Parlay: Gut-Busting American Barbecue in Shanghai
Parlay is a sports bar and an American-style barbecue restaurant located in Jing’an, Shanghai that's delivering some gut-busting portions of juicy, overnight-smoked brisket and fat stacked burgers.
About Parlay
Shanghai’s seen a little surge of American BBQ joints lately, but Parlay is one that’s been a long time coming. In the kitchen is Matty Waters, the pit-master who went from catering house parties to pop-ups to consulting, and finally, to open his own brick and mortar with business partner Aaron Choi.
Parlay took over Bubba’s, a now retired institution, located at the back of Shankang Li. The space underwent a major facelift, and now emanates a proper sports bar complete with plenty of high-top tables, multiple TV screens, darts, and a pool table. Side note: There are leagues for both pool and darts, inquire at the bar.
Let’s not forget the outdoor area, a spacious corridor with plenty of seating that’s a big draw for many patrons. Venue is also dog-friendly in and out.
The Food
Barbecue takes precedence. The selection of house-smoked American-style barbecued meats feature brisket, pork ribs, sausages, spring chicken, and even a charsiu variation of pork belly. Platters, plates, combos, and sides aplenty.
I’ve had Matty’s barbecue plenty of times before, and he does some solid stuff. The brisket was glorious — juicy, flavorful, and smoky.
Beef Brisket (¥168/250g) - All individual orders of barbecue include a choice of two sides.
Coleslaw (¥38)
Pimento Mac n Cheese (¥48)
Cauliflower au Gratin (¥38)
That’s not all — there are a dozen sandwiches and burgers, too. Some of those are ginormous in portion, though, I expect some might undergo a bit of trimming.
Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich (¥78)
The lesser seen chicken breast is used for the Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich, deep-fried crispy and stacked with house pickles, coleslaw, and a heavy squirt of mayo on a brioche bun. It scores a 10/10 for seasoning, crunch, and pure enjoyment. Another sando worth getting is the Hot Ham & Cheese. House-cured smoked ham is served on brioche and drowned with a rich beer cheese sauce, topped with Dijon and KCQ BBQ sauce.
Hot Ham & Cheese (¥78)
For burgers, some integrate cuts from the barbecue selection, like the Burnt Ends Burger (¥88). Parlay also does a Classic Smash Burger, a double patty stack with a house sauce, pickles, grilled onions, and American cheese. What really ties in this burger is the sauce, a piquant and tangy house concoction with a creeping heat that’s highly addictive. All burgers and sandwiches come with a side of fries or salad.
Classic Smash Burger (¥68)
For snacks, there’s nachos, smoked shrimp, fried chicken, wings, and fried pickles, but also numerous healthy salads.
On the drinks front, there are classic cocktails (from ¥45), a few signature cocktails, draft beer (from ¥40), wine, and mojitos, with approachable prices. And there's happy hour, too.
Great atmosphere all-round friendly vibes. Those who live nearby would be proud to call Parlay “their local”.
About Rachel Gouk
Founder & Editor, Nomfluence
Rachel Gouk is a seasoned dining journalist based in Shanghai with over a decade of experience covering food culture, restaurant developments, and the Asian culinary landscape.
