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Category: Comedy Clubs
Neighborhood: Financial DistrictTue-Thu. 9:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri. 9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
"BYOB -- yeah you know me! The SFCCC is one of the coolest spots around. For a comedy club to NOT have a two drink minimum and have BYOB, you…" read more »
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You can't really compare the experience as there pretty much isnt anything around other than Punchline in the area. The biggest issue why Punchline is sorta my end of night place, is just because of it being in the financial district. Many comics that I have seen there go out of their way to bust Punchline's balls about how there is nothing to do but tip your waiters and drink here.
I love the performers that punchline attracts, and I think the intimate setting is very good. It's great to see your favorite comics so close you are pretty much asking if they liked the nachos too.
All time favorite show is still Greg Proops for damn sure. Just part of me thinks his act isn't at full capacity unless he is smoking.
Even though it says it's on Battery St. you have to walk all the way around the building in order to get in.
All of the seats here are good. You can see and hear from pretty much any location. The mixed drinks are pretty expensive. Drinks are at least $4 or more including a soda or bottled water. They also stick to the two drink minimum (per person) so be prepared to spend more money when you get there. The staff seemed friendly enough. Make sure you have your phone on silent or turn it off. They said they will take your phone away if you even open to send a text.
Our friend had free tickets so we stopped in a little late. The comedians were very funny so that didn't disappoint us at all. The intimate location makes it a good place to see one of your favourite comedians. It's A-OK in my book.
It is unfair and bias to compare Punch Line to Cobb's.
BUT, I am going to do it anyway because I can!
Punch Line:
Friendlier and less rude staff... check!
Better audience tables & seats... check!
Cleaner and newer surrounding... check!
Easier to find parking... check!
It smells better... check!
Better drinks and food... ummmmm... not really, just as crappy and overpriced as Cobb's, unfortunately.
Extra points for the outstanding Joe Wong show. The dude was funny and had his "special edge". Make sure you don't miss it when he is in town again!
The kitchen and bar has been taken over by a new outfit. The food and drink is now better than before. Prices have risen accordingly.
You can get a proper cocktail, but they're expensive and small.
The staff and talent is the same - still the best comedy club in Northern California.
I prefer the Punch Line to Cobb's - cleaner, more convenient, easier to park. The staff… Read more »
I really want to give this place 3.5 stars for the server but 5 stars for Jo Koy. He was great! I guess I'll have to settle for in between...4 stars.
The hubby and I arrived at Punchline roughly around 7:30pm even though the doors opened at 7:00pm. We figured that there wouldn't be much of a line outside and we would still manage to get good seats and good parking. Boy was he right!
My husband found parking on the street which is always a plus in San Francisco and we weren't far from Punchline. A short walk across the street is about as close as you can get without being in the building. When we arrived, our IDs were checked, we were stamped and our tickets were looked at. We were seated in what's called a balcony area on the right side of the stage (if you are facing the stage) so you don't have to maneuver your head to maneuver around other people's head. This is especially helpful for someone like me since I'm really short.
Since Punchline has a two drink minimum the hubby and I looked at the drink menu without ordering our normal drinks. We decided on the Punchline Punch. It's really a girly and fruity drink. So, if you want a girly and not so strong drink, order that. Keep in mind it's a special drink so you are throwing down about $9 a drink. The menu also hard beers but not the beer that my hubby likes. These are about $6. There are typical wines as well. They even have food. I was contemplating on ordering food but decided against it since I'd probably be the only one eating. Plus, it would have made me sleepy and not in the mood to watch Jo Koy. So we stuck to the drinks. I had about three or four of those punch thingies and the hubby had about one and a beer.
Jo Koy is a great comedian and I suggest that everyone take the time out to watch him. He gave us an encore show, shelled out new stuff in his act, had a great opening act to warm us up, took pictures, signed autographs and sold items with his typical tag lines. It was great and he was so down to earth.
