The 99 Club - Leicester Square

What it’s like

A strictly over-18s stand-up comedy club near Leicester Square, so this one's for a night off from the kids, not a day out with them.

This is not a family listing in the usual sense. The 99 Club is a comedy club, licensed premises, and nobody under 18 gets through the door, full stop. If you were hoping to bring a teenager along because they love a laugh, they will be turned away at the door even with ID, because the age limit is about the licence, not about looking old enough.

So why is it here at all. Because plenty of parents are looking for the other kind of night out, the one where the kids are with a babysitter and you want proper stand-up without messing about. Doors open an hour before the show so there's time to get a drink at the bar first, and most nights wrap by half ten, with the later Saturday show sometimes running to eleven. That's civilised enough to still catch a last train home.

Seating is first come, first served once you're in, so turning up early after doors open gets you the better spot rather than a seat at the back by the toilets. Bring photo ID regardless of how young or old you look, they ask for it as a matter of course. Tickets have to be booked in advance online or by phone, there's no paying on the door, and once you've booked that's it, no refunds unless the whole show gets cancelled outright.

One thing to flag if you're planning a bigger night out, like a hen do: groups of ten or more need to stash a £50 behaviour bond, refunded at the end if everyone behaves. Stag dos are generally not welcome here, which tells you something about the vibe they're going for. And every booking, phone or online, gets a 10% fee added, worth factoring in before you commit to a big group.

Facilities

Need to know

Booking

Tickets sold online and by phone

Parking

National Car Park at St Martin's Lane nearby

Getting there by bus or train

Less than five minutes walk from nearest London Underground station

• Bring photo ID even if you're clearly well over 18, they ask everyone.
• Seating is first come first served, so get there when doors open for the best spot.
• Groups of 10 or more need to pay a £50 behaviour bond, refunded if all goes well.
• Line-ups can change without notice, so don't book purely for one comedian.
• Drinks are sold before the show and in the interval, not while acts are on.

Plan your visit

See all Comedy in London · Things to do in London