angular array item not updating on scope change

Spent a few hours on this already, sifted through numerous stack posts and blogs but can't seem to get this to make my model update. More specifically, I am trying to update an array item (ng-repeat). In the simple case below, I iterate over venues list, and upon toggling a "like" button, I update the server appropriately, and reflect the change on the venues item on the $scope.

in my search.html I have a directive:

<ion-content>
   <venues-list venues="venues"></venues-list>
</ion-content>

and search controller I have:

app.controller('bleh', function(Service) {
   ...
   $scope.venues = [{ id: 1, name: 'Venue1', like: false },{ id: 2, name: 'Venue2', like: false }];
   ...
});

Nothing unusual there. Then in my venues-list directive:

app.directive('venues-list', function() {

   function venueListController($scope, Service) {

      $scope.likeToggle = function(venue, $index) {
            Service.likeVenue(venue.id, !venue.like).then(function() {
               $scope.venues[$index].like= !venue.like;
            });
      }
   }

   return {
      strict: 'E',
      templateUrl: 'venue.html',
      controller: venueListController,
      scope: {
         venues: '='
      }
   }
});

then in my venue.html I have:

<div ng-repeat="venue in venues">
  <p>{{venue.name}}</p>
  <button ng-click="likeToggle(venue, $index)">Like</button>
</div>

I have tried many different options:

$scope.$apply() // after updating the $scope or updating scope within apply's callback function;
$scope.$digest()
$timeout(function() { // $scope.venues[$index] .... }, 0);
safe(s,f){(s.$$phase||s.$root.$$phase)?f():s.$apply(f);}

so

safe($scope, function() { $scope.venues[$index].like = !venue.like });

I haven't yet used the link within the directive, but my venues.html template is obviously a little more elaborate than presented here.

EDIT:

Just to keep the discussion relevant, perhaps I should have mentioned - the data is coming back from the server with no issues, I am handling errors and I am definitely hitting the portion of the code where the $scope is to be updated. NOTE: the above code is a small representation of the full app, but all the fundamental pieces are articulated above.

1. Search Controller
2. Venues Service
3. venue-list directive and venue.html template to accompany the directive
4. directive controller

EDIT #2

$scope.foo = function() {
   $scope.venues[0].like = !$scope.venues[0].like;
}

Just to keep it even simpler, the above doesn't work - so really, the bottom line is my items within an array are not reflecting the updates ...

EDIT #3

$scope.foo = function() {
   $scope.venues[0].like = !$scope.venues[0].like;
}

My apologies - just to re-iterate what I was trying to say above - the above is changing the scope, however, the changes are not being reflected on the view.