Just wondered if upper management has ever heard of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" When we arrived this morning I had visions of I-Hop. All those booths out in the middle, right in the way. What in the world were y'all thinking? Sitting there you can't see anything, everybody has to walk around, what the heck?? On a good note, the food was awesome, as always and our server, Mia, was fantastic!!!!! read more

Yet again another outstanding experience at first watch. The service was friendly and helpful as always. There was not an extended wait time for the food I'd say less than 15 minutes. I got the farmhouse hash this time and it did not disappoint. We got to sit and talk for well over an hour without feeling rushed. The environment was also very nice. 10/10 read more

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Great after church lunch at First watch today. Salads and sandwich combos for both of us! They were delicious, & this million dollar bacon treat was scrumptious. Service was great too! Club sandwich with a Cobb salad and a ham & gruyere melt with a sweet honey pecan salad. read more

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We love this place! Great service and very clean. Nice variety of food choices with generous helping sizes. We have been there several times and have always enjoyed the wait staff as well. read more

I love First Watch! The food is yummy and clean. I have many allergies and I feel safe when I eat there. They have gluten free bread!!! They're food is always fresh. The Service is amazing. A lot of Friendly people. I don't eat out much because of my allergies and rather cook my own food, but when I want to treat myself, First Watch is the place for me. Thank you guys :) read more

A little pricey but very good except the coffee. They need to get another source because it isn't good by any means.

Great atmosphere, great service... Fast and friendly people! Food was great! Will be back!! read more

First Watch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Columbia, Tennessee

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11 June 2026, Columbia, Tn, arrived at First Watch Restaurant @ 7:10am, walked inside & asked young lady if they were serving breakfast on outside patio & was my dog welcome. She smiled, said yes, & showed us to our seats on patio & gave us menus, at 7:20am. We then set there & watched customers enter inside restaurant, get seated, & served. Nobody had come to check on us, so at 7:40am I got up went inside, found Manager & stated we have set outside for 20 minutes without anybody checking on us. He looked confused & said he was sorry. I said you've lost a customer & left. This is a management problem. read more

Went for brunch this morning with my granddaughter because this is where she asked to go. Unfortunately, the experience was very disappointing. We waited over 52 minutes for our food while watching several tables--who arrived well after us--receive their meals. I finally asked for the manager to find out what was going on. Her explanation was that the power had gone out and caused an issue with their system (the power was out for about 15 minutes). However, that explanation didn't make sense since other guests who were there when the power went out--and even guests who arrived after we did--received their food without issue. I was honestly more disappointed in the excuse than the mistake itself. I would have respected a simple, honest answer like, "Your order was lost" or "It wasn't put in." To her credit, the manager did try to make it right, but I wasn't there for free food--I was there to purchase the meal I ordered and receive decent service. I understand that things can go sideways sometimes. However, what made this more frustrating was hearing the same issue happen to the couple seated next to us. I overheard their conversation where they were told their order had also been lost. Overall, the lack of accountability and communication really took away from what should have been a nice brunch outing with my granddaughter. read more

I had brunch with friends at this location on 3/8/25. It was my first time at any location even though this is a chain. This location is always packed when I drive by so I was excited to try it. There was a 30 min wait when we go there, but we got there early so we put our names on a list to be called. As soon as the rest of our group arrived our table was ready. We were promptly greeted and sat down with water and our drink orders taken. I got an iced coffee. It didn't take long for our food to come out, I got the market hash which was phenomenal! I have actually been craving it since lol. Our waiter was attentive and kind and the space was spacious and clean. I will definitely be going back here as it's only right down the street. My friend says she orders take out from there all the time so I might try that too lol. My only complaint, and they still get 5 starts is the water glasses and container that the water for the table was in was dirty. They need to pay a little extra attention to that, but otherwise its a great spot with so many affordable choices and healthy choices at that! read more

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Food is great, service is friendly and ambience is perfect. This place has the best food! Everyone there is very friendly.

The food was really good and brought to us quickly. The server was also very friendly and greeted us graciously. My only complaint was the fact that there was a terrible sewer type smell in the ladies washroom. I hope they are able to fix this issue soon. read more

Great food for a decent price. We love eating at the Columbia location. I particularly enjoyed the Bacado omelette and the grits are really good. read more

Waiter forgot million dollar bacon. Employees were not organization don't know where manager was. Seems like tension was in the restaurant staff. My eggs were scorched. Sausage links and waffle were good. Get it together or quit serving people. read more

Every location I've been to from Franklin to Columbia is awesome. Every experience is the same, great food, great service and probably the only consistent breakfast place I'll eat at anywhere in the south. read more

Very nice service the food was delicious super bust-delicious potatoes were a little salty read more

First Watch - Egg ham and bread - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Columbia, Tennessee

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We first at a First Watch in Kentucky and we've been in love with the offerings ever since. We were delighted when they opened on in Columbia! We like to eat local when we are here so now we don't have to go out of town for our First Watch fix. The atmosphere is so laid back and all the waitresses are awesome and friendly. It's nice to be able to have something besides pancakes and scrambled eggs. But when I do want fried eggs and the basics, I just order the traditional. We'll be eating here from now on and if any one in Columbia hasn't tried First Watch, they owe it to themselves to eat there!!! read more

Good service and a great selection. Also like the complimentary coffee while you wait.

