O Noir Restaurant

Visiting this restaurant was on top of our to do list during our first visit to Montréal and it was as awesome as we thought it would be.
Experience:
You get to order outside of the dark room. Once your table is ready you make a line holding your waiter’s shoulders and go through double doors to get to the dark room. The darkness is really impressive and disorienting. I was expecting enough light so I could see my hands in front of my face but I only knew they were there because they are attached to my body.
While we were waiting for our food we were strategizing on how to use utensils and how not to make a mess (we were both wearing white lol). You have nothing else to do but to think about stuff you never think about in a normal restaurant, «how big is our table, how do the chairs look/​feel like, what do the people next me look like, do they have decorations on the walls, how big is this place, can we start a food fight, is my waiter wearing pants, etc…»
Food:
It was better than I expected. I got the ribs because I figured it would be easy finger food and my wife got filet because it would be easy to cut and we were both right. They were both perfectly cooked and the ribs were not the messy extra-​sauce-​dripping-​everywhere type of ribs, which was nice in this environment.
Overall:
Awesome experience and it’s worth trying at least once. It’s a good place to eat in general but for us it was mostly about the experience. We speculate that it would be great for blind dates and maybe they should partner up with a dating sites.
Note that if you don’t speak French you are basically losing another sense because you have no idea what’s going on around you. (Staff speaks English)

After having been to the one in Toronto, I was really impressed with the organization and menu at the Montréal one. They have a greater selection of menu items (more french-​cuisine selections). It’s definitely a unique experience that requires you to use all your senses except for sight, of course. Obviously, if you’re someone who is anal about your food at restaurants and examines it before you eat and makes sure your meat is cooked the way you like it, etc., etc., And if you’re someone who is claustrophobic and/​or have anxiety about the unknown, then this type of setting would not be for you. I knocked a star because it is very expensive, dinner for 2 people can easily be around $ 90 – 150.

It was our first time to try a dark dining restaurant. We had an amazing experience. All of the staff are friendly, and want you to enjoy to the fullest. There are lockers with a key that you can store your stuff in for free. We got a very nice waiter. His name is Rodrigo, if you go, I would recommend you ask for him. After he got to know us a bit, he made some funny comments about eating in complete darkness. The food is delicious. I asked for a surprise entrée and main. You really have to feel, smell, and taste your food alot :) In the end we must have looked like cavemen eating, but who cares, no one can see! We would go again for sure! Be aware that one of their dishes is tartar (raw beef).

Food excellent, service awesome, atmosphere and place great! I came here for the day before my birthday and it was great. I didn’t know what to expect, so didn’t have any kind of expectations. I ordered all the surprises menus. I was not at all disappointed with my option of eating something that I didn’t have previous knowledge of what it was. The food turned out to be amazing, savory, fresh, and gourmet. The wine pairing was awesome too. Our waiter was very kind and was always alert in case we need something. The experience of eating in the dark it is very interesting and an adventure and experience. It makes you more aware of how someone blind feels, and to be more empathic. In general, I highly recommend this place for the experience and the food. I had the 3 course menu and don’t regret at all.

Like most people have mentioned: an unique experience
The restaurant is in fact completely and utterly dark! It is a great way to experience sensations. Unfortunately the food let me down, my main dish — the haddock was salty and I could not taste anything else and the aubergines were undercooked and hard to eat. The dessert was delicious. But I do think that it was my particular dish because I did try other dishes and they were delicious! Therefore I will def. try again — maybe correct the 3 stars!

