The buzz of a good comedy show can make for a great date night or outing with friends. Being so close to the New York City comedy scene, Hoboken + Jersey City have several hilarious shows featuring comedians from Netflix, HBO, Comedy Central, and more. These shows won’t require an Uber or train ride across the Hudson River for a couple of good laughs. Here’s a list of Hoboken + Jersey City spots with live comedy shows.
Hoboken
D+V Barbershop | 1034 Washington Street
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This weekly comedy show takes place in a real barbershop. As soon as all the clients are done with their lineups, the stage is set for some of the funniest comedians in the Tri-State area. The shows are BYOB and the lineup is a surprise each weekend. Shows are held on Washington Street on Saturdays. Ticket information can be found online.
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Ken Pilates | 706 Washington Street
Back in February 2024, Ken Pilates launched their very own Comedy Night right in studio with a full female and queer lineup. Ken Pilates hosts a multitude of events so be sure to follow them on Instagram for more announcements and updates on future Comedy Nights.
Little City Books | 100 Bloomfield Street
Little City Books hosts frequent comedy nights titled “Little City Laughing” produced by comedian, Leah Williams. The hilarious event features comedians from all over and sometimes even include familiar faces from the celebrity world with comedians who have been featured on Comedy Central, Conan, and more. For more details about upcoming shows and ticket pricing, click here.
Mulligan’s | 159 1st Street
Mulligans hosts free comedy nights with comedians who have appeared on HBO, Comedy Central, and more. Headspace and Timing Comedy host the shows on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. Sometimes, the shows are open mic nights, welcoming anyone who wants to try their jokes to give it a shot. The doors open at 7:30PM and the shows start at 8PM. Event information can be found online.
River Street Garage | 80 River Street
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The newest comedy show in Hoboken is at River Street Garage. Comedian Tony Loud runs comedy nights on Wednesdays on River Street. Tony Loud is based in New York City and is a proud Puerto Rican who shares jokes on stage and during his gaming streams. Some of the comedians in the lineup are featured on SiriusXM, the New York Comedy Festival, and VH1. The next comedy showcase is December 4th at 10PM. For those looking to test out some jokes, the next open mic night is on December 11th, also at 10PM.
Symposia Bookstore | 510 Washington Street
Symposia Bookstore is more than just books. The shop also hosts “Symposi-HA”, a BYOB comdey show produced by Hoboken Comedian Matt Pena. The show features comedians from all over New Jersey and New York. Tickets are available for $15 each and can be found here. All proceeds go toward supporting Symposia and the performers.
Jersey City
Cafe Corretto | 123 Newark Avenue
Connected to Roman Nose on Newark Avenue, Cafe Corretto is home to several comedy shows in Jersey City. Jersey comedian Colin Armstrong hosts his show, “Colin Armstrong and Friends,” on weekends throughout the month. It features comedians from Comedy Central, Netflix, HBO, and more. The Hoboken Girl previously spoke with Colin and the owner of Cafe Corretto about the space and different shows being held at the venue — you can read all about that here.
Don’t Tell Comedy | Jersey City
For this show, even The Hoboken Girl doesn’t know where it is. That’s because every time there’s a Don’t Tell Comedy show in Jersey City, the venue changes. Guests won’t know the location of the comedy show until 8AM the day of the show. Guests also don’t find out who the comedians are until showtime. Many of the comedians have been featured on Comedy Central, Netflix, and more. There are over a hundred Don’t Tell Comedy shows across the country. The founder says most of the shows are BYOB and give off the vibe of a house party. Check out the website to score tickets to the next secret Jersey City show.
Hudson Hall | 364 Marin Boulevard
Hudson Hall has held comedy shows in the past and plans to hold more next year. The owner of the beer hall tells HG that scheduling has been difficult, but the plan is to host monthly shows in the sidebar in 2025. Follow the bar’s social media pages to be the first to know when the next comedy show is.
The Laugh Tour | 555 Washington Boulevard
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Located just steps from the Newport PATH station is The Laugh Tour inside the bar and restaurant Dorrian’s Red Hand. Hosted by Jersey City comedian Rich Kiamco, it has five shows a week from Thursday to Saturday, with comedians featured on Amazon Prime, TRUTV, NBC, and more. Before it made Dorrian’s its permanent home, it was a pop-up show in Jersey City where comedians like Jessica Kirson, Dan Sober, Tim Dillon, Chris Distefano, and more performed. Tickets start at $25, and all shows have a two-item minimum per person. Lineups for shows are posted online every Monday.
