First Watch — Restaurant in Austin

My dear companion and I had been eyeing this place for a while, being that we frequent the Guitar Center next door. I finally eyed the menu online and decided to take my dear companion here for Brunch on her birthday. She loves a good brunch, you know. They call her the Brunch Queen, you know. First thing I notice is the water glass that's waiting for me: filthy, even more so than shows in the photo. The waitress brings a nice jug of water for the table but I never pour myself any because my glass just ain't right. Nor do I drink a First Watch mimosa, because—can you believe it—this little spot that supposedly specializes in brunch doesn't even serve mimosas! The Brunch Queen was almost severely disappointed, but this is the Brunch Queen we're dealing with, so we'd had the foresight to bring some bubbly in our trusted companion, Cup. This we added to the Morning Meditation, a delightfully delicious drink in its own right, but all the more so with injections of bubbly. Unfortunately, that drink was the end of all delight here. Why can't anybody ever make my dear companion's eggs right??? She ordered the Market Hash with eggs over-medium because last time we went to brunch she ordered over-easy and got under-cooked. Well, this time she gets over-hard-as-a-gosh-darn-rock, which is completely unacceptable with hash because you gotta bust them eggs open and mix the yolk-stuff with the hash-stuff (that's hash 101); and this is completely unacceptable for the Brunch Queen of all people, and on her birthday of all days, are you kidding me?! The waitress was absent for ages, so it fell to me to swap eggs with my dear companion. I had also ordered eggs over-medium with my meal, but mine came over-easy. But the eggs weren't the only problem here. My dear companion's hash as a whole was hardly hot at all and essentially tasteless. She had to douse the dish in pepper and Tabasco in order to find some flavor. As for me, I was expecting some meat with my meal because “Biscuits and Turkey Sausage Gravy” makes me think of gravy with bits of sausage in it. Instead I received two biscuits completely submerged in a bland, gray, homogeneous gravy that it literally pained me to eat, and which definitely came straight from some instant gravy packet. So I ended up eating soggy, tasteless biscuits with lukewarm, tasteless potatoes on the side. It was really an awful brunch, not just in the moment but later as our bodies tried to digest whatever nastiness we had regrettably ingested. We wanted to dine and dash on this one because of how awful it was, but First Watch locks the escape doors at the back of the restaurant to prevent this. At the register, my dear companion commented on the abysmal state of our meal and asked about the manager on duty. The cashier said the MOD's name was Juan but didn't bother going to fetch him. And so it was we would have left in total disappointment were it not for the fact that we are so much better than a bad restaurant. Despite the bad food and poor service, we made our own good time: we made our own mimosas; we chatted and we laughed; I gave my dear companion a nice gift; and I left reinspired to return to reviews—to do my duty, my public service, as premiere food critic in the region....

Updated review from yesterday on my other account. I recently revisited First Watch, a breakfast place, and I must say that my second experience was fantastic. The service was significantly better, and everything exceeded my expectations. I had the pleasure of being served by JR, who went above and beyond to ensure that we had a delightful dining experience. I am excited to share my updated review of First Watch.

From the moment we stepped into the restaurant, it was evident that the service had improved. JR greeted us warmly and promptly seated us at a comfortable table. He was attentive, friendly, and seemed genuinely passionate about providing excellent service. Throughout our meal, he made sure we had everything we needed and even went the extra mile to recommend some of the restaurant's specialties. His dedication to customer satisfaction truly made a difference.

The food at First Watch was, once again, delicious. The menu continued to offer a wide variety of breakfast options, and the quality of the dishes was consistently impressive. I was delighted by the flavors and attention to detail in every bite. The generous portions ensured that we left the restaurant feeling completely satisfied. First Watch managed to strike a perfect balance between classic breakfast items and innovative creations, catering to diverse palates.

One notable improvement was the speed of service. Unlike my previous visit, where the wait time for food was longer than expected, this time the kitchen operated efficiently. The food arrived at our table promptly, allowing us to enjoy it while it was still hot and fresh. I was pleased with the improvement in this area, as it contributed to a smoother and more enjoyable dining experience.

Furthermore, I am happy to report that the issue of cleanliness I had previously mentioned was completely resolved. The restaurant was spotless, and there were no signs of any hygiene concerns. It was evident that the staff took great care in maintaining a clean and inviting atmosphere for their customers. This attention to detail greatly enhanced my overall impression of the establishment.

In conclusion, my second visit to First Watch was exceptional. The service provided by JR was top-notch, and his dedication to ensuring our satisfaction was commendable. The food remained delicious, with generous portions that left us feeling content. The improved speed of service was a welcome change, and the cleanliness of the restaurant was impeccable. I am thrilled to say that First Watch has taken significant steps to address the minor issues I encountered previously.

I wholeheartedly recommend First Watch to breakfast enthusiasts seeking a fantastic dining experience. Whether you're craving classic breakfast dishes or innovative creations, this restaurant offers a menu that caters to all tastes. With their improved service and attention to detail, I am confident that First Watch will continue to impress its...

This restaurant "First Watch" used to be called "The Egg and I," and in addition to having great food, it was warm and welcoming. Now, however, I find the atmosphere cold and uninviting. There was no one at the host/cashier's station when we first walked in so we did not know if we should seat ourselves or wait since there was no sign, either. Suddenly a cashier took his place behind the register when a patron came to pay but did not acknowledge us though we stood there perplexed. As I started to ask him if we should just find our own table, a waitress flurried over to take us to our table. I found it odd that they seemed to flutter about because the place was not even busy and you could count all the people in the restaurant on one hand (excluding us).

From the beginning, our waitress appeared to be in a hurry. No matter what I was attempting to say or ask, she would bite off the ends of my answers with her replies. She was not overtly rude but terse and never smiled.

I wanted a mocha but they did not serve that. So I thought I'd just mix a coffee and coco but she said they didn't have that either. I wanted to look at the menu to see what other morning hot drinks they had to which she disappeared in a huff. I noticed there was, indeed, hot chocolate on the menu so when the waitress came back I asked her why she told me they didn't have coco when there is hot chocolate on the menu; she said I asked her about mocha (she taps her feet and keeps looking away like I'm keeping her from something important); I tell her that I asked about mocha at first but then asked about coco - she says "no." No?! What does that even mean?!!! Uggghhh, I'll take a coffee. She leaves in a huff (again) after which I asked my grandsons if they wouldn't rather just leave and go eat at Dan's because this waitress is giving me all kinds of bad vibes. Unfortunately, we stayed.

The boys both had very mediocre egg, meat and potato plates - only one included the requested ketchup. My coffee was watery and lukewarm. Despite all of us having a good portion of food left, we were not offered to-go containers yet the check came faster than the food and without asking and we never saw our waitress again after that so we gave up on taking what food was left.

Overall, the food was good but overpriced; our check was just over $50 - ridiculous for breakfast AND bad service! Why sleep in on the weekend when you too can have...