Amazing restaurant and ambiance overall. I came with my girlfriend for a 5pm resevation and immediately was greeted by some of the most lovely staff on this side of los angeles. We started off with a shrimp cocktail with amazing sauce, and finished off with the burger (shown in the picture below). All thanks to our amazing server Alan, who i had to specifically shout out here due to his absolute professional, being so interested in his patrons, and providing the upmost and best service! If you go here, make sure to ask for Alan. Top tier employee! read more

Coucou - So good! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Venice, California

I rarely write reviews here. But I feel I have to commend the very fine team at CouCou. This comfy, tasteful spot in the heart of Venice, does it right. We've tried most of what's on the menu and we've never been disappointed. Standouts include the incredible onion soup, the tasty tuna tartare appetizer and the delicious chicken. CouCou brings a taste of Paris to the shores of California, and they do it right. As you would expect, the pomme frites are not to be missed. If you like a good martini, theirs is delightful. And, although we have not ordered it, there's a sumptuous soft-serve ice cream dessert, that looks superb, if you have roomfor it. Bon appetit! read more

Last night, I celebrated my husband's birthday at Cou Cou. We had a wonderful experience! We sat at the bar and were served by a great bartender named Natasha. Some highlights: - The white stallion and the Bonnie and Clyde cocktails! - The ceviche and the tuna tartare - The beef, short ribs and the veggie French dip - And of course, the brussels sprouts! What a little gem in Venice! read more

You have arrived. We spent an early New Years Eve at a little french bistro in Venice, CA. I knew the hood but had not been to this restaurant before. The location is not too congested like other areas in Venice. The food was delicious. Excellent choices of appetizers as well as sides. We had some oysters, shared a bowl of french onion soup, some french beignets and enjoyed some signature cocktails from the bar. Good wine mix of Californian and French blends. The entres covered all the food groups. Fish (which I had), chicken, filet mignon (great peppercorn sauce) and of course steak frites. You can't put the word "Bistro" on your menu without a good steak frites. There are vegetarian options as well although we did not order any. The ambience reflected a neighborhood vibe. Very chill and friendly. Music played in the background. Not too loud but not too quiet. The whole place had a great communal feel to it. There was a family next to us with a mess of kids. All finishing up their soft-serve ice cream sundaes which of course we adopted for our dessert along with the chocolate mousse. When to food is good those children will behave! We have been looking for a good french bistro. I think we found it! Bon Appetit! read more

Food and service was great! Brussels sprouts were amazing. Only thing I'd note is that I'd recommend sitting inside because the outdoor seating does have foot traffic from pedestrians/noise from on coming cars. read more

Coucou - Food - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Venice, California

i was looking forward to dining here. it was hard to enjoy the meal because the acoustics are so terrible. the space amplifies all voices around us, yet i am barely able to hear my guest across the table it was a uncomfortable experience read more

Steak frites done simply and well. The steak was tender and cooked just right, and the fries were crispy and golden. The sauce ties everything together without overpowering the dish. Cozy French bistro vibes make it a great spot for a relaxed, satisfying meal. read more

Solid French food in Venice. I got the steak frites and it was delicious, rich, and cooked just right. The sauce it came with was also great. I wish the fries came with something to dip in though. The cheese and broccoli appetizers were highlights, but the ice cream sundae dessert stole the show read more

I went to dinner with a group of 5. Service was slow and uninformed. We waited about 10 minutes for our drinks and only 3 were brought out. The other two came after another 5 minutes. The fried olives were delicious. The steak frite was just ok. At the end we saw the 20 percent surcharge and asked the server what it covered. She seemed clueless and said she doesn't see any of it. I wish they would just charge more. Then you're encouraged to tip on the total with the surcharge. The whole experience was disappointing. Restaurant is loud and tables are close together. Won't go back. So many better places in LA and once the actual price is clear, it's super pricey read more

Food quality and excellent presentation Service was professional and friendly Ambiance was giving elegant adult life. Im a fan for sure will be back. read more

See all

We had an amazing birthday dinner here last week. Everything was delicious and the service was great! The vesper martinis were also excellent. The French onion soup was the best ever. Can't wait to go again and try more read more

Melanie, you are extremely accommodating and lovely. Vibes are high at this place!! Can't wait to come back.

