Cobb’s Comedy Club

Overall a fun experience (I mean, you’re going there to laugh right?)
— I liked the venue size (not way huge but a bit bigger than the typical small intimate comedy club)
— Surprisingly decent street parking (though we were there on a weeknight FWIW)
— Good view of stage from almost anywhere so skip the «preferred seating» upsell
— Standard 2 item minimum order per person was expected. Menu of appetizers and drinks was meh.
— Comedy is what you’re there for, and it we got it from the MC/​host (can’t remember his name but really funny), and the headliner (Jim Norton when we went). Can;t say much for the opening act (don;t remember her name but she was quite forgettable).
Again, essentially as expected. Really 3.5 stars if I am being picky, but gave the 4 because at the end of the night, at least you’ve probably still been entertained with good comedy by whoever you actually came see

as with every other review, beware 2 drink minimum, which I am not sure how its legal (why not make it a 10 drink minimum), its on the ticket and written EVERYWHERE inside and they enforce this 100%, the drinks fucking ridiculously overpriced — this includes pop and water which they try and offer you if you dont want the even more expensive alcohol. After the audience had been warmed up by a hilarious woman, everything was going great expect the next act which died a slow and painful death on the stage (not cobbs comedy clubs fault) just very bad talent, he was either drunk or high or both and was just terrible. the club has large groups of staff going around telling anyone on their phone or talking to «shut the fuck up» and «take it outside» which is understandable, however when the act was so bad, no one was laughing, people were booing (who were instantly jumped upon by the staff) it was kind of shitty. if the act was good i would have finished 3 drinks but he was so bad, we all refused to purchase a second drink, after the supervisor, then his supervisor, then his manager all came over, eventually they kicked us out with a few minuets left, no biggie, did not feel like giving them anymore of our money after such a bad performance and the clubs handling of that. would not return because of this.

Would have gotten a better review if they actually followed through with the zero tolerance policy on hecklers being 86’ed.
Admittedly, the opener for Dave Attell on 1÷30÷16 (late show) was horribly awkward at best … (Poor Shawn Somethingaruther.), but hearing «You suck!» And «Get off the stage, Loser!» more than a few times, just makes for an uncomfortable evening all around. I wasn’t sure why they allowed 1. This guy to actually attempt to finish a set and 2. Why those who couldn’t keep their comments below a bellow weren’t removed.
Dave was terrific and brought the audience into the act which makes it more fun. We were celebrating an anniversary and Dave bought the hubby a drink, after he answered some expected adult questions… So cool. Food is what you’d expect, but drink prices were as others have mentioned, totally insane. And with the 2 drink minimum, per person, it’s quadruple rape, but whatever… We were there to have a good time, so that was part of the deal.
Drinks were not soft… Plenty of alcohol to either warm you up or piss you off, depending on your «drunk style.»
Ambiance is slightly cheesy, but it’s a comedy club, so you kinda expect it. Stage and curtain look worn and a touch sad. They keep the lighting fairly dim, perhaps an effort to conceal more sadness?
This was our second time at Cobb’s. Both times, we left laughing, and that’s the goal, right?

Venue wasn’t too bad — pretty spacious, easy to get in (no lines like in NYC!), and generous pours of wine. What I didn’t like was the lineup. It seemed like everyone was either high or on some kind of substance. That’s fine if they’re funny, but I think only 1 out of the 5 – 6 comedians who went up were decent. Most of the jokes were based on Oakland stereotypes, which, whether I’m a native Bay Area resident or not, just didn’t seem that clever or relatable… so I couldn’t appreciate or laugh about it either way.
Of course I’m comparing them to comedians in NYC, but what I like about comedians in NYC is that they base their jokes on more general topics like gender or race issues, which MOST people can actually relate to. Also, they’re much wittier.
Perhaps I’m being a bit critical, but it’s a comedy club. Ergo, «Make me laugh, clown!» :)

The place has a good set up. I went to see Craig Robinson, he was great. I took a star because the guy serving us was super pushy. He interrupted the show for us to make sure we ordered the second drink because of the two drink minimum. He was kind of a dick. Besides that guy, I had a good experience.

