Fascinating idea that Jewish people eat Chinese food for Christmas and watch comedy...old times...in the most iconic Chinatown in USA...banquet room in Chinatown with Chinese food..then is it still Chinese food? One hour for the banquet and 90 minutes for the show...I am befuddled by life and the tradition of Jewish comedy...presented for 32 years since 1992...where were you then? where are you now? Jewish comedy in Chinatown...if only they got it...must be a New York thing. read more

Kung Pao Kosher Comedy - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Good comedy, good Chinese food, especially the honey walnut shrimp, and great company. A good time!

I saw the show virtually - after hearing about it for years. I was VERY disappointed and so glad that I did not go all the way into The City to watch it. The only comedian that was worthwhile was Orion Levine - I was looking forward to Elayne Boosler and she was very disappointing - looking at her notes and referencing Dave Chappelle - weird - she wanted to censor him - huh? The openeres were yawn worthy. I would definitely not waste my time or money on this show. VERY disappointing. I was hoping for a fastforward - but no such luck. read more

Hilarious comics, great food, fast and efficient service... what better way to spend XMas than with friends and future friends at Kung Pao Kosher Comedy! read more

The good part of the show was the comedians. The food came out quickly. The room was 90F. The first introductions were low brow and rather horrible but the hired mainliners comedians were really good. The fish was super mushy and the shrimp dish was overdressed with globs of mayo. read more

Gayle and I attended the 24th Annual presentation of Kung Pao Kosher Comedy last night. Has it really been 8 years since we last enjoyed a night of Jewish comedy hosted by Lisa Geduldig? But of course, any time is right for Teshuva. Treyf Alert: There was no pork on the menu, but one dish had shrimp. However, we were all sure that enjoyed the prawns while under rabbinical supervision. The comedy however, was entirely Kosher. We were highly entertained by Lisa, Alex Edelman, Eddie Sarfaty (who explained the separation of meat and milk in a new way), and Headliner Elayne Boosler. What a great way to say Merry Christmas! Thanks Lisa! read more

Kung Pao Kosher Comedy - a sign on a wall - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Francisco, California

What a wonderful event. And a perfect gift to give Dad for Chanukah. It was a bit of a drive and we had to get off early from work, but it was worth it. Food: We heard the food wasn't that good, but we found out that was relative. My Dad loved it and that's all that matters. Seating: Make reservations early. They do sell out. In addition you don't want to be seated in the balcony. It's difficult to see. The sooner you book the closer the seat are to the show and the bathroom. You can tell the regulars. They buy tickets right after Halloween and sit right next to the stage. Bathrooms: Up some really steep stairs. There will be line due to amount of people and the single restroom. Drinks: Most are $5 and not included. I saw people bring their own wine. Comedy: It was great. Jokes for everyone. I took both my parents and my boyfriend. We all had a great time. Parking: We choose to park at the closest spot. If we already were paying for the show I figured I might as well pitch in a few more bucks to park close. To me it was worth it. Others drove around so they can park at 4pm and it was less. If you can BART or UBER do it. Public Transit is the way to go. This was a gift for my Dad so I wanted it be special. We drove in from out of town (2hrs) picked them up, drove (1.5/2hrs) and parked. I hope to come back again. If I lived closer I'd be back next year. read more

Great comedy. Took the whole family, from age 11 to 88. It was family appropriate. Worth the price. The food was just ok. Don't go expecting gourmet food. There was a lot but Panda Express is better. Not spicy at all. I needed to add soy and spicy mustard for flavor. read more

Our annual "Christmas party" in a two jew office is to round up some cronies to help uphold the ancient Jewish custom of eating Chinese on Christmas by attending Kung Pao Kosher Comedy. What could easily be a 5 star affair is awarded a mere 3 because the producer, Lisa Geduldig has been telling the same jokes for as long as I can remember, and because the dinner shows are packed so tight that there isn't a comfortable seat in the house for a normal sized human being, and with round tables half of the audience is not facing the stage and there is no room for them to swing their chairs around. And the food isn't particularly good. We keep coming back because the entertainment is consistently great, with this years highlight being 81 year old Shelley Berman, who delivered some good laughs but a very nontraditional stand up routine, wandering around the audience and poking fun, etc...wrapping up with a brilliant, poignant monologue so true to the season and TRUE family values...a wonderful piece of acting that has me all verklempt just thinking about it. read more

