We love this place. The service is spectacular (thank you Darin)! the food is fantastic. Thank you for the bread to prevent us from actually licking the Caesar salad plate. From the bacon wrapped shrimp to the angle hair pasta and the mud pie - such a wonderful experience. No question that we will be back!

Been wanting to try this place out for couple of weeks now. We were seated right away. The staff all friendly, our waitress was amazing. All the food was spectacular. The atmosphere was great and relaxing. The beverages were also amazing. This is a place that we will definitely be coming back to. Very happy that they decided to open up this restaurant in Chino valley. Thank you to all the staff for the wonderful experience.

Absolutely the best service, menu, and food within 100 miles of Chino Valley. Great small business restaurant with the respectful owners and servers. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!

One of the best restaurants we have eaten at in the entire Prescott area. Eclectic menu that is interesting and fun. Food was exceptionally good and you will never eat a hamburger as good as the one served here. Food is extraordinarily good and reasonably priced. Owners are present and cordial to their guests. This is definitely a favorite place to take our out of town guests as it is consistently good with a menu that will please everyone, including vegetarians.

I want to share an experience that I had here atEssence Kitchen + Bar. Ive been here a couple oftimes and the food is very good. The bread pudding is phenomenal. But today I put in a take out order. On my way home I realized they had forgotten to include my soup. I did not care much about it since it was a smaller item in my order. As I am driving back home I received two phone calls, one from a kitchen staff letting me know that they forgot the soup and that if I wanted to return and grab it. I explained it wasnt a big deal and I had places to be. The second call was from Julie/Julia who if I am correct is the owner/manager? She explained to me that they had refunded the cost of the soup and that I was welcomed to return for a cup of soup anytime. I did not expect this type of customer service! I was shocked and just couldnt believe it. The food is great, the menu has options for many, and the customer service is amazing. Thank you Essence!h

Tonight was our Anniversary and we decided to try Essence for the first time. We are so thankful we did! Julia and her team provided an impeccable dining experience! The service was amazing, the food was delicious, and we were made to feel so welcomed and cared for! Thank you to Julia and team for making our night so special! We cant wait until our next visit! Shay and Lynn

We were visiting friends in Chino Valley who had been to Essence a few times and raved about the food. They were not wrong. I had the portabella stack and it was delish. The drinks, food and dessert were all fantastic, the prices were fair and our server Darin( I think) was absolutely fantastic. We love going to chef owned restaurants as they never disappoint

Truly amongst the top restaurants in the area. Im glad they can serve me here at the bar tonight as I walked in. Check out the menu online to find a surprising array of great choices!

Excellent food, wonderful service (thank you, Shannon) and unexpected ambience. I had the sea bass and my husband had the ink squid seafood pasta. Both of our meals were hot and tasty. We shared a Caesar salad...the freshest I have ever had with a delicious dressing. My dirty martini was perfect. We chose the mud pie for dessert and we were not sorry. What a great dining experience. We will return...soon!

I had a burger and Sue had Flank steak salad. Both were great and service was good. Atmosphere was nice. Enjoyed the visit

People have been raving about this place! I wanted to love it as much as they all did but my main dish fell short, maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. I got the steak salad and it was way over dressed to the point where the lettuce seems to be limp under all the dressing and it was so salty. I like salted things, this was just way too much. The steak on it was good but again the dressing just overpowered everything. I wanted it to be more fresh and full. It felt like a really heavy salad. We also ordered the bacon wrapped shrimp and the poke on the crisps. Those were good starters. The service was really good, they were very attentive and helpful. I do think they need a different location with a bit better flow to the restaurant. Better entrance with a place to wait and/or bar set up. They are very busy and if there was a better set up, I think it would be a little more inviting. Dont get me wrong, the people were amazing and good service is hard to find!

First time going to this place with my husband for a date night it was amazing food was Great and staff was very friendly and nice definitely coming again and there black berry sangria was bomb 😋

Wonderful place to eat. I miss this style of small intimate place with a great menu and fantastic cocktail selection. I literally havent had bread pudding this good for decades.Edit: They saw us again...

This is by far the best restaurant in Chino Valley. The food is outstanding. The service is above par. The only reason it gets 4 instead of 5 stars is the atmosphere. The place is very small and in order to accommodate more patrons, the tables are nearly on top of each other. This makes for a very noisy, almost chaotic feel for a restaurant that is otherwise awesome!

