I really enjoyed the lemonade and mango refresher drinks. They're deliciously addictive! Rasta pasta is amazing! Plantain cups--I sadly don't remember craving more. And of course, I love a Haitian patê. The only downside was the fried chicken on Fritay Friday. I love fried food, it was very overcooked--where was the meat? I would NOT get that again. Service was great and the experience was exciting. The guy serving us was more like a host--upbeat, funny, and welcoming. The space is nice. It gives more of a party/club atmosphere. Definitely more than I had expected from a restaurant in a plaza. read more

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Flew in from Dallas and one of my teammates suggested Gou--so glad they did. Manny was our server and provided exceptional service for our team of 10 this evening. The food was absolutely amazing. Highly recommend! read more

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This is one of me and my family's favorite places to eat at if we could eat there every day we would all the food is delicious always come out nice and fresh and it gives you your moneys worth. I'll be there this week to get my food and Customer Service they always nice to us when we come there we are regulars read more

Gou Restaurant - Fried pork - Haitian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My adventurous cousins and I decided to venture out to Philly to dine at Gou and to see what several of our friends were talking about. This place and service did not disappoint. The food was amazing and the ambience was more than what we expected. We would give this place a 10 out of 10. read more

Gou Restaurant - Drinks on Point! - Haitian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The hospitality of the staff was top notch. The food and presentation was flawless. Very clean restaurant with a very calm atmosphere. Instantly this place has become one of my top 3 restaurants in Philly read more

Gou Restaurant - Fried Goat with Black Rice and Plantains, an order of Oxtail Plantain Cups, and Sunset Passion to drink - Haitian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Amazing authentic Haitian food! Hands down, the best Haitian food in Philadelphia. The lunch special is UNBEATABLE--just 10 bucks for protein (griot, chicken, turkey, or meat balls), rice and a drink. The griot is always fresh and tender. Their plantain cup appetizer is a fun twist on a Haitian classic. Also their Mac and cheese is out of this world! Owners are friendly and attentive. Can't recommend this place more!! read more

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They treated us very well. The food was excellent and the byob option was just what we needed.

This was my first time trying Haitian food and I was truly blown away. I mean I could keep coming back just for the Rasta Pasta. So let me back up. I am pretty picky food eater and trying new cuisines is an extreme sport to me, I almost always have a back plan to get Chicken Nuggets on the way back home. But it's safe to say the day I tried Haitian food at Gou Philly, no chicken nuggets were purchased. The place is super cute, located on North Philly in a strip mall so parking is available. The place has a VIP section and the walls have cute pictures of the owners family. We started with the jerk chicken wings, and meatballs in a plantain cup with spicy cabbage slaw. One bite and we were dancing to the rhythm of beat ! We absolutely loved the Rasta pasta and the chicken in curry sauce with rice. Needless to say we will be back for the food and warm service! Did I mention it was BYOB? read more

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Let me start off by saying that the food here was delicious! My friends and I came here on a Saturday. We were celebrating our birthdays. I had the red snapper that was accompanied by a sauce that was out of this world! One of my friends had the snapper fried. She loved it! My other friend had the oxtails. She was very satisfied as well. The service was very good. Our server was a young lady who was very pleasant and personable. She came back to our table a few times to make sure that we were ok and to ask if there was anything that we needed or wanted. The ambiance is ok. No pretence. Just a place to come and have a good meal. Now, here's where I had my issue: I called an made a reservation days in advance. When we arrived however, we were received as if they weren't expecting us. We were asked on two separate occasions if we had a reservation. Then, a man, who I believe was the manager or maybe even the owner never greeted us. I mention this because I noticed that he went to every other table and greeted the guests. It felt as if we had crashed a private party. read more

100/10!! I researched Haitian restaurants to try in Philly and I'm so glad I chose this one to try on my visit! My table got the sampler appetizer with the hot & honey wings, sweet & spicy shrimp, and meatball plantain chips. For entrees we had fried goat, Rasta pasta, and fried snapper. Everything was delicious, comfort food at its finest! They even overheard we had a birthday at the table and surprised us with song and a birthday dessert to share. When I'm in Philly, Gou will now always be on the must eat list! read more

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Enjoyed our meals here and will def recommend if you're looking for authentic Haitian food. The TOG passion fruit drink was awesome but the mango refresher was wayyy better. If you're west african keep in mind their plantains are made like Hispanics make their tostones (not the dodo like Nigerians tho) my friend didn't like it much because of the hard consistency and not soft like regular fried yellow plantains. Shoutout to KC for always posting the latest meals and events they have on his instagram. Lots of videos on tiktoks also show the vibes and what they have. They do late night music on the weekends and byob. We didn't have any alcoholic drinks because they weren't serving when we were there in the afternoon. Images above show their latest menu(as of Feb 2024) with prices also. read more

