I've been to several shows at big-city Improvs, so I was surprised to find that this felt the same (but with a little more elbow room). 2 drink minimum, which is standard. Good waitstaff, and the sound plays in the restrooms so that you don't miss any of the show. I'm not sure I would take a chance on anything other than national touring acts, but what a great stopover for some of those comedians! Only negative was the drinks were overpriced (not worth deducting a star for--maybe half a star). Oh--if you are a party of 2, they will seat you with another group of 2. So if you are a xenophobe, come in a party of 4. read more

I had a 5 star time! Amazing! This was my first time and I went with three other people. The weird part? They say get there first because there will be a long line. Tickets are not guaranteed. We paid an extra dollar online for a Friday night show and there was no line about 20 minutes before the show. There does not seem to be a terrible seat in the house. The show is not too long but still a really good set up. There were three performers. It was amazing because you could meet them and chat with them after the show. Here is why they lost a star. I do not mind the two drink minimum. However, I do mind automatically applying a tip. It is annoying. I was with a total of four people. We did not have complex drink orders. I generally tip 20-30%. This time, I added nothing more to the automatically applied gratuity of 18%. Please do not nickel and dime when your menu says that you only add that gratuity to large groups. The drinks are decent and are fairly prices. Get pitches of beer and try the cocktail specials. read more

What's not to love about the Comedy Club. I have been going to this venue for about 5 years now (in their old and new location), and there's only been a few times where I was disappointed. The new location has a nice huge seating area where you and a group of friends can pay an incredibly small fee to see a great show of standup comedy. Specifically, on Thursdays it's $1 with a Student ID, and Fri-Sun it's $10. Each of these tickets requires a 2 drink minimum, but you can buy soda if you need to save on cash. This is a great price, and there's usually 2 or 3 comics at a minimum, with some shows having as many as 6 or 7. Usually the whole experience takes about an hour and a half to two hours, and you're almost guaranteed to have a riot. If you look in some of the local papers, they print a coupon every week for a buy one get one free as well, and this place definitely rings true with the saying "the more the merrier." My only recommendation here is to call ahead, as the place can get packed and sometimes they need a reservation depending on the size of your party. I've been to a few other stand up comedy venues in various major cities, and also improv comedy (like Comedy Sportz), but this place stands out because they consistently get funny comics and an excited crowd. The humor is usually intelligent (at least the headliner), or they throw enough comics at you that one or two of them is bound to hit your funnybone. I can't stress enough how good this place is and if you haven't been you should go next weekend. I've had my share of memories there, from laughing so hard I had to get up and go to the bathroom (on my first date with my girlfriend of 5 years now) to laughing so hard it hurt because a comic rebuked insulting with a tirade that prompted a rude patron to leave. The atmosphere of people is primarily college and young adults, but there are middle-aged folks as well, and a lot of parents taking their college kids out on the town. The comedy almost never gets so raunchy that it's offensive, and most comics either have a good skit series off the bat or adapt to the crowd. Many of them have been on Comedy Central, and several have won comedy awards. The one thing you shouldn't expect is a giant auditorium with people on the status level of Jerry Seinfeld, but if you just want to go have a good time, laugh your heart out, and have a few drinks, this is the place. read more

We purchased our tickets in advance online, it made seating very easy the night of. We got a table in the front and felt a part of the action for sure. We recommend getting the 30 Oz sex on the beach. It was a riot setting people's faces when the waitress brought it to our table. If you leave comments on the cards at your table, you ate entered in to win free tix. We also loved taking with the comedians after the show was over. read more

While the comedians themselves are hit or miss (such as the way of stand-up), the overall experience is consistently good. We've been to the new space a couple of times now, and it's a tremendous improvement over the old location. The admission is reasonable at $10.00 a head without a coupon. Make a reservation and settle in, order a couple of drinks and relax your fine self. Although it has a two-drink minimum in the showroom, the drink prices are fair and the drinks themselves are not half bad. read more

I came here Thursday night with the "All-Star" stand-up comics. It's $2 for students with ID and $8 for anyone without. Normally I wouldn't have an issue with that, except they still demand a 2 drink minimum, which seems a little much to me. However, aside from the MC, the comedians consistently had us laughing (and sometimes face-palming) and the Pina Colada and Arnold Palmer I did order, were delicious. A good hour and a half. I recommend it. read more

