Portland Comedy Venues
Portland has long been a city that celebrates the bold, the offbeat, and the brilliantly funny. From intimate black box theaters to cozy neighborhood stages, our comedy scene thrives on creativity, community, and connection. This page shines a spotlight on three of the venues helping keep Portland laughing: Curious Comedy Theater, Kickstand Comedy, Funhouse Lounge, and Covert Cafe.
Each of these spaces brings its own voice to the stage—whether it’s long-form improv, stand-up showcases, experimental storytelling, or late-night variety. Together, they represent the heart of Portland’s comedy community: inclusive, inventive, and always ready to take a risk for a laugh.
Explore what makes these venues special, discover upcoming shows, and experience the performers who continue to shape Portland’s dynamic comedy culture
Curious Comedy Theater
Curious Comedy Theater improves people’s lives through the art of comedy — with a strong emphasis on providing a platform for underserved voices, including those of BIPOC, women and genderqueer individuals, LGBTQIA+ communities, differently-abled performers, and economically disadvantaged people of all ages.
Beyond its mission-driven programming, Curious Comedy is a vibrant hub for live entertainment and artistic growth. The theater hosts a wide range of shows throughout the week, from nationally recognized headliners to homegrown improv ensembles and stand-up showcases. Whether you’re stepping onto the stage for the first time or refining your craft as a seasoned performer, Curious offers improv and stand-up classes designed for all experience levels, creating a supportive pathway for anyone interested in comedy.
Guests can enjoy a full night out at the Main Theater, which features a complete food and drink menu, making it a true dinner-and-a-show destination. The Annex Theater provides an additional performance space with beverages available, offering an intimate setting to experience Portland’s dynamic comedy community.
Check out the full line up of shows and classes at Curious Comedy Theater!
Kickstand Comedy
Curated live comedy with a focus on quality, community, and unique voices.
Kickstand Comedy is Portland’s home for 🔥 local comedy. Providing mission-based programming and educational outreach that helping Portland connect, learn and laugh together. We run the #1comedy training center in the Pacific Northwest featuring improv, stand up, sketch, physical comedy classes and more!
Guided by a diverse and dedicated Board of Directors, we work tirelessly to advance our organizations mission + vision, develop performers, create hungry fans, and strive to make Portland comedy undeniable!
Our Mission.
To transform and enrich the lives of performers and audiences through comedy. We work to eliminate the historic barriers that have kept folx from seeing and doing comedy, addressing the ongoing needs of our community and its diverse perspectives through dynamic shows, and community outreach events—creating equity across our organization and beyond while providing opportunities for performance, education, and laughter.
Our Vision.
A thriving, diverse, equitable and representational comedy scene that compensates performers, and establishes Kickstand and its fans as an iconic institution in the Pacific Northwest.
Check out all the amazing classes and shows at Kickstand Comedy!
Funhouse Lounge
This is theater without the safety net.
The Funhouse Lounge is an arts-centric lounge in the Central Eastside of Portland located at the corner of SE 11th and Division. A modern cabaret of sorts, a place to enjoy a drink and some good eats while being entertained. Voted one of “Portland’s Weirdest Bars” by The Oregonian. We have a truly unique blend of entertainment including dance nights, stand up comedy, burlesque, improv, karaoke, storytelling, bingo, plays, and so much more. With one foot planted firmly in the tradition of theatre and the other leaping forward into the future, we are pushing the limits of what theatre “is” or “should be.” Each and every show is unique and above all else FUN! Join us for some laughs.
Check out the full line up of shows at Funhouse Lounge!
Covert Cafe
Tucked away in Southeast Portland, Covert Cafe is a true hidden gem — the kind of neighborhood spot you stumble into once and then never stop talking about. Blending the warmth of a local bar with the energy of a creative performance space, Covert Cafe regularly hosts live performance arts including music and comedy, giving artists an intimate stage and audiences an up-close experience you won’t find anywhere else.
What sets Covert apart is its commitment to both performers and patrons. Every live show is recorded and made available on their website, extending the life of each performance and giving artists valuable exposure beyond the room. It’s a space that doesn’t just host art, it actively supports and preserves it.
The experience doesn’t stop at the stage. Covert Cafe boasts great food and an impressively large beer tap selection, making it just as appealing for a casual night out as it is for catching a show. And then there are the owners, “the Joes” and Cody, the kind of friendly, welcoming presence that makes everyone feel like a regular. They’re known throughout the community not just as business owners, but as genuine champions of local artists.
Covert Cafe is the bar everyone wishes was in their neighborhood: creative, welcoming, and deeply rooted in supporting the arts.
Check out their amazing menu and calendar of events and shows here and follow them on Instagram!