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Hours
| Friday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Saturday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 11 AM–8 PM |
| Wednesday | 11 AM–8 PM |
| Thursday | 11 AM–8 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 1021 AZ-89 #104, Chino Valley, AZ 86323
Phone: (928) 925-3888
Website: http://essenceofaz.com/
Menu Photos
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The food menu at Essence focuses on a menu of sustainable farm-to-table dishes, specializing in seafood.
Reviews
Phyl G
The food at Essence is excellent. It’s clear they use the freshest ingredients. The Ohana Cheesesteak is phenomenal. My husband enjoyed his Bison Burger. The fries are fresh cut and with pepper, too. Yum. The warm mushroom salad was incredible. And the Bacon wrapped Shrimp… come on, bacon just makes everything better. They were perfectly cooked. The coleslaw was veto good. And the blackberry lemonade was very good. The service was impeccable. The owners Julie and Jason are very personable and come out and greet their customers. The atmosphere here is very cozy and comfortable. I very highly recommend Essence Kitchen and Bar.
… moreSamantha April Cea
We made a reservation at 11AM and were seated right away. It was my first time here, and I have to say, the place is cozy with near fine-dining vibes.. I loved it! Our server (unfortunately I didn’t catch his name) was very attentive throughout our meal, and I’m truly thankful for that level of service.
Here’s what we ordered:
• Crab Dip (Small Plate) – $20
9.5/10. The dip was delicious! The crab was tasty, the cheese flavorful, and it came with garlic bread. The bread was a bit chewy, but still had a really nice flavor overall.
• Lobster Bisque – $10
10/10. Wow! Absolutely worth ordering—flavorful, rich, and filling. The peppery kick was perfect, and the croutons added a nice touch.
• Fettuccine Alfredo with Applewood Bacon (+ Cajun Chicken +$8) – $18
9.5/10. This was a new dish I found on their Facebook page. The pasta was creamy and perfectly cooked. The Cajun seasoning on the outside of the chicken was excellent, though the chicken itself could’ve used a bit more flavor inside. Still, I enjoyed it a lot.
• 12oz Ribeye Steak with Wild Mushrooms – $47
My friend ordered this and it was cooked perfectly well-done—just the way she likes it. The meat was tender and flavorful, and she really enjoyed it.
• Shrimp Scampi – $28
Another friend tried this dish. The cilantro lime rice was a highlight—fresh and flavorful. The seafood was fresh as well, but the dish itself was a little too oily. Still, she enjoyed it and finished the whole plate.
• Fudgy Brownie with Ice Cream & Whipped Cream – $8
10/10. The perfect way to end the meal! The brownie was warm, fudgy, and not overly sweet, paired beautifully with the ice cream on top. Loved, loved, loved this!!
We were also celebrating a friend’s birthday, and they surprised her with a complimentary dessert 🙂 such a sweet and thoughtful gesture.
Overall, an amazing first visit. Great food, cozy atmosphere, and wonderful service. I’ll definitely be coming back!!
… moreHere’s what we ordered:
• Crab Dip (Small Plate) – $20
9.5/10. The dip was delicious! The crab was tasty, the cheese flavorful, and it came with garlic bread. The bread was a bit chewy, but still had a really nice flavor overall.
• Lobster Bisque – $10
10/10. Wow! Absolutely worth ordering—flavorful, rich, and filling. The peppery kick was perfect, and the croutons added a nice touch.
• Fettuccine Alfredo with Applewood Bacon (+ Cajun Chicken +$8) – $18
9.5/10. This was a new dish I found on their Facebook page. The pasta was creamy and perfectly cooked. The Cajun seasoning on the outside of the chicken was excellent, though the chicken itself could’ve used a bit more flavor inside. Still, I enjoyed it a lot.
• 12oz Ribeye Steak with Wild Mushrooms – $47
My friend ordered this and it was cooked perfectly well-done—just the way she likes it. The meat was tender and flavorful, and she really enjoyed it.
