Elyse

My girlfriend and I had the pleasure of dining at Elyse last night at the chefs table. What a fantastic experience. It’s about time Fairfax has something akin to DC dining. This was an entire experience. The atmosphere, food, and service were impeccable. Michelin Star worthy. We have been to just about all the Michelin starred places in the area and this place better than most. The intimate space gives the chef time to come around and talk with everyone making it feel very local. Chef Jonathan is incredible. It was a pleasure to chat with him and his wonderful staff. We will be back again and again.

We enjoyed dinner at Elyse a few nights ago and it was OUTSTANDING! Not only was the food delicious, inventive, and fun, but the service was amazing. Everyone working there was kind and friendly, and you truly felt comfortable and taken care of. It was a wonderful experience and we will definitely be back!

We had the most incredible dining experience here last night! We were there to celebrate our 2 year wedding anniversary but I am also pregnant and had noted that on the reservation. From before we even got there to leaving everything was above our expectations. I got a text confirming our names and the reason of our visit before the reservation. At the door chef Jon’s wife & daughter were super welcoming and attentive. Our waiter was phenomenal, engaging, and even made me a custom mocktail so I didn’t feel left out. In spite of how small the building space is, what wowed us was how well the team maximized every single inch and nothing was left to after thought. While it could have come across as tightly packed, the vibe inside is so serene and peaceful from the decor to the kitchen to the bathroom..wow! The meal was spectacular and we were so excited when we were presented with a loaf of frozen bread to bring home for later. Thank you for the delicious meal and we can’t wait to return!

Ready to be wow-ed? You’ve come to the right place. Amazing people creating outstanding food. The dishes are a representation of the cultures found in and around Fairfax. An experience you won‘t forget. Thank you Chef Jon & the Elyse team!

I had the pleasure of dining at Chef Krinn’s new restaurant, Elyse, it was truly a special dinner experience. Each dish on the menu was carefully crafted using the freshest ingredients available, bursting with flavor and creativity. But what truly sets Chef Krinn apart is his warm welcome and his inimitable culinary talent. I have to also compliment his wife, Antonia for her charm that just adds an extra touch of hospitality…. The tasting menu at Elyse was inspired by Chef Krinn's recent foodie tour of Morocco, and it did not disappoint. Each dish showcased the bold flavors and vibrant spices of Moroccan cuisine, taking me on a culinary journey but in Fairfax, VA ;)

Please arrive on time not later, not earlier On time, There is absolutely no extra sitting, you would have to go to dolce Vita and wait for your table. The place is intimate and has a very vibrant chef and staff, The menue was fancy, and the wines elevated it even more. Dessert was OK.

Chef Jonathan and his incredible team have upped the ante in Northern Virginia once again on their culinary presentation. Elyse is an intimately small establishment, and albeit their size, their cuisine shows sophistication that any gourmand wouldn't hesitate to wonder "who do I ask for seconds on that venison and how do I bribe the waiter to give me a stronger pour of that delicious wine they found from France? Am I really in Fairfax?" All this to say, go and make a reservation that's been on your browser tab. Welcome back chef.

I’ve been a fan of Chef Jon since his days at Clarity, and Elyse is nothing short of spectacular! Every dish showcases his masterful creativity and attention to detail, elevating the dining experience to Michelin star levels. The flavors are perfectly balanced, the presentations are stunning, and the use of seasonal ingredients makes every bite an unforgettable journey. The ambiance at Elyse is warm and inviting, with a modern elegance that complements the exceptional cuisine. The service is attentive and knowledgeable, enhancing the experience without being intrusive. Chef Jon's passion for his craft shines through in every aspect of this restaurant. Elyse is a must-visit for food lovers seeking an extraordinary dining adventure. Truly one of the best culinary experiences I’ve had in years!

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.