Famous Dave’s Secret Menu Guide 2026
Does Famous Dave’s have a secret menu? No, Famous Dave’s does not have an official secret menu. I checked their website, their printed menus, and plenty of fan forums, and the chain has never listed hidden items. But here is the thing: real off-menu hacks, customization tricks, and lesser-known menu items still exist, and regulars order them all the time. This guide collects the best ones.
So you heard rumors about a Famous Dave’s secret menu and wondered what you have been missing. Honestly? The truth is simpler than the rumors. There is no hidden panel of unlisted items at the counter. What Famous Dave’s does have is something arguably better: a flexible kitchen, pitmasters who like a challenge, and a bunch of combos and customizations that never made it onto the main board. If you love the Famous Dave’s menu with prices, these tricks are how you take your order to the next level.
Is There a Real Famous Dave’s Secret Menu?
No, and I want to be straight with you about that. The rumors are bigger than the reality. Menu tracking sites and even a Famous Dave’s server have confirmed there are no secret items you can order by name at the counter. Nobody behind the register is hiding a list of coded dishes.
That said, calling it a dead end would be wrong. Famous Dave’s kitchens are genuinely flexible. The pitmasters smoke a full range of meats every day, the app menu has stuff like Burnt Buttz and Hillbilly Hubcaps that many guests never notice, and staff are used to requests like saucing ribs on the side or loading up a baked potato. Think of this less as a Famous Dave’s hidden menu and more as a playbook of Famous Dave’s off-menu items and customization tricks that actually work.
The Best Famous Dave’s Secret Menu Items and Hacks
The closest thing to a Famous Dave’s secret menu is a short list of under-the-radar items and combos that regulars keep coming back for. Here are the heavy hitters:
Burnt Buttz
Smoked pork that gets flash-fried and griddled in blackberry barbecue sauce. It sits on some menus as an appetizer, but plenty of locations do not advertise it well, so it feels like a find when you spot it. If your location has it, do not skip it.
Iris’ Comeback Chicken Sandwich
A hand-breaded crispy chicken breast on a buttery toasted bun, drizzled with the restaurant’s secret Comeback Sauce. It is “Famous” Dave’s own mother’s recipe, and the sauce alone makes it worth asking about.
Hillbilly Hubcaps
Cajun-seasoned fried jalapeno slices with remoulade sauce. A spicy starter that flies under the radar on busy boards.
Burnt Ends
The pitmaster’s gold. Burnt ends show up on the apps menu with Famous Fries, jalapeno pickled red onions and spicy Hell-Fire Pickles, but they are subject to the pit, not the menu. When they have them, order them.
Southside Rib Tips
A pound of Memphis-style, dry-rubbed rib tips with jalapeno pickled red onions, Hell-Fire Pickles and Southside BBQ sauce. Around $9.49 at many locations, and a lot of food for the money.
The Get-Em-Naked Trick
Ask for your ribs “naked”, meaning unsauced. Famous Dave’s lists this right on the menu, and it saves you 60 to 160 calories while letting the hickory smoke shine. You can always add sauce at the table.
How Do You Order From the Famous Dave’s Secret Menu?
Simple: you ask, politely, and you describe what you want instead of using a secret code name. Here are the exact scripts that work at most locations:
The Customization Scripts
| Hack | What to say | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mix-and-match slab | “Can I do the St. Louis-N-Baby Combo with six bones of St. Louis and half a slab of Memphis-style baby backs?” | ~$39.99 |
| Add an extra meat | “Add an extra meat to my rib plate.” | $6.99 |
| Loaded baked potato | “Can I get a baked potato loaded with Georgia chopped pork?” | Menu price + small upcharge |
| Build-your-own burger | “I will build my own burger with bacon, chopped pork and Sweet & Zesty.” | From $9.49 |
| Sauce on the side | “Can I get my ribs naked with the sauce on the side?” | Free |
| Meats by the pound | “A pound of Texas beef brisket to go.” | ~$19.03 |
One more trick regulars use: the Family To Go lineup. Meats by the pound, quarts of sides, and whole chickens are priced for feeding a group, but nothing stops you from stocking your own freezer with them.
What About Famous Dave’s Sauce Options?
Yes, sauce swaps are the easiest Famous Dave’s customization trick there is, and almost every location will do them without blinking. The core lineup includes Rich & Sassy (mild), Sweet & Zesty, Devil’s Spit (hot), and Texas Pit. Ask for two sauces on the side, get one sauced and one naked, or have the pit double-sauce your ribs.
If you cannot handle heat, pair Devil’s Spit with the Hell-Fire Pickles for the full burn. If you like it sweet, Sweet & Zesty on the baby backs is the classic move. And if you are counting calories, naked ribs plus a small cup of sauce on the side give you all the flavor control.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is there really a Famous Dave’s secret menu?
No. Famous Dave’s has confirmed there is no official secret menu with hidden items. The real value is in customization tricks: off-menu hacks like Burnt Buttz and Burnt Ends, sauce swaps, and combo tweaks that the kitchen will happily make.
How do I order the Famous Dave’s Burnt Buttz?
Just ask your server if they are available today. Burnt Buttz is smoked pork flash-fried in blackberry barbecue sauce. It appears on some menus but not all, so asking by name is the move.
Can I get my ribs without sauce at Famous Dave’s?
Yes. Ask for your ribs “naked”, which means unsauced. It is printed right on the menu, saves 60 to 160 calories, and lets the hickory smoke come through. Sauce on the side is free to ask for.
What is the cheapest Famous Dave’s secret menu hack?
The Southside Rib Tips, around $9.49 for a full pound of Memphis-style dry-rubbed tips with pickles and sauce. Pairing that with a pint side is one of the best value plays on the menu.
Prices last verified: October 16, 2026. For the source of truth, see the official menu at famousdaves.com.
