My boyfriend and I had tickets to see Ron Taylor. We watched Kevin Hart's Funny AF Netflix Show and had to see Ron Taylor. We originally had tickets to his show in May, but it got rescheduled to July. We were so excited to see him. I've been to the improv a long time ago, so I didn't remember what it was like, but my boyfriend has never been so it was kind of like our first time. Just a heads up, it is first come, first serve type of seating. The show started at 8 & we showed up a bit after 7 I believe? We were seated on the lower level at a table with another couple, they really try to squeeze everyone in there. There is a rule, where you gotta order a couple items per ticket I believe, not sure how strict that rule is to be honest. We ordered a Shirley temple, the rum affair, fried pickles and sliders which all came out to almost $70. So, get ready to spend some money. Regardless, we both enjoyed our night. The couple we sat with was friendly, service was nice, drinks and food were fine, we can't complain. Also, the show was so much fun! After the show, we bought merch and even got to meet Ron Taylor and take a picture with him! Overall, such a fun date night! Would totally recommend! read more

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FLEW IN FROM VEGAS FOR A NIGHT OF LAUGHS--GOT KICKED OUT WITHOUT EXPLANATION AND A DOOR SLAMMED IN MY FACE. I flew from Las Vegas to San Jose this mpast Saturday and booked a hotel for a weekend built around seeing Kam Patterson at the San Jose Improv. I'm a big fan of his and Kill Tony. Between work and running businesses, comedy is my outlet to disconnect, laugh, and relax. I made this trip to do exactly that. I attended alone. I don't drink alcohol. I was enjoying the show and using the table's QR code to order a sugar-free Red Bull, a key lime dessert, and water. The dessert was taking so long that staff came over to apologize and explain that it needed to thaw. Then a staff member--a bald man who appeared to be in his 50s and came across as angry--tapped me on the shoulder and told me to grab my belongings. I followed him outside, where he said, "Have a good night." When I asked what was happening and why I was being made to leave, he slammed the door in my face. No warning. No explanation. No opportunity to address whatever he thought the issue was. I wasn't recording, heckling, or causing a disturbance. I was laughing and enjoying the show. When I used my phone, it was to place orders through the venue's own QR system. This wasn't just a local night out. I invested time, airfare, and a hotel stay into a weekend centered on this show. Being treated this way ruined the experience I traveled for and overshadowed my entire weekend. This complaint is about the venue's treatment of a customer, not Kam Patterson. A ticket refund would not make this right. I believe management should invite me back and cover the airfare, hotel, and show for a replacement weekend. This is about accountability and restoring the experience I planned and paid for--not needing their money. I expect management to investigate what happened, provide an explanation, and offer a genuine apology. You cannot give someone back their time, but you can take responsibility for how your staff treated them and make a meaningful effort to put it right. read more

I'm not going to take the comedian or the comedy show itself into consideration for this review; I'll instead focus on the role that San Jose Improv played. Downtown Jose was bustling for a Wednesday night - probably because of the World Cup. Parking was hard to find, and we ended up paying $25 for a garage spot a few blocks away. My date and I thought about getting food beforehand until we (thankfully) realized there is a two-item minimum per guest. We ordered the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich (with seasoned french fries) and the white corn guacamole with chips. The food was fine; it was nothing to write home about, but the fries were tasty. My date enjoyed her beer. I ordered a peace paradise sangria, which the server spilled on the table as he was trying to balance it and the beer. The server apologized and brought a replacement sangria, and we did not make a big deal out of it, as there was no reason to make the server feel bad. I was a bit disappointed that the he never brought more napkins after using all of them to clean up the table. Only a little of the sangria actually got on me, but I thought it would have been a nice gesture if the server or a manager had checked on us or brought us a drink or a dessert on the house. Little things like that make me want to give a place another chance. As is, since the venue was just OK, I don't anticipate coming back any time soon. read more

