How to find Karaoke!

Hey, I've now done karaoke in 37 different states!  Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Plus DC, Guam and 5 other countries .

• In Georgia
• In Alabama
• in Lubbock and in other Texas locales
• in Riverside and Los Angeles, California
• in San Diego, California
• In San Francisco/Bay Area, CA
• In Honolulu, Hawaii where I live now
• in Las Vegas, Nevada
• other U.S. places
• Outside the U.S.
• Listen to me sing here!

HONOLULU, HAWAII (where I live now) Hawaii is a great place to do karaoke. There is lots of it and it's very popular. Look for it ALL OVER! Here are just a few I've been to.

• Art's Hideaway in downtown Honolulu, HI 1110 Bishop St 808-531-1775 (don't phone with any other area code or he won't pick up). Karaoke Tuesday-Friday. Songs listed at http://www.karaokebuff.com/ This is a tiny little hole-in-the-wall place with a fun and friendly crowd. You'll usually get to sing a lot unless you get unlucky. The owner/manager/KJ Art is a real character but can be very friendly and he has a great singing voice. $1 a song.  Good food, especially at lunchtime. I go here a lot because it's right nearby where I live.
   
• Blue Ribbon Bar and Grill  1831 S. King Street. 808-945-0177 Not sure which days they have it; we've usually gone on Saturdays. Friendly waitstaff and good KJ. Singers sit at the tables or bar and pass around a cordless mic; the music is usually pretty mellow. $1 per song.
   
• The In Between in Honolulu, HI 2155 Lau'ula Street is a very tiny gay bar with karaoke every night from 4 pm to 2 am.  We've gone there many times and enjoyed it.  Years ago, I went there with my husband and another straight couple.  I think people were looking at us a little strangely when we first went in, like maybe we were tourists that were in the wrong place.  It felt like a little party that we had crashed because it is REALLY small and obviously these were all regulars that knew each other.  However, once I started singing they were very receptive and warm.  We didn't stay long, mainly because it is just so small and smoky.  The song selection looked pretty good (emphasis on modern music).  The only other women in the place were one gay woman singer, the KJ, and her assistant, so it was kind of weird, but like I said they were very welcoming after they realized I came there to sing.   They had a cordless mic and just passed it around, almost like a family gathering...no one called the names but they were up on the karaoke screen. This is common in Hawaii.  All karaoke bars in Honolulu seem to charge $1 per song.
   
• Karaoke Hut in Honolulu is both a karaoke studio and a karaoke bar.  Great place for trying out new stuff.  Kind of expensive to use the rooms, though.  Young crowd but they didn't mind us "old folks" singing there.  We went here in 2000.  It's still around as of last time I went in 2013.
     < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me singing here!
   
• GS Studios is private karaoke rooms only; no karaoke bar. They do have a bar for drinks. The rooms are not cheap, but you can get good deals if they're not busy, like earlier in the evening. Pretty good song list and in a few different languages. We go there quite often. 320 Lewers Street, Honolulu, HI 96815 (808) 921-3576 Open 12:00 pm – 4:00 am
   
• Wang Chung's 2424 Koa Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815 (808) 921-9176 Similar to the In Between above but not as good. It's even smaller and the music is way too loud. It was pretty hard to find, too.
   
• Shore Bird in the Outrigger Reef  2169 Kalia Road, Honolulu, HI 96815 (808) 922-2887 This place is right on the beach. They have karaoke every night but it doesn't start until at least 9:30. You'll wait at least an hour to sing. It's very popular, especially with tourists. Good burgers.
   
• Joe's Place in Honolulu, HI was great the one time I was there in 1992. There weren't many singers and it was a small place. But really fun! Good song selection, too. I think it's gone now, though; we couldn't find it when we went back in 2000.
   
• Joy Square Mall has one of those places like the Karaoke Box (see above) in the Fun Factory arcade in Honolulu, HI; (Can't remember the name) The studios weren't very large, but it was fairly cheap and you can record yourself singing there.  I t's gone now; we went in 1992 but couldn't find it.
   
• The Miramar Hotel in Honolulu, HI has a nice little karaoke bar.  I think it happens every night.  The crowd was REALLY super and the host was both a great singer and a nice guy.  You do have to pay a dollar per song, but hey it was really worth it!  They didn't have a large crowd so I hope they keep doing it. We went here in 2000.  We went back in 2005...the crowd was very small.  Everyone was very nice. I wish they had a bigger song selection, but I did get to sing quite a lot.   (They're gone now)
     < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me singing here!
   
• Wailana Coffee House  1860 Ala Moana Blvd. This place is right across from the Hilton Hawaiian Village.  It has a little bar attached, with karaoke every night from 9 to midnight.  It was SUPER-dead the two nights I ventured in there, and very laid-back.  There was no announcing of names and some people sang more than once (I guess it doesn't matter if there are not many singers and you are paying $1 apiece).  They use cordless mics and don't seem to use the stage. I recall the song list is okay, nothing special. They no longer have karaoke.

Karaoke in Georgia

• Sports Page 5736 Veteran's Parkway, Columbus Georgia 31904 has karaoke 9-close most nights.  We have been here quite a few times now.  It has a wide variety of singers and songs - all different ages, ethnicities, genders, you name it. One of the few places I've been in the south where it's not all country music. Sometimes it is a great karaoke place and we have a fun time. Other times it is too crowded, the KJ is not that great (they have various ones), places too much dance music, too much smoke, so it just depends...During football season, they wait until after the games are over, so it can start really late.
   
• LiL Kim's Cove 101 4th Street - Columbus, Georgia 31901 706-323-3315  They have karaoke Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays starting at 8 pm. Their menu is on their site. We visited this place on Halloween, 2011. They had a costume contest and it was very festive. However, their web site says karaoke starts at 8, but it didn't start until after 9. There were a lot of singers but the quality was not so great. The people were very nice. It's kind of a dive and has a large Confederate flag on the wall, which some might find offensive (although there were some African-Americans in the bar). Kind of a redneck place, but it appears to be owned by Koreans and they serve some great Korean food (although overpriced). If I lived down the street from it, I would probably go back, but otherwise it's not somewhere I would bother to go again.
   
• Spicoli's Sports Bar  5762 Milgren Road Columbus, GA 31907 706-221-5252 Karaoke in Sundays and Wednesdays.  This is a small bar in a strip mall. It serves food and the people are very nice. I wouldn't really recommend the food based on what we had. The karaoke was fine. It's mostly country music sung here. The people were very nice, and the KJ was friendly.  I would go back.
   
• The Vault Downtown (or as they say around here, Uptown) 1026 Broadway, Columbus, GA. Karaoke Thursdays at 7 by the great Barry-Oke! I haven't been there yet.
   
• Mama's Bar 7918 Veterans Pkwy Columbus, Georgia 31909 (706) 221-6699 karaoke Wednesday nights
   
• Ossahatchee Oyster Bar and Grill  (Near Columbus) 6052 GA Hwy 85, Ellerslie, GA. (706) 582-2629  Karaoke is Saturday 7 pm. We haven't been there yet. It is hosted by Barryoke, great KJ!
   
• SeaLand Oyster Bar & Grill 4640 warm springs rd suite B Columbus, GA 31909 (762) 821-1181 They are right near our house, so it's very convenient.  The KJ Barry-oke, does a wonderful job. Everyone is very friendly, and the food is pretty good. Every Sunday 6-10pm. They don't have it any more....only had it in August and September 2012.
   
• The Dawg House 5140 Warm Springs Rd., Columbus, GA 31909 706-507-9374 Karaoke every Monday night at 8.  We lived near here, so it was very convenient. They only had it briefly 2011-2012.
   
• Metro  Cafe Diner 229 Peachtree St. Suite B-17 Atlanta, GA 30303 404-577-1420 Karaoke 8:30-3 every night. We have been here many times and always have a great time.  I usually get to sing quite a lot. The KJs and staff are all very nice. Great food and drinks.  The main KJ has a great voice, and so does the guy who works on Sundays.  They have 60,000 songs! 
   
