First Watch, a breakfast restaurant chain, opened its first River Forest location this month, and I got a chance to go on Sept. 1, its opening day. 

The restaurant is located at 7215 Lake St., in the same building where Noodles and Company was. First Watch has a range of breakfast and lunch foods, from pancakes to sandwiches. I went with my brother, and I tried the Farmhouse Hash, which is a bowl of hash browns topped with avocado, bacon, tomatoes, onions, different types of cheeses and two eggs. Not including tax or tip, the item cost me $17.79. It came with toast and berry jam on the side.

When the meal arrived, the food was nice and hot. However, the potatoes were undercooked and a bit soggy. However, they were seasoned very well. The wait for food was quite fast for the fact that we went on opening day. 

When we entered the restaurant, the wait was over an hour for a table. However, the website and app have a convenient feature where you can reserve a table in advance, which I used. With all the breakfast places in Oak Park and River Forest, First Watch stood out to me as the staff was very friendly and the menu has unique items that other breakfast places in Oak Park don’t have, such as special seasonal coffee and juices, and breakfast tacos. 

With the friendly service and uniqueness, First Watch is definitely worth a visit.