What do Louis C.K., Dane Cook, Mindy Kaling, Dennis Leary, Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, and Amy Poehler have in common? These funny men and women all are originally from greater Boston, with several cutting their teeth in Boston comedy clubs past and present. Visit a comedy club in Boston and—who knows—you may catch tomorrow's next biggest comedian!

Comedy, when everything comes together, is exhilarating – a cathartic license to laugh with abandon, en masse with the audience.

And truth be told, it can be equally engaging when the set is experimental, the audience reaction is mixed, or the material doesn't quite land. I've seen comedians kill and bomb in Boston, and both experiences left me with great stories to tell.

Check out these Boston comedy clubs, each one sure to give you a memorable night out!

At The Comedy Studio in Harvard Square, expect to see a mix of experimental and traditional comedians, with shows six nights a week. I've seen comedy-magicians here, comedians who did entire sets based on mathematical concepts, and newcomers and familiar faces alike. The Comedy Studio gets extra points, too, for serving scorpion bowls from legendary restaurant the Hong Kong (located downstairs).

Dick Doherty's Comedy Den has been showcasing both local and traveling comedians for more than 25 years, and recently relocated to just below Howl Down the Moon in the Financial District. They have open-mic every Sunday night, and at any show, general admission seating is first-come, first-served, so get there early if you want to snag a seat close up.

Bust a gut with a North End Italian feast, then do so again at the neighborhood's Improv Asylum comedy club. Improv and sketch comedy shows fill the roster six nights a week at the group's basement theater on Hanover Street.

Of course, the Asylum isn't the only improv game in town. Improv Boston has been in business since the early eighties, currently based in Cambridge's Central Square. The troupe performs more than 20 shows each week, with options ranging from family-friendly to risqué.

Laugh Boston, the sister club of Improv Asylum, is Boston's newest comedy club, having arrived in the Seaport District in autumn 2013. Focusing primarily on stand-up, the club has shows Wednesdays through Saturdays, with Boston-area talent booked on a regular basis. It's also the Boston home of popular storytelling series The Moth, which is scheduled the first Tuesday of the month, as well as monthly karaoke competitions.

Tucked among the larger venues of the Theater District is Nick's Comedy Stop, an alternative to traveling musicals and dramas that pack the neighborhood. Stop in on Friday or Saturday nights to check out the night's performance; if you want to make a dinner-and-show night of it, you can get a discount at nearby Abby Lane restaurant with your ticket stub.

Exorbitant drink prices aside, I love seeing a comedy show at The Wilbur. I've talked before about how incredible their booking agent is, and they regularly get the country's hottest comedians on tour. I've seen Hannibal Burress, Jennifer Coolidge, Nick Offerman, and Patton Oswalt here, among other comedians, and it's always an enjoyable night out. (And I'm not kidding – bring extra for your beers.)

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