Been there several times and had the same negative results. Service was slow and our food was cold by the time we received it. Seemed like they always forgot something on the order and took forever to get it to you. Tried to give it a chance but will not be returning. Save your money and go to Silver Diner. read more

One of the best brunch spots in Columbia. Eggs Benedict is outstanding and skillets are always delicious. Definitely worth the wait times!!

Great food but super slow and inattentive service on the weekend. Weekdays are perfectly fine.

Food was good. Service was good. It is LOUD, LOUD, LOUD. I couldn't even have a conversation with my friend. I may consider take out, but I will never sit down for a meal there. I left with a headache. read more

Solid 3 star place with an extra star for being the best breakfast (not brunch) place in Columbia. Kids meals are perfect in options and portion and the adults enjoyed the omelette and Benedict choices. Sadly, the coffee was terrible to the point that I bring my own or stop by the drive thru sbux first but hopefully they improve that soon. read more

Very happening place . Wait was short, lots of staff. Everything was welcoming . Food was very good and is recommended. We will be back again read more

I've had both the eggs Benedict and farmhouse skillet hash. Both of these were great, especially the potatoes. This is an excellent and affordable brunch spot. I also recommend giving their juices a try they are delicious! It was crowded but the service was incredible and kept things moving read more

It took forever! They are so slow we had to leave before getting our food. The staff was nice but after waiting 45 minutes for bacon and eggs we had to go somewhere else. Will not waste our time here again read more

The staff lies to their customers. I ordered the cornbread carnitas bowl and it was delicious with one exception, it did not have any cornbread. When I told the waitress that there was no cornbread in my dish she went to the kitchen to get some, but returned to say that they were out but said I could have another side of my choice. I was fine with this and was happy with my meal until I saw, not 5 minutes later, a cornbread carnitas bowl delivered to the table immediately next to mine that contained cornbread. Clearly they were not out of cornbread. This reflects poorly on both the chef, who allowed a dish to be served without its titular component either through negligence or laziness in making more cornbread, and the waitress for flat out lying to a customer. This is not a way to make a repeat customer, even if the food is good. I suggest going to one of the many great restaurants in the Columbia area that will treat customers with respect instead of this place. read more

Terrible experience. The staff told us we could use app so we did. The app told us there is 0 party ahead of us but they told us there is still 45 mins wait when we check in. They said it's because we didn't arrive early enough to check in. Then what's the point of using this app? Very misleading and the manager was arrogant about it. Apparently they don't honor the app and don't care about customer service!!!! Won't go back again! read more

Was able to go to this restaurant for breakfast within a few days of its opening. New and updated decor reminded me of a farm when I first walked in. The ambience was great, a large space but truly feels like you're in someone's kitchen eating a homecooked meal. Some of the signs in the window were a bit off putting, reminding me that this place is a chain restaurant...but I tried to look past it. After we were seated we asked for some water and coffee while we looked over the menu. Coffee came within a few minutes but our water wasn't brought to our table until right before our food! Yikes. Ordered my daughters meal first so it came out quick and before ours, she devoured it and it was definitely a great deal. Husband and I ordered small plates and a meal. Million dollar bacon and French toast for him, berry toast and veg omelette for me. The food was delicious! It almost made me forget about how inattentive the service was. We'll definitely give this place another shot, maybe she was having a rough day but I hope the service gets better. Seemed like a lot of people wandering around... read more

Cane in on a Tuesday morning. Only a couples tables. Long wait ever. Food wasn't that great. Services were extremely slow.

Decided to try first watch for the first time, and it was AMAZING! Our waitress Zakkiyah was super attentive and gave us great recommendations! The turkey burger is to die for!! Super flavorful Definitely worth stopping by if you're in the area! read more

I wasn't impressed with the salads, but the other dishes on the menu were amazing. Definitely recommend for breakfast or lunch.