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Great show, good vibes. The pickles, Shirley Temple and Rum Affair were good but I have to warn you the Rum Affair is a knockout drink. It had a bite thats still kicking me now. Not pictured were the sliders as the show had already started when they arrived. The sliders were easily the weakest on the menu we had, just sitting at passable but not incredible in any shape or form. We did get most of our food out on time before the show however and the servers were quiet, quick and polite. Will definitely come here for another comedian I'd like to see. read more

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I for one love all things old. This place has an inexplicable charm thanks to its brick facade and vintage interiors. Recently enjoyed a Russel Peter's show here. The show started about 10 mins late. I got a seat on the top balcony and didn't have any issues viewing the speakers on stage or hearing them. What didn't work for me was the food. There was a two item minimum requirement. Though I didn't have an issue with the requirement in theory, what disappointed me was the quality of the food. The fried pickles were salt bombs, French fries were over salted as well, guac was missing salt completely while the tortilla chips were not full fried. The food distracted me from the going ons of the performance unfortunately. They need to take steps to improve. read more

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I came to see the dashingly hunky Matteo Lane during his recent tour here at SJ Improv: a legendary theater here in the South Bay that's bore witness to many famous comedians throughout the decades. His show was about $40 which isn't bad given how expensive things are nowadays. Like most improv houses, there is a 2-item minimum and that can be either in the form of food or drink. I ordered a draft stella and their chips and guac. The drink was fine as expected but the food was pretty mediocre at best. I definitely do not recommend having dinner here unless you're really short on time. The show itself was fantastic. We were sitting in the upper balcony and seating is first-come, first-serve, and ended up right in the first row from above. No complaints here as we drank our drink and enjoyed the show. Parking can be tough but there are plenty of lots nearby that offer free parking for the first 90 minutes, so it doesn't add up to be too much. read more

Venue is a nice intimate size. Bathrooms are located upstairs. 2 order minimum/pp when we recently watched a comedy show. My gripe is with the food. It left a lot to be desired. Ordered nachos ($15) w/ shredded chicken (+$4) and fried pickles ($12). The nachos were very soggy and had a large pool of liquid at the bottom of the plate. The fried pickles tasted of bitter, burnt oil. Hate wasting food, but couldn't finish either of the dishes. We also got a couple margaritas that were ok. Pass on the food and just get drinks. Servers were friendly. There was a medical emergency that happened during one of the earlier sets. The staff responded quickly and a few healthcare professionals from the audience helped out. When time came to call 911 a man on staff loudly used Siri instead of dialing it. Made for a good joke later on lol. (The person thankfully seemed ok by the time the fire dept came to transport them) read more

San Jose Improv - Nachos w/ shredded chicken ($19) - soggy - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

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I came here last night with my boyfriend to see Jason Mewes. He got us the VIP tickets so that he could do a Meet & Greet even though he's had numerous meet & greets already. Lol... We got two drinks each and a dessert. I enjoyed the drinks and dessert. I had both the white and red sangria. I liked the white one more since it had the peach and pineapple flavor, but both drinks were sweet and weak. I like stronger drinks. Lol... We got the fried oreos for dessert, and that was yummy. Our server was pretty attentive and friendly. Both Jason Mewes and the opener a comedian who's last name was Luna (I forgot his first name!) were very entertaining and hilarious. I enjoyed the show. Bathroom was clean. Our seat was good. It was one of the tables right next to the stage. My gripe is the attitude during the Meet & Greet. It was almost our turn, and the staff said that we should have purple wristbands to do the Meet & Greet. When we host checked our tickets, he gave us orange wristbands. They were arguing with us stating that it's the wrong wristbands. Luckily the couple behind us backed us up because they too bought the VIP tickets so that they can do the Meet & Greet. It was annoying that there was that kerfuffle. They also said loudly "Only selfies!!" They need to improve their organization and have better attitude. Parking... there are a few paying parking garages/lots nearby. If you're lucky, you can find a spot with street parking. Sometimes, there are spots around the park a couple blocks away. read more

