Already the rage in Europe, Australia, L.A. and New York, O.NOIR is Canada’s first-ever restaurant that invites you to experience food, drink and conversation like never before IN THE DARK! It’s a sensual dining experience like no other. When you eat without your sight, your remaining senses are heightened to savour the smell and taste of food. O.NOIR does more than just fire the imagination and stimulate the senses. After a few hours in complete darkness (that’s right, no flashlights, matches, cell phones, cigarette lighters or luminous watches), customers gain a better understanding of what it’s like to be blind just like the restaurants’ entire wait staff. O.NOIR – IT’S BETTER IN THE DARK.
O.Noir delivers a one of a kind dining adventure that heightens the senses with complete darkness, allowing flavors, textures, and aromas to take center stage. The experience is consistently described as immersive, thoughtful, and humbling, with attentive service from a team of staff who guide guests through the concept and explain the courses clearly. The menu options, especially the surprise courses, are frequently highlighted for their creativity and depth, and portions are described as satisfying with a mix of impressive appetizers, main courses, and desserts. Several reviews praise the friendly, professional servers who make guests feel at ease and excited to discover what is on the plate without seeing it. The atmosphere is often noted for its quiet focus and sensory engagement, though some nights are louder due to groups, which can detract from the immersion and occasionally lead to longer dining times. Overall, O.Noir is recognized as a memorable, must-try experience that blends education with gastronomy and gracious hospitality.
Loved our experience, I had heard from other people in the past that the food wasn't good, but to be honest, it was genuinely delicious! The portions were big, we were stuffed by the end! & everything was amazing, the flavours & dishes were so good! The best part is picking everything as a surprise, that way you really get to enjoy the experience. I think the price was reasonable for the experience & the quality of the food. Definitely try the cocktails! Make sure you go with someone who you like talking to because it can get awkward in the dark for sure 😂
O M G. We went there for my sisters bday & it did not disappoint. (I do not recommend to do bday there unless within family). It is complete darkness, not even a little light. You cannot take anything with you that makes light (watch, phone) as it will ruin the experience for everyone there. The food was very good & our waiter was also very professional. Thank you Fey! Going there is not just for eating but to experience what people with limited vision feel like. It has opened my eyes about how they feel & see the world. Will go again for sure. P.S. : my little cousin of 7 years old panicked when entering the PITCH BLACK dining room ( you must prepare your kids & tell them that they won't see what they eat, drink, or see the person next or in front of them.) Also, It is very weird at the beginning but after 10-20min you get used to it. W restaurant, W idea, W people, W experience
Oct 13, 2024
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Fantastic experience! Totally immersive in the blackness. Only recommendation is for fellow diners to be aware of how loud you are. It's an intimate experience in the dark , leave your kids at home. Would love to go again.
To start with, the service & the unique experience in itself are very enjoyable. I really like the concept of eating in the complete dark & the waiters were super nice. That being said, I would never go back for 2 main reasons. The first being that the tables are extremely close to one an other which makes the experience really less fun, I could strech my arm & touch the table right next to me, which means you have to hear their whole conversation throughout the night, as if they were sitting at your table. The second reason is the quality of the food for the price. 54$ for 2 service, I would expect a minimum of quality for my plates, which was far from the case. I ordered the surprice sea for appetizer & all I could taste was salad, croûton & sour cream. To this day, I think I might have had one tiny piece of the salmon they said it has, but definitely not worth anything. The worst was the main dish. I had the confit lamb shank. The gratin was the only good thing in that plate. The sauce tasted like premade or from a jar & extremely like water. I couldn't eat it & had to return the plate to change it for the ravioli which were better. I never had to return a plate in a restaurant in my whole life. My friend had the sirloin steak. She ordered medium rare & she had medium well close to well-done. The quality of the steak was again very poor & had a lot of fat on it, that left us with little to no meat. There's no depth in the dishes. Really lack of flavor & quality. I had been wanting to go for so long but ended up being extremely disappointed.
Incredible experience & delicious food. My husband & I both chose the three course meal & the surprise dishes - he chose sea & I chose complete surprise. The food was delicious, the distraction free setting & mysteriousness of eating in complete darkness was amazing. Our server was wonderful & we had fun guessing what our dishes were with him after the meal was finished.