Now onto the service. Getting into Punchline was a breeze. The server on the other hand was horrible. The girl was rude and hardly came around. I wonder what happens if you don't make the two drink minimum, especially if it's your server's fault? Hmmm...Our server slammed the beer down on the glass table that almost shattered the beer which made me want to stand up to her but I held my composure. She kept forgetting our receipt and my credit card and she even gave someone else the wrong receipt to sign. She couldn't keep track of her tables and there were only six of us. We are all close to one another and you can count how many people were at each table on your fingers. How hard is that?
So, for the entrance and Jo Koy's performance=5 stars
For the service 2 stars and that's being generous.
I'll come back here anyday for Jo Koy!
Slanted Comedy
Half of the proceeds goes to the typhoon victims in the Philippines
$15 for the ticket
$4 regular, $10 with spirits, two drink minimum
$x Food - I heard no complaints from my friends
Laughing your @$$ off with your friends... priceless.
It's a bit hidden, as you have to walk up steps on top of the parking garage at 444 Battery or the movie theater level at EC1 (Embarcadero Center 1). Small venue where you can make reservations for your larger groups. It's helps because you won't be in the front and a target for the comedians when they don't have any material.
I will most definitely be coming to more events here.
The three comedians were hilarious, the wait staff was efficient, the chairs are uncomfortable as hell and the fat bald guy with glasses is a dick and needs his ass kicked. Little did he know we almost ran his fat ass over after the show, while he hobbled across the road.
I went to the Punch Line Comedy Club for Jo Koy's comedy show on a Saturday. If this review was only for Jo Koy, I'd give 5 stars. :)
Finding this place via Mapquest was easy, but finding the parking garage that people seemed to Yelp about was confusing. I parked at a garage a couple of blocks before the venue. While walking to the stairs where the comedy club was at, I noticed there was a parking garage that was closer.
This venue is super close to the "One Embarcadero Center" in SF. You can walk up the stairs to get to the place, and there's a huge open area surrounding the club. It's partially a "roof-top" type of place. Just by looking from the outside, the place looks small. As soon as I walked inside, I noticed how the tables and seats were close to one another. Once everyone was seated, the place looked cramped. There's only one osculating fan up against the wall, and after laughing hard for a few minutes, it gets pretty warm.
There's a "2 drink minimum". I don't know if that's per person, or per group. There food menu is small, but their liquor/bar menu is a few pages long. There were about 3 waitresses and a couple of servers, so our order took awhile to get to us. I'd give 1 star for service. Our waitress charged my cousin's card twice: one for the correct amount, and the other charge was relatively high. I would recommend bringing some cash, because the waitresses ask for your credit card/debit card after they take your order. Then, they don't return the card to you till after they give you your check. That sounds like it'll be easy to mix-up people's orders.
Since it's a small place, their women's bathroom is cramped as well. There's 2 stalls: one for handicapped individuals, and the other is a standard-sized stall. There's also only one sink! There's no handle on the entrance/exit door to the bathroom. And after 2 women waiting in the bathroom, it's easy to get hit by another woman trying to enter.
The stage where the comedian performs is small also. It looks just like how it does in one of the photos. I would say the best places to sit would be towards the front, in the middle. We sat at the sides, on the main floor (there's an elevated area with more tables on the sides), and the view was good.
I'd only go to this place again, if Jo Koy were to perform at this venue. But other than that, I wouldn't go back here.
Summary:
- easy to get to, a lot of parking garages available
- venue is small, cramped once full
- slow service
- be cautious of using a credit card/debit card
One star for a misc. $50 charge on my GF's credit card.
They claim it will be removed, but either way, 1 star for very poor business practice. This could easily result in overdraft fees for a low debit card account.
The show was funny. The venue was nice. Get there early. And BRING CASH!!!
Went to the Punchline on September 25, 2009 to see Steve Byrne. MOTHER OF GOD! I laughed so damn hard that I woke up in the morning with a sore throat. I know this review is supposed to be about the venue more than the comedian, but damn. He is one funny guy. I think I could have been caned at the punchline and still would have enjoyed the show.
