5FIFTY5

We were coming in on an evening flight and needed a place for a late dinner. Found this on open table and booked a table at 9pm. When we got there the place was actually closed or closing down but when we told them we had a reservation they actually opened the place just for us. Very cool. Food was good but not astounding but all in all ok.

Maybe it was just because all the staff were angry that they had to work on Christmas, but this was one of the worst restaurant experiences I’ve had in NOLA. Since I was staying in the Marriott, I figured we’d just stop in the hotel restaurant for breakfast. We were seated promptly, but it took several minutes for anyone to come take our drink orders. They have a breakfast buffet, but neither of us were interested so we decided to order from the menu. I think this upset our server too, since she was REALLY pushing the buffet. I ordered the eggs benedict and my friend just got a breakfast sandwich, and it took almost 30 minutes for our food to come out. She said hers was good, but my eggs were hard boiled, which just ruined eggs benedict. I mean, part of the joy of the dish is the yolk running out and mixing with the hollandaise sauce. And speaking of the sauce, WAY too much lemon.
Our server never returned to our table to see if we needed anything else, and when it was time to leave I actually stood up to go to the front desk to ask for the check, which finally got the server’s attention. I guess she thought we were going to ditch the check. Considering the superior customer service that I’m accustomed to at Marriott, I was very disappointed in the service at this restaurant.

We were in NOLA for a business trip and stayed at the Marriott so we decided to eat at 5 Fifty 5. There really isn’t a lot of late night selection around the hotel. We were pleasantly surprised by the food presentation and taste. I had the Brie and olives app. WOW! I am not sure how they cake the honey baked crispy «bread/​cracker» but it made the dish. I paired it with the truffled tater-​tots OMG. The person I was with had the red beans and rice and said it was excellent. The piece of corn bread it was served with was moist and full of flavor.

Excellent brunch. Awesome service. Loved the made to order omelette station, mini waffles, beignets. The grits were off the chain. Also healthy selection of fruits, cage free eggs, oatmeal options etc. great value for the price.

Located inside the New Orleans Marriott, the 5 Fifty 5 restaurant obviously got its name from its address — 555 Canal Street. Now just FYI, I’m never a big fan of hotel bars. I don’t make it a point to go the hotel bar when I’m in town, or even when I travel because anything that’s located inside a hotel is normally way overpriced. Unless there’s some kind of incentive for me to go, I avoid them.
If you read my review for the New Orleans Marriott, then you’ll know that during my check in, we were presented with a couple of vouchers. One is for $ 50 drink/​food credit and another for $ 120 breakfast buffet credit for six people. I made sure that we made good use of both vouchers.
The first time around, me and my friends came here on a Saturday afternoon for some drinks and light bites. Our waitress, Audrey, was a delight. The drinks were not shabby either and are deceitful. The very cherry martini tasted sweet just like cherry, but it had a strong punch to it. After just the one drink I could already started feeling the buzz. And people who know me know that I could handle my liquor pretty well. Yes, I get the Asian flush, but no I don’t get drunk after one drink.
The second time around, we came for the breakfast buffet. We presented our voucher to the hostess and got seated. The breakfast buffet will get you fresh fruits, sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, pastries, grit, oatmeal, and various yogurt. There’s also an omelette station where you can also order some pancakes and its more muscular version — pancakes with abs (or better known as waffles). By the way, this buffet normally costs $ 19 and (I think) will come with orange juice and coffee since we got some without any additional charges.
Can’t really mess up eggs, sausages, and bacon. I did order the pancake which took aw while. I ordered a short stack (expecting at least three pancakes) but only received ONE. Seriously? Just one pancake? Come on, Marriott. You can do better than that! They sprinkled some powdered sugar on the pancake and provide you with syrup and butter. Tasted pretty good, but would have been better if they had given me the short stack that I asked for.
This place was also pretty good for people watching. Lots of beautiful people came across the hotel lobby and/​or lining up at the Starbucks nearby. Our server for the buffet was also delightful so it’s fair to say the service here is pretty consistent. If I lived in NOLA, I think this place would be a good place to pre-​drink for a little bit (due to the high price of the drinks) before hitting other bars in the area. And oh yeah, there’s also free WiFI all over the Marriott Lobby area so you get free WiFi in here as well. And no, you don’t have to be a guest to use the free WiFi.
Check it out and tell me what you think.

I went to brunch, and the service was EXCEPTIONAL! The staff were super friendly and helpful. I had the breakfast buffet for $ 19. It came with unlimited (nonalcoholic) drinks, and a nice omelet station. My only complaint is that the buffet didn’t include pancakes!

