Quiessence

Farm-to-table… in a desert??? Believe it. Visit it, walk it, taste it, believe it. This family-owned restaurant and 10-acre farm is an escape from the city and an embrace of what is good and wholesome. You are greeted by… a crowing rooster. A flower and vegetable garden. A keen eye would notice three-sisters planting. You then walk into Quiessence, the main restaurant, and are transported to a remote, Napa Valley fine dining restaurant. Most of the ingredients on the menu are sourced from the local estate and honor local agriculture. The wine menu is highly developed and has rare offerings. They have premium offerings like caviar and wagyu. The cooking is highly technical and the menu is innovative. You will have an amazing time.

Quintessence offers a delightful farm-to-table dining experience with French-inspired elements. The restaurant boasts a beautiful ambiance for casual dining, with truly fantastic menu options. Everything on the set menu is healthy and fresh. The restaurant is very spacious with various seating options inside and outside, with a cute and trendy Arizona vibe, we can enjoy the view to go with our meal. We ordered a “four courses” set which is very scrumptious, every ingredient is so fresh, luscious, and lush. We can tell the chief is trying to present every dish in another level of astronomy skill and transforming the food scene into artistic genres. The kitchen tour is wondering.

We visited this restaurant during our visit to Phoenix and had the best time. We sat outside and had the four course dinner. The ambiance was so peaceful and we felt like we had so much privacy. The service was incredible and the food was all delicious. I am a pescatarian and they were able to customize my meal and keep me informed about the ingredients of each dish. The servers even gave us a tour of the kitchen and we were able to meet the chefs and see all the food stations. This was a very elevated dining experience and we left very full and satisfied. The drinks were delicious and strong! Unfortunately, we were too full for dessert but really wish that we could have tried it. I strongly recommend eating at this restaurant while in Phoenix!

I am a total foodie and let me tell you!.... this place is definately a place id return to in a heart beat! From the atmosphere, to the service AND moat importantly the food! All their dishes are carefully crafted in the kitchen to give you a great experience, from the visual to your taste buds! There is not one thing we disliked! Excellent!

Exquisite Anniversary Dinner and experience at Quiessence. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and the wines selected to go with each course. A beautiful quaint setting, quiet and romantic on the farm at night. The tour of the kitchen was a fun experience and you can truly tell everybody from the chefs to the servers care about giving you the best possible experiences. One of the best meals we have ever had. We truly look forward to coming again!

Great food, great atmosphere, and exceptional service. They take a lot of time to accommodate guests and you can tell they care about the whole experience from start to finish. Would definitely recommend for a special occasion or just a great meal!

The area and surroundings beautiful. The food presentation was appealing. However, the service was poor. There was 4 or 5 tables filled, and the rest of the place was empty. There were 4 of us, friends. We dine and experience top notch restaurants twice a month. They had plenty of wait staff, but they couldn't keep the water glasses filled. They offer, 3,4, or 5 course dinners, but the entire party of 4, MUST all have the same number of courses which we did not like. Portions are tiny! We paid an up charge for ribeye, but only received 4 bite size pieces. They gave us individual checks, and automatically charged us 20 percent. What started at $129 for 4 courses, ended up at $249 EACH! only 1 glass of wine, nothing else. (Other than a ridiculous price for bread) This was not worth $1000. Over priced, poor service. We will never return.

This is my second time reviewing this incredible hidden gem, and it deserves every bit of praise. The food was absolutely spectacular, perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. Chef Dustin, you are a true culinary genius. Every element on the plate was purposeful and flawlessly executed, elevating each dish to an art form. Also every time I go I just keep think about those amazing apple cannoli's. Highly recommend that dessert. If you’re looking for a spot to really enjoy your meal and spend some quality time with good company, this is the place. It’s such a nice change from the fast paced vibe of most restaurants these days, here you can relax, savor your food, and enjoy meaningful conversations with your loved ones. Big thanks to our awesome server, Zach, who kept us laughing and made everything run smoothly. Shoutout to Lindsey and Jess for the beautiful presentation of each dish. And a huge thank you to the entire team for making the night so special and memorable. This place is truly one of a kind. :)

Let's start this off by saying that I was never a "dainty dish" kind of guy. You know what I mean? You order a dish at one of those fancy places and then give you like a cherry tomato, few pieces of lettuce and a couple dots of dressing and they call it a salad. Yep - this is that kind of place. Not really, actually Yes these are relatively small sized courses, but they are BIG on flavor, presentation and quality. We were gifted a $200 gift certificate by our kids for Christmas last year and we finally were able to use it for a very soecial anniversary dinner this past Saturday. Picture this - you pull off of a relatively normal suburban road into rustic and homey feeling farmland. You will see rows of tree with mesmerizing lights that seems to create the effect that the trees are joining hands with glowing effect due to the lights that are string around each one. Once you park and enter the restaurant (there is indoor and outdoor seating) you will be greeted by a happy and smiling staff. The restaurant was truly a farmhouse long ago and it has been converted to this very special venue. We ordered the three course meal with both of us choosing the Ribeye steak. Understanding that this is a relatively long review, I must trudge on so I can pay this wonderful location it's due. Starter Course/Amuse Bouche: We were served a unique gazpacho in a demitasse cups that was vegetable based with a little succulent chunk of smoked Salmon within. Course 1: We had the most amazing corn soup for our first course. This soup was embellished with fresh vegetables that included a few crunchy chunks of celery. (That's my new stripper name - crunchy chunks). Course 2: The second course consisted of just the right amount of a hearty pasta dish. It was a potato gnocchi with a beef rib ragu. Just delicious. It was not too heavy or overbearing. Course 3: The meal crescendos at the presentation of our Ribeye. For transparency my wife ordered her's medium rare and I ordered mine medium well - I know, I know. That's just how I like it. So sue me. Well, the kitchen staff agreed and made it still much more rare than I asked for. But, ya know what? They know better than I do so I went with it. It was still fantastic. We ordered an Americano, which was one of the best coffees available, Lavazza. This was accompanied with Bread Pudding for desert. The ending to our dinner was magnificent. Our hostess asked us if we would like to tour the kitchen. We accepted with a little bit of puzzlement. We didn't know why we, of all people, received such VIP treatment. I know we really didn't rank higher than any one else so I'm guessing all guests are the VIP sort. Take the tour. It's very cool. And if you are lucky you will get a little surprise from the kitchen staff. One caveat - it's expensive. Like real expensive. No way around this. But you truly get what you pay for. So save up them shekels and treat yourself to a wonderful dining experience. It's worth every penny. Thank you Quiessence for giving us one of our most memorable anniversary celebrations ever.