OK, now in reality, the place is a little cramped, the drinks were not 5 star, but with the place as crowded as it was, they came VERY fast and we had a blast. Only other "Bad" element was how damn HOT it was in there. But with a small place and a dense crowd, it was to be expected. I would definitely go again.
I've been here on so many occasions, it's the spot for me when I'm in town. I've seen everyone from the best of the worst amateurs, to best of the best chappelle, to politicians like Al Franken when he was still on Air America.
I bar/waitstaff are quick on the first pass, but might forget to come back around for a while. I suggest ordering your two drink minimum up front. If you arrive early, you will sit in the front (which is supposed to be better?) and late you get the back end. I prefer the back so I can make my dash to the restroom before everyone else at the breaks. Sadly there is only one stall and one unguarded urinal.
I haven't had a bad show/experience yet - except for the hecklers and drunk people who think it's okay to rudely interrupt performers. If they were funny and not total a-holes then that's another story. Seem to be a lot of a-holes from the east bay when I go here ,go figure.
Cool place to hang and watch funny folks.
- Better venue than Cobbs - cuz it's smaller and you always get a seat up close to the comics.
- Easy parking downstairs in the garage.
- Clean facility.
- Good food and drinks.
- They have (2) shows. One at eight and another at ten pm.
- Pricey (but what isn't in SF?)
- Food menu not enough selection.
Between Cobb's and Punchline - I pick Punchline. Try going on week nights when it's not so crowded. Fri/Sat & Sun are a bit hectic, you may not get in sometimes.
The Punch Line is a really nice venue. Not too big, friendly and quick cocktail service and nice atmosphere. I would highly recommend a show here.
Drinks are $4.00 (non-alcoholic) - $10.00 (cocktails) and there is a 2 drink minimum. Surprisingly they do take credit cards but for convenience I would suggest cash.
They have booth like seats towards the back that are comfortable. The rest are chairs around little tables. Great for groups or just a night out with that special numero uno.
You can't beat the $10 tickets on Goldstar too, which cuts the price down by $5+ sometimes.
ok, the 5 stars is for Joe Wong.
http://www.joewongcome.../
One of the funniest acts I have seen in a very long time! The 3 of us were crying in our seats.
It's in a good area for restaurants, like the Globe. 2 blocks away.
All in all, a great time had by all.
I just HAD to give it 5 stars, since it was my BD AND I got to see Greg Proops. OMG, just the… Read more »
My first time here was to watch Jo koy when he was in town! Loved the show! I like that it wasn't too big of a venue. The staff was friendly and seated us promptly and in the front which was awesome! I guess that's it really. Good show. Good venue...hope to come back again.
HA HA HA!!!
The headliner last Saturday night was a guy who's most famous for his stint on the Late Show with David Letterman. When I bought the tickets online, I thought: "he better be damn funny!"
He was. Peter Correale is one of those headliners who actually turned out to be funnier than the people who introduced him. He was able to make us all laugh without much reference to crude sexual jokes or the typical white people/black people lines.
This space is good for groups and for couples. Although it can feel a bit cramped and the chairs aren't very comfortable, you'll be entertained for sure. (The stage is smaller than the Punchline in Sacramento)
Service is leisurely, even though our waiter was a bit scattered-brain. Everyone already had their cocktails and water but not enough plates for our nachos (soggy), pizza and quesadillas. We asked for extra plates and utensils and our waiter brought us --- more waters. Huh?
After having bargain cocktail prices at Americano, I felt that the $10 cocktails (cosmos, apple martini, lemon drop,etc) are bit expensive. Beers are $6. There is a two-drink minimum.
If you're in need of a good belly laugh, go to http://goldstar.com for discounted tickets (it was only $14 for last Saturday's show vs. $21 on Punchline's website).
