Play live bar trivia in Ottawa!

Disclosure: The Ottawa Trivia League is my husband’s business.

Back in the Before Times, one of the highlights of my week was playing bar trivia with a team of wonderful friends. (And I’m not just saying that because, as noted above, my husband Paul writes the questions and was the quizmaster at the bar where we played.)

So I’m delighted to announce that the Ottawa Trivia League is BACK!

On July 26, I went to the inaugural game at Bar Robo in Queen Street Fare, the fun food hall on Queen Street near O’Connor Street (literally right in front of the Parliament O-Train station). All the necessary physical distancing and contact tracing measures are in place—as they are at all the bars that are once again hosting Ottawa Trivia League trivia nights—so if you are comfortable dining indoors again, these spots would love to have you.

How does it work?

It’s easy peasy.

• Round up a team of players. Generally, groups of four to six work well, but you can play with a bigger or smaller group, if you like.
• Head to your chosen bar. I recommend getting there at least half an hour before the game begins so you can order your food and settle in before the questions start. And DO order food and/or drinks, if you can—these are all great restaurants, and they could use the business after, well, you know, the last 16 months.
• Bring a pen! The quiz host will read questions over a sound system, and teams fill out the answers on paper answer sheets.
• Be prepared for glory. If your team wins, there’s usually a prize. (We’re not talking Lotto 6/49 here, but you might get a bar gift certificate, beer glasses, ball caps or other swag.)
• There’s no fee to play.

Where can I play?

Here’s the current list of bars where you can test your knowledge of pop songs, world geography, quirky hockey facts, TV shows and lots, lots more. All games run weekly.

Starting MONDAY, July 26

• Bar Robo at 170 Queen Street, 6:45pm
• Kent Royal Oak at 180 Kent Street, 7pm

Starting TUESDAY, July 27

• Irene’s Pub at 885 Bank Street, 7pm
• Centrepointe Royal Oak at 117 Centrepointe Drive, Unit 105, 8pm

Starting WEDNESDAY, July 28

• Original Royal Oak at 318 Bank Street, 7pm
• O’Grady’s Outpost at 25 Tapiola Crescent, 7pm

COMING SOON!
Starting TUESDAY, August 3

• Hunt Club Royal Oak at 800 Hunt Club Road, 8pm

Starting date to be announced, MONDAYS

• Lieutenant’s Pump, Mondays at 361 Elgin Street, 6:30pm and 9pm

It’s a fun night out and a great way to put to good use all that odd knowledge you’ve gained while surfing YouTube and watching Netflix over the last 16 months. Plus, you get to hang out with friends in the real world, with beer and snacks! What’s not to like?

Looking for more tips on things to see and do in and around Ottawa? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or buy my new book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100km Getaway Guide.