Everything food and servo! Gotta try it at least once, we always come here for breakfast!! read more

I had to download yelp just because this place was so amazing. INCREDIBLE service and alejandra is a QUEEN! let alone the food was also incredible and the restaurant had the perfect vibe! everyone should go to first awakenings! read more

My daughter and I ate here a few weeks ago to celebrate her 16th birthday. We were on their live waitlist queue from Yelp and got inside the restaurant only to find out you need to check in. We waited and waited while people after us were seated and the live queue stayed at 2 until the staff asked us if we're checked in. They said, there is a sign but we didn't see a sign. Oh well, us locals need to come here more often I guess... The food was delicious & plentiful as always so know complaints here. I absolutely love their wheat germ pancakes. We will definitely keep coming back. read more

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Finally made our way here! Great food! Fast and friendly service! Heated seats outside! Veggie Benedict: 4.7/5! Delicious and big servings! Generous with the veggies which made me a happy girl! Those country potatoes 5/5. They were damn good! Bombero Burrito: 4.7/5! Solid burrito. Salsa was lacking. We wished we ordered pancakes after finding out thats their specialty there. Service: 4.8/5! Great service! She even packed honey a coffee to go but he forgot it. Lol. It's the thought that counts. Everyone was amazing here. We can't wait to return! read more

First Awakenings - Bombero Burrito and veg eggs Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

Our first time eating here was 13+ years ago. Then again 10 years ago. Knowing it's a very popular breakfast place, We arrived early - 720am and didn't have to wait at all. Sunday morning. Food was served within 10 min. We got all pancakes and French toast. Berries were fresh and good. And should be for 12$ Pancakes are bigger than the plate and tasted the same as 13 years ago. New location in Monterey is nice for the space but the original location was cool. 2 complaints: the servers standing around chatting within eye sight of our table when we kept waving to pay the check and they didn't see us waving for about 10 min. -we paid 60$ for bread. lol read more

I used to come here regularly when they were at the outlet mall. They have a huge menu with various items and breakfast options with eggs, pancakes, Mexican dishes and more. They have a huge parking lot that fills up by 9 and a lot of indoor and outdoor seating. It gets incredibly busy and is one of the more popular breakfast restaurants including for locals. I like the wheat germ pancake. read more

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Honestly heard about this place and it's part of why I wanted to visit the Monterrey area. It didn't disappoint. FAMILY RUN vibes with home cooked style food. I got the classic eggs, bacon, and potatoes all EXTRA CRISPY of course and the star of the show the extra large PANCAKES. We tried the BLUEBERRY and MONEKY WRENCH PANCAKES and both had delicious fluffy and buttery batter with different purposes. The blueberry was lighter with fresh berries and moderate sweetness while the monkey business felt like dessert with decadent flavor and varying texture. I could just keep eating both and found one more refreshing and easy to eat while the other had bold flavors where I found myself craving a bite of the fatty eggs and bacon to breakup the sweetness of the pancake. What a great experience with fast service and a LOCAL FAVORITE for a reason. Must try!! read more

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I made the 1.5 hour drive from Pleasanton to Monterey on a Saturday morning to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium and needed to eat something before going into the Aquarium. My daughter said "Dad, I know a great restaurant walking distance from the Aquarium". Behold we arrive at First Awakenings. Great call daughter! My daughter also made a reservation through Yelp that saved us a time from waiting upon our arrival. The restaurant has ample amount space to eat both inside and outside in the patio. Our breakfast included corned beef hash, an omelette and chicken sausage scramble. Portion sizes were very generous and filled us up. Everyone enjoyed their meals and the house coffee was great too. Great service all around. Highly recommend dining at First Awakenings prior to visiting the Aquarium. read more

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I kept seeing First Awakenings all over TikTok, so I knew I had to try it while I was in Monterey--and it definitely lived up to the hype! I'd recommend getting there early if you're planning to walk in because it fills up fast. By the time we arrived, only the outdoor seating was available, which was completely fine. They had heaters outside, so even though it was a little breezy, we were still comfortable. The staff was so friendly and positive, and the food tasted incredibly fresh. It's the perfect classic breakfast spot. The pancakes were absolutely amazing and definitely a highlight of the meal. The atmosphere was great too. Inside, it has that cozy diner feel that makes you want to stay awhile. I would definitely come back the next time I'm in Monterey! read more

