Great comedy show! 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. read more

UP Comedy Club - a man on stage with a microphone - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Service and food were good. The "best of second city 13+ family tolerant " show was anything but. The f-word isn't today's equivalent of "um" , improv team . You are more talented and you don't need it as a crutch- overuse. And so much Christian bashing tonight. Wouldn't have spent the money. And definitely wouldn't have brought my 13 yr old had I known there'd be so much "d-sucking " and "f-bombing" in the family tolerant show. Ridiculous. The crowd was there for your cleaner version. And you did not deliver. read more

UP Comedy Club - Second city- Up "the best of second city 13+ show" - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This review is based on a recent Sunday Brunch at the UP Comedy Club. 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. read more

UP Comedy Club - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

FABULOUS! Saw She the People on a Thursday night with my 17 year old daughter and we loved it. Surprised at the tasty food options because Toronto's Second City had nothing you'd want. Service and volunteers were first rate here as will direct/assist you from the ground floor up. (Theatre is on third floor) We ordered the blistered shishito peppers, a ginger beer and a Blues Mobile in a souvenir glass. (Free refills) and then a warm pretzel. I was really only expecting fried options so this was a nice surprise. The wait staff is tremendously friendly also. The show is clever, educational without being too preachy and funny with a point. (You should've come in expecting that last part from the name of the show). There's a photo booth outside.. go take pics, it's free.. and some free She the People pins to help spread the word. I gave my daughter the option of any show in Toronto, Chicago or Stratford for our short vacation and she chose this one. Smart choice! read more

UP Comedy Club - two women holding up signs - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came to see SheThePeople, amazing show, smartly written and performed. The venue is third floor of Second City and has a view of the Harold Ramis school. Miss you Harold. The seating is tight, they like to cram them in, and the service is good. The food/bev prices are as expected, tourist prices. Tip - Goldstar for tik, SpotHero for parking read more

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My first comedy club in Chicago! I've heard that comedy clubs are big in Chicago, so I was very excited to check one out. My bf bought tickets online for Game Night on Wednesday at 8 pm. At $24 per ticket plus $12 service fee, this was a pretty pricey night out. We got there about a quarter past 7 pm, and it was pretty empty. But I suppose that was a good thing, because we got seated right in the center with a great view of the stage. I would say the venue got to be about half full, which I suppose was normal on a cold Wednesday night. No drink minimum, but I warmed myself up with a Spotlight Mocha (Baileys, Kahlua, and peppermint liqueur in hot chocolate) for $9 and later a hot apple cider in a souvenir mug for $7. My bf up-sized his beer to a souvenir glass, too, so we both got a little memento to take home with us that night. As for the show itself... well, let's just say that it was like nothing I've ever seen. Rather than stand-up acts, it was a 4-person show with an emcee who reenacted a bunch of old TV shows--such as Family Feud and $25,000 Pyramid--and also some games I've never heard of--such as Celebrity and Match Game. The twist was that they heavily involved audience participation, which was probably really exciting for those who went up on stage, but maybe not so much for those of us watching from the audience. There were a couple of crazy moments--such as when they did an audience scavenger hunt and asked for double-jointed people to display their talents on stage. :O But mostly it was just okay and I didn't split my sides from laughter or anything. The cast was full of energy, probably in an attempt to liven things up... but sometimes I felt that they were just screaming at the top of their lungs and laughing maniacally for no reason. Maybe because I'm from California, I just don't get Midwest humor. For example, at one point, we were asked to suggest vacation spots, and some people from the audience shouted out "Toledo" and "Green Bay"! What the?? Anyway, I would say that it was nice to check this place out once for our date night, but I dunno if we would pay $60 again to come back to this show. read more

UP Comedy Club - Spotlight mocha $9 before the show. Baileys, Kahlua, and peppermint liqueur in hot chocolate - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So I was hoping to be rolling in my seat with laughter, but unfortunately we didn't have the best of comedians that night. Now this is a cool place and improv I'm sure is super hard. It's cool to know that some of the biggest comedians in the US started at Second City. I wouldn't count this place out, but maybe an improve show isn't the best of choices. read more

