The first Famous Dave's BBQ opened in June 1995 in Minneapolis. Two years later, two locations popped up here. One, on University Avenue in Middleton, only lasted six months, but the one on Park Street endures.

Tom Purdy of Appleton, managing partner of the franchising group that runs 13 Famous Dave's locations including the one in Madison, said that his restaurant is feeding the Badger football team after each home game this year and sometimes provides food for the opposition.

Those football players are eating well, if my two recent visits are any indication.

A good place to start is with the smoked salmon spread ($7.99) appetizer. The hickory-smoked salmon cream cheese includes capers and chipotle peppers, the latter giving the spread a nice kick. It was topped with pieces of smoked salmon and served with warm, soft, grilled flatbread seasoned with Cajun spices.

For lunch, there are reasonably priced platter and combo specials ($6.99 for one meat, $7.99 for two). I chose the St. Louis-style spareribs, and got three tender and meaty ribs in a lip-smacking barbecue sauce. The chicken, a roasted leg and thigh, was moist without being greasy.

Combos and platters are served with a generous corn bread muffin that isn't overly sweet, a half ear of slightly overcooked corn on the cob and a choice of one of eight sides. The "firecracker" green beans, made with bacon, onions, garlic and crushed red pepper, are spicy and worth seeking out. Also worthwhile are the super creamy, garlic red-skin mashed potatoes, which aren't made from scratch but are a decent facsimile.

The beef brisket sandwich ($8.49) was outstanding, packed with lean chunks of hickory-smoked meat, unadorned by any sauce. It was plenty flavorful plain, but it's fun to experiment with the four barbecue sauces supplied table side. My preference was the "Rich and Sassy," followed by "Devil's Spit," "Sweet and Zesty" and "Texas Pit," in that order.

Famous Dave's might not be the first place you'd think of to order a salad, but the menu has a number of options, including Dave's Sassy BBQ salad ($9.79, the lunch size is $7.29), a mix of crisp lettuces with some red cabbage, thickly grated Cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, shoestring potatoes for crunch and a choice of meat. Like the other meat I've had at Famous Dave's, the Georgia chopped pork I opted for was tender, moist and flavorful. The salad was tossed in a tasty honey barbecue dressing, and was accompanied by a corn bread muffin.

My only complaint was that the blues music playing during lunch was too loud. This was not a problem during my dinner visit, when the volume was more appropriate. Service both times was outstanding, with food appearing at nearly fast-food speed.

The down-home decor is a little hokey, but the chain -- with nearly 200 locations and franchises nationwide -- tries to have a little fun. Take, for instance, the back of my waiter's shirt: "Go ahead, get sauced!"

FAMOUS DAVE'S BBQ

★★★ ½

Address: 900 S. Park St.

Phone: 286-9400

Hours: Every day 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Notes: Parking lot; wheelchair accessible; no reservations; no personal checks accepted.

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