5 stars to 5 fifty 5!
This was a spot I wouldn’t have chosen but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience from the specialty drinks to the pizza. I generally don’t order pizzas when dining out but I can’t deny a margherita pizza! A margherita pizza is an oven– baked flat bread topped with tomato sauce and cheese. 5 fifty 5’s was baked just how I love with crustable crust and cheesy cheese. The burger was also a winner along with the «world famous» seafood gumbo that included crabmeat.
The ambiance is enjoyable as well with flat screen TV’s and guests rushing to their high rise rooms for Relaxing. Our waitress was very pleasant and hospitable. I’m still a little foggy on the valet parking but from what I understand, it’s free of charge!
The next time we return will be for a staycation with 5 fifty 5 room service!

They were renovating the regular restaurant and so we were seated in the Marriott bar area where this restaurant was temporarily serving. Food was good, service was decent, ambience was lacking.

Had the turkey club. When I think of a turkey club, I think crisp toast, crisp bacon, crisp lettuce, and juicy tomatoes. This had none of those things. Sandwich dominated by flabby, too-​salty turkey (think spam textute) and flabby bread. And a bag o chips on the side.
Service was good though.

Servers here are very polite, super friendly and willing to change things on this limited menu and if they can’t you can always speak to the manager who is surprisingly available. We rocked up with a large group and they managed to get us all seated and served in very quick order. We were super happy with the food and atmosphere. All in all it was an excellent restaurant especially considering it was located in a hotel.

5 STARS +
From the moment we walked in Jairen the hostess made us feel at home. We had 9 ladies (think herding cats?) wanting a bloody mary before we took off for a swamp tour! Boy did we hit the jackpot! Miss Jewel = simply amazing! For all but 2 of us, we have never been to NOLA. She gave us the local perspective with lots of great hints! The Bloody Mary’s where to die for … BACON included! That was Wednesday 1÷7… We came back for lunch on Thurs ¹⁄₈ & another round of Bloody Mary’s (and a red beer). Sincerely, Miss Jewel and her 5 fifty 5 co-​workers are the epitome of customer service first!

Do not get dessert here! I tried the sampler (banana foster cheesecake, crime brûlée, and bread pudding). All tasted sour.

Went here because it’s attached ty o the hotel and we were tired. Service was ok but the waitress was snooty. The food you get for the price is not worth it. I got the turkey club for 16.00, it wasn’t good. You can get double the amount for 7.50 at the clover and it tastes better. Will skip this one in the future.

Believe it or not, this hotel restaurant has good lobster Mac n cheese. I usually do not have any expectations in the types of restaurants from previous experiences. The bartender recommended this dish and he got so excited when he talked about that I had to try it… and to my surprise it was very good. I tried the gumbo as we’ll. I liked it. It had small (deveined) shrimp, clean crawfish and topped with a lot of fresh crab! My husband thought it had too much okra, but the okra didn’t bother me.

We ate there twice for business functions. I had an open faced egg sandwich for breakfast that was excellent. We had dinner there that evening. I had the Alfredo which was… Well… A heart issue disguised as pasta that could have at least tasted good. Granted, we had a very large party, e.g. 16+ which may have played a role in that…

Not a good place to eat at all, do not waste your money here. The service was incredibly slow, it took 25 minutes for my dessert to come out, which i had ordered with my food. Terrible service, the food was mediocre, some of it bad. I had the salmon, and it was quite over-​charred. It was served with some greens which were inedible. Our waitress was nice, and non of this was her fault, however I’ve never been in a Marriott restaurant with a kitchen so poorly run. Quite a disappointment!!! I noticed several other people in the restaurant having the same experience as I did.

I think the review by Suzanne J. C. sums up 5 Fifty 5 quite well, except that I thought the service I received during my lunch there was above average. All in all, for a hotel, it was A-​OK.

This place was excellent! We stayed at the Marriott and decided might as well try there restaurant! The bread pudding was FAB and the crab cakes were delicious as well! Great place to eat! Love the setting and the staff was very friendly!
p. s. One thing we noticed was the way they sat certain guest who entered there restaurant smh, that’s all I can say :/​ (staff be mindful of that)!!! (dress style, ethnicity… it shouldn’t matter who you see when people walk by to view first… smh)

Many New Orleans restaurants are closed on Christmas Day, so we did a little research to see what would be open, and liked the look of the buffet that 5 Fifty 5 was offering. I cannot comment on the regular menu, as I’ve only dined here for this one meal on this one holiday. The space itself is the usual vast Marriott dining room, with little charm or coziness, so I would not choose this place for ambiance, and I would probably skip it on any other day, as there are so many great options within walking distance. However, the spread on Christmas was very good, and I would do it again.
The Christmas Day buffet included mimosas or champagne, and our waitress refilled these whenever they were less than half full. There were both roast beef and ham carving stations, featuring Niman Ranch ham with a Creole mustard glaze, and lovely popovers with the roast beast. The hot buffet included Abita Amber cheddar and broccoli soup, lamb chops with polenta, speckled trout, duck breast with mashed parsnips, charbroiled oysters with garlic butter, a chicken & andouille benedict, cheese blintzes with satsuma and strawberry compote, and sides of collard greens and whipped sweet potatoes. The cold side had an antipasto salad, tortellini salad, two different green salads, raw oysters, peel n eat shrimp, blue crab claws, smoked salmon with the usual sides and fresh fruit, plus a lovely cheese board with sliced meats and olives. There were muffins, scones, danish, croissants and brioche, and one of the nicest dessert stations I’ve ever seen. I won’t even try to explain all that was on it, as It was huge, but everything I tried, and I tried much, was very good. The pastry chefs who made these delicacies were on hand to instruct and assist. Christmas Day is reservation only and done in 3 seatings starting at 11:30, so don’t expect to walk in and get a table, even if you are a guest at the Marriott. I hope they do this again next year. I’ll be back.

