The ultimate blind date! The London restaurant from the popular rom-com where you dine in total DARKNESS

Successful restaurants often have something that makes them stand out – whether that’s a bizarre location or a quirky original theme.

A popular London eatery has taken this to the next level, giving guests an experience they won’t get anywhere else. However, you may not want to wear your best clothes because it can get messy.

Dance Le Noir? restaurant in Clerkenwell is exactly what it means: ‘in the dark’.

Visitors who dine at the establishment eat their meals in pitch darkness, with the entire menu being a surprise.

When you meet each other there for the first time, blind dating is really taken to a whole new extreme.

The unusual concept may be familiar to romcom fans, as the restaurant played a key role in About Time, starring Rachel McAdams and Domhnall Gleeson.

At the beginning of the film, the couple’s characters meet in Dans Le Noir? to dine in the dark, allowing romance to blossom.

Described as ‘a unique, sensory and human experience’, it encourages guests to ‘re-evaluate their perception of taste as they reclaim their senses, reinvigorate their relationship with the world and others and have a surprising encounter with something different to experience’.

The idea is that in the dark the perception of tastes, textures and smells can be completely different and we suddenly become aware that vision influences all our sensations.

Diners are led through the darkness to their table, where everything on the menu is a surprise: you don’t know who is sitting around you, what the interior looks like and, most importantly, what food you will be served.

You are also requested to place all possible light sources such as lighters, mobile phones or cameras in the appropriate wardrobe.

Guests are shown photos of the dishes and drinks they ate once the experience is over.

You could be sitting next to famous faces and you wouldn’t even know it – the windows are covered with blackout curtains so you can’t see anything.

Visitors dining at the establishment eat their meals in pitch-black darkness, with the entire menu a surprise

Diners are led through the darkness to their table, with everything on the menu a surprise – you don’t know who is sitting around you, what the interior looks like and, most importantly, what food you will be served

When you meet each other there for the first time, blind dating is really taken to a whole new extreme

The unusual concept may be familiar to romcom fans, as the restaurant played a key role in About Time, starring Rachel McAdams and Domhnall Gleeson

Visitors are encouraged to be social, with the restaurant’s website explaining that ‘the absence of visual judgment erases the biases that build our relationships with others.

‘Communication spontaneously becomes more intense and authentic. The experience promotes sharing between guests and creates wonderful encounters.’

Another unique aspect of the experience is that all servers are blind or visually impaired. To get their attention, guests must shout their first name, which they will hear upon arrival.

Visitors must be guided everywhere, including to the toilet, for safety reasons. You can’t try to walk around alone.

For a two course meal it costs £52 each or £60 each with a glass of wine. If you want three courses it costs £59 or £67 each with wine.

The most expensive option is the five-course meal with a starter, two main courses, a cheese plate, a dessert and two glasses of wine, which costs £110.

The international project originated in France in 2004 and is now active in 10 countries and 15 cities and is being tried by 2 million people worldwide.

Since opening in London in 2006, the quirky restaurant has received a lot of attention on social media, with users often commenting on their experiences.

One wrote: ‘Believe me, the tension in that room was high for me and my colleagues.

‘We broke a pair of glasses. We couldn’t see anything. Eating what you can’t see is something else. We tried in vain to figure out the shape of the room.’

She added that it gave her “a different understanding of blindness.”

Another wrote: ‘The food is excellent, the experience is totally unique and it’s one you won’t forget.’

One TikToker called Alex and mentioned it the ‘coolest restaurant’ gushing that it left her amazed because she couldn’t recommend it enough.

One viewer wondered: ‘How do you not worry about not being able to see what you’re eating?’ to which she replied: ‘you get used to it after a while and it’s a nice opportunity to use more of your other senses’.