I've been to 5 years of Kung Pao Kosher Comedy, and I'm done. The seating is super-cramped and uncomfortable, the show is terribly over-priced at $45/ticket for the cocktail show, the food/drinks are from hunger, and the comedy is...well, a mixed bag. Some of the performers are funny, some are not, but at the end of the day, it's just not worth the cost of admission! I go to a lot of comedy shows. I love to laugh, and enjoy a good stand-up show! I've seen oodles of acts at Cobbs, the Punchline, the Laugh Factory, and many smaller clubs where amateurs try out their shtick. Again, some comedians make me laugh, some don't...and that's okay! I'm not the final arbiter of who is or isn't funny. But I WILL say that Kung Pao Kosher Comedy is BY FAR THE MOST EXPENSIVE comedy show I've ever been to...and I've seen some big headliners, from Craig Ferguson to Jon Lovitz, Dave Atell to Jackie Mason, etc. Why is it worth $45? Hmm, the seats are narrow, the Chinese banquet hall-style tables are over-crowded so that you're practically in the lap of the person next to you, the egg rolls are cold, tiny, and not very tasty, and if you're really lucky, you might be sitting behind a pole where you can't actually SEE the comedians you paid so much to witness! Ms. Geduldig is unfunny and her jokes are recycled from show to show (I know, I've been to enough of her shows), and very few people laugh at them. Fair enough, she's the warm-up act, not really a headliner herself, she's just there to take the audience's temperature. But honestly? For a show that expensive? Get a GOOD opening act! Swallow your pride, realize you serve your customer's needs better as a producer, and give someone funnier the spotlight! Of the shows I've seen, you know who stands out as the only seriously funny performer, in my opinion? Elayne Boosler. She was HILARIOUS!!! I'd definitely pay to go see her again...but not $45. I know I must sound really stuck on the price, and that's because I am. I realized this year after having seen two other really funny Jewish-related shows around "the holidays" that this show was a) the most expensive of the three, and b) the only one that was just meh. And then when I told a friend this, she gently suggested that maybe the reason we all pay so much is because we're a captive audience: Jews at Christmas who feel left out by the onslaught of goyish-everything this time of year who will support nearly any Jewish show as a knee-jerk reaction. In other words, we're being taken advantage of. Instead of getting a nice, comfy seat in a beautiful auditorium such as the Herbst Theatre for our 45 bucks, we're getting crowded in like sardines in a dark, not-so-pretty Chinese banquet hall. Instead of having the possibility of buying decent cocktails from friendly servers at a comedy club, we get hawked bottles of cheap beer and horrible chardonnay from industrial-looking carts that are rolled around by the restaurant staff, many of whom can't communicate very well in English (which can complicate purchase). Instead of ALL of us being able to see the stage, some of us get to sit behind giant columns that hide the performers...are these seats discounted, the way they would be at a baseball game or concert? No, of course not! So why are we spending so much for this show? Because as Jews we are just so happy to do something Jewish, ANYTHING Jewish this time of year, even if it costs too much and doesn't make us laugh very hard. Anyway, I'm done. Next year? I'll stick to seeing The Kinsey Sicks' "Oy Vey in a Manger" and ODC's "Jewish Nutcracker." And who knows? Maybe there'll be other, wonderful Jewish-oriented shows this coming December for me and my friends to enjoy! But if not, c'est la vie; if I get the urge to giggle, I'll check out the online calendar for Cobb's and see what's going on there instead. Still want to check it out yourself? For those of you who require WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY, know that you will be asked to a) let them know ahead of time that you are in a chair, b) only be seated in the back, for THEIR convenience, not because the seating in the front is any less-accessible, and c) your sight-lines may be blocked by a pole/column. If you complain about the latter, you may be treated in a condescending and/or brusque manner by the volunteer staff who may not be entirely sure what else to do with you (as I was). I'm also pretty sure that there isn't currently a WHEELCHAIR-ACCESSIBLE BATHROOM in this restaurant, but you should, of course, call the restaurant to double-check, in case this has changed. read more

