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Ettan Palo Alto Reviews
Wonderful meal and beautiful outdoor seating.
Meal was on the pricy side, but I guess that is to be expected in Palo Alto.
We went to Ettan this past Sunday to celebrate my birthday
We went to Ettan this past Sunday to celebrate my birthday and a friend's birthday. I booked a table well in advance for 6 people with "standard seating." The day before, I called to add one more person. While they did accommodate, I was told the entire indoor space was booked for a private party, and our only option was outdoor high-top seating. I appreciated that they squeezed in the extra guest, but being shifted to high-tops outside for a special occasion felt disappointing. Once we arrived, things unfortunately did not improve. The service was mediocre, and for a Michelin 2025 restaurant, the food was underwhelming. None of the dishes we ordered stood out as memorable. I even had to walk to the front door twice just to get additional food added to our order. The setup itself was uncomfortable for a birthday celebration -- the outdoor area was too crowded, there was no space to stand or mingle, and we couldn't even manage a proper group photo. Overall, it didn't feel like the kind of experience we expected from Ettan. Perhaps the private party was stretching the staff and kitchen too thin, but if the restaurant can't handle both a large private event and regular reservations, it might be better not to take outside bookings at the same time. The one bright spot was the lady at the front, who managed everything with a big smile despite the chaos -- she truly stood out. We still enjoyed ourselves because of our friends, but as for the restaurant, it was a deeply disappointing experience.
Best Indian food I've ever had.
Service was exceptional and the restaurant was beautiful. Highly highly highly recommended
Exquisite Onam Sadya at Ettan
Onam Sadya : A Kaleidoscopic & Sensory Experience at Ettan. We had a Beautifully Crafted Culinary Presentation to celebrate the Indian festival of Onam. The feast was served on a traditional “Vazhayila” - A Banana Leaf - and was meticulously prepared to balance a range of flavors - sweet, sour, spicy, salty - and textures. The Sadya included a variety of over thirty items and each of them - we enjoyed with sheer delight. To entail an authentic experience, we ate the Onam Sadya with our hands so as to connect us more deeply with the food and tradition. The decor was appealing and the Carnatic music added to the charm of the event. A Superb, Unhurried and Timed to Perfection Service completed a Splendid Onam Sadya Experience at Ettan.
Food: Yum!! It's super tasty, an upscale Indian food.
Though, it's expensive for the amount of food they serve. Ambience: this place has unique pictures framed on the wall and has high ceilings. It has a unique decor which is aesthetically pleasing. Service: the staff are friendly and quite attentive refilling our water. Although I find it unusual that they took the empty plates, then wiped our table as if we are done eating when one of us was still in the middle of his meal. It felt like we were rushed.
I tried this restaurant for my birthday and it was such a
I tried this restaurant for my birthday and it was such a great experience! The restaurant wasn't very busy, we were seated right away, which made for a relaxed start. Their lunch menu had so many great options, something for everyone. We began with the peach avocado chaat (we were a little hesitant at first), but wow... it completely blew us away! Light, refreshing, and bursting with flavor. For mains, we had the butter chicken with naan (comforting and delicious) and the ghee-roasted lamb chops, which stole the show. The lamb was cooked perfectly, and the kichdi was so flavorful. I could honestly eat that dish every single day! For dessert, we tried the tender coconut which was a perfect end to the meal. The restaurant itself is absolutely stunning, definitely has picture worthy and the staff provided excellent service. I can't wait to come back and try more dishes!
Thank you to our server Jes for a wonderful birthday
Thank you to our server Jes for a wonderful birthday luncheon. From the appetizers to entrees to the desserts, everything was simply delicious. Our table in the middle of the beautiful atrium was perfect. Can't wait to return to try the dinner dishes.
The most amazing culinary experience ever.
If you love Indian you will love this. It's exquisite...perfect!
Food was tasty.
Waiters did not come back to check for drink refills. Some items were too expensive for the portion size. Like $10 for small cup of Mango Lassi and $5 for one naan. These were way over priced given the content and labor involved to make those.
Didn't make a reservation for Saturday dinner, but was able
Didn't make a reservation for Saturday dinner, but was able to grab a bar high top without wait. Great ambiance and food! Especially like the Tender Jack Kizhi Biryani.
