Battle of the Brains

What you need to know for trivia night, COMO-style.

On nearly any given night in Columbia, bars and restaurants come alive with the sounds of clinking glasses, laughter, and the soft hum of trivia questions being read over a microphone. 

Groups of friends gather around tables, eyes darting between each other, searching for the one who might hold the answer to a pop culture or local history question. Mouthwatering appetizers and unique cocktail selections add to the excitement, though the sweet smell of success ultimately eclipses the enticing aromas of fried foods and liquor. 

In this lively college town, trivia is an experience that brings together seasoned trivia folks and casual players of all ages, united in the thrill of competition and the pursuit of those coveted bragging rights. 

Here’s where to play.

Hexagon Alley

Columbia’s Game Night Oasis 

If you’ve wandered down Cherry Street recently, you might have noticed an intriguing stairway leading to a nook below street level. That’s Hexagon Alley, Columbia’s first board game café, which opened in 2023. Inside, the ambiance is warm and inviting, with shelves housing more than 650 unique board games, and friendly staff waiting behind the bar. 

But Hexagon Alley isn’t just a haven for fans of Clue or Catan. Every Tuesday, the café hosts lively trivia nights, drawing in friends, families, and even strangers for a night of competition and camaraderie. The winning team not only gets bragging rights but also receives free game passes, making it even more tempting to join the fun. 

When Colleen Rieman and her husband, Kyle, opened Hexagon Alley, they envisioned it as a community hub where anyone could find their niche, and trivia has become one of their most popular draws. 

“It’s such a fun atmosphere,” Colleen said. “You see different groups of people — demographics and walks of life — coming together for trivia and enjoying it all together.” 

While Colleen occasionally steps in to host trivia nights, Tori Price or longtime employee Jake Meyer typically leads the evening. A former barista and bartender, Meyer has become the café’s primary emcee, and his humor and charisma add to the evening’s energy.

Colleen recounts one memorable moment from fall trivia, noting that there was a customer who asked, “How am I supposed to know the answer to that question?” and Meyer, with his usual playful banter, replied, “Lady, you’re at trivia — that’s the whole point.” 

The trivia often has a central theme, like fall, with questions featuring subthemes related to it, such as pumpkins or the holidays celebrated during the fall season. Trivia question creation is often a collaborative effort for the Hexagon Alley team, ensuring content stays fresh and offers a balanced range of difficulty. 

Each week features a new theme, and the team explores a wide range of categories, including anime, “Name That Song,” Taylor Swift, and Disney. The variety appeals to participants’ diverse interests and knowledge, making the experience more inclusive and increasing attendance. Hexagon Alley also embraces creativity in its themes. 

“[One time we did trivia on] all of the different Kims — like Kim Kardashian and Kim Jong Un,” Colleen said with a laugh. 

In the future, Hexagon Alley plans to establish a consistent schedule for trivia themes so players will know when their favorite topics are featured, though it does try to host general trivia on the third Tuesday of every month. 

Between trivia rounds, step over to the counter, where the café serves up a delectable menu perfect for sharing or snacking solo. For a mix of flavors, try one of the beautifully arranged charcuterie boards, available in both sweet and savory varieties, ideal for group snacking. The cafe also features delicious handhelds, like sandwiches and wraps. 

Keep the fun flowing with playful concoctions like the Princess Peach — a refreshing mix of gin, lemon and lime juices, peach syrup, and club soda, or Shirley Templar, a grown-up spin on a childhood classic that combines vodka, grenadine, and Sprite with a maraschino cherry to top it off. 

Günter Hans

A Taste of Europe with a Twist of Trivia 

Located on Hitt Street, Günter Hans brings a touch of Europe to Columbia with its Biergarten, cozy bar, and Barrel Room — a space that feels straight out of an old-world beer hall with high, throne-like chairs, rustic wooden tables, and a friendly, communal vibe. Here, trivia nights every Thursday are led by host Skyler Mann, whose knack for trivia and entertaining banter make each round unforgettable. 