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We were visiting Monterey and a friend brought us here for brunch. It was so hard to settle on one item, everything seemed delicious! I got the California crepegg and the portion size is huge and the food is amazing! We waited about ~30 minutes to be seated on a Sunday. There is seating outside and inside. I would definitely come here again! read more

First Awakenings - Over Lightly Crepegg California Crepegg - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

this was my first ever breakfast spot in monterey bay, and my bf and i really loved both dishes that we got !! we ordered the bombero burrito and the monkey wrench pancakes, and both were soooo yummy that we kept eating even tho we were so stuffed LOL - bombero burrito: i never had sour cream on a chile verde burrito before, but everything went so well together and the meat inside was so tender!! we ordered a full size burrito, and we were super thankful that our waitress had asked the kitchen to split it for us. a small gesture but so helpful in elevating our dining experience! i also loved the potatoes on the side that were perfectly seasoned. - monkey wrench pancake: i love how every bite had crunch from the walnuts, chocolate chips, and banana! the pancake was also so moist and perfectly sweetened without needing too much syrup! it was pretty crowded when we came here on a tuesday afternoon, but the workers were super efficient and running around constantly! i would love to try the other breakfast foods if i'm ever in the area again! read more

First Awakenings - Monkey Wrench Pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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A great indoor/ outdoor spot above cannery row and the aquarium . Lot parking in back and a crowd with minimal wait. Large, varied menu . Bay burger was huge with lots of fresh area produce on a brioche bun. Tuna melt and patty melts were abundant too all with potatoes and fresh fruit. Side salads are flavorful with diced veggies. Everything under 20.00 for great value with outstanding service. Great job! read more

First Awakenings - Bay burger with avo and bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

My husband and I showed up right before the restaurants morning rush. We only had to wait 3 minutes for a table for two. Everyone working was extremely pleasant and all had a smile. The food was 10/10. The portions were pretty big size. Everything was extremely fresh and super flavorful. We were both contently full till dinner time. We definitely will be returning any time we take a day trip to town again. read more

First Awakenings - Country Fried Steak - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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I didn't take many pictures because it was a pretty busy day and we didn't go into the full dining area. We sat close to the front and had a nice view of the road and ocean. The service was great and super fast too. I love how they leave the coffee pot to refill yourself and a pitcher of water as well. The coffee was pretty good, the portions were great for the price. The only thing I didn't like were the potatoes way too much seasoning and some weren't cooked all the way through. I wish they offered hash browns and toast instead of only have the option for an English muffin. We stopped in because we wanted breakfast to start the day and I came across this place on Yelp based on my location and the reviews are outstanding! And I'm a sucker for a good spot, my mom loved her food and finished the whole plate. I would try it again if I was in town. read more

First Awakenings - Two Eggs and Meat - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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The 4,000+ reviews are pretty substantial but I would say after our experience-- they could be better. Maybe some things have slipped, because they know their rating will keep the business going. Not a terrible experience by no means-- but not worth that many stars. This was our first time at First Awakenings and my Mom's second or third time. The place was busy at the morning our as expected for a Diner. Definitely a popular place. We ordered the gourmet pancakes, omelette, and crepe. All of them were just-OK. Not like anything tasted wrong but the scrambled eggs were pretty over cooked, and therefore -- so was the omelette (you know that rubbery texture of over cooked egg?). The gourmet pancake was nice and big! It wasn't gourmet-like though so I was expecting a little more flavor or fluffiness. The crepe was alright too. Lathered with yogurt and cut fruit, almost dumped into the crepe. Anyway-- it's a diner :) Just expect the basics. Service was fine though, routine, and a touch apathetic. But knowing the food (eggs especially) isn't cooked with care, I think our family will go somewhere a little more appetizing. This does look like it accommodates big groups pretty well here though. So there's that. :) read more

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Great service but it gets busy very quickly and the wait can be a little long. The food is great, significantly better than other places in the area. It is easy to people watch as you eat and very family friendly! read more