Oh, yes. This is FABULOUS. A new Christmas tradition. What is Kung Pao Kosher Comedy? It's a bunch of Jews sitting around eating Chinese food on Christmas, listening to Jewish comics (and we are mighty funny people, I must say!). The show runs for four nights--three nights before Christmas, and on Christmas itself. Each night, there are two shows--the dinner show and the cocktail show (which is later and doesn't include the option of dinner). After hearing that the dinner can get pretty expensive, my boyfriend and I went for the cocktail show on the 23rd. It was fantastic. The show this year was hosted by Lisa Geduldig, and the comics were Cathy Ladman, Dan Ahdoot, and Stephanie Blum. The crowd is mostly middle-aged, but we didn't feel out of place (we're in our mid- late-twenties). It IS Jewish humor, but my boyfriend is Chinese and he understood most of it (and thought it was hilarious), so it's not something only Jews should experience. I'll be back next year! read more

How did this all start? A nice gentile girl in Chinatown, going into a Chinese mafia restaurant to watch talented Jewish comedians? Well, it all began with the separation of church and state, you see. I work for the government, and some would say I shape young minds. So, I try to keep my little religious symbols (Christmas trees) out of the workplace. But, I have a coworker who is Jewish and has a heart of gold, who insisted that I have a mini tree on my desk. When she brought it into my room, I became antsy about church and state intermingling. What would my boss lady say? What would Thomas Jefferson say? Isn't this wrong? Seeing my PC-ometer freaking out, my coworker said..."It's alright Kara, just tell them a Jew gave it to you." And with that bit of humor, all seemed right in the world, and I made peace with my little tree, the Old and New Testament, and yada yada yada... Jewish humor just makes me laugh. It's self-deprecating, corny, and witty..so I had to have more, and this is where Kung Pao comes in... I heard about this event through thealist.org and bought tickets for the cocktail show. I had so much fun, and I felt like I had crashed a Jewish-Chinese wedding. The comedians were very entertaining, and they made me chuckle, he he he he, and do my patented huhhhhuuuhhhuuuhhh. What more can you ask for? Laughter really is the cure-all, second only to matzo ball soup... P.S. The food isn't that great...eat somewhere else before you go... read more

And the founder of the company sent me a lovely little message because she does not believe I am titled to my own opinion. "lisa g. has sent you a message on Yelp: your scathing review of my show, Kung Pao Kosher Comedy "Tyler, Please e-mail me at [removed for privacy] to discuss your unfounded and scathing review. 2000-3000 people attend Kung Pao and are entertained every year. Your review is very nasty, is full of untruthful comments, and unwarranted. Hordes of people are laughing, not 3. It's easy to post something nasty about someone or something on the internet, but I invite you to speak to be in person. Please contact me. Thank you. Lisa" " read more

Jewish comedy in a Chinese restaurant on Christmas - how brilliant is this ??!! I am not Jewish (well technically 6% according to Ancestry's DNA kit), but this event has become my newest Christmas tradition, you see Latinos usually celebrate Christmas on the 24th, then I have my American white Christmas on the 25th, and now on the 26th I head over to Chinatown for my Jewish Christmas tradition. I discovered this a few years back and my favorite year was when the 13 year old comic was featured- hilarious. For what you get, dinner and comedy show, I think the price is reasonable. The food is okay, but who cares I was too busy laughing- oh and did I mention the fortune cookies filled with Yiddish fortunes? This year is the 25th anniversary btw so it should be a great one. read more