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It pains me to not love this place but I have to say I DON'T! . After a television spotlight on restaurants in Philly my mother and dining partner pressed me to drive the 15 miles. I called in advance to see if seating was possible the person on the line said it wasn't crowded we should be good. We arrived we were seated immediately in this cute little restaurant where everyone was pleasant. Our table didn't have any place settings and we had to ask after receiving appetizers. Food: at 7pm on Saturday they were out of wings?! They wing appetizer is usually served as 5 large beautiful wings I was offered wind dings. Okay I wanted to taste them I ordered hot and honey, I received 7 wing dings in place of 5 whole wings for the same price! Huh???!!! The wing are delicious! I Asked for water with lemon was told they don't have lemons they have limes. I'm confused I ordered fresh squeezed lemonade. That was explained later. We both ordered chicken in sauce, it came out cold not room temperature COLD and WAY TOO SALTY!! I had the 'mushroom' rice with plantains both were room temperature and arrived several minutes AFTER the chicken. Suggestions: offer a description of your meals e.g. chicken drumsticks in a traditional spicy red sauce with ___. List ALL refreshments with details. Cut back on the salt bring the entire entree out and make it hot!! Would I return? No! read more

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This restaurant deserve a 5 stars it's a gem in Philadelphia. The Accra,crispy from the outside and tender from the inside and so flavorful. The DjonDjon rice was fluffy, the macaroni gratine was so tasty and moist. The goat was seasoning, the marinade wouch bon bagaye. This restaurant reminded me all my Sunday dinner in Haiti. It's legit. The Haitian music gave a good Haitian island ambiance. read more

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I've been wanting to try some "Good" Haitian food for quite sometime. I stumbled upon Gou while working and decided to stop in. I asked another patron whom stated she was a regular for recommendations. She suggested I try the Grilled Snapper and or the Boulet "Haitian Meatballs". I opted to try both. Both dishes came with a side of rice and beans and plantains. The Boulet was absolutely delicious! Reminded me of meatloaf with a slight spicy kick and the Snapper blew me away. I honestly wasn't expecting to enjoy the food but it was beyond my expectations. The portions were well worth the cost and the owner was friendly and helpful in helping me explore the menu. Gou has dine in or take out options. It's also a BYOB; which is lovely if your dining in. It's a really nice vibe within and a must try if you're into Haitian food. There are nights I hear they have a DJ and it get pretty lit. read more

Gou Restaurant - Snapper - Haitian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Gou Restaurant is my top restaurant! I definitely recommend Gou Restaurant! The Rasta Pasta and Sweet & Spicy Shrimp is DELICIOUS!!!

It's BYOB. If you like Haitian food, you gotta check it out! It gets lit on a Friday night and the Dj makes sure of that. So if you want a quiet dinner, this isn't the place for you. It's very casual dress and set up. Our table was wobbly and the staff was nice enough to quickly move us to another table. The steak cups were amazing, the Rasta pasta was spicy spicy and delicious, the fish was yummy. read more

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The service, food, and atmosphere, is a 10/10!!! Service, such professional, kind-hearted, and helpful stuff were amazing. They were attentive and ensured our experience was great. Now when it comes to the food, it was a packed house for a reason. Their plantain cups and snapper were to die for. The atmosphere was playing on the latest and best Haitian music and I almost had to get up for Alan Cavé. I would recommend this place for sure. Once my diet is over I'll be back. Only thing, is like most Carribean/Afro place, they to get there on the earlier side of the day, before they start running out of things. Other than that, what we were able to get was tasty. read more

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Every successful service brings more curious eaters the next day. The dishes combine freshness with great taste and variety. Right from entry, workers provide outstanding service. This spot is consistently impressive!!! Gou Restaurant employees create a comfortable atmosphere. read more

My first time experiencing Haitian food. The food was OK. Service was great. But several items on the menu were sold out. No Bueno.

Attended the grand opening brunch event at this restaurant and it was lovely! Nice crowd, lovely atmosphere, great service and delicious food and brunch mimosas. This is a great addition to this area that has a fairly large Caribbean and Haitian community, but a lack of proper establishments for dining-in in an appealing space. Unfortunately, did not get good photos of the very tastefully decorated space, but there was plenty of seating, including bar seating and a separate seating area by the large front windows. Will definitely return after this special event to try out the regular menu items. read more

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The food was SO GOOD. I love it. Nice place. The fruit punch juice was just like being in Jamaica. The ox tails are amazing. Like my grandma is in the back make them. I was exhausted when I left because I ate so much. The service was good. Prompt. The place is small but very spacious. Please go and thank me later. read more