• Los Reyes Mexican Restaurant in 1018 Roswell St Marietta, GA 7:00pm-10:00pm on Saturdays. We were in Atlanta and could not find any karaoke that was not in the suburbs or on a weeknight, so we took a cab ride all the way here.  It is nice karaoke for kids, older people, and anyone who likes to go to bed early.  Harry Maempel and his wife Joyce (AKA Hari-Karaoke) host the karaoke here and at some other local venues.  Harry and all of the other people were super-nice and very welcoming, especially to me, a stranger from another state.  The karaoke was in a separate room from the rest of the place, so it was almost like a private party.  The crowd was attentive and appreciative. Hari-karaoke runs a good and fair show. I got to sing 3 or 4 songs in the time I was there and it seemed like a pleasant place.  We had already eaten, so I can't tell you about the food (although it smelled good).  I wish this place were in my neighborhood!  We went there in March 2005.
   
• Mama Goldberg's Deli 2603 Manchester Expressway Columbus Georgia  Phone: 706-507-6262 This is a sandwich place, basically, although a fairly large one. It serves sandwiches, salads, sodas and beer. For karaoke, it's not the ideal atmosphere. However, it starts at 7 pm on Saturdays (until 10 or whenever people stop eating), so that is great for me. It is good for families, and they do come there for karaoke with their kids. One of the servers is a fantastic singer, too. Wow, what a voice!  The KJ, who calls himself "The Geezer", does not sing, but his daughter does, and she is good, too. Song selection is average and the seats could be more comfortable. People are very nice there.  We went in October 2010 and got to sing quite a lot. Sadly, they no longer have karaoke

Karaoke in Alabama (I left here in June, 2010, so these listings may be out of date)

• Brown's Corner 205-342-9899 2325 University Blvd. Tuscaloosa, AL 35401  This is where karaoke goes to die...okay, not really, but sure seems like it. They have karaoke on Mondays, and we checked it out in June, 2010.  The KJ tried hard, but the crowd was very old and not very lively. Most of the singers were not very good.  It did pick up a bit later in the evening.  They start around 8pm, so that's really nice. On other nights they have a dueling piano bar, which is always fun. Pretty good food here, too.
   
• Rhythm & Brews  2308 4th Street Tuscaloosa  (205) 750-2992.  Karaoke around 9pm on Wednesdays.  KJ Tony hosts this karaoke.  I wish it were on Fridays but I do enjoy it.  It has outside seating, too, for when you want to hear the music but not get blasted.  Next to some good eating places, too.   Tony is truly the best KJ in town!
   
• Bayou Seafood 823 Hargrove Rd E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 (205) 553-0393 Near Snow Hinton Park.  We have been here many times to sing.  Tony is KJ on a couple of the nights. I think they have karaoke Thursdays through Saturdays.  Pretty good seafood and wait service. I prefer Tony as KJ to the other lady that did it the one time we went on Saturday.  He is much more organized and fun. This place can be really hoppin' or just a nice night to try out new stuff.
   
• VFW Post 6022 Friday 8:30 pm - close. 7001 University Blvd East P.O Box 87 Cottondale, AL 35453 Please call 553-8040 for more information.  I haven't been to this one, but they have done it for many years.
   
• Big Al's Backstreet Lounge  2108 14th Ave Tuscaloosa, AL  205-759-9180.  The place is your usual country bar; the bartenders and patrons were fine, very nice.  The karaoke is advertised as starting at 8pm, but started at 9.  Then the KJ took two breaks (playing dance music) in the next two hours.  The sound system was the worst I've ever seen; you could hardly hear the singers, even sitting up front.  And worst of all, the KJ did not have any books!  There is supposedly a contest every night for $100 but I did not hear any mention of it. Update: I went back in 2009.  The bar was not as bad as I'd remembered it. They were having a contest somewhat like American Idol. The crowd was very nice. I don't like the way the local contests are only done by applause or voting instead of having judges.  That means the person with the most friends wins, not the best singers.
   
• Jupiter Bar & Grill 1307 University Blvd Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 (205) 248-6611 They have PC Karaoke on Wednesdays. I haven't been there.
   
• Jackie's Lounge 2111 Paul W Bryant Dr. Tuscaloosa, AL  35401  (205) 758-9179 Karaoke Thursdays at 9:30pm.  We went there 3/31/05.  It was a little dead but picked up a bit as the night went on.  The KJ was very nice, but his system was not very good.  Mics went in and out, music was always either way too loud or you could barely hear the singers.  The crowd was very friendly, but most of the singers were pretty bad (might have been partly the sound system, though).  It might have been an off-week because it was spring break.  There was no food, only snacks.  I would go back again to see if it improves during a regular week.  Definitely a country crowd!
   
• Buffalo Wild Wings 205-523-0273 2710 McFarland Blvd. East Tuscaloosa, AL 35405-1806  We only tried this one time, and they were having a contest run-off, so it was not a regular karaoke night. I did get to sing once before the contest, and the crowd was very nice.  They started an hour later than they told me on the phone, and the place was very loud (the regular music - not even the karaoke - was turned up so loud we couldn't even talk). The bar has very uncomfortable seats, too.  I know some people who love going there regularly, though.
   
• BAMA Bowl hosted by WannaBe Productions 520 15th St, Tuscaloosa, AL 205-759-2302 Karaoke Thursdays. I haven't been there.
   
• BAMA Karaoke! 509 13th Ave., Tuscaloosa, AL near Crimson cafe. 205-248-0072   I haven't been here...
   
• Mako's  hosted by WannaBe Productions 2310 University Blvd   (205) 752-9090   The KJ and bartenders were very nice.  The audience was not very responsive the one time I went.  They had a contest so I only got to sing twice before that started.  OK happy hour buffet.  The singers were very good, especially those who came for the contest. UPDATE: Mako's is no longer in business. There is new restaurant there, Yellowhammer, that has karaoke.
   
• Harry's  1330 Hargrove Rd. Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401  Phone: (205) 758-9332 Karaoke on Friday's.  Harry's is kind of a dive.  The people are really nice there; variety of ages hang out there from college students to old people.  Harry is friendly and likes to sing songs he doesn't really know, badly but with lots of enthusiasm and four letter words.  The karaoke cd's were not organized very well when we were there and they were missing several disks.  Also the song selection was not very good. They have a back room they rent out and when we were there, there was a sorority party and it was so loud, I could barely hear myself sing on stage!  Worst karaoke in town.  UPDATE: I think they are closed down now...
   
• Vieux Carre Lounge  900 Skyland Blvd. Tuscaloosa, AL  35405  (205) 758-8276.  Karaoke Fridays and Saturdays around 9:30. Contest on Saturdays.  Not a very good song selection.  Very nice crowd.  Small, friendly place.  I've been here twice now and I like it.   UPDATE: Last time I went, in 2006, it was awful. Everyone was already drunk early on, no one care about karaoke (not even running it)...it was awful.
   
• The Reef  6521 Highway 69 South Tuscaloosa.  (205) 344-6977.  Went out of business; Did have Karaoke Fridays and Saturdays around 9.   The karaoke was fun and lively here; if you came early you got to sing more.  Nice place, good food, fun crowd.  My sole complaint is that the DJ takes too much time between songs; he could use to pick it up a bit, especially when there is a LONG rotation. This used to be our favorite place to do karaoke :( Update: They don't exist any more.
   
• Crossroads 4327 University Blvd E, Tuscaloosa. Karaoke starts on Wednesday around 8:30.  The bar can be really smoky and there aren't any fans.  The regulars are really nice people.  The KJ is very friendly, too. My main objection is that he is not very efficient so there is a lot of time between each singer (and he doesn't play any music while he is getting the next song up, so there is a lot of dead air).  He also plays two or three dance tunes between each rotation, which further wastes time.  This is just my personal tastes and others may want to hear the dance music.  Good selection of songs.  Sound system could be better.  The greatest thing about this place is that it's within a mile of my house so I can walk back and forth.  This bar used to be called The Green Duck and it was a real dive, but someone bought it and made it much nicer. UPDATE: This bar is now gone.
   