I’ve been wanting to try dark dining for a VERY long time so my expectations were running high. We don’t have a regular dark dining place in Calgary and when I hear about the special events they are sold out or don’t work for my life.
I went with 3 vegetarian surprise courses because that’s just how I roll. Hubs did the 3 courses of whatever you got. I learned that the chef used to work in a vegetarian restaurant which is an extra bonus because sometimes good vegetarian food is harder to execute than animal protein. Not to set off any of the carnivores… hubs was equally enamored with his meat.
Everything was quite good. I was surpassed how accurate I was about the ingredients — may of which I don’t use often and some of which I down right don’t eat but really don’t dislike (it’s childhood trauma?). I don’t want to discuss what those are so I don’t ruin anyone else’s surprise but I think my momma would be surprised a certain vegetable was cleaned off my plate (I was tricked a first and then I decided I liked it enough to keep eating). The chef was really playing with temperatures, textures, tastes and everything else to help enhance the experience of missing sight. My husband was comically wrong… he got his protein as wrong as I think one could even manage as I don’t think those particular animals taste anything alike. I like competition and I totally won at surprise meals while blind. Woot! I enjoyed picking surprises because I might not have normally chosen them… I didn’t like everything but it was really really fun to guess what I was tasting.
ONoir was a bit different than another large chain I’m aware of because we got our own table so it really was a romantic dinner for two and not sitting around at a large table with other strangers we can’t see. It was a bit louder at times but really it was a slower Monday night and there were only a couple of others in the room.
Our server was great, Rodrigo, and it was an honor to spend a couple hours with him. He shared that he had lost his sight vs having adapted without it and I felt like I could much better understand his experience meeting him in his world. At moments there was a lot of anxiety about how I’d butter my bread or find my cocktail… trivial things to my every day life and even to the other challenges blind people do through on a regular basis and it made me think. It gave me a deeper respect and understanding for blind people and also the confidence that I could deal with a major life change like blindness if it were to happen to me too. I think it would have cheapened the experience to have servers in night vision as It was nice that he was there helping us orient to our tables, chairs, food and place settings. Real tricks used in everyday life for someone without sight and I’m pleasantly surprised how well I adapted. (bonus tip: I had to put everything back where it came from and memorize the place setting … hubs was very random and never got the hang of the table and was always losing things or knocking a fork off the table he didn’t realize was there) It takes a bit of extra server involvement to dine in the dark so it also helped that Rodrigo was just an all round great dude as he was a big part of our dinner.
Not an inexpensive meal (I think we came in at about $ 100 for the pair), but it stands the chance of staying with me a lot longer than most good meals if that makes any sense. Also, I’d consider it along the lines of dinner and a show almost… because there is definitely the experience aspect to work into the value of the night.
Overall it’s pretty awesome and I’d try it again when I’m back in Montréal or try another one of the styles of dark dining that are around in other cities no problem. If you are at all inclined to give it shot I would highly recommend trying it. I know there was another lady in the room that was almost losing it in the begining (I’ve quite proud she found the courage to stay whomever that lady was.) so I guess this isn’t for everyone. I definitely won’t plan it as a surprise without knowing it would be well received to say the least.

I came wondering if the hype about eating in the dark was real when I see a restaurant get 5 star reviews I’m often disappointed. This was one of the few times I was not, came here with a group of friends to try this pith black eating and it was great. I took the surprise starter and the surprise main not knowing at all what I was eating made it that more interesting both great meals (I won’t tell you what it was).. Only complaint I have is my main course I felt was to small but that might be because i have a big appetite. Try O Noir at least one time in your life you won’t regret it.

The experience is as everyone else has said — you’re eating in pitch black. A blind waiter leads you into the room and to your seat (double doors to keep out the light) by asking you to hold onto his shoulders. He asks you to put your drink close to the wall, which we supposed, was a method of minimizing spills. Only the two maison drinks (Mai Mai and Raspberry Dream) are part of the groupon. Anything else, you pay extra.
Food-​wise: The appetizer I ordered was amazing (Pork croquettes and pan-​fried scallop — yeup, just one scallop). The entrees (Lobster Pasta) was alright — but I wouldn’t go beyond that. I was initially afraid that the lobster meat amount would be small, but what ended up being the cause of disappointment was the pasta itself. The pasta was over-​done, too soft, and semi-​mushy. Were it not for the big lobster chunks, there would be no saving this dish.
Any disappointment with the food, however, is never the focus of your attention because you’re so concentrated on not dropping the fork and knife that’s in your hand. I had my palms 1 cm in front of my eyes and I seriously could not see anything.
I went in with a groupon and still felt that the meal was pricey. Granted, there was a «+4» beside the Lobster Pasta option, but it would’ve been nice had the hostess confirmed that $ 4 would be added to the total surcharge for ordering the Lobster Pasta over the other entrees. Sometimes it’s not clear whether the menu used for groupon users is different from the restaurant’s regular menu? After the surcharges and tips, the two of us paid an additional $ 20 on top of the $ 55 groupon.
Conclusion: You go for the experience, not necessarily for the food. But seriously, great experience.

