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February 2024 by Anthony M.
I have eaten here three times and every-time it exceeds expectations. Chef Scott is a culinary genius and the best chef in New Jersey. Only restaurant in nj that really has Michelin quality standards and the best foh I think in the state. Thank you chef Scott and the team for a delightful meal
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February 2024 by Natalia N.
I was expecting our dinner to be more like a testing experience, not a full course dinner, but it was both! Everyone was happy with quality, deliciousness and amount of portions ( we had 5-course menu). Every meal was served at a perfect time; we were not rushed, and, at the same time - we didn't wait for the next meal, so it was great 3 hours dinner. There was no music in the dining room ( it's a big plus for me, so we were able to talk and enjoy our food without any distraction). We did not order wine paring. But the drinks from the bar were not good ( full glasses of ice cubes with almost non-existing alcohol); I was not expecting such a low quality cocktails from their bar.
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January 2024 by Missy S.
I really wish I could give this five stars, and someways. The experience was like that, but it just wasn't as over-the-top as I had hoped. Still, completely worth it, and a really lovely time with my dad for their Christmas Eve tasting menu. The food overall was really great, a little fish-heavy for my liking, but still fresh and well cooked. It was kind of a bummer to be stuck in the back room when I knew that there was a beautiful open kitchen concept in another space that people, who were paying the same amount of money as we were, were getting to experience. The waitstaff were lovely and warm, but there were some wait times between courses that were overlong. Again, though, I am super glad we went and had a proper tasting menu fancy dinner. Just as a note, parking was a little bit of a struggle for us, even though it was Christmas Eve. We drove around for a while and found a place on the street. So just know that it might not be completely easy to get a spot as soon as you arrive - you might want to build a little bit of time into your arrival for that.
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November 2023 by Marie D.
What an experience! My boyfriend is from New Jersey and wanted to make some reservations while we were up visiting family and friends. He highly recommended Elements. The food was A+ the quality and the freshness of each dish it was like artwork! Every dish had a certain flavor but all of the tasting menu dishes worked so well with one another. The service hands down was perfect they paid attention to every detail! Ambiance and interior was very modern. Loved how you could see the kitchen from our table and the chefs working hard to plate and cook. I really enjoyed my experience here can't wait to come back again and try something new there.
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November 2023 by Andrew L.
I had one of my best date nights at Elements in Princeton! Of course this restaurant can be enjoyed outside of dates, such as family outings or a nice meal with friends, but with price range of some items such as the tasting menu, it's something I'd rather save to enjoy with a significant other. So for us, we got the 5 course tasting menu which was $129 per person with the option to add wine pairing for $79. Now I've been to Elements a few times and their menu turn over is very frequent. Their menus are usually based off what the chef finds that day, so be flexible with change. The five courses have a good mix between the different kinds of proteins such as seafood and red meat. They also have a vegetarian option available upon request, but they do need a heads up! Parking can be a pain as we ended up street parking few blocks away. The customer service by their team was top notch. Facilities as very clean and the ambiance isn't too noisy or quiet. Most my visits, it was relatively quiet. I had a visit once where there was a large party for a birthday event so it was expected to be little louder than then norm. Overall a beautiful restaurant where the food matches both in taste and aesthetics. If you're in NJ and looking for a fine dining establishment, especially that does tasting menus, I highly recommend elements. Great job and always to the staff and I'll definitely be back again if I'm in town!
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October 2023 by William T.
