Best Open Mic Venues And Live Comedy Clubs In Austin

Jump to: Stand-Up Clubs | Open Mics & Local Spots | Improv & Alternative Comedy

Austin has rapidly cemented its reputation as one of the comedy capitals of the world. From legendary iconic stages to intimate indie basements, the Live Music Capital of the World offers non-stop laughs every day of the week.

Whether you are looking for world-famous headliners, local improv troupes, or late-night open mics, this guide details the absolute best Austin comedy clubs to catch a show across the metro area.

Editor’s Note: We work hard to provide you with accurate and up-to-date information. However, all details are subject to change. Please verify information before heading out.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Curious about how we choose our content? Here’s our process.

Also, check out our articles on the Best Late Night Eats in Austin, Best Date Night Ideas in Austin, Best Sports Bars in Austin, and Romantic Restaurants in Austin.

Top Stand-Up Stages & Comedy Clubs in Austin

Comedy Mothership

Image credit: Comedy Mothership

If you want to see why Comedy Mothership has become one of the biggest names among Austin comedy clubs, start with the building itself.

Joe Rogan bought the historic 1929 Ritz Theater on East 6th, gutted it, and turned it into a serious destination for national headliners, podcast favorites, and some of the biggest names in stand-up.

The Fat Man room holds around 250 people, and the sightlines are good enough that you won’t feel stuck with a bad seat. The smaller Little Boy room offers more intimate showcases and is often your better bet when the Fat Man show has already sold out.

And then there’s Kill Tony, which records live in the Fat Man room every Monday. You get bucket pulls, roast segments, guest judges, and the unpredictable energy that makes the show so popular.

Recent headliner weekends have included Ron White, Donnell Rawlings, Pauly Shore, and Joey Diaz, while Tony Hinchcliffe and Christina P. have recurring residency nights throughout the year.

When: Daily: 7 pm – 2 am
Where: 320 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78701
How Much: Starts at $40

Cap City Comedy Club

If you’re trying to find the right Austin comedy clubs for a weekend night, Cap City makes an easy choice. Cap City Comedy Club has been putting national touring comedians on Austin stages since 1985. But today, Cap City operates out of a newer space at The Domain, where you’ll find two showrooms and free parking in the adjacent Pink Garage.

The Main Room handles headliners and larger touring acts, while the upstairs Red Room puts the spotlight on local and emerging talent.

Fridays and Saturdays typically have two shows per night, while Tuesday brings an open mic where you can catch comedians still finding their footing.

Mark their annual Funniest Person in Austin Contest on your calendars. You might just discover the city’s next breakout comic before they’re filling much bigger rooms.

When: Varies
Where: 11506 Century Oaks Terrace Unit 100, Austin, TX 78758
How Much: Starts at $15

The Creek and the Cave

The Creek and the Cave brings a little New York comedy history to Austin.

Rebecca Trent ran the original Long Island City club for 14 years, helping give early stages to comedians including Donald Glover, Tim Dillon, and Kevin Barnett. When the pandemic forced the NYC location to close, she moved the operation to Austin.

Here you’ll find weekend headliners mixed in with showcases and variety shows throughout the week. If you get hungry mid-show, you can grab some grub from the Creek and the Crave food truck on-site.

If you’re exploring live comedy ATX beyond the biggest names and want a room with a genuine comedian-first feel, this is one worth checking.

When: Varies
Where: 611 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78701
How Much: Starts at $15

Sunset Strip Comedy Club

Sunset Strip Comedy Club puts you right in the middle of the 6th Street action. The compact downtown room books a rotating mix of local pros, touring comedians, and the occasional national name.

You’ll also find recurring shows such as “Pure Fun Comedy,” while comics with established touring experience and social media followings regularly make their way onto the calendar.

Hans Kim has performed here, and the overall booking tends to lean beyond the open-mic level, giving you a solid mix of polished local talent and visiting acts.