Wonderful service and the food was very good. It is a small place so reservations are recommended.

Absolutely amazing! Great atmosphere, courteous, attentive wait staff, and excellent food. Fancy, without breaking the bank. We will definitely be returning to try out other dishes. Its my new favourite restaurant in the tri cities.Pictured is the banana leaf wrapped sea bass.

Absolutely amazing!Phenomenal Service.The owners are kind and care about your food and experience greatly.The servers are on top of your table and you will never be in need of anything during your meal.Very professional and personable.Will absolutely return and not just once.The atmosphere is comfortable and classy.Perfect for a date night dinner or a family dinner.Food was so good it was literally mind blowing.Chino Valley is very lucky to have a restaurant like this.Very grateful.Thank you, Essence for the perfect night!

What a wonderful restaurant! The service and food were amazing. My husband and I drove out to Chino Valley for lunch just on a whim and were very pleasantly surprised by this little restaurant next to Safeway. Hubby had the fabulous bison burger, and I had the yellowfin tuna curry. We also had a really tasty peach sangria. We will definitely be back. Thank you, Essence!

Ignore any bad reviews on this place, those are the kind of people you can never please, this place is awesome. Great staff great food great chef you cannot go wrong.

Great food. Diverse menu. Small footprint. Tight quarters makes serving and conversation tough. Owners are on site and involved. Will definitely return. Hope they are thinking about expanding.

This is not a restaurant one would expect to find in Chino Valley. They should probably think of relocating to downtown Prescott. We have eaten here twice and both times the food and service was excellent !! The chef came out both times to talk with us about our satisfaction and he even told us about the ingredients in a couple of the dishes. You should definitely order their fabulous Caesar Salad which can easily be split between two people. Fresh infused water with cucumber was served throughout our meal. We highly recommend it. The prices are very reasonable for the quality if their food, presentation and ample portions. A+++

Stumbled upon this gem on our way to Prescott and we are so pleased we did. The food was amazing and the staff are so friendly and personable. My husband had the seabass and said it was the best hed ever had. The bread pudding for dessert was devine!! Definitely will be driving the 2.5 hours from out house in the east valley to come here again!

Excellent service snd lunch. The Hawaiian Poke was fresh and tasty.

We chose Essence Kitchen + Bar for our Anniversary dinner based on the excellent reviews and recommendations. We had a 6:00 PM dinner reservations and were greeted and checked in quickly. We stood in the small foyer area and were offered a drink whiled we waited. We stood there for awhile only to have a party of four scheduled for 6:30 PM arrive early and seated at a window table tucked away from the traffic. We on the other hand were offered the table right behind the hostess area, the busiest traffic area in the restaurant. To note, both of the tables can accommodate four people. The food was excellent. Wait staff was friendly. Our Anniversary was acknowledged and given a nice ice cream desert with a candle. The takeaway was the timing of staff was off and the vibe was somewhat stressed and rushed. As a new restaurant Im sure in time this will settle and relax. To top it off, the woman next to our table fell getting up and grabbed our table trying to break her fall taking my wine glass and shattering it on the floor. This was not the restaurants fault but just added to the already unrelaxed vibe going on at the table we were seated at as we tried to celebrate a special occasion. At $100 for a fabulous meal and drinks for two, Essence Kitchen + Bar is a classy oasis in the middle of Chino Valley. Id recommend you make a reservation after 7:00 PM for a more relaxed time and order the sea bass, you wont be disappointed.

The most amazing food Ive had in a very long time . Owners took their time to come thank us for coming. Water cup was always kept full, and the whole experience was 5 star. Had the banna leaf wrapped sea bass.

Best food in the quad cities!!!Great atmosphere, very comfortable, very nice employees, great experience, great owners.I tip my hat to the chef!!! LOVED IT

Owner will come and greet you, making you feel right at home. Food was great, drinks are creative. Just a nice experience all around.

Upscale restaurant in Chino Valley. Excellent service, excellent food. My new favorite.

We enjoyed the food and atmosphere! Its even more personable when the chef comes out and talks to you! All the staff is friendly and cheerful! Absolutely lovely place to go in town, for a nice date,or just a switch!

