First Watch

Pretty good breakfast spot. A little pricey but tasty stuff. I went with a chorizo filled omelet and some of their fresh squeezed orange and carrot juice which was quite enjoyable. Service was friendly and prompt. Only downside was the cost compared to the portions. Other than that, not too shabby.

I seriously thought First Watch was one of those diners for the homeless when I drove by many times. Don’t know why… the name? In Chicago they have those so once I got it in my head… well…anyway.
Finally I figured out if was just a place to eat and went in.
I don’t mind eating alone at all and one thing that stands out here is they have tons of newspapers and reading materials for their customers to peruse while eating. Nice touch.
Now to the food. It’s really fresh and the presentations are nice. Everything I’ve eaten here (and I’ve now been back many times) has been really good. The staff are top notch as well.

Wait was super long and when we went up to the lady to say we’d been waiting for 50 minutes she replied a snark «actually it’s only been 46». Our waiter gave us our checks right after we got our food and started clearing our plates while we were still chewing. Food was decent, but we felt so rushed and couldn’t enjoy a meal with friends.

Good, fresh food, diverse menu, and fairly quick service even when there’s a wait. To echo other reviewers, it’s a healthier alternative to IHOP/​Bob Evans, and does have some more unique choices. Not to say that you can’t pig out here if that’s what you’re looking to do!
You should expect to wait around 20 minutes on a weekend, but it’s not too bad. They have huge pancakes, good omlettes, etc. I recommend ordering off their specials board. If you’re looking for a unique breakfast place in Columbus, this isn’t it. But it’s great for a good standard breakfast with a few unique twists.

The best thing about this restaurant is that they have a diverse menu. I got my pepper jack, avocado and turkey sausage omelet with sour cream on top, and a side of granola and strawberry yogurt.
The taste was not as I expected it to be, but it was average. I liked the decent amount of the cheese in the omelet.
Overall, if I’m gonna go back, I might try something new.

Food is always good salads seem to be fresh. The staff is great. You might have a long wait on weekends but that is the norm in this area.

Food tastes pretty good. I don’t know if it’s just me, but this place seems pretty overpriced. You can spend upwards of ²⁰⁄₃₀ bucks for a two person breakfast. The ingredients do not cost that much…

First watch summed up is the healthy alternative to going to IHOP. This location is pretty big but there’s always a wait, but never too long. Great vibe, plenty of families around, really cheerful atmosphere. The employees are great, some know their menu better than others. The usually have some kind of special going on so hopefully you get an employee that can explain the dish well.
The food, the food, let’s talk about the food! I got the multigrain blueberry pancakes with eggs and turkey sausage. The eggs tasted a bit bland, the turkey sausage was quite savory and juicy. The pancakes were delicious. Last thing about our experience here, I’ve been here before and had a similar problem the previous time. Sometimes the waitress gets a bit overwhelmed and may mess up your order so just check to see that everything is correct on your receipt. Don’t worry, they are quick to correct any errors but outside of that I had a great time, hope you do too!

I’d describe this place as a healthier version of IHOP. The food that I had was good – scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage, and a banana granola crunch pancake which I’ve never seen at any other place and was delicious. It does get a little crowded on the weekend and we waited probably around 15 minutes for a table for two. The staff was friendly, the prices were reasonable, and our food did come pretty quickly, so overall it was a pleasant experience.

Plenty serviceable enough, but they could stand to use an in-​service from the location near the campus of University of South Florida. That one puts this one to shame. I would come here more often except it reminds me of what I’m not getting by comparison. Had I never gone to the one in Tampa, I’d think this place would be an excellent choice for breakfast.

It’s average breakfast food to me. I guess I might not be a huge fan of breakfast food in general, or I’ve had a lot better breakfast food in bigger cities or even Pittsburgh. I tend to like more interesting types and twists instead of your typical items, but if you’re looking for standard breakfast fare, this is the place for you! I had an omelet, and I mean, it was just really an omelet to me, nothing spectacular. Ingredients you can all find at the grocery store and make yourself fairly easy.

First Watch is a group pleaser if you’re out to breakfast/​brunch/​lunch. It’s just a somewhat nicer Bob Evans that costs maybe a smidge more (but still afforable). I enjoyed what I ate there the two times I’ve gone, but it wasn’t out of this world. I had the Eggs Benedict Florentine and Parma Hash.
Our server wasn’t very hands on either time. The environment was friendly enough. It was very crowded (just like any breakfast place in the morning!), but there was coffee to drink while you waited.

I have to say that I absolutely love this place! I’ve been several times and they always exceed my expectations. I’m from Cleveland and the First Watch up there is mediocre, so I’m glad I gave this one a chance — what a different experience!
First of all, best butternut squash soup I’ve ever had. I don’t know why or how it was so good, but if I could eat it every day, I would. That good! Their chicken salad sandwich was also superb.
I loved their healthy options, and the variety of their menu. We’ve always had attentive service. We’ve had to wait a couple of times, but it’s so worth it!!! Must try.

