Went with fiancee and another couple. First time we did a couples thing and I picked First Watch based off of the good reviews seen by other members. We arrived and being Sunday it was busy and we had a 25 minute wait. Wait staff were very nice and on top of things going over the special of the day ( I forget). Our order was brought out pretty quickly despite being busy and the food was great. We all had a good time and I plan to work a few more brunch visits there. Only downside......The restaurant needs to expand to accommodate more patrons. They are doing something right read more

Great service and fresh food....great size pancakes with fruits

I just got back from here for breakfast, and in comparison to must 'chains' - it was pleasant, the food was great and our waitress was very helpful. I had poached eggs with the seasonal pumpkin pancakes and it was delicious! read more

Love this place. Last experience wasn't great. But past times have been wonderful. Updating to 5 stars!

The food here is always good and the service is good too. No complaints. However I find it a bit pricey for breakfast.

Loved it ! French toast ricotta w lemon curd on top was out of this world so was the omlette and bread and drinks everything top notch

Good location. Great atmosphere for brunch, tons of menu options. Candied bacon is to die for.

I was actually really excited to go to First Watch. My boyfriend and I had tried several times to get a table but left because the place was packed! Today, we decided to go a little later and were surprised because we didn't have to wait long at all for a table. Imagine our surprise when the waitress was prompt as well. She greeted us immediately with "hello. What do you want?". We responded that we needed a little more time. She gave us about three minutes before coming back and asking if we were ready. By the third time she came back (about another three minutes) we were tired of being hassled and just picked at random. Our waitress also did not seem to know the menu and my boyfriend had to physically point to what he wanted after repeating himself twice. We did not see our waitress again until right after we got our meals... When she dropped off the check. We are not people who complain very often, but we approached the manager to bring this to His attention. He barely listened and shrugged us off to seat a couple. To top it all off I received a lovely parting gift from First Watch- food poisoning. read more

Best breakfast I know of west of Arlington, but I like healthy options. Lots of healthy options on the menu for breakfast and I assume the same for lunch (not open for dinner). Nice atmosphere in the restaurant -- different than you typical breakfast place or chain. Wait staff was really food, though getting seated took a while even on a Thursday at 9:30. This is a popular place and they don't seem to take reservations (though there is a phone app where you could put yourself in line), so be prepared to wait if you come right near breakfast or lunchtimes. Of course not as inexpensive as fastfood and most of the chains. read more

Spoiler alert: My first experience at First Watch started off in a horrifying fashion, but it turned out okay because management handled it appropriately. Around 12:30pm on a Sunday, I headed out for brunch with the boyfriend, with no inkling of where we would go. A quick check of the Yelp app told us First Watch is a good choice, so we drove the 12 minutes there. We checked in and were told that the wait would be 35 minutes for two people. Frustrating, but to be expected. There was free coffee in the waiting area, so I didn't really care. I didn't end up having any of the coffee, but it is a nice touch that I noticed. There is an electronics store in the same shopping center, so to kill some time, we walked over there and spent 20 minutes browsing. When we came back, I checked with the host to make sure that we hadn't been called yet and he assured me that we had not, but would be up soon. Great, because I was starving! Sitting in the waiting area, we noticed people come in and put their name on the list. After about ten minutes or so, I noticed two parties who had just walked in were sat, and we were still waiting. Not okay! I approached the host stand again and was told by a different person that my name had been called a bit before and we weren't there. It definitely had not, considering we were sitting 3 feet away and had not moved. She said that we would be seated promptly. If we were to be seated promptly, I couldn't figure out why the girl decided to seat two more parties who had just walked in (it was getting close to closing time) before us. I was seething at this point and asked to speak with a manager. When the manager approached me, it turned out to be the first person I had spoken to after we got back from the electronics store (the one who had said we were good and would be called soon). He apologized profusely and said he was not sure why we hadn't been seated yet. At this point, we were seated immediately. The menu looked pretty good and the coffee at the table was delicious. The server was friendly and efficient and the food was quite good, although nothing that I couldn't make myself. At the end of the meal, the manager came over and gave us the meal free of charge + a $20 gift card for a return visit because of the 1.5 hour wait that we endured. I was impressed with management owning up to the mishap and will go back and give them a second chance. Hopefully I will have a great experience and be able to focus on the food in my updated review. read more