UP Comedy Club - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing and refreshing! She the People opened my eyes and it was sarcastically entertaining. The venue itself is a decent walk from downtown. In the bathroom there are many stalls do the lines move pretty fast. The food options are basic theatre food. I didn't have any food but everyone around me looked pleased. The seating arrangements are cool, but there should be a little more spread out. There are attentive workers everywhere looking to address any questions or concerns. There is a fee coat check, free chapstick, and information everywhere regarding their improv classes. There are gender neutral bathrooms on the second floor. read more

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I recently saw the Fast, Loud and Funny show here with 3 other people. Overall, the show was great and the venue was very accommodating. Like most comedy clubs, the seats are really packed in, but you can pay extra for the rail seating if you want a little more space. My group was friendly and our neighbors were respectful so it didn't bother us at all. Our server was very attentive and our drinks were strong. Venue was clean and cozy and had nice restrooms nearby. Not grungy or sticky or dark like some other clubs. Only con is it may be difficult to sit together if your group is bigger than 4 or you get there too close to showtime (seating is first come). Not a ton of audience participation in this show, but the actors and skits were very entertaining! We laughed all night and I would definitely go again!! read more

A friend of mine brought me here when we had seen all of the other landmarks in Chicago. This ended up to be a very good idea. We were fortunate enough to get into one of the shows where 6 actors did improv which also included audience participation! It was quite the show. There was an average minimum on drinks. If you visit Chicago put this on your list of things to do! Definitely worth while to see some future SNL actors in action. read more

UP Comedy Club - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I wholeheartedly enjoyed #DATE ME: AN OK CUPID EXPERIMENT. Talented cast who can rap and sing. Scripted and Improve. Innuendo. Clean language. NO minimum purchase required. SEATING can be tight. I love my booth seating at the very back of the room. I still had a great view of stage. Bouncy cushion. I got a headrest. Unfortunately, it's the path for food and delivery lane b-u-t, I didn't think it was t-h-a-t intrusive. Decent FOOD selections, portion and pricing. I ate all of my 3 CHEESEBURGER SLIDERS ($12). For $5, you can have SEASONED FRIES with ketchup. Kitchen closes before intermission. DRINKS are around $10. Local beers available. I dare you to get the 60 oz Specialty Drink pitcher for $60 -- my friend says it's worth the price. PHOTO OP in the lobby during intermission. 10 stalls in Women's Restroom. :-) read more

UP Comedy Club - Menu (9.2016) - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I had a chance to check this place out this past Sunday afternoon to see Sex, Love & The Second City. The show was very interesting and funny...well worth the tickets I bought through Goldstar. The theater itself was pretty cool as it is a good amount of space and you get a good view of the show from wherever you are sitting. You can tell the place is relatively new because everything looked intact and as Rachel J stated in her review you could smell the new leather on the chairs...lol. She also mentioned that the seating was cramped. I agree that I was a little close to other patrons, but it wasn't too bad..I wasn't uncomfortable or anything. They had a full menu of food & drinks to choose from. We were hungry so we got the nachos which were pretty good and since we had been drinking Jameson before we made it to the show, it was only right to continue on with the Jameson & diet coke combination. The waiter gave us the option of getting a double, so we did it, which proved later to be a bad decision as my night ended with me hugging the toilet a few hours later...lol. I shouldn't have had that 2nd round! Obviously a good place to catch a good show...I definitely recommend! read more

Great to have Second City back live. Comedy is the hardest form of theatre and improv comedy is the most difficult aspect of comedy. These performers will only get better with each successive night performance. Note that they are not serving food (July 2021) and they check for proof of vaccination if you do not want to wear a mask (picture okay). The type of show really depends on the audience, so if the audience shouts bathroom humor topics that is the show you get, not the performers fault. A great night out! read more

