Taco Man Wedo here! Food Discoveries and more . . . Good day, friends and cheers! I'm long overdue and need to get caught up on my reviews from being on vacation. I was recently in Jacksonville, Florida and I always like to search for the best breakfast, brunch and coffee spots on my trips. I was in search for some good healthy home style food for breakfast and First Watch popped up on my search as one of the top places. My lovely wife, son and I went here our second day and let me tell you, it was fantastic! We ended up going here three times overall on our trip. We had to come here one last time before heading to the Airport to come back home to reality our last day. Unfortunately, something happened to all the photos except the wonderful fresh squeezed juice photos you see here, which I highly recommend. Very refreshing. Furthermore, two out of the three times we came to this establishment, it was around brunch time so I ordered the Monterey Club and paired it with delicious homemade Tomato Basil soup. It is mmmm good and for dipping that excellent sandwich in this classic. The MONTEREY CLUB features: Turkey, bacon, avocado, organic mixed greens, tomato, Monterey Jack and mayo on sourdough. I recommend getting the sandwich on grilled Parmesan sourdough. It takes the sandwich to another level with a nice buttery cheese crunch. The day I came for breakfast, the 2nd time, the service lacked quality. However, I ordered the Trifecta Breakfast. The eggs were cooked perfectly over easy, just the way I like it. The Chicken Apple Sausage Patties tasted homemade and very tasty and the Belgium waffle was fluffy. A big hit for me. The atmosphere is very welcoming and the place is very clean. The Host/Hostess greets you right away. I knew right away this was going to be a big hit because we went between breakfast and lunch and it was packed. It is not too loud in here and you can have some nice conversations while feeling you have privacy. My Rating Scale: Taste -***** Price/value -***** Service -**** Cleanliness -***** Atmosphere -***** Overall = 4.8 rating This place gets 5 stars on Yelp. I highly recommend it. Their service was not very good the second time we went. If so, they would have received a perfect score. Brief History: First Watch entered the market in the Jacksonville area in August of 2011 and has 10 locations to date since its inception. First Watch gets its nautical name from the first shift of the day on a ship. Because they only operate during daytime hours, they've pioneered a unique economic model in the restaurant industry, closing every afternoon to improve their workers' quality of life. Cheers and God bless you! read more

First Watch - Refreshing Healthy drinks. Excellent! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I finally tried First Watch again. The are The food was ok. I ordered a breakfast hash with steak, crispy potatoes, veggies, and eggs topped with chimichurri, and it was still too dry. The potatoes were perfectly cooked, and the chimichurri was tasty but I could used more. We also got the blueberry lemon cornbread, and that was warm but crumbly. Other downside was the service, I asked for water but it never came. The place was busy as always and loud. read more

First Watch - Chimichurri Steak & Eggs Hash and Blueberry Lemon Cornbread - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Good service, location in a nice area of Jacksonville near downtown, food was great, good coffee. read more

First Watch - The Works omelette (front) & Bacado omelette. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Solid location. Quick service and plenty of seating. Very busy on the weekends. I ordered the power breakfast quinoa bowl and it was pretty decent. read more

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

I went here for brunch with friends two months ago. We happened to have gone right as the Gate River Run was done so it was really busy. But that was okay because it gave us more time to talk. I ordered the avocado toast with bacon and eggs over medium. There was a lot of avocado for one piece of toast, so I had to remove half of it to make it more edible. But it was fine. It took a long time to check out because the girl before me wanted to buy a gift card when she was checking out. It took them a good 10 minutes or so to figure out how to put money on the gift card, and that caused a long line of people behind me waiting to pay their check. I would have preferred to just pay at the table. read more

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

Happily used my birthday bogo coupon to treat myself on a Friday work from home day. Love the easy online ordering and later scheduled delivery. Loved my breakfast sandwich, without any sauce, it was delicious. My lunch choice for later was the chopped chicken avocado salad and that was good too. read more

First Watch - Elevated Egg Sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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The service at this location was top notch! The food has always been stellar. I can't seem find myself breaking away the Avacado Skillet hash and an iced coffee. Highly recommend this First Watch! read more