The breakfast was very good! A very nice young lady, Hope, was our server. She mentioned it was only her 2nd day on the job but she gave us excellent service like a seasoned veteran. Thanks, Hope! read more

My first encounter just after the open was great. So we went back the second meal I ordered waffles got pancakes. The third meal. I ordered hashbrowns eggs and sausage, hashbrowns were burnt sausage was burnt and the toast wasn't toasted a toasted (from a bag and buttered). Next time I ordered the same meal and the potatoes and sausage were burnt and I didn't get my toast. You guys are letting your kitchen destroy you from the inside out. We need a place like you, but if your food keeps coming out like that, I and a lot of others will go somewhere else. read more

The service was ok but I didnt really like the shrimp and grits. I asked for a sample and it was pretty good, nice and cheesy. But when I got the food, it didnt taste the same. I was pretty disappointed. The price was pretty high too. read more

First I would like to say I am so glad Columbia FINALLY got a real restaurant, Columbia residents are begging for more and better restaurants - If you come you will get a lot of business!! Especially Breakfast/Brunch places!!! My husband and I have ate at the First Watch in Spring Hill a few times and didn't like the food or the service. Well our new one in Columbia has been packed every weekend since they opened, so I finally had a day off during the week and we went here for brunch. * I had the Bacado Omelet and oh it was so good and fresh! * My Husband had the normal eggs and sausage and toast, we split a waffle which was awesome! * Our neighbor had a carrot pancake and she thought it would be more like carrot "cake" but had actual shredded carrots so she said she would order something different next time but said it was ok. Service was good. The only thing we will do different next time is ask them to leave any seasonings off the potatoes. For sure will be back if we can get in (-: read more

The food was fantastic, and Nae provided outstanding service. We'll definitely be back! The maple bacon sandwich was delicious.

Ordered two lunches. Just sandwiches. Order never got placed. We were ignored for more than 40 minutes. Finally flagged down staff. Waited longer. Should have left. Nice manager apologized and did not charge us. Food was just ok. Been here five times before and never had an issue. Excuse was server was overwhelmed. Um not many people were there so that didn't hold water. Not going back read more

Great place! Great food and a variety of options. My family is gluten intolerant and there are many options for them. The only problem is that many times the food has been quite salty and it has been PACKED inside. It's pretty loud.The second one dosent really bother me, but if you want a quiet meal than that's just not going to happen. But besides that, I would definitely recommend First watch. read more

We had a fantastic hot breakfast with great service from Chante in a beautiful setting. I highly recommend this new breakfast spot in Columbia! read more

I was very excited to see the First Watch sign go up in Columbia. We've eaten at First Watch in a couple other places. The food is delicious and we've always had great service. I'm looking forward to the same at the new First Watch here in Columbia. read more

Good, service and restaurant immaculately clean. Great sandwiches, tomato soup and Cobb salad were delicious.

Wonderful food nice atmosphere good service highly recommend it and the drinks were good too

First, I have a Columbia mailing address, but we live inside the city of Spring Hill. My thoughts are equal of the First Watch restaurants and other eateries in both towns. First Watch provides great service but I was and am currently not impressed at all with the food selections offered. Menu is saturated with expensive, non-local types of meals and drinks. First Watch is obviously opting to cater to our new neighbors who have moved down from up north or from out west with their highly priced and unique food options. I hear that their niche clientele is happy with the experience and style of eating. But not everyone enjoys the food and value they are selling. If, however, you are interested in eating more traditional types of breakfast meals with items expected as being more appropriate to the average Tennessee experience, you will not find that here! There is not a single option on the current menu for fried or scrambled eggs, typical breakfast meats, biscuits, gravy, pancakes or waffles. Our area badly needs the proper kind of new, exciting restaurants that are not Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Indian or other non-American cuisine or any more fast food options of any kind, pizza, etc., etc. We, I believe, need some more sit down eateries with great dining experiences serving salad bars, great American food choices, fresh veggies properly prepared, etc. Not only because the food would be more tasty, but moreover, it would also make available more healthy food choices for our neighboring families with children who desperately need the better nutrition daily. Schools now use more quickly prepared foods and no longer "cook" the food they serve our kids. More moms work than ever before and lack the real time in their schedules to plan, prepare, serve and clean up really nutritious meals everyday. Neither do any of us fellows that even know how to do such a thing. Every one of the existing local restaurants that advertise being respected for their "country" cooking should be ashamed of themselves for false advertising. (Yes, and even you too, Cracker Barrel.) Sorry that my honest review of First Watch is not head over heels in favor of their current offerings as I was looking anxiously forward to their new breakfast location in our small but growing area. I absolutely believe that there is a great "country" breakfast, lunch and dinner restaurant out there that will better match what the majority of our residents favor and will absolutely support whole heartedly with our food dollars and loyalty. Sadly, First Watch, nor ANY other restaurant in town is currently offering what so many of us want and really need. That leaves us in an area full of quick and easy food options that provide us and our families eating poor quality, poorly prepared and overpriced meals that will not even meet the long range nutritional requirements that any of us really needs. read more

Beautiful, upscale ambience. The food is delicious & plentiful. Really like that they put a pot of coffee and a carafe of water on the table so you can serve yourself. Our server (blonde hair, glasses) was delightful! read more