Came here recently for a special (anniversary!) dinner and was generally satisfied with my meal. We arrived a little early and had to wait until our exact reservation time to be seated, which was fine. We were led upstairs to our table and I was a bit surprised at the lack of intimacy in the dining room. Our table for two was long so we felt far away from each other, and we were seated very close to another table. The lights were also quite bright so it didn't really feel like a romantic dinner. Of course, the other tables may not have wanted a romantic vibe, so I guess it's fine, but I just wanted to warn other people who may expect that kind of experience :) Speaking of which, when I called to confirm my reservation, the person on the phone mentioned that they would prepare something special for the table (a card) since it was our anniversary and they took my name and my wife's name down. I think it's a really nice gesture when a restaurant does this sort of thing, but unfortunately we never received the card or anything else specifically catered to our anniversary. Not sure if there was a miscommunication or what, but it was disappointing for sure. OK, onto the food! My wife and I decided to spring for the chef's tasting menu, which was listed as 15 courses but ended up being more like 20 due to some courses containing a bunch of separate components (e.g., madai prepared four ways). If I can emphasize one lesson in this review, it's the following: do not feel like you need to clear your plate for every course. At the beginning, because the courses are very small, it was tempting to eat everything, but I was getting very full by course 8 or 9, and I was pretty hungry when I sat down. Yes, the food was special, but we should have paced ourselves! By the time we got to the Wagyu beef, which was probably my favorite dish, I was so stuffed that it was very challenging to properly enjoy it. Some of the courses were absolutely amazing while others were a little more underwhelming. I really loved the smoked brassicas, the madai, and the aforementioned Wagyu beef. Overall, Elements was a fun experience, so I'm glad we went. I don't think we'll ever spend the cash to go again, but I would recommend that people try it at least once to see what you think.
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August 2023 by Aswitha V.
Went for husbands birthday celebration. The place is small and I really enjoy the open-kitchen where you can see the chefs .
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August 2023 by Shoham B.
Elements was the first experience I had with fine dining tasting menus nearly 10 years ago, and having gone back the other night, I can confidently say that they have managed to set the bar even higher. From the moment we walked in, we were absolutely floored by the hospitality, ambiance, and service (extra thanks to Caroline!). We did the 15 course chef's tasting menu, and Chef Anderson's care and craft was evident in every single course. I will be dreaming about the dessert course for years to come. 11/10, go eat here as soon as you can.
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August 2023 by William L.
Love this place in Princeton, the tasting menu eliminates any decisions and focus on eating, you will be pleasantly surprised by all the dishes.
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June 2023 by Elma L.
Absolute gem. Their set menu is expensive but it's the best value for money in the high end dining, in our opinion. We absolutely love this place for special occasions.
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May 2023 by Dennis C.
We opted to celebrate our 6-year wedding anniversary at Elements in Princeton, and were incredibly amazed and satisfied with the journey that the culinary team and staff took us on. Yes, that is correct, journey is how we would describe our experience with Elements. For starters, Elements is located in the same building (uses same entryway) as Mistral. It took us a bit to figure that part out, but once we did the check-in was hassle free. We were able to sit and have a couple of starter drinks at the bar downstairs until we were seated at our reserved time. Located on the second floor, the venue emanated with a speakeasy-vibe as you ascend into a totally different arena of what would have been the same restaurant. You are immediately greeted with quite a busy open-kitchen before being promptly seated at one of the 9 distinct tables. We were seated at one of the two tables located on the far end of the venue (furthest from the kitchen) in a glass bubble of sorts that overlooked Witherspoon street. It was not what we expected in regards to the layout, but it turned out to be very enjoyable. The entire staff was engaging from start to finish. Once seated, we were greeted at different times by an entourage of specialists. From utensil change outs to course presentation, the entire service was immaculate. A key highlight and note - the sommelier provided an experience in-itself with the wine pairing add-on. Our sommelier was very knowledgeable and passionate about the wines that were curated for the experience, providing rich details and history about each pairing. Additionally, our sommelier had a very enjoyable personality and attitude which added to our unique dining experience. It was a thrill to converse with the sommelier throughout. The reservation required that we select one of two prix fixe tastings. We opted for the 5-course tasting which turned out to be quite filling. Additionally, the prix fixed menu offered add-ons and "upgrades" at additional costs that serve to amplify the tasting. As oyster-lovers, we naturally added those for ours starters. The delivery of the oysters was interesting with the ponzu sauce and roe. They weren't the best oysters we had, but they played ultimately into of the culinary plan that was expertly masterminded by the creative passion of the chef. Thereafter, we were treated to the amazing courses that were rewarding both to the taste and visual senses. The plating and presentation of each course built upon each other until we arrived at the main course. As stated before, the add-on oysters prepared our taste buds for the ensuing fusion of the various flavors that were expertly crafted to give our appetites the fullest enjoyment. Accompanying each course were generous portions of the wine pairing that helped further bring out these flavors. The last dining experience we had with a prix fixe menu prior to Elements was at Picasso in Las Vegas, Nevada. Elements wins hands-down with no contest in regards to experience, tastes, and pricing. It was a dining experience we would not forget. 10/10 would recommend to anyone seeking to make memories with loved ones.
