Review update, they refunded our extra gratuity. Great customer service. Recommend going!

I'm not gunna lie, this place doesn't suck. The 5-6pm daily happy hour just made my whole weekend. 3 for $33. Cocktails. Beverages. The service. The vibes. I wish I was a regular (and I'm gunna try to be). Natasha and Griffin were handling the bar like a breeze and I had some of the best service and food I've had in LA. 10/10 will be back. read more

From the beginning to the end, Coucou was amazing. The food and cocktails were on point. We sat at the bar and Natasha made the night even better! read more

Our bartender, Jared, was amazing. Totally professional but a gentle friendly aura. He offered my friend advice on her wine choice, and created the most wonderful Dirty Martini, something I never order, but his was subtle and very cold. Calmed my fears about a too heavy burger - it was the best burger I have ever had - cooked to perfection with the amazing cognac secret sauce and caramelized onions. Thank you Jared! read more

Service was the star with the exception of the hostess (a little less attitude, please). Food was decent but noting special. Ambience is probably much nicer inside but if you book a heated outdoor table expect exhaust and noise from buses and traffic with no ambience at all! Hardly as nice as one might believe from the heated outdoor description on Resy. Our server is the only thing that saved this review from being a one star less one star! read more

Coucou - This is the heated outdoor option. Wouldn't suggest unless you like inhaling car exhaust with your $20 martini. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Venice, California

My boyfriend and me LOVE Coucou, everything is always delicious and the hostess and waiters are always so lovely and attentive, it's always a treat! read more

** WARNING: There is a mandatory 20% service fee added to all bills. Restaurant says it's "not a tip or gratuity." ** Came here for a birthday dinner, and since there were plenty of reservation spots online, we decided to just walk in. We were told they were full, but it's only be a "few minutes" for bar seating. We were initially told bar seating was "first come, first serve." We waited for over an hour for bar seating and being told over and over "it'd be just a few minutes." After seeing multiple couples come in after us and being seated at the bar, we asked what was going on. The hostess "forgot" the entire bar was reservation only now that the holidays were approaching. It would have been nice to know that when we were initially greeted. We waited about 20 minutes for our food which was a little bland and a lot overpriced. On top of that, we had to repeatedly ask for water. Then repeatedly ask to refill the water. At the bar. When the check came, there was a mandatory 20% service fee added before tax (which means tax was artificially inflated). The bartender gave us the Toast handheld and said "just a few questions here for you on the screen." So on top of the mandatory 20% service fee ("it's not a tip"), we were also asked to tip ... on the food + service fee + tax. Wild. Will not return. Plenty of other great places in Venice / Santa Monica who don't pull this 20% stunt. read more

Coucou - A mandatory 20% service fee is added to every bill... but it's "not a tip." - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Venice, California

Griffin our server was great!!! The 3 for 33 happy hour is SUCH a good deal and was Plenty of food. The prawns were the hit item. One of those rare LA restaurants that deserves to be pretentious but isn't at all! read more

Amazing burger/martini and lovely service and vibes. Gloria was a doll! Would definitely recommend

Had a very pleasant experience at my first time at Coucou. It is a cute small restaurant with a very bar-like atmosphere. Just don't expect it to be very quiet as it does get a bit loud inside on busy nights. Each dish was unique and flavorful in its own way. The Oysters were fresh, clean, and beautifully prepared. The ceviche had a creamy coconut sauce that paired well with the fish. Mussels were so flavorful and tender. Steak tartare had an almost curry-like spice flavor which was uniquely delicious. Service was attentive and the food came out fast. Would love to come back here again for another nice dinner! read more

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Cou Cou was amazing!!! 10/10. Griffin was so great! Best waitor!! we are the best girls night! We'll definitely be back

Have been to Couch several times so far and been impressed each time with ambience, service and quality. The steak frites is a standout and has got to be one of the best in the cityMy only gripe/wish is that they would mix it up a bit and add some weekly/daily specials to keep things new/fresh. read more

Coucou - Bibb lettuce salad - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Venice, California

Coucou is one of my favorite spots in the west side. It's hard to find a space that feels cozy and chic in LA but they pull it off and the food at this little jewel box is fantastic. I've eaten most of the menu at this point and everything has been perfect. Drinks are impeccable as well. One of my favorite neighborhood spots! read more

The food was ok, the server was friendly but when customer service was not great. We didn't like one dish, left it almost untouched. The server asked if we liked it and then did absolutely nothing to correct the issue. I would not return here again. read more

What a great little bistro find. Classic French bistro fare with some updates. Natasha was super helpful with menu and cocktail options. Just wish it was open in the afternoons on the weekend. read more

Top 5 Burger of all time, a great date night environment as well! An intimate date environment as well read more

Coucou - Waygu beef burger with cognac everything sauce. Top burger I've ever had - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Venice, California

Sat at the bar, restaurant is small but nice and inviting. The service was very good by the bartender, I think his name was Kevin! We had d mussels, steak frites, beignets & grilled shrimp. All were very good. I would definitely return! read more