• Shrimp Scampi – $28
Another friend tried this dish. The cilantro lime rice was a highlight—fresh and flavorful. The seafood was fresh as well, but the dish itself was a little too oily. Still, she enjoyed it and finished the whole plate.
• Fudgy Brownie with Ice Cream & Whipped Cream – $8
10/10. The perfect way to end the meal! The brownie was warm, fudgy, and not overly sweet, paired beautifully with the ice cream on top. Loved, loved, loved this!!
We were also celebrating a friend’s birthday, and they surprised her with a complimentary dessert 🙂 such a sweet and thoughtful gesture.
Overall, an amazing first visit. Great food, cozy atmosphere, and wonderful service. I’ll definitely be coming back!!
Bob Thomas
We were staying the night at a local AirBnB and they highly recommended the Essence for dinner. We were there on Valentines days and the place was packed. The servers and staff were Outstanding and very attentive. I had the giant Porterhouse steak and my wife had the Shrimp Louie both dishes were way too much food but “Outstanding” thank you and your staff for a great evening. And of course I highly recommend the Essence and will surely be back.
… moreKristen Leanne Kershaw
What an absolute gem. This place went above and beyond for families during the holidays. They hosted Santa and Mrs. Claus completely free for kids to come take photos, and it was done in such a genuine, thoughtful way. My kids were absolutely thrilled.
They even had stuffed animals to give out and an assortment of really lovely children’s books, which felt so special and unexpected. You could tell this wasn’t about selling anything — it was truly about creating a magical experience for kids and families in the community.
As a mom, moments like this mean everything. Thank you for creating such a warm, welcoming, memory-filled experience. Prescott is lucky to have places like this. We’ll absolutely be back and will be recommending to everyone we know. ❤️
… moreThey even had stuffed animals to give out and an assortment of really lovely children’s books, which felt so special and unexpected. You could tell this wasn’t about selling anything — it was truly about creating a magical experience for kids and families in the community.
As a mom, moments like this mean everything. Thank you for creating such a warm, welcoming, memory-filled experience. Prescott is lucky to have places like this. We’ll absolutely be back and will be recommending to everyone we know. ❤️
Beth Pounders
First of all, you need a reservation. You can try walk in, but it’s a small place. It is definitely upscale food, with upscale portions and prices. The ambiance is a little lacking, though. The waitstaff is plentiful and very attentive. My water glass was never empty, but that is somewhat due in part to the fact it was cucumber scented water. I don’t like cucumbers.
I ordered a Mockjito which was very good. Nice flavor blend.
For our appetizer we ordered the sweet potato humus. So very good, smooth, slightly sweet but with an excellent humus flavor. Normally, it comes with pita and sliced cucumbers. Since I don’t like cucumbers, they gave us all pita bread. The pita bread was lightly seasoned and was soft, warm and delicious. Excellent pairing.
My hubby ordered the soup du jour which was a very delicious vegetable rice soup. He said it was very flavorful.
My main course was the tri colored tortilla topped Mahi served with a topping of avocado salsa. It was served alongside cilantro lime rice and sautéed squash and red peppers. The flavors were nice, but my fish was dry and needed some salt.
My hubby had the seared sea bass with miso, sake and mirin. It was served with rice and roasted field greens. It was served in a bowl with a coconut milk “soup” over it.
Dessert was the warm brownie sundae with vanilla bean ice cream. The brownie was okay, but not remarkable. The ice cream was supposed to be vanilla bean but it was just regular vanilla.
We were celebrating our anniversary, so they also gave us a little sundae.
Will we go back again to try some of the other dishes, but we’ll definitely get the sweet potato humus.
… moreI ordered a Mockjito which was very good. Nice flavor blend.
For our appetizer we ordered the sweet potato humus. So very good, smooth, slightly sweet but with an excellent humus flavor. Normally, it comes with pita and sliced cucumbers. Since I don’t like cucumbers, they gave us all pita bread. The pita bread was lightly seasoned and was soft, warm and delicious. Excellent pairing.
My hubby ordered the soup du jour which was a very delicious vegetable rice soup. He said it was very flavorful.
