After starting out in Colorado five years ago, Geeks Who Drink has slowly expanded across the nation, currently hosting live weekly pub quizzes at more than 165 establishments in 17 states. The company recently started a weekly night at the Village Pourhouse in Hoboken (Tuesday nights), and generally feels it was the right time to infiltrate North Jersey.

“We expanded into Boston earlier this year, and that is going well, and there really isn’t anything that compares to us in North Jersey,” Geeks Who Drink marketing director Josh Johnson says. “Plus, both John [Dicker, the company's founder] and I are East Coasters, so … North Jersey is a key area for the expansion of our nerdy empire.”

The quiz consists of eight rounds of eight questions and is played in teams of up to six people. Questions are read aloud by the quizmaster; teams write their answers on provided sheets and turn them in at the end of each round. The team with the most points after eight rounds is the winner.

The quiz is free to enter, and winners get bar cash, eternal fame on the Geeks Who Drink website and prizes like these mustache bandages.

Geeks Who Drink says it aims to set its pub quizzes apart from ordinary ones, bringing “more showmanship and originality” to the table:

We’ll ask a round called “Hunting, Fishing and Drinking: The Three Dude Groups” followed by a round entitled “Wildly Inappropriate First Date Movies (think The Accused).” The questions are entertaining so even if your team is being served a deep dish of last place you’re still having a great time.

Geeks Who Drink quizzes are also unique in that they include two rounds of audio questions – like name that tune, but with some bite. Examples: Songs We Lost Our Virginity To in The 1990s, Top 40 hits Butchered by David Hasslehoff, Disco Classics in German.

THE DETAILS

Geeks Who Drink; Every Wednesday night at 8 pm (starting October 26) at Pint, 34 Wayne Street.

In an effort to lure more restaurants — and eaters — to Downtown Jersey City, the City Council has passed into law this week a massive expansion of the Downtown Restaurant Overlay Zone, better known simply as “Restaurant Row.”

The zone currently applies to Grove Street from Newark Avenue to 1st Street, Newark Avenue from Grove Street to Jersey Avenue, Jersey Avenue between Newark Avenue and Columbus Drive, and Columbus Drive’s north side between Jersey Avenue and Grove Street.

Under the plan (see below), the Newark Avenue coverage area will expand by 4.5 long blocks, past Division Street to the west, while the Grove Street area will also expand by more than 4 blocks, down to York Street and east to Marin along some parts. The Jersey Avenue area will expand 1.5 blocks across Columbus Drive, stopping halfway between Wayne and Mercer Streets. The Columbus Drive area will expand to include the south side of the street east of Barrow Street, and there will be new slivers of the zone on Grand Street between Grove and Barrow Streets, as well as the east- and north-facing parts of the Grove Pointe development.

Mayor Healy touts the change, unanimously approved by the City Council Wednesday morning, as “one of several upcoming initiatives by my administration to make Jersey City more business-friendly.”

By being part of the Restaurant Row, establishments with liquor licenses are exempt from the law that normally forces them to be at least 520 feet apart. (That law can also be trumped by specific redevelopment plans if the wording of the plan allows — that’s why, for example, Bar Majestic and The Merchant on Grove Street are allowed to be so close together.)

There have been puritanical worries about the Restaurant Row designation since the middle of the last decade, when establishments like LITM led a successful fight to extend by three hours how late restaurants and bars there could serve alcohol, from 11 pm to 2 am (midnight to 3 am on weekends).

Ward E councilman Steven Fulop, who represents Downtown, says this latest change “is a great thing,” and that it doesn’t promote a no-holds-barred party zone, but rather a destination for food and drink.

“The ordinance is careful not to promote a bar culture, but rather [that of] a working restaurant and kitchen,” he says.

Meanwhile, the mayor says that the Restaurant Row expansion, coupled with the recent loosening of restrictions on sidewalk cafes, are all part of a broader plan to create a thriving commercial district Downtown.

“Not only will this improve the quality of life for our residents, but it will also be an additional marketing tool for Jersey City as a destination for commercial and residential development,” Healy says.

Photo of Healy’s Tavern by Jim Hodgson; photo of Guillo’s by Melissa Surach

The streets are flooded and you stockpiled too much food and water. The PATH and buses aren’t running and you may well have off tomorrow. You probably just cleaned out your gross basement water.

What should you do next?

Probably go to a bar.

JCI called bars all over the city and visited a few this afternoon as some made preparations to re-open for tonight’s crowd. But in fact, a few never even closed.

The Iron Monkey, a three-floor bar just blocks from the Hudson River, promoted a “Hurricane Weekend” event and stayed open through the storm. According to owner Stephen McIntyre, Saturday was “packed.”

