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    First Watch

    3.6 (557 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 2:30 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order First Watch Takeout or Delivery

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    FIRST WATCH ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Reviews With Photos

    Morning Meditation
    Vicki R.

    I came here on a Friday morning. I was seated immediately and greeted by the waiter within the first 5 minutes. I chose to order the morning meditation ( orange, lemon, turmeric, organic ginger, agave nectar, and beet) juice and the chimichurri steak and egg hash. The drink was refreshing. The dish was okay. It was as expected but I would have enjoyed it more if it arrived hot instead of warm. The service started off with the waiter checking in several times. However, halfway through my meal he brought me the check. He didn't ask if I wanted anything else, but he did offer a to go box. It made me feel very rushed. Overall, my experience was mediocre. I will continue to go to the Rockville location.

    Power Wrap
    Ellen L.

    this is my family's goto place for breakfast & brunch, especially when i'm visiting. i always love eating breakfast food, i could eat it for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner! this cafe allows me to come for morning or lunch time only. i usually get some sort of egg dish, and my goto's are the morning market veggie omelet, power wrap or triathlete. on my most recent visit, i ordered the power wrap: cage-free egg whites, turkey, spinach, house-roasted crimini mushrooms and mozzarella in a sun-dried tomato-basil tortilla. it came with a side of fresh fruit, but i skipped the housemade pico de gallo. the wrap was tasty with fresh, savory seasoned veggies. it was very filling with the addition of the turkey breast. the tomato basil tortilla gave it that extra bit of flavour and kick. the fruit was a great way to clean off my palate after a wonderfully filling meal. customer service is always fast and friendly. we can easily be seated, fed, and have our bill settled in under an hour, even when they are busier. easy parking in the muddy branch square shopping center.

    Their huge pancake, eggs, & sausage
    Leigh D.

    F is for First Watch (1 of 3): My next 3 reviews will be First Watch: in this order Gaithersburg, Laurel, & Fairland/White Oak/Silver Spring. This is the order I went with my g/f. I went to this First Watch twice both times to use my birthday deal, 2020 with my EX g/f & 2024 with my g/f now. Sunday, March 1, 2020 (the more dramatic time than 2024 thankfully): It was rough getting there. While on our way less than 10 minutes into drive, my g/f overreacted to something, and I got angry back and continued to escalate most of the drive. Ultimately, I drove very fast on Diamondback in anger, and then she threw all the stuff in my glovebox out on the floor. I went in to First Watch on my own. She called her good friend (& my friend too, but a better friend of hers) to calm down. I told the host stand, here for 2. You can reserve ahead on the app because it gets very busy on a weekend. So, if it's a 45-60 minutes wait, and you want to be there about 11, then maybe you put your name in at like 10. The host took me to table, and I said get us 2 waters for now. My g/f is dealing with something now. I went back out to check since now we have our table. She got off the phone with her friend, and she suggested therapy for anger management. I agreed that it was good idea and I will work on booking something on Monday. This de-escalated things greatly. We went in, and although we were both upset with how things had gone, we proceeded to order. Service was pretty quick, cordial, & the food was good per usual for First Watch. Thankfully, I had the picture (especially since I failed to take a pic in 2024). I had the giant pancake, eggs, & sausage. Their pancake is huge, so you just need one. I really like getting their pancake here. Eggs & meat good too. Saturday, February 24, 2024 (much better situation): This was my g/f & I 4th date before officially having the talk about our relationship on our 5th date (see my Casey's Crab review in Maryland City near Odenton in western Anne Arundel County). We had my friend's board game event that day in Germantown, so this was on the way, and the first time she had met any of my friends. I think I got the omelet, potatoes, & toast, which was delicious as usual. Server was very nice. Overall, a solid choice for First Watch location.

    Carrot pecan pancake
    Carla M.

