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 (582)

$50 and over

Californian

550 Waverley St, Palo Alto, CA 94301-1720

Make a reservation

2 people

Apr 29, 2025

11:30 PM

Booked 22 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 582 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
Best Food
Peninsula
Innovative
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.

582 Reviews

L
Lili
San Francisco3 reviews
4.0
Dined 3 days ago
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
B
Beth VIP
San Francisco20 reviews
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
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.
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M
Mariam
Los Angeles1 review
5.0
Dined 6 days 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.
1 person found this helpful
I
Inge
San Francisco17 reviews
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
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
M
Marianne VIP
London8 reviews
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Delicious food, great service, beautiful, modern setting.
Is this helpful?
J
John VIP
San Francisco15 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
J
Jenny VIP
New York City4 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 19, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The new tempura asparagus are amazing! All is really good.
Is this helpful?
k
kuljeet
San Francisco3 reviews
4.0
Dined on April 19, 2025
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 on April 18, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing food, flavors, service and ambience. We love it!
Is this helpful?
J
Jannie
San Francisco1 review
5.0
Dined on April 18, 2025
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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FAQs

Ethel's Fancy is rated 4.8 stars by 582 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 29, 2025

11:30 PM

Booked 22 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 582 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