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April 2023 by Felicia C.
I came here for a work team dinner, so we had a private room and three course meal. Do not be fooled by the small portions, because it seems like they structured their menu perfectly to allow for a satiating and satisfying meal experience. Each plate was meticulously placed and presented to nicely. The beet salad seemed so small, but only because it was so delicious that i wanted more! My main was the wild salmon; the crust was perfectly crunchy, it was so good. And for dessert, I felt like it could not get any better, but alas it did. The vanilla ice cream and the biscuit was absolutely amazing. I know it sounds so simple, but the biscuit tasted like it was made in heaven and paired with this rich vanilla ice cream; it was perfect! All these dishes sound so simple, but they somehow were able to make each plate so unique and unlike any version of the food you have ever tried before. With each meal, we were turning towards each other going "oh my gosh, this is sooooo good." By the end of our dinner, we were all very satisfied and decently full! The portion sizes were perfect; the chef truly knew what he/she was doing! This is such an elegant establishment and i was very impressed by their meals. I would highly recommend this spot to anyone!
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April 2023 by Alan T.
The courses were amazing. Service was top notch in explaining each dish and the order of consumption suggested by the chef. The ambiance was an open kitchen concept with limited seating for an exclusive feel. A beautiful experience in all and would definitely recommend !
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February 2023 by Brad M.
We have eaten at Mistral downstairs since it's more difficult to get a reservation at Elements. But it was my wife's birthday so I made a reservation two weeks in advance this time for Elements. We each ordered the 5 course chef tasting which was really more like 9 courses because there were two extras (a seafood dumpling with clam foam and a seafood egg custard plus the bread course with amazing homemade butter that tasted like cheese and then some petit fours after dessert). We also ordered the $5 extra "supplement" of the oysters which was definitely a good choice. I ordered the linguine and my wife has the scallops which was also another $10 extra but was it worth it to mix up that course. We also shared a wine pairing and a cocktail. The wine pairing was done well and was very informative. I don't know how anyone can manage to eat the 15-course dinner as the 5-course was quite a lot of food. The portions were also surprisingly larger than I had assumed they would be. This was an amazing meal and since I had indicated that we were celebrating my wife's birthday in the reservation, she received a handwritten card signed by the staff. Each course had amazing flavors, presentation, and explanation from the staff. However, the only negative was that most hot courses were lukewarm. The only course that was hot was the egg custard that came covered and opened at the table. I don't understand why everything else was such a tepid temperature since the restaurant only has 9 tables and a greater than 1:1 ratio of staff members to tables. Even my coffee wasn't very warm. But the taste of the food made up for the lack of what I would consider appropriate temperature. All together, the meal for two people came to $485 including the mandatory 20% "customer experience" aka gratuity. So this is definitely not the type of restaurant you most people would visit regularly. But for a special occasion it is worth it. This would have been a five star rating if the food was hotter.
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January 2023 by Jasonn D.
Elements was easily the best meal I've had all 2022. Every course was carefully crafted and presented in a way that elevated the taste. The service was top notch and the ambiance left very little to be desired. The fish dishes were fresh and each one was different in its own way, the ribeye and presentation was amazing and looked more like art than a meal! The lamb course may just be the best bite I've had of all the 60+ restaurants I visited during 2022. I highly recommend Elements full tasting menu if you are looking for a quality dining experience in The NJ area!