Great dinner. Alan is fantastic! Mussels and truffle fries were great. Outdoor vibes were great!

Food and vibes were amazing. Great cocktails, steak frites, and fantastic service! Especially Melanie. Great date night spot

The place is cute. The 20 per cent surcharge which is automatically added to the bill and is not a tip is not. I asked "oh cool so this is autogratuity then?" The bartender said no. It is absolutely not a tip. I asked again if the money goes to the staff or the business. It goes to the business. I asked if the surcharge could be taken off the bill and instead we tip that amount. She said we are not allowed to do that. So basically on one drink we were tipping 40 per cent. We only stayed for one drink instead of four because of the surcharge and most definitely won't return. read more

Great food and service! Thank you Alan!! Made it a great dinner. Delicious drinks and the short rib was so yum

Happy hour is a great deal! We love Melanie - she's the best. Also, saw Noah Beck!!!!!!!

The food and service was amazing! The vibe was very cool and chic! Can't wait to return to this little tucked away gem!

I have been meaning to try Coucou restaurant for awhile and tonight decided to stop in at your Venice location. I probably had one of worst restaurant experiences I have ever had a restaurant. I got there and the bartender/server was already not welcoming or friendly to me. I decided to let it be, the place was busy and ordered the steak frites. When I got the food, it was not good and the steak was very tough. I told the bartender and she argued with me about it and then said she would talk to the matrie d. After a long discussion, she came back and said they would make me a new one. No apology, felt like I was bothering her. After about a 45 min wait I finally got my food, which this time was burnt. At this point, I tried to eat it, but couldn't. Again not a word from the bartender about anything and checking on me. I started honestly feeling very uncomfortable in the restaurant and questioned why was I even there. I got the check, and left eating barely any of the food and now down $65 for extremely rude service, bad food and a very uncomfortable experience. read more

I decided to stop by for dinner over the weekend with a girlfriend. I had made reservations for indoor seating, and when I got there, I quickly regretted it. It was so loud I couldn't even hear my own thoughts. My friend suggested that maybe we just relocate to the restaurant across the street instead, but I really wanted to try this restaurant out. We were politely declined outdoor seating instead, which I totally understand because the restaurant is pretty small. We decided to relocate to the bar seating instead. While it wasn't great, I was able to make out, about 75% of what my friend was saying. Maybe I just came on a bad night, but from this experience, I would not recommend this ambience for a first date, or any time you really want to catch up with someone. Overall, the ambience is cute, trendy; it was pricey for conservative portions. We shared the zucchini beignets, steak tartare, whitefish, and completed the meal with the soft serve. The staff was really friendly and the food was good. I may make my way back to try it out again and try some of the other things I didn't get- either with outdoor seating or on a slower night. read more

See all

Great vibe, nice ambience but terrible service took us having to ask for the waitress after 30 minutes with our drinks to put in our food order and took 1.5 hours to get our entrees!! - we literally had to ask 3x if it was still coming !! Food was great tho! So as long as you don't mind bad slow service and being ignored for good food and vibe this is a spot! read more

Coucou - Soft serve - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Venice, California

We had a drink and appetizer at CouCou on Sunday afternoon and the vibes did not disappoint. Griffin, our bartender, thoroughly explained the flavor profile of the drink options helping us select the perfect cocktail to cap off our weekend. read more

Coucou - Tuna Tartare and Bonnie & Clyde - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Venice, California

Came to celebrate Bastille Day w some girlfriends and it was the perfect setting! The sweet hostess sat us down without reservations and gave us a Sezanne tote as a gift for the celebrations. The restaurant is typical of a french bistro w the dishes to complement! We started w the fried olives, salad, whipped cheese and steak tartare which were all so beautifully plated! Followed by the chicken paillard and steak frites. We ended with their only dessert- an ice cream sundae which was delicious too! Will definitely come back for date night :) read more

See all

The service was very good and the food was impeccable. We sat inside and it was packed. The ambience was great, a beautiful restaurant. As patrons finished up and left, it was much easier to carry on a conversation... acoustics. Can't wait to go back, it was that good. Thank you Coucou! read more

Alan was great! he checked in often and the food was great! they also had some amazing soft serve