Owned by The Second City in a random multi-use building, UP Comedy Club is a great venue to see a show, especially last minute. The club is on the third floor and generally unmarked, although they have plenty of Second City employees directing you to the right place. My friend and I came to see the late-night improv at 11:00 pm on a Saturday. The show was funny and entertaining, although not pee-in-your-pants funny (everyone has a different sense of humor, so your mileage may vary, although it could have been the cast that we had). Speaking of, the cast seemed to insert "R" rated jokes just because they could, but thankfully that did not impact the overall enjoyment of the show. Do yourself a favor and come to the ticket booth on the first floor to buy tickets--just call ahead to make sure that they have some left. We saved on the "convenience" fee that we would have paid if we bought tickets online or over the phone. Also ask the host/hostess to be seated in the center if the view is important to you; most of the seating on the side has limited viewing, although the staff won't tell you this until you are seated. I did not order any drinks--they seemed overpriced and catered towards those who would enjoy a "cold bud light" versus a high-end Manhattan. The service was fine from what I could tell, and staff made sure that everyone who wanted a drink had them. Overall, this was a great diversion for a Saturday and a "classic" Chicago experience. Definitely recommend. read more

I am totally surprised at how much fun I had. The summer blockbuster show was so funny! I thought it was going to be cheesy, but I laughed the whole way through. This is a great place and show to take your family or friends when they come to visit. The humor was a little raunchy but I would say appropriate for 15 yrs and up. Drinks: DO NOT get the Pina Colada..So disgusting. The nachos and popcorn shrimp were pretty good. I can't wait to try another show. read more

Delightful spot to catch a show on a weekend. We came over for an Improv all stars show and were not disappointed. Try as we might, we were unable to avoid the service charge for ticket and, despite the hot chocolate being something like $6 for swiss miss, the evening was totally a win. The Improv group was hilarious as expected and was made better by the drunk gent in his late 60's who kept commenting about how beautiful one of the actresses was. She took it in stride! A great spot for a hour long show that breaks up the evening nicely! read more

We loved The Best of the Second City. We went to the 10:30 PM show, and got seated right in front. That made me a little nervous, but it was actually really cool. The show was a mix of sketches and improv, both of which were absolutely hilarious. The performers were amazingly talented and had awesome stage presence. You can order snacks and drinks before/during the show, and the service is great. I would HIGHLY recommend coming here if you like to laugh - who doesn't?! My only wish is that I had chosen a longer show. However, since it was a late show, the performers came back on and did a little extra improv after it officially ended, so that was a fun addition! read more

This review is for She the People, which is a blast (no matter your gender). It's a powerful skit comedy show that pokes gentle fun at female stereotypes (like women in TV commercials, turning into your mother, or competitive dieting) but saves its sharpest barbs for the culture and behaviors that limit women's potential. The biggest cheers are earned when imagining the benefits of a world run by women or crushing the idea a woman needs a prince to be a princess (or "a f$#%ing queen"). The skits are uniformly great and the cast brings a lot of energy and bravery to the stage. Carisa Barreca's real-life striptease earned some of the night's biggest laughs and applause. Emma Pope's game show host reacting to things "You oughta know" (and things you sadly shouldn't) was hilarious. Kimberly Michelle Vaughn and Kaye Winks parodying hip-hop videos while rapping about women's sexiest body part (their brains, of course) was one of my favorites. And everything Alex Bellisle does on stage, no matter how small, is worth watching. Definitely worth the price of admission. And if you're worried about "man bashing," first of all, stop being that way. No, really, don't be so sensitive! And secondly, no one will leave feeling belittled or attacked--if the show occasionally displays some well-placed anger at the way things are or a nation unwilling to elect a female president, it trumps that (no pun intended) (or did I intend it?) with positive energy about the way things can and will be. The cast avoids (almost) completely any jabs at Trump. This is not the overtly political show you perhaps might expect from the name--there are no calls to vote nor any voter registration drives outside the door. But the politics of this show is inseparable from its humor, just the way it has become inseparable from our daily lives, only it's a lot more hilarious on stage! read more

