The World's Best Comedy Clubs

Sep 17, 2012 — Need a good laugh to go with that drink? Then head on over to one of these hilarious comedy clubs for sidesplitting jokes and unforgiving crowds expecting to have their funny bones tickled. Whether you’re looking for light-hearted laughs or feel gutsy enough to get burned from the stage, these comedy clubs are guaranteed to deliver anything but a boring night. From the comedic birthplace of London to the hallowed grounds of LA and New York, these clubs keep us laughing at everything under the sun.

Come see crowd favorites like Louis C.K. and Sarah Silverman. Or discover someone new before they explode as the next big thing. There’s no better place than a great comedy club for cracking up with friends or meeting someone over a shared chuckle. From famous comedians roasting the latest celebrity snafu to rising stars of the comedy circuit, these top comedy clubs are sure to have you laughing all the way home.

1
UCB Theatre (Upright Citizens Brigade)

Comedy Club
Packed to the gills every night with earthy hipsters and a smattering of Hollywood industry types, the UCB Theatre is one of the coolest places in LA to catch up-and-coming comedy stars. Founded in 2005 by members of The Upright Citizens Brigade, which include Amy Poehler, the theater serves as a performance and writing school by day, but by night,
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Los Angeles

5919 Franklin Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90028

323‑908‑8702
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2
Second City

Comedy Club
With a list of alums that includes everyone from Bill Murray and Jon Belushi to Steve Carell and Tina Fey, Second City is undeniably one of the most influential comedy theaters in the country. Founded in 1959 by a small group of University of Chicago students, the prolific club and its nightly menu of comics, laughs, and drinks still attract a
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Chicago

1616 North Wells Street
Chicago, IL 60614

312‑337‑3992
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3
Comedy Cellar

Bar / Comedy Club / Restaurant
One of New York’s most hallowed halls of stand-up, the Comedy Cellar – which has hosted the likes of Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chapelle, and Jon Stewart – remains a go-to venue for tourists, groups of giggling college students, and business types in the market for a few good laughs. A hallway hung floor to ceiling with headshots of the Cellar’s past
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New York

117 MacDougal Street
New York, NY 10012

212‑254‑3480
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4
The Comedy Store

Comedy Club
The Comedy Store, in London’s Soho neighborhood, was opened in 1979 and inspired by American comedy clubs. Performances at The Comedy Store include live stand-up comedy shows by comedians like Robin Williams, Clive Anderson, and Eddie Izzard on its stage. In 1985, The Comedy Store announced the creation of its own improv comedy group, The Comedy
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London

Haymarket House/1A Oxendon Street
St James, London SW1Y 4EE

0844 871 7699
5
The DC Improv

Bar / Comedy Club / Restaurant
Ever since DC native Dave Chappelle and budding comedienne Ellen DeGeneres took the stage at The DC Improv when it first opened in 1992, the comedy club has remained the city’s premier spot to catch quality stand-up. Hosting a mix of well-known and local talent, the basement venue draws a steady stream of tourists and anyone else in need of a few
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Washington, DC

1140 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036

202.296.7008
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6
Nick's Comedy Stop

Comedy Club
Named by the Improper Bostonian as Boston’s best comedy club for 2012, Nick’s Comedy Stop has been serving up laughs for nearly three decades. Many young unknowns have graced the stage at Nick’s over the years, as well as some notable heavy hitters including Jerry Seinfeld, Dane Cook, Steve Allen, and Dennis Leary. Comedy shows at Nick’s Comedy
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Boston

100 Warrenton Street
Boston, MA 02116

617‑438‑1068
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7
Boom Chicago

Comedy Club
Boom Chicago is a comedy theater where fifty percent of the show is improvised, one hundred percent is hilarious, and patrons are guaranteed to laugh out loud for the entire two-hour performance. Giving away any part of the act would be a disservice, so spectators should just go with an open mind and prepare to be entertained –
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Amsterdam

Rozengracht 117

1016 LV Amsterdam

020 4230101
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8
Improv (Los Angeles, CA)

Bar / Comedy Club / Restaurant
Those who love a good, politically incorrect laugh will want to make a beeline for the Improv, one of the best comedy clubs in the country featuring an eclectic group of comics telling very edgy jokes with very little filter. Once the stomping grounds for legendary performers like Bill Cosby and Steve Martin, the venue now hosts some of the best
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Los Angeles

8162 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90046

323‑651‑2583
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9
Le Comedy Club

Comedy Club
Located in the old-school Parisian theater district surrounding metro stations Grand Boulevards and Bonne Nouvelle, Le Comedy Club is dedicated to comic acts as well as music. Under the direction of French actor/comic/all-around star Jamel Debbouze (remember the one-armed grocer in Amélie?), Le Comedy Club reopened in late 2009. Early evening,
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Paris

42 Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle
75010 Paris

01 73 54 17 00
10
Cobb's Comedy Club

Comedy Club
Located in the North beach neighborhood of San Francisco, Cobb’s Comedy Club is currently in its 30th year, boasting 400 seats and a rotating line-up of the best comedians in the industry. Its performers are often regular guests on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Late Show with David Letterman, have their own comedy specials on HBO or
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San Francisco

915 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94133

415‑928‑4320

Author: Daniel Baker
Links: Comedy Clubs in LA Comedy Clubs in NYC Comedy Clubs in Chicago
Tags: Travel, Entertainment, Nightlife, Food & Drink, Comedy Club, Comedy Show, Stand-Up Comedy

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The World's Best Comedy Clubs

Knock, Knock...

UCB Theatre (Upright Citizens Brigade)

Second City

Comedy Cellar

The Comedy Store

The DC Improv

Nick's Comedy Stop

Boom Chicago

Improv (Los Angeles, CA)

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