First Watch — Restaurant in Pembroke Pines

I had a really bad experience here in May. It was so bad I almost didn't go back. I was so mad, I actually wrote to the corporate office. THEY NEVER WROTE BACK. Ignoring a customer is a cardinal sin. That letter follows this review.

I went back today. Food excellent. Service solid. Coffee still not too good. The table next to us complained about the coffee as well. Will I go back? Probably.

My complaint:

I wish to share an experience I had at your restaurant today at 840am (receipt #50007 at 9:20am when we paid). We eat there about once a month (not all that much, I understand). The food is always decent and today was no different.

There were two issues today. First, the coffee was not very good (and it usually is). It was vinegary. I think the pot needs cleaning. That is not the nature of my complaint, but thought I’d bring it up since as a breakfast place, good coffee is necessary. I usually drink 3 or 4 cups. I barely made it through one. Why didn’t I bring it up to the server, that is about to become evident.

We were promptly greeted and seated as always. No complaints there. The restaurant was not full (nor was there a line when we left) and not busy like it usually is. Probably due to the early time on a Sunday. I mention it because sane people must make allowances for busy times. My mother was a waitress (that was the term then) for many years.

The server asks if we want coffee and promptly brings it. I ask for regular half-and-half as our bowl is full of hazelnut creamer only with a few French vanilla. After some time, I really need my coffee so I get up and go to another (empty) table and grab their bowl and swap it with ours. If that was the only incident, I’d not be writing. But it was not an auspicious start.

Rather quickly my food (Trifecta) showed up. My dining companion’s food did not. Even had I wanted to eat without him I could not, (doing so is unspeakably rude) since she brought no syrup for my waffle that would have been impossible.

I pushed my plate to the dead center of the table. If you are a server and an untouched plate of food is in the center of the table, your first question is “what’s wrong” I would imagine. Over five minutes later, she brought my companion’s breakfast and my creamer (well after I’d have been on the way to my third cup if it was drinkable). I had to ask for syrup. She took no note of the plate in the center of the table. She brought the syrup and left. I guess she wanted me to eat it, so I did. I can abide a cold waffle. I cannot abide cold eggs. Bacon? Well bacon is like pizza – it’s good at any temperature.

We left, somewhat disgruntled. I paid. I was asked how it was and said “Meh” which is hardly a ringing endorsement. No further questions were asked. I do not want to be the screaming, crazy client so if you don’t want to ask when I say “Meh’ that is your business. If a customer says anything other than great/excellent/fantastic, it’s not a ringing endorsement. (I suppose “okay” would do as well). I was miffed so only left a $5 tip, yet still more than was deserved.

I don’t want anyone in trouble. I don’t want anything free. What do you want? I want you to properly train your staff so when I go on my next visit, things run smoothly. Please email to let me know you’ve addressed the problem and I will return as our mutual schedules allow. (Your store is conveniently located halfway between his house and mine.) Oh, and clean that coffee pot properly. Coffee that is acidy or vinegary is bad – regular cleaning is, sadly,...

I sat at the bar which only had 2 other guest seated because I was extremely hungry and didn’t want to have a long wait, several servers walked past me several times without asking me have I been helped, including the server that was actually helping 2 other guest sitting at the bar. I finally had a server come over from the dining area because she saw me looking around waiting on anybody to help. Her name was Naima, she was extremely apologetic for the rudeness of her co workers & she was extremely polite, professional & helpful she saved the day because had I waited any longer I was going to speak to a manager & leave never to return. I wanted a drink, she suggested the pomegranate sunrise which she gave to me right away & it was extremely tasty. When I received my food it was cold, both the waffle & the bacon but as I stated earlier I was extremely hungry so I ate it. In the midst of me eating another guest sat down at the bar & again the same thing that happened to me, happened to her. Would you guess who came to the rescue again? NAIMA!!!! She should be a floor manager if she’s not already because the other servers need to learn from her. The guest sitting next to me asked to be moved to whatever section Naima was able to serve in so she could keep her as a server because again the other servers act like they didn’t want to service black people! Would you believe another couple came & sat to the bar & was taken care of immediately by a server in a pink scarf who completely over looked me & the guest that came in right after me, she took the couples order right away, of course they weren’t black so now it all makes sense. The servers at this location doesn’t cater to people of color only Naima! I will never come here again & I suggest you don’t either if you look like me & if you do make sure you ask for Naima or you too will get the same...

I was thinking about 2 stars but decided on 3 because there is some good here. First off the food is good. The waiters are very friendly and attentive. The restaurant is nice. But that's where it stops. The greeting service is awful, I've been here twice and the first visit had the same issue, I figured they are new and decided I would try it again.

You walk in and no one greets you, there is not even a place to walk to to give your name, there is a register but it's always busy because that is where you pay your bill which is an old outdated way of paying, it creates a cluster of people in the front who have to wait on a line to pay their checks, that needs to change. Today we stood for 5 minutes when several employees walked by us, looked at us and didn't even say hello. I then asked one young lady how do we get seated? She looked at me in and grabbed an ipad and then another girl took the ipad from here and said she would help us, just a confusing mess very much like our first visit a few weeks ago.

Once seated everything was fine, as I mentioned at the start of this review the food and waiter were great. Then is was time to pay the bill. You walk to the front and guess what no one was there. Then a guy sees us does not acknowledge that he is coming over. Kind of finishes what he was doing then walks over, never asked how everything was, never said a word, not even a thank you after the transaction was done.

So where is the problem, well it could be in a couple of places. 1. It could be the company not having a customer service core value 2. It could be a bad manager who does not train properly 3. It could be bad attitude from the employee my guess is that it's a little of all three.

The sad thing is that this is a brand new location and that's usually when everyone is at their best. I can't imagine what it will grow into.

I think today was...