Absolutely! Not a glimmer of light, and no candles! To keep the room completely dark, you will be asked to place all potential light sources such as lighters, mobile phones or cameras in the cloakroom provided free of charge. We will also ask you to leave your jacket and/or handbag and other bags or objects, to free yourself of any clutter, avoid losing something or creating a dangerous obstacle in the dark. Remember to put your watch in your pocket or in your locker if it’s valuable. Almost all watches are luminous.

When we are deprived of our main sense, sight, we tend to use our other senses more: hearing, touch and smell. Using them, we manage to eat in the dark, to find our cutlery, and so on... Even if at first the experience is intimidating, it becomes more and more enjoyable when you start to relax. Our blind guides are trained to ensure visitor well-being, they will give you all the assistance you need. We recommend that you don’t wear valuable clothes to avoid any stress or accidents. The restaurant is not responsible for stains or accidents to your clothes. However, rest assured that we are much more cautious in the dark and instinctively move more slowly. As a result, incidents or stains are infrequent.

In our opinion, Dans le Noir ? is not just a sensory experience but also a convivial and human one. For more than 15 years, we have chosen to welcome our guests to large tables. Meeting people in pitch darkness is an interesting part of the experience. The context means that people can have discussions without prejudice and communication becomes more fluid, easy and authentic. If you come in a group, with your partner or a friend, you will be seated alongside your guests. Other people you don't know will be seated next to you. The darkness will help you if you wish to overcome your shyness and enjoy this unique experience in a friendly atmosphere. It often happens that groups who first meet in the dark stay to chat over a cocktail or coffee after the experience. And who knows, maybe you’ll end up seating next to a celebrity!

The reception is responsible for taking orders in the well lit guest lobby. But you can of course order additional drinks or dishes from your guide in the dark room whenever you want. Remember to tell us about any allergies and remind the guide when they bring your meal. All our menus are surprise.So you won't know what’s on your plate. You must mention any allergies and dietary restrictions when ordering so that the surprise menu will be adapted accordingly, as well as reminding your guide when they bring your meal.

We have made every effort to keep our prices affordable, to make this experience accessible to all. The current price takes into account safety requirements, the fact that we employ more staff than other restaurants and a cuisine based on fresh products of organic quality. 

We employ 10 visually impaired or blind guides at the Melbourne restaurant. More than 30 people among our teams worldwide are vision impaired which is almost half of our staff.  
Other blind experts are also available to run our sensory space and its wine tasting sessions, for special events such as organising recruitment sessions, company events, official receptions, product launches, press events, sensory workshops, brainstorming or team building sessions, etc
People with visual impairments don’t just work in the company as waiters. For example, the Deputy Director of our Group is blind. We also often employ consultants, experts or blind trainers on an ad hoc basis in France, the UK and Europe.

 We can accommodate up to 84 people in our dark dining room at the same time. We can also accommodate more people in shifted services. The Rydges on Swanston Hotel also offers numerous conference rooms and cocktail areas for up to 300 people.

To dine at the restaurant in Melbourne at Rydges on Swanston, the easiest way is to book online using our booking service where availability is updated in real-time.

You can also book by phone at +613 9347 7811.

For any question, do not hesitate to contact us via the form.

All information about our news and special events are available on our blog and on our social networks.

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For all corporate group requests, contact +613 9347 7811 or via the following form.