I'm not sure how this place was full and has good reviews but I felt insulted when I first received my food. It was such a big plated for such little food and having the audacity to charge almost $3 for an additional sausage is just crazy. I feel like this place is trying so hard to be like an upscale restaurant when it's worse than my local corner store. Service at the beginning was okay but to not serve my waffle with any option of jelly or syrup, wtf!? Then it took awhile to check out when there was no one at the register. I wouldn't recommend. Just a very expensive and sad breakfast experience that I went elsewhere afterwards to get my proper breakfast fix. read more

First Watch - The "trifecta" with waffle. That's all you get, not including the sausage, which was about a $3 extra charge... such a lacking breakfast. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Union, New Jersey

If Cracker Barrel had a little brother, it would be First Watch! This location is severely understaffed and sort of unorganized so be prepared to wait. I went on a Sunday morning and was told the wait was 30 minutes. After waiting for an hour, we got the text that the table was ready. I walked in and saw a bunch of open tables which left me scratching my head. Their excuse was the kitchen was backed up and they didn't want to crash it. My suggestion: put a hold on all to-go orders and focus on the people that are actually there. As I waited an hour for my table, a to-go order was picked up almost every 5 mins!! Anyway- the food here is basic but GOOD! We couldn't decide on what we wanted, so we got a variety of things. The traditional breakfast consisted of eggs, bacon, toast and potatoes & it was delicious. The breakfast potatoes stood out the most to me as they were seasoned well and cooked perfectly! All of the other items were tasty except for the French toast. It was over cooked, dry and crunchy!! If you like sweet and salty like me, I highly suggest the million dollar bacon!! The iced coffee and pomegranate drinks were both really good and refreshing! My son enjoyed the cinnamon roll but said it was overly sweet. The waitress I had was great! She was attentive and very pleasant. She was knowledgeable about the items on the menu and answered all of my questions without hesitation. The check-in/out area was like organized confusion because they are extremely overwhelmed. Again- I think they should put a pause on the to-go orders when the restaurant is busy because they clearly can not handle it. They have a few tables available for outdoor dining but we opted for inside. This location is inside of a shopping complex so there's plenty of parking. Wait time- 1 star Waiting area/hostess stand- 2 stars Menu options- 3 stars Food- 4 stars Waitress I had- 5 stars read more

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This is a great brunch breakfast spot! Pretty reasonable pricing. Portions aren't too bad. It gets busy but usually can get a spot in. I have been here twice and had lunch one time and breakfast another! The ambiance is nice open plan and ceilings, servers have been friendly each time! read more

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First watch is one of the new wave of chains that don't quite feel like chains, masking their corporate overlords with chalkboard drink specials and lots and lots of reclaimed wood. However, no amount of shiplap can punch up a lackluster breakfast experience. While I was there, I went with a traditional breakfast platter with eggs, meat, toast and seasoned potatoes. None of the food was noteworthy, with most of it being bland at best. I'd say a common theme was that things were overcooked, with very soft seasoned potatoes and very crisp bacon. If I came here again, I'd love to try more of the exotic options, as it seems that the diner type, generic food isn't a strong suit. read more

i Had the farmhouse skillet, couldn't even eat the potatoes in the dish. Too burnt. We did not even get our money back on a $13.95 dish. Service good read more

Great food, great service and friendly hospitable staff. Always welcoming and glad to serve you

Busy place to come for weekend brunch. With reservations, we waited about 15 minutes. Service was busy but friendly. They have plenty of seating around although it was packed. 1. Lemon ricotta pancakes - Drier than I thought but still flavorful. Syrup was not needed! Overall, good to stop by if you're craving brunch in NJ. read more

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

Very seldom do we go out for breakfast, but having to take the SUV to the dealership gave us the opportunity to try First Watch. First the decor is farmhouse chic, it has a warm welcoming feeling. Next the food, we both ordered the avocado toast with eggs, smoked ham and coffee. I love that they leave the coffee pot on your table! My husband also had the morning meditation juice, everything was delicious. Topping all of this was the service. Ms. Cynthia was just wonderful! She gave high end, Manhattan dining service. Super polished, super professional yet warm. I most certainly will return to this restaurant. read more

service was terrible and order did not come correct also was not refilled with water or check ins during dining food was good but didn't meet my expectations read more

