Why sit at home just thinking about laughing? There are free open mics dedicated to comedy almost every night of the week. Come out and try your hand at stand-up, do a sketch with a friend, or just come to enjoy the pain and joy that comes with live comedy (by the way, if you ARE sitting at home and thinking about laughing, then you are in a very dark place – find an outlet).
Times can vary and things can change. Also, many Portland general open mics will allow comics to join in the fray. When in doubt, it is always best to just ask the establishment.
Ask the Man. Trust the Man. Be the Man.
Jump To: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Boiler Room
228 NW Davis Street
Portland, OR
9:00pm – 11:00pm
Hosted by Kevin-Michael Moore
503-227-5441
The longest running mic in Portland. Boiler Room is a staple of the Portland comedy scene. If you like L-shaped rooms and people waiting for karaoke, then look no further.
Sign-up: 20 slots available. Send Kevin-Michael Moore a Facebook and request a spot. Often full as early as 3pm so ask early.
The Real Comedy Spot
Josun Korean Grill
8201 SE Powell Blvd
Portland, OR
10:00pm
hosted by Angela Olson & The Real Hyjinx
(503) 775-2373
Northeast Portland’s most mobile open mic has now moved to Josun, in the same parking lot as 7-11. Run like a showcase with 10 min sets and music intros.
Sign-up: Show up by 9:30. Show will start at 10pm. There’s no guarantee of mic time for late arrivals, though depending on how many comics/audience members there are you may be able to get on the list later.
O’Malley’s
6535 SE Foster
Portland, OR 97206
8:00pm
Hosted by Boomer
(503) 777-0495
Boomer has a mic, y’all! Early enough to double dip with any of the other Monday night mics.
Sign-up: Show your lovely face at the bar.
The Vault at O’Connors Restaurant
7850 SW Capitol Highway
Portland, OR
Hosted by the good people of Time Out Comedy
7:00pm – 9:00pm
503-244-1690
The newest mic in town (and the only one in SW right now) is also the only clean mic in town. Come practice your set for the Tonight Show!
Sign-up: Sign up at the venue with the host starting at 6:30.
Helium Comedy Club
1510 SE 9th Avenue
Portland, OR
Hosted by rotation, usually current weekend’s host
8:00pm – 10:00pm
888-64-FUNNY
This mic is in Portland’s new club, on the main stage. Some of the best open mic crowds in town.
Sign-up: The list is only 20-25 comics long. Best to get there around 6pm to sign up, as many comics are eager to try out their stuff in a professional club. List is posted at 7:30.
LOL! Open Mic
Funhouse Lounge
2432 SE 12th
Portland, OR
Hosted by Michael Palmenderi
8:30pm – 10:00pm
503-841-6734
One of the newest mics in town, this is a neat room to work out material in. Pluses include a fun, friendly atmosphere and a very nice main room. Minuses include an often comic-heavy audience and a chamber of clowns in between the bar and the bathroom.
Sign-up: Starts at 8pm (so you have time to find out if you are on the Helium list should you be so moved) but will continue throughout the course of the mic.
Suki’s Bar
2401 SW 4th Avenue
Portland, OR
9:00pm – the next day
Hosted by Jimmy Newstetter
503-226-1181
Suki’s will oscillate between painful and majestic several times a night, with all being kept fun and civilized by the host Jimmy Newstetter. This is a fun mic to go to, with something new to see every week.
Sign-up: Talk to Jimmy. Get there before 11 or else you won’t be on the list. Something like 30+ comics go up every week, so order a cheap beer, some $2 fries and get comfortable, because you may be there a while.
Brody Theater
16 NW Broadway
Portland, OR
9:30pm – 11:30pm
Hosted by Tom Johnson and others
503-224-2227
Brody is a cool space with the posters you only wished you had in your dorm room, and it has a nice downtown location.