Coucou - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Venice, California

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Service was great, we got there early and the hostess was able to accommodate the table change request. The Venice location has a small, cozy interior with a fun bar and also has seating on a sidewalk patio (has heaters but no umbrellas). Waitstaff was attentive and gave honest opinions when we asked about their favorites (we wound up going with the cauliflower for a veggie), also gave us a heads up about the automatic 20% that had been added to the bill (very appreciated for that transparency). My friends liked the French 75 that they ordered it twice. Ceviche was unique because it had coconut which I haven't had before and wasn't expecting. It was quite refreshing and went well with the potato crisps it was served with. The beef tartare as others mentioned has a bit more smoky curry flavor as opposed to traditional types of taretare and came with thin baguette toast pieces. The steak frites seemed to be a small portion but cooked to perfection. Frites were nice and crisp on the outside and still warm on the interior. Softserve sundae was fun with the magic shell and berry compote. This makes for a nice girls night out spot or date night. read more

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Coucou is my favorite restaurant in my hometown of Venice Beach. I am a frequent flyer here. The food is always spectacular. The menu is creative. The "Perfect Martini" really is perfect: the best in LA. Without exception, the staff here is welcoming, talented and gracious. read more

Love this place. The whole vibe. The food, the cocktails, the setting, the staff! Always a groovy, cozy hang with friends. And you must try the CouCou Pisco Sour cocktail, Dorade Grille (filleted grilled fish with tons of lemon and herbs) and finish with a soft serve sundae for the table with sour cherry compote, nuts and pour over chocolate that creates a shell. read more

Griffin at Coucou was 10/10 !! Great service and great cocktails and appetizers! Highly recommend

Griffin was awesome!!! Drinks were yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love this spot! It is so cozy and cute. I will often go have a solo meal at the bar. Jared is usually the bartender when I come in, he makes great drinks and always remembers me! Highly recommend :) read more

Bartender with airplane necklace is rude. Probably took 20 minutes for a martini last night after us finally having to ask him if we can get something. No acknowledgment of us at all. Went somewhere else for our other drinks. read more

Wanted to love this place since I loved the restaurant it was before but the service and food was awful. I was a party of two with a reservation outside that we wanted to swap for inside since it was empty. We asked to sit at the table for an allotted time until it was reserved. The hostess wouldn't let us swap so we sat at the bar instead. The tables that were "reserved" for later were empty for over an hour and until reserved party came. Aside from the horrible FOH the food wasn't good for the price/ quality. We ordered the burger $27, fries $7, hot dog $25, sundae $not worth it and two cocktails $18/each. Most disappointed in the burger and hot dog- for almost $30 each you'd think it was worth it and it's absolutely not. Tasted like something you could make yourself at Trader Joe's for less than $10. read more

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Cute little French place in downtown Venice! Cool and hip atmosphere. Great cocktails, too. We were impressed with their bartenders and drink recipes. Ordered fries and their famous soft serve sundae. Both were excellent. It is pricey, but that's just LA. Two cocktails, side of fries, and the soft serve sundae cost $74 with taxes and automatic 20% gratuity. read more

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We love Natasha and Griffin!! Go see them at the bar for happy hour!!!! They will guide you through the best cocktails

First time here to try out the happy hour and my new favorite! Food is sooooo good and the staff is incredible! Natasha was absolutely amazing and walked us thru the whole menu and made the best drinks! Definitely ask her for the recommendations...she didn't miss! Definitely my new favorite happy hour spot! read more

We loved our evening at coucou. Everything was delish & the staff were all so sweet. We want to come back soon for the ice cream!

Took a business associate from out of town here and the food was good, service fine. He picked up the check and It wasn't until our next meal out when I was paying that he made a humorous jab about the cost of our meal being a bargain compared to Coucou. I asked him what he meant, and he said the $350 tab for a casual dinner seemed steep. I insisted he show me the receipt and there was a 20% fee tacked on without explanation upon which he had also added a nearly 30% tip. I'm assuming the 20% is one of those supposed employee benefit charges, which are often 3% or so. Seems shady and felt bad as my associate was tipping generously (and on the surcharge as well). He was too nice to say anything at the time and scrutinize the bill. I find the practice sleazy. If you can't afford to pay your employees, just raise your prices and let the market decide. Don't sneak line item charges onto a bill and force customers to ask to remove them in front of clients, etc. Went from a place I'd go again to crossed off the list. read more

Coucou is amazing and the team is what makes it so!!! Ceara, the maitre d', is literally the best, most professional, hospitality aficionado. This place is so so special, it's hard to explain. A magical energy. Everyone seems so happy here. I feel like I'm teleported somewhere else far far away with a glass in my hand and an unforgettable meal. I will always come back as long as this energy remains read more

Natasha, in Venice makes a fabulous dry martini. Monday is martini and burger night.