First Awakenings was the best place we ate at on our trip to Monterey. Despite a little bit of a long wait to sit a party of 8 outside, service was excellent. This place is definitely popular. Outdoor seating was very nice and it was a beautiful day. There was also enough umbrella coverage to keep the sun off us while we were seated. The food comes in generous servings. The Works Omelette was so large and came with a large side of hash browns and an English muffin. The kids got Mickey Pancakes. My partner chose the triple bogey and had some massive pancakes. They also have their own line of hot sauces and we had to sample every one. If you're in town and looking for breakfast, give First Awakenings a try. Have a dog? This place is dog friendly on their patio. read more

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We went with a party of seven. Wait time was 20 minutes, with reservations. This is solidly reasonable breakfast restaurant. The staff was friendly, they adapted to our needs. Drinks and meals were ordered. Drinks and meals were delivered as they came out of the kitchen. The experienced members of our party got their house favorites. The menu presents standard meals, and variations in the same categories. Overall it was very good and I recommend it for anyone wanting to have a lasting good experience. read more

First Awakenings - Entrance - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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Solid spot for breakfast with big portions - we were lucky to be seated right away since we came early on a weekday, but other times we walked by later than 8:30/weekends, definitely expect a wait. I had the Cornucopia because I was looking for something lighter, and it hit the spot - lots of veggies mixed in with the egg whites and a big bowl of fruit, but wish it had a bit more flavor. My husband had the Bacado omelet which was a huge portion and came with an English muffin and potatoes. It's a bit on the pricier side but not surprising since it's so close to a lot of the touristy spots. read more

First Awakenings - Bacado Omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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Fantastic food and great service. There was a huge line but it went very quickly The bluegrrm pancakes and any of the Benedict's are second to none read more

So impressed with this place!! I came on a Saturday for brunch and there was a 20+ minute wait. Staff were kind and helpful. Food: The cinnabon pancake special was AMAZING. I wasn't expecting it to be the size of my plate, and it was honestly the best pancake i've ever had. I'll be thinking about it until I'm back in Monterey. Also ordered the "the works" omelette and it was pretty great. The potatoes were delicious and the english muffin was nice toasty and buttered. No complaints! The apple juice was pretty great too. You can tell it's quality from real apples, and not some kind from a juice box! It was a chilly afternoon and we got outdoor seating, but the benches were HEATED and they have outdoor heaters too! Made my experience so pleasant!!! read more

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We have been coming here for many years and it is always a pleasure! Our most recent visit was for our ten year anniversary and we definitely had to cross this one off of our to-do list. The service is always great, very friendly staff; and the food always hits the spot! It's not a far walk from some cool local spots, close to a thrift store and not far from cannery row. Super cute cafe. We will always be back next time! read more

First Awakenings - Bombero Burrito - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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Easily one of our favorite brunch spots in Monterey, if it's not #1, it's #2! A lot of people get frustrated with the long wait times, and the cold hard truth is, if you're not willing to wait a little bit... this is already not the place for you. The food is always great, and it's consistently great, that's the reason for 5 stars! The staff is amiable and it's clear they work well under pressure. Most importantly, it's a great place for families and they are very accommodating to our kids! We also enjoy the seating areas whether it be indoor or outdoor! The vibes are always vibing. read more

Long waits but I do see why, the food is great. Especially enjoy their skillets. Great coffee too.

Went there before going to the aquarium and hand a wonderful breakfast. Beautiful views, clean restaurant, and caring staff. Quite frankly, the best part was being able to observe how respectfully a regular was treated by the staff: I watched as an elderly gentleman came in alone and the staff greeted him with warmth and familiarity. They kept him company his entire meal, engaged in conversation, and made sure he was well taken care of. When the gentleman got up to leave, a young man, maybe a teenager, checked to make sure he had his cane and was taken care of. This was the best customer service I have ever seen in my life. read more

This place was only a 5-minute drive from our hotel, and I've tried the location in Salinas, so I already have an idea that the food will taste amazing! The interior is nice, clean, and well-maintained. We opted for outdoor seating, and it was nice fresh air. The food portion was generous and well-seasoned. Employees are nice and the service is superb. They have their own parking space, and street parking is also available. I'll definitely come back when visiting Monterey. read more

