Comedy Cellar

Went here when my parents were in town from out of state– saw some really funny people! So crazy to think they could be famous one day!

We went to their Sunday night show and had a good time. We were sat right in front so that was awkward and made me nervous. We were also sitting so close to the people next to us that I might be pregnant. The comedy was great though!

Comedy Cellar is a great place if you like being treated with complete disrespect. Management here acts as if they run the only source of comedy in this city. NEWS FLASH: this is a city full of talent and I will gladly take my money and patronage somewhere else where the staff doesn’t belittle its customers.
After reading a few other reviews it turns out that the staff here is notorious for their shitty attitude and demeanor.
We’re all just here to have a good time, so why did the manager come up to our table literally 5 minutes before the show ended to tell us to STFU? She personally chastised us for «being loud.» She literally pointed at me and told me that I was «talking all night» and that she received 2 noise complaints. For one, It’s a comedy show and it’s loud. People laugh. People clap. People shout things out. Secondly, I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary except woo when the MC asked for energy and clap/​laugh at the comedians jokes like everyone else. I didn’t appreciate her calling me out for doing what everyone else was doing.
Her presence and rudely timed comment single handedly ruined the night for all of us. It’s the reason I will NEVER recommend anyone to go to comedy cellar. Cover is $ 20 plus a 2 drink minimum so you may as well go somewhere else for quality comedy sans bitchy twats for that money.
Despite the shitty attitude of the manager, the comedians were funny and the crowd was lively. The audience was great — the energy was high and it was loud but only bc people were laughing.
Drinks were mediocre — def a lot for not so boozy alcohol but hey, it’s a comedy club so they capitalize on the 2 drink minimum per person policy.
TL;DR: if you want to be treated like crap, then come to Comedy Cellar. Otherwise, you’re better off catching a show at Comedy Stand or the Pit.

The staff here is rude and uptight if you are looking for a fun night out do not go here. Seriously they will make you feel so uncomfortable, they are def racist and if they feel like they don’t like you they will just simply kick you out manager seems like a depressed slob taking out her insecurities on customers

The Comedy Cellar is an NYC institution that no other comedy club rivals. I’ve been coming here for over 15 years. It is great for several reasons.
Comedians
Paramount to a comedy club is actually laughing at the acts. CC always has funny, witty acts. Many are household names or on the verge of becoming big. The comedians always bring their A set. Some comedians I’ve seen here over the years were Jim Norton, Dave Attell, Nick DiPaolo, Modi, Amy Schumer, Darryl Hammond and many others. The acts here aren’t G-​rated, but their thoughtful and funny. Not just crass for the sake of being crass. And like the old saying goes, if it’s funny, it’s forgiven
Ambiance
CC is a NY landmark and its narrow, basement level digs kind of add to the charm. You’ll be sitting very close to be other guests. That’s part of the charm so roll with it. You’re at a comedy club, bring a smile!
Menu
For those who don’t drink alcohol, their menu offers food, desserts, coffee etc.
Location
The West Village, which I often regard as the Bourbon Street of downtown, is home to CC and many other cool spots. So if you’re visiting or hosting out of town guests, you can stay in the area and be totally entertained.
Pro Tip: make a reservation a few days before to ensure entry. You’ll have a great time!

The Comedy Cellar is an absolute must-​do NYC comedy experience. Big names will often show up to close the show. Dave Attell was the surprise guest the night we attended.
They pack the customers in tight, so get cozy. Recommend buying tickets ahead of time online.

Came here on a Saturday night for a 10:30 show. The big name that performed was Amy Schumer. She was pretty funny, but all the other people were average except for a few. The service was good and the drinks were good as well.
I’m hoping to come to another show and see some more talent from up and coming comedians and possibly a celebrity drop by.

I’ve been here several times. I feel it’s the best in the city! Best acts, best atmosphere, wine is decent, all reasonably priced. Servers are really great.
Saw Trevor Noah (The Daily Show) there last Saturday… what a babe! The emcee was hilarious, too… we loved the entire set.

Chris Rock showed up to practice Oscar jokes, so yea, 5 stars. Also very affordable considering its ~2 hours of entertainment. 2 pitchers of Stella + the show was $ 85 for 3 people; under $ 30 per person.
The other comedians were good too. Great experience.