Coucou is a cozy, dimly lit little French Bistro in Venice. By cozy, I mean small with the tables all packed closed together, more like communal seating. Otherwise, it was a pretty cute restaurant. The selections on the menu are what you would expect in a French bistro. I got the steak frites and my friend had the Dorado Grille, both were pretty decent. The steak had a nice charred exterior but still pretty tender and juicy on the inside, when cooked medium rare. The fries were crisp and thick, not at all soggy. The waitstaff was attentive but I felt bad for them having to navigate such small spaces during the dinner service. Parking in this area can be a little tricky especially during peak times. I found a metered lot a few blocks away. read more

See all

Natasha was so attentive and kind! amazing food & drinks as well as amazing service. can't wait to come back!

We were greeted by the most pleasant host. We sat at the bar, and the bartender was lovely. The drinks were amazing, the food delicious. We will definitely be returning. read more

Such yummy food and great service. I love the mix and match happy hour but all of the food is bomb. Thank you to Ciara for making my group feel so special and welcome! read more

An all-around excellent experience. From the hostess to the server to the cocktails to the food it was all excellent. I can't wait to return. read more

Coucou is the new trendy restaurant in Venice! A Must Go To place for a new take on French cuisine! The restaurant is cozy and intimate. Such good positive energy! Love the Ambiance and setting, especially the fresh Pink Cherry Blossom and Eucalyptus arrangement! Alexis at the bar is so nice, friendly and attentive! The bar has a nice selection too! Appetizers were unique and delicious! Zucchini Beignets were sweet, hot and crunchy! The Shrimp were sweet & grilled perfectly! My Hangar Steak was cooked medium rare as requested! The Dorade Grill was Fantastic! Fresh and seasoned perfectly! Definitely a "Must have" when you go! Very generous portions to satisfy your appetite! Excellent Customer Service! Be sure to make a reservation! read more

See all

Had a delicious dinner here this week. The entrees were wonderful, the haute dog, burger and salmon and our apps the grilled shrimp were also super tasty. We had sides of the grilled fennel and the perfectly seasoned brussel sprouts. We ended with the lovely chocolate mousse. Our server was terrific and just attentive enough to help but not hovering. It is on the pricey side for sure and they had some items that i wanted to try but i'm allergic to some of the ingredients. I think the wine selection was okay that was one area they could improve for the price points of the glasses. The cocktail we tried was delicious. I would say try them for apertif hour and enjoy the food and wine and if you are looking for the charm of a small french bistro vibe on main street this place is it! read more

Coucou - The burger he said was perfectly cooked to his request. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Venice, California

See all

Food was good, but not good enough for a special trip. A little dark but good for some IG snaps. We waited about 15-20 minutes after our reserve time to be seated, and that bled into the meal - it felt like drinks took awhile to order and get to us, and the same happened with our meals. Food | Everything tasted good, but nothing wowed us. Ceviche was good (felt like it had some Asian inspiration tbh) and the zucchini beignets tasted better than they looked. Steak frites was really good but nothing I would write home about. Burger and mussels were also popular throughout the restaurant. Portions seemed reasonable. Drinks were okay (pretty but tasted just fine), I'd skip and get the wine instead. Indoor and outdoor seating is available, but all of the tables are pretty small - I would recommend only coming with one other person as they only have a few tables that can fit more than two people. read more

See all

Me and my girlfriends went to happy hour tonight and had SUCH a nice time. Griffin was our server and he was so great. Suggested the best apps - and this happy hour is amazing. 3 for 33!? And oysters are on the menu?? Bomb. Coming back asap read more

