Practical Information / FAQ

Dans le Noir ? is much more than a restaurant; it's a sensory, social, and unique experience. Here, you will enjoy a 100% surprise menu in total darkness, allowing you to rediscover gastronomy from a completely new perspective, using your other senses.

This concept aims to awaken your perceptions, offer a new vision of taste, and raise awareness about inclusion and diversity. Our blind guide-servers will accompany you throughout this culinary adventure, enabling you to experience full immersion in a deeply human and moving experience.

Yes, absolutely! There is not a single speck of light, not even a candle. Total darkness is essential for the experience, which is why we ask you to leave all light sources, such as lighters, mobile phones, cameras, and even watches (even those that are not connected), in the free cloakrooms and lockers provided for you.

To ensure safety and smoothness during the experience, you will also need to leave your coat, bag, or any other items behind. This prevents any clutter or risk of losing things in the darkness, which could create a dangerous obstacle for our teams and other diners.

This way, you can fully enjoy the experience in a safe environment without light distractions.

Yes, the first few minutes can be overwhelming for some people, but most of our visitors adapt very quickly to this new perception. Our guides, who are experts in the dark, are there to help you feel comfortable and reassure you throughout the experience.

More than just immersion, it’s a sensory adventure that questions our references and invites us to rethink our relationship with our senses, tastes, others, and differences. It’s an experience as enriching as it is fascinating!

Eating in the dark is a unique, fun experience full of discoveries. While it might feel strange at first, you quickly get used to it. Without sight, our other senses—such as hearing, touch, and smell—take over and help us adapt. Our guide-servers are there to guide you, give you tips, and accompany you throughout the experience.

In just a few minutes, your reference points will adjust, and you’ll discover how adaptable you are when temporarily eliminating a dominant sense.

To enjoy this sensory adventure without worry, we recommend wearing non-valuable clothing to avoid any stress in case of a small accident. As in any restaurant, we provide napkins to protect your clothes. Don’t worry, accidents are rare. Our team makes sure everything goes smoothly.

So relax and enjoy this unforgettable experience!

At Dans le Noir ?, the experience is both sensory and social. Darkness helps erase social conventions and challenge our biases. That’s why, since 2004, we have opted for shared tables to encourage interaction and stimulate encounters.
Whether you come in a group or as a couple, you’ll sit next to other people who will share the same adventure. Who knows who you’ll end up sitting with? Some of our guests have been surprised to find celebrities, actors, singers, politicians, directors, and even members of the British royal family at their tables. The Dans le Noir ? restaurant is a place where even celebrities can find a bit of anonymity to breathe!

At first, it may seem surprising, but the darkness helps overcome shyness and break down social barriers. Sharing this experience with strangers often becomes a very enriching and unexpected moment.

Of course, we understand requests for individual tables, but shared tables are an integral part of the experience. Let yourself be surprised by this spontaneous kindness that is no longer so common. After the meal, many extend the experience with a cocktail or coffee to exchange even more.

Simply call them by their name. The guide will be introduced before you enter the dark room. Don’t raise your hand—you could wait... for a long time!

For safety reasons, it is prohibited to move alone in the dark room! This could endanger other diners or waitstaff. Our guide-servers need clear space to work around the tables. If you need to move, whether to go to the bathroom or leave, inform your guide by calling their name. They will accompany you out of the room safely.

Generally, you will spend between 1.5 and 2 hours in the dark room. This can vary depending on the group, the speed at which you eat, the service, or even the restaurant you are in.

Yes, of course! At the end of your experience in the dark, when you leave the room, our team will reveal everything you have tasted during the meal. This moment is always full of surprises and often accompanied by lots of laughter as we discover the ingredients and flavors we perceive in a completely different way. A true sensory revelation!

For groups, we can accommodate up to 12 people per table at most. This number may vary if the space is privatized.

We can receive up to 50 people in the dark room. If there are more than 50, we can offer alternative solutions. Contact us to discuss it:

• By phone at +34 91 296 27 61.
• Via the contact form.

To fully enjoy our experience, we use shared tables. We do not offer tables exclusively for 2 people. It’s the perfect opportunity to meet other people and live a truly unique adventure!

When making your online reservation, don’t forget to tell us about your dietary restrictions or allergies, along with the name of the person affected. Upon arrival, our team will ask you again, and our chef will adapt the menu to your needs. Remember to mention your restrictions again to your guide when they deliver your dish in the dark room. Allergies should be repeated without moderation!

Of course! Just like with allergies, you need to indicate your special diet during the reservation, and the chef will adapt the menu for you.

