Kung Fu Komedy Club
Kung Fu Komedy Club
5
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About
China's home for stand-up comedy. A New York-style comedy club in the heart of the French Concession which has become a cultural hotbed for local talent, alongside resident professionals, and international headlining acts. Shows are in English or Chinese, check the schedule for more info.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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The area
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Neighborhood: Former French Concession
While there are technical borders to the area formerly governed by the French in Shanghai, the "French Concession" of today is an amorphous neighborhood that is a favorite of the city's foreign residents. While it is mostly within the Xuhui district, residents will sometimes include parts of Jing'an and Luwan in their mental maps of the Former French Concession. The area seems frozen in time, characterized by quiet, tree-lined avenues, French-style villas, interesting boutiques, lively bars and quaint cafes that are not typical of China. All of these mix and mingle with local life as Chinese markets and lanehouse communities are peppered throughout. Denizens of the Former French Concession can spectate a mahjong game on the street or get their bike checked at a tiny bike repair store on the way to their refurbished apartment tucked away among Chinese family homes.
How to get there
- Shaanxi South Road • 10 min walk
- South Shaanxi Road • 10 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
5.0
101 reviews
Excellent
99
Very good
1
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
benjSH69
Avignon, France29 contributions
Jan 2015 • Friends
Had a great moment the two times I went to the show (two differents head artists, and both were really good)
I am not a native, but I have been laughing all along the performances !!
Great
I am not a native, but I have been laughing all along the performances !!
Great
Written January 26, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
paul_ark_2014
Bangkok, Thailand161 contributions
Sep 2014 • Friends
If you're in Shanghai on a Friday and Saturday night, and looking to get away from the same old drinking holes and touristy spots, a few hours of honest-to-God real live standup might be the thing for you. Pioneered by Aussie expat banker-turned-comic Andy Curtain, KFK (as those of us in the know know it as) has made real inroads in introducing a standup comedy culture to the Middle Kingdom, featuring a mix of experienced comics from the West on tour through China, and talented amateurs culled from regular open mic nights, comprising both local and expat aspirants. A great place to grab a beer, shoot billiards, and munch on some bar snacks both before and after the show. Check it out!
Written November 7, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Erica S
Shanghai, China20 contributions
Jun 2018 • Solo
The seasoned comedians and newbies alike shine at Kung Fu Komedy. There's something for everyone regardless of your taste - slapstick, observational, dark, blue, etc. The crowd is always a diverse group of young and old, expat and local. Aside from International headliner shows, they have the occasional show in Chinese, Russian, German, Swedish, etc. Without a doubt, Kung Fu Komedy is the top venue for comedy in Shanghai.
Written August 8, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter L
Warwick, UK6 contributions
Jan 2017 • Family
What a great place to visit in Shanghai, tucked away on the 4th floor underneath the Kartel Bar is the KF Comedy club.
Walk through the door in to a bar area, great service, good selection of pre-show drinks and a reasonable Happy Hour.
Step through the door in to a compact stage and seating that really gets you up close to the acts.
Three acts last night & MC too all getting the crowd laughing.
Great fun, well managed and presented - will be going again !
Walk through the door in to a bar area, great service, good selection of pre-show drinks and a reasonable Happy Hour.
Step through the door in to a compact stage and seating that really gets you up close to the acts.
Three acts last night & MC too all getting the crowd laughing.
Great fun, well managed and presented - will be going again !
Written January 22, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DreamyExplorer
Shanghai, China53 contributions
Nov 2014 • Friends
Amazing alternative of having a fun weekend. Always fresh and hilarious. Some of my friends and family members were scared not to understand the language and a humour but actually it's very understandable because of the variety of the comedians and their individual styles.
There are English shows every Friday and Saturday involving international comedians from the USA, Australia, Ireland etc and local comedians from all over the world (Australia, US, Canada, UK, Mexico, France, Egypt, China, Ireland). You can check their official website www.kungfukomedy.com for the schedule.
Every Wednesday and Sunday they have open mics where new talents can be born.
After the show you can stay at the bar and continue your fun night out.
There is always a place of improvements. For the last two years Stand up Comedy has become a special, unique and different thing to do in Shanghai. And this is thanks to KFK club and it's Aussie founder, Andy.
Definitely worth checking out. You will not be disappointed.
There are English shows every Friday and Saturday involving international comedians from the USA, Australia, Ireland etc and local comedians from all over the world (Australia, US, Canada, UK, Mexico, France, Egypt, China, Ireland). You can check their official website www.kungfukomedy.com for the schedule.
Every Wednesday and Sunday they have open mics where new talents can be born.
After the show you can stay at the bar and continue your fun night out.
There is always a place of improvements. For the last two years Stand up Comedy has become a special, unique and different thing to do in Shanghai. And this is thanks to KFK club and it's Aussie founder, Andy.
Definitely worth checking out. You will not be disappointed.
Written November 13, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Absolut_foody
35 contributions
Nov 2014 • Friends
Went to this comedy club on the advice of friends and had a really good night. They had a comedian visiting from the USA as well as some local talent as well. The bar beside it has decent beer so we made a night out of it.
I would highly recommend this as a night out in Shanghai.
I would highly recommend this as a night out in Shanghai.
Written November 6, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Zach F
Roosevelt, WA172 contributions
Oct 2014 • Friends
Lots of fun to be had at Kung Fu Komedy. This place is killer and attached to another fun bar/restaurant called Massé that has good chow and pool tables. You can pretty much spend an evening between the two and get your eats, booze, pool, and laughs all at once.
