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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Western Addition/NOPAOpaque is now also open every Wednesday giving you one more day of sensual adventure at our popular special price of $79 on Wed and Thur.
Wed-Sat. 6:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
"I hit opening night of SF's new Jazz Supper Club "Coda"! Partners Chris Pastena and Bruce Hanson have put together a killer venue that will…" read more »
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What a crazy fun experience this was! I have a new profound appreciate for people who cannot see! I went to eat here for the first time last night and major props to a cool teacher who said I could dine at this nice restaurant and write about it for a paper. :) The dining area itself is small (so i've heard from our waitress Katie). We didn't actually see the inside of this restaurant because it is literally pitch blackness! One by one, you are led by a blind waiter/waitress to your comfortable seat at a large oval table covered with rose petals. The pitch black takes alittle getting used to. I didn't start freaking out until they closed the front door we came through and I couldn't see anything...not a chair...table....fire escape??? :) The meal was a five course! I would like to tell you what I had but that would ruin the experience. They give u a choice to either let them pick the menu or you can cheat and pick your own dishes. I would reccommend opting for them to pick the menu so you can take turns guessing what you're eating! Don't worry if you have dietary restrictions....let the waiter know ahead of time so they can plan accordingly. Also don't worry if you chuck your utensils in frustration and eat with your hands like a messy baby! It's almost necessary if you aren't coordinated like I am! I tried utensils and was pulling up air and no food! Plus they deliberately put the bread and butter in the center of the table so everyone at the table has to work together to get it..pass it around..and help spread butter!
Overall: I absolutely love the concept of this place! Dining in the dark is so revolutionary! Plus the food was scrumptous! I think the loss of sight really heightened my other senses because the food there tasted exceptionally better than normal. The atmosphere made it so everyone at the table had to work together passing dishes around and helping each other out the door. I found that it was easier to strike up and hold conversations with strangers in the dark and there were no awkward silences! The waiters and waitresses are eager to answer your questions and offer their assistance on how to eat the foods to get the most out of your experience. This was an A+ dinner to remember!
This was an interesting experience. You begin by selecting your course decisions at their other restaurant next door. When they are ready for you, you hold eachother's hands and start walking to the proper seating area that they lead you to.
It's pitch dark black and you cannot see anything. The waiters and waitresses are actually all blind. No electronics or mobiles are allowed, so you're in the dark for quite some time. I thought I was going to freak out by not seeing any light for about an hour or two but I was actually fine.
Despite the pitch darkness, we still ordered a bottle of wine and we had to actually pour the wine ourselves in glasses --that caused a bit of a mess.
I had the Tuna Tartare as my appetizer. I would not order this again because the tuna was slimy and a bit of the fishy-stench side. It made me feel a little sick after wards.
I had the Beef Tenderloin with potatoes which was actually really good --the beef was cooked very well and seasoned nicely.
The only thing I'm wary about when dining in the dark is the cleanliness of the table that we are sitting in since I cannot see.
What was very odd is the entertainment... Our server was Mocha, who is very sweet and attentive to us, however she starting to sing impromptu. I guess this is a part of what they do regularly every night. In addition, she came back and spit some rap-poetry.
I preferably would have preferred it if there was no entertainment at all. Kind of ruins the mood...
Because it's dark, some people take advantage of it and you wonder what the heck is going on in the next table. It's a bit inappropriate when you hear certain people make noises that may gesture something. It's disrespectful too for the restaurant.
In the end because we were the last ones there, we actually got to see a small glimpse of what the restaurant really looked like.
In general, it was definitely an experience that I would recommend but I wouldn't do it again.
Let me start by saying that Opaque gets pushed to 4 stars because of the originality of the concept as the execution needs some work. I won't dwell on the basics--you dine in the absolute, pitch-black dark and are served by visually-impared or blind waiters. The food was good, but the $79/person special is a steep markup for the experience. And I'd probably would have slowed down on the soft drinks if I knew they were $3.50 per small glass.
Apparently there is no corkage, so that should save people some cash, so keep it in mind.
I requested they leave the goat cheese off my salad, which they failed to do and since I was in the dark, I did not know until I put a fork-full in my mouth.
The meal was peppered with special treats (veggies and dips were great), but I had no napkin despite repeated requests, we did not have full utensils for much (ok, all) of the meal and it took 20+ minutes to refill drinks.
The salmon entree was solid, the chocolate cake was yummy and the sound of other guests' frustration made us feel better about our own clumsy fumblings.
