Dans le Noir

Read the reviews and expected the worse.... and was pleasantly surprised!

Great place to go with a group of friends for something a bit different!

Food & cocktails very tasty and service was great.

No complaints here! Looking forward to my next visit!
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norma
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Sunday, April 19, 2009

Terrible experience.

Waiters knock into you with their trolleys. Seating too close to couple next to you arms kept on bumping. Did not enjoy eating in the dark and no prior knowledge of menu.

Food was poor. Main course consisted of beef and turkey???

Extremley over priced, would not recommend to anybody!
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Lee Theophile
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 1
Sunday, April 12, 2009

Truly awful

Value, quality and quantity-wise this was the most atrocious meal I've ever eaten. I left feeling hungry and cheated . If you want to recreate this experience, don't bother going here - do it yourself at home at home by turning the lights off and serving a tin of cat food to your guests.

Ron Liddle of The Sunday Times puts it very well... the point of Dans Le Noir "seems to be twofold: by depriving the diner of sight, it is hoped that his or her other senses will be heightened. It also enables sighted people to empathise with nonsighted people. On both of those counts, the restaurant achieves its aims. But at Dans le Noir, you do not wish for your other senses to be heightened; you would quite like to be deprived of them too. Especially your sense of taste."
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Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Saturday, February 14, 2009

someone recommended this experience and in retrospect, I think I should have read the reviews first. the concept is of course intreaguing, and trying it is an experience in itself, but this place is a clever rip-off, concocted by a few consultants wanting to make easy money from well-off people in capital cities around the world (they are selling the franchise at prohibitive rates). It is definetly NOT what it says on the tin (i.e a sensory experience, a sociable experience and a culinary experience). OK, I'll give you the first one, it does give you food for thought, but it is too loud to have any kind of social experience, the blind waiters didn't really engage with you at all, and the actual food was appalling (and cold); honestly it was barely edible (yet around £40 a head and around £35 for an average wine); we came out 35 minutes later, having spend £135 and headed to the nearest pub for dinner. keep it a mistery, or do it yourself at home, BUT DON'T TRY IT!!!!
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Glenn
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Saturday, November 15, 2008

My fiance and I really enjoyed the first 30 minutes of the experience but that is where is stops. We were seated first in the restaurant and served our tasty starter by our friendly waiter. We felt humbled by the fact the darkness was only temporary for us but permanent for the waiters. We were certain the waiters could do a better job of eating in the dark than we were able but we were enjoying the challenge.

Our meal was then interrupted by what can only be described by what sounded like a stamped of football going yobs (other diners!) who proceeded to shout and yell making it impossible for us to continue any type of conversation. A couple were then seated elbow to elbow with us. Unfortunately we could hear everything they were saying and believe me we would rather we couldn't. My main course was fatty and greasy while my fiance's was average. It was then a case of trying to get out as quickly as possible. Unfortuantely we had to pay the £130 bill before leaving. This included one £22 bottle of wine, water, starter, main course for the two of us and one dessert! Shocking and so not worth it. I would say don't bother. Go to a posh restaurant and splash out. You will get decent food and won't have to put up with the company of the rest of the restaurant. It's a good idea but in reality it doesn't work..for us anyway..
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Hannah Worters
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Friday, November 07, 2008

Unique experience. Don't expect anything romantic and cozy. This is more a place to go to with friends for a laugh. We went as a couple and were seated with other couples who we did not know - we were nearly touching elbows and could overhear everyone's conversation so don't expect privacy. It was great fun though and people felt more inclined to talk to their table neighbours than they would have done in an average restaurant.

I really enjoyed my food (fish menu) but my boyfriend did like his much (he had the surprise menu). It was good fun trying to eat in the dark, guessing what we had and finding out later what we really had!

The main downsides were that the wine was terrible - tt was supposed to go with the courses but we were served just a choice of red or white in no particular order - and that we felt a little rushed. Food was served quickly and we were soon asked if we wanted to leave. There did not seem a choice of leaving later than the rest of the group at our table. Everything is very well organised which is good but also leaves the feels of being an 'organised experience' rather than an intimate meal in a good restaurant.

Great concept, very well organised but could be improved quite easily and thus appeal to a wider audience by improving wine list and service and giving customers a choice how to be seated (in noisy groups or a quieter corner). Definitely recommendable as an experience - with friends or family (good experience for kids, I think).
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Andrea
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Sunday, October 19, 2008

The atmosphere is brilliant and it is a very unique experience. The quality of the food unfortunatley is average.

I thought it was overpriced (...£4.50 for a small bottle of water!!!) but it is worth going once for the experience!
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Arianna
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 3
Thursday, October 09, 2008

I booked the restaurant for my dad's 60th bday and for my whole family. Wanted to show them a different experience on how to eat and enjoy food from a different prospective. We enjoyed ourselves and would recommend others to go. Staff are very friendly and the food is great too.
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Charles - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Friday, October 03, 2008

The experience was unique and the comfort of being in the company of someone (our waiter) who could look after us if we needed it was special. The long tables unfortunately mean that there are many voices surrounding your own conversation with your friends/loved ones. Final note is that I felt the dinner went by quickly even though it was 3 course meal. However, the total rate stands at a perfect 10. Thanks
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Will
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, October 03, 2008

I absolutely enjoyed my experience at the restaurant. The experience is what you make of it but I can tell you that the service was excellent and the food was delicious and the wine (which we ordered from the list was good quality.) My best recommendation is to ORDER DESSERT! (Licking chocolate mousse off a spoon in the dark is the ultimate experience!)
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Miss P
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Friday, September 26, 2008