Great breakfast! Wait was long so we sat at at the community bar and it was perfect! Excellent food and a fun atmosphere! Probably best to go during the week since it's so busy. read more

Wasn't sure what to expect from the chia pudding, but glad I ordered it - yum! Extra points for gluten free options, but they are a little stingy with portion size (almond butter on toast was barely there). Friends got avocado toast and loved it. Nice option for breakfast and loud/ casual enough that it's kid friendly! read more

My friends and I came here for their good food. We waited an hour which is understandable. Once we were called to get seated, we requested for a booth, because we wanted to be a little more secluded (a simple request). The server told us they were waiting for a 6 top. Ok. There were other booths, and I respectfully told her we didn't mind waiting for the other tables to be cleaned off, but we did want a booth. The manager, Ken, interrupted her and told us that they needed to save the booths for the 6 tops that were coming in. We complied and sat down. We saw 2 2-tops being seated in the SAME booths we requested for, and they were greeted before us. The staff kept looking at us and talking amongst themselves and we STILL WERE NOT GREETED.. I never felt so disrespected... We waited a whole 20 minutes before our server come to us and asks us if we still wanted a booth. What?? No. We requested the general manager to come out. Out of all of the staff, he was the ONLY one that apologized for the inconvenience. My friends and I are servers. We would NEVER have treated our guests the way we were treated. I will not be going to this location ever again. read more

Sunday morning we waited an hour plus, didn't complain that they quoted us 25 minutes. Not a big deal. We had a party of three. I asked if we could have a booth and they said no they had to save it for a reservation of six. Understandable. However there were multiple booths open. About five minutes later two sets of two tops, were sat at the six top booths. This is after telling us no. We finally are seated and not one server comes to greet us for over 20 minutes. I had to ask a random server if anyone is ever going to come to our table. My friends and I are all servers. It's unacceptable. I requested a booth because with Covid it seemed a little more secluded. It was not just to be annoying. If they were trying to be vindictive, that's childish and again unacceptable. I would never treat my guests this way. Ken was the manager on duty who also seated us and not once apologized so we had to ask for a general manager. Sadly, Bob Evans has better customer service. read more

We decided to go to First Watch rather than the nearby Silver Diner because we have enjoyed other locations. This experience was terrible. We were not there at a busy time but we still waited at least 20 minutes for our food.. The Parma hash was mostly potatoes with a few bits of sausage, mushroom and tomatoes. No cheese was visible. The eggs were ordered over easy but came out cooked through, without a runny yolk. When we brought this to our waitress' attention she did offer to make another dish but by then we had been waiting so long and had to leave, so we told her not to. She seemed to act like she was doing us a favor to remove the charge. We spoke to the manager and all he could really say to explain why the eggs had been overcooked was that eggs "are finicky". We will certainly not be returning, but will be going to the Silver Diner (or anywhere else) next time instead. read more

I'd give this place 4/5 stars. Nowadays, it's unheard of to not have almond milk and offer lattes/cappuccinos. That was baffling to me. Soy, IMO, no longer is the best dairy free option for the general public. The service was great. I'd say, even with checking in on their app, we waited longer than I would have liked to. Ambiance and decor were great. Specialty menu was on point for the fall. Great menu all in all. read more

We went to the Columbia location for brunch, meeting my aunt and uncle who were passing through from Philly to Ohio. We waited about 30min for a table which 9:30 on a Sunday at a breakfast place doesn't seem unreasonable, there was quite the wait after us so maybe closer to 9 there wouldn't have been much of one. The coffee was amazing, I could still taste it and feel the warmth of it (not in a bad way in a MAN THATS DAMN GOOD JOE way) hours later and the food was good portions- I haven't been hungry all day and it's 6pm. The kids meals are HUGE, (the pancake was about the size of my toddler) they definitely were worth the price. It's a little loud but again, it was busy. The bathrooms were clean too. We hardly go out for breakfast or brunch, but this will be my new spot when I do. I had the biscuits and gravy, my husband had the Belgian waffle, and it was a waffle that would make Leslie Knope proud. read more

