The Big Apple's Funniest Core: How Many Comedy Clubs Are There Really in New York City?

How Many Comedy Clubs Are there Really in New York City?

New York City. The name itself conjures images of yellow cabs, towering skyscrapers, and, for comedy lovers, a single spotlight illuminating a comedian against a bare brick wall. NYC is, without a doubt, the global mecca of stand-up comedy. It's the city where legends like Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and Dave Chappelle cut their teeth, a place where the very air seems to crackle with comedic energy. The city's comedy scene is legendary, built on the hallowed ground of iconic venues like the Comedy Cellar, whose famous brick backdrop has become a symbol of stand-up excellence.   

Given its status as the world’s comedy capital, a simple question often arises: just how many comedy clubs are there in New York City? You’d think there would be a straightforward answer, a neat number you could quote to your mates. But the truth is, counting comedy clubs in a city as vast and chaotic as New York is a surprisingly slippery business. The answer depends entirely on how you define a "club," and the official numbers tell a very different story from the reality on the ground.

The "Official" Count vs. The Reality on the Ground

If you search for an answer online, you will likely come across a very specific number: 26. One particular website, a ticket vendor named BestComedyTickets.com, has confidently stated for years that "The answer is 26 comedy club venues" in New York City. This figure has been repeated so often that it has become the de facto answer for many.   

However, this number represents a curated list of what that specific website considers to be "professional comedy clubs." It’s not an official census. When you look at official data from the New York City government, a wildly different picture emerges. A 2024 report from the NYC Office of Nightlife refers to serving "more than 25,000 bars, nightclubs, venues" across the five boroughs. An earlier report from 2018 identified 2,400 establishments in the "Venues" subsector alone.   

So, what explains this enormous gap between 26 and 25,000? The answer lies in the vibrant, sprawling, and often informal nature of the city's comedy scene. The 26 "official" clubs are the dedicated, full-time comedy powerhouses. But for every one of them, there are dozens of bars, pubs, back rooms, and alternative spaces that host regular comedy nights. The true number of places where you can watch live stand-up in New York on any given night is not 26, but in the many hundreds. The number 26 is less of a government statistic and more of a successful marketing and SEO strategy by a single company, which has managed to position its curated list as the definitive answer online.

A Tour of the Titans: The Clubs That Define NYC

While the total number is debatable, there is no arguing with the quality and influence of New York’s top-tier clubs. These are the venues that form the backbone of the scene and have earned their legendary status.

• The Comedy Cellar: Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, this is arguably the most famous comedy club in the world. It’s a rite of passage for any serious comedian, known for its iconic brick wall and the constant, unannounced drop-ins from global superstars like Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle.   

  
  

• Gotham Comedy Club: A premier, 10,000-square-foot venue in Chelsea, Gotham is known for its elegant surroundings and for featuring national headlining acts. It’s a more polished experience but no less funny.   

  
  

• Comic Strip Live: An Upper East Side institution that has been a premier comedy venue since 1975, helping to launch the careers of Eddie Murphy and Jerry Seinfeld.   

  
  

• The Stand: A newer but hugely respected club in the Gramercy area, The Stand combines a high-end restaurant and cocktail bar with a brilliant basement comedy club, attracting big names like Pete Davidson.   

  
  

• Carolines on Broadway: A famous club right in the heart of the theatre district, known for hosting the biggest names in the business.

These clubs, along with many others listed on sites like TripAdvisor and Time Out, such as the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and the New York Comedy Club, represent the top of the comedy food chain.   

Beyond Manhattan: Comedy in the Other Boroughs

For too long, the story of New York comedy has been a Manhattan-centric one. But in recent years, the scene has exploded across all five boroughs, with fantastic venues offering unique and often more affordable comedy experiences.

Brooklyn, in particular, has become a comedy hotspot. The recent opening of a massive new campus for the legendary Chicago improv school Second City in Williamsburg is a game-changer for the borough. It joins a thriving scene of smaller, cooler venues like    

Flop House in Williamsburg and Littlefield in Gowanus, which offer a distinctly Brooklyn vibe. You can also find great comedy in Queens at venues like    

Q.E.D. Astoria and even on Staten Island at The Looney Bin. This expansion shows the incredible health and depth of the city's comedy culture.   

New York vs. London: A Tale of Two Comedy Capitals

As two of the world’s great comedy cities, New York and London offer a fascinating comparison. The New York scene is heavily defined by its destination clubs. Comedians aspire to get "passed" at The Cellar, and audiences travel specifically to visit these famous venues.

The London scene, while having its own legendary clubs, is perhaps more defined by its sprawling pub circuit. There is a culture of comedians performing in the upstairs rooms of pubs all over the city, creating a more grassroots and accessible network. While a New York comic might perform sets at three different dedicated clubs in one night, a London comic might perform at a major club, a pub room, and an independent showcase. Both cities are world-class comedy powerhouses, but they offer different pathways for performers and different experiences for audiences.

The Five-Borough Funhouse

So, how many comedy clubs are there in New York? If you mean the famous, dedicated venues, the answer is somewhere between 25 and 30. But if you mean how many places can you go to laugh your head off on any given night, the number is almost countless. It is a city that lives and breathes comedy, with a stage waiting in every neighbourhood.

But you don’t need a transatlantic flight to experience a world-class comedy city. London’s scene is just as vibrant, exciting, and packed with talent. And if you want to experience the heart of it, come and find us at Comedy in Your Eye, where the spirit of live comedy thrives right in the middle of Camden.

Catch the best comedians off the London Comedy Circuit by buying tickets to our shows on the main page