bump for the lamp post trivia tonight (above message).

I'm co-hosting a trivia contest Tuesday (November 30) at Lamp Post, starting at 8.

The questions cover history, literature, film, television, current events, sports and natural sciences and scale up in difficulty from moderately challenging to genuinely brutal.

You can enter as an individual or a team. The night's winner gets a $50 gift certificate.

+1 on O'Connells. Joel is a great guy, a lot of the same people show up each week and it's a good time.

I am new to the area so have hit up a few different bars to see where my "go to" place will be, Barrow being one of them, not impressed with the service. I ended up @ O'Connells on a Wednesday night and had no clue Trivia was going on. The bartender asked me if I was interested in playing and had the Trivia guy, Joel, come over to explain the way it works. I had a great time, they had great specials, the food was great, the service was great, I actually returned the following 2 nights as the bartender explained they were launching a new menu the following day, very impressive. I think I found my spot. As for the trivia, I like the way it works, you don't even know it's going on, so you don't feel like you have to play if you don't want too. I played more for the fun, not the prize, because I'm not THAT into it, but it was fun.

Barrow's trivia used to be dominated by cheaters, which is why we stopped going. Sure, the prize "money" at Barrow is consistent, but then you have to go Barrow to spend it.

I'm a BSB trivia regular, but I went to York St Trivia on Monday, for the first time. Definitely different, it's run by Trivia Tryst (www.triviatryst.com ) so it's very structured with lots of different rounds and bonus questions, etc. But lots of questions in a pretty fun format, and pretty good food/drink specials.

I also live right near Barrow St Bar and have been there maybe a handful of times. Its actually nice inside, pool table and back area, but as I've always said, they just don't get us any reason to want to go there. They don't have any specials worth while, the bartenders are nothing special, the music is average and the clientele are nothing special either.

They have their regulars and that's about it really. This is a spot where new ownership could definitely pump some life into the place.

Barrow is so close to my house but sadly wouldn't recommend that you go. They ask no more than 15 questions and there is so much time in between. The music is way to loud and you find yourself yelling just to talk to the person next to you. Then there is the issue of the bartenders - some of the guys are good but the girls are lame - they have been doing the same dance to the same song on top of the bar for ages. Plus, they act like they are doing you a favor by pouring you a drink. And the nail in the coffin.......they call you "sweetheart" even if you are female.

Can think of three better places in town to spend my money - shame because it is one of the few places in town with a pool table. (though it hasnt been refelted or leveled in ages)

I've been going to Barrow's trivia night, we switched to O'Connell's for a few weeks, it's a very different style and fun in its own right but we switched back to BSB. There are a lot more questions at O'Connell's, but they're usually very easy (there will be over 50 questions, but most teams will get >45 right). The host at O'Connell's is a great guy and fun.

At O'Connell's there were usually only 3 or 4 teams, and the prizes were weak and inconsistent (one week we won $25 cash, one week we won and all they gave us was a cheap bottle of wine). At BSB the winner gets a $50 gift certificate.

And regarding the cheaters with their iPhones etc, the girl who runs the BSB night is pretty on-the-ball and has no tolerance for cheaters. It doesn't appear to be much of a problem in my opinion, but I'm sure it does go on.

How do these trivia contests deal with ubiquitous internet connectivity in everyone's pocket?

Robin.

Sigh, as much as I have a place in my heart for Barrow Street Bar, because it's my neighborhood pub, it could be so much better than it is.

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Seconding this. The one time I went I think they asked a total of ten questions the entire night. I had fun at Golden Cicada's trivia night, though.

My main trivia night is The Big Quiz Thing (bigquizthing.com) in the city. It's run like a live game show -- complete with host in sparkly jacket, video and audio rounds and cash prizes -- and oriented more toward larger groups. (I'd say teams average 6-7 people?) There's a huge loyal following and well established rivalries -- I'm on a team that had already been together for several years before I joined. It's usually every other Monday at either Crash Mansion or Le Poisson Rouge, but they're doing a special summer one tonight at 92Y Tribeca.

Tremendous - thanks AW.

Hey. I don't know you or anything, but I know you're fairly rational and insightful on these boards. Or, at the very least you tend not to descend into irrational and petulant fights on here. So, I would suggest that you do not go to Barrow's trivia night.

The questions are too few and the house/ club music is cranked wayyy to loud. Barrow has other problems too.

I suggest you try Trivia Wednesdays at O Pub (McConnell's) at Montgomery and Warren... a quick two blocks behind City Hall.

That is: tonite and each Wednesday. Today is the first day of their month-long contest. The winner at the end of the month gets some dough.

There, the host is a real Charlie Hustle... asking 50 questions over ten rounds (on paper), with each round pegged to a theme from pop culture, current events, music, movies, literature, art, etc. Pretty diverse selection.

The only knock on their trivia is that the trivia host is working so hard but their bartender ain't.

Does this still go on during the summer? I've never been. How many people usually go? Thanks!