Great place to go hang out with some friends! It's only $10 to get in! I go twice a month with my family and friends, we have never NOT had a good laugh. The only downer is that they require a two drink minimum, and when you are a light-weight like me... two drinks is two too many. So I usually stick to diet coke. The drinks are pricey but hey, it's a business... I've been there dozens of times and the staff is always friendly! (One time I had a waitress that was NOT on top of her game, she didn't know how to count and she refused to split our bill... I haven't seen her there since though) I do recommend this place! read more

For the most part Ive had a great time here. Comedy is fickle to the whims of the crowd as it;s a performance art so bad times are expected for some at times. That being said I love the Comedy Club and recommend it to friends, take dates there, and have always said good things about it. Ive seen well known comics as well as unknowns(to me) and had great times. The 2 show times are at great times and convenient if you want them before or after dinner. The wait staff is prompt and friendly. Ive also gone here just to sit in the bar and order drinks al a cart and listen to the comics on the TV and PA. Its a great way to listen to some comedy if you want to drop in and don't have the time or are unsure of the comic. It can get loud at times but its free so you cant balk at that. Drop by for open mic on wed. and see some good talent in short bursts for next to nothing! read more

Our 6 person group was very disappointed in the poor quality of comedy offered at the Club last night. All of the acts were mediocre at best. The second comedian repeatedly made "pussy" jokes. In response, one member of our group shouted out a "boo" and the Club's response was a threat to kick out the entire group. In today's day of the MeToo Movement, I hope that the Comedy Club on State select comedians who are gifted with true humor, and not the same-old sexually derogatory jokes against women. Madison is a proud progressive town with wonderful restaurants and bars. This Club needs to step up and provide better comedy. Don't waste your money at this Club. read more

Loved the show! This place had everything you expect from any big shot comedy club anywhere else. I can honestly see no issues with this place at all. They even had the brick backgrounds that all comedy clubs seemingly need to have at a stereotypical comedy club. read more

$2 dollar cover and no drink minimums to boot? Sign me up! Came here on a Wednesday night for open mic night, and was treated to a number of acts from the standup scene in Madison. The jokes were exactly what you'd expect from a comedy club: Raunchy, over-the-line, offensive, etc... Now I know that while not for everyone, it is good to throw away your inhibitions once in a while and just laugh. And this place will do just that. So please keep your political correctness out the door when you come, because trust me, these aren't your knock knock jokes. Once in a while, someone goes a bit too far, and an awkward silence settles over the crowd. The good thing is that they sell alcohol, decently cheap ones at that, so there'll usually be one slightly drunk dude laughing his ass off during the awkward silences. read more

Love this comedy club- not a fan of their 2 drink minimum but glad there isn't a $$ minimum per table. It's is always PACKED when we go...just a testament that they have performers that are funny as f*%#&!!!!! ;) Even the "opening acts" have all been awesome!!! read more

Really, Really had a great time. Great service, great host and great headliner...December 13th I think. The only short-coming was the feature (lead in for headliner) that was from Florida. He kept complaining how frickin' cold it was outside --- after the second time - the crowd seemed to collectively say 'yeah, we get it - we're from WI and we know it is cold...move on buddy'....things seemed flat for him after that. Great service, good crowd, excellent drink menu (variety) and great host. Nice place - thanks for the laughs! read more

My husband and I were visiting Madison for the first time and saw this place near our hotel so we decided to check it out. The comedians were great, and the staff at the club was really nice and helpful. I would recommend getting your tickets online before the show. When you buy them ahead of time you get to go through the VIP line when you get there. They also seem to seat you closer to the stage when you're a VIP. Just be sure to get there at least 30 minutes before the show or they release your tickets to people who show up at the door. There is a two drink minimum (you can include non-alcoholic drinks in that minimum), but we only paid $12 a piece for our tickets, which isn't a bad price at all for a great night out. read more

First time here and I loved it! The acts were great and the waitstaff was attentive, while also being mindful that people were trying to watch a show (crouching down, talking quietly, etc). They have a 2 drink minimum per person, but that doesn't have to be alcoholic drinks. Their drink prices are pretty decent ($7 for most cocktails, $10 for top shelf) and it looked like they had a decent number of non-alcoholic options. The venue was pretty hot when we were there - I saw lots of people fanning themselves with menus and there seemed to be limited seating. I overheard one employee saying they tried to cram people in like a sardine can. I think this is more true for the later shows than the earlier, 8pm, show. As we were leaving our early show we saw way more people trying to get in for the late show. Plus, if you go to the early show, you still have time to go out on the town afterwards! read more

