Sing your heart out at these karaoke spots

Choose a private themed room at Pandora Karaoke. Photo courtesy of Pandora Karaoke. 

Karaoke might be one of the best bonding experiences you can have with new and old friends alike. And you don’t need to hit the right note because there is no wrong way. Do your thing at any of these favorite BARTable karaoke joints—whether it’s Barry Manilow or Beyoncé. Rise up to the challenge, take the mic and bring your favorite song out of the shower and onto the stage. 

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The Bow Bow Lounge is a local hot spot. Photo courtesy of Bow Bow Lounge.

Bow Bow Lounge | Montgomery

This signature San Francisco gem is where locals love to stop in for a big song in little environs. Since ”Mama Candy” opened the cozy bar in 1986, it’s been luring passersby in with its well-known welcoming staff, solid drinks and a huge selection of karaoke songs that’s grown to more than 40,000 tunes. Take BART to Montgomery St and go 0.7 miles to 1155 Grant Avenue.

Sing a solo or with a group at Legionnaire Saloon. Photo courtesy of Legionnaire Saloon.

Legionnaire Saloon | 19th St/Oakland

At The Legionnaire Saloon, it really is all fun and games. Karaoke kicks off every night at 8:30 p.m., and you can go back and forth between performing a song off the Karfun app (or website) and playing pinball machines amidst a warm setting of red walls and natural woods. There’s a firm “No heckling!” rule and a reminder to tip your friendly karaoke host. Take BART to 19th St/Oakland and find the tunes 0.2 miles to 2272 Telegraph Avenue, 2nd Floor.

Step up to the mic at Mel-O-Dee Lounge. Photo courtesy of Mel-O-Dee Lounge.

Mel-O-Dee Lounge | El Cerrito Plaza

Long live Mel-O-Dee, which has been around since the ‘60s. With so much in a name at this karaoke go-to, the veteran staple keeps the music alive and the adrenaline pumping in El Cerrito Plaza. Weekends here brighten up with multi-colored lights and welcoming regulars who rock the mic and support newbies. Take BART to El Cerrito Plaza and head 0.4 miles to 240 El Cerrito Plaza.

Retro Junkie is a favorite among celebs. Photo courtesy of Retro Junkie. 

Retro Junkie | Walnut Creek

This is the place that Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong hand-picked to play a show with his cover band. Feel like you’re a celebrity, too, at Retro Junkie’s weekly Wednesday karaoke night. Black leather seating, chandeliers, and neon signs create a sleek and lively atmosphere for your next high-energy sing-along. Take BART to Walnut Creek, and retro tunes await just 0.5 miles away at 2112 N Main Street.

Multi-lingual tunes are available at Hayward Karaoke Studio. Photo courtesy of Hayward Karaoke Studio.

Hayward Karaoke Studio | Hayward

Fluent in more than one language? Hayward Karaoke Studio is an East Bay go-to with its hefty selection of songs in English, Mandarin, Korean, Cantonese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Spanish, Mongolian and more. Private rooms ranging from small and simple to elaborate VIP rooms mean you can customize your karaoke experience for the occasion. Take BART to Hayward Station and go 1.0 mile to 21995 Mission Boulevard #6.

It's your time to shine at Pandora Karaoke. Photo courtesy of Pandora Karaoke.

Pandora Karaoke | Powell St

First off, there’s a Hello Kitty room purring with pink. We could stop there, but we’ll add that a rustic saloon-style room and plenty more attention to detail in 15 themed spaces for private-party reservations make Pandora a favorite. And then there’s the white leather-laden lounge. You can bet that the DJs and wireless microphones stay busy here. Take BART to Powell St and Pandora is 0.1 miles at 177 Eddy Street.

Jaguar Karaoke is a favorite amongst students for its location and music selection. Photo courtesy of Jaguar Karaoke.

Jaguar Karaoke | MacArthur or Downtown Berkeley

With two locations, one in Oakland and one in Berkeley, Jaguar offers private rooms to perform away from the eyes of strangers. Another big plus? This locale also caters to multi-lingual singers, with Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog and Mongolian lyrics in the selection. Pick a language and songbook, and let the international fun begin. Take BART to MacArthur and head 0.4 miles to 4390 Telegraph Avenue in Oakland, or exit BART at Downtown Berkeley and go 0.7 miles to the Berkeley location at 4390 Telegraph Avenue.

Do you sing near BART?

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