Sing Your Heart Out at LA's Best Karaoke Spots
From stage performances to private party rooms

On any given night in Los Angeles, you can grab a mic and belt out your favorite song. From bars that hand over their stages to the patrons to intimate private party rooms, we've put together a sample of where you can exercise your karaoke skills across Los Angeles.

Max Karaoke Studio
Tucked into a corner on the second floor of the Little Tokyo Galleria, Max Karaoke Studio is a bit hidden, but it's also a very popular destination for friends who want to sing their hearts out together. Open the door to this karaoke studio and you might hear a group belting out Whitney Houston from one of the private rooms. Rates here are reasonable with Happy Hour specials from 1 to 8 p.m. daily, but you will need to call in advance to make reservations. Check their website for updates to the song list. Max Karaoke Studio also has locations in West L.A. and Torrance.
333 S. Alameda St., #216, Los Angeles 90013

Tokyo Beat
Located on the second floor of a tiny Little Tokyo Mall adjacent to Japanese Village Plaza, Tokyo Beat is an intimate lounge specializing in karaoke. You can sing here six nights a week (they're closed on Monday) until last call. Tokyo Beat has a full bar and serves ramen. Karaoke is free with a purchase of food and/or drinks. The cozy bar has ample seating and room to perform in the middle of the floor. Plus, there are large, easy-to-read video screens with the lyrics. There are two private rooms, with rentals starting at $30 an hour. If you want to beat the crowd, come here during the week or stop by early in the evening on the weekend.
319 E 2nd St. #205, Los Angeles 90012

Heck Yeah Karaoke
For those who are feeling bold, try Heck Yeah Karaoke. The eight-year-old karaoke party goes down on the weekends in Little Tokyo's Japanese Village Plaza. Anyone can join, but there's a catch. You'll be singing in the middle of the plaza, surrounded by the crowds that frequent the plaza's boutiques, restaurants and cafes. If you prefer private karaoke rooms, this might be too much. However, if the stage at your local karaoke bar isn't quite big enough for you, then you might want to take a shot here. Typically, you'll see ordinary folks take to the stage, but, in early 2018, Win Butler of Arcade Fire stepped up to perform. Check Heck Yeah Karaoke's social feed for updates on the schedule.
Japanese Village Plaza, 335 E. 2nd St., Los Angeles 90012

Nite Flights at Melody Lounge
On most nights at Chinatown bar Melody Lounge, you'll find DJs spinning tunes from a wide variety of genres. On Sundays, though, the KJs takeover with Nite Flights. This weekly party can get lively, even when the night is just beginning. The ample selection of songs is pretty heavy on alternative and indie music and you'll certainly find selections that are out-of-the-ordinary for karaoke here. No cover.
939 N. Hill St., Los Angeles 90012

Karaoke Tuesdays at The Offbeat
The Offbeat's Tuesday night karaoke party is quite new, but it's already gaining steam. KJ Andrew Holguin spent more than a decade at the reigns of Ground Control, the now-defunct but once beloved karaoke night, and his turn at The Offbeat is similarly eclectic. If you want to sing songs by Siouxsie and the Banshees or Depeche Mode, this is the place to go. But, if you also want to try your hand at late '80s/early '90s hip-hop, this is also the place to go. The crowd here goes off early and they're quite encouraging too, whether or not you can actually sing well.
6316 York Blvd., Los Angeles 90042

Cafe Brass Monkey
Show up to Cafe Brass Monkey before the singing starts and you'll find a small, chill bar with vintage appeal. Once karaoke begins, though, the scene can get boisterous. Cafe Brass Monkey is a local institution, long known as the place to go for karaoke. Times to take the stage vary throughout the week. On Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, karaoke starts at 8 p.m. On Wednesdays through Fridays, the party gets going at 5 p.m. Entrance is at the back of the building.
3440 Wilshire Blvd., Koreatown 90005

Pharaoh Karaoke Bar
On the basement level of a complex that looks like a cross between an office building and a shopping mall, a trail of lights will lead you deeper inside Pharaoh Karaoke Bar. This Koreatown joint features private rooms ranging in size from small to x-large and, while the rental prices start at $30 an hour for a small room, it can be a high-end experience. On Thursdays through Saturdays, there are minimum order requirements, beginning at $150 for two hours of karaoke, plus your choice of alcohol/food combinations. Their bar includes top shelf brands and they have a fairly ample food menu. Call to make reservations.
3680 Wilshire Blvd., Suite B-02, Los Angeles 90010

Recital Karaoke
Outside of Recital Karaoke, located on the third floor of City Center on 6th, you'll see photo collages filled with the images of pop stars and other celebrities, marked with signatures and room numbers. That's essentially a scrapbook of who has sang here: Black Eyed Peas, Linkin Park, actor Sung Kang and more. Recital opens in the late afternoon, earlier than a lot of other karaoke spots in Koreatown. This makes Recital ideal if you want to get in some singing time after lunch or before dinner, but, like most spots, it's open until 2 a.m.
3500 W. 6th St., Suite #330, Koreatown, 90020
Boardwalk 11
Remember when Jimmy Kimmel, Snoop Dogg, and Psy sang "That's What Friends Are For" together? That happened at Boardwalk 11. Located in the Westside neighborhood of Palms, this restaurant/bar serves up burgers and beer with a side of karaoke. The beer menu is extensive and the karaoke book is thick. You can sing nightly, with karaoke time starting roughly around 8 p.m. Show up early to make sure you get your time on the stage and check their socials for news on upcoming events like karaoke contests.
10433 National Blvd. #500, Los Angeles 90034

The Good Nite
It's all about karaoke inside The Good Nite. Sure, you'll find comedy shows as well inside this small, North Hollywood bar, but singing takes priority. The karaoke stage is open nightly and starts at 9 p.m. except Mondays and Thursdays, when karaoke goes down at 9:30 p.m. after the comedy performances. The 10-year-old bar has a rep for its karaoke scene and you likely will find some very good singers here. How good? Well, we heard someone take on an Adele song and nail it.
10721 Burbank Blvd, North Hollywood 91601