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✔️Breakfast ✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out ✔️Delivery
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Hearty breakfast & other classic fare served in a relaxed venue with outdoor seating.
Hours
| Friday | 7 AM–2 PM |
| Saturday | 7 AM–2 PM |
| Sunday | 7 AM–2 PM |
| Monday | 7 AM–2 PM |
| Tuesday | 7 AM–2 PM |
| Wednesday | 7 AM–2 PM |
| Thursday | 7 AM–2 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 300 David Ave, Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: (831) 372-1125
Website: http://firstawakenings.net/
Menu Photos
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First Awakenings – Serving fresh, All-American cooking.
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Reviews
n satrya
Had a stop in Monterey, casually searching for the breakfast place and found this place. Surprisingly
had the best breakfast in town!!
We ordered egg Benedict steak and turns out so delicious. Seasoning are perfect.
Also we ordered tuna sandwich and it was good too.
Parking lot quite spacious and the services were good.
… morehad the best breakfast in town!!
We ordered egg Benedict steak and turns out so delicious. Seasoning are perfect.
Also we ordered tuna sandwich and it was good too.
Parking lot quite spacious and the services were good.
Ethan Hoopes
This place is amazing! I’m a breakfast place fiend and First Awakenings has me sold. First of all, they were very accommodating to us being outside, turned on the heated bench for us and was able to get us umbrella coverage. For food, we got the Monkey Wrench pancake, All Veggies Skillet and the Huevos Rancheros which were all so delicious. Given how busy it was, we were able to get our food fairly fast!
… moreDC Parr
We had an amazing breakfast at First Awakenings in Pacific Grove—ideal spot right before heading to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, just a few blocks away. The service was exceptional: super friendly and attentive from the warm greeting to when we left, making the whole experience feel welcoming and stress-free.
The food was incredible and super generous! We split an order of Eggs Benedict with bacon, and even half portions each were large and more than enough—plenty of food to share without feeling shortchanged. It featured delicious diced fresh veggies for extra flavor and crunch, plus that rich, yummy hollandaise sauce that was creamy and perfectly balanced. One of the best Eggs Benedicts we’ve had, especially with the bacon!
For pancakes, we went with the single giant blueberry pancake (loaded with plenty of berries), and wow—it was massive! We could not finish it despite how delicious it was: fluffy, bursting with juicy blueberries, and just the right sweetness. Portions here are hearty overall, so we left stuffed, happy, and ready for our aquarium adventure.
If you’re in the Monterey/Pacific Grove area craving flavorful, big-portion breakfast with great service and convenient location near the Aquarium, First Awakenings is a must. We’ll definitely return!
5 stars—highly recommend!
… moreThe food was incredible and super generous! We split an order of Eggs Benedict with bacon, and even half portions each were large and more than enough—plenty of food to share without feeling shortchanged. It featured delicious diced fresh veggies for extra flavor and crunch, plus that rich, yummy hollandaise sauce that was creamy and perfectly balanced. One of the best Eggs Benedicts we’ve had, especially with the bacon!
For pancakes, we went with the single giant blueberry pancake (loaded with plenty of berries), and wow—it was massive! We could not finish it despite how delicious it was: fluffy, bursting with juicy blueberries, and just the right sweetness. Portions here are hearty overall, so we left stuffed, happy, and ready for our aquarium adventure.
If you’re in the Monterey/Pacific Grove area craving flavorful, big-portion breakfast with great service and convenient location near the Aquarium, First Awakenings is a must. We’ll definitely return!
5 stars—highly recommend!
Elizabeth
Delicious blueberry ricotta pancakes and very generous portions! My mom visited twenty years ago and they are still cooking yummy breakfast/brunch for a great price. Convenient location with their own parking lot.
… moredavid
This place seemed to be the #1 recommended brunch place. Overall it’s really good. You just have to make sure to reserve, it get’s pretty busy.
We got the steak benedict & crab cake benedict (even though it wasnt on the menu.) Everything was good, their coffee wasn’t bad either.
We mentioned at the end that it was our little one’s bday, & they happily brought out some fruit with cream & a candle. It was a nice way to end our meal.
