Jongleurs Piccadilly

The place was too hot, no air conditioning and smell of yobs over powering. We've been to many other Jongleurs around the UK over the years and had an excellent night out at all of them apart from Piccadilly. Don't get us wrong the acts were excellent it was just everything else about the venue which was disappointing. My husband and I had met up with out friends for our friends birthday, my friend and his wife like me and my husband were out for the first time as we had both lost our dads through cancer within the last 6 months. Mine being within the last 3 months and nursing my dad at home.
At the beginning of the show they said no flash photography, yet for the first hour of the show there was a member of Jongleurs staff going around taking flash photographs of the comedians which was distracting. Then our friends were ordering food and had to wait 45 minutes for some disappointing burgers and they took our friends credit card away to put it on the tab. I insisted to my friend to get the card back as they had no reason to do that even to put it on the tab as they said.
We could also hear noise from the pub downstairs over the comedy, which is absolutely poor service when you have paid to listen to comedy.
The venue was too hot, with no air conditioning. The icing on the cake was when we were  all leaving peacefully to go home, then one of the yobs from the Chatham racist massive at the show, I only know this because the comedians picked on them a few times, pushed me into my other half, looking for a fight with my other half. My other half tried to defend me and the yob did not apologise just said he did it because he felt like it. The classless, woman hating, racist, fat, smelly, chav- yob was in tracksuit and trainers. The bouncers were good yet they said to my husband that the yob family of 8 had a background there, so why do you let trouble makers into your club? Most places would bar them are they that desperate for money. Mind you they were trying to push you to buy everything available there even there souls! Also which place in their right minds allow people wearing tracksuits and trainers in, on a classless, cheap tacky place desperate for money would do that.

This is a half decent comedy club located in Haymarket, Piccadilly. The place is pretty easy to find as its located above the Sports Bar (straight through the entrance and up the stairs!). The place holds about 200 people which is enough to create a good comedy atmosphere. When we arrived everything appeared to be very organised. You are placed on a guest list and escorted to your table. If you go as a couple, dont expect your own table as generally you will find yourself on a table with 6 other people (not a problem if you are in a large party). Ventilation inside the place is poor and the Ad Hoc air condition employed by Jongleurs was not up to the job. As a result, halfway through the last act you start to feel very uncomfortable (would not have liked to visit in the height of summer). So a non summer visit with layered clothing is advised!!!! You can pre-order interval drinks on arrival to save the queue at half time. I didn't try the food, but it looked OK and was generally quite reasonably priced, unlike the beer! £4 - £5.50 a pint which is a little excessive on top of your £18 ticket (but it is Central London). As with any comedy club the evening is totally dependant on the quality of the comediens! Unfortunately this trip was pretty mixed with 2 out of the 4 comediens being good (not very good) and the other 2 being average. It doesn't help when one of the comediens appeared on TV with Michael McIntyes Comedy Roadshow a few months previous then came to Jongleurs with exactly the same act (funny first time round but not twice!!). I would suggest that if you know your comediens it would be worthwhile checking out the acts prior to booking your tickets. All in all a generally enjoyable experience and I would consider going again.

I begrudgingly award a second star based on the quality of the comedians we saw last week. The location and atmosphere are both terrible, the bar staff and those serving have no idea what's going on and are generally pretty unpleasant, the food is awful and the bar prices are a little high based on the amount you've already paid for your ticket.

Several groups left halfway through the performance because the room was extremely hot, the air-conditioning ineffective and the smell overpowering.

Best avoided.