Ive been to alot of Comedy clubs and the PUnchline is the best.
I can guarantee a great time everytime I go there.
SOmetimes I just go spontaneously not even knowing who's performing and I know it'll be great.
The parking is soo convenient too theres plenty of street parking, and the area pretty nice but if your nervous you can always park in the garage for 6 bucks.
I saw doug Benson that movie an excellent show.
I"d like to give much props to Joe Klocek, Drennon Davis, and Kris Tinkle, those guys put on some of the greatest shows I've seen at the punchline.
The Christmas show is a must go too.
I go every year and love it.
I have seen a few shows at Punchline including Louis C.K. who was hilarious. I like that it is a fairly intimate venue and in a great location. The painting on the walls are great! Very artistic. There is a two drink minimum but it does include non-alcoholic drinks for those of you who are the DD's.
The Punchline has a box in the front that says you can win tickets for you and 7 or 8 friends to a future show if you fill out a form. I actually won! But I couldn't go to the show they offered. Bummer, however at least you know that they actually pick winners from that entry box.
obviously, it's more important who you see than anything else but i suppose that by the nature of the review, i should mainly talk about the "place."
2 drink minimum per person so don't arrive sloshed. get there early because they are majorly inefficient in getting people in so a long line builds up. this means that if you get there right on time (like we did thanks to a super-slow cab ride), then you will end up queue'd up waiting forever to get in and you'll miss the first 10 minutes of the first comedian. which probably isn't a big issue because the headliner is the main person you're waiting for and they don't normally get out there for 30 minutes.
don't worry about where you're sitting. all the seats are great. close with an excellent view. if you sit too close, the comedians will probably hammer you and pick on you. whatever you do don't go there on a first date and sit in the front, they will just harrass the heck out of you.
waitress was pretty efficient. she even brought the checks out with 5 minutes to spare before the show was over. 8pm and 10pm shows. the 10pm shows probably run longer because they don't have to hussle you out in order to get the 10pm's in there but then again, do you really want to be hanging out there till 1am?
anyway, thought the venue was great. not too big. close to a lot of cool places to go afterwards and nice seats everywhere. i would definitely check out other comedians there in the future.
I like coming to the Punchline to see comedy shows. I am a fan of funny people and this place is a great place to come for a good night out.
Last night I saw the Call Box Comedy Show, which is a showcase of different comedians that is organized by Hasan Minhaj. He's a pretty funny guy I keep in touch with through Facebook to find out about the next show. I always have a great time.
They have a 2 drink minimum, which is fine because they don't limit you to alcohol and it's any two drinks you want. The drinks are not expensive, around $6.00 to $10.00 - with beers at $5.00 a bottle.
I came here without eating dinner and ordered something to our table. They have a bar-type menu and wasn't sure what to expect. The chicken quesadilla I ordered was pretty good. It was easy to eat as the lights dimmed and we got ready for the laughs.
I went to the Showcase Sunday Night holocaust and for the most part it was very funny. Two things: when are women comedians going to stop thinking that being a slut is funny. It's not funny. It's old. And when are comedians going to stop annoying audience members. Hey, jerk-offs, we came to see YOUR show, not be a part of it. If you don't have enough material without talking to the audience, get another job. It's lame and never funny. Also, there were just too many of them. Two hours of comedians is exhausting. It should have been 90 minutes tops.
I was quite disappointed with this place. We went there on Saturday night for my friend's birthday to see Mitch Fatel. While he was really funny (although I liked his opening act slightly better), the service was pathetic.
We arrived in a group of 9, 45 minutes before the show was supposed to start. We were the 3rd group in the line, and told them we had a birthday and a group of 9. Well, when we get inside, they put us a two 2-person tables! Even though we're girls, we were so uncomfortable and squished. I couldn't even imagine 9 guys trying to fit there. We asked the guy to add another chair or 2-person table, and he refused. He, very rudely, said that it's a sold out show and there are no more seats anywhere and we have to deal with it. Now, I've worked in restaurants before. There are ALWAYS extra chairs in the back. Even if he just brought out one, we would've been happy. Or, if he was nice about it and said, hey girls I'm really sorry but we have absolutely no more chairs or tables available. But he was a complete and utter jerk.