    First Watch is always my first choice when picking a breakfast spot! I always get their carrot pecan pancake, it's definitely a must try. It's sweet and crunchy and it's the best with their hot maple syrup. I also tried their turkey burger with a side tomato soup. I would order this again. And tried their omelette! I tried their loaded potatoes and they are good! But they are on the saltier side. So if you're being cautious about that, just keep that in mind. Their service is always great. And when you're done you can pay on your phone or at the host stand. Also keep in mind that they close mid day, so don't try to have breakfast for dinner here!

    Elote Breakfast Burrito Million Dollar Potatoes Blueberry Cornbread
    Anna W.

    The summer menu at First Watch is great! I'd recommend the elote burrito and blueberry cornbread. Our server wasn't as attentive as we would have liked but the food was fantastic. I enjoy how you can add yourself to the waitlist remotely before arriving. The seating was also very comfortable.

    Tri-Fecta Multigrain Carrot Pancake, chicken apple sausage
    Rob M.

    The food was delicious. The pancakes, eggs, and Apple sausage were great. The Ambiance is that of a comforting brunch place. It's here to bring food and showing that. There were some complaints with my party about the service. They explained the welcoming staff was being disrespectful. We originally wanted a bigger table and there was some service commotion about this.eventually everything was resolved and we were to get our seating for the party.

    Outside (10/31/24)
    Xavier I.

    Thursday 10/31/24 I've always heard about first watch but never visited until now. I made a takeout order on their website and got the stay golden cinnamon roll $6, million dollar bacon $6, French toast $11.79, and lemon ricotta pancakes $13. - the lemon ricotta pancakes were recommended by my dad and it was the best of the 4 items I had (but that's not saying much). I do wish I could've gotten more of the lemon topping because $13 for 2 pancakes is not worth it. - The French toast was recommended by my younger brother and it was AVERAGE. There was nothing special about it and the fact that it's nearly $12 for 2 slices of mid French toast is just ridiculous. - The million dollar bacon was alright and it's a cool concept but $6 for 4 strips of bacon is just not for me. - The stay golden cinnamon roll is a seasonal item and it was pretty underwhelming. I liked that there was ALOT of icing (the icing was lemon flavored) but the cinnamon roll itself was mid as it was very dense and dry in the center. Overall, the food experience average and expensive. I don't think that it's worth it as I wouldn't return or recommend at all.

    Chimichurri Steak & Eggs Hash

    We've been here several times and appreciate the welcoming atmosphere and friendly service. Overall, the food can be hit or miss. On our most recent visit, the Chimichurri Steak & Eggs Hash fell short. The portion of steak was very small--just a thin piece, roughly 2" x 1", tucked beneath the egg. For a dish that highlights steak in the name, it didn't quite meet expectations. There are other menu items we've enjoyed, but this particular dish wasn't one we'd order again.

    Heated syrup
    Fred N.

    Always very inviting and cost effective. One of the best places for brunch in Gaithersburg. Try the trifecta! Light golden waffles. Syrup always heated.

    Elote Breakfast Burrito
    Jasmine H.

    I've been to this location several times and I'm never too impressed nor am I too dissatisfied- just an "alright" breakfast experience with a really good juice bar. I'm reviewing this time as I tried the seasonal summer menu. They had a watermelon wake-up juice which is watermelon, pineapple, mint and lime. You know when you taste something good and it immediately makes you smile or want to dance? That's this drink. How refreshing! Our waitress said we got the last ones for the morning so I'm sad I couldn't get another! We also tried the strawberry tres leches French toast which was very good - it was sweet, almost a little too sweet but I treated it as dessert after eating the shrimp and grits. They had a good flavor but overall maybe a 6/10. My grits were a little too watery and the amount of onion was a little overboard. My partner tried the elote breakfast burrito and said it tasted good but needed to be mixed better as the first half of the burrito was nothing but egg and the second half had more of the beans and peppers. Didnt see much corn or corn salsa. Overall maybe a 7/10 experience.

    Farmhouse hash
    Sung Hee K.

