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Category: Comedy Clubs [Edit]
Neighborhood: Chelsea23rd St-7th Ave (1)
23rd St-8th Ave (C, E)
23rd Street (PATH)
"Hilarious and cheap alternative for a night out in NYC....definitely recommended to all with a sense of humor! Can't wait to go back."
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New York has the best stand up comedy in the world. And Gotham is one of the city's best stand up clubs. It amazes me that many people prefer to spend their friday night packed into a sweaty night club with music so loud that you can't have a decent conversation.
Especially when you can steal all the jokes and retell them at parties, which makes you look clever and funny (not that I need to do that *cough*).
To begin with, other reviewers have mentioned this extensively; 2 drinks minimum additionally to the cover charge. For most comedy clubs in the city this is about par. Personally I'm not bothered by this since I enjoy a couple of drafts with my comedy anyway. Those of you that just show up for the comedy however should be aware that with these extra charges a typical night at Gotham will come to about $30 (including tip).
For that $30 bill however you'll get some of the most clever comedy found in the known universe. Granted the main act at every night is always preceded by a bunch of funny but not as great talents to stretch the evening. While the warmers can be of varying quality "the main event" rarely disappoints.
If you're used to the mostly family-friendly humor found on TV you'll be shocked to experience the rather risque and brazen comedy that is to be found in this club. There are usually no subjects that qualifies as taboo, no one is safe! To me that's a refreshing experience.
The place isn't all that big but still rarely crowded. The guy doing his performance can see the whole crowd at all times and don't be surprised if the current comedian calls you out to and makes fun of your funky hairdo that you forgot fixing before leaving home.
I'm no expert when it comes to comedy clubs, but I have to say... whatever this place is doing, they are doing it right. When you walk in the deep, dark and ominous hallway, they have framed pictures of a bunch of comics (I remember Margaret Cho, George Carlin, Wanda Sykes, and Ellen... to name just a few). The set up is a little bizarre; you don't actually get tickets when you want to go to a show. The reserve a space for you, and then I guess give it away if you don't show up. I've never seen a place work like this. When the show is almost finished, that is when you pay. There were some very drunk overweight men who almost disrupted the show I saw several times, so maybe this process avoids drunks fighting about having already paid. Who knows? It was kind of nice to see now, pay later.
I went to go see Lynne Koplitz, who is not very well known but by me? Very well loved. There was a guy on before her (whose name I should know, or at least look up) who I'm pretty sure is from Boston. He was funny. Good joke about stealing a muffin from Whole Foods that had the whole room in hysterics. After he left, the brought out Jim Gaffigan... which was AWESOME! I tried to see him when I lived in NH, but his damn shows kept selling out. Kind of nice to see him when I paid to go see someone else. Lynne finally came up. She did her set for about an hour- definitely worth the price (it was $22 and you have to buy two drinks). I had a great night here.
I was a little worried about the two drink minimum thing... they have beers for $7.50, so if you get two of those it's not that bad. I will say... a waitress fucked up and brought me a beer that in the end, I wasn't charged for, so I drank that up like a rockstar. I went alone (obviously), so I got seated next to this AWESOME English guy named David who worked on the marketing side of accounting. He was fun to make small talk with before the show started. He was a high roller I guess, because he bought a bottle of wine and got some food. That might not be a recommended practice for your friendly neighborhood (poor) librarian, but if I was going to spend money, I'd probably do it here.
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I'm not a comedy club habitué; I go once in a blue moon, to see a comic who's a favorite.
My last comedy club outing prior to last Saturday night's visit to Gotham was to Comix, and I remember feeling put off by the pressure induced by the host to tip the wait staff.
A little background: I don't go to comedy clubs to drink or eat. Anything. Ever. I go to comedy clubs to see comedians, who will, I hope, make me laugh.
So if a comedy club wants to push a two-drink minimum on me, I think that's lame. Just increase the "cover" charge by the amount of the drink minimum, and you won't have to hire wait staff to deliver, in my case, drinks I don't want and don't consume. (I order seltzer whenever I go and just leave the drinks on the table.)
For this reason, I'm not all that interested in tipping waiters at comedy clubs. (I do tip 20 percent without fail at restaurants.) At Comix, I recall the pressure being quite intense, with the wait staff even standing behind or next to you as you got your bill. I didn't tip that night.
