how it all started

Famous Dave understands what it’s like when the odds are against you. A Native American kid at the bottom half of his high school class, he didn’t have a whole lot of opportunities, but he had dreams and perseverance. His goal: create the best BBQ America ever tasted.
BBQ was a passion he caught from his dad, a Southerner working the construction. They always knew where to find the best ribs: the street-corner vendors with their 55 gallon smokers, cooking it up in the tradition of the deep South. After years of learning all he could about BBQ, he opened the first Famous Dave’s in Hayward, WI in 1994, quickly gaining great popularity.
A 50 year obsession with one purpose: To delight Guests with the most enjoyable and authentic BBQ experience possible.