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First off, this location gets extremely busy as it is in the old location that the carrows restaurant used to be as it moved from its smaller location on Cannery Row. For those of you trying to use the Yelp waitlist, please keep in mind that their communication system does not communicate great with yelps waitlist, and so times are often not accurate as it took us over two hours to be seated after joining the waitlist even the walk-ins were seated before. Overall, the food is good and you get plenty of it for the price which makes a good value, however, you are paying for it in time unless you get in right when they open. Service is super friendly and the restaurant gives off dirty spoon diner vibes. Overall, it's an OK location and experience given the terrible wait times, as there are other breakfast spots that may be better. read more

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Visited First Awakenings again and as always they never disappoint. We had the Crab Cake Benedict, and I chose a bunch of sides to try a variety to include Blueberry pancake, French Toast, Side of scrambled eggs, side of country potatoes and side of Calamari. Actually the a french Toast was a replacement for the pancake which tasted as of the flour was off, disappointing but quickly remedied with a swap of the French Toast which was delicious. The eggs and potatoes are always great but the Calamari was a new discovery. I expected it to be Calamari strips but surprisingly it was two large Calamari breaded steaks. And coupled with the lemon and tartar sauce they were delicious. Was far more than we could eat but was great the next morning for leftovers at breakfast. The service, friendly staff, clean establishment and experience were great. It was a busy weekend and like most in Monterey parking was limited despite their large parking lot but still worth the challenge. read more

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My hubs and I found this place in Monterey by just driving by as we both were hungry. The host and our waitress were very nice and friendly. The waitress even suggested to us that if we order this and that we'll save a buck or two, so we ordered just as she mentioned. The food came out fast and HOT like we were watching the chefs cook it. We even love the side of corn beef hash. I would come back for more breakfast food as they have a huge variety and the prices are decent. Come by if you're around the Monterey area near the Monterey Bay Aquarium!!! read more

First Awakenings - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

This was my second time visiting and the experience was somewhat more pleasant than the first visit because I at least knew that it was going to take a super long time to be seated. We were aiming for around a 9 AM brunch on Sunday and joined the Yelp waitlist at 8 AM because the projected wait time was about 30-40 minutes. The estimated wait is massively underestimated. The first visit took nearly 3 hrs for a table of 4 that I don't even remember how the food was because I was just so upset about the wait time. This time for a Yelp waitlist for a party of 5 it was about 2.5 hrs wait time (seated around 10:20 am). I got the corn hash skillet and it was good, not too salty. Both times I came we were seated in the back room with the large blue seating area. ~~Parking: There's a few street parking spots in the front and a fair amount of parking spots in the dedicated parking lot in the back. Even if that's out you should be able to find street parking somewhere, but it can be difficult due to the Aquarium crowd. ~~Service: Organization in terms of the waitlist & front waiting area management needs some work. The wait staff inside the restaurant is super friendly though, just enough check in times. ~~Best Part: Prices. ~~Worst Part: The wait. ~~Tips: Make sure you check in at the front if you originally join the Yelp waitlist. TBH the Yelp waitlist is kind of a scam. They have 2 separate lists: a join in person and Yelp and at that point you need to have one and not the other. I've been to multiple restaurants where it's just the Yelp waitlist or you have to write your name on a clipboard, but the dual lists makes it feel very unfair. ~~Return: Not to dine in. I would order take out because the food is affordable and of decent quality. read more

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Came in on Monday after Mother's Day and it was still a 15 min wait time at 9am. Ordered the viva carnitas scramble and it was so big! Definitely a huge portion size worth sharing. Really enjoyed it and the potatoes. Couldn't even finish the plate. They left a water pitcher on our table but it had no ice in it. So it was a little strange but not a huge deal. Big restaurant with tons of tables inside. Down the street from the aquarium read more

Had a ladies' retreat in the Pacific Grove area and decided to have brunch at First Awakenings. We didn't make a reservation, so we had a 45 minute wait for a table, but it was definitely okay because we spent the time in the vintage shop just across the way from First Awakenings. The line was pretty long when we got there, but they were pretty spot on with the amount of time required for the table to be available. Our preference was an indoor table, but we ended up with an outdoor one under an umbrella. The heaters were only available to the tables without umbrellas, so it was a bit cold initially, but the sun was shining and we finally felt the warmth. There were five of us and we shared four dishes family style. There was more than enough food; in fact, we had a lot of potatoes left from our dishes. We ordered the Crab Cake Benedict, the Works Skillet, the Acapulco Express Omelette, and a single Pineapple, Coconut, Granola Pancake. Everything was really good, but we all agreed we probably wouldn't order the Crab Cake Benedict again because the crab was a bit too fishy. Each dish, except for pancake, included an English muffin and homestyle potatoes, which proved to be too much. Service was excellent and our waitress was very sweet and attentive. They left the carafe of coffee on the table for us to refill our own cups, which was great! The also left a water carafe... really appreciated! One other nice touch was a wonderful mixed fruit dish with whipped cream and Oreos that they brought out to help celebrate my birthday; not sure if it was complimentary since I never saw the bill, but it was so nice of them! I would definitely recommend First Awakenings, but you should join the waitlist on Yelp before heading over! read more

