Dark Fork — Restaurant in Ottawa

I made reservations for 25 people at 5:30 pm on a Saturday Night. We celebrated 4 birthdays. My closest past experience is O Noir. This has been planned for a month. I was always in communication with Moe.

We were seated in a room on the lower floor that fits all of us. We were separated into 4 tables.

For large groups, I highly recommend having everyone’s meals and drinks in advance and send it to Moe. Create a seating plan organized Table A, B, C, D. Doing all of this will make it easier for the chefs, hostesses to organize the small front area. Have everyone arrive 15 mins early. Give clear instructions to not serve desserts until everybody is finished with their main and sing happy birthday.

We had Miya that was coordinating my group. She did a superb job. We appreciate her hard work, order and flexibility. Most of my group are from the West End of Ottawa and we were stuck in traffic because of protest and construction. Dark Fork (Miya) was very accommodating and flexible for my group that were late which I really appreciate. She got all the orders for the drinks of my group. It went smoothly for a big group that was late. There were last minute changes to my groups menu which I appreciate for the change because I’m assuming the pre order dish was made. I apologize for the last minute changes. I hope Miya and chefs gets a nice bonus. :)

Our servers were Kharrar and Aaron. They were amazing! They brought us to our seats. Gave us clear instructions of where our utensils, drinks and food were. Our drinks, and food were given at a timely manner. They offered us water as many times. Excellent service. It gives you a different perspective, and appreciation for our eyes. Our heart goes out for Aaron and Kharrarr for their daily struggles that we don’t face. I’m glad that my group was able to support them. I hope they both get a nice bonus too!

We had a teenager with many severe allergies reactions. They were very accommodating to my cousin. He really enjoyed the fries. :) thankfully no allergic reactions.

Food Starter was delicious. My Lebanese friend recognize the starter the moment we tasted it. Those who had the starter enjoyed it.

Majority of my group had Steak Frites and Chicken Parmesan. Most of the young teens got Chicken Parmesan and they thought it was tasty. I’m pleased that my younger group was able to have a dish that they thought was tasty.

Steak Frites. The group thought the steak was cooked to their ideal doneness. They said the Fries were yummy! The steak was juicy and tender. Some thought the sauce with the steak had a particular ingredient that was too strong. Overall a delicious tender and juicy dish.

Surprised Dish Some of us had the surprised dish. Some of us had trouble guessing the protein. The protein was tender, and juicy. The veggies that complement with the dish were delightful. Sauce with the dish was a good pair. Two members in the group thought the dish was “basic” and were not full. Overall we all enjoyed it.

Dessert Everybody loved the dessert. 3 members in the group thought the portion was small maybe because it was so good they wanted more.

Atmosphere/Environment Since we had a room to ourselves, everybody was loud, laughing and having fun. The room was pitch black. I would say that Dark Fork’s room was darker than O Noir. At O Noir the room was pitch black too but my eyes were able to adjust in the dark so I was able to vaguely see things. At Dark Fork my eyes could not adjust at all. I was only able to see the EXIT sign and the occasional peak of light when the servers would come through curtains. We sang happy birthday loudly.

Overall an amazing experience. I highly recommend everybody to try this restaurant and experience it at least once. 23/25 of my group was first time experiencing a setting like this. It makes the memory more memorable. We took a group picture with Aaron and Kharrarr. Excellent service and although very tiny complaints on the dishes. I give this review a 5/5. Thank you Moe, Miya, Kharrarr, Aaron and...

From the moment we stepped into Dark Fork, the attention to detail and hospitality were outstanding. The hostess greeted us warmly and thoroughly explained how the experience would unfold. Soon after, we were introduced to our server, who was absolutely brilliant—guiding us into complete darkness with calm confidence and providing clear, helpful instructions throughout the night.

Of course, the unique aspect of Dark Fork is dining in total darkness, with visually impaired servers leading the experience. This not only added depth to the evening but also spoke volumes about the restaurant’s commitment to inclusivity and thoughtful service. Our server was phenomenal—attentive, kind, and impressively precise in their navigation and explanations.

I opted for the full surprise menu, including the starter, main, and dessert. I’ll admit I was a bit hesitant after reading some past reviews that mentioned the food was underwhelming—but I was very pleasantly surprised. The starter, a salad, was absolutely delicious. The dressing was well-balanced, and the kitchen took great care in accommodating my allergies, which I deeply appreciated.

The main course was a solid 10/10—perfectly seasoned, generous in portion, and rich in flavor. I truly didn’t expect that level of quality in a dining-in-the-dark concept, and it exceeded my expectations.

As for the dessert, it was a chocolate-based dish. While I understand chocolate is a crowd-pleaser, I personally don’t love it, so I didn’t find it particularly exciting. A bit more creativity here would go a long way. That said, the extra surprise at the end was a lovely, thoughtful touch and wrapped the evening on a high note.

One area that could use some improvement is the timing between courses. At times, it felt like we were waiting a bit too long without any updates or check-ins. Although the overall pace wasn’t excessively slow, it did occasionally feel like we were forgotten—especially toward the end of the night. From what we gathered, there may have only been one server managing all the tables (we estimated 3–4 tables in total), which could explain the delay. Still, a simple check-in or brief update would have made a big difference.

The entire experience took about two and a half hours, which felt a bit too long for a three-course meal. By the end, we were quite ready to leave—not due to the quality, but just the length of the visit.

That said, I would absolutely return and recommend Dark Fork to others. With a few small adjustments to pacing and service flow, this would be a flawless experience. The food, ambiance, and concept are all exceptional—and it’s truly a one-of-a-kind evening that...

This was a very interesting experience. If I had to describe it in one word I would say "humbling". You are totally dependent on the servers to get you in and seated and I can be honest that getting to the table and leaving the table can be a bit anxiety inducing (you have no control and you have your hand on the server or person in fronts shoulder), but that's why you go here is to experience this. I thought the experience was great and price reasonable ($151 for two three course dinners and two glasses of win - before tip). I only have two complaints. #1 cell phones. I am sure no one is surprised that two people in the dining area didn't listen. One turned her cell phone on to see something (and they all just laughed) and another I think was completely overwhelmed by the experience and seeking some degree of control added some light. Now, if you think turning your phone on in a movie theatre is bad, this is way worse. It's the only light source in the entire restaurant. You have to remember that the servers are visually impaired so it's expected you will notify them and they will tell the diner to turn it off. I couldn't believe how much these two instances interrupted the flow of the experience. There has to be a better way to police this. There are lockers and they "suggest" you put your stuff in the lockers but I think there needs to be a policy that phones are not allowed in the dining room period and you will be asked to leave if you bring them. Its just not fair to other diners. Also, leave your stuff in the locker.... they guy next to us (other cell phone guy) decided to bring his bag, coat and phone into the pitch black restaurant. Not surprisingly he panics when he tries to figure out where to put all his stuff (coat and bag) in the pitch black restaurant. Although he could have used common sense, most people don't know what to expect and I think the front should be better at saying something like "its pitch black in there, you won't see anything and we don't allow light. You really should leave everything in the locker and you may forget it in there or have trouble placing it". My last qualm is a minor one. I was asked to write a google review twice and I understand the want us to tell our story. I have no issues with being asked, more about when I was asked. I am writing this on my own with no compensation. The thing I want to bring up is that it's not the right time to ask me for a google review when I am being led out of the dining room after my meal (one of the most stressful times). Wait until I am back in the light and ask me. Overall this was a really unique experience and I am...