Before I begin let me start off by saying that this review is based solely upon my personal experiences and my personal experiences alone, so with that being said let's begin!. My wife and I decided to stop in for brunch because we frequent this establishment when we're home so why not grab something when we're away from home?. We walked in and were greeted and seated immediately. That was a great entrance experience. But after that we don't know what went wrong!. The restaurant was not busy at all when compared to the location by our home, this location is larger in square footage and there was a lot of empty tables and plenty of employees present so I'm not sure why the service was so slow!. Once we were seated it we sat there about 10 minutes before someone actually came to our table. My wife and I ordered coffee to begin with, we probably should've ordered our food too because it took another 10 minutes to come back and take our food order, and like I stated earlier in the review the restaurant was not busy at all.. Once we ordered and the food came out my potatoes were burnt and undercooked, so we asked the waiter to bring us some more. Wouldn't you know it, the next order came out burnt too, almost identical to the first order of potatoes. Do my question is why would he bring that second order out to us? I would return because maybe they were having issues somewhere today. read more

First Watch - The first order of potatoes were burnt, the second order was just as burnt but yet the waiter decided to bring them out too! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

The chimichurri steak and eggs hash was outstanding. The steak was tender and perfectly cooked, and the chimichurri added a bright, herby kick that tied everything together beautifully. The eggs were done just right, and the hash was hearty without feeling heavy. Every bite was flavorful and well-balanced comforting but elevated. Easily one of the best brunch dishes I've had. Would absolutely order this again! I ordered for carryout and service was relatively fast. read more

First Watch - Chimichurri Steak & Eggs Hash - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

My wife and I ate at First Watch this morning, and honestly, the experience felt a bit off. The place was pretty loud inside, which made it hard to really relax and enjoy the meal. The service was a bit on the slow side, not terrible but definitely not quick either. I'd give the service about a 3.5 out of 5. My wife enjoyed her meal and even took some home, so that was a plus. I ordered the Power Wrap, and while the flavor was fine, the texture and presentation were strange. It was messy and drippy, not something you'd expect from such a simple dish (eggs, cheese, mushrooms, meat, and a wrap). I'm still not sure what was causing all the moisture, but it ended up all over my fingers and the plate. I also ordered a side of grits, which were probably the biggest miss of the meal. They came with what looked like half a stick of butter, a huge scoop melted on top and mixed throughout. I get that some people love buttery grits, and that's totally fine, but for me, it was way too much and threw off the taste completely. On the bright side, the coffee was great, good flavor, nice strength, and served hot. Overall, I'd rate the experience around 2.5 to 3 stars. It's not awful, but with so many great breakfast and brunch spots around, this one just doesn't quite stand out. It feels a bit too commercialized, like a place that's trying to capture the breakfast concept but doesn't quite hit the mark. read more