I stopped here on a weekday morning shortly after they opened at 7am. Very few people were there so I was seated very quickly. I requested coffee. The waiter poured me a cup and left me a mini pot. Then he brought me water and a pitcher without asking.
I didn’t spend a lot of time on the menu since I knew exactly what I was craving. I ordered the Traditional Breakfast which is 2 eggs, your choice of meat (I chose ham), potatoes, and english muffins.
First the coffee was really terrific which is sometimes hard to get in a restaurant. I used some flavored creamer (another bonus) and drank 2 cups right away.
The eggs were cooked exactly as ordered. The ham was well seasoned and perfectly grilled. The potatoes were great. I added some pepper at the table for extra flavor, but overall I was pleased with what I ordered.
The dining room was bright, open, and very clean. The service was great. My waiter was prompt and attentive. No hovering.
The price was a bit on the high side for breakfast. I wouldn’t eat here every day or even every week, but it is a nice place to splurge for breakfast.

Why does everyone love this place?
I have been here many times, but today will be my last.
I ordered the eggs benedict, a pretty standard brunch item.
It looked REALLY unappetizing.
The hollandaise sauce was a weird shade of a grayish yellow, and had the texture of gravy.
…NOT APPEALING AT ALL.
I could barely eat it.
The whole dish looked old and thrown together, I hardly got any hash browns on the side. And what I did get was burnt.
…Service was very «lack-​luster»
MEH.
I know this is no «fine dining» experience, but your brunch should still look good?!
I will never go back.

I went to First Watch for a birthday brunch a few weekends ago. Service was ok, we had 7 people and they got us a table within 20 minutes. Our food came out incredibly quick, buuuut it was not worth it. I ordered the mushrooms with cheese, over easy eggs, and toast. The cheese on the mushrooms was congealed, like it had been sitting out for a long time. Toast is toast, my eggs were cold. My boyfriend has a sandwich and he said it was good.
It was underwhelming and I ended up feeling very sick later. It may have just been a fluke and I got them on a bad food day, but the experience will probably keep me away for good.

Well, when it comes to breakfast options — and tasty ones to boot — you really can’t go wrong with First Watch. While their menu lacks true uniqueness, it’s pretty decent.
There are crepes, omelettes, pancakes, oatmeal, sausage, bacon — ALL of the breakfast favorites your little heart desires.
Being wary of my expanding waistline the weekend of my visit I was pretty surprised to see they had an actual «healthier eats» menu with low fat/​low cal options. And by low cal I mean less calories than that chocolate chip pancake I was eyeing on the menu.
I delightfully chose the «Tri Athlete Omelete» — how fitting, it’s so me! — and was pleasantly surprised. Check out my photo! Egg white omeletes with veggies, topped with salsa, a decent selection of yummy fruit AND an English muffin?! So much food — and for about $ 8 if I do recall.
The coffee was delicious. Didn’t expect that one — and refills are aplenty. In fact, our table was graced with an entire pot since we were tearing through each cup like a boss. Goodonya, awesome servers.
Weekends are quite busy so expect a wait, but luckily our wait wasn’t very long.
AND there was even complimentary (delicious) coffee offered while you wait!

Have you ever seen so many breakfast options?! So many choices. The poor, prompt servers are so ready to take my order but I need to take my time and assess the menu! The place is cozy, busy, and satisfying.
First off coffee… the mugs are there on the table, they bring you a mini pot, and there is flavor creamer on the table. All good.
I’ve had a few things here — some pretty delicious (I’m looking at you Avocado, Bacon, Egg hash) some ok (Turkey omelet… pass).
This place is always busy — so be prepared to wait. Once, they skipped over our name somehow and were so apologetic and paid for breakfast. Five star service!!!

This place is solid, consistent. You know what you are getting. It is very friendly for dieters, as their nutrition information is posted and they have several healthy options. Service is quick and efficient. Food comes out hot and fast. I do not understand standing in line for hours for this place on Saturday mornings, but am very happy to stop in for lunch on occasion. I am a particular fan of the UA location.

When I lived in Cincinnati this was a standby breakfast for me. We would always put our name in and go next door to look around at JoBeth Booksellers. I’ve eaten quite a few times at First Watch in UA. It’s never been near as good as the one in Cincinnati. Today was my first trip in over a year to this one and it was awful.
We got here at 1pm after grocery shopping (10÷22÷11) at Market District next door and there was a wait so we sat at the high-​top community table. Here’s why I don’t like First Watch anymore, or, at least this one:
1. Service – service used to be good but now it’s very «industrial,» the waitresses are just boring automatons that want to shuffle you in and out without a smile.
2. Food – awful. I had the chicken salad melt, which I’ve had many times before and it just isn’t good anymore. Dried out bread, a skimpy piece of cheese, dried out chicken salad. And the potatoes that used to come with it have changed. Instead of being the crispy-​crunchy potatoes they used to serve, theses are more like steamed, mushy cubes of flavorless potatoes. For an $ 8 sandwich you can actually cover the bread with chicken salad. My friend had French toast – just 3 slices, plain, with about ½ ounce of blueberry sauce on the side. He said it was pretty blah. They just really skimp on the good stuff here – like the cheese on your sandwich and blueberry sauce on the side of the French toast.
3. Prices – not worth it. The prices have really gone up since the last time I was here. Seriously, I will never go here again only because they charge $ 3.99 for a side of bacon. WOW. This is just offensive to me. I can buy a pound of good bacon for $ 3.99. It’s like they’re trying to be something they can’t be – such as Northstar.
4. Overall – just not a good place anymore. I’d rather go to Bob Evans for a traditional breakfast or Northstar for something different.