Tempe Improv

Jacob the bartender was very courteous and took care of me. I wouldn’t consider myself a baller, but for one small moment, this great haired bartender (seriously though it’s great) made me feel like a baller, and that’s a pretty baller move in itself. I owe him everything for that night I saw Jeff ross, at the Tempe improv, for real.

It had been over 15 years since the last time I had come to the Temple Improv. It isn’t as nice as it used to be.
The food was amazing. Had the angus beef sliders with fries. Drank water as I was designated driver.
The food and drink prices are too ridiculous. But the ticket price is decent.
Kimi was our server was terrific.
All in all it was a very nice time

I’ve tried in vain to contact somebody from the Improv for several weeks via email and telephone but haven’t been able to reach anybody, so I suppose I have to resort to a Unilocal review. Earlier this month, my girlfriend and I attended the Christopher Titus New Year’s Eve show. Long story short, one of the servers (Michael), accidentally spilled an entire cocktail tray of champagne all over my girlfriend and ruined her dress. Although he quickly apologized, we left the club feeling like the situation should have been better handled. We both understand that accidents happen, but we expected more than a hurried apology and a handful of towels to clean up the mess ourselves. I won’t go as far as to say that the incident ruined the evening, but it certainly made New Year’s Eve less enjoyable when she spent the rest of the night walking around in a soggy dress with wet hair. I wouldn’t ordinarily complain, but we came away disappointed and thought that the situation was handled poorly at the time and it has been challenging to connect with anybody at the club since then.

I have been coming to this venue for sometime now. Always a great experience. Our last visit was to see Jeff Ross. Besides the headliner the opening act and host were equally as GREAT! Now to the server. Andrew was on top of everything. Besides being very polite he made sure we had everything we needed. My wife is in a wheelchair and it could be a challenge sometimes to go out, not here. Kimmy was a server we met at the end of the night when we were exiting. Not only made way for us to get out, but when I realized we went out the wrong exit I went back in to find her and she made sure we got out safely. THANKS KIMMY!!! The only thing i was a bit disappointed in was that the club chopped up the menu and jacked up the prices a bit. I miss my old favorites. Hey, nobody’s perfect. So for a great show with great service this is your place.

I am on the VIP member list and sometimes get offered free tickets. I think that’s pretty cool, with the 2-​drink minimum it brings the cost down to about $ 35 for a couple (that’s 2 beers each! Cocktails are $ 13+). There are often good comedians there, including the resident one who introduces people is pretty damn funny.
But the reviews are correct, the drink prices are ridiculous. Expect to pay a minimum of $ 6 (and that’s for a non-​alcoholoc beverage.) I was really disappointed last night when my date & I showed up 45 minutes early only to be seated ACROSS from each other and I was facing away from the stage. When I tried to switch seats the host refused, telling me «it’s not fair to the other couples» and that «someone has to sit backwards.» What a stupid rule… We got there early so we should have our choice.
Personally I prefer Stand-​Up Live downtown, it has Copper Blues next door also but there are many more places to go within walking distance. And the seating is set up better, I have never had to face away from the stage. I probably won’t be back to Tempe Improv unless I get free tickets.

