Le Coucou

We visited Le Coucou for dinner. Getting a reservation was fairly easy — booking about a month ahead on the reservation platform was pretty relaxed, no real struggle.<br><br>The foie gras was very good — tender and springy, but not in a dense, creamy way. It had an almost pudding-like texture, which was unexpected and quite nice. The duck à l’orange was another highlight — a generous portion, and the orange paired really nicely with the duck. The beef was also well done, nicely tender. Service was fine, nothing to complain about. Prices are on the slightly expensive side.<br><br>The seasoning here is on the heavier side — some people find it too salty, but for us it was fine, and it actually paired really well with wine.<br><br>Overall a solid one-star French dinner. Worth a visit if you’re in the area.

Such a great restaurant for special occasions! We ordered prime steak and lamp chops, both were absolutely delicious! And omg, crème brûlée was 100/10!! Also, chef send us as a gift mini freshly baked Madeleine cookies, it was out the world! Our server was amazing, I forgot his name. The only thing we were ordered that was pretty ordinary is leeks with hazelnuts. Overall great experience!

Disappointed with Le Coucou. All the dishes are only around average. The eggplant is just an eggplant with some vegetables and sauce. The tuna and lobster are good because the ingredients are high quality and fresh, but the sea bass isn't fresh and is too oily. The cappuccino's latte art looks like the picture—like Picasso. The staff constantly rushing to clear the dishes made us feel extremely uncomfortable.<br><br>The architecture and decoration of the restaurant are a 9.5, for real.<br>Food - 2/10🥲<br>Service - 2/10🥲<br><br>Cost 💰- $326

The atmosphere and service are top notch. Roberto is great, along with the rest of the crew. The food was good, but I’ve had better, tried a great white wine though. Overall a lovely evening.

Dear Le Coucou and future customers,<br><br>I’m writing to share my experience from today’s lunch, where my husband and I ordered the “A Very Coucou Lunch” ($150 per person) menu. Unfortunately, we left extremely disappointed — not only did the meal fall far short of expectations, but it was one of the most underwhelming dining experiences we’ve had at a restaurant of this caliber.<br><br>To begin with, I was genuinely shocked to find myself having to remove tendon from one of the dishes. At a Michelin-starred restaurant, this level of oversight is simply unacceptable and immediately set the tone for the rest of the meal.<br><br>Several courses were difficult to eat due to both texture and smell. On more than one occasion, the meat was so rubbery that I had to remove it from my mouth. I ultimately could not finish multiple dishes because they were unappetizing — something I have never experienced at a restaurant of this reputation.<br><br>The most disappointing dishes were:<br>- Beef tartare: While I typically enjoy caviar, what was served today had an unpleasant smell and tasted flat and off-putting.<br>- Canette à l’orange: The duckling was excessively rubbery to the point of being inedible. I could not finish it, and it significantly diminished the overall experience.<br>- “Crépinette” de volaille au foie gras: Again, I encountered tendon in the dish, and the texture was overly chewy. I left most of it uneaten.<br>- Filtered still water ($14): Even the water had an unpleasant odor, which was surprising and disappointing given the setting and price point for filtered still water.<br><br>While dessert was acceptable, it did little to make up for the rest of the meal. At this level, consistency and attention to detail should not fluctuate depending on the time of year.<br>(Michelin Star Season)<br><br>I would also like to explain why we did not raise these concerns during the meal. As each course arrived, we initially assumed the issues might be isolated and did not want to interrupt the flow of service or make premature judgments. However, as the problems continued across multiple dishes, the experience became increasingly disappointing. At that point, we felt uncomfortable repeatedly sending food back, especially in what is expected to be a refined dining environment. In hindsight, we regret not speaking up, but the cumulative nature of the issues made it difficult to address them in the moment without disrupting the entire experience.<br><br>Given the price point, this experience was deeply disappointing. There are many other restaurants in New York City that deliver far higher quality French cuisine with greater care and consistency.<br><br>Regrettably, I would not recommend Le Coucou based on this visit, and I do not plan to return.<br><br>Sincerely,<br>Hailey Kim

Amazing service and food. All meals were so well done, and the wine recommendation was also great. Atmosphere is super cool too. We had a great time during my wifes birthday dinner. Highly recommended

My husband said it was the best salad he has ever had. Overall, the food was incredibly fresh and delicious, with unique flavors that made the experience full of pleasant surprises. We’ll definitely be back to try dinner next time. The staff were professional, passionate, and friendly throughout.

The fish was phenomenal. Definitely get the steak with bone marrow too. The duck was very good. We shared everything between two so the photos we took are half portions of the original dish.

The best birthday lunch a girl could ask for! The food was absolutely outstanding; fresh, unique, and delightful. The only thing that could possibly top it was the five star service by Ryan and his entire team — amazing recommendations for food and wine, impeccable service, and so many delightful surprises throughout to celebrate my birthday lunch to myself. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a one of a kind dining experimented in the city

Came here for my partners birthday celebration and it was a hit !<br><br>First off, you’re greeted with lovely staff where you check in and they do have coat check.<br>You wait patiently with some nice seating beside their beautiful entrance bar.<br><br>We took our seats in the inner dining area and loved the open kitchen concept. You can see the chefs/team preparing your food as well as hear them too.<br><br>We decided to split everything we ordered and they did such an awesome job serving us with our own dishes for each ordered enter (hence why the portion looks smaller).<br><br>One of my favorite parts was the servers left the sauce pan on the side for us especially with the Ris de veau à l'estragon. That sauce was my favorite and would have scrapped it with the bread if given another chance.<br><br>Lastly, if I were to order a dish over again… it would have to be the Ris de veau à l'estragon or the Canette à l'orange. I believe that my partner enjoyed the side pan they left for us. Please see photos and videos for more context on our orders !

