To get to this brick-walled comedy club beneath a bar, venture to MacDougal Street and make your way past sidewalks packed with NYU’s bar-crawling crowd. But trust us: The trek is worth it. The sister venue of the Village Underground and underground neighbor to Olive Tree Cafe & Bar, it hosts frequent Open Mic nights—get on stage and and you’ll be joining a roster of past performers including Louis C.K. and Aziz Ansari.
Want to try your hand at stand-up? That's great! Write some jokes about the city or something else you have opinions about and get up on stage. We can't teach you how to write a joke, but we can tell you about comedy clubs that will let you take charge of the mic for free (or cheap) to hone your craft. Before you head to one of these spots, remember to show up early and definitely have some material before you go and sign up for an open mic. NYC, it may not seem like it, but everyone from Louis C.K. to anti-humor comedians like Neil Hamburger work hard at making material. No one wants to wing it in front of a tough audience.