After a very long absence, the NYC nightlife is finally back! With it comes one of the favorite activities in the city: Karaoke. NYC residents, from Broadway singers to construction workers, everyone likes to have a few cocktails, some pizza, and belt out jams that their friends know and love. There are tons of karaoke bars in every borough, but the best ones always have a little something extra to offer their guests. CitySignal has done some digging and found some truly spectacular bars that will cater to large crowds and private parties alike. So warm up those vocal cords, cause it’s time to sing your heart out!
Karaoke NYC
Best Karaoke Bars in Manhattan
View this post on Instagram
- The Spot Karaoke and Lounge: Easily the most popular Karaoke in Manhattan, The Spot Karaoke and Lounge is one you should make a reservation for in advance. Equipped with private and common spaces, this lounge is perfect for any occasion, whether it be a work event or just a night on the town. Even better, they have party packages that come with drinks and food. They even offer open bars! This is the perfect place to host a party and let loose with some friends.
- Karaoke Duet: With three locations in Manhattan, Duet 35, Duet 48, and Duet 53 are located on 35th Street, 48th Street, and 53rd Street respectively. They’re popular for a reason, hosting a wide variety of events including Karaoke Marathons where you can rent rooms for six straight hours of fun with friends. With an extensive drink list and an even longer song list, these Karaoke Bars will become a go-to spot for you and your friends.
- RPM Underground: Just minutes away from Carnegie Hall, you and your friends can have your own concert at RPM Underground! RPM Underground considers itself a modern Karaoke Bar, in that you can plan almost everything in advance, including your song list for the evening. They’ll even add songs to their list upon request! Now that’s service. With themed rooms and drinks, this place is perfect for a more eclectic crowd. Try the Avengers Room, the Marilyn Monroe Room, or the Radio Room for an amazing experience. They also have a common room with happy hour specials and themed evenings for specific genres of music. Basically, this place has a bit of everything.
Best Karaoke Bars in Brooklyn
View this post on Instagram
- Insa: A combination of karaoke bar and restaurant, this amazing Korean-owned establishment is the perfect place to host celebrations. If you’re there for just dine-in, try their Dak Mandu or their Insa Fried Chicken. If you want to do Karaoke and eat, then you’ll be a happy camper, though the menu for private singing rooms is a bit smaller than their regular dine-in menu. Still, the song list is lengthy, the private rooms are pristine, and the drinks are delicious. This is a great place to spend a classy evening.
- Beats Karaoke Cafe: Don’t get the wrong idea about Beats Karaoke Cafe. It may have the aesthetic of a dive bar, but the party never stops when you’re here. The 12 private rooms for parties and work events are great, but the real story is their common space, where crowds flock to sing in front of a massive audience of peers. You can keep the party going by picking a great song and getting everyone to sing along. A much more casual Karaoke experience, this place welcomes everyone who has a song in their heart. Their drinks are amazing too, as are their prices, which are usually a bit cheaper than a lot of other Karaoke spots in the city.
- Lion’s Roar: Featuring a massive song list in a variety of languages, Lion’s Roar boasts one of the most diverse music collections in the NYC Karaoke scene. With an elegant, private atmosphere, Lion’s Roar invites you to an evening that you and your friends will love. The bar itself is a refurbished apartment, with a kitchen to keep the food and drinks you brought yourself perfectly fresh. They also offer a drink menu of their own, which will make your next birthday or celebration easy to plan. Lion’s Roar really takes care of it all.
Best Karaoke Bars in Queens
View this post on Instagram
- Karaoke Shout: A hopping party bar, patrons of this venue are affectionately called “Shouters.” Private rooms here are beautifully designed and can hold parties of more than 20 people. They accept walk-ins, but it’s recommended you make a reservation if your group is larger than eight. They have a pretty large drink menu with happy hour specials too, so your party will be well taken care of while not breaking the bank. Make your reservation today!
- Sissy McGinty: This dive bar isn’t strictly a Karaoke bar, but that doesn’t mean their Karaoke night is bad. In fact, Tuesdays at 9 pm are some of their busiest times specifically because of their Karaoke specials. In fact, it was so popular that they even started doing Karaoke on Fridays as well! With a huge song list and encouraging staff, even the shyest person will want to try out their singing chops. This event brings the entire Astoria community together, so be sure to check them out! You don’t even need a reservation! Just walk in, order a drink, and sing your favorite songs till you lose your voice.
Best Karaoke Bar in The Bronx
- The Punch Bowl: This classic dive bar has a little bit of everything. Located in Kingsbridge, this bar is over a century old, but their Karaoke nights are relatively new. That said, they’ve quickly become some of the most popular events the bar throws. Another venue that just has a common room for Karaoke, this bar is focused on bringing the community together, though it welcomes visitors with open arms! They also have live music events for those who prefer to listen to music rather than sing it.
Best Karaoke Bar in Staten Island
View this post on Instagram
- Le Roi Lounge: This bar and lounge is a popular Hookah spot in the neighborhood of Bulls Head. The lounge has a variety of hookah, drinks, and Mediterranean food, and often has a DJ or some form of live music. That said, their most popular nights are Karaoke by a wide margin. People love singing and dancing with their friends while their favorite songs blast through the bar. In a large space with plenty of ways to eat, drink and be merry, people who do Karaoke here will feel like they are performing a concert at a sold-out venue. You can sing here till 4am, so gather your friends and have a great time!
Karaoke is all about sharing your voice, whether you fancy yourself a singer or not. Karaoke brings people together, whether they’re in private rooms, renovated apartments, or jamming out with an entire bar. There are tons of ways to share your voice in NYC, and these Karaoke bars are just a tip of the iceberg. Once you try these places out, you’ll be booking parties here again and again. Coming here might even lead you down a Karaoke journey to sing in every bar in the city! These places are meant to make people feel good and celebrate good times. So gather your friends, family, or coworkers and have a fun night out!
Russell is a writer and comic based in New York City. His plays have been featured at Penn State’s Cultural Conversation’s Festival, The NYC Thespis Festival, and Imaginarium’s Inaugural Theater Festival. Follow him on TikTok and Instagram @pooleparty528