First Watch - Farmhouse Skillet Hash - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

The food was very good a great place to eat for your fitness goals, fresh and healthy dishes. Service was wonderful all staff members were nice and happy spirited. The restaurant is located in a nice area so sitting outside just felt very relaxing sun out with a nice breezy eating good food with my husband so sensational. read more

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Great experience and very good food! I will be back again to try other menu items. The service was great! Our server was attentive, and knowledgeable. read more

Loved their quinoa bowl! Fast service and food is always amazing! So many different options too. read more

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

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Paid another visit to First Watch recently on a Sunday morning. It was packed. Rightfully so. In the past, I have always been pleased with First Watch, considered its solid staple for breakfast. Consistently gave them 4 stars. I think my main issue was that while everything was great, I thought fresh greens on a breakfast plate was sacrilege. Well, I figured out this time I didn't have to do that, ordered all of the breakfast staples and they just nailed everything. The iced coffee was fantastic as well. Some of the best I've had. Our waitress was stellar, we had a party of six, she had multiple tables and our coffees were always full, our waters were always filled and she was on top of everything. First Watch is always clean, great simple decor. our table was in a corner and we didn't even notice the hustle and bustle going on around us. This Riverside First Watch is top notch. Great for a casual breakfast or brunch. Truly elevated from your typical breakfast experience. read more

First Watch - "The Works" omlette, breakfast greens and turkey sausage. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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The food was pretty filling and personally to my liking I have no complaints for the food. The hot chocolate was very good not too watered down not too chocolatey. The service was a little slow to notice us but once noticed handled very professional and quickly and friendly. The ambiance was nice inside and outside i recommend eating outside as the vibe was very nice. read more

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

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Everything was good!!! It was a beautiful day to sit outside The food was very fresh and tasty. This is my fav First Watch in Brooklyn. I have yet to meet a bad host or waitress. This will always be my to go spot read more

First Watch - Avocado toast w/ smoked salmon, eggs fried Morning meditation for the drink - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Wonderful service ! Delicious quinoa bowl and love the toast. It is a great clean establishment. read more

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

The seasonal food items were delicious! Bree our server was attentive, gave awesome recommendations, and kept our drinks full! read more

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5 stars for the cornbread. Everything was good... but that cornbread--was--EVERYTHING! It's been almost a week later and I'm still thinking about it. The server was nice... he gave us the cornbread with a smile that betrayed just how delicious that cornbread was. I had some of my hash browns. I thought it was good. Then I had some of the cornbread and wanted nothing else. I'm a big back so of course I finished it.... But I would have been happy with just the cornbread. Lead with the cornbread. I might be exaggerating but: the cornbread. read more

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I have been to a few different locations of First Watch around Jacksonville and this one is up to par. I ordered for pick up and my food was ready in less than 15 minutes! I went around 10am on a Sunday, so it was as busy as you'd expect, but there's ample parking and the restaurant is large so it's not a big deal. I ordered the Traditional but substituted the mixed greens instead of meat. I definitely wouldn't get the mixed greens again since they tasted unwashed and didn't have any dressing. However, all other elements of the meal were great! One thing I was disappointed by was that when you're in the restaurant you receive a small side of preserves, but when you pick up they just give you basic Smuckers jelly instead. This was disappointing since the preserves in the restaurant are way better. Overall, I'd definitely go again for a quick breakfast, but I'd definitely skip the greens. read more

First Watch - Traditional. Substitute greens for meat. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I have never been to first watch before so the first time being there was a really good experience. The French toast was to die for was so amazing that I didn't even need syrup. The surface was very good and they were fast with my order. I think the place could be a little bigger and spread it out more. read more

to begin, this was me & my girlfriend's first time here. the waitress we had was amazing & patient. the male host at the entrance seemed a little frustrated that we requested to sit by the window. the ambiance was cool, not too many people. the food came out pretty quick, but it was pretty subpar to say the least. the food wasn't seasoned at all, potatoes were inconsistent some were cooked perfectly & some were undercooked. the eggs were dry as hell and also unseasoned. there's no reason why we should be using half of a bottle of salt & pepper on our food. there seems to be a lot of older people here so maybe that's why the food is bland. there was also a piece of hair in my girlfriend's avocado. for $36 it wasn't worth the time or the high blood pressure from adding all this damn salt! maybe it was a bad day for the cook or something but i definitely wouldn't come back. nice waitress & unique to-go boxes. read more