• Steve's Grill 605 McFarland Blvd. in Northport  (205) 339-0745.  It has karaoke tuesday, friday and saturday from 8:00pm untill 1:00am. We went there a couple of times.  The people were very nice and friendly. The crowd is oriented toward older folks and country music. UPDATE: I think they went out of business.
   

• Applebee's (University Mall)1701 McFarland Blvd E. Tuscaloosa, AL  35404 205) 633-0900 Karaoke on Tuesdays, 8:30-11.  We checked this out once. It was okay...nothing too special.  The KJ, Jim Boteler, just plays the music, he doesn't sing.  It is a restaurant/bar so the crowd is varied.  It was very loud when we were there and people were not really paying attention much.  I would probably go back if it were on a different night.
   
• No Name 509 13th Ave Tuscaloosa, AL (205) 759-5800 Karaoke Tuesday nights with contest; KJ is James Essary.  I haven't been there.
   
• Bullpen Lounge 613 37th St  Tuscaloosa (205) 750-0015 Karaoke Fridays 8pm
   
• The Station 301 Greensboro Ave. (downtown) Tuscaloosa, AL 205-750-0680  Karaoke on Mondays or Wednesdays. I haven't been there. UPDATE: Now gone.
   
• Classics Lounge  9613 37th Tuscaloosa, AL  35405  (205) 349-2244.  UPDATE: They went out of business before I could check it out.
   

• Rumors on Valley  730 Valley Avenue in Birmingham, AL  (205) 942-8825  Karaoke every night. I've been here a few times.  The crowd is not always that enthusiastic but there is plenty of time to sing if you get there when it starts.  Song list is okay. 

Karaoke in Lubbock, TX (I don't live here any more so I don't know if these places still exist) We visited Lubbock in 2010 and could not find any karaoke beyond Adolph's - hopefully it still exists somewhere else!
 

• Moose Magoo's  8217 University Ave., Lubbock. Karaoke with Music Masters, 10
  p.m.-1:30 a.m. Saturday and Thursday. Free. 745-5005. Karaoke contest sometimes. I tried this April 2001.  Great song selection!  Music is a bit loud and the microphone is deceptive; makes you want to sing louder, which is not a good idea.  Good food and drinks.
   

• Ruby Tuesday's Great food, and karaoke every Wednesday night 6810 Slide Rd. The KJ is efficient but doesn't sing.  Nice young crowd (good place for kids) because it's in the restaurant, not the bar.  I got plenty of chances to sing, too. 
   

• Chances R 5610 Frankford Ave.  799-3993 Nice country western place (has line dancing at other nights) that has karaoke Thursday nights 9-1.  Great crowd but not so large I couldn't sing quite a bit.  Same DJ as above.  Even though it's a country place they still appreciate disco and other types of music.  Very friendly folks work there! They have dancing in between the singing.  This is the best karaoke place I've found so far in Lubbock that is still open. 
   

• Athens 1718 Avenue F (downtown in the depot district) 749-1800  One of my favorite places anyway, we had gone there before for the dueling piano bar, which they no longer have.  They have karaoke Tuesday-Thursday.  The paper says they start at 9 pm but when we were there the KJ didn't arrive until 10pm.  Apparently she comes all the way from Midland from another gig so she was a little later than usual, but I wouldn't expect her before 9:30pm. Check it out, it's a lot of fun! The karaoke audience was very small when I was there but it probably picked up later.  The song list was good.  Updated: on Saturdays they have a guy who sings and plays guitar and he does karaoke as well.  Prepare to be made fun of, though!  He is funny but if you embarrass easily, don't go!  Last time we tried to go, it was closed, so I don't know if that's permanent or what. 
   

• 50th Street Caboose- NO  LONGER HAS KARAOKE. One of the best places I know of to do public karaoke here in Lubbock. There are two locations. The other one is on 4th and Boston. I've been there a few times...it can be fun. It is a huge restaurant and bar so that if you don't want to hear karaoke, you can sit on the other side and be fine. The place has lots of games and stuff for kids so it's not much like a real bar. The karaoke area is small, so the only drawback is that it might get too crowded and the speakers are WAY too loud. But the sound system is good and the crowd is sometimes friendly. We recently went back there and had a good time, but the song selection wasn't as good.  The guy who hosts it is really nice, though.  I've just about given up doing karaoke in Lubbock since most of it is country music...    < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me singing here!
   

• Rosa's Cafe and Tortilla Factory Don't know if it still has karaoke.  There are two, but I've only been to the one near me at 3115 50th. This Mexican fast-food restaurant has an outdoor patio area where they have karaoke, happy hour, etc.  A lot of the crowd is college-age and when I was there, it took a long time to get people to sing.  The KJ does an excellent job and has fun contests and things to keep people interested while he tries to get people to sing.  You don't have a stage, just stand in front of the crowd, very closely, which can be intimidating.  Still, it's nice to sing outdoors, during the afternoon (karaoke is from 6-10 I believe). (The other one is at 5103 82nd)   
   

• CC's Bar & Grill1605 50th st. 765-9000 I wouldn't have known about this place but we happened to pass by it. It is not in the best area of town, however. Karaoke 9-1:30 according to the paper.
   

• Doug's Hayloft & Steakhouse This is listed in the phone book as having karaoke but that's all I know. 7302 Upland Ave.
   

• Recording Studios of America-Located in the South Plains Mall. One of those stores where you can pay to get yourself recorded doing karaoke. I wasn't impressed by their song list so I didn't use it yet. NOW CLOSED!  
   

• The Bleachers had Kyle and His 88 Keys with a piano singalong every Saturday night, but he's not there any more.  It's pretty fun, and I once got to lead the singalong there!  They also have karaoke on Wednesday nights.  When I went there, the crowd was college-age and didn't care for any songs before 1990....
   

• Adolph's 5407 Aberdeen 793-8434 When I went the first time, it had mostly country music karaoke so we didn't stay long when we went.  The food was nothing special.  But, we recently went back and it has a much better song selection.  I was happy to be able to sing a lot.  However, I didn't like when they started the loud dance music and started pumping in fake smoke (for effect, I suppose).  Texas bars have enough smoke without adding more for no real reason!  Still they have karaoke every night so that's very handy.  We had a better time another time that we went in summer 2001.
   

• Brandy's Bar & Grill on 5206 11th st. has karaoke on Monday's and Wednesday's.
   

• Billiards Plus 5610 Frankford Ave. had karaoke on Sunday's 9 pm but they don't any more.
   

• Whaler's Bay has karaoke on Tuesday's, including a contest.  410 N. Frankford 9 pm.
   

• Chelsea Street Pub & Grill in the South Plains Mall has it every night at 9 pm.  Unfortunately, it's not just karaoke.  They have this guy who hosts it and makes lame jokes, sings, plays games, has contests, etc.  It doesn't leave much time for karaoke!  We were there for a while and then left without singing. 
   

• Scuttlebutt's is a great cajun seafood place to eat, and has pretty good karaoke..  They have it Tuesday and Wednesday nights.  3404 Slide Rd. The place is not an optimum one for karaoke as far as the setup. But it was packed with audience, yet I got to sing a lot.  They had the same DJ as I have seen in Chances Are and Ruby Tuesdays. 
   

• Crossroads 1801 19th st.  Karaoke Saturdays 10-1:30 Looks like a biker bar...No longer has karaoke!

Other Texas Locales

• Alley Kats in Dallas, TX--There is a tourist area there called Dallas Alley, and they have a ton of bars/nightclubs.  Alley Kats is super cool for karaoke.  They have two or three hosts that dance around, do jokes, sing, etc. and really make every singer feel special.  It was so much fun!  Gets a little noisy, though.  Across the way is a "dueling piano bar" but we didn't have time to check that out.  We've gone a few times and plan to go back.  It's always a good time and I enjoy it immensely. 
   

• Starz (I think that's the name) in San Antonio is owned by the same group that does Alley Kats in Dallas.  But it's not nearly as good.  For one thing, rather than being in the big tourist area (like Riverwalk), it's a few miles away.   Like Alley Kats you have to pay a cover charge and there are options of other bars, like a country music one, an outdoor band, etc.  But when we went, anyway, it just wasn't as fun.  The place is too small and they crank the music up WAY too loud.   They had a good crowd but it was just too many people jammed into a tiny place and nowhere for us to sit.  The bartender was very nice (although I could hardly hear him).  The hosts try to have fun like the ones in Dallas, but they're just not very good at it.  I just sang one song and left.  It was a long way to go for one song.   We went there in 1999.
   

