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Ethel's Fancy, Palo Alto, CA

Ethel's Fancy

4.9
4.9
501 Reviews
$50 and over
Californian

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 17 times today
  • Innovative
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for creative cocktails
A hip and fun restaurant with chef's counter dining, serving thoughtful American cuisine, with an emphasis on local seasonal products.

Ethel's Fancy is open at 5 PM Tuesday - Saturday.

We have a small dining room with a limited amount of reservable tables. We do keep our Bar seats and a table in the restaurant open for people to walk-ins. Walk-ins are on a first come basis.

Please do not make multiple reservations with the intention of combining reservations to increase party size.

All guests must be present before your party will be seated.

To help provide a seamless experience for all our guests, we have allocated 2-hours for your group of 2 to 4 people.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Japanese, Contemporary French / American
  • Hours of Operation
    Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (650) 561-4860
  • Website
    http://www.ethelsfancypa.com/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Scott Nishiyama
  • Location
    550 Waverley St, Palo Alto, CA 94301-1720
  • Area
    Palo Alto
  • Cross Street
    University Avenue &amp; Waverley Street<br />Hamilton Avenue &amp; Waverley
  • Parking details
    Public Parking
  • Additional
    Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 501 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9
4.9 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    Innovative

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    Californian

  • Peninsula

    Innovative

  • Peninsula

    Hot spot

  • Peninsula

    Californian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Ethel's Fancy offers an exceptional dining experience with "incredible food, service, and atmosphere." Chef Scott's inventive dishes blend Japanese and American flavors, captivating diners with their unique combinations. The "pork belly and milk bread are to die for," while the "charming and appealing" ambiance ensures a memorable evening. Perfect for special occasions, this Palo Alto gem is a must-visit.

501 Reviews

  1. anne

    San Antonio

    31 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    31 reviews

    Dined today

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Loved every bite. Interesting and innovative food. I like how you can order a variety of dishes. Especially enjoyed sitting at the bar watching the very skilled staff do their thing. The halibut was the best I’ve ever eaten! Thank you, Chef!

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  2. Leo

    San Francisco

    25 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    25 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous food. Fabulous service. This place should get a Michelin recommendation!

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  3. Kathy

    Seattle

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is our favorite restaurant in Palo Alto. Incredibly delicious and unique food. Incredible service!

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  4. Eve

    Mobile

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    delicious and inventive good and attentive service

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  5. Rebecca

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food, great service and wonderful ambience. Chef Scott has created a restaurant that is top of its class.

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  6. Ted

    San Francisco

    64 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    64 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    I try to go to Ethel's Fancy every month or two. Always wonderful interesting food and very good service.

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  7. Dana

    San Francisco

    10 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on 17 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Ethel’s never disappoints! Still our favorite spot in the Bay Area. Perfection- service, food, ambiance, attention to detail. Food is creative and delicious. Can’t wait for our next visit!

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  8. Mahesh

    San Francisco

    55 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    55 reviews

    Dined on 16 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was amazing. Chef Scott has a special touch. Each dish was a masterpiece by itself. Service was beyond good. Garret was super attentive and caring. GM was very gracious. One of the best places in S Bay.

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  9. MargieK

    San Francisco

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 14 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The most flavorful, unique food and dining experience on the peninsula. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about this restaurant.

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  10. Gypsy

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 10 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    All of the dishes we were ordered were delicious, combining interesting flavors and textures. A few highlights were fuyu persimmons with a scrumptious tahini dressing; sesame pancakes with a spectacular white fish dip; perfectly cooked "salt and pepper" octopus with blistered cherry tomatoes; crispy pork belly; and an exquisite halibut. The wine list included a diverse selection from California, France and Italy without being overwhelming. Pricing was reasonable given quality. Staff were knowledgeable about wines, friendly and attentive. We sat outdoors, so noise was not an issue. We'll certainly we back!

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FAQs

Ethel's Fancy is rated 4.9 stars by 501 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 17 times today
Google Map for Ethel's Fancy

550 Waverley St, Palo Alto, CA 94301-1720

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    University Avenue &amp; Waverley Street<br />Hamilton Avenue &amp; Waverley
  • Area
    Palo Alto
  • Hours of Operation
    Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Japanese, Contemporary French / American
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Public Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Scott Nishiyama
  • Additional
    Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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