We’ve been to a couple of other comedy clubs in the Phoenix area and finally decided to go to the Tempe Improv on a Saturday night. Chris Titus was here and we had heard really good things about his show so we had high expectations. We didn’t pre-​purchase tickets, just got them right at the door. They were a bit slow in this process for whatever reason, however we had gotten there early enough so it wasn’t a big deal.
We were seated in the middle area towards the back so we had a pretty good vantage point of the stage. The middle/​big isle was behind me so I didn’t feel cramped. I’d definitely recommend getting there about a half hour or so early, if not earlier, because the tables started filling up really fast after we got there. I imagine a lot of the shows are just as popular as the one we went to and fill up in the same way.
I definitely enjoyed the show! Chris Titus is a funny guy. If you’re not a fan of kids or don’t mind poking fun at parenthood, this is definitely a good show for you to see!
Additionally, the service during the show was good. We were greeted upon arrival and ordered drinks right away. Since there was a two drink minimum, we made it easy and told our server to get us a round of the same thing when he came by halfway through the show. I think it would definitely be a good idea if you want something different than what you originally order to just tell your server beforehand. There were some people a few seats away from us who were have a conversation multiple times with the waiter while the show was happening. It was a bit distracting to us as well as others around us.
Keep in mind this ends up being a fairly expensive date night. It was $ 50 for 2 tickets ($ 25 each), and the specialty cocktails were about $ 70 (2 drink minimum, so 4 total drinks each at $ 14 plus tax & 15% gratuity automatically added). I’m sure there are other options that satisfy the 2 drink minimum at a much lower price though. It was a fun experience for us, so we’ll return.

Fun place to go with friends for laughs and a night out. (The star is for the comedians). But you will be screwed with drinks. NON-​ALCOHOL drinks. $ 13.95 for ice tea for 1 person served in a clear solo cups. And 2 was all we were going to get. Ordered our drinks 20 mins before show started, our first teas came after 1^st act, 2^nd tea came beginning of headliner. Then here came our $ 35.00 bill of course tip is included. When asked about the charges was told its the unlimited drink price. Really??? And all I got was 2… I told our waiter he better go fill a few pitchers to go.
After $ 20 charge to get in and then the over priced 2 drink minimum requirement, this place is a rip off!
I hate to see what the alcohol drink prices are, take out a 2^nd mortgage to cover that bill.

Are you kidding me with this BS!!! Don’t even have words for what went down at Improv tonight. Sadly, amazing comics choose to perform here so sadly I must deal with your crap again. Really looking forward to that ugh!

The prices are not worth it. Go see the amazing comics elsewhere.

I never thought I would give a comedy house such a good review but I am. The improv is a great place to meet friends or a first date.
The improv was pretty big but you sit very closely next to people so make sure you wear deodorant and have on clean clothes, elbow room isn’t a options.
Now… For the mediocre food and the $$ drinks. There is a two drink minimum so you still have to spend money on top of the $ 35 per person tickets.
Three drinks and a small bowl of French fries cost $ 56… Yeah!!! I said it correctly.
We had great seats and the crowd was awesome!
It was Arsenol Hall as the comic last night and to my surprise he was extremely funny. He sure wasn’t the late night host I remember on television who didn’t curse and wore suits. His delivery was on time and the audience was captivated by every joke he said.
I would visit The Improv again but it would have to be one of my all time favorite comedian’s before I’m dropping that kind of $$ again.

I’ve seen a few good shows here: Doug Loves Movies, Maria Bamford, Adam Carolla, Brian Posehn (first comedy show – saw him before they closed for a long time)
Nothing bad to say about them. Good food, good drinks. Good comedians regularly. I’ve had them call once or twice when I won some «contest» for comedians I had never heard of, but I suspect whatever comedian they had just couldn’t sell for that night. I prefer them over Stand-​up Scottsdale. Seems like they’re run by the same people as Stand Up Live, who also do a great job.

Cool place. Went here 2 weekends in a row with some friends. They definitely cram you in there pretty tight. Not a bad seat in the house though. Like most comedy clubs, it is a 2 drink minimum which I have no complaints on. For dinner, I ordered the Cajun pasta. Wasn’t the greatest and was drowning in sauce, but my expectations also weren’t that high being at a comedy club.
Will definitely return, but will probably eat before coming next time.

This place though. Great venue for comedians, why they get the one star regardless if I have to give a star.
They lose the other four because for years now my email continually gets spammed by them. I’ve hit the unsubscribe button, and called in numerous times to be removed from their list to no avail. Always get passed on to someone else. This is a joke. Maybe someone will see this comment and hopefully finally do something about it.
DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!!!

