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    Essence Kitchen + Bar

    4.7 (368 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Essence Kitchen + Bar Photos

    Business Info

    ESSENCE KITCHEN + BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Classy

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    Recommended Reviews - Essence Kitchen + Bar

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    Dining room
    Karen K.

    We arrived for a late lunch, several customers but not packed. The Hostess took several calls for reservations having to turn people away because they were already booked for the night, IMPRESSIVE Our server was very pleasant. The venue is clean and nicely laid out and decorated. Our burgers were very flavorful and the fries fresh and crunchy. Great little place in Chino Valley. We will be back.

    Lobster bisque and spinach artichoke dip
    anu a.

    Stumbled upon this place while driving through Chino. Had the lobster bisque, artichoke dip, beet salad, and paniolo burger. All were delish and service was great.

    Desert pear mojito, perfect!
    Diane L.

    Our first visit to Essence will not be our last. We walked in and greeted warmly by several people. While waiting for a table several servers asked if we wanted something from the bar. Even though the restaurant was very busy, on a Wednesday night no less we felt that everyone went out of their way to make us feel special. Our server was fantastic and went above and beyond to care for us. The food was amazing! Strip steak with compound butter I will dream about! Chino Valley you have a gem in Essence.

    Grandma finished lunch with a yummy treat.

    Brought grandma down to have a great lunch. She had a big hamburger without the bun. Then she topped it off with the apple ice cream dessert. She absolutely loved it. Great place to bring someone that doesn't have a huge appetite. They will curtail their menu item for that person.

    Pear and Brie flatbread
    Emily L.

    This restaurant had a lot of parking and is conveniently located near a grocery store. The restaurant decor match the name. I felt like it was adequately decorated and not too overwhelming. We were immediately greeted by the host and was promptly sat at a table. The waitress came over with the menus and explained the house specials. She came back and took our orders and was extremely attentive. She checked in quite a few times during our meal and quickly refilled our water and drinks! We ordered the pear and brie flatbread which is offered as a small plate. This dish had wonderful flavor and texture. The flatbread itself is perfectly crisp, providing a great base that supports the Brie cheese. The fig jam and balsamic drizzle added to the dish. The plate was sweeter than anticipated; therefore, I felt like it was more dessert like. Overall, I would order this dish again! The linguine alfredo with applewood bacon was amazing. This dish was creamy and not goopy. The bacon was mild and sweet and the bread had a nice crunch to it. The wild caught north atlantic seared sea scallops was a miss. The scallops tasted like it was frozen for too long. Hence, the one star deduction. The rice and corn were appropriately seasoned, however, in my opinion, I'm not sure it went well with the scallops.

    Wall
    HoyMay P.

    Reservations are strongly suggested. We arrive 5 minutes before our reservation time. Staff greeted us and took us to our table within a minute. The place with packed with happy dining customers. The restaurant is small accommodating approximately 10 couples. We tried to change our late dinner plans to something earlier but space was all taken. Staff are very service oriented and attentive filling our water glasses and pouring wine. After looking at the menu we decided on lettuce wrapped ahi, banana leaf wrapped sea bass, sea bass with miso and trout. The meals arrived in approximately 20 minutes beautifully presented. Everything was to our liking with the fish cooked perfectly and the ahi so fresh it melted in your mouth. After dining around 8 pm, we chatted about our delicious meals. The chef went from table to table thanking us for our patronage and asking our opinion. It was such a nice touch. The place had pretty much emptied out by then. A great experience. Shared parking lot.

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    27 days ago

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    8 months ago

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    12 days ago

    We love this place. The owners come and introduce themselves and the food is top notch.

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    4 months ago

    Great food and drinks. And the staff were amazing. The restaurant is beautiful inside very comfortable seating.

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    3 years ago

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    Page 1 of 10

    Ask the Community - Essence Kitchen + Bar

    What time do you open for dinner? What are your hours?

    Tuesday-Thursday 11-8 Friday & Saturday 11-9

    Are servers wearing a mask?

    as of a month ago they were not, give them a call and let usual know

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    The service is fast and friendly. The pizza is always going to hit here. I've been here a few times…read moreover the years and they are consistently great with what they service and yes, the pizza is really good. Neapolitan style with a thin but chewy crust. I would drive up to Sedona just for the pizza!

    This is regarding the store in West Sedona, apparently the flag ship store. I am from out of town,…read moredecided to order a pizza to go. Ordering online was easy enough. The food was actually quite good. That is why I gave 2 stars. The rest of the experience was less than ideal. I arrived on time to pick up my order. The lot was full, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but not convenient. The store had both a front entrance and a take out entrance. Both doors were packed with people. I squeezed into the take out area and witnessed a staff member give a customer his 2 pizzas and 3 salads, saying "you're all set!" Only to have the customer say they were missing 2 items. Then ensues the next 10 min of the staff looking high and low for those 2 items and finally determining that the kitchen did not cook them. All the while knocking other takeout boxes of food onto the ground (at least in boxes) and picking them back up again. Also muttering under his breath "I'm busy and no one is helping me!" When it was finally my turn, he was disorganized and asked me several times my name and when I had placed the order. He eventually found the my order, and in typical Murphy's law fashion, mine was a box that had fallen onto the floor. The burrata caprese was in a clear plastic container and it looked like the dog's breakfast. But by this time, I just wanted to get outta there.

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    Willows Kitchen & Wine Bar - Willow's Kitchen & Wine Bar

    Willows Kitchen & Wine Bar

    3.6(52 reviews)
    39.0 mi

    Great food. My dine-in service was exemplary. My ability to have room service was nonexistent…read more It's a great thing that my server was so kind and friendly. And that I was able to be seated and served immediately. The food 5/5 stars no doubt. Plating presentation was just beautiful. The steak was cooked to my request, very tender & flavorful. The potatoes were a nice mixture of crisp and soft. The scrambled eggs and the mimosa were as expected-no complaints there! As you can see the views from the dining patio are gorgeous and on one hand, I am grateful that the room service let me down so that I could truly appreciate such beautiful views while eating a delicious, hot breakfast. On the other hand, it was disappointing that I could not enjoy my breakfast from the room because no one answered the phone for at least the first hour and a half of my morning until I decided to go check out the restaurant in person. 4 stars. 2 for the great food (and views), 2 for the kind waiter and his excellent service. I wish I could give 5 stars but some serious improvement needs to be made on the customer service side in terms of room service.

    Even if your not staying at the Resort this restaurant is so worth it. It has the most amazing…read moreviews and the decor is so beautiful. Our waiter was spectacular and we were seated immediately we had brunch and it was delicious.

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    Willow's Kitchen & Wine Bar

    Essence Kitchen + Bar - newamerican - Updated June 2026

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