I still don't like the cover-two-drink structure, but I wanted to see Bob Marley, who was appearing at Gotham, so I moseyed on down without having made a reservation. I figured if I got in, great; if I didn't, no big deal. I got in and was seated at a two-person side table with a good view.
The host wasn't all that funny; the first comic, a guy from HBO's *Flight of the Conchords,* which I don't watch, was pretty good; the second comic, a guy from *SNL* (which I haven't watched in decades), was OK. Marley was terrific.
When the bill came for my two seltzers, I noticed there was an 18 percent gratuity included. Eighteen percent! Really? Wow. We're quite generous to ourselves at Gotham, aren't we? And we even have enough gall to leave a line for an "additional tip" on the bill? Whoa. Well, 18 percent was all Gotham was going to get out of me for drinks I didn't want or touch and service I didn't need.
Gratuities should not be included. They should be granted by customers for services rendered in the amounts chosen by said customers. If the customer doesn't want the service rendered to begin with, why should he or she pay a gratuity for it? To be fair to Gotham, at least there was no prompting from the host to tip the wait staff. Even Gotham's owners must have realized that would have been crossing the line of propriety when they were already charging each person an 18 percent gratuity.
As I said, I don't understand the business model of comedy clubs and their admission charges. Seems to me the club owners could save a lot of overhead if they just hiked the admission charges, got rid of the drink minimums, and reduced the serving staff accordingly to just the bare bones needed for those who might actually want to drink or eat while in the building. That way, there would be more customers who would be happy they weren't forced to pay for products they didn't want and service they didn't need.
People thought this was:
We came to see the Anthony Anderson Mixtape show and we had a great time. It was one of the best comedy shows that we had seen. Something that you should really go see if you get the chance since they are there once a month. The place was really nice and and waitress that we had was really nice.
But be aware that even though the tickets are only $10 per person there is a 2 drink min. Which can add up when soda there cost almost $6 and Long Island was $13 a drink. For the both of us it end up being about $100 for the night. Even though the drinks were pretty expensive we thought that the show was definitely well worth it to go see. Also, sits are first come first serve so if you want a closer table to the stage I would suggest that you get there a little earlier.
Quality comedy club. Went on a Friday night. There were three acts plus the host. The host, first act, and headliner were all terrific. Act two fell flat, but three for four I consider good.
I would put Gotham in the same league as Comedy Cellar and Comix.
The headliner got a pretty significant block of time, so if there is a good headliner you are likely to have a funny time. Gotham has a very big room which is nice in that you can get last minute reservations, but it also detracts a bit from the ambiance when a lot of tables are empty.
I recommend and if you are a comedy club aficionado, certainly worth adding to the roster.
This place would have gotten four stars if it hadn't been for two things, the 10 dollar cover on top of the 7 dollar beers(two drink minimum) and the inability to split a 116 dollar check four ways.
Came here with a big group of friends to see one of our friends do a small little bit. Was a friday or saturday night so the crowd was pretty good (most friends of the various comics). The venue itself is really nice, we were downstairs for the sorta open mic type deal they had going so I can't comment on the main stage area upstairs.
The layout of the place is pretty standard for a comedy club, relatively easy for you to see the small stage they had setup.
Again my biggest problem was the service, why the fuck can't you split a check that is 116 dollars. Also the tip was included which I thought was kinda bs too, especially since we weren't made aware of it earlier.
I'd def come back here, but be weary of what its actually going to cost.
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I'm somewhat of a comedy club veteran. So trust me when I say that Gotham is one of the two best comedy clubs in the city (the other being Comix). Hands down.
These two are kinda like Tier 1 clubs, whereas everyone else is Tier 2 and below.
The venues are so much cleaner and more comfortable than the competition. They generally attract better talent too.
Some are complaining about the price, but I disagree. While they may be a little pricier than the rest, they MORE than make up for it in quality. I mean, all clubs have a 2-drink minimum, and most charge around $15 covers. Gotham charges around $22, but as w/all clubs, it has disparate prices (depending on the time and day) and offers discounts (eg, free covers) often.
