“I’m trying to keep my evenings per week at Comedy Bar down to three,” I admitted last night. This effort is not going well. I am more or less always there. But then again, so is Juliette Lewis when she’s in town. Here is why:

Hilarious yolks

This is a fun way to say “jokes” and also something you can find at Comedy Bar any night of the week. I’m particularly partial to Catch23, Friday nights’ competitive improv showdown, and Rap Battlez, a monthly show featuring huge characters and even huger burns—in RHYME. There’s also an array of one-off shows by local and international comedians, showcasing a mix of well known and more indie performers. Past out-of-town acts have included Maria Bamford, Noel Fielding and Neil Hamburger.

Can we talk about the bar staff??

Some of the best ladies in Toronto. The end.

The pizza. The burritos. The nach. The unlikely gourmet wraps.

The menu at this bar is more comprehensive and deliciously executed than it has any right to be. Legitimately one of my favourite burritos in the whole city, they also somehow do an amazing pear and chevre salad and make their own ice cream. Kind of makes other bar food look like a joke. (…see what I did there?)

Cheap laughs

With the opening of their new cabaret theatre space, newer (and/or weirder) shows that might not be able to fill the bigger blackbox theatre have a place to try things out. These shows are rarely more than $5 and often Pay-What-You-Can.  I paid a toonie on Monday to see SEX T-REX Presents T-REX TONIGHT, and it was one of the best comedy shows I’ve seen in months.

You can learn stuff!

Okay, so maybe the ability to learn something isn’t the number one quality most people require a bar to possess, but why don’t you just get over it and better yourself, there is more to life than drinking Magner’s until you can’t move. Just kidding, there’s not really, but if you’re interested in improvised comedy you can take classes through Comedy Bar’s new partner, the Bad Dog Theatre Company. And if you’re looking to delve into stand up, Dawn Whitwell’s Comedy Girl classes offer ladies a chance to develop material and showcase it at the bar.

LASERS

For anyone who’s been coming there for a while, these are old news, but Comedy Bar semi-recently got these ridiculous/perfect green lasers in their main space, and it was kind of a big deal. These have since played a crucial role in some very, very good dance parties. If you’re there on the right night, you’ll be dancing til 3, feeling like you’re in J-Lo’s “Waiting for Tonight” video (with a lot more beards).

What a place! Check it out! Come see a show and buy me a drink, because you know I’ll be there. Comedy Bar (945 Bloor St. W.) is located at Bloor and Delaware, a few blocks west of Ossington. Also, I refuse to include this last point in the official list of reasons why I go, but honestly, there is just some top-drawer weird flirting happening at that bar all the time.

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Comedy Bar
945 Bloor Street West
http://comedybar.ca/

~ Monica Heisey