Walked in on a Saturday night after flying in for business. Was not able to get seats in the Dark seating but was able to order in the bar. All of the food was Aweosme! I had the Croqutee app. Lobster pasta and cheese cake for my 3 courses. Can’t wait to come back and do the surprise menu in the dark room

Such a cool experience from start to finish. We showed up an hour before our reservations for a pre-​dinner drink and loved the dim-​lit bar out front — it’s cute, cozy and plays great music. I’d probably go back just for another drink in the charming bar area. But the actual blind dinner was the highlight. The staff is wonderful and makes you feel so comfortable throughout the experience. Our waiter guided us to our table where we spent a few minutes feeling around to get a better idea of our set up and surroundings. We ordered the surprise menu and loved discovering our dishes and trying to pin down exactly what we were eating. Solid beer selection as well. At first, the conversation at our table focused on how interesting the completely new sensation was, but we soon got comfortable enough to almost forget the fact that we couldn’t see a thing. Fascinating to hear everyone in our small group’s reaction to the whole thing once we were led back out to finish our drinks and pay the bill at the bar. Each of us had a slightly different perspective, but we all agreed that we loved it and would go back for more.

This was literally the best meal of my life!!!
My boyfriend and I wanted to go to a different French restaurant nearby, but it was full. We walked by this place and walked in here for an casual dinner. After the waiter told us that this is the dark restaurant, we were skeptical at first but decided to give it a try.
We picked the pork croquette and salmon gravlax for starter, fish of the Day and shrimps for main courses and surprise dessert.
The complete darkness made our dinner absolutely amazing! Our taste bud was 100% more sensitive and exploring what’s on your plate was such a special feeling. (We were using our hands to eat since no one can see us, which was something you can never do anywhere else, it was soooo fun!)
This was the perfect place for a romantic dinner also! Magical would be the word to describe this experience. There were no disturbing background music, which I really love. You can really talk to each other and relax without worrying about other people looking at you.
This was such a good dinner and I would recommend it to any couple! This would NOT be a good place to have dinner with your friends, but perfect for couples!

Let me just say this:
We went here on our first night in Montréal and had NO IDEA we’d be eating in the dark. We were SO SO SO CONFUSED.
Whatever, we had the reservation so we went with it.
Got some surprise foods.
The waiters do a very good job of guiding you through the meal.
However, I started to get anxious once the entrée portion was over and was very restless to get out of there.
The food is good but I was so focused on not getting it all over myself that I couldn’t really enjoy it.
If you’re looking for a food experience. this is definitely the place to get it.
I never realized how important it was to SEE what I was eating until this place!

This restaurant is a must if you visit Montréal. Dining in complete darkness was something I was hesitate about but I must say, I really enjoyed it. The food was amazing as well as the service. You can order off the menu or have a surprise appetizer and main course. You can let them know food preferences and allergies before dining. What are you waiting for??? Go… Go now!!!

Say it with me now… PITCH BLACK!
This place feeds on your excitement and imagination not to mention your pallet.
I went to their new location with my GF filled with excitement.
As we got there they explained (in short detail) what was going to happen, and before you go in you order what you will want. My GF took choices off the traditional menu where I went with the 3 course SURPRISE menu and I must say I enjoyed it sooooooooo much.
You are greeted by the waiter, who by the way IS BLIND! That’s right, but thank God that his senses are better than ours or else I’d be SOL bumping into tables in pitch black.
It truly is a one of a kind experience. You sitting in the dark hearing laughter throughout the small dining room, not even able to see a glimmer of light anywhere and somehow still eating diner.
Keep in mind you can’t even see your plate so you never know «did I eat all of it?» That’s where your hands come into play.
Our waiter was fun, asking me as every dish was completed to guess what I was eating. (Nailed all 3).
I recommend getting a but tipsy here as it does amplify the experience.
The food is a but expensive (total bill 119 $ Canadian, we did order alot of drinks) but is that really alot for a unforgettable dinner for 2?
I will be recommending this place to any couple or group of friends who want a fun and memorable dining experience.