I was looking for something different to do on Christmas night and different is exactly what I got! Get there EARLY and have your tickets in hand. The line got crazy long. My daughter and I were expecting a balcony table and ended up on the floor right next to the stage, we were thrilled. The restaurant is totally cheesy and gaudy, think pink and gold and cheap Hanukkah decorations. Tables had 10 people each and you're served family style. The food was really bad, like really, really bad. But we didn't come for the food. We both tried a bite of everything and decided to stop at a pizza shop we saw open on the way home. The waiters were quite unfriendly and wouldn't make eye contact. My daughter wanted water without lemon and I had to ask three waiters a total of five times, her glass was never refilled. The comedy was hilarious! Worth every penny of the ticket cost. I would definitely go back, I'll just have dinner reservations made after the show. I'm giving four stars because the comedy totally made up for the funky food. If the food was good the five star rating wouldn't be nearly enough. read more

Wow, I can't believe the person who wrote about the shrimp. GET A LIFE! No one said the show's food would be Kosher (do Chinese keep Kosher? I think not), and IF YOU DONT WANT THE SHRIMP, DON'T EAT IT! At my table we were almost stabbing each other with forks to get at the delicious shrimp (and other tasty treats), AND WE'RE JEWS, so get over it. What some people will find to bitch about ... On top of that, you're so rude as to put the organizer's personal response online? And you give the whole event 2 stars? How 'bout you stay home next year - more shrimp for the rest of us. And BTW, what made you think the food was Kosher? It's called KUNG PAO KOSHER COMEDY, not Kung Pao Kosher Dinner. If you're so stupid that you don't know Kosher relates to the comedy, not the food, then shame on you. As for the show - SENSATIONAL! Funny and enjoyable. We'll be back for sure. Great way to spend the holidays with friends, loved ones, and fun strangers. And like Hebrew National always said, you don't have to be Jewish. read more

We have been going every year for the past 13 years & just love it! It has become "our Family Holiday tradition". Every year it is different with the variety of comedians & yet the same "Family Feeling" with the returning audience & our friends that we look forward to sharing the evening with. read more

There are many ways to run a business: The service offered, the customer service, and the accurate representation of the business. The service, or comedy headliners, were excellent. The customer service by Lisa Geduldig, organizer and producer, was poor. The business title is misleading. First, regarding customer service, I communicated to Lisa Geduldig by e-mail to express my concerns about a non kosher dish served at the dinner. She seemed to miss my point about showing respect. Her response was dismissive, defensive, and condescending leading me to conclude she was unapproachable in personal e-mails regarding feedback. I think it would have been more professional and courteous of her to acknowledge the point even if she would continue to keep things the same which is her right. Then, the matter would have been resolved. The online business YELP, is offered to help people decide what businesses to frequent. Both positive, informational, and unfavorable feedback is what people look for. Since the personal e-mail to Lisa Geduldig was unsatisfactory, it was fair to let the consumers know about the misrepresentation of the meal which included a non kosher dish. Poor customer relations continued after my YELP posting. Ms Gedulgid's response was ," I am taking you off my mailing list...There's no reason to come to my comedy shows..." There are many excellent comedy shows in the Bay Area, so it's not a loss. But I wanted to let customers know that if you give Lisa Geduldig unfavorable opinions ( see other posting dated 2-27-10 ) or constructive criticism of her event she then bullies and discards you. And, that is not a laughing matter for this comic. One way to address the misleading name of the event would be to post the menu on the web site. This way when people pay the $124-00 ( for two) dinner show price, they will be apprised of the non kosher dish that is serviced. Then, they can make their choice about the dinner show. Respectfully, there really is not confusion about what qualifies as Kosher regarding shell fish; there are clear Kosher laws. But, yes, there is differences in observances, ways, and styles that various Jews follow. And, each to their own. My intention has always been to express that it is important to respect those who observe this custom. read more

Fun night with great comedy. Went to the late show so no real food which is not needed anyway. Lisa G gets big kudos for keeping this nite together. Make sure you buy tix early... who knows how much longer this will be around. For a non New I found it very informative... enlightening and a tad frightening... all in a good way. N read more

Seriously. Funny. Smart. Signed, a confirmed shiksa.