Had been here a couple years ago and caught the end of a performance, but for some reason hadn't been back. I heard there was a resident comedian from the states that was going to be doing shows for awhile, and another American comedian visiting so wanted to see both of them as they had a history of doing big US late night TV shows. Sounds good right?
Right indeed. The small theatre where shows are performed is very intimate, has good sound, and an extremely personal feel due to how close you are to the comedian. The lighting affects this well, also. The format tends to have an MC, some jokes from the founder who's a hilarious guy from Australia, a few local openers, and then the headliner. I find the MCs here are good at keeping the energy high and that's important if you know anything about comedy. "Local" openers also includes expats from all over the world, as well as Chinese doing sets in English. Styles vary from high energy to deadpan to award wacky, which for me rounds out nicely for the paid shows I attended. I didn't see any annoying hecklers during my visits, so hopefully you'll have the same experience. My guess is that the crowds are good at self-governing.
As someone who lives in Shanghai, but visits New York City frequently, I often attend performances at the Comedy Cellar, famous for launching careers, but also for having to wait in long lines while not knowing who you're going to see. Here you can purchase tickets in advance and fortunately don't have to deal with queueing up around a city block, but I barely managed to get into one show where I wanted to purchase at the door as they'd sold 99% in advance. KFK seems to be picking up in popularity as even the open mic nights are starting to overflow. One of the residents mentioned that a bigger space was being created a floor above, which is a good sign for the scene here.
This is a super international place in both performers and audiences, which provides a nice alternative to NY for grooming new comedians. Instead of just going out and watching football or pushing your way through a busy nightclub, give this place a try. Twice a week they have open mic and a good comedy 101 class with whomever is the resident, maybe you can launch your own stand up career here.
Had been here a couple years ago and caught the end of a performance, but for some reason hadn't been back. I heard there was a resident comedian from the states that was going to be doing shows for awhile, and another American comedian visiting so wanted to see both of them as they had a history of doing big US late night TV shows. Sounds good right?
Right indeed. The small theatre where shows are performed is very intimate, has good sound, and an extremely personal feel due to how close you are to the comedian. The lighting affects this well, also. The format tends to have an MC, some jokes from the founder who's a hilarious guy from Australia, a few local openers, and then the headliner. I find the MCs here are good at keeping the energy high and that's important if you know anything about comedy. "Local" openers also includes expats from all over the world, as well as Chinese doing sets in English. Styles vary from high energy to deadpan to award wacky, which for me rounds out nicely for the paid shows I attended. I didn't see any annoying hecklers during my visits, so hopefully you'll have the same experience. My guess is that the crowds are good at self-governing.
As someone who lives in Shanghai, but visits New York City frequently, I often attend performances at the Comedy Cellar, famous for launching careers, but also for having to wait in long lines while not knowing who you're going to see. Here you can purchase tickets in advance and fortunately don't have to deal with queueing up around a city block, but I barely managed to get into one show where I wanted to purchase at the door as they'd sold 99% in advance. KFK seems to be picking up in popularity as even the open mic nights are starting to overflow. One of the residents mentioned that a bigger space was being created a floor above, which is a good sign for the scene here.
This is a super international place in both performers and audiences, which provides a nice alternative to NY for grooming new comedians. Instead of just going out and watching football or pushing your way through a busy nightclub, give this place a try. Twice a week they have open mic and a good comedy 101 class with whomever is the resident, maybe you can launch your own stand up career here.
Written November 4, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alicefoxx
Shanghai, China3 contributions
Sep 2014 • Friends
Kung Fu Komedy Club is a really nice place to relieve your weekend stress and makes some new friends. I've been living in Shanghai for 7 years and usually on the weekends I wouldn't know where to go, but not anymore! I've been there three times already, and each time comedian had us laughing like crazy. The material was tasteful and hilarious. My friends and I had a really great time. The prices for the tickets are reasonable, the atmosphere, drinks and staff all very nice. I would highly recommend this club for an evening full of laughs. :D
Written September 3, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ishimiagi
Malvern Hills, UK234 contributions
Jun 2018 • Friends
What an awesome place! Everyone is very welcoming and has an open atmosphere. The venue is intimate and fun. Drinks are reasonably priced and well made. Great acts!
Written August 14, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Niko D
10 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
KFK is a great place for comedy in Shanghai. The best I know by far.
Whether you have friends in town, want to take your significant other on an usual and fun date, or simply want to relax and laugh your *ss off for a whole evening... KFK is the place.
Been going there for a few years and it's intimate, fun, and welcoming every time. Whether it's on an open-mic night (you can participate! yes, you! If you think you're funny, get on stage and try your jokes for 5min on the crowd. Amzing huh?) or shows that they often organize, I've always left with a big smile across my face.
Cherry on the cake, there is a little bar you can chill at, and a happy hour so you can stay and discuss with the comedians.
One of my favorite places in Shanghai. See you soon KFK!
Whether you have friends in town, want to take your significant other on an usual and fun date, or simply want to relax and laugh your *ss off for a whole evening... KFK is the place.
Been going there for a few years and it's intimate, fun, and welcoming every time. Whether it's on an open-mic night (you can participate! yes, you! If you think you're funny, get on stage and try your jokes for 5min on the crowd. Amzing huh?) or shows that they often organize, I've always left with a big smile across my face.
Cherry on the cake, there is a little bar you can chill at, and a happy hour so you can stay and discuss with the comedians.
One of my favorite places in Shanghai. See you soon KFK!
Written August 8, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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