First Watch - Waterford Lakes — Restaurant in Alafaya

We were so excited to have a First Watch closer to us. We went to this location for the first time today. We wish we had gone to the other location. There was barely a wait to be seated but after we were sat, it took forever for any server to stop at our table. Our server's demeanor was neither welcoming or pleasant. Then, it took too long for our food to come out. When it did, my boyfriend's over easy eggs were completely cooked through and my bacon was so overcooked it was difficult to chew. Our meals also weren't very warm which, admittedly, is a consistent problem at the UCF location. I almost gave this visit an extra star but realized I was letting my experience at their other stores impact my review. If this would have been the only First Watch we had been to, we would most likely never come back again. I expect things will get better once they've worked out operations. For the time being, we will stick to other locations and restaurants.

Update 9/30/18: We gave this location a couple of more tries since my first review, and continue to be disappointed. Today, we got in line on the app. We headed inside at 10:56a.m. (the app told us to check in at 11:06). The young woman checking parties in kept holding the door open, making it incredibly hot while standing inside to wait. I kept checking the wait times on the app. Then, suddenly, it said I was no longer in line. I went and told the young woman and she put me back in the line, saying that the system sometimes acted up. Later, it happened again. I went and said something, she put me back in line, and said she would tell "him" to quit taking us out of line. Huh? Finally, she calls our name and says that the man will get us seated. When we go up to the man, he seats another party and comes back, and says that he could have sat us earlier but we never came when he sent a message through the app and he kept removed us from the line!!! Clearly, we didn't get any notification through the app, which is why I kept telling the employee what was happening. And why I was added back to the line. We never left the inside of the premises after arriving. So, 1) why would you talk to us like we are idiots, who just didn't respond. Even if we were, you appear to be a manager or owner. Show a little hospitality and customer service. He never smiled. I said thank you when he sat us and he said nothing. (Our server was very nice and provided good customer service) 2) why not walk the 10 extra feet to call a name of someone who your iPad shows checked in almost an hour before? And was put back in line after you removed them? Even places that use old school pagers will call your name before giving up your table. 3) why add insult to injury, to say that if we had just responded, we could've been sat a while ago? That's what I want to hear, after standing for 30 minutes in a hot entryway, and sitting for almost another 30 in cramped quarters. Maybe try an apology next time. 4) It took forever for the food to come out. As usual. Maybe 40 minutes. For someone who orders egg whites, toast and bacon, it is objectively not worth waiting for over an hour and a half from the time of getting there... and that was even checking in with the app.

After today, we will never go to this location again. It is undeniably the worst we have been to out of those in Orlando,...

This place a deserves three star because the food is amazing and they allow dogs, but I have to give it a one.I have been to this location three separate times. The first time was with my husband for breakfast, I called ahead and asked if they allowed dogs outside. The answer was yes, as stated above. We get there and being a Sunday I expected a wait. We got sat in 5 minutes. Great. We waited for 15 minutes for someone to help us. 2 servers were in an out checking on two tables sat outside with us. Finally, someone comes out and was non-apologetic for the wait even though she was one of the two servers who came outside. Second visit, My husband didn’t really want to go but I was craving the açai bowl. We get to the location, and we were set in mediately. This was on a Tuesday, So not terribly busy. We were sat and again we waited outside. We waited for about 5 1/2 minutes when I noticed another table was just recently sat. Once I see the server immediately greeted him I was a little bit upset, so I went inside and expressed my concern to the hostess. I told her that we had been outside waiting and nobody has came to our table the table that just got there was already helped. They seemed to be apologetic at this point because they knew that it was not OK for us to be outside waiting without help. The server was nice enough to take off just our drinks for not realizing she hadn’t been with us even though she had sat us. Fast forward to today, I put in a to go order for a açai bowl again. I was told the wait would be about 25 to 30 minutes, because it is Martin Luther King day. I understood that, even though it is just an açaí bowl... Food was ready to go, and had apparently been ready for about 10 minutes. I was not told of the food was ready, so when I picked up I decided that I was going to check my bag at a stoplight. It was very busy and I was parked in a spot that was specific for the mattress from next-door, as I am checking my bag I noticed that I’m missing almond butter on my toast. I decided to call and let them know that I was missing the Almond butter, and I was told that they would have it ready for me when I came in to just park in one of the other parking spots for different building. I did that and when I walked in and nobody had the almond butter ready. I had to wait, I told him I was on a time crunch considering I only have an hour break for work from my lunch. Little bit disappointed because first watch has never let me down, this location needs to get it together a little bit....I get it’s relaitvely new and kinks have to be worked out. To top it off, I paid $10.96 for basically just FRUIT. I’m highly disappointed that I got more açaí in my last bowl at the restaurant but because I ordered for pick up the amount...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at First Watch for brunch with my mom, and it was a delightful experience for both of us! It was our first time visiting, and we were thoroughly impressed. I ordered the pumpkin pancakes breakfast special, which were incredibly fluffy and flavorful—definitely a must-try! My mom enjoyed a delicious sandwich paired with a comforting soup.

We also tried their hot chocolate, and it was pretty good—warm, rich, and perfect to complement our meal. The ambiance was warm and inviting, and the highlight was how amazing the food was; I even made sure to thank the chef for such a wonderful meal! We can't wait to return and explore more of the menu. Highly recommend!

Update:

My mom and I went to First Watch for the second time, and it was just as amazing as our first visit! This time, I ordered the Belgian waffle topped with whipped cream, and it was absolutely delicious—crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I paired it with their hot chocolate, which came with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup on top. It was the perfect combination for a comforting brunch. The service was great again, and the overall experience made for a perfect morning out with my mom.

Update: "My third visit to First Watch for breakfast was a treat! This time, I tried the French toast along with the classic Eggs Benedict, which was perfectly poached and paired well with the rich hollandaise. The French toast was light, fluffy, and full of flavor—just what I needed. I also gave the kale tonic a try with my mom; its refreshing, slightly sweet taste balanced out the richness of the meal. First Watch never disappoints, and this breakfast definitely set a high bar for the day!"

Update: I recently visited First Watch for my fourth time, this time with my mom, and it was another great experience. I opted for the Avocado Toast with Sunny Side Up Eggs, and it didn’t disappoint! The avocado was perfectly ripe, spread generously on thick, toasted whole grain bread, and the sunny side up eggs added a rich, creamy touch. The eggs were cooked to perfection, with the yolks just the right amount of runny, which was a nice complement to the toast. The atmosphere was cozy as always, and the staff were friendly and efficient. It was a delightful meal, and I'm definitely looking forward to...