Venue location was nice but for the first time ever in my life I had to leave the show because of how bad and extremely annoying the comedy sketch was. We went there to watch the 10:30pm comedy session of the Presidential Debate on Friday 22^nd of January. The jokes were not clever, they were easy and full of cheesy humor that made me and my girlfriend standup after 30 minutes and walk out. Besides the few people that were clearly hired to laugh out loud about everything that was said, the audience was pretty quiet and still.
Worst comedy show I have ever seen. Nothing against the location or the Venue, this is just a bad review of this one SketchFest play they hosted entitled «Presidential Debate: The Write-​In Candiates with james adomian matt besser paul gilmartin mary houlihan brian huskey and dan van kirk moderated by tom shillue from fox news channels red eye»

As a venue, Cobb’s is very spacious and has ample seating upstairs and downstairs for a full house. You get a great view of the stage no matter where you are seated. I came here for SFsketchfest and was disappointed by the main act «The Birthday Boys» but the two opening acts were quite entertaining and did a good job of warming up the crowd. They also have complimentary coat check which is nice. The staff is incredibly friendly and came to get our drink orders immediately after we were seated. Although they kept on returning to check up on us during the show which was slightly annoying. They do have a 2 drink minimum, which is typical for comedy clubs but the drinks were on the small size. The moscow mule and cabernet were delicious but once again quite small. I would definitely come back to see another show, but probably only for a bigger name comedian.

Went to see Jamie Kennedy on the 2^nd (he’s actually funnier than you think) the show wasn’t bad and it was only $ 25.
But nobody’s lying when they say there’s a two (weak drink) minimum and they’re fucking ridiculously overpriced.
So basically your paying around $ 40 -$ 50 for the show.
I put a four star because it was a big enough place with room to breath and it seemed to be clean enough.

Smells of garlic chicken gym socks… I initially felt my body becoming used to the smell but then it reached a plateau. No amount of smelling my wine or my hair or my coat could distract me. My hearty husband of course recognized the scent issue as well, but was able to put up with it. Because he’s like almost an actual saint.
We got this super random balcony seat away from all the other patrons, where you could still see the stage, but it was off in a corner and completely un-​festive. Even tough– when we arrived there were LOTS of floor level seats still available… (We were not ugly or drunk ‘n’ disorderly or anything, no reason to shove us in the least desirable seat)
Then Richard Lewis was like, ACTUALLY drunk ‘n’ disorderly. Well, Something was really wrong with the guy because he was basically standing on stage babbling incoherently for an hour, and not in a good way. I leaned over to Husband to remark on how my nose still picked up that awful smell, and he said, «I think it’s coming from Richard Lewis.» At which point we left.
Yuck, man.

They get some big name comedians and it’s cool to see them in an intimate environment. There isn’t really a bad seat in the house, with the exception of the upstairs area (the pillars can/​will obstruct your view).
The food is pretty average; typical bar type food. If you ask me though, it’s overpriced. Same can be said with the drinks (following just the 2 drink minimum for 2 people it’ll cost you at least $ 50.00). Nothing special, and the service can be pretty slow at points.
I have been to Cobb’s a bunch but I didn’t experience this, until this past Saturday (12.26) at the Richard Lewis show. My girlfriend and I sat upstairs and, the sound was TERRIBLE. We said something to the staff and they brushed us off. We couldn’t make out anything the first two guys were saying or the house guy telling you not to film anything. Richard Lewis wasn’t as hard to hear, but we could literally only understand about 50% of what he said. However, downstairs the sound is fine anywhere.

Good comedy club! Note two drink minimum. Jarrett, our server, was excellent. The venue is comfortable and they started on time. Would definitely recommend this place and will probably come back!