I've been here three times now, and it gets better each time. The first time the bacon was a bit too crisp for my liking but today our server Jessica recommended the harvest pork chop with eggs & cheese grits, and I was not disappointed. Thanks for the delicious start to our day and the wonderful service. read more

I've been here 3 times since they have opened - the food gets 5 stars - service get 3. The food is delicious- their multigrain bread is so good that I have ordered a loaf of it to go! The fresh juices are excellent and I haven't eaten anything that wasn't great. The service needs work. The last time I was there was two weeks ago for lunch and we had to wait 10 minutes to be seated because tables hadn't been bused - not because they were busy. And the dirty dishes were on all the empty tables - and even when we left they hadn't been cleared. Just gross. Our coffee mugs and drink glasses were dirty and had to be swapped out and so was our silverware. We also had to wait a long time for our food to come out - surprising since they didn't appear busy. Maybe they were short staffed? Hoping that is the case and it was a fluke. I really want this restaurant to succeed. The food is too good! read more

I had heard from 2 friends that this place was great. My husband and I were looking for a place to go on a brunch date together. You should note that I and a lot my friends work in an upscale restaurant near by in Columbia MD. So when it comes to restaurants I am very understanding- these people work hard! Upon arrival we were quickly seated- we were starving so we were excited that there wasn't a wait. After getting settled our server came and brought us coffee- the only part of our meal we really enjoyed- it was delicious! My husband opened his roll of silverware looking for a spoon to stir the coffee and found a large chunk of dried food on his utensils. Not a good start. Water came to the table in a cute glass carafe- and I immediately noticed two pieces of floating debris inside. Luckily we had not drank it already. Server brings a new one- crisis averted. When our meal comes out eggs are on the wrong plate but no big deal, we trade them ourselves. My eggs were over cooked but whatever I'm hungry. Bacon was also over done and we both decided had a strange after taste. His French toast was way under seasoned not really sweet or cinnamon flavored just bland. In fact, everything really could have used more seasoning. My waffle was delicious and crisply on the outside and fluffy inside. Thank goodness! We didn't want to complain- after all it wasn't inedible just way underwhelming. We have both been eating well/dieting lately and were really excited for a "cheat day" (thus the French toast and waffle) but Instead we feel like we wasted our appetite and calories on mediocre food. Our server was friendly and attentive but, as you know, it takes a lot more than a happy face to get and maintain regular diners. We will not be back. It's too bad because it's so close to our house and has a nice outside patio for those beautiful days when inside just won't cut it. I normally don't go to this much trouble to post reviews but it's better to be honest so they can improve. read more

Went for breakfast with some friends today. Arrived at 9 and were seated right away. It got very busy shortly after we sat down. The waitress was attentive and friendly. The food was delicious. I had the BLT Eggs Benedict and was not disappointed. It was so crowded by the time we left so it's probably a good idea to get there early or expect a long wait. read more

Food is excellent and service is good. My husband got the avocado toast and I got the am superfoods bowl. It was so good!!!!!! I would eat there every Sunday for brunch if I could read more

The food is great but the service, oh my goodness! So slowwwww. Don't be hungry when you arrive because the wait for the kitchen to prepare food is long. We waited 45 minutes for our food. The wait staff is not knowledgeable regarding gluten free items and neither is the kitchen. Wish they had more gluten free choices. But the food is really wonderful. read more

I like the food at First Watch however the service is so slow. I came in before 7:15 am on a weekday and ordered food. There were maybe three tables occupied (practically empty). I waited until 7:40 am and the my food still was not ready. I had to leave. Luckily for me I did not pay for my food ahead a time and I did not have to worry about a refund. read more

We were there Sunday morning wait time about an hour. Four in our group, four orders, three got meals one did not. That was a rice bowl no cooking necessary and still came out after the three of us were done. One other was a waffle that was cold. We told them and still were billed for the entire meal. Not a good start in customer service. Definitely not worth the wait. read more

