Six ways to experience the best comedy Toronto has to offer

Toronto-based feminist comedian Natalie Norman shares her six favourite comedy clubs in town, from the legendary The Second City to the indie vibe of Wenona Craft Beer Lodge.

Toronto packs a big city punch with its impressive skyscrapers, vibrant festivals and dynamic multiculturalism, but its famous neighbourly Canadian personality lends this thriving province capital a distinctly small-town charm.

Toronto's charm doesn't stop at friendliness, though; T-dot (as it's affectionately known by locals) has a long history of turning out legendary comics, like Jim Carrey, Catherine O'Hara, Russell Peters, Will Arnett and Samantha Bee. The larger-than-life hilarity continues to take centre stage at the city's iconic comedy clubs and back-alley speakeasies, where locals and tourists can tap into the heartbeat of the city.

We spoke with Natalie Norman, a veteran Toronto-based comedian and local comedy show producer, to get her top spots for catching the best local comedy.

"Toronto has so many diverse voices, so you can get so many different types of comedy in one city," says Norman, whose comedy has been featured on outlets including the CBC Canadian media network, Vice and The Globe and Mail. "It makes for a really interesting and wonderful experience – because you can go to a show and not one comedian is going to be alike. And that's a really nice thing."

Here are Natalie Norman's six favourite spots for side-splitting comedy in Toronto.

1. Best for catching local comedians: Comedy Bar, Bloor

"[Comedy Bar, Bloor] is my first recommendation," says Norman of the classic basement venue in West Toronto. "Because that's where you get all different voices and all different types of comedy. You have a real open selection of what you can see."

The Comedy Bar is an instantly recognisable name for comedy lovers in the Toronto area. The Bloor location is the original, but there are two distinct locations now, both recommended by Norman.

Comedy Bar, Bloor offers a full-service bar and snacks, but the focus is on comedy. The bar features a combination of sketch, stand-up, alternative and improv comedy, depending on the night.

"It's an intimate setting and very Toronto-focused with its performers," says Norman. "It's the comedians' favourite spot and that says a lot about it. I mean, if all the comedians want to perform there then that means it's a really good place – because we know where good comedy should happen… and they support local comedians."

Website: https://comedybar.ca/

Address: 945 Bloor Street West Toronto, Canada M6H 1L5

Phone: (416) 551-6540

Instagram: @comedybarTO

2. Best for world-renowned sketch comedy: The Second City, Toronto

"The best live sketch [comedy] you can see is at The Second City," says Norman. "It's a staple in Canada."

The Second City is renowned as a precursor to Saturday Night Live and is the former stomping grounds of beloved, world-famous Canadian comedians such as John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short and Dan Aykroyd.

It's important to note that The Second City specifically focuses on sketch comedy – which is not improv, Norman says. At The Second City, the comedians write long-form sketches and perform the show for six months, then they go back to the drawing board. While The Second City in Toronto is an established venue on its own, it's also part of the larger The Second City brand, which has locations in New York City and Chicago as well.

"Toronto is a very political city – you're going to get really good comedy that is really funny, and very political," says Norman. "This is the home of [Schitt's Creek's] Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara. It has this great tradition that they try to maintain."

Website: https://www.secondcity.com/toronto-shows/

Address: One York Street, 110 Harbour St, Toronto, Canada M5J 0B6

Phone: (416) 343-0011

Instagram: @secondcityTO

3. Best intimate comedy venue: The Corner Comedy Club

The Corner Comedy Club is a small, independent stand-up comedy club located in Toronto's downtown core, but according to Norman, once you're inside you might forget that you're at the centre of a metropolitan city. "It's not a speakeasy but it feels like one," says Norman. "You have to go down a back alley to get there."

Noman calls The Corner a traditional stand-up club with a more intimate vibe. "You're getting a really intimate experience in a really cool atmosphere," she says. "You're in the heart of Toronto, but you're also in this secret location that feels like an exclusive club."

The club holds only about 50 people, and events include weekend and weeknight comedy headliners and a popular pre-booked open mic night.

"I do think comedy traditionally works better in smaller settings," says Norman. "I know from experience that if the ceilings are high the sound just echoes all around – a smaller space just gives this intimate vibe even if there's a lot of people [in the audience]. People need one place to concentrate, and with high ceilings, they're like 'oh my god what's above me?'"

Website: https://thecornercomedy.com/

Address: 243 Queen St West, Toronto, Canada M5V 1Z4

Phone: (647) 228-4084

Instagram: @thecornercomedyclub

4. Best for discovering the next "it" comedian: Comedy Bar, Danforth

The second Comedy Bar location is across the city from the original, and has a very different atmosphere, according to Norman.

"The biggest difference is that on the weekends they bring people [professional comedians] in from out of town," she says. "It is a brand new, beautiful venue. You'll see really great people before they hit it off for a relatively reasonable price."

Comedy Bar, Danforth is an accessible location with two stages, one on the main floor and another in the basement (with lift access). The venue also offers a full-service bar and food menu.

Norman says she likes to arrive hungry at this location. "They have a traditional deep pan pizza there that is unreal."

Website: https://comedybar.ca/

Address: 2800 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, Canada M4C 1M1

Phone: (416) 551-6540

Instagram: @comedybardanforth

5. Best comedy pop-up: Don't Tell Comedy, Toronto

To venture even deeper into Toronto's niche comedy scene, try Norman's next pick: Don't Tell Comedy's pop-up shows, with, as Norman puts it, a "house-party vibe".

"The concept is secret locations with secret line-ups," says Norman. "What's so interesting about Don't Tell is that you don't get an email until the day of. And you have no idea where you're going. And then often it's like a vintage store, and nobody has ever seen a comedy show in a vintage store before… it feels very youthful and playful compared to a traditional club."

Norman shared that other previous Don't Tell venues have included a boxing gym, an underground bunker, a warehouse and an art gallery. The Toronto shows are committed to bringing in a strong and diverse line-up of professionals who are considered the next generation of great comedians.

Don't Tell Comedy Toronto doesn't have a large online presence; however, Norman recommends that anyone interested subscribes to emails through the website.

Website: www.donttellcomedy.com/cities/toronto/

6. Best for alternative comedy: Wenona Craft Beer Lodge

This intimate craft beer lodge on Bloor Street – with its dark interiors and pool tables – is Norman's pick when she's looking for something a bit offbeat: "You'll find local comedy that is funny and more alternative than classical stand-up".

Norman says that Wenona Craft Beer Lodge is "very indie" and hosts local comedy from Monday to Thursday nights. She recommends "The Disaster Show" in particular, a cult comedy show that has been running for over 10 years.

"It's one of the few shows left in Toronto that has been running that long," she says. "The show is anything but traditional sketch. It's super bizarre and interesting, but good!"

Website: https://www.wenonalodge.ca/

Address: 1069 Bloor St West, Toronto, Canada M6H 1M3

Phone: (647) 344-6444

Instagram: @wenonalodge

BBC Travel's The SpeciaList is a series of guides to popular and emerging destinations around the world, as seen through the eyes of local experts and tastemakers.

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