An extremely corporatized First Watch. Actually, the location name "Muddy Branch" is a perfect description. This FW is like an Applebee's. The food is made from crappy ingredients and it's clearly garbage in, garbage out. The chile chorizo was so bad I had to napkin it. Some First Watch locations are tremendously good, but not this one read more

I love First Watch! I definitely recommend joining the online waitlist so you do not have to wait inside for too long. The food is always fresh and made quickly. The workers are polite and responsive to all needs! read more

First Watch - Mint Mocha Iced Coffee - Cafes Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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We're celebrating! What better way to memorialize this special occasion than to affirm the wife's request to dine at First watch (again!). As previously mentioned - "We love this place!". I decided to create a nice collage of this visit - try not to drool! read more

This is my third time at this location and it was overall a pretty good experience. First Watch allows you to get in line ahead of time on their website, which is really convenient considering our wait was 1-1.5 hours. Our server was attentive and friendly. The hosts were doing their best to keep order of the line, which was really appreciated. A few hungry customers were continuously asking them for their place in line (totally understandable since they're quite packed), but the hosts remained calm and professional. Pricing is fair in my opinion, since the portions are quite generous! This location is more spacious than other First Watch restaurants I've been to around the area, so I think it helped calm the chaos of the brunch rush. It wasn't above and beyond service, but it was still a pleasant experience. Overall, I would recommend this location to my friends and am excited to come back! read more

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Again toaster????? Ordered toast said no butter and dark. Got butter and cold as usual. Omelet was ok. Potatoes yuck cold premade not crispy (i asked for them to come out hot, nope) Well I tried again and will not be back. The coffee is horrible as well. read more

I went to First Watch with my family on a snowy Saturday morning but this place was still packed!! We ordered Bacado Omelet, Chile Chorizo Omelet, Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl, Farmhouse Hash, and Carnitas Breakfast Burrito. They were all pretty good and portion size was perfect or big as well. If I had to pick my favorite out of those it would be Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl. Even the two servers for our table said that one was their favorite too! The price range for all those dishes were between $10-15 and I think those are very reasonable prices especially in this crazy economy. The servers were super nice and the interior was very cute and cozy. My family had a great time here! read more

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Came here for a late brunch with my girlfriend and was happy to see that the quality of the food and service here was just as good as other locations. There was a decent wait list, but that's to be expected when this place is that good! Our server was very polite and accommodating, which was wonderful especially with how busy it was. Our food came out at a good time and was still nice and warm. I ended up not finishing my pancakes and taking them home. They were still amazing after being reheated a day later! read more

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I finally tried this restaurant after wanting to for sometime. And I have to say I was not disappointed. That was definitely the best avocado toast I have ever had in my life! Not pasty like most Avocado that's spread onto bread. This was nice multi-grain bread with chunky Avocado. The dish also had two eggs for good measure, cooked to order. One of my coworkers got a waffle, eggs and bacon, although I can't remember what it was called. We all liked the food, although it was a little bit pricy for what you get. But I'd eat here again. Quality over quantity, and the waiter was great, too. read more

First Watch - Avocado toast with eggs. Amazing. - Cafes Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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I've been here numerous times and really enjoy coming here with friends for brunch. Sometimes there can be a wait, but it's definitely worth the wait. The staff has always been friendly and attentive whenever I am here. The menu has diverse options so regardless of your lifestyle/diet you will find something to eat here. The food always tastes great and I will definitely continue to return here. read more