Had a blast. A few moments of discomfort for the kids, but we figured that would happen with a PG-13 show. Great cocktail service during the show as well. I've seen Improv all over the country, and this was one of the best. read more

Fist time at UP Comedy Club. Arrived 30 minutes before start time. From the minute we walked into the theatre we were greeted by a SC staff who directed us to the third floor. The gentleman at the door was very patient and did his best to accommodate our incomplete party of four. The club is small so you can get a great view from anywhere you sit. Wait staff was good. I asked for a mojito and some food. The mojito was kinda terrible so I ordered a glass of wine instead (Note to self: When in doubt, order wine). I brought this to our waiter's attention, he asked what was wrong with the mojito, I explained that it had a pretty bad aftertaste and I the lem read more

I love to laugh. I know, I know, who doesn't like to laugh, right? Giggles are the key to my heart, make me laugh and you can wrap me around your little finger. So what better way to spend a Saturday night than laughing and giggling? I was looking for tickets to Second City at the last minute and they were booked, no surprise there, but I was surprised to see the link to UP Comedy Club on their website. Tickets for Pete Correale at 8 were available for around $20 each, not too bad. The $12 service fee seems a little pricey, but I'll pay it instead of having to go to the box office to buy the tickets. UP Comedy Club is located on the third floor of Pipers Alley, in the same building as Second City and Second City e.t.c. They have a complimentary coat check, which is a good idea considering the close quarters in the theater. The seating is not assigned with your tickets, so it's suggested you arrive early for best seating. It's not a huge theater, seems like there aren't any bad seats. Strategically placed tables make it easy to enjoy your drinks and food, although I didn't see anyone actually having any food. You can if you want though, they have a fairly good sized menu of Chicago themed foods and a full bar of course. Like I said, I love to laugh, so I'm sure I'll be back to UP soon. With ticket prices as low as $2 for the show this Thursday (1/12) it seems like I'd be silly to not go back. read more

Absolutely hilarious! Definitely going back next time I'm in town. I spent the extra $10 for premium seats and it was well worth it. Food is surprisingly really good, we had the burger, fries, and pretzel. Everything was fresh and came out quick. Alcohol prices are a little high. read more

UP Comedy Club - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Located in the same building as The Second City, the UP Comedy Club features great comedy most nights of the week. Some of my favorite shows I've seen there are Nick & Gabe, #DateMe: An OKCupid Experiment, and the Breakout Comedy Festival. Tickets for these shows are generally easier to come by than The Second City Mainstage shows, and you'll still be in for a treat! read more

Spectacular new stand up addition to the mothership of improv comedy, The Second City. Situated on the third floor of the primarily vacant Piper's Alley the venue is located at ground zero for comedy in Chicago. A brand new space with luxe appointments and unobstructed sightlines, the room holds about 250. UP! offers a little more than the craptacular Zanies in that its clean and spacious, well organized and fair ticket prices. They also offer a really great product line of draft beer and bottle choices, fantastic wines by the glass, a relatively decent menu of snacks, apps and Lou Malnati's Chicago pizza. But really, who comes here for the food? Service is spot on and its set up so that the server is easy to make contact with at any given point. I was a guest of the cast of Sullivan & Son so I am biased about the talent but it was basically the same crew that did Vince Vaughan's Wild West Comedy show and now they have their own show. Look for headliners like Bobcat Golthwait, Tommy Davidson and Sherri Underwood in the upcoming months. Only caveat is the automatic 18% on checks. I always tip a little larger but my friends got the bill and were miffed at the autograt but c'est la vie. Great venue, great service, great talent. A welcome addition to the Chicago comedy scene. read more

It is very difficult for me to give a comedy club a bad review. Unless the show is a COMPLETE stinker it would be difficult for me to translate slips elsewhere to a bad review. This place did not slip anywhere. First off the show was great! We had a great time. The place was packed and our server did a good job coming around and checking on us. We did not have the greatest seats but even the poor location offered a good line of sight to the stage. The sound quality was good also. We had a great time and everyone did a good job! read more