First time here and it wasn’t bad at all. A friend bought the tickets and had invited me to go see Jo Koy. The line went by fairly quick and we got out seats within 10 – 15 mins. The atmosphere was amazing. Plenty of seating, they even have an upstairs. The service was great. Our waitress checked in our table multiple times without being overwhelmed. Bathrooms are easily located and they tell you ahead of time where they are, so you’re not asking or wandering around during the show. Wish they had a few more stalls for that occupancy. It was definitely a night full of laughter.

Out with some girlfriends to watch JoKoy at Cobb’s Comedy Club.
As the waitress/​runner arrives at our table and starts to hand out our drinks, she reaches out and says «here’s your hot tea» and spills it on my arms, legs and the table. She apologizes and asks if I’m ok. I was in shock and could barely speak. I was thankful that my skin wasn’t burned but my jeans and shoes were wet and uncomfortable. She then asked if I’d like a real towel. I said yes and upon her return with the towel/​rag, she wipes down the table first and offers me the towel.
You can imagine my surprise… The show hasn’t even started and we haven’t even had our drinks and she’s already spilling drinks! And the lights were still on…
The show was awesome. As for the service, absolutely shocked!!! I’m sure she would be too if this happened to her…
The only saving grace was our main waitress apologized and spoke with the manager, then offered comp tickets to a future event.
Spent the rest of the night laughing my butt off at the JoKoy show and drying my jeans…

I’ve been here a couple of times to see Max and Jo Koy! Cobb’s brings in great talent, and ticket pricing seems reasonable (purchased through Live Nation). There is a standard 2 drink minimum which is in line with other comedy clubs I’ve been to.
I particularly like this place because every seat in the house is good. The set up is a bit more intimate than other places, and every seat I’ve had has been great. There’s VIP seating and general admission. If you get there early enough you can sit near the VIP section.
The bathrooms are placed in an odd section so if you want to get up during an act or if you come late it is super obvious and the comedian will probably call you out!
My only gripe about this place is that the parking situation sucks! Street parking in the city can be brutal if the parking gods aren’t on your side that day. Luckily, I had good parking karma when I came.

It had been YEARS since I’ve been to Cobb’s, so was excited to go last night to see Michael Ian Black. Was a great show! But the review is for the club, not the comedy.
I like the venue; very large and seems like you’d have a good view from most, if not all, of the seats. My wife and I were seated right up by the stage, just off to the side. We weren’t charged an extra $ 10 for those seats, so I don’t know if we just got lucky, or if that policy is fluid.
The staff I interacted with was all great. Very friendly. So far we are at a good 5 stars.
We ate at a restaurant near the club, so I can’t comment on their food. The plates of fries and calamari did look pretty large though.
Yes, there is a two drink Minimum. Yes, the drinks are too expensive. Yes the cocktails are very very weak. I expected all this, so was not TOO fazed by the large final bill and my total sobriety. My wife’s cocktails tasted good, but there was barely a noticeable taste of alcohol in either. Wanting to actually feel my two drinks, I ordered a beer (always safe), and a shot of Bacardi 151. I figured if I was going to pay $ 12+ for a shot, let’s make it a strong one. (Still 5 stars)
It was not a strong one. The flavor was 151 but diluted. And there was practically NO burn. If you’ve ever taken a straight shot of 151, you can’t get away from the burn that wants to keep climbing up through your nostrils. I chased it with a tiny swig of beer, and the burn was LESS than a regular shot of normal 80 proof alcohol.
Weak drinks I understand and sadly expect, but watered down shots? Is that even legal?
(5 stars — 2 stars = 3 stars).
If it turns out my alcohol taste buds have burned themselves out over the years (as my wife suggested) and I just don’t feel the burn of 151 anymore (it had been many years since my last shot of that stuff), I’ll edit my review to 5 stars. Hmm… I think I now have weekend plans.

