The Riot Comedy Club — Restaurant in Houston

I’m sad to say, the value of this business has slowly deteriorated since my wife and I first attended a comedy show here in 2021. We have been regular customers up until this weekend, but I can’t imagine we will be coming back anytime soon.

I think the best review I can give is comparing our first experience in August 2021 to our experience in November 2024.

2021: plenty of well spaced seating. We walk in, Zach asks us if it’s our first time, and we say yes. He says we should take the high top table because it’s his favorite seat. They tell us feel free to grab a drink upstairs or downstairs and enjoy the show. I look at the menu, and it’s got your typical bar food/drinks at reasonably expected prices. Also, plenty of great seating for everyone - not a bad seat in the house. The show starts, and we can’t believe the quality of the show for the price we paid. It was a fantastic night!

2024: I’m sure the prices slowly increased over the years (as they must for any business), but it wasn’t until 2024 that I got to the “checkout” section and was surprised by the price we were paying for the shows.

Of course, it ultimately depends on the value you are getting. To that end, the value/experience has certainly decreased since 2021, while the price has increased. My dismay began when we were seated at a very small table for the 4 of us. To be clear, it was a cafe table for 2 that was turned sideways, all 4 chairs could not come close to fitting around it. On top of that, there are rows of other cafe tables packed next to us so you are literally crammed in next to other guests. So, you have no room to sit at your own table, and your rubbing shoulders with the guest next to you who also doesn’t have room at their own table. It is incredibly uncomfortable. I lived in Uganda for a while where it was common to jam 10 people into a 4 door sedan. This experience brought back memories of my time there. The only difference is I’m not in Uganda and I paid as much for this 1.5 hour show as I would for a cross-country trip across the entire country of Uganda. I digressed - the point I’m making is the experience has decreased while the price has increased. I love small venues for the intimacy of a packed crowd watching a great entertainer, but at the Riot it feels more like greed - let’s pack as many people in here as we possibly can. That’s fair from a business perspective, but of course there is a tipping point where it simply becomes unreasonable. I think the Riot passed this mark a long time ago.

The nail in the coffin for me was the newly imposed “2 drink minimum per guest” policy. Not only am I paying more for a lesser experience where I’m sharing a lap with the guest next to me, but now it’s imposed that we buy 2 overpriced drinks for the right to do it. To be clear, the last show we attended was in September 2024, and there was no minimum drink policy, so this was very recently implemented. I say overpriced because they actually charge more for drinks upstairs than they do downstairs, but of course this is not made transparent to any guest. Remember how I said they used to encourage you to grab a drink from wherever - upstairs or downstairs - well, now they have a new sign stating “drinks bought downstairs do not count toward the 2 drink minimum policy”. Like I said, this was the last nail in the coffin for me. Simply put, it’s unreasonable to expect you can decrease the value of the experience and simultaneously charge more. Frankly, it’s insulting. For this reason, I can’t support this place anymore, the value equation just doesn’t add up.

If you follow their minimum drink policy, you’re going to buy at minimum $10 bud lights, while they sell for about half that just downstairs. In all, you’re going to spend A LOT for a below average experience.

I put 2 stars out of a sense of nostalgia for what once was, but honestly, it’s a 1 star experience. Not sure if it’s due to pressure from the bar owner or it’s Bryan’s own policies, but in my mind, it’s bad...

I’m honestly disappointed by how much the Riot Comedy Club has changed since my husband and I first discovered it in 2021. Back then, it felt like a hidden gem—great shows, a welcoming vibe, and a fair price for the overall experience. We used to be regulars, but after our most recent visit in November 2024, I don’t think we’ll be coming back.

The difference between our first visit and now is night and day.

Back in 2021, the atmosphere was relaxed and inviting. When we arrived, Zach asked if it was our first time and even recommended his favorite seats for us. There was ample space between tables, no pressure or weird policies, and the prices for drinks and food were what you’d expect at a casual bar. The show itself was incredible—funny, well-curated, and honestly an amazing deal for what we paid. We walked out thinking we’d found a new favorite spot.

Fast forward to 2024, and the experience felt completely different. First, the price at checkout was noticeably higher, which I can understand if the value matches it—but it didn’t. We were crammed around a tiny table that was clearly meant for two, even though we were a group of four. The chairs didn’t fit, and we were elbow-to-elbow with the people next to us, who were just as squished. It felt less like a cozy comedy venue and more like they were just trying to pack as many people in as possible, with no regard for guest comfort.

What really sealed the deal for me was the new two-drink minimum per person. It wasn’t in place during our last visit in September, so this was a recent change—and not a welcome one. Not only were the drinks overpriced, but they also now have a sign saying drinks bought downstairs don’t count toward your minimum. That means you could unknowingly grab a drink from the wrong bar and still be forced to order two more upstairs at inflated prices. It just feels sneaky and unfair.

In the past, they encouraged you to enjoy the venue however you liked—grab a drink upstairs or downstairs, relax, and enjoy the show. Now it feels transactional, cramped, and profit-driven. I understand businesses need to grow and adapt, but when you cut the quality and increase the cost, it stops being worth it.

If you follow the drink policy, you’re looking at spending at least $20 per person on drinks alone—just for the right to sit uncomfortably through a show that doesn’t feel nearly as polished as it used to. It’s frustrating and frankly insulting.

Out of nostalgia, I’m giving it two stars for what the Riot used to be. But truthfully, our recent experience was more of a one-star night. I don’t know if these changes are coming from Bryan or pressure from the bar owner, but either way, it’s not the same Riot we used to love. We sadly...

OUTSTANDING. Wonderful comedy venue. Well run. Great service. Feels intimate and every seat is a good seat. Quick service to table. Like another reviewer accurately said, “simple for introvert” to order from table QR code & website, not talking, and quickly receive your orders. Everything reasonably priced. We only got beers and curly fries as we ate dinner previously. All of it perfect.

Room is upstairs above great Rudyard’s Pub. Lots of fun bar games, darts, etc. Parking tough on Friday Night. Free parking across the street for probably 30 vehicles. We circled block a few times before finding the tight parallel parking spot on street. Paid parking across street full too.

They let us up at start time for comedian to fill into our reserved tables. Probably 50-60 tables. Plenty of room for everyone. Bar seating in the back.

Came for Adam Ray. Legend. Cool dude. Great set as expected. Super charismatic and had the crowd in his hands in seconds. Took pix outside afterwards. Everything smooth.

Two local openers/host started show. Very funny. Definitely worth seeing during the week.

PLUS. 💯 to the staff and Adam Ray. It was my Bday weekend and I wanted to see my fav comic. Bought tickets as soon as on sale. Wife and I had a great dinner beforehand in Houston. I messed up and thought we had 9 pm show. Got to Rudyards at 7:30. Waited until 9. Whoops. 🤦‍♂️ Been a long week apparently. Staff were kind and patient. Got us upstairs to fill empty table. 🥰 Made My Whole Weekend! Saved everything. Made a friend, fan, and customer for life. Already have friends planning on joining the next time.

Thank you Riot Comedy...