Five of the Best Quiz Nights in SF
Lucky Strike opens this week in South Beach and will feature a game room with a trivia area replete with “Jeopardy”-like pedestals. But you don’t need to go all the way down to the ballpark to enjoy a great Quiz Night.
There are a handful of (mostly Irish) bars around town that host Quiz Nights, usually held on a Tuesday and Wednesday nights. You can test your trivia know-how while indulging in half-priced beers. Quiz Nights are a perfect weekday activity for a group of friends but if you’re going solo you can always just show up and join a team at the bar. Here are some of our favs:
Edinburgh Castle – 950 Geary St between Polk & Larkin (Tenderloin) – Every Tuesday, 8:30pm
Considered the queen of all quizzes and run by quizmaster Carl Gibbs, this is one of the best in town but also the most difficult. Don’t arrive half-drunk thinking you’re going to be asked feeble celebrity gossip from the front page of People Magazine. Think The Economist, the innermost sections of the New York Times, BBC WorldNews, a book about random facts and Stephen Fry’s Twitter feed all rolled into one. Free.
The Napper Tandy – 3200 24th St between Cypress St & South Van Ness Ave (Mission) – Wednesday, 8:30pm
Located in the heart of the Mission and hosted by the lovely Marissa, the atmosphere of this quiz night is warm and friendly and you might just have a chance at winning. There are always drink specials and the standard pub fare is pretty tasty. But one word to the wise – the quiz nights have been known to go long.
Stray Bar– 309 Cortland Ave @ Bennington (Bernal Heights) – Tuesday, 8pm
If you’re looking for a fun quiz night with a little more pop cultural flavor then head over to one of Bernal’s local watering holes, Stray Bar, for Smartypants Trivia. Hosted by Ms. Kitty Tapata and featuring cocktail specials, this is a great place to go with a big group of friends for a game night. The is also LGBT friendly.
Mad Dog in the Fog – 530 Haight Street between Fillmore & Steiner Streets (Lower Haight) – Tuesday & Thursday, 9pm
It’s double trouble at this well-loved Irish pub in the Haight. Known for their sports coverage, especially soccer matches, they also have one of the best quiz nights in town. It’s organized as a set of seven rounds featuring eight questions each with breaks between the rounds for – you got it – more drinking.
Pig & Whistle Bar – 2801 Geary Blvd between Collins and Wood Streets (Inner Richmond) – Wednesday, 8:30pm
This Richmond mainstay is full of regulars who like to drink. And what doesn’t mix better with quiz night than alcohol? The rounds can get long as there are long breaks between rounds for drinking but on the plus side they are known to pass out free drink cards. Score!
