It’s called Trivia Mafia because the organization has monopolized bar trivia in the Twin Cities. The group of five or so individuals pushes out a new set of 30 questions every day. Since last September, they’ve occupied Emmett’s Public House on Grand Avenue.
Opening two years ago, Emmett’s features 53 Irish whiskeys (the largest selection of whiskeys in Saint Paul) and a menu that updates traditional Irish fare (usually “pretty bland,” says general manager Mickey Person)—from corned beef and colcannon ($18) to mac-’n’-cheese-inspired Irish MacCheese ($14).
The restaurant almost feels like a corridor bar, boasting 60 seats. On Tuesday nights, trivia host Tonya Walter reads through six rounds of five questions, with an image- or sound-based round at the end. She calls it a refreshingly quiet venue compared to sports bars and a good first-date experience—and a chance to win gift cards or free entrées.
On March 17, Emmett’s will keep St. Patrick’s Day simple: open all day with drink specials. If you remember Gallivan’s Downtown Bar on Wabasha, check out the back right corner at Emmett’s for a booth salvaged from the fire that destroyed Gallivan’s in 2014; the table is made from the restaurant’s wood paneling.
Lightning round:
Part of a turkey or
Harry Potter character?
1. Runcorn
2. Dewlap
3. Snood
4. Caruncle
5. Beedle
Answers: 1. Harry Potter character 2. part of the turkey, also known as the wattle 3. part of the turkey 4. part of the turkey—neck bumps 5. Harry Potter character
