Always love a second city dinner & show! The Reality Detox was a belly laugher, and so fun getting drinks to the seat.

We heard nothing but good things about The Second City's comedy experience. After moving to Chicago our friends got us a gift card to this place. We had a blast and are already looking for our next show to attend. I love that they have different themes and you can get a small bite and drinks. The seating is perfect and I love the crowd interaction that comes from the comedians. When ordering drinks at your table it is perfectly time to check on you when you enter and one time during the show. read more

I've heard so much about Second City Theatre from friends, particularly about their amazing improv shows, so I finally decided to give it a try for a friend's birthday. She picked an incredible show called "Oh, the Places You'll Glow," and it was everything we hoped for and more. We ordered a couple of drinks and food. These items were decently prized. During the show, they usually ask the audience couple of questions and a key word based on which they also perform an impromptu set. During our show the word was clogging. lol. And the artist were so amazing that came up with an amazing set of laughter. The performance was hilarious from start to finish, keeping us on our toes and laughing the entire time. The cast was sharp, quick-witted, and absolutely nailed every scene. If you're looking for a night of non-stop laughter and top-notch improv, Second City is the place to be. Highly recommended! read more

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The comedy skits had some funny scenes. The comedians were ok and they definitely like working there. The improve part after the show was ok but every skit I saw seemed that it was already pre planned to move in some type of motion particularly the improv didn't seem as random as improv would be normally. The room is filled with chairs all facing forward and periodically placed tables to be able to have a table in front or next to a seat. The food was reasonably priced. The popcorn shrimp was not like a normal popcorn shrimp not fried or crispy but was in like a buffalo sauce and I personally think it tasted horrible and we sent it back and got the smash burger which was great. It comes with fries so definitely worth the $12. They have full food and drink service through out the show. read more

The Second City - Smash burger - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Current MainStage show is a home run. Pandemonium Please Hold is consistently funny and new the whole way through. There isn't a weak spot in the cast, we don't usually see shows twice, but this one we will be back for and bringing friends. read more

Disappointing Experience We saw The Best of The Second City: Chicago Style with another couple last night, and unfortunately, all four of us were very disappointed. We are longtime Chicagoans and regularly attend theater productions, comedy shows, concerts, and other live performances, so we came in expecting a fun evening. Instead, we found the show unfunny, dated, and simply not entertaining. Two of our friends were so disappointed that they left during intermission. My husband and I stayed for the second half, hoping it would improve, but it never did. More than the cost of the tickets, we're disappointed that we spent a Saturday evening on a show we simply did not enjoy. I truly wish I could say otherwise, especially because Second City is such an iconic Chicago institution and one we wanted to support. Comedy is subjective, and others may have a different experience, but for the four of us, this was a rare night out that felt like a complete waste of time and money. read more

Another peak life experience at Second City while watching This Too Shall Slap - I cannot find adequate words to express how powerful this was. Some of the top experiences of my entire lifetime have occurred at Second City while- this show was no different. The cast is just so amazing - it's like watching a magic act with their supernatural talents! read more

The Second City - This Too Shall Slap - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I guess i was expecting more from the famed Second City. I would give it a B at best..... The DEI content is worn out..... as is the political garbage.....people want entertainment.....not editorial skits.... read more

Wow. It's been nearly 20 years since I've been to the Second City MainStage review. This season's This Too Shall Slap, was wonderful. First, the club hasn't changed a bit since I was here last. It's much smaller than one would expect. The drinks are good and the snacks are about what you'd expect from a comedy club, but reasonably alright. However, it's the show that is the star. Several of the cast were wonderful but the breakout star was clearly Bill Letz. All the cast were fearless but his work was A+. Everyone in our party loved all 90 minutes of it. read more

As good or better than what I remembered. We came by for the 65th anniversary show and left fully entertained, with good laughter hormones activated, and eager to return for another show soon. The theater we were in was quite large, with different seating styles. Seats are not assigned at the time of purchasing tickets but the hostess assigns them as they seat each party queued up. Though we had already had dinner, not realizing they have a full menu here, service was still friendly and attentive. read more

Went and saw "Don't Quit Your Daydream" with a large group last week. The show was very funny and had a bit of audience interaction. They had a larger than expected drink and food menu, and everything was very reasonably priced. I can't wait to go back and see more shows! read more

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What a fantastic night full of laughter at Second City. My friends and I went and saw The Chaos Of Everything and we could not stop laughing. Brilliant performances, don't hesitate to go to a show! read more