Fantastic restaurant. From the waiters to the amazing food and the drinks, to the soothing music and nice ambiance. The blackberry colada was great. The bison burger and the AZ chicken sandwich were excellent. So was the wild mushroom salad.

We enjoyed our lunch experience here and look forward to going for dinner soon. Very impressive service and delicious food.

This placeIs absolutely amazing. The ambiance Along with Chef Jason and Julia Makes it for a beautiful experience

This place is a rare treasure!! Amazing cuisine from Chef Jason and service to match. Truly a memorable experience!! Wish I lived closer!!! Love this restaurant!!! Bravo Jason and Julia!!! Your restaurant is Worth the Drive!!!

Went here last night with my family and frankly I was blown away. For this calibre of dinning to be all the way out in Chino surprised me. We each ordered different meals that were fantastic prices for the taste and portion size. Ive also never had a chef be as personal and welcoming as Chef Jason was. Service was fantastic and smooth. Will definitely be returning for the hot shot burger to support those fighting the forest fires!

Our first time at this gem in Chino Valley. Well worth the drive from Prescott. Great food attentive service and a menu that you would expect to find in Vegas, LA or New York. Nice young couple that have started this restaurant in very trying times worthy of our support.

I have found a new favorite p)ace to eat. Dont judge from the outside. You have to experience the food, atmosphere and the great people providing service there. Took a friend from out of state and he talked about how good everything was all the way back to drop me off. Thank you Essence for the experience.

Very high end restaurant for being in a strip mall! Rather pricey, but the service is absolutely outstanding! Nicely decorated and comfortable. Salmon slightly overcooked, fettuccine alfredo was a bit watery. Squid Ink Linguini was very good, but a bit fishy. Definitely worth giving another try!!

Outstanding service, delicious appetizers, and great drinks! I should have stopped there. I ordered the Filet mignon, my favorite cut of steak. Unfortunately, it was a weird texture, spicey and not tasty at all. I gave it to my dog!! So disappointed that I paid $35 for a meal that was not good. The veggies were meh and parsnip was horrible. To top it off, they charged me to put the blue cheese on the side instead of on my steak. Steak came with blue cheese. If I had not been with guests I would have asked for refund. So disappointed!!!

The unassuming location (the corner of a strip mall) is a pleasant surprise to quality food, fresh ingredients, super friendly staff (almost too friendly) and clean, pleasant surroundings. Cant say enough good about the menu item Bacon wrapped blue cheese stuffed dates SO YUMMY!!! The Poke on wonton chips is marinated tuna and salmon was also very tasty. The pulled pork sliders overall were tasty, but the pork was dry, the buns were soft and flavorful but the best part? The spicy pickles! The scallops with greens (aka hardy greens like chard or kale or beet greens) and yams was enjoyable, the yam was cooked perfectly as well as the scallop but the dish fell short on flavor. The bacon wrapped shrimp was delicious but the highlight was the small field greens salad with fresh tomatoes in the middle. The vinaigrette was tangy, pungent (in a really good way) and flavorful. The shrimp was cooked perfectly, but the bacon lacked the crisp that one hopes for when enjoying bacon. But its bacon! Theres never anything wrong with bacon ;)The hot shot burger is mildly spicy but the meat quality of the burger just melts in your mouth. The only disappointment was that the desserts were previously frozen (still frozen as they were served to us) but of decent quality to merit the $6 per slice price tag. The food is of adequate quality and preparation to merit the associated price tags. Its a lovely new location to enjoy a meal away from home.

The food was awesome, very well plated, perfectly cooked and seasoned. The service was great. I will definitely go back. I will also strongly recommend the restaurant to anyone.

We were very happy to find a place like Essences Kitchen Restaurant, the food and service was excellent and the best we have found since moving here from Florida. Can not wait to return and try something new. I had Salmon and husband had Mahi-Mahi very fresh and chef knows how to make it without over doing it. We also tried the homemade bread pudding dessert and ice cream, wow thats true good food too.

This was my first visit, arrived early for lunch. Had the bacon wrapped dates, which were excellent, followed by the Bison Burger special which was the finest bison burger Ive ever had.Service is superb, atmosphere relaxed. I would definitely recommend to friends.