I most recently went on Christmas eve '08. My friend ordered a third drink toward the end of the show, but the waitress forgot to bring it. When we noticed the charge on the bill, I brought it to her attention. She apologized immediately, came back with a corrected tab, and STILL brought that third drink for my friend, free of charge. That's good service my peoples.
Sure, it's not perfect (hence the four stars). That is, it should have a cocktail menu (it just has special martinis), a wider beer selection, and more food options. But that's just being nit-picky.
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Had I paid $42 (its around $20 for the performance plus a hidden two drink minimum even if its non-alcoholic) to get in, I'd be severely disappointed with the place but considering the admission was paid for by my school's program board I can't really complain about how I spent my night...but I will anyway
Had I paid money to get in I'd be sorely disappointed. Yes, its true this place has a bit of legitimacy considering that it has a series of stand-up performances on Comedy Central but then when you think about it, there aren't really that many good stand-ups on Comedy Central.
It was all pretty standard material, many played out pop-culture/political references and scatological gags, I've seen a lot of the same material covered before by much more capable comedians. I'd think they'd have something a little better considering it was a Friday night.
As for the actual place, it was set-up pretty nicely and didn't feel as cramped as The Comic Strip did but it is a bit awkward to watch an entire stand-up performance if you have one of the chairs facing away from the comedian, especially with a waiter weaving through the club with the entire drink requirement.
The club was filled with an awkward "polite" laughter. The place is a bit expensive and when you can watch an unlimited amount of stand-up comedy from more capable comedians off of YouTube for free, you begin to ask, why even bother?
The waitresses here are worse than strippers at Flash Dancers. They try and get as much money out of your pockets as possible. I don't understand why they don't just hire some muscle to pick you and and hang you upside down, then proceed to shake you until the cash, jewelry, cell phone and other items fall into a wicker basket.
But seriously, this waitress kept coming over during the comedian's act and whispering to me "do you want another drink?" or "would you like to see the dessert menu?"...I felt like whispering to her " would you please shut the f*ck up?"
People thought this was:
Gotham Comedy Club was really nice, I like the atmosphere there, and the people who run it know what they are doing. People said that its a really pricey place, well I beg to differ... It was $22 cover to get in (which is okay for a major comedy central star) drinks prices varied but it was very fix menu so its not hard. Vodka drinks $12.75, Beer $7.23 and Soda, Tea, Coffee, Fancy Water $5. I don't get how people think this is expensive... just be smart on what you order.
I would defiantly come back again, if someone I like is there!
I'm a huge fan of stand-up. I was here to support a friend who was performing on Amateurs' Night. As part of the plan, we were here early to score some good seats. The thing with Amateurs' Night is that it's a luck of the draw thing.... some comics are hilarious and then there are some that are just flops... and one particular one was just a disaster. Yep DISASTER.
BTW, my friend was super! In fact it was hilarious when the audience swooned over him and was quite drawn by his good looks the minute he came out on stage. I guess he definitely stood out like a sore thumb since he wasn't all of the following:
- red-neck looking
- missing a tooth
- overweight
- gay
which are probably common traits for comedians and which also seemed to be the common theme with all of the comics that performed before him that night.
The thing with Gotham for me is after the 2 drink minimum. Add some food and the bill can get pricey for bar grub even if you're here in support of a good friend or for a good show.
Got free tickets from a co-worker to come here and although it was fun my complaint was the drinks and the service. I had a chocolate martini and I know there was barely any alcohol in it. With a two drink minimum and it's $13 per drink price tag I expected better...The payment process could also be better. I felt rushed and the service just wasn't there. I know it's not a restaurant but comon
I've been here with a group of friends on occasion, and I have always enjoyed the vibe of this place. Even though the wait is usually out the door and then some, the staff is friendly and orderly. The feel is upscale comedy...usually with a good crowd. The comics vary, like everywhere else, but most have been decent. The drinks (I ordered a chocolate martini), are insanely strong and pretty expensive.
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And the Award for Best/Most Offensive Joke Goes To:
"Spinach is a lot like anal sex; if you're forced to have it as a child, chances are you won't enjoy it as an adult."
I love stand-up. Even when it's bad, it's good.