This is a really cute venue! We saw Pablo Francisco here and I gotta say I was very impressed for several reasons. The good- - no "item minimum" - that by itself was awesome. - place looks new - as in the decor, including furniture, looks really nice! Nothing against old school comedy clubs, but it's nice to be in a NICE place. - food and drink selection are nice and varied. Now I did NOT try the food, but I liked what I saw and will definitely not show up full when I return! - staff is really, really nice. I mean not fakey nice, but really nice. - They sell buckets and pitchers of beer - this is important. - They offer several options for take home souvenir glasses that include the price of the glass and unlimited refills of soda, iced tea, lemonade, juice - which may not seem like a big deal to some, but to non-alcohol drinkers or on a hot summer night, will be a bargain when normally the price is 2.50 per glass, while the take home option with refills is under $9. The bad - not all necessarily the UP's fault - but something to keep in mind. - PARKING SUCKS. Either plan on paying an arm and a leg in a lot (carpool and split this charge if you are with a group), drive around and around and pay for a meter VERY close to show time if you happen to have tickets to a show that will keep you there past 9:00 pm, or take public transportation and/or a cab. - first time getting to the UP was a little confusing because there are several venues at Pipers alley and there is a lot going on - on the PLUS side, there were several nice people around helping us first-timers. - seating inside the UP is a little tight - which is OK if you are with a group, but if not, you WILL smell the person's breath and body odor sitting around you and you WILL be sharing a table with strangers... Overall, I loved this place and wish more comedians come here because, frankly, I am getting tired of going all the way to Schaumburg to see my faves!! read more

I went here last weekend with a group of 7 people total. Alingon Mitra was in town, but I had never heard of him so I went into the show completely blindly. We all ordered our tickets online, which ended up being $25/per person after taxes and fees. I would say the price wasn't bad at all, especially considering there was no drink minimum (Laugh Factory requires a two drink minimum). I also liked that while it was General Admission, there was a host that lead your group to seats together. My group sat in a long row, and my only complaint about this was that the seats were shoulder to shoulder, so I felt very cramped. The opening comic/host was okay, but the second comic, and the headliner were hilarious. I definitely laughed out loud several times. Overall, my friends and I really enjoyed the entire show and would definitely make a trip back. read more

I imagine the reason I don't enjoy team sports is I've never played them; although I do like watching tennis and skiing or volleyball because my klutz self has managed to do those things. Too bad they don't have kickball on TV. My point here is it's easier to enjoy things or "get behind" them, appreciate the efforts of those performing when you've done what they are doing. Having done improv comedy way back when, I can appreciate the energy, creativity and effort here.I've been to the Second City main stage many, many times. Second City, ETC quite a few, too. But this was my first visit to UP comedy club, now a third venue in Piper's Alley. It was fairly easy to get last minute tickets for the show on a Saturday afternoon at 4PM. It's not always that easy with the main stage. Tickets are $22-25.00 which is really a good deal when you can pay almost as much for a VIP type movie ticket. And you are getting live original entertainment. The show was a mix of proven comedy sketches, improvisations with audience participation (probably still the most fun and surprising aspect of the Second City experience), a few musical numbers including the Wayne Brady made-up-as-you-go-along tunes, a new integration of video backup which was hilarious. And all around a fairly heavy topical theme of culture, race, and politics. In fact, it gets just a little too heavy with one particular prison scene. The show is rated "R" and correctly so, as there are many moments of audience groans along with the hilarity. so if the "F-word" offends you, stay away! The ensemble performances here were spectacular. The energy and synergy of the performers was spot on. It's not easy to keep up this level of excitement for two hours, but these talented folks did. And it was obvious they were enjoying the ride. My out-of-town visitors were living testimony of the effects of the show-they all complained that there jaws were sore from laughing. I wonder if there's a medical term for that. Tim Kazurinski, an old SC alum had a term which may apply: Jawgasm. Get yours at this fun and original venue. Check their website for a number of different shows running during any given week. read more

