The Comedy Zone

Although I had been to the old Comedy Zone on 9th street many times, I had yet to go to the new one.  We saw Drew Carey here and we really liked the place.  It is much more spacious than the old club with plenty of seating on two levels.  The parking is free up the street.  Depending on the show and nearby events, you will either enter through The Saloon or through a side entrance.  We ate before the show, so I cannot comment on the food.  However, they did have some local beers on tap, and relatively inexpensive at $5.  Our service was good.  Most importantly, both Drew Carey and his opening act Ryan Hamilton were hilarious.

I had been wanting to check out The Comedy Zone for a while now and I finally came to see The Beards of Comedy on a weeknight. Where I really dig the layout and format of the interior, there are just a few things that gave a lackluster feel.

The fact that they don't serve/allow tap water in a glass is just stupid. I'm not really amped on ordering food, beer, and cocktails since we just paid for tickets and had dinner elsewhere, so paying for a $2 bottle of water (really??) isn't high on my to-do list. Not a big deal in the end, but it's more of a hassle than not drinking anything at all throughout the show.

The entrance is still kind of bizarre to me. They built that ramp down to the nearest exterior door but don't utilize it as the main entrance. You still have to walk through The Saloon, get dirty looks from the bar staff, and then walk down the stairs. Meh. I'm not too thrilled about it.

At the end of the night, it's a killer comedy club. Hiccups are minor and don't detract from the evening that is yet to be had. Don't sweat it. I'm really looking forward to coming back for another show soon. More improve, please!

Nothing too special about The Comedy Zone. It's a good, fairly intimate space to see a comedy show. Like others have said, there's not a bad seat in the house.

Tickets for events are available online, and you can use the Passbook app on your iPhone instead of printing in advance. That's always a perk for me.

If, however, you are sensitive to middle school dance style light shows, you'd be better served to come in a little late. They start off with a "Twilight Zone" intro that develops into bright blinky lights that go on for just a bit too long. I'd recommend shortening the length of that whole ordeal.

As for service, the guys on the floor kept beer coming to all the tables. Nobody seemed inordinately put out because the beer selection leaves much to be desired. We averted the crisis by enjoying our craft beers upstairs in the Saloon before heading downstairs for the show.

Note that bottled water is served, so don't go thinking you're going to get water in a glass.

The show was "Beards of Comedy" and I think it's their farewell tour. Quirky, hilarious guys, all with beards. Caleb Synan joined them for a few minutes and his routine was funny as well. And he also had a beard.