They had me at hookah. Everything from the atmosphere to the food and drinks as well as the service was top-tier. Definitely a 5-star experience! From the moment we walked in, the staff made us feel welcomed and taken care of. The restaurant itself has a beautiful modern vibe -- elegant, cozy, and perfect for a night out. The food was outstanding across the board, full of flavor and cooked to perfection. A special thank you to Sarah for her exceptional service -- she was attentive, kind, and made the evening even more enjoyable. read more

Essence is a great place to celebrate any kind of occasion. The food, hookah, drinks and entertainment was amazing. However the food did not come out at the same time. Another 15 minutes went by for my company to receive any of the meals. I made a reservation at 10:30 and was told at 11:40 that I had to leave because there was a private event taking place shortly soon. I only was allowed to stay for an hour for my 24th birthday.The waitresses were all over the place, very nice but unorganized. For $300 for an hour is a lot. I even tipped them because I know how difficult it is to run an event. They should have told me before hand that there would be an event at 12pm when I made my reservations. I wanted to enjoy the whole experience and sadly that didn't happen. read more

Essence is plush and stylish, and the belly dancers really add to the fun energy of the night. I got pulled in to dance with one of them, which made the experience even more memorable. For drinks the Cognac Kiss, Mi Rosita, and Kloud State of Mind were all tasty with a good balance of alcohol. For food the crab ragoons, tiger roll, and New Yorker roll were flavorful and satisfying. The only downside was that the food took a bit of time to arrive, but the staff was friendly and apologized for the wait. Overall, a good spot to try out. read more

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Date night vibes I came here on a Friday night with my spouse and the ambiance was beautiful -- such a great spot for pictures. I started with the crispy rice, and it was perfectly crunchy and delicious. I also ordered the stir-fry shrimp, but it was a bit mediocre. The shrimp was cut into about four pieces, and for $26 I was expecting full shrimp pieces lol. The spicy margarita was really good though! They also had a live performance, which definitely added a nice touch to the date night experience. The manager was very attentive, coming around to make sure everyone was good -- shout out to him because you rarely see that level of service anymore. Next time I come back, I'll probably stick to drinks and sushi. read more

Essence - Cripsy rice & shrimp stir fry - Asian Fusion Near Me - Long Island City, New York

Absolutely devastating experience. We made a Valentine's Day reservation for 11:00 PM and even called ahead to confirm what time the kitchen closed. We were told 11:30 PM. Since the prix fixe menu was already set, we knew exactly what we wanted and expected everything to run smoothly. However, as soon as we walked in, we were informed that the kitchen was already closed. Security brought over the manager, who explained that the kitchen was backed up by two hours. On top of that, when I asked to use the restroom while we figured out where to go next, we were told the bathrooms were closed due to flooding. What kind of establishment operates without functioning restrooms? Considering we had a reservation, the least they could have done was call to inform us of these issues ahead of time. It would have saved us time, money, and a very disappointing Valentine's Day. read more

I just visited Essence on Saturday evening and wanted to share some feedback because I genuinely think this place has potential. They've only been open about three weeks, and I always try to keep that in mind when reviewing a new spot. The atmosphere feels like it could turn into a great destination for drinks and nightlife. I can absolutely see this becoming a place people go to socialize, have cocktails, and enjoy the lounge vibe. The manager on site was attentive and clearly trying to address issues when they came up, and our waitress even offered complimentary drinks, which I appreciated. That said, the experience on the food and service side felt like it still needs work. The restaurant wasn't full, but the kitchen seemed backed up and struggling to keep up. Orders appeared to be taken from memory rather than written down or entered into a device, and that led to mistakes. I specifically asked for a Tiger Roll without sauce and it arrived drenched in it, and when we asked for soy sauce it never came. The sushi itself was just okay, and the dumplings were cold and tasted frozen. The manager did replace them, but the second round was still cold and heavily covered in sauce with a very strong lemongrass seasoning that overpowered the dish. It left me with the impression that freshness and consistency need attention. I also found the menu a bit confusing because it leans heavily toward Asian options while the overall vibe of the space feels more Mediterranean hookah lounge, and aligning those might strengthen the concept. There were a few other things that stood out during the visit. The restroom was flooded, possibly from a plumbing issue, and the mandatory coat check was unexpected. Small details like TVs showing sports at the bar could also enhance the experience and keep guests engaged. Overall, I believe Essence could grow into a strong nightlife spot, but at this point I would come back more for drinks and the atmosphere than for the food. I'm rooting for them to work through the early challenges and would be open to giving it another try down the line. read more