OMG just amazing food. Amazing service amazing everything. This is a must try if you visit Prescott

We had such a great experience at Essence. It has a very nice clean well appointed dinning room! Our server was amazing! The food was delicious and the perfect portions! We didnt feel like we were in Chino Valley, felt like we transported to another place!

Flank steak salad was fantastic! Every person at our table was very impressed with their meals. We will definitely be back!

Elegant atmosphere, excellent cook to order cuisine and a fabulous staff! A must go to place for any occasion.

This place is fantastic. A little gem, in the entire quad cities area. My wife and I went here tonight, I had the scallops, and they were delicious. We had ahi tuna appetizer, pear Brie flat bread, and key lime pie. Everything was tasty.The staff was beyond friendly.This place is hopping though! The secret is out, so just make sure you get your reservation! We will be back, many times I’m sure!

It is a beautiful restaurant exceptional taste, taste of decoration you wouldnt expect to see anywhere else. The owner came around to see how we enjoyed everything the food was delicious we celebrated a daughter-in-laws birthday and an anniversary that gave them ice cream Sundays for a treat. We would definitely encourage people to try this place and we would go over and over again.

My first time at Essence but definitely not the last! Excellent menu choices at reasonable prices. (My scallops were cooked perfectly.) All the food at our table was great in every way. Service was superb at a busy time. They need to be located in Prescott instead of Chino Valley in a facility twice its size. However, its worth the drive from anywhere in the area. Try them - you wont be disappointed!

My food was AMAZING!! The paniolo burger was soooo good, the young man who delivers the food to people is absolutely amazing, I would go back just to see him again!! The owners should expect me many more times!!

First time eating here, was recommended by friends. The food was delicious and the service excellent. Hidden gem.

Absolutely amazing from the service to the dessert! I made a reservation for my husband daughter and I to celebrate Fathers day early as I will be busy working, we enjoyed every moment of our time at Essence and definitely plan to return for more special occasions and food or beverage cravings, the food was delightful.

Great date night spot.Service is always amazing

Great menu, great service, all the food and beverages were delicious! New favorite on the social hour drink menu: Peach blossom sangria! Cant wait to go back and try everything!

$28 for a small plate of fish and had to add salt to make taste good!!! May never be back.

My husband and I, and another couple came to Essence on a Thursday, and experienced a service level that was not up to their usual standard, and we were very sad since this is one of our favorite restaurants, and the absolute best in the Quad area. Their food is amazing, and the service is normally impeccable. However, this night was off. So, we wrote a review, which I have since deleted, that reflected the poor service. The owner called me an hour later to apologize and invite us back on Saturday. They refunded the meal, which we did not request since the food was wonderful. We have since learned that they are giving culinary students at both the college and the high school the opportunity to learn culinary and restaurant skills from the bottom up. They are really doing their part to contribute to the community. And yeah, every now and then the service experience may not be what is expected, but if that is the case, let the co-owner and wife of the chef, Julia, know, and she will correct it. We did not know this at the time. So, if you want to contribute to the community and help our youth to learn culinary and restaurant skills, and if you want to experience outstanding food and service, give this restaurant a try, and introduce your friends to it as we have.

This place is awesome. We herd about this and decided to go check it out and did not regret it. We will be back soon. Chef Jason knows what he is doing.

Always amazing food and service. Great to be able to talk to the chef/owners.

Unbelievable flavors in the food and the staff went out of their way to treat us to a full-service experience. Us city slickers were impressed!

Always amazing service and food. Tried some of the small plates along with a regular dish.

The most amazing food and incredible service. The Sea Bass is a must have. A true gem in Chino. I cant wait to go back.

Very nice meal was so happy with the service. Its refreshing to have the waitstaff so knowledgeable about specials and the menu.

First timer and this place is pretty cool. Family ran restaurant sometimes the chef/owner comes in and talks with customers and asks how everything’s going. The young waiter Tim and rest of staff was friendly and the place is nice and clean inside. The ahi tuna was okay personally but the mixed drinks and rest of food was amazing. Definitely recommend.

Delicious entrees and appetizers. Both alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. Definitely the finest dining establishment in Chino Valley... But aside from that its just really great food, with a nice atmosphere, and tastefully eclectic staff. Thanks for settling into Chino, Essence!