Hehehe... Hahaha... LOL... OMFG! (snorting part of the $20 margarita out of my nose) That is pretty much how things wrap up for me whenever I see a show at the UP Comedy Club. On the show front, I enjoy the audience participation and improv bits the best, but no matter what every show I've been to has been entertaining. Now, when it comes to the venue itself, the seating could be better, but I understand... They want to fit as many people as they can in there. Which means that sometimes if you go to a day show, you might be sharing a table with your alcoholic obsessions with a 12 year old. In that case, feel free to ask if you can move (I have this thing where I don't like drinking or cussing around kids, so I've moved in cases like that). All in all, the hostesses are accommodating, and don't "seem" to mind (which means they hide it well and are good hostesses). Mixed drinks range from around $10 for a regular glass to ~$20 for a souvenir glass (which is nice because they do bring out a clean one for you at the end of the show), and a lot more for a pitcher. Here's my take: It's a great venue to take visitors. You can always find a good deal on Goldstar.com. Most importantly, it's something different than the normal going out to bars. read more

It is definitely worth checking out the Comedy All Stars on Monday nights. The improv show is quite fun and the actors have such great energy. The food here is also pretty good. We split an order of hummus and olives because I was starving and had skipped dinner. It was very satisfying. There was no "two drink minimum" as with other comedy shoes which is also a nice touch. read more

UP Comedy Club - Hummus, pita & olives - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here on whim with my friends for a bachelorette party, If you are able to stop by the box office, you can save a couple bucks (pesky service fees when buying online!!) You are seated when you get there, i would suggest getting there decently early. Bring a sweater cause it is cold in there! The show we saw was fast fun loud? (I think) It was hilarious!! Such a good show, my friends and i were crying from laughter. Second city is pretty easy to get to, I am unsure if there is a close CTA stop but if you are in the lincoln park zoo area or old town area, very walkable! read more

I came here with a large group for a Second City show. The show itself was hilarious and well worth the trip. The best part was easily the improv, as some of the rehearsed skits relied heavily on overdone jokes and cheap laughs. Overall, though, I thought it was a great way to spend an afternoon. We scored seats with tables, but unlucky visitors sitting behind us presumably had to balance their drinks in hand, as I didn't see any tables in their sections. Maybe it's luck of the draw with that? I wasn't entirely clear as another member of our group actually purchased the tickets, but do keep that in mind. They have a strict "no outside food/beverages" rule that they reiterate multiple times, which means you should either fill your stomachs beforehand or prepare to pay a bit more for the snacks and beverages.I would have been frustrated if I was unable to bring in food (and thus had to order) but didn't have anywhere but my lap to put it. Between various members of our group, we tried the fries (which got rave reviews), the frozen lemonade (wayyyyyyyy overpriced for what we got), and various beers (all wins). The servers seemed overwhelmed, and I was surprised we were able to squeeze in one round of orders over the 2.5 hours we spent there (especially considering we waited 30 mins for our server to take our orders in the first place, and he didn't return until the lights dimmed and the show had already started). I think if you were looking to save money, you could certainly do so by paying for the ticket and making sure to eat or drink plenty beforehand. If you're like me, though, and you can't go 2+ hours without drinking something, I'd recommend going for a beer. read more

I went this weekend. I really liked this place. The seating area and stage are top notch. We had an 8pm show. Got there at 730. Got seated right away by a very nice staff. The waitresses were great. Drink were good. Very fun and pleasant evening out. Good first date place. Don't buy tickets online. It's only 3 bucks over the phone. 12 bucks online. Much better place than Zannies. read more

A note before we begin: this is a review focused on the club itself and not the acts that they book. A few of us came here a few weeks after the opening and everything was mediocre. The ticketing process was fairly smooth but the seating assignments are pretty haphazard and ridiculous. In most of the club, there are no tables, so you just have to balance drinks and food on a tiny "arm rest" or your lap. Blech. The food and drinks are - surprise! - insanely expensive. I really wish someone would do something about this since it just doesn't need to cost like $10 for a Goose Island (it's made like a mile away). Parking is also insanely expensive, so prepare for that. As far as I could tell, there was no valet service so don't plan on leaving your car at the curb, even if you're willing to pay. The shows the book seem to be decent and we really enjoyed Brian Posehn and it looks like they have a bunch of good upcoming acts. I just don't get why comedy clubs need to be so expensive (on top of ticket prices). We all want to drink and would likely drink more if drinks were cheaper. No one wants to be sober at a comedy show. read more