Then comes our *wonderful* (note the sarcasm) waitress. Because of the 2-drink minimum (and the auto gratuity they added at the end) she seemed to think she didn't need to smile or be nice once throughout the night. She would drop off our drinks, then head to the other tables and drop off their drinks and take their orders. We thought she'd come back to our table to take our drink order when she was done, but she didn't. We had to flag her down each time. And when we asked for 4 waters, she brought 2. Then we asked for 4 waters again, and she brought 2 again. I'm sorry, but that's just ridiculous. When she asked bottled or tap, she seemed mad when I said tap. We're all drinking our 2 alcoholic drinks (and even bought some food) so I don't feel the need to spend $4 on a bottle of water as well. I wouldn't have left her a tip but we had to pay the auto gratuity (I assume because we were a large group...although they didn't seem to care about that when it came to seating arrangements).
All 9 of us have worked (or currently work) in the service industry. We are more understanding when someone's busy or stressed. But this wasn't that sort of situation. This was just plain rudeness. I felt so bad for my friend because she was really looking forward to going there for her birthday.
I would never go back here. It's a shame because the comedy acts were great, but I don't appreciate that kind of service. I would give this place 1 star if the comedians didn't make up for it.
The Punchline is no stranger to me, one of my favorite act, was when Dave Chappelle was in town, shook his hand and got to witness his comedy in person, me and my date were a few seats away from him. My jaw was killing me after the night was over.
The Punchline definitely keeps the whole comedy club scene classic. You know, bringing a date to a show, getting made fun of because your date is way hotter than you, and actually get pretty close to the comedian.
The open acts are normally locals but sometimes funnier than the main act.
This is a place I would recommend a friend if they can't think of a first date. Buy your tickets, sit back and enjoy the show...
I've never really knew much about the Punchline, I heard about it plenty of times on the radio and all but it just never appealed to me that much.
So one day, my friend asks me if I can film the show since he had an emergency and wasn't able to do so. Hey why not right? This could be fun and my friend was going to be on stage too so I could definitely get some laughs in.
It was almost a 2-3 hour show, and despite the fact I was sitting/standing in the corner with the video camera trying to hold in my laughter so it wouldnt interfere with the sound, it was worth it!
Cant wait till I go to another show, not sure when that would be but hey I'm gaining weight from eating so much might as well laugh off some of them calories~ ^___^
I came here in February to see Kevin Hart. The room is really small and cramped. The stage was tiny. I guess everyone avoids sitting right in the front because we came really late, but got to sit in the front. I never been to a comedy club before so I didn't really know what to expect. The guy that opened for Kevin Hart was hilarious. I wished I remembered his name..
The service here is so slowww...it took forever to get my drink, and when I finally got it, I forgot I even ordered it! They really try to fill every seat up so you'll end up sitting with strangers at a table. It so happened that the other people at our table were all mixed couples. Black/White, Asian/White, White/Mexican. Kevin Hart came out, took a glance at our table and mentioned how we had a nice interracial group going on. He asked if we were all co-workers...haha.
I want to comment on people upset with the bashing. I mean, you have to come to a comedy show and leave your up-tight ass attitude at home. I enjoy watching comics because anything goes. Overall, it was a good show but the venue and service sucks.
I've been here twice, and really enjoyed the shows both times (once for Dave Chappelle and more recently for a local set). That being said, the acts have been good, not the place itself.
The Punch Line is long-overdue for a makeover. And with the costly ticket prices ($21 for the local act, $75 for Chapelle), I think they can afford to do some necessary upgrades. The seats are uncomfortable, the food is gross, and the drinks and weak. Plus, the place kind of smells. Maybe they assume their guests have a better sense of humor...