First Watch - A bit of the take home which we decided not to eat. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Mrs. Garrett and I went to Richmond, Virginia, to see my wife's twin brother "Deputy Chief Casey Johnson" graduate from the University of Virginia. He walked the stage to receive his Master's degree in Public Safety. We stayed near First Watch at the Hilton, which was within walking distance, in a city named Short Pump, Virginia. Upon entering First Watch, we immediately noticed the spacious, open-concept layout and rustic interior décor. It created a great vibe and complemented the friendly service perfectly. We sat at the bar and were helped by a kind young lady named Victoria, originally from Slovenia. She was attentive, checked in on us often, and struck the perfect balance--warm, helpful, but never pushy. We absolutely loved her. Then there was Mr. Smith. I noticed him right away because of how he moved throughout the restaurant--like he owned it. He was picking up trash, clearing tables, removing trays--doing the kind of work many leaders overlook. I thought to myself, Now that's how an owner should run a business: be one with his team, and in return, the team becomes one with him. As I observed Mr. Smith, I couldn't help but be in awe of the menu. Great drink selection, and the staff were energetic and hospitable. I ordered the Egg White Frittata with a side of mixed greens and house potatoes--it was wonderful. My wife had a scramble with goat cheese, and we shared a lemon curd pancake that was absolutely amazing. The mimosas were excellent. The place was spotless. We even DoorDashed from them the next day--and came back again, this time with Casey, my wife's twin brother and his fiance "Paula". Mr. Smith even suggested we check out Carytown--and we're so glad we did. We had a great time and eventually found our way to Brown's Island. It's a beautiful spot to walk, with views of downtown and paths that cut through the lush greenery of Richmond. Later, we stopped off at the nearby indoor/outdoor Westfield Mall. It was huge--perfect for shopping and soaking in some local vibes. During our trip, we met so many kind people--a pleasant surprise in a world that's not always so warm. We even took a drive to Charlottesville, about 45 minutes northeast of Short Pump. What a charming, quaint area! It reminded us of Berkeley meets Santa Cruz meets Los Gatos. If you're from the Bay Area, you know the vibe I'm talking about. Overall, this was an incredible trip. We truly fell in love with Mr. Smith at First Watch. He comes from a law enforcement and military family, and he shared a bit of his story with us. That was refreshing--especially in a time when so many people are reluctant to share anything personal, especially with a stranger. Mr. Smith, thank you. We suggest First Watch before you go anywhere else when visiting Short Pump, Virginia. Mr. Smith is now family, and we look forward to hosting him in the San Francisco Bay Area when he and his family come to town. So, if you're ever in Short Pump and find yourself hungry for a great brunch, phenomenal service, and that rare kind of energy that reminds you of home, good friends, and homemade food--go see Mr. Smith at First Watch. Tell him the Garretts sent you, and that they send their love, too. Enjoy the rest of your life. ‍ read more

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Solid breakfast spot! Extensive menu and everything is good too! This is one of my family's favorite places to eat! Can't go wrong here! Overall good service and atmosphere is excellent!! read more

First time visiting First Watch and I have to say we were underwhelmed given all the hype about this chain. We went for breakfast about 10:30AM, greeted and seated immediately by hostess, waiter came by promptly and we both had coffee, very good blend and a pot left at the table. I liked that... My wife ordered the three breakfast avocado tacos and I ordered the turkey sausage gravy biscuit with two eggs. Wife loved hers, I ate about half of mine and gave up - turkey sausage is awful. I also ordered grits instead of potatoes as my side and they were the best I have ever had - delicious. I also ask for an extra biscuit and while it was quite large, it was dry and overbaked. When the bill came I was charged $3.29 for a single biscuit. Most restaurants don't charge extra for any bread products - especially at these prices. Total for both breakfasts, extra biscuit and coffee, over $42 plus recommended tip of 18, 20 or 25%. You don't get more than 15% from me unless service is stellar - while the service was acceptable, it was far from stellar and asking me for 18% tip as a minimum is a tad insulting, especially at First Watch pricing, while is very high end for a fairly average restaurant. Environment? Lots of hard services and a very loud din as a result, even when only about half full. I doubt we would return, given other menu items were equally overpriced, for example, a single multi-grain pancake, $8! No meat, nothing but one "huge" pancake. Most breakfast menu items were in the $13-16 range, which is quite high when compared to places like Cracker Barrell where prices are closer to $9-10 for most menu items for breakfast and their pancakes are INCREDIBLE as are their biscuits, which they do not charge extra for, by the way. Doubt we will be back. read more

First Watch - Turkey gravy biscuit with two eggs and grits - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

This is my first time at first watch and I will definitely be back. The waitress was attentive. The food was cooked perfectly,the restaurant had a nice vibe, this was a very pleasant experience. I even ordered their kale juice to go and when I tasted it, it was very refreshing. read more

First Watch - Order of two stacked pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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First watch never disappoints. Great quality food! Tried the works omelette, double crunch tacos, and the traditional breakfast. We also tried the cinnamon roll. The only thing that was meh was the cinnamon roll. It was a little dense. Overall we enjoyed our fresh food and will gladly return to first watch. Weekends expect a wait, but you can add yourself to the wait list online. read more

Is it even a Saturday morning if you don't start your day having breakfast at First watch with your family??!! We love first watch and tend to start our weekends off here with breakfast. From our many trips to FW we've learned that there is always a wait so it's best to sign up for the waitlist on line prior to driving there. They have a solid breakfast and brunch menu and also offer limited time specials as well which are always delicious. We love FW, check them out. read more