Sunset Strip is 21+ with a two-item minimum per person, and outside drinks aren’t allowed.

When: Daily: 3 pm – 2 am
Where: 214 E 6th St Unit c, Austin, TX 78701
How Much: Starts at $10

Comedy Clubs in Austin – Best Open Mic Austin Spots & Emerging Venues

East Austin Comedy Club

Image credit: East Austin Comedy

East Austin Comedy Club has an intimate 82-seat room, affordable tickets, BYOB, and comedy every day of the week. Located on East 6th, the club brings in both local favorites and touring headliners, and with a room this small, you won’t have to squint to see what’s happening onstage.

Bring your own beer, wine, or whatever you want to sip during the show, then grab popcorn or something from the food truck in the back. Weekend nights offer multiple showtimes, too, so you have some flexibility when planning your evening.

Doors open 20 minutes before showtime and close 15 minutes after, so don’t cut it too close. Late arrivals may lose their seats to the waitlist.

When: Monday – Tuesday: 6:30 pm – 9 pm | Wednesday – Thursday: 6:30 pm – 11 pm | Friday – Saturday: 5:30 pm – 11:30 pm | Sunday: 4:30 pm – 11 pm
Where: 2505 E 6th St Ste D, Austin, TX 78702
How Much: Starts at $10

Buzzkill at The Buzz Mill

Buzzkill has been going since 2013, making it the city’s longest-running weekly stand-up show. It was started by Katie Pengra and is now hosted by Carlton Wilcoxson, of Moontower Comedy Festival fame and Stoned vs. Drunk vs. Sober, alongside Angelina Martin, an Austin Chronicle Best of Austin nominee for Best Stand-Up Comic.

So while Buzzkill has the casual feel of a neighborhood comedy night, you’re still getting working comedians who take the stage seriously.

The Buzz Mill itself is a 24/7 lumberjack-themed coffeehouse and beer garden on Riverside Drive, with happy hour from 5–8 PM.

Show up early, grab something to eat or drink, claim a patio seat, and you’ve got a full evening lined up without paying anything for the comedy. Just get there before 9 PM if you want a good spot. The seats go quickly.

When: Daily: Open 24/7
Where: 1505 Town Creek Dr, Austin, TX 78741
How Much: Free

The Velveeta Room

Image credit: The Velveeta Room

The Velveeta Room has been part of 6th Street since 1988, making it Austin’s longest-running comedy club, and you’ll find it right next door to Esther’s Follies.

This is a club run by comics for comics, and the lineup feels like it. Instead of the polished touring packages you’ll find at some of the bigger Austin comedy clubs, you’re more likely to catch Austin’s sharpest local performers, Moontower and SXSW veterans, and nationally known comedians dropping in to work a smaller room.

Past showcases have featured comics with credits from Comedy Central, Netflix, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

Thursday’s Austin All-Stars show is a standout if you want to see several of the city’s best working comedians on one bill. You can even start the evening with the “Drink Like a Comic” happy hour.

The Velveeta Room is 21+ with a two-drink minimum, and tickets are non-refundable, although you can receive credit toward a future show.

When: Thursday – Friday: 8:30 pm – 12:30 am | Saturday: 7:30 pm – 12:30 am
Where: 521 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78701
How Much: Starts at $20

Improv Theaters & Unique Live Comedy ATX

Esther’s Follies

Image credit: Esther’s Follies

Esther’s Follies has been entertaining crowds on 6th Street since 1977, and nearly 50 years later, its biggest trick is that the show never stays the same. The cast rewrites material around current headlines, local happenings, and whatever is making news that week, so a September show won’t feel like the same performance you might catch a couple of months later.

It’s part sketch comedy, part musical parody, and part live magic from Ray Anderson, who’s been performing at Esther’s for decades. The setting makes the experience even more fun. Floor-to-ceiling windows at the back of the theater look directly onto 6th Street, and the cast regularly incorporates what’s happening outside into the performance.

