Famous Dave's

Famous Dave's is an American barbecue restaurant brand founded by Dave Anderson in 1994. The first location opened near Hayward, Wisconsin, and the concept was built around a broad interpretation of American barbecue: smoked pork ribs, chicken, beef brisket, barbecue sandwiches, side dishes, and multiple sauce styles. Rather than presenting itself as a narrowly regional barbecue operator, the brand combined a substantial menu with immersive restaurant environments inspired by roadside barbecue shacks, lodges, blues clubs, and other casual American settings. The company expanded rapidly after its initial Wisconsin opening. A second location opened in Minneapolis in 1995 in the Linden Hills neighborhood and was designed as a roadside barbecue shack. A third location followed in 1996 at the Calhoun Square development in Minneapolis, using a blues-club theme. The business also developed a lodge-style format in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and began franchising with a location in Burnsville, Minnesota. This combination of company-operated and franchise restaurants helped Famous Dave's move beyond its original Upper Midwest base. Famous Dave's became a public company in 1996. Anderson served as chief executive until 1997 and continued as chairman through 2003. He later described the initial public offering negatively, calling it the worst decision of his life in a social-media statement. Anderson's formal relationship with the brand ended in March 2014 after he entered a one-year non-compete agreement. He subsequently opened another barbecue restaurant, Jimmie's Old Southern Smokehouse BBQ. The brand encountered both operational disruption and format changes during the 2010s. Its original Hayward restaurant was destroyed by fire on November 3, 2014. The second Minneapolis restaurant closed in 2014, while the Calhoun Square location later closed in 2019. Famous Dave's also expanded to Puerto Rico, but its Puerto Rican restaurants closed after Hurricane Maria. The chain continued to operate in the United States and developed a small international presence, including locations in the United Arab Emirates and Winnipeg, Canada. Jeff Crivello became chief executive in 2017. Under his leadership, the parent organization rebranded as BBQ Holdings and began acquiring additional restaurant brands in 2020. The shift broadened the corporate group beyond Famous Dave's while retaining the barbecue chain as one of its principal brands. MTY Food Group acquired BBQ Holdings in 2022. Crivello departed the company in May 2023. Famous Dave's remains positioned as a full-service or casual barbecue restaurant brand, with emphasis on smoked meats, shareable platters, hearty sides, and branded sauces. Its estate includes a mixture of franchised and other locations, and its restaurants have historically varied in design and scale. Reference material describes the brand as having more than one hundred U.S. locations and four international locations in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, and Winnipeg, although the exact current footprint should be verified against the operator's latest disclosures.

Famous Dave's began in 1994 when Dave Anderson opened the first Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que near Hayward, Wisconsin. Anderson, who is of Ojibwe and Choctaw heritage, had previously been involved as an early investor in Rainforest Café and later served as head of the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs from 2004 to 2005. The original restaurant established the brand's central proposition: a large American barbecue menu organized around smoked meats, ribs, sauces, and substantial side dishes. Expansion started quickly. In 1995, the company opened a second restaurant in Minneapolis's Linden Hills neighborhood. That location was designed as an old-fashioned roadside barbecue shack, signaling that the brand intended to sell an atmosphere as well as food. A third restaurant opened in 1996 at Calhoun Square in Minneapolis and used a blues-club design under the name Famous Dave's BBQ & Blues. A lodge-style location was subsequently established in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and the company opened its first franchise-operated restaurant in Burnsville, Minnesota. The corporation went public in 1996, only two years after the first restaurant opened. Anderson remained chief executive until 1997 and continued as chairman of the board until 2003. In later comments, he characterized the initial public offering as a major personal mistake. His relationship with Famous Dave's ended in March 2014, when he signed a one-year non-compete agreement. After that restriction ended, he opened Jimmie's Old Southern Smokehouse BBQ. The chain's physical network changed substantially over time. The first Hayward restaurant was destroyed by fire on November 3, 2014. The Linden Hills location closed the same year. The Calhoun Square restaurant, which had represented the blues-club format, closed in 2019. Famous Dave's also pursued international and non-mainland expansion, including restaurants in Puerto Rico. Those Puerto Rican locations later closed after Hurricane Maria. The brand nevertheless retained a primarily U.S. footprint while establishing international locations in the United Arab Emirates and Winnipeg. Jeff Crivello became CEO in 2017. During the following years, the corporate structure moved from being centered largely on Famous Dave's to operating as a broader multi-brand restaurant organization. In 2020, the company rebranded as BBQ Holdings and began acquiring other restaurant brands. This was a strategic change from single-brand expansion toward portfolio ownership and multi-concept restaurant management. MTY Food Group acquired BBQ Holdings in 2022, making Famous Dave's part of MTY's larger restaurant group. Crivello left BBQ Holdings in May 2023. Famous Dave's has continued to operate as a barbecue-focused casual dining brand. Its identity rests on smoked pork ribs, chicken, brisket, pulled pork, combination platters, sauces, and familiar Southern or Midwestern barbecue accompaniments. Restaurant designs have varied, but the brand has consistently used smokehouse and American roadside themes to differentiate itself from more standardized fast-food concepts. Reference material reports more than one hundred locations in the United States and four international locations, although the exact current count and ownership mix require confirmation from current corporate disclosures.