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

Such a good decision for breakfast! Went on a Friday morning and it was pretty busy but fast service. I got a cinnamon pancake with eggs and sausage. It was delicious. The farmhouse hash was tasty. Service was pretty good and the restaurant felt comfortable and clean. Would definitely return! read more

First Watch - Farmhouse hash - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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The restaurant wasn't crowded this morning so we're were seated quickly. The server appeared quickly but took quite a while to bring coffee. The food was good and came out fast. I was really disappointed and the servers lack of attentiveness. No coffee or soda refills and never checked back at all after the food came out. Very disappointing service. read more

First Watch - Tri-fecta - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Food is spot on. And service especially on a very busy day was wonderful. Amaiya was very accommodating, pleasant, and most helpful. Thank you all for a wonderful memory for us to add yo our life. read more

Great food great service! Love out door seating! I had a good biscuits and gravy! I also like the self serving mimosa! Certainly expensive, but quality is there ! Ambiance is certainly clean and cool! read more

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

We went here for a little Saturday morning brunch and it was an overall pretty good experience. We had about a 30minute wait so I highly recommend that you make a reservation before arriving. We had three small kids and two adults and we were pretty satisfied with our food and service. The pancakes were huge and delicious, I'm not sure what kind of syrup they give you but it's terrible. The chicken sausage, bacon, and eggs were all also on point. Additionally we had the hash which was surprisingly good. Finally we tried a few of their new juices the lavender mint was delicious enough for the kids to ask for two glasses of it. The passion fruit one was also quite good. read more

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Super yummy food off the spring menu. Loved the cornbread and bacon. Friendly waitstaff and nice ambiance too.

When I lived in VA... this was my favorite place to go for amazing food for breakfast/brunch/ lunch. Now when I visit from California... I always make it a plan to come by and visit this place! It was just as I remembered ! You won't be disappointed read more

First Watch - Their lovely fresh drinks made in house - kale tonic, meditation drink, and a watermelon sunrise (or something like that) :) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Been coming here since it opened and the service has really gone downhill. Lack of attentiveness and failure to periodically check back. As for ambiance, the level of sound indoors is somewhere between a bowling alley and an artillery barrage. Food was okay, when we finally received the correct order. read more

Went back again and food was delicious, service was fast and pleasant, frequently checking on us throughout our meal. Place was clean, busy and quite loud but friendly and fun! read more

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I forgot to take a picture since we're celebrating my brother's birthday this weekend, but the food here is always delicious! The ham and gruyere melt he has looked delightful, though it did take a moment since they accidentally brought the omelet instead of the sandwich at first. The service when they realized the issue though, was perfect and he got a replacement drink while he waited for the corrected meal. My eggs Benedict and mom's French toast were awesome, and the million dollar bacon was SOO worth it! read more

Oh, so good! We were seated quickly and our server had coffee in hand for us while we perused the menu. And what a menu! Lots from which to choose. Savory, salty? Take your pick. Hub had the Floridian French toast, which is loaded with fruit. The French toast itself had excellent flavor. This was served with warm syrup. I went with savory and ordered the Baconer omelet, which was true to its name with lots of chopped bacon, with Monterey Jack cheese and avocado. As if that wasn't enough, it came with potatoes and toast. And we couldn't pass up the summer special appetizer of bacon and cheese cornbread, served topped with honey butter. Yes, we rolled out full and happy! Super kind server and friendly register staff. Highly recommend! read more

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I love first watch and have been to like 12 of their restaurants. Always delicious and fresh, the staff at this location were nice as usual. There needs to be a first watch in every town. read more

First Watch - Market hash and kale tonic - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

The Service and the Ambiance was very good but the food was just not good I could not finish my food because of the taste and they said the Orange juice was freshly squeezed but when I tasted it I could clearly tell it was not read more

First Watch is always my go to for a quick breakfast w the kids. The prices are affordable and the service & quality of food are pretty consistent across diff locations. This was my first time visiting Shortpump location was happy to see there was ample seating. They were busy but had no wait. We were severed quickly and food arrived shortly after. Our server cont to check in with us to make sure everything was great..no disappointments. read more

