Excellent! Waitress were genuinely pleasant. Open space and high ceiling (it does matter) Tasteful and fresh food. Very clean. Open kitchen. Recommended read more

First Watch - Purple Haze- too sweet - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Union, New Jersey

See all

Came back for another brunch. Had to start with the Million Dollar Bacon, avocado toast, chocolate chip pancakes and new watermelon summer drink. The service was a little slow, even though it was empty, but the food makes up for it! read more

See all

The food was very delicious. The million dollar bacon is really worth a million dollars. The server was attentive and kind. The dining room was very open and a lil distracting. I will be back. read more

Subject: Formal Customer Complaint - First Watch Union, NJ (August 2, 2026) To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding my experience at the First Watch location in Union, New Jersey, on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at approximately 11:00 a.m. I arrived at the restaurant for a brunch meeting and waited in line while the other members of my party were arriving so that I could request a table for four. There were two parties ahead of me when I arrived, and additional guests joined the line behind me. I waited for less than five minutes. As a customer, I expected to be treated with courtesy and respect. Instead, I left feeling embarrassed and humiliated after being denied service for simply asking to be assisted in the order that customers had been waiting. While I was waiting, a woman approached and stood to my left rather than joining the line. She asked whether there was a line, and I responded that there was. She remained standing beside me but was not waiting in line. When I reached the front of the line, the host did not acknowledge me or ask if she could assist me. Instead, she began helping the woman who had been standing beside me and had not been waiting in line. I politely interjected and said words to the effect of, "Excuse me, I was here first." I was simply attempting to let the host know that I had been waiting in line before the other guest. The host appeared ready to respond to my concern when the individual whom I later learned was the Head Manager, Brett Smith, immediately intervened. His tone became confrontational, argumentative, and sarcastic. Rather than de-escalating the situation, he escalated it almost immediately. I was simply asking to be acknowledged and assisted in the order that customers had been waiting. During this interaction, Mr. Smith, while walking away and within earshot of other guests, stated words to the effect of, "We can take it to the next level if you want." He also said, "You can call Corporate or whoever you want." He further indicated that the restaurant did not have to serve me. I found these comments intimidating, unnecessary, and entirely disproportionate to what had occurred. At no point did I raise my voice, behave aggressively, or use inappropriate language. I was simply attempting to explain that I had been waiting in line and should have been helped first. Shortly afterward, Mr. Smith returned and informed me that First Watch would not be serving me that day. I requested his name, and he identified himself only as "Brett." As a result of this interaction, I left the restaurant and moved my brunch meeting to IHOP. The entire escalation lasted approximately 60 to 90 seconds. It occurred in front of numerous customers who were waiting to be seated, making the experience particularly embarrassing and humiliating. In my opinion, this situation was completely avoidable and could have been resolved with a simple acknowledgment and courteous response. One aspect of this incident continues to concern me. The guest who was assisted ahead of me was a white woman, and I am a Black woman. I did not initially raise this issue because I did not want to assume race played a role. However, after reflecting on the interaction, I believe it is appropriate for First Watch to consider whether implicit bias or any other inappropriate factor may have influenced how this interaction unfolded. I am not alleging discrimination, but I do believe this possibility deserves careful consideration as part of your review of the incident. Following my brunch meeting, I contacted the restaurant to obtain the names of the employees involved. Initially, I was told multiple times that Brett was not working that day. After explaining that he had, in fact, been working earlier, I was eventually connected with another employee who provided the employee names. He also indicated that Corporate had already been made aware of the incident and was expecting me to contact them. I respectfully request that First Watch: Review all available security video of the incident. Conduct a thorough investigation into the actions of the employees involved, particularly the manager's handling of the situation. Provide me with a formal written response and apology. Contact me regarding the outcome of your investigation, including any findings and any corrective action First Watch intends to take. I believe this situation could have been resolved with a simple acknowledgment and apology. Had the manager simply said, "I apologize for the confusion. How can I help you?" the situation would have ended immediately. Instead, I was publicly embarrassed, denied service, and treated in a manner that I believe fell well below the standard of professionalism and customer service I would expect from First Watch. As suggested, I have contacted your Corporate Office and look forward to a response. read more

Thoroughly enjoyed my breakfast here. As a pescatarian allergy baby, breakfast menus can be hard to navigate. They lack options! So I was appreciate a server who will lean into their menu for me, which is what happened here. The coffee was good hot and endless. My breakfast came quick and allowed me to season to taste, which I appreciate. The ambience was calm and quiet for the morning kind of exactly what you would want for the beginning of your day . I'll be back. read more

