Cole Bishop | Student Life

Majestic Restaurant and Bar hosts trivia evenings in this room on select evenings.

The Central West End offers a variety of dining and entertainment options, from Indian food to movies at the Chase Park Plaza. Only at the Majestic, however, can one pit one’s wits against others’ in fierce cerebral combat. Quick! What do the letters CMYK stand for? How comprehensive is your knowledge of ’80s pop music? Can you make a pun at a moment’s notice? If so, the Majestic should be your bar of choice, and its Wednesday night trivia games a weekly pilgrimage.

The food at the Majestic is pedestrian but reasonably priced; its menu attracts regulars or anyone walking through the Central West End. It boasts Greek selections such as gyros and saganaki, a cheese appetizer served ablaze in a frying pan. The rest of the food, though, is typical bar fare. The patty melt arrived straight from the grill, the cheese still sizzling, and proved delicious. The veggie pita serves as an excellent choice for vegetarians.

The Majestic has a proud tradition and plenty of history behind it. The restaurant has been in the Central West End since 1951. My father, a medical intern at Washington University in the late 1970s, would grab dinner there occasionally. The restaurant’s location is best for residents of the Central West End, those with jobs at the University’s medical school, or anyone looking for a quick meal before a movie at the Chase Park Plaza.

On Wednesday nights, the Majestic comes alive with energy as the patrons organize into teams for trivia night. Team names vary from profane innuendos to references to local landmarks. Most of the teams act like seasoned veterans, laughing at each other’s jokes and trading the occasional good-humored insult. The first round consists of a dozen questions distributed on paper to every group. These questions are themed around something topical; last March, for example, the questions concerned a notorious Roman ruler’s assassination and kite flying. Later rounds are read to the groups over microphone. There are 10 rounds in total, and the scores get pretty competitive. Our group managed to remember some basic biology but failed to identify media from the ’80s.

The Majestic provides an adequate atmosphere for both trivia or a more quiet dinner. The bar serves a limited variety of American and imported beers. However, the restaurant prides itself on a variety of Greek wines. The decor is nothing special; expect wooden booths, tiled floors, condiments and sugar on the table, and large vistas of Greece or kitschy bas-reliefs that adorn the wall as you walk in. The service is eager to please and responsive to any issues that may arise.

All in all, the Majestic is a reliable choice for good food. On Wednesdays, it has an energy no bar in St. Louis can match. So whether you have a craving for Greek food or are desperate to put your knowledge of weird and obscure facts to the test, give the Majestic a chance.