The Fifth Element

Reviews

• Morgan C.

  star star star star star_border 8 June 2026

  Take a short stroll off the main tourist drag of Newport, and come on down to Broadway, where you'll find colorful characters, wallet friendly meals, and creative cuisine abounds. The Fifth Element is no exception to this rule, and contributes to the vibrant neighborhood's burgeoning food scene marvelously. While I haven't had the chance to have a meal here since they recently hired a new head chef (don't worry, the spinach balls are still on the menu!), I came here a few nights ago for cocktails and dessert with friends, and was delighted and impressed!
  
  The space is decorated in an eclectic style, with red lights, rope wall fixtures, and even a giant Buddha painting on the wall. There's plenty of seating of all kinds - bar, high top, traditional table - but if you are just here for dessert or drinks, try your best to snag the couch seating near the large front windows, which is perfect for people watching and super comfy! We had a great time lounging about, and it was a great way to cap off our evening!
  
  As for cocktails, they have a literal book of choices. My Pink Flamingo was a tasty blend of vanilla, pineapple, and cranberry, and was a wonderful way to ward off the chill of the fall evening! My best friend got the Raspberry Martini, which she liked, but I didn't care for - it was a weird blend of syrupy sweetness and strong alcohol flavor. Her boyfriend got the Cuban 8 Highball, which I also tried for review purposes. It was good, but I was happiest with my choice. Of course, nothing could compare to dessert...
  
  So I think Fifth Element's Sticky Toffee Pudding MAY have knocked the Clarke Cooke House's Snowball In Hell off of the number one spot for "Best Dessert In Newport." MAYBE. This is the must get item if you come here. Forget anything else! It's like a beautifully decadent bread pudding drenched in hot toffee sauce, and it's to die for. The absolutely perfect blend of salty and sweet. If you come to Newport and go out for one dessert, this is IT. Definitely a dessert to write home about!
  
  Fifth Element can be sceney, so I would recommend visiting on a weeknight for dinner, or later in the evening for a nightcap. They also have a Sunday Jazz Brunch that I've been meaning to check out & review later. In the meantime, I'll be over here with my Sticky Toffee Pudding, y'all!

• Joseph S.

  star star star star star_border 29 May 2026

  Our first visit. Brunch during JazzFest.
  
  Overall quite pleased. Nice space, good service, and  swell and decently priced "brunch" menu.
  
  Some of us started with cocktails and others with coffee. We shared the lamb poutine that was a nice start for 4 to share.
  
  Entrees were basic breakfast (a steal at $8) with extra sausage ($3), brunch pizza, "element salad" with salmon, and shrimp tacos. All tasty and well presented.
  
  We'll be back. Damages for 4 with tip was $140.
  
  Food               5/5
  Service           4/5
  Value              4/5
  Cleanliness     5/5
  Noise            4/5 (although a musician was playing and about half full -
                      conversation was doable)
  Decor           4/5

• Keelan M.

  star star star star star_border 28 May 2026

  Food was great. Drinks were great. Service was great. Atmosphere was not. The windows and doors were all open and it was super hot and muggy outside, so it was hot and muggy inside where we had dinner.
  
  We had the jerk chicken, burger, lamb, filet, and the spinach balls. The spinach balls are a must! So yummy! Everything else was excellent except the lamb...it was dry.
  
  Drinks were yummy. Some of us had wine, others had martinis and mixed drinks. Cold and delicious.
  
  The server we had was friendly and knowledgeable.
  
  We would definitely go back, but would make sure we didn't go when it was really hot out.

• Jackie G.

  star star star star star 26 May 2026

  Interesting spot. On Broadway, which has a lot of restaurants but definitely is not as popular of a tourist area as the wharf or Thames.
  
  The decor is bizarre. It's a collection of way too many different aesthetics. And the menu is also a weird collection of cuisines. However, we were a group of girls looking for a casual bar setting where we could hang for a few hours, eat, and drink and this place delivered.  There were a lot of large parties.
  
  It's hard to resist ordering all the apps but the portions are very generous so save room for entrees and dessert.

• Jessica M.

  star star star star star_border 14 May 2026

  Came for Sunday brunch and was not disappointed (except for one tiny thing that I'll mention in a bit). I made a reservation in advance for their opening time of 11AM for my party of 11, not knowing what to expect from Newport crowds. I arrived about 10 minutes early with my boyfriend and his grandparents and was a little worried about having his elderly grandparents wait in the cold, but the restaurant employees were kind enough to let us in early while we waited for the rest of his family!
  
  The whole table ordered individual brunch cocktails, with the majority being mimosas of different juices. Mine, specifically, was a grapefruit mimosa which I enjoyed. We ordered Lamb Poutine and Spinach Balls as starters for the table and both were delicious. The Lamb Poutine was a favorite -- the meat was tender and flavorful and was a great addition to the standard cheese-and-fries poutine.
  
  As for main courses, the table ordered multiple orders of the same three dishes: Grilled Salmon, Biscuits & Gravy, and Chicken & Waffle Sandwich. I had the Biscuits & Gravy and, though it definitely is on the heavier side, the overall dish was good and extremely satisfying. The salmon was also good, grilled perfectly and complimented with asparagus and hollandaise sauce. I didn't try the waffle, but the piece of chicken I did have was crispy and moist, the way a good piece of fried chicken would be. Everyone enjoyed their dishes and some even said the food here was the best they had during our weekend stay in Newport. Prices were a little high, but nothing too crazy.
  
  As for the one incident that occurred during our visit -- my boyfriend's sister found hair in her Grilled salmon, buried under the hollandaise sauce. We brought it up to a waitress who then apologized for the situation and quickly brought it back into the kitchen. We waited a while for the new plate to come, but we were just glad that the situation was taken care of promptly and professionally.
  
  We also noticed people setting up in an area in the front of the restaurant which seemed designated for a band. Live music would definitely have made our visit more pleasant, so I'm upset we didn't get to experience it. Hopefully the next time we're in Newport!