The Second City - Show name - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We stopped by Second City on a whim on Friday night and ended up watching The Devil is in the Detours! I've never been an improv person but this show had us laughing for 2 hrs straight. Didn't know improv could be so funny. A must watch! Tip: if the bar is crowded, just order a drink from your seat. read more

I haven't been here since Mitt Romney was running for office. Yrs! But with someone visiting who wanted to go, I was a joiner. In hindsight, we wish he'd have gotten tickets to the regular nightly show and not the improv show. It was no bueno. It was actually worse than no bueno. I could muster pity laughs for half of it. Then that became too much energy, so I painted a half smile on my face and called it good. So many things fell flat but the groups just kept running with them. With improv themes like "the dentist office" or "a drag show", there was so much room and opportunity for hilarity, but they didn't take it there. Didn't reach their comedic potential. It was so bad that my daughter texted me from the bathroom "It's so bad. Do I have to come back in?" Look, if I have to suffer, you're suffering with me. Get your ass back in here read more

The Second City - Entrance - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a wonderful venue! In the lobby they have photos of the Second City alumni for every decade going back to the 1950's. It was fun to peruse those, seeing familiar faces and names. The main stage theater is small enough so that everyone is close enough to see what's going on. Every staff member we encountered was friendly and helpful, which set the tone for our evening. The cocktails were good and seemed to have the right amount of alcohol. The show itself was excellent! We laughed the whole time. Super creative, super talented performers. A great night at a great venue! read more

Love being able to enjoy parts of Chicago's history and a laugh at the same time! Wonderful show in a very intimate venue. I don't think there's a bad seat in the house. Watched the Chaos theory and just loved it. Kudos to the comedians - they're lively, do a great job of involving the audience, and not afraid to be a comedian (cause let's be real, people get too sensitive, it's for jokes fam! Enjoy it!) They make improv look easy! Thanks for a great time! read more

The Second City - Stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Definitely one of my must visit places in Chicago. Second city has a wide array of shows played by a multitude of talented artists who never fail to disappoint. We recently swung by to watch the 'Oh, the places you'll glow' show. We were left rolling out of our chairs laughing and just in awe of how good the actors were. The service was great too. The servers ensure they don't disturb you while the play is on and quietly take in your orders and bring in your food. The menu is limited but good. The ambience is a bit old since this place has been here for ever so long. The entrance can be confusing though. I think putting out boards to list which play would play where would be very helpful. This was my second time at second city and I still was confused by the multiple entrances. Regardless, Second city is iconic and a must visit. read more

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This was my second time seeing a show at the main stage (with the first time being years ago) and the second showing lived up to the fond memory of the first. Excellent cast, hilarious jokes, and the improve they performed at the end was some of the best I've ever seen. Food was ok, but it's never amazing at shows, but the service was incredibly efficient without interrupting the performances. Will definitely be back. read more

Absolutely loved this place, I was in town visiting because if I lived there I'd be here weekly! Great comedy, great talent, great wait staff. Drinks and food came so fast! Will visit again! read more

"Oh, the Places You'll Glow" is a fun show with a funny cast. Drinks are great and the food is too. The Chicago dog was perfectly spicy and the side of fries slid down easy. Our servers were attentive and kept the drinks coming. Not to mention, the jokes and laughs continued in well-paced waves. read more

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I've been traveling to Chicago for the last 25 years. This time, we finally made it to Second City and it was awesome! We saw a performance at the UP Theater. The performance was wonderful. The cast members were very talented and they gave 110% ! This venue is a must when visiting Chicago. Old Town is a great, quaint neighborhood that blows away and dining and hospitality you will get downtown! read more

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Came here for a clued in comedy improv and was expecting to be happy but was blown away. they were so good and so charismatic. will def make it a point to visit whenever i'm in chicago and try all their shows. tickets for the show were bought a couple weeks in advance and were super affordable like $25. can dress casually! not a formal place. no food/drink minimum like most comedy clubs. we got a couple drinks that were like $15 a piece which was not cute but it's ok. read more

The Second City - outside - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First time seeing The Second City perform and it was a treat! The cast was super talented and I enjoyed most of the sketches. My friend and I ordered the nachos as a snack to eat during the performance. Heed my warning: don't! Why? Because the nachos are a menace. And at first glance, we knew we were in trouble. The dish we got contained a giant pile of lettuce, pickled onions, and pickled jalapeños. Where were the chips? We pulled out a phone flashlight to dig through the jungle on our plate to discover at the very bottom were 10 soggy chips. While these portions were greatly disproportionate, it did taste good. But also due to the messy nature of the snack, we will be avoiding this selection entirely in the future. read more

