First Watch — Restaurant in Winston-Salem

This place is very busy, so be prepared for that, especially on the weekends. They have a text-based wait system, thankfully.

The menu is on the higher end of pricing, and you can expect to drop at least $13-15 a person on breakfast, more If you're drinking something other than water. My issue is that the quality and preparation of the food doesn't align with that price scale.

I've been to this location several times, both by myself and with company, and every time I've gotten anything with potatoes, they are room temperature, even if the other dish components are hot. I don't know if they keep them in a chafing tray in the back with inadequate heat, or what's going on, but it's always disconcerting to have a mouthful of what tastes like potatoes that have, temperature-wise, been left on the counter since last night. I thought it was a fluke at first, but it's been a consistent experience every time I've come. The poached eggs also always have runny whites - significantly, not just a little here or there. If they didn't highlight that preparation in the menu in several dishes, I might be inclined to give them a pass, but when poached eggs have a spotlight you ought to know how to make them properly.

I might be misremembering, but I thought when I first came here that when you asked for cream for the coffee that they bring it in a little carafe. Now there's just a dish of half and half cups on the table like any regular diner - I get it, but it's touches like that that emphasize and support the idea that a location is high-end, and worth the prices on the menu. If you're going to put out Waffle House effort, you need to adjust your prices accordingly.

Because they are so busy, expect this location to be LOUD, as they crammed as many seats as humanly possible into this location. That also means that the waitresses tend to be harried, and service tends to be on the slow side - If you need something special, expect to wait or have to be a little bit assertive in flagging...

Update:

We arrived at 1:02 to be seated (I got in line using the app) our seats weren’t ready just yet so we waited a few minutes and then we received our text message to come in and be seated. The first thing we were offered was in the middle of the floor and I preferred to sit along the edge as I do not like people walking by me while I’m eating. They easily accommodate my request.

Our waitress came over and took a drink orders. It was a while before we got our drinks ( iced coffee. regular coffee. carrot crush).

She took our order and after that we didn’t hear from her. Definitely saw her. She walked by our table many times but never gave us an update on the food or wait time. Didn’t ask if we wanted more beverages. After waiting 50 minutes for food, my brother finally said something. Someone comes out - who I think may have been the manager to say that our food was sitting back there and she just came to see if we still wanted it...

Why wasn’t the food brought out when it was ready? It was barely warm. This was the biggest disappointment from First Watch.

I came for my birthday breakfast and my brother drove 2.5 hours to see me.

I’m not interested in returning to this location.

————————— I came here on a Sunday morning at 9:00 am . This was my first time here and I was quite please with my waiter and the appearance of this location. I opted to sit outside (got a little tan) because the weather was so nice. My waiter, Brent, was attentive and had a great personality. Aha, seems like he's never had a bad day in his life. I forget the name of the drink I ordered but it was flavorful and refreshing. My cousin ordered the Kale Tonic. Both drinks were gorgeous - you know what they say, "You eat [or drink] with your eyes first". I had a vegetable sandwich and tomato soup. I was going to get the french toast but I didn't want a sweet breakfast to over power my drink. I definitely chose well ;)

I'm...

Unfortunately I have to write this review. After several visits to this establishment I thought that I found my new favorite place until today’s unfortunate incident that has since scarred me. I orders my usual which was farmhouse skillet hash with extra avocados when I finally received my food I was delighted to see how good it looked and was ready to dig in. When I was going in for my third bite I immediately was hit with a strong bleach/ chemical taste I immediately spit it out and began trying to wash out the taste with my coffee but then my mouth started burning and I got up to go to the restroom to rinse my mouth out more. I saw an employee on the bathroom and explained what happened and she said you got The extra avocado right and I said yes. She went to go let the server who we originally had to take off that meal and that she was sorry she also said that maybe it could have been cleaner that may have come in contact with my avocados. Once I sat back down my original server tried basically make it seem like there wasn’t anyway that could happen but I told her my mouth was still biting and tasted of bleach. They needed up comping my meal only but others in my party were charged. I am highly upset due to this horrible experience and will no longer come to this establishment and will let all of friends and family know to never come here either. People be aware of the food you consume from this establishment! ! Thankfully the taste and sensation went away because this could have...