I have not been to the Punchline in quite a few years. Back in the day it was a concert hall. I saw a few bands here. I remember having to line up around the building for events. I like the location and available parking lots.
I was here for a comedy club birthday party. I was really impressed with the quick comebacks of Nico Santos. I had a great time.
For my Two drink minimum I drank booze. I had the "Punchline Punch" a concoction of mango rum, raspberry rum, and a mixture of fresh juices. There is a variety of food offer on the menu.
I felt like Kurt Russell in Escape from NY, minus the mullet. The Financial District on a Sunday is totally eerie and dead. Even Starbucks and McDonalds were closed. I didn't know when a Cadillac with chandeliers on the front was going to come hauling down Battery St.
We had tickets for the Sunday SF Comedy Showcase, and like most comedy clubs, there's a 2 drink minimum. About 12 comedians did sets of about ten minutes each, except the last comedian who was on for about a half hour. I would say that probably 6 or 7 of the comedians were funny, 5 were mediocre but watchable, and one or two were just downright painful. It's tough to get in front of a bunch of strangers and be funny, so I wish all the new comedians luck on writing new material and improving.
Unfortunately the show went on way too long, it was about 2 and a half hours from start to finish and it was boiling inside. I wish they had a better menu (San Jose Improv has a better menu ffs) because Sunday dining in FiDi sucks. Chevy's is pretty much your only option, and I'd rather eat a roadkill skunk from the Tenderloin than go back to that place. Drinks are adequate, I'd stick to beer because their cocktails are pricey and of only average strength.
It's an overall enjoyable show, but it goes without saying that like most stand-up, it's not for the easily offended. :)
Came here to see Dom Irrera a few week's ago. He was a riot! He had some really hilarious Irish jokes. "How would you like a potato with that......" As with many jokes, you had to be there.
Now about the venue: It is small and classy. It's located upstairs at the Embarcadero, confusing to find and the entrance is on the roof. I felt the staff was nice and one of the bartenders bumped into me in the ladies room and started chatting it up. She was nice. My drink order was screwed up though, but the beer was good and I was having a good time. The seats are uncomfortable especially when you're sitting for 2+ hours.
At the end of the show one of the staff gave me two free tickets which can be used Sunday through Wednesday....sweet!
Came here to see Dov Davidoff the other night, and it was one good show.
Place is neat. I love how its super dark inside. Staff are nice. I'd be back.
I've been coming to the Punchline for years. And I mean YEARS. I just love it there. It's in a good location and there is garaged parking all around.
It's a small place so every seat is a good seat. I went last night to see Bill Burr and had a blast. We were given the option to sit right in the front, but passed for our own table for two. I would say that 90% of the tables are set up as 4 tops so if there are only 2 of you, you will be sharing with strangers so we jumped at the chance to have our own spot.
Drinks are a touch overpriced, but isn't that expected? Food was sub par although the caesar salad we ordered was alright (except for the fact that it came with saltine crackers instead of croutons ... wtf?). The chicken quesadilla tasted like .... nothing (even the salsa didn't help) and the tortilla soup tasted like it came straight out of a can.
There are plenty of places to eat in the surrounding area ~ we just didn't have enough time to do so.
As long as the Punchline stays open, I'll keep coming back!
Walk up the stairs to the right. Turn left. Take another left. You're at the Punchline. Don't let the line at the Embarcadero Cinema fool you. Don't follow that crowd, or you'd be watching a foreign movie instead of laughing your butt off.
- There are two guys leading you to your table. Avoid the older one if you can. He is a meanie.
+ The drinks are not too overpriced ($6/draft beer), though the portions can stand to be bigger.
- The two drink minimum. But I wasn't complaining about that yesterday.
+ The quesadilla with a giant gop of cool sour cream and some bomb salsa. It was awesome!
- The chairs are kind of stiff and uncomfortable. Definitely not made for a super long night.
