I am debating on the way to write this review. I love the concept of Essence. Sometimes I think I like the concept of Essence more than anything else. I admittedly love the Ham and Gruyere Cheese, Jalapeno Sandwich. It's so good I will stop there even when it's out of my way. But I can't justify going often because they are very expensive for the quantity. My young daughters and I picked up a To Go order there recently and it was OVER $40 for 3 of us. They charge $1 to substitute chips instead of the potato salad (which is average tasting). They charge $1 for a To GO cup on top of the price of the beverage (really!). The other items on the menu we have tried have not been as good as the Ham sandwich -except the desserts. The little sampler box is excellent.
My biggest issue with Essence comes from an experience I had there a couple of summers ago. I even personally boycotted Essence for a while until I just got over it. I was dining in and a teenage boy, about 14, came in dripping with sweat (summer in AZ!). He said he was waiting to catch the bus (stop is right outside of Essence) and he was hoping he could get a cup of ice water. The owner/manager (not one of her employees!) told him it would be $1 for the cup! Yes, remember-they charge for ToGO cups! I about lost my mind. He politely asked if he could just have a drink of water but he was in a hurry because he had to go catch his bus. She turned him away (which I think is illegal in AZ!). He left. I hurried to gather up my belongings (I had my laptop and work stuff out, as I was just working/relaxing after my meal) and regretted that I had not stepped up sooner to offer to pay for the boy's drink. I approached him at the bus stop to see if I could buy him a water and he politely thanked me and advised me that Starbucks provided him with a free to-go cup of ice water. He boarded his bus and was on his way.
As I write this, I feel like boycotting them again.