Best Comedy Clubs in NYC: A Working Comedian's Guide
The best comedy clubs in NYC, from the Comedy Cellar to Gotham, ranked by a comic who performs there. Prices, drink minimums, and how to pick a show.
By Richie Redding · · 4 min read
If you're looking for the best comedy clubs in NYC, you're about to spend money on a night out, and you want the show to be good. Fair. I'm a stand-up comedian, and these are the rooms I perform in. So here's the guide I'd give a friend visiting from out of town: where to go, what it costs, and how to not end up at a show you hate.
One thing first. New York has more comedy than any city in America, and the gap between a great club show and a sad bar show is enormous. The clubs below book professional comics every night. That's the whole trick.
Why the Comedy Cellar is the most famous comedy club in New York
The Comedy Cellar sits at 117 MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village, down a flight of stairs from the sidewalk. Time Out New York says it was founded in 1981 by Bill Grundfest and still sees "comedy big wigs from Chris Rock to Amy Schumer to Jerry Seinfeld" drop by for surprise sets.
That's the appeal. You buy a ticket for a lineup of strong club comics, and every so often someone you've seen in a Netflix special walks in unannounced. The Cellar also runs shows in other rooms, including the Village Underground and the Fat Black Pussycat, so check which room is on your ticket.
What it costs, straight from the Comedy Cellar's site: New York shows are $15 Monday through Wednesday, $18 on Thursday and Sunday, and $25 on Friday, Saturday and holidays, plus a two-item minimum per person (food, a drink, or a bottle of water). Special shows are ticketed separately; recent listings on the site include one-off shows with Leslie Jones and Chris Redd.
My honest take: it's tight in there. Time Out's words were "Claustrophobes, beware," and they're right. Sit close, put the phone away, and enjoy being in the room where a lot of comedy history happened.
Gotham Comedy Club: the best NYC comedy club for big headliners
Gotham Comedy Club is at 208 West 23rd Street in Chelsea, between 7th and 8th Avenues. It's a bigger, more polished room than the Cellar, which makes it a great pick for a date or a group that wants actual elbow room.
Gotham is where you'll often find a headliner doing a full set. Its schedule this season lists names like Marcello Hernandez and Joey Diaz, and the club's site already lists Marcello's show as sold out. If you want to see one specific comic, Gotham is a great place to look first. The bar is serious too: the club says it stocks 30 kinds of vodka and "an actual wine list."
New York Comedy Club: three locations, lots of shows
New York Comedy Club has three rooms, which is handy when one is sold out:
- Gramercy / Midtown: 241 East 24th Street, the flagship
- East Village: 85 East 4th Street, which the club calls newly expanded
- Upper West Side: 236 West 78th Street
Most nights you get a stacked showcase, and the club's own listings mention "hotshot celebrity drop ins." It also runs a free show called Comedy Mob with a one-item minimum, which is about the best deal in Manhattan if you're curious about stand-up but not ready to spend $25 on it.
West Side Comedy Club: the Upper West Side's cozy room
West Side Comedy Club is at 201 West 75th Street, underneath Playa Betty's. If you live uptown or you're staying near the Museum of Natural History, this is your spot. Recent listings include shows with Gary Gulman and Myq Kaplan, two comics other comics love to watch. Drinks run about what you'd expect in Manhattan: the menu lists cocktails at $17 and beer from $10.
How to pick a comedy show in NYC (and actually enjoy it)
After years on these stages, here's what I tell people:
- Book ahead on weekends. Friday and Saturday sell out, especially at the Cellar and Gotham.
- Go early in the week for value. Monday through Wednesday shows are cheaper and the lineups are often just as strong.
- Budget for the minimum. Most clubs have a drink or food minimum on top of the ticket. Plan for it so it isn't a surprise.
- Put the phone away. Clubs protect new material, and comics notice. Time Out notes the Cellar's strict no-phone policy.
- Sit wherever they put you. Yes, the front row might get talked to. That's part of the show. Smile and you'll be fine.
- Check the lineup, not just the club. Every club posts its lineups. Five comics you've never heard of at a great club usually beats one famous name at a bad one.
Where to see me live
I perform at these clubs regularly, and my upcoming dates are always on my See Me Live list. If you'd rather bring the show to your company party or conference, that's what I do as a corporate event emcee, and you can read more about the NYC comedy scene here on the blog.
Come say hi after the show. Just don't heckle. Or do, and become part of the act.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best comedy club in NYC?
- For the classic New York experience, the Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village is the one most people mean. It's small, packed, and known for big names dropping in unannounced. Gotham Comedy Club in Chelsea is roomier and great for headliners, and New York Comedy Club has three locations if you want options.
- How much does the Comedy Cellar cost?
- According to the Comedy Cellar's own site, New York shows run $15 Monday through Wednesday, $18 on Thursday and Sunday, and $25 on Friday, Saturday and holidays. There's also a two-item minimum per person, which can be food, a drink, or a bottle of water. Book ahead on weekends.
- Do famous comedians really drop in at NYC comedy clubs?
- Yes. Time Out New York reports that comedians like Chris Rock, Amy Schumer and Jerry Seinfeld still drop by the Comedy Cellar for surprise sets. Drop-ins are never announced, so you can't plan around them, but a regular weeknight lineup at a top club is already full of comics you'll recognize.
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