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Food Is Just Amazing...All Food Presented Fantastically!!! Our Sweet Waitresses & Waiters Are The Very Best...Super Nice!!! Everyone Talking, Laughing, Enjoying Time Together!!! We Come Here Every Time We Come To Town...Because We Just Love It Here!!! read more

I remember this place being the Italian restaurant, and boy is it different! First, let me say how brilliant it is to have an option to put your name on the list. I had been avoiding this place because it was always packed and I've eaten at another First Watch and didn't want to wait in an hour or two hour line. Luckily on the Saturday morning we selected, the wait was 15 minutes, so I put our names on the list and we headed that way. Once we got there, we were seated within 5 minutes. We ordered their specialty juices, coffee and my daughter got the Bacardi Omelet, my husband got a hash and I ordered the Tri-athlete. Everything was yummy! I need to try a lunch visit sometime soon. read more

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Great breakfast food. On the expensive side but the portions are big and the restaurant feels very nice.

Four of us had some breakfast here and it was ok. It is located in a strip mall so there is plenty of parking. We were seated fairly quickly. Unfortunately, our booth was right by the door going outside so we were cold quite often with all the going in and out. My wife had the cinnamon pancake and it was good. I had a pork breakfast buritto. Breakfast was good but i would try some other local places as well. read more

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This was my first visit to First Watch. I had never heard of it before until a couple of friends mentioned it. It's located at Lauderdale and Broad st conveniently right on the corner. My friends advised to try the million dollar bacon. I arrived and there was plenty of parking. I noticed they have an outdoor patio for people to eat at as well. The inside is very nice and the staff was friendly. (due to Covid-19 they do require mask). The menu has a lot to offer. I wanted something breakfast so I got some eggs, chicken sausage, a blueberry pancake, seasoned potatoes and the million dollar bacon. This was a great breakfast. The food tasted very fresh! The million dollar bacon did not disappoint at all, the flavor is awesome. The only bad thing about the bacon was it had me wanting to order more! There are a lot of choices at First Watch and honestly I am looking forward to going back to try some other food options they serve. The Lemons pancakes sounded amazing and will probably be my next choice the next time I go. Give this place a try, I do not believe you will be disappointed at all with the quality of the food you will receive. read more

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

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This was definitely a cool little brunch spot. It had a nice comfortable setting on the inside, although I chose the patio which was also pretty standard but I enjoyed the spacing between the tables. The drinks were absolutely amazing and affordable. Definitely stop by for a good country breakfast and great drinks. read more

First Watch - The front of the establishment - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

First Watch can honestly be hit or miss for me. I've been a few times and depending on what I order it's either great or very eh. The Farmhouse hash would absolutely get 5 stars, but the chicken breakfast burrito was basically cold on the inside and I would honestly never order it again. A friend ordered the avocado toast and the avocado looked like it had been ripe for days and they were just trying to save a few bucks to use it. And I'm sorry but the "million dollar bacon" is just bacon covered in maple syrup, which is not for me. There are better breakfast places around. read more

The ambience was phenomenal, the food - outstanding, service - awesome. The guy in the grey - CHEF DEVERAUX W. the guy in the black - DERRIK (our server). Prices are just right !! I would DEFINITELY visit this location again. Sheer perfection!!! I specifically requested to take a picture with the chef and server. The food & service were THAT GOOD!!! read more

First Watch - The guy in the grey - CHEF DEVERAUX W. the guy in the black - DERRIK (our server). - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Always great restaurant. I went there after running a 5K and was starving. Coffee was great and went with the pancakes (ran 5k so thought I earned it!!) Service and ambiance is wonderful. Always friendly staff. Highly recommend this one in Short Pump! read more

Great meal today - fall harvest hash with perfectly cooked eggs to my request and a chocolate chip pancake just slightly crispy on the edges but super fluffy inside. Of course I had leftovers but that's not a bad thing! Waitress was very nice and attentive. read more