Just o.k. I can't possibly give more than 3 stars to a breakfast place that does not serve REAL maple syrup. Sorry but the colored sugar water just does not cut it. Yes, I understand that the real stuff is more expensive. So, fine, charge me $1 more to request it, but at least have it available. Otherwise, this place is just ok. On the good side, they have lots of healthy options (egg white omelets, etc.) which I do appreciate. And the staff was really friendly and attentive. read more

When we showed up the morning of 4/8/2018, there was a wait time of 45 to 90 minutes even though 15 minutes earlier on the phone they said the wait was 30 min. They also told me the only way to get in line without showing up was with their mobile app. They don't have a web site on-line alternative to get in queue. It's a ridiculous policy. They are basically saying: if you don't own a smart phone and use their mobile app, don't bother to come. Needless to say, we left since we did not want to wait up to 90 min. Are they getting a kickback from the big phone companies? read more

Service extremely slow! We have been sitting for 15 minutes and no one came up to greet us...duh!

Decent food but terrible customer service, staff are rude. Wait is always 1-2 hours. Not worth It.

This is a great place in Fairfax, VA if you want something for breakfast or lunch. Their pancakes are delicious, especially the Bacon and Cheddar ones. Don't hate it until you try them! I love their Lean Machine plate and their salads are delicious. They tend to be really busy Saturday and Sunday morning so I would recommend calling ahead before going with a larger group. Their food is great for somehting quick and a little bit lighter. So good! read more

I love the food here !!! However service was terrible when I called on the phone for carry out ! The lady on the phone was rude and said she couldn't hear me I told her no cheese on my turkey burger 4 times then I told her I wanted just Santa Fe sauce and I told the other lady she passed me to the same thing and I got the food and on my break at work I saw they added cheese and no Santa Fe sauce . Then an employee thought I didn't pay for my carry out food ! I felt I wasn't welcomed at my favorite place to eat :( made me sad because I love coming here with my daughter !! read more

I ate at this place a few times when I was working at a spa nearby. For the options within walking distance of the adjoining shopping centers (McDonald's, Robek's, Wendy's, Subway, etc), this place is a real gem. It's open everyday from 7:00am - 2:30pm and they also offer a carry-out option. The downside is that my breaks at the spa were always at 3 or 4, so I never got to eat there much. Service and food portions were good. I think their lunch entrees taste better than IHOP or Silver Diner but their breakfast options are pretty much on par with the other greasy spoons in the area. I don't eat at Denny's but I do eat at Silver Diner and Original Pancake House and they are pretty much the same. Prices here (according to a menu I've had since May of '08) is $7.99 and under. The facility was clean and finding a table and paying for the check was quick and easy. I haven't been here since I stopped working in the area, but there is a location in Bethesda that just opened recently, so I'll have to make my way up there sometime to check it out. read more

Maybe I love this place because it's relatively close to my house but it doesn't hinder the fact that the food here is amazing! Each time I visit I try something new and have not been disappointed once. I always bring my friends here to try and they love it too. I think out of all the things I have tried my favorite would be the whole grain pancakes and the seasonal pumpkin pancakes. Although the food is a major highlight, the coffee and pure pressed juices are wonderful as well. I have tried Day glow and the new Hydrate juice, they are on the sweeter end. I would suggest downloading the No Wait app because the wait gets ridiculous at peak brunch times. Once you arrive make sure you tell the host you have arrived and you are in line on the app. The great thing about this location is that there are many stores to shop at while waiting for your table or you can hang out outside with your party while enjoying complimentary fresh coffee. If you're like me you'll grab the free coffee and do some retail therapy at Ulta next door until my table is ready haha. There are many great food options, if you ever get a chance to eat here I would highly recommend it! read more

Great hot fresh food and excellent service. No fryers or microwaves here. Usually a short wait at lunch time and longer wait time on Saturdays and even longer on Sundays between 8 and noon. Be careful if you use the first watch app. It is new and may not show a wait even though there is one. It needs to be fixed. read more

