Do you know every lyric to Right Said Fred's narcissist anthem, "I'm Too Sexy"? Are you known around your office as the guy who makes all those hilarious "Futurama" references? Have you lain awake at night wondering "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?"
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, or you simply have an affinity for all things pop culture, then you may be ready to embark on the wonderful world of trivia night in Hoboken.
Trivia nights are often instituted by neighborhood bars in places like Hoboken to offset the typical listlessness of weeknight crowds, promising its would-be customers affordable drink deals and a lively atmosphere that might even make them a little smarter. Throw in a witty host and a generous prize for the winning teams, and a once lazy Tuesday or Wednesday night could quickly become one of the busiest nights of the week.
For a bar like Trinity on Sinatra Drive, trivia night can build up a steady following.
"We have been doing our Tuesday night team trivia for about three years now, and we have definitely noticed a better turnout on Tuesday nights since its inception," said bar manager Kevin Cocca. "We probably average about 40 to 50 people each Tuesday that are here strictly because of trivia."
The bar has teams as well as first timers.
"We have approximately nine or ten teams that come basically every week, and then each week there will be another four to six teams that jump in on the fun," Cocca said.
For all you first timers to the trivia scene in Hoboken—or old fans in search of a new spot—here's a list of the top five trivia nights in the Mile Square (in alphabetical order):
Gaslight, 400 Adams Street (corner of 4th and Adams)
Night: Tuesday nights, 8 p.m.; starts back up on September 14.
Drink specials: $5 Stoli mixed drinks ($6 Stoli martinis)
Prizes: Gift cards to restaurants and spas in Hoboken and Jersey City, bottles of wine
Why it's better than the rest: Tuesday night is Gaslight's trivia night, but it's also the bar's ladies' night. Women get a complimentary entrée with a $10 food or drink purchase.
Mikie Squared, 616 Washington Street (between 6th and 7th)
Night: Tuesday nights, 8:30 p.m.
Drink specials: $3 Yuengling drafts, half-price well drinks
Prizes: Guitar Hero accessories, gift cards for local restaurants (including Mikie Squared), bottles of wine, wine glasses.
Why it's better than the rest: The bar is equipped with outdoor speakers so players can enjoy their drinks outside on a nice night and still participate in the game. Trivia at Mikie Squared typically runs for about three hours and attracts a busy crowd.
The Shannon, 106 1st Street (between Washington and Bloomfield)
Night: Tuesday nights, 8:30 p.m.
Drink specials: $2 Miller Lite drafts, $3 Miller Lite bottles, $3 Yuengling drafts.
Prizes: Gift certificates to local restaurants and businesses in Hoboken.
Why it's better than the rest: The Shannon uses NTN Buzztime trivia, which means there's no live host. The game moves quickly and is played entirely through the TV screens at the bar. Its fast pace neutralizes potential cheaters, as there's little time to text a friend or Google answers on a smartphone.
Trinity, 306 Sinatra Drive (between 3rd and 4th)
Night: Tuesday nights, 8 p.m.; new trivia season starts in September
Specials: $5 appetizers which include: chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, chicken tenders, pizza, and onion rings; drink deals: $3 for all draft beers, $5 house wines, $5 appletinis and cosmopolitans, $3 Coors Light bottles and Twisted Tea bottles, and different shot specials each week.
Prizes: Weekly first prize is a $100 gift certificate; second and third place prizes include tickets to Yankees, Mets, and Devils games, beach chairs, coolers, golf bags, iTunes gift cards, t-shirts, dartboards.
Why it's better than the rest: Trinity takes its team trivia seriously. The bar uses Pubstumpers.com, which keeps track of team standings for its 12-week trivia seasons and is available to view online. Still, more casual players are encouraged.
Willie McBrides, 616 Grand Street (between 6th and 7th)
Night: Wednesdays, 8:30 p.m.
Drink specials: $2 Miller Lite drafts, $3 Miller Lite bottles, $3 MGD 64 bottles Prizes: $30 gift card to Willie McBrides for first place, $20 for second, $10 for third.
Why it's better than the rest: "Because I'm the host!" said Adam Poch, Willie McBrides' resident trivia emcee. A former contestant and 14-year resident of Hoboken, Adam said he did so well playing trivia on Wednesday nights at Willie McBrides that eventually they had to offer him the job to keep him from winning.
He insists that his policy on cheating—if he catches you, he will ridicule you mercilessly—levels the playing field. And if that's not enough to get players in the door he's got something that will: every trivia night includes one "Beverly Hills 90210"-themed question.