An amazing experience with Ettan as first time customer
An amazing experience with Ettan as first time customer trying out Indian cuisine. The atmosphere, the food, people were excellent. We weren't too hungry so we got 2 appetizers and a main course with a cocktail. A must try. Service was quick and easy. I ordered a cocktail that weren't on the menu and a but different than most places but our server was so quick, it also felt like he know exactly what I asked for. Perfect for a date night too! Def will comeback
Nice restaurant for a celebration!
My friend chose this restaurant for her birthday celebration. I typically do not eat Indian cuisine because I do not like curry. I was able to find some menu items that did not contain curry and the lamb chops in particular were excellent as were a few of the appetizers! The atmosphere was perfect for a celebration. My only complaint was that the service was ok but not great.
Below Average Hyped Up
Below average food Poor Service Mario was the only decent guy around Upon entry we were greeted with “Yeah” There were 4 people there and none of them bothered greeting The rotis and naans were cold Servers were seen snacking in the kitchen On a cold evening all doors were left open meaning that we have to sit inside with our sweaters and jackets Only highlight was the artwork on the walls Paid close to $180 for 3 starters, 2 dishes and 8 rotisserie chicken-naans Would not recommend this to anyone or go there again By comparison, Rooh (down the road) is much better
Expensive home made food
We went to pongal brunch which is 75$ plus taxes. Absolutely no range to the dishes. Service is good and ambiance- only saving graces to the bad food range- even though quality is good, it felt home made than eclectic ettan taste. Kale pappu and aloo curry and chakra pongal - I’m sure we can make this at home better. Waste of 90$ per person (taxes and tips included)
Very fine Indian food; give it a try
Ettan has fine food, a solid staff, and a delicious menu. The four of us had drinks, appetizers, some small plates to share, and one large plate. I would have given Ettan five stars, but the temporary outdoor area with portable heaters....was a bit shabby. However, the food and staff is the reason to come here. Ignore the temporary seating and enjoy the food, the choices, the menu, and the staff. If you love Indian food, you will like this place. Suggest reservations and use your phone map....you'll find it.
Disappointing at Best
Ettan is "good" not "great" despite the chef's self description on the restaurant website which says, "Chef Srijith defines as "Cal-Indian cuisine." Original, yet authentic, Chef's natural affinity for rich, vibrant flavors and textures is complimented by his exquisite visual presentation." I have eaten at hundreds of Indian restaurants and while the artistry of the presentation and quality of the ingredients are "5-Star", the taste of the food ranges from 2 to 4 star depending on the dish. I tried 7 dishes and my favorites where the sesame leaf and black pepper cauliflower small plates. Both were tasty and packed with enjoyable surprises for my taste buds. By far the worst dish I tasted was the black cod. It may well be among the worst 10 fish dishes I have ever eaten. Black cod is supposed to be a delicate and incredibly subtle fish... it melts in your mouth. Indian cuisine is supposed to be a fusion of herbs and spices that hit your taste buds with notes on the front end that evolve into a distinctive central theme and a memorable after taste. That is what I love about Indian food. Instead, I was subjected to a heavy handed taste that completely overwhelmed the fish (the base taste might as well have been cardboard) and an aftertaste that was nothing more than a medium chili burn. This dish screams "look at me I have a completely out of control ego." The same can be said for the Kerala Fried Chicken. Could I cobble together a pleasant meal at Ettan? Yes. Did I taste a single dish I absolutely can't wait to have again? No. Best adjectives... "Let Down"
Great food.
Enjoyed crispy chicken appetizer. Vellore chicken was great. Lamb chop very fresh and well cooked. Sesame leaf chaat was good but a little too sweet without acidity. We also ordered the peanut variation and fava goli vada which we enjoyed but weren't as good as everything else. The Paloma cocktail was very good. Kokam and Smokem was also nice if you like smoky cocktails but isn't strongly Kokam flavored.