You must call in advance to reserve tickets, but you pay only peanuts for admission and agree to purchase two menu items. We had burgers and drinks while we agonized through Colin Quinn’s stand up routine. I couldn’t believe how terribly unfunny he was! The other comedians were funny that particular night. Does Ardie Fuqua still come around?
Food is average and drinks are priced competitively and served cold and well mixed.
I don’t like to do the same things twice, so each trip to NYC is always different. But we go to the Comedy Cellar almost every time we are in the city because it is that much fun.
On any given night, they usually have about 5 – 7 comedians and you never know who it’s going to be! Over the years we have seen some great comedians– some bigger names, some unknowns. Many of them I still follow on Twitter and have gone to see them in other cities.
I’ve heard that Jerry Seinfeld or Ray Romano will occasionally stop in!

I attended the Friday night show at 7pm and felt so good about my choice and having booked those tickets cause the place was packed. Service was great and the comedians made our night so much fun. Especially Ryan was the coolest of all. I was so glad that l brought my friends visiting from Boston and Minnesota spending couple of hours there cause they loved it too. I will definitely go back!

When it comes to laughing, there’s no right or wrong. Either you laugh your ass off or you don’t. There’s no in between. Some like it classy and clever, others enjoy cringe and dry satire. Then there are those who appreciate late night blue comedy.
Comedy Cellar is arguably one of the most famous standup comedy in NYC. I haven’t been to many of them, but let me tell you, this was a pretty darn good one.
Here’s what its like when you go to Comedy Cellar.
— It is strongly recommended to call and make a reservation or go online. Seating is limited and space is cozy, and you will sit elbow to elbow.
— If you are a planner like me, It might be risky not to know who’s your lineup when you make your reservation. You can view the line up only one week ahead. My friend and I saw Will Sylvince from Big Black Comedy Show, Greer Barnes from the Chappelle’s Show, and William Stephenson from Pootie Tang. We both had a great time. If you are in luck, some famous comedians may stop by unannounced the night you go.
— Admission run between $ 12.00– $ 24.00 depending on the day and time of the show. Of course, Fridays and Saturdays are the most expensive nights ($ 20-​$ 24.) Pro tip: Go Monday and Tuesday ($ 12.00) or 11:30 p. m show, A.K.A Nasty Show on Wednesday ($ 10.)
— Also, don’t forge the two-​items minimum. alcohol/​non-​alcohol drinks, food or dessert. How about that?!
— If you can’t live without your goddamn phone for two hours, dude, you need to have a real life. Put your cell phone on silent, or vibration, if you must. Anyway, Comedy Cellar is in a low-​ceilinged basement, so good luck getting a signal reception.
— Remember, it is not allowed to take photos, it distracts everyone, especially the comedian.
Four and Half Unilocal

The place is really cool in that you get to experience lots of tremendously funny up-​and-​coming comedians, and even get to see famous, well-​established folks as well. But the staff is so incredibly rude.
On my most frequent visit (and probably my last) Amy Schumer made a surprise appearance on stage. I was unaware that taking photos and recording video is not permitted. My friend is a huge fan of Amy and from the excitement decided she wanted to take a photo of her. As soon as her phone when up to snap the pic our waiter came over and yelled at us as if we were a couple of misbehaving kids. Shocked and a little embarrassed she promptly placed her phone on the table and the waiter then yelled «No, Put it Away Now!».
My immediate thought was this person must’ve lost their fucking mind talking to us like that. Then there were other short exchanges with the same waiter that were equally displeasing and unnecessary. Because I didn’t want to be the asshole that ruined the show for everyone else, I decided to just let it go and simply make a mental note to make sure I expressed my displeasure in a sure-​to-​come review – and here it is.
I really liked the joint, but if I’m going to spend my hard-​earned cash at an establishment at the very least I expect to be treated with respect. So, I’m pretty certain I will not be coming back to this hole.

always awesome. really great comedians, not badly priced tickets… and always a chance of a surprise guest. went last night and saw hilda… from sabrina the teenage witch… who was «eh»; however, just funny to see her there.
last year went and aziz and jerry seinfeld showed up — it was AWESOME.
love it!

