The food was incredible and the waiter was super helpful in giving recommendations of what to order.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
alex beebout
Every single thing we ordered just blew us away! The flavors are simply incredible - I always try to get something new that I don’t recognize and I’m never disappointed! They do an excellent job of accommodating dietary restrictions and the food come out right away once you order. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable about all the dishes and they really care about you having a good experience. I’m already making my next reservation!Vegetarian options: Congee, tofu, dumplings, rice, noodles, cocktails!Dietary restrictions: They have a special menu for vegans, seafood allergies, gluten free, etc. - the gold standard in my opinion!
Cha Siu pork rice & the Ho Fun noodle dish. Both were delicious. Service was great. Its a very clean establishment. Already looking forward to our next visit!
Great concept definitely a great addition to Pittsburgh food scene.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dumplings
Martha Rushworth
We loved everything on the menu! We ordered the shrimp dumplings and duck egg rolls from their specials list, we also got the pork bao, the flank steak noodles and the Trio Rice Plate with the Cantonese BBQ meats. Such a charming place.
Amazing food and great service. Never had a bad meal or drink. The specials are always amazing. The espresso martini on tap is delicious and the Lava Bao is the best way to end your meal. Prices are great for Lawrenceville.
Jessie Tang
We went to the Parlor on Saturday for dinner and it was an amazing experience. The ambiance is welcoming and charming. I LOVE the Mahjong wall at the entrance, it is very creative! I knew I was at the right place when I saw the roast ducks hanging at the kitchen window (just like in Chinatown). We sat at the bar and watched the bartenders do their magic. The staff are knowledgeable and very friendly. The drink menu is impressive. Chinese liquor for cocktails, who would have thought? I highly recommend trying Uncle Roger and Tai Chi GT.We went to town with the food order. First, we got the Siu Mai and Chueng Fun with shrimp. The chueng fun definitely caught my attention. The rice crepes are smooth and soft, so delicious. Next, we got the Roast Duck. The skin was so crispy, just the way it should be. The duck has the perfect amount of fat and meat. Every bite was busted with flavor. The Typhoon Shelter Style Prawns were such a delight. The garlicky, spicy crunch was my favorite. A small hint of fermented back beans brought back some delicious memories of my childhood.We got the lobster and black pepper short ribs. The ribs are tender and very flavorful. I love the way they prepared the lobster dish. It's not as wet as the ones I get at other Cantonese restaurants in Chinatown. Great texture.Even though we were quite full, we decided to go for dessert. The Lava Bao is exceptional. Inside the soft, fluffy bun is the rich, sweet, gooey salted egg custard. What a way to end the meal. We got the egg tarts but I was too full to finish them. I took them home and reheated them in the toaster oven the next day. The buttery, flaky tart shell with the lightly sweetened egg custard is just heavenly.I love that Chef Li added his twist to the classic Cantonese cuisine. As someone grown up in Hong Kong and lived in New York City for 20 years, I love his fresh ideas. You can taste the quality in every bite. I can’t wait to go back for more. You should stop scrolling and just go for it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lava Bao, Cheung Fun Rice Crepes
Steven T.
Food was delicious. Mostly had dim sum, rather than entrees. I'll try those on my next visit. Atmosphere was nice, but the acoustics made it loud.
Jess N.
This is now my third time at the parlor dim sum, and it should be more like my 100th with how good everything is. Took myself on a little date because I NEEDED their dumplings of the week jn my life, and now I need them every day (lol) but really, everything was amazing, the staff was extremely friendly as well as the vibes. The food always speaks for itself at this spot. Will be back!
Four of us stopped by for dinner on Friday at 6pm (we made reservations, of course). I was really excited to try some of their special Lunar New Year items and they did not disappoint! We also tried two of their specials of the day - the fried striped bass cheung fun and the juicy dumplings. We loved all of our dishes and cocktails! I also wanted to note that our service was outstanding. Someone in our party dropped her chopsticks on the ground and bent over to pick them up. Before she was fully sitting up again, someone had already appeared with a fresh new set of chopsticks!
