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: 4.8

4.8

579 Reviews

$50 and over

Californian

550 Waverley St, Palo Alto, CA 94301-1720

Make a reservation

2 people

Apr 24, 2025

10:30 PM

Booked 38 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
(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 579 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
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Francisco Bay Area
Californian
Peninsula
Best Food
Peninsula
Innovative
Peninsula
Californian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Ethel's Fancy is a culinary gem in Palo Alto offering a "memorable experience" with its "amazing food, flavors, service, and ambiance." Chef Scott impresses with a "unique blend of Japanese and American ingredients," and the "creative menu" wows guests. Service is "attentive and friendly," making it perfect for special occasions.

579 Reviews

M
Mariam
Los Angeles1 review
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
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.
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M
Marianne VIP
London8 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Delicious food, great service, beautiful, modern setting.
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J
John VIP
San Francisco15 reviews
4.0
Dined 5 days ago
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.
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J
Jenny VIP
New York City4 reviews
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The new tempura asparagus are amazing! All is really good.
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k
kuljeet
San Francisco3 reviews
4.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
excellent quality of food. creative menu. great staff. pricey
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a
anne
New York City8 reviews
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing food, flavors, service and ambience. We love it!
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J
Jannie
San Francisco1 review
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We came here to celebrate our anniversary, and everything from start to finish was amazing. The service was attentive and friendly, making the evening feel extra special. The food was absolutely delicious—flavorful, fresh, and satisfying without leaving us feeling overly full or bloated. The cocktails were also spot-on, and the desserts really stood out with their unique twist. It was a memorable experience, and we’ll definitely be coming back!
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Y
Yaeir
San Francisco1 review
5.0
Dined on April 16, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely fantastic. PA is filled will lots of "sizzle" but little "steak." Ethel's Fancy is not that... 10/10 experience and food that you'll remember!
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W
Wes
San Francisco5 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 11, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everything was top notch! Awesome, thoughtful, and creative food. Everything cooked perfectly. Really interesting combination of flavors. There wasn't a mediocre dish and the cocktails were delicious as well. The service was unbeatable. Mickey the GM took care of us and our server was fantastic. Would highly recommend and will be going back.
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C
Christine VIP
San Francisco8 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 11, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
From the drinks to the food to witnessing the orchestration in the kitchen, it’s always an impressive dinner. The menu is a high-end, yet approachable mix of Japanese and local flavors with a nod to Hawaii. Whenever we get a free night away from the small one that only likes chicken tenders, we come here. Never disappointed.
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FAQs

Ethel's Fancy is rated 4.8 stars by 579 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Apr 24, 2025

10:30 PM

Booked 38 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 579 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