“ First off, our meal was very yummy!! Both the taste and presentation. Very refined. My hubby got the scallops. Perfect! I got the Mediterranean pasta dish with chicken. It was very nice. The staff was super nice and very attentive. Our drinks were good, but not great, it didn't seem like much alcohol in them. My complaint is the ambiance. I felt like I was in a diner. Maybe add some table cloths and beautiful decor. The food has a classy vibe, now if you could make the ambiance match up it'd be perfect!!! ”

“ We had an awesome lunch today at Essence for Veterans. Food and atmosphere all were tops. Thank you so much ! ”

“ Fantastic meal at Essence Kitchen in Chino. Food was great and service was great. The desserts were outstanding and I really enjoyed the agave old-fashioned.. One of the best restaurants in the area . ”

“ My good friend and I visited Essence about a week ago. The place was packed on a Tuesday night which was a good sign for me. The restaurant is very stylish with a comfy looking bar in addition to the tables and chairs. There was a carafe of cucumber mint infused water and two glasses waiting for us when we were seated. Our food did take a while to get to our table, but we reminded ourselves this was not"fast food"! My friend got banana wrapped sea bass and I got Rainbow trout with an incredible citrus sauce! It was truly gourmet food! We will go back! ”

“ Food...c'mon...always licious! Service...really...always Sequoia & EVERY one of the dining room staff!! Ambiance...start it off with fruit sangria & eventually its a 1 minute drive home. But in between...the taste buds celebrate!!! ”

“ 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. ”

“ We had dinner last night at the Essence. To start we ordered a Caprese Salad and the Cajun Dusted Seared Ahi Tuna. Both were excellent. For an Entree I had the Banana Leaf Wrapped Sea Bass. It is served with potatoes, plantains and herbs, on a bed of seared field greens with a Chile lime infused coconut cream sauce. Outstanding dish! My wife had the Applewood Smoked Bacon Wrapped Grilled Shrimp, She enjoyed the meal but in order to cook the bacon, the shrimp ended up well done. Our only disappointment was the Grilled Rustic French Bread. It was dry and I could detect no garlic nor any other herbs. The service was great and Overall it was a wonderful evening ”

“ 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. ”

“ Excellent food and desserts..Service is the best..This place I give 100% plus . Our waitress knows the food and gave us a great recommendation on choices. We picked these two dishes. So so tasty! Also inside the restaurant the ambiance is relaxed. Recommend it as the best in Chino Valley. ”

“ Brilliant Pear and Brie en croute. Perfect balance of sweet, savory and tart. The textures are spot on. Bravo, Chef Joe! Every course was fantastic! The trout with pesto was mind-blowing. The vegetables were al dente and seasoned ever so lightly, complementing the trout with the crispy skin. The skin on mashed red potatoes provided a carbohydrate canvas. We finished with the pineapple upside down cake. Caramelized at the bottom served in an adorable cast iron skillet. If there was a reason for a La mode, this is it. We paired it with a Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. Service matches the love in the food Julia and Joe....congratulations on a world class restaurant. I will be back panting for another degustation. ”