We love the Comedy Club On State! We have never, ever had a bad experience. The bartenders and waitstaff are efficient and friendly. We were fortunate enough to snag tickets to see Jim Gaffigan when he was in town and it was a show I'll always remember. We had tickets to see Jeff Garlin a few weeks ago but unfortunately the show was cancelled - the Comedy Club quickly reimbursed us our money with no issues. Wednesday evenings from 9-11pm is open mic/amateur night - $2 cover, no drink minimum - always a good time. read more

This is a local Madison institution, and we are lucky to have them here. They bring in top acts, and I've been fortunate enough to see Dave Attell, John Muhlaney and Louis CK in a small venue -- some of the best shows in my life. I regularly travel, and will go to comedy clubs all over the country -- ours has a reputation for being one of the best. Other comedians often ask me about it when they know I'm from Madison. The prices are reasonable, including for drinks, and the service is top notch. Check out Wednesday amateur night for $2. Great family owned local business. read more

After calling in September to book a holiday party reservation for 30 I followed up, as instructed, a week before the show to confirm our numbers to be told that they DIDN'T HAVE RECORD OF OUR RESERVATION! After numerous calls from me, we were pretty much told we were out of luck and were offered no "severance" what-so-ever. In fact, when I made the original reservation I was told they could only book parties of 30 or less, but when I called to confirm and was told we were bumped I found out they took a reservation for a party of 70! Apparently if you know someone there they will bump legitimate business for you! Needless to say half of our corporate holiday party was cancelled the week of the event with nearly no apology or attempt to remedy...AVOID AT ALL COSTS FOR LARGE GROUPS! read more

They told me that I was laughing too loudly and if I did not stop laughing I would be removed ... in front of my very new boyfriend while introducing me to his family for the very first time... I cannot be more embarrassed... very upset about this treatment we come here to laugh. read more

I've been here three times, twice for free thanks to their practice of giving away tickets based on filling out comment cards and once for their $2 open mic. Nearly everyone's been funny and the staff is always nice. There is a two-drink minimum, but there are several non-alcoholic choices that run around $3. A good place to mix it up once in awhile. read more

The experience there really depends on the comedians that night. I really enjoyed Jackie Kashian and the opening acts. I wasn't feeling like drinking anything with alcohol and was relieved that there are several non-alcoholic and juice options ranging from $3-7. Thursdays are $5 for students with i.d. It was pretty packed. We were wondering if how you answer when they ask you if you've been there before determines if you get a better seat or not. Our first time, we were seated at the tiny tables on the floor close to the stage. This time, we ended up in the back left corner booth, but there was no issue with line of sight. The bathroom, however, was a different experience, as I couldn't replicate the warm fuzzies I had the last time I was there. The line to use the bathrooms at the end of the show was long, but moved quickly. read more

I think there's a reason why well known comics (like Jim Gaffigan, Craig Robinson, Michelle Wolf, Nikki Glaser, Michael Kosta, etc, etc) continue to come here. The CC on State is a great comedy club that doesn't tolerate a lot of table talk or hecklers. People come here to laugh and the energy in the room is always great. I know people get upset about the 2 drink minimum, but this is a standard thing for a comedy club to do. And you can just get inexpensive soda if you don't want to drink/spend a lot of money. However, I highly recommend ordering one of their alcoholic coffee drinks or a floofy, delicious frozen drink (grasshopper!!) It's a fun treat and really, I think the prices are reasonable for a special night out. The club is always packed on weekends, so yes... if you're on a date you will likely be sharing your table with another couple. If you hate meeting new people, just bring 2 or 3 friends with you and come early enough to get a table together. Despite being crazy busy on weekends, the servers here are like freaking ninjas! They balance trays full of drinks while weaving in and out of the crowd in the dark, all while being stealthy and quiet. I get anxiety even thinking about what a train wreck I would be trying to do their job! The last thing I'll say is, I love that you can hear the comics through a speaker when you go to the bathroom. I hate missing jokes, so it's just a nice bonus not having to worry about it. There's definitely a lot of fun to be had at the comedy club. I truly love coming here. read more

Every time is a totally different show with a unique experience. Military id gets you in free which is a bonus I wasn't looking for. Much appreciated!!!! Such a fun little club. Highly recommended read more

A great place to hear local comedy acts as well as some traveling more well known people. Enjoy the great drinks while being entertained, you can't beat it. Thursday night there is a $1 cover...can't beat that! Great for that night when you just want to do something different. 5 stars. read more

I took my wife out last night to the comedy club on state and had a blast. I suggest seeing who the comedians are on YouTube before you go. This helped my wife and I fit our style of comedian. We had gone a couple of times before without research and were disappointed. read more

