Elements

This was a wonderful location for a celebration. The service was good. Nothing over the top, but everyone was pleasant and knowledgeable. The restaurant is a calm, intimate environment. Being greeted with champagne at the table was a definite perk for our anniversary. All of the food was excellent, from the bread to the entrees. The fresh catch and steamed buns were particularly good.

Never disappoints. Been coming for years and never had a bad experience. I can always count on good food and good service. Specials are typically amazing.

I had made reservations for my hubby and I for a Saturday early evening. We had a great spot in the back overlooking the front street. Our server was great. The restaurant is very clean, very modern and the low lighting made for great photos. I was impressed along with their cocktails and wine list, they had a nonalcoholic menu. Hubby ordered a mojito and I ordered an espresso martini. They were both delicious! Hubby ordered the Bo kho Vietnamese beef stew. He loved it. It was a beautiful dish. The star of the night, my walnut prawns. OMG. This dish was spectacular. 6 huge prawns delicately fried with a honey glaze served atop a bed of arugula slaw and a bowl of rice. Wonderfully executed! and absolutely delish!!I forgot to mention the appetizer brussels sprouts special. It was lightly fried with a Thai chili sauce and it was amazing. I cannot emphasize how delicious this appetizer was. At first, I was disappointed because they took the sushi off the menu but I couldn't be more satisfied with our service, the beautiful ambiance, the wonderful food, and the experience. It was a perfect date night.

My son and I went to this Asian fusion restaurant in Chapel hill. It was pretty tasty! We ordered 2 appetizers. The chopper wedge salad and tuna tartar wraps were intricate and delicious! It taste better than the picture looks! The romaine chopped wedge salad had strips of warm crunchy crisps that make the dish! Two main dishes are the seafood Cioppino and salt and pepper catch. Both were delicious! I loved the salt and pepper catch (fish) that was battered lightly and fried to perfection. The cioppino was not as spicy as they claimed it would be so we asked the waiter for some chili oil. The service was good. There was also a wine room where patrons store their bottles of wine.

Pretty good food, with a few minor critiques. Service was average and the interior was elegant. We got there at 6 pm on a Sunday night, and it was only us, so it was very quiet. We started off with the walnut shrimp I believe and their tuna nachos. Both were delicious and better than the entrees in my opinion. I ordered the breaded chicken with shredded apples on top. Overall, it was a pretty sloppy plating, and they gave us a gigantic portion of 2 chicken breasts, which was great, but definitely tiring to eat. The chicken was ok, but the apples added a unique sweet touch to it.The bo luc lac was so soft and delicious. The best out of the rest. The japchae was very flavorful, but nothing about it really stood out. We also ordered their special which was a type of steak, I don't remember what it was in particular, but it was just ok. But very chewy.Overall, a nice fancy restaurant for a one-time dinner with your family. But probably won't come back.