Food was excellent! Great atmosphere! Just a great place all around.

UNBELIEVABLE!!! Perfect ambiance. Delicious entrees! Dillion was the perfect server! Thanks to Jason and Julia for bringing Essence to this town.

Nice only if you can get a reservation. Won’t answer phones or return calls.

Our 1st eating there and the service and food were incredible!!! Will definitely go again!!

Staff was extremely friendly one of the best experiences I had at any restaurant and the food was amazing

We love eating here. Since the day they opened we have spent time and a few semolians enjoying Essences fare. Last time for me it was an amazing, fresh Steelhead trout! Husband selected a flavorful appetizer along with a unique sliced Romaine Caesar. (I wonder if they offer it with Blue Cheese? 🤔)Frequently, we order a bottle of our favorite white accompanying the fish, which is a surprisingly creamy Italian Pino Griggio, by Bellini, which cant be had anywhere else that we know of. And we looked!Lately we started reserving our seats at the Captains Table and consequently engage with the other guests around us a bit. Its one of my favorite things about the Essence experience. Essence isnt just another meal out. It is the congeniality of the staff and nearly everyone else in the restaurant. The good vibes are at Essence. You almost cant avoid them. The restaurant is...cozy. 😊And from start to finish theres co-owner, Julia, bringing warm greetings and a bit o banter to each and every table.Essence is a lovely experience.

The menu choices were incredible and the food even better. They were very organized and the staff was personable and professional. Over all a great experience.

Amazing. The atmosphere is inviting and clean. Staff is extremely nice and food is so good.

Fabulous in all ways. Very unique and delicious food.Try the filet with blue cheese and onion jam. You will not be disappointed.

What a great dining experience! One of the best places I have ever been to. Great energy from the staff and the atmosphere is soothing. The food is so amazing. So grateful to have a local place up here that offers all this!

The food was especially good. I cant believe we have food like this in Chino (ever so greatful). The service, however, was GREAT! We felt quite special. The only disappointment was they were out of the artichoke hearts. We will have to go back to try them...and everything else on the menu.

Ok....one of our sons is the GM of Kai. So really great restaurants with great chefs is something we enjoy and Essence fits the bill! We have eaten at the Forbes rated restaurant in Sedona and honestly, Essence is far better!Not often we get good cuisine in this area. The food was perfect and you could tell each dish was the work of a master chef. I look at wine lists and this one was well prepared. Not the wines you will find at Costco! I highly recommend the bacon wrapped dates for a surprisingly complex taste. We had the Domaine Carneros Pinot which complemented our meals superbly. Great food and great service.

Great owners and the food is amazing. They have a great menu selection.

Great service, really good food. Started with the dates small plate and artichoke small plate. Scallops were good and ahi tuna was good! We will be back!

Outstanding!The menu places the bar very high - the flavors are delicate and exciting, the menu offers a welcome variety. We had the artichokes with goat cheese, and bacon wrapped shrimps - both delicious. The artichokes were melting in the mouth! The shrimps and bacon were cooked to perfection. My daughter raved over the hot wild mushroom salad, and my hot shot burger was excellent. Good cab-sauvignon, great service, loved that the Chef came to greet his guests - its a much appreciated gesture.And... Happy Birthday, Chef!Definitely a new favorite of mine.

Excellent meal and great service. I highly recommend the goat cheese filled artichoke heart small plate and wild mushroom salad.

That try hard but I found the place to be pretentious and over-priced. I had the sea bass. The presentation was unappetizing and wasnt delicious.

Very nice ambience, good service, delicious food. A bit high for portions. A dinner salad or bread with meal would of offset price a bit. Will likely try again. Happy to have them in Chino Valley!

My first time here with a friend who highly recommended this restaurant. 2 appetizers and a main course which were OUTSTANDING! I seriously did not expect this.... in Chino Valley? The staff, also did a fantastic job. Hopefully make it thru dessert next time. Casual yet classy. I cant wait to go back!

The food was good and okay but small portions for the price.Customer Service was good however and was looking

We heard that Essence Kitchen was a great place to eat and now we know why. The atmosphere, service, and tasty food exceeded our expectations. You wont be disappointed, its everything you would want in a restaurant and more. My wife and I will be returning soon.

