LMFAO: 9 Best Places to See Stand-Up Comedy in NYC

So you like comedy, huh? Well, that's great news, because you're in the right city. 

There are 246 comedy clubs in New York City which makes it heavenly for anyone who wants to catch a set on any night of the week. Also, like many other great things, stand-up comedy was born in NYC.

We're super lucky, too. Since so many celebrity comedians live in NYC, they're entirely likely to drop in for a cameo performance at any club in the city you might visit.

Laughter is the nectar of the gods, and the best medicine for any ailment we could imagine. 

Spending a night out on the town, tossing back a cold beer and laughing so hard you get a stomach workout is a great night in NYC.

So you're wondering where you can go to laugh? Where you can pay small amounts of money to be largely entertained? 

Check out the following comedy clubs that are scattered through NYC. If you're just dipping your feet into the NYC comedy scene, we've got some tips on how to dive in.


1. The Comedy Cellar (116 Macdougal Street)

chinabria The great Kevin Brennan, slaying at the @nyccomedycellar


Most famous for its cameo in the intro to Louie, The Comedy Cellar is one of the most well-known, reputable, all-around amazing times you can have at any comedy club in the city.

They always have a complete all-star lineup of funny, edgy comics, and the brightest stars of comedy celebrity are known to drop in and make surprise performances.

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If you want tickets to a show at The Comedy Cellar, you have to buy them in advance. It's famous AF, and tickets are usually not available the day of.


2. The Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue - Brooklyn)

yukonblonde @arkellsmusic just putting on a RAGER here in Brooklyn tonight ⚡️#KnittingFactory Cant wait for Friday in D.C. 🇺🇸


We had to shout out The Knitting Factory because of its free comedy shows every Sunday night at 9 p.m.

These free shows are hosted by comedian star Hannibal Buress (when he's around), but other super famous comedians are also known to hit the stage.

The show starts at 9 p.m., but doors open at 6 p.m. Since the show is famous for its celebrity drop-ins, we'd suggest arriving as early as possible and enjoying beverages before the show.

We're pretty sure you'll have sore abs from all the laughing you'll do at The Knitting Factory if you come to the Sunday night show.


3. Eastville Comedy Club (85 East 4th Street)

pbrnyc #eastvillecomedyclub #nyc -#comedy


If you get on the Eastville Comedy Club's mailing list, they will, without fail, mail you free tickets every week. You still have to pay the two-drink minimum, but if you're a comedy buff and you want to laugh all the time, join their mailing list.

At the Eastville Comedy Club, they'll often stage comedians you've seen on Comedy Central, and they usually pack the set with witty, hilarious acts. They also sell $5 PBRs which is probably the best alcohol deal you could find at any comedy club in NYC.


4. Greenwich Village Comedy Club (99 Macdougal Street)

belindabox NOT amused trying to make sense of all the stupidity #standup #NHD #GreenwichVillageComedyClub


The comedians at the Greenwich Village Comedy Club love picking on the audience. This is probably the product of it being a very intimate venue. 

It's all in good fun, but if you have to go to the bathroom and you're in the front row, you will get called out.

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Seeing a show at Greenwich Village Comedy Club is an absolute blast and every New Yorker should go here at least once. We mean it, we recommend you make sure to get here for your own good.


5. Upright Citizens Brigade (various locations)

face2210 #ucb , where #funnyshit happens! #comedy #improv #comedian #sketchcomedy #sillybastards #jokes #uprightcitizensbrigade #sag #aftra #hollywood #brightlights #bigdreams #television #film #commercial


There are two UCB locations in the city; one in Chelsea and one in the East Village. UCB is a famous comedy club founded by Amy Poehler, and consistently features hilarious improv shows, and an impressive variety of beers for a small theater.

The funniest show they put on at UCB is definitely "ASSSSCAT 3000," which is staged on Sunday nights at their Chelsea Location, but all their shows tend to be hilarious. Their Harold Night on Tuesdays show is hilarious as well.

They also tend to have free shows on occasion, and most of their shows don't cost more than $10. Hilarious and good for your wallet? We don't need to hear any more than that.

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6. Dangerfield's (1118 1st Avenue)

thedailysyjil Laughing it off at the oldest comedy club in New York with @swarley630 @sanaa_mughal & @smugh65 #dangerfields #warrenholstein #comedy


This Upper East Side comedy institution has hosted acts from some of the greatest comedians in the game. 

They never host amateur comedians; only sharp, serious, witty comedians who know what they're doing. It features acts from the most hilarious comedy clubs in the whole city every night of the week, and it also radiates with that old-school NYC feel.

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Dangerfield's is a charmed, classic, very old piece of NYC's history. You should get here as soon as you can, and you should be prepared for a great night out.


7. Caroline's On Broadway (1626 Broadway)

djspynfo Hanging with my ninjas @omarthecomedian and @mic_barber at Carolines. Great show O! #Latergram #Djspynfo #micbarber #Omarthecomedian #CarolinesOnBroadway WWW.DJSPYNFO.NET Events * Booking * Music * Pics.....


Like most NYC comedy clubs, Caroline's On Broadway imposes a two-drink minimum, but we're chill with that. We like drinking, and you're allowed to drink a diet Coke or hot chocolate to meet the minimum.

Along with laughs, Caroline's also got above-average cuisine for an NYC comedy club. They've got smoked mozzarella, oven fried tomato bruschetta, mini hamburger sliders, sesame mini carnitas, and mini grilled cheese with glazed maple bacon. Basically, come hungry.

There are definitely A-list comedians that hit Caroline's stage, and all comedy obsessives should visit it at least once. Still, it is on the pricier side relative to other NYC comedy clubs.


8. Comic Strip Live (1568 Yorkville)

gy312 I'll be telling a few jokes tonight at #ComicStripLive. If you're free, pop out. Show starts at 6:30pm.


If you live on the Upper East Side and you're looking for a local comedy show, Comic Strip Live is worth its buck. 

Chris Rock's nephew Jordan Rock commonly hosts, and sometimes this yields a surprise performance from Chris Rock. You can't go expecting Chris, though you can definitely expect to pal around with Jordan.

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Comic Strip Live has a small, fairly intimate performance space, and a cluster of tables close enough to the stage for the comedians to call out the audience. Don't interrupt the performers and you don't have to worry. Do interrupt the performers, and beware. You might just become the center of their act.


9. Gotham Comedy Club (208 West 23rd Street)

janeanegarofalo Hanging at the #gothamcomedyclub


The comedians at Gotham Comedy Club are always top-notch. We've never visited Gotham Comedy Club without gasping for breath giggling during the show.

Tickets to Gotham Comedy Club usually don't cost more than $10, and they often feature comedians with different sorts of styles during every show. If you spend a night out at Gotham Comedy Club, everyone you bring will burst out in laughter at something.

Sometimes, celebrity comics stop in unannounced. We think it's similar to the "a watched pot never boils" phenomenon, though, because it never happens when you're expecting it.

Check out 8 Best Tourist Attractions in NYC (and the Absolute Best Times to See Them).

[Feature Image Courtesy Instagram] 

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