O'Noir, like many people said, is a restaurant that people go for that 'different' experience. Pros: - Great for a date night - They hire blind people; ironically, they can navigate around this restaurant better than we can! - The location is amazing- it's in the heart of Toronto - Makes you realize how valuable and important your sense of vision is Cons: - They have timed dinners which means that they serve people specifically at time a, b or c. If you can't make that time, well tough love. - It is rather pricey when you're limited to a prix fixe three course meal. I'd recommend checking out the menu online PRIOR to your reservation (p.s. you need reservations) Without a doubt, O'Noir doesn't need to advertise to get the word out there. It's a great novelty place to go on a date. People go for the hype, for that one time experience. If you haven't been, I seriously recommend that you give it a try. read more

I've been to O.Noir on 3 separate occasions - recent visit was for a birthday celebration in September 2013! Finally writing a review for this extraordinary restaurant where you can dine in the dark! Thank you for bringing this concept to Toronto :D A lot of people say that this is a once in a life time thing, but I would say, as long as I have great companies with me, I don't mind going back there again for the 4th time! Food is alright (can't expect too much) but it is more for the experience :) You will also realized that things you normally feel like you can do with your eyes closed, can make you seem extremely incapable when dining in the dark. For example, buttering my bread, feeding someone dessert, or play rock, paper, scissors lol. 5 important things you should know.... ;) 1) Servers are legally blind, but the kitchen staff ARE NOT!! It would make sense right? lol. Funny thing is I still hear people asking this question hahaha... 2) Oddly, they only offer 2 dinner services - 5:45pm and 8:30pm, so be there on time! 3) Go as a small group (4-6 people)... easier to talk because you will constantly be TALKING. So, maybe NOT so good for first dates/blind dates unless you talk A LOT and if you don't mind awkward silence. Nor is it good idea for crazy large parties (how DO you even talk??!) 4) You should know what you're eating on your 1st visit (according to me!), although some might be tempted to go for the "surprise menu". Hey, at the end of the day, you still want to pay for something you would enjoy and not something you would eat on Fear Factor lol. The 3 course meal include tax and tips would roughly be around $50... no change in price over the many years (+1)! 5) You pretty much WILL end up eating with your hands at some point lol. read more

Picked our menu choices in a greeting room. We were then lead hand on shoulder to our table in the dark. We used to the walls as walking guides. Everyone was served water. No straws for beverages. We picked our beverages. I received a ginger ale instead of Diet Coke so there are mix ups. Warm Bread served. Interesting to butter bread without getting your fingers in the butter. fun to eat the salad and entrees in the dark. Even more fun switching plates and moving drinks on kids. I had the fried catfish with rice and green beans. Others in the party had filet mignon and shrimp. Tip in was mandatory 18 percent. Don't expect 5 star service and food. Just go for the experience of eating in the dark with friends and family. A must do. read more

O.Noir - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Food was okay, my friend was served half a lemon with his entree (which we couldn't confirm until after we left the restaurant and looked inside his to-go box. Yes, it was half a lemon). Ambiance was a change. read more

I'm terrified of the dark and it took me a long time to adjust, but it was okay after. This is a very interesting concept and I love that servers are visually impaired. When I first walked into the place I didn't like how dim it was in the hallways and lounge area, but it really made sense once you left (it was to make it easier for your eyes to adjust). The food was better than I thought. Based on the reviews I was expecting it to be garbage. It wasn't exceptional, but it was pretty tasty. The portions (from what I could tell) were quite large too. I had the salad, shrimp with risotto and beans, and the fruit sorbet. The one complaint about the food was that the risotto wasn't really creamy, it was a bit dry. The negative things I have to say should come with a DISCLAIMER. I was attended the restaurant for a charity event, so the comments on service may not apply on a regular night. I found the service to be incredibly slow. We were supposed to eat at 7pm, but they didn't even start seating people until after 8pm. After that you still had to wait for everyone to be seating before they would start serving you. I thought it was pretty disorganized. You walk in and have no idea where you're going. No one was at coat check. And good thing I looked at the menu online beforehand, because the "menu" in the lounge where you pick your food simply said: "beef, shrimp, pasta, chicken" on a white piece of paper. You had no idea what they came with or how they were cooked. You were supposed to tell someone what you were going to be ordering. That was very unclear, however, and no one was walking around trying to take orders until 7pm when we were supposed to be seated. If you read the review or get tips from people who have been already, I found that the "surprise" dishes are always the same. So there's no real surprise there. It was VERY loud in them. All of those negatives being said, I would absolutely recommend this place to try to try at least once! read more