I FINALLY made it to the King Pao Kosher Comedy show this year and I took a non-Jewish date and we both loved it! I didn't realize how important it'd be to me for my new guy to at least laugh at Jewish jokes, so he passed this test (not that I planned it as one) and the comedy show passed as well! I enjoyed the dry humor and truly loved seeing Lisa in her tux!! CUTE! I'm bringing my folks next year!! FOR SURE! read more

I go to this every year, and I'm never disappointed. Lisa picks unique and smart comics for her show, like this year's Dr. Katz, what a great find! And it's a genuine community event, this show is all about the audience. It's like a big family dinner every year, and you can't help but to meet new people. I don't like going to "comedy clubs", but this show I do like! read more

Always a good line-up of comics, whether it's the annual KP Kosher comedy or other events they produce such as the Annual Bye Bye Bush night or Charro. At the December event at the New Asia Restaurant the food is so-so, the prices are reasonable but such big portions. read more

I had a blast each time I went to this comedy concert in Chinatown. It's the kind of humor you can take back to the water cooler at work and sound smarter than you really are about all kinds of current and relevant topics. The food is pretty tasty too. read more

This was my second year of attending KPKC, and I wish I had attended earlier years. I genuinely enjoy this show and others by producer/perfomer Lisa Geduldig, who consistently puts together lineups of diverse, intelligent comedians who otherwise might not find voice in the wasteland of genitalia laden rants spewed by and for drunken frat boy types. While not Jewish myself, I appreciate this inclusive, alternative celebration of Jewish culture that's presented with enough intelligence and taste that everyone from teens to seniors can appreciate. read more

I'm having a hard time giving a bad review b/c the money goes to charity, but anyone attending this expecting a decent meal should be warned. The comedy was good even the though the MC was totally unfunny. At least the other three comics made up for it, although Mahtma Moses really knows how to drive a joke into the ground and beat a dead horse (he should audition for SNL). The food was atrocious. This is happening in the heart of Chinatown and the food was lower quality than a buffet or food court in the Midwest. They put out a ton of tasteless and greasy dishes rapid fire and you had to race to get a couple of mayo covered shrimp (weird) or a single greasy piece of eggplant. Then the waiters came by and if you hadn't choked down your cruddy dinner fast enough they seized your plate. Just a thought, make the food better. Charge more if you must. Clearly the attendees of this event are really on the old side, if you want to attract a younger crowd and make the event sustainable you need to improve the overall quality of it. Great concept, poor execution. read more

After talking about going to Kung Pao Kosher Comedy for years and years and years, mom and I finally made it this year. Parking was actually easy - I think we parked for the "cocktail show" as the dinner show people were leaving. Price is pretty steep. Laughed a lot - especially after a few glasses of wine ($5 each). Ate manu egg rolls (free, mediocre, but so so crunchy). Clearly a tradition in some families, but not mine. read more

The only reason that I'm giving this place two stars is because of Avi. He was really funny but the other comedians weren't exactly my favorite. The audience was laughing a lot though. So something they were doing was right. read more

This is always a really fun event - I look forward to it every year. As for the comment about shrimp, it is important to remember the incredible dissension in the Jewish ranks about what qualifies as "kosher." For some people, a kosher meal must be cooked in a certified kosher kitchen with certified kosher ingredients.(Kung Pao does not advertise this as being true for this event.) Others will eat no pork or shellfish, but could care less about the certification of the kitchen or the food. Others don't want meat and milk served in the same dish, but don't mind if they are at the same meal, while others keep kosher at home but not at Chinese Restaurants. This is why the Jews are not "taking over the world." They could never agree on what night to hold the meeting... read more

Yet another great year of Kung Pao Kosher Comedy! I love the event including the venue, the host Lisa G., the great talent she assembles every year and the food. I can't believe someone complained about the shrimp not being kosher. IT'S A CHINESE RESTAURANT FOR CHISSAKES the kitchen isn't kosher. I loved it! Kudos on another successful year KPKC!!! read more

5 years in a row and I plan on coming back for the 6th next year. Great program, funny comedians, and 7 courses to boot. If you haven't gone before, you really should check it out. read more