Yes, the Dans le Noir ? restaurant in Madrid has been adapted to be accessible to everyone, although the building is old (the accessible bathrooms are located in the adjacent sensory space). Whether you use a wheelchair, crutches, or have other specific needs, don’t forget to inform us when making the reservation so we can adapt the experience to your needs. We are here to ensure that everyone can fully enjoy this adventure!

Of course! We are happy to welcome children from the age of 6. They are often more excited than adults! However, we leave it to the parents to decide if their children are ready for this experience (for example, if they are afraid of the dark). We only ask that they are accompanied and under the responsibility of an adult. If there is any issue during the experience, our team will be there to take care of them and ensure they have a lovely memory.

Not particularly. Most blind people live this experience daily, so it may not be as new to them. However, those who do come often consider it an excellent way to share an aspect of their daily life with their friends and family. It’s also an effective way to raise awareness among sighted people about their reality.

For safety reasons, pets are not allowed in the dark room. However, you can come with a guide dog. For their comfort and safety, as well as for the safety of other diners and the staff, the guide dog will not be allowed in the dark room but will be well taken care of in a special, lit, and quiet area inside the restaurant.

Dans le Noir ? is an inclusive company that hires without discrimination. We select our servers primarily based on their skills and motivation. If most of our dining room staff is composed of blind or visually impaired people, it’s because they are the ones who can best guide our guests in the total darkness, an environment that is familiar to them.

This experience offers a role reversal: in daily life, we usually help people with visual impairments, but here, they are the ones who accompany us and give us safety. This challenges our certainties, invites us to recognize competence beyond appearances, and values difference.

In our establishments, we prioritize experience, empathy, and the human aspect.

For obvious hygiene and safety reasons, the kitchen is lit so that our team can prepare delicious dishes with fresh ingredients. We do everything possible to offer you a culinary experience that is both tasty and unique.

The chefs and kitchen staff are hired based on their competence and professional experience. Their culinary expertise is at the heart of the quality of the dishes we serve.

At the Dans le Noir ? restaurant in Madrid, we employ several blind or visually impaired guide-servers (between 5 and 10). Internationally, nearly a hundred visually impaired people work at our restaurants, spas, and sensory spaces, representing approximately half of our staff.

We operate in a common environment, without specific aids or subsidies. Dans le Noir ? is a company like any other, where all employees have the same rights and duties.

In addition to serving in the dining room, visually impaired people hold various key roles:

• Events and entertainment: Blind experts participate in corporate events, receptions, product launches, sensory workshops, creative sessions, as well as private events like birthdays, bachelor parties, or New Year’s Eve dinners.
• Training and guidance: Some act as guide-trainers, responsible for integrating new employees and training during the opening of new locations.
• Leadership positions: Didier Roche, one of the co-founders of the group, is blind, and several of our consultants, experts, and trainers in France, England, and Europe also have visual impairments.
• Well-being and sensory discovery: In our Spas in Paris and Bordeaux, all people performing treatments, including the director, have visual impairments. Our perfume discovery workshops and sensory Escape Room are also led by blind or visually impaired people.

Thus, Dans le Noir ? not only offers an immersive experience but also actively contributes to the employment inclusion of visually impaired people, highlighting their experience and talents.

At Dans le Noir ? Madrid, we offer Mediterranean and tasting-style cuisine. Our chefs focus on playing with flavors, aromas, textures, and temperatures to provide you with an unforgettable sensory experience.

The surprise menus are specially designed for this unique experience in the dark, to take you on an unparalleled sensory journey. Before being served, all our dishes are rigorously tested in total darkness by our chefs, guides, and sensory experts to ensure a harmonious and immersive experience.

The menus are regularly renewed, approximately every 4 months, to surprise you on each visit.

To view the detailed prices of our menus and formulas, we invite you to consult the Menu.

The price of the Dans le Noir ? experience reflects several unique elements:

• Specific safety requirements, which require an adapted organization.
• A larger space than a traditional restaurant, to ensure comfort and fluidity.
• A larger team, including specially trained guide-servers.
• A kitchen made from fresh, high-quality products.

Beyond just a meal, Dans le Noir ? offers a unique immersive and sensory experience. The additional cost related to this experience is estimated at about €15 per person compared to a traditional restaurant of the same range.

Yes, absolutely! Give your loved ones a unique, memorable, and meaningful culinary experience.