What an incredible LIFE CHANGING experience!!! This restaurant serves its exact intent, by helping people learn to be more grateful for the gift of sight and providing jobs for the blind(the wait staff are actually blind). It's definitely a must for anyone who has not been yet and for those visiting Canada as my wife and I were. When you come in the first area you are seated in is completely lit so that you can decide what you would like to eat and drink before being led in to a completely dark room by your blind waiter. You will also be asked to turn off your cellphone/smartwatch before entering the room. Do as they say!!! Any glimpse of light after your eyes have adjusted to darkness will ruin you and stress you out all over again. I know this thanks to the 2-3 idiots who did not listen. When you are first led into the darkness the weight of the room is intense as it felt as if a baby was sitting on my forehead (I know this sounds funny but I have no other way of describing it, LOL). Being that I am somewhat afraid of the dark I had to keep my cool and try not to panic. It helps to continue to talk to the person/ people you go with constantly just to be sure they're still there. While the food wasn't extremely impressive it was not tasteless and I did enjoy the pasta I ordered. I ordered a surprise cocktail and I think it was the kool-aid drink that was not all that great so I'd pass on that if I were you. If you're feeling risky, I'd order at least one surprise item so that your sense can kick in to help you figure out what it is. I probably wouldn't do it again because of the way my anxiety is set up but I left thanking God for the privilege of sight! Very humbling experience! If they could work on the taste of the food and drinks this place would be so much better! Maybe I didn't order the right thing though. Suggestions: Be sure to use the bathroom before entering the dark room. Order foods you imagine would be easy to eat in the dark such as pasta. TURN YOUR PHONE OFF LIKE THEY SAY!! Have a lot to talk about so you feel comfortable sitting in the dark. Locking legs with your partner or holding their hand may make you feel more comfortable. Use your sense of hearing! RELAX, you'll be fine! :) read more

Beautiful date night with my beau for our 2nd year anniversary of us being boyfriends. He chose this place, because he wanted something new and special that we have not done or been to together. He knows that I love to support various communities and try new food. Personally, i have been here during my undergrad many years ago. It still has that dungeon vibe to it, which is perfect for the month of Halloween! We made a reservation prior as most would have to and we waited in their packed lobby for about 15 minutes before we were introduced to our blind host of the night. We were asked to turn off all our phones and hold on to each other's shoulder. Then, he brought us inside the pitch black dining area. It was fun to hear all of the other dinner guests reacting to how dark it is in the room as they come in. Our table was near the entrance, so it was quite easy for us to find our spot. During the dinner service, my boyfriend kept dropping things on to the floor... it was hilarious. I was playing pranks on him the entire time. The 1.5 dinner service for the full 3-course meal went by so fast! I was laughing inside at how new eating in complete darkness was for my boyfriend. I had the experience many times before actually, so it was not anything new for me, but I loved every second of teasing him. I think if you are with good friends or your significant other, dinner here would pass by incredibly fast as you cannot even keep track of time as your watch or phone or off. I was thoroughly entertained by my beau's reaction to the experience and my conversation with him throughout the meal. It took 10-15 minutes for water and bread to come and then an interval of 15-20 minutes for each course to served in between. Every item was cooked to perfection and the darkness enhanced the flavours and surrounding sounds. I heard laughter and great convos everywhere. What a neat experience it was. Everyone should try it at least once! I had the surprise seafood starter, Cajun fish, and surprise dessert! Seafood starter: 4 pieces of deep fried squid rings served with lettuce! Crispy and chewy just how I like it. Main: Cajun fish were two halves of a filet that both melted right in my mouth with spiced milky smoothness! So good! It was served with rice and green beans. Dessert: original NY cheesecake, it was silky smooth and was neither light or too heavy. Portions were adequate for a one-of-kind experience! The host was super friendly and he was more attentive than even regular servers in many other places. I would highly recommend this place for those who do not easily get scared of the dark. read more

Amazing food and an amazing experience. Everyone should at least try it once. It's about $40 a person tax and tip not included. It was well worth it and I highly recommend taking a date. You MUST order starter, main, and dessert as all surprises for the full experience!! read more

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I got a Groupon deal and it was about $10 cheaper if we didn't get one. The total cost, with one ice tea was $94 (with the Groupon already) Was it worth it? Yes! It's worth the experience. Everything inside was pitch black. I've never been in a room that's completely blacked out. I felt like my hearing was heightened and more sensitive to everything else. Eating was a lot harder and I now have a better appreciation on seeing my plate. We were walked in to our seats. Our server was pleasant, checked in on us maybe once or twice. The entire time, my friend and I were just laughing and cracking jokes, which made it fun for us. I feel without the distraction of the phone (you have to turn it off) , the meal was more pleasant. Upon breezing through the bad reviews, I felt sorry for those who got a bad plate. We loved ours. It was prepared so well. I got the shrimp with risotto, with veggies. The risotto had a consistency of rice... Like eating a bowl of good rice... not sure if risottos are supposed to be like that (my first time). The shrimp was seasoned well... One the best I've ever had. The chocolate dessert that I got was also pretty good. It was supposed to have ice cream, but they didn't have any. We like that the portions were generous, we were stuffed by the end of the night. My friend got "surprise" appetizer and dessert. It was fun trying to figure out what it was. I wish they told us at the end of the night. Would we do it again? No. Towards the end of the night, I was getting tired of putting an empty fork in my mouth. It's the novelty that's fun. But since I got that out of my system, I can now move on to other things. I highly suggest for every foodie to at least try. It is pricey, but it's pretty much like going to a higher end steak house. It's worth the food and the concept that you pay for. read more

Put yourself in some else's shoes. That's literally the main reason we all try this restaurant. The pricing for the food is fair and even comparable to other restaurants. For a starter, main and dessert, it comes to just under $40 before tax. The ambiance was great, they dim the lights before you go in to help your eyes adjust. It is underground which is not really ideal, if you are actually blind.. Because the steps down to the entrance, then the multiple doors inside... The food, I had the octopus for the appetiser, which quite honestly didn't have the same texture as octopus I usually eat... So it was worrisome.. But the main (surprise meal) and dessert (surprise, again) were great. Overall experience was good. I would recommend this place for a first date... The darkness (and the fact they make you turn OFF your cell phone) helps you focus more on conversation and the actual company of the person. read more

O.Noir - The waiting area where you pick your menu. - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Save your money! If you want to experience Onoir, warm up a microwaveable dinner and turn off the lights. Voila! The food is disgusting. Our server, Dave was absolutely amazing but the staff in the bar area were awful. They were rude, confrontational, and their overall bitchy attitudes made our group quite uncomfortable. I left hungry and upset because I felt ripped off. Not to mention the uncomfortable steel chairs, plastic cups and the bathrooms were very dark, dingy and in need of serious renos. Just awful, awful, awful. read more

I just went to O.Noir for the first time last night for a surprise birthday. The experience itself was really cool and also confronting. Having absolutely no vision meant we were very engaged as a group (with no one being able to text on their phones etc) and also humorous as people tried to feel their way around their plate to find their food. I enjoyed the service I received. Our sever was very friendly and a few of our main dishes were late due to a mix up so he offered us an inconvenience discount without us even asking. The food however was completely unremarkable. There were limited vegetarian options for the main so I decided on the portobello mushroom app and tomato penne pasta main. The pasta was so average - I would have expected this of a cheap pub rather than a $$$ restaurant. I also ordered a gin crantini and not only did it not taste like gin it did not taste like cranberry...more like a cherry starburst liqueur. Things I liked: - the novelty of the experience - nice service and server - the discount for the wait was a nice touch - the fact that they offer surprise mains and desserts (fun) - the servers themselves are visually impaired and it must be a rewarding experience for them Things to improve: - change up the food (this is a great opportunity to be different and utilize everyone's enhanced taste buds... So why be totally generic?) - offer more classic cocktails (what kind of full bar restaurant doesn't do mojitos?) - change up the wine list Would I go back? Maybe if they changed the menu. I don't intend to pay for that pasta again. * I would have liked to give this place 2 stars but I feel bad because the sever was so nice. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 on the Yelp rating system ;) read more

O.Noir - Waiting area decor - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I wish I could give this place more than 5 stars- for so many reasons. First, let's discuss the non- food related bonus this restaurant gives. This place employs a blind staff to be the servers - a community with a staggering unemployment rate. This provides an opportunity to employ an underemployed segment of the population as well as let seeing people interact with a portion of the community they don't usually get to meet - it's a wonderful bringing together of people, and letting seeing people rely on the strengths of the blind. The concept from a dining perspectives is incredible. Eating in the dark allows your other senses to be highlighted and you judge the food on taste alone, and nothing egts in the way of that. When you allow yourself the opportunity to rely on your reflexes and instincts, you will be amazed at how capable you are of eating in the pitch blackjack. I opted to be surprised, and it is such a delightful experience to have to guess what your food is! It's truly unique and nothing you can experience anywhere else. Last, I had made a reservation for my birthday last year for a large party of 8- and mistakenly made it for Montreal!! I used OoenTable and Toronto is not on that app - a stupid mistake that I felt terrible about. They were gracious enough to accommodate the large party and seat us, even though it was my fault and we were a large group. I can't thank them enough. Dining is done in 2 segments since this does take time and coordination in the small dining room and reservations are required. RUN don't walk, to this truly unique add eye opening experience. read more

Eating in the dark....what an experience!!! I booked for a friend's birthday & we both loved it! At first I was very nervous as I had to use all my other senses. Our server Dave was great, he explained everything and made us very comfortable.Moving onto food... I ordered Calamari for starters which was quite flavorful and tasty. For mains...I had steak (medium well), garlic mash potatoes and green beans. The steak was cooked to perfection and everything else on my plate was to die for. As a whole, I would 100% do this again. read more

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My girlfriend and I decided to try something new. While I have been there before, years ago, she has not. My first experience I don't remember that well but I do recall it being pretty good. However this time was not. The hostess/bartender was rude and abrupt. We tried to ask her questions and she kept either brushing us off or answering very abruptly and walking away. Terrible way to start the experience. The waitress (I do not remember her name) was great, she may have had a lot of tables because she only came around when it was time to bring us food. So that's likely not her fault. The starter was good. The filet was horrible I could not eat it, it was chewy and very tough with very little flavour. The pasta honestly tasted like frozen dinner pasta, edible unlike my filet but still not worth it. The desert wasn't bad, very sweet so I only had a couple bites but still good. We had a groupon, and the basement doesn't have very much service so it was difficult to use it and the lady cashing us out(ie the same person who "greeted" us) was not very polite about it. I O.NOir should change the way they ask for tips because having the confrontational lady point on the paper how much (either 18 or 20%) and asking you to pick one in-front of a bunch of other guests is rather uncomfortable and honestly makes you feel like you have to tip a large amount. I am easily a person to top 18-20 if everything was great, however I hate feeling forced to tip that if my experience was not a good one. I likely would not come back, nor would I recommend it. The concept and the waitress is great and it is a cool experience, but the food, hostess and cashing out experience was unacceptable. read more

Experience - 5 Food 3.5 Overall 4 The experience is like no other as you dine in pitch black. You can't see your hand in front of your face! So it really gives you an eye opening (pun intended!) sensory overload experience. If you have bad coordination skills this may not be the best idea for you, but other than that once you get used to where things are on the table you will be fine. Only one spilled drink at our table! Went here with a large group - about 50 people and we all did the price-fix menu - 3 dishes for $40. I had the arugula salad with mushrooms, Parmesan cheese with some oil/lemon dressing. I appreciated the fact that the dressing was light - nothing more annoying when the salad is swimming in pounds and pounds of dressing. GROSS. I chose the shrimp with risotto. I did this because I thought it would be easy for me to stab the shrimp and get some food into my mouth...and the risotto because I like a challenge! The risotto was pretty nice but I didn't care much for the shrimp. I did the surprise dessert and it was a brownie cheesecake (the server told us there are 4 different variations of the cheesecake so everyone might get different ones). It was funny because I kept saying it tasted like chocolate while the person next to me kept saying it tasted like cherries (because that is the one she got but we didn't know at the time there were varieties...lol). Overall I do think this is an experience that you should definitely try. I wouldn't keep going back as the food is decent but nothing to right home about. But I am glad that I did it and I impressed myself with actually getting food in my mouth :) read more

This is a place to get the experience. To be completely out in a situation where you have one of your senses taken away, makes us realize how much, we can still do without it. We ordered in the lobby area, and were led in by the waitress, and she helped us to our seats too. We had gone with the groupon deal. We had the three course dinner, and everything came promptly. I had the octopus appetizer, the fish entree and the chocolate cake. All very delicious and their portion sizes were good too. It is definitely an experience to try once. read more

4.5 Stars! I came here mainly for the experience, and what a great experience it was. My friend got a Groupon for dinner here (apparently they always have one going on) and we went on a weeknight. Once we were in the waiting area, we were handed menus and had our orders taken. We then were brought over to the entrance of the seating area and introduced to Nasir, our server. He is visually impaired, and led us to our table in the pitch black dining area. It was funny, I kept waiting for my eyes to adjust and to be able to see maybe a little bit, but it was so dark in that room that it never happened! I ordered the surprise meat appetizer (gotta love the name...), the shrimp and mushroom risotto, and the surprise dessert. From what I could tell, the app was a curry dish and was quite good! The risotto was also very nice and was a good thing that it didn't need any salt or pepper - I have no idea how I would have accomplished that. I tried my friend's filet mignon and it was tender and tasty. Dessert was chocolate cheesecake...yummy! I got the hang of eating without seeing pretty fast, using a 'guide thumb' and taking my time. Just make sure you wash your hands before you eat. ;) Many people have commented on the long wait times between courses, but we were in and out in less than 90mins, and that included us sitting and chatting for a bit after our meals. I guess it depends on how busy it is. It was such a unique experience to eat in complete darkness. You really don't appreciate what you have until an experience like this. I was very impressed with Nasir the server, he navigated the room like a pro and was superb. I would definitely get another groupon and return! read more

An incredible experience with my friends. Right at the entry to the end, my mind was blown by how attentive everyone was. To be apart of the journey by seeing or eating "in the dark" has really opened my perspective. Loved it! read more

One of the best experience we ever had. Especially Dave was amazing, his enthusiasm makes the experience even better. The food was also tasteful. Highly recommended! read more

O.Noir - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This was definitely an experience and I would recommend everyone to try dining in the dark at least once in their life, unless you're extremely terrified of the dark and closterfobic. The staff or servers do not have the ability to see and they make the experience much more authentic and personal - they make sure that you are comfortable with every step you take. Before heading into the dark dining room, your group are lined up holding each other's shoulders to be led to your tables. It was so much fun because every time a plate of food came our way, it would be interesting to see how we could locate our utensils and almost forgetting where our mouths were (lol). Every time my partner and I tried to feed each other, I would either shove the food near his eye, nose, basically anywhere but his mouth hahaha. The food was great and I was just in so much awe with how precise our servers were and how much of a great job they did working their way through everything in the restaurant. Customers; there were two ladies that ruined the whole experience for us because they were being so rowdy and at one point decided to pull out their phones and use the flashlight app. Unfortunately, with that we were able to see where we were seated and how the whole setup of the room was. We were all so mad and frustrated at this point because if they didn't want to dine in the dark, why bother going through it at all. read more

This restaurant was fantastic! The concept of eating without vision was intriguing. The dinner was filled with laughs and good conversation. We were lead in a line to our table and each person to their seat. This was not just dark but you could not see something right in front of your face. The waiters/waitresses were all blind and allowed us to see how aware you need to be without the vision. Taking away one sense is said to increase your other senses so as taste and hearing which I believed to be true in this experience. The meal was extremely delicious. I had the chicken and it was cooked to perfection. I also had a surprise beer which was a nice surprise. The whole experience was unlike anything I have ever done and I hope this spreads to other cities. A must do! read more

I had so much fun here!!!! I felt a bit of anxiety at first, but after about 5-10 minutes or so when my body realized my eyes couldn't adjust to the room, it was much better. I ordered the pasta, which was pretty good considering it's plain Jane pasta with tomato sauce and vegetables. My friend ordered the filet mignon and said it was cooked perfectly and delicious. Our waiter was great and didn't sneak up on us or anything. He explained where everything is and was very pleasant. Overall, the experience in itself is worth the 5 stars. I haven't laughed that hard in a very long time. At one point, everyone in the entire room was laughing. I really recommend trying it at least once. read more

O.Noir - Lol - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I definitely suggest ordering the seafood here. I really enjoyed the O.NOIR Octopus for the starter. Very tender, fresh, and well seasoned. The main of marinated shrimp with herbs and risotto was also very good, there was generous amounts of shrimp, very creamy and flavorful. I didn't order dessert, and got the 2 course package (starter and main dish) for $33. The 3 course package with dessert is $40. When we first enter the restaurant, there is a waiting area/bar. We were then guided to the actual dining room and to our table by our waiter in the dark. We had to place one hand on each others shoulders so we don't loose each other. When the food was being served, the waiter taped on our shoulder to let us know before putting it on our table. The staff was friendly. However, we had to wait a long time for our food to arrive. Definitely worthwhile to come here once to experience eating in the dark, and for the seafood! read more

O.Noir - Waiting room/bar area - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Food was good; wait was not We had surprise meat and filet mignon and surprise seafood. Surprise seafood was good. It's okay but the dessert was okay we had the dark chocolate mousse and the fruit sorbet overall it tasted very good the atmosphere was very different and special it felt like it was an adventure and the problem though is that we had to wait too long for the food read more

This was a great experience. I did panic a bit for the first few minutes in the dark but relaxed shortly after. I ordered the surprise entree which allowed the kitchen to send their choice meal to our able. My spouse chose the surprise dessert. I received a delicious steak, mashed potatoes and asparagus for the surprise and wife received a New York style cheesecake for hers. The server was blind, friendly though had a slight odour of b.o. All overlooked as we were empathetic. Who would complain??? read more

O.Noir - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Went to O Noir for the novelty effect of eating in the dark. It's a very non-descript location off Church and I probably walked by it quite a few times not knowing it was there. You have to walk down stairs to get in as the whole restaurant is underground. Food - Pretty average overall. You get to choose a starter and a main with the option to add a desert for an additional price. Drink selection is pretty generic too. Grilled Portobello Mushroom on Green Salad - was decent starter dish. Filet Mignon with Potatoes and Veggies - the filet was of decent quality and was cooked to a good medium rare tenderness. It had a bit of peppery sauce to it that added some nice flavour. Fruit Sorbet - pretty standard stuff. Service - The server was friendly and fairly responsive although you can't really flag them down since you are in darkness! Environment - Definitely quite the novelty aspect of eating in the dark. You will probably spill some food on your lap and probably won't get all of the food off your plate either. It is pitch black and felt like there was about 15-20 people in the room. The acoustics are very good so you can definitely have a conversation with your dinner date... but unfortunately you can also hear everyone else and their conversations too! It was something I wanted to try out and now that I have... probably won't repeat. Probably worth trying once for novelty or if entertaining out of town guests. Sorry no pics of food this time lol read more

Had and AMAZING time last night! My sister and I are from out of town and we went in not really knowing what to expect, we were blown away! The food was great, our server Dave was absolutely phenomenal and helped make the night so fun, and it was such a unique experience! Definitely recommending this place to all my friends! The reviews that are saying negative things really should have gone in with the thought that this is more than dinner, it's an EXPERIENCE, and a new perspective! Had so much fun!! read more

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Location: It's located at Church and Wellesley, a few minutes walk from Wellesley station. The front door is under an awning, and you have to go downstairs. Price: Two courses for $33, three courses for $40. Food: The food in the Toronto one was pretty average compared to the one in Montreal. The hot buns were really delicious. It might have to do with it being the first positive sensory experience after your sight has been stripped away. Make sure you know what you're getting (unless you ordered surprise), because they got our order wrong TWICE. The guy beside us also got the wrong order, but he kept eating, thinking he'd eventually taste some octopus (he didn't, and couldn't return it because they couldn't verify a wrong order on an empty plate). Atmosphere: This is probably 80% of what you're paying for. The place is not just dark, it's pitch black. Your eyes do NOT adjust, and it's probably the closest experience to being blind. You're not allowed cellphones or flashlights. It's definitely a nice honeymoon-phase date place because you can get to know them on a deeper level without getting distracted by their looks (and if you don't kept talking, you won't know if your date has secretly slipped away). Also a good excuse to hold hands ("I'm scared!" "I just wanna know how far away you are", etc.). Service: I love the concept of this restaurant because they hire visually impaired waitstaff. They're extremely kind and personable, and they become your saving grace once you enter the dark restaurant. They guide you to your seat, feed you, and help you leave. You learn what it's like to be vulnerable and hopefully you're humbled by the experience and become a better person. Overall: I personally think the food is just am accessory to the experience. Book ahead because it fills up fast. Also if you're going in the winter, wear 3 sweaters because it was freezing in the restaurant. read more

Amazing place! Surprised my Boyfriend for his Birthday. Although our surprise meat starters were not very impressive and a bit too spicy. Our mains and desserts were really good. The total darkness is at first very frightening meaning you actually do not a see a thing. After some time you get used, but while waiting we even got a little sleepy. Be prepared and make sure you are ready. P.S we even started to touch the plate with our fingers to see if we ate everything read more

It was okay. The concept is good but the food is really not tasty. For the price I would say no but for the experience yes.

O.Noir is a novelty restaurant located in Church Wellesley village with another location in Montreal where customers eat in complete darkness. Yes, absolute darkness as in absolutely nothing in the room is discernible apart from the pitch black darkness surrounding you. I came on a Friday night with my boyfriend for the first serving (5:45). The way it works is that you first go to the waiting area to claim your reservation, then look at the menu. There's a choice of a 2 course meal, (appetizer OR main, dessert) or 3 course meal (all three). We both ordered the filet mignon which had a mashed potato and veggie side for our main, and chocolate mousse for dessert. The staff took our order, and our blind server took us conga-style to our table. It was unsettling at first to have my sight taken away - I was scared I would hit my head on something or trip. Our server was understanding and guided us slowly to our table, then gave us a description of the chairs + tabletop arrangement. The bread they gave was good; it was really warm and fresh. Our steak was tender, juicy, and flavourful (it was also cut for us!) and the mashed potatoes were great as well. I grew tired of trying to get a forkful of green beans but coming up with an empty fork so I ended up eating them with my fingers. The chocolate mousse was good for the first few bites, but it became excessively sweet for me. You're also unable to even see what the food looks like, so your opinion of the food is only affected by taste and not the plating or visual factor. Our server was awesome - he gave us enough time to finish our food and was super patient. All in all, it was an enjoyable dinner and I would definitely recommend this experience. read more

It was an interesting experience. At first i was really uncomfortable in the dark but eventually got used to it. I had the seafood salad, pasta and fruit sorbet. I did not enjoy any of the food i got. The pasta got cold quickly as the room itself was cold. I also didnt like that everyone in the dining area was sharing the bowl of bread and so we all had to dig our hands in the same bowl (since you cant see what you're touching, it makes it difficult to avoid touching other pieces of bread in the bowl). read more

Fun to go with a group (the more the merrier). Been there twice in the same month! I would definitely go back again. Friendly staff and a great experience. Tried the seafood appetizer, fish and Filet Mignon main course, and surprise desserts. The food is actually good but the main part is eating in the dark. The only negative thing is that the service is a bit slow... it takes them a lot of time to get back to you between courses. A well-designed area where no light enters whatsoever. You order before entering and pay when you are out of the dark room. read more

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Yuck. I am a huge fan of the Montreal location and was looking forward to taking some friends to the Toronto O.Noir, that was a bad idea. Unlike the Montreal location, there are no lockers to keep your belongings, the bathroom isn't clean and the chairs and table were super uncomfortable. Our food took forever and it was cold when it arrived and our waiter didn't tell us what we had after each dish, there was no explanation or anything. At the middle of the meal we started rationing our water, because we knew that it would take forever to get more. I wouldn't go back. read more

