Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    First Watch

    4.1 (64 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 2:30 pm

    Order First Watch Takeout or Delivery

    First Watch Photos

    Business Info

    FIRST WATCH ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - First Watch

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Table token
    Kayla P.

    Always a good meal. I had my born, the chicken pesto quinoa bowl and it was tasty. I love how fresh everything is (even the orders I spy in passing). My guy had the blueberry pancake and feels the chocolate chip is better. My Kale Tonic was refreshing. Service was busy. The place was bustling and filled with brunchers. It's close-ish seating but not impassable. Friendly and open.

    Breakfast skillet
    Tony F.

    First time we came here with the family, and this place was buzzing with energy from the moment you opened the door. I had the breakfast skillet that you could have two people easily share, but everything was delicious. Our waiter found out we were from Wisconsin and was very personable with us, and did an amazing job serving our table, A+! The food was amazingly fresh, delicious, and generous portions. You WILL NOT leave hungry. Everything from the coffee, to the fruit, to the bread was absolutely amazing. I would recommend to call ahead to get a seat as this place was very just and always had people waiting, but they did a great job continuously seating people . We will definitely come back next year when we are back in town, great job to the buisness and staff!!

    BLT Benedict!
    Smythe R.

    I was just wanting coffee and a small breakfast, but it's New Year's Eve and places are closed. But I always love the BLT Benne here, so rode a little further. Sat on the patio until it started getting chilly. Megan kept checking on me, made me feel very welcome. One of the managers also came by at some point. Great coffee, great food, great service, great WiFi. What's not to love?

    Menu
    Dan B.

    It was going to be a 15 minute wait, but we were offered the choice of immediate seating at the bar which we chose. This is the first First Watch I've been to that has a bar - half of which is inside and half of which is outside. Terry, our server, was friendly, accommodating, and efficient. He had our drinks within minutes. Their coffee is very good and I love that they bring you your own personal pot (the delight of true coffee drinkers everywhere, ha). I ordered their "Bacado" which consists of bacon, avocado, Monterey Jack, topped with all natural sour cream, and served with a side of house made pico de gallo. It was excellent!! Excellent healthy food choices, exemplary service, and reasonable prices will be a major reason why I continue to support and recommend First Watch. If you haven't experienced this place yet, give them a try.

    Eggs Benedict
    Jessica G.

    Came here because I really wanted an eggs Benedict. It looked pretty nice, and the eggs were poached well but the hollandaise sauce was a little bland. Service was good, pretty standard. It was also darker than I expected inside, but we were seated by the window which made it brighter. Overall not a bad brunch spot.

    Barbara scrambled eggs, black beans, and creama
    Chandra J.

    Haven't been to First Watch in a while, but I am so glad that I was able to check them out on Sunday with a friend. I received my birthday reward earlier than I thought and was blessed to do a BOGO! I decided to try their Barbacoa chlaquies bowl, and my friend got their own view on a trifecta. And wow, the Barbados bowl was thick, full, and amazing--literally. It felt like an enchilada with a splash of eggs and black beans exploded in my bowl. It was so full of flavor! Wow! This was not was I was expexting from First Watch. Even my friend mentioned that he wished that he would have ordered what I did as it looked amazing and was so full! I literally have made three meals out of this!! Minus one star for the lackluster service. A lot of other people OTHER than our server served us, which is sad as she was clearly helping others. I would get the same entree, but not with the same server.

    pumpkin pancake
    Tom H.

    The staff at this location has been great! Very friendly and makes an effort. The menu has a wide array of brunch and breakfast staples not especially unique but there should be something for everyone in your party. Some of the menu items such as the "Million Dollar Harvest Hash" use a few ingredients you may not have at home like Mikes hot honey (honey infused with chili peppers for kick) but generally you're not getting surprised here. They do try to create a seasonal menu based on what veggies are typically in season, I say try because being a wide reaching chain it's not possible to develop a menu for every region but they hit some of the main ones such as corn, asparagus etc. During the fall they grab onto the pumpkin spice trend which I took a picture of my pumpkin spice pancake that I would rate as good (yes you get just one per order). Ambiance is warm and inviting for the most part, maybe a bit boring but for a primarily breakfast/brunch location that can be a good thing as it gives a more toned down comforting vibe. I don't review a lot of chains but there's enough locations around the triangle now that some people are trying them for the first time. You won't get "wowed" most likely but it's also not going to ruin your day and you'll get a decent meal. I will say also that their website is amazing for being able to determine the nutrition information about your specific meal. Each ingredient is itemized and given it's own nutrition info and you can see exactly what ingredients are being used to create your dish. I wish every place did this!