I was a first timer here last night. The boyfriend and I had a blast! Every comedian was making us laugh so hard. Drinks were delicious, not to mention the food!!! Service was also great. Everyone was super friendly, and helpful with food and drink suggestions. It’s a bit pricey, but I can understand why. The taste quality of the food was on point! Can’t wait to come again.

We’ve been to most of the comedy clubs in the valley. This is the most recent one we’ve visited. The comic was really great, but the experience was SO TERRIBLE that it ruined the whole experience. First, they don’t start seating people early enough, so the entry room gets incredibly crowded and awkward. When they do start seating things seem very chaotic — the hostesses are completely overwhelmed. The way they have the seats set up, many of the chairs are turned with the backs completely to the stage. This means you need to turn completely away from the table (and your food or drinks, and companions) to view the stage. Most comedy clubs pack people in, and this is no exception but it felt more cramped and uncomfortable than normal.
I was prepared for the two drink minimum (which is STRICT by the way, your waiter will pester you endlessly) — what I wasn’t prepared for is for one normal well drink (vodka — soda water) to be $ 14. Not kidding. So you’re looking at $ 30 bucks for two shitty drinks, in addition to what you paid for the tickets.
The service is spread thin, I asked for water at the beginning of the show, and ended up getting it about 10 minutes before the show ended, after reminding the server many times. My boyfriend went to the bar to try to get water from them, and were turned away and told to speak to our waiter.
Then, allegedly at the request of the comic — the bills were held until the show was completely over. For whatever reason, our row of tables were the last in the establishment to get our bills, and had to wait after almost the entire establishment was emptied to be allowed to pay and leave. Additionally, 15% gratuity was included — but that isn’t obvious on your bill which you’re filling out in a dark room. This I’m certain is intentional — because we tipped the waiter in addition to the 15% without realizing (in spite of the bad service, we always tip)
When leaving, they block of the exit down the stairs to make you walk through their bar next door, I’m guessing they’re hoping you’ll forget how terrible your experience was, and give them more of your money. The best word for this place is sleazy. We will never be back.

