Essence Restaurant + Bar

  5.0 – 480 reviews   • Restaurant

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Our team at Essence is excited to share our Culinary Playground with you! As we are blessed to serve so many wonderful people call ahead or reservations are suggested as we will host as many guests as we can without hindering your experience. Thank you for your understanding and see you soon!

✔️Breakfast ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in Essence Restaurant + Bar 46516

Hours

MondayClosed
Tuesday5–9 PM
Wednesday5–9 PM
Thursday5–9 PM
Friday5–10 PM
Saturday5–10 PM
SundayClosed

Address and Contact Information

Address: 333 Nibco Pkwy, Elkhart, IN 46516

Phone: (574) 327-6143

Website: http://www.essenceofelkhart.com/

Menu Photos

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Essence of Elkhart

Welcome to our Culinary Playground. As we strive to provide the best level of experience upon every visit, reservations are suggested as not all walk-ins …

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The ambience is warm, modern and refined, a big‑city fine‑dining vibe with small‑town hospitality. Guests describe a cozy yet sophisticated setting (soft …

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JAPANESE SWEET POTATO. parmigiano reggiano, creamy italian dressing, sumac, basil 14 ; CAULIFLOWER SOUP. chili crisp, crema 13 ; ESSENCE SALAD. market greens, …

Reviews

Christa Harman
This is my second time to essence. This time I decided to bring my team of 10 for our Christmas party. Evie was our server for the second time and she was just as consistent as she was the first time. Very friendly made lots of conversation with our table. Had great recommendations, for us as well. I have a gluten sensitivity and they came up with plenty of ways and options for me. We came from an hour away, And it was worth the trip! I recommend the Japanese sweet potatoes as your small plate with your Entrée they were all the perfect size. I had the salmon with asparagus and they were both delectable. I’m actually quite a fan of not having leftovers and I don’t believe anyone in our group did. Brad, the owner also made multiple appearances at our table was very kind and down to earth surprised us with complementary desserts at the end. Made for a great team memory!
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Annie Mosier
Absolutely beautiful experience. It was my fiances birthday, I thought this would be a nice romance spot. It was! We had the pleasure of having Zach as our waiter. The owner Brad is so sweet. He gave my fiancé a birthday card and a complementary dessert. We had to get one for each of us tho. If you want to dress up and have a romantic dinner this is the place. Can’t wait to go back.
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Brock Rhoda
From the moment we walked in and they offered to take our coats all the way to the desert menu, phenomenal service! Thank you to Melissa our server, Marissa and Brad. We had a letter waiting at our table and a free pour of champagne for my Wife and I’s 4th wedding anniversary. Also the Chef needs a raise!!! We’re used to good restaurants and good food, but DANG that food was amazing some of the best in Northern Indiana!! The amazing food and Melissa’s service were an absolute pleasure. We will be back!
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stacy elverud
We have dined at this restaurant several times, and each visit leaves us with a lasting sense of “wow.” The owner and staff demonstrate exceptional attention to detail, and the level of service is truly remarkable. The food has been consistently outstanding.

During our most recent visit, we reserved the table inside the kitchen and were treated to a six-course meal. The experience exceeded our expectations, and we enjoyed it so much that we have already booked it again to celebrate an upcoming birthday.
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Kennedy Cross
I have been to Essence several times before. What keeps me coming back is the quality of the food, the Fantastic service of the entire staff, from the hostess all the way to the bus person. The owner Brad is attentive and constantly stops by to see how you’re enjoying your dinner and experience. I’m not really sure if there’s a better restaurant at all the area than essence

Side note, I will be indicating that the meal will cost you over $100 a person. They have a great Cabernet that I enjoy and always order a bottle, which will push my price up to over $100 a person. Just wanted to note that.

Update 11/21/25: winter menu is here. Incredible choices, fantastic new apps. Lobster bisque was incredible, 10-day aged halibut was fantastic and pictured is the s’mores dessert. Ice cream covered in marshmallow baked with graham crackers around it. Fantastic job Brad!
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J & D
We dined at Essence for our first time this past week. Our experience was exceptional and we loved the ingenuity, thoughtfulness, and uniqueness of our entire dinner! Melissa, our server, was amazing as she guided us smoothly through our evening. The tartare, essence salad, elk, and Chilean sea bass were higher than top notch. The sea bass melted in your mouth! Lastly, the cocktails and dessert were among the best we have had and added depth to our dining experience. We recommend trying the tea time cocktail and their raspberry lemon dessert, both will leave you in awe. Thank you for a wonderful time and we look forward to coming again!
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Megan Vogeler
We went out with my husband and parents and enjoyed wonderful food and had a fantastic waitress, Claire, who went above and beyond to make sure we loved our dishes. This is the best restaurant we have been to in Elkhart when it comes to hospitality, which makes the dining experience exceed most. We will definitely be back here!
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Marci Killarney
We had another fabulous experience at Essence. The food was amazing. Our service was more than amazing! Megan took such great care of us! Everything from the moment we arrived was incredible. We appreciated Brad checking in on us as well and adding to the conversation and experience. We are once again impressed with another unforgettable fine dining occasion! Thank you!
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Katie Shelby
My husband and I had our first experience at Essence last night for our anniversary and it was perfection. Many of the staff and even Brad came to our table to wish us a happy anniversary and were amazingly attentive and helpful all evening. The food and drinks were phenomenal and this experience will be highly recommended to our friends! All of the attention to detail in the food and service was 10/10! We will be back!
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Mom Ster
This place is amazing! My nephew chose this restaurant to celebrate his 18th birthday and, after checking them out online, I knew it would be amazing. Essence did not disappoint!

Chelsea took care of us and informed us about the menu – it changes every couple of weeks as the chefs get creative with new dishes. As she spoke about the menu, I wanted to try it all! And I will say, we tried a lot! As a table of 12, we got a bit of everything and shared bites all around. Everything was top notch and delicious. I could go just for all the appetizers (yes, all of them) and then desserts. While we were there, they had a banana fosters spin, key lime pie, tiramisu, PB&J, a spin on an ice cream sandwich, and maybe one more item. I can’t remember. I listed them in my favorite order. Ha.

We tried a bunch of appetizers as well and they were all unique and delicious. It’s a place worth visiting regularly, given the menu changes constantly. They’ve been open a couple years now and I will definitely plan to come back when I’m in town again. It’s absolutely worth the visit!

The variety of entrees was amazing with something for everyone and we’re just as good as they looked. I was too busy eating and chatting to take many pictures of food, but I did snap a few – Lobster Esquites, NY strip steak, and salmon over fried rice with a side of scallops – all made to perfection. Mmm. So good!

Thank you to Brad, Chelsea, and the amazing team for taking care of our family celebration. It was truly chef’s kiss.
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