    French toast
    Diana G.

    First Watch is a gem of a find! The decor is clean and classy - absolutely love the dropped tin ceiling panel! The staff is so friendly and efficient. The menu is diverse and delicious. I tried the French toast and lemon pancake. The pancake was so very amazing! Even the hot cocoa was above the rest. If ever in the area again, I will not miss the chance to go back. Highly recommended spot!

    French Toast Side Two Eggs Million Dollar Bacon Million Dollar Potatoes

    Top tier service, top tier food, top tier all around. First watch is a lovely place with open seating and even outdoor. Their breakfast selection is unique and I highly recommend the million dollar menu if you're feeling a little indecisive. They have some of the best French toast in the area.

    Vini E.

    It sucks I'm writing this for this cafe but this particular location is terrible. We got seated late, even though they saw we're with a toddler. Nobody came to take our order for a while once we were seated. I wanted something in a particular dish and asked them to replace the meat with veggie or a different protein and I was told it's not possible. So we got a basic market veggie omelette and honestly it's probably the worst omelette I had. The veggies were raw and seemed uncooked. We've been to the Bradford location and it's always been a hit but this location is terrible. We won't be back. Oh and the table next to us is wasn't cleared for the entire time we were seated (see attached pic). We saw multiple staff walk past it but still didn't bother to clear the table.

    Serving up food Hot N Fresh!

    See all

    1 month ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of First Watch Daytime Cafe

    First Watch Daytime Cafe

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jennifer G.

    Jennifer G.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jennifer G.

    Jennifer G.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jennifer G.

    Jennifer G.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Good breakfast food with several interesting twists. Service was great esp sitting outside on this mid-summer morning.

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jennifer G.

    Jennifer G.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jennifer G.

    Jennifer G.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan B.
    112
    384
    2430

    2 years ago

    Helpful 39
    Thanks 14
    Love this 34
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Hanna F.

    Hanna F.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jennifer G.

    Jennifer G.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Mom and I love getting takeout here. I always add on one of their delicious drinks. The bacon is *chefs kiss*. They do takeout really well.

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jennifer G.

    Jennifer G.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jennifer C.

    Jennifer C.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jennifer G.

    Jennifer G.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jennifer G.

    Jennifer G.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1
    Photo of L A.
    0
    3
    10

    7 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of First Watch Daytime Cafe

    First Watch Daytime Cafe

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jamie Z.
    10
    36
    34

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jennifer C.

    Jennifer C.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Jennifer G.

    Jennifer G.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lynerd T.
    11
    11
    36

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Great service by Taylor. Good food and didn't have to wait long either. Will definitely come back.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    They have great food and amazing service. Our waitress Taylor was very nice, absolutely loved her personality!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jacqui F.
    135
    11
    2

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lisa S.
    13
    93
    211

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    great food and server was wonderful! Always get the Million Dollar Bacon...it is delicious!!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - First Watch

    You might also consider

    It's a Southern thing: Kitchen and Bar - Waffle Bites, Cheesey Grits

    It's a Southern thing: Kitchen and Bar

    4.0(719 reviews)
    6.9 mi
    $$

    I love this place for consistently tasty food and a warm, inviting atmosphere. Every visit feels…read morerelaxed and welcoming, and the service is always on point. It's one of those spots where you can walk in anytime and know you're going to have a good experience. If you're looking for recommendations, the wings are a must‑try, and pairing them with a Bloody Mary never disappoints.