Check it out--it will make you appreciate what you have and the 6th sense of the servers is amazing (big ups to Katie--I blame the prep people) including their supersonic hearing, and prepare for $220+ per twosome. And I hope word of mouth sustains this spot, since repeat business seems unlikely.
Novel...unique...and checked off the must-do list.
Food was basic good
service was nice .
just hope for this price the restaurant can afford a better location .
wonderful experience.
YELPERS: IF YOU'RE GOING FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION, I HIGHLY ADVISE YOU GET A PRIVATE ROOM OR SEATING AREA . We didn't realize we had this choice prior to going and DEFINITELY would have asked to do it this way had we been aware we HAD this choice.
To the OWNERS of Opaque, please listen because, I came here for my birthday and I was very, very sad about how things went down:
1) We had to ask our waiter twice to please do something about the sliver of distracting light that was coming from the wine cellar. Sort of ruins the experience when the whole point is "Dining in the Dark", right?
2) Half-way through our meal, one of the waitresses took it upon herself to begin singing, very loudly, to a group of patrons just a few feet from our table. Uh, didn't ask for the "entertainment" and at almost $200 for a so-so meal, her "input" wasn't welcome --- especially in the dark. We literally felt like we'd been assaulted.
3) Part II of more unwelcome "entertainment" came in the form of
a waitstaff member (the same woman???) who took it upon herself to do a street-trash-talk in the guise of a very loud, obnoxious "poetry" reading. Rude, obnoxious and absolutely selfishly unconscious of her. Wasn't she aware of other patrons dining there? Didn't she stop to THINK that maybe her commentary would NOT be welcome???
I could understand some person pulling a stunt like this at a coffee house where I'm paying $10 or $20 bucks, but not when I'm there to pay for MY OWN interpretation of dining in the dark. I didn't anticipate dining to off-key, impromptu, acapella music or someone else's idea of "poetry". Just not something I'd spend my $200+ on for an evening.
Right now, this experience, truly, has me down-in-the-mouth and I'm not sure I'd come back even if I WERE given the opportunity to do so. If you look at my other reviews, you'll see it's very, very rare I give anything below 4 stars. Frankly, my heart was pretty saddened by this.
Opaque is interesting in theory, but the execution is in need of major improvement.
A mediocre three course meal of salad, main course and dessert was $99. It seemed odd to me that the menu had no relation to the experience of dining in the dark. There was no tactile or surprise element to the food or the environment. It was simply eating in the dark.
It really is PITCH BLACK in the dining room! Can't see a damn thing! But the question is: By disabling one of my senses, did it really heighten the rest? Sure, I had to rely on my sense of touch a lot more to find my wine glass & to figure out where the hell the food was on my plate. And sure as hell I brought the butter dish to my nose to make sure it wasn't made with goat milk (YUCK!) But I don't think I actually tasted the food any better than if I could see what it was that I was eating. But maybe it was because the food wasn't all that great to begin with.
I had the Salmon as my entree. The desription on the meun went like this: Grilled Sterling Salmon over Coconut Risotto with Green Onions, Sugar Snap Peas, Sautéed Wild Mushrooms, Curry Mint Sauce
Doesn't that sound freakin' GOOD?! But in actuality it was just OK. I expected my first bite to be an empowering combination of sweet coconut & exotic wild mushroom flavor infused together with the crispness of the curry mint. But no...there was no "overwhelming of the senses" kind of element that you would expect from dining in the dark. Food was OK but did not meet expectations.
Overall, it was an interesting experience. I would recommend coming here just to try the experience. But once is really all you need. I came here with my BF and it IS pretty romantic because being in the dark and not being able to see each other does get you to "sense" and connect with one another on sort of a different level. Not to mention it's pretty damn funny trying to feed each other without stabbing one in the face with your fork!
God help us all. Please come to my new restaurant where I force you to wear giant earmuffs and all of the waitstaff is legally deaf. Then we force you to eat dessert with your feet.
Great concept - the waiters and waitresses are great. Our server was fiesty, helpful and fun. Not being able to see anything makes the meal very tactile and a little trippy. The food is solid, but you're not going here for the food, rather the experience. This is not a first date spot, go with someone with whom you cam laugh at some of the people around u who are obviosly making out. Handing plates to one another while guessing the distance to your guest and not spilling wine makes for a great experience. A 4 bc of the novelty, but once you go, it's probably not a repeat spot, so 3 overall.
Dining in the Dark is a cool idea in theory, but I was disappointed by the execution.
