Best karaoke bars in Philly

December 11, 1:20 PMPhiladelphia Nightlife ExaminerNatalie Hope McDonald

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Philadelphia Nightlife Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Love it or hate it, karaoke is here to stay. And lucky for local fans, there are plenty of hot spots to belt one out, seven days a week. Forget about singing in the shower and check out one of these karaoke destinations where you’re as likely to hear a drunk rendition of “Don’t Stop Believing” as you are a spirited version of “Love Shack.” If you’re shy, grab 20 or 40 of your friends and get a room at Yakitori Boy (211 N. 11^th St., 215-923-8088) between 5 p.m. and 2 a.m. daily. Yakitori’s lounge also hosts karaoke (for a dollar a song) and offers half-price rooms Sun.-Thurs. (5 to 9 p.m.). 

SUNDAY: So much for it being a work night when beer-swilling singers step up to the mike at five different karaoke destinations around town. Starting at 7 p.m., the Locust Bar (235 S. 10^th St., 215-925-2191) boasts an alternative vibe, chock full of ironic hipsters who know all the lyrics to the Billy Ocean songbook. Also check out McGillin’s Olde Ale House (1310 Drury Ln., 215-735-5562) at 8 p.m., Marathon Grill (10^th and Walnut, 215-733-0311) at 9 p.m., Ly Michael’s (101 N. 11^th St., 215-922-2688) at 10 p.m. and the Abbaye (637 N. Third St., 215-627-6711) from 11 p.m. until 2 a.m. in Northern Liberties.

MONDAY: Is there any better way to welcome the week than making a fool of yourself four times in one night? Check out Sara Sherr’s “Karaoke That Doesn’t Suck” starting at 9 p.m. upstairs at the Khyber (56 S. Second St., 215-238-5888) before expanding your boundaries even more. The college contingency starts singing in University City at 9 p.m. at O’Hara’s Fish House (3900 Chestnut St., 215-349-9000) and then at 11 p.m. at Smokey Joe’s (210 S. 40^th St., 215-222-0770). The M Room (15 W. Girard Ave., 215-739-5577) also pumps up the jam at 10 p.m. on the third Monday of every month.

TUESDAY: Stop by the National Mechanics (22 S. Third St., 215-701-4883) in Old City at 9 p.m. before hitting up the balcony at the Trocadero (1003 Arch St., 215-922-6888), also at 9 p.m., but on the last Tuesday of every month. The Gayborhood gets its karaoke going at 10 p.m. upstairs at Tavern on Camac (243 S. Camac St., 215-545-0900), as does New Deck Tavern (3408 Sansom St., 215-386-4600) in West Philly. Also check out Quattro Bar & Grill (2535 S. 13^th St.) and the Sports Page Bar & Grill (2015 Penrose Ave., 215-755-9500) at 9 p.m. each week.

WEDNESDAY: Karaoke gets started super early (5:45 p.m.) at the Raven Lounge (1718 Sansom St., 215-840-3577) on the last Wednesday of every month. Nearby, Barristers (1823 Sansom St., 215-496-0786) clocks in at 9:30, as does Finnigan’s Wake (547 N. Third St., 215-574-9317). South Philly Bar & Grill (1235 E. Passyunk Ave., 215-334-3300), O’Hara’s Fish House and McGillin’s all do their thing at 9 p.m.

THURSDAY: Forget about Hump Day, Thursday is a king-size karaoke day in Philly when almost a dozen bars host the talented and talentless alike. Starting at 8 p.m., Samba (714 Girard Ave., 215-625-7900) starts the sing-a-thon, followed by “Karaoke Obscura,” with plenty of rare gems, at 12 Steps Down (831 Christian St., 215-238-0379) on the first Thursday of every month. Also at 9 p.m., Doc Watson’s (216 S. 11^th St., 215-922-3427) and Applebees (215 S. 15^th St., 215-772-2790) both start the show. Reales Sports Bar (7233 Frankford Ave., 215-332-6374) and Cheers to You (430 South St., 215-923-8780) own the 9:30 p.m. hour, while Westy’s (1440 Callowhill St., 215-563-6134), lesbian mecca Sisters (1320 Chancellor St., 215-735-0735), The Happy Rooster (118 S. 16^th St., 215-963-9311), Bonner’s Irish Pub (120 S. 23^rd St., 215-567-5748) and Ly Michael’s all clock in at 10 p.m. One of the most bizarre karaoke scenes in the city? Every third Thursday at M Room is puppet karaoke where singers build and bring their own puppets. No joke.

FRIDAY: Quintessential South Philly neighborhood bar Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar (1200 E. Passyunk Ave., 215-365-1169) hosts its karaoke at 10 p.m., when you’re as likely to run into a hipster singing twang as you are an old guy crooning Sinatra. At 9 p.m. McGillin’s does it all over again, and at 10 pm., so does Ly Michael’s.

SATURDAY: With a selection of almost 15 karaoke stops, Saturday is to singers what Sunday is to the believers. They wouldn’t miss this show for the world. Get your vocal cords ready by 9 p.m. when it all begins at Leneghan’s Inn (7412 Frankford Ave.), Nicholas Tavern (Second St. and Oregon Ave.), South Philly Bar & Grill, Second Place Tavern (Gaul and Clementine sts., 215-423-7878), Prince Café (Princeton Ave. and Vandike St.) and Moriarty’s (1116 Walnut St., 215-627-7676). Nearby, Natasha at gay-friendly Pure Nightclub (1221 Saint James St., 215-735-5772) gets the party started in the Pink Lounge at 9:30 p.m. before the after-hours crowd shuffles in. So does Coley’s Tavern (Third and Porter sts.). And at 10 p.m., check out Ly Michael’s, Westy’s, Blarney Stone (3929 Sansom St., 215-222-5340), Elephant & Castle (1800 Market St., 215-751-9977) and the Fishtown Tavern (Frankford  Ave. and Thompson St.).