I always get the omelets and they're always fresh and made just right! The food comes out hot, the staff is friendly, and the portions never disappoint. You can tell everything is cooked with care read more

I don't understand the negative reviews . Check the Google reviews, they are much more positive. This place is awesome. Good prices, good food, seasoned well . Friendly staff . Good portions . Comfortable feel read more

Smiley's Grill New Orleans - Grits - American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Yall wonder why they have bad reviews this was what i received. The first time I've had it was good but after that I've received SPOILED food not once but TWICE DO NOT COME HERE read more

Smiley's Grill New Orleans - Chicken car - American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Great restaurant in the Gentilly/New Orleans east area. The food is delicious and very reasonable. A great variety of food from breakfeast, appetizers daily lunch specials dinner First time visiting the establishment because I was looking for something new in the District D area. Heard from coworkers that this is a good place for lunch. The daily lunch time specials were a nice variety, I plan to try the bell pepper plate next time. This time I had a Ribeye steak with loaded baked potato for about $15 The steak was tender and a nice size. I enjoyed While the customer service is isn't overhelming the food was very good I am giving a good rating because it is clean and has a nice drive up appeal. The menu has a good variety of tasty fool The owners last name must Be Smiley because I did not see no smiles on that day But the food was good and reasonable so I will make that a good lunch spot read more

Smiley's Grill New Orleans - Gentilly off chef and Downman rd - American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

My friend enjoyed the oysters. Menu photos don't match the meal ordered. Shrimp sandwich was pictured as a half poboy, but was actually a shrimp on bun. Special entryway that you have to figure out on your own. Low quality customer service. read more

I wish I could give y'all 0 stars. The waitress did not accommodate with her attitude on exchanging the mac-n-cheese. It was cold, nasty no seasoning. It appears to have been frozen Mac-n-cheese. She stated no returns or exchanges. I have never experienced that! read more

Smiley's Grill New Orleans - This look like hospital cafeteria food! No seasoning, no real cheese no nothing! - American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Smiley's Cafe is a gem! Amazing food, top-notch customer service, and that personal touch from the staff make it a 10 out of 10 experience--definitely a place worth visiting. read more

I love it there they have the best oysters sandwiches you could ever have :-) it is really the place. I love it. I recommend highly recommend service. Nice clean place. Sit down and eat and have drinks. You would love it there because I love it there :-) show the one. read more

This is a hidden gem chef Keith really knows how to grill and the love shows up in his food. After fracturing my ankle the night before we had to cut our trip to New Orleans short by a day and I didn't want to make the long ride back home to Mesa AZ without having more of the tasty grilled oysters that New Orleans has to offer and Smiley's was right down the road from where we were staying. I ordered a dozen grilled oysters they were huge , mouth watering and grilled to perfection they came with garlic/parmesan bread that just really complimented my oyster's well. My boyfriend ordered BBQ ribs that came with two sides his sides were a loaded baked potato and cornbread. Now I'm not a fan of cornbread so I honestly didn't try it but the ribs were very tender, had that nice smoky southern taste to them and well I'm a huge potato fan so I can't say enough about the loaded baked potatoes. There is a full bar inside and considering I fractured my ankle I wasn't able to try any of the frozen drinks. The staff was very friendly but I can't say enough great words about Keith's cooking so if you happen to be in NOLA stop in say hello to Keith and his staff and try either the grilled oysters or some of his yummy ribs! read more

Smiley's Grill New Orleans - Having some grilled oysters mmmmm... - American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

The food was really good, great service and very clean. A little hidden gem! Give Smiley's a try! read more

Smiley's Grill New Orleans - Char Grilled Oysters! - American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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It's a family vibe What more can you really ask for The food is great just communicate and you'll get communication Service is a T ! Stays Busy! read more

