All Bets Are Good at The Parlay, a New Restaurant on Maui
A converted abandoned gas station turns a corner of Wailuku into a lively community meeting place to eat, drink and watch all your favorite sports teams.
Wailuku Town is a historic neighborhood on Maui filled with art galleries, street murals, boutiques and local small local businesses just three miles east of ʻĪao Valley. On First Fridays it’s buzzing with locals celebrating Maui artists, chefs and music, and day-to-day it’s where Maui government conducts business and travelers stop by for an afternoon stroll.
Amongst the used record store, a few bars and a cozy coffee shop, there haven’t been too many restaurants—almost everything on the main drag (Market St.) closes at 4 p.m. This year The Parlay opened on Aug. 2 offering a place to bring groups of any size to eat and drink. No reservations, no long line, just a big indoor/outdoor space to hang with family and friends. You can even bring the dogs.
“We really want people, especially if you’re visiting, to have somewhere to come to dinner,” co-owner Suzanne Navarro said. “We just needed somewhere people who live here can eat, so you don’t have to drive an hour for food.”
The exterior of The Parlay in Wailuku.
Photo: Sarah Burchard
Navarro, along with her partner Max Poynton, designed and built everything in the space to make it look like you’re at a buddy’s house to watch the game. From the street, guests walk up what feels like a driveway with a front lawn on either side filled with patio furniture and one of Wailuku’s murals—Where Work is, There is Life by artist Eric Okdeh—depicting an elder teaching a young girl how to sew a kimono, surrounded by hula dancers and kalo leaves, offering a sense of the town’s cultural heritage. Through the rolled up garage doors you’ll find the bar, which feels like half uncle’s garage-half living room with its cement floor, exposed brick, big screen TVs and comfy couches. On the left is the kitchen, which you can peer into from outside via a big open window. When the sun goes down, string lighting out front makes the restaurant feel like a house party.
The food is casual and fun—just like the restaurant.
Photo: Sarah Burchard
The food fits the atmosphere—fun and casual. Navarro said they wanted to make comfort food with elements of French and Southern American influence. Chef Anton Nguyen—formerly from Lineage—and his team create elevated bar bites such as the jalapeño popper dip with sweet potato chips ($12), mac ‘n‘ cheese with a sage, thyme and rosemary scented béchamel, aged white cheddar and nice thick crusty top ($9) and a gooey, greasy smash burger with cheddar and grilled onion to satisfy all “day drinking” cravings ($15). The French Puddin’ Toast with its croissant, brioche and pecans soaked in a salted caramel flan base finished with Greek yogurt ($16) and house-made baked goods ($5-$7) at brunch appeases an appetite for sweets. The kitchen prioritizes local ingredients whenever possible. Last month Nguyen was working on a roasted vegetable plate featuring produce all from Maui farms, such as Waiheʻe Valley Plantation.
Navarro, who worked at Sweet Liberty—listed as one of The World’s 50 Best Bars—in Miami, Three Dots and a Dash in Chicago and co-owns the bar, Esters Fair Prospect, next door, runs the beverage program. Her cocktails, such as The Frozen Iguana ($15)—a summertime staple that tastes like Dole Whip made love to a spicy cilantro margarita—are zippy and fresh. There are also plenty of non-alcoholic options, such as a cardamom cold brew ($9) that tastes like chai, the Raspberry Fojito ($12)—a not-too-sweet twist on a mojito—and a tart and refreshing lilikoʻi soda ($10).
The drinks at The Parlay.
Photo: Sarah Burchard
During football season The Parlay opens at 7 a.m., with lots of 49ers, Raiders and Seahawks fans, but there are people at the bar watching sports from morning to night. From construction workers in neon yellow shirts on their lunch break to travelers looking to catch their home team play to families with small children, everyone is welcome.
“We just fell in love with the neighborhood,” Navarro said. “It’s like a little city, you know, it’s all local people. It’s so amazing living and working here in the community.”
Open Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sundays 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., 2086 Main St. Wailuku, Maui, theparlaymaui.com, @theparlaymaui
