Koutoubia
2116 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025 (310) 475-0729
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Alcohol: Full Bar
14 Reviews for Koutoubia
I must have been there on the wrong night because the owner was arrogant and ARROGANT! My date picked this one out thinking that it would be a neat little place to experience. Well, the only thing we experienced was the rude staff. When Adam asked for a listing of beers, the owner dismissed his request and merely asked him what kind he wanted: Amber, etc. Then he brought him a plain old Alaskan one. When we ordered (through the recom of other reviews), we asked, "how about the order... good enough for 2?" The owner said, "Whatever you want. I don't know. You get what you like." (In a snooty French accent) I could go on with the rude waiter, but I think you get the gist...
All in all, we were unsatisfied with the food and service. Try Moun of Tunis - much much better!!
I came here a while ago with a friend just kept forgetting to write it up.
Upon entereing you know you just entered a very authentic and true Moroccan experience.
the owner was very friendly and so was his son. We started off with a unusual moraccan martini that was very delicious!
so was the second.. and third haha
anyhow the food portions were HUGE and we had enough food to feed and army!
The owner and waiters stopped by our table no less than 7-8 times throughout the night.
I will definitely be back just this place will set you back a fe $$ though so do keep that in mind.
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If you like a nice Morrocan restaurant with lots of fun I recommend to go there on week-ends as they have entertainment with belly dancing.
When you go there, you can ask for Michel {owner] or Alex [son] and they'll treat you like a king/queen.
The food there is very tasty, from soup,salad to main course.
The have the best morrocan martini.
One of the most recommended dishes is the "Couscous Royal" for 2 and very well price, and trust me you will feel it's way too much.
Bring your camera too if you want to take pictures while you there do so, because it is a nice experience to be chericed with your love one.,
When you arrive, just tell them Clement sent you and you'll get the special treatment.
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Admittedly, the reason I haven't brought anyone here is because its romantic, sultry, exotic ambiance is an experience that I want to keep for special dates (wink, wink) with my favourite man.
I love the attention we were given, from the washing of the hands, to the carefully prepared prix fixe menu - it was nice having all the decisions in very capable hands. It's also nice to have reasonable portions coursed out properly while watching a very talented belly dancer make all the boys blush. How does she move like that?
We were relaxed from the beginning - could have something to do with the pillows and heavy drapes, but so relaxed that I don't remember what I ate, or what I drank - it didn't matter, it was very good, very fresh, and exactly what I needed that night.
Thanks.
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We were excited to try this place, but unfortunately, it turned out to be a big disappointment. We went there with some friends and from the beginning, when we saw the place almost empty on a Thursday night, we started questioning our choice. Then, there came the drinks, the appetizers and the main courses - what a no, no!! Prices are high for what you get. Moroccan food is so full of flavor - different spices/herbs mixed together, without being hot spicy - but that was not what we tasted there. Aside from the decor, there was nothing memorable. We love Moroccan food and had been looking for a good restaurant since we moved to LA. Well... the search will continue!
The food was only fair and the meal portions were basically appetizer sized. However, the ambience was spot on for a fun and exoctic night out.. The belly dancing was really great.
Doesn't really deserve two stars, really, but I feel bad giving it one lowly star since the owner was really nice and the overall ambiance was really nice. But the food, ugh. I may not know what Moroccan food should taste like but my tongue was registering an emphatic, No likey with my lamb tagine. First of all, why are the servings so ding dang small? I'm not asking for unhealthy Claim Jumper portions but if I'm paying over $100 bucks for a meal I should leave feeling satiated. Everything I tried (some kind of beef roll appetizer that essentially looked and tasted like a taquito, two varieties of lamb tagines, and the chicken couscous) were all disappointing. I can really give my word that I will never be back.
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I am of the opinion that a good restaurant needs a nice, stout owner, who serves as the wise old grandpa of the establishment.
This is one of those places.
The guy is awesome. Complete with tunic and all, this guy is tops. He's from Morocco, but I am pretty sure you can start speaking to him in any language and he'd respond back. At some point in the night he exchanged some Spanish, French, and Hebrew with someone from my party.
He stopped at our table maybe 6 times throughout the night just to chat, and impart some humor and wisdom to us. He even predicted our hometowns:
"Your girlfriend, she is 818."
"Holy shit, yes!"
"You, you are 805."
"Ha, no, I'm 949. Wait, no my cell phone is still 805, damn."
I suppose I should mention the food at some point. Let me first just say that the decor is amazing. If I was king of Morrocco I'd like to think my living room could look something like that, this place is plush.
The drinks. They've got some amazing cocktails here. He claims they are authentically Moroccan; I quite frankly doubt they have spicy martinis and pomegranite cocktails in Morrocco -- when i was there we could only find alcohol in hotels for foreigners.
So they come by and rinse your hands with flower water, and then the food comes. Get the chicken pastry thing -- it's powdered with a bit of sugar and it is incredible. Can't remember the name of it though, these words escape me.
Besides that, they've got your typical array of Moroccan delicacies: couscous, tagines, salads, fish, meats... everything was very very good. We did it family style, which I would definitely recommend so you can try it all. I think my favorite was the halibut ( I believe it was halibut, some kind of fish at least).
