Be careful when you join the line on yelp at this place!! I joined the line at 9:42 am and went into the restaurant 10 and it still said there were 3 parties ahead of me. I had to wait in line to get to the hostess stand to check in. I finally got to the hostess stand just to be told I was not on the list. I had it up on the app and showed them I then refreshed and it said I was removed from the line. The manager was about to seat me when the hostess came. The manager then told her I was missing from the list and she goes, "Whats the name?" I said, my name. Then she looks at her manager, "No shes in there, I removed her since she wasn't here on time" Kinda defeats the purpose of seeing how many people are in front of you so you dont sit in/stand in the crowded area waiting for a table and whats with talking about the customer in the 3rd person when they are right in front of you? Okay. Rude. The manager was nice and said the app sometimes makes it that you have to be here in 5 mins of joining and told me he will seat me right then and there since I was alone. The snarky hostess looks at him with a 'WTF does he think he's doing face' and says, "No! We aren't seating anyone right now!" Odd.. There were about 6 free tables and people waiting. Why wouldn't you seat people? He then responds to her, "A one top? Yes I can." And leads me to the table. He apologizes to me and seats me. He tells me, "she must have forgotten he was the manager". Its mind blowing to me to have someone so rude to customers be a hostess! If I weren't hungry, I would have just left. Nonetheless, I didn't enjoy my meal. Instead, I was eating and writing this review and being so shocked that people were made to wait when tables were empty. At one point, there was 8 empty tables and people waiting outside. I will definitely be telling people about my experience and discouraging them from coming to this location. I could have dealt with long waits for food or that my food order wasn't exactly right but being rude is just NEVER acceptable. No matter how good the food is, being rude will cost you business. I will drive the extra 15-20 mins to go to the riverside or beach location instead should I really want to go to first watch again. read more

Good food, a little slow on the service. But highly recommend for a nice fresh meal. Also to be able to sit with friends/family and have a conversation at dinner. read more

This is a weekly treat after church. Delicious and healthy options for everyone. Friendly employees, relaxing environment, fair prices.

I love First Watch as their food is consistent and very good. This location, however seems unorganized in seating people. Evidently the kitchen tells them to hold up on seating people even though there are many tables available. No problem, however there is not adequate seating in the waiting area and the thought of going there and having to stand around for 20-30 minutes does not thrill me do I try to avoid this place on weekends and go to another First Watch which is run much more efficiently. Even if the kitchen is busy there is no reason not to sit people at tables, explain the situation and we can enjoy s cup of coffee. It is just common sense! read more

The food is just so dang good every time I go. Every single time. The morning mediation is a greatttttttttt drink. The breakfast is amazing and my favorite part is the 8.99 half lunch combos. I just had breakfast and then might go back for lunch lol. And no I couldn't take a picture because I was so excited to eat read more

I took my son here to use a gift card I had received at a Yelp Elite event last December! Super excited because everyone knows free food is the best tasting food:) My son ordered a chocolate chip pancake which was huge and delicious! (I had a bite) while I ordered a Chorizo Green Chile omelette with avocado and Monterey Jack cheese. Yummmm! Oddly enough, my omelette was served with dressed greens, aka a salad with just lettuce and who knows what dressing.Diced potatoes were able to be subbed and I should have done that but would probably have paid extra. I also got a drink called the Morning Kick, which was pretty and tasty! It had (going from memory so could be off a bit) OJ, ginger, coconut water, agave and something that made it red. Soooooo yummy! I'll definitely go back as there are a few other things I want to try! read more

Our experience was incredible today! We brought our OTVA club volleyball group of 30+ people in after a volleyball tournament (players and family) and the management and serving team were amazing! We called 3 restaurants to see if anyone would take us before our games were over and Bill (manager) at First Watch said "C'mon over, well make it happen." We arrived and I worked with Bill to sit our large group in tables close to each other and didn't wait longer than 15 min to be seated! Then our servers were so attentive and patient with our large group! I can't say enough about this great team! read more