Le Coucou is special. The food is rich, classic, and perfectly done without feeling over the top. Every dish feels thoughtful, from the sauces to the presentation.<br><br>The room is beautiful but still comfortable, and the service is calm and confident. It’s the kind of place you go for a real dining experience, not just a meal. Worth it.

This is probably my favourite restaurant in New York. The food is always delicious, the service is excellent, and the atmosphere is amazing. You must try the tartare with caviar and the crème brûlée. Our sommelier was simply magical! I haven't had such amazing wine in a long time! This was my second visit, and I will definitely be back.

One of the best restaurants in NYC. The food is just amazing. Every dish is the best thing you have ever had (or at least this week if you eat at Michelin Starred restaurants every week). The maniacs in the kitchen (you hear them yell "Ouii" after every order is read by the Sou Chef as you eat) are incredibly talented and have attention to detail that would normally be considered a problem. The service is excellent as well. Everything was properly paced, and all the service was smooth and unobtrusive (unfortunately for wait staff, if you can't remember them even being there they did their job at the highest level). I've been here for lunch and dinner and both were occasions I won't forget.

Le Coucou has been on my list for what feels like forever, and I’m so happy we finally made it in to experience it. From the moment we sat down, it was clear why this spot has the reputation it does. The menu, while reading as incredibly exotic and uniquely curated, reveals so many thoughtful intricacies once the dishes actually arrive. Each plate feels like a quiet little masterpiece! Bold in flavor and elegant in technique!<br><br>We decided to lean into our server’s recommendations, and happy we did! Every single dish was truly mouthwatering in its own way. We started with the eggplant, then came the sliced tuna, perfectly seasoned and impossibly fresh, with a silky texture that practically melted the moment it touched your tongue.<br><br>The fish dish with the buttery mousse was to die for, one of those plates you already start craving again halfway through eating it. Beyond the food, the entire experience felt intentional and intimate, from the knowledgeable service to the way each dish was delivered with just enough context to make you appreciate the craftsmanship behind it<br><br>Safe to say Le Coucou fully lived up to the hype fand then some!!)

Overall a great time but something that didn’t click for us early in the meal lowered our score and our overall recollection of the experience — let me explain.<br><br>Everything started marvelously. Beautiful setting, open kitchen with tall French chef hats, impeccable and attentive service (exceptional service). for some context, we had initially come because we were visiting from Los Angeles and I had a hankering for French cuisine (which is sparse in LA). Le Coucou’s Michelin star was an enticing proposition, along with their Beef Tartare topped with Caviar.<br><br>From most angles this places would rank highly:<br>Ambiance: 5/5<br>Service: 4.5/5<br>Drinks and Wine: 5/5<br>Desserts: 5/5<br>Main Courses: 4.5/5<br><br>It was the earlier parts of our dining selection that were confusing to us. The starters and the gourmandises were just not “our taste”.<br>1/5<br><br>Starting with the bread service — yum. Delicious fluffy warm sourdough.<br><br>Then we moved to the Beef Tartar and the Leeks… the leeks were exceptional, very well prepared and presented. The beef tartar was well presented but we both found that while pleasing to look at, texturally not muchdynamism, and very salty. Because no shallots or textural contrast it was “rich / creamy” on top of “rich / creamy”. This was a theme for half of our time eating… truly unfortunate I didn’t like it because I really love beef tartar and the dish was beautiful.<br><br>The gourmandises were, as Michelin says, “unapologetically French” which — again — is someone’s taste but I guess just not ours. Each dish seemed warm, “rich / chewy / creamy” which starts off the dinner quite heavy. The pike fish mousse with the lobster sauce was really not for us. It reminded me of a jello mold of fish with a very bubbly thick lobster sauce on top. Again, “rich / creamy / chewy”, and we left most on the plate. I was surprised the staff didn’t ask us about it, why we didn’t like it (especially after they recommended it as what the chef is known for) and then the Morilles Farcies dish (I think)… also sat as rich, creamy and chewy.<br><br>Ultimately both weren’t to our liking. Interestingly, the other gourmandises option would likely have been the same — sweat breads with a thick sauce? Again too much rich, chewy, creamy...<br><br>I suspected my dislike was possibly my Pacific / Asian palate… maybe I should have ordered the fish crudo / tartare dish they also had on menu (looks good, see other reviewers Google Photos). But my partner is half European and half Latina, and she agrees.<br><br>For our Mains, we loved the duck served two ways and the sole / fish. So well prepared.<br><br>Knowing what I know now I would go back — beautiful scene, gorgeous kitchen, great staff, world class wine selection, good bites here and there — I would just would avoid those dishes.