First Watch - Biscuits & Turkey Sausage Gravy With Eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Ambiance was amazing. Service was great! Very friendly & they leave a carafe of coffee at your table along with a large bottle of water for you to refill. Hubby just ordered eggs, bacon & gravy & loves it. I ordered the avocado toast. It didn't gave much flavor & I thought the lemon was overpowering. My eggs were sunny side up & delicious. Bread was fresh & tasty. I think the fact I didn't enough the avocado was purely a preference for sure, otherwise everything was great. Would definitely try again. read more

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Lainy was our server and she was great! Food came out well the table taps were timely! The experience was wonderful sitting on the patio outside. read more

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Service was great. The food was delicious, i bought an egg sandwich...BUT my egg wasn't cooked all the way and when i bit into it, yolk went EVERYWHERE. (who doesn't cook an egg all the way for a sandwich?) It was delicious, but id much rather eat it than wear it. read more

Amazing food options, outstanding customer service, and the restaurant is clean. Ordered the power quinoa bowl, it was flavorful, filling, and fresh ingredients. They have a ton of drink options and fresh drinks as well. Go closer to when they open, they get pretty busy. read more

First Watch - Power Breakfast Quinoa Bowl - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

The food was so good! We did breakfast and the staff was top notch. We will be returning tomorrow for another breakfast. Also brewed coffee was the best too! read more

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I am never coming back. I'm sick and tired of having to have them remake my order when I order Togo. Always mistakes. Just to start I ask for crispy potato's and told the server that prior they are never crispy and I have had to ask for the cooks to remake it the last two times. I emphasize that I want them very crispy and I was in a rush this time and I received my to go order and they're completely raw. They also forgot my avocado mash which I had to remind them to put in there. Seems like they're very unorganized and the cooks do not care at all. I'm more mad than I should be about this but it's frustrating because this happens every time. Never coming back read more

Had a girls brunch here and truly enjoyed it. The area is spacious with room for many tables. Even though the eatery had many people in it, you did not feel like the next table was on top of you. The menu items are amazing. Let's start with a refreshing juice. What I fund absolutely magnificent is that you have the option to have a little spirits added to your deink as well (mind you, you must be of drinking age). Now, move on to your food choice. If you are looking for breakfast, lunch, or a combination of the two "brunch" you are in the right place. Healthy options galore that are seasoned to perfection and appealing to the pallette and the eye. You definitely can't go wrong when you choose to spend your money at First Watch Riverside. read more

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A great brunch spot. I used the "get in line" service on the app and was seated within 10 min. My preference time is 1:00; most people are leaving about this time. I prefer he Riverside location because it has more space inside and the outside seating on a good day is magnificent. As well, after brunch, just down the street is the Art Market (Saturday until 3, and the Cummer Museum. As always, First Watch comes in first. Plate size pancakes, fluffy and flavorful. Between the four of us, we ordered the lemon Custard, Chocolate Chip, and plain w/pecans. No one was disappointed. The custard has a bit of tartness, but not so it makes your mouth pucker, and it's topped with strawberries. No syrup needed for this girl. And no one else in the after thought. That's just how good they are. My sister raved about the salad; it may look a bit messy but it was, as she said ..hittin' the spot. Plenty of pecans and millionaires bacon, with fresh avocado and greens, I'm not sure what her sandwich choice was...but it didn't make it to the to go box. The Avocado toast and over easy eggs were a hit too..it didn't make it to the to go box either.The bread stayed firm and the Avocado was perfectly seasoned and the picked red onion didn't taste oniony ‍.. The smoked salmon and poached eggs, my regular was amazing, according to my friend who tried this place for the first time too. It's always been the same for me. Eggs, firm, not runny and the hollandaise sauce "perfecto". And I decided to switch up and went for the smoked salmon frittata. I was expecting the salmon to be on the side, but even my eggs in it was okay. My eggs were slightly over cooked but still good. Everyone took home pancakes... if you do, it's best to heat them in the oven, you'll get a little crisp on the edges.. happy eating. When you go, add a review and tag me..I'd love to see your experience. BLESS read more