My main course was the tri colored tortilla topped Mahi served with a topping of avocado salsa. It was served alongside cilantro lime rice and sautéed squash and red peppers. The flavors were nice, but my fish was dry and needed some salt.
My hubby had the seared sea bass with miso, sake and mirin. It was served with rice and roasted field greens. It was served in a bowl with a coconut milk “soup” over it.
Dessert was the warm brownie sundae with vanilla bean ice cream. The brownie was okay, but not remarkable. The ice cream was supposed to be vanilla bean but it was just regular vanilla.
We were celebrating our anniversary, so they also gave us a little sundae.
Will we go back again to try some of the other dishes, but we’ll definitely get the sweet potato humus.
Gina Machina
My sister insisted I try the sweet potato fries and they were good But since that’s the only thing I have eaten there so far, I still have many more dishes to taste. The atmosphere is very nice, comfortable, and cozy. Good food, nice, clean atmosphere, friendly service. It is a small place within a grocery store parking lot but when you walk inside it is beautiful. Easy parking. I was happy to be able to experience it because the first time I went there it was closed due to a funeral. Family owned and just a lovely place to eat and relax.
… moreDonna Carver
Today our Mesa Besties took me and my husband to your wonderful restaurant for my Birthday. And as usual it exceeded all our expectations.
I had the fabulous trout. Thank you for subbing vegetables for the potatoes..so kind
Rosa had your Bacon wrapped shrimp..
Oh so good, bacon crisp
The men both had medium rare bison burgers
One with bacon and one without…
Both so good .
And thank you for the BIRTHDAY DESERT…
with EXTRA SPOONS.
. IT WAS ENJOYED BY ALL.
AND THE TOPPINGS WERE WHEN
CHEF Jason and dropped by by our table
and wife partner.
It was a great opportunity to to tell you how delicious your food was
Must give BIG RAVES FOR JOHN FOR HIS GREAT FRIENDLY SERVICE.
… moreI had the fabulous trout. Thank you for subbing vegetables for the potatoes..so kind
Rosa had your Bacon wrapped shrimp..
Oh so good, bacon crisp
The men both had medium rare bison burgers
One with bacon and one without…
Both so good .
And thank you for the BIRTHDAY DESERT…
with EXTRA SPOONS.
. IT WAS ENJOYED BY ALL.
AND THE TOPPINGS WERE WHEN
CHEF Jason and dropped by by our table
and wife partner.
It was a great opportunity to to tell you how delicious your food was
Must give BIG RAVES FOR JOHN FOR HIS GREAT FRIENDLY SERVICE.
Francisco Quinonez Jimenez
Essence Kitchen + Bar is a true gem! From the moment you walk in, the sophisticated yet cozy atmosphere sets the stage for a perfect evening. The menu is thoughtfully curated with fresh, seasonal ingredients that really shine in every dish. The presentation was beautiful, and the flavors were incredibly well-balanced. It’s the perfect spot for a date night or a high-quality meal with friends. Five stars!
… moreJase Molina
Tremendous experience. A lot of thought, & talent is put into the menu. Service is beyond what I’ve gotten in restaurants in Scottsdale. You can tell they put good money into turning a corner spot into a unique restaurant environment. I was blown away by all aspects of this place, truly. Probably the most flavorful ribeye I’ve ever had in my life. Truly can’t say enough good things about this restaurant. We called ahead about 30-45 minutes to be put on the wait list on a Friday night? & they were able to accommodate my wife & I at a sweet table. Thank you!
… moreKelly Coe
I’m pretty sure there’s not a bad or even mediocre dish in the house! I’m not the biggest fan of seafood and the Ahi Tuna was very good! You absolutely have to have the dates and if you’re in the mood for a big juicy steak, GET THE RIBEYE! The staff here is amazing. Attentive, light hearted, and engaging. I happen to be a problem child (Gluten Sensitive) and they ensure you have no issues and nothing to worry about. This was our first visit and we will definitely be returning! Julia and Jason deserve your patronage!
… more