Helium Comedy Club / Elements Bar & Grille

Very fun places and easy to find drink are fairly reasonable even with the two drink minimum.

What a fun place! Tonight we went for The Edge Comedy night and it was a blast! They let us in 30 minutes prior to showtime and we got a prime booth seat in the middle. They told us it was a two drink/​food minimum. Prices were not cheap but tons of people were ordering food, so it must be decent. I had a bud light and a coffee. The coffee was really good. Beer was nice and cold. The waiter treated us well, very friendly and checking in on us a couple of times.
The show started on time and was really good. James, Josh, and the Headliner were hilarious! I can’t wait to go back!

So it was a Thursday & I wanted to go out & laugh for the evening & I remember seeing Helium Comedy Club in the Public so after checking to see they were open (what am I saying it seems that in the city there is somewhere open every night, which is so awesome coming from a place where they rolled up the sidewalks @ 9pm) since they were open, I ventured out to Helium w a friend, we had to pay a cover charge even though we missed the Opening Act & it was higher than what I read in the Public & was quite pricey. We than grabbed a drink @ the bar & walked in to the area where the show was already going on. The place was pitch black so it was fun finding a table, but the host found us one.
This was my 1^st time here so I had no clue what to expect so we sat there at a table for 2 facing the stage. The table was uncomfortable as the chairs, or at least my chair, was bumped up against the table leg. I have long legs so it really was annoying. Than the candle @ our table was NOT lit so we couldn’t look @ the Menu & had no clue what if anything to order.
The Featured Comedian was doing his Act, so we wanted to be quiet but still wanted to order something to eat, so we used our cell phone to view the Menu, not realizing how the light of the phone would interfere w his act & I guess it did so we were heckled by the Comic… but we did see the Menu & did order some food. Didn’t know the portion sizes so we ordered way too much for 2 ppl. (had great left overs the next day). The waitress was slow & kept forgetting pieces of our order which was quite annoying, BUT the drinks were GREAT!!! The Comic was OK but at times quite annoying I guess we picked a bad night to want to laugh. He did go over his Hour so I guess that was nice.
When we went to leave we were told to stand in line if we wanted a photo & autograph we laughed & said «no that’s OK» but there was a lengthy line so KUDOS to the Comic.
Would I go back to Helium??? sure if a good Comic is scheduled for the night but probably NOT it there is no good headliner.
Suggestion: Make sure you are there before the show starts so you can find a good seat & not have to saddle the table leg. Not to mention actually read the Menu.
Being NEW makes it that much harder, so the place is definitely NOT user friendly for NEWBIES.
Also since the club is in the cobblestone district plan on a bumpy drive for parking, something else I wasn’t prepared for.
I really like to Laugh so I would like any suggestions on where is a good User Friendly place to go out to…

I only rated this three stars because they need to fix there entrance/​waiting area system. It was very disorganized and crowded for when everyone would start gathering to go into the venue. I started to feel claustrophobic and everyone around me getting annoyed because we ended up waiting a long time to enter. Granted they had to pick up after the first show, but there was a decent amount of time in between. Another thing that bothered me was saying you have a two item minimum after we bought our tickets. never mind we bought drinks outside the venue at their bar. I didn’t buy any extra items, as someone said they don’t hold you to it. I did get the waitress to ask if we wanted anything though which was fine.
They show itself was fine, they gave a speech before the comedians came out saying no photos or video and no heckling. unfortunately there was heckling in our show (something you can’t really get away from) but they had security watching out to calm it down if need be.

Helium is one of my favorite spots in Buffalo! It’s a fun and fairly cheap thing to do with friends, family or your significant other. They always have a great lineup no matter what.
The food isn’t the best I’ll admit. I normally go elsewhere to eat unless I have some drunken cravings while I’m there.
The beer selection is solid, always offering seasonal stuff. They also have a cocktail list for those who like bright colored, fruity drinks.
I suggest getting there early, the sooner you get there the beater seats you will get for general admission!!! (Can’t stress that enough)
Get your tickets ahead of time, they almost always sell out.
Sign up for anything texting/​email wise if they ask you when you’re there, I normally score a random pair of free tickets here and there because they have both my cell number and email.

Third time here, every time the crowd control is worse and worse. I’m going to have to start coming late to shows. Come early for show if you want to be shoved in along with 200 of «your closest friends» with your arms locked to your side. Once they do actually open their doors they then take a sardine can of people and call them by different letter groups, of course these folks are dispersed throughout the crowd.
Utterly ridiculous!!! On top of that they apparently only know how to use one of their doors for entry AND exit! They need to get their act together before someone gets hurt!