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

The overall menu is on point when it comes to portion and price. I recently moved from NYC to Union NJ and the hospitality and service is greatly appreciated. The staff serves everyone with a respectful manner and attentive as well. When leaving and paying for my breakfast this gentleman by the name of Juan at the register demonstrated what true customer service is all about. He reminded me what it feels like to be welcomed and come back again by providing me with a complimentary coffee on my bill. Thank you Juan and the staff for a great New Jersey experience. I will come back and recommend the overall food and service for anyone who reads this. read more

We went there for brunch on my birthday with my kids. Omg the good was delicious and the service was super quick. This is right next to the Costco in union. Every single thing we have ordered is amazing. The drinks were sopeer refreshing. We tried three varieties. Everything is very refreshing but out of those three purple haze is our fav. Surely a must for everyone to try. We will be back there again very soon! read more

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I normally love First Watch. I've visited locations all over the east coast. It's normally a family favorite. However on this visit my daughter ordered a kids meal with pork sausage and the sausage was raw on the inside. I asked to speak to the manager and his response was "if you think it's raw" ..we check the temps and .... You can return there if you like but I do not spend money at places that take zero accountability. The kids meal was removed from our bill but we left with the worry that she could become si read more

My friend spoke highly about this place. i like the menu, although some of the dishes were almost my entire daily calorie limi. I wasn't allowed to substitute toast for pancakes. so I ordered the side orders, toast and sausage. The sausage was really good. I expected the toast to actually be toasted. It was cold when I received it. It came with butter, but I had to ask for jelly or jam. I didn't feel the wait staff matched the food and the ambiance of the place.The waitress was quick to leave the bill but never asked if I needed anything. I heard her ask people around me if they needed anything else. I would go back here if I was with someone who wanted to go there, but it would not be my choice of places to visit. read more

Such a lovely place to have brunch on the weekends! I love the variety menu offers, from healthy meals to warm and hearty options. Their drink menu is also unlike any other place I've been too. The ambiance is also really nice too. read more

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

I stopped going to First Watch due to the level of service and mediocre food about a year ago. I returned a day ago because it was the only option in the area for breakfast. To my surprise, it has drastically improved. I was able to add myself to the waitlist via the website to ensure prompt seating. Upon my arrival, I received the warmest of greetings from the host. Shortly after, our waiter introduced himself, set the table and returned with a steaming hot pot of coffee. We advised we didn't eat pork and he suggested substituting the pork in the breakfast tacos with chicken sausage, which worked out great. I had the trifecta, which included a Belgium waffle, soft scrambled eggs and chicken sausage. Both meals were served hot. The butter was soft, spreadable and completely melted in my waffle. My syrup was also served hot. The food was fresh, service solid and coffee strong. The atmosphere was lively and inviting. I definitely recommend for a convenient breakfast if you're in Union, New Jersey. read more

First Watch - Breakfast tacos with chicken sausage. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Union, New Jersey

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The place was busy but we didn't have a problem getting seated. My friend showed me that her silverware was dirty and she asked for a new set. When I unwrapped my silverware, there was jelly on the spoon and it was stuck to the napkin. The knife and fork were also dirty. I asked for a new set. My food came out and I waited but the waitress didn't bring a new set of utensils so I had to get up and ask another staff member for clean utensils. The frittata rustica was tasty. Eatonton, NJ location read more

Great establishment for a weekend eatery. The ambiance is open and fresh--top-notch service. Our servicer, Mia, was friendly, delightful, and attentive. Everyone who passed our table was polite and appeared committed to their task. read more

Favorite "date myself" Restaurant. I love their food. I love the drinks and the service is always amazing. read more

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

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Food is good the service needs some help to figure things out. I would compare it to trying to ask for help at home depot even if isnt busy same service read more

This breakfast was insanely good! I would have rated this place higher if the service wasn't kinda slow despite not even being busy when we went. We ordered eggs, bacon and home-style potatoes as well as a cinnamon chip pancake with eggs, turkey sausage and a side of home-style potatoes. I 100% recommend ordering any of those menu items as they tasted incredibly flavorful and were portioned super well! Overall, my experience here was pleasant. It's a cute breakfast/brunch joint with a lot of options to cater to anybody's preferences! read more

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Great customer service. We arrived early in a Sunday morning and were seated immediately. Our server was enthusiastic and friendly. Our order came out fast and our food order was correct. Everything tasted as expected. Definitely enjoyed our breakfast. read more

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

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Everything was delicious... Amazing food fr. I went two days in a row and I don't live near the area at all.