First Watch - Grits eggs and toast - not on the menu, accommodated for me - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Union, New Jersey

I have been to this location twice. The food was Flavorful. The first time I went in Charlotte, NC and it was phenomenal. The next two time were at the Union,NJ location which was delicious as well. My only complaint this time was the seemed a little understaffed. So things like water for the table were missed and we had to look for waitress' when we needed condiments that weren't on the table. My favorite menu item is the turkey gravy and biscuits with scramble eggs/cheddar cheese and potatoes. This time the potatoes were not cooked well. Some of the pieces were hard. The kids didn't like the hot chocolate said it tasted watered down. I would still go back as I stated it appeared they were a bit understaffed. There were several breast cancer walks n the area so they have been overwhelmed. If ur ever near one give them a go! read more

See all

First time at 'First Watch.' It sits in a very busy complex, so parking is free but can be challenging. A bright, clean, wood modern home style interior. I have to say that the service was not great at first. We were sat quickly, but then waited in excess of 10 minutes before anyone came to our table. Someone who was seated after us was greeted and served before us. I know this because I took photos when I walked in and the timestamp showed me he wasn't there. Once our server came over, she was indifferent, but was attentive & polite to us as time went on. A friend who had been there a few times actually warned me about the "hit or miss" service, as she described it. For food we had the Biscuits & Turkey Gravy w/Eggs, Honey Chipotle Chicken Hash, Million Dollar Bacon, & Purple Haze. We also upgraded our potatoes to the Million Dollar Potatoes. Overall an Ok experience service wise, but the food itself was EXCELLENT!! We absolutely enjoyed everything that we had. Grades: Biscuits & Turkey Gravy w/Eggs: A+ Honey Chipotle Chicken Hash: A+ Million Dollar Potatoes: A+ Million Dollar Bacon: A++ Purple Haze: A++ Eggs: B read more

See all

I kept my promise to visit this location after a great first-time experience at the Woodbridge, VA spot (check out my review there!). I actually like this location even more--it's conveniently located right next to LA Fitness, where I'm a national member. It's great to have a healthy spot to eat after a tough workout. I ordered the Shrimp and Grits (delicious), the Blueberry Lemon Cornbread (a bit too sweet for my taste), and the Watermelon Wakeup (fresh-squeezed and refreshing). Amanda was my server, and she was fantastic--friendly and attentive. She even let me sample the juices so I could pick the one I liked best (Watermelon Wakeup for the win!). I'll definitely be stopping here again whenever I'm passing through NJ, to try some other things on the menu. read more

See all

Went for breakfast today and enjoyed our experience! Parking is a little tricky given the busy area the restaurant is located in, but there was no wait to be seated on a Sunday morning. I loved their morning meditation juice, which I had been craving since my last visit here! For breakfast, I had the frittata rustica, which had mushrooms, tomatoes, onions and cheese! I recommend substituting the greens it comes with for their roasted potatoes. Overall, a nice meal! read more

First Watch - Frittata Rustica - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Union, New Jersey

See all

Stopped by this place after the gym and was pleasantly surprised!I was seated right away, which I appreciated. The atmosphere is relaxed and stylish. Great decor and a nice vibe overall. Service was great, our waitress was friendly and attentive. I ordered the Kale Tonic to start, and it was fresh and delicious. For my meal, I went with the shrimp and grits, and honestly, it was good.Definitely recommending this spot. There's still a lot on the menu I want to come back and try! read more

See all

I couldn't tell you what the food is like because we lost our patience and left. First of all, when we (four of us) entered, we were greeted by an abrupt "how many?" - no smile, no hello. We were seated, and I looked around. A lot of people at their tables did not have their food yet. Finally, after ten minutes a waiter came to take our order. Since we had plenty of time to think about what we wanted, I started by telling him what breakfast I wanted, he stopped me abruptly and said in an aggravated voice, "drinks first!", so I had to wait as he went around the table and took everyone's drink order before he came back to me to take my meal order. Why? Anyway, the waiter got our orders and left. Ten minutes later, we still didn't get our drinks, and there were people at the tables around us still without their food. It was at this point that we left.......never to return. read more

We were a group of nine, we booked the reservation for our group. We had an amazing time we all had different things and then enjoyed them all. Three of us got the morning meditation drink and I'll agree that it was delicious. Three of us also got the elevated egg sandwich (I got my eggs scrambled instead of fried) the sandwich is delicious. The only complaint we had is that the potatoes that the meals come with weren't that good, and the avocado/guacamole portions were little. The pricing here was great. I would definitely come back again. Our waitress Olivia provided great service and made sure we were taken care of. read more

