Two writers spent a week singing at karaoke venues across New York City, visiting a different spot each day to explore the range of ways the city gathers around the microphone. Their itinerary took them from Koreatown in Manhattan to Astoria, Staten Island, the Bronx and Brooklyn, including both established bars and newer community-focused events.

The tour began on West 32nd Street in Koreatown, where karaoke businesses are clustered among restaurants and other venues. At Gagopa, a bring-your-own-bottle policy attracts groups, while nearby bars offer private rooms and distinctive interiors. The writers also visited Chorus Karaoke Lounge, where they found a lone singer performing in a room at the end of a hallway.

On Tuesday, they went to Sid Gold’s Request Room, a piano lounge in Manhattan where singers perform alongside pianist Mark Benjamin. The venue’s intimate setting encouraged a small crowd to take the stage, with Benjamin accompanying and encouraging performers.

Wednesday’s visit brought the writers to Barkada Social Club in Astoria during a monthly karaoke event hosted by Barkada NYC, an LGBTQ+ Filipinx community group. Guests joined in across the song queue, but Jesse Zaragoza’s Tagalog ballad “Bakit Pa” brought people rushing forward. One event organizer described it as the group’s “national anthem.”

In Staten Island, Steiny’s Pub drew a lively local crowd. Performances ranged from heavy metal and Eminem to 1980s ballads, while host Nazz Raidience kept the queue moving and invited singers to spin a prize wheel. The writers also stopped at Bronx Beer Hall on Arthur Avenue, where Friday karaoke brought together a generationally mixed crowd for songs including Bad Bunny’s “NUEVAYoL,” Bon Jovi and Air Supply.

At Manhattan’s Iggy’s, the writers observed how karaoke can bring together different kinds of performers, from former theater students to solo singers and late-night groups. They noted that Hinder’s “Lips of an Angel” appeared repeatedly during the week, often performed as a duet by two men. At Iggy’s, a song costs $3, selected from a binder and added to the waiting list.

The week also included Brooklyn venues Beats Karaoke Cafe and Seventh Heaven. The article describes the city’s karaoke scene as spanning private rooms, neighborhood bars and community events, with each setting offering a different way for people to sing together.

Sources: Condé Nast Traveler.