Zanies has been around for a long time; I've been only once, though, and had a good time. Mostly that's due to location and my aversion to the CTA. It's an intimate club, and of course if you arrive on the early side there will be more seats open for them to seat you. There is a two-drink minimum, which is standard in this industry and is made quite clear when you purchase your ticket, yet I heard someone complaining about being required to purchase a drink--don't be that person. I haven't been here for one of their regular performers but would like to come back for that sometime. There are quite a few restaurants in this area of Old Town, so you'll have plenty from which to choose. No parking, so you'll rely on the CTA/taxi/rideshare or drive and find a SpotHero space or something. read more

We arrived right at show time, it was a sold out show but they managed to seat up together! This was a great experience. We had no idea what to expect and it exceeded all expectations. Only note would be do not sit on the sides not facing the stage because your neck will kill you the next day. read more

I finally made it over to Zanies and am asking myself why I have never gone before after living in Chicago for so long???? Had an awesome time: tickets are reasonably priced, space is intimate, but definitely enough room and they do a really good job of configuring where tables and seats are at. There was an opening comic and then the main one. It was very fun. They also had a Chicago-vibe drink menu - all the drinks we had were really good and the server we had was very attentive. I'll definitely be back! read more

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Had a great time here seeing the Dysfunctional Friends Tour. The spot is very small and intimate, get there earlier to get seats. We sat in the second row in the back higher level which was perfect for me cuz I'm short lol even tho it was far back could see and hear fine Very cool to see the walk of people who've performed there too and get the history of the space Servers were nice too, will def be back read more

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The venue is terrific and a lot of fun. We saw the three brunettes. They were absolutely horrible. They spent the time telling inside jokes to each other, pretending they were drunk, and when there were no laps, they resorted to stupid sexual jokes that just were funny. I'm really sorry I wasted my money seeing them. Avoid the three brunettes at all cost costs. read more

I had a great experience with Zanies last night. I had some complicated needs and they accommodated me and my guest beautifully. The staff was incredibly kind and helpful. Thanks, Zanies! read more

Food: came here with my bf to see Sam Tallent for a Valentine's Day comedy date. The show was great and the drinks were good! I ordered the Zanie Sour, which was pretty balanced of sweet and sour. We didn't eat the snacks they offer, however. You do need to order two items off the menu per person. 5/5 Service: the service was okay! We've been to other comedy clubs with a system to alert the wait staff that we were ready for another round (for example, turning on an electric tea light or a silent button). So there were times we had to wait 5-10 minutes after our cocktails to order another round. The server however was sweet! 4/5 Ambiance: the club was small! I believe it can seat 80 people or so! I found it to be a little cramp. The bathrooms are located at the front of the venue so you have to walk pretty far in front of people to get to them. It would be better have to have another set of bathrooms to avoid this. 2/5 Overall: 11/15. A cute date idea but the service and layout was a little bit of an inconvenience. Still had a good time because of the comics! read more

Zanies - The Zaine Sour (left) and the Hot Rod (right). - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First comedy I saw in Chicago was here. More traditional stand up then a lot of the group or improv stuff in Chicago. Good drinks and a fun place to spend some time read more

Came here for the first time on a Sunday. The place ws half full. The service is excellent. THere's a 2 drink minimum and they have sodas as well as cocktails and wines. The wine selection is limited. The setting is intimate. Like the old comedy places I attended 50 years ago. The show included the host a warm up and the feature. The feature was funny and we all enjoyed it. The other two were okay, but clearly not ready for prime time. I definitely will return. It's a fun thing to do with a group. read more

Great comedy club with lots of seating, albeit a bit close to one another. Definitely purchase tickets before you go to your show because it even gets busy in weekdays. You have a good selection of drinks, both alcoholic and non. The mocktails cane be a punch of flavor, depending on what your taste buds ask of you. You can see some great heavy hitter comedians at Zanies, it is a Chicago staple, after all. Staff is friendly and prompt. Overall pretty clean and most of the seats are great seats there. read more

