First Watch — Restaurant in Dr. Phillips

I must say this location left a lasting impression! We’ve been to other First Watch restaurants before, but this one truly stood out for its attention to detail, warm hospitality, and how well they handled every part of our visit.

One of the biggest challenges I usually face when dining out for breakfast or brunch is getting my eggs cooked “medium” a seemingly simple request that rarely comes out right. Too often, the yolk is completely cooked through or the whites are left too soft and runny, which can really throw off the meal. But here? They nailed it. The eggs were cooked to absolute perfection, with a nice runny center and fully cooked whites—just how I like them. It might seem like a small thing, but for me, it’s a huge deal and a rare win in breakfast dining. I genuinely appreciated the kitchen staff for taking the time to get it right.

We also tend to order quite a bit of food—yes, there were only two of us, but we love to sample a variety of dishes. Because of that, we usually ask for a booth and a large table so everything fits comfortably. I know some places can be a bit resistant to this when it’s just two people, but the staff here was extremely accommodating. They kindly asked us to wait for a booth to open, and even though we expected it might take a while, it was ready in less than five minutes. That little gesture made a big difference, and it set the tone for what turned out to be an absolutely pleasant dining experience.

Throughout the meal, the service continued to shine. Everyone we interacted with from the host to the server was friendly, attentive, and genuinely seemed to care about creating a great experience for us. It’s that kind of customer service that truly sets a place apart.

The food overall was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. We enjoyed every bite, and the relaxed, clean, and well-lit dining area made for a perfect brunch setting. The booth was comfy, the coffee flowed easily, and we never felt rushed.

This First Watch location just gets it right from the kitchen staff who respect how you want your food prepared, to the front-of-house team who go the extra mile to make you feel welcomed and accommodated. It’s rare to find a place that checks all the boxes, but this one does.

We’ll definitely be returning and recommending it to friends and family in the area. Huge kudos to the entire team at this First Watch, thank you for a delicious, stress-free, and feel-good brunch experience. You’ve earned loyal customers...

I do love going here but unfortunately my last two visits were not as great as in the past.

Now my rating is for my latest visit. We were seated right away. After 12 minutes we were still waiting for a server (I was only aware of the minutes because I was texting a friend at the time) a server from another section was looking at us and approached us and told us she will get us a server. I told her thank you. We really were not in a rush so I was okay with it. After a few more minutes our server came and she did seem flustered which is what she told us.. and that's totally fine, it happens to all of us for we work in the industry as well. So we do understand. I thought they were closing in a few minutes because of the way the food came out. Beautiful presentation until you start eating. My only problems were the potatoes and the waffle. The waffle was very cold and brittle. I've worked in a breakfast restaurant myself as the chef and the waffle was not burned. It seemed to be a dead plate. Which means when a waffle is made and left there, it gets very cold and very hard, so when you touch the waffle it breaks up and crumbs in your hand. The potatoes/ hash brown or not cooked. I couldn't even stick my fork through them. I understand when people want to go home the place was open for another hour. But the server never came back and so my partner had to physically go return the waffle and the uncooked potatoes. We told her it was okay. We just didn't want the waffle and I was just going to eat my eggs. Now it's time to pay and the waffle is still there, the cashier was charging me for everything and I told her no. I was waiting for the waffle to be taken off which was odd because she was the same person that approached my table and asked if we wanted them done again and I told her no, It was okay and we can just take a off the check. But I guess she forgot. Like I said I do love the place and I will definitely go again. Maybe not...

I have been a fan, in general, of First Watch for years, and normally would rate it higher. However, while the service was quite good, as is common to most locations, the food on this particular afternoon was ok, but just did not live up to the quality and flavors I've become accustomed to, at this and other locations.

I ordered the farmhouse skillet hash - my go-to, which normally has incredible, complex flavors, from all the very high quality ingredients (my favorite are the roasted tomatoes). And while my eggs were cooked to perfection, as ordered, the hash itself seemed as if it had possibly been sitting too long in the warmer maybe, rather than having come freshly made out of the skillet.

Maybe this had something to do with the fact that we arrived at about 1pm, and they close at 2:30, but it's not like we arrived 10 minutes before closing time. And I fully realize that the potato-based hash for the skillets is a staple, and may be prepped ahead of time, as many dishes use it, or a variation of it. But... it just wasn't nearly as good as it usually is (and has been at this location previously, too). It tasted, well... overcooked and most of the cheese was burnt on the bottom. Unfortunately, the burnt flavor overwhelmed the rest of the dish.

Honestly, I didn't say anything because it was late and I didn't want to burden the kitchen with starting over so close to closing (we left at about 2:15, so still before close of business). Also, when it was still about 45 mins before closing, they ran out of the iced tea I was drinking, so... no refills. No offer to make more (it's iced tea?) so I didn't get to enjoy a refill (but their less sweetened blackberry iced tea is SO good... just would've preferred more of it with my meal).

Overall, the food was just ok this time, but definitely could've been much better, similar to previous meals at this and...