+ Small and intimate setting, so all the comics do feel like they're up close and personal. Not sure if that's entirely a good thing...
Great venue! Small enough to be intimate, but big enough so you don't feel like sardines. Get there early before the show, so that you can get a good seat...the 2 drink minimum is normal as with other venues..the drinks are at least not too expensive.
I went on a Sunday evening, $12/pp. It's 15 local/amateur comedians, 6 minutes each..and most are hilarious..others..meh.
I had the chicken nachos which were great..but as with all nachos, the chips get soggy =( boo.
The only real complaint that I have of the place is that they seriously need to get more comfortable chairs..these wooden things are small & a pain in the ass. ugh
I love the Punchline. I really do. Its just that I'm not keeping up my end of the relationship. I neglect it. I don't show it my appreciation. And I never ever bring it flowers. And yet it is always there for me when I need it; sure to bring lots and lots of laughter into my life.
This is a great intimate venue. And whats better is that there are no bad seats in the place. I've seen some great shows here; Dave Chappelle, Louis C.K., etc, etc. And last night was no different, J.B. Smoove [a.k.a. Leon from Curb Your Enthusiasm] was f'ing hilarious. I wasn't sure of what to expect but he definitely delivered the goods.
Go to comedy shows. They is funny.
Went to the punch line to see Steven Byrne, The Kims Of Comedy Act. I found byrnes on my daily browse on youtube, and when i had learned he was going to be in town--of course i had me and my date order tickets for the show. We came in a tad late due to parking. Inside the venue was like a small theatre, think metreon. They had a nice full bar though, hehe ;) It doesn't matter what seats you get, the staff leads the way. We sat on the side stools, but the view wasn't shabby. Waitresses stop by every now and then to receive orders. Food/drinks are overly pricey as you can imagine at any entertainment est. The show always begins with amateur openers and then the good stuff.
Byrne's didn't have anything really new as seen on youtube but the over all show and ambiance was enjoyable and entertaining. I did get a pic with byrne! gotta have love for my sexy hapas, meow!
I was in the Bay area and my younger brother decided to take me here to see Slanted Comedy and that night it was for benefit fundraising for the flood in the Philippines. The venue is located on 2nd floor, although it wasn't hard to find the place, we just expected it to be on ground level. The place was packed that night, mostly filipinos, and the headliner was Edwin San Juan. I thought all the acts were hilarious and I have a hyena laugh so I was probably the loudest one there :( Good thing they placed my brother and I in the very back corner of the room haha. There is a 2 drink minimum, so my I just ordered two stellas and got two heffeweizen for my bro and we shared the nachos. I was so entertained, I forgot about the food. The place is clean and the waitstaff very attentive. They also have a good air conditioning system and that's a plus for me because my body temperature rises for some reason if I am laughing a lot.
My husband and I had not been out in a while due to having two little ones in diapers. So when my mom volunteered to babysit, we were all over that, like hells yeah!
I wasn't too sure what a club in down-town SF would be like but we had an absolute wonderful night, and here are my top five reasons why:
1) Crazy-cool up-and-coming comedians who kept it real %100 (When this chick messed-up she kept going and rolled with the punches, my kinda girl!)
2) Super-close free parking
3) Cool-ass staff (I had a clothing malfunction and the door guy happened to have a safety pin. Can you say "Life-saver"?!)
4) Finger-Lickin', Scrumptious, Chicken Nachos! (Plus our waiter was on top of it)
5) Bartenders don't skimp on the alcoholic content of cocktails (My personal favorite!)
I have mixed feelings. The acts they book are great and are always entertaining.
However the place is a dump. It smells bad, the chairs are awful, the drinks are weak. Plus if you order a drink from a waiter and intend to pay in cash, they take the cash first, then bring your drink, but don't give you your change.
Needless to say I wasn't laughing.
I am going to try being nice with my review as I have had good and bad experiences with this venue from the working side as an employee. I actually knew about this spot from a friend/ band member performing there many years before becoming an employee.
