The Best Open-Mic Events in New York to Hit Up This Month

Open-mic events in New York are having a very real moment right now. Even if the sign-up sheets aren’t bragging big numbers, the vibes are loud: comics testing brand-new bits, poets reading half-finished stanzas like they’re gospel, musicians nervously tuning up in the corner of a bar that definitely doesn’t believe in soundproofing. If you’ve been thinking, “I should finally get on stage,” or “I just want to drink something cheap and watch other people be bold,” this is your sign.

Lately, the scene’s been stretching in all directions. The 【纽约】CrazyLaugh拉疯喜剧 NYC 中文开放麦 Open Mic (Nos. 166, 167, 168) has basically turned into the unofficial clubhouse for Mandarin-speaking comics—if you’ve ever wanted to hear what New York neuroses sound like in Chinese, that’s your spot. Over on the softer, feelings-forward side, BIPOC Poetry Night: Love Letters to Home is where people are confessing, processing, and occasionally oversharing in the best possible way. It’s not just snaps and sad poems; it’s community-heavy, especially if you’re craving something more meaningful than scrolling on the F train.

Then you’ve got the weirder kids on the block: Gaia Open Mic (Masked!) leans into the whole ‘performer with a mask’ thing, which is perfect if you want to be dramatic without fully committing your face to the cause. And Great Films & Open Mic Mashup does exactly what it says on the tin—think cinephile meets open-mic chaos. It’s very “I watched this Criterion film and now I have thoughts” energy.

The venues tell you a lot about the night you’re signing up for. Lucinda’s gives you that classic intimate bar feel—perfect if you like being way too close to the stage and overhearing comics panic-whisper their sets. St. Marks Comedy Club sits right in the East Village ecosystem of people who definitely have a podcast, so expect real-deal stand-up energy and a crowd that actually came to listen. Bessie’s Place is more house-show-adjacent: cozy, communal, and the kind of spot where you might leave with three new Instagram mutuals and a vague plan to start a show together.

If you want one to prioritize, hit the CrazyLaugh 中文开放麦 for something that feels very “New York right now”—multilingual, scrappy, and loud in a good way. BIPOC Poetry Night is the move when you’re in a feelings-and-community mood. Gaia Open Mic and the Great Films & Open Mic Mashup are for when you’re bored of regular formats and want a story to tell at brunch later. None of this is polished, and that’s the point. This is what discovery looks like in New York: people taking risks on small stages while the city decides, one Tuesday night at a time, who’s worth showing up for.