First Watch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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If I could recommend this place is zero out of five I would so unorganized waited almost 3 hours and they still had no idea what they were doing and what my order was. Truly ruined my Sunday read more

The food was good as always. I got the carnitas omelet. Was disappointed because it did not have the avocado and cotija cheese. Those would have taken it over the top. read more

Lol management wrote me and apologized. They gave lip service to "prepared to order" food. My post was about bacon that was piled together in an oven and cooked in a heap. Several bacon creamations a day to feed the masses. The waitress blamed overcooking on the bacon police, the manager made up excuses, and management pretended it is not a company policy. (Verified by both our waitress and the annoying manager) I guess everyone gets a side of balogna there. You still couldn't pay me to go back. read more

I'm going to start this review by saying I Love First Watch and all they stand for. Though this is my first review, this isn't my first time at this location. I couldn't decide on lunch and since I have been eating shitty over the holidays (I blame it on the alcohol like T. Pain) I wanted something on the lighter side. I swung by First Watch to get half a salad and half of soup to go. I ordered the Chicken Avocado Chop and the soup of the day which was Broccoli Cheddar. I waited nearly 30 minutes for my food to be prepared and brought to me. There were two other guys waiting for to go who I wished luck on my way out. They had been waiting for quite some time as well. I got the food home and it was good however there was no dressing for my salad. I was disappointed and live too far for me to drive back just for dressing. I hope this isn't a reflection of what take out is generally like. I'm definitely a takey outey girl and would love to have a place like this on my regular list. Fingers crossed that they will make it up on the next go around. read more

First Watch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Fantastic food, but be warned. Some of the dishes are a bit ample. The juices are kind of expensive but super tasty. Be ready for a decently loud dining area. Service was exceptional. If I were you, I'd check in line before you arrive (if during the weekend) read more

Late Breakfast... Tried the fruit and yogurt off their healthy menu section and it was great!!! Fresh fruit!! Always a plus! Will definitely be returning. read more

First Watch - Salmon Omelette looking so good and tasty! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

It was a perfect breakfast. A little wait, but it is expected for a great place like First Watch. The juice was fresh. Our coffee was hot and ready. Our meal was perfect as we requested it. Service was magnificent. They were busy but still kept their timing and efficiency. read more

This is a great place for breakfast or a Saturday or Sunday brunch. They have lots of healthy options and great freshly squeezed OJ and tasty coffee! Oh and the pancakes are definitely my top 3! read more

First Watch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Took two of our friends from Boston and their 9-year old son. The food was the best in Jacksonville! I had the avocado toast. The young boy had chocolate chip pancakes which he really liked. I can't remember what my friends had but they really liked their meals The restaurant even served my favorite tea, Earl Grey and the waitress was informative and friendly. Go early (like 8:00 a.m.) as I noticed it fills up after about 8:45 or so. I'll definitely go back for such fresh food and excellent service. read more

I've been to other First Watch places before, but this one has the cutest decor! Used the Yelp waitlist and only had to wait 10 minutes. Love that they bring carafe of coffee and water for table, and they have all coffee fixings right there too. Tried the egg sandwich with avocado. Now obsessed with avocado on anything at breakfast. All the dishes were fresh, hot and tasty. The fruit cup is fresh, not from a freezer bag. They definitely need more staff for a busy Sunday but it is getting harder to find restaurant help. Will definitely be back. read more

I got the elevated egg sandwich. This place never disappoints me! Everything always taste fresh and despite the fact that they're busy, the servers always give you excellent customer service and the food comes out great. read more

Sucks so bad. Very slow service and very weak portions. I ordered a chikichanga and wish I would have taken a picture because it was about a third the size of the one somebody posted a pic of here. read more

First Watch - Half of a Turkeywich ($5.49) off the Just for Kids menu. Sandwich was a joke. Hardly any turkey. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