$ 100 for a mediocre comedy show + overpriced drinks is not a laughing matter to me.
I hadn’t been to Cobb’s Comedy Club in ages. So when a friend told me about Norm MacDonald’s upcoming show, I jumped at the chance to buy tix. Of course, they had all been sold out. So we decided to look for tix on Craigslist. But then lo and behold, more tix opened up on the day of the show.
We arrived at 7pm for the 7:30 performance. Immediately upon entering, we were approached by a staff member who inquired if we’d like to sit upfront by the stage. Of course, we replied. And then he informed us that it would be an extra $ 10/​person. We hadn’t even sat down yet and we were already getting the shameless up-​sell treatment.
After declining the guy’s offer, we took our seats in the middle of the packed room. Our waiter came up to take our drink order. Before we could even order our first drink, he reminded us of the two-​drink minimum. Ok ok, pal. Take it easy. My friend and I both ordered a Jack Daniels on the rocks. The waiter nodded his head and replied, «We have Maker’s Mark.» I could tell the guy was busy, so we just said yes to the Maker’s. Little did we know, the guy had just significantly up-​sold us on our beverage. Of course, we didn’t figure this out until we received the bill at the end of the show. 4 drinks (that were mostly ice) cost me roughly $ 50 without tip! I’m sorry, but I failed to see the humor in getting ripped off.
As for the comedy show, there was an M.C. who did a short set; and then an opening act (some guy with a guitar who specialized in silly songs), and then the main event — Norm MacDonald. To be honest, the first two performers did nothing for me. I don’t think I cracked a smile more than twice. As for Norm, he didn’t disappoint. As far as I’m concerned, he could read the phone book and it would be hilarious.
All in all, this two hour experience cost me $ 40 for tix, and $ 60 for drinks. I don’t want to sound frugal or anything. But to me, that’s a lot of mullah to be dishing out for something I could’ve watched at home on Comedy Central with a Jack on the rocks. And that’s no joke.

We’ve been here twice, to see Jon Lovitz and Iliza Shlesinger. The shows were great, but this review is about the place.
First, you can buy tickets directly from the box office and skip the annoying Ticketmaster fees. That’s good. Next, the place is fairly large so you might want to get there early to make sure you have a good view of the stage. The doors open at 6:15 for a 7:30 show. Then, with all that time to wait and a two drink minimum you can hang out and talk with your friends. The drinks are fine, but I’d be wary of the food. Pretty junky.
The staff is great, the place is clean and they get top-​tier talent. What’s not to like for a fun, affordable night out?

Okay seriously, people need to get over the 2 drink minimum. The tickets to the events are not even expensive. We came here for the very first time over the weekend to see Ali Wong. I had no idea who she was prior, but she was pretty darn funny. The show had 2 other comedians perform so you definitely get your money’s worth.
To management: The thought of having to order atleast 2 drinks made us more conscious of how many drinks we were ordering– which ultimately made us feel obligated to limit ourselves to 2 drinks. So why not just set a minimum for food/​drinks combined?
Overall, we had a great time here and will be back for another date night.

Really 3.5 stars. They have good comics, and the venue is pretty good, but the staff/​policies are annoying. You can make this work for you, though, if you are in the know. So I’m gonna help you.
1. Bring cash. Do NOT give them a credit card to ‘hold.’ This will not work in your favor. They will try to argue with you. Just say ‘no.’ Pay for your drinks as you go. Better plan. If you leave your card they will hassle you to buy more drinks which is irritating and interrupts your enjoyment of the show. (Cuz they’ll want to come close out your bill right when the headline comic is winding up their show… horrible timing!)
If you’re not really a drinker just get 2 sodas during the opening act… and give one away. Then they’ll leave you alone. I tried telling them to just charge me for 2 sodas but dont give me a soda cuz I dont really want anything thanks, but that didnt fly and just took up a bunch of comedy time… grrr.
2. Seating. Uhm, you can pretty much sit anywhere unless it’s at the ‘upgraded’ reserved seats. So sit where you like, rather than where they tell you. Balcony? Yes.
3. Eat first. There are many excellent food choices in the neighborhood. The food at Cobb’s is not good and is ridiculously expensive.
4. Do not forget to bring your id even if you’re old and gray. They are still gonna card you.
But you are going there for the comedy, right? And that is what they deliver and they do it really really well.