Sure there's a two-drink minimum, but I know you, and you were going to have at least seven anyway. Fucking lush.
Oh, and fill out the comment cards. Seriously. They'll send you free tickets, and who doesn't love free shit?
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Went here once a few years back and really loved it. The comics did a good job of engaging the audience. I totally got called out, but it was all in good fun.
2 drink minimum, tickets were reasonable $$, comics and host were good.
you get sat where they have space so you will possibly sit with another party.
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Wow...expensive.
We had a free cover but had to get two drinks, I thought that was reasonable but when the bill came I changed my mind. Though if you want strong drinks go for it, there was barely anything else in the drinks other than alcohol.
The show wasn't that good, the hostess was the best part. All of the comedians decided to ask the same audience members where they were from and then make fun of them. I've seen a lot of comedy, that's what you do when you have nothing interesting to say or are already bombing...that's not how you start a show, unless you're the host.
Also they sit you with random people sometimes which is awkward.
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Sweet! Come on people! Mr.Darcy of Comedy Nick Griffin is gonna be there . Warm up seeing him on David Letterman July 24th. These are world Class Comedians. Everything is so expencive but $20 + $26 or so for drinks that is nothing in Manhattan.
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Had a blast, reasonable cover, reasonable drinks. Comedians were B, C- and A+++, host was a solid performer as well. Made reservations about an hour before show time on a Saturday night in the summer without any trouble.
Needed to punch the woman in the back of the head sitting in front of us (front row) who proceeded to talk the entire night to her (much embarassed) sister and cousin. Seriously, who goes to a comedy club to chat!?
The last comic handled it well and we saw him after the show and we apologized to him, he laughed and said he was apologizing to anybody who was near her.
Comic: "Anybody in here divorced?"
The drunk obnoxious one raises her hand: "WOOooohoooooooo!"
Comic: "Really?! You don't say?"
Audience erupts in laughter.
A good time was had by all.
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I definitely dig Gotham Comedy Club's new digs. In fact, I appreciate any comedy club that doesn't make me feel like a packed sardine. You know, so I can rock back in laughter and clap without hitting the person behind or next to me. The service is also pretty good - not too frazzled or obtrusive.
It's also nice that they have a big waiting area downstairs with plenty of tables and chairs so you don't have to stand outside in the freezing cold for your show to start. There's also a bar down there, in case you're impatient to get liquored up, but those drinks won't count towards your minimum.
The only problem with the downstairs holding pen is that no one comes down with announcements on when it's time to come up. Comedy shows always run late, so an occasional status update would be nice. The night my bf and I went to see Aries Spears, there were a couple large groups pretty anxious to get seated, especially since the show was already almost half an hour late. So they'd just start to go up the stairs and the rest of us, not wanting to be left behind, followed suit. This led to the upstairs doormen/bouncers yelling at us to go back down and wait. They should really just have a PA system or something. People get too antsy, I guess, even though everyone already had assigned reservation tickets.
As comedy clubs go, Gotham is pretty nice. I appreciate the effort that a lot of the clubs are making towards creating a pleasant experience. They don't herd you in and out like cattle, the bathrooms are nice and clean, and the venue is spacious. But I'm hard-pressed to give any comedy club more than 3 stars b/c the quality of the experience is really only determined by the quality of the comedians. Otherwise, you risk spending a lot of money for not a lot of funny.
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My friend had some free passes for a show last night, so we decided to check it out. There is a 2 drink minimum, however, and with the mixed drinks being $12 it was a bit pricey. The comedians were funny, although not all that memorable. There were 1 or 2 standout comedians, especially Tommy S. (can't remember his last name). Of course, they seemed funnier as the night progressed and we had more alcohol in our system!
The venue is small, but roomy, if that makes any sense. Also, the door guy was extremely nice and helpful. After the show you fill out a card and from what I hear, if it's your first visit you'll most likely get free tickets to another show.
Overall, it was a nice night out, but if I had to pay an admission fee, I probably wouldn't go back unless it was a special occassion.
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I had a lot of fun at Gotham! I would totally come back. We had a great table and the comedians were all very funny, but it is definitely an expensive night. I came with one other person, and we spent $50 each easily on food, beverages and the ticket. They have a 2 drink minimum which makes getting a bottle of wine a good option. I will definitely be back soon and can't wait to see who is performing next!
