Most London comedy happens in the evening, but there are good options if you want to laugh before dinner. JK Comedy Club runs three Saturday afternoon comedy shows every week: 4PM in Soho, and 5PM in both Covent Garden and Leicester Square. Each one finishes in time for an evening meal or a train home.
An afternoon show suits visitors with a full sightseeing day and anyone who would rather not be out late. Every JK Comedy Club show is for over-18s only, so bring photo ID. The rest of this guide explains how the three JK shows differ, lists other clubs with daytime or early shows, and covers what to expect on the day.
Saturday afternoon comedy at JK Comedy Club
All three of our Saturday afternoon shows have a host and a line-up of professional comedians, and they run for about 90 minutes. The rooms are different, so pick the one that suits your plans. The Saturday afternoon comedy page lists every upcoming date and price.
Soho, 4PM
Our Soho comedy club is downstairs at The Spice of Life, 6 Moor Street, three minutes from Leicester Square station. It is the earliest of the three shows. The basement holds around 60 people, so it feels close and lively, and doors open 15 minutes before the show. Buy a drink at the bar upstairs and take it down with you.
Covent Garden, 5PM
Our Covent Garden comedy club is at Arboretum, 2A Charing Cross Road, two minutes from Leicester Square station. It is our largest room, with around 200 seats, and it has its own full bar. Doors open an hour before the show, so you can arrive early, eat and drink, and choose your seats.
Leicester Square
Our Leicester Square comedy club is upstairs at the Grosvenor Casino - Rialto, 3-4 Coventry Street, two minutes from Piccadilly Circus station. Go in through the casino’s main entrance; you don’t need to be a member, but bring photo ID. Doors open 30 minutes before the show.
Other afternoon and early comedy in London
Few London clubs run regular daytime shows, so check each club’s own listings before you plan around one. The details below come from each club’s official website, checked in October 2026.
The Comedy Store, Piccadilly Circus
The Comedy Store at 1a Oxendon Street has been running since 1979. Its programme is mostly evening shows, but its October 2026 listings also included some weekend afternoon shows: an improvised comedy show on Saturdays at 3PM and a beginners’ showcase on Sundays at 2:30PM. These do not run every weekend, so check the dates.
Top Secret Comedy Club, Covent Garden
Top Secret Comedy Club has two rooms in Covent Garden, at 170A Drury Lane and 23 Kingsway. Its listings include early-evening work-in-progress shows starting at 6PM, which suit an afternoon in the West End that runs on into the evening.
Angel Comedy, Islington
Angel Comedy runs shows at The Bill Murray, 39 Queen’s Head Street, and the Camden Head, 2 Camden Walk, both near Angel station. Alongside its free evening shows, its listings include weekend afternoon and early-evening work-in-progress shows at The Bill Murray, where comedians try out new hour-long shows. It is a relaxed pub setting with a community feel.
If you are staying out for the evening
Two clubs are worth knowing about if your afternoon turns into an evening out, although neither runs afternoon shows. The Boat Show Comedy Club puts on evening shows below deck on the Tattershall Castle, a paddle steamer moored on Victoria Embankment opposite the London Eye. Up the Creek at 302 Creek Road in Greenwich runs comedy from Thursday to Sunday evenings, a minute’s walk from Cutty Sark DLR station.
Planning a Saturday around an afternoon show
An afternoon show fits neatly between lunch and dinner. For a full plan, our Saturday date day in Soho itinerary builds a day around the 4PM Soho show, with places to eat before and after. If you are choosing between Soho and the 5PM shows, Covent Garden gives you more time at the bar before the show, and Leicester Square puts you closest to Piccadilly Circus for the evening.
For evening shows across the city, see our guide to the best comedy clubs in London.
What to expect on the day
Doors: at JK Comedy Club, doors open 15 minutes before the Soho show, an hour before the Covent Garden show and 30 minutes before the Leicester Square show. Other clubs list their door times on each show listing.
Seating: our seating is unreserved, so arrive early if you want to sit together near the front.
Length: most comedy shows, including ours, run for about 90 minutes.
Drinks: all three JK rooms have a bar. Some other clubs also serve food, so check before you go.
Nearest stations: Leicester Square for our Soho and Covent Garden rooms, Piccadilly Circus for Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus for The Comedy Store, Holborn or Covent Garden for Top Secret Comedy Club, and Angel for Angel Comedy.
Accessibility: there is no step-free access at any of JK Comedy Club’s venues, as every room is reached by stairs. Email [email protected] before booking if you have access needs and we will advise. Check access with any other club before you book.
How to book
Book JK Comedy Club’s afternoon shows on the Saturday afternoon comedy page, which shows every upcoming date for all three rooms. Booking ahead is sensible, especially for the smaller Soho room. For other clubs, book on their official websites.
Groups of up to 10 can book online. For more than 10, email [email protected] with your date, show and numbers before booking.
Tickets are non-refundable, but if you can no longer attend you can transfer to another show or take a voucher; see the refund policy for details. Your confirmation email has the show details and the venue address.