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DC Improv

3.9 (482 reviews)
ModerateComedy Clubs
Closed 6:15 pm - 11:30 PM

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Sophia S.

I find it a little unfortunate that there's a two item minimum even for ticketed events. I understand for lower cost ticket events and for free shows, but it seems like a lot to ask after paying the price of a ticket! The seats were also a little unfortunate, I was seated behind a pole lol.

Ameena A.

What a wonderful spot in DC for some laughs!! My husband and I came here on a date night and left grinning from ear to ear - we watched a local standup comedian. The venue itself is a little small- but with the way it's set up, it honestly seems like there is not a "bad" view in the house. The staff was super friendly and worked hard to serve everyone with drinks and food - for our event, they did it right from our table. We got some food and drinks which were average, about what you'd expect for a venue like this! We can't wait to return for some more belly laughs.

Tamika G.

We caught Mo Joe Brooke at the improv. Food was your basic bar food, drinks were decent the service was excellent. I would recommend getting there early so you can have a good choice of seating. The place gets packed. This was my first visit, enjoyed the atmosphere. Would recommend

Front stage
Jennifer R.

We visited the DC Improv a few weeks ago to see the comedian, Martin Amini, and it's a quaint location that serves food and has a full service bar. I don't drink too much alcohol, so they do serve coffee for those coffee drinkers. We didn't try the food so I can't review the food, but the location, service and the ambiance were on point. I highly recommend this location to see comedians since it's a small venue where it can get quite "intimate" with the performer and crowd.

Cheesecake with strawberry
Kelly M.

5 stars for classic comedy ambiance and great acts. 5 stars for fair prices on their menu 4 stars for food: everything is fine. Not amazing. Again, I appreciate the reasonable prices especially given the two item minimum 3 stars for service. Staff are overloaded and service can be slow or spotty, although I know all the servers are really trying their best to This is my fav comedy venue in DC and they do get some impressive comedians. I recommend the salads, which are basic but large and fresh, and the peanut butter pie dessert is bomb!

Inside
Emily W.

What a wonderful experience. We went to the comedy showcase for the 7:30 show on a Friday night. We got there at 6:30 and were able to get a great spot. Our server Trevon was super attentive and was able to handle our groups jokes. He delivered drinks in a timely manner and got our orders together swiftly. We started with the mozzarella sticks and these were some of the best I had. I also ended up getting the chicken finger basket and again very good and happy with my choice. Now what we really came for the comedy. We were cracking up through the 5 acts. They were all really good. I had 3 favorites that I couldn't stop laughing the whole time. It's a great place to come if you're looking for a laugh and it's an intimate place.

Long island. Water
Nisha B.

A 2 minute walk from the Farraguat North Metro station Tickets are basically "will call". So be prepared to wait in line, that goes down stairs. The person checking for tickets literally just looks your name up on a list and you're escorted in Attended with a friend, Friday night super late show lol. We opted to get a reserved table. Tables are TINY, as the seating is agaisnt the wall, and not on opposite sides of the table Club area is maybe relatively small, but probably because so many tables/chairs are packed together We saw 4 local artists. They were all hilarious! Long Island Drink was good & strong Chicken Tenders were good. Came with maybe 5-6 sizeable tenders. Does not come with fries. I ordered Buffalo with blue cheese, ended up getting just plain chicken tenders and ranch dressing. I was able to get a side of buffalo sauce Ty was our waiter - he was awesome! Maybe there was 2-3 bathroom stalls for women. Tiny bathroom area. Made for a short wait to use This place was cool, I would like to come back for other performances!

Evbu O.

I love this place. I come here often because there's always a great show to see. The drinks are strong and made well. The food is usually pretty good especially the dips. The servers are always on top of their game. I say come early for the show so that you get better seats.

So glad the rain stopped while we wait in line.
Michael R.

Lucky to get the same fun server as before! The staff is a well oiled machine. They are able to turn the room around in no time at all between shows! Food is always served quickly and hot and the atmosphere is mostly upbeat. So good to watch the earlier guests hone their skills before the headliner!

