Comedy in Niagara Falls
They say “laughter is the best medicine” after all, right? One of the highlights here in Niagara Falls is the number of one-of-a-kind locations that offer lots of great laughs with their comedy nights. This blog features three of our favorite places to go for a good laugh: ‘Camp Cataract’, ‘Tap’s Brew House’, and ‘YukYuk’s Comedy Club’. Each of these places has unique features that make them quite different from each other.
Camp Cataract
Camp Cataract is a locally owned Canadian camping-themed bar located at 4317 Queen St, Niagara Falls, ON. Originally, this location was going to open up as an arcade museum, but they decided on going with the idea of a restaurant and bar. The interior of the restaurant sets up your experience to reminisce about your childhood and doubles as a vintage store. Talk about nostalgia! Almost everything inside is available for purchase. They have all the classic board games and arcade games that they encourage their guests to test their skills with. This can lead to a really fun time for some. For example, one of the bartenders told us that she’s seen twister games happen at 1 AM in the middle of the bar floor. Ping Pong and their “love meter” are also very popular.
Entertainment is always happening at Camp Cataract. They feature many local artists who live on various nights and both stand-up and improve comedy nights. They always have a great turnout and the shows never disappoint. We went to an improv night this month and every person who went on stage could get the whole room laughing. The stage is in the corner, so watching the show definitely reminded me of laughing around the campfire with friends.
Their menu is one of the most fun parts too. It includes many highlights that connect to their camping theme, including homemade pizza, roasted marshmallows on a stick, and s’mores! And, because we are grown up, after all, they created their own camp-themed cocktails. Some of their coolest ones are the “Camp Fire Sling” (which comes with a toasted marshmallow!) and “Storm On The Lake”.
Tap’s Brew House
This is another great locally-owned option for comedy and is very different from Camp Cataract. One of its main highlights is they brew their own custom-crafted beer out of just four ingredients: pure filtered water, select hops, choice malted barley, and yeast. Their hard work pays off, though, because the beer is incredible and so unique to their restaurant. I think my favorite was the Sweater Weather Ale, which they describe as, “a seasonable winter ale with caramel and toffee notes/ Spiced with ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and clove”. They had tons of different kinds available in restaurants, and they also sell them in kegs and growlers. In the center of the restaurant, you can see the equipment that they use to brew. You can also experience the brewing process and learn all the details by booking a tour of the brewery.
Every Tuesday at Tap’s, they have a stand-up comedy night happening at 9 PM. The standup comedy is interesting because the people who perform are typically local. I never realized how much talent is in Niagara Falls. They have a huge stage in the center of the restaurant that is perfect for performing! They also have a screen and projector on the wall for anyone that might not be able to see the stage. In addition, they also use their stage for local artists to perform and have weekly trivia nights!
Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club
Yuk Yuk’s comedy club is one of the best places in Niagara Falls to see a comedy show. This club is located at 6455 Fallsview Blvd, Niagara Falls, ON. It is very much your traditional comedy setup. They had a stage in the center middle wall and tables filling the room for everyone to watch.
This is an 18+ comedy show, so viewer discretion is strongly advised as some comedians tell some edgier or X-rated jokes. But, if that is your sense of humor then do not hesitate to buy tickets to this show! It was funny the whole time. There was rarely a moment where the room wasn’t filled wall to wall with laughter. We saw the comedians Laurie Elliot and Kristeen Von Hagen, with Shannon Laverty as the MC. Each of these women killed their acts. One of the best parts of the show was how interactive each person was with the audience. All of them did not hesitate to talk to the people in the crowd and find something funny to comment about each one. We ended up sitting front and center, so of course, we did have a few conversations! I don’t want to give away their jokes but I will say they are quick on their feet with coming up with some really funny stuff.
Each week they have different comedians featured, making sure you can never be bored at Yuk Yuk’s. You can purchase tickets in advance online or at the doors (however, this is first come first serve). They also have a great pub-style snack menu and a full bar service to enhance your experience.
Photos and content by Olivia Ethier