Pet Shop | 193 Newark Avenue
Crockpot Comedy is a free comedy show hosted by Jersey-based comedians, Alex Grubard and Alex Nicholas, on the first and third Thursdays of each month. Alex Grubard has toured with comedians like Dave Attell, Bobby Lee, and Kevin Nealon, and hosts a comedy show at White Eagle Hall. Alex Nicholas has hosted several shows around Jersey City, including Hudson Hound and Cafe Corretto. There are two shows, one at 8:30PM and another at 10:30PM. Both are held in the speakeasy downstairs, PS Wine Bar. It’s a fun vibe to visit with some friends and enjoy some laughs in the intimate bar.
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White Eagle Hall | 337 Newark Avenue
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Touring comedians are known to do larger shows at White Eagle Hall. The venue has been welcoming live acts for the last few years. While live music is popular, the Jersey City venue has also hosted several comedy shows for those looking to laugh. Popular comedian Joey Diaz has already sold out his show on December 4th, 2024. Previously, comedians like Chad and JT and SNL cast member Sarah Sherman have performed here.
The Common Tern, Hoboken’s Honorary Bird, Now Has Its Own Library Card
Back in July 2024, the City of Hoboken passed a designation that officially recognized the Common Tern as the honorary bird of the Mile Square after decades of efforts to protect the bird and its existence in Hudson County. A local advocacy group run by residents, called Our Tern, has since lead the effort to protect the Common Tern's nesting sites in Hoboken, with the help of the new designation. Now, the Common Tern is expanding its influence in the Mile Square. A new limited edition library card was recently debuted at all Hoboken Public Library locations, featuring a photo of the Common Tern. Read on for more about the new library card, as well as background on the Common Tern and its history in Hoboken, New Jersey.
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The Library Card
Our Tern is now "helping Hoboken to Tern Pages with the Hoboken Library." As of a few weeks ago, a new limited edition library card is now available at all Hoboken Public Library locations that features the Mile Square's honorary bird, per an Instagram post. The photo was taken by Hoboken resident and photographer, Juan Melli, who is also a member of Our Tern.
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The Designation + About the Common Tern
At the Hoboken City Council meeting on Wednesday, July 11th, 2024 a resolution was officially passed that designates the Common Tern as the honorary bird of Hoboken. Jeff Train — a local teacher and Hoboken resident with a passion for birdwatching — shared with The Hoboken Girl that Mile Square is the first city in the United States to adopt the Common Tern as its honorary bird.
Photo Credit: Juan Melli
"We want to express our gratitude to Emily Jabbour and Tiffanie Fisher for sponsoring and cosponsoring the resolution," Jeff previously said. "Their efforts are an important step as we work to make Hoboken a more sustainable, ecologically diverse city."
The Common Tern has a long history in the Hudson County area and beyond. After being repeatedly hunted for its feathers, the bird was nearly brought to extinction in the early 1900s, and only a few thousand remained on the Atlantic Coast. Fast forward to 2013, and a single pair of Common Terns chose a waterfront pier in Hoboken as its nesting site — a welcome sign of the river’s improved biodiversity. Every year, more and more birds returned, peaking at 86 by 2023.
In 2024, the owners of Pier 11, where the birds nested, placed netting and other deterrents on the pier, intending to keep the birds away. The efforts led to the death of at least one of the Common Terns, the birds, but the Tern, which demonstrate a strong fidelity to their nesting sites, continued to arrive. Approximately 10 terns persisted, and successfully hatched chicks, but the number of birds at the pier was still much fewer than the previous year.
Photo Credit: Juan Melli
In an effort to protect the birds, three Hoboken residents responded to this by starting a local advocacy group — enter Our Tern. With the support of other local groups, Jeff Train, Noelle Thurlow, and Juan Melli successfully fought to remove the netting and to ensure that the birds were given adequate space to raise their young. In return, many terns have returned to the pier since to nest.
"Our Tern is an organization devoted to protecting this important, symbolic species on the shores of Hoboken," the website says. "We are committed to finding long-term solutions so that the Common Tern — a symbol of our ecology’s renewal — continues to grace our waterfront."
Floating docks have seen success in recent years when it comes to protecting endangered species of birds, including one in Maryland. Jeff previously told HG that one of Our Tern's main goals is to help find a permanent home for these birds through the funding of a dock similar to the floating one in Maryland. "In addition, we want to raise awareness and generate enthusiasm for this special creature who has made Hoboken a temporary home," he said.
Photo Credit: Juan Melli
Hudson County locals can get a glimpse of the Common Terns nesting during certain months on Pier 11 by walking to the end of Pier 12. Jeff mentioned that if you bring binoculars or a long camera lens, you can observe the chicks as they grow. Residents can also reach out to Our Tern to schedule a walk to the piers to observe the terns. The birds arrive in May and nest in the Mile Square until the end of August.
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If you're interested in helping fund the floating dock as a future nesting site for the Common Terns, visit the Our Tern website here. The site is constantly being updated with images and videos of the birds. You can also follow Our Tern on Instagram and join the Facebook group.
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