There are a number of negative intrapersonal, physical, and economic effects of comorbid bipolar and substance use disorders. The purpose of the present review is to systematically identify, describe, and summarize controlled trials evaluating the overall outcomes of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for persons with comorbid bipolar and substance use disorder (SUD); so trends regarding efficacy, effectiveness, and gaps in research can be articulated to further advance clinical practice and research. A systematic literature review was conducted using various electronic databases. Articles were reviewed to determine if they met inclusion criteria. Included articles were coded for key variables. Participants in the CBT cohorts had significantly better outcomes in various measures of alcohol and drug use, manic-depressive symptoms, and attendance to CBT sessions. However, there were also insignificant differences between the two cohorts in regard to compliance with pharmacotherapy, hospitalization rates, and bipolar episodes among other outcomes. The article concludes by discussing implications, strengths, limitations, and needs for future research.