• Republic of Texas hosted by karaoke universe 526 River Walk St San Antonio, TX 78205-2632  (210) 226-6256 .  This was a great place.  My husband and I were in San Antonio for a conference in 2003 and met up with some other friends that we used to sing with in Lubbock.  We all had a great time here.  The KJ was nice and we got to sing a lot.  It is a restaurant as well as bar, so there were people of all ages.  We were happy that it was in the tourist area so we could walk to it.  < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me singing here!
   
• The Elbow A large place in Galveston, TX.  Actually three places in one.  Fridays 9pm - 1am they have great karaoke hosted by Sandy Wells, with an enthusiastic crowd.  It's on 52nd and Avenue S. 409-771-4300.   Sandy also hosts karaoke at Big Daddy's Sports Bar on Saturdays at  9pm, at 34th st. and Seawall. 409-762-5752.  Get to The Elbow early to get a good seat as it fills up fast!  If not then you can sit in the part of the bar behind it.  You can still hear but not see the singers. This was in 1999. 
   
• Erin's Bar & Grill  (915) 833-2436 6306 N Mesa St  El Paso, TX This was a nice place; the karaoke was outside in the back, but covered.  The KJ was very nice and sang a duet with me. I really don't remember otherwise. This was in 1999.
   
• Texas Bar & Grill  (915) 585-3100 6404 N Mesa St El Paso, TX 79912   We went to this place the same week as Erin's. They had the same KJ, but Erin's was a much better setup and not as crowded. This was also in 1999.

Places to do karaoke in The Inland Empire (Where I used to live in Southern California)  NOTE This information is from when I lived there 1996 and before, so it may be out of date.
 

• Carlos O'Brien's-Riverside: Friday through Monday nights, last time I heard. An okay place to go. It can be crowded and loud, though. Friday afternoons used to be my favorite time there but they got rid of karaoke in the afternoon-fooey! The crowd is appreciative and the talent varies. Bring a jacket or sweater, it's cold in there! Standard song selection with some new ones. 
   

• El Gato Gato-Riverside: Fridays and Saturdays about 8:00 to 11:30. I haven't ever been, but I've heard it's a good place.
   

• Limerick's-Riverside: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, about 9:00 to close. They don't turn the music up very loud here, OR your mike, and the crowd can be rude. But there are a lot of fun regulars and I find the song selection rather unusual.
   

• Bobby McGee's in San Bernardino: Wednesday nights around 9:00. The stage is in the middle of the floor, which can make you either feel very exposed or very much like a star. The only annoying thing is that they like to have people dance for a half an hour every hour or so, further delaying the karaoke.  
   

• Shakey's-Moreno Valley: Thursday and Friday 7:00 to close; Saturday 8:30 to close. Haven't been here, but any place that has karaoke this many days a week can't be too bad!
   

• Yamazato's in San Bernardino: Friday and Saturday (time unknown). They brought karaoke back after not having it for about a year. Good food and a pretty good place to do karaoke, especially if there's a good crowd. 
   

• Getaway Cafe in Riverside:  Karaoke on Saturdays 9-1. In Bannockburn 3615 Canyon Crest Dr. Riverside, CA  92507.  Stopped here recently (July 00) while I was in town but wasn't around for the karaoke.  I used to go here when it was still The Bull and Mouth (the first place I ever did karaoke!) and I lived right down the block.  The Bull & Mouth was a good place for karaoke so I imagine this one is, too.
   
• Pedrito's in Riverside: This place no longer exists. It was a good Mexican restaurant in the downtown area.  When we went there one night for karaoke, there were hardly any singers, so I got to sing A LOT!!  That was fun but not something I'd want to do every week...it's better to have an audience.
   
• The Queen Mary in Los Angeles  12449 Ventura Blvd., Studio City.  (818) 506-5619 Karaoke Tues. through Thurs. I think.  This is a drag queen bar in Los Angeles.  We happened to be staying near here and went in for karaoke.  It was a lot of fun!  The KJ is a riot and makes it funny.  Not for the prudish or people with hangups about this sort of thing.  Pretty good song list and nice people, good drinks.  Raffle tickets for free drinks. Apparently they have a separate bar area for the transgendered, as noted on this page. We went here in July 2001.
   

Since I'm no longer in Riverside, I can't keep up the list of places to do karaoke in the area. However, you can get a pretty good list at the Karaoke Scene page; their magazine was my source anyway.

Other places I have done karaoke outside of the Inland Empire (Some of these may not be around anymore, it's been years since I've been to some of them):
 

• Las Vegas, Nevada (To find out about karaoke in Southern Nevada, phone 734-3100 or look for the great Karaoke Las Vegas magazine!):  Find many places to sing in Vegas and San Diego at Karaoke Star Magazine  THESE BELOW ARE IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE!

One local guy to keep an eye out for in Vegas is Joe the Hat, a retired gentleman who always wears a nice hat.  He has an excellent Sinatra-like voice! I first saw him years ago at the Four Queens, where he was singing with his cronies but took extra time to talk to me and my husband, the newcomers.  Then I saw him at The Stardust, when they still had it.  Then he was hosting karaoke at The Barbary Coast, 9-2. 

Now I'm pleased to say Joe is hosting at The Greek Isles Thursday through Saturday nights 305 Convention Center Dr. with his wife Jean.   Check it out, I have a fun time every time I sing where Joe hosts! Starts at 6:30pm.  I've been there many times and it's always great.  Not very crowded during the weeknights so you have plenty of chances to sing.  The staff is very nice!

1. Rock Star Karaoke at The Tropicana, Wednesday through Saturday, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.  The KJ here is VERY FUNNY and good with the crowd. He also looks a lot like Rod Stewart and sings very well. We tried it out in May, 2008 and had one of the best karaoke nights ever!! I can't say enough about how fun it was. I got to sing a lot, too.  Could use some more songs but it's not a bad selection. It's in the back of Tropicana,  in the Tropics Lounge (Between the Island Tower and Island Buffet) 
    
2. Ellis Island behind Bally's; it has karaoke every night. I recently went again several times and it was fun.  The place has added table games and expanded into ALMOST a real casino so it wasn't seedy any more.  The people were very nice.  I go there occasionally and as long as I don't go there too late (it can get very crowded), it's fun. A nice crowd and great song selection!
    
3. Mandalay Bay --Their "House of Blues" has live band karaoke (you sing with a live band instead of with a karaoke machine). It's a lot of fun, but very crowded when I went.  It started 40 minutes late while the band set up.  The band was VERY loud. It is worth doing at least once just for the experience.
    
4. Tequila Joe's at Imperial Palace Begins nightly at 8pm. This used to be a very fun place to sing as it was practically right on the street, but they moved it upstairs and back, so now it's not as fun, in my opinion.  Yet it gets a very good crowd.  The KJ can be nice and the crowd is fun.  Go early or on a weekday to sing more!
    
5. Stratosphere  Casino --Crazy Armadillo 2000 Las Vegas Boulevard South Las Vegas, NV 89104.800-998-6937. Karaoke Tues. and Wed. at 8pm I tried it once and it was pretty fun but a bit crowded.  The KJ was very fun.
    
6. The Karaoke Box is a studio-like place (near the Las Vegas Hilton) where you can come in and do private karaoke. It's $20 an hour, I think, which is a good deal if you have a lot of people in your party. They have large rooms, a disco ball, chairs and all the monitors, machine, etc. Because it's run by a Korean gentleman, there are Korean, Japanese, and I think some other language songs available.
    
7. Sam's Town One of their lounges (can't remember their name but it has a baseball theme) has karaoke during the week, check for times.  I almost went there, but we went to the Karaoke Room 3 instead.  The karaoke went away there but I hear it's back.
    