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With sincerity, I would never go back here ever....ever again. Very unprofessional (manager smoking hookah), poorly staffed, lack of order, chaotic scene. The food was below a 1 star, to be honest. Lacks flavor, smushy rice, cold, and poor options, just never again. The only thing of the night that was good, was our sweet server who was trying to do her best, waiting, serving, bussing, etc. From the mandated $10 coat, the freezing cold shared men and woman's bathroom in which I was forced to leave because the males had to use, to cold food coming out, 2 hour + wait for food, to my dinner table not being served all at the same time, etc was a pure disaster. I would give this restaurant a 1 star, but I want to give mercy, because at the end of the day, any infrastructure can improve but please, if your going to have a business do it right. Don't charge people x amounts of $$ when there is an over focus on ambiance and the look vs the quality of the service. PLEASE! read more

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This restaurant lounge in Astoria that just opened a few weeks ago delivers Miami night life energy to help cure the winter blues. The chic and spacious interior is thoughtfully designed with rich emerald green hues, glowing geometric ceiling lights, and crystal chandeliers. The tropical themed cocktails were strong and well prepared. They had a belly dancer and a bumping playlist to create a lively party atmosphere. The Latin style sushi rolls were a hit especially the tiger roll. There were some delays in bringing out the food so the accommodating hostess comped us with extra sushi rolls and tequila shots. Definitely a great place to catch a vibe. read more

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Was invited to this event through a friend. Beautiful ambiance. Great DJ. All types of music. Hookah and food available. Food is halal. They offer alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. We had an issue with the bill - but the owner adjusted it graciously. A fun new spot to try while in the area. read more

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For a birthday celebration, we reserved Essence at Steinway St. As you walk in, you are required to do a coat check for $10 per person. You are welcomed from the entrance to a gorgeous restaurant. If you come before 7pm and place your order before then, you get 50% off (happy hour). We had just missed happy hour as we were there by 7 but ordered a few min after. We had a hiccup with our first waitress and the owner Salman personally came and apologized for her behavior. He was really cool and we were taken care of because of him. We had 2 afghani servers that helped us too - They were so sweet. I really liked how all the girls were dressed in black with gold jewelry on. The food was okay. The Tiger roll was the best item we got. Prices are expensive compared to other places in the area. The drinks were good $14 each. I enjoyed the belly dancer for entertainment. The girls bought out a cake, which was tasty and for the birthday request it was $25. Overall a good place for a one time birthday dining experience. read more

Essence - Dragon roll - Asian Fusion Near Me - Long Island City, New York

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This place is phenomenal and as a native New Yorker, I have very high standards. It's like a club and dinner all in one. Perfect for any celebration or just a date night. Essence is relatively new to the neighborhood and the owner, Sal, is super hands-on and makes sure everything is running smoothly. We went on a Saturday night and the music was so diverse and fun, with the best ambiance and the most delicious food and drinks. I can't wait to come back here again! I highly recommend! Plus the waitstaff were super nice and attentive. read more

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The ambiance here is nice & they have a DJ on the weekends. They recently opened so they're still working out the kinks. I came the day after Valentine's Day and they weren't severing any other food options with the exception of wings, chicken fingers and fries. The owner/manager Sal was very accommodating. I was hoping to receive the experience I was looking for. I would have much rather preferred to come back when they are fully running. The service was still good here I just wished I had the full experience. read more

The ambiance is beautiful and the sushi was great. But.....the FOOD itself was bland, cool upon arrival, and honestly not good. It was disappointing because they have a great space and potential. However, it felt as if it was more about the visual of the space and not the dining experience. It took forever to get some of our food. Unfortunately some of the food tasted like it was frozen and reheated. read more

Essence - Pepper chicken which tasted like lean cuisine. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Long Island City, New York

From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere struck the perfect balance between elegance and warmth! The owner Sal, greeted us and made us feel like family. The drinks and service were exceptional from start to finish. The staff was attentive without being intrusive, offering thoughtful recommendations. Special thank you to Sarah and Alejandra! They were amazing. Cannot wait to come back! read more

1st time here amazingggggggg!!!! Great food, drinks,hookah and music! And let's not forget about Pollin.... dope hostess! I will definitely be back! read more

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Good drinks, quality food, good service and quality check ins. Great time and vibe with right people. Worth the experience . Stat is super hospitable. We had Alejandra as a server, friendly, and informative. read more