    So I asked yelp to recommend a place for a birthday dinner. This was the first on the list. So…read moresince I couldn't get a reservation on my birthday to the place I originally wanted to go, we decided to come here. There is plenty of parking on the backside of the building, paid parking out front, and be careful not to park in the apartment spaces on the side...they sounded pretty serious about towing. I had made a reservation but it was probably unnecessary as it was pretty empty when we arrived (it was about 5pm on a Saturday.) The waitress brought a bottle of water to the table and took our drink order. And I know that this place is literally call it's a Southern thing but can I mention how much I dislike drinking out of mason jars? I ordered the chicken n biscuits, my husband got the country hamburger steak plate, my BiL got wings, and my SiL got the crabcakes. We also orders charred jalapeno & sweet corn hushpuppies and frickles as an appetizer. I was VERY excited about my food. Y'all...the only thing that impressed me were the Frickles. Everything else was distinctly underwhelming. I also ordered Blackberry Betta Have My Money which was not that great. My SiL ordered a espresso martini that they said didn't come from a mix but she said it tasted like it was. The bathrooms were very clean. The decor and the vibe were great. Cute even. I really enjoyed that part of it. After dropping off our food, we never saw our waitress again unless we flagged her down for drink refills. It was especially frustrating since there was automatic gratuity added. And since the place wasn't that busy, it felt like she didn't feel the need to earn her automatic tip. Overall I was disappointed in my birthday dinner. I won't be coming back here.

    Photos
    It's a Southern thing: Kitchen and Bar
    It's a Southern thing: Kitchen and Bar - Fried Green Tomatoes

    Fried Green Tomatoes

    It's a Southern thing: Kitchen and Bar - Dinner menu

    See all

    Dinner menu

    Dame's Chicken & Waffles - Sweet potato waffle, two drumsticks, peach schmear

    Dame's Chicken & Waffles

    4.0(2k reviews)
    6.4 mi
    $$

    Dame's chicken and waffles is pretty good. The smears are delicious with so many options. The…read moresyrups also have options and would have loved to try the Calypso syrup but they ran out. We did get there at 3pm for a very late lunch so that's on us. Definitely recommend getting there earlier to make sure you get the sides and syrups you're interested in trying. The service was a little on the slower side but that's kind of what I expect with a popular place like this. It was still plenty of diners despite how late it was! There's a decent amount of seating and it's definitely on the cozier side with squeezing folks in. We are happy we were able to try this place and would definitely love to try it again in the future.

    Dame's is in a new setting, serving tasty food and kind service…read more Maria was a helpful and friendly server who brought me the Buff Brahamas dish. Two large slightly-spicy and well-breaded chicken cutlets sat on my good waffle. The whiskey cream drizzle (syrup) added some gentle, earthy sweetness and I put the apricot shmear butter to brighten my waffle. I also got some collard greens to balance my flavorful meal. I also tried the Orange-Speckled Chabo chicken and waffles dish on sweet potato waffles with honey Dijon mustard that added mustard tang to complement well the chicken. For a treat, (we had lamented that we hadn't tried the gingerbread waffle), a kind staff person brought us some yummy gingerbread waffle for dessert. Yum!

    Photos
    Dame's Chicken & Waffles
    Dame's Chicken & Waffles - Macaroni and cheese

    Macaroni and cheese

    Dame's Chicken & Waffles

    See all

    Elmo's Diner - Delicious bowl with sweet potatoes and other yummy treats.

    Elmo's Diner

    4.1(829 reviews)
    7.6 mi
    $$

    Delicious food, great prices, and very friendly waitress! we were visiting from out of town and…read morewere so hungry and were so happy to find elmo's diner. the menu is very large and diverse. we especially enjoyed the malts

    We ended up at Elmo's Diner as we were traveling through Durham, and the place we originally…read moreintended to go had a massive wait, so found our way just up the street here. Even though there were people waiting, it's a large place and people were being taken care of very efficiently, so it was only about 15 minutes for us. Walking in, you can tell Elmo's Diner is steeped into the fabric of Durham's culture, and particularly Duke University. Has the vibe of a place that has been long enjoyed but multiple generations. Once we got seated, service was very efficient and we had hot food in front of us within 15-20 minutes which was excellent, since we had a road trip ahead. We both ordered specials, and I can't 100% remember their names for each. Hers was a lemon blueberry pancake platter, which she would have liked with a strong lemon flavor, but I thought was just right. Mine was a breakfast bowl, but unlike any I've been served before. The base was cornbread, sweet potatoes, and black beans and from there you had eggs, sausage, avocado, red chile sauce, sour cream, and pico. It was truly delicious, and a flavor combination I wasn't sure about when ordering, but after the first bite was totally ready to devour. Nary a bite was left. I would definitely recommend this spot!