• 2022

  Acquired by MTY Food Group

  [1]Famous Dave'sen.wikipedia.org

  MTY Food Group acquired BBQ Holdings and added Famous Dave's to its restaurant portfolio.

• 2020

  Corporate rebrand and acquisition strategy

  [1]Famous Dave'sen.wikipedia.org

  The parent organization adopted the BBQ Holdings name and began acquiring additional restaurant brands.

• 2017

  Jeff Crivello becomes CEO

  [1]Famous Dave'sen.wikipedia.org

  Jeff Crivello assumed the chief executive role.

• 2014

  Original restaurant destroyed by fire

  [1]Famous Dave'sen.wikipedia.org

  The original Hayward restaurant was destroyed by fire on November 3.

• 1996

  Third restaurant and public listing

  [1]Famous Dave'sen.wikipedia.org

  Famous Dave's opened its Calhoun Square BBQ & Blues location and became a publicly traded company.

• 1995

  Second restaurant opens in Minneapolis

  [1]Famous Dave'sen.wikipedia.org

  The company opened a Linden Hills restaurant designed around a roadside barbecue shack concept.

• 1994

  First Famous Dave's restaurant opens

  [1]Famous Dave'sen.wikipedia.org

  Dave Anderson opened the first Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que near Hayward, Wisconsin.

A casual, full-service American barbecue chain emphasizing smoked meats, generous combination meals, varied sauces, and themed smokehouse dining environments.

• Main dishes · 1994

  Barbecue ribs

  Ribs are a central part of the Famous Dave's menu and represent the brand's smokehouse identity. They are typically served as individual portions or as part of combination platters with barbecue sauces and traditional sides.

• Main dishes · 1994

  Smoked meats

  The menu is built around smoked pork, chicken, beef brisket, and pulled pork. These meats can appear in platters, sandwiches, or combination meals designed to let customers sample several barbecue styles in one order.

• Sauces and condiments · 1994

  Barbecue sauces

  Famous Dave's uses a variety of barbecue sauce flavors as a key part of its brand identity. The sauce range supports different interpretations of American barbecue and is served with smoked meats and other menu items.

• Meal formats · 1994

  Barbecue combination platters

  Combination platters assemble several smoked proteins with side dishes, giving the chain a shareable and generous meal format. They reinforce the brand's positioning as a full-service barbecue restaurant rather than a single-item specialist.

• Side dishes · 1994

  Southern-style side dishes

  Traditional barbecue accompaniments complement the smoked meats and help create a complete smokehouse meal. Side dishes are generally presented as part of platters, combo meals, and family-style orders.

• 2022

  Acquisition by MTY Food GroupM&A

  Background

  BBQ Holdings had developed into a multi-brand restaurant company after beginning acquisitions in 2020.

  Action taken

  MTY Food Group acquired BBQ Holdings, including the Famous Dave's brand.

  Aftermath

  Famous Dave's became part of MTY Food Group's broader restaurant portfolio.

  Source

• 2020

  Shift toward a multi-brand restaurant groupStrategy

  Background

  The company sought to expand beyond a single barbecue concept.

  Action taken

  The organization rebranded as BBQ Holdings and began acquiring other restaurant brands.

  Aftermath

  The strategy positioned Famous Dave's within a broader restaurant portfolio and preceded MTY Food Group's acquisition of BBQ Holdings in 2022.

  Source

• 1996

  Initial public offeringOther

  Background

  Famous Dave's became a public company two years after the first restaurant opened.

  Action taken

  The company completed an initial public offering and operated as a publicly traded restaurant business.

  Aftermath

  Dave Anderson later said the IPO had been the worst decision of his life, while he remained CEO until 1997 and chairman until 2003.

  Source

1. 1Famous Dave'sen.wikipedia.org