Intimate warm and inviting little spot. Very few tables and a little crammed together. No private convos to be had here. Cool bar seating as well though if you want to go for date night. Cocktail list was interesting in a good way. Very unique. For food we had the fried olives, ceviche was fantastic, steak fries, oysters, and main course fish. Side of harissa cauliflower was ok it sounded better than it was. But rest all in all was delicious. Decent portions especially the mains. Not 5 star impressive but recommend to try for a relaxed date night spot. And of course the main st area has late night options after dinner. Nothing really for dessert here so you can cross over to sweet rose for ice cream after like we did. read more

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Cute date spot with great food and drinks. Make sure to sit outside on the patio. We really enjoyed the tomato appetizer read more

Coucou - Tomato appetizer - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Venice, California

We had such a great time at Coucou! Sat at the bar and the bartender Jared was super helpful, he made amazing drinks and had great food recommendations. Love the friendly neighborhood vibe of this place. Can't wait to go back! read more

I'll start by saying I have been to the other location in West Hollywood and have had great experiences there thus far. I was excited to hear that a location was opening in Venice as I live in the Southbay. I convinced my friend to go out last night before I left town today and the experience was off putting from the start. As we walked in at 8:40, for a 8:45 reservation they were already breaking down tables near the entrance. We were greeted by what I would assume was the manager who led with we close at 9:30 and last call is at 9. Not the warm welcome I would have expected. Just an FYI you have times posted online that vary from 9:30-10 as closing times. If there is one thing I hate about the hospitality industry it is being rushed when I'm about to sit down to a $200+ dinner. I understand it was slow and a Monday night but each guest that walks through the door should have the same experience and I hope this isn't what others are experiencing. The drinks were good, a clear cube in the old fashioned for $20 would be a nice touch. The food is what half way saved the experience as it was what I expected eating at the weho location multiple times. Halfway through the meal the manager and another staff member chose to bring in a bunch of patio furniture and heaters which was less than pleasant.. I own a consulting company in F&B hospitality and I think this location is lacking a little love because it was night and day from the Weho location. read more

You need to try this burger! It was beyond phenomenal. (with the cheese) Why 4 stars? We'll get there: oysters - good oysters although they could use more topping than what was provided and were not shucked well and required removal by table utensils Mussels were really well done although "Meet in paris" does it as well with greater variability/ambiance. 1. The service was good but slow 2. Seating is a bit tight and they brought everything out for our rather small table. 3. The price was a scooch higher than the food value. Overall: worth going, but i wouldn't go out of my way to get here. Seriously though, come get this burger read more

Bar Coucou is a new spot that boasting french-inspired meals and has lines out the door. One of the best ways to get in is to try and secure reservations as their space gets filled up right around 5pm and continues into the evening. The bar area is limited, and isn't the best for large parties, which can once again be done through reservations. Simply put, everything we tried was well-made and with both quality and decor in mind. Every item is tasteful in a comprehensive sense, so what you order will please your stomach as much as your eyes. The staff were nice, very quick to attend and served food as it was prepared. They even offered to change plates and silverware, which makes all the difference when switching from small plates to entrees. The decor is fantastic too! You'll find arrangements that may not catch our eye, but once it does, you'll stop right there. I really liked what they did with the subtle design of the place and accenting through seasonal arrangements - in this case cherry blossoms as spring comes into view. Fried Olives: these are a small but savory treat that combines the oil of olives with a fried crunch. It's meant to be polarizing and something new. Oysters: These are absolutely fresh and go down the hatch easily. I think a half dozen are great for two. Beef tartare: this is good for about three people and can be a bit more like a paste consistency that is very experimental in nature. I found the taste to be consistent with other tartare dishes I've had in the past, but the presentation was something very new to me. Ceviche: this was hands down our favorite. It was both creamy and spicy, and could not have gone down faster. I just wish there was more in each plate. Once again, the presentation was spectacular. I do think this place has a lot to offer, and one should come with an open mind (unlike some of the other reviewers here) to arrive in a small group of 2 or 4. And most of all, come with good company as I did visiting with Nadine. It can make or break your experience, all for what is a meal to be enjoyed in a fresh new concept on Main St. This joy-filled tone carried even further as we had a chance to meet and speak with Hayley (whom we never met) and she was pleasant in each moment that we asked for direction or just chatted about all the hard work put into this place. We couldn't have had a better experience. read more

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This is a delightful little wine bar (now with a full bar) that serves exceptional food. Try the French 76 which is refreshing and bright. The oysters are fresh, the ceviche was tasty with a unique twist using coconut milk, and the fried olives are delightful little bites. The prawn cocktail also was quite tasty and well seasoned. For the main entree, I had the Steak Frites... the steak came perfectly cooked (medium rare) and seasoned and the fries were perfect, they even came with what seems to be home made ketchup. This is a great place for a date or a dinner to catch up with friends. Will most likely be back. read more

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This review is for the WeHo restaurant. The service here is absolutely appalling-- From the hostesses all the way to the servers and the cooks. Almost everything in our order was completely wrong. Several things had to be sent back twice because they overcooked them. Of course they have a built-in 20% tip so none of the service staff are interested in really earning it. The food is mediocre, but the ambience is very nice. Please be aware that they say children under eight or not allowed but please look at my picture. There were three under eight that were loud and crying most of the time we were there on a Saturday night. The hostess said she didn't know how to tell them no when they checked in. No idea if the owners have any understanding of the amateur hour this is regarding service. read more

Coucou - Kids under 8 are no issue. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Venice, California