I'll give it 4 for the acts. 1 for the service. They were genuinely funny, although one only seemed to use his kids as material and it got old after awhile into it. I kept wishing he'd find a different subject. Having a 2 drink minimum was not a problem but or server didn't make it to our table but once during the whole show. To put the cherry on top, we were charged an extra $7 for "on the rocks". Apparently when you go off the standard drink menu and get straight liquor on the rocks you get an upcharge. Beware. read more

Was in Madison for a show at the Frequency and decided to perform at the open mic here. The audience was lucky because I totally killed. I'm just kidding, but I really did totally kill. I'm joking about how awesome I think I am but the real joke was when I performed here, meaning that I told several awesome jokes that the crowd really enjoyed. A really awesomely attended show and the local performers were really funny. Seriously though, I fucking killed it. read more

Not a bad comedy club, tho the 2-drink minimum always blows at these places. The overall caliber of the slate is a little lower than what you'd find in clubs located in larger cities, and many comedians are now opting to just do theater shows instead of club dates. Still, if you prefer getting your comedy at a club, this isn't bad. read more

I had a great time here. It was weird and distracting seeing some people getting asked to leave. So they're really strict about their rules!!! Keep that in mind! The bathrooms were alright but can't expect it to be exceptionally cleaned with a place full of people drinking... the wait staff was friendly... just very unfortunate that my X-rated martini ended up on me instead of the table. The waitress had my drink $9 on her tray and it tipped over and spilled all over my Zara pants from Italy, Michael Kors purse, Coach scarf, Apple Watch, suede boots, and me. I was extremely angry but I know the waitress did not intentionally do it. I was speechless and got up and went to the bathroom to try and get some of this pink-ish drink off of my clothes... bumped into the waitress on my way to the bathroom and she frantically gave me a rag and apologised multiple times. I just told her it was okay. I admit, I was stewing for a bit there and didn't even drink my drink until the second comedian was on stage and halfway through his skit. I then relaxed and loosened up and enjoyed my night and had a great time. At the end, the couple we were sharing a table with ended up walking out on their check and I felt really bad for the waitress. You have to wait until the waitress gives you your bill BEFORE LEAVING. Don't skip out on your check. That's terrible. Anyway, the waitress gave me my drink for free and also gave me a ticket for 2 free admissions. So, I'm okay. I'll come back. I had a great time and I laughed and I smiled. Despite smelling like booze. read more

Comedy on State - The infamous $9 drink - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Service was fast and attentive, and even with the house-instituted two-drink minimum prices were reasonable. seating was comfortable for a few hours, and I liked the short sets by the host and a couple of openersbefore the feature (official opener) and the headliner. They will also bring your tab with plenty of time before the end of the show, which is appreciated. read more

What a rip off. Went as part of the madison comedy festival to see Margaret Cho. Paid extra for vip tix and still had to wait in line. When seated, told we had to sit back to front, so I would be unable to talk or sit next to my friend. When we moved to sit side by side we were told we could not. We were then moved out of vip seating even though I paid extra. And was told I was the only person to have a problem sitting as I was told. Think that you buy a ticket to a show you're done? Wrong! You still have to comply with a 2 drink minimum! Will avoid this place at all costs in the future! The actual show went great, just the management needs work. read more

Came here for NYE to watch Andrew Santino. Tickets were $20 for the 5:30 early show. I believe normal rate is $12. The house was full and we had a blast! Their two drink minimum is understandable, but can add up fast with some drinks being $10. As a NYE present, they gave everyone free tickets. We will be back very soon! I didn't know until tonight, that for special occasions they wave the ticket fee. I will probably take advantage of that for my birthday! read more

This place is a gem. I'm now living in Boston and we've struggled to find a good place to go for comedy. We've visited NYC and tried a few there and everything fails to meet our expectations after going to college in Madison. Comedy Club on State is by-far the best stand-up comedy club I've ever gone to. Comedians are excellent. It's in a great space with very comfortable seating. Big drink selection with excellent service. The waitresses come by the perfect amount of times and somehow manage to not interrupt your enjoyment of the show. I've only attended for their main stage shows, so I don't have any feedback on the other acts they host during the week. We'll be going to Comedy Club on State every time we visit Madison. My favorite show was one year when we went to a women's night with all female comedians. That was very fun and different! For the first time, there was some humor that I got that my boyfriend didn't rather than the other way around. :) read more

