Elyse

Hats off to the incredible team at Elyse. I mean every experience we have had there has been top-notch and I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed them once yet! I mean shame on them because they deserve some seriously high praise. And honestly, they pulled out all the stops for their recent New Years Eve dining experience - I’m talking caviar, white truffle, A5 wagyu, a custom cocktail (because they know I like gin and yuzu) and a painfully decadent dessert – What a way to send out 2025! 🎇 I mean, honestly, the meal was exquisite and so perfectly executed. Each dish is crafted with a passion and care for food that absolutely shines. I mean the Foie Gras (sp??) - I don’t even really like the stuff, put the way they sauteed it, put it on top of some sort of savory cake and slathered it with this balsamic gastrique - it was like bacon and pancakes smothered in maple syrup just amplified to 100. Bottom line: I would eat this every day (and amplify my weight by 100 too). The snow crab, I don’t know if it's the care in selecting the product or the techniques used to prepare it (probably both 🙂), but they packed so much crab flavor into that dish! And the dark chocolate cheesecake, it was magic that can make something so dark, so bold, so rich feel so light when you are eating it. This was just one specific meal here, but I am surprised and delighted every time we get the privilege to dine at Elyse. It’s not just the food, it's the atmosphere and the attention of the staff. They remember details from your previous visits, any special notes from your reservation and really tailor the experience to you, making it all that much more special on your special night out ♥️

This charming, intimate restaurant sits right next to Dolce Vita and features a simple yet elegant décor. They offer a tasting menu priced at $150 per person, with thoughtfully curated wine pairings for each course. We dined here for a birthday celebration and were impressed by the attention to detail in every dish. Each course is carefully crafted to highlight the natural flavors of its ingredients. The menu allows you to choose from a few options within the fixed selection. We particularly enjoyed the acorn honey nut squash—it was unlike anything we’ve had before. The combination of lightly charred acorn, spaghetti squash, and wild rice was outstanding. The duck was another highlight—perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The staff was also very accommodating with dietary restrictions, taking great care to create separate dishes for those with dairy allergies. Service from the staff and owner were exceptional making the experience very pleasant.

After celebrating our wedding anniversary with Chef John and his fantastic team, we've been raving about it to all our foodie friends ! Exceptionally creative and well executed dishes that might be on par with Inn at Little Washington. The cozy vibe reminded us of places we've been to in Europe. 100% will be back.

I never expected to find a fine dining restaurant of this caliber in Fairfax, but the taste, presentation, and hospitality far exceeded my expectations. (My spouse, who tends to be highly critical when it comes to food, was impressed.) It’s rare to find a restaurant that delivers both exceptional cuisine and attentive service, but this place managed to do both effortlessly. This was a truly memorable night, and we’ll definitely be returning to experience more of the seasonal dishes and creative tasting menus to come.

The food was inspiring and looked more like art than a typical meal. Each dish tasted unique and thoughtfully composed. It is a bit pricey, though.

A new speakeasy-like restaurant that everyone must try. Each dish has perfect balances the five basic tastes – sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami! I needed more bread to scarpetta all the goodness of the sauce. If you're someone like me who enjoys discovering new flavor combinations and textures when dining at establishments with tasting menus, I'd say this is the perfect place to try. Also can't forget to mention that they harvest their herbs from their own garden! Chef Jon and his team made the experience extra special. Can't wait to visit again!

My husband and I had a wonderful time at Elyse celebrating my birthday. Our host, Phoebe, was so warm and friendly. Our server for the night, Brian, was incredible in every way and he took excellent care of us. Overall, the entire staff made sure we were taken care of and that we had a wonderful time. Chef Jon came out, welcomed us, and was very charismatic. I appreciated his time in greeting us and taking care of us. He also took the time to sign my menu, which I took home as a keepsake. The food was delicious. Our favorites were the shrimp, the pork belly and the foie gras. Overall, we had a wonderful time. Thank you for a lovely birthday celebration :)

This place is an absolute standout! From the moment we walked in, we felt a warm, welcoming vibe-like visiting a friend's home. The food is not just excellent, it's truly unique-every dish thoughtfully crafted with bold, memorable flavors you won't find anywhere else. The cocktails were spot-on, like they knew exactly what I needed-easily one of the best I've had. But what really sets this place apart is the experience as a whole. It's not just a meal, it's a moment-genuine hospitality, cozy atmosphere, and food that stays with you long after the last bite. A true hidden gem. We can't wait to return!

For those that don't like to read long reviews - the condensed version: super intimate setting with stellar service and Michelin-quality food. Ever changing menu that showcases fresh ingredients and innovative culinary skills. This is a must try (again, and again). For more details.... Food: 5 stars. My husband and I have been to Elyse at least 6 times since it opened earlier in 2024. We've been a follower of Chef Krinn for much longer and no matter what direction he takes his food - it's going to be great. The menu changes often, so talking about it won't help too much if you're reading this a month later. Just know it's a tasting menu style restaurant only. You will have options to avoid some allergies / issues, but ultimately what they have on the menu is what they will serve. There's no option to get a burger or a steak in lieu of the tasting menu, so make sure you're either food-adventurous or you like what they are serving before you go. Service: top notch. Everyone on Krinn's team has solid food service experience and it shows. Nothing is ever needed / wanted - staff is always guaranteeing that you have things before you know you need it. Ambiance: this place is small, but that's what makes it so special. Seats less than 50 people at one time and the chefs counter is the place to be - but they offer tables and they have a couple really lovely & comfortable booths. Price: $125 per person for most of the tasting menus, plus 20% auto gratuity. Wine pairing is available as well and is around $80/pp. you can also buy wine or champagne by the glass or bottle. Corkage is allowed and $35 per bottle. Attire: you can show up in jeans and as relaxed as you want, but most opt for dressier attire. I've only showed up in a cocktail dress - but it's because I love an opportunity to get dressed up and everyone there seems to do as well. Overall, if you love good, exciting food and want a place to celebrate anything special - or just to make your stomach happy - then this is your place. Pics I'm including are from multiple dinners at Elyse - not all one visit.

