Top 5: Vancouver Live Comedy Venues   

Every single Sunday for the past 21 years, the Sunday Service team have taken to the stage (or screen during the pandemic) and produced a hilarious two-hour improv show with sketches and games. Known for their absurdist comedy, the troupe performs at The Fox Cabaret on Main Street in Mount Pleasant, and has had its fair share of celebrity drop-ins over the years, including Bob Odenkirk and Nancy Robertson.

Six days a week, Gastown’s Little Mountain Gallery offers live comedy shows that span a mind-boggling range. Stand-up, improv, sketch and alternative comedy are all offered in this venue with two performance spaces. Across the calendar you’ll find seasoned stand-ups, open mic nights, student sets, trivia games, talent shows, and fresh-from-Fringe productions.

Also in Gastown, Comedy After Dark adds a humorous twist to the “dinner and a show” concept. Tuesday through Sunday, the club offers multiple stand-up comedy shows on most nights. With the purchase of a ticket, you’re invited to arrive early to order food and drinks (a minimum of two items per person), and then enjoy the show. Comedy After Dark regularly hosts comedians who have been part of JFL, but you’ll also find open mic and more experimental shows sprinkled through the calendar.

Yet another Gastown venue, Underground Comedy Club features live shows Wednesday through Sunday each week, focusing on stand-up. Order drinks and nibbles (from Hoxton, the bar and restaurant upstairs), and settle in for a set or two. They feature a rotating cast of local hosts, and regularly get drop ins by visiting comedians coming through Vancouver or in town shooting a film or TV production. Recent drop-ins have included Craig Robinson, Marc Maron, Usama Sidiquee, and Amos Gill.

Vancouver’s best-known spot for giggles is The Improv Centre on Granville Island. It’s been around since 1981 and boasts a prestigious alumni including Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles from TV’s Whose Line Is It Anyway? Expect multiple performances each night, including year-round classics as well as a rotating list of seasonally-themed shows (some recent examples: the holiday focused ‘Tis the Sitcom and I Know What You Did Last Weekend for spooky season). And good news for families—some of the centre’s shows are suitable for kids as young as eight.