Monday Evening Standup
Pete's Candy Store; every other Monday at 7:30 p.m.; free
Prolific comic Jen Dziura, host of the Williamsburg Spelling Bee and a sometime VH1 talking head, turns Über-kitschy Pete’s Candy Store into the epicenter of underground comedy every other Monday night. Funny folks and those who want to sleep with them sip the Kentucky Root Beer while comics like Bex Schwartz (VH1), Becky Ciletti (New York Comedy Olympics), and Jason Schneider (Howard Stern Show) take the stage.

Thursday Night Out
The Magnet Theater; Thursdays at 7 p.m.; $7
Maybe the best deal in the New York improv scene: $7 gets you no less than four shows, pizza is free, and beer is a buck. The performers are a mix of improv veterans and students, so the quality can vary.

Family Hour With Auntie Sara
Ochi's Lounge; Saturdays at 9 p.m.; no cover, one-item minimum
Sara Benincasa (whose Sarah Palin vlogs have been featured everywhere from CNN to Margaret Cho’s blog) hosts an evening of family-related storytelling from some of New York’s best indie comics. With an ever-rotating cast featuring the likes of Glennis McMurray (UCB troupe I Eat Pandas) and Kevin Allison (The State).

Big Terrific
Sound Fix; Thursdays at 8 p.m.; free
Hosted by Max Silvestri (Best Week Ever) and duo Gabe Liedman and Jenny Slate (Showbiz Tonight), each week features a rotating roster of comics making moves on TV, both in front and behind the scenes: Jessi Klein (producer, Strangers With Candy), Leo Allen (ex-writer, SNL), Kristen Schaal (Mel on Conchords). Bonus: probably the best-looking crowd at any comedy show in the city.

Related:

• Archive: “Bar Buzz”
• Table of Contents: Oct 6, 2008 issue of New York | Subscribe!