Food, service, and ambiance are a complete 10/10! Like any new business, they had a few minor hiccups when they first opened. The first time I visited, the only issue was that the food arrived a little late -- but even then, no real complaints. Since then, they've done a full 360. Now? This is officially my new every-night spot. I honestly wish they were open every single day so I could live here 24/7. The service was incredible. The staff is not only genuinely kind and welcoming, but absolutely beautiful as well. The girls all wear matching jewelry that perfectly complements the Middle Eastern vibe of the restaurant -- it's such a thoughtful detail. From the second I walked in, I felt like I was in New York but somehow stepped straight into Miami at the same time. The manager and owner are truly a godsend -- so respectful, professional, and kind. This restaurant really has the best people running it. I came with a party of 20, and every single one of us was taken care of perfectly. The food arrived on time, everything was organized, and not one person had a complaint. The servers were attentive without being overbearing -- anytime we needed something, they were right there. We even got a tour of the VIP section, which holds up to 70 people! I will absolutely be back -- and I'm already planning to book that VIP space for my wedding anniversary. 10000000/10 read more

So my experience here was top 3 worst in all the places ive been to. They have a $10 mandatory coat check which I didnt think was necessary. The menu was prefix as it was valentines day so they didnt offer much on the menu. While our server took our order we had a few questions which she was unable to answer any of our questions. Very poorly trained. After placing our order half of the table got there Appetizer and main entree while the other half had no food. The server spilled 2 drinks which landed on my friends!! And it took too long to get our cards back after she charged us for the bill. The bathrooms were flooded. All this and still had to pay over 500 dollars. Highly overpriced!!!! The food itself wasnt good either. The best thing on the menu is the sushi rolls and the hookah was good. That is the only reason why they get 1 star! Ambiance was nice but it doesnt mean anything when the service and food suffers. Never coming back here again. read more

Essence - Prefix menu for valentine's day - Asian Fusion Near Me - Long Island City, New York

DO NOT COME HERE!! DO NOT COME HERE!! I'll be transparent, the food is not bad. BUT! Nothing but thieves , and dishonest employees. from the manager with his slang & ghetto language down to the young girls. they automatically add a gratuity to your bill , WITHOUT your knowledge , and than ask you to tip on top of it. the prices of drinks change randomly when it's the same drink , it's just terrible all around . and of course , any customer who isn't aware of the gratuity already being on the bill, will tip AGAIN. and they charge more than 20% for a gratuity, it's around 25% . I promise you, go somewhere else . if you have any morals and care about your pockets. read more

Sarah was a great waitress, & very attentive. The space had great ambiance . I loved the entertainment. They had a dancer dancing through out the patrons to get the party started. read more

The food, hookah and drinks were all amazing. Pollin, our server, was great and attentive, constantly checking if everything was good and that we were enjoying ourselves. 10/10 would come again read more

Nice ambiance and the atmosphere was inviting, but unfortunately the food did not live up to the setting. The chicken tasted like it was frozen and reheated, the rice was overly soft, and the vegetables seemed undercooked. For the price, I expected much better quality. The menu also felt a bit all over the place, which made the overall experience confusing. I really wanted to enjoy this spot because the vibe is great, but the food definitely needs improvement to match the ambiance. read more

Beautiful spot great ambiance! We traveled from out of town for a friends Birthday! When we arrived we were ment by the owner very nice man! He told us at the door there was no food something happened with the cook and he was unable to be here, but we were able to Order door dash, Uber Eats or whatever we would like! We were the 1st ones so we instructed the host of the situation! As he never alerted her! The drinks and hookah are great !when the host arrived she spoke to the owner who stated there were wings and chicken tenders, fries! However we ordered door dash( which never reached us) come to find out they only had chicken tenders and fries only! Ughhh I ended up with under cooked tenders! Gave me a stomach ache I was offered new ones but no refund! This place has so much potential! But there should be more than one team of cooks! It's very spacious and nice ! If they can get it together this place would be a must destination! read more

My BF and I had a reservation for Valentines Day This place has potential but there are things that could've been better First we got hit with a mandatory coat check we Sit down and take a look at the menu it's prefixed with only 3 options on each category I am allergic to seafood so when we informed the waitress she automatically went into concern mode which I was grateful for but she also informed us that they were cross contaminating certain dishes and I wouldnt be able to order anything with chicken my first respons was "now why would they do that" they kept saying they didn't wanna take the risk which I understood offered me dumplings and sliders and Thai rice which I was told was going to come out with vegetables since I couldn't have chicken we already had 2 drinks before dumplings were brought out and then waited 45 more minutes for 2 sliders the rice never came the owner or manger walking around in a robe which seemed Unprofessional I think they cared more about the vibes then the service the bathroom was flooded they dancing in there with fire and the hookah smell was over powering we drove really far and expected to have a good night and it wasn't read more