USA, NV: Parlay6 Brewing Co. opens in Reno

The menu at The Par by Parlay6 Brewing Co. is wonderfully weird. It’s the newest brewery on the block—and in the space—taking over the midtown location after Wonder Aleworks closed. They brew their own beer—there are five on tap —and also offer other brews on tap and by the bottle. There are plenty of White Claw seltzers, too, This Is Reno reported on May 19.

The space offers big televisions showing sports games, a collection of cozy dining tables with colorful fur accents, a patio with covered outdoor seating and a big old couch for group hangs. My favorite seat, however, is at the bar, where you have a front-row seat to the action, and it’s easy to request refills of whichever IPA you’re drinking.

The beer menu, at least those brewed by Parlay6, is heavy on IPAs, including hazy and juicy varieties. If you’re not an IPA drinker, the 10 AM Blonde offers up a lighter sipper still heavy on the flavor. It’s a tad bit hoppy but not overwhelming and goes down easy without feeling like a cheap brew.

While the beer list is pretty straightforward and creative in its monikers (the juicy IPA nods to that famous Biggie song of the same name), the food menu is anything but average in the best possible way.

Sure, there are some routine menu options like a basket of French fries and a smash burger, but it’s the oddities that really caught my attention. For example, there’s nothing quite like a grown-up PB&J sandwich. This one is topped with bacon and banana slices and served next to a serving of French fries. Even the corn dog has a unique touch, split down the middle and served with Chicago-style toppings.

The dirty fries can be purchased on their own, or you can upgrade any side of fries with the toppings, which include brisket, tomatoes and a Thousand Island-style dressing. My best suggestion here is to get some more of that dressing on the side. The fries need a bit more sauce to pull the ingredients together.

For those with a smaller appetite, there are also a couple of salads and more appetizers to share. If you’re a fan of Nashville-style hot chicken, they have one of those sandwiches, too. Everything is going to have a bit of that Parlay6 touch though, cooking outside of the box to create flavors and dishes not available down the street.

The ambiance is also a perfect fit for midtown. There are plenty of people packing it in, sharing drinks or grabbing a bite. It’s not uncommon to see groups standing near the bar, preparing for the rest of their night out, but it’s just as common to see a couple enjoying a date night, eyes turned toward the televisions, or each other, while they order shots of tequila or cocktails from the bar.

The Par also caters to the local culture, serving up drinks that are famously northern Nevadan. I like to think my 15 years here have earned me local status, but I am still learning nuances about Reno and its food and drink scene every day. So, this may not be the first time anyone else has heard of a Sun Valley Spritz, but the shot of Aperol poured into a Miller High Life certainly caught my attention enough to ask what my stool neighbors were drinking. I was surprised to see the drinks being passed around the bar with a steady frequency throughout the night.

The name—Parlay 6—is a nod to the six owners of the business, many with extensive backgrounds in beer, and some you may even recognize from local establishments. At any given time, you’re likely to see some of those owners behind the bar, serving the beer they helped create to the clientele they’ve brought in.

20 May, 2024