First Watch — Restaurant in Spotsylvania Courthouse

I have a theory about the rise and fall of good things in Fredericksburg. It seems like this town is where things come to die, which is unfortunate. In this small community, everyone is rushing—rushing, rushing, rushing. No one is cooking at home, nobody wants to stay home, so you'd think the restaurant industry would excel here, especially for breakfast since their are so many dinner places.

I've lived here long enough to remember when this place was just a stop on the map, something everyone passed over, with potential for something better. Now, every NOVA and Northern Pacific transplant believes they can make changes to the area, but they often forget who already calls this place home. The native Fredericksburg ornery old goat. Stubborn and consistently undefeated.

Personally, I love First Watch, the brand. I've eaten at many and they always hold their standards up. They offered good quality, rustic yet modern dishes, with a well-thought-out menu and a brand that stood for reliability. The prices were reasonable, but because quality was consistently delivered—something that was true of the original opening. Unfortunately, that will not be the case here in Fredericksburg. The ornery old goats will bully the establishment and just treat the location like trash. The standards are seeming to already begin vanishing here in Fred-Vegas.

It only took what? Just a couple of months after opening for this place to start going downhill. Upon sitting down, I was handed the dirtiest, greasiest set of silverware I’ve ever seen in a restaurant. That’s likely why people ask for a mug of hot water, thinking they might wash their utensils at the table—creating dishes that, frankly, don’t seem to be cleaned properly either. This kind of neglect sets a poor tone for the entire experience.

And it's not just the silverware—there’s a constant pooling of water on the floor, where it’s stepped through by customers and staff alike, spreading further and creating a slip hazard. The front-of-house staff are doing their best—they’re seating people, making drinks, clearing tables—but it’s clear there’s no one equipped with a mop or a plan to address the mess. The encroaching level of disorganization is disappointing.

The quality of the food has also declined noticeably. I’m willing to pay good money for good quality, but this place has dropped the ball. We’re in Fredericksburg, where longtime residents are going to have to become accustomed to paying around $15 for breakfast and $4 for coffee—and that’s fine if the quality is there. But lowering standards to appease the local complainers—who expect everything to be cheap and effortless—is only hurting everyone. I don’t need my meal to be gigantic to feel like I got my money’s worth. I want well-prepared, fresh food.

And let’s talk about presentation and freshness: I shouldn’t be served greens drowned in enough vinaigrette to lubricate a corn cob, nor should I find cold bacon that was probably cooked hours ago—bacon is a made-to-order item, not something you leave out on a hot plate for hours. These are basic standards that any restaurant can meet with a bit of effort and attention. Instead, it seems like the staff are overwhelmed, or perhaps just indifferent. When management fails to monitor cleanliness and quality control, it filters down through the entire operation, leaving customers dissatisfied.

Overall, this experience has been disappointing. What could be a nice, casual breakfast spot has turned into a lesson in neglect and poor service. If they can’t improve on basic standards—cleanliness, food quality, timely service—they’ll start losing the regulars they want, or worse, create a bad reputation that spreads beyond the local...

We came in on a Saturday (8/2/25) around 12:30 or so and were warmly greeted by the hostess. She informed us (party of 2) thst it'd be about a 20 minute wait. When we asked if the wait were shorter for outside, she quickly went to check. Great news: immediate seating was available (the weather was an unseasonably lovely 75°!)!! This was our first visit and I was super excited: friends had raved about htis place AND a new location was about to open closer to us down in Central Park.

The menu isn't large, but that's not always a bad thing. I'm of the belief that a restaurant should focus on doing "a few things" and do them really well rather than do a ton of things halfway.

Our server Melissa appeared pretty quickly and took our drink order. When we told her it was our First Watch 😉, and asked her opinion on food, she quickly mentioned "the breakfast tacos are ALWAYS great." She mentioned a couple omelets that are super popular as well. But since we had just come off a beach getaway and love the first response from staff, we BOTH chose the Breakfast Tacos. They come with a side of seasoned black beans (neither of us is a huge fan). My husband asked "is it worth it to upgrade the potatoes to 'Million Dollar Potatoes'?" And Melissa gave us a very confident, "yes, definitely," which convinced my husband! I figured I'd try the "regular" potatoes (diced and lightly cooked with slivers of onion).

Despite the nearly full restaurant, our food was delivered pretty quickly and everything was accurate.

I smeared avocado into my taco and dug in... fluffy eggs, plenty of cheese, well-seasoned and creamy thanks to the avocado. I like my breakfast potatoes crisper, but that's on me. These were fresh potatoes (not frozen or battered like many other places) with slivers of sautéed onion and nicely seasoned.

My husband enjoyed his tacos free of pico and avocado. But the brunch blockbuster was his side of Million Dollar Potatoes... oh my goodness they were DELICIOUS!! Creamy Parmesan cheese, LOTS of crispy bacon chunks, perfectly seasoned with fresh diced potatoes presented in a ramekin. There was enough sauce to add some of my potatoes into the mix and convince me that there should be no other way to enjoy potatoes!!

Melissa was attentive and friendly without being intrusive. Drink refills arrived just as my husband and I were going to flag herr down!! Seriously, when servers can't read a table, it drives me crazy (I'm a former server myself). Let customers enjoy the food and company. Melissa rocked this!!

We can't wait to go back. Next, I'll try the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes and sneak a few bites of MDP that my husband will likely have on the side of another...

I finally got the chance to visit this location Saturday September 6, 2025. I went around 8:30am, and upon opening the door I was greeted by Lauren who said she’d be with me in one moment, and I got a table for one. They do have a large bar and a big outdoor seating area if you’re into that. The place has an open and welcoming atmosphere. My server’s name was Marky Mark, that’s literally his name lol. He asked if I’d wanted fresh brewed coffee but I passed and went with their season drink the Blazing Dragon, which is strawberries, lemon juice, cane sugar, and dragon fruit. It tasted so good I had to order a second one. Unfortunately they’re not free refills unless you get coffee, soda, tea, or water. I got my drink with no ice to get the full amount. As for the food, I ordered the Trifecta which is Two cage-free eggs any style with either a light and airy Belgian waffle or a multigrain pancake. Plus your choice of bacon, smoked ham, chicken apple sausage patties, turkey or pork sausage links. I went with the lemon ricotta pancakes, upgraded to the Million Dollar Bacon which is Four slices of hardwood smoked bacon glazed with brown sugar, black pepper, cayenne and a maple syrup drizzle. I also ordered a side of seasoned potatoes to fill me up. Everything tasted amazing, the pancakes are so good, I only needed to add a little bit of syrup. I definitely will be back! I do wish the specialty drinks were a larger size as it was a very small cup for the price. Most items are reasonably priced, with a few upscale options in between. I highly recommend you check this location out if you’re in the area. The place did start getting busy by 9:00am, they only stay open until 2pm, so hurry before it’s too late lol. Check out my YouTube channel Angelo...