A group of us (10) chose Sunday Brunch at the Woodward Corner's First Watch. My colleague called ahead and arrived early to secure a table. Located on a mall, there was plenty of complimentary parking spaces, a real plus in Royal Oak! The interior was sizable and quite cavernous. As it filled with diners, it got more and more difficult to hear members of our party. That said, it was sunlit bright and very clean. Our server, Anayla was absolutely the BEST: pleasant, patient, efficient and in the end..., provided separate checks! Though i only drank water (served without ice - Euro Style), my party ordered coffee and hot tea. Anayla must've known they would be draining their mugs over and over. Within minutes she returned with thermal pots for the pouring! I ordered the Smoked Salmon Fritata with a small arugula salad accompaniment. The salad was excellent - fresh and tasty. The frittata was nicely plated, with a dollop of sour cream in the middle. It a bit bland tasting to my palate. Payment is accepted via cash, credit or QR Code. All worked well for our group. Restroom was clean and stocked. I would definitely consider returning to First Watch again. read more

First Watch - Smoked Salmon & Roasted Vegetable Frittata - Cafes Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

I am leaving a review as a warning for others and a reminder for myself...stick to the juices and sodas cause the cocktails are absolutely horrible. Especially whatever that Blueberry Sangria one!!!! Literally spit it out. Tasted about 4 more and everyone in my party agreed that cocktails are not their specialty, AT ALL! Immediately after tasting i remembered that I told myself not to get alcoholic drinks here when I went in Charlotte, NC..save your money and just get a soda instead. Other than that, the service and food were great. I go two of the summer specials and was satisfied with both. Very generous fruit bowl. So yes, I would go again. I will remember to stick to water for my beverage of choice read more

I've been to several First Watch locations, but it was my first time at this one. Their food.is always good - fresh, tasty, good portion sizes. Since it was a new location for me, I decided to try something new (to me) on the menu - the smoked salmon frittata. I'm glad I tried it - it was really good! Andy was our server and he was an absolute delight! read more

First Watch - Smoked Salmon & Roasted Vegetable Frittata - Cafes Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

First time trying this location First Watch and the food absolutely lived up to the hype. The blueberry lemon cornbread was SO good, and the chimichurri steak & egg hash was amazing the flavors were honestly hard to describe. Everything tasted fresh, flavorful, and worth the wait. The service, however, was a little lacking. Our server forgot several items we requested, and we ended up having to ask other staff members for help and even for our bill. That being said, it was a busy Saturday morning, and the restaurant was packed, so I do want to give some grace there. The restaurant itself is very spacious with plenty of seating and a nice breakfast bar area. It's clearly a popular spot since there was about a 30-minute wait before we were seated. Overall, I'd definitely come back because the food was just that good. read more

First Watch - Chimichurri Steak & Eggs Hash - Cafes Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

See all

Liya was Excellent. She Welcomed us and continued to confirm when We were ready to order. She shared the Winter Menu with us. As stated a few months ago First Watch is not skimpy on portions. There were 2 of us. We ordered 1 Breakfast meal and 1 pancake and yes still had to get a takeaway box. I pulled the Healthy Salt and Pepper before the plate came. There was Absolutely no need for it. BTW if You desire a fresh healthier cream for Your coffee. Just ask and half & half will be brought right out read more

See all

Our first visit to this location. Surprisingly the wait time was minimal. Unlike past experiences at other locations, this server did not introduce herself nor was very forthcoming to personally check/ask the kitchen/chef about requested food accommodation. She pointed out the restaurant does provide a nutritional and allergen menu WR code. However, the food allergen menu is no longer in a chart format with the 9 major food allergens. Each item only lists contained food allergens. The server told me their bread contains Sesame. But when checking the allergen menu, it did not list Sesame under the foods with bread/toast. The customer seated after we had ordered our food was served their food before us. Our food /sunny side up eggs were overcooked either on the grill or from being under the warmer lights too long. The wrap and potatoes were tasty. I would order this again. This location was extremely loud and noisy because of the high ceiling. I hope it's better if we visit again. read more

See all

The service at this location is always amazing- this is my fave FW But this review is for the holiday menu: do not miss the Tangerine Dream! (See pic) I'm a kale tonic gal but the seasonal tangerine is like an orange sherbet and worth the splurge read more

First Watch - Seasonal Tangerine Dream - Cafes Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

I love First Watch & have been here and other locations. While waiting, I removed bacon crumbs from my table then opened my napkin to find food stuck to my new place setting. I was kinda grossed out so decided to leave but asked for manager on way out to let her know I ordered but I'm not staying because of that. She said "okay." No apologies, no nothing. Her attitude change would have prevented me writing, still ewh ... read more