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Ordered the biscuit and gravy with eggs breakfast, wife had Tri athletic, My eggs weren't cooked properly, the potatoes were so salted they were inedible, the gravy had so much salt and pepper its was all I could taste ... The wife's was fair , for the money we would have rather went to metro dinner south side , better service, better coffee, and the hostess there is a breath of fresh air , we had really hoped this was going to be on our new favorites list , sadly , very lacking in so many marks , we won't return , love there concept , but this breakfast was a fail read more

First Watch - Sausage gravy Biscuits and Turkey Sausage Gravy with Eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Good food, great service!! Ask for Bre!! She was a pleasure to have as a waitress. Her positivity and kindness was a great start to our day!! She gave excellent service and was very kind and funny!! Thanks, Bre!! Keep blushing, you deserve the praise!! read more

Good food. Wait is a little long but that's cool. Staff is friendly. Met the GM. He was super cool

This is one of the few places in Riverside that serves alcohol at 7 AM for those who is coming off night shift. But the breakfast is underwhelming and expensive. It promotes itself as healthy but it really is not. They have a seasonal menu that have limited edition entree like this Korean kimchi scrambled hash. read more

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

Ordered takeout through UberEats. Food was good. Great quality and presentation. Only issue was that there was no prosciutto on my prosciutto toast at all. Other than that, I would definitely recommend. read more

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The food was over seasoned, the service was very slow, it wasn't that crowed we still had to wait for 30 minutes, the dining area was nice and bright. However, they gave me a coffee cup with lipstick on it and that kind of made me look at everything!! Probably won't repeat! read more

Greeted upon entering and seated. Customer service is phenomenal. Food is phenomenal. Delicious drinks. Seating inside and outside. read more

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Amazing food and staff. Our server was very nice and helpful when choosing what to order. Very attentive but not too much. Great! Thank you read more

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Great food! It's a chain but love first watch. The hash was to die for so flavorful! Service was great as well, suggest it to a read more

First Watch - Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

First watch is one of my favorite breakfast spots. I decided to stop by after my first Pilates class at Club Pilates. The server at the bar was very attentive and extremely nice. I ordered my usual Market Hash, million dollar bacon (if you have not tried this sweet and savory treat you are truly missing out), and a kale tonic. The food was excellent as always. It was fresh and flavorful. If you've never tried this place please add it to your breakfast/brunch schedule soon! read more

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

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It's strange that I've never done a review on First Watch. I've been numerous times, but I realized I've never reviewed this place. I really enjoy this First Watch located in the Riverside area. It's conveniently located near a Fresh Market and the Winston YMCA. The breakfast at First Watch is always consistently nice and has a large variety. This particular visit I was in the mood for an omelette with plenty of veggies. I was able to find exactly what I needed on the menu plus I love the fact they have meats beyond pork products. Also, a fun fact they have a seasonal menu for fall going on. read more

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Fantastic breakfast. The holiday menu has some excellent options but the Gingerbread Donut Holes were out of this world good. Friend had the kimchi breakfast bowl and I got the traditional. Everything was excellent. Really good coffee too. read more

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

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Great spot for breakfast or lunch in Riverside! The food is always fresh and flavorful--classic dishes and seasonal specials hit the mark. Staff are sweet and attentive, though prices are a bit higher than average. The atmosphere is cafe-casual and relaxed, with helpful service--shoutout to Tim who got us seated after a long wait. Still, it's my go-to neighborhood breakfast spot! read more