Quiz + Drinks + Friends = Pub Quiz Fun

If you know a ton of trivia and obscure information, the perfect time to showcase it is at pub quiz nights. Three of our Localhood volunteers went for different pub quizzes in Hong Kong bars to check out the competition, the beers and the ambiance😜😜😜 .

Pub Quiz at Te Quiero Mucho

A random glance through Instagram a few months ago brought to Shobhana's notice a quiz on one of the most popular sitcoms she used to enjoy growing up, FRIENDS. Unlike regular pub quizzes that are conducted regularly, some biweekly in fact, this was a one-off quiz conducted soon after the famous FRIENDS reunion that was widely publicized and televised.

Source: “Friends” poster

Since it was conducted in the premises of Te Queiro Mucho or TQM, a Mexican pub/restaurant at Ovolo, Sheung Wan, participating teams of four had to block the tables against an online payment of HKD 400 inclusive of a pitcher of margarita and a bowl of nachos.

The quiz consisted of six rounds, one on each of the main characters, plus a round on the songs that would have features anytime during the show’s 10 years long strong run. One might think as a person who has watched all the episodes, multiple times, across so many years, and at various ages, one would know most of the answers and would ace the quiz! It was only on entering the restaurant and seeing so many excited fans of the series that one realizes that there were some hardcore FRIENDS fans there, who could have very well scripted the FRIENDS quizzes that we devour on Buzzfeed!

Shobhana & friends at “Friends” pub quiz. Credit: Shobhana Subramaniam

Since the quiz was based on such a popular show, prepping for it was not a chore at all, and was as much fun as the actual quiz. However, the cover charges for the table might have been a restrictive measure, to enhance the exclusivity of the event. Online sales, surprisingly, closed within 7 to 8 minutes after opening with tickets being sold out. This led to an equally successful second round of the quiz a few days later.

One plus of having cover charges was that it ensured that participants did turn up, and also helped the sponsors arrange for small FRIENDS merchandise like Tshirts, stickers, teddy bears as souvenirs for the participants. And most importantly, it assured participants of a steady supply of potent shots for every correct, every wrong answer and everything else in between! While the pub quiz was a one-off event, hope the restaurant can keep those good times coming!

Pub Quiz at The White Stag

A more subdued affair that brings in a mature clientele you are sure to take a ride down history lane not only on the back streets of Wan Chai but entering this very well-established English pub. The Stag is certainly an institution having been around for decades. Firstly, a sports bar it fits in well with its neighbours, playing everything from rugby, football, tennis and FI.

Greeted by ‘Jonny’, The Stag’s Quizmaster you are treated to a warm welcome by a true gentleman, one of the last pub managers I see still wearing a tie! Not only does he want to make newcomers feel welcome he also wants to understand the team's trivia level so that he can tailor each quiz to the crowd on the night. Each quiz is kept fluid with Jonny still deciding rounds and topics on the fly.

Source: Localhood

The questions consisted of 7 rounds with a variety of topics such as “Music, Famous Seconds, Three letter words, Era specific, General knowledge even a focus on celebrity Leonardo Di Caprio”.

While maybe not the fanciest or newest of quizzes, contestants are made to feel like they really have a chance at getting the questions at least partially right. Even if you do not know the answer, smart deductions can sometimes lead you to the right answer. This unfortunately did not reflect with our continued losing streak, but Alex is confident a comeback is in the cards.

Pub Quiz nights: Suns & Mons @ 7:30 pm

Address: G/F, Broadway, 54-62 Lockhart Road, Wanchai

Pub Quiz at Flaming Frango

Flaming Frango in Soho was filled with pub quiz teams on the night our Localhooders attended. We were confident on our mix of teammates from different backgrounds and countries so we thought we had all our bases covered. Alas, we were defeated by regulars at the pub quiz in Flaming Frango. One round of questions were on guessing the song names sung by the American pop princess Taylor Swift. How we wished we kept up with song trends then.

Pub Quiz Scoreboard. Guess which team we were in? Source: Alex Beattie

The quizmaster at Flaming Frango was a pro at pub quiz and kept the fun slightly competitive atmosphere going by updating the pub quiz results in an Excel spreadsheet to show which teams were advancing and which ones were falling behind. Prizes go to the winning team and losing team—great encouragement to join again next time!

Our free shots. Source: Alex Beattie

Pub Quiz nights: Tues (K Town) & Weds (Soho) @ 7:30 pm

K Town address: 36 Forbes Street, Kennedy Town

Soho address: 55 Elgin Street, Soho