By Molly Sanchez
I can’t solve most basic math problems and I’m unclear as to how the stock market works, but I do know that there’s no sales tax in Oregon, that vacuum and continuum are the only words in the English language with double u’s, and that Vulcans have copper based blood. I owe all this useless knowledge not to my four tortured years at a state university, but to countless nights of pub trivia. I find there is no higher motivation to study current events or random facts than a nice cold pitcher pro bono.
SF is full of great trivia spots that help you and your buddies both grow those brain cells and then rapidly kill them. Here’s a list of trivia battles for every weeknight, Monday through Thursday. Feel free to add your favorites to this list.
When: Mondays at 8 p.m.
Where: 20th St. and Shotwell
Food: None served, but their policy is BYOB (bring your own burrito).
Drink: Great beer selection and killer sangria.
Pro Tip: Touted by Yelpers as “the most challenging trivia.”
Prizes: Vary from cash to alcohol.
When: Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m.
Where: 950 Geary St.
Food: None onsite, but there’s a great pizza place next door with HUGE slices.
Drink: Pints of Newcastle are $1 off during trivia, and the Recovery Special (a shot of whiskey and a pint of PBR for only $5) is a crowd favorite.
Pro Tip: Music rounds tend to be especially difficult and random. The last current events question is always the name of the top-grossing movie of the week.
Prizes: First prize is $30, Second is $20, and the winning peewee (a team of three or less) wins a pitcher of beer.
When: Tuesdays at 8 p.m.
Where: 2247 Market St.
Food: Sports-themed fare, though the best item is a truly ginormous plate of pulled pork nachos that would take a whole team to finish.
Drink: Fun, creative cocktails, and varied local beer selection.
Pro Tip: Themed music rounds are a great way for teams to earn double points. One spot of contention is that ballots are scored by your fellow trivia goers using the honor system.
Prizes: First prize is they’ll pay your bar tab, and there is also a prize for best (read silliest or most obscene) team name.
When: Wednesdays at 7 p.m.
Where: 1582 Folsom St.
Food: Great pub food and salads but the clear winner is the gorgeous pork belly donut.
Drinks: Their daily cocktail specials keep things interesting and range from a Mandarin Mule to a Scorpion Bowl.
Pro Tip: Questions can be hard to hear over the noise of the bar, but the host is really good about repeating himself.
Prizes: Range from Willows swag to cash and beer.
Kennedy’s Irish Pub and Curry House
When: Thursdays at 8 p.m.
Where: 1040 Columbus Ave.
Food: Delicious Indian food, big ups to the spicy tikka masala naan wrap.
Drink: Expansive selection of craft beers both imported and domestic.
Pro Tip: Questions are dictated by Brainstormer, a big quiz conglomerate, so they lack some of the quirky flair other places have. That being said, playing here can make even a first time trivia goer feel smart.
Prizes: First place gets $30, second place gets $20, third place gets $10, and various swag prizes and free pints are given out at random intervals.
When: Thursdays at 8:30 p.m.
Where: 3129 Clement St.
Food: Standard bar food with fun twists like crab empanadas.
Drink: Lots of local beer included a much raved about grapefruit beer.
Pro Tip: Trivia goers can look to the event’s Facebook page for clues about each week’s round; previous themes have included HBO and Harry Potter. They take suggestions from all players for future theme ideas.
Prizes: The winning team gets a $30 bar tab; best team name gets an $18 bar tab or a free pitcher of beer.
Photo from Thinkstock