This is based on the setup only. The venue has great potential if they would get the ticket pick-​up organized. The venue itself is small thus making it a horrible idea to have the ticket booth as soon as you come through the front doors. Thank god for us having prepaid for them prior to the show. There were people shoulder to shoulder in every which way standing and waiting for tickets at the booth and to enter into the building. In addition, the bar is straight ahead which made the feeling overall as if I were in a nightclub. I don’t know if it’s because of the comedian we were there to see (Corey Holcomb) or if was because of the show time we chose (7:30), but it was quite uncomfortable.
Our VIP tables were very close the stage. The tables in my opinion are not meant to have anything more on there but a couple of drinks and perhaps a small appetizer (in which we did have fries. They were typical and were sufficient) The servers did the best they could with the amount of people in the room. There is a two item mandatory order that must be placed when seated. Again, we went with fries and Corona’s.
Sidebar. Although I really don’t mind, its the principal. Our tab was about $ 17.00, give or take a few pennies more. I gave my server a $ 20.00 and conveniently the show was over so, I never saw her again.
This review isnt based on the comedians because they were awesome. I would love to go back. I’m just not sure it’s worth the hassle.

I LOVE Helium for comedy shows. Food… that’s another story. Let’s get into it\!
Helium’s showroom is perfect for a comedy show. It’s very intimate — no matter where you’re seated you can see and enjoy yourself. Kind of why I don’t normally buy ‘Reserved’ seats/​Save yourself the extra money because chances are you’ll get upgraded anyway.
You have to order at least two items in the showroom so I’ve tried quite a few things on the menu. The beers are all great obviously. Now, the food… that’s a different story. I feel bad even reviewing Helium on it’s food because it’s not meant to be a food destination but they serve it so too bad. When you order anything… ANYTHING… don’t expect much.
Chicken Fingers — tasted like they were microwaved. Sauce came on the side AND the sauce tasted like it came from a TV dinner.
Mediterranean Plate Appetizer — hummus and olives were great but everything else was a bit tacky. Carrot sticks and low quality veggies. Just a weird mix of food and you can tell it was just a prepackaged frozen shipment of items.
French fries are about the only safe bet on the menu. You can’t go wrong but really… it’s hard to mess up french fries.
Service can be good or bad depending on who you get. I’ve had experiences where everything was incredible and other times when they basically forgot we were sitting in their section.

The comedy show was fantastic! The comics were hysterical!
When you arrive for the show, there is really no clear direction as to how or where you are to line up for entry. Are you supposed to line up? The guy at the door was not friendly and when asking where to pick up tickets at will call, he answered with a tone as if we should already know where to go and what to do. There were lines formed but then they call you by reserved and/​or groupings. Before they began to let people in the loud speaker announcement was anything but friendly. There were so many rules that I just zoned out after awhile and the tone was of a parent scolding a child. Thankfully, our group did not allow it to set the tone for our night. If the setting is for 21 and over, one would hope that all guests would act accordingly. If not, remove the problem rather than assume your entire crowd will be unruly.
Once seated the service was extremely slow. We were seated for about 15 minutes before we were greeted and drink order taken. Once our order was taken, the drinks took over 10 minutes to be served. Our server was friendly but there has to be a better way to seat and serve so your guests aren’t waiting as long. It wasn’t just our table. You could see people all over the room looking for and flagging down servers.
The food was fantastic! We ordered the Mediterranean Platter, Basil Pesto Flat Bread with Chicken and the Artichoke and Spinach Dip. Honestly we did not expect to be as impressed with the food as we were. I want to go back just for the food!
The showroom was crowded. The tables were right on top of each other and very small. It was very hard to have food and drinks on the tiny round tables along with a candle, food menu, drink menu and flyer for upcoming shows. The room was absolutely freezing. At times it was hard to pay attention to the comedians because it was so cold in the venue. It really took away from the show.
If I were rating the comedians and the food, five stars hands down! As far as the unfriendly doorman/​security, cattle call, being scolded over a loud speaker, not enough room to wiggle in your chair, hoping your drink doesn’t fall off the edge of the table and leaving with frozen fingers and toes, one to two stars at best. Overall experience averages out to about three stars. The venue is wonderful and location is great. There is so much potential however there needs to be more attention to detail and more of a welcoming tone when dealing with your guests. I am struggling with three stars due to the lack of care to guest relations/​needs. Overall a two.