I LOVE the idea - props for creativity and a unique experience. However, here is where things fell short:
-Surroundings: The entryway/location/outside of the restaurant is run-down and kind of ghetto. There was no real sign, and I would never have been able to find the place if I hadn't called the host and asked if I was in the right place. Even though we were led into the dark basement and couldn't see anything, I got the feeling that I was most likely in a ghetto, run-down warehouse basement and not at all in the fine dining establishment you would think it would be (with the $100 per person pre-tax price tag)
-Lack of bathroom: We were escorted to the restaurant next door to use the restroom. Our host kept over-emphasizing that they're "shared" or the "same" even though we hadn't made any comments on this, but seemed like he was a bit desperate to make that particular point so I'm guessing other people found it strange.
-There was this thin sliver of light that I could see out of the corner of my eye the entire time since I was facing the stairs. It kind of ruined the experience for me slightly, since it's supposed to be pitch black. I tried putting on my sunglasses, but it didn't block out this sliver completely, sadly.
-FOOD Quality / Price Ratio: The food was mediocre, at best. The tuna tartare was a bit slimy and gross to eat in the dark. The vegetable plate / dips reminded me of something I'd get packaged from Safeway. I didn't like the taste of the hanger steak (the texture was a bit off and a little gross). The high point of the meal was probably the dessert - some kind of ice cream with chocolate cake, but nothing groundbreaking or original. This is definitely NOT worth $100....I could have bought any of those things from the supermarket or done a better job cooking them myself.
Things I did like:
-Uniqueness of the experience (as it is something everyone should do once in their life - but perhaps consider waiting until a similar but better-executed establishment opens up) It was interesting feeling around in the dark and trying to function normally. Even simple things like buttering bread or stabbing food on the plate with a fork became difficult in the dark.
-Our blind waitress - Mocha was friendly and talked freely about her experiences growing up legally blind. She encouraged our questions and shared a lot with us and even gave us a mini spoken-word performance after our meal.
Overall: Bad food, ghetto surroundings, inflated price tag.... I LOVE the concept, but the execution fell short. I'd only recommend it to someone else because it's the only "Dining in the Dark" establishment in the area.
Loved it!
It's a bit hard to find because there's no sign in front, but they stand at the podium at the top so you'll find it eventually. We made a reservation through http://Restaurant.com and they got us in about an hour after the res., however they more than made up for not getting us in on time.
it is a bit pricey, but you're paying for the experience not necessarily the food. Yeah you could dine in the dark at your house for the cost of the food, but it won't be the same experience.
I recommend this restaurant to anyone and everyone at least once.
This is possibly the most preposterous restaurant in the world. You would have to be an imbecile to not realize they are completely RIPPING YOU OFF.
Next time, I will go to In N' Out, get a double double, take it back to my pad, turn off all the lights, and enjoy my burger.
Unbelievable....
My boyfriend took me here for our 4 year anniversary as a surprise. From the moment we walked in we were overwhelmed with how friendly the staff was. You order your food in the light out in the hallway then your blind waitress/waiter comes to get you and leads you through the dark to your table. In our case Katie was our waitress she was PHENOMENAL! She was very helpful and very patient. At first glance it might feel overwhelming dining in the dark but its very surprising how comfortable it really is. The food is a whole other story, i can actually say it was DELICIOUS from beginning to end. The best part of it is, is that you have to use all of your senses other than sight. Its a challenge but its awesome. I would highly recommend this place if you are in the bay area. You will have a great time no doubt.
This is a fun restaurant to go to. It is definitely an interesting experience. It is a bit pricey, but well worth it.
This is an amazing place...an experience like no other you'll have anywhere in the Bay Area. Being served by blind waiters while eating in complete pitch blackness! Wow!!!
This coming Monday (October 8th) there is an event there to benefit a great Bay Area organization called Seva. Funds raised will help to restore eyesight to 2000 blind people in the developing world. Check them out at http://www.seva.org.
I am now eating my breakfast cereal in the dark, hoping it will taste better.
With all the common things we can do in the dark, eating a meal is challenging. If you can't eat without switching your cutting knife you may have issues. It was the only way to get food on the fork but since nobody can see you it is easy to hover over your plate and eat like a caveman.
Must go, worth it. Great staff.
My heart was racing the whole time, the adrenaline makes you drink a lot more than usual and try to leave when other people you spoke to leave also. Sharing experiences outside is fun and you may hit the next bar with them also.
Reading some of the previous reviews, I realized that most people don't comprehend that this is an experience. Unfortunately, there are some who just don't appreciate that type of experience and it's understandable.