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The have a large amount of seating inside and outside, making this an ideal breakfast place before the aquarium opens up down the street. I recommend parking further down along the street next to the ocean is the parking becomes free. The food was good. I'll be a little expensive, but that might just be California being in California. I got their special Diablo burrito, which was full of Serrano peppers along with all your normal breakfast burrito fillings the sauce came with was also very tasty. My girlfriend ended up doing one of the gourmet pancakes and it was huge so if you're hungry for a pancake, just get one of those and you're probably good. Service was so-so, just one lady working on the area we were seated in, meaning she stopped by a max of 3 times total and waiting to get the check filled out went way too long even though she knew we had the receipt. read more

First Awakenings - Blueberry Ricotta Cheese Pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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Nice breakfast/brunch spot. It is a very popular spot sp expect a wait. You can also get on the yelp waitlist so you dont have to wait too long at the restaurant. Staff were kind. Food was good. Parking can be a but of a challenge during peak hours. read more

First Awakenings - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

Best Breakfast in Monterey. Yesterday we tried Wave street cafe but First Awakenings was much better! We came at a perfect time 11ish and were seated right away. There is seating inside and outside. Here's what we ordered $55 Two coffees , skillet : Carnitas. Delicious , flavorful , cheesy! Omelette: Bacado Biscuits and Gravy Everything looked and tasted delicious. The inside is nice and clean. I loved the plants. I would recommend this breakfast spot! read more

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This is a great breakfast joint. The service was a bit slow, but granted it was pretty busy. However, the person who sat us was weird. Just kept looking at us with a blank stare in his eyes and gave us like 1 word answers. The food was truly amazing, everything we ordered! But the sucky part was the outdoor table we had was right at the corner with a slight slope, so the table was wobbly and as my son poured the syrup on his pancakes, the syrup just ran down the plate and side of the table and got on his pants. read more

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Nice place for breakfast. It has a great selection of food, and the service was excellent. Just one note about the Carnitas scramble - The pork was cooked perfectly, but had virtually no seasoning. read more

The food here is always great, as someone from the Bay Area whenever I go down to Monterey I always enjoy coming here and eating the food! I should've taken more pictures but from the pancakes to the omelettes it is ALL good. The food portions are huge so trust me, do not over order unless you want a bunch of leftovers (Win win tho!) They also sell their hot sauce in the front which is DELICIOUS, if you try the omelette give their hot sauce a try it's amazing as a hot sauce lover. They also were able to mix orange juice and pomegranate juice which I appreciated. The service is always great, they make sure you're enjoying your food and check in consistently. The environment is always so lively and great, there's outdoor and indoor seating, though it does get pretty busy the wait is never too long. I love coming here and I hope to come back soon! read more

First Awakenings - Menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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STAY AWAY HORRIBLE SERVICE!! We checked in for a party of 2 had our name and phone number taken and were told its a 20 to 30 minute wait, cool no problem. 45 minutes later I asked how much longer it would be. The kid working said the guy didn't check us in right and it'd be another 20 to 30 minuteS so we left as we have a schedule to keep. Do not waste your time going here it seems to be ran by a bunch of rude teenagers standing around the host stand doing nothing and talking smack to eachother. They have no concept of customer service or manners read more

Breakfast items looked good but I wouldn't order anything else. We visited closer to the lunch hour and ordered patty melts and they weren't very good. The meat was too thick and a bit on the grisly side and was overcooked and my husband's bread was burned on the bottom side which seemed they were trying to hide it. There are very long lines at peak times so it must be popular but we won't return based on our bad experience. read more