I used to frequent here for breakfast with my cousin to catch-up during the weekdays so it was always a good breakfast spot for me. I would usually get whatever seasonal special they have at the time if not the basic pancake platter. This time around they had a pumpkin pancake platter and I was so excited to try and was not disappointed. The perfect crisp on the pancakes, just enough pumpkin, and it wasn't too sweet like a pie- it was more of a breakfast than it was a dessert. My date however, I believe ordered biscuits and gravy and couldn't even get past three bites lmao. Personally, I was turned off by just the looks of it so i just laughed. The drinks weee my favorite, they were also new and seasonal and the elderflower lemonade was tasty and refreshing. read more

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I love this place! Food is always delicious and service is always friendly. They are stroller friendly which is nice. Coffee is good and their specialty juices are yummy. Try the beet one yum!! Overall it's a great place for brunch! read more

I literally just left first watch with an upset mood and treated very poorly, I arrived at 10 and sat for about a hour and 25 minutes waiting for the food I ordered blueberry pancake and my wife ordered the shrimp and grits, we waiting for 1 hour and 15 minutes just for the waiter to tell us the shrimp was frozen while he brought my pancake for me to eat in her face. Never again will I eat at this first watch in New Jersey in union. Horrible how they conduct business I feel like it was a hate crime because we are Muslim and these days are our holiday Ei. read more

Went to this First Watch for the first time for a Saturday morning brunch while visiting from out of town. I was concerned we'd have a huge wait for a table. We didn't. I was concerned that their Covid standards wouldn't be what I hoped for- they were better. The service and food were exemplary. The four of us had a delightful breakfast of interesting and classic dishes: Eggs benedict (could have used more hollandaise), chickiechanga, carnitas omelet and the Farmhouse skillet, and we shared a million dollar bacon. First Watch is HIGHLY recommended. read more

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Food was terrible - Brussels sprouts inedible, undercooked. Over medium eggs were runny. Potatoes were salty, hard. Service was next to nothing except for the order taker. Plate served almost thrown in my face and was asked if I was sure that was my order. Shouldn't they be the one confirming my order? Won't recommend the place. read more

A decent brunch place off a busy Route 22. Join the waitlist on the weekends since they don't take reservations. They offer traditional breakfast and lunch options. I ordered the frittata rustica and my boyfriend ordered the chickichanga. Both had huge portions and came with potatoes. The chickichanga was great! The verde sauce added a nice touch to the meal. The frittata was not the best I had but the big portions made up for the taste. read more

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

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We got here at 8:50 am and the food arrived at 9:35 am the food we got was avocado toast and beacon egg and cheese so it wouldn't take too long we waited 45 minutes for our food so our service wasn't the greatest the sever was incredible nice the place was lively and all the food is hand done all fresh read more

I had suchhh a positive experience at First Watch! From the service to the food, everything was delicious. There literally was not one item that I can give a negative review about. I loved the morning mediation juice which was delicious. It was then followed up with the brisket hash and a side of grits. The grits were literally some of the best grits I've ever had in my life. I cannot wait to come back and try more of the menu! read more

We stopped here for breakfast. We joined thenwaitlisr online prior to arriving which I recommend as there was a wait upon arrival but because we were on the lost we were seated right away. They only have a few pre-made latte modes so you can't customize it with dairy free milk or anything else which is disappointing especially for a place that like to advertise they are fresh. The chicken sausage is delicious an so os the million dollar bacon. The pancakes however were not good at all they tasted like reheated frozen pancakes. read more

First Watch is one of my favorite breakfast chains! The food is always fresh and delicious. The juices are really nice. The restaurants are very clean and very aesthetic. This restaurant seemed to be understaffed, though. We had to wait a bit of time for someone to come take our order, and then ~40 min to actually get our food. That wasn't the worst thing in the world though, i used to be a waitress so I understand being busy and understaffed. But I also had ordered iced coffee and I didn't get it until we got the bill after we finished eating. The waitress got me a to-go cup for the coffee, but the coffee was so clear it looked like tea and just tasted like water and I couldn't really drink it read more