I tried getting a same day reservation multiple times in
I tried getting a same day reservation multiple times in the past but without luck. We were celebrating a birthday in the family this week so I made my move a few days before and finally got a spot. We got a table bang in the center of the dining room. We ordered: Kerala fried chicken: (3/5) I saw this on several reviews and knew I had to get it. The fried chicken was topped by some crispy fried onions which weren't very crispy and came with a side of white sauce which had dairy in it. Good stuff first: the sauce was delicious and I cleaned up the plate later with a kulcha as well. The fried chicken was extremely underwhelming. Though the first bite felt suspiciously soft and possibly undercooked, it got better on the thinner cuts. There was no flavor to speak of and the sauce provided some redemption to the dish. The "crispy" fried onions were drab and sorry little pieces. The ghee rice that came later with our large plates had better crispy onions than this. Burrata kulcha: (2/5) I read in some reviews that they run out of this pretty fast so I was excited when I learned it was available. The dish essentially is a single small kulcha topped with burrata cheese. They threw on some raw sliced radishes and jalapeños as well. The cheese was not treated or seasoned in any way, just a lump on top of the bread. Without any flavor to lean on, it was difficult to have it just by itself. I recommend getting some kind of a chutney if you order this. Sesame leaf chaat (4/5): it was fascinating to see a perfectly fried crispy leaf serving as a carrier for the usual chaat toppings like chutneys, sev etc. the fried leaf held onto its shape while we chowed our way through it. Having said that, the toppings were typical and nothing stood out other than the base. Vellore chicken curry (4/5): unlike butter chicken this came with a green curry base. Flavors were mild and reminded me of the chicken curry I make at home with a base of greens like cilantro, mint. The curry came with two crispy flaky parathas. Kabocha and green mango curry (5/5): this is a vegetarian curry with kabocha and green mangos in a coconut based gravy. They took the flavor of coconut further by using coconut oil. I enjoyed this dish the most. It came with a side of ghee rice. The redolent flavor of ghee coated each grain and it was delicious. Fried rice (2/5): we got this for the kids. Description said it came with seasonal vegetables and egg. I might have eaten egg fried rice in every restaurant I visited over the past few decades and the version here was the most disappointing. Even if exotic ingredients are not used, the simple combination of salt, pepper and egg is enough to make a delicious plate of fried rice. But the version here was severely lacking. I was excited when I walked in as I expected to eat something that would awaken my senses. Something unique or flavor combinations I never had in the past, after all this showed up on Michelin guide. But, I was unfortunately disappointed. If it were not for the mango curry, I would have rated them at 3.
On my birthday I was thinking of Indian food.
After eating Indian food around the world and in London coming from south hall experience. I thought with location and ambience this place would be somewhat acceptable to try. I want to say that their server was not knowledgeable about food or drinks menu. She was clueless could not be trusted with anything. I also want the owner of this restaurant to really pay attention to his food quality and pricing I found this restaurant price two lamb chops pieces for $53 and that so disgusting taste my friend wanted to throw in the garbage. I think the restaurant should refund this order and apologize for making us feel so bad I can't believe I even took my credit card out for this order. Yuks No one should be paying this kind of money for bad food. I ran a family fast food restaurant honestly I would give my customers free meal if they were given cold or uncooked or bad meals. I'm shock people are still eating at ETTN time to consider changing their chef and serves.
Beautifully crafted dishes! Dishes at Ettan are worth the
Beautifully crafted dishes! Dishes at Ettan are worth the price and hype. All the dishes are very beautifully crafted, unique and have really good taste and texture. I loved all of the appetizers we ordered which included the Jack fruit vada pav, kale chaat, monkey buns and burrata naan as well as the kofta which we ordered for main course. Would love to try more items from this place next time. Highly recommend checking it out, the ambiance is great and the service is also top notch. They also serve delicious mocktails.
Their menu lacks options for people who can't tolerate
Their menu lacks options for people who can't tolerate chili powder. They did not have one single item which did not contain red chili powder and could only offer us something to eat from the kids menu. My friend got the Kerala fried chicken, they ran out of the burrata kulcha which is $12 but had the truffle kulcha which is priced at $30 for a very small kulcha. The passion fruit dessert was average.
Came here for a business meal and with a vegan, vegetarian
Came here for a business meal and with a vegan, vegetarian and no dietary restrictions everyone left full and happy! The service was quick. We all got a mocktail and they were delicious! Sat outside somewhat tucked in the corner which was perfect for the nature of our visit. Things were little pricey but being that everything was so perfectly prepared no complaints from us. The monkey buns and cauliflower were favorites. The DESSERT was AMAZING! I didn't have a single bite I didn't like. When in town I wouldn't hesitate to go here for elevated Indian cuisine.
Great food, ambiance, and service! Will definitely be back.
Recommend the fried chicken, and the kabocha squash curry.
We loved our experience at Ettan! We had great service and
We loved our experience at Ettan! We had great service and conversation from our server Suresh/Suroj. The food was excellent and was able to try a variety of different dishes. The drinks were refreshing! They do have a kids menu which was great! Totally would come back again!