San Jose Improv - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

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Came for the Ms. Pat Show Line moved fast Food was good Drinks were good They explained to order promptly due to large audience read more

San Jose Improv - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

Came here spontaneously and it was an amazing night. Good: - The place is very well run - we got seated quickly and had great seats for the VIP show for Bryan Callen - The food comes really quickly! The ordering process is very simple - I liked the way the show was run - there's no down time and we were entertained the whole time - Very nice venue, clean and ample space between people - Tasy mozzarella sticks! Super tasty and good texture - The nachos were very filling Bad: - The food is a bit expensive and not sure that it's worth eating here instead of elsewhere - the dessert was a bit too sweet for me Overall this was a great comedy show and I would come back again! read more

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Decided to go for Pete Lee yesterday and he was amazing! Overall the whole auditorium disappointed me a bit because of their seating structure. Couldn't see the comedian without rotating my body in weird directions throughout the show which spoiled otherwise a 5/5 experience. Food was fine, and service was amazing. Would visit again but advise people to go early to get a good seat. read more

San Jose Improv - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

Service was poor They expect 4ppl to be at each table which can be a squeeze Orders are submitted via a QR code They brought our food with no utensils I enjoyed my cocktail but others around me reperes their drinks were watered down We were able to request no cross contamination due to a shell fish allergy and i belive that's why our food came out at different times read more

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4/5: Had an amazing time! Was my first time here at the comedy club. We arrived an hour early and was first in line and had great seats. No complaints. Food is probably what most comedy clubs has and my friend said food was actually better here than most comedy clubs. Make sure you take your IDs. It was unfortunate because some people were not let in since they forgot their physical state IDs. read more

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We were lucky enough to be invited along by some good friends who got a premium table in front. Wow, what a fun time! The venue is more beautiful that I've ever seen from a comedy club (maybe I need to go to better comedy clubs?) the staff was really friendly and on top of it, and the food service was almost blazingly fast. The premium tables got let in early, so it might be that we got to order before the kitchen got slammed. The food & cocktails were really nicely done, definite a step or two above what I've had at other clubs (again maybe it's justmy bad taste in comedy clubs?) The photo: two of us faced "backwards" for the eating part of the night, which gave us a this great view of the venue. For the comedy we turned around of course. read more

San Jose Improv - The view from near the front - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

Went to the 3:30pm showing for Marlon Wayans on a Saturday and had a great time! Was able to get there right before doors opened and parked in the lot right across the street for $20. Staff was so friendly and helpful before, during, and after the show. Service was quick. Venue was clean and organized, not overcrowded. Music was a great mix and included Bay Area artists, which I loved. Food was pretty good for it being a comedy club! Highly recommend the key lime pie jar lol. I'll for sure be back for another show in the near future. read more

San Jose Improv - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

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Another fun night with friends at the San Jose Improv watching Brian Callen from The Goldbergs, MADtv, Schooled, etc. read more

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Friend invited us for a night of comedy show. Got there and checked in in the front and then they bring you back and seat you. We ordered food and drinks. It was dark and it's an adult crowd. I didn't expect much but the shrimp tacos were pretty good: they had plenty of toppings and sour cream with a tangy salsa verde. 4 stars. Just didn't like all the breading of the shrimp. The slider burgers were simple: 3.5 stars. Good with the ketchup but too much bread. Nachos was good- decent but did not make you want to eat more. 3 stars. We just got soda cuz it was a Sunday night and I have better etoH at home. read more

San Jose Improv - Good - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

San Jose Improv in downtown San Jose is... alright and drinks are priced okay. The venue's decent, the staff are friendly and the seating are fine. read more

I love The Improv and have been numerous times to see my favorite comedians and I love the intimate setting. Just went last week to see Josh Johnson and he was great! It's a 2 time minimum which they enforce. If your general seating get there early because the further back you sit the less great the view is and even worse is the balcony since there aren't real tables to eat on but it all depends on how popular the show is you're going to. The food is so so, the service is great though, the servers are always very attentive. read more