With that said, my experience was good but the execution was not. The location was out of the way and unmarked. Not even a restaurant sign on the door to indicate the name... or even one on the Indigo restaurant next door that they share to direct you to the nondescript entrance.
Once you walk in, there's a host/ess at a stand in a very narrow entry way to explain the experience. While very polite, you can't help but feel a little claustrophobic. The host leads you down the stairs and into a little waiting area where he presents you the menu.
This part was what confused me. I thought the point of this was to experience your food without any preconceived notions as to what it is or what it should taste like. If you tell me I'm going to be having tenderloin with red wine reduction sauce and chantrel mushrooms, I'm already going to have a certain expectation of taste and flavor.
My menu selection was the warm spinach salad, salmon on risotto, and something resembling a raspberry panna cotta.
Our waiter for the evening, Senia, leads us through the dark walkways to our table where we take our seats. I'll spare the details of how the process works... just know that you get your food and they take away your plates.
Since I already knew what I was about to eat, I don't think my senses were heightened in any way. That was a major disappointment. Nevertheless, eating in the dark is quite a challenge. When we were dipping the vegetables into the various sauces, it was mildly amusing when you dip the same one over and over again when you clearly don't like it but can't avoid it because you can't see it.
Nevertheless, I thought the food was good, but not spectacular. For the experience, it was worth the meal. However, it was definitely overpriced... especially when you can get the EXACT same order next door for about $59 WITH unlimited wine during your main course.
Lastly, our experience was also hampered by a rather boisterous table full of drunk (and rather stupid) people. One of the women got progressively louder as she got liquored up... and by the end of the evening, we knew more about her sex life than I ever cared to know. Bleh.
I swear, San Francisco diners must be some of the most picky eaters in the world! First off, you're eating in pitch black, how creative does the food need to be? Second, when I go to a restaurant I weigh the quality of the food against the service and atmosphere I receive. Was the food the best I've ever had, no...I'd say I've had better at other restaurants in the city, but the food was definitely good and there's something incredible about eating it in the dark. Truly what set this dining experience apart from any other I've had was the quality of the service. Our server was incredibly friendly and attentive. From beginning to end our dining experience was about 2 and a half hours, and by the end I was feeling pretty sleepy but for that entire time our server was there every step of the way.
True, this experience isn't for everyone. People afraid of the dark should NOT go. But if you're looking for a great experience where fancy garnishes don't replace quality service and good food, this is a great thing to do.
We came here last Friday for a special day. In Germany we have had this kind of restaurant for a few years but I'd never gotten around to trying it. So... it is pitch black, you choose your food outside, while you can still read and then you get escorted inside. It was weird at first but our server Mocha was lovely and helped us feel at ease.
As the food started arriving, I figured that for myself it was easier and a lot more fun to eat it all by hand, especially the salad with goat cheese. I should eat more with my fingers at home!
As a main course we had steak, which was pre-cut and mash, which was delicious and even more fun to eat with my hands. The dessert was yummy too, but I needed to grab a spoon for that.
All in all a great experience which made me discover how much I love light, color, people-watching and looking at my mister. The one thing that was better in the dark was having a conversation without distraction.
In the end we got really tired, I think when it is dark, the body starts producing melatonin, which is the sleep hormone.
It's quite pricey but for me it was worth the experience. The price is why I give it 4 instead of 5 stars.
This place is total BS!!
$99.00 for a chicken breast?? AND No creativity what so ever from the chef.
This is the worst menu I've ever seen in the whole world.
OH, and did I mention the OUTRAGEOUSLY OVERPRICED MEAL.
An entree for $99.00??? WTF.
I hope this place goes out of business overnight.
The restaurant name says it all.
Yes, you will be dining in the dark and I mean pitch black dark. This place is unique in so many ways. The host that lead my friend and I to the dining area is legally blind. Not only were we not able to see, but it made it interesting because our other senses take over. YES, and I mean all we could do was touch whatever bumped our way.
The food was mediocre, since you only have beef, chicken and pork as your choices. Pretty much came here for the experience and not the food. This is definitely something everyone must try once. Loosen up and let the darkness lead you to your imagination.
This was a very cool experience! I thought it was different because when you dine in the complete dark, you end up listening to your body when you are full versus just eating just because it looks good. I couldn't really tell if we emptied our plates, but it was a very fun date night. Make sure your date is talkative though :). Def check it out. We had the salad, the steak and the chocolate cake. YUM!
Never letting anticipation overpowers my judgment, I visited this place a few weeks ago with an opened mind and left quite disappointed.
