Herald rating ***
Address: 321 Queen St, Auckland Central
Phone: (09) 373 4321
Open: Mon-Sat: 6.30pm till late
KEY POINTS:
We arrived at: A bit before 7pm on Monday. We were there to see Welsh comedian Mark Watson (who was very good, by the way) and thought we'd check out the bar facilities beforehand.
Are served our first drinks: By an efficient barman who insisted on serving people in the order they arrived. While his militant style may have lacked social graces, it got the job done and avoided hold-ups at the busy bar.
The decor is ... Like my grandma's old parlour. But instead of pictures of the grandkids adorning the walls, there are portraits of local and international comedians who have performed at the iconic club.
... and the ambience: Warm and intimate. There is a sense of shared camaraderie among the crowd. For better or worse, we're in this together.
The house chardonnay is: Corban's Homestead at $6.50 a glass.
The beers on tap are: Good Kiwi basics - Lion Red, Speight's and Mac's Gold.
It smells: Of nachos, which are constantly being served up from the kitchen.
The music is: A bit loud. I found myself shouting to be heard over it, but then maybe they turned it up to drown out people like me...
The toilets are: Not the greatest. In fact, I'd probably limit my liquid consumption in order to avoid them.
Why you should go: Because laughter is good for you and The Classic is the home of laughter. Thus, The Classic is good for you.
Bottom line: The perfect warm-up to a night of stand-up.