Glad to see a breakfast lunch place in that particular area of Fairfax. The breakfast was good, service good, too. We had omelets and the sizes were large and sides of potatoes and english muffin tasty. Would go back for brunch for sure. Now the downside. Ordered soups and tuna sandwich carryout for lunch one day. The soups are unbelievably salty, barely edible. The tuna sandwich drenched with mayonnaise, and tuna not well drained of liquid. Stick to breakfast. read more

Doesn't live up to the hype. When my family & I moved to NoVa from NYC, our friends would not stop talking about how great First Watch is. My wife & I decided to try it out (having been sorely disappointed with the dining options in Fairfax County since we moved here). Here's my main take-away: I can do better in my own kitchen. My wife had chocolate chip pancakes. They were essentially large, bisquick pancakes with some nestle chocolate chips in them. Nothing special. They weren't bad, but they didn't have much taste. I had a tomato, spinach, onion, & cheese omelette. Again, it was ok. It wasn't bad, it just was not nearly as good as the ones I make at home. The side of toast came with something that wasn't butter on it - I'm not sure what it was since I don't buy that garbage... but, I asked for butter and what they gave me was not real butter. The home fries didn't have much taste - it's as if they cut up small pieces of potato and put them unseasoned in a try in a toaster oven. The side order of bacon was soggy - it was fully cooked, just left laying around for a while before it was put on a plate and brought to me - and the coffee was lousy Maxwell House. While I don't expect that they are going to have a french press back in the kitchen, you would think that they would have at least a decent brand of mass-produced coffee. Even dive-diners in New England have better coffee. All that said, the service was really prompt, friendly, and the restaurant was very clean. So, at the end of the day, we paid a few dollars to not worry about cooking or washing dishes. My friends in the area tell me that my standards for restaurant food are too high. If that's the case, then I suppose I will save a ton of money while I live here not eating out. I won't go back to First Watch - I fear that based upon my experiences thus far, if I want a decent breakfast, I have to cook it myself. read more

This place is awesome!!! the atmosphere is perfect. The food is fresh and consistent, the service is fast and the staff is friendly. If you are looking for the best hollandaise sauce, look no further. I have only been for brunch, and hands down the competition has a lot of work to do. good luck trying to find better. I know its "just breakfast" but more places than none can totally screw up some over medium eggs. enjoy!! and yes, I am a true bone-fide customer. read more

Does not measure up to Bob Evans or Cracker barrel. I ordered the special of the day which was an omelet. In fact the menu has several omelet options so I assumed the omelet would be good. It was the worst omelet I've eaten. My husband ordered a breakfast bowl that had a breaded chicken breast in it. He said the texture was that of a processed cutlet. We will not be returning. read more

Just had breakfast here for the first time. Great spot to get a healthy meal in. There aren't a lot of places to grab breakfast during the weekday in this area so glad to have found this place. Everything was really fresh and service was quick. read more

The nowait up works alot better And we've learned to avoid the popular hours. Overall, the food and service is great. Love their breakfast selection and health minded ingredients. read more

I had high hopes for this place, but it came up a little short. Ordered the avocado toast and as a previous reviewer said, the avocado came out looking a little old and browning. Do they premise the avocados and just let them sit there? Mind you I came on a quiet Tuesday morning so they weren't terribly busy so I'd expect everything to come out fresh. My eggs were also over hard instead of having a yolky center so that was disappointing as well. Overall though the food isn't bad, but considering they weren't that busy I expected more. On the plus side the hostesses were great. read more

Came in starving after a dreadful accounting exam. Was seated quickly and served by the brightest smiles. I enjoyed the water jars they give you so you dont have to wait for refills. Their pancakes are humongous and delicious. Lots of healthy foods on the menu. Great start to my day (besides accounting). read more

Maybe not the best place for a social "brunch," in it's traditional sense, but 12PM breakfast is a go. Staff is friendly enough and the food is generally good. The kitchen isn't the most flexible with custom ordering. read more