First Watch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Union, New Jersey

I used to go here all of the time and decided to do take out. Totally different experience. The containers that they provide were filthy and the bacon burnt. I swore I wasn't going to order from them again but decided to give them another chance. I placed an order for delivery and was expecting it at 12:32p. Door dash driver picked it up at 12:20p. I didn't receive it until 12:47p because the driver decided to do another pick up. When I received it, it was cold and again BACON burnt in yet again a dirty bowl. I ordered a cob salad and they didn't even provide the dressing that went with it. I was so disappointed with the food and the delivery I just didn't want to eat it any more. I am extremely reluctant to ever order from there again. Quality has went down and that's disappointing. read more

First Watch - Million Dollar Potatoes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Union, New Jersey

Service was excellent, Friday 10:30 am wasn't a long wait, and the food came out fast but I thought the omelet was lacking. It barely had any chorizo in it and the only thing that saved it was the cholula hot sauce on the table read more

First Watch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Union, New Jersey

Tatianna owned the room, she was an excellent server full of energy and recommendations. Great breakfast or brunch place for meet ups or family outing. The food was excellent, try the shrimp & grits and watermelon drink. Would definitely return. Lots of healthy options and quick service. Hidden gem read more

See all

I had a delivery order, so I can't speak on in-house service, however my food arrived at my door within the time frame I was given, and was still warm. The lemon blueberry cornbread is incredible- it was shared and finished before a picture was even taken. I had the breakfast burrito which was huge and very filling. My one gripe with First Watch is that very often there are chunks of undercooked potatoes. It has happened too many times to not point out, clearly they're consistently being undercooked and it wasn't a one-off. Overall, decent breakfast/brunch spot especially for a quick delivery if you're feeling extra lazy and don't want to leave your house -or cook. read more

First Watch - Breakfast burrito - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Union, New Jersey

Food is good but it doesnt make up for the shitty service. Sat and waited for over 1.5hrs while there were plenty of vacant tables at all times (6 i counted). There is a 15min grace period hold on the tables for every party. Because "management" does not know how to seat people based on available chairs, they just rely on their software on the ipads to tell you who is in front of you. Oh and the check-in text still has not updated me, one day after the "experience". There is no reason to wait over an hour for literally breakfast food. Seriously. Just go support your local diners instead of these tech reliant restaurant chains. It will be cheaper too and just as good. Price: it is not cheap for what they serve. 2/5 stars for that. Add the ridiculous wait time as an insult to injury. Before they tell you it is a hour+ wait, look around for at least 10mins and you will see frequent empty tables. This is a noticeable trend for the two times I have visited. And since management will respond with a copy and paste customer satisfaction response to this review, they can take their point of sale ipad to seat customers and throw it out the window because its a horrible system. If i can rate this place a zero, I would. I get faster seating at a Cheesecake Factory on a Sunday afternoon than this place. Seriously, just support your local diners. read more

First Watch - Food is good. Shitty service. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Union, New Jersey

See all

Amazing customer service from start to finish I had my favorite drink ever the Purple haze & it did not have the weird after taste like most places. Food was amazing read more

See all

First watch is a great healthier option. Lots of options and great juices. It was a bit of a wait so I'd make a reservation if possible but definitely worth the wait. There are gluten free options which is a plus. read more

See all

The food was good - recommend the bacon croissant. Some of the potatoes were a bit over fried but I happen to like the crunch. Service was good and the place itself is nice with plenty of parking. I'll be trying the out for lunch. read more

Our first time here, I heard about First watch from a friend's recent dining experience. Since I am always looking for new breakfast places, we went in as a small group of friends . Our waitress was very friendly and helpful. The service was very quick. The ambiance is nice and inviting, was bustling was a weekend morning as expected. We ordered Market hash skillet, eggs, waffles, fresh toast, morning juice, lots of coffee. The market hash was a 3/5, the base was primarily potato's. My order missed a lot of the veggies. However the potatoes were seasoned really well. Most of the other dishes were really a 2.5/5, failed to hit the mark overall with both presentation and flavors. Including the coffee which everyone on the table agreed, was not good. Though we were all really excited to have a good first experience, unfortunately I think it just did not work for me. read more