8. Nascar Lounge in The Sahara on the strip.  Karoake every night except Monday and Wednesdays.  Great lounge for karaoke!  Good singers, lots of time to sing, and it's designed in an open way so it doesn't get smoky.  Good song selection, too.  I will definitely be back!  I've gone back there a few times and didn't like it as much...the singers seem to do too much modern stuff for my taste and it was too crowded for me to sing much.  It's gotten too popular, I guess!  Okay, went back there in March and they are no longer doing karaoke.  Go figure!  2004 I heard they are doing karaoke again.  George hosts karaoke Wed., Fri. and Sat.
    
9. Harrah's A good place to listen to karaoke, but it can be really crowded.  We waited a long time to sing the second song.  The host was fun and really worked the crowd.  He was dressed as an Elvis impersonator.

   ---

   THESE VEGAS VENUES BELOW ARE NO LONGER HAVING KARAOKE
    

10. Fitzgerald's downtown has great karaoke on Mondays and Tuesdays! I went there in May 2005 and had a fun time.
    < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me singing here!
    
     
11. Stardust lounge; Saturday nights, maybe other nights. A good large lounge with lots of regulars; varied audience. Fair song selection. I last sang there in Nov. 1995 but when I went in Dec. '96 it no longer did karaoke.   UPDATE: I have heard they are doing it again, but I have also heard complaints about how it is run.  It is hosted by Steve on Mondays and Fridays. Every time I walk by there, it is really loud and crowded, so I don't bother to go in. You must register on the Web first if you want to sing--weird! They tore down the Stardust.
     
12. The Ho This is a bar/convenience store that is somewhat connected (but not physically) to the Westward Ho. It's on Industrial road and has a gas station.  First we had to wait an extra hour for karaoke while American Idol ended, so that was not fun.  The singing was fun enough, but the KJ actually bleeped out the bad words in "Dance: Ten Looks: Three" because it has some "bad" words in it. That is so stupid because a) the song was in her book, and b) it's Las Vegas, for god's sake, on a street that has many strip clubs, and in a bar called The HO!!!  And she could have at least warned me about it ahead of time.  Anyway, I won't go back.  It was not a very exciting place anyway.  They went out of business.
    < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me singing here!
    
     
13. The Glass Pool dinky little motel bar; I don't know if it would be a good place to karaoke but it didn't seem like it to me, so we just had a drink and left! It's right up the street from the Tropicana, an easy walk. 8 am to 4 pm Tues. through Thurs., and 9 pm to close Wednesday through Saturday.   They no longer have karaoke.
     
14. The Four Queens They no longer have karaoke in their lounge but it was sure great fun the one time I went!  There were tons of regulars and I got a karaoke t-shirt!  That's where I met Joe the Hat.
     
15. Westward Ho This small casino's lounge is a nice intimate atmosphere for karaoke.  I can't really say anything bad about it; I only stayed for one song, though.  We went there in May 2004 but will probably go back. This casino has closed down.
     
16. Bourbon Street The KJ was very nice, but there were only about 5 people in the audience.  The song list was super-small, the worst I've ever seen.  Visited in May 2004. This casino was torn down.
     
17. Barbary Coast on the Strip, next to the Flamingo.  Monday and Tuesday nights 9-2, hosted by Joe "the Hat" Altemara and Darryl Cutter. It's so popular that you have to wait a long time to sing the second song, but I didn't mind much.  The crowd was nice and Joe was very appreciative.   A nice mixed crowd of all ages, too, from people in their 20's to the geriatric set.  Some VERY good singers every time I go there.    Unfortunately as of August 2005 they are no longer having karaoke there.
     
18. Palms Hotel & Casino slightly off the strip 4321 W. Flamingo Rd. 702.940.7246 NO LONGER DOING KARAOKE.  The karaoke lounge there has karaoke every Wednesday night with a LIVE BAND!  It's fantastic. They don't know all the songs but they know a lot, and they will try it if they think they know it.  Nice guys, friendly host.  They get the words from the Net and put them up on a big scrolling screen.  Cool idea! They no longer have karaoke there.
     
19. Kareoske is a kioske in the arcade part of The Luxor.  You pay $20 and pick a song, and you go in their booth and record yourself singing, with karaoke and a neat background behind you, that they put on vidoe.  You get to choose from some different themed backround.  The sound quality isn't fantastic but it's still cool.  They put you on the BIG, and I mean BIG screen in the Luxor so everyone can see and hear you!  Check out their website.   It was gone last time I went there. :(
     
20. New York New York They no longer have karaoke...The mezzanine lounge has karaoke every night!  It's an expensive, classy bar.  The karaoke hosts, a couple, are very energetic and have fun.  They have fun clothes and costumes you can use, and they have a good song list.  So dress up nice and bring your credit card!  I went there in December 2000 and sang one song (we didn't have time stay longer, sadly). I went again in March 2001 to sing a song.  They close early!  They no longer have karaoke there.
     
21. Gold Coast They stopped doing karaoke.  Off the strip, but you can take a free shuttle from the Barbary Coast.  Karaoke every night with a group of regulars.  I liked it but didn't like waiting an hour and a half to sing.  Went there again and it was fun, but the same problem.
     
22. Karaoke Room 3 is out of business.  Like the Karaoke Box mentioned above, but it's cheaper.  Right across from the UNLV campus.  They had a SUPER song collection and you can record yourself singing.   4550 South Maryland Parkway Running Rebel Plaza  597-3330   We last went there July 00.  
     
23. SportsWorld Casino They no longer have karoaoke, boo hoo....We happened by this new little casino July '98; it's across from the Frontier on the Strip.  They seemed to have a nice karaoke setup.  There was hardly anyone there the first time I went.  I was happy that I got to sing right away, though.  The $1 blackjack is great, too!  The best song selection I've ever seen in a bar!!! .  I can't say enough about this place (especially since we seem to win there), and now we go every time we're in town!  Then something terrible happened---my favorite DJ left and they stopped doing karaoke except on Wednesdays.  Bummer!  Then they dropped it all together.    My favorite karaoke place ever!!
     
24. Just for Feet Sadly, they stopped karaoke here.....This is a shoe store in the Forum (Ceasar's Palace) and believe it or not, they had karaoke!  Right in the middle of the store, no stage or anything.  I wasn't brave enough to try it. Especially when I found out that you can't choose a song, you just take whatever song comes up next! Okay, in March 99 I tried it, finally, and it was great fun!  I lucked out and got a song I knew.  It definitely takes guts or large amounts of alcohol to sing in the middle of a shoe store...

Karaoke is big business in Vegas, so there are many other places there to do it…  many of them are off the strip, though.

San Diego, where I grew up
 

• Charcoal House; in La Mesa; I thought the bar was kind of small when I first went, but they were nice people. Too much smoke, too, for some people (see the note below). I now go there every time I'm in San Diego. I went there again in July 99 and it was SO much better!  No smoke any more due to strict California laws.  KJ "Woo" ran a tight ship and the singers get on and off quickly (even though there were plenty of people I got to sing 6 songs in 4 hours, much faster than other crowded places I've been to).  We've gone back a few more times, too.  Tuesday's they have another KJ and the place is not as crowded.  Still, it's a good time to try out new stuff.  I finally got to meet Sandra who runs Woo's website as well as the San Diego Karaoke Scene magazine (she's used info from this page in her magazine).  It was great and there is a nice group of regulars there.  We have been there many times and usually enjoyed it. Update: Woo is gone now, but it is still a fun place and has karaoke every night. We usually enjoy it. 
   

• Second Wind 8515 Navajo Road San Diego, California 92119 (619) 465-1730  I have not been here but have friends who like it.  They have karaoke Mondays 8-midnight. They have one in Santee, too, but just discontinued karaoke.
   
• The Hanalei in San Diego; It was very crowded and loud the night I went, and we were stuck in a corner where the sound was particular loud (I had to plug my ears with a piece of napkin!), and it was smoky. But it may not always be like that, there were conventioneers there that night. I was there Spring '96.  NOTE: California has outlawed smoking in all bars so it won't be smoky anymore.
   