… moreWe got the steak benedict & crab cake benedict (even though it wasnt on the menu.) Everything was good, their coffee wasn’t bad either.
We mentioned at the end that it was our little one’s bday, & they happily brought out some fruit with cream & a candle. It was a nice way to end our meal.
Jean Explores & Reviews
This was my second time visiting and the experience was somewhat more pleasant than the first visit because I at least knew that it was going to take a super long time to be seated. We were aiming for around a 9 AM brunch on Sunday and joined the Yelp waitlist at 8 AM because the projected wait time was about 30-40 minutes. The estimated wait is massively underestimated.
The first visit took nearly 3 hrs for a table of 4 that I don’t even remember how the food was because I was just so upset about the wait time. This time for a Yelp waitlist for a party of 5 it was about 2.5 hrs wait time (seated around 10:20 am). I got the corn hash skillet and it was good, not too salty. Both times I came we were seated in the back room with the large blue seating area.
~~Parking: There’s a few street parking spots in the front and a fair amount of parking spots in the dedicated parking lot in the back. Even if that’s out you should be able to find street parking somewhere, but it can be difficult due to the Aquarium crowd.
~~Service: Organization in terms of the waitlist & front waiting area management needs some work. The wait staff inside the restaurant is super friendly though, just enough check in times.
~~Best Part: Prices.
~~Worst Part: The wait.
~~Tips: Make sure you check in at the front if you originally join the Yelp waitlist. TBH the Yelp waitlist is kind of a scam. They have 2 separate lists: a join in person and Yelp and at that point you need to have one and not the other. I’ve been to multiple restaurants where it’s just the Yelp waitlist or you have to write your name on a clipboard, but the dual lists makes it feel very unfair.
~~Return: Not to dine in. I would order take out because the food is affordable and of decent quality.
… moreThe first visit took nearly 3 hrs for a table of 4 that I don’t even remember how the food was because I was just so upset about the wait time. This time for a Yelp waitlist for a party of 5 it was about 2.5 hrs wait time (seated around 10:20 am). I got the corn hash skillet and it was good, not too salty. Both times I came we were seated in the back room with the large blue seating area.
~~Parking: There’s a few street parking spots in the front and a fair amount of parking spots in the dedicated parking lot in the back. Even if that’s out you should be able to find street parking somewhere, but it can be difficult due to the Aquarium crowd.
~~Service: Organization in terms of the waitlist & front waiting area management needs some work. The wait staff inside the restaurant is super friendly though, just enough check in times.
~~Best Part: Prices.
~~Worst Part: The wait.
~~Tips: Make sure you check in at the front if you originally join the Yelp waitlist. TBH the Yelp waitlist is kind of a scam. They have 2 separate lists: a join in person and Yelp and at that point you need to have one and not the other. I’ve been to multiple restaurants where it’s just the Yelp waitlist or you have to write your name on a clipboard, but the dual lists makes it feel very unfair.
~~Return: Not to dine in. I would order take out because the food is affordable and of decent quality.
Bernardo salcido
You will not leave hungry, that’s for sure.
And the taste of the food is pretty good too.
After seeing many videos on YouTube, and checking out the Google reviews, first awakenings was a must stop when we were in Monterey. We definitely had to see what the hype was about. Although I can say the food was good, I wouldn’t say it blew me away.
We got the blueberry and ricotta pancakes, and the biscuits and gravy. Both of these were highly touted.
The pancakes had fresh, whole blueberries, and tasted very wholesome. There was also a blueberry compote. And yes, they are huge!!! But not necessarily the fluffiest, tallest, nor mouth watering pancakes that you might expect.
Biscuits and gravy were good, but again left a little to be desired. The biscuit was not too tall or fluffy, and the gravy was just average.
If I were to come back, I would try something else and see if that might do the trick.
A point to note that we absolutely loved was the heated seats on the outdoor seating area. A nice touch to counter a little bit of cold weather in the morning.
Another recommendation would be to use Google maps to check in ahead of time. When we checked in, we were number 20 on the list and 45 minutes out. But we could check in online and walk and Cannery Row while we waited.
… moreAnd the taste of the food is pretty good too.
