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martywurst · 8 years ago

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Best Open Mics of 2016

Hey, I'm Marty Wurst and I review open mics on my Instagram. Comedy seems to come second.

It's fun to tell my family where I go to open mics.

I get to say I do comedy in gay bars, sports bars, dive bars, rock bars, at the Scientology Celebrity Center, in front of a green screen, at a bagel shop, Chinese restaurants, book stores, art galleries, backyards, record stores, wine bars, a comic book shop, a wine cellar, a grocery store, a bowling alley, a garage IN AN ALLEY, hotels, outside a hot dog joint, inside a hot dog joint, a thrift store, a barbershop, some pizzerias, in a number of coffee shops, comedy clubs, and black box theaters...on a boat, in a cheese shop, and at an AA meeting. Just think about how crazy that sounds. I can't wait to see where I end up this year.

Laundromat, butchershop, nursing home? 101 Freeway mic. Sex shop mic has to happen. How about a D-list celebrity's home? Hang on to the side of a plane on takeoff like Tom Cruise and everyone in the plane can hear you do comedy! Tasty riffs about dying, comedians love that shit!

There were 50 new mics that popped up this year, but I think I made a pretty good dent. ONWARDS!

WINNERS OF 2016

Alright, let me just say up front, I didn't know how to consistently separate these mics into the appropriate categories, whether to include mics that had folded, or write out every single mic into every category- it was too much to wrap my head around. Plus I screwed up a question where you couldn't write in your own answer- the "Best Bucket" mic was limited to 4 answers only, so I apologize. I corrected it, but it probably cost certain mics the winning votes...I'm a dick.

This is just for fun. We all have our favorite mics and we're loyal to them. I just thought it'd be cool to show you what mics are out there and maybe you'll consider checking one out some day. Or maybe you'll snub me next time you see me.

"Hey asshole, saw the results. Thanks for leaving my mic off the list ya DOUCHEWURST!"

I hit a lot of these mics only ONCE, so YOUR VOTES will also help me decide whether I should return.

I really want to give all the solid open mics props, I really do. Anyway, I won't muck it up next time. If it makes you feel better, The Joke Gym never gets props.

ON TO THE WINNERS!

BEST FEEDBACK MIC

Comedian's Choice Flappers Burbank

Open Mic Reviews Fanatic Salon

No pictures in this category, sorry!

BEST BUCKET MIC

Comedian's Choice "Mouthypants" at The Other Door

Open Mic Reviews Grounded Cafe

Honorable Mentions BAPS Hollywood Hotel mic TIED with Sabor y Cultura

And now...it's time for a very special presentation of

THE JARED LEVIN AWARDS!

Jared Levin is a comedian in Los Angeles. He's humped over a thousand stools on various stages across the mid-west. You may know Jared as the comic who cleverly uses the mic stand as a semi-automatic weapon, his way of paying tribute to Jeff Carrisalez. That makes him over-qualified to give out awards.

BEST OPEN MIC FOR DEPLORABLE BEHAVIOR

Comedian's Choice Marty's

Open Mic Reviews Blacklight District Lounge (trust me)

Honorable Mention Liquid Zoo

BEST MIC TO DO YOUR FIRST SET

Comedian's Choice Tribal

Open Mic Reviews Marty's

Honorable Mentions Sal's Comedy Hole, Rockpaper Coffee

BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT OPEN MIC

Comedian's Choice The Palace

Open Mic Reviews The Palace

BEST MIC THAT FOLDED TOO SOON

Comedian's Choice Days Inn

Open Mic Reviews Los Globos

Honorable Mentions Blackbull Chophouse

BEST B-LINE PAST THE COMEDIAN TO GO TO THE BATHROOM

Comedian's Choice Karma Lounge (beads!!)

Open Mic Reviews Scallywags

LOUDEST OPEN MIC

Comedian's Choice Big Wang's

Honorable Mention Wine Bar (Long Beach)

Open Mic Reviews Dog Haus

Honorable Mention Wine Bar (Long Beach)

BEST SAFE SPACE MIC

Comedian's Choice Tao Comedy Studio

Open Mic Reviews Tao Comedy Studio

Honorable Mentions Irvine Improv, The Clown House

I also got a voicemail from a great comic/friend, Jeanne Whitney. Here's her take on safe space mics.

