The closure is notable because NOLA on 5th had developed a fairly high profile during its relatively short run. The restaurant was featured on Guy Fieri's Food Network series Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in an episode titled "West Coast Wonders," where Fieri sampled its jambalaya and Black & Gold Po' Boy. Food Network still hosts NOLA on 5th's jambalaya recipe and identifies it as a featured restaurant from the show.
NOLA on 5th opened in 2021 at 3683 Fifth Avenue, taking over a roughly 3,200-square-foot, 1902-era Craftsman house that had previously housed the short-lived World Famous Tin Room. SanDiegoVille first reported on the project in March 2021, when owners Ron Crilley and Andrew Boyer were preparing to reinvent their former Bankers Hill restaurant, 5th Ave Kitchen & Tap, with an entirely new New Orleans-inspired identity.
Crilley has long been associated with Cardiff's Kraken Bar & Restaurant, while Boyer previously worked as general manager of Carver's Steaks & Chops in Rancho Bernardo. At NOLA on 5th, Boyer, who the restaurant described as a longtime New Orleans resident, developed a menu centered around Louisiana comfort food, including jambalaya, gumbo, red beans and rice, shrimp and catfish po' boys, Cajun pasta and seasonal crawfish boils.
The restaurant went fairly far in trying to recreate a New Orleans experience in San Diego. Its own website said it imported Leidenheimer French bread from Louisiana and served traditional cocktails such as Hurricanes, Sazeracs and Vieux Carrés. It also became a local gathering place for LSU alumni and New Orleans Saints fans, particularly during football season.
NOLA on 5th's unusual two-story setting was also part of its identity. The downstairs offered a casual bar and outdoor patio, while the upstairs was positioned as a somewhat more upscale dining room overlooking Fifth Avenue. The restaurant described itself as family-owned and focused on bringing "the flavors and spirit of New Orleans dining" to Hillcrest. Exactly what ultimately caused the closure has not been publicly confirmed.
A recent Reddit discussion began after a customer arrived at the restaurant and found a notice on the door stating that NOLA on 5th was permanently closed. One commenter claimed the restaurant was not making enough money, while another said the owner had told them the business had struggled financially and that a closure had been contemplated for some time. Those claims have not been independently verified, and SanDiegoVille is not treating them as an official explanation from ownership.
The timing is somewhat abrupt. As recently as September 5, OpenTable was still allowing reservations for NOLA on 5th, and the restaurant's own website remains online with posted hours, menus and even upcoming promotional events later this month. Several third-party restaurant listings also continue to show the business as operational, suggesting the closure has not yet fully propagated across reservation and dining platforms.
The restaurant's recent online reviews also suggest it was still actively serving customers deep into the summer. Roadtrippers displays Yelp reviews from July and August 2026 describing recent visits, while OpenTable showed more than 100 reviews and continued taking reservations just days before the closure notice appeared.
NOLA on 5th had also become one of a relatively small number of San Diego restaurants to receive the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives treatment. Its television appearance helped introduce a broader audience to dishes including its chicken-and-andouille jambalaya and Black & Gold Po' Boy, named for the colors of the New Orleans Saints.
Reaction to the closure has been mixed. Some Reddit commenters said they had enjoyed the restaurant and had hoped to return, while others criticized recent meals and service. One former server said they liked working there but ultimately left because they were not earning enough money, another anecdotal indication that business may have been challenging, though not proof of why the restaurant closed.
The shutdown adds another vacancy to Hillcrest's constantly evolving restaurant landscape and ends a five-year run for a concept that arrived during one of the most turbulent periods the hospitality industry had seen. NOLA on 5th opened as San Diego was emerging from pandemic-era restaurant restrictions and went on to survive long enough to land national television exposure, become a destination for Louisiana expats and football fans, and establish itself as one of the city's more visible Cajun and Creole restaurants.
For now, there has been no public announcement identifying a successor for the historic building at 3683 Fifth Avenue.
Originally published on September 8, 2026.