We have breakfast there frequently. We love the food. We have had several things - from indulgent pancakes and omelette dishes to the lighter fair. Always pleased with First Watch! read more

Great Mom & Pop breakfast/lunch restaurant!! I've been here several times with family and friends! It is almost always busy, that's the only issue since you have to wait a little while before getting seated. But the customer service is good- the food is phenomenal I've had the Tri-Fecta (waffle, sausage, & eggs), and Farmhouse Hash! Highly recommend the hash! I enjoy their seasonal FRESH juices as well!! :D Try it out!!!!!!!!! read more

Breakfast was great- I had the eggs Benedict. Potatoes on point, good hand squeezed orange juice. The only thing missing was the mimosa.

Very kid friendly, excellent service, large portions for the price. Much better than iHop and Silver Diner, no contest at all.

Granddaughter suggested this place for breakfast while I was visiting Fairfax--great suggestion!! Was crowded but seated quickly, great menu, excellent service! Food was wonderful -- we were back 3 days later for lunch! Can't wait for my next Fairfax visit read more

Fantastic restaurant overall. Love the healthy food options without sacrificing taste. All staff we've encountered have always been kind, responsive and on top of any request. The wait can be a little long so maybe not the best option if you're in a rush but is definitely worth setting aside the time. read more

This was such a nice surprise. Definitely a welcome change from IHOP. We'll add this to our list of breakfast/brunch places.

Best breakfast ever! All the ingredients taste fresh and they give a nice portion size. I recommend getting the Tri-Fecta. It's eggs (cooked anyway you like), a waffle or pancakes (get the waffle) and your choice of meat (sausage or bacon). YUM!!! I love their potatoes too. Everything is just really good. read more

Lovely variety of both the healthier side of breakfast and traditional. Super cheap considering what a person gets. My husband, daughter and I were under $30 if Im not mistaken. I got the meal in the first picture here-dont remember the name, but it definitely was good. My husband also enjoyed his omelet. My daughter got the kid version of the crepe I enjoyed and she too liked it. Given all of these positives I had to give it 4 stars. We ate once at Silver Diner and my husband said he didnt care to go back. The ONLY downside to First Watch Cafe is the coffee. It seems bitter, almost sour or a bit burnt. I definitely will not order the coffee again. I wish they would use a different vendor. Farmer's Brothers Coffee served at Denny's is 100 times better, even I HOP's coffee is better. Save your money and get coffee elsewhere, but be willing to try juices. The orange juice tasted very fresh! All in all we will definitely be going back as this quickly became a favorite after just one visit and since it had soooo many choices why not go back. Their coffee just isnt anything I would ever order again nor recommend. According to other reviews, I am not the only one who feels the coffee is horrible, otherwise I would've given 5 stars. Oh the staff is top notch, very friendly, courteous, and patient. Even though there was a pretty good wait list, we were never rushed and our food was about average to wait for and frankly I don't personally like my food rushed so for me minus the coffee this is a solid 4 stars!! read more

Not only great food, but amazing service. Jennifer was probably one of the sweetest, most friendly and outgoing waitresses I've had in a LONG time and I eat at restaurants often. Absolutely loved her. read more

We went last weekend the place was packed. My food was good I had a farmers skillet; my daughter's was terrible. It was served on a hamburger burger bun wrong kind of bread. The sauce for the Eggs Benedict was so so. The waitress was borderline rude. The women's bathroom toilet was broken there was no handle to flush. There was an employee just existing the one and only toilet in the women's room. She informed me it was broken and that to flush it I would need to stick my hand into the tank to manually flush it. Actually the more I think about it I would only give it a one or two star. The nice thing was was being able to use yelp to start my reservation at home so the wait wasn't so long. read more

My girlfriend and I decided to eat here after a quick google search of nearby breakfast places. This restaurant has a very pleasant and relaxing atmosphere with cheerful staff. Our waiter Jennifer, like all her coworkers, was amazing with a bubbly personality. Definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a tasty, healthy, $10 meal. They pride themselves on fresh and locally produced foods, have comfortable furniture and spacious booths, and greet everyone with a smile. Give this place a shot if you have the time! read more