Food was a bit salty and heavy. tuna salad was drenched in dressing and beef was in large strips. Do you really expect me to cut my entree in the dark? I could barely taste what was on my plate with the heavy meat gravy.
With one sense impaired, all other senses become extremely sensitive. I could smell dirty feet, old carpet and possibly dust as I was sneezing in there. There was a large birthday party and the server could barely hear us. Wish someone would have say something to the group. In a pitch black room, dirty stares to your rowdy neighbor doesn't quite work.
At $100 per person excluding drinks, I left extremely dissatisfied. I can get a better meal elsewhere and eat it at home in a dark kitchen. Experience was not worth the price and food was not up to par.
I am reminded, that, food is an appreciation of art, which consists of both visual and taste stimulation. Missing any one of the two is just not a great experience. None of the least, I experienced it and crossed it off my list.
P.S.: Not ideal for claustrophobic.
Great service. Great food. A haunting, mysterious, atmosphere swirled with posh, interesting music. Such a unique, fun, tantalizing experience!
This is not a place for groups.
You must dine here at least once!
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when made a reservation at Opaque. Luckily, it was an amazing experience.
First of all, I was very impressed by our server who was very talented and made us feel so at ease.
First we were served an amuse bouche of lemon hummus on cucumber- nothing fancy but solid execution and a good introduction to eating in the dark. Next game the appetizer- tuna tartare prepared wonderfully- I'm a sushi lover so I know good fish and this was it. They then brought crudites which were raw asparagus, carrots and red bell peppers with three dips. The server did not tell us what was on the plate, only the location of the plate and we were left to guess what we were eating!
For the entree we both had salmon over isreli cous-cous. The beautiful thing about dining in the dark is that all other senses are heightened and so I can still remember smelling the fish as it was coming towards our table. It was well cooked and seasoned and I distinctly remember the sweet crunch of sweet peas which accompanied the fish.
Though I ate here a few weeks ago, I can still remember the tastes, smells and textures of every dish. It is true that all of my other sensations were awakened and stimulated. I do wonder if the food just tasted so good for that reason or whether it truly was so delicious. Either one is fine with me and I'd go back for another special occasion or to introduce someone else to this incredibly memorable dining experience.
Do this. Just trust me.
You will gain a new definition of "pitch black" when you dine with the Opaque crew at Crimson Lounge.
This is an experience I will never forget! Crimson Lounge, Indigo's sister ship, was completely dark. There isn't a way for me to truly explain how dark it was. All that I do know is that I couldn't even see my own hand a quarter of an inch away from my face.
The table was decorated very simply with white napkins (we took our napkins out with us after dining to see how dirty they were) and rose petals (our waitress told us the type of flower). Of course, a regular table setting was placed in front of us.
Beer, water, soda and wine is all that is offered, however their wine selection is quite extensive. Your menu options are chicken, beef, fish or vegetarian, although I will not go into detail as to what they were comprised of as you have the option of not knowing until you place every morsel into your mouth. I will say this, the beef I had was AMAZING! Cooked to perfection, it was very easy to cut even without seeing what I was doing. And yes, I was given a steak knife.
The music was great and quite relaxing. Your other four senses really take over as you get use to the darkness. Listening to others conversations and people clink their silverware on the dinner plates before them was definitely a heightened hearing experience.
Our waitress Souna was terrific. She was very energetic and hilarious. She was able to pick out all of our unique personalities to the t.
I highly recommend everyone try this type of dining at least once. The four of us paid $135 each with tip for a full three course menu. I would NOT recommend dining with more than six people, to me it would seem to be too daunting.
Go for it, and let your senses soar!
What a blast. Compared to other restaurants where you eat in the dark, I definitely give it 5 stars. LOL.
I had a fabulous time. I admit I started to panic when we first walked in. When they say dark, they mean dark, pitch black, not a spot of light. It was a bit overwhelming at first.
Souna was our server and she was a life saver. Walked us through every step of the experience, and was sweet and reassuring.
Souna was a bit better prepared for the experience, as she was blind. A blind waitress has a bit of an edge on those of us who are trying to function in total, and I do mean total, darkness for the first time.
I was really glad the wine glasses didn't have stems. After a glass of wine and a few deep breaths I settled into it, and had an interesting and engaging meal.
The food was good. The experience of eating it in the dark definitely enhanced the textures and flavors.
The price may seem excessive for the food alone, but the experience was definitely delightful enough to justify it.
And eventually I'll stop feeling stupid about asking the blind waitress what color the rose petals on the table were.