Had dinner for two August 2024. The surroundings are amazing and the food, for the most part, was worth the very steep price. One food item that was truly bizarre: two small pieces of bread, already buttered, with a massive piece of plum butter and a dish of oil and balsamic vinegar. Are we to put the balsamic, oil, butter on the already greasy two slices of bread? Service was off. We had a clearly new person waiting the table, definitely could have used a more experienced colleague to help as a guide. Many details (like lighting our candle) were skipped. There seemed to be confusion about other things. But the real problem with the service was the speed of food from the kitchen. We had the three course menu and there was 45 seconds between when a plate was taken away and when another would show up. Give us some time to drink our wine and converse! On the third course I specifically said "can we please have some time?" And the answer was "no, the next course is being plated". The whole thing felt like a rush job. We were not offered a tour of the kitchen (as every other table got). Fine with us actually; the whole tour thing seems gimmicky but it's the inconsistency of service that stood out. Nonetheless we could see into the kitchen from where we sat in the dining room. Quiescence offers a table in the kitchen and I would advise against it: harsh strip lighting and what looked like uncomfortable seating.

Absolutely horrible experience. My husband booked the chefs table to celebrate our anniversary as the fireplace outside was already booked. My husband called the day before and confirmed our reservation. We showed up and they sat us inside by this back corner. When my husband stayed we had reservations for the chefs table they laughed and then realized we were serious. The manager came to talk to my husband they said they double booked the chefs table and they cancelled ours. No apology, no accommodation for their mess up. The manager was so rude and dismissive. Such a disappointing experience. If I could give it less than 1 star I would.

We really wanted to enjoy our Chef's Table experience here but it fell significantly short of expectations. The kitchen itself was renovated a year ago and it's a beautiful space both for prep and to watch the kitchen activity. Unfortunately, the table has high backed hard chairs which are quite uncomfortable for a 3+ hour experience. The dining experience is extremely hands on with each station presenting each course as it was served. We really enjoyed meeting the chef/co-owner and it's clear that these folks take a lot of pride in what they do. Our first course was a chef's spread of cheeses, cured meats, jams, veggies and bread. I let them know ahead of time that I do not eat meat and was surprised when our board was served with meat items. I don't prefer to eat off plates that have meat on them. They were kind enough to put it on a very large board so the items were spread out and nothing was touching but I didn't care for that presentation. Overall, we didn't care for much of the menu. Many of the dishes were odd combinations of things that made them quite sweet which was off-putting well before dessert. For example, there is a foie gras macaron. The macaron is a regular sweet macaron. My version was served with pumpkin (which I happen to not like) so it was a mouthful of sweet served immediately after our chef's spread (which had a lot of very sweet jams). The menu was beet-heavy which neither of us like (we did try them in case these were different somehow but beets taste like beets no matter what you do). There is a lot of fennel as well and I found it usually overpowered whatever it was paired with. We very much enjoyed the French Breakfast Radish soup and the pappardelle. My mulberry mezcal cocktail was tasty but not terribly interesting and my husband enjoyed his old-fashioned but it was too sweet. I definitely had the impression that my non-meat items were inferior to what my partner was having. The value definitely wasn't as good. I got the sense that substitutions were made to give me something but the dishes weren't necessarily reworked to be cohesive or interesting without the meat. I love the idea of what these folks are doing with growing and serving much of what they farm on the property but I think it limits the menu and they end up forcing ingredients together that don't necessarily work. We did received a lovely basket of items from the farm to take home at the end. We had originally booked the The Brick Oven Experience but I received a call two days before to tell me there was a snafu and we had been double booked. They offered us Chef's Table instead (which is $75 more per person) and we decided to do that thinking we would do Brick Oven next time. However, given the expense of this meal and our enjoyment level, I don't think we'll be back.

This was our second time coming to this restaurant and both times the food was amazing the previous time we were seated outside and this time we got to experience the inside of the quaint restaurant. The service was good and if you're lucky enough to get invited back into the kitchen to See, the chefs in action, you should take them up on it, it adds to the experience.

This was such a magical experience, from start to finish! Every moment was wonderfully curated! You choose from a seasonal menu, and order based on the amount of course that you want. The chef brings out some surprise treats too! Pros: Farm to table: The flavors were really delicious and the dishes were unique, combining lots of different fruits and vegetables in ways I had never experienced. Romantic ambiance: The extreme attentiveness of the server, and picturesque location of the restaurant really make this a very special place to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. Definitely an upscale vibe! Cost: Let's get this out of the way, it is not cheap, and possibly a bit overpriced. However, it is a very romantic farm to table experience, and all of the flavors really pop and are delicious. To give you a range, for 2 folks, going with the option of 3-4 courses will be about $400 when you factor in the tip. Note: If you have special dietary preferences, I would recommend reaching out in advance or choosing differently-- for vegetarians or vegans, not a lot of meatless options on the standard menu, but they seem like such an accommodating restaurant that perhaps they could discuss options!