Meanwhile, Guillo’s Place, the tiny dive bar on 6th and Coles a few blocks from Hamilton Park, promised a “Hurricane Party — Power or Not” this weekend. Bartender Marshall Mann (seen at right) explained that the bar was going to be open today no matter what — and if power was out, they would play music and cards by candlelight if necessary. Power was on, and the jukebox blasted classic rock as some customers shared chips from the local bodega with everyone. Drinks were cheap, some craft beers were in attendance, and there was $1 pool at the brightly painted bar.

However, a lot of bars were closed today due to Hurricane Irene, especially Downtown bars in the flood zones — but many were trying to open, or at least secure their property.

Healy’s Tavern, which sits on Newark Avenue just west of Division Street as you begin up the hill out of Downtown, was in waist-high waters earlier today. Pat Healy and his “Stooge” — as he preferred to be known for this article — were digging out the sand and water. Still, Pat Healy (yes, that’s the mayor’s son), insisted the bar was not closed.

“We’re still open. The trouble is the door,” he said, referring to the sand bags in the entrance. “You want a beer? It’s cold.”

Other bars, like Music Box Cafe on Monmouth Street, which is four feet below sidewalk level, were four feet under water. Over on Newark Avenue, Skinner’s Loft and LITM are closed, but Barcade opened at 4 pm today.

“A little wet in here but the games and kegs survived,” Barcade tweeted this afternoon.

Here is a list of bars that are confirmed to be open. It is not exhaustive, but it is confirmed:

• 9th & Coles (opens at 7): 174 Coles Street
• Abbey’s: 407 Monmouth Street
• Barcade: 163 Jersey Avenue
• Bar Majestic (closes at 10): 275 Grove
• Brightside Tavern: 141 Bright Street
• The Golden Cicada: 195 Grand Street
• Guillo’s Place: 110.5 Coles Street
• Hamilton Inn: 708 Jersey Avenue
• Hard Grove Cafe: 319 Grove Street
• Healy’s Tavern: 374 Newark Avenue
• Iron Monkey: 99 Greene Street
• Lamp Post: 382 2nd Street
• Light Horse Tavern: 199 Washington Street
• Lucky 7: 322 2nd Street
• The Merchant: 279 Grove Street
• Pint (opens at 7): 34 Wayne Street
• White Star: 230 Brunswick Street

Fresh on the heels of his successes with café and gelato shop Tommy 2 Scoops, restaurateur Tom Parisi is launching a larger, more ambitious food venture on the outer edge of the Van Vorst Park neighborhood, at the corner of Bright and Monmouth Streets.

Parisi doesn’t claim to be a foodie, but he sure knows how to throw a party. Famous among friends for his appearance on Amateur Night at the Apollo – he made it through an entire performance of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” – Parisi loves a good piano or karaoke bar.

He has also been known to throw extravagant parties at his three-bedroom penthouse in Downtown Jersey City.

“At some of these parties, I could sit back and watch the energy in the room,” Parisi says. “Throwing a party was always my thing.”

Now his newest business, The Brightside Tavern, will allow him to host parties every night.

Parisi purchased the 100-year-old building in 2007 and began construction in 2009. The building has a rich history – it was once called the Jersey City Saloon, then the Blue Castle gay bar, and later Booney’s – but more recently, it was a decrepit building in need of a renovation.

“The building was ready to fall apart. The steps were crumbling and asking for a lawsuit,” Parisi says. “It took us two years just to figure out the building’s potential. Waiting worked out because the economy wasn’t good at the time.”

During that waiting period, Parisi opened Tommy 2 Scoops almost by accident, without any experience in the restaurant industry. No stranger to Jersey City’s real estate market (he manages close to 90 apartments in the city), Parisi purchased 177 York Street as an investment building and saw potential in the storefront commercial space.

“I thought to myself, ‘I’m going to do a simple ice cream store,’” he says. “There was nothing simple in the way it worked out. I always wanted to do a restaurant, but Tommy 2 Scoops gave me the confidence and practice I would need to open The Brightside Tavern.”

Parisi approached 141 Bright Street – which had 70 feet of unused space stretching back along Monmouth Street – with the same sense of imagination and vision. He and his team restored the original façade and standing interior, and then built out to utilize all the unused space.

“We restored the original façade and the interior exposed brick with the assistance of the Historic Preservation Commission,” he says. “It blends right into the neighborhood and those corner stores.”

Working with Ron Russell at Jersey City’s LWDMR Architects, Parisi created an impressive front dining room that seats about 40, an upstairs casual dining area that seats about 35, and a rectangular bar with three large LCD screen televisions, tin ceilings, and large mirrors that make the space seem endless. The Brightside Tavern will also offer outdoor seating on Monmouth Street.

“I wanted to open a place that offers three difference experiences. You have fine dining, casual dining, and a bar. The bar area gives you the Cheers feeling with its rectangular shape,” Parisi says. “The space was just untapped. It was just a matter of putting it together and the challenges of putting the kitchen in the basement, which allowed us all this extra room.”