First Watch - Dirty Silverware - Cafes Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

This place is adorable and has amazing service. For how busy they were I felt I was still taken care of quickly and efficiently. And the food is amazing! If you're fresh out of the hospital, or looking for a good brunch spot, give this place a try. read more

See all

Friendly Staff fast service and great bacon !! I asked the server her recommendation and she gave me an honest opinion and I went it and I wasn't mad about it!! I will definitely return! read more

First Watch - Chimichurri Steak & Eggs Hash - Cafes Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

See all

Large inside with many tables for Seating. Seated right away for lunch. The waitress was super friendly. I got the half ham and gruyere cheese and tomato basil soup. The soup needed croutons and parmesan cheese. It came with two packages of saltine crackers. The bread for the sandwich was outstanding and the mustrd saice rhe best part. The breakfast tacos on their holiday menu sounded amazing. I definitely want to go back for those. It was quite chilly. Wish i had worn a heavier sweater. Wrapped my jacket around me to stay warm. Tip: you pay at the counter up front. read more

First Watch - Menu - Cafes Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

See all

We love coming here when we're home for the holidays. The portions are nice and everything is reasonably priced. My biggest complaint is the reservations. I've used their app and it hasn't worked multiple times. I don't know why but it's awful and there is always a decent wait. There isn't a space to wait for a larger party of 6 so we end up waiting at a coffee shop nearby for our table after putting our names down. It could be a better experience. We will probably go elsewhere in the future during our visits to the area. read more

Great food and a more open seating area at this location. Service is a bit slow though if you're in a hurry. We came in here on a Saturday morning to get some brunch. There's a lot of seating here and you don't feel crammed in like other locations. With the bigger location though, it took a bit longer to get food it seemed. All the tables weren't full so I'm not sure what was happening at that time when we came in, but we spent a bit longer there than we anticipated. The food was fantastic though! I got the breakfast tacos (which at this location, they cooked the chorizo in with the egg!). I had the caramel coffee drink and it was very filling and delicious too! Really good location! read more

It's a nice breakfast spot. Coffee by the pot on the table, clean, a nice menu for a lot to offer. The service was very good and it was not too loud. There's lots of parking nearby and it's close to Beaumont/Corwell Hospital. read more

Didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by First Watch. Simple layout and design, great staff and the wait is never too long. I wouldn't say the food blows you away, but definitely an above average breakfast spot for me. I stick with the Farm House Skillet w/ Turkey Sausage, Belgian Waffle and the Watermelon Refresher or Purple Haze. Very good. read more

See all

Always great food! Wait staff is extremely nice and a nice morning vibe. I recommend those chocolate chip pancakes and coffee

Best breakfast we have had in a long time. We had the barbacoa bowl & steak chimichurri bowl 10/10 recommend. Our waitress Alyssa was a spectacular. read more

I came here many weekends last year because I loved the food and service. Sadly, after today's experience, I will not be returning. Neither will my friend, who, after eating her club sandwich, put a forkful of salad to her mouth, only to find a maggot crawling from it! This instantly killed our appetites. We had already overlooked things such as the outside of the dishes being dirty, as if someone had put vodka sauce on their hands before handling them and didn't wipe it off. The color didn't match any of the ingredients in our dish. The portions were smaller, the bartender gave us a hard time when we tried to order a drink while we waited, and the service was not as good as I remember. But a maggot?! These are grounds to call the Department of Health on them! Who wants to leave a dining experience feeling squeamish? We both questioned whether or not we had unknowingly eaten some. It was repulsive. I needed to take a nap and restart the day. You get the picture. Buyer beware! read more

First Watch - Check out the fork. That's not a piece of rice. - Cafes Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

Definitely our favorite place for brunch and their online waitlist is a big plus. The omelets are delicious and the millionaire bacon is worth the visit. read more

Whomever answered the phone at 10:28am today (3/11/26) was beyond rude! I called because I had to place a 2nd DoorDash order because they gave the delivery driver the wrong order. I expressed to her to please make sure the correct order was given, she was quick and hung up on me. When I called back so I can get her name she just let the phone ring. I love the food here but its hit or miss on delivery. The one in Troy is more dependable. read more

The seasonal menu item - The B.E.C. The bacon egg and cheese sandwich. What is amazing about this sandwich is that it comes with Calabrian chilies, chili oil and arugula! It's so good read more

