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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-05-06</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001580144</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Pleasant Lake Partners LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>110 GREENE STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 604</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10012</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>0001593890</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Pleasant Lake Co-Invest I LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>110 GREENE STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 604</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10012</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>0001593896</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Pleasant Lake Offshore Master Fund L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>110 GREENE STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 604</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10012</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>0001593895</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Pleasant Lake Onshore GP LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>110 GREENE STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 604</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10012</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>0001593893</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PLP MM LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>110 GREENE STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 604</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10012</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>0001593897</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Lennon Jonathan</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O PLEASANT LAKE PARTNERS LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>110 GREENE STREET, SUITE 604</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10012</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-05-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>12500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>26.9975</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>898361</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-05-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>15000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>27.6939</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>913361</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares reported herein represent (i) 523,555 shares and 538,555 shares held for the account of Pleasant Lake Offshore Master Fund L.P. (the &quot;Master Fund&quot;) as of May 6, 2014 and May 8, 2014, respectively and (ii) 374,806 shares held for the account of Pleasant Lake Co-Invest I LLC (&quot;Co-Invest I&quot;) as of both such dates. Pleasant Lake Partners LLC (&quot;PLP&quot;) serves as the investment manager of the Master Fund and as manager of Co-Invest I. Pleasant Lake Onshore GP LLC (&quot;GP LLC&quot;) serves as General Partner of the Master Fund and as Managing Member of Co-Invest I. PLP MM LLC is the managing member of PLP. Jonathan Lennon serves as manager of PLP MM LLC and GP LLC. Each of the Reporting Persons disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares reported herein except to the extent of its or his pecuniary interest therein, and the filing of this Form 3 shall not be construed as an admission that any of the Reporting Persons is the beneficial owner of any such shares for purposes of Section 16(a) of the</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ PLEASANT LAKE PARTNERS LLC, By: PLP MM LLC, its Managing Member, By: Jonathan Lennon as Manager</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-05-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ PLP MM LLC, By: Jonathan Lennon as Manager</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-05-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ PLEASANT LAKE ONSHORE GP LLC, By: Jonathan Lennon as Manager</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-05-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ PLEASANT LAKE OFFSHORE MASTER FUND L.P., By: Pleasant Lake Onshore GP LLC, its General Partner, By: Jonathan Lennon as Manager</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-05-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ PLEASANT LAKE CO-INVEST I LLC, By: Pleasant Lake Onshore GP LLC, its Managing Member, By: Jonathan Lennon as Manager</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-05-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ JONATHAN LENNON</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-05-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
