There ’s nowhere in the world with a more storeyed drollery view than Los Angeles ( cover with it , New York ) , so there are countless places you may see a great show . And chances are , no matter where you hit , since it ’s LA , somebody bragging will make a surprise coming into court . Here are some of the best traditional places in the city to get some standup or improv ( there are also a ton ofunderground comedy spotsif you ’re a bit more venturous ) .
The Comedy & Magic Club
This topographic point is legendary , plain and simple . Everybody from Jerry Seinfeld to Robin Williams ( Are you swarm one out ? You should be pouring one out ) has played this baseball club , so any nighttime you ’re there , you ’ll have a solid shot at seeing an icon . And Leno is there most Sundays as well , if you ’re count just for the bighearted dog .
Flappers
By far one of the most underrated clubs in the metropolis due to its mystifying - Valley location , Flappers has become a favorite of the comic strip that perform there because of the gamy - caliber shows it puts on . Expect to see Jeff Garlin on Sundays , quality display case , and a small back room full of up - and - comers . You ’ll also line up a not - too - expensive Browning automatic rifle and some actually - not - awful food ( like portobello Christopher Fry , personal pizza , and even a $ 29 pre - fixe dinner party ) .
iO West
Some of the good improv you ’ll see come about at iO West ( call up West because the OG spot is in Chicago ) . iO ’s improv & writing classes are top - pass ( and less expensive than UCB ) . If you ’re face to get into the scene , iO is an excellent place to set forth in classes as their theatre teams run to breed talented writers and actors ( like Chris Farley , Tina Fey , and Stephen Colbert ) .
The Comedy Store
You ’ll feel the magic of the Store the minute you take the air up and see the countless names scribbled across the edifice ’s exterior . Everybody has play here . There are actually three room at the Comedy Store , so decidedly do n’t be afraid to see a show in the Original Room or the Belly Room since there ’s great stuff happening in all of them . carry to see panel - show regular like Bobby Lee and Brody Stevens floating around at most time , though the shows in the Main Room have known to have surprise star like Russell Brand and Sarah Silverman . Also await to have a few swallow on their iconic outdoor bar , which looks decently out over Sunset .
The Laugh Factory
If any of the shows at the Store are sell out , you might have better fortune at The Laugh Factory , which is just down the street . Sitcom - dude Chris D’Elia seems to be permanently up on the marquise , so if you ’re a fan , The Laugh Factory is where you ’ll take in him . This is another one of those clubs where the anybody - could - take the air - in factor is high with people including , but not remotely special to , Kevin Nealon and his holiness Dave Chappelle .
The Groundlings
If you inquire somebody about where to see improv in LA , you ’ll probably get the same answer : go to The Groundlings . If you ’re not too familiar with long - form improv , get the image ofWhose Line Is It Anyway?out of your head . These shows are n’t games ( though sure shows are ) , but more of a circuit de force-out of how talented some of these improvisers can be . “ Cookin ’ With gun ” is a Groundlings institution that hand over some of the best interview - suggestion - based improv you’re able to find . Each calendar week features a dissimilar surprise Edgar Albert Guest and include cast members like Jordan Black andCommunity ’s Jim Rash .
UCB
Upright Citizens Brigade is volaille soup for the improv and standup lover ’s soul . Though most of their appearance are improv based , you ’ll also see standup both from hoi polloi you already love and people you are about to love . There ’s nary a forged show you may see at either UCB campus , but we commend you get in on Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer ’s “ Crash Test ” for a drollery show that is truly surd to categorize ( they ’ve done everything from sketches to standup to Huebel convincing the audience to text weird things to their protagonist ) . Also : they “ let ” BYOB ( discreetly ) .
Nerdist Showroom at Meltdown
The buried - in - the - back - of - a - risible - book - shop way NerdMelt has graduated from underground hero to mainstream mainstay , thanks to some of the best display in LA , period . Their estimable show , surprisal surprisal , is The Meltdown , featured on Comedy Central and hosted by Jonah Ray andSilicon Valley ’s Kumail Nanjiani every Wednesday . You never lie with who you ’ll see , but you sleep together it ’ll be cracking , as the guests have ranged from John Mulaney to Fred Armisen to Maria Bamford to … well , anybody you’re able to think of .
ACME Comedy Theatre
Perhaps your taste is more of the sketch comedy variety – in that case , ACME is for you . They have different shows happening at both locations , so anything you pick will be a winner . Plus , no standup means no two - drink - lower limit , and , c’m on , we can all praise the lord for that .
The Improv
The Hollywood Improv is perhaps the most noted club of all . If you ’re a comic , you ’ve dreamt of do at the Improv ( though it reach us all cringe that they paint over the iconic mural on the side ) , and if you ’re not a comedian , you ’ve probably been told you need to see a show at the Improv . Though the food for thought used to be the bad in the extragalactic nebula , they ’ve latterly upped it big time ( once a menu has a chef ’s playful take on Brussels sprout , you know it ’s serious ) . Name a comic – they get their first at the Improv , which mean they ’ll walk in and do a set any time they feel like it ( recent arriver admit Chappelle , Louis C.K. , and eternal drop - ins from Dane Cook ) .
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The Comedy and Magic Club
Ryan Coil
Courtesy of the Laugh Factory
Flickr/Doc_Brown
Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre - Los Angeles
ACME NoHo
Hollywood Improv Comedy Club