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Zanies gives very vintage OG comedy club vibes. I went with a bunch of friends for Laura Peek show. She was outstanding. We really enjoyed watching her stand up and other headliners. Couldn't have asked for a better Thursday! The doors open an hour before the show starts. The member of the staff checks for a valid ID and seats you as per first come first served basis. He was very nice. The seating was a bit tight and cramped though. The tables were small. Also, our server was okay, nothing exceptional. Just like many other comedy clubs, my complaint with Zanies is minimum purchase of 2 items (food or drink) We, as a big group were celebrating a birthday and had a dinner reservation after the show but we still had to spend $245 just over food and drinks to meet the min order which was a bit outrageous. The margarita that I ordered was very watered down and icy. Very limited food options on the menu (barely 3). All in all be ready to spend ~$75/person on the night. That being said, I will visit again as I recently started attending the comedy shows and want to explore more heehee. I would recommend for anyone looking for a night filled with laughter and joy! read more

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This is an iconic spot for comedy in Chicago. Very unique venue. Extremely intimate, tight, cramped, but fits its overall charm. They have so many great comedians that come thru here that it's hard not to stop by. The 2 drink minimum is normal for this type of venue but every drink being almost $15 with almost no alcohol in it is a blatant rip off. I ordered the whiskey Richard (whiskey, peach schnapps, and sprite) it came out clear meaning it had no whiskey in it. Told the waitress to sub it out with a draft beer and she still charged me for it. That was strange when I clearly told it was not right. The talent that comes through and the jokes are the reasons it is a staple in Chicago. Must go for someone you enjoy read more

Great location, I like the layout of the club. Easy check-in process and friendly servers. read more

Saw Alingon Mitra *the TikTok comic at this Zanies on Sunday, and he was good as expected. This place is cozy (aka tiny af) and OG, like the last remodel? Guess the 1980s. Food is over-priced for value by 100%. The service is very good, though. Overall, there are much better venues to go to in the Old Town area (Second City), but it's cool if you want to be 15 feet away from the comedian. read more

Zanies - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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If you're going to order food just get those lava cakes. The overpriced nachos are just stale chips and tiny cups of sauce. Soda was just bad. I wish we were aware of the two item minimum the menu was very limited. Staff is amazing! Super great servers especially in such a tight space. Cute little space definitely a comedy bar. read more

Loved my experience at Zanies. We went as a big group for the Laura Peek show. We walked in and were greeted by the ticket checker who checked our IDs. He then proceeded to seat us. The seating is first come first serve, but he does ensure that the group has the ability to sit together. Zanies has a cozy old school vibe, reminiscent of typical comedy clubs in Chicago. The place was a little smaller than I expected, but had tons of seating. What that means is that the place was a bit cramped. The ticket prices were reasonable, especially because you donot just get the main comedian but also a few more comedians that take the stage before the main comedian performs. Laura peek was amazing! Her comedy was relatable, refreshing and on point with timing. We also loved the three other comedians that took the stage before her. Their comedy was in the same genre as the head comedian so it felt more like an even flow throughout. I however, did not like the rule of a two item minimum for the show. It kind of felt like a rip off that you have order two items and if you don't, you will be charged a minimum of $12 regardless. It felt forced, especially because most people book tickets for watching the comedians and not for the food or drinks. The food and the drinks menu was limited but interesting. The service was decent. We were a big group and our server was patient with us. She ensured she hardly disturbed us while the show was on. Overall, I loved my experience and will definitely visit again, but I would be hesitant to spend on the two item minimum. read more

Zanies - Seating area - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Always good experience it's intimate but I think makes the show more fun I always laugh when I come here read more

This club is worth a visit! It's quite a small space so there's not a bad seat in the house. The overall vibe is very old school. Expect a comic, a spotlight, and a microphone. The headliner I saw was hilarious and thrived in the small, no-frills space. In many ways Zanie's is the opposite of the other famous comedy club a block away, Second City. Zanie's has the feel of a small, shabby neighborhood bar with strong drinks and a bartender with no filter. Second City is large, slick, modern, and painfully politically correct. Zanie's offers traditional standup comedy. Second City offers more improv and skits, like SNL. You can go to Zanie's with close friends or a date. Second City is a better spot for taking colleagues or out of town guests. read more

I love Zanies! It's such a fun place for a comedy show. Super chill, casual and intimate! The shows are usually pretty good too!