Sign-up: 20 slots per night. To get a spot, send a Facebook message to Tom Johnson early the day of. The list usually fills up by noon or 1.
Tonic Lounge
3100 NE Sandy
Portland, OR
11:00pm – 12:30am
Hosted by Whitney Streed
(503) 238-0543
The mic starts late after the regular Humor Night showcase, so come after the Brody to double-dip or come early to enjoy the show and encourage the sparse but dedicated audience to stay through for the mic. Starts with improv.
Sign-up: 10-15 comics per night. Sign up with the host, usually Whitney, during the regular showcase (which starts at 9:30pm).
Harvey’s Comedy Club
436 NW 6th Ave.
Portland, OR
9:00pm – 11:00pm
Hosted by rotation, usually current weekend’s host
(Be sure to call ahead, as this show and mic can be sporadic depending on the season)
The mic in Portland’s older comedy club also starts immediately after the 7:30 Wednesday show ends.
Sign-up: Find that week’s host. Sign-up starts at 8:45, but spots are limited so plan to arrive a bit early.
Open Court
Curious Comedy Theater
5225 NE MLK Blvd.
Portland, OR
8:00pm – 9:30pm
$5 donation to play or to watch
1st and 3rd Thursdays only
503-477-9477
Open Court is an ‘open mic’ for long form improv, not stand up. It is much more fun if you sign up to perform, and is great for any comics looking for some performance cross-training.
Sign-up: Tell the folks at the door you want to play when you show up.
Comedy Monster Open Mic
Curious Comedy
5225 NE Martin Luther King Blvd
Portland, OR
9:30pm – 11:30pm
Hosted by Jen Allen and Mandie Allietta
1st and 3rd Thursdays only
503-477-9477
Curious Comedy has a great Sunday mic, and now a Thursday mic as well after Open Court. This one feels more relaxed than Sundays, but with the same supportive (though sometimes easily offended) crowd.
Sign-up: Get in touch with Jen or Mandie via Facebook before 3pm on Thursday.
Gypsy Restaurant
625 NW 21st Ave
Portland, OR
9:30pm – late
Hosted by Joe Dimeo
(503) 796-1859
A mic in the Northwest, hooray! Pinball and video poker machines surround you to make you feel at home.
Sign-up: 10 comics per night. Sign up with Joe via Facebook. Sign ups are open the Friday after the show ends and conformation messages will be sent out the following Monday. The two comics that get the best audience responce get a paid 20 minute set the next week.
Brody Theater
16 NW Broadway
Portland, OR
10:15pm – 12:00am
Hosted by Tom Johnson and others
503-224-2227
1st, 3rd, and 5th Fridays only
Doors will open for this open mic at approximately 10pm, after the 8:30 pm show is over, which is often Fly Ass Jokes, an awesome aptly named show. 4-5 minute sets.
Sign-up: To get a Friday spot, send a Facebook message to Tom Johnson after midnight on Thursday. 16 spots available. (Sometimes this mic is early, check with Tom the day of to be sure.)
Sideshow Lounge at Mt. Tabor Theater
4811 SE Hawthorne
Portland, OR
9:00pm – 11:00pm
Hosted by rotation
(503) 360-1450
The newest incarnation of the Mt. Tabor open mic — same black light circus caricatures, same sunken stage, but a new host every week and occasional drink tickets to be dispersed!
Sign-up: Talk to the host.
Tik Tok (Pizza Time Deli)
11239 SE Division St
11:00pm – 1:00am
Hosted by Kevin Clark Strausser and others
503-256-1792
3rd Fridays only
Open mic following the monthly showcase. Fun times and pizza-related items are available!
Sign-up: Sign-up in person at the bar during the show.
Tik Tok (Pizza Time Deli)
3330 Southeast 82nd Ave.
9:00pm – midnight
Hosted by Kevin Clark Strausser and others
503-775-9564
3rd Fridays only
Open mic following the monthly showcase. Fun times and various items that may or may not be related to pizza available!
