Good karaoke is hard to pin down—you just know it when you see it (or hear it). On that note (ha!), New York has endless options for those who like to knock back a few drinks and sing slightly off-key among friends and strangers. It can be hard to choose. To help, we’ve narrowed it down to five of our favorites.
- Montero Bar & Grill (73 Atlantic Avenue)
Montero(“Montero’s,” if you’re a regular) is a no-frills dive in Brooklyn Heights known for its raucous karaoke nights. Thursdays through Saturdays, karaoke lovers flock to this dingy but welcoming bar (look for its famous neon sign out front) to sign up for a song. It’s not so much a stage but a corner and you can expect the entire crowd to sing drunkenly along as you belt out your track. It’s crowded, it’s sloppy, it’s joyful – it’s a vibe. There’s also a pool table in the back if you need to kill some time between songs.
- Maru Karaoke Lounge (11 W. 32nd St.)
There’s no shortage of karaoke hotspots in Koreatown, but Maruis a standout for its ambience—a bi-level space marked by neon lighting and futuristic architecture. They offer a host of private rooms (exhibitionists looking to sing to strangers should look elsewhere) that can accommodate a variety of group sizes, from three to 15+ people. The rooms mostly book by the hour, but they also offer a flat “All You Can Sing” rate for marathon crooners. A great spot for a special occasion like a birthday party or just a spontaneous night out, Maru also offers a menu of tasty Korean bites and bottle service if you’re fancy like that.
- Planet Rose (219 Avenue A)
This kitschy East Village diveis known for its retro decor (zebra print couches and haphazardly hung string lights) and an eclectic crowd (as one Yelper put it “This place attracts a shockingly diverse clientele, from woo girls to sad drunks to neighborhood characters to talented artists that walked right off the Broadway stage”). And the karaoke is always bumping. Stage fright? Not to worry—the crowd is usually too drunk to notice and you’ll get a standing ovation regardless of your performance.
- Sing Sing (9 St Marks Pl.)
Sing Sing has a second location in Alphabet City, but it’s known for its beloved St. Mark’s Place flagship. The karaoke goes down in the middle of the always-packed bar or, if you’re bashful, one of a handful of private rooms. Pro tip: it’s cheaper to sing with the public (songs are $2 or free with the purchase of a drink) and a whole lot more fun. Prep for your big karaoke night out by browsing their song directory online.
- Heaven or Las Vegas (4 Irving Avenue)
Neither heaven nor Las Vegas (but depending on your experience, you could say its vibes are a little bit of both), this divey karaoke bar from the people behind astrology-themed cocktail lounge Mood Ring is actually in Bushwick. Just down the street from House of Yes, Heaven or Las Vegas is another spot to get loose and dance (and sing) your butt off among likeminded partiers. The décor could be described as disco-meets-anime (think fuzzy lamps, a stuffed Pikachu, and colorful Asian-inspired artwork) and they have a smoke machine. Enough said.
Written by Alexandra Cavallo