See all

I love first watch ! I was extremely happy to find the Union location. The staff is always super friendly and it's never too packed so you find quick seating. Our meals never disappoint. I truly enjoy the tri-fecta every time. read more

Second time I've been to First Watch in Union and I loved it both times! Food and juices are delicious. I'm obsessed with the Purple Haze because I love lavender drinks so I've gotten it both times. My gf tried a raspberry holiday drink and loved it but unfortunately it's been removed. We've tried the french toast, waffle, and pancakes and they're all delicious. My favorite is probably the waffle. Eggs are also good and cooked just as we've asked each time. We really liked the Farmhouse Hash too. We had it with over medium egg and the flavors were great. Big fan of the homefries too. Packed with flavor and nice portion size. You can't beat the prices either. I'd say the downside is the service can be a bit slow/off but I can tell they're trying their best. They get packed! Be sure to add yourself on the waiting list on their site before coming. read more

See all

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE! My experience here was absolutely awful. I came around 11:30 am for a special birthday celebration and I was thoroughly disappointed. I left the restaurant around 12:45, not because of poor food quality or environment but because I received nothing. We weren't assigned a waiter, did not receive a menu, not even a cup of water...absolutely nothing. We were seated at a table and then just left there high and dry. I was so excited to celebrate my birthday with a beautiful brunch but instead I left I feeling embarrassed and ignored. I wouldn't recommend this establishment to anyone! read more

Food delivery there were missing items could only receive a refund through the app and they have a NO REFUND policy very disappointing no utensils and condiments as well FIRST and LAST time ordering from these crooks NO ONE ANSWERED called several times!!! read more

Tables, booths, and a large farmhouse table are in here. You are greeted at the door and taken to your seat. It was pretty empty so we got really quick service. I ordered a coffee and my wife ordered a tea. They brought personal sized carafes of coffee and hot water to the table. It holds enough liquid for about 3 cups. Their food was good. I suggest visiting when you get a chance. read more

First Watch - Coffee carafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Union, New Jersey

See all

The customer service was outstanding. Hunter, the manager, and Jocelyn, our server, made my wife and me feel truly special. The food was fantastic, arrived right on time, and exceeded our expectations. We had a wonderful dining experience and greatly appreciated the exceptional hospitality. 5/30/26 @ 9:30 AM read more

This was my first visit to the location in Union. I have eaten at locations in Dallas and Atlanta. I want to separate this review by experience, food, and service Experience I was dining by myself and I was promptly seated when I arrived. I waited a few minutes without acknowledgment from anyone on the staff. I understand staff can be busy at times however the restaurant was less than half full from my estimation. I watched 3 tables around me receive their water and drinks. About 15 minutes elapsed. At that time I contacted the hostess to have the front of the house manager stop by my table. He stopped by greeted me and apologize for the miscommunication with his staff. He told me that Tanisha would be taking care of me. Service Tanisha promptly stopped by and greeted me. She provided me water brought me coffee as well as made a recommendation from the menu. It was obvious I was not sitting in her section she seemed to have had three smaller tables and one much larger table. My entree arrived and was delivered by an additional server. Tanisha did check in with me to make sure that I was doing well although I was not in her immediate section. After finishing my meal I did wait for a while before receiving the bill to check out. I paid on my phone and left. Food I ordered the shrimp and grits and the blueberry cornbread. The blueberry cornbread while very tasty was not as warm as I was expecting. Still very enjoyable. The shrimp and grits I recommend. So the food for me gets five stars. Overall I thought the food was really good as expected. Tanisha service was excellent. Every organization makes mistakes and can have a bad moment it's how an organization responds in those moments that makes the difference. I thought the front of the house manager was professional courteous and handled the mix-up professionally. Tanisha helped make a rocky start smoother read more

I arrived here about 9:45 Am. It wasn't super packed. The environment was nice, all the staff very friendly. They accommodated having came with my little ones in a stroller as well. I appreciate that. I ordered the Purple Haze drink and Farmhouse Hash platter and substituted the pork bacon for turkey sausage. And got my eggs on the side. So...it didn't take long for the food to come out. But when it did, it was cold. I was a little disappointed in that because I was hungry and so were the babies. I informed the waiter and she went and spoke to the chef and placed another fresh and hot order. But by this time it's very busy inside and my babies were...quite antsy. The Purple Haze drink was perfect , DELICIOUS! I'd been wanting to try butterfly pea tea for some time now. And that was good! The waiter came to tell me there's a new fresh order on its way, so I kindly asked her could it be packed to go. I want to say the customer service here was superb! The only problem I had was my food being cold. But other than that I would've gave them 5 stars. I'll be back though. read more