Please do not make the same mistake my boyfriend and I did and waste money coming to see this show. I'm not sure why they have the great reviews they do. It felt like watching a middle school talent show featuring mediocre(at the absolute best) improv. I laughed maybe three times in 2 hours. We love going to comedy shows and this was a major disappointment. We saw "This Too Shall Slap" and it actually did not slap even once. I'm so mad I spent a dime attending. They need to search for better talent asap because it definitely did not live up to the reputation. The cheese curds were delicious. read more

The Second City - The look of pure dissatisfaction - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Saw "Oh The Places You'll Glow!" with friends and sat in the front row. They did ask one of my friends for input and used her answer several times throughout the show as an improv prompt. The show was great-and I'd checked reviews ahead of time, and switched from our original selection accordingly. Read the reviews first! The cast was diverse and talented-particularly Gorstein and Martinez. The service was a lot more attentive than in the past and the menu has been upgraded. Really enjoyed my blueberry mule and the deviled eggs. I'd skip the fries next time. My friends had gotten the fried pickles during their previous visit and recommend you go that route instead. read more

Can't say anything that hasn't already been said. We did the Devil is in the Details show on a Thursday night. Lots of fun, solid elite and reasonably strong drinks, also like that there's a free 30min of the cast trying things out - it felt a bit more loose with more creative prompts. read more

Excellent collection of sketches and skits, loved the cast. We laughed, we cried, we thanked the Lorde #iykyk read more

The Second City - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We saw "Don't Quit Your Daydream" and it's highly entertaining and very funny. The Second City is legendary for a reason. The performers are true professionals and acted skits and improvised such that all of them fit into an overall story. Epic. read more

The Second City - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love second city but they missed the mark on this show it was horrible Judy's lounge I was mad that I paid for it

Nice lil jewel in Chicago to see a comedy - they overbook though so we came 5 mins late and had to stand in a doorway

I've been to Second City so many times, I am astounded I have never Yelped about it! Second City is the birthplace of improv. Saturday Night Live might never have become what it is today if not for Second City. Some--perhaps most--of the most lauded comedians of the last fifty years have roots in Second City. It's comedy different than you're used to, since most tv shows aren't improv-based. And it's one of those Chicago cultural touchstones that you must experience, whether you're from Chicago or you're only here for a few days. There are several theaters in at SCT, but the MainStage and E.T.C. theatres are the big ones. The smaller theaters do great work, especially the shows that are crafted by members of the Second City Training Center; it's so neat to support both hobbyist writers and actors, and those who are seeking to turn it into a career. I've been to Donny's Skybox (for one of the aforementioned SCTC shows), ETC, and MainStage. All do great work. Of the many shows I've seen at SCT, the ones at the ETC have generally been my favorites. Now that's not saying the MainStage doesn't do good work--it does, and thus the corollary is that ETC does consistently great work to still be considered the stepping stone to the MainStage. My favorite moment at Second City is probably when, in the show Spoiler Alert: Everybody Dies, Sam Richardson whipped off his pants in one of the skits and performed the rest in his briefs. He's still one of my faves but that's not why, I promise! There's a single intermission in the main body of their show. However, after the second act, after they take their curtain call, they'll thank you for coming and invite you to stay for an improvised third act. They use the third act to work on material that may be used in future shows, and there is almost always (I say "almost" because I haven't been to every single show, every single night!) a call for audience contribution here. So get your mind turning thinking of colors, quotes, funny situations, or whatnot and shout it out. They use to have a two-item minimum, but that's no longer the case. They've also changed their seating a bit into three different tiers. However, you'll still need to arrive early and stand in line to get good seats. They'll seat parties together, so that's not to say you'll get right at the front if you're early but have a large group. But there are very few bad seats in the house, and unless you're on a pretty tight budget I'd suggest not going for the limited view seats. Be prepared that if you are sitting near the front, you have a not-small chance of being picked to interact with the cast in some way and you might be the subject of some good-natured ribbing throughout the show! Parking is in the garage, and costs over $20 a pop. But that can be worth it. If public transport is your thing, taxis are a good choice, or the CTA. Several buses will go thisaway, and the Brown Line will stop at Sedgewick and is only a few minutes walk from the theatre. read more

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I had the best time at Second City the other night and can't wait to come back!!! We saw The Devil is in the Detours and the cast was so great and hilarious; I literally could not stop laughing! We got seated in the second row, so we had a great view and really enjoyed ourselves! I didn't get food, but my sister ordered a Blueberry Mule and loved it. They also serve a fun Blackberry Cider and it was very good. Our server was nice and helpful throughout the show. The show itself was about 2 and a half hours with a 15 minute intermission about an hour into the show. They ended up doing a completely improvised third act as well which was soo funny!! Can't wait to see the people in that cast do big things because they were all SO great and seemed to really enjoy what they were doing and enjoyed it as a group as well! read more

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Amazing experience. Great comedy and no bad seats in the main theater. It was a thoroughly enjoyable show.