• Piccadilly Lane Pub at the Ramada Inn Hotel Circle, San Diego.  This Karaoke show is run by Johnny Stewart of SanDiegoScene.  When he hosts it, which is rare, it's fantastic! He keeps the music quiet and doesn't dally between songs. He runs it very professionally and does an excellent job.  Another lady hosts it regularly and it's just way too loud for me or any of my friends and family.  She tries very hard to put on a good show but it's just not my tastes.  We've been back there twice with her hosting and won't be going again.  It's a nice cozy place the people are very nice so I do recommend it for those who don't mind loud music or long rotation.  I think we went there in 2003.
  < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me singing here! (only for Johnny)
   
• Sing Sing in The Gaslamp District 655 4th st.  San Diego, CA  619-231-6700 Not really karaoke but they have a great dueling piano singalong!!  They went out of business or moved elsewhere. 
   

• Henry's Pub also in The Gaslamp District  618 5th ave.  San Diego, CA 92101  619-238-2309  Karaoke Sunday nights Fantastic karaoke place!  I had the best time ever here.  Lots of great singers, extremely enthusiastic crowd, great song list...I can't complain whatsoever. I got to sing plenty in the two hours I was there, too.  First went spring 2001 and went again June 2003.  It has a fun crowd still; too many singers, there's an hour or more wait now.  Guess it's popular now!
   

• Norma Jean's in La Mesa We went there one night in 2001...the night started out with a party of loud drinkers, like regulars.  Then more karaoke singers arrived and it got better as the drunks left.  Big place, nice song selection.  The crowd was nice and one guy even offered to buy me a drink because he liked my song!  It was a hot summer night and they had no a/c, so that was the only drawback.
   
• Hennessey's Tavern 714 4th Ave. (619) 239-9994 karaoke Tue 9p-1a  I've been here once for karaoke and it was very enjoyable.  I plan to go back next time I'm in town.  Good song list and rotation, not too loud, and good food.

There are many other places to do karaoke in San Diego and the surrounding area, of course.

• The Mint in San Francisco 942 Market St  San Francisco CA 94102  415-626-4726 had karaoke every day and starts early! I went there with a group of friends in August, 2001 and we had a fantastic time!!  The KJ and the other people there were super nice.  They have a good song selection and we all got to sing a lot.  I can't recommend it enough.  Yes, it is also a gay bar, but you wouldn't know it.  They welcome everyone and if you're not gay, you won't stand out.
   
• Sushi Village in Emeryville, CA 510-654-6328 A small sushi bar that has karaoke (not sure what nights; we went on a Friday but we called ahead to get it for a private party).  Weird song list (lot of typos, kids' songs, Asian songs, and weird stuff, and only titles, no artists on the list) but we it was fun, we had the place to ourselves.  Cordless mikes so we could sing at our table if we wanted.  Nice people and good sushi, too.  We went there in 2000.
   
• Kip's was the only place in Berkeley, CA I could find on short notice to do karaoke. I was there in July, 1996. I wouldn't recommend the place unless you want to sing a lot and are really desperate. I say this because I did get to sing a lot, but it was not a good place for it. The people running it don't seem to really know what they're doing. The song selection sucks and most of the songs have a lot of errors. There is only one crummy microphone and the sound quality is TERRIBLE! The limited stage area forces you to face AWAY from the audience to sing, and you must compete with the KJ and others walking in and out of the small room that houses the equipment, as well as the nearby foosball players! My friends and I did have a good time there despite all this.  UPDATE:  We went back there in August '98 (still couldn't find any good place).  It still sucks but we had a lot of fun anyway.  There was no KJ, they just let us do the machine ourselves.  But the laser disks are in crummy condition and not labeled very well.  If anyone finds a better karaoke place in or near Berkeley, please let me know!!! 
  < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me singing here!

Other U.S. Places (in alphabetical order by state)

• ALASKA--Al's Alaskan Inn in Anchorage, Alaska; 7830 Old Seward Highway  Anchorage, AK 99518  (907) 344-6223.  They have karaoke every single night with a fantastic song selection--24,000 songs and counting!  The KJ's are fun, the people are nice!  The drinks are pricey, but then so is everything in Alaska, it seems....had a great time here in July, 2002.  Al's accommodations are clean and very cheap, but if you can afford it, stay somewhere nicer.  It was convenient for karaoke, though.  This may be the best karaoke bar I've ever been to!  Wish I could afford to go back!  The best karaoke place around!!! Maybe the best karoke place in the US (except for its location)
   
• ALASKA--Godfather Pizza also in Anchorage, across the street from Al's.  They have karaoke on Monday's.  The nice thing about it is that it is a good place for families to sing.  The KJ was very enthusiastic and fun.  This was also in 2002.
   
• ARIZONA--Eastside Mario's in Glendale, AZ, a suburb of Phoenix, is a small but endearing place for karaoke.  We went there on a Friday night in May, 99 and had a good time.  They have cordless mikes.  No stage but it's small (intimate) and you can sit right at the bar or your table to sing, if you're shy.  Or you can just stand up near the front.   If you're allergic to peanuts, stay way because they eat them and throw on the floor.
   
• ARIZONA--Famous Sam's is in Phoenix.  The regulars seemed to have a lot of fun.  They were nice and I enjoyed myself but it was very loud and crowded.   There was a big country music crowd there but I don't know if that is typical or not.  The KJ was SUPER-nice!!!  Somewhat unusual song selection, too.  We also went there May 99, on Saturday night.
   
• ARKANSAS--Legends 9700 Rodney Parham Rd. Little Rock, AR 72212 Phone: 501-537-2357 Karaoke Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. We visited here in November, 2004.  The KJ was T of T's Tunes.  She seemed very nice, and I met an online karaoke friend there, too, who was nice.  I really didn't enjoy the place because the music was very loud and there was a smoke machine going (and it was already smoky).  It was so loud that we had to move into another part of the restaurant.  There was a lot of dance music between karaoke songs.  The waitresses didn't visit our table very often, either.  I seem to recall the song selection was very good.  A drunk guy came and sat down at our table, uninvited, so that was another reason we moved.  Hopefully it would be a better experience at another time.
   
• ARKANSAS--TNT Karaoke 4200 State Line Ave. Texarkana, AR  71854  Little place connected with The King's Row Motel.  Because of the liquor laws, you have to register for their club in order to go in (but it's free).  Very small place with a nice song selection and good audience. This was in 2001.
   
• ARKANSAS--We moved to Arkansas in 2016. We visit Little Rock quite often and have done karaoke there at Dam Goode Pies, near the Riverfront area. We go whenever we're in town. They have it every Friday. The KJ is nice enough and sings well.  Sometimes the place is empty and sometimes crowded. You just never know what you'll find. Halloween weekend is the best.  They also have karaoke at Dugan's Pub on Wednesday's, but I've never been there for their karaoke. Good restaurant and pub.
   
• CONNECTICUT--East Windsor, CT. Don't know the name of the place, but it was across the street from the Comfort Inn and the karaoke was run by Kenny Allen. The place was very crowded and smoky, but there were a lot of people having fun. I was there in 1993.
   
• COLORADO -- We visited a friend here in Denver in 2009 and found karaoke at Armida's Restaurant (303) 837-8921 840 Lincoln St Denver, CO 80203.  It's a Mexican restaurant.  The KJ was nice, the people were nice, the karaoke was fine, just average.  Nothing special as far as the song selection or quality of the singers. The KJ likes to play too much dance music for my tastes. We did have a very good time, but I only got to sing twice in three and a half hours.  To me that is not worth going back. However, we did go back in 2012 because we couldn't find another place, and enjoyed it much more. It starts early so you have to get there early if you want to sing a lot. Also, it probably depends on which day you go. weekends tend to be more crowded. Still has a great crowd and really nice KJ!
   
• FLORIDA--White Law Hotel in Miami Beach, FL (South Beach) 808 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33139 (877) 762-3477 We went here in June, 2012 and had a fun time. It is a small hotel near the beach, with a tiny lobby, and the karaoke is in what looks like a lobby. There is not much furniture, just the small bar and a few chairs and couches. The KJ is in the corner and there is no stage. When we first got there, there were not many people, but it got way more crowded after a half hour or so. The KJ is sweet, and she sings very well, and the bartenders are very friendly. The crowd was very nice, too (tourists, like us). Fun place. the couches were kind of uncomfortable, and the door was open, so it was hot, and I got bitten by insects. The only real drawback, though, was that the music was so loud, it was hard to communicate, even with the bartenders. We were there less then 2 hours, and I got to sing 3 songs. That part was good!
   
