Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
Ethel's Fancy, Palo Alto, CA

Ethel's Fancy

4.8
4.8
586 Reviews
$50 and over
Californian
550 Waverley St, Palo Alto, CA 94301-1720

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 37 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Lively
  • Innovative
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.

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
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Scott Nishiyama
  • Neighborhood
    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 586 people are saying

Ethel's Fancy reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.9Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    Californian

  • Peninsula

    Innovative

  • Peninsula

    Hot spot

  • Peninsula

    Californian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Ethel's Fancy delights with its "unique and delicious" Japanese-American fusion cuisine, consistently delivering "fresh and inventive" dishes that are "bursting with flavor." Guests rave about the attentive service and beautiful ambiance, making it a "memorable experience." Chef Scott's creations, like the "amazing tempura asparagus" and "scallop stuffed mushrooms," are standout highlights.
586 Reviews
  1. Steve VIP

    San Francisco83 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The rave reviews are well deserved. My impression is Ethel's Fancy is tantamount to having an Allan Wong's/Palm Grill (sadly both AW's HNL restaurants are closed permanently) in the SFBA. Appetizers: The milk bread was divine. Brocolli stuffed with scallops were crunchy and flavorful. Smoked trout on sesame biscuits were yummy. Entrees: Roasted pork belly was the tastiest ever. Halibut with Japanese curry had well balanced and complementary nuanced flavors. Desert: Chocolate tart with cream coffee topping was over the top good. Ambiance: Modern and monimal. Bright lighting with moderate noise level, Saturday night and full tables. We had reservations for outdoor seating but it was chilly with wind gusts so we were kindly seated at the bar instead. Service: Attentive, professional and friendly. On target. Will return again and again. We were seated between multiple times repeat couples. The menu reflects the owner/chef's delicious and successful blending of a Japanese American growing up in Hawaii and culinary school legacies. Plentiful free parking on street and parking lots.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Gordon VIP

    San Francisco46 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Living in the Bay Area, if you have a meal at Borgo in NYC, it's worth the flight to NYC. If you live in NYC, it's worth the flight to the Bay Area for Ethel's Fancy. The scallops with the maitake mushrooms in a salsa verde were sublime, the tuna tartare with rice is elevated beyond belief with the smoked ikura, and the katsu swordfish is so perfectly prepared you will never want to eat swordfish any other way. The kinako softserve and corn fancier with the Hokkaido milk custard will make non-dessert people change their diets--truly innovative and wonderful!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Kendra VIP

    San Francisco2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Phenomenal food, great atmosphere, awesome service!

    Is this helpful?

  4. ValerieDemicheva VIP

    San Francisco8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Love the high-quality fish they always use in their dishes love the staff love the wines. Beautiful ambience. The only truly high end, but also accessible restaurant of its kind in the area.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Lili

    San Francisco3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 27, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    We recently had the pleasure of dining at Ethel’s to celebrate my friend’s birthday, and everything about the experience was wonderful. From the moment we walked in, the beautiful ambiance set the tone for a special evening. The food was delicious — every dish was thoughtfully prepared and bursting with flavor. The service was attentive without being overbearing, and every staff member made sure we felt taken care of throughout the night. Overall, it was a fantastic experience. I would highly recommend Ethel’s to anyone looking for a beautiful setting, delicious food, and wonderful service.

    1 person found this helpful

  6. Beth VIP

    San Francisco20 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Comfortable vibe, creative menu, fun, cocktails, great staff. Hard to get a reservation though.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Mariam

    Los Angeles1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 24, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Ethel's Fancy is scuh a gem. The Japanese-American fusion is an experience i didn't know i was missing from my life, and have now decided i cannot live without. Thank you Chef Scott and team for all the heart you put into every aspect of each dish. I felt that with my first bite of each dish, i needed to take a moment to just appreciate how happy my taste buds were. Host, Waiters/Waitresses and all- thank you, you're truly awesome. I look forward to visiting again.

    1 person found this helpful

  8. Inge VIP

    San Francisco17 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 24, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Ethel's Fancy is consistently great - the food is always fresh, unique, and delicious! The service is on point without being intrusive, and the seasonal menu changes with the latest ingredients. Strongly recommend trying them out

    1 person found this helpful

  9. Marianne VIP

    London8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 23, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Delicious food, great service, beautiful, modern setting.

    Is this helpful?

  10. John VIP

    San Francisco16 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 20, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    This was our first time eating at Ethel's and our experience was good. Ambience was nice and siting at Chef's counter was a treat. Food for the most part was excellent but there were a few misses. Our favorites were the Striploin, with glazed carrots, Halibut, Pork Belly and sugar snap peas and milk bread morsels, all excellent. Only downside was the not so happy older woman at hostess stand.

    1 person found this helpful

FAQs

Ethel's Fancy is rated 4.8 stars by 586 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. Peninsula
  5. Palo Alto

Make a reservation


Booked 37 times today
Google Map for Ethel's Fancy

550 Waverley St, Palo Alto, CA 94301-1720

Additional information

  • Cross street
    University Avenue & Waverley Street<br />Hamilton Avenue & Waverley
  • Neighborhood
    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
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2025 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo