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Onoir Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
1631, rue Sainte-Catherine OuestMontréal, QC H3H 1L8
(514) 937-9727
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
34 reviews for Onoir Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Now this was an amazing experience." In 5 reviews -
"The third course was the chocolate mousse." In 4 reviews -
"Definitely get the surprise dessert, yum yum." In 3 reviews
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33 reviews in English
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Review from Mark G.
4/11/2012
I'm a huge fan of ONoir because of the truly unique atmosphere it provides. I'm a fan of the founder, Moe, and his commitment to the community. As far as I know, all of the servers are legally blind but that doesn't matter a lick when you're serving in pitch black.
I have never had a problem with service at ONoir, and I even have the feeling that the servers appreciate being able to have the guests experience, if only for an hour or so, one important aspect of their lives. It's clear to me that they take their responsibilities seriously, and for that I commend them.
As for the food, I've read reviews saying that the food isn't the best, and literally, they're right - but the food isn't bad either. It's average, but this is one restaurant where I believe the food is not what is supposed to shine. (Pun intended).
This is an incredible experience that needs to be, uh, experienced rather than read. Go into ONoir with a truly open mind and don't waste time or effort trying to imagine how it's going to be - just live it.
My only recommendation is to order at least one "surprise" dish. Be it an entree, main, or dessert, order one dish that, when it's set down in front of you (or passed over a shoulder), you have absolutely no idea what it is going to be.
If you have allergies or dietary preferences, be sure to mention them when ordering, but beware that I know of one or two incidences where mistakes were made in the kitchen. Thankfully, they weren't allergies.
Finally, if you wear glasses like me (except in my Yelp photo), I hope you enjoy not wearing them for a meal. When I enter the dining room, I take off my glasses and let them hang from my shirt for the duration of the meal. I know they're there, but I don't need 'em, and that's a refreshing, rare bit of freedom I don't normally get to experience.
Enjoy, and bon appetit! -
Review from GirlintheCity A.
Montréal, QC
4/8/2012
The main selling point of this restaurant is obvious the experience.
You put in your order and check in your coats in the first room. (There's a dinner option where you can pick a mystery meal so that you can try to figure it out).
You get led into the pitch black dining room by a blind waiter (Yes, they're actually blind - and the one we got was really really muscular and kind of good looking). You sit down and you await your food.
First you'll notice that you're actually seated quite far away from the people you came with. Secondly, the utensils, plates, and cups are big and heavy. This is all so that you don't spill your food of course.
The room is quite noisy and echoy with everyone talking and it's a bit chilly. Your eyes will start to hurt because you'll keep opening them and will see nothing but a strange faint light in the distance.
The food was good, I got the mystery dessert and it was incredibly easy to tell that it was creme brulee.
Overall a good experience, I think it was something I'd do once just to do it, and then again to bring relatives/friends/people visiting from out of town to. -
Review from Caroline W.
Scarborough, ON
3/18/2012
5 stars because of the experience, not so much the food.
When you arrive at the restaurant, you are asked to remove your coat and bag so as to leave anything behind that might produce light. They have lockers so I didn't feel as apprehensive about leaving my purse behind. You place your order at the counter- you can choose from a two course meal for $35, or a 3 course meal for $40. There is only one vegetarian option, which is really limiting.
Once you've placed your order, you're lead into another room by a blind waiter or waitress. It's pitch black and I kept worrying I would bump into a table or chair, but it went fine. I only had difficulty pulling out my chair to sit down and trying to figure out if we were by a wall, but I was able to get a sense of this after a few minutes. There seemed to be some plastic grips on the table so nothing would slide around.
When you receive your meal, you are told if the plate is on your right or left shoulder so you can find it. It was interesting trying to eat the meal, which was polenta nuggets with cheese, with a side of vegetables. The food wasn't bad, but I never knew how much food was on my plate. Eating the food wasn't as difficult as I thought, but there certainly were a few times where I thought I had managed to get some food on the fork, only to find out when there was none. That was pretty amusing. Dessert was a fruit sorbet, which was alright.
It gets really loud in the restaurant with all the conversation, and a few times I think I saw some light- some people may have brought their cell phones in their pockets. A family beside me was producing sparks of light because they were rubbing the fabric of their clothes together to create static electricity, which was pretty interesting.
When you step out of the restaurant it feels a bit strange, having been surrounded by darkness for a bit. The staff was friendly, food was ok, experience memorable. -
Review from Eric V.
Pierrefonds, QC
4/9/2012
Simply Amazing
I went there 3 times and loved it!
It's so different that any restaurant and initiating people to this is so entertaining!
The food is okay but it's all about the experience so i can't complaint about it!!
Will repeat this experience! -
Review from Kristin P.
1/15/2012
I definitely enjoyed my experience at ONoir, but i'd probably recommend going only once.
If you've made a reservation, you're coming for the experience, not the food. I had the eggplant appetizer and Marinaded Shrimp. The quality of the food was very average. The eggplant was soggy and small portioned. The shrimp was delicious, but the accompanying rice and vegetables were over sauced and overcooked. However, the ambiance was great. There was a live jazz band playing behind us, which complimented the mainly French speaking diners who were enjoying their meals. Again, a memorable experience. -
Review from Max L.
1/22/2012
Having been to O'noir several times, I thoroughly enjoy the experience and bringing people along!
The food is decent, nothing exceptionally fancy of difficult, but it is fun doing it in complete darkness. I've heard of other places that just give you blindfolds, but I really like that you have no choice but total darkness here.
Not sure why they don't serve "Darkness friendly" food that is easier to eat than pasta or meat and potatoes, but that adds to the difficulty I guess.
Long story short, go to eat in total darkness, try the surprises, have fun. -
Review from Chase G.
Toronto, ON
4/2/2012 Seated via OpenTable
The food was pretty good but it's really the experience you are coming here for. The most interesting dining experience I have had in years. Highly recommend to try it once. Go on the weekdays when it's a little less busy and try to stay in smaller groups. It will make the experience a little easier the first time.
-
Review from Erik M.
11/21/2011
It is an interesting experience to try once, and only once. Not knowing what I was eating it a turn off.
FYI you also sit with people you don't know, and the conversations actually get weird, and lots of touchy feelly. I did not enjoy my dinner, nor my experience. I left with a major headache. You would think with that a experience like this, people would shut up and experience it fully, but no.
Never again. -
Review from Lawrence L.
9/29/2011
What a great experience! Most others got the description of the experience down - let into a solid black room yada yada...the initial feeling was very scary as if any moment I would trip or fall off an edge or bump into a table. I asked for the bathroom before seating so we were led there but then felt abandoned for a few minutes before our server came back to bring us to our table. I have no idea what the layout of the restaurant is and I'd be very curious to see how they did that. Hearing the voices around me echoing around as if we were in an arena made me think that this place is actually quite vast, but who knows.
Conversation was interesting, I felt more relaxed just to participate in a conversation since my eyes didn't have to do any work. I could sit in a relaxed state and not worry about things like eye contact or proper posture.
The server showed up seldomly, just to bring us our next course. When bringing waters, she spilled a little on me, at least it's just water.
I tried to put a little bit of butter on my bread, but it turns out that I spread an entire container of butter, which I never do.
The Surprise appetizer was great - when I first tasted it, I thought it was garlic beef cubes, then on closer examination of the texture, I felt that maybe they were clam meat...turned out they were escargot. Not bad!
The veal, served with spicy potatoes, and brocolli and peppers was average, but then again, how would you be able to truly judge the enhanced feeling of dining blind if you were biased with exceptional food?
The mystery dessert was Tiramisu - I thought the caramel was too heavy but the texture and the flavour of the cake was nice. Feeling around was hard with the appetizer and the main that I ended up resorting to using my hands.
Great experience and I would definitely do it again. I recommend going all in on the surprises, but I should remember my list of ingredients I don't like so I don't risk anything in the future. -
Review from M H.
1/29/2012
Ignore everything you've read about about the food. We had the appetizer of of the day (eggplant with goat cheese) & the surprise appetizer (steak tartare), the filet mignon, and the surprise dessert (strawberry custard). It was all awesome. The filet mignon was one of the best steaks we've ever had. The whole staff was awesome, and the experience was perfect. Definitely worth the try.
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Review from Gabriel O.
Dollard-des-Ormeaux, QC
8/12/2011
I can't wait to go back! I'm sure you're all familiar with the concept by now: you eat in complete darkness and your served by blind waiters.
K to be honest, when I first heard of the place and found out you eat in the dark, I pictured dark but like when you're at home and can still see shadows and outlines...ya... that's not the case. I put my hand about 3 inches from my face (not that I would kno) and couldn't see it.
After you order from the room with lights, you get led in to the dark dinner hall by your waiter who introduces himself. At the table, you can hear people talking all around you. I got sat side by side with my guest and we actually had to feel accross to the other side of the table because we weren't sure if there were people at our table facing us.
The waiters guide you through what's on your table and how it's arranged. When they bring you your food, they touch the side of the plate to your shoulder so that you know where it is, before they place it on the table. Off the record... I was startled when he called my name. I had no idea someone was behind me.
The food was probably one of the best meals I've ever had. I wasn't adventurous enough to try the surprise meal but my guest tried the surprise dessert and on that night it was a chocolate mousse, I believe.
There is one night a week when they have jazz band playing, I believe it's on sundays, which only adds to the atmosphere.
I just have to say how impressive it is that they are able to serve food and run the restaurant in the pitch black.
Just a tip though, if you're the type to stay in the washroom for a while, I suggest going before. Since you can't walk to or from the bathroom alone (you can't see... remember) your waiter has to wait near the door the entire time. -
Review from Jay B.
12/3/2011
This will be one of the most unique dining experiences you will ever have. Dinner served to you by a blind wait staff as you eat in complete darkness (i.e. blind). My first experience, my eyes really wanted to try to see something. Which in turn made me freak out a bit. Relax. The wait staff will totally take care of you. Even if you spill your wine. Don't worry about buttering your hand instead of your roll. Nobody can see you. This place is loud, because for some reason you talk louder when you can't see it seems.
Now for the food. "How do you order without seeing the menu?" Duh. You order before you go in. You can order a 2 course or 3 course. I had the mushrooms for my starter and then I always get the Filet for my main and then hey, what dessert isn't great? The food is amazing and is more flavorful when your other senses kick in. You can also opt for getting the 'Surprise' dinner and then try to guess what you had after you leave. My guess is you'll guess wrong.
And it's so good, nobody will see you lick your plate. -
Review from J B.
5/19/2011
5 stars for the experience as a whole. You must make a reservation and when you show up, you put your cell phones or anything that might produce light in a locker in the dimly lit front lounge. From there, you are introduced to your server, who is actually blind, and then, taking his/her shoulder, you are led to into the dining room, which is PITCH BLACK.
The experience is nerve-wracking at first because doing anything in pitch black tends to be uncomfortable for those of us who have taken our vision for granted. However, eventually you will settle down a bit, but you are constantly reminded of your predicament as you clumsily take a sip of your drink or fumble with your food.
They say that depriving oneself of one of the five senses will enhance the remaining and after this experience I really believe it. Taking away my sense of sight, I felt that I could really experience the amazing flavor and smell of the food.
My favorite part was the conversation...my date and I struck up a conversation with a couple right next to us. I sincerely feel it was the fact that we could not see them nor them us and consequently could not judge each other visually that led to one of the best conversations I've ever had!
The service was great and they'll guide you to the restroom if you need. I think the price is a steal, especially compared to places in Los Angeles and San Diego at around $100/person! Do this and you won't regret it. -
Review from J W.
4/18/2011
I must say that I was intrigued with the concept of the restaurant. I was in Montreal and had to try this out.
The experience was unique, but the food was just ok. I went with the surprise menu, just to test my palette.
The first course was escargot.
The second course was a pasta dish with salmon. And it was canned salmon. Or at least it tasted like the canned salmon that my grandmother use to love eating. I distinctly remember the taste of the bones in the salmon. The salmon is cooked in the can and the bones are soft and can be eaten. And for some reason, I kind of liked eating the salmon bones.
So the good news is that it brought back some happy memories of having dinner with grandma.
But the bad news is that I got served half a can of salmon with pasta from a box in a restaurant.
The third course was the chocolate mousse. It was ok.
Come for the experience of eating in complete darkness, not the food. -
Review from Christian H.
Vancouver, BC
7/21/2009 2 photos
Now this was an amazing experience. At Onoir you receive some decent food you also receive the experience of being blind. No, they don't blindfold you or put goggles on you. They have you eat in total darkness. By total darkness, I mean there is no lights at all including no watched, cell phone or any other devices that may deliver even the smallest amount of light.
The restaurant is open two time a day everyday. You have to make reservation for one of the two times. When you walk in, they give you a menu and have you order your food there but pay later. They also have you use the free lockable lockers to have you leave all light making devices. After ordering, your waiter, who is truly blind escort you to you table. He/she leads you through two doors into a pitch black room where the dinner tables are located. He/she has to take your hand and put it on the chair for you to even find the chair. I won't go into anymore details as one needs to experience it for ones self.
All of the waiting staff is blind and since the room is totally dark, if you need to use the restroom or need any type of assistance, then you only have to shout for your waiter.
As far as the food, one of the choices and the one I recommend is the Surprise Dish and Dessert. When they bring it to you, you must use your senses to discover what you ate. They will not tell you. Mine was pork, potatoes, mushrooms and green beans. The dessert was a mouth watering chocolate moose. It was amazing. The price was about 30 dollars per person, food only.
If you are in Montreal then you must check this place out. They give blind people jobs and donate money to an organization for the blind.Listed in: Montreal Musts
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Review from Kevin S.
10/1/2008
Dining in the dark? WOW! What an experience. I wish we had something like O Noir in Philadelphia. My experience eating fillet Mignon in the complete darkeness:
You order your food and drinks at the lit bar area in the front. After you order, your blind server leads you to your table. You dine in COMPLETE darkness, no cell phones, lighters, watches, etc.
We happened to visit on an evening where they had live music, performed by a blind band.
This was so interesting. There were a lot of people in the dining room, and I had lost my sense of perception. I also kept looking for light. I kept finding myself looking for a little ounce of light, so I could see something. No luck, eventually I gave up.
As far as eating, this part was not as difficult as people think. They cut your food in a fashion that will help you eat with your utensils. They also carefully set up your table, and the place setting is very easy to navigate in the dark. The table even had a hole for your drink.
I would do this again. A lot of people who I've told about the experience say they would never want to do something like this. It took a little bit of open-mindedness on my part, but once I got over that - this was a really enjoyable meal. -
Review from audrey b.
2/19/2011
see how long everyone's response to this restaurant is? It's because the experience impacted them...good or bad, you are reading it all.
Dont read them! just go.
if you really want to read mine:
I went at 8.30pm and I'm glad I did because not many people were in the room at that point. (lots of people showed up later, which wasn't as transcendental)
Pitch black. It felt like eating in outer space...but you can make up your own metaphors for the experience.
The food (I ordered the mystery dish) was quality, but keep in mind you are also paying for the experience.
For the main course I recommend ordering a mystery dish. Mine turned out quite nicely (but I wont tell you what it is because then you might expect it.. they do vary it up)
For dessert I recommend ordering what you want off the list and not the mystery dessert. That way you can finish the evening comfortably eating what you picked even though you can't see it.
I recommend reserving ahead of time. The staff is polite and the experience, to me, is something you should go for. -
Review from sabine t.
2/16/2011
I absolutley loved the experience of this place. And i also really happened to love the food. I got a surprise appetizer, which turned out to be octopus. Super delicious. Everything was great. Our waiter was blind, and it was def interesting to get a taste of that kind of life. Really intense, almost to the point of anxiety towards the end of it. I really wanted light by the end of our meal. But i would recommend it.
Only thing i didn't like was location. It was right next door to a sketchy strip club, and when we went into the restaurant a weird dirty guy was standing infront of it telling us not to go in because the food wasnt good. Ew. -
Review from Edward C.
3/26/2010
I feel like it's odd to rate a place like Onoir using the Yelp scale, because it doesn't really make sense for 2 stars to mean that I've experienced better because truthfully, I've never experienced anything else like it and therefore it must be the best I've experienced (I guess also the worst...), but I honestly feel like the food was pretty bad at this place, and not deserving of more than a star or two given how much you're paying.
I went with some adventurous friends, and we all ordered the surprise for every course. In truth, the food wasn't that surprising. I was expecting to be confused and puzzled and intrigued by every dish, but pretty much once you were able to get the food into your mouth, you were able to identify it easily. The food didn't take advantage of the fact that you couldn't see anything. It was just normal food at inflated prices. Like think food that a college student might try to make to impress a date.
In spite of the bad food, Onoir is definitely something to be experienced. You really can't see anything, and it's odd to try to eat in this manner. You might also experience existential crises while eating if you think too hard about being blind.
Anyway, I think Onoir could really be a five-star restaurant if they were just more creative with the food and took advantage of the fact that their patrons can't see anything, but I guess that'd be too much effort. Until then, this place is just a novelty, but probably not worth the money. -
Review from Kwoky L.
6/20/2009
Ever wondered what is it like to be blind?
At O.Noir, you can because everybody dines in total darkness. When my friend suggested this place for dinner, I was intrigued by the idea. Then a stream of questions came to mind: How do I know what I am eating? How am I eating it if I can't see? How do I know where my table is? and most of all, how do I pee if I need to? I know they are silly concerns but it really got me thinking about living as a blind person and the challenges that they face everyday.
So we got there right on time for our reservation. You have to have one because they are only open twice a day, 7 days a week. We had to order our food at the front desk prior to going in. If you are brave enough, definitely consider ordering the surprise appetizer, entree, and dessert, which I did. You'll just have to use what your mama gave you - your imagination and your senses.
Then, our waiter came out to greet us, and tada - she's BLIND. Wait, what? How is she going to ... *insert more questions*? Yes, I know but we had absolute confidence in her. She escorted us to our table and the first thing we did was figuring our our personal space and bounderies, silverwares, etc. You would think that your eyes would get used to the darkness and you can see maybe like a shadow or something. Nope, it was still pitch black after 10 minutes.
It was very funny when we were passing the bread because you can't see the person and I could easily shove it at someone's face. The meal finally came and I think I figured it out. It was chicken with haricort vert, carrot and shallots. And for dessert, it was chocolate mousse with raspberry I think. If you're vegetarian, don't worry because they have vegetarian entrees too. *psst* Of course, if you want to lick the plate clean, you can because it's dark. I did. =)
Overall, I'll give it a 3.8 stars for food but the experience was worth 5 stars. I highly recommend O.Noir because I am sure this will be an amazing experience for anybody. -
Review from Noha G.
Montréal, QC
7/25/2011
Not the best food - sometimes very very loud which makes it hard to talk..one of those places you go to only once and never return to.
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Review from Yen D.
3/12/2010
Onoir is an absolutely incredible experience that I can't recommend enough. When just walking to the table takes a leap of faith (since you don't and can't know what's ahead of you besides your waiter's shoulder), you know that the dining experience will change how you see the world. At Onoir you can spend two hours imagining what it would be like to be blind if the world were perfectly catered to the blind (sticky placemats, people telling you exactly where things are all the time, smaller tables so you don't have to grope around for the bread), and then walk back into the world and re-appreciate your eyes.
I second the suggestion to come with people you can have a conversation with, as long pauses and no physical contact can elicit feelings of claustrophobia, fear, etc. in addition to the usual sad effects of a boring dinner date.
But
The food isn't that great. All four of us got the surprise appetizer, entree, and dessert, and while trying to figure out your food is fun, eating good and inventive food is more fun. Our appetizer was a large cheese ravioli in a simple tomato sauce, our entree was some kind of meat (we argue over pork, veal, chicken) in marsala sauce with roasted vegetables, and dessert was a chocolate mousse cake. It was all solid food, but not very exciting. Also the portions were quite large.
I'd suggest ordering off the menu and only ordering two rather than three courses.
Is the experience amazing? Yes, yes, and yes. Is the food good? Sort of. Would I come back? I don't really think so.
Go for the novelty of it, go for the experience, go to give money to a worthy charity (some of their profits go to help blind people, while they employ a group of people that has a 70% unemployment rate), but don't go for the food. -
Review from Dawn A.
1/2/2009
What an amazing experience! Dining in pitch black darkness elicits a variety of emotions and sensory responses. We varied from intensely intrique to momentary claustrophobia to complete awe. It's true that your other senses are heightened when one is deprived and we used them all in order to complete a basic human function - eating.
What's most amazing is the opportunity to get a feel for a sliver of the lifestyle of a blind person. We had to be more explicit in our oral communication, slow our actions down, feel around for object placement (how else would you know if you finished your dinner?), etc. We loved that some proceeds benefit a blind foundation and that the concept helps with the 70% unemployment rate in that population.
The food was great. It might be just slightly overpriced but worth it for the experience. We chose to have surprise appetizers and desserts. I'd recommend this option... having to use my senses to identify a dish brought a new dimension to the experience. Comparing our dishes, I preferred the portabella mushroom appetizer, filet mignon main course and the fruit sorbet dessert. I'd also recommend keeping the wine to a 1 glass minimum... remember, you already have some sensory deprivation that you're not used to!
All in all, an incredibly unique and fun experience. Don't hesitate to try this amazing restaurant! -
Review from Prarthana N.
2/13/2010
Incredible food, great music, cool atmosphere, great experience.
HOWEVER,
Make SURE you go with a lively crowd. My restaurant date was so boring that I spent most of my time praying for the next meal course to alleviate my misery.
Definitely get the surprise dessert, yum yum...
Speaking of yum, a hot date is a good idea as well...the naughty things one can do in the dark :) -
Review from Chad T.
5/17/2010
Really the food is only OK (maybe 2-2.5 stars), but I will bump it up to 3 because the experience was so.... unique.
The place is owned by blind people (and our waiter was blind). You place your order in the front room, and then you proceed hand-to-shoulder to follow the waiter to the inner dining room where it is pitch black. And this is no exaggeration... you can not see anything. It is like sight-sensory deprivation. The waiter will bring glasses and dishes up to your shoulder and you have to arrange them in some way that you are comfortable groping for.
I had the avocado salad, and some shrimp/rice dish. Both of these were decent/fresh. The chocolate cake dessert was cold and hard, like something you'd buy in a freezer box at a grocery store.
It is damn hard to eat chunks of avocado with a fork in the dark. It definitely gives you a minute appreciate of what a blind person's life must be like. -
Review from Christy H.
9/7/2008
WOW- such a unique and great dining experience!!!!! You order you food and drink in the lobby and then your escorted to you table by your waiter - who happens to be BLIND. Thus you eat your entire meal in the DARK!!!!!!!
It is amazing how we all take out sight for granted, and for a long dinner experience I was able to put my self in the shoes of the blind. For the first time I was able to identify my shrimp risotto meal by the smell. And the 2 other people I ate with- we realized that we had to be very clear with our verbal communication because we were no longer able to use our sight to read some ones body language etc.......
The food was excellent as well so it truly isn't just some gimmick to try to get the business. It is the REAL thing and if anyone is visiting Montreal I recommend this amazing dining experience to ALL!!!!!!!!! Call to make reservations 1st- as they only have 2 seating times for dinner 6pm & 9pm.
ENJOY :) -
Review from Melissa L.
Vancouver, BC
9/7/2010
A really cool joint in Montreal. About a year ago, I had tried O.Noir. The concept is awesome, having dinner in pitch black with waiters/waitresses who are blind. What an amazing experience I had.
At first, I thought "having dinner in the dark... that's cool" but I really didn't think much of it. But until you experience it, you don't realize how neat it is. To sit at a table with a group of friends and have nothing but pure conversations.
The client care was really nice. It was seamless. Basically you choose your menu items at the beginning and when you get seated that is when the food comes out.
The food was good, not stellar. But to have the experience is really unique. -
Review from Jennifer C.
6/1/2011
An acquaintance insisted we visit O.Noir during our trip to Montreal, so I made the reservation via email and was very quickly confirmed. I was excited at the idea of experiencing food through restricted senses.
4 stars for the experience itself: The novelty of attempting to function normally in pitch darkness continued throughout the meal. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly, nice job Guillame! We dined on a Sunday night, which has live music (instrumental cover band) and despite the music on top of the noise from nearby tables, we were able to easily chat and hear each other (we were sat side by side).
2 stars for the food: My friend ordered the eggplant starter, chicken in coriander sauce entree and surprise dessert (tiramisu). I tried the first and it was very salty. For my starter, I went for the watermelon and avocado with feta. Sadly I let my friend stab her fork on my plate - she took the only piece of feta. Probably a service to me, since the dish was seasoned only with salt. Entree was very disappointing - as a vegetarian, I'm used to seeing this usual stand-by at bars and other low-end restaurants, but when I'm paying $25 for an entree, pasta with tomato sauce was a let down. Yes, we're not a majority but it just shows a lack of creativity in the kitchen. When promoting your restaurant on the basis of taste and smell alone, I'd expect something more. Throw some of the coriander sauce on some mushrooms, at least. My dessert, creme brulee, was standard, but in this case, the tastiest thing I ordered.
Worth doing for the experience, but don't expect the price to reflect good quality of food. -
Review from Kasia P.
Montréal, QC
10/22/2011
As a way to celebrate a milestone birthday, I took my spouse to O Noir to experience something new. We went on a Thursday night so there wasn't much of a crowd. Supposedly it gets really busy over the weekend. Our waitress, Kim, was very friendly and explained everything in detail before and during dinner. At the end of the night she stayed with us for a couple of minutes answering questions that came up for us from taking in the whole experience.
The food was just ok for the price. The menu has a set price and you can choose out of 4-5 starters, entrees and desserts Our bill with tip came to about $110 for the course meal for each of us, a split dessert, a glass of wine and a beer.
As for the atmosphere, it was nothing like I've ever experienced. The first couple of minutes were a bit anxiety provoking- I guess I was expecting my eyes to adjust at some point... Although there were only about 2 other tables, voices carried a lot. Again, the waitress was great, but the hostess that took care of our meal orders and then payment, wasn't.
If you want to experience what eating in a pitch black restaurant feels like, give O Noir a try. -
Review from Guillaume C.
Verdun, QC
4/30/2010
The food was ok. The crowd was really loud and the whole experience (you have to wait in a crowded room for 15 min before you can sit, we paid for a bottle of wine and only get 2 glasses) was disappointing. The best part was the grilled portobellos, but I can do them way better on my own BBQ. And it's really not cheap for what it is.
Good idea, weak execution. -
Review from Alan K.
Montréal, QC
7/9/2009
Hungry AND in Montreal, AND ready for a new gustatory experience?
Hungry or not, sighted or not, there's a novel and fun and tasty experience in total darkness at Onoir (pronounced OH, NWAre).
Arriving there on Sainte Catherine Street in downtown Montreal, in the lighted foyer, guests give their menu choices to Onoir staff, and when your table is ready, your blind server arrives and escorts you and your party in caravan-style (hand on shoulder) to your table.
Your vision will become accustomed to total darkness in only minutes, and you might ... it's all up to you.
When the food arrives at the table, how will you eat? With your digits? Fork? Where's the fork? You may want to use the "direct deposit" method - manually.
The experience, like the price, is more than the food and ambiance.
Bon appetit. -
Review from Michael W.
Kanata, ON
2/26/2011
Great service, good food, really fun experience. I highly recommend it.
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Review from Rose E.
Montréal, QC
11/3/2008
Just ate here last week, and it was an amazing experience. The darkness is so complete and total- it is disorienting and exhilarating at the same time. I recommend ordering the "surprise" dish- eating mystery food is something that you can't really do anywhere else.
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