Wow. Amazing Indian food with a fun modern twist. The
Wow. Amazing Indian food with a fun modern twist. The dishes tasted and looked amazing. The staff is friendly and the restaurant ambiance was spectacular. Would highly recommend this gem in downtown Palo Alto. My fav dish was the sesame leaf. Perfect balance of flavors with amazing texture. Could eat a plate of those myself!
Get ready for an unparalleled dining adventure that will
Get ready for an unparalleled dining adventure that will transport you to another part of the world! Picture this: stunning main courses and delectable desserts that are practically works of art. Look no further for the most incredible dining experience of the year! This restaurant absolutely lives up to its Michelin star reputation, and I'll never forget the experience. The entrance to this hidden gem is tucked away in a charming alleyway, giving the sense of discovering a true culinary treasure. The vibrant and inviting outdoor patio, adorned with a variety of colorful umbrellas, sets the stage for an unforgettable dining experience. Once seated, the attentive staff provided excellent guidance as we dived into the family-style dining experience to savor every delicious dish. Their recommendations were spot on, ensuring we enjoyed every mouthwatering bite. What we ordered - Small plates: Signature Chutney Sampler 10/10 (Kale and Eggplant Chutney) Burrata Kulcha 10/10 (Basil, green chilies, mint) Cauliflower 10/10 (Cauliflower Leaf, Green Onions, Black Mustard and Curry Leaves) Octopus 8/10 (Slow cooked with Coconut Crumble, Curry Leaf, Chili Aioli) Kerala Fried Chicken 10/10 (Roasted Coconut Milk, Green Apple, Lime, Buttermilk) Butter chicken 10/10 (Smoked Chicken Thighs, Fenugreek, Tomatoes Served with Butter Naan) The dinner options we went with were perfect for us, just the right amount. Highly recommend each dish. Presentation, flavor, and quantity were exceptional. Desserts: Passion fruit edible art! 100/10 This was hands down the most amazing dessert experience we've ever had. The ice, the creamy passion fruit, with the crunchy shell. Wow! What an experience!! A MUST ORDER! Bruleed Mango Yogurt 100/10 Melt in your mouth silky mango sweetness. 100/10
Over rated and uninspiring
Does not live up to its reviews - the outside seating is very tight, uncomfortable and shabby. The service, okay, but just okay, as others have pointed out. The menu - sounds creative but boils down to pretty standard, quite greasy and over spiced fare with no subtlety. It just falls flat.
Elegant Indian Inspired
Elegant Indian inspired restaurant. Interesting flavors. Service was friendly. Definitely will be back when we're in the area
Great atmosphere, excellent quality food on average.
We came here for a birthday and ordered a little bit of everything across the menu. I was definitely a huge fan of the Oysters, I wanted to ask the waiter where they're from but missed the chance to. The lamb was so tender and definitely one of the highlights. The Hamachi and Beef dish paired well with the side curry that they gave. The sesame leaf is a great side. Food was a little overpriced for the quality, and do not come here expecting authentic Indian food. The appetizers and entrees also came out all at once, so that was unfortunately crowding our table. Dishes like the oysters had to be eaten quickly while fresh. Pacing with the food would have been nice.
you won't be disappointed, worth a try at least once :)
you won't be disappointed, worth a try at least once :) good food, service & ambience -- it does get crowded though, book your reservation in advance!
One of my favorites Indian restaurants in the Peninsular!
One of my favorites Indian restaurants in the Peninsular! Beautiful decorations, comfortable seating. Delicious and tasty food, and good service. I would come back any day! Highly recommend their Sesame Leaf, and Chicken biriyani! My two favorite dishes! Reservation made on Resy 30 days in advance.
Classy, chic and upscale ambience awaits.