And now...another installment of the JARED LEVIN AWARDS!

BEST DIVE BAR MIC

Comedian's Choice Liquid Zoo

Honorable Mentions Lexington, M-Bar

Open Mic Reviews M-Bar

Honorable Mentions Lexington, The Blvd

BEST NEW OPEN MIC

Comedian's Choice Cask & Hammer, Arlyn Pillay Gallery TIED with Scientology Celebrity Center (haha) and Molly Bloom's

Honorable Mention Delicious Vinyl TIED with Meea's Hot Dogs

Open Mic Reviews Free Wifi, Meea's Hot Dogs, The Whisperer

Honorable Mention The Blvd

BEST HECKLERS

Comedian's Choice Liquid Zoo

Honorable Mention Anchor Bar

Open Mic Reviews Anchor Bar

Honorable Mention The Cork Lounge

BEST OPEN MIC WITHIN A 2-BLOCK RADIUS

Comedian's Choice Venice Grind

Open Mic Reviews Venice Grind

BEST OPEN MIC THAT ENDED IN 2016

Comedian's Choice Echoes Under Sunset, Scallywags, "Mouthypants" at The Other Door

Honorable Mention Main St. Bar and Cabaret

Open Mic Reviews Murder Room, Main St. Bar and Cabaret, Echoes Under Sunset

Honorable Mention Days Inn

BEST MIXED MIC

Comedian's Choice Tribal Cafe

Honorable Mention Venice Grind

Open Mic Reviews Slip Bar and Eatery

Honorable Mention The Lost Bean

BEST DIY MIC

Comedian's Choice Garage Behind Food 4 Less

Honorable Mention Workout Room in Hollywood

Open Mic Reviews Meea's Hot Dogs

Honorable Mention Holy Grounds and Coffee (love that stage!)

This shit ain't over...another winner takes it all in the JARED LEVIN AWARDS!

BEST MIC TO GET BAKED

Comedian's Choice Garage Behind Food 4 Less

Honorable Mention Sunday BOMB Open Mic Brunch

Open Mic Reviews Boat Mic

Honorable Mention Rafa's Lounge

BEST COFFEE SHOP MIC

Comedian's Choice Sabor Y Cultura

Honorable Mentions The Library, Solar de Cahuenga

Open Mic Reviews Grounded Cafe

Honorable Mentions Coffee+Food, The Library

BEST FOOD

Comedian's Choice Karma Lounge

Open Mic Reviews Karma Lounge

Honorable Mention Tribal Cafe (over 100 items on their menu! Great grub.)

BEST LATE NIGHT OPTION

Comedian's Choice Flappers Bar

Honorable Mention Mel's Drive-In

Open Mic Reviews Flappers (Claremont)

Honorable Mention Hooters

BEST ALL-COMIC AUDIENCE

Comedian's Choice The Clubhouse

Honorable Mentions Max Bloom's TIED with Murder Room, Hyperion Tavern TIED with Pig N' Whistle

Open Mic Reviews Grounded Cafe

Honorable Mentions Murder Room, T&L Pollo's

Who will win next in the JARED LEVIN AWARDS?

BEST CROWD

Comedian's Choice Anchor Bar

Honorable Mention Irvine Improv

Open Mic Reviews Anchor Bar

Honorable Mention Hooters

This is the best way to show you what the Anchor Bar experience is like. A picture won't capture it. Take a look at Duke Fightmaster's fantastic ongoing series and tell me you don't want to be a part of it! Even when it's really late, there's usually a few die-hard comedy fans that stick it out.

BEST MIC FOR LONGER SETS

Comedian's Choice Paladino's (8 minutes)

Honorable Mention M-Bar (7-8 minutes)

Open Mic Reviews Doll Hut (10 minutes)

Honorable Mention The Nectar Lounge (8 minutes)