$10-20 cover charges, about $15 drinks (2 minimum)... Saturday night date came close to $100... well worth it.
The building itself is the best I've seen in the city for a comedy club. Newer building, well spaced out tables, air conditioned, clearly marked fire exits. Forget about the clubs where the waitress can't reach you, people elbowing you as they laugh or sweating to death in a cramped club.
Do check out the comedians before going... Google them up or try http://youtube.com to search for their video clips
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You know, for a Monday night they pulled off a good show. The place has clearly been renovated and looks really good. The talent they pulled was pretty funny and of similar quality to Comic Strip Live... partially because the same comedians frequent both.
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I'm a fan of stand up and I go to many comedy venues. This place is one of the greater clubs in the city and it's a larger club too. A bit pricey but a great time nonetheless. Great club, great atmosphere, I can't wait to see another show here :) I didn't pay a cover, I bought actual tickets to see a headliner so I can't comment on the cover charges.
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Really fun. If you fill out the card, they'll send you free tickets so you don't have to pay the cover. I had a great girl's night out. Lots of laughs, not too crowded, all in good fun.
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My friend had free passes when we came. The comedians were too bad though I thought the show went a little long. A few of the comedians were pretty funny and considering there was no cover it was a good show. I don't know if I would pay a cover to get in but with the free passes I would go.
we saw Jake Johannsen and a couple other opening comics. all were great. a lot of NY-centric humor.
good fun time. surely it would depend on the talent of the particular night.
I would recommend sitting NEXT to your date not across since they will fill in a table for 4 with another couple and then you won't really speak at all during the whole show. still - I had a great time.
One of my favorite places to catch up and coming stand-ups. There's definitely a more upscale feel to this club, which I think is a good thing. Comedy is all about being scrappy, but I like having a stiff and well made drink while I'm in attendance!
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A solid place for comedy that is easy to get into without a reservation on a weekend. 2 of the 3 acts I saw last night were really funny. The host was great as well. The space is huge with a big bar to wait in prior to the show. I tried to get into Comedy Cellars and it was sold out, I came up here and no problem getting in. Plenty funny. The cover charge and drink minimum gets pricey really quick.
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The only thing that up and coming was my vomit after seeing this place. Horrible!! Go a few blocks up and over to Upright Citizens Brigade do a real comedy show. ZERO STARS!
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One of my favorite comedy clubs! I like their 'new' location as well - and they seem to get some pretty good acts. Service is better than your typical comedy club, I think, but really all the servers do is make sure you get your two drinks then pay up. It is easier to get out of here after the show - not like some clubs where you have to show your receipt on the way out. They crank the people through, that's for sure - 3 shows on a recent Saturday night. Easy to get to, as well.
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This place was OK. The venue itself is pretty clean. Most of the comics were pretty forgettable, although the host was entertaining, and there was one comic, God, I can't remember his name, that was freaking hilarious. Had it not been for that one comic, I probably would have given this place two stars. I can appreciate a funny racist joke, but there were a couple that were simply tasteless. In the end, I think I'd rather try out another comedy club than to come back here.
I'm a fan of this place. Free passes only sweeten the deal. They don't treat you like cattle like at Caroline's.
I love this comedy club. It's comfortable, unlike most comedy clubs, and no matter where you sit you have a great view of the act. They put on great shows, I went here last March on the day of my birthday to see the "Comedy for Karma" event with Louis C.K., Janeane Garofalo, Dave Attell, Gary Gulman, Will Franken, Dan Piraro and, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. It was a $50 ticket with a 2 drink minimum and it benefited the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. It was worth it, because it was hilarious (especially Louis C.K. and Dave Attell). The event was so easy to attend, not at all stressful, and we got to pick our own table (an excellent one with a great view). We signed up to their mailing list and since then we've received tons of free tickets to shows. The drinks are pricey, but they're strong! (and make the show all that funnier ;) ) We all had such a memorable and amazing time that night and grew really fond of this comedy club... check it out!
I've been here twice and both times I laughed so hard my belly ached. It is a bit pricey, but I had so much fun, I didn't mind the money.
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