The Comedy Clubhouse: Barcelona’s Home for Laughs, Misfits & Midnight Magic

If you’ve ever wandered through Barcelona as an expat, you know the feeling: that tug-of-war between loving the city and craving a place where you just fit. Somewhere to relax, speak English without apologizing, meet people who get your humor, and maybe misbehave a little on a weeknight.

If that’s you, then you’ve probably been pointed (by fate, a friend, or a drunken stranger) toward The Comedy Clubhouse — the beating heart of Barcelona’s English-speaking comedy scene and one of the most personality-rich venues the city has to offer.

But the story behind it?It’s even better than the punchlines on stage.

A Dream, a Pandemic, and a Basement Bar

Ask founder John Allis how it all started and he’ll shrug the shrug of someone who’s very aware of the absurdity of his own journey.

“I was performing stand-up comedy and dreaming of starting a club,” he says. “I never thought I’d be financially capable of opening one until Covid hit and I had the chance to start one cheap.”

Classic comic: timing everything, even in business.

It began in 2021 in the basement of an Irish pub — a pop-up with more enthusiasm than resources. No one involved had bar-management experience. No one knew whether people would even show up. And yet, night after night, they did. Expats needed an outlet. Barcelona needed a new wave of comedy. And John? He needed to build something real.

That tiny basement ignited a movement.

When a Pop-Up Becomes a Comedy Empire

By the end of 2021, the club’s crowds had outgrown the original space. A bigger venue in El Born popped onto the map — empty, raw, and ready for transformation.

The team built everything by hand:The bar. The stage. The lights. The stools.Even the podcast studio.

This wasn’t a sleek corporate rollout. It was scrappy, chaotic, and full of heart — the DIY energy of a startup run by artists who believe in what they’re building. John describes his role simply: “Creative entrepreneur, startup.”

By 2025, the dream expanded again.A second venue opened on Via Laietana, just one minute away from the original. Two stages. More seats. Live music. Food from Nikki’s Kitchen. Longer shows. Bigger headliners. A full-on space for comedy lovers to roam from room to room, night after night.

From basement pop-up to Barcelona’s most diverse comedy hub, The Comedy Clubhouse has now hosted over 1,000 shows — and counting.

Who Shows Up Here? (People Like You, Probably)

John’s vision is laser-focused: grow stand-up in Barcelona and build a home away from home for expats.

The crowds reflect that. You’ll see:

✨ Mid-thirties internationals with solid jobs and a thirst for social life✨ Creative types, digital nomads, freelancers, wanderers✨ English-speaking locals craving something different✨ Visitors who stumble in and immediately get hooked✨ And comics — new, seasoned, terrified, brilliant — all sharing a stage

The ideal Comedy Clubhouse fan is simple: Someone who likes to drink, laugh, and is happy spending money on good times.Relatable.

It’s not just entertainment — it’s community. And in a city as transient as Barcelona, that matters.

Why Comedy Clubhouse Shows Feel Different

The magic of The Comedy Clubhouse isn’t just in the jokes. It’s in the vibe — a messy, joyful ecosystem where everyone shows up to have fun, meet people, and forget their worries for 90 minutes.

Here’s what makes it special:

1. The energy — raw, real, unfiltered

No stiff, overly-produced performances here. Comics riff. Hosts improvise. Audiences get involved. Every show feels like it could go off the rails in the best possible way.

2. More than a club — a social hub

After a show, the bar stays buzzing. People mingle. Comics hang around. You walk in alone but leave with new friends.

3. It’s international — but intimate

Comedy here comes in English, Spanish, Catalan, and whatever accent the comedian dragged with them from their homeland. But the rooms stay intimate — close enough to feel the spark between comic and crowd.

4. There’s something happening every night

Open mics. Improv. Headliners. Showcase nights. Guest sets. You never have to wait for the weekend.

5. The Clubhouse takes risks

It welcomes beginners who’ve never held a mic, hosts comics from all over Europe, and isn’t afraid to experiment. That startup energy never left.

The Heart Behind the Humor

For many, The Comedy Clubhouse is the first place in Barcelona that feels like theirs. Where you can speak freely, laugh loudly, and feel at home — even if you moved here last week.

John calls it a space for a “home away from home,” and he means it. Building community is not just a tagline; it’s the beating heart of the entire operation. The laughter is real, the connections are real, and the people who keep coming back feel like family.

This is why the club has become more than a venue. It’s a refuge for expats, a playground for comics, and a cultural force in a city that thrives on creativity.

So Why Do People Love It So Much?

Because The Comedy Clubhouse is real.Unpretentious.Ridiculous.Warm.Electric.Human.

It’s built by people who love comedy for its ability to bring us together — especially when the world feels chaotic.

It’s built for people who want their nights out to mean something.

And it’s run by a founder who, by some beautiful accident of timing and courage, turned a pandemic opportunity into a full-blown comedy ecosystem.

In the End, It’s Simple

If you want a night of big laughs, strong drinks, great people, and zero pretension…If you want to feel like you belong in a city that can sometimes feel overwhelming…If you want stories you’ll tell your friends for years…

Go to The Comedy Clubhouse.

Chances are, John will be somewhere in the background — running the show, checking the bar, fixing a cable, or hosting a mic — proving that sometimes dreams really do come true… especially the funny ones.

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Let us know if any other Barcelona local haunts make you smile. Email sara@frontpagenewsbcn.com and we will go do our investigative #loveyourlocal thing