Absolutely beautiful. Seed to table menu :) The chef is creative and very handsome :D Service was top notch! An absolute must for fine diners. Thank you Quiescence :)) You can trust me, sometimes it's not what you know, it's who you know ;D

Magical anniversary 7+ course dinner. Amazing food with great pairings of wine for each course. Fabulous experience watching the chefs make the food for us. Attention to detail with explanation of wine and food at each course was stellar. Julia, our server, was incredibly knowledgeable of the best wines to go with our dinner and extremely attentive to our needs. Each chef came over and explained their masterpiece and how it was made with the flavors from the garden. Fresh food that was cooked to perfection. The whole experience was amazing. We will be back!!

Had a thanksgiving meal here and it was awesome! The atmosphere is beautiful, the food is tasty and the staff is friendly and accommodating. Such a great experience

Had one of the most enjoyable, tasty meals, ever (and I've eaten a lot of great meals) Fine dining in a relaxed and awesome setting. Every bite was awesome to the point of having the last bite of every dish being just a touch sad like when an old friend leaves after a great visit. Not cheap, but worth it. Oh, and the staff were awesome.

Came here while on a business trip to Phoenix. Reservations are a must and I will say the location is very pretty. You end up walking through a well lit courtyard to get to the restaurant. We decided on the 5 course meal experience and was told that the menu changes all the time based on the items available locally and on the farm. The service was amazing and the staff was extremely friendly. They even took us on a tour of the kitchen and explained their techniques which was amazing. Out of all of the food we ate, the only thing that I felt didn't go with the courses well as far as placement was the 4th course. Everything else felt like it built onto the experience and I felt like the 4th course should have been at the beginning. I will say for a tasting menu the portions are huge. I couldn't eat much once I hit the 3rd course so keep that in mind. They boxed everything up for me I didn't eat and understood why I was having a hard time. Be prepared to wait cause they are making it all fresh. It all tasted amazing and I would absolutely go back again.

20/10 couldn't have had a better experience for anniversary. Staff is amazing. Did a a tour of the kitchen and met the chef

It was a 5 for me. Great attentive server that night, great atmosphere. Food was excellent despite it being small bites, but what do you expect when you are eating 3-5 course meals. We sat outside and the ambiance was perfect. It was mellow and low key. We also ordered the bread service and two drinks. Not one complaint with the food, we wanted more lol. The server gave us a tour of the restaurant including the kitchen. When we walked in the kitchen, in sync the whole kitchen staff greeted us. The Farm is the name of this place and it sits on 10 acres. In the daytime and morning you can see all the fresh fruit and produce growing including the animals, ducks eggs chicken etc. I do recommend.

A true dining experience! 4 of us went and two were having birthdays that week, so it was a perfect place to celebrate! We were there 4 hours for the 5 course menu and desert...... Truly outstanding preparation and service. From a knowledgeable server to those that never let your water glass get below half empty. Farm to table, from right on the property to locally sourced. They even have some of the better AZ wines. Rather than try to describe what each dish was, I put a picture of our menu, we had the 5 course in the center........ The one minor issue, we were seated near the door and with servers in and out, I need to put my jacket back on and my ankles we chilly most of the evening....... I should have worn my dress cowboy boots

Seeing the portions of food you would be afraid that you'd leave with some room in your stomach but no! We left feeling very stuffed and satisfied. Justin was a great host! Environment was great, presentation was beautiful. Pricey, but as it should be. Great date spot

The food, service and ambiance were all spectacular. I'm vegan and it was my birthday they made a delicious 5 course meal for me. I loved and going and seeing the kitchen. The chefs were all lovely and it was by far as clean as clean can be. This place deserves a Michelin Star! Farm to table is rare in this world and to go and create dishes off their land is not only exciting by it's the most natural way to eat food. Get rid of the food supply chain and middle men so your food is actually fresh and not been on a truck traveling to you for weeks to months before you get to eat it. Amazing loved and will be back again!

My husband brought me here for our 11 year Anniversary. Wow this place is neat, the food was delicious and fresh. Would like to come back for brunch they have other restursnts there. Love this place

Superb 5 course meal. Food is fresh, cooked to perfection and carefully presented. Service was thorough, knowledgeable and pleasant. Loved the tour of the kitchen.

This was a pleasant 4 hour dining experience. I took my mom here for her birthday dinner. Both my mom and brother enjoyed the experience. We all chose the 5 course dinner. They have a private room if you'd like. They also give you a choice of a 3 course dinner ($89 per person), 4 course dinner ($99 per person), or 5 course dinner ($109 per person). Our favorites were the Corn soup starter, Parmesan Tacos with aged beef Carpaccio, Sweet Potato Gnudi, and Crispy skin Faroe Island Salmon. The atmosphere is rustic farm meets modern contemporary restaurant. Also important to note, most of the ingredients are locally sourced and grown in Arizona which I can appreciate it.

From start to finish Quiessence at The Farm was an incomparable experience. Zero negative feedback or complaints. The aesthetic was vibrant with gorgeous landscaping and delightful lighting all across the farmhouse property. We partook in the 5 course meal and were pleasantly greeted by polite and knowledgeable service, followed with flavorful farm to table dishes that caught the eye and pleased the tastebuds. Ending with a tour of the kitchen, farmhouse and yards added a unique touch to an already unforgettable evening. I could not recommend this location enough.