We came to see Deon Cole, who was hilarious by the way, as well as the guy who opened for him (not the host). We bought reserved seating tickets so thankfully we didn’t have to wait in line but geez the seating is horrible here! The tables are TINY yet they want everyone to order at least 2 drinks and/​or food items. There were 3 of us at my table and it was a bit uncomfortable. I wonder if we’re supposed to put our food on our laps to get more space…
The booths that lined the first half of the theater looked like a better option until we saw how people had to sit shoulder to shoulder with complete strangers. Not cool.
The menu was pretty basic; I just ordered chicken fingers, which were listed as a Helium favorite. I wonder why though because they were horrible. Like worse than Appleby’s horrible. Like kiddie menu horrible. Like generic name brand HORRIBLE.
I would ABSOLUTELY come here to see a show again because you couldn’t beat the price of the ticket. BUT I’ll eat elsewhere & just stick to the drinks.

This is a solid four. I’ve been to the venue strictly for comedy shows. But this often means showing up in advance, having a couple drinks at the bar, and then lining up to see the show.
The bar had a nice selection of beer. Nothing crazy, but more than your 2 – 3 ever present beers.
I don’t like the order minimums in the show. But I’m also cheap. That being said, the service and quality is very good. It has little to no impact on the crowd’s ability to watch the show.

What a fun date night! Came here last night to see Jay Pharoah from SNL. He’s always been one of my favorite cast members on the show so when I noticed he was doing this club, I convinced my city hating husband to take me down here for a date. I was able to get the tickets online which made things very easy. There is some free parking on the street but it says it has a 2 hour limit so we parked in the lot across the street.
We got there at 6:50 for the 7:30 show. Got a drink at the bar, around 7:10 they started letting people in to the theater for the show. I bought «reserved» seating so we were seated at these comfortable booths that form a semi-​circle around the stage half way through the seating area. My only complaint about the booths is they are one solid seat so your hips touch with the hips of the people at the table next to you. On my side I was seated next to an attractive, normal weight female so I didn’t care. On my husband’s side he was seated next to a 6’2″ 400 lb woman who was spilling in to his area, so he was less than thrilled. I was greatly amused by his discomfort though.
They do have a two item per person minimum that we had no problem with. I had two drinks, my husband had three or four beers and we tried the fried dough. Was not impressed with the fried dough and would not get it again. My mixed drinks were good and you could actually taste the alcohol in them. I would have gotten a third drink but my waiter ignored my empty glass and came to our table and only asked my husband if he wanted another beer and rushed away before I could say I wanted another drink. It kind of annoys me when waiters do that, attend to my husband and not me. I’ve noticed it only happens with male waiters. I’ve mentioned in some of my other reviews that my husband is a big dude (6’6″) so sometimes I think he just reeks of alpha and other men cater to that and I’m the 5’4″ invisible woman.
Anyhow, the club was a lot of fun but the best part was the comedian. Jay was on fire with his jokes and impressions, he did almost 2 solid hours of comedy for the crowd. My husband and I are still laughing today about some of the things in the show. Jay just comes off as such a likable person, after the show he offered to take pictures with people. OMG I wish I could have stayed to get a picture with him but I had to get home for the babysitter. Next time he comes we’ll be back to catch him again and I’ll know to book the babysitter longer. Had a lot of fun at Helium and will be back in the future because it was a fun date night.

The reviews were spot on. Parking was free on the street but there is a huge $ 3 lot across the street. I was there super early so no line wait for my tickets. If you eat before the show it doesn’t count towards the 2 item minimum.
My dad and I waited to go in and placed the order during the opening act but it wasn’t brought to us until Bill Bellamy was on.
We had general admission and were called in after reserved seating and they were going in left side right side. Seemed like a cluster.
He got a salad and I got the fried dough with Ice cream and they were both filling.
Nice venue and for a classy spot the prices weren’t bad. Would I come back? Probably but with a reserved ticket.