    Food was better than I expected. Service was great and the ambiance mid-level noisy. You can sign up online to "wait in line" so definitely do that before you arrive to reduce your wait. It is hugely popular on weekends and the wait can be 40-60 minutes easy. I got the works omelette which was quite good. It came with a green salad, buttered toast and jam. All of it was good. I don't usually eat toast but this multi-grain was so delicious. I tried the salmon fritatta which was also decent. Portions are reasonable as are the prices. The blazing dragon drink was tart and a bit sweet but tasty. I will definitely return to try other menu items.

    Maria M.

    The place is very cute, they have an open kitchen, and it wasn't very busy but that probably has more to do with the fact that we went at 2pm. I got the Floridian French Toast and my boyfriend got the chickichanga, both were delicious. We also got coffee-- which was a good brew-- as well as a cinnamon cereal bowl, and a pomegranate drink, both were good drinks as well. The staff were all very friendly and despite having arrived 30 minutes before they closed we never felt rushed or like an inconvenience. We were checked on several times by the server and received our food and drinks in a promptly manner. Overall a great experience.

    Sunrise
    Jessica A.

    Late breakfast before heading into DC for adventures. I had the sunrise granola bowl, which comes with a muffin, yum! This was my second visit and it made me wonder why it's been so long since I was there. Love the food, great atmosphere, and friendly and hospitable staff. I'll be back soon!

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    Slow service, soggy food and rude staff. Bad experience won't be returning and I think there are better places with kinder people.

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    Page 1 of 14

    Ask the Community - First Watch

    Are there tables outside? We have a puppy.

    There are no tables outside. Ted's Bulletin has tables outside in the Crown. Another good breakfast spot.

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    C & C Cafe

    C & C Cafe

    4.8(48 reviews)
    5.5 mi

    Cute local Korean cafe! It's small but they have a variety of baked goods, pastries and even…read moredrinks! Service has been sometimes hit or miss with my drinks though. There has been times when my drink didn't come out the same as when I first bought them. So I guess it just depends on who is making the drink. This is a small little cafe that has some seats for you to sit and eat. Food I tried was yummy and the tiramisu latte is also one of my favorites. The Thai tea latte is also a bit more creamy which is yummy and not overwhelmingly sweet.

    They seem like nice people, but unfortunately I found the experience pretty unaccommodating when…read morethere was an issue with my order. I ordered a Thai latte and was extremely disappointed. It was grossly sweet, so sweet that it genuinely made me a little nauseous. I only took two sips before asking if they could make it less sweet or possibly switch it for a matcha latte, which was the exact same price. I was asked if I was going to pay for a new drink, which I found frustrating. If the issue is with the drink itself, especially when I had barely touched it, I don't think the customer should have to pay again for a replacement of equal value. They offered to add more milk, but it didn't really help, and I was also told I'd have to pay if I wanted them to add more tea. At that point, it felt like there was no real effort to resolve the issue. I even had my friend try the drink, and she agreed that it didn't really taste like a Thai latte. To me, it tasted mostly like milk, food coloring, and an overwhelming amount of sugar. I also ordered a garlic cream cheese bread, which was good. Not the best I've had, but definitely not bad. I'd say their pastries are a step above their drinks based on my experience. I'm also in the service industry, so I try to be understanding when things aren't perfect. That's why the way this was handled bothered me more than the drink itself. This felt like a very easy situation to fix, and I would've handled it differently with a customer. I don't expect perfection, but I do expect some willingness to make a reasonable correction when a customer is clearly unhappy with something they've barely consumed. Overall, I probably won't be coming back. The staff were friendly, and it is a quiet place to study with free Wi-Fi, so I could see myself recommending it for grabbing a small pastry and getting some work done between classes. But for the prices, I don't think the quality or customer service was enough to make me want to return, especially when I can go to Tous Les Jours and get what I consider better quality for a similar price. I wanted to like this place, but unfortunately the drink and the way the situation was handled left a pretty bad impression.

    Photos
    C & C Cafe - I was watching the baker make them in the kitchen, so they are definitely made fresh!!

    I was watching the baker make them in the kitchen, so they are definitely made fresh!!