As an employee under the new management, I enjoyed being at work because of the comics, but staff relations were sort of nil. My first interaction was a pregnant woman that always found a way to run into me no matter where I was and then later openly stating I was picking up on a female employee just because she was the only one at one point I could actually feel comfortable having a conversation with. The second was a night I was put on the spot for not being all in the grill of a couple where one was under aged and drank from a "non" alcoholic beer. Needless to say, that female server ran to a manager to complain like I had done something wrong. Then the guy with the hard nose complex and his anal retentive ways? Relax dude, you already have the manager in your pocket enough to be the only one getting his call time pushed back to accommodate 'your' schedule, able to go out for hours to smoke and play golf while everyone else is on the floor, and give unneeded attitude to customers without being reprimanded. What more do you want? Also, when I had $20.00 stolen from out of a leather coat you had to literally search for and then left only a $1.00? Whoever on staff did that? You suck hard for that.
Beyond that, meeting the serving/ kitchen ladies like Aly (thankyou for the Cd burn, I still play choice tracks from it on the radio show), Helen, Leslie, Jessica, Mary Anne, and a few others I am sorry to have forgotten your names, you will always be a cherished meet.
Now the comics! You all rocked! It was a daily pleasure to report for work as security knowing like a mixed box of chocolates I'd have a treat no matter the flavor! I wish you all a very long enduring career in Da Bidnez. It warmed my heart to see each and every one of you up there honing your craft. I.e, Aly Wong, Kris Tinkle, Shang Wang, Greg Edwards, Julian Vance, Brent Weinbach (thanks for that crazy T you signed), Mick E. Winfield (I will always keep yout T as well), Nicole Moxali, Reggie Steele, Sam, and many more! l love all the local female comics; you were ALL my favs! Especially momma Carla Clay, you know you are always on my list when I get rich enough to have my own venue. As for the headlining names? Too many to say them all, but every one of you were as great as you can get, even the one that drops his pants on stage grappling his sausage while exposing the whole venue to him wearing tighty pinkies (yes, I did said pinkies on purpose). I will always have mixed feelings about this place and that's sad for me since I am native to Sf and try to love everything. This just happened to be one of those rare ones that rubbed me the wrong way too many times too much. Not to mention the sneaky way they stole my hours and put me in serious financial trouble right after spending all my money to move to a new location.
Most memorable show is the Chappelle marathon, Robert Kelly, Robert Hawkins, The Going away roast for our bartender/ comic Kirk Pappas that moved to lala land, and Dov Davidoff (thanks for signing that Cd for me bro!).
SHINOBI 009
The Punchline is a San Francisco MUST.
My first experience was seeing Tommy Chong perform with his wife and son... I was about 15 at the time. Yes, they will allow accompanied minors in and stamp your hand to make sure you don't sip any booze. I'm proud to say that I got to talk to Mr. Chong after and even bought an infamous Chong Bong before he was jailed for selling them online.
That said, I've been here about 3-4 times through the years and have always enjoyed myself thoroughly. So what that there's a two drink minimum? It's pretty standard if you ask me, and you can simply get a Coke if you don't want a $4 cocktail. I've seen Wanda Sykes and Nick Swardson here too, and many opening acts I've seen have eventually ended up on TV (Premium Blend etc) months later. The mural of San Francisco is fun to look at and the crowd is always good. It's really easy to meet and talk to the comedians after. What else could you want in a comedy club?
I think the only thing that I've found slightly disappointing is that I'm pretty sure the kitchen was closed the last time I went and I was reaaaaaaaaaaaaallly munching after smoking a doob and had some drinks. Food and comedy go together like peas and carrots.
Neighborhood: Financial District
Category: Comedy Clubs
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Comedy Clubs
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: Comedy Clubs
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
Category: Comedy Clubs
Neighborhood: Financial District
Category: Performing Arts
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