Residents of the greater Washington area take trivia night very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that it’s become quite common to see local trivia contestants compete on — and even win — Jeopardy! The show recently featured two locals, including Patrick Curran, a Breadsoda Monday night trivia regular who had a short-lived but exciting streak on the show.

This excitement led us to record a Get Out There segment for WAMU 88.5 based on a question we asked readers: What are some of the best trivia nights around D.C.? As the replies came flooding in, we spoke to Joseph Laposata, a host for District Trivia who told us bluntly: “D.C. is sort of the Mecca of bar trivia.  There is a lengthy tradition of pub trivia in the United Kingdom, but that’s very different. That, I would say, is a lot more casual and less academic. Bar trivia, in the Americanized version of it, is harder, and that is part of the appeal … It is because of the people who live here. This is the type of place where people want that. You have 100 locations where people are really fascinated by this.”

Truly, there are hundreds of options for trivia around the region. One independent company alone, Pour House Trivia, hosts more than 70 regular trivia nights across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. There’s even an annual trivia convention here.

A number of these events are fundraisers and most come with fun prizes, including cash. Some still host virtual options born of the COVID-19 pandemic. A few events are unique in theme or format: Songbyrd Music House hosts a music-themed trivia. The Dew Drop Inn in Northeast D.C. hosts queer trivia on the second Wednesday of every month. Atlas Brew Works’ Ivy City taproom hosts different niche trivia nights, with recent events highlighting Star Wars and Game of Thrones, and an upcoming one focused on Friends. And there’s even a trivia night combined with standup comedy and a karaoke battle at Highline RxR in Crystal City.

To help guide newcomers to the local trivia scene, here’s a non-comprehensive list, guided by recommendations from our social media followers:

In the District: 

• Red Bear Brewing hosts trivia twice a week, Mondays and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Regulars say: Get there early if you want a table.
• SmartAss Trivia hosts events on Wednesday nights at the Duplex Diner on 18th & U. It has a very loyal crowd, and Washington City Paper readers voted it the Best Trivia Bar last year.
• Nanny O’Briens in Cleveland Park is home to a Tuesday night trivia hosted by Trivia Kings, a company that runs trivia nights at a number of other D.C. sports bars and Irish pubs.
• Jake’s Tavern in Shaw was recommended by tons of folks for their Tuesday night trivia because the host personally writes more than 90 questions a week and there are deals on tacos and drink combos.
• Multiple people messaged us about Joey the GOAT aka Joey Allen, the emcee and question architect at Lou’s City Bar, which hosts trivia on Wednesdays.
• At Biergarten Haus on H Street NE on Tuesdays, people seem to really like the hosts Jean and Ana.
• Wundergarten hosts traditional trivia on Monday nights and musical trivia on Wednesdays.

Outside the District, there are a number of independent companies that host trivia nights in Maryland and Virginia — too many to shout all of them out, but here are a few that stood out:

• New Columbia Pub Quiz hosts Thursday night trivia at the MiXt Food Hall in Brentwood, MD. (They also host at Big Bear Cafe and metrobar in Northeast D.C.)
• We heard from Scott Sharpnack, the head writer and general manager for Pour House Trivia, perhaps the second largest trivia company in the region (following District Trivia), with over 800 teams participating each week at a ton of locations. A few folks shouted out their thrice-weekly trivia at Mark’s Pub in Fall’s Church; their Tuesday night trivia at Elo’s Italian Restaurant in Alexandria; and their Tuesday night trivia at Dudley’s Sport and Ale in Arlington.
• Cap City Trivia hosts events at Denizens Brewery every Tuesday night at the Silver Spring location and every Thursday at the Riverdale Park location.