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Like most Wednesdays, I'll once again be headed to the smokey Brillobox for another installment of the perennially frustrating Pub Quiz.  It's really a mystery why I continue to go week after week.

I'll start with my nit-picks about the Brillobox itself.  First, the food is mediocre.  I'm pretty sure they recently stopped serving fries, which seems almost sacrilege in Pittsburgh where everything comes with fries.  I've tried the burger, the grilled cheese (the tomato soup must come from a can) and their wings.  I don't know if they still do it, but vegan dinner on Sunday nights used to be a pretty reliable source of good, cheap food.

Unfortunately, my gripes don't stop with the kitchen.  The bar is very small and very smokey.  Because it's small, be prepared to come early or you'll be standing all night.  It also gets incredibly smokey.  In fact, I have a special pair of jeans and a handful of old shirts that I reserve specifically for going to the Brillobox.  The smoke is so bad, I have some friends who've refused to go back.

The juke box has a good selection of music, and the hipsters really seem to enjoy it.  But the music is played so loudly that conversation is functionally limited to two people, and that's if you're willing to scream.  But this is really only a problem after 9pm or during Pub Quiz where the narcissistic host so desperately needs to hear his own voice that he pushes the speakers well beyond clipping.  Unfortunately, he doesn't realize that this really works against him as it's really hard to understand what he's saying or even hear the mostly lame songs he chooses to play.  Last week, in fact, a group of dental students were handing out ear plugs, which I gladly accepted.

However, Brillobox isn't all that bad.  The decor is unique and fun, definitely worth a visit around Christmas time.  Although lights hang year round, in December the place is fully decked in 50s era Christmas paraphernalia while two plasmas play stop-motion animated films you probably watched growing up.  Anytime before 9pm, this can actually be a nice place to have a drink with some friends.

The Brillobox also has a good beer selection, but the bar logistics make getting one an incredibly frustrating experience any time after 9pm.  Wading through the crowd is only the first hurdle, the bar area is small and fortified by a densely packed wall of stools.  If you manage squeeze up to the bar, you then have to grab the attention of the very over-worked bar staff.  Expect 15 minutes for getting a beer.  And bring cash so you don't have to make another 15 minutes trip just to close your tab.

Finally, Pub Quiz:  Every Wednesday, teams of up to seven people compete for a $20 and $10 Brillobox gift certificate.  The rules are simple: there are two rounds of approximately 20 questions; no cellphones allowed; ties are settled by arm wrestling.  Be aware of this unwritten rule: your team name must be something funny and witty.

The questions come in vaguely themed categories of 5-7 questions and are frustratingly difficult, favoring the counter-culture, well-read hipster.  A lot of thought is obviously put into creating the questions and categories - but my overall opinion is that Pub Quiz fails miserably.  The questions are too obscure and too difficult, and the categories only function to further penalize a team for it's lack of knowledge in a particular area. The questions are skewed toward the comparative lit major whose had plenty of time to read and watch a lot of TV.  Don't come if you are a science or engineering type.  Ultimately, playing Pub Quiz is more annoying than fun. 

It's too bad because Pub Quiz has potential.  The use of video clips and images is probably unique to this pub quiz.  Ever since my first night, having to identify constellations and other heavily bodies, the video portion has been a constant disappointment.  "Name that tune" is also a complete failure.  It's not fun blanking on little known indie rock bands and songs that probably didn't (or wouldn't) even make it onto a college radio playlist.  It's truly disappointing that Pub Quiz seems more interested in making sure you can't answer questions than making something that might actually be fun to play. 

Actually, I think I'll head over to Kelly's instead.