The turkey dill is the best and Cole, Manny (copas) y Norberto, are the best servers, everyone there are very friendly and helpful staff thanks read more

Loved our brunch here in Monterey. Hefty portions, good mix of classic brunch food and healthier options. And most importantly for us, it was super kid friendly. There were lots of options we could feed our baby. People are nice. Space is huge, so we were able to find seating pretty easily on the Friday morning we went. read more

This place is definitely popular, though I found it a bit overhyped. I joined the waitlist ahead of time, but there was still a considerable wait after arriving and checking in. I ordered the California Crepe, which was decent but nothing particularly memorable. Surprisingly, the highlight of the meal was actually the hot coffee, which was really tasty and exceeded my expectations. Overall, the experience was just okay. Given the hype and the wait, I was hoping for something a little more impressive. The coffee was a pleasant surprise, but the food itself didn't quite live up to the expectations. read more

We checked in on Yelp and then waited over an hour and then went in check only to be told we needed to check in person as well and wait another 35 minutes... seemed pretty disorganized. Food was okay but not amazing read more

Solid brunch food in the heart of downtown Monterey. The skillets are very big and will definitely fill you up, though I wish the meat lover's skillet came with more meat and less potatoes. The coffee is pretty average. The location is pretty wonderful, especially if you're planning to visit the aquarium as it's just a couple blocks away. The heated benches in the outdoor patio are my favorite thing about this restaurant. Service can be a bit lackluster and the wait can get quite long on weekends. So, pro-tip: join the wait list in advance on Yelp. read more

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

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Tried it for the first time, and unfortunately it was a flop for us... Pros: Waitlist sign-up via their website is great Large private parking lot Hosts are great and accommodating Generous food portions Cons: It was crowded when we arrived, so be prepared to wait or join the waitlist beforehand. Service declined after the initial contact. We didn't see our waiter much, so we ended up getting up to grab the to-go boxes ourselves, as if we worked there. The food portions were generous, but they lacked even simple seasoning like salt and pepper. Even taking our leftovers home and essentially adding salt, pepper, and hot sauce didn't make up for the blandness. Safe to conclude that we do not plan on returning. read more

First Awakenings - The DC Verde - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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Super cute! I came here with a group of 8 others the morning after the 4th of July. We did not call ahead or have a reservation. To our surprise, we only had about a 10 minute wait. We opted to sit in the outside patio area, despite it being a cool, overcast morning. Shockingly, the bench seat was heated! This was the first time I had seen this and it was fantastic. I ordered the Salmon Eggs Benedict and orange juice. I was slightly disappointed with my order, but still enjoyed it. I was expecting the benedict to have smoked salmon rather than cooked salmon. Regardless, it was cooked and seasoned well. I was not a fan of the potatoes; they felt a bit mushy and bland to me. I liked the small side of fruit. The meal was a little pricey, but had a large enough portion to justify it. I noticed the portions of my friend's meals were also very large, especially the pancakes. We all seemed to enjoy our meals. The service was quite nice too. Our server immediately brought out water pitchers for our large group. She checked on us often and was very friendly. At the end of our meal, she graciously offered to split the bill nine ways for us. I'd like to give First Awakenings another try! 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

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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October 12, 2026 Decided to eat at First Awakenings {Monterey} since it's been a while that I've ate here. {Arrived around 11:45} located close to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Lovers Point areas. Popular with locals and tourists alike. Usually a little waiting period after checking in with the host for seating. You can use Yelp to get on waitlist, NO RESERVATIONS TAKEN. Indoor seating {Table, Booths, or Counter} + outdoor patio seating. Ever since moving /relocating here from the Tin Cannery {PG~Cannery Row} this restaurant is always been popular . Parking lot parking is available, sometimes you have to circle parking lot to wait for an available spot {Limited Handicap parking spots available}. You can also park on street around the area near the restaurant. The menu has so many choices for you to choose from that's this restaurant should be suitable for everyone in a group or yourself. {Salads, Omelette, Burgers, Pancakes, Egg~ Cetera, Healthy Department, Beverages, Traditions , Skillet, Crepe egg, eggs Benedict, Sandwiches , and Something Special} So there's definitely a variety of choices. S/O ordered the Works Omelette {Ham, Bacon, Sausage, mushrooms, onion, tomato, Monterey Jack, Cheddar cheese, Sour Cream and Chives} She requested No Mushrooms, Onions, or tomatoes. With English muffins and fried potatoes. Her drink was Hot Chocolate and orange juice. I ordered the Steak and Eggs with Hash Brown and English Muffin, Eggs were Sunny Side up and Steak medium rare. Steak comes covered in mushroom and grilled onions. Steak was cooked perfectly nice and juicy My ice tea was brought to the table and after adding lemon, sweet and low sugar....i added several dashes of Tabasco Hot Sauce + A1 steak sauce to my drink. I've done this way before they made the Arnold Palmer {Lemonade ~ Ice tea mix} I call it the O.G. Mix BEST WAY TO DRINK A ICE TEA!Very flavorful from the sweet ice tea and lemon flavor to the Spiciness of the Tabasco Sauce. . Service here is good can be hectic at times due to the # of tables he/she may be serving. Food overall is good ! Would definitely check out First Awakening if your a visitor looking for a great place to eat or just looking for some where good to have Breakfast/ Brunch/ Lunch Another Fantastic place that's similar to this restaurant is FROM SCRATCH in Carmel located at the Barn Yard . So after you've tried First Awakening {Monterey} , you can try From Scratch {Carmel} if you travel to Carmel read more