After seeing many videos on YouTube, and checking out the Google reviews, first awakenings was a must stop when we were in Monterey. We definitely had to see what the hype was about. Although I can say the food was good, I wouldn’t say it blew me away.
We got the blueberry and ricotta pancakes, and the biscuits and gravy. Both of these were highly touted.
The pancakes had fresh, whole blueberries, and tasted very wholesome. There was also a blueberry compote. And yes, they are huge!!! But not necessarily the fluffiest, tallest, nor mouth watering pancakes that you might expect.
Biscuits and gravy were good, but again left a little to be desired. The biscuit was not too tall or fluffy, and the gravy was just average.
If I were to come back, I would try something else and see if that might do the trick.
A point to note that we absolutely loved was the heated seats on the outdoor seating area. A nice touch to counter a little bit of cold weather in the morning.
Another recommendation would be to use Google maps to check in ahead of time. When we checked in, we were number 20 on the list and 45 minutes out. But we could check in online and walk and Cannery Row while we waited.
Terry Sung
When I travel, I make a point of seeking out the city’s most storied breakfast institutions. In Monterey, First Awakenings more than lived up to its reputation.
Step through the door and you’re greeted by bright white walls and soaring ceilings—an airy, urban-clean space where chalkboard menus add just enough contrast to feel fresh rather than fussy. It’s the kind of room that puts you in a good mood before the coffee even arrives.
I skipped the printed menu and went straight for a special posted at the entrance: the Crab Cake Benedict. As a Benedict devotee, I order some version of it almost everywhere I go, and this one impressed—crab-forward and well-seasoned, with cakes that held their shape yet stayed tender. It’s a rich plate, and those who are sensitive to oil might find it a touch indulgent, but never to a distracting degree.
My daughter’s Chicken Apple Sausage Omelet was a standout in its own right. The gentle sweetness of the apple sausage, nicely browned, played beautifully against fresh vegetables for a bright, balanced bite. My wife and son opted for skillets, where the freshness of local produce really shone; the ingredients tasted clean and vivid, letting their natural flavors do the talking.
By the end, it was easy to understand why First Awakenings remains one of the area’s most talked-about breakfast spots: a breezy, uplifting room; well-executed classics; and a few specials that feel genuinely worth the detour. A thoroughly enjoyable start to the day—and a worthy entry on any breakfast lover’s itinerary
… moreStep through the door and you’re greeted by bright white walls and soaring ceilings—an airy, urban-clean space where chalkboard menus add just enough contrast to feel fresh rather than fussy. It’s the kind of room that puts you in a good mood before the coffee even arrives.
I skipped the printed menu and went straight for a special posted at the entrance: the Crab Cake Benedict. As a Benedict devotee, I order some version of it almost everywhere I go, and this one impressed—crab-forward and well-seasoned, with cakes that held their shape yet stayed tender. It’s a rich plate, and those who are sensitive to oil might find it a touch indulgent, but never to a distracting degree.
My daughter’s Chicken Apple Sausage Omelet was a standout in its own right. The gentle sweetness of the apple sausage, nicely browned, played beautifully against fresh vegetables for a bright, balanced bite. My wife and son opted for skillets, where the freshness of local produce really shone; the ingredients tasted clean and vivid, letting their natural flavors do the talking.
By the end, it was easy to understand why First Awakenings remains one of the area’s most talked-about breakfast spots: a breezy, uplifting room; well-executed classics; and a few specials that feel genuinely worth the detour. A thoroughly enjoyable start to the day—and a worthy entry on any breakfast lover’s itinerary
Amanda Reed
Saw this place on a YouTube review and had to try it based on the massive proportions and the good review. Hubby and I dined in for breakfast and it was fantastic. I ordered the biscuits and gravy, hubby had a daily special, habanero omelette: The bill was very reasonable as well. Can’t recommend this place enough.
… moreThanhHa H.
Typically very busy on weekends but we walked in around 9am on a Friday and were able to obtain a table for 2 without any delay. Extensive breakfast menus! Very tasty and delicious omelettes served with crunchy buttery english muffins. Generous portions and expedient service.
… more