Comedy Cellar, you da best. I’d been meaning to get tickets to this historic spot for ages and finally got off my sorry butt and made it happen.
The four of us came for the 7:30 Friday show and loved it. Comedy Cellar is a tiny, well-​oiled machine. The staff knows exactly what it’s doing, the comedians are on point, and if you wanted to take this opportunity to get wasted, you’re out of luck! There’s a drink maximum. Such a brilliant and responsible idea.
Will absolutely be back!

Great comedy venue, with a good regular setup and surprise performances by celebrity comedians.
Reasonable cover price + 2 drinks minimum per person (that we exceeded, cause why not) at reasonable prices make this a surprising bargain. Drinks are good too but nothing special, didn’t try the food. Need to book in advance online as the place gets filled up and very few on the stand-​by list are admitted. Reserving tickets for the non-​weekend shows is not difficult at all and they were usually available when we went. Weekend shows are more difficult and more expensive, obviously.

Time of my life! We were lucky enough to snag a spot for their 11:00pm show just a few days beforehand. I suggest reserving way ahead of time if you want to go at a specific time.
Came a wee bit early so we decided to check out some bars nearby. It’s location is perfect, we could have spent all night in that area if we wanted to. I do suggest, though, to fall in line as early as you can. It determines where you will be seated inside.
It’s really small and intimate inside. You really get to know the people you end up at a table with. For us we sat next to two people we met from Atlanta. We even ended up going to a bar together after the show to redeem our free drinks. They handed out these cards after the show to get a free drink next door.
The acts were die hard hilarious and if I’m not mistaken, most infamous comedians have performed here at least once.

Last minute thought, so we decided to see if they had any availability an hour or so before show time. We had no reservations, but you can walk up and put your name on standby and check back 30 minutes before showtime.
We came back 30 minutes prior to showtime, bodyguard/​bouncer/​human wrecking machine was calling out names of people on the standby list. By this time we had our fingers, toes and everything else crossed. «Marie party of 2, Joey party of 2, Angie party of 3, Frankie party of 2» (we were on pins & needles at this point)…“Willy party of 2″!!! Yahtzee… we made the list!!! If you dont get in, you can always put your name down for the next show or go somewhere else.
Oh wait… we sitting right in the front row in front of the mic stand? Ummmm… ok fine… we were up to the challenge to be picked on. So we knew it would be a fun time! Boy was it awesome! I had a great time being made fun of, laughed at others around me, I was happy we got those seats.
MC was hilarious, lineup was fantastic with the vulgar Judy Gold in the lineup as well. Couldnt stop laughing, tears in my eyes and a perfect way to start the first night in town.
2 drink minimum, $ 14 per person for the show. Prices were fine, service was quick, paying your bill at the end was effecient as well. Glad we came through and made the list, definitely a place to come back to, even for a Wednesday night! A friendly reminder: No photos/​video allowed inside whatsoever, unless you feel like getting thrown out by Hercules.

Saw a line up that looked good so I made my reservations and made a night of it. Louis C.K. came in a did a set. He killed it. He comes here from time to time. I got lucky and you might too. It was a good night. The other comics were funny too so even if Louis doesn’t stop by it’s a good time.

I went to Comedy Cellar last night for a small company outing and have mixed reviews.
Pros: the comedian that hosted the show and introduced the acts was hilarious. The show had four acts, which gave us a good variety of styles and senses of humor.
Cons: this club is overly strict with rules, which sucked a lot of the fun out of our evening. If you so much as peek at your cell phone to check the time, you will be kicked out. If you whisper to the person next to you to ask where the bathroom is, you will be kicked out. The space was very crammed and we were sitting on top of each other, which was quite uncomfortable. The staff was angry and hostile.