Founded by a supermodel from India and celebrity chef, Ettan offers an exquisite taste of Indian cuisine with various twists. Don't come here if you are used to traditional dishes but come here to try various dishes elevated. You know it's fancy when an Indian establishment serves caviar, octopus and oysters. This place has changed since it opened several years ago. The issue is that it can be hit or miss. We have had 2 good experiences, and 2 not as good. It just could be the changing of the chefs and change in menu, which is seasonal. We had a party of 6 and were able to get one of the largest tables with 2 king chairs and two benches, with enough room to sit comfortably with 3 on each bench. The atmosphere is cozy, as the outdoor patio seating is covered with plastic with ample heating, enough to make it quite toasty for anyone. There are beautiful umbrellas hanging from the ceiling and lots of green foliage all around. Menu for our table 1. Sesame Leaf Chaat (app) 2. Cauliflower (app) 3. Scallops (app) 4. Monkey bread (app) 5. Hamachi collar (main) 6. Chicken Biryani (main) 7. Maa ki Daal (Translated to Yo Mama's Daal (lentils) (main) 8. Mango and Kabocha squash curry (main) 9. Naan, rice, sweat peas, and fryums accompanied the dishes at no charge We started the evening with several appetizers. At the recommendation of the server, we ordered 2 small plate apps for each selection. The Sesame Leaf Chaat was an interesting way to serve this traditional street food dish. I have never had it on the leaf. The leaf was battered and fried and topped with sev, yogurt, tamarind and mint chutney, some mango, chickpea crumble, and sesame brittle. It was good, but the brittle didn't pare well with the dish IMO, so I wasn't a fan. The flavors of the tamarind, mango, yogurt do blend together very nicely, as they should since this is a long time traditional dish. Some dishes should just be kept simple. The Cauliflower was next on the menu. This lacked taste and the cauliflower pieces were just soft pieces with some flavor. This would have been much better if it were Manchurian style with a little more heat and crisp. The scallops were by far the best app. No gritty texture to them, and served in some in some nice puree with some chili oil and topped with a garnish of radish and some fried strands of some thin vegetable (I forgot to ask). The presentation of this dish is definitely 5 star. Don't bother with the monkey buns. Definitely a waste of money. It's basically small bread rolls topped with a dry chutney and served with an eggplant chutney dish. Now for the main course. The Hamachi collar was very tasty. Very tender, and falling off the bone while being served in a flavorful and light curry sauce with onions, tomatoes and garnished with spinach leaves. The mango and kabocha squash curry was decent. I don't have an affinity to this popular squash but it did had some good flavor. It's not something I would order again. The chicken biryani was overpowered with way too much garam masala. For the size of the pot, they stuffed it with two chicken drumsticks which took up a lot of volume and left the diners with not much meat. The best dish of the evening for me was the Maa Ki Daal. Other places call this Daal Makhani. This is a very difficult dish to master. This is usually slow cooked for 24hours+ and then mixed with some common spices, with a generous mixing of ghee and heavy cream. The chef added smokiness which elevated this to the next level. I was truly impressed as this was one of the best versions I have had. The price level is high and the portion sizes are about half of what you get at other places. Wine is about 2.5X to 3X the price of a bottle purchased at the store, which is about typical. With a bottle, all of the dishes above, 20% gratuity and the living wage BS charge, it came to about $78/person. I didn't leave hungry although I certainly was craving more of the daal and scallops. Ettan is a must try if you want an elegant experience in Indian dining. The service is at par with similar restaurants, but it's a great place to meet up right in the heart of downtown Palo Alto. 5 stars for ambience, and around 4 for the cuisine due to the hit or miss and inconsistency in food quality from visit to visit.
Love the ambiance and food! Great for date night.
We ordered the following: Oysters - delectable Ettan Salad - refreshing Hamachi Kama - good spice and taste Staff were very friendly and efficient. Can't wait to come back again when we're in the area!
Came here for a company dinner with a group of 10 and it
Came here for a company dinner with a group of 10 and it was an amazing experience. The atmosphere was obviously great given the aesthetic interior, but more importantly the food did not disappoint at all. We ordered a variety of dishes, but I think the most memorable to me were the slow cooked octopus, fried chicken, slow cooked duck, and the sautee mushroom dish ( I forget the actual name of it). The octopus especially was sooo tender - I've had octopus at a few different restaurants now, but this is by far the BEST one. Not rubbery at all and full of flavor. The fried chicken was similar in that, I've had various fried chickens but they really make a good fried chicken. YOU MUST TRY IT! tbh I think I would come back just for the octopus and fried chicken :) Anyways, would love to come back here again and order more new food and have the chicken and octopus again!
Went here for their valentine's pre fixe.
Service was great and even though they mixed up one of the dishes, they immediately took care of it. Ettan's Valentine's Day menu featured a 4-course Cal-Indian tasting menu with a vegetarian option. The menu included: Amuse bouche Appetizers: Amritsari kulcha, burrata, trout roe, green garlic chutney with butternut squash soup (or stuffed squash blossoms for vegetarians) Main course: Day boat scallops, red beets thovaiyal, grapefruit & fennel shavings (or eggplant steak, paneer-peas burji, ginger, thakkali kurma for vegetarians) and lamb chop for Non Veg option. Dessert: Chocolate, strawberry ice, mint, & sea salt The non alcoholic drink pairings were on point. The Amuse Boucher delectable. The scallops were okay. The lamb chops were the star of the show and were quite tender. Definitely on the pricier side. But, Will come back again.
