<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0206</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-03-13</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001021270</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FAMOUS DAVES OF AMERICA INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DAVE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001135018</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SAB CAPITAL ADVISORS LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>767 FIFTH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>44TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10153</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001359894</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SAB CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>767 FIFTH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>44TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10153</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001135020</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SAB CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>767 FIFTH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>44TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10153</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001251933</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BOMMER SCOTT A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>767 FIFTH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>44TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10153</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $0.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>711506</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These shares of the Issuer's Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share (the &quot;Shares&quot;), are held for the account of each of SAB Capital Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (&quot;SAB&quot;), SAB Capital Partners II, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (&quot;SAB II&quot;), and the SAB Overseas Master Fund, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (&quot;SAB Overseas&quot;). These Shares may be deemed to be indirectly beneficially owned by the following, each of whom is a Reporting Person: SAB Capital Advisors, L.L.C. (the &quot;General Partner&quot;), which serves as the general partner of each of SAB, SAB II and SAB Overseas; SAB Capital Management, L.P. (the &quot;Investment Manager&quot;), which serves as the investment manager of each of SAB, SAB II and SAB Overseas; SAB Capital Management, L.L.C. (the &quot;IMGP&quot;), which serves as the general partner of the Investment Manager; and Scott A. Bommer, who serves as the managing member of each of the General Partner and IMGP.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Each Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the Shares except to the extent of his or its pecuniary interest therein, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that such Reporting Person is the beneficial owner of the Shares for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or for any other purpose.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Exhibit List: The Joint Acquisition Statement filed as Exhibit 1 and the Power of Attorney filed as Exhibit 2 to the Schedule 13G/A filed by the Reporting Persons on February 17, 2015 to reflect their beneficial ownership of the Shares reported herein is incorporated herein by reference.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Brian Jackelow, attorney-in-fact for Scott A. Bommer, individually and (a) as managing member of SAB Capital Advisors, LLC and (b) as managing member of SAB Capital Management, LLC, for itself and as the general partner of SAB Capital Management LP</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-03-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
