About an hour east of Chicago, nestled in a quaint midwestern town of 26,000 people that no one can pronounce correctly, believe it or not, there is a world-class comedy club.

Believe me, I’m a psychotic enough comedy fan to know.

I spend all my spare time and money in pursuit of world-class comedy. I have poured thousands of dollars (and endured travel with small children!) into trips that took me to New York City, Los Angeles, and Austin, to catch top-tier comedians, only to discover that many of the same acts from these premier clubs show up just months later at a venue 30 minutes from my suburban Illinois home. The venue is so suburban and the location so radically different from big cities’ elite comedy clubs that I can effortlessly park my Chrysler Pacifica—my classy mom van—free of charge, just two minutes from its front door.

But once I step foot inside the Comedy Vault, I might as well be in The Stand or the Comedy Store for the elite-level of comedy talent I get to see every single time I go.

But don’t take my word for it. Let’s get to down to some brass tacks.

I have been to the Comedy Vault ten times and here are the shows I have seen:

1. Shane Torres at the Comedy Vault’s opening night: October 21, 2021¹

2. Shane Torres again the next year

3. Drew Dunn²

4. Brian Posehn³

5. Kelly Ryan⁴ This show was quite the unique experience. I am on the Comedy Vault’s VIP list (relax…anyone can get on it by signing up on their website) and I snagged free tickets to the Thursday night show. It ended up being the most sparsely attended comedy show I’ve ever been to, with only about twenty people in the crowd. The cozy ambiance was something I really enjoyed.

6. Dana Gould⁵

7. Jordan Jensen⁶

8. Joe DeRosa⁷ on a Sunday night after he played shows in Chicago on Friday and Saturday.

9. Kevin Nealon⁸ He sold out 7:30 and 9:30 shows all weekend with ease so they added a 2:00 in the afternoon show on a Saturday and that’s the show I went to. I initially wasn’t going to see Nealon because getting babysitting is a pain but I couldn’t resist the lure of a 2:00 in the afternoon comedy show. It was weird and cool and there needs to be more 2:00 comedy shows.

10. Paul Elia⁹ I saw this show last night, a Thursday, with about 40 people in the crowd and knew nothing about Elia before getting my ticket. In fact, I went to the show to see DJ Rybski host. Everyone on the lineup was fantastic. Don’t believe me? All of the ladies in the bathroom thought so.

This is a list of comedic juggernauts and it says a lot about the Comedy Vault that they perform there at all but it says even more that when comics perform at the Vault, they come back. Comics love this place. Dunn, Posehn, and Jensen, are all on the calendar again for this year and just about everyone else on my list above was at the Vault very recently so hopefully will return next year. Jensen performed at Zanies Rosemont last year and is absolutely capable of selling out other venues in the Chicago area so it means a lot that she is choosing to return to this suburban comedy haven.

And that’s just the headliners. The comics who host and sometimes feature at the Comedy Vault are some of the most talented Chicago-area comics, who themselves regularly headline Zanies Chicago, The Laugh Factory, and other Chicago venues. Kristen Toomey, my ultimate Chicago comedy crush, features at the Comedy Vault pretty regularly. She’s a powerhouse performer who also gigs outside the city—this weekend, she’s at The Stand in New York. DJ Rybski, Peyton Ruddy, and Josh Ocean Thomas are among the talented locals I’ve watched host at the Comedy Vault. They are all excellent, emerging talents who headline local clubs in their own right.

Perhaps most tellingly, every comedian I speak with has nothing but praise for this venue, and many believe it’s set to really blow up in the coming years—a sentiment echoed by one of the featured acts I spoke with recently. When I inquire what specifically draws them to this club, the conversation invariably turns to the owner and manager, Liz Valaitis. Apparently it’s impossible to discuss the club without mentioning Liz and her flawless management style. I have literally never once spoken to a comic about the Comedy Vault without hearing the words “Liz” and “doing everything right.”

Finally, the Comedy Vault is dedicated to nurturing talent, offering aspiring comedians the opportunity to perform at their open mic night every Wednesday. For my money, any comedy club worth its salt sees cultivating talent as one of its core functions. Liz absolutely does through this friendly open mic night with rotating hosts. And Kyle Kinane apparently shows up to the Vault’s open mic night a couple times a year!

The Comedy Vault is an absolutely world-class comedy club that brings in both elite headliners every weekend and the absolutely best Chicago-area comics as hosts and features. It is everything a great comedy club should be. And the success of the Comedy Vault highlights Chicago’s status as a premier comedy hub. If Batavia, IL, known primarily for being the site of Abraham Lincoln’s mother’s stay at the local insane asylum (since closed down), can support such an outstanding comedy club, then it’s clear that Chicago is truly a magnet for elite comedic talent.

The Comedy Vault is my local comedy club home and I am grateful that this treasure is right in my backyard. Any comic should be eager to perform on the Vault stage and any comedy fan, even from out of state, should be rushing to buy tickets. It’s worth traveling for this club.

But don’t you dare scratch my Chrysler Pacifica in the parking lot.

1. As I write this, Torres is performing at Moontower Comedy Festival this weekend. Torres is also a regular at The Stand, Comedy Cellar, and other elite New York comedy clubs. For my money, Shane Torres is a killer and absolutely one of my top three comics I love to see live. (Sam Tallent and Jordan Jensen (who are both going to be performing at the Vault this year by the way)). He regularly tours with Bert Kreischer and is an all around comic badass. ↩︎
2. As I write this, Dunn is performing at the Comedy Cellar tonight. He is a NY comedy club regular and The Stand comedy club is his regular home. ↩︎
3. Mr. Show, a small role on the Big Bang Theory. Posehn is a stellar comic and has been around for a long time. ↩︎
4. Kelly’s name is on the Comedy Store wall and she is a regular there. Also, she is Anthony Jeselnik’s preferred opener and will be opening for him in Europe all summer. Are you processing this!? I got to see the person who Anthony Jeselnik specifically selected to open for him in European amphitheaters for free with like 20 other people. ↩︎
5. He has a really famous podcast and as I write this, he is performing at Moontower Comedy Festival this weekend. ↩︎
6. As I write this, Jensen is performing at The Stand and Comedy Cellar tonight. Jordan is an absolute killer and if you miss her when she is in your town (she’s back at the Vault in October and you bet your ass I’ll be there), you are an idiot who hates laughter and joy. ↩︎
7. DeRosa is a regular at The Stand and the Comedy Cellar. Bill Burr’s best podcast companion ever. ↩︎
8. Do I really have to tell you who Kevin Nealon is? ↩︎
9. As I write this, he is performing at the Netflix is A Joke festival next month. Elia created and produced an LA standup showcase show with Matt Rife and produced Rife’s latest netflix special. I thought Elia’s Iraqi-American perspective was unique in the comedy world and that he was a very generous performer, who weaves crowd work into material that showcases his love of his culture. ↩︎