I had two friends rave about
O.NOIR in Montreal

Posted By Zach on March 13, 2009, 11:29 AM

I think you should try first to critic these experience. I made the Paris one, I's just fantastic. Food is very tasty. The atmosphere is great and the experience is inbelievable. I sent at least 20 people there since I went.
I heard they have one in London, one in Moscow and will open in Barcelona and New York.

Posted By Francois D'arc on March 14, 2009, 4:50 AM

No way. the meal's presentation/appearance is half the fun! And I want to make sure there is no hair (or other foreign things) in my food....sorry, but that's the way it is. If I'm going to pay that much for a meal, I want to see it as well as taste it. Guess I'm not very adventurous. I save my adventurous side for things like going up in a sail plane!

Posted By Su on March 16, 2009, 12:51 PM

Hey, I am blind and have searched for this restaurant in Texas, as I hear one will soon open in Austin. I would travel far and wide for the experience. My family is used to "good old southern cooking" and I am the designated cook because my food is better than most cooks whom are sighted It is well known that the blind are cleaner in the kitchen than most due to the fact that we cannot see. We are constantly wiping down everything and washing our hands because they now serve as our eyes. I am totally blind and my husband is legally blind and we constantly get compliments on our immaculately clean home. I challenge the close-minded dimwit whom is too afraid for a new experience to try this. Do such people think we decided to be blind and should just live in a closet? Open your minds, people!!

Posted By Marci on March 16, 2009, 3:29 PM

I agree with Su that the presentation and appearance of the food is an important part of the dining experience. Having vision and being able to see does not deprive me of my other senses. Therefore, I don't understand why somebody would deliberately handicap themselves in that way while dining.

Posted By Lewis Edge on March 16, 2009, 3:36 PM

Lewis Edge - It's called empathy. It's allowing yourself to experience life in a different way and understand how others live their life. That's fine if you don't want to be adventurous, but it sounds silly to say "you don't get it." Obviously. Thanks for letting everyone know that you think your way of life is the only way worth living.

Posted By Jessie on March 16, 2009, 4:16 PM

Everyone should give it a try at least once. 4 of us ate at the place in Berlin just over a year ago and had a blast. Just make sure to always keep one hand on your wine glass and everything will be fine!

Posted By Sam on March 16, 2009, 4:19 PM

How can the restaurant have a great atmosphere if it is pitch black? Anyway, I don't really have a desire to dine in the dark. If you are interested in experiencing dining if you were blind, you can easily replicate that in your own home, where you know the surroundings.
It's a trend, and as such it is priced too high.

Posted By Dudley on March 16, 2009, 4:27 PM

I'd like to try for the personal experience of how food tastes when you can see it. I guess I can do it at home, and just have my girlfriend blindfold me. So in the end, it is an interesting experience, but it can't make bad food taste good.

Posted By John D on March 16, 2009, 5:05 PM

Sounds very interesting- I would love to try this at some point. I just checked out the Opaque site for San Diego-- Unfortunately, they do not accept individual reservations. Must be private parties of 20 people or more. And the cost is $99 per person for a 3 course meal, plus tax & gratuity and any beverages. So for a couple, you're looking at at least $250. I'm surprised that they don't make this new concept more affordable to more people so that they can try it at least once.

Posted By Christine on March 16, 2009, 6:43 PM

And what happens when we need to use a knife? Or do they cut the food up for us first like we were little kids?

Posted By Mary on March 16, 2009, 6:47 PM

People will come up with anything. This idea makes me sick, both physically and emotionally. This is stupid to the extent that the restaurants are only doing this for publicity to get customers. I am appalled by this idea !

Posted By Linda on March 16, 2009, 7:48 PM

While great atmosphere and plate presentation only enhances a meal, the true test of great food lies within the scent and taste of the cuisine itself (if I see one more squeeze bottled sauce swirled over an entree I'm going to scream). After trying the San Diego experience over a year ago, I found it novel as a unique "date" but the food was not good at all. It wasn't the right temperature, some bitter asparagus was involved and the menu must be designed to ensure a good chuckle in the bathroom mirror upon exiting the dinner (sauces, mashed potatoes, etc covered my front but at least it was good for a laugh). However our server (who was blind) was GREAT and it definately gave me increased respect for what they live through every day. I would skip the "francise" type events and get to one of the real restaurant experiences or even try it at home!

Posted By NG on March 17, 2009, 3:50 AM

A different take on it - we are a non-profit that assists people who are blind to regain their independence, and we do a "Dining in the Dark" as a fundraiser in Tallahassee, FL. It has been a raging success, we sell out every year. It creates a lot of empathy and helps people realize - life does not end after blindness. You can do things successfully without your sight. This is a really important message because so many people are terrified of blindness. Check out our website & pics of the event on facebook or http://www.firesight.org/LBBDID.htm
- Barbara Ross, Lighthouse Executive Director

Posted By Barbara Ross on March 17, 2009, 4:24 PM

I was able to experience the original Blindekuh in Zurich. Although I did not pay for the food, I don't think it was terribly expensive (less than $30 US per person). The food was good but it was more about the experience of it all. When we walked in there was a giant menu on the wall, we ordered in the entrance, and then our waitress came out. We were then led in to the darkness, with everyones hands on each others shoulders (like we were doing the Locomotion). Everything was more vivid when we were at the table, we could hear more and definitely smell more. I know that it wasn't that our senses suddenly were more refined but rather we were paying more attention to them. During the dinner our waitress was very attentive and tried to assist without taking away from the experience. At our table some plates were moved around and drinks stolen, all from the hands of my dinner mates. Without a doubt one of the most unique dining experiences I have ever had. Definitely worth the $30.