Updated Review (6/17/22) I've been coming to this business for over 5 years now and sadly, I have to say it has completely fallen off. It's understandable that the restaurant has been impacted by the pandemic but the way they handle operations is as bad as it gets. For starters, their times listed on Yelp as well as at the physical building are incorrect. The listed phone number appears to be disconnected or not properly functioning. After coming back a second time in one day attempting to order food I was met by a woman locking the gate outside of the entrance. They turned myself away along with two other groups saying they didn't have enough workers to be open. After talking with the woman momentarily I saw a man come and I explained they were closed. He said he had ordered and I asked if he was able to get through on the phone. He said he made an order online and they told him to get there by 2 pm(remember this time; it will be important later in the story). The same woman they came out and passed him his order. I asked to speak with the manager and she said he was "busy" which is confusing because they were closed and apparently had no customers. Anyway, the manager by chance ended up coming out with another guy and he said he couldn't get people to come to work and that there was nothing he could do. I then asked since they were still handing out pickup orders if I could put in an order but he said they were all wrapped up. This was yet again, another instance that left me confused as it was 1:30 and they were still fulfilling online orders apparently until 2. TLDR: Here's the short and sweet: don't waste your time with this business. They can't handle the basics of running a business like having proper hours of operation listed or properly functioning phones. On top of that, the manager is full of excuses and does nothing to rectify the problems or problem solve viable solutions for patrons/customers of the business. Save yourself the headache and trouble of dealing with this place and try another restaurant. Anywhere has to be better than here. To be as fair as possible, I will try to come again another day to give them a second chance. I will update the review if things have improved. read more

Fluffy pancakes done right! Really great tasting. Oh so large of portion with the three-stack. The omelet, prepared with tomatoes, green peppers, onions, and cheese hit the mark too. We split the omelet and pancakes between the two of us, which was the perfect amount of both. Service was okay: staff took our order just fine, but tried to hand us someone else's order (getting our orders mixed up). If we hadn't checked the food, we would've departed with the wrong food. Drink selection was pretty basic. I'm fine with plain coffee with breakfast, but wish they had juice too. We'll be back for more pancakes! read more

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Hidden gem of New Orleans East, came here for the first time for a fish and shrimp plate, cause you know we gotta have our seafood on Fridays, and I was surely satisfied! $11.95 (plus tax) is a good price and you get tail on shrimp! My favorite! It comes with fries and a drink and a nice sized, individually packed side salad (House or Caesar). I also got the Smiley lunch rum punch and it's got a kick to it! The bartender added an extra kick. Inside atmosphere is at home and relaxed. Can't believe it took me this long to come check read more

Smiley's Grill New Orleans - 1/2 Classic Caesar Salad - American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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This "Boomer" is starting to really dig this Yelp thing. So we in NOLA and I search Yelp.. were in a rut, always going to the same old places, we decide to let this app guide us.... we decide on Smiley's and boy was Yelp ever right!! Our server, Lyric was very nice and attentive. Big screen t.v.s on every wall to keep up with the game or a spaghetti western. Small place but cute, friendly and clean. The food was out of this world good!!! I complimented the owner and he was very grateful for the recognition. The salad was cold and crisp. Wonderful taste! The tomatoes tasted like they just came out of a garden! It ranked up there with the best salads weve ever had, really. No B.S. I got the fried shrimp and oyster Poboy it was huge! Lots of seafood, the bread was crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. I tried Dixie beer for the first time, a local beer. Smooth and satisfying! Gonna find a six pack to take home somewhere. Wife got the seafood platter which included a gigantic piece of fried, you can get it grilled if you want, I'm guessing, Cod but it was flaky and had an excellent taste, so did the oysters and shrimp. They give you small cups of 4 different condiments. All went very well with the meal. We would go back to this place in a heartbeat!!!and will !!!! Wow...treat yourself to some delicious cajun seafood and dont pass this jewel up. read more

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A little place off the beaten path. You have to know it's there or get Google to point you. Hubby had roast beef with gravy and it was enough for 2 sandwiches. I had the shrimp platter. Could barely finish and took the salad home for later. read more

I've only been here a few times and that was before the pandemic. I enjoyed the food and liked that it was close to home but since the pandemic they've changed their hours which makes it an inconvenience for late eaters. Also by being such a small restaurant the owner/manager could be more engaged with customers as they were not, at least not on my visits. Sometimes a small conversation of asking customers about their experience with food and service can show their appreciation that you stopped in to patronize their business. read more

Staff had a wonderful attitude. The place is very clean, food is inexpensive and DELICIOUS! I came for breakfast. Convenient, right off the interstate. read more

Smiley's Grill New Orleans - The menu - American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

8 out 10 food was really good. Portions are a bit small for my taste. Nice ambiance though. People are real nice service was good

Woke up a little later than usual on the off day so we looked for lunch places nearby the house. Smiley's popped up! I wasn't sure due to the location at first but I'm very glad we decided to try it. Restaurant was clean and organized. Inviting atmosphere. Our waitress was very sweet and friendly. The first bite of my hamburger I was 100% sold on Smiley's! Dang, it was so flavorful and juicy! Seasoned well and cooked perfectly. They even added an egg per my request since I wanted a good hangover burger. Everything is beyond reasonably priced. We plan to go back for daiquiris soon! read more

