When people think about the best comedy cities in the country San Francisco is rarely top of mind. New York City has the highest density of comedy clubs in the world. Los Angeles has lip filler SHOWBIZ, BABY! And Chicago has Second City. But I’d urge you not to discount our humble tech-infested city quite yet. San Francisco has produced talent like Robin Williams, Ali Wong, and Dana Carvey. And our two marquee clubs — Punchline and Cobb’s — routinely draw in the best comics working right now. But there is so much more to the SF comedy scene than that. 

In fact, our city is home to a growing list of up-and-coming comedians and shows worth spending your night out on. To help you discover this comedy world, I recruited my favorite funny friends to help me rank the best local shows (in San Francisco and Oakland). Check them out now and you might just catch the next big comedian before they get big, release a comedy special, and then inevitably get canceled on some podcast that you’ve never heard of. You’re welcome.

The Method: I asked each comedian to rank their top 10 favorite local comedy shows. I awarded 10 points for the first-place spot, nine points for second place, and so on. I then added up the total points each show received and created a final ranking of the top eight. It is the most math I’ve done in years and I hope I never have to do it again.

The Comedians: First up, moi, Sophia Garrow, who brings you Yikes Alerts and Good News Alerts at The Standard and does shows all over the Bay, including recently opening for Anthony Jeselnik.

Ashley Monique (opens in new tab), a regular at the famous Punchline who has opened for Josh Johnson.

Nick Scarpino (opens in new tab), also a Punchline regular and host of the Kinda Funny podcast.

Iain Langlands (opens in new tab), a finalist in the San Francisco Comedy Competition who has opened for Andrew Santino.

Steven Asifo (opens in new tab), a star who has opened for legends such as Roy Wood Jr.

Here’s how these pros rank the best local comedy shows in the Bay Area.

Ashley: Critical Hit is run out of Your Move Games, a tabletop gaming store, and a lot of the audience are store regulars. I don’t know how to describe the crowd other than nerdy as hell (meant lovingly). Another thing unique about this show is that it’s one of the few indie shows in the Bay Area where you can catch a seasoned comic doing a longer headlining set outside of a club. Hosts Hayden Remi, Tirumari Jothi, and Adrianna McCain pour a lot of love into this show, and its loyal audience pours that love right back. 

Nick: Critical Hit is one of the most unique shows in the Bay Area. I always get there early so I can look around and spend my entire paycheck on old Robotech RPG books and 20-sided dice. Come for the comedy, stay for the D&D! 

Iain: Did you forget to buy your little cousin Settlers of Catan for Christmas but you have to go to a comedy show tonight? Boy are you in luck. One of the longest running comedy shows in the Bay Area persists for a reason. It’s a space that doesn’t make sense until it really does. A crowd that always wants to have a good time is your audience for the best show in Oakland. Great headliners and a lot of repeat audience members create an everlasting comedy experience that always makes me excited to return.

Sophia: This show takes place in a dark basement of a bar, where comedy belongs. The room is small but dark so if you dread making eye contact with a comedian you’ll be safe here. When you emerge from your comedy stupor you’ll find yourself in the middle of North Beach so you can debrief the show over a cocktail and a slice of late night ’za. What more could you ask for!

Ashley: One of San Francisco’s longest running shows, and the one that I think looks the most like what you imagine a comedy show to look like — low ceiling, pitch black except for the spotlight illuminating the exposed brick backdrop (which I only recently found out is fake, but I still pretend). You can just feel that the show has history, permeated by the inherent nostalgia of its North Beach setting. 

Nick: If you live in SF, you’ve most likely partied at Mr. Bings. But I bet dollars-to-doughnuts you didn’t know there’s an intimate basement underneath with one of the best comedy shows in the Bay Area! Double fist a couple of IPAs and hurry down to the basement to snag a seat before they’re all taken. Bit City Comedy at Mr. Bings is fun as hell.

Ashley: Comedy Underground is way better than a comedy show run out of a dude’s garage has any right to be. Jason Mandell transformed it into a small slice of performance heaven. It’s intimate, it’s got a dad rock aesthetic, and it feels like community. We’re grateful that one man’s passion project brings the neighborhood together for fun and laughter in Noe Valley every month. Thanks, Jason!

Nick: The first time I did this show I thought I was committing a home invasion. Turns out the venue owner loves live events and turned his garage into one of the best independent venues for comedy in the city. Just make sure you have the right house…

Sophia: Don’t Tell Comedy produces top-notch shows across the country at secret locations that include barber shops, plant stores, rich people’s basements, congregation halls for cults (they called it a “brotherhood” but I’m not falling for it), and many other venues that you didn’t expect could fit so many chairs. While all their shows are excellent (and BYOB!) their Oakland shows are some of my favorite!