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Whenever I read reviews, I laugh at the ones that begin with "I would give negative stars if I could". However, in this instance--I really would give negative stars if I could. You know you're in a bad restaurant when you can hear the other patrons around you complaining about the food service. You know you're in a HORRENDOUS restaurant, when you are seated directly across from the kitchen and can hear the workers *complain* about the customers who are upset. I have only ever heard great things about First Watch from my friends in Montgomery County, so I was excited to try them out for breakfast today. Big mistake ..... big.... huge. First off, when we arrived and were seated, no-one out of the 4-5 waitstaff came to greet us for 15 minutes. When our waitress did finally show up, she was not friendly--you could tell she was irritated she had to take our table. We placed our orders and noticed an elderly couple got seated directly next to us--within minutes, a waitress came to their table and took their drink orders. What? I ordered the Shrimp and Grits and my boyfriend ordered the "Eggtastic" Sandwich. Food arrived in a decent timeframe but left a lot to be desired. My shrimp and grits were watery, to the point I texted a picture to a good friend of mine asking if this is normal, as he recommended the shrimp and grits at First Watch and he said *surprise surprise* absolutely not! To make matters worse, when I unrolled my napkin, I see that the spoon that was given to me is dirty! And I don't mean water spots... I mean dirty dirty! Check out the picture in my review! Gross. Where we were seated, I could see the kitchen staff preparing meals. 2 out of the 5 or so staff members who were directly preparing the food were wearing their masks incorrectly and below the nose. Come on. To make matters worse, our waitress was super unavailable and very aloof. She kept us waiting for an additional 10 minutes after asking for our check--mind you, it had already taken us 10 minutes to flag her down to get our check in the first place. The cherry on top was waiting an additional ten minutes to check out and pay our check at the stand.... there were literally 5 or 6 people waiting behind us in line because no one bothered to come over to the stand even though the staff could see us waiting there. Here's the thing--I understand that COVID times are rough, last-minute things happen, businesses can be understaffed, and most of the time, that is at no fault of the staff who DO show up. However, communicate that to your customers! Apologize or at least let it be known that you care. Everyone we came in contact with today acted like there was nothing wrong and that this is normal. If multiple people in your place of business are complaining at once, everything is NOT normal. Acknowledge it. Super disappointed and won't be back again. read more

First Watch - Dirty spoon - Cafes Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Please take my review with a grain of salt since I was raised on IHOP and Waffle House breakfast meals. The quality of food is very fresh and well prepared. But I've never really been an organic free-range egg kinda guy. I felt super healthy eating here but I wouldn't say I felt super satisfied. I still think it's worth the visit and I look forward to exploring the menu. I had the half club and soup today. Loved the club sandwich but the white chicken soup was bland and underwhelming. read more

First Watch - Interior decor. - Cafes Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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I visited first watch on a Wednesday morning just shortly after opening. The woman who seated us was also our waitress as I would assume there wasn't a reason to have a lot of staff at the time we visited. I ordered the chorizo omelet. It came with fried onions and chorizo, sour cream and salsa and I got the greens on the side. The chorizo was not spicy and almost made me think I was eating ground beef. The omelet had a lot of onions in it if that's your thing. My food was ok, nothing outstanding, but nothing to complain about either. The waitress was nice and did a good job. read more

Long wait to be seated-rather chaotic at the front of the house. Less than average service. Server spilled coffee on us and the table and didn't clean it up. We asked for napkins, they came with our food. Burnt sausage and home fries. I'm sure they were busy all day but all of this wasn't ok. read more

Mediocre service. 15 min wait just for coffee to be brought out. Server forgot to bring my friend's drink until after his food came out. They forgot the sausages in my shrimp&gritz and then brought it after I've already eaten half of it. Food tasted great, but they can definitely work on improving their service. read more

1.5 stars. Don't be fooled by how cute and aesthetic the restaurant is!!! This place has kind of turned into a mess. Sat by the kitchen this most recent visit and I think they need to get it together. Same server as last time, who seems really genuinely sweet and kind, but I said no feta and I have a witness--my food comes and guess what? There was feta all over my food. She has the audacity to come back and be like "you asked for no feta?" as if I never said it. *sigh* Check came and proof she didn't write no feta, so she wasn't listening. An apology would have been enough for me, because I didn't get it. The pesto chicken quinoa bowl is good though! So if you must come here, I highly recommend. The juices are also delicious and never a disappointment. We had the new blue booster (tart and refreshing, blueberry lemonade feels) and the morning meditation (orange, lemon, turmeric, ginger, agave nectar and beet--what a combo!). There was a piece of lettuce in the am superfoods bowl, and the peanut butter containers we asked for (sub for almond butter) were either already open or dirty. It was good though when we got a replacement--coconut chia pudding topped with fruit. YUM! Also, when we were seated, the hostess had to clear the table of dishes, and then menus were just placed on top of the dirty table which still had leftover food bits. We actually had to ask to get it wiped. While we were eating there were gnats flying around. Sure, we were right by the kitchen, but gnats flying around anywhere is very telling of the cleanliness back there... Some of the staff here seem to be competent though, and they all are nice, but overall something has got to change. Spoke to the manager and he didn't seem to care. (Maybe he was super overwhelmed at the time but there's no excuse. You are the manager.) Just wow. Doesn't seem like customer service is a priority at all here. We sat for a bit eating our food and he stopped by afterwards to follow up, and apologized and explained they're trying something new in terms of bussing and seating. OK, thank you, but isn't one of the rules in the restaurant business to not seat customers at a dirty table? Food is great! Kudos to the chefs and the franchise menu, BUT never coming back here. Mistakes happen and things get crazy in a restaurant, but what an utter disappointment because two years ago, this was easily my fav breakfast place. read more

