I was happy to see a show at The Comedy Bar. I didn't realize it was above Gino's East and…read moreconnected to the business. The room is spacious and wide rather than deep. So all seating offers a great view of the stage. There is also an outdoor terrace, which is pretty cool. Cocktails were strong and the pizza was fantastic. Usually comedy clubs offer below average bar bites so this was a great surprise. Our server was very nice. She was busy but worked hard taking care of the room. The comedians were funny. The group was diverse and very entertaining. The Comedy Bar offers a great night out.

Like any comedy show, it's a bit of a hit or miss with comedians…read more Food is okay, service is okay. It was very tough to track down our service to order any water. When I asked for water, he told me it would be a charged right before that he gave the table to the left and right of us bottled water and said it was on him. Beware that they charge 18% gratuity and then bring you a mobile checkout with the standard checkout fees. We ended up double tipping. Overall. Okay experience. Not sure I would be back.

Second City Chicago never fails to deliver. Every show I've seen has been genuinely funny on an…read moreintelligent, sharp, and expertly crafted level. The cast is consistently brilliant, and the comedy feels effortless while clearly being the result of immense talent, timing, and skill. The food and drinks are also something to note - some places just do the basics, but I like that Second City takes pride in what they serve. I also had the incredible opportunity to take classes here back in 2017 with my husband, which gave me an even deeper appreciation for what happens on stage. The entire concept - how the sketches are written, how they flow seamlessly from one to the next, and how improv is woven throughout - is truly genius. What's especially impressive is how expertly the performers handle audience members who may be a bit too enthusiastic or disruptive. They manage these moments with wit, grace, and humor, turning potential interruptions into laugh-out-loud highlights without ever derailing the show. Second City isn't just a comedy show, it's an institution. Whether you're there as an audience member or fortunate enough to study there, the experience is consistently memorable, inspiring, and endlessly entertaining. A must-see in Chicago, every single time.

First time at an improv show, Second City was a recommendation from a friend…read more The place is really big & well decorated. We got reasonably priced tickets and headed up to the 3rd floor. The space was small and intimate but it was great being so close to the stage. Very cute little spot and fun activity with friends or a date.

Zanies has been around for a long time; I've been only once, though, and had a good time. Mostly…read morethat's due to location and my aversion to the CTA. It's an intimate club, and of course if you arrive on the early side there will be more seats open for them to seat you. There is a two-drink minimum, which is standard in this industry and is made quite clear when you purchase your ticket, yet I heard someone complaining about being required to purchase a drink--don't be that person. I haven't been here for one of their regular performers but would like to come back for that sometime. There are quite a few restaurants in this area of Old Town, so you'll have plenty from which to choose. No parking, so you'll rely on the CTA/taxi/rideshare or drive and find a SpotHero space or something.

We arrived right at show time, it was a sold out show but they managed to seat up together! This…read morewas a great experience. We had no idea what to expect and it exceeded all expectations. Only note would be do not sit on the sides not facing the stage because your neck will kill you the next day.

Great comedy show!…read more Went to She the People (an all-women comedy show by Second City), and it was fantastic. Wait service was attentive as well. Upon arrival, IDs and vaccination cards were checked. At the entrance to the theater, the host checks your tickets and determines where you will be sitting. She asked for my party's preferences on how close we wanted to sit (the closer to the front, the greater chance you'll be asked to interact). Menu isn't super big (one page, drinks on one side and food on the other). I didn't eat a full meal here; just had some curly fries ($5) that came with ketchup and was just the right size for a snack. Fries were tasty and salty, although I ALWAYS wish I had more fries. Seating is pretty close together; multiple parties end up sharing tables since seats are positioned in rows with the occasional table in the middle of some rows. That being said, although I was sharing my table with two other parties (one on the other side of the table to my right and another behind diagonally from me), I didn't feel overly crowded at this venue. As per their website, I brought a jacket to the venue and was the most comfortable wearing it based on the temperature. The show itself was fantastic; as expected, it incorporated feminist themes into the comedy. Pretty funny show! Bathrooms were also open, clean, and had plenty of stalls.

This review is based on a recent Sunday Brunch at the UP Comedy Club…read more The building complex which includes this club, Second City Club, a fitness center and has an attached parking garage. The building is located on the corner of North Avenue & Wells Street so this place is very convenient for it's patrons. Take the escalator to the second floor and then we had to present our brunch ticket. From there, we were taken into our seating area. The table is basically the railing and the chairs are very close together. Which has it's pluses and minuses. The buffet area is well planned out and has a wide variety of options. This buffet is pretty descent for the venue. The staff was very pleasant and would check in with us for any drinks / clearing of the plates. After, the brunch, there was about an improv show. The show was about 60 minutes. I give the comedians two thumbs up. Let's face it... it's hard to stand up there and give a great show. I would recommend this brunch and show option.

Best live stand-up I've been to. Each and every person was amazing. I highly suggest watching and…read morethe $20 is more than well spent.

My wife and I were in Chicago and we saw this pop up stand up comedy show at the bar a block down…read morefrom our hotel. 6 great comics and I had a few beers and laughed a lot. Worth seeing!

We came here as something to do while in town for the evening with no plans and we didn't have a…read morelot of hope for the event, but thought it would be fun... We didn't know it would be GREAT!!! We decided to buy stage-side seats and we were seated right next to the area where the king & queen would sit and watch. This play is absolutely incredible! The actors and staff were all great and hilarious! I don't want to give too much of it away, but we did it all and had a great experience. Definitely worth visiting!