To request a gift card, visit our online store. You can choose between different gift card options, such as one of our restaurant menus or other experiences from the brand. We also offer gift boxes that combine products and experiences, so your loved ones enjoy double the fun: when they receive the gift and when they live this unique experience.

You can receive your gift card instantly by email. Additionally, your gift cards will be available in your customer space under the "My Gift Cards" tab, where you can download them in PDF format.

Your order will be taken in the light at the beginning of the experience, when you arrive at the restaurant. At that time, you can also add drinks if you wish. During the experience, you can request more drinks directly from your guide-server.

All our menus are "surprise" menus, designed to awaken your senses in a unique way. But don't worry: they are perfectly adapted to your dietary restrictions and allergies, which you indicated when making your reservation. This information will be confirmed upon your arrival at the restaurant.

We recommend reminding your guide when they serve your dish, even if they are already aware, to avoid any misunderstandings.

This way, you can fully enjoy the experience with complete peace of mind!

To get an idea of the type of cuisine we serve, you can check out previous menus posted on our Facebook page.

The safety of our customers is our priority. Since 2004, we have welcomed over three million people worldwide, with no serious incidents.

To ensure a smooth experience:

• Our facilities are adapted and comply with safety regulations, in collaboration with the local authorities of each city.
• In case of an emergency, soft lights can be automatically or manually turned on by a team member trained for these situations.
• Emergency exits and safety equipment are regularly checked to ensure they are functioning properly.
• Our guide-servers and the rest of the staff receive regular and thorough training in safety and customer service in total darkness.

You can enjoy the experience with complete peace of mind – you are in good hands!

That would be an… interesting experience! But don't worry: the bathrooms are lit.

We recommend going before the experience starts to avoid interruptions.

If you need to go during the experience:

1. Call your guide by name and ask them to accompany you to the lit area.
2. Once you’re done, wait by the curtain, and our team will call your guide to take you back to your seat in the dark room.

All the information about our news and special events is available on our website:

• News
• Private Events

You can also follow us on social media to stay updated:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn 
• Tripadvisor

Of course! Dans le Noir ? is one of the most powerful team-building experiences, combining team cohesion and inclusion.

It’s also perfect for brands that want to introduce a product from a unique sensory perspective.

Ideal for:

• A fun moment with colleagues
• Welcome or farewell dinner
• End-of-year celebration
• Celebrating achievements
• Meals with clients to strengthen relationships

We offer adapted solutions:

• Privatizations for lunch or dinner in the dark
• Sensory activities (Pictionary in the dark, blind test, scent lottery, mystery boxes, etc.)

You can also gift the experience to your employees or clients with our gift cards, available on our website and in the store.

For corporate group requests, contact us through the contact form so that our team can propose a project and a personalized budget.

Check out all our B2B offerings on the website:

• B2B Offer
• By video

Yes, we highly recommend making your reservation online in advance. You will be able to see real-time availability.

For any questions, contact us via the contact form.

The Dans le Noir ? Madrid restaurant is open from Tuesday to Thursday for dinner from 20:30 to 00:00, on Fridays and Saturdays from 20:00 to 00:30, and also on Saturdays for lunch from 13:30 to 16:00.

During the week, we can open for lunch for private events, upon request and subject to availability. For more information, contact our team through the form.

We are located in the heart of Madrid, at number 5 in Plaza del Biombo, 28013 Madrid, Spain.

Yes, you can get there by public transport. The nearest stations are:

• Metro: Ópera (Lines 2, 5, and R) and Sol (Lines 1, 2, and 3).
• Buses: Several lines stop nearby, including 3, 25, and 39.

Yes, it is possible to park nearby. Some nearby options include Parking Plaza de Oriente, Parking FERMAR, and Parking Mayor, all within walking distance of the restaurant.

Our digital gift cards offer two shipping options:

• Receive it directly via email
• Send it to the recipient's email address on the date you choose (up to 10 days after purchase)

Once you receive the gift card by email, you will find a 3-page PDF file, also available in your customer account on danslenoir.com.

You can present it in two formats:

• Classic format (page 1): A ready-to-print card for gifting.
• Creative format (page 2): A card to cut and fold, perfect for an original surprise!

Additionally, on page 3 of the card, you will find a QR code with a video tutorial guiding you through the creative format assembly.

If your gift card has expired, you can extend its validity for 2 months from the expiration date, for a fee of €25.

Example: If today is February 15th and your card expired on February 3rd, you can extend it and use it until April 3rd.

This extension can be easily done from your customer account on danslenoir.com.

⚠️ After this 2-month period, the gift card can no longer be used or extended.