Madeleine Waller
Alright so I'll be the first to admit that I'm not usually the most adventurous of palettes, so that likely impacts how I feel. Also the fact I've been spoiled with phenomenal Cantonese by long time family friends. Take everything I say with a grain of salt.The restaurant is in a convenient little spot with a close and warm atmosphere. The wait staff are friendly, quick, and professional. No complaints there! The only thing I find I didn't care for was the food. It's not bad by any stretch, and probably was based on my selections this try, but it's not my favorite (the espresso martinis, however, are great, according to my friend). The Parlor is not afraid of bone in (good) and supplies plenty of meat (also good) but the selection is relatively restrictive for a dim sum place and some of the food just wasn't to my tastes.The hot and sour soup was kinda warm, sour, and a complete miss from what I was expecting. The Cantonese BBQ trio fried rice was also completely contrary to what I thought. It was more liquid soaked, lukewarm rice under a hefty layer of meats. Duck and chicken were great. Pork seemed a pinch dry and the greens on the side were cooked plain and thus were super bitter. Was a bit bizarre and I shouldn't have done the scallion ginger dip to compliment it.But all that aside I'd do it again-- would just go for the veggies (tried some of my friend's and they were great) or the beef ribs next time.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Sarah K.
Wow!! I took my husband here for his birthday, and the experience was everything we could have wanted. I'd like to preface with the fact that we haven't ever eaten Cantonese BBQ before, so I cannot attest to the authenticity of this restaurant or not. Regardless if its authentic or not, this place is something to be talked about! The food was delicious. The vibe was very cool. And the service was great! The concept of dim sum is fairly new to me, and I'm usually not super adventurous with food. The Parlor has something for everyone whether your palette is more adventurous or not. Everything that we tried was tasty and full of flavor that left us wanting more. I kept telling my husband, "I think we're going to need more dim sum!" The price point is AMAZING. We had so much food, and our bill was under $100, which is unheard of in the fine dining world. All of the food came out quickly and well timed so we didn't feel rushed. I dont love the fact that they have a time limit. For 2 people, we were given 75 minutes. I didn't feel rushed the whole meal because everything came out perfectly timed, but it was in the back of my mind. Needless to say, we had enough time for dim sum, an entree, and dessert! Now, here's what we tried: DIM SUM: [Hao Gow Crystal Shrimp]: There was not a lot to this dish. Shrimp and dumplings, but it was so tasty! [Cha Siu Pork Bao Buns]: This was my favorite dish of the night. Everything was perfect from the perfectly season pork to the soft bao buns. I dont know where bao buns have been all my life, but I need more! [13 Ingredient Egg Roll]: This was a special of the night, and it did not disappoint. Lots of flavor & veggies [Lava Bao]: This was sweetened duck egg yolk in a bao bun. I didn't think I could eat a duck egg, but then I realized it's the same as eating a chicken egg lol. The flavor in this was SHOCKING! It tasted like you were eating a vanilla custard cake. I'm so glad we tried it because it was unexpectedly good and something totally out of my comfort zone. ENTREE: [Ho Fun Noodles]: Noodles with flank steak & scallions. Need I say more?? Flavorful and large portion. This was a less adventurous option so not as exciting for me, but it was still really good! I will be taking my friends to this place and recommending it to everyone! It's such a unique restaurant that should be enjoyed more than once!
Kyle W.
The Parlor makes nice food. It is not quite the level of the best Dim Sum I have had in NYC and LA, but it is a nice addition to Pittsburgh. The service was good. I didn't really care for the music, but to each their own.
Rim G.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND! RUDE! I was excited to try this place when I booked a reservation at 2:30 PM on a Saturday. I took my newborn and husband on a snowy day hoping to have a nice lunch, but I was very disappointed. Due to the weather and how hard it is to park in Lawrenceville, I showed up 10 mins late. They welcomed me and said you have 5 minutes to order because the kitchen closes at 2:45 PM. I explained the situation and the hostess didn't care at all. So I had 3 minutes to sit at a table and order? That's the most humiliating thing I have ever seen in a restaurant. Why would you allow for a 2:30 reservation if your kitchen closes exactly 15 minutes after? Why wouldn't you allow for 15 minutes in case someone in the party was late and then allow more time for them to order? Why so much pressure? Very unprofessional and ruined my evening. What a shame!