This review may be partially bias because of the show I saw, but the club was the catalyst for that show.
On May 18^th my girlfriend and I went and saw Kevin Smith at Helium. The place was easy to find and I had never been to Buffalo before. We paid only two dollars to park in a massive lot across the street. Will call was simple and the very reasonable price of 38 bucks for reserved seats paid off big time. Our table was touching the stage. We could not have been closer if Smith was sitting on our laps.
The club has a two item minimum per guest. A fact that was slightly annoying at first since neither my girlfriend or I drink but I understand this is where the staff makes their money. We waited on having dinner to eat at the show and the food was as good as any major chain restaurant. Similar to TGI Fridays or Ruby Tuesday. After seeing the portions and the acceptable quality I no longer was annoyed at the minimum.
My one real complaint for the club is the food came out just barely before the show started. I didn’t want to be sitting in the front row watching a man entertain, inspire, and pour his heart out while stuffing my face with fries and chicken burgers. If the club sat people a bit early, or let the lobby sitting area count toward the two item rule the eating could be done while waiting and the show could be enjoyed without being rude. Small complaint for a nice club and flawless show.

I am soooo glad I finally got the chance to come to the comedy club. I had a great time! I went to celebrate a friend’s birthday this past weekend and had a pretty good experience. Tickets were $ 20 for general admission and the comedian was really decent. I didn’t get any of the «drink or app» minimums while buying the ticket, so I was glad there was none of that nonsense.
Despite that, I still ordered a lava cake with ice cream and it was delicious! Warm and very flavorful with some ice cream on the side. It was perfect! The space itself was very intimate as well with a lot of tables and seats available and every one of them sees the stage very well.
Parking is relatively easy in the cobblestone district, BUT if the show you’re going to is the same day as a game downtown… good luck! Give yourself some time to find parking.
Overall, I enjoyed my time here a lot and can’t wait to find another reason to come back.

Came here for the first time to catch Steve Ranazissi with a few other acts. We had tickets for the 7:30 show and arrived around 6:50 to get our tickets. The bar area was PACKED but we were seated within 10 minutes or so. We had general admission seats but got a great table off the left of the stage with a perfect view.
The show started promptly and the service was fast an attentive. We didnt try any food; it looked mostly like your standard bar fare with dessert. Decent beer and cocktail selection.
Overall a positive experience.

In the cobblestone district of downtown Buffalo NY, this comedy venue is pretty chill. Pre show bar area nothing to rave about, but ok to have a drink before the show. Inside pretty comfortable. Gen admission tickets get you pretty close to the stage. Reserved seats were an extra $ 8, and are right against the stage. Two item purchase mandatory during the show, but that’s typical. Sit back and have a few laughs!

Great time!
The bar portion is dive barish. No need to wear your nice threads here. Bar prices are pretty reasonable considering it’s a comedy club.
If you’re coming to see a show arrive about 45 minutes early to get a few drinks in you. Remember it’s a 2 item minimum per person once inside the show so don’t indulge too much before you take your seat. If you get a bottle of wine that does cover you and a guest. Bottles range from $ 24-​$ 32.
Make sure you do a quick youtube search on the comedian if you’re going to see someone you’ve never heard of. Not every comedian is for everyone but just about every headliner has material on the internet you can browse.
Happy laughing!

Super Cute place for Buffalo! Located in the cobblestone district it’s an easy place to get to. If you arrive early enough and there isn’t anything at the area — you can park on the street right out front for free! Friends bought the tickets and gave us a great tip — buy the «reserved» seats they are only a few $$ more and you can get a great table up front. We had a reserved table for 4 and it was a bit cramped but also in the second row. Once you start to order (2 items per person required) the table does get very full and tight. Go with people you know and share the elbow space.
Overall great for date night and going out with Friends.

Came here last night for the first time. We had free tickets to a show so I was excited to see it.
Brad and I came here about an hour early. We sat at the bar and waited for one of the 3 bartenders to ask what we want. There were maybe 5 other people seated at the bar so it wasn’t super busy. After 5 minutes of not being helped and sitting without a drink we decided to take a bet on how long it would take. We never got asked if we want something in the hour we were sitting at the bar talking. I know we could have said «can you get us…» but I was glad this helped us save money. The 3 bartenders meanwhile, were taking shots and talking with each other. Very unprofessional, and they lost out on a bit of money.
There is a 2 food/​drink minimum for the show but that was fine. We didn’t have a problem with that. And once we were seated, the food and drinks came out quickly and were pretty good.
I thought the acts were great!
The problem I had was the group of kids in the table next to me. We were in the second row and they were talking the entire time. And not just about the act or laughing. At one point someone was on his phone in the middle of the act. The waitress was at their table at this point but didn’t say anything or ask him to hang up or go outside. I finally said something when I saw him looking at Facebook during the act. It ruined my experience and I can guarantee the performer noticed the group, as she kept looking at the table while they were talking. There is nothing ruder than that.
Like I said, the tickets were free. Next time, I will come on time, seeing as I probably won’t get service from the bar.