Went to see Godfrey and it was good. Space was very tight. Service was friendly. It was a nice fun night. read more

Zanies - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great comedians, service, and ambiance. My problem was with the tight seating, and the arctic blast and noise from the air conditioner in the ceiling. I think we sat right under it, and it was blowing about 70% of the time during the performances. It was a distraction from the performances, and made us quite uncomfortable. It was a cool day/evening so I don't understand the severity of the output. I understand the need to run the air in a crowded room, but I would hope they could do something that was more comfortable. read more

Just say Katie Boyle tonight. And had a great time! She crushed it with a quality set and fun engagement! Great vibe too. Was the first time I have been zanies. And will be back for other shows. The drinks were great and service was fast. Didn't eat anything so can't really comment on that. read more

Some great comics come through here! My only qualm is the two drink / food minimum per person on top of the ticket price. Friends and I really enjoyed the warm pretzel though and sadly they had run out of their pie. Nachos are meh! Definitely buy your tickets in advance online, because sometimes they sell out! If you want good seats, definitely come early (more than 15 min) before the show starts. read more

Zanies - a crowd of people sitting at tables - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Saw a real raunchy comedy show here that was downright hilarious. The drinks were good and it was nice to have a server come around in the beginning. They packed us in pretty tight even by pre-covid standards in my opinion. It felt weird to be unmasked and so close to strangers but this was a first in a long time so I was probably hyper-sensitive to proximity. They gave us some free ticket vouchers for another show when we left. Definitely a great intimate venue to see comedy but parking can be rough if you don't get lucky like we did. Love Old Town though. read more

Zanies - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Intimate, fun and legendary comedy club! You can usually get free or discounted tickets somewhere which is great because with the 2 item minimum you're still looking to spend a little. But it's great to see up and coming acts sprinkled in with bigger names. Servers are always super nice- it's a great night out! I took off one star because I think their menu should have a few more options if you have to get two things. As someone who doesn't drink I'd love more snacks or bar food options besides frozen pizza or dry pretzels... read more

Zanies - Ad - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have never been made to feel more inferior and smaller than those around me before I walked through the doors of zanies tonight. I felt ostracized and bullied from the second I came through the door. if it wasn't the bouncers keeping me outside for an hour for NO reason, it was the manager stopping me while I was answering a comedians question- he told me I was being too loud and performative and should probably leave read more

I've been to several comedy clubs and this Zanies location is incredibly unique and a straight up classic. It's always a gamble going out in this neighborhood - are you going to get a bunch of college kids with fake IDs? Are you going to get a bunch of tourists? When we went, it was a surprising mix of all kinds of people, which made it way more fun. This place is super small, and they pack ya in here, so if you aren't into the person you're going with, maybe pick a different activity. You also need to order your tickets ahead, there's not really a 'box office' area, at least we didn't see one when we got there. You're seated based on how many in your group and you have to hand it to the employees playing personal tetris. We were sat on bench style seating on the side, but still had a fantastic view of the stage. Servers come around and ask for your drink orders - I would skip the specialty cocktails, mine was sooo sweet. The comedians we saw were a good mix of raunchy and funny - so I really enjoyed the show. read more

Be careful what you wear when going to Zanies. I unfortunately wore a brand new, pretty expensive white jacket and sat it on the black bench I was sitting on. I ended up with black all over the sleeves, which wouldn't come out in the wash, so I tried bleaching it, now it's ruined with yellow stains form using so much bleach to try to get rid of the black stains. I don't know what was on the bench, but you can't see black on black. They clearly don't do much cleaning there. The show wasn't worth ruining a jacket over, that's for sure. read more

We have went to Zanies for many years. But now, they have a bunch of almost like bouncers watching you like a hawk. If your talking to your spouse too loud, they look at you like your parents are in the room. They follow you in the bathroom. Seriously, a comedy club is where your supposed to have fun. Zanies is not fun anymore. Go to Improv in Woodfield instead! read more

When my biz partner and I travel for work - we always look for a Zanies so we can go out and know that we are finna have a fun time!

