My Night at The Improv, One of Hollywood’s Oldest Stand Up Comedy Clubs

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCLA chapter.

As a freshly twenty-one-year-old living in LA, I have been on the hunt for more fun nightlife opportunities to take advantage of in the city. Something my boyfriend and I have talked about doing forever is going to a stand up comedy show, so I ended up buying tickets to a show at The Improv last Sunday night. Knowing very little about stand up comedy, I really didn’t have any expectations going into the night. But after going to the show, I 100% recommend it!

Our show was in the Main Room, one of the three rooms at the Improv. By the nature of its name, I’d expected the room to be large and that we’d be sitting rather far from the stage because we didn’t purchase the VIP tickets. However, this was not the case at all! There was truly no bad seat in the house and we ended up getting a booth-like table, despite the fact that we arrived much later than we’d planned. They really pack the chairs in and get you up close and personal with your neighbors, but this totally adds to the small and intimate vibe of the club.

In total we saw four comedians: one who emceed the show, two openers, and then the main act for the last hour. All four had their own style and different bits, which made it a really fun and fast paced night. Both my boyfriend and I even ended up agreeing that one of the openers was funnier than the main act!

The tickets were only $25 each, which for two solid hours of entertainment and four hilarious comedians feels like a great deal to me. The only caveat is that every ticket comes with a two drink/food item minimum per person, and this can definitely add up quickly. My boyfriend and I each got a drink and split a chicken quesadilla and a brownie sundae. With tip, this came out to about $75 in all. For food and drinks for two with table service, this still doesn’t feel too bad to me. But, if you’re trying to be more price conscious, all waters and fountain sodas can also count towards your purchasing minimum and don’t come at such a steep price. 

Overall, we loved our night at the Improv and absolutely plan to go again soon! It’s such a fun LA activity that you should totally check out, regardless of whether or not you’re a die-hard stand up comedy fan.