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My family and I have gone to First Watch for brunch a few times. Last week, we went to eat breakfast together, and we all enjoyed our food! I ate the Trifecta, and everything was delicious! The waffle tasted delightful with butter, fruit preserve, and a dash of maple syrup. I asked for scrambled eggs and chicken sausage, which went well with the waffle. We also shared the Gingerbread doughnuts, which were tasty! Overall, we had an amazing breakfast, and we will definitely go back to try more dishes! read more

First Watch - Trifecta (Waffle, Scrambled Eggs, Chicken Sausage) - Cafes Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Stopped here on a rainy Wednesday morning. It was not very busy. Somewhat generic modern industrial decor. This place has a big menu with lots of different options. I had the barbacoa chilaquiles with scrambled eggs and my partner chose the seasonal French toast with blueberry and lemon curd. Both were quite good and generous servings. The kitchen did not have the black beans for the chilaquiles but it was a minor disappointment. Good coffee too. The service was decent . I'll go back to try some of the other creative breakfast options. read more

I've never gotten a kid's meal here, before, and now I know I should never order one again. A burned, stone-cold freezing/hard as a rock sausage link, and decrepit scrambled eggs? This is what FW thinks is OK to serve to a child? I could have gotten a better breakfast from McDonald's for 1/3rd of the price. This is what I get for wanting to do something special for breakfast with my kid, I guess. ETA; I was so busy trying to fix my kid's meal that I didn't even notice mine was disgusting until I bit into it. Half the toast is burned to hell, the other half is cold and sopping wet. I bit into one piece and almost threw up, that's how disgusting it tasted. read more

First Watch - Cafes Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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The weekend brunch menu is full of interesting choices! I got the lemon ricotta pancakes while my other party opted for avocado toast with egg. We shared, and both were tasty. Coffee comes in a pot for the table. It tasted fine (although I am not the best to judge coffee). If I had room for more, I would have ordered the cinnamon roll (with cinnamon toast crunch cereal crumbles on top). It looked awesome! The wait time was an accurately estimated 30 minutes. The staff were all quite good. For food taste and quality, service, ambiance, and menu variety altogether, I definitely recommend First Watch for a good brunch. read more

BLT Eggs Benedict-$11.50 * I've been to First Watch before pre-COVID but this was the first time I've been back since then. The tables were socially distanced, employees wore PPE and they had a lot of orders for pick up. The only thing was that they did seem a bit short staffed but it wasn't a big deal. We dined-in and they were really good at getting everything out at once and making sure that we had everything we needed. I didn't need to ask for hot sauce since they brought it out along with everything else! As always, you can't go wrong with First Watch. This was the first time I tried the BLT Eggs Benedict and it did not disappoint. The eggs were runny and the arugula really balanced out the richness of the bacon and egg yolk. Every time I leave First Watch, I'm always stuffed to the brim and have leftovers. read more

First Watch - BLT Eggs Benedict - Cafes Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Food was good. Wide menu selection. Just be aware, they will ask you to leave as soon as you pay even though there are empty tables... very disappointing read more

First time trying First Watch. Ordered carry out because I'm personally not ready to be eating near other people yet, if I can easily enough take the food back home. I appreciate how friendly and accommodating the staff/kitchen was. I ordered "the traditional" with 2 eggs, bacon, toast, and potatoes. Online ordering has radio button options for egg preparation options, unfortunately not including soft boiled like I like. I called to ask if this was possible and they told me I could just request this in the 'notes' section. When I went to pick my order up the man I spoke to told me he was actually the person who made my eggs haha Apparently, that is not a style they get asked to make much there so they stood out. Eggs were perfect by the way :) We also ordered a Belgian waffle, took a bit of a gamble it would travel ok (read not become soggy and sad), but it did, thank goodness! This location appears to be offering dine-in again. It was not a busy time when I went, so people were definitely spaced out very well. From my time waiting the restaurant also seems to be kept clean. I'll definitely be coming back :) read more

