Reviews for Improv Comedy Club & Restaurant

07/07/2024 - Martha D.
good

10/16/2022 - Scott McNair
I've always enjoyed the Improve. Lots of great memories there. The food is good, the drinks are good, and the service has always been good. I flew in from Oregon to spend time with my son, the first time since the start of the pandemic, and we wanted to see a show like we always did in the past. It was all good until the show started. After that, the show was interrupted for us 5 times by staff wanting to sit others at our table. We were at a 2 person table. They said they "overbooked the show".

There are no smaller tables in the club--our table was a 2 person table. We are not at a 4 person table. We were asked if we wanted to share the table, and I declined after explaining that this was the first time in nearly 2 years being here to spend time with my son, and that I had traveled from Oregon for this. The response was "no problem".

If the table were larger, it would have been fine to share. While there were 4 chairs at this small table, the extra two chairs were in our way and we couldn't move them because one edge of the chair was pressed against the wall, the other edge was pressed against the chairs we were sitting in, and the isle for wait staff was right on the other side. There was no room to create any space at all between the chairs. You cannot put drinks and appetizers for 4 at this table (as I said, it was a 2-person table).

After declining, we were approached 3 more times with the same request. The last guy to ask was unprofessional and returned a few minutes later with another guest and he told them to sit at our table and then made a quick exit, knowing that we'd declined this request.

What's the point of asking for permission from the customer if you're not going to respect the customer's response? I was given no answer to this, except to be told again that they overbooked the show (seriously, do I need to say that this isn't my problem, after buying my tickets a month in advance?).

When I went to talk to him and the other staff there in the hall about this, they were smirking at me and amused that our evening was not going well and we were unhappy, as if the power to ruin an evening for someone knowing the customer can't change the outcome is intoxicating.

When I got the general manager involved, she refunded us, but this one particular unprofessional worker followed us to the ticket booth so he could stand behind the manager and continue to smirk at us while our refund was issued. I asked him if he was amused and he grinned and nodded his head. The general manager didn't care. There was no reason for him to be there as the GM was taking care of the refund, he just wanted to gloat or antagonize us, and the GM was ok with it, even when I called it to her attention.

Comics, food, and drinks get an "A". Staff, customer experience, and the general manager get an "F".

It's a shame, because this has been one of my favorite places in KC. I won't go back, because this evening with my son meant a lot to me, and they didn't care.

There's nothing more enjoyable than good food, good drinks, and good laughs. It's too bad that staff behave this way, and are allowed to by leadership.

This customer experience was because they acknowledged they overbooked the show. Counting seats and selling tickets can be challenging I guess.

Attend at your own risk. After the show starts, you may learn it's overbooked and they're going to deal with that at your expense, and you may get asked to have someone practically sit in your lap, without care or regard for the enjoyment of your experience at the club.