We had a great dinning experience here! We were there for over 4 hours, just like we expected. The food was amazing, wonderful service, and beautiful environment. We had the FIVE COURSE, everything was great, beyond our expectations. I really enjoyed the oyster, so fresh and tasted like the ocean, salty and fresh. Salmon lox was great, you can taste the well prepared salmon. The foie gras macarons was excellent, I enjoyed eating it even through I am not usually a big fan of foie gras. the oyster was wonderful, so fresh, tasted like it just got out of the ocean, the salty after taste made me feel like I was standing there into the blue ocean The pasta was delicious, we felt like they made the paste at home! Then they brought the Sorbet, good way to clean your mouth to be ready for the coming dishes. for dessert, I loved the brioche bread pudding, it was masterpiece, pretty and delicious. Just the first bite made me happy, I can taste the good quality, the sweet cranberries, cherries in the bread pudding added extra flavor and freshness. I was happy with everything (just not so happy with the bill haha), it is expensive, but it is a Great restaurant, a great place to go when you want to have a good experience with great food to celebrate something special in your life.

Stellar setting at the Farm. Romantic. Memorable. Extremely professional, friendly service that was *almost* impeccable, and paced well for five courses. (Please don't remove dishes until *everyone* is finished, and if you spill something please replace our linens.) OVER-PRICED: 5 courses with wine pairings and bread service for two, plus one foie gras macaron, taxes and tip ran us $527. COMPARISON: Our 7 course meal at a 1-Michelin Star restaurant in Lyon, France cost us $396 USD. Amuse bouche surprisingly good. We scoffed at the trendy parmesan shell, but in the end the flavors won us over. Bread service left us sad and scratching our heads. Additional $12 for 4 pieces of room temperature crostini coated in salt. Over-generous serving of otherwise really delicious butter, but we were also given olive oil that was adulterated with basalmic vinegar. Bread is the lifeblood of any meal. So greatly misunderstood and underappreciated. Fresh. White. Crusty. Bread. Warm. Sliced. It isn't difficult, chef. Bread course should be simple and consistent. Oysters super plump and beautiful, but way past their prime, caviar lackluster, lemon zest totally lost on our palate. It should have been "briny, zesty, fresh & tastes like the sea" and it sadly disappointed. Challenge: It takes courage to flat out refuse to serve the client seafood that is fishy and dull. Be brave and spare us, please! Foie gras appetizer was truly good!! Superb foie gras, but sliced imperfectly. Delicious and chewy macaron! Nuts on top distracted from it, otherwise slice very thinly and creatively distribute, along with more tiny mint leaves. One leaf was not enough. Zucchini soup bright and delicious. Confusing to need a fork and knife on our soup, but we were game for it! Just please make sure we can cut through the skin of that delightful brined cucumber shaving because we really struggled. Note: Not everything requires a "sweet" with the savory. Cranberry unnecessary. Focus on that fantastic soup base! It was a winner! The smoked salmon bite on top was perfection, btw. Squash blossoms lovely, crunchy. Great texture and flavor. Way too much relish on the plate and not enough of that delicious hot oil. Salad fail. For a farm to table restaurant a salad *should* be a luscious gem. Salad eaters expect a bowl of gorgeous greens. Garden varieties can really be showcased here. A better surge of creativity could have been accomplished by using multiple COLORS (sorrel, beet, yellow squash, orange squash, citrus, carrot, parsnip, edible violets, etc.) used decoratively. But people want salad, not a stick farm with tired goat cheese. The lone radish dipped in melted butter is a fail. Gnocchi course produced four or five inconsistently shaped tiny bites lost among odd- sized chunks of fennel sausage. There was more sausage than gnocchi, and what gnocchi was there was flat, doughy and flavorless, certainly not the lofty pillows we prefer. This was our biggest disappointment. Beet sorbet...interesting. Curious, in a good way. If the provided spoon was intended for it to be one bite, that bite was too big. We attempted to halve it and it made a huge mess, staining our linens. Pork shoulder phenomenal. Large portion, and cooking technique spot on. But PLEASE use salt. The black eyed peas were also perfectly cooked, but made a strange accompaniment due to lack of ham flavor (again - no salt in there!). Once more: "Sweet" to savory falls flat here. Didn't need the cherry unless it was paired with a savory herb---but there was nothing to off-set this. Rosemary, perhaps? ...or basil in some of the other courses, for that matter. We have volumes of these herbs here in Phoenix. The wine pairing option was $65 per person-- five 2.5oz servings per person which amounts to $13 per glass, which was only 1/2 glass per serving! Absolutely no value there. The wine quality was low/average. Nothing special, and a few were downright "meh". When choosing wines for the pairings, TASTE them first. None of them were bright or complex, and that is expected at these prices. Overall rating a 2. Would return for another try. We sense the strongest desires here to create, and the technique is definitely there. Prognosis: HOPEFUL!!! We'd love nothing more than to have a James Beard worthy team in South Phoenix. The potential is definitely there. Want to give more stars, but rn we think chef isn't tasting dishes or wine pairings, and is not focusing on basics: Good bread, using salt. By comparison our side trip from Paris to Lyon to lunch at a 1 star Michelin restaurant set us back a total of only $395.71 (403€), and that included: 7 courses, wine pairings (full glasses) desert and coffee. And simple, sliced crusty fresh white bread, of course, and four formally dressed servers solely devoted to our table of two.