San Jose Improv - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

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so one thing i have to say is i had a great time watching concreate and jerry garcia last night... but one thing is the service of your servers were terriable.. i was at table 307.. 4 rows up from the stage.. no one said hi to us.. i understand with ordering thru the app.. but no one still came by to tell me and my mom that they are gonna be our server.. i used the app to order food.. i asked a food runner and another server for two glasses a water and never got water.. i had 14 bucks for 2 bottles of water... when a glass of tap water is free... after then try yalls spin to win.. i thought i was gonna get upgraded to vip that night.. nope next visit.. fine understandable... had a great time for my first time there but service can be a lil better... im in the industy i know hospatilty when i see it... but i will be back again... read more

My first time at the Improv. Saw Jason Cheny. My group of 8 got premium seating so we were essentially in the 2nd and 3rd rows from the stage with a table. This also included a $50 credit per person towards food and drinks. We paid $20 to park in the lot directly across from the venue. The show started at 7pm and we showed up at 6:50pm. I would recommend arriving earlier to order your food and drinks so you don't have to order all at once. Once the show starts the kitchen will get backed up and you may find your food arriving closer to the end of the show. Drinks are super sweet. I had a dragon fruit cosmo and an espresso martini. I didn't find them to be that strong. For food I ordered the artichoke and spinach dip. It arrived lukewarm. The chips were thin and I found it difficult to dip as it had started to harden and the chips kept breaking off. My friends also ordered the fries, sliders and pizza. Thankfully we went out to dinner prior to the show. The staffs were great though. They were nice and brought out the drinks in a timely manner. If you go to the bathroom, you can still hear the show through the speakers in there so you don't miss much from the show. read more

San Jose Improv - Outside - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

My friend and I came here to see Mike Epps on friday night, who was hilarious! Loved him. The rating is more for the facility in general. Parking is so hard to find in DT SJ. Ended up going to the parking garage and paying $12. The line was long, but it did move steadily. The seating was just too cramped for me. Chairs right next to chairs and tables so close. It just wasn't as comfortable as I would like. We even had VIP seating and sat close. I can only imagine what the regular seating would be like. We ordered some food, two shots of tequila, two cocktails, and some water. The food came out maybe 20 mins later. We waited another 10 mins before we flagged someone down asking for our drinks and she said they are coming. But we are so thirsty now after eating our sliders. Could not even get our water. Probably another 10-15mins before we got our drinks. It looked way too busy. With how packed they made the tables and chairs to have so many guests, they need more workers. It took a while to get our drinks. Also the price is wild. The drinks and food is completely over priced for the service and flavor. Three little dry sliders with some fries was $30. I think it was a rip off. Overall though, we still enjoyed seeing Mike Epps! read more

San Jose Improv - Our view from VIP seating. We were pretty close! - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

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Visited San Jose Improv last night for the first time to see Ali Wong live - and it was completely sold out! The show was amazing but I would definitely hesitate to come back because of how pricy it becomes. The good: Process. The staff are efficient at getting folks in and situated. The guy that ushered us in was very kind. Ordering via Toast - liked that you could keep the tab open Venue is pretty clean and well maintained The show itself The bad/could be better: Cost. Between my ticket and food cost I spent $170 to watch a 2 hour comedy show. (Granted I ordered 3 items instead of 2) but paying $21 for that plate of nachos felt bad, especially for the avocado...I was expecting some mashed avocado or at least half of one sliced...but it was just one slice. The "shredded beef" was also a few cubes of shredded beef, it wasn't really shredded. I also wasn't given any napkins or anything, and nachos are messy :( thankfully my friend had one on her My friend ordered fried pickles and said the ranch was very watered down and thus did not taste good. I got two of the same drink but they were pretty different. One was a lot stronger than the other and I didn't really taste watermelon in either of them. Overall I'd consider coming back for a big name like Ali because she was phenomenal, as was the beginning act by Shane Wang. I would however hesitate to come back otherwise, just too expensive for a 2 hour experience. read more