If a bachelor party happens to wander past at the right moment, don’t be surprised if it becomes part of the joke.

When: Thursday: 6 pm – 9:30 pm | Friday – Saturday: 6 pm – 11:30 pm
Where: 525 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78701
How Much: Starts at $30

Hideout Theatre

If traditional stand-up isn’t quite your thing, Hideout Theatre gives you a completely different way to experience comedy in Austin.

The city’s longest-running improv theater opened in 1999, and here, everything happens without a script or teleprompter, so the performers have to build the show in real time, and you get to watch the entire thing unfold.

Friday and Saturday shows cover several styles, from short-form games reminiscent of Whose Line Is It Anyway to longer narrative improv.

Saturday night’s Maestro format turns the audience into part of the competition as twelve improvisers face off and performers are eliminated until one takes the title for the week.

You can even bring food and drinks from the coffeehouse into the theater, and street parking is available nearby, with a parking garage at 7th and Brazos.

When: Varies
Where: 5555 N Lamar Blvd B103, Austin, TX 78751
How Much: Starts at $8

Fallout Theater

Fallout Theater is the kind of comedy room you seek out when you want something beyond the standard stand-up club.

Tucked into a 70-seat underground space, it runs shows seven nights a week, with programming that jumps between improv, sketch, stand-up, clown, and variety. And it’s especially local-focused.

Garage, an all-women improv troupe, performs here every week, while Austin’s first all-Asian-American improv troupe has a monthly show. You’ll also find rotating showcases featuring comedians from Fallout’s own conservatory classes.

If you’re looking for an open mic Austin experience with a more alternative edge, this is much closer to the city’s grassroots comedy scene.

Fallout’s old BYOB policy has changed, so outside drinks aren’t permitted, but there’s no two-item minimum or pressure to order table service.

Street parking is usually available within a couple of blocks, particularly north of 7th Street on Lavaca or around Guadalupe and 8th.

When: Varies
Where: 616 Lavaca St, Austin, TX 78701
How Much: Starts at $8

ColdTowne Theater

ColdTowne Theater has been part of Austin’s alternative comedy scene since 2006, and it’s the sort of room where you can watch comedians figure out what comes next. Shows run seven days a week and span improv, sketch, and stand-up, giving you plenty of chances to catch something different depending on the night.

Friday’s Live at ColdTowne is particularly worth checking out. The showcase regularly features local talent, and surprise drop-ins from nationally known comedians aren’t unusual.

The theater also hosts the Austin Sketch Fest each summer.

If you’re driving, the parking lot is small, so arrive early. Street parking is also available nearby.

When: Varies
Where: 1700 E 2nd St, Austin, TX 78702
How Much: Starts at $10

Know Before You Go

While core hotspots like Dirty 6th and the Red River Cultural District host major hubs like Comedy Mothership and The Creek and The Cave, options extend well into North and South Austin.

Venues like Cap City in The Domain or neighborhood spots in East Austin offer easy parking and accessibility for residents coming from surrounding suburbs like Round Rock, Cedar Park, or Pflugerville.

Plan to arrive 30–45 minutes prior to showtime, especially for phone-free venues requiring security check-ins.

Common Questions about Austin Comedy Clubs

Where does Joe Rogan perform in Austin?

Joe Rogan frequently performs and hosts unannounced shows at his venue, Comedy Mothership, located on East 6th Street in Downtown Austin.

What is Dirty 6th in Austin?

“Dirty 6th” refers to the historic block of East 6th Street between Congress Avenue and I-35, known for its nightlife, historic bars, live entertainment, and popular comedy venues.

Do Austin comedy clubs require reservations or tickets in advance?

Yes, high-demand venues like Comedy Mothership and Cap City Comedy Club routinely sell out weeks in advance. Purchasing tickets online ahead of time is strongly recommended.

Looking for more? See the upcoming Weekend Events in Austin.