Our first comedy club in Chicago and we were definitely entertained that night. We watched #DateMe An OKCupid Experiment, which I guess most people can related to whether they've done online dating or not. Most of the skits were pretty funny and the acting was really good. It really cracked me up when they had audience participation though. Overall, it was good entertainment for the night, there was no drink minimum, but the venue was super cold (and I'm only complaining because it was super cold outside), and all the seats are uncomfortably close to each other. Get ready to know your neighbor really well. There was also a photo area as well for this particular show which was cool. Seats are the earlier you arrive, the closer to the stage you'll be. We literally got front row center which was pretty much right up against the stage. read more

I saw a play here with friends, and I had a great time! The stage was large enough for good stage props, the decor was modern, and it was very clean! The food was delicious and the drinks were strong enough to be a good value for the money. I'd see another show here and I swear you should too! Show up hungry, thirsty, and ready to have a good time. My only problem was when the show was over, I didn't want to leave. :) read more

I visited UP comedy club for the first time when I went to see South African comedian, Trevor Noah. Trevor's standup routine was hilarious but this review will be solely about my experience at the venue. We arrived at Pipers Alley and attempted to enter the side entrance. There were staff members waiting outside who asked us what show we were there to attend. Once we said that we were there to see Trevor we were told that we had to walk around to the front entrance and enter there. There was a crowd lined up waiting to be seated but we didn't have to wait long. We were ushered into the venue and seated in the middle of an aisle not far from the stage. The staff were extremely friendly and personable which was refreshing! Customer service done with a smile, imagine that! Anyway, we weren't happy with our seats because we had been seated behind two really tall people. We couldn't see above their heads and felt claustrophobic due to the seats being smushed together. The seating was very, very tight. It was so tight that it was uncomfortable so we asked to be moved. Luckily, the staff agreed and they seated us specifically in an area where no one would sit in front of us. Those seats were much better. We felt like we could actually breathe without disturbing the person next to us! I love live comedy so frequently visit comedy clubs even when I'm on vacation. UP comedy club has to be one of the most claustrophobic environments I've ever encountered. The whole place screams fire hazard to me but since they're open I'll assume that they meet the city fire code regulations. The waitresses barely have room to maneuver too. We only ordered sodas so I can't speak for the food. Hell, we wouldn't have eaten even if we were starving due to the tight seating! There's no way that would have worked out well. I do love that the place doesn't have a drink minimum though. That's rare for a comedy club and it definitely didn't go unappreciated. The tickets were $20 so with added service fees I ended up paying a little over $50. A little pricy for a comedy club but Trevor Noah was worth every penny! If there's ever another comedian worth seeing at Up I'd return. The seating isn't what I prefer but it sure beats driving to the Improv way out in the nw burbs. read more

Food is terrible! No, wait, its TERRIBLE! Go eat elsewhere before the show. The service was slow and evasive and the food was cold (the bones in the chicken wings were still frozen!) and over priced. Not worth the $120 we shelled out!! But the shows are AWESOME! Go see the shows!!! read more

UP Comedy Club - Went to see Tommy Davidson this weekend. AWESOME show! We sat next to "Ne-yo" lol.Can't wait to see Charlie Murphy next week! - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We saw the musical Second City and they were terrific. Funny, clever, and still capable of improvising. Definitely recommend it for an evening of fun. read more

The intimate setting, excellent service (you get frequent drink service right to your seats), and surprisingly funny improv, surprised me at how much I enjoyed it--as I'm a comedy snob. Definitely worth it, especially at how cheap it is (my pre-funk cost more than the show). read more