Good food and good vibe.
We ordered Monkey Buns and Chicken Biryani. Both the dishes were good.
I met a colleague for an early dinner at Ettan, arriving a
I met a colleague for an early dinner at Ettan, arriving a few minutes early and being promptly seated. The ambiance is captivating - tastefully decorated and buzzing with a vibrant energy. It was filled with professionals like us, unwinding after work with drinks and light bites. I opted for the Amrud Paloma, a refreshing cocktail, though slightly sweeter than I typically prefer. My colleague enjoyed the Lemon Chilli, a potent concoction, both priced at $18, on the higher end for cocktails. We decided to share several small plates. The standout dishes for me were the sesame leaf chat, an explosion of flavors with perfectly balanced spices, and the Kerala fried chicken, its crispy exterior yielding to juicy, flavorful meat. My colleague raved about the monkey buns, warm and pillowy with a hint of sweetness, and the scallops, cooked to perfection. The total, including gratuity, came to around $140, which felt slightly higher than expected considering the portion sizes, it's important to acknowledge the prevalent pricing trends in the Bay Area. Ultimately, Ettan feels more like a destination for a special occasion rather than a family dinner spot. The attentive and friendly service further contributed to a positive dining experience.
Very creative Indian /california fusion .
We went to the valentines dinner and it was great we made that choice. Loved every dish . Mind you , they're a fusion restaurant , not a traditional Indian or South Indian. So someone was comparing them to udupi and mentioning the food is not the same . Of course it's not . Ettan is at a different innovative level much more than was Raza the 1 Michelin star which used to be in Burlingame . Ettan definitely if they want they can try for a Michelin star - Not that many chefs want to go that way , even if they want to . But great experience . Definitely we will go back again to their regular menu . Only thing was the lamb chops was a bit too spicy (hot). Unless you are used to Indian levels of spicy in India , you might find it a bit spicy . It would be nicer if they can reduce the hot spiciness a bit . Overall amazing valentines menu by the chef and also excellent alcohol /non-alcohol and wine paring .
I dream of that butter chicken! Love the service, ambiance,
I dream of that butter chicken! Love the service, ambiance, and food here. I do feel that some of the portions are a little small but I also think it's because the food tastes good.
Interesting twist on South Asian food.
Great spot for casual dining. Food is new and exciting, service good. The Kerala fried chicken and sesame crisp small plate is delicious.
Would not recommend!
We had a horrible experience today on Father's Day. We initially had reservations for two people at 1pm on Sunday, however our childcare plans changed and we called early on Saturday, spoke to a woman who stated there would be no issues and Ettan can accommodate us for 4 people at 530pm on Sunday but we would need to leave by 730pm. Great, we arrived at 515pm, dressed up, with with two kids in tow, on Father's Day, waited patiently for door open at 530 and once we reached check in, we were told there was no reservation. We spoke to the woman at the desk and she became quite defensive, look at us like were aliens and basically stated there was nothing to do. Then she said, oh "maybe if you wait for 15min she can look into maybe giving us a table if something becomes available." It was embarrassing, uncomfortable and totally unacceptable as I had wanted to treat my husband for being such a great dad on Father's Day. I recommend this restaurant look into better training, understanding how to take reservations and make changes to reservations and some consideration placed into being professional with some empathy.
Great Experience
We had such a great time here. Beautiful atmosphere. Delicious food. Wonderful, attentive service. We will definitely be returning!
I had been meaning to try this place for quite a while and
I had been meaning to try this place for quite a while and finally secured a reservation last month -- and I have to say, it definitely lived up to the hype! I really, really enjoyed the monkey bread, the cauliflower, the octopus, and the butter chicken. The bread was SO soft and fluffy and went great with the eggplant sauce on the side; the octopus had the perfect seasoning and sauce; and the butter chicken was so tender and savory, though I do wish they gave a bit more for the portion size haha!The leaf appetizer was different from what I usually eat, but our waiter recommended us to try it so we did and it was pretty good! I'm not a big fan of yogurt so the yogurt detracted a bit from the experience there, but overall it was a refreshing & slightly tart dish with a lot of interesting texture!I wasn't a big fan of the chocolate oblong dessert that I got, but I wouldn't say there was necessarily anything wrong with it -- it was just a bit too dense/rich for my tastes. The sorbet on the side was amazing though!Our waiter was also really professional, and clearly was very enthusiastic about the food, which I really enjoyed. It definitely added another dimension to the experience to hear him talk about the origins of all the food, and hear his detailed recommendations. I don't think I've ever had such a passionate waiter before and his recommendations were (clearly) great!
