KooKoo Bar Restaurant Rooftop — Restaurant in Municipality of Thira

We went to this place because it was highly rated (4.9 out of 5), and it was not an easy thing since we are traveling with an old person who needs assistance to walk. It took us a while to get there, and since the beginning, no special assistance was given to our companion. But it was ok, we didn’t ask for it. Then, we were offered a table in a respectful way and saw that the place had a great location; we thought we had made a great choice. But then, the problems started. When the waiter (a young man) approached, he never addressed me (I was the man of the group and started ordering looking at him, but he never looked at me); instead of that, he was talking directly to my girlfriend, which was really uncomfortable. Then I asked the food in a specific order, the guy asked me if I wanted my food in that way, which I confirmed. Then the food was brought in the order they wanted. Then, we asked for mayo, and even though it was shown in the menu that it had a cost, where we are from, this is not usual, and we were not told about this (we didn’t know until we got the bill). Then the food was not really good, but we were hungry so we ate it all (as you will see this mentioned in the messages exchanged with the Instagram account of the place). Then we wanted to ask for some drinks and another plate, but the first waiter ignored my girlfriend, so she has to ask another waiter. I was mad by this time already. After this, my girlfriend approached and asked the wife of the owner (we didn’t know this at this point) to be moved to the rooftop so we could enjoy the sunset, but it was denied. We were told that everything was reserved, but there were several tables available. We were only offered to go upstairs and take pictures (really?). After this, the owner’s wife approached the table and continued explaining why it was not possible, and after she saw the expressions on our faces, she offered a table for two and bring another chair so we could join. By now, we were already mad and very uncomfortable. So my girlfriend’s mother (which does not speak fluent English) saw her daughter’s face and used the translator to say: “bad service, bad food, bad attention, no more comments” in Greek, and made a gesture with her hands to show that she had no more to say (which later this was going to be used against us later). So the owner’s wife, asked what happened and wanted to know why our reaction so I proceeded to explain the whole situation since the beginning. I have to admit that I know how to deal with clients (I’m a doctor and know how to treat patients -my clients-) so I respectfully told her what went wrong since the beginning. She was ashamed and apologized for everything, expressing that it was a family business and they wanted to know what they can do to improve. I emphasized that the critique shouldn’t be taken personally and that all we wanted was her place to be better (since it was a highly rated). She offered again to be moved upstairs but at this moment we were tired and wanted to go rest. So I just said thank you, paid the bill and left. Afterwards, I uploaded a story on my Instagram account, which I’ll share in the pictures, and got some replies which I consider offensive. I leave this review for you to know my part of the story and think twice about this place from our point of view. The conversation with the owner went raw so I had to block him.

I do not recommend this place, even thought the location is great. By far is one of the worst places I’ve ever...

My husband and I are celebrating our 10-year anniversary with a little European tour, and for our final stretch, we spent a few days in Santorini (starting in Fira), followed by Naxos, and ending in Oia.

My husband is a total foodie and does his research well before our trips — reading reviews, hunting down the best local gems — and he had flagged KooKoo Cafe Lounge Bar in Oia as a must-visit. We originally booked it for the last night of our trip, but on our first day, while hiking the 6-mile trail from Fira to Oia, we happened to stumble upon it.

We figured, why not give it a try now? And wow, we’re so glad we did.

From the moment we stepped in, we were greeted with warm smiles and a friendly, inviting atmosphere. It only got better from there. After guzzling water (post-hike!), we were ready for something refreshing. I ordered the La Siniorina cocktail — and it was so good I ended up having three. My husband went for the local beer, expecting something basic — but it came out in a frozen glass with the perfect foam head, and he couldn’t stop raving about it. He was genuinely surprised by how much he enjoyed such a simple, inexpensive beer — it completely exceeded expectations.

We started with a few local appetizers and moved on to traditional dishes — and ate every bite. Our waiter was incredibly helpful, offering thoughtful recommendations that hit the mark. We also had the chance to meet the husband-and-wife owners, who were right there alongside their team — delivering food, checking receipts, refilling water glasses. You could feel the energy: the whole staff genuinely seemed happy and close-knit. It felt like we’d been welcomed into a big Greek family.

We loved the experience so much that we came back the next day — ATV-ing over from Fira just for pre-dinner drinks and snacks. And again, we were greeted like old friends — the team remembered us and made us feel at home. And tonight, on our final night, we’re heading back once more.

We’ve eaten at some incredible places throughout this trip, but KooKoo has been the full package — delicious food, unbeatable service, and a warm, welcoming vibe that keeps pulling us back. This place is...

Unfortunately, my experience at this restaurant was a bit of a mixed bag. I’m unable to comment on the food, as we didn’t get that far. We noticed from the Google reviews that it had a 4.9-star rating, so we thought it would be a great choice.

We were seated quite promptly upon arrival, which was a positive start. However, we sat there for about 8 to 10 minutes waiting for a member of staff or the bar team to acknowledge us and see if we wanted some water, especially given how hot the day was. Sadly, no eye contact was made, and no one came over to attend to us. Other guests who arrived after us were seated and served, which made us feel overlooked.

With that in mind, we decided to leave without ordering anything. We were not offered the option to sit on the rooftop terrace, nor was there any acknowledgment when we first arrived other than being shown to our seats and handed a menu.

For future improvement, I would suggest that staff ensure guests are offered water or a beverage shortly after being seated, especially on hot days, before taking their food orders.

While we didn’t get to try the food, I hope this feedback is helpful. Unfortunately, the welcome we received was not the best, which was disappointing.

I also wanted to mention that I had emailed twice to arrange a booking but did not receive any response. Additionally, regarding the owner's response, I believe it’s common courtesy in my country to be asked if you’d like a beverage when seated and presented with a menu. We have eaten in many restaurants around the world, and it’s always been standard practice to at least acknowledge guests within a reasonable time after being seated—usually within a few minutes. It felt quite odd to be seated with a menu and not be acknowledged for about 10 minutes.

While I understand that you need to look at the menu to decide, a simple offer of water or any drink would be a considerate gesture.

This is just some constructive feedback, and I appreciate...