Austin is known for its great bars and live music scene, but this college town also has some great karaoke clubs. If you are looking for a fun night out in a place where you can let loose and sing your heart out, here is a list of some of the more popular Karaoke bars in Austin.
Image: Masochismtango (flickr)
Austin Karaoke
6808 N Lamar Blvd.
Austin, TX 78752
With a relaxed atmosphere, Austin Karaoke caters to fun-loving karaoke singers who are looking for a no-frills place to sing their favorite songs. The private, sound proof karaoke rooms are equipped with a couple of flat TV screens, a few microphones and plenty of room to dance. The club’s BYOB policy is a sweet deal too for those who do not like to pay retail for over-priced bar drinks. So, if a huge room with coolers full of drinks where you can gather your closest friends to sing Karaoke is appealing to you, give Austin Karaoke a try.
National Karaoke League – Austin Division
Ego’s Lounge
510 S Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704
The National Karaoke League is competitive team karaoke. It works like this: You sign up with a team (i.e. fun people who will sing and probably drink with you) and you compete in five rounds of karaoke each week. Some rounds are solo and some are group rounds (duets count). Everyone in the bar gets a ballot to vote on their favorite performances each round and at the end of the night the winners are announced. There are costumes, sets, choreographed dance moves and everyone’s favorite – beer. If you are serious about karaoke and are not shy about meeting new people, this is a great place to meet new friends, have some fun and let your inner rock star free.
New Seoul Karaoke Studio
500 Pampa Dr
Austin, TX 78752
This is the real deal when it comes to authentic Korean karaoke. New Seoul Karaoke Studio stays open late at night and serves Korean “junk food”. The song list is largely in Korean, but they have a large database of songs in English as well. If you are too embarrassed to stand in front of a room full of strangers, you will appreciate the Korean-style private karaoke rooms. They have various room sizes to accommodate one to a party of 20 or more. You have to call ahead if you want to reserve the big room for a party. With the ring of a button located in your room, a server will show up to take your order or answer questions. Do not be surprised to see strange accommodations in the rooms such as a bed, reading glasses or other props. Also, be prepared to crack up at the kooky videos playing while you sing.
The Highball
1142 S. Lamar Blvd
Austin, TX 78704
Bowling, ski ball and finally, karaoke: The Highball has it all. This is one of the few Karaoke places in Austin that is not BYOB, so be prepared to pay retail for bar drinks. If you love to dance, drink, play games and, of course, sing Karaoke, this is the place for you. You may find yourself in a private Karaoke room called “Paradise City,” an 80s hair metal themed room with leopard print carpet and walls. The Karaoke themed rooms range from 80s to 90s to sci-fi to get you in the mood for the perfect karaoke evening. The drinks are strong and inexpensive, and you can always expect attentive service.
Ego’s
510 S Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704
Ego’s is the best karaoke dive bar in Austin –just ask the folks at the Austin Chronicle who rated it as such. This small bar is easy to miss if you are not familiar with the area. This fun, kitschy atmosphere will make you want to sing “Purple Rain” in front of all your friends after you belly up to the bar and order up some cheap and strong drinks to give you some liquid inspiration. Do not expect to find any fancy seats or décor. This place does not take itself too seriously like many other karaoke bars in town. Humor and fun are the keys to getting through your song selection. Their karaoke catalog is huge. If they don’t have your song, it probably doesn’t really exist anyway.
April Lentini writes for Apartment Guide in Austin