Posted By Keri J on October 26, 2009, 8:04 PM

Any places near south Carolina that have this type of a restaurant?

Posted By Brett on February 1, 2010, 12:03 AM

Hi Sean......

Have you heard about the Portland Blind Cafe?

I happen to experience a blind cafe in Iceland on tour and found it be a profound opportunity to not just be a novelty where people just 'eat in the dark' but as a multi-facet opportunity to build community.

So I decided to produce them starting in Boulder, CO and now we are in Portland, Oregon.

For instance, our blind waiters are performers. One is a speaker, he shares his life story of being a blind car mechanic for over 30 years, now a coffee roaster and then we have a Q & A in the dark with the audience encouraging a discussion not just about issues around blindness but spacial awareness and working together with others.

You see we set it up that the audience dines 6 - 10 people at a table eating family style. The food is all on the table when they arrive in the dark (except dessert) and they have to learn to serve each other and cooperate with their 'new friends' as people usually only arrive in pairs of 2's and 3's.

Another blind waiters is a spoken word artist and then I perform a full set of original songs in the dark with my band which includes Cello, Viola and Violin.

We take the proceeds from this event and donate it to a local organization that works to improve the lives of the visually impaired.

Anyways, check us out if you like but would you ever be willing to have a phone conversation with me to share your experiences with me?

Rosh
720 495 7797

Posted By Rosh on July 3, 2010, 1:50 AM

Hi everyone,

ever since I heard about the 'dinner in the dark' I wanted to experience it.

Does anyone know a location in or close to Austin, TX?

Thanks.

Posted By phoenix14 on September 12, 2010, 5:49 PM

Hi everyone, The Austin Blind Cafe is coming back to Austin August 18th - 20th. Check it out.

http://www.theblindcafe.com

Posted By Rosh on April 27, 2011, 4:59 PM

There are so many things wrong with this "experience", I don't know where to begin. First, the price per person here in San Francisco is about $150, which is ridiculous given that a) the food is airline quality or bad wedding quality food, b) your choices are extremely limited, c) your choices are as bland as bland can be, and d) the same food -- exactly the same food prepared by exactly the same staff -- is available in the upper restaurant for exactly 50% less (and it's still overpriced for what it is at the lower price). Second, the restaurant has mostly group/communal tables and a few smaller, private tables. The noise level is insane because it's mostly drunken arses coming with their friends for an "experience". Because of the extreme pitch black darkness, food fights, inappropriate conversation, disgusting sexual behavior is going on all around you but you can't see it -- you just hear it. Third, the service is appalling. Wrong orders, slooooow, etc. Fourth, the sanitary conditions leave much to be desired. Count on the fact that several people -- at a communal table, mind you, filled with strangers doing God knows what -- may end up with their hands in your food, and most people end up eating with their hands. Gross. Fifth, the entire experience or concept, or whatever, is insulting and condescending to actual blind people. Last, but by no means least, the pitch black atmosphere is highly problematic for many people. People are taken out suffering from full-blown anxiety attacks. The pitch black atmosphere with strangers touching you is a huge "trigger" for those suffering from sexual assault related PTSD or other PTSD situations. Those with food allergies could find themselves in a dicey situation if no one notices their throat is closing up and they can't be heard over the din.

Save yourself a lot of money and find a good restaurant and enjoy a well-prepared meal instead. If you feel you must do it in the dark, take it home and eat it in your closet. Do not, however, think the experience is even remotely related to actually being blind.

Run far, far away from these places. It's just a gimmick, and not a very pleasant one at that.

Posted By Nora on May 3, 2011, 5:29 PM

I can't believe some of the close-minded people leaving comments on this site. What do you people really expect...? You are not shelling out a few hundred bucks for a couple to go to a fancy 5-course dinner, you are paying for the experience. Granted it is an unusual endeavor to purposefully retard one of our God given senses, but you know what...some people aren't as fortunate as us. With that being said, I am eagerly waiting for Dining in the Dark to return to Atlanta so I can experience it for myself. For all those naysayers who have not experienced this event themselves, you have no right to judge. Go away.

Posted By Justin on February 16, 2012, 4:15 PM

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more information please

Posted By michaelt on April 12, 2012, 11:36 PM

Took my college group of a cappella singers to Pod Kridlem Noci in Prague, and the 20 of us had an amazing night. No, a blindfold-at-home isn't even close to the same experience. The food was good ($45), and we heard Czech poetry read to us in the dark. Our server found out that we were singers, so she performed a Mozart aria for us before we did a few of our pieces. The power of music in the darkness is magnified. Magical experience. And, if you don't think it would be so for you, you're probably right...stay home and keep that negative energy out of the place.

Posted By Cooper on May 3, 2012, 12:14 PM

Took my college group of a cappella singers to Pod Kridlem Noci in Prague, and the 20 of us had an amazing night. No, a blindfold-at-home isn't even close to the same experience. The food was good ($45), and we heard Czech poetry read to us in the dark. Our server found out that we were singers, so she performed a Mozart aria for us before we did a few of our pieces. The power of music in the darkness is magnified. Magical experience. And, if you don't think it would be so for you, you're probably right...stay home and keep that negative energy out of the place.

Posted By Cooper on May 3, 2012, 12:15 PM