We booked 5 nights at Hotel Monteleone 4/9-4/14 so will still get a little festival activity but get out of town before it gets too crazy
Any recommendations for Frenchmen Street bars/restaurants would be much appreciated since don't want to waste a minute. Is it easy to just stop in for lunch/dinner or are reservations necessary? I picture it as very casual, go with the flow kind of atmosphere (?)Five nights seems like a long stay but we will balance it with some local tours and relaxing at the rooftop pool.
Also, do you suggest we 4 women walk to but take a cab back at night from FS?

Thanks again for all of your help!

Lunch is not a problem. You should be able to get in any restaurant for lunch. If not just move on to the next one. Dinner is different. Make reservations at places like Galatoire's, Mr. B's, Emeril's, Stella, Bayona, etc. Here's some joints on Frenchmen.

FRENCHMEN STREET………..

DBA @ 618 Frenchmen Street, New Orleans, LA 504 = 942 – 3731.
‎ •
http://dbabars.com/dbano/

Spotted Cat @ 623 Frenchmen Street, New Orleans, LA 504 – 943 – 3887.

http://www.spottedcatmusicclub.com/

Blue Nile @ 532 Frenchmen Street, New Orleans, LA 504 – 948 – 2583.

http://www.bluenilelive.com/

Apple Barrel Bar @ 609 Frenchmen Street, New Orleans, LA 504 – 949 – 9399.

Three Muses @ 536 Frenchmen Street, New Orleans, LA 504 – 298 – 8746.
http://www.thethreemuses.com/
Sweet Lorraine's Jazz Club @ 1931 Saint Claude Ave., New Orleans, LA. 504 - 945 - 9654.
http://www.sweetlorrainesjazzclub.com/home.htm
Royal Street Inn and R Bar @ 1431 Royal Street, New Orleans, LA 504 - 948 - 7499.
http://royalstreetinn.com/
Snugg Harbor Jazz Bistro @ 626 Frenchmen St., New Orleans, LA. 504 - 949 - 0696.
http://www.snugjazz.com/site/
Maison @ 508 Frenchmen Street, New Orleans, LA 504 – 371 – 5543.

http://www.maisonfrenchmen.com/

It is a bit of a walk back to the Hotel Monteleon from FS - out of curiousity, I mapped it, and it is exactly 1 mile on Rue Royal. I'd take a cab if for no other reason than I wouldn't want to walk a mile at the end of the night if I didn't have to. That end of the FQ does get very quiet since it is mostly residential, so you won't have the same foot traffic you would closer to Canal St.

November is correct. Call United and be safe.

UNITED CAB @ 1634 Euterpe Street, New Orleans, LA 504 - 522 - 9771 or 504 - 524 - 9606.
.http://www.unitedcabs.com/

I would definitely take a cab at night from Frenchmen Street.
We really enjoyed Charmaine Neville at Snug Harbor. I'd check the venues to see who is playing before you head out.
Five nights in NOLA will go by really fast.

Yep - 5 nights will go buy fast. We have 6 nights planned for our trip. We had originally planned for fewer, but I wanted to use miles to book the flights and we got better flights by staying an extra couple days. Oh darn

I used to walk back from Frenchmen Street on Royal, and the first part was always pretty deserted, and not so safe-feeling. Lately I've been walking back on Decatur and there has been plenty of foot traffic.