Best comedy club in Los Angeles?

June 22, 2008 5:32 PM

Which comedy club in Los Angeles is the best?

We're looking to head to a comedy club on Friday, ideally one of the ones on Sunset. We got burned the last time around, and I don't want to make that kind of mistake again. Where can we go to get decent comedy?

posted by kingjoeshmoe to society & culture (10 comments total)

Not on Sunset, but best comedy venue in LA is the UCB Theater
posted by tristeza at 6:04 PM on June 22

Really depends on what you're looking for.

The mainstream comedy clubs are just AWFUL from my POV. At best, you will see somebody who's been on tv, saying the exact same jokes he said on tv. At worst, cliched "am i right folks?" hacks, talking about racial and men/women differences to an audience of drunk, often heckling people from Riverside.

Remember that thing with Kramer on the net? That was extreme, but not that atypical. Drunks + unfunny people with big egos = not my idea of a good time.

So I think all the clubs on Sunset are equally bad, although the Improv tends to be even worse.

Seconding UCB, if you don't mind seeing something that's more sketch/improv and less stand-up. I think it's a little less rehearsed-to-death and "LOOK AT ME PUT ME ON SNL PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE" than the Groundlings.
posted by drjimmy11 at 6:21 PM on June 22

stay away from sunset... i have tried half a dozen times and never seen a good show there.

i've seen lots of funny groundlings shows, so your mileage may vary.

acme comedy theater can be fun.

so can improv olympic.
posted by bruceo at 8:06 PM on June 22

Thirding Upright Citizen's Brigade. I go about once or twice a week and I always have a blast. Its a small theatre, but the comics, whether they're doing improv or standup are always hilarious.

Here's the schedule: http://losangeles.ucbtheatre.com/schedule/

I recommend Tuesday nights Comedy Death Ray if you're looking for standup. But I've also had my Myspace profile torn apart by Paul Scheer and company at his Myspace show.

If you are going to Death Ray, try and book tickets as soon as they announce who's going to be there because it fills up quick.
posted by AsRuinsAreToRome at 8:14 PM on June 22

Comedy is about the performers more than it is the venue.

That said, the UCB is a great recommendation if you don't mind seeing something that isn't standup. The lineup for the 10PM improv show is pretty stellar. If you've seen bad improv somewhere, don't let that color your decision.
posted by YoungAmerican at 8:42 PM on June 22

I hope I am not out of line by nthing UCB, even though I have never been there. :)

My recommendation is based on jealousy, because I wish I could get to LA soon to go, and on my fandom for Jimmy Pardo, who hosts the Match Game Live show on Saturday night, among other things. Everything I have heard about UCB has been great, and they attract very high quality performers.

Have fun. I'll sit here in Montana and stew in my jealousy juices.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 8:45 PM on June 22

I like Acme and have been there for many, many shows. It's sketch/improv rather than stand-up. I have never been to an unfunny show there. And I have only ever heard good things about UCB.
posted by bedhead at 10:12 PM on June 22

Depends what you're looking for.

If you have tourists with you, they want to see celebrities, even if they say they don't. For this reason, I often take out-of-town guests to the 10 PM Friday night show at The Laugh Factory. You are guaranteed to see some famous comics. You can do a 8:45 PM dinner at Cobras & Matadors and be there in plenty of time.

I live in Pasadena, and right nearby we have The Ice House Comedy Club, which is always funny.

I have been to the Groundlings twice. It was not funny either time.

I have some friends that do improv at Second City. It is funny every time I go.
posted by charlesv at 8:00 AM on June 23

Having a moderately successful stand-up comedian on our staff, he says that the best Sunset comedy joint by far is the "Original Room" at the Comedy Store. Not the front room, which tends toward jaded TV fucks, and not the back room, which tends toward folks too new to have a coherent act, but the middle room. He says to avoid the Laugh Factory like a hooker with herpes.
posted by klangklangston at 1:59 PM on June 23

Thanks all. I'll pass this info on. Looks like it will be UCB or maybe the original room.

klangklangston, the Laugh Factory was where I got burned. Such terrible terrible comedy. Not even comedy, really. Just racism with no joke attached (unless you count telling a Mexican to eat a burrito a joke) in an attempt to be shocking.
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 10:53 AM on June 24