I had such high hopes for this place and it turned out to be a disappointing experience. My date and I both did the 5 course dinner tasting menu. This is the first time I did a multi course tasting menu that I did not make it through the last course. The experience was bad enough that we cancelled our last course, asked for the check, and left. The first thing that came out was a bread appetizer. Like a bruschetta. That was actually very delicious. This is not part of the 5 course. The first course was a chef's board and it was fun and had some pretty good bites in there too. Then everything took a nose dive. Our next course took over 30mins to arrive and it was an artichoke soup. The soup was cold. So that's already a bad sign. I don't understand how are you going to serve cold soup to your guest. The soup is full of chives or spring onions. That's all you can taste. Also it's supposed to be a creamy soup but instead it's watery. So we got cold and watery soup. Then we waited for another 30+ mins for the next course, which is some sort of salad. They call it The Garden. Basically, it's a mix of different greens, carrots, and other root vegetables. Most them are raw. So it took over 30 minutes to bring out a plate of raw vegetables? Incredibly disappointed. Then another server came by and we said the soup was cold and was not good at all. She told us, "Well, it happens". I'm like what? What do you mean "It happens"? I was surprised and taken back at the blase reaction that your customer is having a bad experience. It's almost 10pm by that time. We were there since 733pm. The majority of the dinner experience so far was us waiting. We waited yet another 20mins for a soupy pasta dish. The pasta dish was like a gnocchi style pasta. It's was ok. Blend and lack flavor. We were so tired of the extremely long wait that we lost all appetite. We just wanted to leave. So we asked for check. Each person is $100 for the tasting meal. So we paid $280 for the entire bill for an experience that we had such high hopes for but turned out to be one of the most horrible fine dining experience I have ever had. Like I said, this is the first time ever that I didn't not finish a multi-course tasting menu. I left there still incredible hungry and frustrated, my date and I went to In-N-Out.

Food is some of the best I've ever had in AZ. Great wine selections. Service is impeccable. The Farm at South Mountain is such a cool location with incredible ambiance. We were celebrating my husband's birthday and elected to do the Chef's Table experience. It was so cool! We got to dine in the newly constructed kitchen addition, watching the incredible team preparing all of our food. My only suggestion would be to offer smaller portions for the Chef's Tasting. We were so full half way through the meal we weren't able to clean our plates which I sincerely regret as everything was so delicious.

If you want something to be special go here. Food was amazing, venue was beautiful, service was top notch and they know how to make occasions special. I went for my wedding night and I was not disappointed. Plus whom ever handles their reservations on the phone is so warming, and thoughtful. I'll be coming back for years to come for my anniversary.

Some of the best tasting food I've ever eaten, anywhere. Very unique, all incredible. Even better that they grow onsite. Also beautiful atmosphere.

After reading so many negative reviews I really second-guessed going to Quiessence. But I decided to give it a try. I love tasting menus, and there aren't a bunch of them. So, I've wanted to go to Quiessence at the Farm since I learned of it a couple of years ago. Summary: Good food, excellent service, great ambiance and vibe, not perfect, but still an amazing experience. If you want to "go out to eat" and grab a bite, don't go to Quiessence. But if you want to do a unique, fun, interesting, romantic, fancy, and yummy "activity", then this should be top of list. Long story: Edit: I tried to describe every dish but went over the Yelp text limit! Reservation for 2 at 6pm, Friday. They called ahead to confirm and check for any food allergies or preferences. They also explained I should enter from 32nd street, regardless of what Siri says. I realized we were going to be a few minutes late because rush hour. I called and left a voicemail explaining we might be just a few minutes late. We arrived to the property at about 6:15. At first I listened to Siri and turned on Southern, but thankfully remembered the call-ahead. Because the long driveway was gravel, I drove super slow. Which was perfect. The lighting and ambiance on the way in sets the stage. She made a couple of positive comments. We parked and went in. The walk was not what some others have described. It took 3 seconds. Ladies, you can wear heels. (I think so anyways. It is a bit rocky for a few feet.) We were immediately seated. It was 6:20. No problem. We chose to sit inside. It was cold outside. They have heaters and other people were on the patio. We were seated in the back dining room in a corner next to the window. It was great. The view was calm but not spectacular. Nice lighting. Immediately offered water. Filtered, bottled still, or sparkling. They kept the water topped off, mostly. Service came quickly. They explained the menu. I have no idea why some reviewers want to order a diff number of courses than their fellow diners. That kind of defeats the whole point. That would be like going to Disneyland as a couple, but taking separate rides. Makes no sense. This is an *experience*. Not just a dinner. Do it *together*, is my advice. You can choose 3,4,5 course. We chose 4 and added wagyu and desert. Based on the reviews, I expected the food to come slowly. That was not the case. It was a perfect rhythm. There was 5-10 mins max between courses. Which, if you like the person you're with, is perfect. I do, and it was. Also based on the reviews, I expected the food to be salty. To the contrary, we found several dishes to be *under* seasoned. The amuse-bouche of cauliflower tartar was bland. Needed salt (and maybe something else. Pretty boring.) 1st: sunchoke soup. I thought it was really good. The fried pork at the bottom needed salt. Chips were good. Just a bit under seasoned overall. 2nd: beef carpaccio Parmesan tacos. They were presented really cool. Two mini tacos in fried Parmesan shells. I don't like raw beef. I'm the type that orders well-done burgers, so try as I did, I struggled a bit with the texture and temperature of the meat. She liked the meat, but felt the fried onions were a bit strong.. 3rd: gnocchi with duck confit. Added wagyu. I really liked this dish, although the dumplings seemed a little sticky. I didn't get a good read from date on the gnocchi. But she love loved the wagyu. It was delicious. I don't love fatty textures so it was a bit soft for my taste. It melted in your mouth. I never had wagyu and wanted to have the experience. She described the flavor as "ribeye fat with hint of bacon". 4th: she had scallops, I had ribeye. She said her dish had cumin, which she isn't a fan of. Mine was perfect. Cooked and seasoned perfect. The potato was under seasoned but still yummy. Charred corn was great. Desert she had a froi grois macaron (gross me out) and we shared some cake. She loved the macaron. It had a sweet/salty vibe going. I don't do liver so, no comment. The cake was average except for the chocolate coffee thing on top. All dishes were presented artfully and beautifully. We were done by 9pm. Service was impeccable. Why 4 stars? At this price point I expect absolute perfection. Some courses were under seasoned. Desert was mostly meh. And neither of us loved the tacos. She loves scallops but not cumin. And lastly, I think it's tacky to put the prices on the menu. For me, that is a bit embarrassing. But I'm sure others would complain if the prices weren't listed, so I get it. It was an experience I've never had before, despite eating my share of fine dining. I probably won't go again for some time, just due to the economics. Maybe if their menu changes for the Spring I'll go check it out. It's romantic, elegant, and unique. It's like a little mini vacation. If you like experiences, you definitely want to try this one.

