Laughing on Galiano

By Lizzie Wilcox

September 2019

It’s 8 p.m. on Saturday night and there’s not an empty table at the Open Stage Club. Everyone is here for one thing: to laugh. Every Saturday night, Have-Nots Comedy brings two hours of stand-up to the Open Stage (2325 Galiano St.) Each show consists of two opening acts and a headliner, but they all perform for roughly the same amount of time.

Even at a relatively small venue, Have-Nots Comedy brings in recognized comedians who have been on Comedy Central, BET and HBO. When we went, all three comedians were either born and raised in Miami or had lived here for “at least four decades.” (Yes, a very funny older comedian).

Local acts can sometimes be the best, making jokes about the 305 that only natives would understand – like how one of the comedians moved here from Palestine when he was 19 (guess who) and thought he was learning English, but discovered it was really Spanish, and that he then became fluent in Spanish in just three months by dating a Cuban woman who spoke on the phone for three hours at a time.

Making the show even more enjoyable is their newly revamped menu. It offers everything from classic bar food like burgers and wings to healthier options like cauliflower and Brussel sprouts dishes.

What we love about the Open Stage venue is the intimate setting. There’s really not a bad seat in the house. Even if you’re toward the back, or on the side, you’re seated at a high-top table. But be careful you’re not too close to the stage – or you may become the punchline of a joke or two.