Ettan Restaurant

Ettan Palo Alto is a stunning restaurant with a beautiful, unique ambiance that makes the entire dining experience feel special. The food was excellent overall. We tried the **Jain sesame leaf** appetizer, and it was absolutely mouthwatering—easily one of the highlights of our meal. For the main course, the team was kind enough to prepare a **Jain paneer curry** for us, even though it wasn't on the regular menu. Since it was a slow day, they were able to accommodate our request, but they mentioned that they typically require **at least one day's notice** for Jain meals. We truly appreciated their willingness to go the extra mile. A couple of things could be improved. The **Bangalore Days mocktail** was quite disappointing—it was bland and lacked flavor, so I'd skip it. Also, while our server knew we were ordering only Jain food, they didn't mention that the **naan contains egg** until we specifically asked. It would be helpful if the staff proactively informed guests about ingredients that may not align with dietary restrictions. Overall, we had a wonderful experience thanks to the delicious food, beautiful setting, and accommodating staff. I hope to see **more dedicated Jain options on the menu** in the future, as I'm sure many diners would appreciate them. We'd definitely love to come back!

A Wonderful Dining Experience at Ettan We visited Ettan during our holiday trip to California from Europe, and given its popularity and the enthusiastic recommendations from several friends, we made an advance reservation. We’re so glad we did—we genuinely had a wonderful experience. As someone who is in the restaurant industry, I tend to notice the finer details, and it was evident that a great deal of thought and care has gone into every aspect of the experience at Ettan. The menu is particularly impressive—creative, well-conceived, and beautifully balanced, with each dish having its own distinct character. My sincere kudos to Chef Srijith! We ordered quite a few of the popular dishes, including: • Sesame Leaf Chaat • Kerala Fried Chicken • Cauliflower Pepper • Monkey Buns • Copra Beef Curry • Okra Curry • Paneer Kali Mirch • Chicken with Kale Every dish brought something different to the table, and we thoroughly enjoyed the variety of flavours, textures, and interpretations. I’ve noticed that reviews of Ettan can be somewhat mixed, and personally, I feel that some of this may come down to expectations. Ettan offers its own distinctive take on Indian cuisine, rather than simply serving familiar or traditional interpretations. Going in with an open mind and an appreciation for the chef’s creativity makes a big difference. A special mention to Srini, the host who took care of us at the table. He was very attentive and welcoming as well. If you’re looking for a place where great food, a thoughtful dining experience, and warm hospitality come together—whether with family, friends, or on a date—Ettan is definitely worth visiting. We highly recommend Ettan and would happily return on our next trip to California!

My favorite Indian restaurant in the bay area. The portion sizes are perfect in my opinion, leaving me full without leftovers. The dishes are unique both in presentation and flavor. There are many vegetarian and gluten free options and they generally allow for substitutions and changes to dishes for preferences if you ask. Food is high quality. The decor is beautiful and great for pictures. The location is also in a good central part of downtown. I would recommend making a reservation if you want to sit inside. I waited around 20 minutes for outdoor seating. Our waitress was new and very enthusiastic and gave us a fun experience and helped explain the menu. Service was fast and attentive. They only had outdoor seating available but there was a heater.

Went with a few friends for dinner, here's a few takeaways: 1. We ordered Ananas Pani Puri and Sesame Leaf for snacks, Mangalore Bun and Kerala Fried Chicken for starters and Homemade Paneer Kalimirch, Red Chard Patra, Chicken Tikka & Kale for mains: (i) Sesame Leaf, Ananas Pani Puri, Kerala Fried Chicken and Red Chard Patra were good overall, all of the rest was honestly just decent (not worth the price). (ii) Food quality was good. (iii) Food quantity was very much on the low end. (iv) Quality of paneer could have been better. 2. Service was good and timely. 3. Ambiance was good, as expected from a place like Ettan. 4. Lots of street parking and public parking garages around. 5. We had a reservation but it wasn't required.

We went on a weekday for dinner. It was packed, reservation is recommended. The ambience is good, service is also fast. As a group, we tried a bunch of dishes - overall food was delicious but here are our favorites: Dal Makhani, Ananas Pani Puri and Mango dessert!