what a disappointment . I used to tell people that this fine dining restaurant was my top 3 in Arizona . something has changed . reservation at 6:45 for the Valentine's Day menu . we were greeted by our server Alex , we request the 4 course special Valentine's Day menu . We orderd drinks at 6:50 and did not get them until 7:20. Alex said I'm going to check in your drinks they are taking a while . We finally got them 5 minutes later . 30 plus minutes for a cocktail ? They sent out some cheap free bubbly and a salmon app that every table got for free . The crostini was soaked in oil and the entire 2 bites tasted like nothing . I was very worried at this point. I added on the oyster and when it came out it looked great . Again lacking in flavor . there was no pop of flavors that made me want to order another . 7:50 rolled around and we are getting pretty hungry , the soup finally came to the table . Cheddar cauliflower with shrimp cake. Again this whole dish presentation was nice the server pours the soup table side . the soup was cold and also flavorless. Chef are you tasting these when the cooks make them? have a bowl of that soup .... I beg you . again no salt and no flavor composition at all . 8:20 rolled around ... the heart shaped ravioli hit the table . This was decent but the butternut squash was way under cooked and crunchy . At least it was warm ? As we wait for our entrees we were blown away at how this 1.5-2 hour dinner was going to take 3 hours. I pulled our server Alex aside at 8:40 and asked him to fire the dessert right when the entrees hit the table . We were over this dinner . He said Chef will not do that ( this seems like the tune here) , ego driven menu lacking in flavors and execution . Chef will not do that - remember that folks . Your 500 dollar dinner will get you what the chef wanted to serve . Nothing more we got the entrees .... nothing to write home about . Swordfish was hot , quinoa was crunchy and sunchokes were last minute texture add in . My wife had the lamb , it was lackluster again the potatoes very under cooked . Dessert was good . Not great . Just good For a $510.00 dinner I expect to be on time with the courses and a better level of service . No one touched our table even when the server acknowledged that it was taking a long time and he would have a manager talk to us . 3 hours of dinner pain , poor executed food and a staff that dose not care about the experience . we won't be back .

Such a memorable experience my boyfriend and I had for our anniversary . The food was absolutely delicious, Everything was seasoned perfectly and the food placement was beautiful .Our cocktails were amazing, the gin and citrus was so refreshing.Service was absolutely amazing Alex our server did a phenomenal job. Chris was fantastic he made sure our glasses stayed full the whole time. The manager Dave was amazing he was always checking on us making sure everything was great. I got to take a tour in the kitchen and Chef Dustin was such a kind man. The whole staff was so inviting and friendly. The ambiance was romantic and beautiful,I'm so Impressed with how they informed us on what we were eating. Thank you all for such an amazing fine dining experience.

This place is a hidden Gem! The food is 5* and service is also 5 *! However, the restaurant is extremely HOT while we were seated in the lanai area and the A/C was limited. While, we were sweating during dining the wonderful 5 courses was very unpleasant. Also, plan to be there for at least 4 hours for a 5 course meal. Food is amazing and is it worth it? That's for you to decide. ‍

Dancing for your taste buds! Definitely come here for a treat. Do make a reservation with Open Table and don't flake out your reservation! Ambiance: we Uber'd to the venue and got dropped off at the front of The Farm. Definitely wear walking shoes/sandals as you would be walking on rocks to the restaurant. Beautiful quaint lighting. You are at a farm! But it is classy and very high end here! Food: My photos will show that every dish was a 5/5! Plan for a 2+ hour experience here. It is a tasting menu and the chefs take their time to prepare it properly! The Soil & Seed and cold soup were my most favorite dishes. But everything was so good. Service: Fantastic from before we arrived to after. Got a call 2 days before our reservation to go over the menu. We got there and enjoyed immaculate service. Our server knew the menu very well. Our busboy got us water bread very promptly. Overall, on my top 10 most memorably great dining experiences ever. I wish I can mark a 6/5 as Quiescence deserves it!

This was an absolutely disappointing experience. If you have $600 to spend on dinner, you should think very carefully before spending it here. Horrible experience......

I have dined at Quiessence three times, each visit yielding a memorable experience. Yet, there are 1 star Yelp reviews for this magnificent creature. I suppose everyone is entitled to their opinion, and while I noticed some minor inconsistencies during a visit, it did not affected the level of service, the deliciousness of the food or overall enjoyment of my experience. Quiessence specializes in a muti-course dining experience. These take time. I have enjoyed both a pre-pandemic and post pandemic tasting; the experiences were different but equally amazing. I'm certain that even restaurants of their caliber experience hiccups at times, especially during the business shuttering spread of COVID. Did a course come out a little less well timed once ? Yes. Was it still amazing ? Yes it was. In summary, I've not had a better meal than at Quiessence. They're not the cookie cutter, franchised streak of mediocre food wrapped in royalty that I imagine most of the mob are looking for.