On par with my kid's high school improv team. I should have had lower expectations. Also the show is extremely political and celebrates abortion so I suggest only going if you have far left views. The audience has lots of empty seats and now I know why. Mine was also empty after intermission. read more

I went to Second City Theater with a friend to watch an improv show and had an absolute blast! The performers were talented and legit funny, not just throwing slapdash Jim Careyesque bits at us. The weather was a bit chilly so we got hot apply cider and both loved it. I would go back and highly recommend it. Service at improv shows are usually a bit slow so don't go too hungry or thirsty. Also, if you don't mind, go ahead and place all your orders at the same time because refills on drinks also take a while. Otherwise, a good time is guaranteed! read more

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Worth every single penny. Hilarious show. I was laughing the entire time. My friend and I saw the Do the right thing, No worries if not show. Incredible. Those 6 six stand up comedians were uniquely funny in their own ways. I loved every minute of it. Our waitress seemed a bit pushy but other that no complaints! read more

The Second City - stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Hadn't been here in many years so decided to check out the matinee performance of the "best of Second City". The six comics were outstanding and I expect to see some of them on SNL at some point given their skill and quick thinking. The show was a mix of short sketches and improv with bits of live and recorded music. We just got the general seating tickets ($59) instead of the premium ones (front rows). It's an intimate space and the voices are not amplified so there were a couple of times we missed a few words but overall it was good. Unlike some clubs, there is No Food or drink minimum although they serve food and drinks if you want. Seating is pretty cozy but we lucked out with being on the end and so it didn't feel too crowded for us. It was a great way to spend a couple of hours on a cold Chicago afternoon. I bought our tickets a couple of weeks ahead online. I'd definitely do it again next time we are in Chicago read more

The Second City - Stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If cardio is your new year's resolution, and laughter is your cardio, then "Best of Second City" is the comedic marathon you've been training for! The cast amazed with their improvisational wizardry, turning everyday scenarios into comedic gold faster than you can say "laughter therapy." Got a chance to catch the show right after arriving in town and was a great kick-off to my birthday weekend. The ambiance is cozy on the second floor theater but that made it easier for everyone to interact with the cast. While the host seated us as is typical for comedy shows we were lucky to get a front row seat for the action. Now, let's talk about the chick who looked like Bruno Mars. I don't know if it was a cosmic joke or a genius casting choice, but her comedic swagger was straight out of the Bruno playbook. With every quip, I half-expected her to break into "Uptown Funk." Seriously, she deserves a comedy Grammy for Best Impersonation of Bruno Mars in a Sketch Comedy Show. In the grand tradition of Second City, this show is a comedic potluck where every dish is a winner. If you don't leave with a smile, check your pulse; you might be the punchline. Five stars for the belly laughs, the Bruno doppelgänger, and the comedic calories burned - it's a workout for your funny bone! read more

The Second City - Multiple stages within the building but helpful staff to direct you to the show and e-mail updates with your tickets. - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This was our first stand up comedy ever! We were recommended this place from a Chicago local and it was a blast. Pretty small crowd (maybe 15 of us total) but the comedians did a nice job of making it interactive and funny! Drinks were definitely overpriced but that's nothing new for Chicago! Will for sure be back! read more

The Second City - Stand up comedy - Performing Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was fortunate enough to be in Chicago for work trips and went to 5-6 improv shows over the past year-ish. So funny!!! Every. Single. Time. The food is typical fried bar food so it's fine. The servers are also the performers not performing that show. Very nice and efficient. Drinks are priced higher but that's understandable. The atmosphere is definitely a lot of fun. People who are there to laugh and enjoy the experience. Given that I usually didn't know my schedule until a couple days or so prior, the tickets that were available were usually the shows that had comics who are relatively new. If I can do it, I would love to see the more established shows/performers in the future. Looking forward to seeing more Second City shows in 2024! read more