Sundays call for brunch dates with mom! After months and
Sundays call for brunch dates with mom! After months and months of wanting to see what Ettan was all about-- I was finally able to snag a reservation for a party of two and was seated immediately upon arrival.WHAT WE ORDERED: - Mango Lassi (0/5): Whenever eating Indian food, I always make a point to order Mango Lassi to enjoy with my meal. For what I know-- Mango Lassi is supposed to be a nice thick, creamy, delicious yet refreshing drink but Ettan's was nothing like that and was the worst I've ever had. The drink I received was at room temperature, watered down and to my surprise I could not taste a hint of mango. The sad part is that it's for double the price of what you can normally find elsewhere. Found this extremely hard to enjoy and most definitely wouldn't recommend.- Shikanji (2/5): My mom ordered this drink and wasn't really impressed. If anything, she had a few sips and drank water the rest of her meal. - Ettan Salad (5/5): My mom was obsessed with this salad! She loved the flavors that came in the huge bowl and even brought some home! Highly recommend. - Butter Chicken (3/5): For the price, portions and quality for an upscale restaurant I could say we were extremely underwhelmed. Not saying it was bad... but we couldn't come to justify that it was $29 worthy. If anything, the sauce was too sweet and missing a lot of depth to it. Ambiance (5/5): There is no doubt that a lot of thought was put into Ettan's ambiance both inside and out! The entire space is beautiful and really you forgetting you're really in Palo Alto. Service (0/5):Our server didn't bother to check in with us throughout our meal nor pick up finished plates or cups until it was time to get our check. For an upscale restaurant with high prices like Ettan, you'd expect them to be on top of their service.Overall:I'm glad I was able to finally experience Ettan. Personally wanted to like this restaurant but left extremely underwhelmed and disappointed. Obviously given our experience, we will not be back. Although we didn't have the best experience, I still recommend to check them out if you're ever curious or just want good content which I feel like we only paid for.
We can't wait to go back.
We asked our server for recommendations and we loved all three of them. We are now very curious about the rest of the menu.We had dinner there last night . We brought our dog and we were quickly seated outside . Our dog was a little bit in the way of the servers (because of where we were seated) and no one was bothered by him. We were told over and over that the patio is dog friendly.We had the sesame leaf. Fantastic!!!We then had the kerala fried chicken. Also fantastic.We were doing a progressive dinner and already had some snacks at Donato's in Redwood City so we went straight to dessert after the two small plates, an order of naan, and a glass of wine.We had the early citrus for dessert and our only complaint was that the server should have recommended that we get two orders. It was not a small dessert but it was so good we wanted more.Service was great. The patio is beautifully decorated. Next time we will go without our dog so we can enjoy the inside either st the bar or one of the other tables.Parking: we parked in the main city parking lot by the library. We find it is easier to find parking on the lower level than on the street or in the above ground, open lots.
This is one of the few Indian fusion spots in the Bay Area
This is one of the few Indian fusion spots in the Bay Area that does it right. Been here a few times now and it hasn't disappointed. The area is fantastic, and the restaurant has done a great job of decorating and designing to look upscale and ambient. We started off with the monkey buns (apparently, the last batch of the day!), the tender jackfuit vada pav, and the sesame leaf. For entrees, we got the butter chicken with naan. Thoughts:- Jackfuit Vada Pav: This was one of the best things I've eaten, and I have yet to find a place that can replicate this. I have come to Ettan just to order this too. - Butter chicken: This was super yummy, with juicy pieces of chicken and a great gravy. - Sesame Leaf: This was also good, but was a little too brittle for me.- Monkey Buns: Maybe this was hyped up, but I didn't see what was so special. This is supposed to be their most popular dish. For dessert, we got the strawberry saffron slice and the passion fruit. Both were great!Overall, love coming here for a nice dinner or date night. Definitely recommend it to everyone!
I went with my husband to Ettan.
