Open Mic Shows
For the uninitiated, open mics are shows where aspiring comics go to practice their material. There are literally dozens of these throughout the week in NYC. The comics will often have to pay $5-$7 (or sometimes buy a drink at the venue) in order to be allowed a relatively short amount of stage time. They are typically only attended by the comics themselves but real audience members are always welcome. Let’s be clear – these are inexperienced comics who are usually working out how best to deliver their jokes, so it will often be very scrappy.
The venues are usually either comedy clubs during off-peak hours (e.g. 5pm) or the backs of pubs during weekdays. If it is a barely-open comedy club, you may find it difficult to buy a drink. Some comedy clubs will include details of the open-mics they host on their website (Stand Up NY and Westside Comedy Club are good at this). Be wary of Laughing Buddha mics which seem to charge audience entry AND have a one item minimum!
If you’re planning to attend one of these, either to participate or to watch, the resource you need to be aware of is www.badslava.com. One of my favourites used to be the Sunday afternoon mic at The Stand NYC but they started experimenting with a "brunch" show (probably in response to The Cellar doing the same thing) just before they moved location.
Grisly Pear
The back area of this MacDougal Street pub (yes MacDougal Street AGAIN) was originally mainly used for open-mics. At weekends they would put on a ticketed show, priced at maybe $20 and try to opportunistically mop up some of the punters who had failed to get into the Cellar. During one interaction it took me about 15 seconds to deduce that the performer's credit of "BBC" was more aspirational than factual.
At some point they moved to more regular ticketed gigs and in 2023 they opened an additional location in Midtown. In theory it should merit an entry in the Clubs section. However I'd suggest that anyone planning a visit should tread carefully. To me, the comedy element of this establishment feels secondary to the bar side of things. Perhaps I'm being unfair but I'm not in a hurry to investigate further.
If you are visiting, try using the promo code "FREETIX". According to a recent email from them this should work on all Midtown house shows and Mon-Thu in the Greenwich Village location.
Last visited (via the briefest of drive-bys) Jan 2024
This tiny lower east side bar seats about 14 with maybe another 10 standing. Despite the hilariously small stage at the end of the bar, they have free comedy every night for about an hour (and upto 4 shows at weekends - though the final Sunday one is an open-mic). The crowd is very well-behaved (any chatting would immediately be a problem in a venue this size) and although the acts aren't of a terrifically high standard, this is an interesting place to visit for comedy fans.
There's a one drink minimum during the shows. There are no draft beers but they have around 10 bottles or cans (Lagunitas IPA is $8) and a good range of spirits.
In December 2019 they opened a second location in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. As it's a fully-functioning ticketed comedy club I've listed it separately under the Clubs section.
Note that this bar now appears to be closed. Their full-blown comedy club in Williamsburg is very much alive and kicking. If I can confirm that it will not reopen I will delete this entry. I did walk past it in Mar 2024 and although it looks very much shut, it also hasn't yet become something else.
The Olive Tree Cafe
Although you’re already bored hearing about the different venues that are governed by the corporate colossus that is the Comedy Cellar, there’s actually one further location to be aware of (if we ignore their Las Vegas outpost that opened April 2018). The Olive Tree Cafe is a bar/cafe directly above the Comedy Cellar. It’s owned by the same people and shares some of the same facilities. If you go in for a beer or a coffee, there’s an outside chance you might see someone remotely famous. The first time I went in I saw Dave Attell, minding his own business. The next time I saw Amy Schumer getting her hair done prior to some filming in the club. The third time I went I saw feckin nobody, so it’s not all sex and gravy. There’s a table reserved for Comedy Cellar comedians. They will often hang out there between sets.
If you've tried and failed to get into the Comedy Cellar, you can get a sneak peak via the Olive Tree Cafe as it shares toilets with the club downstairs. Ask your server where the restrooms are. They might write down a code on a sheet of paper (usually 232) which you then use to open a door to the back right of the cafe but more usually the door is open. Go down the stairs and turn right and you're in the club itself (but not before paying attention to see if the next comic to come on - waiting at the bottom of the stairs - is someone famous). The toilets are on the right but don't dawdle on your way in as you'll be blocking someone's view!
BYOB Options
Most NYC comedy clubs have a drink or spend minimum. The only exception that springs to mind is Stand NYC. Bar shows tend to be a bit less prescriptive. 7th Street Comedy was the first "club" with its own physical location that operated a BYO model, but unfortunately they stopped operating in October 2023. Sesh Comedy (see the entry on the Weekly/Monthly page) seem to be thriving however, and there are a handful of other options you may want to consider.
Don't Tell Comedy sometimes specify that their events are BYO.
Barber Shop Comedy (yes it's really in a barber shop!) seem to have several shows per weekend where you can take your own booze.
Flophouse started out as BYOB (see the Jan 2024 blog entry) but appear to have abandoned that. I'll attempt to clarify their long-term plans.
Bushwick Comedy Club claim to be "Brooklyn's only BYOB comedy club".