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This place was packed on a Saturday morning. We were able to get a place in line through their website and it was pretty spot on the predicted availability. Service was very friendly and accommodating. It was chilly out so we were able to move to a table closer to the fire pit which was awesome. We all loved our entrees- Enchilada omelette , Monkey wrench pancakes and Bombero burrito. Would definitely get all three again. The enchilada omelette was the best I've ever had! I loved stealing bites of my daughter's monkey wrench pancakes as a dessert for breakfast. . read more

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Convenient parking lot in a busy area of Monterey. The servers were very kind when we had to switch from indoors to outdoors because my friend brought her dog. Generous food portions, but the food is not that memorable Very nice ambiance to sit outside. It can be chaotic with dogs barking and trying to fight each other. read more

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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I would say for price and portions, it's really great. Coffee was solid, country fried steak breakfast tasted great and couldn't even finish it all despite normally eating big portions for breakfast. The only thing is service was somewhat slow, it wasn't busy early on a Friday but we had to go to the counter to get our check and a box since we'd waited awhile and no one came by our table. read more

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

This place was so good tbh. I might be biased because i was hungry, but the portions were huge and the flavors were so rich. Definitely worth a try. The belly buster definitely lived up to its name. The gravy, the meat and the potatoes were filling and the bellpeppers and onions definitely made u go back for more. The works omelette was super flavorful and definitely filling too. The pancake was fatter than i expected and honestly was pretty tasty. I definitely would recommend the monkey wrench (found out i am not a fan of nuts in my food) but would wanna try the blueberry and ricotta. read more

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Walked in on a weekday around 1230pm and there was no wait. We were seated right away, contrary to what the yelp waitlist showed so it must not be updated when it's not busy. Sat outside, big and spacious patio with a fire pit in the middle. The host got us coffee right away, I requested a new mug because mine had gunk in it. Our server was attentive and friendly. We ordered oatmeal, the bombero breakfast burrito, and a side of corned beef hash. All the food was absolutely delicious! If we're ever back in the area, we'd definitely come back! read more

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A beautiful and delicious restaurant. Super glad we came here on our trip. We got seated almost immediately and our server was very patient with us, answering all our questions. We ordered: Portofino Pesto omelette, Vegan skillet with added egg and cheese, and Blueberry and Ricotta Cheese pancakes!! This was shared family style with my party of 3 and we absolutely devoured everything. It was just so good. No crumbs left behind. Our favorite was probably the portofino pesto omelette. Highkey recommend. We were full but not like food coma full like we were satisfied and content. Felt like a well balanced meal. Very big portions but doable when sharing with people. We were definitely awoken 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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Great food will never makeup for TERRIBLE service. Terrible service. The host took us to a table, it wasn't clean- no problem, we'll sit while we wait for the table to be cleaned. After we were sitting, IRIS comes over and tells us we need to get up and go back to the front desk and wait for the table to be cleaned. While we were waiting, IRIS sat another couple at the table in front of us. Then she brought back another couple that came in behind us. The host was confused and apologetic. We turned around and left. read more

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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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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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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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

September 2026: Best burger I've ever had. Seriously. I'm not much of a meat eater, so I wasn't exactly looking forward to sharing a burger with my husband. But he likes meat and didn't want a full meal, so I agreed to split one with him. OMG -- I LOVED IT!!!!! I honestly did not expect to like it that much, but it was absolutely delicious. The country potatoes were okay, and the coffee is okay. They do have French vanilla creamer, which is always a plus for me. Even their water tastes good! The Cobb salad was also great. I ordered a half portion and it was HUGE -- definitely plenty of food. Service was above average, and the whole place has a really chill, relaxed vibe. I love that you can choose between indoor and outdoor seating. The patio has a firepit, propane heaters, and nice landscaping, and it's dog-friendly, which is another big plus. Overall, a really enjoyable place -- but that burger was the star. I'm still shocked by how much I loved it. 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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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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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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The service was good, very friendly and attentive, and we loved how they leave water and coffee carafes at the table so you can fill your glass as much as you want without having to keep asking the server. The food was very good and large portions. A popular spot. read more

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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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Good was good and servings had adequate portions. Lots of parking and pricing was fair. A nice place to go for good comfort food!

Portions are VERY generous and quality is there. Friendly and nice staff. Our waitress didn't seem to acknowledge me in a friendly manner. Comfortable and decent parking but this was during work week. Definitely stop by here if vacationing in Monterey again. read more

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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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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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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Extremely frustrating and poorly communicated waitlist process. We added ourselves to the waitlist online, assuming that meant we were actually on the waitlist. When we arrived, no one told us that we also needed to check in with the host and be added to another waitlist. We ended up waiting for over TWO HOURS before finding out that we were never properly checked in. When we finally spoke to the host, we were told that we were supposed to check in with her upon arrival and that it would now be another 45-minute wait. If checking in with the host is required even after joining the online waitlist, that needs to be clearly communicated to customers. There should be a sign, a text notification, or instructions on the online waitlist telling people exactly what to do when they arrive. Expecting customers to somehow know there is a second step and then making them wait hours because no one explained it is completely unacceptable. We wasted more than two hours because of a process that was unnecessarily confusing and poorly managed. Very disappointing experience. read more

Great service, food and the vibe! Absolutely loved the place. The service is super friendly. Everyone was very obliging. I am looking forward to come back. read more

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

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