Coucou is the similar to ça va an informal version of bonjour in french meaning 'Hi!' Located on Main Street in Santa Monica, this restaurant and bar opened 4 weeks ago. On opening week, reservations available via Resy. It's a known fact that Resy is NOT reliable and has so many glitches, and evidently it didn't book my reservation. Three weeks ago, after a morning of hiking and driving with my convertible top down I wanted to stop and visit this restaurant and decided to just walk in. The restaurant just opened and was totally empty. I was greeted by a male staffer, who informed Me that all seating inside were NOT available, only bar seating and a table in the very back of the restaurant :( I pointed out all the empty chairs, but he tells Me the seats were all reserved and would be filled within 10 minutes. My iphone happened to be on video mode taking views of the interior and happened to record this conversation with the staffer. I turned off the vidi mode when I noticed it was still on. There were 2 other male staffers present and was asked why I was taking pictures, to which I replied, for my review which will eventually write and post for the public to read. They just stood there as I was about to walk out, I overheard one staffer recognize Me. I noticed two table seating outside and asked about them...behold all of a sudden seating anywhere I wanted was available now?! To avoid the uncomfortable feeling of the initial conversation, I sat outside. I already reviewed the menu and ordered immediately. The menu on their website showed fresh oysters from Morrow Bay but this menu was different and offered oysters from Tomales Bay an inlet in Marine County up north. These oysters were so small and unlike posted pics of larger oysters, not worth it. The menu of selections mostly offers a la carte and french style foods. The ceviche was the best tasting with exotic flavors and visual presentation was enticing, definitely a must with a side of french fries. This ceviche tastes better than Cobi's (a south East Asian food restaurant further up on Main Street), Coucou's version deserves 5 stars alone. One of the male staffers and who also is the GM, Derek was apologetic and tried to mitigate the uncomfortable confrontation earlier by offering a drink for Me and a bowl of water for my furbaby. I must have stayed longer than I wanted but was there for about an hour. And it turns out the 'reserved' tables and seats inside I wanted remained empty! Sometimes I feel that restaurant staffer thinks that a sole diner will not order enough to merit a seat.m or more tip and It's unfortunate that thinking is flawed. In my case, usually I order lots of dishes to try an assortment of foods, it's $$$$ spendy and I know lots of other some diners who are the same, so sole diners should be treated respectfully. Shortly thereafter, I was also approached by a female staffer who happens to be the co-owner Hailey, who also was apologetic and listened to my concerns and suggestions. This area is very casual, bohemian earthy, not really fancy like Beverly Hills. I thought a meal at at new restaurant in this area was perfect after a morning of hiking, but I was wrong. I felt I was judged because I was a sole diner dressed sporty casually with wind blown hair (blame my convertible). I did read a review of a diner who had a reservation for 10 and 2 additional diner showed up and received such bad service and posted a one star review. The restaurant owner's response was nonsensical. I am disappointed that management seems to be off on their seating policy. Coucou should be flexible and welcome everyone cordially. If I was not recognized later as a reviewer, perhaps the negative treatment would have continued, although I would NOT have stayed/accepted or tolerated it, as nobody should. Perhaps you can brave a hostile greeting and dining experience. Despite their efforts to apologize, the casual french greeting 'coucou' being greeted with hostility plus negativity left a lingering bad aftertaste feeling, the antithesis of a welcomed greeting, I cannot recommend. read more

See all

I ate here with a good friend who lives in the area. It's not a big place. But, it's intimate and comfortable. The service is excellent. The food is even better. We shared several wonderful dishes. We started with oysters, which were from Washington, and served with mignonette. A great start. Next was a whipped farmers cheese with four little dollops of salmon with dill and onions. I loved this. We then had wood-fired prawn cocktail, which was served with a charred lemon and a delightful creamy sauce. Very creative and very good. Steak tartare was next and it was excellent. We finished with moulle frites. My friend loved the fries and ate all of them. I had not a bite. The mussels were perfectly cooked and seasoned. This is an excellent and creative French bistro. The food is creative and well prepared. The service is spot on. They have a small, but creative and balanced, wine/beer/craft cocktail selection. It's simply delightful. read more

See all

Love this small spot on main street. The burger exceptional, the shrimp exceptional, and the service is exceptional. The happy hour is really nice, the mocktails that Natasha makes are excellent. Make sure you get her to fix your drink up. 10/10 will be back read more

It was our first time here and we loved it! Our server Andi was so helpful and gave us great recommendations. She recommended I get the Bonnie & Clyde drink and I thought it was delicious. Good romantic date spot! read more

Coucou - Ceviche - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Venice, California

See all

food and service was amazing! cocktails and wine were delicious too. shout out to our amazing server melanie for taking such good care of our large group! read more

My absolute favorite restaurant on the Westside! A perfect, quaint French spot in the middle of main street. It is cozy, charming, and every single thing on the menu is delicious! Cutest vibe for date night or girls night. read more