Opaque is tough to review. Let me start by saying that the staff was AWESOME. Our waiter Sean did a great job of making us feel safe when first walking in, and ensuring that we were comfortable and taken care of the entire time. I will not blow it for anyone, but the way you are served is completely different from what what you have experienced in the past (for one you cannot simply hope to make eye contact with your waiter in pitch black).
If you were to ask me what I thought when I was first there I would have not been able to shut up about how cool it was. It was part scary, part exciting, and as another reviewer said, part primal. It makes you wonder if we always ate in the dark would utensils even exist. Its also a trip to see how your imagination still applies "sight" to the experience. I could have sworn the plates and table clothes were dark, but when we asked the hostess she explained that almost everything in the dining room that night was WHITE. I also found that we talked with our neighbors more than we would have at another dinner due largely to the feeling of a shared experience.
But now two weeks later, when I think about I almost feel bad for all the people I told to go. I think it has potential if it makes some simple changes.
1. There needs to be a separation of groups and couples. I am huge fan of the large group drunken dinner, but in this environment it really takes away from the couples having dinner. The first half of our meal was very cool, but then a group of nine drunken girls came in. On top of them waving their cell phones, and trying to take pictures, their noise level made it impossible to hear, in turn taking away two senses.
2. The food is nothing special. While I had the Ahi Salad and Steak entree and each were good, my wife had the chicken and it tasted like nothing more than rotisserie chicken from Safeway. Definitely not worth the 100 dollar price tag. Perhaps a rotating menu might work, or simplifying making better chicken.
All in all if they fix a few things I could see Opaque staying in SF for a while. But I wouldn't rush down until they get the kinks out.
Experience - 5 stars
Waitress Kate - 5 stars
Atmosphere - 5 stars
Ok, we're sensing a pattern here...
I absolutely love this place. I must admit, I was a bit nervous knowing I would walk into a completely dark room and eat food, knowing I would be a bumbling idiot with utensils I couldn't see stab at my food. But that's the whole point--who the hell would know if you weren't eating with utensils, but possibly the person(s) you came with. Which is exactly my point, I did end up eating with my hands.
Since you're absent of your sight, seriously, you can wave your hand a million times in front of your face and you won't see it, trust me, your other senses are much more heightened. My wine tasted absolutely fantastic, in fact, it transported me to the tasting room in Paso Robles in which I bought it, bringing back memories of a perfect little vacation when I end up coming back with two cases of wine.
The food was excellent. I opted for the tuna tartar, beef filet and chocolate cake. The flavors were great! I also really enjoyed the amuse bouche courses. A nice little treat that left you guessing as to what they were. I would suggest wearing something you aren't planning on going out in afterwards, especially if you thought you were an expert with the utensils, because you will wind up getting something on yourself. If you choose to use your hands, you'll be the one laughing at the rest, that's for sure.
I couldn't tell where the other diners were in the room, even though your hearing seems to be much more aware They were nicely spaced, which I'm sure was taken into consideration with the design. The music seemed to go well with the night.
Oh, I must mention Kate, the server. She was so great and really made you feel comfortable. Welcome to her world.
I also suggest reading Chelsea Handler's book, "Are You There Vodka? It's me Chelsea" and read her take on her experience. It's pretty funny and I couldn't help but think there was someone in the room who was doing exactly what she did.
In line with the adage "less is more", San Francisco restaurant Opaque takes something away (your ability to see) to provide something more. Dining at Opaque was a scary, sexy, nauseating, intimate, primal, communal eating adventure.
Read the rest at http://joesipher.blogs.../
OK! look beyond the food and the prices, but remember the experience! what experience? The one when you actually have a moment to eat a regular dinner like a blind person. I understand you can easily eat a pop tart in your closet but to step completely out of your element is amazing. You can't honestly say when you exited the dark curtain filled rooms that you weren't happy to see again!
Went for Valentine's Day. While it is very pricey, it is one of those places you have to experience to understand. When we arrived in the dining room, it took a few moments to get our bearings. But once we figured out where things were situated, it made the experience much more enjoyable. Our server was a big help and gave us great hints on how yo enjoy the overall experience. The food was good, not great, but not as bad as some reviews. I agree that for this price, their should be more originality in the menu wish dishes that appeal more to your other senses. But I would pay just for the experience. The mystery and intrigue of the restaurant is what should bring you here. If you're in the mood for a different dining adventure, Opaque is great place to try the rest of your senses out.