• FLORIDA--Black Angus in Orlando, FL on International Drive next to the water park; it's a fun place to do karaoke Tues., Thurs., Fri. or Saturday. hosted by Katie Joyce (407) 786-6357. or call them directly at 354-3333.  A little crowded on the weekends so get there early.  Nice crowd and good song selection!  We went there in 2002.
   
• FLORIDA--SuperStar Studios in Downtown Disney near Orlando, FL. is one of those places where you can record yourself singing, either on audio or video.  It's not too too terribly expensive and they do a good job. We went there in 2002.
   
• FLORIDA--The Point After in Tampa, FL Saturdays 7:00p-8:30p Kids karaoke (don't know if they still have this) 9:30p-1:30a Karaoke 6710 Hanley Rd. 813-885-6877 Hosted by Jene.  We visited here on the Saturday after 4th of July 2003 and it was great.  Not very crowded since most people had partied the night before.  It was mostly the regulars and me!  Very nice, friendly people and good song selection.  Good food, too.  I definitely plan to go back!
   

• IDAHO--The Timberlanes Bowling Alley bar in Boise, Idaho. A mixed-aged crowd, all very appreciative and polite. No hard drinks, but wine coolers available with the usual beer and wine. I had a great time there when we were visiting in July, 1994.
   
• ILLINOIS--Bobby Love's in Chicago 3729 N Halsted  773-525-1200 This is a gay bar that has karaoke on Friday's.  The people are super-nice there, very welcoming and friendly.  Great song selection and nice KJ.  Make sure to stop by and you won't be disappointed!  This was in 2002. 
  < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me singing here!
   
• ILLINOIS--Sidekicks Another place in Chicago we went to in April, 1998--What a fun place!  They have a huge ballroom for dancing and karaoke.  The people who work there are really fun and friendly.  Two minor complaints are that they started late (does karaoke EVER start on time?) and they were having some slight problems with their sound system.  The drinks are good, though, and the regulars have fun. 4424 W. Montrose, between Cicero and Pulaski.
   
• ILLINOIS--Trader Todd's Adventure Bar  3216 N. Sheffield Chicago, IL (773) 975-8383  We tried to go here, but it was too crowded with a party...too bad, it looked fun!
   
• ILLINOIS--Who's Next was a karaoke bar in Chicago on Rush Street. A great place! One of the best karaoke bars I've ever been to! Large and spacious, not smoky, classy. Fun! I went there Spring 1994, but unfortunately it's no longer in business.
   
• ILLINOIS-- Shaker's on Clark is a neighborhood bar. Our friends Alma and Steve run a great show there. Excellent mics, sound system, and song selection. Friendly people, good drinks. We visited in 2018.
   
• KENTUCKY--Taylor's Landing 830 Monmouth Ave., Newport Kentucky 859-292-0555  We went here in 2003.  This was a pretty crummy little place. The audience was nice, though.  The place got very noisy.  We went next door to the gay bar to call our cab; it also has karaoke during the week (Wooly's).
     < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me singing here!
   
• LOUISIANA--Cat's Meow in New Orleans, also in the French Quarter.  A big, loud, crowded, fun place!  Even though there were lots of people, the rotation for singing wasn't too bad.  The crowd is very enthusiastic.  The KJ's are great fun.  If you want a quiet place to sit, go upstairs where there is a separate bar and hang out over the balcony (you can still hear the music).  They have a live web karaoke cam, so go to their site!  We have been there many times.  If you want to sing a lot, go Saturdays or Sundays at 2 pm when they open! 
    < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me singing here!
   
• LOUSIANA--The Wild Bar Horse & Grill in New Orleans, in the French Quarter. Very crowded at night, but karaoke starts at around 2:00 in the afternoon so that's a good time to practice, or to sing if you're shy. If you have guests who want to avoid the karaoke, they have a very quiet bar upstairs with a great balcony overlooking the street below. I went there last in March 1993.  I think this is now Cat's Meow.
   
• MASSACHUSSETS--Limelight Stage & Studios 204 Tremont St, Boston - (617) 423-0785.  We went here with a bunch of friends in Sept. 2008 and had a blast.   They have rooms you can rent for your private karaoke parties.  They also have a regular karaoke bar. We only did the rooms. It was a lot of fun. They had snacks and drinks as well. This is not cheap but it's a good treat.
   
• MASSACHUSSETS--Champion's Restaurant & Sports 110 Huntington Av Boston, MA (617) 937-5658  I would not recommend this place; we waited over an hour and a half to sing again; just not worth it.  Otherwise it was fine and had a great song selection.  This was in 2002.
   
• MASSACHUSSETS--DoReMi Music Studio in Cambridge, MA 442 Cambridge St Allston, MA 617 783 8900 This is one of those places where you pay per hour to do karaoke in a room with your friends or practice by yourself. It was fine, just very expensive I thought.  This was also in 2002.
   
• MASSACHUSSETS--Tatsukichi  is a Japanese restaurant in Boston with a nice karaoke bar.  We had the place to ourselves!  I got my friends who never sing to do it because of that....well, that and a lot of alcohol.  We went there in '98.
   
• MINNESOTA--Holiday Inn lounge in St. Paul, MN  We met some friends here while visiting.  It was hard to find karaoke in the area near where we were staying.  Anyway, it was kinda small and crowded and a bit smoky, but we got there early and found a good place for the 6 of us.  The singers were FANTASTIC, many professional quality.  Luckily I sang well that night so as not to embarrass myself.  This was in 2000.
   
• NEW JERSEY--Cornerstone Inn  (201) 460-7777  491 Broad St  Carlstadt, NJ 07072    We met some online friends here July 2004 and we had a fantastic time!  The food was good, too.  
   
• NEW MEXICO--Silva Lanes a bowling alley in Santa Fe, NM 471-2110  Not sure which nights they have it. Small place that wasn't very crowded.  Enough of an audience but not too many singers, which I liked.  Between the drinking and pool tables (not to mention bowling outside) you need to be compelling if you want them to pay attention to you.  They are polite, though, and some were fun singers. This was in 2000.
   
• NEW YORK--Archer's  (212) 628-6266 1643 1st Ave New York, NY 10028  We met some more online friends here in 2004 and we also had a fantastic time!  But there was no A/C and it was August, so we were pretty hot and sweaty.
   
• NEW YORK--The Park Central Hotel in New York City has a very nice karaoke setup in their bar. It has a large stage, with great cutouts in the background of different Broadway shows and their theatres. The equipment is great. The bar is very large, so it doesn't seem crowded or smoky. The singers there are mostly very good. My only complaints are that there were so many singers that it took a long time between songs, and they had the volume turned up REALLY loud! To a deafening level. Other than that the place was great! We went there June '96. 
    < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me singing here!
   
• NORTH CAROLINA--Holland's Grill in Ashville, ND 1078 Tunnel Rd, Ste A, Asheville, NC 28805 Karaoke Wednesdays and Saturdays--We went here in April 2011. Had a great time. Very nice people, kind KJ who does a great job, really good singers. I would definitely go back!
   
• NORTH DAKOTA--Silver Dollar Bar in West Fargo, ND--we went there August 98 and that was really fun.  They had some great regulars who had a good time despite the fact that most of them couldn't sing (a bunch couldn't even carry a tune in a bucket!).  The KJ was very nice and went from table to table singing up singers, which was a nice change from having to go up to the KJ and hand in a song.  Very friendly place!  There are two other places to do karaoke in Fargo-Morehead as well, one run by this KJ (both are on Saturdays) and one on weeknights. The other place run by this DJ is Trader and Trapper in Moorhead.    < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me singing here!
   