See all

We came on mother's day which is probably bad decision number one. This place was packed with an hour wait. We were able to get two seats at the bar in 10 mins so we opted for that route. This is our first time here so super excited. After 20 mins we finally got yo place a drink order. We started with mimosas. Not cold at all, insert sad face. The wait time to place a food order was crazy. The wait time to get water after placing the food order, even crazier. The wait time to receive food.... let's not even talk about it. What I observed was the lack of efficiency and focus. You could tell this staff just isn't prepared to effectively multi task and stay on task during busy periods. The girl working the bar area, while nice, was very scattered. She was forgetting everything. The people at the small bar area are requesting the same things multiple times. They have these beautiful menu boards with specials written in chalk. when i questioned an item I was told to ignore those boards and only order what's on the paper menu. well why is it here then?? Ordered my eggs over easy on the hash and received a hard fried egg after waiting 45 mins (sigh) Receive our food bill and it's double charged for mimosas that the bartender specifically made us pay for up front (double sigh). Another 15 minute wait to get her to fix the bill, had to remind her because as mentioned she's scattered. This place just needs a strong manager presence up front to help keep things flowing on days like this. I want to love this place. The service was just sooooo lack luster that it's difficult to justify going back. read more

See all

Went to breakfast with a group of friends to celebrate several birthdays. Unfortunately, the experience was disappointing. Service was very slow and inattentive, food arrived cold and at different times, and we were served water without ice. Despite asking, it took about 30 minutes to receive the bill. While the restaurant was busy, there appeared to be enough staff on hand that these issues shouldn't have been a problem. Overall, it was a poor experience. read more

Our servers name is Harold. He was attentive, knowledgeable and has an amazing personality! He made my sister's birthday breakfast awesome!!!! The establishment is very clean. read more

We had a very good experience at this location. I do prefer it over the Troy one. Went there on Friday morning to get some breakfast and we were sitted on the nice patio. Our server was very attentive and made sure our modifications were met. I'm not a fan of their coffee, it tastes sour to me and one thing I noticed and was always very appreciative was the vegan Silk creamer. It's gone and was replaced by a cheap alternative that is not vegan! It's very confusing since there is dairy free note on the package but then it says: contains milk. This is a bummer and I'm very disappointed in First Watch for doing that. Our breakfast dishes were good and fresh, although the chorizo omelet had barely any chorizo in it. My avocado toast was good, I really like their bread a lot. Other than some minor disappointments I can say it was a pleasant experience at this location. read more

See all

I've had this place booked marked for sometime now. It was busy when I arrived. It was just me. I was able to sit at the bar. The chair were pretty close to eat other. The service was good as well as the food. I liked the inside as well. I'll be back. read more

Love this location! We've been there twice now, both yummy and delish. Last time, I had the farmhouse skillet, with deliciously seasoned potatoes, crispy bacon, and 2 perfectly cooked eggs. I added mushrooms with no problem. My partner had the chickenchita omelet, covered with yummy hollandaise. Service has been top notch, our food came quickly, and the freshness and seasoning were perfect. We went early (9am) on Sundays, so no crowd issues. This location is airy and bright, and bigger than it looks. We will definitely be back. read more

First Watch - Cafes Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

See all

Very nice breakfast spot with a variety of breakfast offerings. My mom and I came for lunch and returned for breakfast and we enjoyed both meals. The food is fresh and not processed and you're covered if you lean towards healthy eating. A special shout out to our server Harold who made great menu recommendations and he was also very courteous and attentive. I noticed that he had a very busy section during our last visit yet we never felt neglected. I just wish that First Watch would consider adding espresso drinks. I was surprised that they did not offer lattes but thankfully their regular coffee brew is good and they leave the carafe on your table for self serve refills. I recommend this spot. read more

This was my first time at the Royal Oak location. The staff were thorough and kept us informed of the wait time. I was with a party of 6. They kindly sat us at our table before the whole party arrived. Our orders came out in a timely manner. Everything was perfect. The million dollar bacon is worth it! I ordered the biscuits with turkey sausage gravy and I was not disappointed. The seasoned potatoes are delicious as well. If you enjoy a cocktail with your brunch (and love sweet) I recommend the cereal milk drink. It's has a little cold brew coffee in it. This is a place that I highly recommend and will definitely go back. read more

Hands down best breakfast place in I've been to in Michigan. The food is always delicious and actually has flavor! It's so hard to find American restaurants in the Midwest at actually season their food. read more