The avocado toast (comes with 2 eggs) is my favorite!!! It is delicious! The toast is piled high wifh an a avocado mash which can only be described as perfection!!! Also, the tea is always freshly brewed and delicious! read more

First time and was very impressed. Great selections all with a gourmet twist. Portions were huge. I tasted some of my friends dishes and they're was awesome as well. Theres so much to love from eggs to interior design. I believe i have found my new favorite go to place. Ill definitely be a regular! read more

First, I called to place a Togo order and they wouldn't take it over the phone. What? It takes 2 minutes. Instructed to place the order online but their app doesn't have the full menu so that was disappointing. Second, the app tells you to let the host know when you've arrived and they will bring it out to you but we were instructed to go inside. Third, we pick up the order and half the order was missing! I mean, I can understand if I placed a large order but I didn't. read more

First watch is definitely a great breakfast spot. I learned from my most recent visit that their grits are TO DIE FOR. Their menu is pretty expansive and has an item for just about every person out there. This location is brand new so everything looks great and is in pristine condition. It's also in the nicer area of southside which is a perk. One of the few breakfast places around and the closest one for me so that's a major plus. The only downside was the service. It was a tad slow and inattentive. It took a while for us to get to put our order in and felt like we were being forgotten. But that's just me being picky. read more

First Watch is a great place to have breakfast! I am obsessed with their avocado toast. Occasionally, I also order a side of home fries. I love the vibe here. It's modern and aesthetically pleasing. The servers are amazing. It's clean and bright. This is a great place to take your SO or family for brunch. read more

The food is excellent. But waiting an hour after ordering for the food is ridiculous. We won't be back. This location has horribly slow service. read more

It's ok. Not very many breakfast places around this area so people just go here. The food is good to average but the wait for the food is consistently 30+ minutes. read more

We LOVE the options at First Watch. The food is always A+. The only issue I have is the smell in the SS location. First time I went, I blew it off as dirty rags. After we went back a few more times, we realized it's a consistent issue. Not sure if it's the fact they are connected to a pet store or if their water has a sour smell. I thought it was just me, but brought it up to a neighbor today and they have the same issue. They said, we can not drink the water there. The smell is terrible. Might be something they should look into. read more

Who ever is cooking the food here is amazing. No complaints whatsoever. Thank you for the quality you bring.

First time at first watch. We saw the restaurant from the street and decided to stop in. The first thing you notice is how packed it is. There was a 20-minute wait but we figured it would be worth it so we sat down and looked over the menu. I have to say I was already salivating before we even got seated. I was going to have the lemon ricotta pancakes because they just sounded so great but then I couldn't decide between it or the superfood Bowl. In the end I opted for the eggs benedict with smoked salmon and I have to say it was the best I've ever had. From the water in the milk bottles they placed on the table, to the free coffee which comes standard, this restaurant is Top Notch. It is my new go-to breakfast spot. I plan to definitely have everything on the menu before it's all said and done. Great addition to the Southside. The service was great. I also enjoyed open kitchen and the farm-like decor. read more

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It was our first visit to this First Watch, and we were impressed with the openness of the restaurant (unlike some that are more crowded table-wise). The service was exceptional too, as you'd expect from First Watch. Then the food arrived. We both ordered eggs benedict, and mine were extremely runny and dining partner's was a hard-boiled egg. Hers also had no Hollandaise sauce. And both were served with lettuce and no dressing (which it should include, as the menu shows). When I paid my bill, I told the server who said it was her first day and that she was sorry. Jacksonville has good First Watch restaurants (San Jose Boulevard and Old St. Augustine Road) but this one isn't one of them. read more

The wait to eat wasn't too long, but service was subpar and some of our meal came out lukewarm/cold. The food took a while to come out and there were open tables around us. read more

This is the one place in Jacksonville where you can eat healthy, with REALLY good flavor, at a reasonable price. My only wish is that they carry their healthy and affordable menu forward to include dinner! That would enable us to come there during weekdays. read more