Great comedy with some big names and not super expensive? Sign me up. I checked out Jay Pharoah this past weekend and to be expected he was hilarious. Cobb’s did a great job with finding some great openers as well. The emcee, her name escapes me and a local SF comic, Reggie Steal were just as funny.
A few pro-​tips about the Cobb’s Comedy experience (since I’m early a pro after one visit):
Arrive about an hour before the show to try and snag some good seats. Don’t want to wait in line? You can upgrade to front row for $ 10 per seat more.
If you buy online you get charged that $ 10ish ticket fee (Live Nation, yo). Try calling the box office to purchase and pick up at will call.
Drinks– I resisted the mixed drinks per the advice of Unilocal reviews and stuck with beer. Service was on point, we never were without. I appreciate the water jugs (with lemon and cucumber) located by the bathrooms. Yes, an $ 8 beer sucks, but that’s life. A 2 drink minimum seems kind of silly, maybe a $ 15 beverage/​food minimum per person would work for all interested parties, but until then, 2 drinks it is.
The food — your typical fried/​fatty foods: calamari, wings, quesadillas. I didn’t eat as I enjoyed the SF dining scene beforehand and I suggest that you do too. A few neighboring tables did indulge and I spied some hearty portions.
I’m a total fan. A really fun night out when you’re looking to do something a bit different from the restaurant/​bar/​Netflix scene. I’ll definitely be back (Norm Macdonald this September) and I suggest keeping an eye on their upcoming schedule.

The remodel they’ve done is very nice. I always thought the stage area was a little hoaky but now it looks great and much more modern and professional.
They have a great cocktail menu and we were served a exemplary version of a Side Car. Our waitress was also very nice. She always made sure we were good to go with drinks.
I must say this was the most enjoyable visit I’ve had since having come and had some pretty bad ones.

‘We have an amazing relationship and it’s very physical, I mean he still pushes all my buttons. People say ‘oh but he’s so much older than you’ and you know what, I’m the one having to push him away. Yeah, we have so much in common, we both love soup and we love the outdoors. We love snow peas… and talking and not talking. We could not talk or talk forever and still find things to not talk about.”
Please don’t tell Jamie W. that I’m in love with Jennifer Coolidge (photo:
). OK, he knows already. I can’t help it. Everything she’s ever done has given me a fit of the giggles, which is why I was floored to find out she actually does stand-​up now. I had not been back to Cobb’s in close to two decades and completely forgot what a fun place this could be with the right comic. I remember when Cobb’s was in the Cannery before a fire got them evicted. They’ve been in their current Columbus Avenue location since only 2002.
I had bought full-​price tickets for us to see her, $ 28 each, this past Sunday, and it was worth coming 90 minutes early to get a good seat in the third row of café tables. It’s surprisingly spacious for a comedy club, and of course, a two-​drink minimum which they remind you of constantly with the slide show they play automatically onstage before the show starts. I think Jamie was smart and ordered beers, while I went girly and had two Root Beer Floats, a tooth-​aching sweet concoction that mixed Bailey’s Irish Cream with real cream and a whole lot of vodka over ice (photo:
).
I was feeling no pain when J Cool came out after a fitfully funny starter comedienne opened the show. She was hilarious and performed a set that lasted for the good part of an hour — performing a fictional scene from her first movie, «Sophie’s Choice», where she was munching a danish while ratting on poor Sophie; sharing her feeling of inferiority hanging around a group of neighboring young doctors; and recounting her shock and humiliation in discovering someone else’s pile of poo on the floor of a fancy bathroom at a celebrity-​filled party where a line of people were waiting for her to come out. We definitely need to come back to Cobb’s more often.