Firstly I'd like to start off by saying that this concept is quite unique, and if executed properly (see Opaque in Cali) could be a huge success. However, my first experience at O Noir was not at all what I had expected nor indicative of a successful business with repeat customers. Let's take a look at why from my experience. Food quality: Sub par for $35+ per person excluding mandatory tip. The food was heavily salted and COLD. I was astonished to see other yelpers mentioning this which, for the price point, is unacceptable. When ordering seafood and chicken, neither should be cold unless it is served cold or you request it. As a result of this I had severe stomach issues which I can only attribute to cold poultry and seafood. Food portions: Again, not worth the money. I got the pesto chicken and there were about 5 strips of chicken on my plate. The green beans were plentiful as I opted out of the potatoes. The bun was, well mundane and could easily be replaced with fresh warm bread if they made the effort. Mandatory tip required for dissatisfied customers: If customers are legitimately unhappy with their dining experience and have good reason, no tip should ever be required. Instead, the option to pass on tipping should be an opportunity for the business to look at their shortcomings and address/learn from them. This was not the case. In fact, the woman at the cash made no effort to listen to us and immediately went on the defensive, stating that portion sizes were standard and we basically had no idea what we were talking about, in a diplomatic way of course. Unacceptable! These three issues totally ruined the experience. However, here are some ways this place can redeem themselves. Here are my suggestions: -Purchase a dedicated tablet/phone etc to send customers photos of what they were eating. This is both a fun way to show them what they ordered after the experience and to keep the business accountable with portion sizing. -Heat up the food! Self explanatory. Cook it properly, serve hot. Simple and will save people a day or 2 off work from food poisoning. -Grow out of the idea that this novelty sells itself and no effort has to go into things like purchasing quality food and taking pride in the overall culinary element of the experience. Other notes: The visually impaired waiter was amazing and held the experience together. He should be commended. He was attentive and had a sense of humour! I wish him the best. For those unsure about this place, I'd say wait until they make a push to improve things and make it known. If they are savvy business people who are looking for longevity rather than a quick buck, they will. read more

O.Noir was a very unique experience. I have been wanting to go here for the past two years and finally got a chance to go last week. Let's start with the cons: the whole process of taking orders before going in was a big mess in my opinion. We were given the menu when they confirmed our reservation and taken into a big room where we were supposed to decide what to get. Then nothing happened. No one came to us to take orders, and we were a bit lost. We finally walked up to the lady who took our reservation and she said that we should form a line to put our orders in. So everyone started to make a line. It then took them about 10-15 minutes to get to us to take our orders. It wasn't just us, other people were also quite lost as to what to do next. Another con was that everything in the main dining room (the dark room) was alarmingly sticky. My shoes were stuck to the ground and the table was quite sticky... which is not a good sign. Maybe someone spilled something before us... The pros: This was one of the most unique dining experiences I have had so far. I went through a range of emotions as we walked into the dark room: fear, panic, excitement, sorrow. It makes you appreciate what you have, and understand how difficult life is for people who have a visual impairment. In this sense, this experience was extremely unique and valuable. Another pro: though I had really low expectations for the quality of food, I was actually surprised how good it was!! All three courses were actually quite well made. My cocktail was also really good. I got all 3 courses as surprises (surprise meat appetizer, surprise main and surprise dessert, as well as a surprise cocktail) which made the experience so much more fun. The servers were great and they did a great job of making sure no light gets into the dining room! I HIGHLY recommend O.Noir! read more

My husband picked this place as a surprise for date night. I loved it! The whole experience of not being able to see anything and let you judge everything with your other 4 senses was great! We had a 2 course meal. I will advice you to pick their surprise food items. You will be pleasantly surprised. We both ordered Filet Mignon as the main and it was precut so there were no accidents. The meat was tasty and juicy. I loved how it was a perfect date night because phones werent allowed and you could chat all you want. Also, utensils were pretty much useless. I used my hands to touch and feel and eat mostly. I will recommend this place to anyone looking for a new experience! read more

This was a disappointing experience. A party of five with two vegans and one vegetarian. The service is slow, our waiter seemed to have forgotten about us between courses, never checked on us. The food us extremely sub-par. Vegans/vegetarians had three pieces of portabella mushrooms on two leaves of lettuce for a "surprise vegetarian starter" and a tiny portion of roasted vegetables with some grain for the main course. The total bill for 5 people was over $250, definitely not worth it. read more

Experience was interesting, our party had some laughs. However, food was sub-par, seems like they tossed whatever was available in the kitchen to serve the mystery meal. read more