Chouchou — Restaurant in Paris

Chouchou – A Night of Smoke, Noise, and Unmet Potential

Some places, no matter how promising, manage to disappoint not through what they fail to offer but through what they choose to ignore. Chouchou, with its lively buzz, glowing lights, and promise of a good time, seemed like the perfect place to grab a galette and a beer on a winter’s evening in Paris. But what unfolded was not the cozy escape we’d hoped for. Instead, it was a lesson in the darker side of shared spaces, where respect is as scarce as fresh air.

The evening began with potential. A crisp Lachouffe in hand and a savory galette on the way, we were seated in the bar area, an outdoor yet enclosed space designated for those not indulging in a full meal. Fine by us—until we realized this area came with an unwelcome accompaniment: cigarette smoke.

Ah, the cigarette, that emblem of Parisian charm turned tyrant. When it is just one person smoking, you can bear it—perhaps even dismiss it as part of the city’s atmosphere. But the night turned when a new table of four arrived next to ours, each armed with cigarettes and a disdain for courtesy. The smoke enveloped us, not like a poetic fog on the Seine but as a smothering, intrusive force, curling into every breath we tried to take.

The thing about smoke is that it doesn’t stay politely contained; it spreads, it intrudes, it dominates. In the confined space of Chouchou’s bar area, it became the unwelcome guest at our table, turning every bite of our galette and sip of beer into a battle for fresh air. One cannot savor food or drink when one’s senses are overpowered by the acrid sting of tobacco.

The galette itself was decent—crispy, savory, and well-prepared, though not extraordinary. The beer was refreshing, as expected, and we even considered ordering another round. But the cumulative assault of smoke and noise, combined with the unrelenting chaos of a crowded Friday night, pushed us to abandon the experience altogether.

Cigarette smoke, when unleashed without thought for others, is not just a nuisance—it is a metaphor for the darker side of shared spaces. It is the unspoken declaration that one person’s pleasure is more important than another’s comfort. It is a reminder that even in a society, civility can be burned away, one puff at a time.

Chouchou, with its vibrant energy and decent food, had the potential to be enjoyable. But the lack of care in separating smokers from non-smokers in a confined space turned an otherwise pleasant outing into an exercise in endurance.

Rating: 3/5 Chouchou has charm, and its food and drinks are solid. But until it addresses the simple matter of making its spaces enjoyable for all, it will remain a place of unmet potential. Smoke may dissipate, but...

I had a deeply disappointing experience at this restaurant, which unfortunately left a negative mark on my trip to Paris. I chose this place based on its high Google reviews, but it did not live up to expectations in any way.

The beef bourguignon had an unpleasant odor and tasted as if it had been tainted with cleaning detergent, making it entirely inedible for everyone in my group. As shown in the photo, the French onion soup was topped with excessively burnt cheese, resulting in an overwhelmingly bitter taste. Rather than the comforting richness I had anticipated, the only flavor I could detect was that of charred residue. Additionally, the pasta also had a strange smell and an unpleasant taste, making it difficult to eat.

I ordered the beef steak (rumsteak) medium rare, but it was severely overcooked and extremely tough. The only redeeming part of the dish was the fries that accompanied it, which turned out to be the best-tasting item we had during the meal.

I couldn’t help but wonder how this restaurant had received such glowing reviews. However, I soon realized that the staff actively encouraged guests to leave reviews by presenting a QR code during the meal. While I appreciate a restaurant's efforts to engage with customers, such practices should never come at the expense of maintaining high-quality food and service.

I also briefly questioned whether my perception of the food might be influenced by a lack of familiarity with traditional French cuisine. However, having dined at numerous reputable French restaurants both in my home country and in France—including one where I ordered the very same dishes with vastly superior results—I can confidently say that this was not a matter of taste preference but rather a serious lapse in quality.

Furthermore, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was a certain sense of detachment in the staff's attitude, which made me wonder if bias may have played a role in my experience. While I do not wish to jump to conclusions, this visit left me with an unfortunate impression, which is truly regrettable.

For reference, I have attached the receipt from our visit.

I sincerely hope that the restaurant takes this feedback into consideration and makes the necessary improvements. Paris is renowned for its culinary excellence, and I trust that all establishments aspiring to represent French cuisine will hold themselves to the...

I had high hopes for this place after reading the reviews but I am left scratching my head at how so many people had such a different experience here. We had a pretty bad one and it was an uncomfortable lunch. We stopped in during a rain storm, needed to eat and this place had great reviews. We were seated at the table right next to the door, right next to the only other patron seated in that area who was loudly watching videos on his phone out loud, even though the place was nearly empty and there were tons of tables. I felt a bit stuffy inside so I asked the waiter, before he had brought us anything, if we could move to the covered patio where he told us no, it was too cold (there were at least 4 other tables of people eating out there). I told him that was fine and he still said no. That should have been the first sign to leave but we stayed as we didn't want to go back into the rain. It's Paris so I don't expect overly friendly service but this was the bare minimum, didn't even say anything when he came back to take our order, just stood there. We split a french onion soup and I had one of the galettes. The soup was flavorless and watery and the galette was limp and soggy and also flavorless. It was just plain bad. The rain was splashing into the door so the floor next to our table was all wet, the guy next to us was listening to his loud videos, and we were seated away from any of the other patrons who seemed to get the more comfortable tables further back into the restaurant. I felt so uncomfortable the entire time and could not leave...