The food was great! The service was amazing! My server, Blanca, was very helpful and friendly. The ambiance was cozy and elegant. I ordered the Floridian French Toast and the Farmhouse Skillet. The Floridian French Toast was fluffy and sweet. I really liked it! The Farmhouse Skillet was good. I really enjoyed eating the potatoes! I also ordered the Mint Mocha Iced Coffee. The size was very big! The mint taste of it wasn't that strong so I liked it. Overall, the food was good! read more

I've been to the location in Rockville before but this was my first time in the Gaithersburg location. And I dont know if the franchise as a whole has undergone management change since i went but what a big upgrade on the interior decoration. It felt very pleasant and homey. Our server was very attentive and was nice enough to make sure he was able to accommodate a ingredient change 5 minutes after I placed my order. I got the summer special corn elote hash and my mom got the avocado toast. The food was good. Not the best hash ever but it was pretty good for the price point. read more

First Watch - Cafes Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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The food is flavorful. Eggs Benedict are my favorites. It is super easy to make an online reservation and cue. The service is fast. The place is always clean. I always go to Muddy Branch. Thanks for the many good breakfasts and brunches read more

This was a really wonderful breakfast. There may be a wait to get in but this place is 100% worth the wait. Wait staff was attentive and kind, they didn't rush us through our breakfast. They are quick in terms of service, they bring everything out rapidly, and even notice when someone needs them! Food is wonderful, my breakfast was excellent. The tacos weren't too spicy, and there was hot sauce in the table for those who needed that extra kick (like myself) I'm not a coffee drinker anymore, but I did have a couple of cups and they actually have wonderful coffee. Grits were great, cheesy and delicious, went great with the hot sauce! read more

First Watch - Positively wonderful breakfast tacos with cheese grits! - Cafes Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Excellent menus; seasonal specials, breakfast and lunch. Grain bowls are very good as are multi-grain pancakes and for a highlight "million dollar bacon." All good and fresh ! Service is friendly and generally efficient. The staff is friendly and helpful. Good for small and medium groups. "Join the Line" app allows virtual wait. Sign in on line, in advance and check in when you arrive. Very customer friendly. read more

My salmon frittata was dry and tasteless and the side lettuce salad was just lettuce with very little dressing. The bread was supposedly artisanal bread and had no taste. My husband got a waffle, and he said it was nothing special. We won't be returning. Two stars because service was fast and the server was good. read more

Upon entering the restaurant, I saw my friend Lorena who was going to the gym. We chatted briefly. Inside the restaurant were 34 people seated with 5 people waiting patiently (1 impatient and quite rude overweight baby) while 11 kitchen and staff members served food. My waitress was subjectively attractive as with all beauty standards. She had brown hair. She greeted me and brought me my food. I have withheld her name to respect her privacy although I will remember it until the day I die. The avocado to toast ratio of my avocado toast was sufficient and the coffee was of a satisfactory temperature for my consumption. The barstool that I sat on was of sturdy quality and workmanship as was the table at which I sat. My bill with tax and tip was $18.00 as verified later by my bank statement. I have attached a picture of the boots that I wore that day for my own personal log. Please disregard otherwise. read more

First Watch - These are the boots I wore to the restaurant. This is for my own personal log. Please disregard otherwise. - Cafes Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Over the past few years I've seen a menu change that's made me go from really hating First Watch to actually loving it. If you're going on the weekend you NEED to join the waitlist on Yelp ahead of time. A Saturday morning wait can be over an hour, so I suggest taking a look at the live waitlist at home at least an hour before you want to be seated. My most recent visit was on a Saturday morning. I joined the waitlist around 10:00 am and had to check in by 10:57 am. I checked in maybe 10 minutes early and was seated right around 11:00 - super easy! It was very busy but our waiter was attentive and quick to bring drinks, check back on us, etc. I've had mixed service in the past but was happy during my most recent visit so not knocking them down on stars for service. They have a really nice variety with healthy options and then not so healthy options! My go to is the avocado toast. The bread they use is grainy and pairs really well. They're generous with the avocado which is nice! I like that it comes with eggs and you can have them cooked however you like. I've tried pancakes before but haven't been super into them. They're not like regular pancakes and if I'm gonna splurge on a pancake I want it to be thick and fluffy and unhealthy! The million dollar bacon is amazing so highly suggest a side of this. It comes with 4 pieces so it's good for sharing. My biggest complaint is no fresh squeezed OJ :( The menu makes the OJ sound fancy but I'm pretty sure it's just a carton from the grocery store. They do have some other juice options, like a green juice, if you're into that! read more

