Harvey’s Comedy Club

Although Portland is not nearly the draw for comedians that New York, L.A. and Las Vegas are, Harvey’s Comedy Club serves up some great live entertainment right in the heart of downtown.

Located in Old Town, Harvey’s is a fun place to relax, laugh and begin your night with a smile on your face. The 21-and-over club has been running since September 1992. Harvey’s has not hosted extremely well-known national comics, but it has done a nice job of bringing in popular touring performers. Some of the bigger-name comics that have come through Harvey’s have been David Brenner, Will Durst, Dan Horn, John Fox, Margaret Smith and Rick Rockwell.

There is a $15 cover charge, and shows typically run an hour and a half to two hours long. Add in a two-drink minimum and this is pushing the budget for most college students. To battle this, Harvey’s has an online drawing that waives their cover charge and doles out free promotional tickets. The club is almost always full because of the promotional tickets, so be sure to show up early if you want a good seat.

The shows include three different performers and all three are typically different types of comedians. Some of the comedians will stick to the homophobic, racist and sexist jokes that have become the bread and butter of live comedy. There are, however, some quality performers with interesting and genuinely funny stories to tell.

The food is the main problem at the club. Harvey’s serves food until 10:30 p.m. and it is extremely overpriced. Burgers range from $8-$12 and are dry, burnt to a crisp, and unappetizing. The drinks are watered down and expensive ($4-$11). Beer is the cheapest option, with micro-brews being served at around $3.50.

Harvey’s is a great place to get a laugh with some friends-just avoid the food and stick to drinking beer.

Portland comedy clubs

503-296-0586 www.myspace.com/comedyclubwestside