I want to like this place, I really do, but every time I come back I am underwhelmed by the experience (at best).
The last two times I’ve come, I was given free (or close to free — my last «free» tickets included a nearly $ 3 surcharge) tickets. Given this, my expectations for the quality of the comedy were fairly low. Comedy is hit-​or-​miss when it’s popular, and when a Saturday night show can’t sell out it’s not a good sign. I say this to emphasize that my review has nothing to do with the comedy — it is 100% about the service.
Tempe Improv, unfortunately, follows an antiquated comedy club model that’s hurting them more than it’s helping them. On one of my recent visits, my party wasn’t given menus — apparently they don’t have enough menus for all their tables, and our server was not inclined to get some brought upstairs for us. What ensued was an awkward game of 20 questions with our server to figure out what was on the menu, how much it cost, and whether it would satisfy our two-​item minimum. I ended up looking up the menu on my phone so I could tell what items were vegetarian-​friendly (not many).
Our server seemed scatterbrained and hurried, and he frequently forgot basic items we asked for (cups of water, a glass for my boyfriend’s bottled beer, refills of bottomless sodas…).
We received menus on our last visit, but they weren’t particularly helpful. Only the food has prices, and it is impossible to tell what will and what will not satisfy the two-​item minimum. This forces us to engage in another game of 20 questions with the server to determine what we can and should order.
Three of our party ended up ordering bottomless sodas to satisfy the minimum. One of our party ordered two bottled beers. (A note about beer at Tempe improv: they have an extensive mixed-​drink menu, but absolutely no beer on tap. Not even shitty domestic beer. That’s nearly unacceptable in this day and age.) I didn’t want to drink and I wasn’t hungry, so the soda was one of my few options.
I was expecting it to be $ 11, because that’s what we paid the last time we came (a Thursday). Nope. It was $ 15 — plus tax and 15% gratuity (more on that later). My boyfriend’s two beers (a far lower profit margin than sugar and water) were $ 6 each. It’s highway robbery to charge $ 15 for a soda in the first place, but charging 25% more than the beers and 36% more than a ‘Thursday soda’ really bothered me. It just speaks to how out of touch the Improv is.
The Improv decides to tack 15% gratuity onto every bill, regardless of party size. I assume this is to avoid people tipping the servers based on the quality of the comedy rather than the service, but it’s still obnoxious. I tip 20% minimum unless the service is really horrible, so it bothers me when institutions assume I won’t tip and charge me for it anyway. That is the fastest way to ensure a minimum (15%) tip from me. If you’re that concerned about your servers getting adequately compensated, you should adjust your prices, but don’t force me to pay for it regardless of service quality. Our servers both times were adequate (though not stellar), but I would like the ability to adjust my tip down if service is truly horrible.
At the end of the show, we were unable to leave the way we came in. Big, burly men were standing in front of the doors at the back of the theater and telling us to leave through the doors at the front of the room. They routed us through Copper Blues via the exit doors. That move was in incredibly poor taste, given that the owners of the Improv own Copper Blues, too. I already felt taken advantage of at the show ($ 15 soda, forced tip, bullshit ticket surcharge, no menus, barely adequate service…), and I certainly wasn’t about to spend any more money just because they forced me to walk through their bar.
And that’s the crux of the issue. The owners of these places (Improv and CB) are so far out of touch with how to run a customer service-​oriented business that they’re literally driving their customers away. I have no inclination to be fleeced of my money in such shady ways, especially given the quality of the comedy.
They could easily earn my business (comedy notwithstanding) if they posted their prices on EVERYTHING, printed more damn menus, nixed the mandatory tip, and rethought the two-​item minimum. I don’t think it’s necessary. I would happily pay a reasonable cover (~$ 10) and buy ONE reasonably-​priced item (no more $ 15 sodas — charge $ 4 like everywhere else), even for mediocre comedy. I can’t drink 2 alcoholic beverages in one comedy show, and lots of folks do but shouldn’t.
Even if I’m offered «free» tickets in the future, I won’t show up. The experience just isn’t enjoyable enough to warrant it. It’s a shame, because it wouldn’t be hard to fix.

Anthony is high n tight! Badass service. Oh… and he’s 25, not 18
Sincerely, CA girl
Had a great time tonight. Super packed but service was still awesome! Perfect spot for a bday party!

— Always great comedy
— Very good pricing for the show
— Mediocre food (to be expected)
— Ok service
— The seating is sub-​optimal. Backs to the stage? I know they want to cram as many possible in here, but I’m sure some designer somewhere could help figure out a way to do this without people having their backs to the stage

I came here last night to see Maz Jobrani, my favorite comedian. And I don’t know if I’m giving it 4 stars because I had a blast or because Of how I felt about the venue.
All the opening acts were hilarious. I haven’t laughed like that in a long time and I laugh a lot!
Onto the food and drinks… I got «the cure» which was a form of Bloody Mary, just fancier. But it was good… however it was $ 14. Yikes! I got 2. I also got a side of fries which were ok. They were just fries and it was the same for their sweet potato fries. I also got the spinach and artichoke dip to nosh on during the show, but it wasn’t anything to rave about either.
The thing I don’t like about this venue is the seating. The have community tables and well I don’t like being part of the community. I like to sit in my bubble with my friends without having to worry about offending anyone (I have a potty mouth).
After reviewing my review, I think the 4 stars is for the show. I had a blast! Can’t wait til next year!

What a fun place! We are checking out Dana Carvey tonight! They have good food and great priced drinks. Checked out the line up for the coming year and some big names are comjng. Definitely going to come back.
The burgers were great and the fries were crispy (very important to my husband).
We sat upstairs, which I think was better than than the ground floor.
Quick service, but auto gratuity was added to our bill, on top of a 2 drink minimum per person… only downside.