Fun times. I will definitely come back . . . great place to bring a group of friends
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There was a 40 something year old dating a mom and daughter here. Looked very sleazy. OTHERWISE...
If you want to feel like royalty, eat at this place. The hospitality is very Moroccan (i.e. polite and generally friendly), just like the decor. I felt like I was stepping into another part of the world. The couches make eating a luxury, since they are so soft.
I loved the stuffed pastry. It melted in my mouth like ice cream on a hot summer day. The chicken inside exploded with flavor on my tongue, and the taste lingering behind made me crave more. I could've asked for two orders, but since one is already $11 I decided to try the lemon herb chicken as well.
Avoid buying a drink here, since water is free and not water is 2.50 and up. No free refills.
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A bit too pricey for my taste... it was the same price as many prix fixe moroccan places though I've tasted better w/ that price (and more food). The honey-plum lamb was a little sweet for my taste but that is probably not their fault (it's just me). The couscous was really good though (this is coming from someone who usually doesn't like couscous). My friend's chicken was cooked well (not as in well-cooked but cooked "good"). The fruit juice was really good as well but I didn't like paying $4.50 for it. The atmosphere is really great though.
Too bad I'm not fluent in French enough to speak with the owner. The pastry I had was the best I've had though. Very flaky and juicy.
Lol I hope my friend and I didn't stink there though as we had just stopped by when we were on bikes.
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Driving past Koutoubia to go to Baran reminded me I hadn't reviewed this place yet.
We started with drinks at the bar. I had the Le Momo which is essentially a vodka tonic with crushed mint. Not bad. I love mint. I love vodka tonics. Why hadn't I thought of this before? It was like a vodka mojito!
Then we adjourned to the wildly colorful dining room. Our group of 11 was split among two neighboring low tables with large beaten metal tables. We had our hands washed in a traditional manner. We started with a stunningly hot lentil soup followed by a marinated vegetable and fruit platter. The eggplant dip was the best and quite good with the anise scented bread. Next came the b'stia which is the chicken flakey pastry with powdered sugar and cinnamon. I ordered the chicken with lemon and olives as my main course as I love olives. I heard the fish and lamb were also excellent. Lastly, we had an almond cookie and plenty of hot mint tea.
Unfortunately, there was no belly dancer but the owner was very funny and even spritzed the birthday girl in a highly inappropriate area when he was spritzing our hands with rosewater.
There is a tomato plant growing outside the restaurant next to the city owned tree. I found this one of those weird details that makes the night unforgetable since one of my friends suggested I come by and harvest tomatoes weekly (it feels like I buy about $10 in tomatoes every week).
Price- $50 including tax, tip and 1 drink
From the outside it's just another white box along Westwood Blvd. The surprise is inside!
When we arrived Michel Ohayon greeted us at the door and washed our hands with rose water. We were then ushered into what feels like a Moroccan country palace, silk covered walls and all! It is amazingly comfortable and elegant. I think the decor says, "any meal here is a celebration!" The tables are low and you sit on big firm pillows. It takes a little adjustment to get comfortable but once settled it feels so nice.
The food is to die for!
We had the prix fixe feast. Sorry, I can't remember the names of ALL the dishes. The B'stia Au Poulet is amazing however, the Tagine de Poulet aux Pruneaux et Miel is my favorite! Soooo tender the chicken falls off the bone! The mint tea is awesome too.
Belly dancers were part of the evening entertainment although I don't know if it was just for Valentines day or they are a regular feature of the Koutoubia dining room. I could do without the added noise and distraction on a romantic night but I appreciate the efforts to create a complete experience.
All in all we had a great time and the three hours we were there just flew by!
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Heaven on earth! Every single bite is like an orgasmic experience! The salad platter is amazing. The tangines are sooo good. Scrummy b'stilla and lentil soup. Try the pomogrante martini. Yum! I have family near here and every time I go to visit it is mandatory we eat here at least once. Yes, it is a bit pricey but the food is so very much worth it. The decor sets the ambiance for delectable dining with cushion seats, inlaid tables and a fabric, tent-like interior. Some nights they even have belly dancers. Waiters and owner are top-notch. They look after the details for a authentic experience from the washing of hands before eating at the table to rose water to rinse your hands after you leave. If you are in the area...go! You won't regret it.
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Fun place to visit, though I've been to several better Moroccan restaurants for the price we paid. The food, while fairly tasty for the appetizer spreads, was a little bland at times and we had to ask for more bread with the appetizer (none was brought with the main (rather saucy) course, and they never offered more. They brought silverware at the beginning of the meal. I guess they assumed we'd want to eat the appetizer spreads with silverware and no bread??? The service was great otherwise - very prompt and courteous. The dancer and decor were colorful, but nothing extraordinary compared to other spots. The drinks were another redeeming point - they offered several fun options I hadn't seen before, and the jasmine tea and almond cookies for dessert were delicious. Worth a try, and a good, relatively inexpensive place to take guests, but don't expect anything too fabulous.
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