Soft Pretzel Sticks
David H.

Fun place that is an old school style comedy club with a two food/drink item minimum We had a reserved table so were able to get a good seat on a Friday night and both seats faced the stage but be warned many larger tables have seats that face away from the stage. The comedians were really funny when we went but of course that's the luck of the draw on who you see. Food/drinks were about what you'd expect for a comedy club. The soft pretzels were fine and seemed like they might've been frozen and microwaved. The draft beer was good and the mango heat margarita was meh, seemed like it was probably a mix and had a strong mix type flavor, but that didn't stop me from having a second one. Service was really fast and friendly here and I'll come back for another show.

Cecilia T.

This is a good venue for comedy, and provides the experience you would expect. We saw a show here and were pleased. The show started on time, the stage was visible from every part of the room, the bathroom was passable, and the wait staff dropped the check before the show was over, so we weren't trapped there indefinitely. The space has zero ambience; it's got low ceilings, everything is painted black, and the tables and chairs are functional at best. There is a 2 item minimum, and the ratio of food/drink quality to price is skewed in the wrong direction. However, no one comes for the dining experience - this is a performance venue that has a restaurant smooshed into it and if you adjust your expectations accordingly, you can have a nice time.

Entrance
Aislinn B.

Awesome line up of shows -- I was there for a drag & comedy brunch, which was fabulous! Standard comedy club decor, but well maintained and larger than I expected.

Furious thoughts
Courtney C.

Came on a Wednesday night with my good Judy's for Kid Fury's 930pm set. This is my first time at DC Improv so I didn't have many expectations. The location is clean, well lit and easy to find. Parking on the street was easy but it was a Wednesday so it maybe more of a headache during the weekend. The atmosphere was laid back with purple/red/blue tinted lighting on the inside which gave the room a nice glow. There's a 2 item minimum so I ordered a strawberry lemon drop and a bbq burger with fries. I did unfortunately get the wrong burger and had to be brought the toppings on the side for this error but it was rectified fairly quickly. Outside of the item minimum I'm not sure if I'd come back but the experience was decent enough.

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DC Improv Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - DC Improv

What are 'general admission' tickets? Do we get a seat?

Yes, with general admission you do get a seat but seats are chosen randomly in the order that you arrive and amount of people in your party. For example, if you are a party of 1 or 2 you will randomly be sat with 2 other people to fill the table.

Do they do anything for birthdays?

Casual attire. Ladies tend to lean toward dressy casual.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

Review Highlights - DC Improv

There is a 2 item minimum, which kind of sucks, but the food isn't that bad like other people have said.

Mentioned in 36 reviews

Read more highlights

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Funny is an understatement at Hotbed! My boyfriend and I were in town during the Christmas holiday…read more(2024) and after an early finish to our touring, I suggested we find something to do while the night was still young. I did a quick google search and found out that HotBed offers free comedy shows throughout the week. We stopped in on a Thursday evening for their 8pm show. We took our time with travel and unfortunately got there when the show was already underway. Moreover, there were no more seats, only standing room. A bit uncomfortable but we made it work. The space itself is cozy and very reminiscent of what I think a comedy club would look like from TV or if I heard about it. There is a bar available however, we opted out as it was on the opposite side of the room. I don't think there was a drink minimum either. The show itself, was amazing ! There were about 15 comedians, I think. Out of all of them, maybe 1 or 2 weren't great. Their sets are timed to about 2-5 minutes, so you'll still be laughing at the last comedian while another preps themselves to go up. The comedians are also a great variety of folks, from black to white, young to older, and straight to LGBTQ. I also liked how they interacted with the audience, so funny! Overall, it was a great time. I'll definitiely be returning if I am in town and I highly recommend for others, especially if you are looking for something to do on a budget.

The Comedy Loft of DC - Your group can reserve sections.  Recommended.

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Drunk Shakespeare - DC - Souvenir shot

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The Overachievers - Comedians!

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DC Improv - comedyclubs - Updated May 2026

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