My spouse and I went to dinner here last weekend. It had been a very long time since we have been out without our two kids. The atmosphere is rustic and the property this restaurant is on is beautiful. We had previously eaten at the lunch restaurant which is also very good and kid friendly. However, Quiessence is definitely a date night kind of place. You have the choice between a 3, 4, or 5 course meal. We chose the 4 course. Their menu features local and seasonal items. My main entree was salmon with quinoa and it was delicious. The smaller bites I ate prior to that were also delicious. There was a cold melon soup that was really good. All and all, this is pricey, but you are paying for the experience. Truthfully it is a unique restaurant concept for Arizona. There are a lot of spots like this in Providence, RI where I am from, but it's the first I have found here that is similar. Check it out!

This place was amazing in all aspects however it was criminally overpriced for what it was. I would recommend anyone to go but be prepared to be shocked at the bill.

The Farm at South Mountain is a beautiful property and Quiessence carries this beauty through. The service was good overall. We came around Valentine's Day and ended up having the special 4-course menu for the occasion, as it was the only option. This menu was more expensive than the standard chef's tasting but without much added flare to match to the added cost. Overall I would have preferred the standard chef's tasting menu. The food was absolutely incredible and very tasty. The freshness and locality of the produce was clear and consistent. The vegetarian dinner option was still great but felt uninspired and like a reductive version of the meat option instead of an equal alternative. The cocktails were delicious, and I loved the inclusion of fresh local beets in the cocktail! Overall the food was delicious but I would have appreciated a more thoughtful design of the vegetarian options instead of just subtracting the meat from the existing menu, which made it feel like I was missing out on something instead of being fully included in the dining experience.

We wanted to love Quiessence, we really did. The grounds were gorgeous and welcoming and the venue was as picturesque as the websites would have you believe. The overall cooking was strong and in particular the early food was excellent - Amuse bouche was a Chula Seafood sourced ceviche (flavors were on point), followed by an absolutely standout cucumber soup with smoked fish. Best dish of the night. Due to a dietary restriction, the kitchen swapped their carbonara for an on the fly hand-made heirloom tomato bowtie pasta which was presented simply and relied on the strength of their well sourced ingredients. Delicious. Mains were harder to maintain their momentum with a swordfish beautifully presented, but slightly underseasoned. A breaded, pounded boneless breast of guinea hen was moist, properly seasoned and properly cooked but generated no excitement in its conception or flavor profile after having to follow the earlier dishes. So why the 3 stars? Well, for starters we did the five course tasting menu (options range from four courses to six courses), and the meal took 3.5 hours. I have had tasting menus with anywhere from 9 to 20+ dishes within the same timeframe or less. I understand the ambience of the farm and location lends itself to a more leisurely dining experience, but there was without exaggeration a two hour delay between the time we were seated and when first course came out. Their cocktail menu was gorgeous, but they "ran out" of a key ingredient to make my first choice cocktail. We both ordered the roasted stuffed squash blossoms and they brought out only one, and swapped out the other for a different dish without telling us. When we pointed out the seeming error they said they only had one squash blossom dish left and had simply run out. The dish they replaced the intended dish with was okay, but not a standout (if you're gonna run out of something and not tell a customer you've replaced the dish before you serve it, it better be as good or apologetically better than the one you replaced). It would be one thing if the dining room was packed to the gills, but for a 7:30pm reservation on a Saturday the dining room was half empty. Why are they running out of ingredients for a fixed menu, and for a set cocktail list in the middle of peak service? Why would a fully staffed kitchen struggle to put out food for a half empty dining room? Why can't the back of the house communicate an 86'd dish to the front of the house before the ticket gets fired? By the end of the meal, having waited far too long for a dessert to come out, which at that point was more than 3hrs waiting for four courses to be produced, we figured we would continue to root for the success of this place with a gorgeous location and ernest, occasionally outstanding dishes, but probably would not be back here anytime soon.

Wonderful restaurant situated in a gorgeous farm, this is a farm to table restaurant. The menu is a course menu, 3,4,5 course. Each is phenomenal, a truly memorable evening, sourounded by good friends. We had each chosen the 5 course menu and it was truly impressive. In addition we added wagu bites. Truly a wonderful experience. A must try and a must to go and see and experience

I've been to a few of these set menu restaurants I normally know what to expect about how long but but this place was unreal how long things to talk about 25 per courseWe got there at 7:10 we didn't leave until 1030I've been to other places that have a 18 course and was last time Now for the food We got the 5 course which is more like a 4 course Is any pay for the entree extra They start you off with charcuterie which was one of the best I even had it had 4 kinds if cheese my favorite was the goat cheese and the peper puree next was the butternut squash soup it was OK little sour for me next was a mix of vegetables from there garden it was good fir what it was gnocchi I didn't like at all I went with the crispy duck for my entree for the 20 up charge it wasn't crispy and it was tuff had there bread pudding witch was cold and hard the service was ok don't think I would go back but I would like to try the brekfest plsce