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Very quaint little restaurant with a flair of New Orleans. This is comfort food at its best. We had the chicken and waffles, Big breakfast and the Stuffed peppers. Everything was perfect, taste great and too Die for. The Sweet Tea is just like Grandma use to make and will definitely handle your sweet tooth. Great service from the staff & clean place to eat! read more

Smiley's Grill New Orleans - American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Amazing prices. The quality of the food is top notch. Everything tasted fresh and all food was nicely seasoned. The restaurant as a whole is super clean. Will be back for sure. Had brunch, chicken and waffles with pecans added is a must! The 2 of us ate for right around 13 bucks. The best deal in town! Run here as soon as you can! read more

Smiley's Grill New Orleans - Chicken and Pecan Waffle - American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

What a great spot for good food. The place isn't very welcoming but the food is good, fast and affordable. I usually get the steak and potatoes which is about $11, can't beat that. read more

I guess they were having a tough night when we visited. My husband ordered a fried fish and shrimp basket and he said the shrimp had a metallic taste while the fish was bland and mushy. I ordered BBQ wings but they came out so hot I was sure they had been dipped in Buffalo sauce, and i was given plain fries instead of the sweet potato fries advertised as part of that basket. They also got both our salads wrong. I asked for no onions and my husband asked for no cheese. Both contained what we asked to be eliminated and my salad had a lot of black, mushy leaves. Once remade, they were okay. Lastly, it took nearly an hour to receive our order. Sad, as the reviews were good. read more

Really good food. Loved the white beans. So much flavor. My sons burger was great! Very clean tables and restroom. Menu seems simple but food had aoooo much flavor read more

Smileys is located in between two automotive service companies one that does oil changes and for that reason I have always liked to refer to it as the true GREASY spoon. Haha. Get it because oil changes produce grease. Fine. This characterization was incorrect. Although the menu features lots of fried food standards ( burgers, platters, po boys and breakfast) you can choose naked and grilled options. Most important the inside and kitchen (open kitchen) were very well appointed and maintained. The food was standard. I found my white beans salty but the fried chicken tenders were perfection. The sevice was great. I didnt check the weekday closing time so we rolled in 15 minutes before close. No attitude at all from any one. If you happen to be in the mood for the specials you will get a great deal full meal for 6-8 bucks. So, don't be intimated by the location or having to get buzzed in. Try it. read more

Horrible customer service! My first time ordering today through DoorDash! I cut into my steak for the first time and there was a strand of hair baked into it! I called the business over 10 times to report the hair in my steak to only receive a dial tone. So I decided to leave a comment on Facebook and Smileys decided to write back and deny the hair came from his business! But browsing through yelp and Facebook reviews it seems as if this owner has a problem with feedback regarding his establishment! I will never attempt to eat from here again and definitely won't refer anyone! Thankfully DoorDash refunded me my money! read more

Smiley's Grill New Orleans - Hair that was in my steak! - American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Food and service is amazing. Great atmosphere. Hidden gem located in the east of New Orleans.

Even industrial neighborhoods need a lunch spot. Great food, great service, great prices. You'll have to be buzzed in the door but once inside, all is well. When in New Orleans-East, stop by for a bite. I had the Monday special, red beans and rice that comes with two links of grilled sausage and three grilled or fried chicken strips...opted for the fried (don't judge me). The strips were crispy and the beans, well, they wouldn't survive if not done correctly. *The club sandwich across the table looked amazing. When in the trenches over that way, don't hesitate to stop by. read more

The food was very tasty but not worth the over an hour wait to eat they seemed way more focused on Togo orders than dine in not impressed read more

Smiley's Grill New Orleans - History of smileys - American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Great service, great prices and awesome breakfast!! If you want to get off the tourist path, you need to come try out this little joint. Very friendly service. Prices are wonderful and food is fabulous. Will definitely be back to Smiley's when we return to New Orleans. read more

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We came for lunch. I love the seafood platter. The grilled fish and shrimp were SUPER DELICIOUS and fried oysters was very very good. All my colleagues loved their selection as well. Highly recommended. read more

We're only in New Orleans for a few days but went today as it was not far to go and I was delighted that we did, great food, friendly service and exceptional customer service - don't hesitate to go to Smileys while in New Orleans, you will definitely be full of 'smileys!' when you leave read more

Smiley's Grill New Orleans - American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