The comedians were excellent. The people at our table were lovely. Overall, it was a very enjoyable evening. What would have made it a 4-star or 5-star event are better venue and better food. The New Asia restaurant is dated, worn, and grimy in places. This cast doubt upon the standards of hygiene in the kitchen, which detracted from the so-so food. The space is huge, on two levels. My view of the comedians was completely obstructed by a golden column, but I could watch them from one of several TV monitors mounted on the walls. Go to this show, at least once, if you love standup comedy and don't "do Christmas." But, eat beforehand, take public transportation (it's Chinatown--what was I thinking?), and wash your hands often. read more

I'm not sure what show Susan L. was watching but it sure wasn't the one I saw last night. I took my Dad, who was single for the holidays (his goyum wife went off to Europe without him) and was so happy to see the old guy laughing. We both thought the mix of comedian's at Kung Pao Kosher was EXCELLENT and they really "read the crowd" perfectly. I think it was Page Hurwitz who apologized for being under-dressed but then pointed out that we in the crowd were as well. I also liked the way Dan Naturman interacted with the audience, especially the "oil guy". Best of all was the treat of seeing comedy legend David Brenner. Susan L. may not realize how gutsy it is to go on stage, in front of a tough crowd of "one's people", and improv off of current events. I thought it was fascinating that he shared his creative process with us. Most performers lock that kind of info in a safe and guard it with a gun. No, sorry to greatly disagree with you Susan L. but it was a wonderful show, great food, and a fun congenial atmosphere. The full credit goes to Lisa Geduldig who has been producing this strange and wonderful event for more than a decade. This is not an easy thing to do, AND to perform a very funny act herself besides. I'm going to make going to this event part of my regular holiday treat. read more

Overall, quite the stinker. Dan Naturman, the opening comic, was funny and we laughed a lot .Should have left after him... Page Hurwitz was enjoyable for some in our party but others really disliked her abrasive humor, particularly a riff that was based on denigrating her ex. The MC's humor was the self-hating-Jew version. Brenner was the headliner who started by saying he didn't have an act and lived up to that promise. Very dated subject matter, reading his material off cards (kept holding the 5x8cards up for the audience to see--did he really think that the couple hundred people in the audience could read it from their table??) Actually had one party member fall asleep during it. Never again! read more

Kung Pao Kosher Comedy is sensational! I just returned from the first night of performances of 2013. First of all, my family and I really liked the food - great variety and plenty of it! Plus it was really fun meeting the other people at our table. Lisa G. is a wonderful host and it really felt like the tribe -- along with friends of the tribe -- were gathering together to eat, laugh and celebrate. But it's the comedy that's exquisite; it was one of the strongest line-ups I've ever seen. I don't know where Lisa G. finds these top-notch comedians but the line-up was excellent: Samson Koletkar (talking about being Indian & Jewish), Adrianne Tolsch (a seasoned pro with impeccable charm & timing) & the headliner Gary Gulman (one of the most brilliant and original stand-ups that I've seen) were completely different in content, style and rhythm and were all so funny. Actually they were more than funny -- there were some profound moments in there too with all the laughs. Best was Lisa G. herself, who knows how to produce a top-notch event and keep the sold-out house of people happy. She's a generous and caring host and her material was hilarious. And by the way, there were plenty of non-Jews there too who had a great time. So whaddaya waitin for? Come join the fun! Highly recommended! read more

I've attended 15 of the 18 Kung Pao Kosher Comedy events, all on the Christmas eve show. Growing up in SF my family tradition was, of course, to eat Chinese food on Christmas eve. What better way to continue the tradition than by attending KPKC! It combines the best of everything - fun, family and friends, and food (especially the shrimp. Yes, this observant-but-not-kosher Jew loves her shrimp. Especially the KPKC ones. Even my rabbi, a guest of ours one year, understands this (and looks the other way). Part of the evening at KPKC involves strategically planning where I sit, my goal being that the server places the platter of shrimp in front of me. "FIRST!") This year, like all the other years, was excellent. Tons of fun, loved the comedy. Lisa is a great hostess - funny, gracious, welcoming, and doesn't miss a beat when it comes to the "Chinese food-what Jews do on Christmas" theme! I can't wait for the 19th annual KPKC event, where the comedy, not the shrimp, is kosher. Fan for life! Love it! read more