• NORTH DAKOTA--The Teamsters Lounge in Fargo, ND (don't know the exact location)  It sounds funny, but this is a GREAT place for karaoke!  The teamsters' union has a hall and bar.  The karaoke was in the hall.  I don't know how often they have it (we were there on a Friday).  It was hosted by a local KJ that is headed by The Karaoke Lady (she wasn't there that night, though).  Anyway, it was my favorite type of place--really large, not crowded, not large, and not smoky.  Because it was so large and only about 1/4 full, I could sit in the back with my friends and we could talk and still hear the music.  Most people sat near the stage and they were a REALLY great, friendly, appreciate bunch.  Lots of good singers there, too, and yet I still got to sing quite a bit.  I wish we had a place like this where I live!!!  UPDATE:  They no longer have karaoke.  This was in 2000.
   
• OHIO--Mainstay Rock Bar 301 West 5th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 721-7625 We went here in July, 2014; it was right downtown near where we were staying. The KJ was very nice and a really good singer, and the place had lots of nice people, mostly younger but they still did mostly 80's songs. They closed in September, unfortunately. Too bad!
   
• OHIO--On Broadway Bar 817 Broadway St. (Between 8th & 9th) Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-2555 This was a young, fairly gay, mellow crowd. They were nice and polite, and they didn't care that we were straight or older than most of them. The KJ was very nice. We had a good time, but we didn't stay too long because we were tried. I'd definitely go back. Great song selection!
   
• OHIO--Lebo's 5869 Kellogg Ave. California, Ohio (suburb of Cincinnatti). 232-1763.  They have karaoke almost every night starting around 9.  Great place!  The sound system was one of the best I've ever seen.  Very welcoming and enthusiastic audience.  Loved it!! 
  < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me singing here!
   
• OREGON--Cal-Sport Sports Bar in Portland, OR. 1033 N.W. 16th (503) 223-0099 Karaoke Tues, Fri, Sat 9:30pm-2:30 am --This looked like a dive from outside but wasn't bad inside.  Most of the customers were in their twenties so we kinda stood out.  The bartender and the KJ were both VERY NICE.  But THIS WAS THE WORST AUDIENCE I'VE EVER SEEN!!!  I sang and guess what, not ONE CLAP ( my husband was too embarrassed to be the only one clapping at this point).  There was some clapping for other singers, but I think they only clapped for their own friends.   I know I didn't totally suck... SNIFF!  This was in 1999.
   
• PENNSYLVANIA--McGillin's Old Ale House 1310 Drury St. Philadelphia, PA 213-733-5562 We went there in 2003.  We met some online friends here and had a pretty good time.  The rotation was really long, though, so we only got to sing a few times.  It was very crowded. 
    < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me singing here!
   
• TENNESSEE--Wet Willie's  209 Beale St., Memphis, TN 38103 (901) 578-5650  We were in Memphis the week of St. Patrick's Day in 2009. We had a blast with all the karaoke bars there.  This one only did karaoke on Sunday night, but it was very fun and friendly. They did not have many singers at the beginning of the night, but they had a nice crowd. It got more popular as the night rolled on. They have many flavors of daquiris, and beer, and jello shots (no regular mixed drinks).  Good song selection, too.  The type of music leans toward rhythm and blues and Motown, but they like anything.
   
• TENNESSEE--Alfred's 197 Beale St., Memphis, TN 38103 (901) 525-3711.  We were in Memphis for three nights. This one was pretty dead most of the time. They had a great song selection.  It was a good place to try stuff out. It did get more crowded toward the end of the last night, which was St. Patrick's Day. The KJ is too low key and doesn't do anything to entertain.
   
• TENNESSEE--Superior Bar 159 Beale St., Memphis, TN 38103 (901) 523-1940.  This was a fun place to do karaoke, despite the odd name and the claim that they are the best karaoke bar in the world.  They seem to have karaoke every night, but phone to make sure.  The type of people that show up here, and the ages, can be a real mix. We had a great time on St. Patrick's Day 2009 here.  It can get kind of loud if there are a lot of rappers there. It just depends on what night you are there. They have different KJ's, too.  We will definitely be going back.
   

• TENNESSEE--Lonnie's Western Room and Karaoke Bar 208 Printers Aly, Nashville (615) 251-1122 We have been there quite a few times over the years.  The place can be pretty smoky, but it is a nice and fun place.  It just depends on whether it's a weekend or holiday or weekday as to how crowded it is with tourists.  They really put on a good show with dancers and such for the tourists.
   
• TENNESSEE--Kelli's  is across the alley from Lonnie's (above) in Nashville.  This one is a lot less country than Lonnie's. I haven't seen it crowded, but it probably does get that way later in the evening. The KJ's I've seen there are very nice and they have a great song selection. The audience has always been nice.
   
• TENNESSEE--Jesse Zane's Nashville Nights 308 Church St. in Nashville.  (615) 242-9773.  We had a great time here Thanksgiving weekend in 2006 when we visited.  Even though the whole area was dead, we had a small and very fun crowd for karaoke!  The KJ, bartender, regulars - everyone was very nice and treated us like we were regulars.
   
• TENNESSEE--Wanna B's 305 Broadway, Nashville This place is pure tourist and is usually so crowded that I can't even get in, let alone sing.  I know a lot of people who just love it, though.
   
• VIRGINIA-- Doubletree Hotel Crystal City/Arlington (near Washington DC airport).  This has a beautiful lounge with a great view and it revolves.  I wish I could say the karaoke was great, but the sound system was not very good, the place was pretty crowded, and the service was awful. I don't know if they were short-staffed or what, but we had a terrible time getting our drinks, and then they messed up the orders.  We did not stay long.  We went in September 2005.
   
• WASHINGTON--Jake's in Vancouver, Washington.  4600 NE St. John's Rd (360) 696-3727 9pm-1am Friday and Saturday --What a dive!  A real roadside place, only people in the area go to this place, I think...they only sell beer and wine, no hard liquor.  Lots of pool tables.  It wasn't unsafe but real seedy-looking.  The people mostly ignored the singers but did clap and seemed to enjoy the music.  The KJ's, who look like a husband and wife team, were nice but took way too much time between songs (like they maybe didn't know how to work the machines that well).   This was in 1999.
   
• WISCONSIN--Amelia's in Milwaukee, WI 724 E. Layton Ave. 53207  414-4830345  Karaoke Sundays and Tuesday's.  We really had a great time when we went here July 31, 2011. The KJ and his partner are very nice and run a good show. Besides the karaoke, they had a raffle and we won prizes. The restaurant has an Amelia Earhart theme (it's right across from the airport), with good, cheap food and drinks, and nice waitresses. The karaoke was good with a fine selection and a lot of fine singers, and I got to sing 3 songs in less than 2 1/2 hours, which is always nice. Plus it was right near our hotel, the Wynham. We would definitely come back here again!
   
• WASHINGTON, DC--Café Japonet in Washington, D.C. is a strange little place I went to August '97. Its American song list is not very big but they also have Japanese songs. There is no stage, you stand in the middle of the floor and sing! The crowd is appreciative but they prefer modern and pop songs to oldies or country. You do have to pay either for karaoke or get enough food and drink to meet their cover. They serve sushi, too, but my husband said it was pretty average. I only went because it was close to our hotel; I'm SURE there's a better place in DC for karaoke.  UPDATE--we went there in September 2005 and it was a lot worse.  They don't have a KJ, the waitress just starts the song (and they don't care if your mic is working or what the sound is like, or even call your name).  It is supposed to have karaoke every night but no one else was singing but us.  It was maybe the worst karaoke experience I've ever had.
   
• Julian Karaoke in Tamuning, Guam -- I found this in the phone book but it turned out to be a great choice!!!  It has a wonderful view of the ocean.  It is a big place and they start karaoke in the afternoon so you can go early and sing a lot (since most people come in later).  Cordless mikes so you can sing at the bar or your table.  The staff there are REALLY nice and friendly.  See a picture of Roni, who works there.  We went here in 2000.
   
• Le Viva in Agaña, Guam was recommended to us by the hotel we were staying in there, January 2000; it was small but the people were very friendly!  It was a little loud but otherwise great.  It has cordless mikes, no stage.
      < -- Click on the thumbnail to see the pic of me here!