Service was slow, it took quite awhile to get our food. Half our food did not come out until the other person was done eating. Won't be spending $35.00 for breakfast there again. Food was just average. read more

Food is always good! Super healthy. Wait staff can be slow sometimes, especially when they are busy. Try the avocado toast or the multigrain pancake! read more

Horrible service by the multiple hostess at this location. What a disgrace that these employees are associated with the first watch franchise. I have never been treated so poorly by someone else. We were placed on a waiting list after being told that the wait would be 20-25 minutes. After waiting 40 minutes I simply went to ask how much more time until seated and the hostess just walked away, completely ignoring me. Then another hostess came to the booth and when i asked her how much more time she went to say she could not say and that the wait was probably an hour she proceed to say that however told us that the wait was 25 min lied. And proceeded to diminish everything we were saying, once i asked one more time for an approx waiting time she said it could be 10 min. After those 10 minutes we came again and they said it would be longer and that there were still 4 groups in front of mine. Once again we were called liars. When i asked for a time, she would not respond and said that it was impossible for her to estimate the seating time (even though this is basically the whole role of a hostess). After hearing this other customers behind me started to approach the booth and frustratedly ask for the same question. The three hostess came back and decided to speak only amongst themselves and ignore all the customers. After finally someone got mad they decided to start seating us on the clearly empty tables. The food and service once being seated was good. Unfortunately, after waiting outside in the sun for so long our experience was ruined. For reference we arrived at the establishment at 10:50 and got seated after 11:40. Very frustrated to be called a liar and being treated disrespectfully. I did not said anything or complain at the time of the situation because i refuse to satisfy someone anger by engaging with them. Glad other customers noticed the hostess behaviour and complained at the time. read more

Although I love First Watch, the service is really bad at Southside. I check my watch so many times, now I understand why they call it First "Watch"ex: last time, the place was empty, maybe 7 tables occupied...My server vanished...when I did get my food it was lukewarm and he never came back to ask if things were ok, or if I needed anything (I did). He avoided eye contact as he breezed past me several times. Sensing my irritation after I had to flag him down for the check, he said oh yeah! Sorry about the wait. (Like, how do you manage to forget someone when you only have 3 tables? IDK.) That very simple visit- a standard menu item, with the restaurant nearly empty- took over an HOUR. I don't blame the kitchen. Last time I was there, I was seated (as a single diner) at a long, empty communal table. Fine with me, except it was covered with tableware (glasses, mugs) left there to set tables, so I felt like part of the furniture as I was also ignored for 14+ minutes...I'm on my lunch hour, like everyone else. So I left. The food rocks, but I no longer go bc of this nonsense read more

when we first checked in they said 25mins wait and said ok. then i counted each table and guess what? 12 tables are vacant inside and 3 tables out vacant. and they were waiting to be cleaned out. i called the manager, he came from the kitchen and i beleive he is a cook (not acceptable as a professional manager) i told him, you like to make people wait forever. i told him lets count the tables available. he said sorry soryy. what the hell sorry. if you can not manage a place quit or get fired. note: i have a college degree in hotel management! read more

I love this place!! I've been here multiple times and have loved everything I've ever ordered. My favorites are the French Toast and iced coffee. So, so good! The service seems to be a little hit or miss depending on who you get, but it's never been bad. Just maybe leaving a little to be desired... (e.g. More frequent refills or checking in to see if we need anything) I definitely recommend making a reservation through the Yelp app or using the Nowait app or you may be disappointed on the wait times. read more

Pretty good food and service. A lot of healthy options, which is nice if that's what you are looking for.

Love this place! We are frequent customers. Every time we go, the place is packed with 30+ min wait times, but so worth the wait. Service is timely and friendly, food exceeds expectations, and Yelp even allows me to skip the line using the NoWait feature/app! read more