Best Comedy Clubs In Los Angeles

Improv, sketch comedy or stand-up -- LA has it all for whatever you may be in the mood for and you can get it at a good price, which sometimes includes a two-drink minimum. Here's a list of some of the best comedy venues in LA for great laughs and good times.

Several shows run nightly and some of them are free while the vast majority require a payment of $5, $8 or more (cash only). It's recommended you make reservations well before the show as seats fill up quickly (it's a 92-seat theater). You can try your luck with getting a seat the night of the show, but arrive early as standby seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Prepare yourself for a night of cheap, unforgettable fun.

The Groundlings
7307 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 934-4747
www.groundlings.com

The Groundlings, quite similar to the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, not only produces shows but also runs a comedy school with plenty of their alums making regular appearances on "Saturday Night Live." In addition to special performances, the Groundlings usually has a handful of regular sketch shows that run from Wednesday through Sunday starting at 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m. or 10 p.m. Discounts are offered if you purchase your tickets in advance online. This place is a hit for its sketch and improv shows and intimate setting (read: small space).

The Improv Space
954 Gayley Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90024
www.theimprovspace.com

Shows at the Improv Space run from Wednesday through Sunday with Thursday and Friday being the busiest nights with three to four features. The Improv Space also occasionally hosts live music performances and open mic nights. Visitors can expect lasting laughs for a low price at this growing improv theater.

The Laugh Factory
8001 W Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 656-1336
www.laughfactory.com

With a name like the Laugh Factory one would expect nothing but the best in comedy, and the venue has shown in the last 30 years that it is exactly what it provides. Originally founded by Joe Masada, the Laugh Factory has been one of the places to go for the best in stand-up comedy. There are shows every night, including open mic and college nights where students with valid IDs get half-off the general admission price. VIP tickets are also available and both forms of admission require a two-drink minimum. With the Laugh Factory, patrons definitely get their money's worth and are sometimes treated to special, unannounced guests like Dave Chappelle or one of the Wayans brothers.

The Second City
6560 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 464-8542
www.secondcity.com

This improv and sketch comedy company puts on shows almost every night (Sundays excluded) with shows consisting of "short scenes, songs, and comedic improvisational sketches." Also, they feed you - cocktails and food are available throughout the show. Patrons can expect an intimate setting for every show.

The Ice House
24 North Mentor Avenue
Pasadena , CA 91106
(626) 577-1894
www.icehousecomedy.com

The Ice House, around since the 1960s, has shows nearly every night with general admission. It's recommended patrons arrive about an hour before showtime even with a reservation, which are canceled 30 minutes before the show. The seating may be a little tight for some, but once the show starts that won't matter too much.

iO West Theater
6366 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 962-7560
www.ioimprov.com/west

The improv comedy starts at 8pm every night at iO West Theater (previously known as Improv Olympic West) and admission for shows is inexpensive. Sometimes they are totally free of charge - and that's just for the main stage. If your drinks are as important to you as getting good laughs, iO West covers both pretty well.

The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club
1000 Universal Studios Blvd #222
Universal City, CA 91608
(818) 824-6545
www.thejonlovitzcomedyclub.com

This wouldn't be the Jon Lovitz Comedy Club if Lovitz didn't make an appearance, which the "Saturday Night Live" alum does most Wednesday nights. The club doesn't put on as many shows as other clubs, but other clubs don't feature an act just for kids.

ComedySportz
733 Seward Street
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 856-4796
www.comedysportzla.com

ComedySportz is for those looking for a good time without all the colorful F-bomb-laced language one might hear at other venues. Improv shows run daily and incorporate audience interaction. As the company explains the concept of ComedySportz: two teams battle for laughs and points as they make up scenes, games and songs on the spot.

The J. Spot Comedy Club
5581 W Manchester Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90045
(310) 337-9057
www.jspotcomedyclub.com

The J. Spot is owned by funnyman J. Anthony Brown, who makes an appearance at the club every Wednesday night. The J. Spot Comedy Club hosts a heavy rotation of black comedians -- many of whom patrons might recognize from BET's popular "Comic View," which Brown hosted for two seasons. Shows run throughout the week.