We had an absolutely incredible experience at this restaurant! Dining in complete darkness is something I highly recommend for people to try. We ordered the surprise menu items including surprise mocktails. The flavours of the food & drinks were top notch & the portions were large & filling. Sammy our server, was friendly & did everything he could to make our experience wonderful! He gave clear directions & did everything he could to make us feel comfortable. It was an overall amazing experience & I can't wait to do it again!
Simply put: a life-changing experience. The perspective one can get from being deprived of one's senses & then having the other senses working more acutely on the situation at hand are humbling & amazing at the same time. Being able to focus more consciously on flavors & textures brings about what eating & drinking should be, not just a biological necessity but a sea of experiences waiting to be had. I invite whoever visits to take the time to listen to your surroundings & feel the table & utensils, understand this perspective without sight. Domenic was a wonderful server & made the transition into darkness as smooth as it could be. Each course was very filling but the time alloted to enjoy them was just perfect. A must to visit in the beautiful city of Montreal.
I had a blast experiencing the darkness in such an awesome way. The food was fantastic, & the service was top-notch. it got way too noisy once the room filled up, & we couldn't even hear each other at our table. Overall great experience & would do it again.
Very nice experience, I left this restaurant with admiration for blind people, even more for the waiters that offered an awesome service in the complete darkness !! We decided to get the surprise for all courses & do not regret at all, not knowing what you are eating, & trying to figure it out is the best part if you ask me ! I would strongly recommend !
It was so loud that it completely detracted from the experience. Hard to savor your food in the dark like that when everyone is so loud. We honestly wanted to leave after our entrees it was so loud. The food was very tasty but the experience was tainted by the noise level. Please encourage your guests to speak in more hushed tones so everyone can enjoy their food.
Jan 7, 2024
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The food was delicious, the service was kind & generous, the ambiance was lively. Conversation with my friend during out meal felt like we were at a sleepover, trading thoughts & secrets in the intimate dark. Thank you for a beautiful experience!
The entire experience, from start to finish, was truly outstanding. We began by sitting at the bar with a drink & placed our order before entering the dark dining area. The bartender was excellent, taking the time to explain everything patiently. I had initially thought that eating in the dark might be challenging, but our server Sammy was with us every step of the way, making the experience incredibly smooth. The food was delicious, & overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
The entire experience, from start to finish, was truly outstanding. We began by sitting at the bar with a drink & placed our order before entering the dark dining area. The bartender was excellent, taking the time to explain everything patiently. I had initially thought that eating in the dark might be challenging, but our server Sammy was with us every step of the way, making the experience incredibly smooth. The food was delicious, & overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
Sep 23, 2023
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I booked this not knowing the concept of the restaurant! What a surprise. This was a great meal with excellent service. The fact that it was entirely in the dark was an added fun bonus.
Our server was fantastic & the experience was definitely memorable. You check your devices at the door & you are in total darkness right after you place your order until you finish eating.
The reason for four stars is that the food was average & extremely pricey ($55 for two courses, which was a few bites of chicken, vegetables, & a small piece of dessert).
Great experience for this blind dinner with surprises meal. Our waitress (Sofia) was really nice & really made the experience special for you. Only drawback is the noise in the room, several groups were laughing & talking very loudly which was quite annoying in the dark.
Fantastic experience! We came with a large group so we had to split into two tables, but still ended up in the same room. For those wondering about the process - they sat us down at a lovely table outside to explain the menu & take our orders, & then had us go inside to use the restroom, put bags in lockers, & prepare for the dark room. When it was time to go in, our waiter Sammy came out to greet us, guided us through the two doors (you hold on to the shoulders of the person in front of you to make sure everyone gets through), & helped each of us find our seats. Sammy was a fantastic waiter, & regularly checked in to see if we needed anything, guided anyone that was uncomfortable or needed a break out of the room, & ensured we had food & drinks whenever we were ready for them. The timing was wonderful, just enough time to enjoy each course & talk to each other as we ate. When we left, a few of us wanted to go back in because it was so soothing to be in the dark. Overall this is a super unique experience that we won't forget, & well worth the cost (which is very affordable for such a great meal). I would absolutely come here again!
Excellent experience. Food was very pleasant & the service provided by our lovely waitress Sophia was phenomenal.
We can wholeheartedly recommend an evening in the dark & it's a great eye opener about many things we take for granted.
