First Watch — Restaurant in Gulf Breeze

Well, well, well, if you're expecting the same old fast food routine, don't even think about stepping into First Watch in Pensacola, Florida! This place is like a breath of fresh air in the world of fast food breakfast joints.

We skeptically perused the menu, fully aware that good food doesn't always match those pretty pictures. But oh boy, did First Watch throw us a curveball with the MILLION DOLLAR BACON. It's like they've concocted some secret "Southern Crack" recipe – hardwood smoked bacon drenched in brown sugar, black pepper, cayenne, and a maple syrup drizzle. I swear I was licking my fingers after every sinful bite.

For the main event, my husband tackled the STEEL-CUT OATMEAL and the CLASSIC BENEDICT. The oatmeal came adorned with berries, banana, pecans, and a freshly baked muffin of the day, while the Benedict featured poached cage-free eggs, smoked ham, vine-ripened tomato, and hollandaise on toasted ciabatta. He devoured them both with gusto.

Feeling a pang of guilt for indulging in the Million Dollar Bacon, I opted for the healthier POWER BREAKFAST QUINOA BOWL, packed with quinoa, Italian sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes, kale, and topped with two basted cage-free eggs. A tasty redemption, I must say.

Now, let's talk about the service. Stacey, our server, deserves a round of applause. Pleasant, helpful, and sporting a fun personality, she elevated our experience. When she asked if we needed anything else, my husband jokingly replied, "Someone to help us eat this fabulous assortment of culinary delight." To our surprise, Stacey promptly sat down, smirked, and said, "Here I am." Talk about going above and beyond!

In a nutshell, we savored not only the food but also the delightful atmosphere and Stacey's top-notch service. First Watch was the perfect ending to our short trip. Beware, Pensacola – we'll be back for more of this...

First time ever at First Watch. Very disappointed at the service. Didn't meet our waitress until 30-40 minutes after we sat down. There was one woman who stepped in after noticing we were sitting. Her name was Amy. She took our drink orders. A couple next to us was sat down 10 minutes after us. Their order was taken and they received their food shortly after. We were still waiting to give our order. Amy came back and we stopped her to ask if we could order. I also asked if we could see the waitress assigned to the table. We waited another 10 minutes and the table’s assigned waitress came out. I asked why we had not seen her since being in the restaurant. She said she is training another server and First Watch is set up that every waitress waits on all the tables. I explained that I had never seen her not even once, but ok. I later asked Amy if she could be our waitress from that point on and we wanted her to have our tip. She went to request the table to be switched. Once the tables were switched the old waitress came by every 5-10 minutes to check on us. I don’t know if it was the talk of leaving a tip that made the old waitress come around or the fact that we were the only black couple in the establishment that made her stay away. Either way, very disappointed at how we were treated.

Amy was a breath of fresh air. Really appreciated her time and attention. Made us feel welcome for our first time at...

I wish I could give this location 10 stars in each category. We frequent the Pensacola location monthly. The difference in service, food quality, and overall atmosphere is astounding.

The food at both locations is tasty because they use the same Quality products. However, it's always so much better in Gulf Breeze. The portions and presentation match the price.

At Pensacola some of the servers come to the table and make you feel like your presence isn't welcome. Some of them, not all, are so indifferent to their customers. While in Gulf Breeze we are welcome with warm smiles and checked on frequently, even when they are slammed.

It's clear the management is completely different at these locations and the service and food standards aren't the same. We have decided that we will switch our regular business from Pensacola to Gulf Breeze, even if it means a longer wait or paying a toll to get there. We travel from Crestview just to enjoy First Watch's awesome food. We just find the overall experience SO much better in Gulf Breeze. I truly hope corporate takes this to heart and sends some Gulf Breeze staff to Pensacola to raise the bar and show them...