There's a massive stand-up comedy circuit across the US, with Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City famous as places for the country's funniest people to perform.
However, there are more than just these places worth visiting. Here are some of the best places in the country to find comedy clubs.
Which is your favorite city for stand-up comedy?
Albany, New York
Any aspiring comedian looking to follow in the footsteps of the country's best stand-ups could consider any place in this article.
We've put them in alphabetical order rather than ranking them in the hope that you'll check all of them out.
This means Albany, New York, is the first on our list. It mightn't be the first place you think of, especially sitting in the shadow of New York City, home to plenty of venues.
However, Albany is home to the FunnyBone Comedy Club, and Low Beat and Lark Tavern both host open mic nights that are great for newcomers.
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia, is an excellent city to see or perform stand-up comedy in the South.
The Laughing Skull is a popular venue regularly chosen as the city's best. It is a small 74-seater theater in the back of the Vortex Grill and Bar in Midtown, making it a great place to grab a burger and laugh.
Atlanta's oldest comedy club is The Punchline. Since the 1980s, comedy lovers across the South have come to The Punchline to enjoy stand-up comedy.
The Basement Theater provides an excellent comedy venue for those looking for a cheap night out.
The Uptown Comedy Corner is famous for African American comedy.
Austin, Texas
Austin is famous for more than stand-up comedy. It isn't just the capital of Texas; it's the state's capital for many things.
Live music and comedy are performed by local and national artists and comics regularly across the city, and it is famous for bringing lively and discerning comedy fans to performances.
The thirst for stand-up comedy in Austin has also made it a popular venue for aspiring comics, with audiences used to welcoming emerging acts.
The Moon-tower Comedy Festival is a popular local event that takes place yearly.
There are also places like the Cap City Comedy Club in the north of the city that are open year-round. Local Austin comedians like Basketmouth and Martha Kelly regularly perform there.
While Austin locals enjoy a lot of comedy, that doesn't mean every audience loves every style of stand-up comedy. Consider different venues, audience types, and even local tastes when performing.
Boston, Massachusetts
Beantown has nearly 40 comedy clubs, including Improv Asylum and ImprovBoston.
ImprovBoston, for example, is an organization that hosts events, performances, comedy writing classes, and improv classes.
Boston has a long and fascinating history, a longstanding relationship with comedy, and a wicked sense of humor.
Nick's Comedy Stop and ImprovBoston are widely considered to be some of the best comedy venues in Massachusetts.
There's comedy for everyone in Boston, with the Boston Comedy Chicks Collective supporting and organizing comedy events like the Women in Comedy Festival, which has helped local and upcoming comics and brought in famous comedians like Tig Notaro and Gina Yashere.
Boston is also the hometown of great comics like John Pinette and Steven Wright. At the same time, Massachusetts has also produced comedians like Mike Birbiglia, Bo Burnham, and Bill Burr.
Chicago, Illinois
The Windy City is incredibly famous for comedy, so much so that the city's most famous comedy club, The Second City, takes its name straight from one of Chicago's many nicknames.
The Second City, which has been going since the 1950s, is not just a comedy club, it's a part of American comedy history.
It's famous for helping launch the careers of comedy icons like Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, and Bill Murray. Then there's Mike Myers, Catherine O'Hara, Chris Farley, John Candy, Dan Aykroyd, and John Belushi!
If there's a famous American (or Canadian) comedian that you've heard of, they're likely an alum of Second City.
Famous Second City Alum
- Alan Arkin
- Amy Poehler
- Bill Murray
- Catherine O'Hara
- Chris Farley
- Dan Aykroyd
- Eugene Levy
- Fred Willard
- Harold Ramis
- Joan Rivers
- John Belushi
- John Candy
- Keegan-Michael Key
- Martin Short
- Mike Myers
- Peter Boyle
- Steve Carell
- Stephen Colbert
- Tim Meadows
- Tina Fey
There's more to Chicago's comedy scene than Second City, though. Places like iO Theater and the Annoyance Theatre focus more on long-form improv, which is incredibly popular in Chicago.
For more traditional stand-up comedy, Chicago has plenty of clubs and venues, such as Zanies Comedy Club, Laugh Factory, and The Comedy Bar.
Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado, also known as the Mile-High City, is a famous venue for many different pursuits, including comedy.
Something about the air in Denver makes it a great place for people who want to laugh.
Live comedy thrives in Denver, particularly at comedy clubs like Denver Improv and Comedy Works Denver.
Many of America's greatest comedians have played in Denver and places like the Comedy Works.
As for local talents, the comedian Wende Curtis started out as a cocktail server before quickly becoming one of Denver's most recognizable comics.
Comics like Greg Giraldo, Nick Thune, Dave Attell, and Natasha Leggero have all performed at Denver's most popular comedy club.
Los Angeles, California
The City of Angels is a lively hub for aspiring actors, musicians, and stand-up comedians. Unsurprisingly, LA is home to plenty of comedy theaters.
Massive stand-up stars will likely include a few dates in Los Angeles as part of nationwide comedy tours.
Local venues include The Magic and Comedy Club, the Comedy Store, and the Ice House. The Hollywood Improv and Groundlings Theater are located in West Hollywood.
Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Twin Cities, Minneapolis, and the adjacent state capital, Saint Paul, provide many opportunities for comedians and people who want to see great comedians.
