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From November 6 to 15, 2026, the New York Comedy Festival brings more than 200 comedians to all five boroughs. Over 100 shows fill small New York comedy clubs and major theaters. The difficult part is getting your friends to agree on whose jokes are worth leaving the house for.
Pick a show before the dinner debate begins. A familiar favorite or someone you’ve only watched in 30-second clips gives the evening a starting point. Your friend who tells the same 3 jokes can pick up some new material.
Not sure where to start? These eight picks cover November 6-8, from an improvised late-night set to a Netflix special taping. They’re a selection from the festival program, with start times and addresses to help you choose.
| Show | Date | Time | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Kanpai Boys, East Village | Friday, November 6 | 6 p.m. | New York Comedy Club, 85 East 4th Street |
| Gayme Show! with Matt Rogers and Dave Mizzoni | Friday, November 6 | 7 p.m. | BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers Street |
| Tokyo Kanpai Boys, Upper West Side | Friday, November 6 | 8:30 p.m. | New York Comedy Club, 236 West 78th Street |
| Shaunak Does Improvised Standup | Friday, November 6 | 10 p.m. | Union Hall, 702 Union Street, Brooklyn |
| Tokyo Kanpai Boys, Midtown | Friday, November 6 | 11:30 p.m. | New York Comedy Club, 241 East 24th Street |
| Joanne McNally, Pinotphile Netflix special taping | Saturday, November 7 | 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. | Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street |
| Sarah Sherman & Patti Harrison | Sunday, November 8 | 7 p.m. | Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street |
| Marc Maron, Yammering Into the Void | Sunday, November 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway |
Times above are showtimes. For Marc Maron, doors open at 6:30 p.m., an hour before the performance. The Beacon Theatre lists entrances on Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue between West 74th and West 75th Streets. Choose which entrance your group will use, and check each event’s ticket details for its own door time.
For something stranger than a microphone and a stool, try Gayme Show! Two straight male contestants compete for the title “Queen of the Straights,” with Matt Rogers and Dave Mizzoni hosting. That gives you a clearer idea of the evening than “comedy show” does. Expect a tongue-in-cheek competition with special guests, not a succession of stand-up routines.
There’s another distinction worth knowing before choosing the best comedy shows in NYC. Joanne McNally’s Pinotphile performances double as a Netflix special taping, while Shaunak Godkhindi’s headlining set has no prepared material at all. One lets you join the audience for a recording. The other lets you watch a comedian invent jokes as he goes.
If your group can’t agree on opening weekend, these picks give you an option each day from November 9-15. Union Hall and Brooklyn Improv provide alternatives to the larger theater bookings. Four consecutive evenings at the Beacon Theatre let you compare performers and eat in the same neighborhood each night.
| Show | Date | Time | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stand Up for Heroes | Monday, November 9 | 8 p.m. | David Geffen Hall, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza |
| Pretty Major, with host Jay Jurden | Tuesday, November 10 | 7:30 p.m. | Union Hall, 702 Union Street, Brooklyn |
| Ask Comedians Anything | Wednesday, November 11 | 7:30 p.m. | Brooklyn Improv, 64 North 9th Street, Brooklyn |
| Jordan Jensen, The Wet Hug Tour | Thursday, November 12 | 8 p.m. | Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway |
| Ilana Glazer Live! | Friday, November 13 | 6:45 p.m. | Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway |
| Daniel Sloss, Bitter | Saturday, November 14 | 7 p.m. | Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway |
| Mojo Brookzz, Outta Pocket Comedy Tour | Sunday, November 15 | 6:30 p.m. | Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway |
Follow the ticket links in the full festival lineup to confirm availability and seating before booking a restaurant. These are separate shows, so make sure everyone buys the same date and performance time.
For a show at Town Hall, John’s of Times Square serves coal-fired pizza and Italian dishes in a former church. It is about a 10-minute walk from the theater, and parties of 10 or more can request a reservation. For David Geffen Hall, The Smith at Lincoln Square sits across from Lincoln Center at 1900 Broadway. Tell either restaurant your showtime and allow time for venue check-in.
Before settling the dinner budget, check your ticket for a separate food or drink minimum. At New York Comedy Club, each guest must also order at least $20 of drinks or snacks while seated in the performance room. The club adds tax and an automatic 18% tip to that bill. Anything you buy at the bar before entering the room does not count toward the $20.
The club recommends checking in 30 minutes early, and groups of 13 or more should submit an inquiry. Tickets you book separately don’t promise seats together. Admission is generally 18-plus, with discretionary exceptions for guests 16 and older who arrive with an adult.
For friends from Orange County, Rockland, or the Hudson Valley, agree on the trip from dinner to the show and home before leaving. Decide whether everyone returns together, and confirm a meeting point for picking everyone up after the performance. Leave time to pick up coats and get outside before anyone sends the “where are you?” text.
Once everyone settles in for the private drive home, someone will attempt a favorite joke and forget the punchline halfway through. Someone else will supply the wrong ending with complete confidence. There’s no need to rule on which version is right, although the person who insisted on front-row seats will probably appoint themselves judge.