    C & C Cafe - Chocolate cake

    Chocolate cake

    C & C Cafe - Butterscotch latte

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    Butterscotch latte

    La Poteria Local - Pan De Waffle Sample - April 2025

    La Poteria Local

    4.8(195 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$

    Charming neighborhood cafe with incredible vibes, friendly staff, and A+ coffee. I wandered into La…read morePoteria while on the way to Harper's Ferry; I'm not entirely sure how Montgomery Village, MD was perfectly on our route from DC to West Virginia, but I'm so grateful that it was. La Poteria was the perfect midpoint to grab our morning caffeine fix and a bite to eat before we hit the Harpers Ferry hiking trails. The cafe was beautifully decorated with marble tables, a ton of plants, and plenty of couches and cozy armchairs. There was a ton of natural light from the giant windows, but they also had a number of aesthetic hanging lights, some of which were exposed bulbs and others of which were in little wicker baskets. As far as the food and drink goes, I loved their latte. The coffee was rich and not overly acidic, and it was strong enough that you could still appreciate the chocolatey, nutty undertones under the generous helping of steamed milk and foam. I also loved the little heart sprinkle they added in the center of the mug -- such a cute final touch! My friend and I also split two of their savory items, the cheese arepa and spinach and feta empanada. The empanada was a little different than what I was used to, as it was super flaky and buttery, with an almost croissant or puff pastry-like dough. It was delicious and the savory feta went wonderfully with the spinach and the slightly peppery mayo-based sauce they served it with. The arepa was also lovely, with a generous helping of gooey melted cheese on top of the slightly chewy, slightly sweet corn-based flatbread.

    I have been here a few times and finally got around to writing a review…read more This place is cute and whenever I go I typically get the dirty chai and beef or chicken empanadas. The dirty chai hot or cold is delicious and both chicken and beef and chicken empanadas are tasty. The empanadas are flaky and come with a sauce thats a bit spicy but is perfect with the empanadas. I typically take my order to go but often see people dining in. This is my go to spot for quick bite and caffeinated drink!

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    La Poteria Local - Inside - August 2024 (near the entrance)

    Inside - August 2024 (near the entrance)

    La Poteria Local - Dirty Chai Latte w/Ice Cream - February 2025

    Dirty Chai Latte w/Ice Cream - February 2025

    La Poteria Local - Dirty Chai Latte w/Ice Cream - February 2025

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    Dirty Chai Latte w/Ice Cream - February 2025

    Java Nation

    Java Nation

    4.0(181 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    Went for breakfast on Labor Day and despite the busyness there was still a lot of indoor and…read moreoutdoor seating available. Definitely wonderful place to go to when the weather is perfect. There are a lot of different places to park also, so not too bad. Ordering was very quick and easy. Our food and coffee drinks came out so fast. I ordered huevos rancheros which were pretty good. I had to put a bit of salt and hot sauce to get a bit more flavor, but that's just my preference. Only thing to me is the pricing of it was kinda on the higher side for what you get. Regardless, I would still go again to try other items.

    This quaint coffee shop offers espresso and alcoholic cocktails. I have visited twice and both…read moretimes ordered a sugar free vanilla latte with an extra espresso shot. Each time my drink was good, the espresso flavor was fine, it had a smooth bold flavor and the temperature was perfect. While my drink was good, I do feel that the $9.00 paid for a medium drink that was about the size of the Starbucks "tall" drink was a bit excessive. They charged an additional $1.00 for whipped cream?? An additional $1.00 for sugar free vanilla?? The portion size wasn't worth $9.00. I may not visit anytime soon and if I do I won't order an espresso drink. It's not worth the price. The interior appeared clean and the staff was professional enough.

    Photos
    Java Nation - Inside

    Inside

    Java Nation
    Java Nation - Iced Pecan Praline Latte - Hot White Chocolate Lavender Latte

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    Iced Pecan Praline Latte - Hot White Chocolate Lavender Latte

    First Watch - cafes - Updated September 2026

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