Comedians were pretty funny and the atmosphere was good. My boyfriend and I were given a table. Shortly before the show started we were asked to move to another table where we had to squish in with another couple. We thought the set up was weird. I know they want to maximize seating, but we felt uncomfortable. We also were not told about there two drink minimum and my boyfriend was planning on driving home. I have never heard of a place that charges you a $12 admission and then requires you to spend another $10 minimum on drinks (or else be charged). Would I go back? Probably, but only when I planned on buying drinks. I've heard going during the week when the admission is cheaper is a good time. The way the staff handled certain situations was not ideal. read more

Where do you start? The staff was rude-especially the "manager"...the RULES are out of line....comedy is supposed to be a good time-at least the last time I checked. Our host, the birthday girl, made reservations for 20...a flight landed late so a couple of people didn't make it on time. We were told RUDELY that we would have to pay for all 20 people. (Last time I went to a restaurant with a reservation, and showed up short a person, we surely did not have to pay for their dinners!) Eventually the crabby manager told the cashier that we only had to pay for 15 after all-but that was due to him not being able to start the show on time! Well, change your business practice in that case.... We were there as a party of 15. 2 people laughed out loud. The rest were sitting with their hands folded on their laps because they were afraid to laugh! You are not allowed to even talk to the person you are sitting next to-my significant other. God forbid you get up to go to the bathroom! Apparently that disrupts the entire show. The "security" guard stared us down like a hawk-didn't keep his eye off of our party. We were there for a 50th birthday party...the youngest being the birthday girl and host. Average age was 55...all professional people-attorneys, an accountant, a speech pathologist, a professional photographer, a supervisor of a construction crew and me, the state worker-Corrections, among others. I spent more time keeping an eye on the security guard than I did the show. Believe it or not, I don't treat my maximum security inmates with such disrespect. DON'T TALK AT ALL---not even the people sitting next to you or that same security guard will be telling you that there is to be no talking during the show. We spoke to each other in a very low tone to allow for others to continue to enjoy the show. We were "warned" by this security guard. TWO DRINK MINIMUM AT YOUR TABLE.....don't think you are going to buy a round at the bar, and drink that drink as your two drink minimum...I had to buy 2 sodas at the table even though I had one already. The sad part is that the club lost a boatload of money on alcohol sales as this group would have spent money. Because we all felt uncomfortable...we had their 2 drink minimum and returned to the Governor's Club at the Concourse where we stayed. This night was a waste of time and money. I have been to many nightclubs and comedy clubs in my 52 years and found this one to be ridiculous. The staff is in need of serious customer service and hospitality training. Maybe a business procedure change would be the way to go.... I wouldn't even give it one star if this site allowed it. read more

Came here on a Saturday on a whim with a reservation for 2. We called just in time because even though it was spring break on UW campus the show was nearly sold out. Very cool scene in here, the club is actually down two flights of stairs underground, the lighting is perfect and they have a hip bar in the entryway. Seating is not private and you will likely be sat very close to strangers, get here early so you can have your pick of where you want to sit. There's a two drink minimum per person. Their drink selection is great if you like cocktails, and they all sound rather good. The mojito in particular was incredibly tasty. However I have my complaints with the strength of the drinks as I really didn't even feel buzzed after the two drinks. The wait staff is kind and attentive. They don't want you to talk during the show at all and they tell you that loud and clear at the beginning. Beware as many people have had horror stories of being harassed by security for light conversations. This is a gem of a comedy club in a prime location and they get plenty of big name acts. We will definitely be back. Probably more so if it was all a little less pricey tho, be prepared to drop at least 30 dollars read more

Went and saw josh sneed and mike cody. Great comedy, well crafted story telling and perfect timing. Comedy sketches were easy to relate to. Content was current and not raunchy. Amy was our server and was very attentive to our needs, quick with a smile, great eye contact and dedicated to her tasks. Facility was good...could use a little more color and decor but looked like a typical comedy club. Great experience! read more

Every time I am in Madison I make it a point to go to the Comedy Club and I have a blast each time. The comedians are consistently hilarious and the servers are very nice. There is a 2 drink minimum that does not include drinks purchased in the lobby but they have Spotted Cow on tap so no problem here. Cover is normally $10 and you can call ahead and reserve seats which saves a lot of time especially on busy nights. read more

Always a good time, especially with a group. The staff is generally professional, although our last waitress missed my gf's request of water in addition to her drink multiple times. The comedians can be hit or miss, but if someone out the crowd says something stupid they get ripped up which is always a plus. Not for the faint of heart squares. Loosen up man. read more

Great comedians at a good price. Drinks are a little pricy but beer is average priced. Always a fun.