Quiessence has to be one of the most intriguing and intimate restaurants I've ever been to. Driving up you would think you're driving into a private residence. A large sprawl of green lawns, wispy trees, picnic benches, and strings of lights cast a romantic, summer feel to the place. As you drive closer to the entrance you start to wonder if you've actually arrived at a restaurant and when you walk past a small vegetable garden, intimate fire pits, and more strings of lights you start to understand the restaurant really does reside inside a former home. So as the servers greet you and you get escorted to your table you start to understand this will be a very personal and intimate dinner. Interior - 4 stars The inside reinforces the idea that you're walking into someone's home. The dining room makes a big U with a bar in the middle facing one way. When you first enter the restaurant you won't notice the bar as it is hidden away by a wall but the other side reveals it along with the other half of the dining room. That side feels like a living room whilst the front of the restaurant has large windows being the walls giving you free access to the gorgeous lawn out front. For me the reason I didn't give it a higher score was the styling isn't really my jam, though it fits well with the theme of the restaurant, and the music they played was so drowsy and odious. Like Bon Iver made his own playlist and it was on loop. I like him but don't want that on loop for a two hour dinner. Service - 5 stars The service was fantastic. They try to be really approachable and tell you what you're eating. We even had the chef come out and explain not only some of the courses we were eating but the ingredients grown at the farm or sourced locally to create the menu. I love personal touches and they were just enough of a presence to show they cared without being overbearing. Food - 4 stars Let me preface that all of the food was delicious. I'm just being picky now. We ordered the six course meal, which I think is the best way to go. This gives you a chance to really try the menu and see what the place is about. Additionally, though the price seems high you're getting well worth your money because three items off the menu would be the same, if not more. The highlights for me were the steak, the squash blossom, and the bread pudding at the end. Though I didn't necessarily like all the flavors I could taste the quality and artistry in each. That's one of the downfalls, and joys, of letting the chef choose your meal. Price Expect to spend at least $100 here for yourself if you are dining and more than that if you plan on sharing. That's if you want to try at least three items (and you should). It's a high price but you're going to a high end restaurant. Conclusion As the last meal of my stay in Arizona it was a nice send off to a wonderful trip. For those of you looking for an intimate date space this hits all the marks. For those seeking to throw a huge party for 50-200 people this is it. For a beautiful setting for a wedding outdoors this is it. This place is for all those in love, or wanting to be in love, for both each other and a lovely dining experience.

Save your money, go elsewhere. We were a group consisting of fine dining industry alums and friends. (I lead with this piece of information so that those reading this understand that those of us that are from the industry are aware of hiccups that may happen during service.) We know about all the ways that an evening of service can go sideways. And we know how a professional front of the house team can manage expectations for guests. Arrival - we are seated. We receive wine list and menus. 10 minutes in, we have ordered drinks. 20 minutes in, we have chosen wine and dinner tastings. 45 minutes in, drinks finally arrive....like Giligan, what was supposed to be a three hour dining experience starts to slide into a much longer and poorer executed experience - minus the comedy. The majority of the remaining experience was a rollercoaster ride of mediocre to horrible food. Our upgraded fish mains came out with the texture of rubber erasers. Our tartare was super salty. When we addressed the issue with the front of the house, they gave us a gift card for $100 off. We were actually the ones that noticed that the manager knocked off gratuity from our bill. We went back in to make sure that the front staff were properly paid as it wasn't there fault that the kitchen and bar were unable to properly time and execute a service.

My husband and I came to celebrate Mother's Day. We have been to many establishments but this one will not be one we return or recommend unfortunately. The service was terrible‍ The food was ok... The drinks were so sweet we couldn't drink them. Then the bill came and we were way over charged Even charged for something we didn't order!

My husband and I came to Quiessence for dinner before they closed for the summer. We learned about it from the Pulling Corks and Forks blog and are so glad we did! The dinner was so memorable and delicious. They staff is very attentive and accommodating to dietary restrictions -- I'm a vegetarian and my husband has celiacs disease. After dinner we explored the picturesque grounds and saw their chickens and tortoise. So cute!

My husband and I love The farm. We had been to brunch and lunch on previous occasions but we had never been to dinner until last night. Our date night was amazing. The host and servers were all wonderful. We went for the four course dinner and everything was exquisite. Will definitely be coming back.

Very small bland plates... VERY long wait times between courses with a less than busy restaurant... extremely overpriced. My girlfriend had the salmon last night and has been very sick since about 1 hour after the meal finished. Very disappointed to spend $500 on a mediocre (at very best) meal and to get sick on top of that... wow. Poor.

Been here before and was pleasantly surprised and ultimately impressed.....this time not so much took such a long time between plates it went from enjoyable time to what's going on. The food also unfortunately just wasn't as good. If you fine dine you know they don't put salt and pepper on your table and I so wish it was! Plus getting dressed up for a romantic meal and experience having to use their portapotty, they should be doing better at the price this dinning cost it could still be unique but taken care of!

SLOW is an understatement read that bad reviews all about the same thing. Food = great Atmosphere = good to great Service = good Amenities = ok (porta potty come one) Time to Table = bad It took 4 hrs ro eat a meal here and don't call it a 5 course meal when it is all Tapas. Change your description and you will have less disappointment. 3oz of Steak after waiting 3 hours is too much to bare. Don't get me wrong the food is excellent but I don't need 20min to discuss each round. Beyond slow service this whole Tapas experience can be completed in 2 hours and the business would turn double the tables. Even Michlin start restaurants don't take this long.

came here for my boyfriends birthday dinner with my other in law. we got the three course @ 99 dollars each w the wagyu steak add on. the staff was amazing and very attentive. my water never got lower than half way full, the waiter did an amazing job at describing the food (i just forgot when i got home) and answering any questions i had about it. they switched out the forks and knifes to prepare for whatever dish was coming. the wagyu steak was TO DIE FOR. literally melted in your mouth. i also tried the duck, it was amazing as well. (last picture) my ONLY complaint was that every dish was luke warm and my main dish was cold by time i got to the middle. while the food was stillgood, it could've been better warmer.

A Dinner experience to remember. Every detail carefully thought out and executed. The ambiance, the presentation, the attention to detail, the flavor profiles. This place captures your culinary imagination and takes it on a joy ride.