The food was incredible and the waiter was super helpful in giving recommendations of what to order.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Every single thing we ordered just blew us away! The flavors are simply incredible - I always try to get something new that I don’t recognize and I’m never disappointed! They do an excellent job of accommodating dietary restrictions and the food come out right away once you order. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable about all the dishes and they really care about you having a good experience. I’m already making my next reservation!Vegetarian options: Congee, tofu, dumplings, rice, noodles, cocktails!Dietary restrictions: They have a special menu for vegans, seafood allergies, gluten free, etc. - the gold standard in my opinion!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Rice Crepes, Dumplings, Roast Duck
Cha Siu pork rice & the Ho Fun noodle dish. Both were delicious. Service was great. Its a very clean establishment. Already looking forward to our next visit!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ho Fun, Dumplings, Flank Steak Wide Rice Noodles, Shrimp Dumplings
A great spot with great food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dumplings, Taro Dumplings, Jade Dumplings
Great concept definitely a great addition to Pittsburgh food scene.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dumplings
We loved everything on the menu! We ordered the shrimp dumplings and duck egg rolls from their specials list, we also got the pork bao, the flank steak noodles and the Trio Rice Plate with the Cantonese BBQ meats. Such a charming place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pork Bao Bun, Roast Duck, Flank Steak Wide Rice Noodles, Trio Rice Plate, Shrimp Dumplings
Amazing food and great service. Never had a bad meal or drink. The specials are always amazing. The espresso martini on tap is delicious and the Lava Bao is the best way to end your meal. Prices are great for Lawrenceville.
We went to the Parlor on Saturday for dinner and it was an amazing experience. The ambiance is welcoming and charming. I LOVE the Mahjong wall at the entrance, it is very creative! I knew I was at the right place when I saw the roast ducks hanging at the kitchen window (just like in Chinatown). We sat at the bar and watched the bartenders do their magic. The staff are knowledgeable and very friendly. The drink menu is impressive. Chinese liquor for cocktails, who would have thought? I highly recommend trying Uncle Roger and Tai Chi GT.We went to town with the food order. First, we got the Siu Mai and Chueng Fun with shrimp. The chueng fun definitely caught my attention. The rice crepes are smooth and soft, so delicious. Next, we got the Roast Duck. The skin was so crispy, just the way it should be. The duck has the perfect amount of fat and meat. Every bite was busted with flavor. The Typhoon Shelter Style Prawns were such a delight. The garlicky, spicy crunch was my favorite. A small hint of fermented back beans brought back some delicious memories of my childhood.We got the lobster and black pepper short ribs. The ribs are tender and very flavorful. I love the way they prepared the lobster dish. It's not as wet as the ones I get at other Cantonese restaurants in Chinatown. Great texture.Even though we were quite full, we decided to go for dessert. The Lava Bao is exceptional. Inside the soft, fluffy bun is the rich, sweet, gooey salted egg custard. What a way to end the meal. We got the egg tarts but I was too full to finish them. I took them home and reheated them in the toaster oven the next day. The buttery, flaky tart shell with the lightly sweetened egg custard is just heavenly.I love that Chef Li added his twist to the classic Cantonese cuisine. As someone grown up in Hong Kong and lived in New York City for 20 years, I love his fresh ideas. You can taste the quality in every bite. I can’t wait to go back for more. You should stop scrolling and just go for it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lava Bao, Cheung Fun Rice Crepes
Food was delicious. Mostly had dim sum, rather than entrees. I'll try those on my next visit. Atmosphere was nice, but the acoustics made it loud.
This is now my third time at the parlor dim sum, and it should be more like my 100th with how good everything is. Took myself on a little date because I NEEDED their dumplings of the week jn my life, and now I need them every day (lol) but really, everything was amazing, the staff was extremely friendly as well as the vibes. The food always speaks for itself at this spot. Will be back!
Restaurantji Recommends
Four of us stopped by for dinner on Friday at 6pm (we made reservations, of course). I was really excited to try some of their special Lunar New Year items and they did not disappoint! We also tried two of their specials of the day - the fried striped bass cheung fun and the juicy dumplings. We loved all of our dishes and cocktails! I also wanted to note that our service was outstanding. Someone in our party dropped her chopsticks on the ground and bent over to pick them up. Before she was fully sitting up again, someone had already appeared with a fresh new set of chopsticks!