I spent the weekend eating at various New Orleans restaurants, and this by far was my least favorite, and the reason I downloaded the Unilocal*app on my iPhone. Stupid me was lured into 5 Fifty 5 by the tourist magazine reviews (DUH! Like they’re going to say someplace sucks?) and had I used the Unilocal*app, I would have avoided this altogether. I should have taken the empty restaurant during peak lunch hour as a sign this was not going to be worth the experience. The bar inside the Marriott had more patrons at 12:30pm than the restaurant… interesting.
I went for a solo lunch on Monday prior to leaving specifically to try their signature Lobster Macaroni and Cheese. What a huge disappointment. Although you do get a large portion for the $ 16 price tag, quantity does not justify a purchase sometimes. This was one of those times. It lacked taste. It lacked pizazz. It just lacked period. Here’s how I saw it:
A) Boil some elbow macaroni
B) Make a standard cheese sauce (possibly a Betty Crocker cookbook)
C) Throw in a few leaves of fresh spinach
D) Toss in HUGE chunks of lobster
And viola! You have a ‘signature’ dish. So pathetically over-​hyped and bland. The only saving grace was the amount of lobster, but even that was overkill. They should have saved it to serve solo with melted butter. Such a waste of good lobster.
The server was less than attentive and had ZERO personality. Hey, it’s just a job right? It pays the bills. So do tips, and mine was admittedly low for her lack of enthusiasm or service.
Nah, this won’t be a ‘must do again when in New Orleans’. Not even if I were starving and it was the only restaurant open. I will go to Arby’s down the street first.

I feel like 5 Fifty 5 occupies an awkward place in the New Orleans food world. It’s trying to be the obligatory, ubiquitous hotel restaurant installed to boost the rating of the connected hotel while appealing to local foodies with a more adventurous menu.
Should they focus on the tourist appetite and have a fully homogenized menu of burgers, chicken, and standard Applebee’s style fare? Should they continue with the NOLA-​inspired seafood and remixed Creole? Or should they just give up completely and let a P.F. Chang’s move into the space?
The ladywife and I picked 5 Fifty 5 for our Valentine’s lunch, hoping to beat the crowds by doing both lunch and Canal Street. (The tactic worked beautifully. I highly recommend the V-​day lunch.)
We weren’t overly impressed with the service or the space. The food was average to decent, but it didn’t wow on the plate like it did on the menu. Let’s unpack the space first:
This is a hotel restaurant, in a hotel lobby. It looks like any other open-​plan Marriott lobby, anywhere in the world. The actual eating space is tucked back in the far corner, but the hostess stand is halfway across the lobby. Well. That’s interesting. In terms of walls, there aren’t any. The constant flow of guests through the lobby breaks up the romantic nature of any meal, which… hrmph. Marriott hasn’t figured out if this is a hotel amenity or a restaurant. That attitude is very clear.
The service was traditional, lack-​luster space-​cadet style service that under-​trained, overworked, utterly uninvested servers typically give. Even though we ate lunch at 11:30 (which is a bit early, I know) the breakfast servers were still hanging around, doing nothing. The lunch servers were trying to reset the space for lunch with no assistance from the breakfast folks.
My wife’s food allergy slid off our server’s metaphorical plate several times, even though we were the only table she had. We had to send several dishes back because of this memory lapse. Any dish we modified when we ordered got sent back to the kitchen to be remade, not altered. (I did raise a stink. Food allergies are not joking matters! You can’t just scrape the shrimp off the plate and send it back, okay? Please do it right. No one wants to die because your kitchen was lazy.)
When we were there, the menu struck me as ambitious for a white-​bread crowd. Is the menu as interesting or creative as a typical New Orleans restaurant? No. For a hotel restaurant, I think it’s pushing the envelope, though.
I know 5 Fifty 5 wants to be something other than a generic place, but they are catering to a certain type of traveler. That’s a fact of being in a Priceline-​friendly hotel. As long as their main cliental wants TGI Friday’s fare instead of NOLA fare, that’s what will make the money for 5 Fifty 5… and that’s what will keep me away. It was a nice meal, but I can’t imagine doing it all again.
Accessibility notes: No braille menu or signage. Restroom is far from the dining room. Gets loud at peak hours.