We went there for breakfast on a recent trip to New Orleans. The stickers on the table said to order through the waiter app so we started an order. A pending charge appeared on my credit card and the app said waiting approval. No one acknowledged that we had come in and sat down. While waiting my husband poured us a cup of coffee and while doing so another customer came in and asked someone behind the counter about ordering and was told to order at the counter. Still no acknowledgement that we were even there. We paid for the coffee and left. Parking lot is a nightmare and the location is horrible. I'm thinking we were the wrong color to interest them in our business. read more

This is the lowest rating I've ever given food I enjoyed. Also, when posting this I realized I had also reviewed this restaurant before with almost identical complaints, so obviously no effort is being made to improve. So for starters, the side house salad was excellent: perfect size, good greens (not iceberg lettuce), and the dressing on the side. The fish and shrimp platter was not a huge amount of food, but it was adequate. And the batter was seasoned well and the seafood was fried well, so I actually enjoyed the food. The problem was with the service. The waitress smiled and was polite, but it was as if no one here had ever been to a sit-down restaurant before. 1-We waited a LONG time. Ridiculously long time. 2-My wife and I ordered meals with salads, my coworker had ordered a cup of gumbo to go with his poboy. About 10 minutes after orders were taken, we finally got our drinks. Another 25-30 minutes later, the first plate came out: my wife's entree. She had substituted loaded sweet potato fries for the regular fries. The order came out with regular fries, which the waitress noticed when she got to the table. She told my wife, "they didn't swap these for sweet potato fries." Then she just stood there and stared at my wife as if she was waiting for an "it's ok, I'll take the regular fries." My wife just explained that she wasn't going to eat regular fries (for dietary reasons), so rather than leaving the dish so she could at least enjoy the shrimp and returning with sweet potato fries, she disappears with the dish. So at this point, no salad or gumbo had been served, but one wrong entree was brought out and taken back. 3-We waited some more. Then my wife's entree returned with no fries at all, and she got her salad at the same time. The other two of us had not been served yet. 4-And we waited. Eventually my salad came out. 5-And we waited. Then my entree came out. My coworker had not yet gotten any food. 6-Eventually his entree came out. Not his gumbo, his entree. And by this time my wife's food was cold, and mine was getting there quickly. 7-About five minutes later I got my side of green beans, which were supposed to be in lieu of the fries, which I was served with my entree as well. 8-My coworker told them to forget about the gumbo altogether, as we had already spent waaaaay too much time there and couldn't wait any longer. 9-As the check was brought, my wife received her loaded sweet potato fries, with the green onions she'd asked them to leave off. 10-At no point during the whole meal was a single glass of water or tea refilled. I have never worked in a restaurant, but even I know a few basics. So for any of the owners/employees of this soon-to-be-out-of-business establishment... *The soups and salads come before the entree, unless specifically asked otherwise *Diners should be served their entrees together. *Keep the glasses full. Don't even ask. Fill water and cola glasses, and bring replacement teas when they are low. *If you work in the kitchen, pay attention to the waitress's notes. There's a reason people ask to substitute and leave off items, and it could be a health reason. read more

I would like to give it more stars because the food, once we all finally recieved our food, it was delectable. Be prepared for your party's food to be delivered at separate times. We also had several mistakes with our meal. Overall we were there for over an hour trying to get lunch. We appreciated the fried and grilled options. The server was friendly and seemed truly apologetic, even though our drinks were never refilled, but none of that will help me understand why we never got the gumbo, which should be an item that's easy to dip up and serve. Again, if you can spare an hour or two, it may be worth it to have some really tasty food; I'm not sure it'll be worth it for me to go back though. read more

I'm so happy we stopped here.. the staff 110% represented their name well. The staff had the best hospitality. Not to mention their food was actually the best food I've had in awhile. They serve breakfast and lunch all day! I would highly recommend smileys! read more

Good people good food excellent service......this is my go to spot when I'm patrolling the area!!

This is my go to spot on the regular. I have yet to be let down. From the steak and loaded potatoes, to the waffles and chicken, to the BBQ wings, etc... I love all of it. Highly recommend. read more

Poor quality service.We had to wait a good 60 minutes before someone noticed us and the restaurant was practically empty at that time. The waiters were talking not paying attention, gloves not changes and food being prepared. The people in the kitchen are handling food with dirty gloves. Everyone had a attitude, didn't care who I was are what I was trying to order. I was only coming to purchase food for a located clinic in the New Orleans area. A young man noticed who I was on the way out, after the experience I had I didn't want to spend my money. read more