My experience was pretty much like everyone else's... The food was very mediocre and the experience was cool, but for $130 per person (without alcohol), I think once is enough (which makes me think that this isn't the best restaurant business model). My waitress was blind and helpful, especially in the beginning when I felt claustrophobic. However, two hours later, I was ready to call it a night. If the food were better and somewhat more affordable, i think it would be a cool place to introduce to out-of-town guests or friends (especially when setting them up on a blind date).
We found this place thru american express at the last minute and thankfully got a 15% discount using blue sky. Unfortunately we built it up big for our 4 kids. Online the website said $50 min per plate. We were shocked to arrive (hard to find) and discover it was $80. 1ithout drinks. Our initial entry was exciting. led like a trais to the VIP area (read booth). The furniture was shabby feeling which is good beccause we spilled 2 drinks across the table. The food was cooked upstairs in the restaraunt above - we watched the cooks prepare bcuz they were not ready for our 745 dinner. The cooks looked like the same cooks at DennyKsM I watched the "prepare' the steak with a boatload of salt. At the time we were waiting we did not know that would be our food. They only had 2 servers so our wait between courses was waaaaaay too long (esp with kids). $600 later we also could have served cereal in the closet for the experience. It took them 2.5 hours - not ok - to get thru 3 courses. Food was definitely not worth $w00. Experience was wrecked bcuz of quality and slowness. Bummer. .ark was our waiter - he was fairly new but did ok under circumstances. Positive; initial entry was fun for all of us. Waiter cld have been more helpful.
While it was a bit pricey, the experience was totally worth it! My sister went to "Dans le Noir" in Paris, which is where Opaque got the idea of blind eating. Opaque was amazing. The food was so good and it wasn't actually that hard eating in the dark. My family and I really enjoyed it and if I have the money on my own maybe I'll go there with a friend or two sometime.
I have to agree with the all other yelpers' inabilities to describe this dining experience. Logically, it is like no other:
you are led downstairs into a small, trendy hallway to wait for waitress to appear from the dark. she led us to our table- i had one hand on my girlfriend, she had one hand on our server. you cannot see a SINGLE thing.
She ordered the beef with mashed potatoes- im sure there a few more sides, but of course i couldnt see anything...i got the herb roasted chicken with summer squash, polenta and mushroom ragout.
My God.
You'll see reviews for this place, i even went on youtube in hope to find some kind of video review, maybe a food network clip on this place. I needed something more than what i got...i mean, i've never eaten in pure darkness, i pay my light bill, come on now...my girlfriend MUST know whats she's eating- as in checking out food once its on the table, making sure its cooked the way she likes it...
The food was the BEST we have EVER eaten. then it dawned on me, the understanding that there was no other way that t it couldn't be the best: I was robbed of my sense of sight, which forced me to appreciate food the way it really should be. Not for its appearance, but for its taste. next time i look at sushi, will i look at it in shame of myself, for not truly appreciating a culture that prides itself in the harmony of taste and appearance? will it make me a better critic of what and where i eat? will it make me a better cook?
and having learned all that by eating here, I must ask you the reader of this review: if your favorite restaurant turned off their lights, leaving you to eat what you ordered in absolute darkness...would you eat it with confidence? would you savor every bite and moreso ask yourself- do you truly savor every bite of what you eat with the lights on?
No other restaurant will put you to this test. The food was extraordinary. the dessert- she had the chocolate cake, I had panna cotta with mango slices. even the bread at our table was delicious.
Note: if you arrive at bit too early like we did, you will not see the restaurant sign. they are located in/next door to Indigo. We went into Indigo thinking that it was the same thing. They will ask you to have a seat at the bar and have a drink, then someone will meet you there to explain the process and let you choose from the menu. I believe the owner is named Ben, who is very courteous and reassuring about what we were about to encounter. Our server was Katie, who was probably the sweetest and most attentive server I have ever had, understandably so. I forgot to mention that Katie(and I believe two other servers) are 100% blind.
I would recommend this place to anyone that is tired of the same old dining experience, looking for something romantic-yet different, a small group of courageous friends willing to venture out into the unknown(literally, lol) and especially someone who wants to retrain themselves to appreciate taste moreso than appearance.
So from the reviews i've read peeps either really enjoyed the experience or felt it was a total rip off. Well it was a ok experience. The fact that i got to check it out was kool and it was totally a different experience eating in the dark but it was not phenominal. All your other senses are enhanced with the loss of your site however the food was not a mind blowing experience. I was with fun people that enjoyed it however i don't feel it was worth it. With tip it was about $140.00 and all i drank was a diet coke haha. You are given a full 3 course meal with the addition of some tasters. You have 3 choices per course. I had the tuna tar tar, steak, and some kinda of chocolate cake. Best part of the meal was the cake for me. This is a place i will not go to again however i don't feel bad about going and spending the money if this was for the benefit of the staff that is visually challenged. I personally like to see what I'm eating and don't like having to feel around for my food with my hands. If you get freaked out in small spaces or get really scared in the dark i don't recommend this place. The staff was great though i will give them that. If your feeling adventures give it a try but seriously the food will not impress and you can get the same food upstairs not in the dark.
