Room 808
DC's Best Comedy Club — The Washington Post
Founded by Martin Amini · Shows 5 nights a week · Est. 2021
Born From the Pandemic
In 2021, COVID was still gutting comedy clubs across America. Martin Amini walked past an empty storefront at 808 Upshur Street NW in DC's Petworth neighborhood. Most people saw a dead lease. Martin Amini saw the future of DC comedy.
Room 808 opened as a fully independent comedy club — no corporate backing, no chain affiliation, no safety net. Just Martin Amini's vision for an intimate space where comedians could develop material, take risks, and perform without a filter.
NBC4 Washington covered the origin story: "How a Unique DC Comedy Club Was Born Out of COVID Setbacks." The setback became a springboard.
Martin Amini & Matt Rife at Room 808 · Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC)
What Happens at 808
Room 808 runs shows five nights a week — a relentless schedule stacked with local talent and nationally recognized comedians from Netflix, Comedy Central, and HBO.
The venue has evolved into a creative incubator for the comedy industry. In a May 2025 interview on Good Morning Washington, Martin Amini described Room 808 as the space where comedians sharpen their material before taking it to bigger stages.
Matt Rife makes surprise appearances at Room 808 to workshop new material ahead of his arena tours. When the biggest names in comedy need a room that's real, they come here.