It's jus' 'rokes, yo.

August 3, 2006 8:33 AM

Karaoke in New York.

I want to purchase a private room for 8 people this Saturday night for karaoke someplace in downtown New York (or possibly Brooklyn). What is the best place? Also, I assume you have to reserve the room in advance, is that correct? Anything else I should know?

posted by Falconetti to Food & Drink (10 answers total)

I would say Japas 55, but it's on 55th Street - not exactly downtown.

A great place that not many people know has karaoke is Jeollado (a sushi place that also serves some Korean dishes). They have one private room in the back, but it might be a little roomy for 8 people. I think it comfortably holds 25. Still, you should check it out. Excellent sushi rolls. It's on East 4th Street.
posted by mattbucher at 8:50 AM on August 3, 2006

Sing-Sing on St. Marks in the East Village; I've heard good things, but I've never been there myself. They do have a bar though.

We always used to go to Village Karaoke (Cooper Sq. around 6th) which was BYOB, but I read that it shut down last year.
posted by pooya at 9:54 AM on August 3, 2006

I had a good time recently at Karaoke17. It's in Chelsea, has lots of rooms of different sizes, and has a huge song library to choose from.
posted by brain_drain at 10:20 AM on August 3, 2006

Sing Sing has two locations, the one on St. Marks (which has both public karaoke and private rooms), and on Avenue A between 5th & 6th Sts (just private rooms). I must say I was 3 sheets to the wind when I went to the Ave. A site, but as I recall it was a good time. We didn't have reservations, but it was fairly late (around 1:30am) when we went.

But--they only have beer, wine and sake.
posted by witchstone at 11:15 AM on August 3, 2006

Hip Hop Karaoke consistently puts on some of the best karaoke nights I've ever been to. Rather than cheesy Karaoke discs, the live DJ spins the instrumental B-sides of 12" vinyl. They have just about every song out there, and the MC knows them ALL, and jumps in on doubles, helps out with choruses, and generally kicks ass. Plus? PACKED crowds in the hundreds. Plus? This is like the Catch A Rising Star for underground hip-hop in NYC, so lots of up-and-coming artists, industry types, etc. Big Daddy Kane even came a few shows back.

If you do Karaoke to feel like a rock star for 30 seconds, then memorize an early-90s anthem that is obscure enough that people haven't heard it in awhile but everyone still knows every word to, get on stage, and you will NOT be disappointed.

Normally at Rothko, occasionally at Delancy, Knitting Factory, various other clubs. Get there early and thank me when you get off stage.
posted by ChasFile at 11:50 AM on August 3, 2006

Sing Sing is indeed very good, fantastic song selection -- in fact, I'll be there on Saturday night myself, at a private birthday party. It may be too late to book a room, though; they fill up fast.
posted by logovisual at 11:56 AM on August 3, 2006

And yes, Village Karaoke is gone -- in fact, it's literally a hole in the ground now, they've torn the building down. It was owned by the same people who own Sing Sing anyway.
posted by logovisual at 11:58 AM on August 3, 2006

Telephone bar is a wonderful place, and I think you could set up your own Karaoke in thier party room (not quite as fancy as the photo would have you believe!)

http://www.telebar.com/parties.html
posted by blaneyphoto at 2:50 PM on August 3, 2006

I third Sing-Sing. It's really nice and clean and they have a huge song selection.

When I went to iBop on 35th, which also has a nice song selection, it was BYOB. Perhaps the same would fly at Sing-Sing? It can't hurt to ask, if the lack of spirits is going to make you look elsewhere.
posted by anjamu at 10:26 PM on August 3, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks for everyone's help. Someone in the party started insisting on K-Town karaoke, so I tried iBop (BYOB is a bonus). They were full, but while looking for them I came across Duet 35, which is where we are going. English song selection isn't huge, but what they have is pretty good (or so it seems from the website). They also have songs in Tagalog, which one of our party will be into (unfortunately for the rest of us).

I originally followed up on the Sing Sing Avenue A advice, but that was nixed by a different member of the party, who hated Sing Sing. I am never planning a karaoke night again, BTW.
posted by Falconetti at 7:34 AM on August 4, 2006