As someone who travels a lot for work, I've been to several different first watch restaurants. When it comes to breakfast, the menu offers a nice selection & variety. The ambience of the restaurant is open large seating area. They have booth, tables, as well as a high top table. I knocked the star off because I felt Our young female server (never got a name) was a little on the snappy side. She was more than literal in any question that we would ask regarding the food. Example- we saw they had a new item million dollar potatoes we asked what was her thoughts on it. "it's potatoes million dollar bacon and white sauce" Then I asked about the superfood bowl "coconut pudding with fruit" Those things that I can read off the menu myself. We were asking for her personal take on any of the food, and she just reiterated with the menu said in a very smart way. Felt as tho she didn't care for the food. Overall the food itself met all of our expectations My personal favorite is the kale tonic. I would highly recommend that beverage read more

See all

Drinks were great. Food was delicious. Service was amazing. The menu had a lot of nice options. The ambience was comfortable. The prices were affordable. I went on a Wednesday morning and parking was scarce. read more

See all

Normally dine at a South Jersey location, but was in the area on 5/1and decided to stop in. From the warm welcome from the woman at the door, to the courteous service by our server Olivia, we were pleased. Food and drinks were delicious as well. read more

Never again. No one mans the front station. You have to wait till a "manager" notices you standing there. More preoccupied with take out than actual guests. Waited super long to get our food. Just so unorganized... too many "managers" but no one is actually managing. Good luck, hope they get it together soon. read more

I have tried several times, over several years, to give this place a chance but they never get it right. The food was not as represented in the pictures and quite frankly was not very good. Items were missing from my order and the food was cold. When I spoke with the manager he lacked professionalism and the customer service was equally lacking. I will never spend my money in this restaurant again. read more

Absolutely loved the unique yet delicious food offerings. Went here for brunch and was not disappointed! The hosts are very accommodating and friendly. I ordered the ricotta lemon pancakes with all the toppings of their French toast special and they had no issues doing the alteration. The portion was big although a two stack and it was moist and good. The million dollar bacon as a shareable side was so good some folks in our group opted to get their own order. It's sweet and yet savory. Ambiance good, busy, no complaints. read more

I am here now. Was seated and have been here for about 10 minutes. No one has said hello or welcome. I'm looking around and there are so many people waiting to be served or waiting for their food. No one has come over to me or greeted me or asked if I want water or coffee. This is not starting off as a good experience. Considering leaving here to go the next nearest one .. As I'm typing this, my server finally came over. I just asked her how long it would take for the food to come out and she just stared at me like a deer in headlights. She looked so remorseful and over worked and ... I can only imagine how she's feeling. Literally couldn't even put words together & then said we're really backed up. Should I stay and wait the same time it would take me to get to the other place ?! ..... I decided to stay. Let's see how this goes I put my order in ... literally 2 minutes later comes to me and says they just ran out the watermelon wake up ... chileeee. Just throw this entire experience away . I've never seen a Kale Tonic look so brown. It's suppose to give you life .. but looks like the opposite. read more

First Watch - Kale Tonic - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Union, New Jersey

Had a breakfast date with my teens. First time here!! Wasn't too packed as it was a Friday morning. We all ordered the tri-fecta to our likings, waitress was friendly and great taking our order. Food was good and a step up from an average diner experience. I would go back to try more of the eggs dishes. The only down fall was the coffee and I'm a big coffee drinker. read more

First Watch - Tri-fecta!! Blueberry pancake, over-medium eggs & pork sausages!! :-p - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Union, New Jersey

See all

Came here for a sunny brunch with coworkers and we grabbed a table outside. Props to our server for memorizing the whole order for a group of 8 (bold move)! I went with the eggs Benedict, without the hollandaise sauce... but it showed up sauced anyway, so back it went. Luckily, the fix was quick, and the dish was fresh and satisfying. Overall, a cute spot with solid, no-fuss food. Just wish their pancake and waffle game had a little more variety! read more

First Watch - Eggs Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Union, New Jersey

Had the best server I have ever experienced here today. Her name is Anaya and she was amazing! Her vibe was on point and she was extremely attentive. I will continue to go back because of her. read more

The food was still tasty but the plate was a little disheveled. I think they skimped on the potatoes. The Bacado omlette my husband had looked well made. I asked the watermelon drink to be given to me before I left in a to go cup. It was the first thing that came out. So overall it was ok. It has been better. read more

See all