board; Franchise Advisory Board 2008-2009, 2009-10
Doug Renegar, Franchise Advisory Board, Marketing & Advertising Team 2009-11, Vice Moderator 2011
2004 Cookin' on the Cumberland BBQ Cook-Off. First Place "Best Beef Brisket" - the Rib Team

Florence:

#1 Favorite Ribs - #2 Favorite BBQ - Times Daily Reader's Poll 2005 [Oct]
#1 Best Ribs - #2 Best BBQ - Times Daily Reader's Poll 2004 [Sept]
Best BBQ - Bliss Magazine 2003
Silver Spoon Award 2003

Testimonials from "Famous" Events






Famous Quotes
"Barbecue is America’s food, and blues are America’s music."
"Famous" Dave Anderson

EVERYBODY LOVES FAMOUS DAVE’S...

Back to the top

“Famous Dave's is Famous because he has great tasting food.” (Chattanooga Dine Out)
“Plan to check your diet at the door. The portions are huge!” (Thayer Wine, The Tennessean)
“In Famous Dave's the atmosphere is nice but the food is excellent. Famous Dave's has to be experienced to be understood.” (Walter Lambert, Knoxville News Sentinel)
“No matter how good the entree is, the entire dinner falls apart if the side dishes don't add up. The sides at Famous Dave's are delicious... Dessert is nothing short of an experience.” (Anne Braly, Chattanooga Times Free Press)
Minnesota’s Former Governor Jesse Ventura.
In Where magazine, said, “On the campaign trail, my favorite place to meet was Famous Dave’s – he’s got a great barbecue beef sandwich.”

“The ribs were tender and the meat just fell off the bone... The service was outstanding.” (Lincoln Journal Star)
“(George W.) Bush appeared to have some of the day’s most popular barbecue as supporters casually stood in a series of lines stretching at least 50 yards long.” (Sunday World-Herald)
“The place is a high-energy blast from top to bottom... ribs that are impressive in size, meaty in content (close-to-the-bone meat, not fall-off-the-bone meat) and impressively flavorful.” (Chicago Sun-Times)
“Famous Dave’s BBQ & Blues serves genuinely good hickory-smoked barbecue, slathered in a spicy sauce laced with sweet undertones.” (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
“A garbage can lid heaped with the All-American BBQ Feast delivers an embarrassment of riches.” (Chicago Magazine)
“Portions are plentiful, the grub is good, and the prices include cornbread muffins, corn-on-the-cob and a choice of two other sides... dainty it aint, but everything is well prepared, especially the lean yet tender St. Louis cut ribs. For dessert, there’s bread pudding with praline sauce so sweet your teeth will ache.” (Chicago Magazine)
“The side fixins’ are just as good as the meats. The corn muffins are soft and moist, the slaw is peppery on the exhale, the beans are sweet and not mushy and the Shack Fries are golden and crisp.” (Chicago Daily Herald)
“I am pleased to report that Famous Dave’s actually lives up to the hype. This place does what it does extremely well.” (Naperville Sun)
“The Wilbur beans should not be missed; a prime example of how a simple dish like baked beans can be elevated by a talented kitchen. Here, the beans are made with bits of brisket, sausage, and jalapeno peppers and slow simmered. Absolutely the best I’ve ever tried.” (Naperville Sun)
“These are the best ribs currently available in the suburbs. They are slow-cooked over hickory, not at all chewy, but not so abused that the meat falls off the bone. They are perfect for holding, admiring and dipping.” (Naperville Sun)“Famous Dave’s features hefty portions of hickory smoked St. Louis spareribs, Texas beef brisket, and herb-roasted chicken.” (Nation’s Restaurant News)
“The meat’s the thing at Dave’s...For a real blowout, there’s the All-American BBQ Feast, with ribs, chicken, choice of brisket or pork, coleslaw, fries, beans, corn-on-the-cob, and muffins.” (Des Moines Register)
“The brisket brought the thick, hearty, tender slabs I was hoping for (no stingy little shavings here); the chopped pork was plenty moist. The chicken, with an appetizing herb rub on the outside, also proved moist and meaty. And perhaps the most satisfying of all were the ribs – tender but not fall-apart messy, making them great hands-on food.” (Des Moines Register)
“You know you’re in a good restaurant when you’re sitting there thinking of people you have to share it with. We’re still letting people know about Famous Dave’s...” (Appleton -- The Scene)
“If you’ve read my reviews, you know I’m a southern barbecue connoisseur. The food at Famous Dave’s tripped my trigger. The ribs were great. Pit-smoked and adorned with great sauce, they were scrumptious... The side dishes were also good. The corn bread muffin was moist and delicious, and the barbecued beans were exceptional... Famous Dave’s deserves its name.” (Janesville Gazette)
“The ribs, chicken, beans, and corn muffins at Famous Dave’s, reputed (with good reason) to be the best good old all-American fare around, have won an extraordinary following.” (Twin Cities Business Monthly)
“If barbecue were religion, Dave Anderson would be the Reverend Billy Graham.” (Twin Cities Business Monthly)
“Famous Dave’s has built its acclaim and a growing customer base on atmosphere and great food.” (Minnesota Business & Opportunities)
“As the season sets on the backyard barbecue, why not head to Famous Dave’s BBQ Shack, a popular joint with country charm and an award-winning recipe for ribs.” (Where Twin Cities)
“Minnesota has long lacked what the South has in such abundance – good, messy barbecue, served in an unfussy setting by someone who knows there way around meat and sauce... But Dave’s, with its kitschy, wooden-shack appearance, is as friendly as a southern accent, and the rich, smoky sauce and tender meat (from North Carolina pork to Texas beef brisket) would have even Scarlett O’Hara licking her fingers.” (Mpls/St. Paul Magazine)
“Famous Dave’s is BBQ Paradise" “It’s worth the drive from Des Moines or Fargo-Moorhead.”...”It’s fabulous.” (Dave Duff, Sun News)
“Dave is famous for good reasons... he does things in a big way.” (Dick Youngblood, Star Tribune)
“We ventured into Naperville for our own taste with skeptical buds. The bar was set so high, could Famous Dave’s live up to its reputation? After an XXL Rib Dinner, The Georgia Chopped Pork Platter, Shack Fries, Wilbur Beans, our Famous Bread Pudding, gobs of Texas Pit sauce and a tableful of other items, the answer is resounding yes.” (Chicago Daily Herald)
“Famous Dave’s does some pretty mean ribs... slow-smoked over hickory. The result, any way you go at the ribs –fingers or knife and fork (ugh!) – is immediate and intense rib-eating gratification.” (Chicago Sun Times)
“The slab of bread pudding is excellent. It’s light as a feather (almost) and it comes with a dynamic caramel-nut sauce.” (Chicago Sun Times)
“Fall-off-the-bone good. Tangy, spicy; chicken or pork. As long as you like meat, you’ll love Dave’s barbecue". (Chicago Daily Herald)
Famous Five Dining is a Franchisee of Famous Dave's of America
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