While jokes about Minnesota's cold weather tend to kill, comedians of all types perform in popular comedy venues, including Sticks Restaurant and Acme Comedy Company.
The Brave New Workshop Comedy Theatre is one of the country's oldest improv comedy groups and regularly performs in Minneapolis.
If you find yourself in the Twin Cities in October, check out the 10,000 Laughs Comedy Festival, which takes place annually.
This year, Pete Holmes is scheduled for the 10,000 Laughs Comedy Festival.
New York City, New York
For many, New York City is the American capital of stand-up comedy, and the city has comedy hotspots across the five boroughs.
While Chicago leans more towards improv comedy shows, New York City prefers more traditional stand-up comedy. With such a diverse range of clubs and comedians, you can find whichever brand of comedy you like in NYC, from observational humor to political satire, ensuring a varied and exciting comedy experience.
The NYC Comedy Festival brings some of the biggest names in comedy to the Big Apple to venues like the Beacon Theatre, Carnegia Hall, Kings Theatre, The Venue at Hard Rock Hotel, and Town Hall.
Then, there are instantly recognizable comedy clubs in New York, such as the Comedy Cellar, Gotham Comedy Club, Dangerfield, and Upright Citizens Brigade.
Here's stand-up comedian Roy Wood Jr. performing at the Comedy Cellar joking about everything from politics to video games.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city known for being eccentric and free-spirited, which goes particularly well with stand-up comedy.
This means Portland has a lively and unpredictable comedy scene, and the city's love of the bizarre can always be enjoyed through stand-up comedy.
Suppose you're in the Central Eastside District. In that case, you can head to Helium to enjoy the comedy stylings of well-known comedians.
Local comedy competitions also leave audiences in stitches and launch the careers of aspiring stand-up comedians.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco is another Californian city famous for the arts. If you're looking for comedy in Northern California, San Francisco has plenty of opportunities to see or perform stand-up comedy.
If you're looking for improv, the Secret Improv Society is a recommended venue. The Punch Line Comedy Club is worth visiting for more traditional stand-up comedy.
El Rio includes stand-up comedy and other performing arts, such as dancing and musical performances. Cobb's Comedy Club also welcomes well-known comedians onto its stage.
Here's a brief summary of all the cities we've covered.
| City | Notable Comedy Clubs | Additional Info |
|---|---|---|
| Albany, NY | FunnyBone Comedy Club, Low Beat, Lark Tavern | Great for newcomers, open mic nights |
| Atlanta, GA | The Laughing Skull, The Punchline, The Basement Theater, Uptown Comedy Corner | Famous for African American comedy, diverse venues |
| Austin, TX | Cap City Comedy Club | Lively comedy scene, popular for emerging acts |
| Boston, MA | Improv Asylum, ImprovBoston, Nick's Comedy Stop | Strong improv scene, home to famous comedians |
| Chicago, IL | Second City, iO Theater, Annoyance Theatre, Zanies, Laugh Factory | Historic comedy scene, birthplace of many comedy icons |
| Denver, CO | Denver Improv, Comedy Works Denver | Known for vibrant live comedy, top comedians perform regularly |
| Los Angeles, CA | The Magic and Comedy Club, The Comedy Store, The Ice House, Hollywood Improv, Groundlings Theater | Hub for aspiring actors/comedians, part of national comedy tours |
| Minneapolis, MN | Sticks Restaurant, Acme Comedy Company, Brave New Workshop | Oldest improv group in the country, lively festival |
| New York, NY | Comedy Cellar, Gotham Comedy Club, Dangerfield's, Upright Citizens Brigade | Diverse comedy scene, widely regarded as the US capital of stand-up |
| Portland, OR | Helium Comedy Club | Eccentric and unpredictable comedy scene |
| San Francisco, CA | Secret Improv Society, Punch Line Comedy Club, El Rio, Cobb's Comedy Club | Renowned for arts and culture, strong comedy scene |
Learn More About Stand-up Comedy
Whether you want to learn more about the history of stand-up comedy, hone your skills as a comedian, or study the art of stand-up, you should look to one of the experienced and qualified private tutors on the Superprof website.
Many offer the first lessons for free, so why not try a few out before choosing the one that's right for you. After all, since everybody has a different sense of humor, it's best to work with somebody whose humor is similar to yours and can teach you a thing or two.
You can find tutors in the cities we've mentioned and across the US. Discover acting classes near me when you search for a coach on Superprof!
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i want to work the crowd more
I am a 35-year-old from Boise, Idaho and I’ve always turned into stand-up comedy. I have no wife no kids so it’s like why not.
Hello Matt! Thank you for your comment. If you are interested in learning more about comedy, feel free to connect with one of our expert tutors!
Is there a reason why Austin isn’t in your top comedy cities in the US? I selected it when asked and it’s far an away the leading city in the viewers’ survey. Also, for your write up on Austin, there’s no mention of Joe Rogan’s Comedy Mothership, Tony Hinchcliffe, Ron White, etc. Honest question, is the absence of these venues/comics a political decision? Just curious.
Hello Jon! Austin is listed as one of the best cities for comedy in our article. Unfortunately, we couldn’t list every comedy club or comic in our article, but we will keep those establishments in mind when we update the blog.