This was my first time not only at First Watch, but in the East Coast. I heard such great things about the food so I was excited to try it. Our waiter was very nice and my the entrée I ordered was good too. I don't have complaints about the food. The event that completely ruined my experience at First Watch was what happened in the back of house area. Our table was close to the kitchen and it's open where you can see inside. We began to hear an argument between two employees and at first we thought must be the owners because it was pretty loud. We saw the two employees, it was a woman and a man. The argument escalated to the point of yelling and the whole restaurant could hear them. The woman was definitely the loudest, the man honestly seemed like he was trying to avoid her and she would not stop. We paid and the hostess and waitresses/waiters were all very embarrassed. When we walked outside we saw the woman who was arguing on the phone, still yelling and making a scene in front of the restaurant with no regard to customers. She was complaining about the man she had argued with and she stated to whoever she was speaking to that she had to call the police. To the owners of First Watch, this woman should be fired. The man she argued with posed no threat to her and was not screaming at the top of his lungs for her to go to such extremes calling the police. Not only was she yelling much louder, but if she was truly professional she would not have been yelling for the world to hear her inside AND OUTSIDE the establishment! Arguments happen in the workplace, but her manner of speaking and her behavior was appalling! This behavior cannot be excused and the owners should address this and terminate her employment. read more

Oscar was an amazing sevrver! Couldn't ask for anyone better he was very attentive and helpful! If you're looking for a good breakfast spot with a great server definitely go to First Watch! read more

Can't be beaten for modern updates to classic American breakfast dishes. Always clean with friendly service.

Enjoyed meals but I was served with dirty tea bags. I was not asked if I want sugar and milk go with my tea, or if we want salt or black pepper. Nice place and food but management needs to manage the restaurant better than this. Spot checking is all you need to do, I worked in restaurants in the past. Spot checking kept everyone on their toes. read more

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Breakfast was awesome. Tremendous service and a very pleasant atmosphere. We would absolutely go back again. We loved the Barbacoa chilaquiles bowl. read more

Great breakfast find. Rustic setting, great staff. Lots to choose from for breakfast. We tried the classic eggs Benedict and The Works omelette and we were very pleased. Both were delicious and hearty. read more

My girlfriend and I ate here for the third time today. My girlfriend lives across the mountain and there isn't a First Watch there (at least not yet). There's a lot on the menu she wants to try and we've enjoyed everything we've had so far except the scrambled eggs. The eggs just did not taste good at all. On our first two visits the service has been wonderful even though the restaurant was busy. When we came today we got seated right away then after a few minutes of waiting our server, John, came and took our order. I'm not usually someone who notices or comments on someone's "vibes" but John absolutely 110% gave off this vibe like he did not want to be there and we were a bother to him. Also, it took at least 30 minutes (probably closer to 40) for the food to arrive. There was no explanation or apology from John. The only reason I know why it was taking so long is because I asked another server I vaguely know. I wouldn't say that this experience is going to keep us from coming back but if we can come back and get seated in John's section we will be asking to move. The first two visits our servers (both males but I don't know their names) were great in their own way and friendly. read more

The food and service were both great. A little noisy, but otherwise an overall great experience.

I had wanted to try First Watch for a while, but was always turned off by the wait. Little did I know that the wait was only half the battle. We waited for 45-60 minutes for a table - no horrible on a Sunday Brunch. We were seated and greeted fairly efficiently. We then waited over an hour from the time we ordered our food. We were about to give up and walk out when our food finally came. Food was very good, but it will be a long time before I endure that wait again. read more

It was my birthday yesterday and wanted to eat somewhere different for breakfast and had been intrigued by the menu here. We both loved it so much! The coffee was really good and I tried the morning meditation..who knew beets with the other ingredients they add could be so good!? We had the turkey sausage gravy w potatoes and eggs and million dollar bacon as well as the lemon ricotta pancakes. we were seated immediately and didn't wait too long, every plate that went by looked so good. was ready to go back this next morning. A new fav spot for us and great bday meal picking a new place :) read more

Burnt Bacado. Got same thing yesterday and it was overdone. Today even worse. Avoid this place. Not same quality as other First Watch establishments. Shame on you! read more

First Watch - Burnt bacado. Hardly any brownish avocado and some burnt bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Came here for breakfast based on Yelp reviews. The waiting are was full when we got here but we were still seated within 10 minutes and got status updates through the Yelp waitlist. Service was great - fast and friendly. The food has a fresh farm to table vibe with lots of options and a good kids menu. (Our four year old LOVED the enormous chocolate chip pancake.) we had the million dollar bacon, which was a salty, sweet and spicy. I had the breakfast tacos, which were tasty and the husband had a daily special of beet toast, which was also light and flavorful. We wish they had a First Watch in our area as this would be a regular spot for us. read more

First Watch - Breakfast tacos - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Great food as always and this location in Charlottesville isn't packed if you go at the right time.