Retired designer Ed Bajbek, a friend of Parisi’s, helped him design the interior, which has a very warm, elegant feel. Meanwhile, restaurant consultant Justin Finn helped him develop the concept of the restaurant, which will serve popular American food.

“We’re going to have typical American food with its own twist: fried pickles, bar pies, calamari, and nachos prepared in a special way. All types of burgers: beef, duck, short rib, and lamb. The chef is a Culinary Institute of America graduate, and he has a nice style,” says Parisi. “Obviously I’m going to have some Italian dishes for my Italian heritage. Something to please everyone.”

The Brightside Tavern will feature a separate bar menu and serve brunch on Saturdays and Sundays to offer an alternative to the long lines at the Brownstone Pancake Factory just a few minutes away.

“The entrees will be between 11 and 20 dollars,” Parisi says. “I don’t want people to think twice about coming here. It’s not just for special occasions, but coming here is going to feel like a special occasion.”

Born in Brooklyn, Parisi raised a family and worked as a carpet salesman in Central New Jersey before moving to Jersey City in 1993.

“I was lucky enough to buy apartments in Jersey City,” he says. “I believed in Jersey City.”

The Brightside Tavern is slated to open to the public today — Monday, August 15.

“It’s a labor of love,” says Parisi, who last week hosted a special sneak peek for friends, neighborhood residents and others. “I think the neighborhood is really excited about it.”

THE DETAILS
The Brightside Tavern | 141 Bright Street | 201.435.1234 | thebrightsidetavern.com

Previously, only traditional restaurants were allowed to offer sidewalk cafes, but the ordinance passed today expands the types of eligible businesses to additional “food service establishment[s]” such as “restaurants of all classes, bakeries, ice cream parlors, taverns and delicatessens.”

Additionally, some of the sidewalk cafes will now be allowed to extend 10 feet into the sidewalk, up from the previous limit of 8 feet, though this will only be allowed so long as they take up no more than half the width of the sidewalk and 6 feet of sidewalk remains for pedestrians.

Paul Barna, director of the Division of Commerce, told the council last month that the city is “standardizing the way [the cafes] look,” noting that already “there have been some complaints” about the cafes taking up too much space. He added that establishments would be required to provide “a detailed drawing of where they intend to put the cafe.”

Under the changes, establishments will have to present a plan for their cafe in order to acquire a permit, with the Division of Commerce checking to ensure they adhere to the restrictions. Speakers will be prohibited, as will anything that extends beyond the requisite fence surrounding the area.

The cafes are permitted to operate from March 15 through November 30, as well as December 1 through March 14 should the temperature reach at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The hours of operation remain the same, which will be 8 am until 10 pm on Sundays through Wednesdays, 8 am until 11 pm on Thursdays, and 8 am until midnight on Friday and Saturday. All cafes are still required to be dismantled by the end of the business day.

Photo of Hard Grove Cafe’s sidewalk cafe via Hoboken Condos

Ward E councilman Steven Fulop, whose ward is expected to be heavily affected by the ordinance, welcomed the changes, calling them a “benefit for businesses.”

Additionally, some of the sidewalk cafes will now be allowed to extend 10 feet into the sidewalk, up from the previous limit of 8 feet, though this will only be allowed so long as they take up no more than half the width of the sidewalk and 6 feet of sidewalk remains for pedestrians.

Paul Barna, director of the Division of Commerce, said at Monday night’s caucus meeting that the city is “standardizing the way [the cafes] look,” noting that already “there have been some complaints” about the cafes taking up too much space. He added that establishments would be required to provide “a detailed drawing of where they intend to put the cafe.”

Under the changes, establishments will have to present a plan for their cafe in order to acquire a permit, with the Division of Commerce checking to ensure they adhere to the restrictions. Speakers will be prohibited, as will anything that extends beyond the requisite fence surrounding the area.

While the city’s amendment will allow for much more varied use of sidewalk cafes, provisions in the law will conform their use in historic districts by requiring a “Certificate of No Effect or a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Jersey City Historic Preservation Commission.” This will include “encouraging” the use of materials that better fit into the aesthetics of the neighborhood, as well as requiring conforming umbrella and awning use.

The cafes will now be permitted to operate from March 15 through November 30, as well as December 1 through March 14 should the temperature reach at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The hours of operation remain the same, which will be 8 am until 10 pm on Sundays through Wednesdays, 8 am until 11 pm on Thursdays, and 8 am until midnight on Friday and Saturday. All cafes will still be required to be dismantled by the end of the business day.

The City Council will vote on whether or not to introduce the ordinance this Wednesday. If successfully introduced, it will be up for a public hearing and final vote at the next City Council meeting on July 20.

Photo of Hard Grove Cafe’s sidewalk cafe via Hoboken Condos