We were going to visit Bay area for a family event, and a my sister recommended we try this restaurant since we were planning a date night dinner. We had an amazing experience at Ettan. We ordered the hot wings, sesame chaat and hummus with fried sweet peppers. The sesame leaf chaat was amazing, the texture, flavor, taste everything was spot on! I have had chaat before but never on a sesame leaf bhajiya and that added a great layer of taste and texture to the chat. The spicy wings were a hit too, amazing taste, fried to perfection, right amount of spicy to get you salivating for more!!! The hummus was good but seemed okay after we tried the wings and chaat. The service was good, our server was bringing in food promptly, answered all our questions and gave us suggestions based on what we said we liked. Definitely a place we'd come back to if we are in the area!
Some of the dishes and drinks are very good; the service is
Some of the dishes and drinks are very good; the service is not very good at all.I went for a second time with a girlfriend on Saturday night at 7:30p seating, and we had a great time with the food, but the service while friendly, has no timing and left huge lapses, which put a damper on the experience.Food: we loved our drinks (the celery drink and the white wine), the chutney sampler was so delicious, the vallore chicken and the kabocha squash chutney entrees, and sessame seed small plate was tasty.Service: Food came before the drinks and felt rushed up front, and then when it was time to leave, we waited 25 minutes for the bill and to cash out. When you've finished a nice meal and then have to wait forever to get out of there it really ruins it. THen on the way out the host staff was busy gabbing no goodbyes have a nice night. Ambiance: Really nice, but they shouldn't seat people upstairs if they don't have enough staff.
We went back because we liked the food in the past.
This restaurant has, unfortunately, succumbed to the hype and the recipes that were likely developed with care are now poorly executed. They cater to the volume and cut corners with under-trained unskilled staff in the kitchen. To start on a positive note, the pea kulcha was good. It was puffy with good flavors. We were underwhelmed by the Ettan wings. We could handle the heat but truly feel that this needs to come with a warning on the menu for the average person. However, heat isn't everything and the underlying flavor was actually unpleasant. But at least an attempt had been made at flavoring the chicken because the Kerala fried chicken was among the worst I have eaten anywhere and this includes soggy fast food chicken delivered by Grubhub. The coating was soggy and flavorless. The chicken underneath was dry, overcooked, and did not have any flavor at all. The mango lassi was minuscule in quantity but worse, watery. Like someone had swirled out the bottom of a smoothie jar with water. The beef was adequate but nothing sublime. If this were an average middle of the road Indian restaurant, the dishes would have been a hit and a miss at best. But as high end Indian cuisine? - Sorry it is just masquerading as one at the moment.
The food here is amazing, I would definitely recommend
The food here is amazing, I would definitely recommend going at least once... If you're able to get a reservation. It's definitely booked pretty far out for larger parties so try to book as far in advance as possible.
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Let's say Peter has a great morning and decides to take his three friends to Ettan Palo Alto at 6 PM the same day.
He checks the restaurant's website and sees that no reservations are available. He then looks at the Ettan Palo Alto page on AppointmentTrader, but finds that there are no user postings either.
That's where the community-driven bid process comes in.
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1.) Setting a Reward (Bid)
* AppointmentTrader uses historical data to recommend a reasonable reward amount for securing a reservation - let's say $100.
* Peter really wants to go, so he increases the bid (or reward) to $200.
* At this stage, the reservation does not exist yet.
2.) A Community User Picks Up the Bid
* MaternalRecord73, an experienced AT user, has a strong track record of successfully securing reservations and low refund requests, they receive a notification about Peter's bid.
* MaternalRecord73 picks up the bid, meaning they will now work on securing the reservation.
* Peter can now talk to MaternalRecord73 for any questions Peter may have as MaternalRecord73 user fills the bid.
3.) Finding the Reservation
* MaternalRecord73 now uses their connections at Ettan Palo Alto to secure the table.
* If they successfully get the 6 PM table for four, Peter receives a confirmation that the reservation has been secured.
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4.) Payment & Protection
* Once the reservation is secured, MaternalRecord73 receives the $200 reward which is credited to MaternalRecord73's AT balance, where users manage their own funds and can withdraw via available payout options such as bank transfer, PayPal, or Zelle.
* Peter can now enjoy the dinner with his friends at Ettan Palo Alto!
* As with all transactions on AT, disputes and no-show fees are handled through the platform's community-driven resolution system. Users with a strong track record are incentivized to fulfill bids successfully, and community members can report issues to maintain trust in the marketplace.