    Photos
    Elmo's Diner - One seat at the back can see all!

    One seat at the back can see all!

    Elmo's Diner - Chicken Burrito

    Chicken Burrito

    Elmo's Diner - Omelet with massive biscuit and taters.

    See all

    Omelet with massive biscuit and taters.

    Aaktun Coffee & Bar - Bacon egg and cheese

    Aaktun Coffee & Bar

    4.4(162 reviews)
    6.6 mi
    $$

    English: TL;DR: Beautiful atmosphere, fantastic coffee and…read morefood, thoughtful modern Latin flavors, amazing breakfast/dinner spot, and Fernando, the manager, is awesome. We've been to Aaktun in Durham multiple times for both breakfast and dinner, and it's honestly become one of our favorite spots. I'm Peruvian and grew up with Peruvian cuisine, so seeing lomo saltado -- a classic Peruvian dish -- on the menu immediately made me happy. Having also grown up in Mexico and lived in places like Miami, I really appreciate what they're doing with the menu: a modern, delicious take on Latin flavors that feels creative without losing what makes those cuisines special. The atmosphere is absolutely beautiful. You walk in thinking it's a stylish little coffee shop, then head toward the back and the whole place opens up -- gorgeous bar, tropical touches, cozy alcove seating, really cool vibe. One time we went with friends for a special dining experience they were offering, and it was excellent. The food, drinks, and whole experience were made even better by Fernando, the manager, who has always been incredibly warm, helpful, and accommodating. Highly recommend Aaktun for breakfast or dinner. Still haven't made it there for lunch somehow, but at this point we'd be shocked if it wasn't great too. Spanish: TL;DR: Lugar precioso, café y comida excelentes, sabores latinos con un toque moderno muy bien logrado, y Fernando, el gerente, es increíble. Ya hemos ido varias veces a Aaktun en Durham para desayuno y cena, y sinceramente se ha vuelto uno de nuestros lugares favoritos. Soy peruano y crecí con la cocina peruana, así que ver lomo saltado -- un plato clásico peruano -- en el menú me hizo muy feliz. Además, habiendo crecido en México y vivido en lugares como Miami, me encanta reconocer cómo integran sabores latinos con una propuesta moderna y de fusión. Se siente creativa, diferente y sobre todo riquísima. La atmósfera además es espectacular. Entras pensando que es una cafetería bonita y acogedora, pero luego caminas hacia atrás y el lugar se abre por completo: un bar hermoso, detalles tropicales, mesas tipo alcove... una vibra buenísima. Una vez fuimos con unos amigos para una experiencia especial de cena que estaban ofreciendo y la pasamos increíble. La comida, las bebidas y toda la experiencia fueron aún mejores gracias a Fernando, el gerente, que siempre ha sido súper amable, atento y servicial. Recomendamos muchísimo Aaktun para desayuno o cena. Todavía no hemos ido para almorzar, pero honestamente nos sorprendería mucho que no estuviera igual de bueno.

    **Update 5/12/2026 - I made a reservation to take my mom to brunch on Sunday at 10:15. When we…read morearrived, the hostess said the reservation had been made for outside. I explained and showed her that I booked standard seating and she said that meant outside, which I thought was strange because I was very careful not to book either option that was clearly labeled outdoor. I told her that we wanted a table inside and she said "I have a table that has a reservation for 11:30, can you be done by then?" I laughed and said "sure" but thought to myself that would be up to them! She asked another hostess to seat us, and after we were seated, we waited about 15 minutes and watched staff walk by our table multiple times and no one came by. The original interactions had already put a bad taste in my mouth, so I called another restaurant downtown and asked how long the wait would be for two. They could seat us in the bar area right away, so we got up and left Aaktun to head there. The first two experiences that I had at Aaktun were great. I'm glad I got to try their food because I won't be back after Sunday's experience.

    Photos
    Aaktun Coffee & Bar - Iced autumn blaze latte with cold foam - lifewithhanny

    Iced autumn blaze latte with cold foam - lifewithhanny

    Aaktun Coffee & Bar - Iced dulce de leche latte with cold foam - lifewithhanny

    Iced dulce de leche latte with cold foam - lifewithhanny

    Aaktun Coffee & Bar - Jerk chicken

    See all

    Jerk chicken

    First Watch - breakfast_brunch - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...