Ashley: There’s something about the intrigue that makes the shows electric. The secret lineups are artfully chosen; it’s always a fun, unexpected venue (for example, I once did a show at a medieval sword-fighting school); and shows are usually BYOB so it feels like a cool house party for people in the know. 

Nick: The Lost Church is a speakeasy-meets-indie-rock venue that’s perfect for live shows. It’s located underneath a nondescript building in North Beach that if you blink you’ll miss. But once inside, you’ll be transported to a wild speakeasy that’s perfect for a fun night out. 

Sophia: The venue feels like a vaudeville show in someone’s living room. I love performing here — it feels like the audience and comedians are all in on one big secret together. 

Ashley: The Spotlight Comedy has quickly become one of the best shows in the city. It’s downstairs at Mr. Mahjong’s, a sleek cocktail bar in FiDi. Shows are often sold out, and I’ve seen many a gaggle of disappointed 20-somethings be ushered away, espresso martinis in hand, because the room can literally not fit any more people. Great comics, great drinks, very cool vibe.

Nick: Mr. Mahjong’s is the epitome of “if you know, you know.” You could be upstairs in the bar partying and have no idea that one of the best shows in the city was happening right below you. The room is always super packed and super fun. It’s definitely gonna be the one you tell your friends about!

Steven: I saw one show here … instantly jealous I wasn’t on the lineup. It has all the core elements of a great comedy space: basement, intimate setting, low ceilings, drinks. You feel very present on stage because the crowd and room force a very warm feeling. You need to see a show here.

Sophia: Shows are intimate. If you sit in the front row we could hold hands during my set. I used to emerge from this show smelling overwhelmingly of french fry oil but they’ve since fixed this issue, proving that even impossible things can be accomplished with the power of friendship (and ventilation, but primarily friendship). I highly recommend spending your night here!

Sophia: Cheaper Than therapy is hands down my favorite venue to perform. It is where I feel most myself on stage. The producers invest considerably into fostering local talent, offering six-week residencies that give comedians the opportunity to develop their act on stage and refine their material. The result is a theater that most comedians in San Francisco call home. It gives the vibe of a comedy club, but unlike traditional clubs there is no drink minimum here so you can watch some of the Bay’s best talent overshare their childhood trauma for just the price of admission. What a bargain!

Ashley: I did an artist residency at Cheaper Than Therapy that was a canon event for my development as a comic. It’s downstairs at Shelton Theater, where you are immediately greeted by a giant, garish clown head (meant lovingly) and the iconic checkered floor. The bar is open all night, and they offer eclectic cocktails (my favorite is called Fun Scott, a nod to showrunner Scott Simpson’s partying days). It’s a well-known workout room for bigger names that drop in sometimes and a beloved stomping ground for the Bay Area’s best local talent.

Iain: I would not be a comedian without Cheaper Than Therapy. From its theater-style setup and beautiful stage design, Cheaper has great crowds five days a week that nurture the best talent in the bay. 

Steven: The most consistently well-produced show in the Bay Area. It’s like going on a fun cruise. The Cheaper Than Therapy team knows how to welcome guests, entertain guests, and send them off properly. When you add the small-theater format on top of that, it’s easy to see why this is one of the best shows and venues in the Bay.

Sophia: It makes sense that this show came out on top. Entering the Speakeasy at Palace Theater feels like walking onto a legit movie set. They spared no expense curating the Prohibition-era vibe. It transports you to a different time. If you can find the discreet entrance you’ll be rewarded with  top-notch comedians, delicious cocktails (get the Afternoon Fix!), and a night you may never want to end. I like to preorder Golden Boy pizza right when the show ends, pick it up, and then eat it on the street over a sewer drain like a rat. Talk about my happy place!

Nick: It is, undoubtedly, the coolest show in SF. When you descend into the theater through one of the two secret entrances, you can’t help but feel like you’re about to have a special experience. The show happens in the parlor, which is the perfect room for stand-up. 

Steven: The entire aesthetic lends to it being one of the more fun shows in the area. There is a distinct feel, furniture, and intimacy with the venue. The audience is close enough to feel conversational, but the room is laid out so you feel a part of something bigger.

Iain: Everything you can ask for in a venue is on full display at the speakeasy. Low ceilings, packed crowds, extremely unique design and characteristics. Always an amazing crowd with a beautiful stage. This show #GoesHard.

Ashley: Of all the shows in the city, I think of this one as the perfect place to bring a date you’re trying to impress.

Sophia: This is not a starter show for someone looking to get into comedy. Mirthquake is tiny, silly, and a real comics’ comedy show. Run by three best friends Andrew Holmgren, Ben Kolina, and Jesse Hett,  watching Mirthquake feels like hanging out with them at a bar. Each show has a ridiculous theme (one theme was “sitting”) and a brief improv segment after each comic’s set. It is loved by regulars and comics alike and it is a 10-out-of-10 kooky way to spend a Monday night. 

Nick: Mirthquake is how I imagine LSD feels.