Love the food quality and selection. Sometimes get the wild salmon Benedict with a great side green salad included and sometimes for a healthier option get the oatmeal with bananas and strawberries included. I substitute salad for the chocolate muffin since I'm trying to be good. All the rest of their food looks excellent. The staff is friendly and handles hectic crowds well. I recommend using their reservation system if you are a group. The counter is very nice option too. read more

Consistently good food, love the seasonal specials and carafe of coffee. Staff are always friendly and accommodating.

I love first watch and I've eaten at them in pockets here & there. We had attended a wedding in Charlottesville and this was the perfect morning after brunch. It was out of the way but we went there enthusiastically and no one was unhappy that we did. read more

The perfect spot for brunch! Beautiful atmosphere! Crowded but service was wonderful! The menu had a huge variety! I prefer my food a little more flavorful but overall it was great! read more

First Watch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

We were very excited to try the crab omelette ($12.99) and Florentine eggs ( $10.95). The atmosphere was energetic with a friendly staff plus it had cute decorations, but I'm sorry to say that the food was lack luster. The hollandaise sauce that was in both of our dishes was watery with no depth in the flavor. Perhaps it's because they just opened, but their menu needs improvement. read more

First Watch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I had the tomato bisque soup and a chopped chicken salad that had avocado, beans, corn etc and it was all excellent. Very fresh with a lot of flavor. Their menu looks AMAZING for a chain restaurant! I can't wait come and have brunch here one day! Their cocktails look great as well and I'll be back soon! read more

First Watch - It's Wednesday at noon. I need coffee. ‍ - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Conflicted here because we've been to First Watch 2 times and the experience was night and day. The first time we went (on the first day they were open), it was outstanding -- fantastic service, innovative and really refreshing custom juices, and delicious food that was prepared fast and served hot. We thought we found our new go-to brunch spot. The next time however was a different story. We had an incredibly rude server that just seemed annoyed to be there. She just mumbled whenever she came to the table and gave inaccurate info on menu items. After ordering it took a very long time to get our meals and when they finally were brought out, they weren't brought out together. Like one meal came out first, then the other about 5 minutes later. And even then, there was main components of the dishes missing that had to then be brought out later on little side plates. The other thing was the juices - Custom juices are apparently a big thing at this chain and after our first experience we understood why - they mixed cool unexpected flavors into a delicious and refreshing end product. The second time however, the same juices tasted entirely different and were really just not good at all. The ratios in the mixes were clearly off. Then at the end of the meal, the cherry on top was the waitress just coming by and literally tossing the check on the table without saying a word. We really hope to see some more consistency out of this restaurant because based on our first experience, it could really be great. We will likely try it one more time to see but if it's anything like our second experience, we definitely won't be back. read more

I came here this morning for breakfast. The wait was 1.5hr so I opted to dine out. I heard a lot of good things about this place. I got the Lemon Ricotta pancakes which were so delicious. I also ordered the million dollar bacon. That was a little disappointing for flavor it was kinda sloppy and didn't have much flavor. I've had million dollar bacon at a place in SF so I was expecting something similar. It could have been that they were just extremely busy. I def want to go back and give this place a shot and dine in. Highly recommend!!! read more

My wife and I stopped in for a late lunch and we will be back. The menu is impressive and the food delicious. Join was attentive and pleasant. read more

4.5 stars Came here for a Sunday brunch. Tip: use the app to get yourself on the waitlist. That way you won't have to wait as long when you arrive and you'll be put ahead of the people who may already be there (assuming their name wasn't already on the list before you). The menu had some tasty looking options. I opted for an item on their summer special menu: cornbread carnitas bowl. The cornbread was amazing! You get two of them that are so moist and delicious. There isn't too much avocado but that's to be expected. The carnitas wasn't dry and had a nice flavor. I had a bite of my friend's (huge) chocolate chip pancakes and of another friend's chickichanga and both were just as tasty as well. I would definitely want to come back here again for brunch and try out their other items. read more

Wow! The food is off the chain! I ate there today with a friend and was really impressed. I got the Chickichanga which was very flavorful and not skimpy. It was a very good sized portion. It also came with seasoned potatoes that were perfect. Lots of crunchy bits that hold all that flavor. Also there was a small fruit cup with perfectly ripe fruits. I ordered a side of grits as well. Man, do they load up on the butter! My friend ordered an omelette, the chili chorizo. No complaints from him either, he said the flavors were on point. I will definitely be coming back to this place to try other items. On other notes, the atmosphere and service were great. They were almost second to the flavor of the food. read more

We've always done breakfast food here and it is quite good, very tasty breads too. We particularly like the nutrition info on the web site and ability to customize entrees. That said the food is nothing unusual, nothing that special, but it fits the bill for healthier fare. read more