I was a bit hypervigilant going in after having read some of the reviews but found Zanies to be quite reasonable. I wasn't asked to provide ID or the credit card used for booking upon checking in. The seating was indeed tight but no worse than what I'm used to in New York City. The drink prices weren't exorbitant and I appreciated that decent mocktails were available. Asha Ward was one of the comedians tonight and she was absolutely phenomenal. read more

Such a fun comedy club! Has an intimate feel and obviously has a lot of history. Get there early if you care about where you sit and there is a two drink minimum to be aware of. The comedians are great though and it's a great way to spend a night! read more

This place is fine. Chairs are close together and there is a 2 item minimum that will run you at least $13 per person approximately if you get the cheapest things on the menu. Their process for letting customers leave is accusatory, rude, and leaves a bad taste in your mouth. A man will block the door and make you show him a receipt before you are allowed to leave. It isn't a good customer experience at all. Are they really that concerned about people leaving before they pay their bill?! Can you imagine if restaurants did this? They do this for everybody and then allow you to pass once you show a receipt. read more

Had a nice, intimate evening with the comedians. The only issue was the draft coming in that made it pretty cold halfway through the show.

If you haven't been yet, what are you waiting for? Great for a first ...Or third date. This place is Magic. A real neighborhood gem. Go. Don't. Look. Back. Thank me. read more

Zanies was a last-minute choice a couple of friends and I made while we were eating dinner across the street at the Vig. We arrived shortly before the 7pm show and the club was quite empty. We paid for our tickets and our waitress explained the 2-item minimum (not two drink minimum!). The drinks and pretzels we ordered were great! The show starts with a video about Zanies history. It was cool to see all the comedy stars that had performed at Zanies and hear that the club has outlived nearly all of the other old Chicago comedy clubs. After the video, a host came out, gave a funny stand-up bit and then introduced the 3 acts of the night. Leanne Morgan was the headliner for the night and she cracked up my friends and I. It was overall a really enjoyable evening and I plan to return! read more

This was a great place to watch a comedy show. The staff was kind and polite. The seats and then you were clean and the food was incredible. I deafly will come back again. read more

Had a GREAT time seeing Chris Franjola here! Staff was attentive, always making sure our drinks were full. Parking next door was easy (I found a spot on spothero) read more

Zanies - Comedy Clubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I saw Jimmy Dore. He was absolutely hilarious. First off, there is no security, they ask your name and let you in the door. We had a heckler that had to be escorted out. That easily couldve been a real bad situation for jimmy, or any other well known person. Second, the business model is dumb. 2 drink minimum, so i got my 2 drinks, But they wouldnt allow me to pay untill the end. thats dumb. at the end i want to leave, not sit around and wait to pay. They want to make their money with food and drinks and not with ticket prices. Just a silly annoyance, i want to pay for things so i can leave when i want. read more

Had an awesome first experience at Zanies. We got there 15 minutes before the show started and there was a long line outside the club. We were seated near the middle back but were able to see just fine. I enjoyed the quaint vibe of the inside. The comedians were hilarious and the audience was roaring with laughter the entire time. Patrick Mcgann (Chicago local) performed the night we were there and he was awesome. The serving staff did an excellent job. As others have noted, the club is small and you sit very close to others but I think it adds to the experience. I am so glad that we checked out this place and I'm super excited to visit again. This place deserves a higher rating! read more

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