Alright so I'll be the first to admit that I'm not usually the most adventurous of palettes, so that likely impacts how I feel. Also the fact I've been spoiled with phenomenal Cantonese by long time family friends. Take everything I say with a grain of salt.The restaurant is in a convenient little spot with a close and warm atmosphere. The wait staff are friendly, quick, and professional. No complaints there! The only thing I find I didn't care for was the food. It's not bad by any stretch, and probably was based on my selections this try, but it's not my favorite (the espresso martinis, however, are great, according to my friend). The Parlor is not afraid of bone in (good) and supplies plenty of meat (also good) but the selection is relatively restrictive for a dim sum place and some of the food just wasn't to my tastes.The hot and sour soup was kinda warm, sour, and a complete miss from what I was expecting. The Cantonese BBQ trio fried rice was also completely contrary to what I thought. It was more liquid soaked, lukewarm rice under a hefty layer of meats. Duck and chicken were great. Pork seemed a pinch dry and the greens on the side were cooked plain and thus were super bitter. Was a bit bizarre and I shouldn't have done the scallion ginger dip to compliment it.But all that aside I'd do it again-- would just go for the veggies (tried some of my friend's and they were great) or the beef ribs next time.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Wow!! I took my husband here for his birthday, and the experience was everything we could have wanted. I'd like to preface with the fact that we haven't ever eaten Cantonese BBQ before, so I cannot attest to the authenticity of this restaurant or not. Regardless if its authentic or not, this place is something to be talked about! The food was delicious. The vibe was very cool. And the service was great! The concept of dim sum is fairly new to me, and I'm usually not super adventurous with food. The Parlor has something for everyone whether your palette is more adventurous or not. Everything that we tried was tasty and full of flavor that left us wanting more. I kept telling my husband, "I think we're going to need more dim sum!" The price point is AMAZING. We had so much food, and our bill was under $100, which is unheard of in the fine dining world. All of the food came out quickly and well timed so we didn't feel rushed. I dont love the fact that they have a time limit. For 2 people, we were given 75 minutes. I didn't feel rushed the whole meal because everything came out perfectly timed, but it was in the back of my mind. Needless to say, we had enough time for dim sum, an entree, and dessert! Now, here's what we tried: DIM SUM: [Hao Gow Crystal Shrimp]: There was not a lot to this dish. Shrimp and dumplings, but it was so tasty! [Cha Siu Pork Bao Buns]: This was my favorite dish of the night. Everything was perfect from the perfectly season pork to the soft bao buns. I dont know where bao buns have been all my life, but I need more! [13 Ingredient Egg Roll]: This was a special of the night, and it did not disappoint. Lots of flavor & veggies [Lava Bao]: This was sweetened duck egg yolk in a bao bun. I didn't think I could eat a duck egg, but then I realized it's the same as eating a chicken egg lol. The flavor in this was SHOCKING! It tasted like you were eating a vanilla custard cake. I'm so glad we tried it because it was unexpectedly good and something totally out of my comfort zone. ENTREE: [Ho Fun Noodles]: Noodles with flank steak & scallions. Need I say more?? Flavorful and large portion. This was a less adventurous option so not as exciting for me, but it was still really good! I will be taking my friends to this place and recommending it to everyone! It's such a unique restaurant that should be enjoyed more than once!
The Parlor makes nice food. It is not quite the level of the best Dim Sum I have had in NYC and LA, but it is a nice addition to Pittsburgh. The service was good. I didn't really care for the music, but to each their own.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND! RUDE! I was excited to try this place when I booked a reservation at 2:30 PM on a Saturday. I took my newborn and husband on a snowy day hoping to have a nice lunch, but I was very disappointed. Due to the weather and how hard it is to park in Lawrenceville, I showed up 10 mins late. They welcomed me and said you have 5 minutes to order because the kitchen closes at 2:45 PM. I explained the situation and the hostess didn't care at all. So I had 3 minutes to sit at a table and order? That's the most humiliating thing I have ever seen in a restaurant. Why would you allow for a 2:30 reservation if your kitchen closes exactly 15 minutes after? Why wouldn't you allow for 15 minutes in case someone in the party was late and then allow more time for them to order? Why so much pressure? Very unprofessional and ruined my evening. What a shame!