Ethels Fancy in Palo Alto

Lovely and charming special occasion place. As noted by other reviewers, it is spendy, be prepared to spend about $100 per person more or less. The food was delicious, and creative, and not too heavy. The milk bread was wonderful. But my absolute favorite was the strawberry cheesecake at the end wow that was absolutely amazing. Service was very friendly and professional. Also very nice presentation. We all loved our cocktails! Also they are very accommodating of vegetarians, we had a mixed group, some vegetarians and some carnivores. And they were able to alter the dishes accordingly.

Definitely worth the splurge! Loved the flavor creativity and the service was exceptional.Chef recommended 3 morsels and 4-5 shared plates and with 3 desserts, the two of us left with very full but happy belliesThe oysters were delicious. The cucumbers were crunchy and refreshing. The wagyu on the coconut fritters was over the top. Chef surprised us with the scallops which were delightful. The trout potatoes were perfectly prepared. I’d eat a half dozen of the soft shelled crab. So good. And the tonkatsu pork was also really delicious.We asked Chef to choose two desserts for us and he sent three. We both loved the tapioca and the almond cookie soft serve. The merengue straws were amazing. And who knew the upscale coconut pop tarts could be a thing? Super tasty.I also enjoyed an east side cocktail ;my favorite) and a glass of Italian red wine. My husband doesn’t drink so he enjoyed the homemade ginger ale and the non alcoholic beer (ask for it…we didn’t see it on the menu).I opted for the chef’s counter and I am glad I did. Had a nice chat with the chef/owner and told him we couldn’t wait to go back .We are now big fans and look forward to seeing what Chef does with the menu as the seasons change.We dined at 6:30 and easily found parking on the street.

Another wonderful meal tonight at Ethels Fancy! The menu keeps evolving, so you never know what might be on it at any given night. Even the old standbys (like the Milk bread) have transformed from round flats to a small loaf! Its definitely our go-to place for fresh and delicious small plates, specialty cocktails, and a solid wine and beer menu.

The atmosphere and service was exceptional & my group loved the receipt being presented inside of an interesting old book. Next time I’d love to sit at the bar & see the open kitchen in action. Each dish is small & presented beautifully. I don’t think I would be disappointed with anything on the menu. A group of 5 should expect a bill of at least 500.

Ethels Fancy has been on my radar since they have opened and I was finally able to try them out recently. The family style of sharable dishes along with an open view of the kitchen and prep area really sets the tone of the place. We tried handful of items from both the morsels and sharables sections. Each dish has its own theme and all the ingredients tell a great story around it. The innovation that went into the dishes is commendable and I cant wait to go back to try the next seasonal offerings. The service staff is very detail oriented and precise.Would definitely recommend to anyone and I can confidently say you wouldnt be disappointed.

Wonderful dining experience. Bright open dining room bustling with diners. Prompt, gracious servers. Beautifully presented delicious food. We ordered 3 morsels, 3 shareables, 2 desserts. Loved all dishes. Our faves were milk bread with decadent brown butter dipping sauce; curry carrots; Hiramase tartare that they modified to vegetarian for us; bean dish; cheesecake with roasted strawberries; coconut pop tart. We will be back to try more dishes. A lovely experience. A little pricey ($200 for 2) but very filling, special, and delicious

Their server was really really nice. Food was so great. I came here for the first time since we are just traveling but I definitely want to come back if i can.

We enjoyed a nice dinner for two among the craziness of the holidays. We had 2 morsels and 3 shareables and 1 dessert. Highlights were Toasted Coconut Fritter, Crispy Pork Belly. I liked the Sesame Noodles and my wife really liked the Grilled Octopus. The flavors trended on the sweet side but were intrigued enough to come back and try out the other shareables next time.

Head here if youre looking for a relaxing but fun night out to try some creatively designed dishes inspired by cuisines around the world. The flavors are amazing, the service is top notch and the wine selection is fantastic. Chat with the sommelier.Some of our favorites we could eat every week would be the Milk Bread, Toasted Coconut Fritters, Cured Local Halibut and the Slab of Pork Ribs. Leave room for the Almond Cookie Soft Serve and order a coffee or tea to go with it to see the owl mugs! Bring family and friends for a wonderful night out over delicious shared plates.

We visited Ethels Fancy on Friday, right at opening time.Service is friendly and warm, and I loved the high ceilings + open kitchen concept.We ordered just about everything in the small plates section. Overall the food was delicious and well-executed, as well as beautifully plated.The crowd favorite was the coconut fritters + wagyu, as well as the tomatoes + pluot salad.Unfortunately, the tartar was under seasoned, and the dumplings were not quite gingery, but we enjoyed every dish.Highly recommended and will definitely return!