Sammy and I accompanied our new friend Danthy to San Francisco to "dine in the dark" at this new restaurant called Opaque. The basic premise of Opaque and her sister shops in San Diego and Los Angeles, is fine dining in total darkness.
Normally I wouldn't even write about this on a beer blog but the experience was too interesting for me not to. The owner of Opaque, Ben, is one of the few Germans who don't like beer. So automatically, he gets knocked down a few points. In addition, for a fine dining restaurant, they have a lousy beer list. If I were the owner of a fine dining establishment, dark or not, I would've made sure everything was high quality. There's just no excuse, especially in San Francisco where there is a robust craft beer scene.
The staff of Opaque let us wait just outside the entrance to the dining area. It's a small space with only a few ottoman style chairs and small, glass coffee tables. The doorway to the dining area is pitch black. You can hear the noises and conversations of the diners within but you couldn't see anything. That is, after all, the point. It was then our blind waitress Suna appeared out of the dark to lead us to our table. It all hits home at this point, fine dining from a blind person's perspective.
As with many restaurants, we are given bread and butter to tide us over while the first course is being prepared. Having all of my senses, the little things that I take for granted are instantly magnified a hundred-fold when my sight has been taken away. For example, I grab a piece of bread and butter it with what I believe to be a butter knife. I take a bite of the bread only to realize I have seriously over buttered my bread. The ratio is totally off. It would've been more accurate to say I "breaded my butter".
The food was fantastic. Everything tasted wonderful and felt good. I can't say the food looked good because I obviously couldn't see it but it sure felt good on the plate. I know this, literally, first hand. I figured that it's pitch black, no one can see me, so I ate with my hands. While many people consider it unclean, I find eating with my hands gives me an intimate relationship and understanding of my food that utensils will never give me.
Here's a quick bulleted list of our meal. It was supposed to be 3 courses but they added in a few things to keep us guessing:
* Mouth Tease - Chunk of smoked salmon, ginger and risotto (I think) served on a tablespoon. It is a tease, afterall.
* Baby Arugula with Ruby Red Grapefruit, Laura Chenel Goat Cheese, Toasted Walnuts and a Champagne Vinaigrette (description taken from the Opaque website). This was a good salad. I tried to be civilized and use my salad fork but after a few dropped pieces of food, I gave up on "fine eating" and used my hands.
* Vegetable plate consisting of brocollini, red bell peppers and celery served with wasabi creme fresh, a curry-based dipping sauce and red pepper aioli.
* Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Potato Puree, Roasted Broccolini Green Peppercorn Sauce, Truffle Butter (from website). I loves me some meat and this was an excellent meat plate. Man o' man was that steak good. Eating mashed potatoes by hand is a very interesting thing.
* Bittersweet Chocolate Cake, Bing Cherries in Mint Sugar, Vanilla Whipped Cream (last course). This was more like those "lava cakes" where the inside is still piping hot and "raw" cake batter. So rich and gooey. I don't have a sweet tooth to begin so I didn't finish but that was some good dessert.
All in all, this was an evening to remember. Dining in the dark at Opaque is an experience I would readily recommend to people who enjoy good food and new experiences. Keep in mind though, it's a prix fixe menu. I found the $99/person price point a bit steep, especially if it's just for the food. Because of the combination of food and experience, I found the price worthwhile.
This review needs to start off like this: You're not dining in the dark. You are dining in the absolute deepest pitch blackness known to humanity-so dark it is completely ineffable. The restaurant is in a windowless basement and there isn't even so much as an "Exit" sign to be seen. Nothin'. Nada. Zippo. Even when your eyes adjust, there is nothing to even detect, no shapes or outlines of anything.
Anyway, the waitress was fun and great. The food was good. The experience was fun, too. I actually liked it when I thought I would not.
So why only 2 stars? This place is ludicrously overpriced!! You can have better food at Zazie in Cole Valley, Lulu in SOMA, or the Elite Cafe on Fillmore for significantly less money.
I think that in order to support the low-vision and blind wait staff there, the management needs to lower their prices and bring more people in.
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