“I used to work for the University of Missouri Concert Series as a stagehand,” Mann explained, “and somebody at the bar heard that I worked in the theatre and ran with it. They were like, ‘That means you can host trivia, right?’… [Now] I write the trivia every single week.” 

When she first started writing the trivia, Mann joked that her favorite part about being a host was spending a couple of hours every week where everyone had to shut up and listen to her talk. Now, with more experience under her belt, she says her favorite aspect of hosting is venturing into new topics and seeing people’s reactions to her questions. 

“I always think it’s fun when I ask a question, and it’s either silent when everyone was just chit-chatting, and they’re like, ‘What did you just ask us?’ or they get really excited,” she said. 

The trivia consists of five rounds — one general, four themed — with ten questions in each. As you progress through the rounds, each question is assigned the same number of points as its sequence; for instance, the third question is worth three points. Additionally, the difficulty of the questions increases as the point values rise. A favorite of both locals and college students, Günter Hans trivia rewards the winning team with a $30 gift card, adding an extra incentive for friendly (or fierce) competition. 

Among Mann’s favorite themed rounds are “Top Ten,” where participants guess the top ten items in a particular category — like the highest-grossing movies of 2023 — and “Movie Madness,” where players identify films based on cryptic plot descriptions. Writing trivia questions that appeal to such a wide range of players is part of the challenge, but it’s one Mann embraces.  

“I think trivia is a great way for people who may not get to see each other a lot during the week to get together on Thursday night,” she said. 

While trivia may seem daunting to newcomers or those who haven’t played in years, Mann encourages everyone to give it a try. Her biggest tip? Go in with the expectation that you won’t know every answer — and that’s okay. Trivia at Günter Hans is all about having fun and connecting with others. 

To elevate your experience, enjoy the pub’s wide selection of cocktails, liquors, wines, and beers, as well as its famous German-style Bretzels, Liege waffles, calzones, and bratwursts. Can’t decide what to order? Try a beer, cocktail, or gourmet Bretzel dip flight — or share with your teammates. The servers will bring everything right to your table so that you won’t miss a moment of the action. 

Café Berlinand Dive Bar

Trivia for the Curious and Competitive 

In addition to locally hosted trivia, Columbia is also home to trivia nights by Geeks Who Drink (GWD), a popular national trivia company that aims to turn first-time quizzers into regulars. GWD trivia nights feature a well-polished format, written by an editorial team with decades of experience, offering fresh and varied questions. Their website even claims that they “write more questions than Jeopardy — way more, in fact.” 

GWD offers two main trivia formats: Classic Trivia and Small Batch Trivia. Both formats span two hours, but they differ in tone. Classic Trivia, which features seven rounds that include audio and video elements, has a lively, PG-13 feel and covers a wide range of general topics, while Small Batch Trivia is a more relaxed option focused on pop culture and designed to be accessible for all ages. 

In Columbia, you can enjoy GWD’s Classic Trivia at Café Berlin at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and Small Batch Trivia at Dive Bar at 7 p.m. every Thursday. Both venues have a welcoming atmosphere and full menus with burgers, sandwiches, salads, and more. 

Whether you’re in it to win it or just looking for a fun way to spend an evening with friends, Columbia’s trivia nights promise great food, lively company, and an unbeatable sense of community. So, are you ready to put your knowledge to the test? May the best team win.

Sidebar:

Local Weekly Trivia Games

1839 Taphouse
Monday @ 8 p.m.  

Hexagon Alley
Tuesday @ 6:30 p.m. 

International Taphouse (ITAP)
Wednesday @ 7 p.m. 

Café Berlin
Wednesday @ 7 p.m. 

Dive Bar
Thursday @ 7 p.m. 

Günter Hans
Thursday @ 7 p.m. 

Please note that you should arrive earlier than the starting time to check in.