The Best Karaoke Bars In NYC

You’re a star, but no one knows it. Give your breakout performance at a spot with a live pianist, an upscale karaoke den in Koreatown, or a Chinatown dive where the drinks taste like Capri-Sun. Most of these places are bars with rooms that you can rent, but there are also a few for when you require zero privacy. There’s also one option in the basement of a stranger’s home. We’ve provided the starting rates, but you should know that more people typically means more money.

THE SPOTS

RPM Underground

Starts At: $50/hour for up to 5 people

Sure, “off-key Katy Perry” is kind of a theme, but these themed karaoke rooms are on another level. Located under RPM’s record store in Midtown, the basement bar has 18 private rooms for 5-30 people. Check out old comic books between shots in the Avengers room, or the antique radio collection in the Radio Room. There’s even a Queens Plaza room with a full wall of NYC license plates. Thanks to the music heads upstairs, the songbook is robust, and that strong Thor-themed cocktail will give you all the juice you need to attempt a Whitney note with unearned confidence. They also have an unlimited Karaoke Brunch for $39, which includes 90 minutes of tunes, unlimited drinks, and one brunch entree.

Ms. Kim’s

Starts At: $120/hour

Is this a work-sponsored event? Or do you have a bigger budget for your birthday this year? If so, Ms. Kim’s is the answer. This place is the most upscale option near Koreatown, with a nice bar area where you can sit on a leather stool and drink a $19 espresso martini, as well as a few rooms that are decorated like hotel suites. Enjoy some exposed brick walls and well-upholstered banquettes while you sing along to Fergie’s “Glamorous,” and order a plate of tuna tataki if you get hungry.

The Real KTV

Starts At: $40/hour, minimum of 2 hours

Is that a professional audio setup? And are those deer heads on the walls? Also, why are the couches so comfortable, and where can we buy them? The Real KTV isn't messing around. On the third floor of Flushing's New World Mall, this deluxe karaoke spot offers private rooms for people who are serious about singing and don't mind spending $28 on a Long Island Iced Tea. The touchscreen song selection is a little tough to navigate, and the drinks sure are pricey, but this is still an upper-echelon pick.

Lions Roar Karaoke House

Starts At: $160/hour

The most charming karaoke option on this list, Lion’s Roar is run by a very friendly couple in the bottom of their East Williamsburg home. The space fits up to 25, and it’s pretty much your own little private apartment, complete with a big TV, a couple of couches, and even a kitchen. The rates are a little higher than most other karaoke spots around town, but keep in mind you can bring your food and alcohol.

Winnie's Bar

Starts At: Two-drink minimum, minimum tip of $1 per song

The house cocktails at this second-floor Chinatown dive have names like Dragon Punch and Purple Mofo, and they tend to taste like candy. You may need one or two before you request a song, because there aren’t any private rooms here. If you want to sing, you’ll have to get up on the stage in the back of the dark, narrow room, and perform your Britney Spears to strangers parked at the graffiti-covered tables.

Up Stairs

Starts At: Two-drink minimum

Similar to Winnie’s, Up Stairs is a somewhat divey spot on the second floor of a Chinatown building, and it doesn’t have any private rooms. The two bars offer a near-identical experience, but this one’s usually a bit more lively. If you want to sing, you’ll have to do so in the middle of the bar while everyone watches from their swiveling stools arranged around high-tops. Don’t get stagefright. It’s a very supportive crowd.

Karaoke City

Starts At: $40/ for up to 5 people

It’s midnight, you’re in Koreatown, and you and a few friends want to sing some impromptu karaoke without spending a fortune. Go to Karaoke City, where, on the 7th floor of a building that also houses Jongro , there are a ton of plain, all-black rooms starting at $8 per person. For an extra $22 per hour, you can also do unlimited drinks, but you can also just order a la carte. Expect all your standard karaoke favorites, buried in a binder the size of a phone book.

Sid Gold's Request Room

Starts At: Two-drink minimum

Your angelic voice deserves to be accompanied by a piano, and you can make that happen at Sid Gold’s Request Room. This Chelsea bar feels like a ’70s Vegas lounge, with curved booths embedded in the walls and a stage in the back, next to a pianist with a list of a few hundred songs to sing along to. We’ve heard a lot of musical theater here, and we’ve also seen someone who looked like an extra from The Sopranos sing Frank Sinatra. There’s no cover charge, just a two-drink minimum.

Sing Sing Karaoke

Starts At: $50/hour for up to 5 people

Up a flight of stairs on the most hectic stretch of St. Marks, Sing Sing is, appropriately, one of the least fancy options on this list. The cash-only bar up front has brick walls, a disco ball, and a karaoke setup for when you want to pop in and perform a quick number, but you might as well get a room. At $10 per person, they’re cheap enough, and, while there aren't many amenities—like food and hard liquor—the song selection is reasonably extensive. They might not have the SpongeBob theme song, but they do have Sabrina Carpenter.

Karaoke Boho Orchard

Starts At: $10/hour per person

The premiere karaoke option on the Lower East Side, Boho is great for two reasons: the reasonable rates, and the BYOB policy. There’s a bar up front with communal karaoke, and there are also a bunch of plain rooms in the basement with festive lighting and big binders of popular songs. If you’d rather not BYOB, there’s beer, wine, sake, and soju for sale, as well as a few snacks like fried chicken and rice cake skewers.

Beats Karaoke

Starts At: $10/hour per person

This Williamsburg spot offers both open, public karaoke at the bar—with microphones passed around the enthusiastic, unselfconscious crowd—and private rooms for $10 per person per hour. This may not be the most technically flawless A/V experience of your karaoke career, but it will be fun, and there will be bright-blue frozen cocktails. Beats Karaoke is a solid, charmingly chaotic option for any Northern Brooklynite who doesn't feel like taking the train into Koreatown, but does feel like belting a few selections from the extended Disney songbook with strangers.

Maru Karaoke Lounge

Starts At: $60/hour for up to 6 people

You may recognize Maru from an episode of Succession . They filmed a scene here, which feels right, seeing as how this is one of the pricier options in Koreatown. The place looks like a sci-fi nightclub, and you can easily spend around $20 on a single vodka soda. But if you’re looking for a spot that’s fun and lively, it’s worth it. The rooms are clean and comfortable, and the lighting will make you feel like you’re on a sold-out arena tour.