Great place for some laughs.
I came here for the second time last night with some friends, and it was as good as I remembered it. We made reservations ahead of time through their website and picked up our tickets upstairs at the Olive Tree Café & Bar. I highly recommend taking this approach, as you do not have to wait in line and they let you into the Comedy Cellar through the bar. Also, it’s an easy way to grab some food/​drinks before heading into the show.
The cellar has a solid setup. There are tables around the stage with additional seating throughout the venue. It is a good view of the comedians — whether they are standing along the iconic brick wall or playing a tune at the piano — no matter where you are sitting. There is a 2 item (food or drink) minimum per person, and our cover for the night was $ 14/​person. Check their website beforehand for the cover charge, as it varies depending on the night and time.
The lineup was great. The MC was William Stephenson, who was hilarious and did a great job of interacting with the crowd. All the comedians had enjoyable sets resulting in roaring laughs throughout the cellar. Keith Alberstadt was my personal favorite for the night; however, they all did a great job.
This is as good as it gets for comedy in NYC. It is definitely worth checking out if you are looking for something other than another night at the bars/​clubs.

So I have to preface this with I’m not a huge comedy person. That being said, I think all New Yorkers and tourists should check this place out at least once as it is a true New York experience. Not sure how to get tickets as my friend and I had to put our names on the wait list twice, leaving us to the 12:15am show! The only good thing with the late show was that the more seasoned, famous comedians, Dave Attell and Jeff Ross, made an appearance (albeit they were basically half-​asleep) and the show lasted longer (well actually too long as I was there until 3am). Food is blah (yay mozzarella sticks lol) and drinks seem ok — such a rip off to have to pay $ 24 as well as 2 items off the menu per person.
If you do end up doing the wait list thing, you can sign up and then wait in one of the nearby bars.
And get mamouns before or after :) With spicy tahini ;)

Had Saturday evening reservations. Got there 10 minutes late due to subway issues. Ugh. Then we were screwed. They had already given up our reservation to someone else. It never before took an hour to get to this part of town from the upper west side. But it did on this night. Thanks NYC subway system.
Get here on time. They will give up your reservation if you’re a minute late. No excuses. Kinda sucks when something out of your control happens…

Of course there’s a steep $ 20 cover charge (Friday night at The Village Underground)… but why wouldn’t you give us a straight answer when we asked?! «Two items minimum per person» was all the information we received. Towards the end of the show, our waitress accused us of not meeting that minimum when our 3 drinks and 1 fries basket were still sitting in front of the two of us.
Comedians were alright. There was a lineup of 5 – 6 performers and I only found one to be hysterical. One of the younger dudes was clearly stoned and incredibly awkward.

IMPOSIBLE LLEGAR A LA PUERTA DE ESTE LUGAR Y NO TARAREAR EL TEMITA DE LA PRESENTACIÓN DE LOUIE.
El Comedy Cellar ya es un lugar mítico en New York. Sí, el club de comediantes dónde Louis CK aparece en la mayoría de los episodios de esa genial serie que es Louie, por lo que una vez que entras te sentís realmente en un sitio especial.
Este club/​bar no es demasiado grande, por lo que hay que reservar los lugares con anticipación en su página web. La entrada sale 14 dólares y aparte tenes que pedir dos consumiciones que pueden ser las que uno quiera, desde café, gaseosas, tragos o hasta unas cervezas tiradas que son realmente buenas.
Como imaginaran, la onda del Comedy Cellar es ir y poder presenciar distintos shows de stand up, que entre famosos comediantes locales y jóvenes en ascenso hacen que la velada sea de lo más divertida mientras tomas una rica cerveza. Todo es realmente muy bueno y sin dudas vale la pena ir a este lugar, ni hablar si son fans de Louie.

Had such a fun Saturday night here! Failed to make a reservation, but waited outside to get in off the waitlist. As we waited, I realized that I had forgotten my ID. The bouncer was kind enough to take me at my word and allowed us in when our names were finally called. I must be looking real old and washed up these days. Great.
Anyway– the comics were hilarious and Aziz Ansari made a guest appearance. I laughed so hard, I cried. Standard 2 drink minimum plus entrance fee.
My only complaint is the attitude of the waitresses, or ours at least. They need to RE-​LAX about the cellphone policy. Sending a 6 word text to my babysitter without even removing my phone from my handbag between comedians hardly deserves a reprimand. Sheesh.