Very enjoyable brunch. My companions went fancy with delicious omelets and I got old fashioned pancake and eggs. All delicious. First Watch doesn't take reservations so you might have to wait if you come around lunch time. But that only proves how good and reasonable it is. read more

Wonderful experience. I arrived less than half an hour before closing but they made me feel welcome and immediately seated me. My server was solicitous without hovering and made a point of telling me not to rush. I ordered the Market hash, which came out fast, cooked perfectly. The quality of food was superb, right down to the flavor of the caramelized onions and roasted tomatoes and the amazing whole grain toast. There are so many other menu items I am excited to try! read more

I've had the pomegranate sunrise and salad and half sandwich. All awesome!! Great for regular brunch spot. read more

First Watch - Pomegranate Sunrise - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Great food and great service. Never disappoints. And of course the bacon is amazing. Love that you can reserve a table on the app ahead of time to avoid waiting around in line. Very convenient. read more

Angelique is an amazing server! Always gets my order just right and greets me with a warm smile every week I visit! Food is always perfect! Love this place and highly recommend! read more

This place was amazing for brunch! I got the Elevated Egg Sandwich and switched the Brioche for Ciabatta bread, and it was absolutely delicious. I paired it with the Summer Blush drink which was super refreshing. Our waiter was energetic and courteous. He checked in on us frequently and ensured we were doing well. I recommend putting yourself on the waitlist ahead of time. It ensured that by the time we got there we didn't have a long wait. Others who simply walked in had about an hour wait compared to our 10-15 min. They also provided complimentary water and coffee during our wait which was delightful! Overall I had a great experience here. Would recommend. read more

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Breakfast was great!! Seasoned potatoes, maple thick bacon was the best and French toast was

First Watch was incredible. The service was amazing and the breakfast set my day up perfectly- it was all I could think about throughout the day. I ordered the Skillet Hash and the server was right - so flavorful! read more

First Watch - Skillet Hash - so delicious! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

We wanted to love this place. We checked in online and we're given a 1 hour wait time, and still waited over 2 hours to be seated. We were given warm water, no ice until we requested it. The food was not anything to brag about. Fancy names, high prices and a hole in the wall diner would have been better. Their "million dollar bacon", they must be refuting to Monopoly money. It was brought out burnt. We questioned if this is how it was always served and were told "they knew they burnt it so they have another order coming up". Why would you serve that? We would have not gotten a replacement if we didn't question it. We watched servers bring wrong food to tables 3 times. They picked it back up and brought it to another table. read more

First Watch - Million Dollar Bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Average Most people who work here don't really want to work here Food is above average To go food is accurate To go food is cold (2nd try) Website is horrible Online app is embarrassing Telephone support at the restaurant was uninformed Manager was MIA - even though was on duty Not a local restaurant-, for a chain it was average If you want to eat at First Watch .... Take a drive to the one in Lexington Kentucky-that one is amazing. C-Ville not! read more

It's a great brunch place. We have gone with friends and with family. Everything on the menu sounds really good. They have a separate kids menu which is great. It gets packed pretty quickly so yelp check in is very helpful. It's in a shopping complex so there's plenty of parking. The food is delicious! Coffee is good. Very reasonable wait time for the food to come. Love it! read more

First Watch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I love brunch, so I was more than thrilled to realize that First Watch was coming to Charlottesville. I have already been two times and each time had great service. The waiters and waitresses were very friendly and polite. The menu is huge so there is a lot to choose from. For my second time, I got the egg skillet which comes with potatoes, italian sauages , onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and eggs. The portions were huge and while they were very filling, it still felt really healthy and not heavy. I would definitely come here again and Im sad the restaurant didnt arrive sooner. read more

First Watch - Skillet - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Long wait, especially with limited capacity due to Covid, but that's ok. Solid breakfast place with good menu. Chose waffle with side of bacon. Waffle was light and crispy, very enjoyable. Bacon a bit overdone but edible. Also ordered a side of Turkey sausage, which was slow in coming but eventually got there. Service was good, even though they had to be reminded of some things. Waiter was attentive and sensitive to our requests. Wanted to linger a bit, which is usually the best way to enjoy breakfast but was sensitive to the fact that a line was forming, awaiting our table. Overall, a very good experience. Will return. Solid choice read more

First Watch is my absolute favorite place for brunch! These lemon ricotta pancakes are TO DIE for! I highly recommend the real maple syrup ... it's well worth the extra $1.29. The eggs benedict and the kale tonic are also especially delicious! Excellent service, lively ambiance, and an altogether great experience. It's often a long wait, particularly Friday through Sunday, but they have an app that allows you to reserve a place in line ahead of time, so there's no reason not to check it out! read more

First Watch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

My friends, family & I love eating at First Watch anytime while they are open! It's a wonderful place to eat, so many varieties of delicious foods to eat, & there are always special foods offered as well! The staff are always courteous & friendly! read more