Loved it! Brunch was wonderful, and the waitress gave great recommendations. They also use the NoWait app which is great for when the wait is super long. read more

Just returned from brunch at the First Watch in Columbia, MD. Food and service were fine. However, the noise level indoors was the highest of any restaurant I've eaten at. Because of that, I will not return. read more

Great food options and easy to check into a line. The downside is the food seems to take a long time to be cooked and the three times that I've been, I have asked for eggs over easy. This seems to be a challenge for this First Watch! Hopefully this is due to inexperience and it'll get better. read more

This place started out so great. The food was delicious and fresh...then they got busy and popular and have suffered tremendously ever since. Our last 2 visits it has been over an hour wait for our food. On one occasion our pancake came out burnt (the server asked us if we wanted it sent back before we even said anything) and when they remade it the center was still completely raw liquid. The second time we were placed in a booth with no sun shade and the sun beating in. All of us were sweating and had to wear sunglasses inside. According to the server they have been getting complaints about it since the day they opened and just now have ordered some sun shades. Ironically, the only thing that wasn't hot that day was our food. If you think you can avoid the insane wait to be seated by using their app to get in line, good luck. It is often more than 30 minutes off. You are better off going down the street to Eggspectations. They have a long wait as well but at least your food comes out fast, hot, and not burnt or undercooked. read more

My husband and I went for breakfast yesterday and it was just meh. To start with, the "classic" eggs Benedict was served topped with tomatoes (hubby had them removed) and a side salad. What's classic about that? When he ordered it, the server asked how he wanted the eggs cooked :-( I guess we'll chalk it up to new server. Despite ordering them poached (as in "classic"), the whites were very undercooked. I had the classic breakfast with eggs, sausage, toast and fruit salad instead of potatoes. I thought it was decent but definitely nothing special. Our table was definitely in need of busing with trash and plates sitting there until we left and no one cleared it despite several corporate management people walking by over and over. Oh and they presented the check without asking if we wanted anything else. Again, I chalk this up to new servers, but the corporate trainers have to provide more guidance and know when to step in. We won't be rushing back anytime soon. read more

I will say that our food, once we got it was excellent and our server was very nice, however you should only plan on coming here if you have LOTS of time to spend. We were told our wait would be 20 minutes - it was 45. We were seated and ordered very quickly ( since we had lots of time to prepare our order while waiting). After 20 minuets of waiting for food 3 members of our party had to leave for another scheduled event. They were able to CANCEL those orders because they hadn't even been started. It was 20 more minutes before our food arrived and it took about 5 minutes before everything came out. Our server was clearly embarrassed and furious with the kitchen. I saw another patron screaming into the kitchen area in frustration. When the kitchen has problems the servers suffer and that's not fair to them. If the kitchen can't keep up stop seating people until it can: and never underestimate wait times for tables. So if you have 3 hours for breakfast on a Saturday this is the place for you. read more

Oh no! I had such a good experience the first time that I decided to bring my husband and treat him to a nice breakfast this morning. I ordered the tri-fecta which is two eggs any way, your choice of breakfast protein, and a belgian waffle. it looked pretty on the plate when my server brought it out of the kitchen but I quickly discovered that the waffle was cold. So cold that the lump of butter on top wasn't melting at all, just cold butter on top of a cold waffle. And my eggs weren't very hot - I figured the plate was sitting under the warmer while my husband's food was being cooked - his food was warm. I told my server that my waffle was cold and asked for it to be reheated. About 10 minutes later, I was told that they couldn't reheat the waffle that they had to make a new one. Meanwhile my husband was almost finished and I has eaten my sausage and as much of the eggs that I wanted to eat. While we were just about finished, my server gave me the waffle. I asked for it to be packed to go as we were ready to leave. The server gave me attitude and made it seem like I was being unreasonable. No apologies for serving me cold food and then giving me attitude when I asked for the waffle to go. The last thing I need on a Sunday morning is bad service and so so food. I won't be coming back and will tell everyone that they should order the food as a pick up if they want to come at all. read more