Ethel's Fancy

4.8 (598)

$50 and over

Californian

550 Waverley St, Palo Alto, CA 94301-1720

Make a reservation

2 people

May 23, 2025

May 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 21 times today

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Innovative
Lively

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
(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
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 598 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

4.8Food
4.8Service
4.7Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

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 in Palo Alto offers a "divine" dining experience with "excellent" service and "amazing" food. The menu features a creative fusion of Japanese and local flavors, with standout dishes like scallop stuffed mushrooms and halibut. The restaurant's ambiance is both elegant and welcoming, making it a "truly memorable" dining destination.

598 Reviews

C
Catherine
San Francisco1 review
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Innovative menu, excellent service. Will definitely be returning.
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A
Annie
Hawaii15 reviews
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Another fantastic meal here, food and cocktails were fabulous as was the service!
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S
Skylar
San Diego1 review
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great dining experience with an impeccable attention to detail and dining service. Every dish was delicious and I savored each bite. The FOH is incredibly courteous, with service that I haven’t seen in most restaurants even at the same price point. It’s my second time dining here, and they make everyone feel so special. Will be coming back here again!
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A
Adam
Los Angeles1 review
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a wonderful meal at Ethel's Fancy. The ambiance, food, service, etc. is stellar. Lots of interesting flavors and all executed perfectly. We plan to return to try everything else on the menu!
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C
Craig
San Francisco2 reviews
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Casual atmosphere, with fine dining quality. Every dish was a new creation from food I enjoy. Pairings of ingredients were genius. Presentation and attention to detail was impeccable. Can’t wait to go back and try the other dishes on the menu.
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A
Adrianne VIP
San Francisco3 reviews
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely amazing in every way. It was our first time there, and we both said this has to be the best restaurant in Palo Alto. We will be back soon!
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K
Kenneth
San Francisco2 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 15, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Flawless experience from the attentive service to the inventive, perfectly-balanced dishes. They’ve hit every single note on the dot. The hype is real.
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H
Hugo VIP
San Francisco41 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 15, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent food & service. Have enjoyed Ethel’s Fancy many times.
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J
Joe VIP
Nashville19 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 15, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Upon walking into this beautiful space, I immediately noticed that it feels like a high-end diner. There is a wonderful bar set-up and a countertop that surrounds the kitchen; it feels at home while also being distinctly... well... fancy. I checked in for my reservation (for 1, I love solo dining while traveling) with Mia at the host stand and she bent over backwards to get me the exact seat I wanted at the bar. Mickey, the manager, quickly greeted me with a glass of sparkling rose and delightful conversation. My experience from this point forward was divine in every way. The service, the food, the drinks. Perfection. I asked for a grapefruit and vodka concoction - and received a beautiful gold-flecked cocktail that felt purposefully made just for me. The octopus - EXCELLENT. The cucumbers - AMAZING. The Oysters - STRANGE! and so good!. I had the Halibut and enjoyed it, the wonderful solo traveler and diner next to me had the pork belly and she said it felt like an elevated, important food experience for her. My hat is so far off my head to this establishment. I cannot wait to recommend it to every person I know in the area. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
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Y
Yixing
Greater Boston1 review
2.0
Dined on May 11, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 4
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 4
Bad experience - the waiter didn’t pay attention to our dietary restrictions. My wife doesn’t eat spicy food, but somehow two dishes were spicy. Also missed birthday surprise
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FAQs

Ethel's Fancy is rated 4.8 stars by 598 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

Booked 21 times today

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

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

Ethel's Fancy

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

Menu

What 598 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

Additional information

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