I'm going to be the dissenter and call in Fentanyl Shakespeare. My wife are fun people, dance to…read morethe music in public when no one else is and love comedy not dependent upon shock and gutter talk but on hilarity and well executed timing. I think if you are 21 ish you will love it and all of the jokes that require you are up to date on the latest pop stars back stories. We endured. We smiled. We looked at our watches, smiled and sighed with the others in the room who had that why am I here look. People who had the most fun arrived hammered in my humble opinion. I while I am on the topic of pain, and those pew benches. Omg folks what's the cost of a long ? $300? Wow. That was equally painful. Some of have firm booties Staff was nice. Bar set up worked like a charm.

This place is GOATED. Dinner and a show with no 2 shows being the same. Ya like Sushi? GO! Ya like…read morea fun atmosphere of comedy? GO! They have a Sake ninja that fills your empty Sake cup. GO!

I came into this show completelyyyy blind. I had tasked my husband to plan something really fun for…read moremy birthday and guessed that something would be dinner at the unassuming restaurant that Batsu is housed in. WOW did I not know what was coming! The improv was incredible the food was great, and the service was impeccable. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming and it was a great, intimate space. Can't recommend this show enough!! Can't wait to come back with more friends!

We attended Trickery on Saturday 04/18/26. Aaron was adept at working with a diverse audience to…read moreinclude them and maintain control of his performance in a very intimate setting. Because it's BYOB you'll get the 20-somethings that feel they have to get loaded beforehand and then act the fool while attending (do you hear that "Neil"? No one wants the focus on you acting like it was your first experience with alcohol) but Aaron was skilled at bypassing them without causing tension or escalating bad behavior. Aaron's attitude is one of someone who has worked hard to make this little venture work, and he deserves respect and recognition for his obvious commitment and work ethic. His act included variations of tricks performed by other magicians, with his own twists. He is an expert at sleight of hand and distraction, which is considerably more difficult in a room about the size of an average residential living-room. He had an appropriate sense of humor aligned with an audience coming to Boystown, an overtly gay neighborhood in Chicago (if you're not familiar). However he wasn't garish, flaming, flamboyant, or offensive; he managed a perfect balance of innuendo humor and audience engagement without being cheap or ingenuine. The snarky one-liners will likely go over your young kids' heads (although bring them to an early show, your 9 year old doesn't belong in Boystown at 10 pm on a weekend), and he carries himself with class avoiding the use of profanity or graphic terms. Again, I can't overstate that his tricks were amazing, impressive, and captivating - as magic should be. You leave the show shaking your head and wondering how it's done - which truly makes it "magic". You would be hard-pressed to spend $36.36/person for an hour of live entertainment that can match Aaron's performance. Pro-tip: If you're driving there you will need to use an app to reserve parking, as there aren't garages like downtown Chicago and every street is filled with so many signs there's no way you will return and find your car not-towed or not-ticketed. Chicago does this on purpose to generate revenue; you'll see "street cleaning" on Tuesday from xx hour to xx hour, no parking when snow is over 2 inches OR any time from Dec 1 through April 1, loading zone, 15 minute stopping/standing with flashers, no parking, residential permit zone only, bike lanes, bus stop restrictions, etc. If you find street parking and think you've beaten the system, think again. Nobel Prize Laureates, Rhodes Scholars, Ivy League PhDs, Mensa members - you can meet them all at Chicago Central Auto Pound retrieving their vehicles. Stephen Hawking couldn't drive, but if he could and he parked in that neighborhood all the quantum mechanics in the world wouldn't make his towed car reappear from the Chicago Parking space-time continuum. The nice thing is if you do reserve parking and give yourself enough time you can walk to many, many restaurants and bars in the area that are open even after the 10 pm show ends. Thank you Aaron for a wonderful experience, you made my wife's birthday memorable for both of us.

I've attended this show twice now and really enjoyed it both times. It's always a great experience…read more He takes time to thank everyone for coming and even asks how you heard about the show, which makes it feel very personal and welcoming. He's genuinely nice and engaging. I plan to come at least once a year. I also love having a local, neighborhood option instead of having to go downtown to see similar acts.

I've lived in the area for a bit and FINALLY made my way to the Laugh Factory. My friends and I…read morecame for a late night stand-up show. Tickets were free!! Honestly a great show, I've been to some really bad stand up before and I was impressed by each of the comedians. There is a two drink minimum per person - alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Not a big deal to us since we were in the mood for a drink and didn't pay for tickets, but something to note if you're coming to a paid show. There's a lot of open seating as well, and all were in great view of the stage. The venue is fairly large while still feeling pretty intimate. If you're a fan of comedy I'd definitely recommend a stand-up show, and I'll probably be back to check out one of the paid ones!

3-4 out of the 7 comedians were decent or better. Tickets were cheap at $25/piece but the 2 drink…read moreminimum is stupid. Just include it in the price of the ticket. My wife and I don't drink but we ended up spending $50+ on mocktails which was about the same as the tickets and was an unexpected surprise. Stupid policy. The chairs are also very uncomfortable. Try to get a booth - they looked comfier.

Really enjoyed experiencing a show here. I hadn't expected such a cool vibe with multiple shows and…read morea lounge downstairs. All the staff were super friendly and the place was a chill hangout. Even the F&B options were reasonable for a show-house.

Always have a great show here! Different rooms with many…read moreshows going. I've seen the holiday comedy improv show that played out like a hilarious hallmark movie. So great! Piano accompaniment was fantastic too. Also, been for stand up sketch comedy that was hilarious.