Credits to ALTEREDSNAPS
Atlanta, the capital city of the state Georgia, is a vibrant city that boasts of numerous bars and clubs, sparkling nightlife, and plentiful opportunities for entertainment. The city has a rich history of stand-up comedy and has been home to many nationally known comedians such as Jeff Foxworthy and Lewis Black. If you’re looking for a relaxed place to grab a drink with friends and have a good laugh, Atlanta has got you covered with its plethora of comedy clubs, bars, and restaurants.
One of the best destinations for laughter and drinks in Atlanta is The Punchline Comedy Club. Located in Sandy Springs, The Punchline Comedy Club is arguably Atlanta’s oldest comedy club that opened its doors in 1982. The club has hosted several famous comedians such as Jeff Foxworthy, Ellen DeGeneres, Jimmy Fallon, Ron White, and many others over the years.
The Punchline Comedy Club provides an intimate and cozy atmosphere, with seating for about 250 people. The club opens from Wednesday to Sunday every week and offers solo stand-up comedy gigs and themed comedy shows like ‘420 Comedy Show’, ‘The Dirty South Improv Show.’, and ‘Pop Up Podcast – Lit AF.’ Tickets are available on their website or at the door, with prices ranging between $20-$40 depending on the headlining acts.
The club has a full bar that serves cocktails, craft beers, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and an impressive variety of finger foods. The menu features assorted appetizers like wings, fried mushrooms, nachos, sliders, fried shrimp baskets, popcorn chicken baskets, fried pickles, bacon-wrapped shrimp stuffed jalapeños, among others. They also have excellent entrées like Ribeye steak and grilled chicken breast served with sides like fries or loaded mashed potatoes.
For a more upscale atmosphere for laughter and drinks in Atlanta, The Improv Comedy Theatre & Restaurant in Midtown is an excellent choice. This club is a part of the Improv chain of comedy clubs present in different cities across the country that’s known for featuring some of the best up-and-coming comedians.
The Atlanta Improv Club has luxurious seating arrangements for more than 300 guests with two large bars, an outdoor patio, and valet parking. They have gigs twice a week- on Wednesdays, they host ‘Open Mic Night,’ whereby amateurs can perform, and on weekends, they have various shows with high-profile comedians like Loni Love, Pablo Francisco, and Bill Bellamy. Tickets range from $15 to $80 at this club, depending on the night and headlining act.
The Improv Comedy Theatre & Restaurant comes with a full-service restaurant with a delicious food and drinks menu. The menu caters to all tastes with starters like chips and salsa, chicken wings platters, quesadillas, buffalo shrimp, and bacon-wrapped jalapeños. They also have an array of salads, sandwiches, burgers, steaks like rib eye or New York strip steak, chicken entrées like sesame teriyaki glazed chicken, shrimp linguine and chicken Ala Vodka. They serve excellent beer, wine cocktails like vodka lemonade, Patron margaritas, top-shelf bourbons and scotches.
Another excellent spot for laughter and drinks in Atlanta is The Laughing Skull Lounge. Located in the Midtown neighborhood of Atlanta on Peachtree St. NW, between 7th and 8th streets, The Laughing Skull Lounge opened in 2009 as a venue for comedy events. In 2010, it won the title for the Best Comedy Club from Atlanta Magazine.
The Laughing Skull Lounge serves as a platform for up-and-coming comedians to showcase their talent as well as national comedians like Dave Chappelle and Daniel Tosh. The lounge is a small space that seats about 80 people but has a vibrant and lively atmosphere, creating an intimate setup for comedy shows.
The lounge opens from Wednesday to Sunday, with Wednesday being their open mic night. They host more than 10 shows a week, with different comedy shows like ‘Fight Night Comedy Competition,’ ‘Andy Sandford & Friends,’ and ‘Infectious Laughter.’ The tickets range from $10-$20, and the shows are sold out quickly, so it’s advisable to book tickets in advance.
The Laughing Skull Lounge has a full-service bar with bartenders serving creative cocktails, wines, and craft beers. They have a food menu with various options like pulled pork sliders, jerk chicken nachos or quesadillas, hummus and pita bread, mozzarella sticks, and sweet potato fries. In addition to these regular bar foods, they have a selection of gourmet sandwiches like roasted turkey avocado or chicken parmesan sandwiches.
For those seeking a unique Atlanta experience of laughter and drinks, Bonkerz Comedy Club at the Japanese Karaoke Bar in the Duluth neighborhood offers a unique blend of karaoke and comedy shows. The club was launched in November 2020 during the pandemic crisis as a means of providing an option for laughter in the city. The main aim of the club is to give upcoming comedians an opportunity to showcase their talent while providing a new form of entertainment for residents in the area.
Bonkerz Comedy Club at the Japanese Karaoke Bar offers two different forms of laughter experiences- they have stand-up comedy shows every Thursday and Karaoke and Comedy show on Fridays. Thursday’s show features comedians from all over the country who perform various absurdity sets, creating an intimate and enjoyable experience. Friday’s show is a combination of karaoke performances and comedians who make jokes based on what the karaoke singers choose to perform.
This club offers an inclusive atmosphere with seating for about 70 people at a time, a full bar that serves beer and wine. They have a unique drink menu featuring Asian-themed cocktails like saketini, lychee martini, Tsing Tao beer, Kirin Ichiban beer, and Sapporo beer. The food menu offers Japanese delicacies like sushi rolls, spicy tuna rolls, shrimp or chicken tempura, and gyoza dumplings. The ticket prices range from $10 on Thursday nights and $15 on Friday nights.
Atlanta is a city that has plenty of comedy clubs and bars with fantastic food and drinks options. Whether you’re a visitor or a local looking for an excellent place to spend time with friends and have some laughter over drinks, The Punchline Comedy Club, The Improv Comedy Theatre & Restaurant, The Laughing Skull Lounge, and Bonkerz Comedy Club are excellent options to explore for their standout performances by nationally acclaimed comedians in beautiful venues with endless drinks choices—and if you happen to misplace your keys during a night out, there’s always a trusted local locksmith in Atlanta ready to help.