Ethel's Fancy

Name: Ethel's Fancy
Address: 550 Waverley St, Palo Alto, CA, United States, 94301-1720
Telephone: (650) 561-4860
Price range: $50 and over
Rating: 4.9

4.9

516 Reviews

$50 and over

Californian

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 5, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Booked 15 times today

Good for special occasions
Innovative
Neighbourhood gem

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
Neighbourhood
Palo Alto
Cross Street
University Avenue & Waverley Street<br />Hamilton Avenue & Waverley
Parking details
Public Lot
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 516 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
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Francisco Bay Area
Innovative
San Francisco Bay Area
Californian
Peninsula
Best Overall
Peninsula
Best Food
Peninsula
Innovative
Peninsula
Hot spot
Peninsula
Californian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Ethel's Fancy offers an extraordinary dining experience with "fantastic food" and "wonderful service." The menu is creative, featuring unique and flavorful dishes like the "to die for" pork belly and sesame pancakes. The ambiance is vibrant, with attentive staff ensuring a memorable visit. Perfect for foodies, it's a must-try gem.

516 Reviews

M
Monica
San Francisco
10 reviews
3.0
10 reviews
Dined today
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Second time dining here and similar impressions as first time: Service was great (shout out to Brian!), though a touch TOO attentive (two or three attempts (not by Brian) to remove glasses/plates before we were finished!) Ambiance is meh - hard chairs, tables too close together, dining room too chilly. Lilliputian cocktails and laughably small wine pours (alas, increasingly typical of restaurants at this price point so I guess I need to just accept paying $30-$40 for one tiny cocktail and a teensy weensy glass of wine). I could forgive meh atmosphere and a few service bobbles if food were outstanding, but I found most items to be oversalted and rather pedestrian. Tiny gem lettuce salad had no depth of flavor. Pork belly was on the dry side and unremarkable. Rigatoni had some complexity and depth of flavor, but too much salt. Tempura prawns were the best item we had. A chocolate dessert with a dollop of rosemary cream was inedible (bone dry crust, chocolate that just tasted chewy and "off") so we exchanged it for the soft serve, which was... well, soft serve.
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H
janH
VIP
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Special dinner for my granddaughter before she goes back to college.Server was the best;she was Delightful and so attentive!!!! We liked table 31 although cold air was Blowing down on us. maybe need a warmer table but still very quiet
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G
Gina
VIP
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always an amazing experience when dining at Ethel’s. They never disappoint!
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S
Serena Muindi Mobile
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had an amazing New Year’s Eve celebration at Ethel’s Fancy! Everything about the experience was outstanding—the food, the vibe, the decor, the music, and the incredible service. Each dish and dessert was crafted with such high caliber that it truly felt like a phenomenal deal for what you got. The champagne included in the New Year’s Eve package was exceptional, and their craft cocktails were creative and delicious. The wine selection is impressive, and for those who enjoy sake or Japanese whiskey, they offer some great options as well. If you haven’t been, we highly recommend making a reservation as soon as possible. Ethel’s Fancy was definitely the place to be last night, and it’s clear that Chef Scott and the entire team are dedicated to creating an unforgettable dining experience. Thank you, Chef Scott and all the servers, for an incredible evening. Wishing you all a Happy New Year! Muindi Family
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OT
OpenTable Diner
VIP
Chicago
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on December 28, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Diane is just the best! Makes the best beverages & is so hospitable & warm. I go there often & highly recommend!
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s
sara
VIP
San Francisco
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on December 22, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great and creative food, nice ambience. The sesame seeds pancakes are must haves!
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M
Mahesh
VIP
San Francisco
56 reviews
5.0
56 reviews
Dined on December 21, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent food and service. Thanks to the chef, Micky and our waiter Leandro. Everything was superb. Probably top restaurants here in Palo Alto
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W
Wayne
VIP
Los Angeles
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 11, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was amazing and the waiter (LeAndre) was outstanding.
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T
Ted
San Francisco
13 reviews
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on December 11, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great, creative food, great service, love the smaller portion options.
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R
Rohit
VIP
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on December 8, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food and our drinks were inventive and excellent! Our server was attentive, and helpful. Overall, it was a great experience and I look forward to being back soon.
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FAQs

Ethel's Fancy is rated 4.9 stars by 516 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 5, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Booked 15 times today

550 Waverley St, Palo Alto, CA 94301-1720

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross Street
University Avenue & Waverley Street<br />Hamilton Avenue & Waverley
Neighbourhood
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 Lot
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Scott Nishiyama
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.ethelsfancypa.com/
Phone number
(650) 561-4860

Ethel's Fancy

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information

Menu

What 516 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Ethel's Fancy restaurant rated?

Is Ethel's Fancy currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information