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Smarty Pints

Mon, 11/20/2023 - 12:38
The beauty of a trivia night is that it’s all you could want in one event, planned by some genius other than yourself: drink, friends, bragging rights, and (in many cases, as at Townline BBQ, seen here) good food. Some venues charge a modest admission price, some don’t, but tables almost universally fill up fast.
Think Inc. Trivia courtesy photos

According to Paul Johnson, who hosts trivia nights across the East End and is a connoisseur of random facts himself, events like trivia nights at restaurants, bars, and breweries are valuable and important because they get people out and about to enjoy social time together. As one of the brains behind Think Inc. Trivia, his goal is to make sure his nights are competitive, enjoyable, and accessible to everyone.

“It’s a nice event that doesn’t cost a lot of money, it’s low involvement, and it’s just a fun night out,” says Mr. Johnson, who masterminds pub quizzes from Wainscott to Shelter Island to Patchogue. Details. can be found on his social media at @ThinkIncTrivia.

But Mr. Johnson is hardly alone; trivia nights are becoming increasingly popular and you can find one almost any night of the week.

Townline BBQ
3593 Montauk Highway, Sagaponack

Townline is one of the first South Fork trivia spots, with contests weekly on Thursday evenings at 7, accompanied by food and drink specials. “This one of the most popular trivia nights in the area,” Mr. Johnson says. Teams of four should sign up on Instagram ahead of time and get to the roadhouse early, because the place is regularly packed.

 

Sag Harbor Cinema
90 Main Street, Sag Harbor

Are you a film buff? The cinema offers Movie Trivia Nights on Mondays from January to May, upstairs in the Green Room bar starting at 7 and hosted by Genevieve Villaflor, the cinema’s executive director, and Sara Meyers, its technical director and lead projectionist. Fun fact: The bartender creates a drink related to one of the films currently screening, and the trivia winner gets a free movie ticket. “It’s a great way for the community to come together in the winter months in Sag Harbor,” Ms. Villaflor says. “Learn more about the films we are showing and just enjoy another aspect of movie-going. . . . We can all learn a thing or two about films!”

 

Stephen Talkhouse
161 Main Street, Amagansett

Peter Honerkamp, an owner of the legendary Talkhouse nightclub, started hosting trivia night during the Covid-19 pandemic to bring neighbors together for casual fun. He says he will “buy rounds of shots, but there are no cash prizes. It’s just a good time.” Trivia is once a month here, with dates listed online at stephentalkhouse.com.

 

The Point in Montauk
697 Montauk Highway, Montauk

Tuesday Trivia with Marc is a weekly affair at the Point on Tuesdays starting at 10:30 p.m. Get there early for half-price drinks and appetizers from 4 to 7 p.m.

 

Captain Jack’s on the Coast
1109 Noyac Road, North Sea

Taco Tuesday meets Trivia Night at Captain Jack’s, a relative newcomer to the South Fork dining scene. There’s a taco special each week when trivia is in session. The fun starts at 7 p.m., but contestants should get there a little bit early to grab a seat.

 

Rams Head Inn
108 Ram Island Drive, Shelter Island Heights

Mr. Johnson’s Think Inc. Trivia sets up the show here, too, starting at 6 p.m. on Mondays. The menu features a ‚Äúsmashburger‚Äù special on game nights.

 

Dive Bar Pizza
2095 Montauk Highway, Napeague

Can copious amounts of pizza and beer improve one’s trivia skills? Find out the answer on Monday nights at 6 at this spot on the stretch, which is otherwise pretty deserted this time of year.

 

Ubergeek Brewing
400 Hallett Avenue, Riverhead

“Unleash your inner geek,” Ubergeek says of its bimonthly trivia night, in which teams compete for cool prizes. The fun happens every other Sunday from 7 to 9.

 

Union Burger Bar, Sushi, and Steakhouse
40 Bowden Square, Southampton Village

Go for the trivia, stay for the crazy milkshake concoctions (some spiked with alcohol). The competition happens every Wednesday at 7 p.m. Groups are welcome, but so are individual contestants, who can show up and join tables with others seeking teams.

 

Greenport Harbor Brewery
42155 Main Road, Peconic

Unique brews are just one of the attractions at this microbrewery, which also offers live music and behind-the-scenes tours on the weekends. Its Peconic Tasting Room hosts trivia night weekly on Thursdays starting at 6.

 

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