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

Everything was sooo good! We arrived and there was a little biting a wait but that was totally expected. The host told us 10 minutes hit it really turned out to be 5 so that was cool. He sat my guy and I at a table that could have fit 6 people comfortably so we had a lot of room. My date ordered some sort of kale drink which was very tasty and a breakfast chimichanga. He was satisfied and quite full. I couldn't decide between the Lemon ricotta pancakes or a seasonal special of strawberry tres leche French toast. I asked our server who told me that he liked both but that he's go with the French toast because you can't get it all the time. I went with it and I was very happy with my choice. They were quite yummy. I also had a side of the seasonal bacon which was really good as well. The restaurant was very busy and kind of noisy. I couldn't even hear the music they were playing. We'll definitely be back as our server was great, the food was as well, and the timing was good. read more

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

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Where do I begin?! We sit down and don't see water/utensils for 10 minutes. We finally ordered food, and it was cold. They also were far less than generous on portion size. As for the eggs Benedict. The egg was barely cooked with the egg whites runny. They also put a weird lemon sauce on the food. I thought it was going to be a side salad but ultimately it was a few pieces of arugula on the eggs with a ton of lemon sauce. Bizarre. Lastly, service was a bit spotty. The bus boy's tray having political statements on it in the form of watermelon stickers was the tip of the iceberg. Happy to never come back. read more

I used to visit the first Watch in Midwest regularly and missed when I moved here.... I searched for this since I moved to east coast and I was waiting from the to visit.... Same as always great food , welcoming and cozy atmosphere for the Sunday vibes... read more

Service was good, atmosphere was great, food was just ok. BLT Benedict; the ciabatta bread was hard, the sauce was bland, & avocado pieces were smaller than my thumb nail (hard to see on the pic).The potatoes were crunchy and a bit burnt, million dollar bacon was good, ice coffee tasted like a glass of cold milk, and the purple haze was really good. I would give it another try, but will order something different. read more

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

I want to be fair here. We were actually pretty excited to checkout this spot for a while now. So we pivoted from Union Plaza Diner to First Watch. We got sat pretty quickly and requested to sit outside. Got out coffee very quickly and honestly, we got forgotten about. They were pretty understaffed for a Friday. Our waitress lost track of our food and apparently was manning the register and the tables outside. Other tables were experiencing the same thing. As it relates to the food, I got the power wrap and my pop got the work. It wasn't bad. Wasn't amazing either. But when you're missing condiments and already waited more than 30-40 minutes for food, sometimes a frustrating experience can take away from the taste. Didn't even get the check. Had to walk inside to pay. I likely won't be back since I don't live in the area BUT i do think if the restaurant can get the operations in order for waiters to do their job, and train them up to anticipate customer needs, really great spot for a quick bite with friends and family. The venue is lovely. So I think there's definitely opportunity for growth. Best of luck to this business read more

I had visited First Watch down in Florida and I was so excited to learn that we had them in Jersey as well! Let me start off by saying that we came in around 11am on a Sunday and we're seated within seconds! This alone made my day. Our waitress was super sweet and informative. We ordered one of the Hash Brown bowls and a Traditional Breakfast. Everything was to die for! Unlike many other breakfast spots in the area, First Watch feels very authentic. The food being served looks and tastes fresh and real, unlike all the artificial/frozen dishes served by most other breakfast chains. Definitely would recommend stopping by and giving their amazing variety a try! read more

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

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I am a big fan of First Watch. But sadly they were not hitting on all cylinders when we came. Seated immediately, but the server seemed to be so occupied with other matters. Million dollar bacon was cold and tasted like $2 bacon. French toast with fruit...nah... very bland. And the Lemon Ricotta pancakes is something we probably will not order again. I will not give up on them. Everyone is entitled to an off day. So we will give them another try down the road. read more

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Just right for what I needed as I pass through the area -- pleasant service, a breakfast menu that ranges from fantastical (tres leches French toast) to healthy (steel cut oats / avocado toast), and good coffee, served abundantly (a thermal pot left at the table.) I could do without loud music in the morning, but I'm aware that that's more about my wiring than anything else. read more