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Haven't been to the Improv in years but Nurse John was there when I was in town so we went for my friend's birthday. First off, he was hilarious! He had the audience laughing the whole time. Such a fun night and the tickets were very reasonably priced. The service was friendly, quick and quintessential San Jose from the time you walked in the door to when you walked out after the show. There's a two item minimum but that's easy. The desserts are a good option. The donut holes were the best in my opinion. Almost like a churro donut holes. Heard the mozzarella sticks are the best but didn't try them this time. read more

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The venue is very nice. It's clean, and all the seats have at least some decent view of the stage. The staff really know how to get people checked in and seated. It's a very efficient operation. So is the food service and the wait staff. I just wish the food was a slightly higher quality. read more

San Jose Improv - Nachos - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

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Been to this comedy club so many times. They also have a good line of stand up comic from well known to YouTube popular ones. Ticket prices were pretty reasonable plus the required two items purchase on food, drinks and/or food. The balcony seats are more comfortable than the orchestra level, especially the ones on the first row. You just can't pick your seats. They fill the orchestra first before they allow anyone on the balcony level. Food is good, between fast food and restaurant quality. Staff were nice and friendly. Five stars rating is for the overall experience. Always enjoyed the show. read more

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Enjoyed my experience! There is an ample amount of staff to help shuffle people to their seats quickly since it is first come first serve seating in the general seating area. Food came surprisingly quickly. Doors opened at 5:30 for a 7 PM show, so it was definitely good to come early to get better seats. Since you're seated at tables, not every seat angle is optimal for seeing the stage. Food quality is sort of typical of bar food, so not gourmet but a nice addition to a comedy show. read more

San Jose Improv - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

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We picked up tickets to Josh Johnson and were thrilled about the show! Didn't have time to eat prior, so we ordered sliders, fries and shrimp. Perfect start to an outstanding show. Food and drinks were delivered to table quickly during a packed house. Inside an old theater, there is not a bad seat and size makes it feel like you are part of the show. An all around great night! read more

San Jose Improv - Improv Marquee - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

ADA seating is a joke to non-existent. Hopefully, someone with needs sues them for seemingly non-compliance with ADA requirements in my opinion. The venue is majority owed by AMC Global which tracks with the enshytified vibe it exudes. read more

Birdman was a great host and helped us get situated. Nice atmosphere and drinks, enjoyed the show!

This venue has hosted many great comics including newark legend cristopher titus and anjelah johnson of san jose. It has an older thatre feel but still roxks the tradional imrpov brixk wall. Theres also a balcony. The headliner today will prpbably not draw enough people for them to need to open thw upper dexk. The food here has historically been hit or miss. Its never inedible just often very mid. The staff is estremely good here. They are on it and there are a lot of employees. I highly xommend the staff. read more

San Jose Improv hosts some great comedians and we love coming here to see them. However this is a review for the food and beverage. Improv has a minimum two item purchase each show. You order off the QR codes by your seat and the servers run your order to you. Our waiter was friendly but service can be slow since there are so many people. I found the portions to have reduced even further since I last left. The fries had good seasoning but felt like a sample size considering the price. The fried Oreos were fantastic but the scoop of ice cream was the smallest scoop I've seen read more

San Jose Improv - Seasoned Fries - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

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Intimate seating where there is nary a bad seat in the house. A very cool small theater that has transformed over the years from theater - to burlesque - to its present manifestation as an improv and event place. FOOD & DRINK: I suggest you read the reviews on the choice of food. I recommend getting something quick and easy that you can eat with your hands. The pizza was my choice. Sure, it wasn't stellar but it was ok. The service staff are super busy so put your order in pronto! You'll be happy you did. read more