Sign-up: Sign-up in person at the bar during the show.
ComedySportz Portland
1963 Northwest Kearney Street
Portland, OR
10:00pm
1st Saturdays only
503-236-8888
ComedySportz is centered around short form, family friendly improv, but their mic is free and open and offers cheap beer. New performers get 3 minutes, those who have been to ComedySportz before get 5. Note that this mic only happens the first Saturday of every month.
Sign-up: Email standup@portlandcomedy.com ahead of time to get on the list, as early as the day before.
Curious Comedy Theater
5225 NE Martin Luther King Blvd
Portland, OR
9:00pm – 11:30pm
Hosted by Gabe Dinger
2nd and 4th Sundays only
503-477-9477
Curious Comedy has a great, supportive atmosphere for comedy, plus it kind of feels like a ski lodge, which makes you feel like a classy broad.
Sign-up: There are 20 spots on the list, so plan on getting there by about 8pm.
Can you sign up for these the same night or do you have too pre register?
Most you can sign up on the same night. If you have to preregister, it says so in the description.
what’s the best open mic for someone popping their open mic cherry?
Minor correction: the Brody Theater Wednesday open mic has a $3 cover for non-performers, not $5 as in the description. -Tom
Just discovered a nice venue for Open Mic on the East Side, in Sellwood: Twin Paradox Coffee Shop. The owner was amped about getting comics, right now it’s rotation heavy with acoustic guitar and poets. Also, there is the crack in the ceiling of the three minute limit for beginners, like me. Depends on how many sign up, but it sounds like it wouldn’t be hard to have a greenlight on five minutes. Monday sign up at 7, the show begins at 7:30. Will check them out in the next couple of weeks and provide feedback.
I think everyone’s first room should be Suki’s on the worst, loudest night possible. If they can hear you, you’re doing it right. Portland’s best open mic night for people who have some chops is Monday at Boiler Room. You have to contact the host earlier in the day to get on, and it’s worth the extra effort. Tuesday at Helium is new, but also incredible if you can get on the show. The exclusivity / tight set times of Boiler Room and Helium will make you a better comedian.
Also for beginners: stick to the time limits, seriously. Do fewer, stronger jokes — if you have extra time, try to riff off them, or practice observing people in the crowd and talking to them. Or just finish early on a good laugh.
Also, tell your funny stories that you tell your friends, don’t make up jokes. Record every set and listen to how people responded. And don’t listen to old timers who tell you what to do.
Mark is 100% right on. Couldn’t agree more. I’ve always thought it was good manners to watch other comic’s sets. They’ll appreciate it, you may learn some good tips, hear about upcoming shows, and build community. One of my biggest complaints is that in a smaller comedy community like Oregon/Portland, it seems like a majority of comedians think they’re the next big headliner, so they are far more cut throat. That kind of put me off, coming from a larger, really supportive comedy environment. I liked doing stand up because I love watching and performing comedy, not because I’m trying to land a sitcom gig.
Thursday night at Sway Bar is a bit of a bust.
This is definitely a great list. I had no idea until I googled Phil Schallberger that someone (Phil himself presumably) had composed this wonderful list. The only routine I’ve been doing was Tuesdays. Its time to make more rounds. Thank You.
The open mic at Gossip has been moved to :
The Good Call
11010 Southeast Division Street
Portland, OR 97266.
Booker & Angela still hosting
Do you have to be 21 for open mic night? if so I guess I’ll have to wait another month =/
Pretty much all the ones at bars are 21+, but Curious Comedy Theater, Brody Theater and the ComedySportz Arena are all ages.
Do any of you know the general time limit for these open mics? I’m guessing stage time is anywhere between 3-5 minutes, but to get a rough idea would be nice so that I could prepare ahead of time to cut down on my jokes/stories,etc. I assume you don’t know until you get there and find out! Thanks for all your tips/suggestions, btw.