First Watch - Just noticed this. And they have straws that are supposed to be ocean-friendly (I say "supposed" because I haven't checked it for sure). - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

We were a group of 5 for breakfast on a Saturday morning. The restaurant wasn't too full, we were seated immediately. Nice rustic ambiance. We ordered the Tri-Athlete (very good), Farmhouse hash (delicious), the Parma Skillet Hash (very flavorful), the Classic Eggs Benedict (also delicious, served with tomatoes), the Power Breakfast Quinoa Bowl (very good but not as big as the other dishes) and a pancake for dessert. Although the pancake was multi-grain, it was light and fluffy. Portions were generous. Our server, Viktoria, was very friendly and accommodating. Definitely recommend! read more

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So happy to see a familiar brand so we mindlessly flew to the light like a moth to the flame. Of course it doesn't disappoint. Same quality of breakfast offerings. Service was friendly and efficient, a little wait at the cashier area due to limited team members. Overall a great experience. read more

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

The food was of high quality and service was excellent. The restaurant was clean and warm.

This was my 2nd time and maybe it's just me ..... maybe I'm just a old fashioned diner kind of girl. Service was great! Khloe was my server and she was training a newbie who was very sweet... Today I got the carrot cake pecan pancake (only 1 because it's the size of the entire plate) I think it could be made a little thicker and then it would be a little less dry and had good flavor although the raisins are pretty much all in one spot not throughout the entire visit. The syrup was warm and that's so nice. You get coffee in a thermal decanter which was great because I was able to top off when I wanted.....my only complaint was my side of bacon was 4 slices (not big ones but plenty) cost 4.99 and if I had ordered the the Millionaire Bacon it would have only been.30 more... I wish it had been offered read more

First Watch - Carrot cake & Pecan Pancake - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

My first experience at First Watch was disappointingly a let-down. This was due to a combination of mediocre service and mediocre food. We had to wait 20 minutes to get a table, which was not bad for brunch on a Sunday, though! First, our waitress took orders from one end of the table, asking half of our table to speak louder and basically yell our orders to her above the restaurants' noise. It was a little annoying and she clearly could have just walked a few steps more to get to the other half of our party. The food itself was.. just okay, for a national brunch chain. I got the Smoked Salmon Frittata, which was flavorless. It came with a side salad which was completely unseasoned - just some dry, raw leaves next to my frittata. We did greatly enjoy the bacon, but it was definitely not worth the price for only 4 small pieces. The last plate I tried was the French Toast, which we all agreed was not crispy and completely unflavorful. Our waitress forgot the syrup at first, and when she brought it we had to slather a whole bunch on the toast in order to taste anything. I didn't taste any other entrees, but my mother said that the Quinoa Bowl was very sour and bad. However, my sister in law appreciated the Chickichanga, so if I come back I will have to try that. All in all, an interesting first First Watch experience but I would not willingly choose to come back. read more

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I've had meal at 3 different First Watch locations and they haven't disappointed yet!! Today I ordered the avocado toast with two eggs. It was a lot to guac about! The thick toast was dense and grainy and it held the mound of freshly mashed avocado on top! Some other breads just don't hold up! With the addition of the EVOO, the spritz of lemon and the coarse sea salt... it was sublime! The best avocado toast around!! My cage free eggs were perf!! No yolk! I like a restaurant that allows me to order freshly boiled eggs, none of those packaged rubbery eggs here! I know, weird choice, but boiled eggs go great with the avocado toast. The ingredients are mostly organic and locally sourced when possible. You will feel good eating here! And it's healthy and delicious!! I also ordered a cup of tea, and I was served a whole pot of hot water in a thermos carafe with a lovely selection of teas! So steep right up to First Watch and prepare to be delighted by the service, the atmosphere and the menu!! PS... try the cucumber/kale tonic!! So refreshing! An update: Naisha has served us several times with flawless perfection! Her smile lights up the room and she's attentive without beating overbearing!! read more

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Always appealing choices on the seasonal menu. I love the farmer's market vegetable sandwich on their regular menu. Service is always friendly and attentive. Decor is modern farmhouse. If crowded it can be noisy, but we really enjoy their food. read more