San Jose Improv - Inside - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

Came to support Natasha Leggero last night and I was not disappointed. She is definitely a great comedian. A good laugh was very much needed and that's exactly what I got. My husband got us VIP tickets and they are literally right next to the stage. If you don't want to get roasted don't buy these seats. LOL! Their alcoholic drinks are good but if you want a mocktail I suggest their spicy mango drink. It's very refreshing and not too sweet. They also offer food and appetizers but we had just had dinner so we didn't get to try any of it as we were still full. Parking garage is located across the street, $20 Friday night flat rate. read more

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Saw Ray Lau live last week on a Thursday and man was it packed! I really like the first come first serve seating arrangement that the theatre had however did not like how they seated us. They put those who came sit vertically next to each other instead of horizontal. The mandatory (2 item per person) was a bit pricey as most drinks and food were $11 and up didn't give much wiggle room to not order just 2 items even if there were just two of us. Considering how pricey it was, I would reconsider going back. The show itself was great though! read more

San Jose Improv - Comedy Clubs Near Me - San Jose, California

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Went to see a live podcast here. The show was good, but this venue feels like a scam. Because there are no other comedy clubs in SJ, this place can be as terrible they want, charge as much as they want, and somehow stay in business. Two item minimum and everything is bad and over priced. The food is freezer section quality, and not the good part of the freezer section. We ordered a dessert and it tasted like refrigerator. The best thing I had was a Diet Pepsi that cost me 7 dollars. I should have just gotten two. Additionally, everything just seemed so disorganized. They said doors opened at 6:30, but it was closer to 7:30. The seating process made no sense. We were second in line for general admission, yet got one of the worse seats in the house. The person who was first in line had a perfect view. The waiters seemed confused about what dish went to what table, despite all tables being numbered and ordering done through an app. The whole operation felt sloppy. This place sucks. read more

My friend and I came on Friday evening to watch Atsuko Okatsuka. Since it was our first time visiting, a staff member had to explain the rules, and someone would tell you where to sit. It was first-come, first-served, so we had a great seat when we came in; however, the staff gave our seats to someone else when we went to the restroom. When the other staff saw what happened, they gave us different seats. He let us choose the seats, which was appreciated. There was a two-item minimum purchase. There was a QR code on each table; people could order and pay on their phones. Ordering was easy and quick, but getting the food took forever. They sold out of their hot chicken sandwich, and they only told me they didn't have it anymore after almost 1 hour of waiting. The people we shared the table with also ordered the chicken sandwich, but the staff did not tell them it was sold out; I had to let them know it was sold out when they asked. I ordered the chicken quesadilla instead. It was okay. It was cold and dry, and the salsa did not taste good at all. Overall, my friend and I enjoyed the show. We came here for the show and not for the food. The seating arrangement was a bit crowded, but I do not think there was a bad seat. read more

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DO NOT come here for a comedy show if you are with a group of friends who are looking for a good time and trying to have quiet small talk or socialize amongst each other or want to have your phone on you. This place has way too many restrictions. If you can't sit still without a phone in your hand or be easily accessible. This is not the place. It's also dark and you cant see the food menu or the food on your plate none the less. read more

Old school Improv! It's home away from home if your house was filled with comedians! Ambiance was great as always! And the servers were swift and courteous! They went through all the ordering rules due to a packed house, courtesy of Mr. Nate Jackson! Him and his openers were all hilarious! Such a great show! Staff moved the line quickly when we were outside and they were efficient as to how they checked us in! Improv has a 2 item minimum when you go, and I, personally, just keep it as cheap as possible! Fries and an iced tea. Wifey got the sliders that came with fries and a drink. Their drinks are decent, but the food quality has fallen into the pits since COVID! I think I said the same thing the last review. Wifey's sliders were dry! Everything just seemed microwaved or air fried! The fries were over seasoned! That's why it's only 4 stars. Everything else was great though! As long as there's talent on stage, we'll keep coming back! read more

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Attended a fantastic comedy show last night. I haven't been back for awhile. The laughter was great, everyone was having a blast and had a great time. read more

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