Stopped in for brunch with my cousin after a doctor's appointment. I had been craving pancakes and decided to give the lemon ricotta ones a try. OMG they were so good. The lemon curd is a bit sweet so I didn't add syrup but they were so fluffy and flavorful. The turkey sausage were bland and I wouldn't order again. My cousin got the traditional breakfast and said it was very tasty. Service was fast and friendly. I didn't take a pic of my honey caramel crunch ice coffee. It tasted like a snickers bar, I hope it becomes a regular item on the menu. read more

See all

Seated pretty quickly but we were not told that the kitchen was backed up. Waited an hour to get our food. When mine came the pancake was overcooked. My moms meal was fine. Manager gave us gift cards and an insincere apology. read more

First Watch - Pancake - Cafes Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

The food tastes good, but the kids meal side of fruit is a joke. A garnish in a dish. The menu item is listed as "a half portion of our fluffy Belgian waffle served with fresh fruit and your choice of bacon or sausage." Here's a picture of the side of fruit. Feels like a rip off. Tried calling right after we picked up our order to address it with the staff. No one answered the phone. Surprising because in all my previous interactions the staff has been attentive, courteous, and professional. Today feels out of character. Update (from two stars to four): First Watch customer care reached out and eventually the store manager as well. They offered a coupon for our next service. Unfortunately we are no longer in the area and were unable to take advantage, but I appreciated management's attempt to rectify the situation. read more

First Watch - Kids meal Belgian Waffle with a "side of fruit" - Cafes Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

This location is ok. It's located near the hospital, so it's a good place to grab breakfast after night shifts. They have their regular menu, but also seasonal stuff. The food was ok. Not bad, but not great either. I wish they dressed their greens, though. The side of leafy greens on my frittata was literally plain greens--seemed fresh out of the box. I mean, it's fresh, but I wish they at least dressed it with lemon juice or something for some flavor. Decent portions. Personally, not my number-one go-to for brunch places, but at the same time, I'm happy to have such a convenient place near the hospital. The service was nice, though. I think the service is the best thing about this place.. read more

First Watch - Cafes Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

There is a line! Recommend checking in online/joining the waitlist. Online menu has seasonal meals which may not be available once in restaurant. Food is good. Drinks are individually packaged as opposed to being made per glass. It is annoying waiting in line to pay so you can leave. That's also where check-in/reservations are made. read more

See all

I don't get to Royal Oak as much as I would like due to parking, but since this shopping center opened at 13 mile and Woodward, I'm loving this corner. I was in the area and needed breakfast stat, and since it's easy in, easy out here, I flew in as fast as I could to get some food. Mind you, I've had First Watch before, so even though it's my first time at this location, I've had many visits to them over the years. It was a Saturday morning so the place was jamming, but surprisingly, the wait wasn't to bad. Since it was just me, I opted for a spot at the bar, so that helped to speed it up. The staff here's super friendly and efficient, which makes all the difference in how well things go at these breakfast spots, especially on the weekend. They were extremely organized, friendly and made a potentially stressful situation extremely easy to navigate for me. The lady working at the bar was very efficient and even though I had to ask for a menu, she was great at getting me what I needed. I went with the Chicken chimichanga breakfast thingy, and asked to get it with no Chorizo. She was more than happy to accommodate and even offered me extra chicken instead. She mentioned it may take a bit longer since the place was super busy, but I was okay with that. The food came out and it was fabulous! I ate just about everything, and it even came with a little fresh food cup. I also got a canister of water which was great since I was dying of thirst. Overall this place rocks, and I will gladly return in the future. read more

Your average first watch. Good service and clean location. Not that many big party seating. Def worth joining the waitlist

Pretty good. Always busy. gravy for biscuits and gravy is made of turkey . Kind of a letdown. read more

Food is amazing ! Coffee is fresh, and service is prompt . There is a bit of a wait & they didn't have the drink I wanted to try but overall this place is a gem. I visited from Nevada and come to Michigan often so I will definitely be returning. The chickichanga is to die for. It's a good atmosphere for families and/or friends meeting up or a first date . read more

First Watch - Cafes Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

When moving to the metro Detroit area, I was surprised to see that they had a first watch. I had only been to the locations in Sarasota and Indianapolis. This location is trendy, lively, and a little smaller than the others that I have been to. My sister and I got donut bites, that were pumpkin flavored during the fall season. These were very good. Although I was not a fan of the dipping sauce flavors. Additionally, this is one of the more rare places that actually has a salmon eggs Benedict. It's okay - Wow the salmon and ingredients taste fresh, The flavor overall is bland and the bread is a little too thick for my liking. Overall, I think this restaurant is good, but it always just misses the mark on flavor the two times I have gone. read more

First Watch - Cafes Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

See all