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For lunch on a Friday, it was pretty packed but fortunately I got the last table for two before there was a wait. Next time I'll have to come before noon. My favorite go to here is the Chicken Avacado Chop Salad or the Chicken Salad Melt. For my recent visit I got the Chicken Salad Melt. What I love is the blend of all the ingredients and the texture. The grilled toast, celery, and apple bits give it a nice crunch. Meanwhile the raisins give it some added sweetness. With the sandwich you also get the option of a side salad or bowl of soup. I chose the latter and got Italian soup. It was one of the best soups I have ever had. I loved the flavor and blend. The sausage was yummy! Oh and if you sign up for their program you get a free entree on your birthday. Sweet deal. read more

The manager, Anthony, is always attentive and personable. The food is always great and great wait staff... I think it's funny how people give a negative review for the wait time. If you don't like the wait time or their wait system, go somewhere else! read more

They gave our food very late. Waitress were keep saying these plates were heavy for her to hold as soon as she comes to our tables, ignore my question and left our table as soon as she puts our foods at our table. She didn't bought potato for side of foods until we ate our foods. We asked where is our potato to other server twice. Our server didn't show at our table to ask how was our foods, we need anything. I made a complaint about it to cashier but he didn't apologize for unprofessional service. Other worker tolds me that I shouldn't make a complaint about the food didn't come out since it is side dishes at my order. They didn't apologize to me. The person next to me had same problem. All employees work as unprofessional. I will not go back since bad manner to customers and unprofessional handle customer's complaints. read more

I've eaten here a few times and have found the food to be consistently good. My first time here, I ordered the chickichanga, and it was made well. The chicken was juicy, tasted good, and plentiful. Second time here, I ordered biscuits and turkey sausage gravy and it was okay. Tasted a little bland but still filling and fresh. My favorite item were the donut bites. They were fresh, hot, and combined with the different sweet sauces tasted amazing. The price is average and the service is good. It's a go to brunch spot in the area. read more

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Went this morning, a super busy and rainy Sunday. The food was great - got the Italian Omelet, Smoked Salmon Frittata, and the Morning Market Omelet. Our waitress Blanca made the visit even better - she was bubbly, cordial, patient, and efficient. read more

Nutritiously delicious. On the weekends be prepared to wait a 1 hr. Staff is typically efficient at cashing finished customers out and seating awaiting customers. I love the healthy options available! read more

This place was really great! They made my eggs exactly the way I like them. Lol. A lot of places don't understand what a fried extra hard egg is and it drives me nuts lol. My daughter had an awesome birthday breakfast here!! read more

First Watch - Cafes Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Food is consistent and good. I ordered the Parma without the mushrooms and it was great. Only thing I would recommend is for them to have red pepper flakes on the table so if we wanted it to be spicy we can add some ourselves. Tried the iced coffee and it's great with the meal. Belgian waffle is very light and airy and it's worth a try. read more

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Came here at around 9:45 on a busy Saturday morning, and was seated by 10:15. Food came out at about 10:30. Pretty long wait to get some breakfast, but probably the same as any other saturday morning breakfast place. I had avocado toast and two chocolate chip pancakes. While this was my first time here, I could tell that the avocado toast was a popular here. They loaded my toast with fresh avocado which had just the right amount of salt and lemon to it. The chocolate chip pancakes were huge and I probably should have only gotten one. Along with the hot syrup they bring out, the pancakes were sweet and the chocolate chips melted into gooey yumminess. I was a little sad that our waitress didn't stop by and check on us- but since it was incredibly busy I'll let that go. I'd definitely come here over iHop or Dennys because the portions are huge and I think the food is tastier, but be ready to wait a little bit more! read more

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(4) ~ very good overall take-out food & service MENU: ** Barbacoa Breakfast Tacos (w. side of Black Beans) = (4.25) Very good, especially with Hot Sauce;) * Watermelon Wake-up = (3.75) Refreshing, although I still like the Kale Tonic more;)lol read more