My wife and I enjoyed our dinner at Elements in Chapel Hill. This restaurant serves what I'd describe as both modern Asian fusion (with a mostly Vietnamese influence) and New American cuisine. If you're seeking more straightforward or "authentic" Asian cuisine, this is not the place. I read Elements served sushi at one point, but not anymore. The vibe of this place is contemporary American, on the finer dining side. If you're looking for a nice meal out in Chapel Hill, then Elements fits the bill. We liked this place better than Jujube, which also serves "elevated" Asian fusion, across the street.Owner and chef, Michael Chuong, previously worked at ãn in Cary. ãn opened in 2006 and closed in 2017. kō*än opened in ãn's place in 2019. My wife and I weren't in the Triangle when ãn was around, but we have been to kō*än and are fans. At first, I thought ãn and kō*än might be related, but I don't think they are. I'm not sure. Chuong left ãn years before it closed.Chuong opened Elements in 2012 in Chapel Hill's East 54 mixed-use development on 54. It's the same development that has Brenz Pizza Co. (another place we're a fan of), First Watch, and Hawthorne & Wood (outstanding restaurant). Parking can get a bit tight here, but we've ultimately never had a problem finding a spot.We visited on a Friday night and the restaurant was moderately busy. On this particular night, the clientele was mostly late middle age and older. Perhaps not too surprising for this part of town, and the menu appeared to appropriately reflect the tastes of the immediate area's demographic.I appreciated the simple menu, with six small plate options priced at $7-16 per plate and seven main plate options priced at $26-40 per plate. There were six items on the dessert menu ($10 each) and a decent selection of alcoholic beverages (full bar). I believe some menu items change frequently/daily.Here's what we got:Specialty Cocktails* Elementini ($13) - Absolut, PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur, lemon juice, club sodaSmall Plates* Hydro Bibb Wedge ($14) - Hydro Bibb, hard-boiled farm egg, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, buttermilk blue cheese dressing, sweet-n-salty lardons, crispy onions, and carrot ribbons* Kale Caesar ($13) - Tuscan kale, wasabi Caesar dressing, anchovy, panko soft-boiled egg, Parmigiano-ReggianoMain Plates* Fresh Catch - North Carolina Trout (market price - $36) - Viet style with stir-fried vegetables, crispy shallots, nuoc cham, peanuts, and rice* Bo Luc Lac ($40) - wok filet mignon, hydro Bibb, buttermilk blue cheese dressing, cherry tomatoes, pickled onions, house truffle friesDessert* Elements Pie ($10) - dark Belgian chocolate mousse, Oreo crust, Chantilly cream, berry coulisOverall, the food and drink were delicious and presented beautifully. We liked everything.The Elementini was tasty, well balanced, and not too sweet. It was a good cocktail.My wife and I disagreed on the salads. My wife preferred the Kale Caesar while I preferred the Hydro Bibb Wedge. I do agree with my wife that the Kale Caesar was more creative. It had a hint of wasabi, which provided a nice little kick. The egg was cooked perfectly with a runny yolk. The Bibb was crisp and satisfying. I liked the small touches such as the crispy, rich lardons (bacon) and the way the egg was sliced. Both salads were hearty (not something I really say about salads) and filling, especially the Kale Caesar.The "Fresh Catch" NC Trout was indeed fresh with generous, meaty portions of fish. Again, I like the details like the thinly sliced purple carrots. Nuoc cham is the same thing as nuoc mam, a yummy Vietnamese fish sauce. The Bo Luc Lac filet mignon was another item that was cooked perfectly. The steak was super tender. However, it was also too salty. The house truffle fries were awesome. They were more like steak fries or potato wedges - thick. I will say though, as someone who has ordered a lot of shaking beef (Bo Luc Lac), $40 is pricey. Then again, it is quality filet mignon.The Elements Pie was terrific. It had lots of different textures. The dessert was creamy but not heavy, smooth, and had a delectable crust.I recommend everything listed above if they're still available when you visit. The food here is high quality.The restaurant space is deceivingly large because of multiple rooms, at least one of which was closed during our visit. There's a wraparound bar and a pleasant, mostly-covered, outdoor patio.Service was excellent. Joseph, an undergrad at UNC, was our server. He was great; very friendly and he worked hard. He was running around so much that he was visibly sweating. When my wife had to leave the table, a manager (I believe one of Michael's daughters) folded my wife's napkin.Book your reservation for free using OpenTable (app or website) to earn dining points which you can use for future discounts at other OpenTable restaurants or redeem rewards like Amazon gift cards. I did the latter with my last OpenTable points redemption.

Elements is not the prettiest restaurant with its dated decor (and plating), but their food speaks for itself. I probably wouldn't take someone here if you're looking to impress, but I would come if you're just looking for a good meal. It seems the menu is constantly rotating and when I had dinner here last weekend, there were predominantly vietnamese-inspired dishes. Everything is fresh and made from scratch. We had a spring roll appetizer, a steak dish, and the special. The filet mignon was served in bite size pieces and marinated/dressed in a flavorful sauce. The beef was cooked medium rare and not chewy or tough at all, it was delicious. The special of the night was a crab and salmon wellington, also very well executed. Even the sides were great and we cleaned our plates. Off the dessert menu, we ordered a coffee flavored creme brulee and a bread pudding. Once again, the food did not disappoint. The server was knowledgeable about the menu, checked in with us often, and made sure we were taken care of despite it being towards the end of the night. Prices are a little high, but not terribly unreasonable give the food quality. I was pleasantly surprised and would recommend!

Always quality food, excellent service and overall a great experience! Bento box lunch specials are a fave as are the walnut shrimp

Wanted a special evening for our sons, 21st birthday and Elements hit it out of the park. From the preplanning with Van, to walking in with the customized menu, and dish after dish that was outstanding, on a custom planned chef's tasting menus with wine pairings. Every dish was unique and full of flavor and perfect wine to match. Their coconut cake and bread pudding was a fab grand finale.

Great food, great service Convenient to Chapel Hill happeningsQuiet pleasant ambiance