KenScale: 8.25/10 Visits: January 2025 Some of the most rewarding restaurant visits throughout our culinary journey together have been when my wife Jun and I stumbling upon a place that had flown under the radar while still offering compelling dining experience and where we got to know the chef and the staff over time and get more perspectives on the restaurant's identity and core philosophy. It was sometime in the fall last year that I learned about a new project in Fairfax by chef Jon Krinn (who cooked previously at the Clarity restaurant in Vienna) that was operating on an "invitation only" basis until opening up the space to the public. We had not dined at Clarity before, so I was intrigued by the proposition at Elyse (named after chef Jon's daughter's middle name), a five-course tasting menu at a relatively reasonable $130 per person. After running some errands in Virginia on a recent Saturday, we drove over to the restaurant in a relatively obscure part of Fairfax (next to an Italian restaurant Dolce Vita). Jun confessed to me she had no prior expectations whatsoever before we stepped into the restaurant; after the meal, she happily concluded that Elyse is a restaurant worth visiting again and again. The moment I realized that Elyse is not an ordinary restaurant was when we were met with almond macaron to start our meal. What are the odds you see a sweet macaron for your opening bite at a restaurant? Well, you put cured trout, caviar and cauliflower puree inside the macaron, and you have one really delicious bite of sweet and savory to raise expectations for the rest of the meal. For the second course, Jun and I shared the two options available on the menu. Of the two, what really impressed Jun was a refreshing ceviche of razor clam, sea squirt and sea cucumber. It is really rare to see sea squirt and sea cucumber at a restaurant in America, and they could backfire unless cooked properly due to their funky ocean flavor. Knowing that Jun is rather sensitive to these types of ingredients, it was a relief to see her greatly enjoy the ceviche and heaped praise on the dish to chef Jon. Chef Jon prepared the pasta himself, and it turned into a wonderfully earthy plate with chestnut and mushroom-based sauce. We were offered a supplement of foie gras following the pasta, and were very glad to have taken up on it. The texture of the foie gras was very memorable, and the ingenious use of star fruit, dragon fruit and passion fruit only enhanced it. We also chose each dish from the fourth, final savory course. Jun was very complimentary of how well the venison was cooked, and the unexpected use of dried persimmon and chayote puree to complement the meat was also quite smart. I, on the other hand, really liked the wild skate swing with spot-on texture of the fish that tasted even better with the use of saffron and sea urchin vinaigrette. For the two desserts we shared, we were slightly more in favor of the pear dessert with red wine-based sauce and white chocolate; I particularly liked how the kitchen decided to use dehydrated shiitake mushrooms to give chewy texture in between the pears. Getting a reservation at 30-seat Elyse isn't difficult at the moment but if you are looking to dine at the chef's counter (which is really the spot to enjoy your experience at the restaurant while interacting with chef Jon and his staff working their magic at a small kitchen), you might want to plan in advance. We both loved many personal touches of the restaurant, starting with its cozy dining room that makes you feel like you are dining in a secret supper club, to chef Jon's personal email before our visit with a sneak peek at the menu as well as directions and other tidbits. As we were seated at the counter closest to the kitchen, we had a chance to chat extensively with chef Jon throughout the meal. He was a very friendly and approachable person (which is arguably hard to find in a lot of star chefs these days) who shared his motivation behind opening this relatively modest operation with his wife Antonia Le and a small staff he brought from his prior spots. We saw in him a talented and humble chef who wants to continuously iterate and improve upon his craft to deliver world-class dining experience to diners he cares about (he even embraced Jun's suggestion to consider using pine nut in lieu of chestnut for the pasta). Could the dining experience at Elyse be improved? The portion was somewhat on the smaller side even for main courses, and I do think the wine list could be improved to add more options. Overall, however, our experience at Elyse was quite good and we were very encouraged to hear that chef Jon is aiming to change his menu at least monthly. Elyse is one of the better restaurant discoveries we had made in recent years, and we can't wait to go back to the restaurant again later this year. Overall, however, Elyse is one of the better discoveries we had made in recent years, and we can't wait to go back again.

Just do it ! Dining in Fairfax city has a new zenith!! So glad the city was chosen for the location....an asset to the city!

I was excited to try Jonathan Krinn's new place. Wow it exceeded expectations! Every dish was delish. And it's a tiny place so you can kinda get the full experience. I'd definitely recommend and I'll be back!

We tried Jonathan Krinn's new restaurant this evening and loved it. It's a tasting menu with one of two choices each for the appetizer and the entree. Flavor combinations were delightfully imaginative. It's a small space with 20 seats at tables and another 8 at a bar serving as a chef's table overlong the busy cooks (where we sat).. We were greeted by Jonathan and his wife during the meal. It is in the small building the same parking lot as La Dolce Vita Italian restaurant in Fairfax City. Parking is tight but so far they have complimentary valet parking. Service excellent with a detailed description of each course as it is delivered. Ambiance was cost and not too noisy given the size. Make sure if you make an online reservation that you don't make it for the Elyse Restaurant in San Jose, California. I made that mistake and luckily the Fairfax one had space for us. The confusion about Fairfax not having us on the list was clarified when we received a call 15 minutes after we were seated from San Jose wondering where we were. The gentleman in San Jose was very gracious and understanding for the mix up.