I've given this restaurant more than a few chances, but it seems to have lost its way since the passing of their head chef. They appear to be more focused on events and turning the place into a lounge/club, which is an interesting approach, but it's just not working. The service was painfully slow--it took three hours to get our food after we sat down, even though the place wasn't that busy. I could have counted all the customers in the establishment, yet they kept forgetting parts of our order. They don't seem to have an alcohol license, but the owner was somehow serving alcohol during one of their "events," which was only part of the issue. As for the food, it was excessively salty, with small portions that felt overpriced. Emmanuel, one of the owners, was kind to us during our visit, but the other male owner brushed off our concerns and seemed visibly annoyed. There are other restaurants in Philadelphia with less drama, so I'll probably stick to the ones I usually frequent. read more

One of my 2024 goals was to try Haitian food, and I did! Last night I went to Gou and had an amazing time, the atmosphere, the employees and the food won me over! I ordered the oxtail, rice & beans(not to be mistaken for Jamaican rice & peas lol) and fried plantains. I originally came there to try their countries famous soup(I have no idea how to spell it) but someone sttd they ran out ;). This was my first time visit and it will not be my last! S/O to TikTok for putting me on cause I would've never known about this place! I enjoyed my food and especially their sunset drink! Everyone was so kind, and I even got to taste the soup after all! lol thx KC read more

Gou Restaurant - Haitian soup - Haitian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Intro: Growing up in Philadelphia there weren't a lot of Haitian restaurants and the few I came across had long wait times and inconsistencies. So, I grew accustomed to eating family and friends Haitian food which was good but I wanted a go to restaurant... Inside: "Gou" surpassed all of that. The place is really nice inside. Clean with beautiful photos and decor. They made it feel roomy for such a small place. It had a modern day Haitian culture. Food: And man!!! The food was AMAZING!!! It tasted exactly how Haitian cuisine should have. We had fried pork and fried goat, fried plantains, Haitian black rice, "Mac au gratin" (Haitian Mac and cheese) pork plantain cups, jerk wings, and some mixed juices that were refreshing and good. Everything was so good. I don't have many photos because I forgot to take them but my family took some. read more

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Wow!!!! I was so excited to hear about this new addition to the only neighborhood which is sorely lacking in casual dining restaurants. It's such an unexpectedly cute spot. The decor is lovely and the food is amazing. I tried almost everything on the menu--sweet & spicy shrimp, jerk wings, Haitian patty, plantain cups, Fried goat, black rice, fried plantain & sweet plantain. The plantain cups were the star of the meal. Such a wonderful complex flavors! The fried goat was seasoned to perfection! It was a little crispy for me, I should have gotten it stewed instead. I was absolutely elated to find out that they serve Haitian spaghetti for brunch for which I have been searching high and low for months. I will definitely be back soon! Oh and it's BYOB! read more

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Just ordered through DoorDash and still excellent!! Fast, arrived hot and the Mac and cheese is on point!

Good food! Great atmosphere and good service! Waiting staff are so nice, the food is fresh, seems like some items are made to order which is not only good but impressive knowing how long some things take to cook. read more

This was my first experience with Hatian food and it was amazing! The food was seasoned well and the service was great!

The food was good ! I had du riz blanc pois avec boulette !! I will definitely come back

The vibes was there, the food is authentic & the piklis was spicy good overall. Very home like feeling. They took care of us (a a party of 10) read more

Food is really good here. So far I've been there twice. Service has been very professional, staff is friendly and funny. Probably my favorite feature of the restaurant is the rewards program for repeat customers. (Must inquire) Nice ambiance! Looking forward to going back again, highly recommend. Bon appetit a tous! read more

Excellent food and service! The griot and black rice were my favorites AFTER the Mac and cheese. read more

Food is pretty good. Vibe is too. Loved the rice- very flavorful. The only thing that wasn't hitting for me was the pikliz- not enough vinegar. Also, the plantain cups were a bit too salty. read more

Amazing food and service. Always consistent. Ample portions. It's the best Haitian food I have had in Philly. They have all of the favorites. This is now my go to spot. read more

Food is amazing, service is always great, the ambiance is very welcoming. Great spot to bring a date to vibe with. read more

Gou Restaurant - Haitian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

absolutely unreal. every time i eat from here, i'm on cloud 9. the djon djon is a godly experience. just had the salmon tonight and it was perfect!!! highly recommend this place. read more

Gou Restaurant - Salmon - Haitian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Just what Philly needs, the perfect place to show Haitian cuisine in the glory it deserves. Every time me and my girlfriend eat here it takes us back to a magical place. The service is amazing, and the ambiance in the bar is perfect for where it is read more

Where do I start? Food was amazing. Lots of food. And most importantly, for me, is the service. Everyone from the staff to the owners, treated us well. We love the atmosphere. The place is very beautiful and well kept. read more

Everything was ok, just don't like my plantains cooked too hard. Service wasn't bad...can definitely use a little more ambiance.

Tasty I recommend going in person GrubHub and all the other food delivery services. Miss a lot of items on the menu if you know you know.