BEST MIC TO PERFORM 3 MINUTES

Comedian's Choice The Lab at The Hollywood Improv

Honorable Mention Comedy Store Potluck

Open Mic Reviews Anchor Bar

Honorable Mention Westside Comedy Theater

BEST COMEDY CLUB OPEN MIC

Comedian's Choice The Lab at The Improv

Open Mic Reviews Comedy Store Potluck

BEST OUTDOOR MIC

Comedian's Choice Workout Room in Hollywood

Honorable MentionSunday BOMB Open Mic Brunch

Open Mic Reviews Yardwork Mic

Honorable MentionMeea's Hot Dogs

BEST HOST TO HANDLE HECKLERS

Comedian's Choice Evan Cassidy

Honorable Mention Erik Marino

Open Mic Reviews Evan Cassidy

Honorable Mention Vanessa Gritton (just saw her post)

BEST $5 MIC

Comedian's Choice Marty's

Honorable Mention Tao Comedy Studio

Open Mic Reviews El Cid

Honorable Mention Pig N' Whistle

Before the big winners, we have the final, highly coveted, JARED LEVIN AWARD!

BEST OVERALL OPEN MIC

Comedian's Choice Anchor Bar, The Other Door, Comedy Store Potluck

Honorable Mention Brix

Open Mic Reviews Brix, Anchor Bar, Yardwork

Honorable Mention Doll Hut

BEST OPEN MIC HOST

Comedian's Choice Evan Cassidy (Anchor Bar), John Silver (Brix), Ryan Talmo(Liquid Zoo)

Honorable Mention Vanessa Gritton and Kevin Anderson (The Other Door)

Open Mic Reviews Brian Biancardi (Murder Room), Evan Cassidy (Anchor Bar) The Martin Duprass (Sabor y Cultura)

Honorable Mention Kristal "The Pistol" at The Short Stop. She hosted half of the mic, but she cranked it up to 11. Force to reckon with.

OKAY, that's pretty much it, but I have one more guest contributor, who was kind enough to leave me a voicemail.

Thanks Bro.

Special shout out to Nolan at Dromebox Labs, which is also a fantastic mic that everyone should check out. Just a great creative atmosphere to be around.

I know this post is long enough, but I'd like to include some of the generous responses I got from a handful of great comedians I reached out to. Here are some of their favorite mics:

Ali Macofsky- Sabor y Cultura, Anchor Bar, Grounded (R.I.P.)

Anne Flagg- The Hideaway Cafe, Cask & Hammer

Seth Woodward- T&L Pollo's, Max Bloom's, Arlyn Pillay Gallery

Charles Mockler- Meea's Hot Dogs, Tribal Cafe, Free Wifi at Union House

Rachel Mac- The Good Nite, Chatterbox, Lyric Hyperion Theater SAT 3pm.

Jonathan Green- Marty's, Comedy Store Potluck, Big Wangs, The Next Stage, "Trapped With Comics" at The Lexington SUN Sign up at 5pm.

Chris Dunham- Anchor Bar, Robin Hood British Pub, Fourth Wall (favorite all-comic audience), Hooters (best crowd)

Spencer Kalendar- Pig N' Whistle, Cahuenga General Store (great food too)

Courtney Banks- Sunday Bomb Open Mic Brunch at 1pm, TUES at the Improv, Solar de Cahuenga (most supportive) Lexington "Trapped w/ Comics"

Mr. Goodnight- "I'd give Grandview Market Best Open Mic in a Grocery Store!"

Sorry if your mic didn't get a mention. It doesn't mean it sucks, there are so many damn mics! There are a ton of mics that are run well, but maybe they don't necessarily stick out yet. I'm not putting out a worst-of-list. I think we know which ones suck. I'd rather not talk about those. Besides, someone else might like it, why dump on it?

Oh all right. Good riddance to THIS MIC!

Big thanks to Jake Kroeger of The Comedy Bureau. Always on top of his shit every freakin day and providing us with the essential open mic/show guide. Drop him a donation!

Matt Cole for his awesome OC open mic list!

Openmikes.org, Badslava, and anyone who has ever told me about a random mic, or had nice things to say about "open mic reviews," it means a lot to know you're checking it out. If I was a better comedian, my reviews would really hold weight!

Shout out to all the awesome people that run open mics outside of California!

Thank you for all your votes and indulging me on this, now back to actual work.

Thank you Jared Levin, Jeanne Whitney, and Tom Allen for your guest contributions!

To see all the results from the poll yourself, click here

You can read my open mic reviews for individual open mics here

Okay, it's almost 7am. I lost enough sleep over this.

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