5 star all the way. Very welcoming staff and excellent service. Really comfortable yet classy vibe. Super impressed with the menu and everything was delicious. Owners Julia and Jason were very friendly too. Love this place, cant wait to go back and will definitely be recommending to friends.

Excellent dining experience in a small town. Service was superb...nearly flawless. The menu was amazing and offered a little something for everyone. Very nice wines at reasonable prices, nice variety of other beverages and hands-on customer service by the owners. Food was expertly prepared. Well definitely return to Essence. Dont miss it - this was a comfortable new experience in fine dining and has a strong possibility of a great future. Be sure to make reservations for Friday and Saturday evenings or youre likely to have a long wait for seating.

I went there for dinner with a friend of mine after hearing how good this place was. I was surprised to hear it was in Chino Valley, but it was worth the drive out there. We had the seared ahi and seared scallops for starters, and both were amazing. Cant wait to try the others. For dinner we had the skirt steak and miso sea bass which were delicious. I wanted to try the key lime pie for dessert but I was so full so Ill have to hope its their next time ago. The wait staff was friendly and one of the owners took the time to talk to us and make sure everything was good. We will definitely be back!

Happy to share their anniversary celebration! A restaurant with a Social Conscience and Great food!!

The Food Was Outstanding. The Service Was Impeccable. The Ambiance Was Perfect. Great Job With Your Place Julia. We Definitely Will Be Back & Spread The Word. You Gotta Try The Tortilla Soup. Its to Die For.

Had the sea bass treated with miso saki n mirin and sauteed greens with jalapenos & rice. When have you ever had infused sea bass?My hubby had mushroom soup that was to die for! Our dessert was a homemade churri with fresh berry sauce warmed with ice cream. Ridiculous!The scallops my friend had were good... not amazing but the mushroom risotto was perfect. Hubby had swordfish with tropical salsa which was the daily special... very good... but I just couldnt get past the amazing bass. We all shared our meals... but were thrilled with our own!The chef comes out to your table nightly.

Great staff, wonderful bartenders, excellent food. My new favorite!

Excellent service. Excellent fish. They will work with you on food intolerances/ preferences. Its a small ace so make reservations.

Excellent- loved everything about the experience. Service was great, food awesome.

Great food friendly staff, fish dishes are Awesome!!

Reservations are encouraged. Elderly mother was going stir crazy after staying home for months, so we took a chance on dining out. I had Atlantic Salmon and it was delicious. It was initially served pretty rare in the center for my taste; however, that was quickly and expertly remedied without over cooking. Mom enjoyed her banana leaf bass and the key lime pie was great. I did need to ask our server to please stop lowering her mask when speaking with us. Constantly touching and lowering ones mask defeats the purpose. All in all, a good experience and great food; highly recommend.

I picked up a to go order. Food appearence was great. Everything went fine until I arrived home and bit into the food. The burger, that I had asked to be cooked medium, was under cooked and tasteless. Extras on the burger were also tasteless and gave no added flavor as I assume they are meant to. Bun was VERY sloggy. Fries were medicor. Pasta for my wife had a lot more broccoli than seen in pcitures and heard from others, was also mushy. Chicken was dry and tough. Noodles were tasteless. Sauce too thick and tasteless as well. excessive amount of water in the to go box. Not like condensation from cooling on the drive home. it seemed that the cook had not drained the noodels properly. Overall, the food was a let down from hearing such great reviews and having tasted some things from a small plate that was brought to a get together two months or so ago. Was not worth the price. Although, I hope that it was just an off night or something of the sort. Potentially coming back, will see if I get food poisoning. Best wishes to Essence and the owners and staff. Nothing against establishment, just over all a let down for the night.

Delicious, food prepared with the touch of a professional chef. The chef came out and met with us so did the owner, nice touch. The staff was top notch and very attentive.

This was our first time here. Got a burger and chicken sandwich for takeout. Food was amazing, and wife loved how kind and friendly everyone was. What a great place, cant wait to try some more menu options!

Great service. Superb food! Best seafood selection in the tri city area. The flavors that they have combined are truly mouth watering. Our party had, Salmon, Ono and the seabass. It was just wonderful to find such a gem. It is worth the drive!!