I usually only write about restaurants and food places, but the Comedy Cellar is just one of those special places that’s worthy of a review. Whenever I go to NYC, I’m for sure doing two things: eating halal at 53^rd and 6^th, and catching a show at the Comedy Cellar.
I’ve been lucky enough to see some quality comedians perform in some of the Chicago comedy clubs before they became super famous… people like Hannibal Burress, Anthony Jeselnik, and Aziz Ansari. When we were planning a trip to NY, we wanted a taste of the great NY comedy scene too. During our first trip though, we got scammed into going to one of those crappy $ 10 comedy shows from those people selling tickets in Times Square. Lesson learned. The next time we came through NYC though, we wised up and did a little research this time and saw that this place was iconic and is a must see for stand-​up fans.
Prices are insanely cheap for the quality of comedians you’re getting. Definitely make a reservation in advance and make sure to get in line early enough to get in. You can easily kill time at the bar next door, the Olive Tree. There’s a 2 drink minimum, which I don’t mind because it really does boost the atmosphere and makes for a more fun and lively crowd. Laughter is contagious.
The lineups are posted shortly before the show and usually include some decent names who were writers for some big time comedy and late night shows. Even though they may not be everyday names, a lot of them have some hilarious material. If you’re really lucky, famous comedians sometimes drop by unannounced and try out some new material they’re working on. I’ve been to the Comedy Cellar several times and have been lucky enough to see sets by Louis CK and Chris Rock. I heard that Aziz also dropped by the day before one of the shows I went to. I’ll admit, the material they’re trying out wasn’t the most polished and funniest stuff I’ve seen, but it’s just so surreal being so close to some of the biggest comedians I grew up watching. I’ve had an awesome time at every show I’ve seen here.
Overall, the Comedy Cellar is a staple in the comedy scene and is a great way to spend a night out in NYC. Hang out at the Olive tree before, watch the show at the Cellar, and cap it off with some Ben’s Pizzeria afterward.

I’m obsessed with comedy so I’m already biased on this review but this was such a fun place! I was visiting here from LA where I frequently go to the local spots and I was highly recommended to go to the Comedy Cellar.
Make a reservation! Thankfully, we went on a weeknight and were able to wait and get in but I don’t think we would have been as lucky on the weekend. We went to the bar next door and when the Comedy Cellar called our name, the bar delivered our food and drinks to us at our table :)
There is a two item minimum — food and drinks count!
The comedians were hilarious! The venue itself is a cozy atmosphere and has a good vibe. I wish I could come here more!

Amazing ! (oui mon anglais n’ira pas plus loin)
Le stand-​up est forcément une institution outré-​manche, mais ce fut là une de mes meilleures expériences de New York.
Un grand merci au blog de Pénélope Bagieu d’avoir donné la piste, c’était absolument génial !
Il s’agit tout d’abord de réserver sur le site pour le soir qui vous intéresse puis se présenter à l’heure dite à l’antipathique hôtesse
On nous installe dans une salle où des tables de toute taille se touchent: il né s’agit pas de perdre de place, tous les sièges seront pris donc préparez vous à la convivialité !
Obligation de prendre deux boissons durant le set qui dure une heure et demi environ, un énoooooorme pouce vert pour leurs martinis à se rouler par terre !
D’ailleurs se rouler par terre c’est exactement ce que vous allez faire pendant une heure et demi !
J’avoue, j’appréhendais, mon niveau d’anglais n’est pas excellent, je baragouine surtout avec les mains (…) mais je suis au niveau «regarde les films et les séries en VO, parfois sans les sous-​titres». Je dirais que j’ai capté à peu près 80% des vannes, et pour les 20% restants, tu es tellement emporté par l’ambiance que tu te bidonnes.
La frousse verte: être interpellée par le beau gosse qui introduit les artistes et fait des vannes sur le public entre deux sketchs… ouf, on est passé à travers, mais quelle marrade !
Le niveau est vraiment bien au dessus de ce qu’on voit en France, entre l’à propos et l’humour en demi-​teinte, et le comique de situation.
Bref: grand GRAND kiff à né pas rater en visite à la grosse pomme !
Ah oui dernier conseil: c’est en sortant qu’on règle donc né laissez pas négligemment vos billets sur la table en partant on né vous laisse pas sortir si vous né payez pas :-/