The San Francisco Bay Area Guide to Karaoke

When it comes to karaoke, there are really just two approaches: giving it your all, or…not. You don’t have to be an aspiring Idol-like artist, but enthusiasm alone can push a performance from awkward to awesome. For the unadventurous, there’s the choice of renting out rooms with your friends, but that’s only marginally better than a night in with your Rock Band or SingStar. For everyone who happens to be around the San Francisco Bay Area, read on to check out places where you can drink it up and serenade a room of strangers (though as a tip: avoid depressing ballads — it kills the buzz).

You: Uninitiated but Curious

Casual bars with karaoke nights will be your best bet, as a laid-back atmosphere can ease the nerves, leaving you free to focus on the fun and experiment with the microphone (although good acoustics are not a guarantee). Try out Dive Bar in San Jose, which, despite the name, is not a dive, but does host a range of singers on a weekly basis. As another option, there’s karaoke twice a week at the “something-for-everybody” Dan Brown’s in Palo Alto as well.

You: Ready to Go (Onstage)

7 Bamboo in San Jose has a special queue system that prioritizes first-time singers and visitors to ensure that everybody gets at least a fair turn. Still, get there early since spots will be often be filled by 11pm on the weekends. If you’re further up the bay, there’s also San Francisco’s Encore Karaoke Lounge, known for its enthusiastic crowds and impressive song selection. Encore’s good for groups of friends and the karaoke hams.

You: Serious Business

Preparing for auditions on American Idol or Broadway? The former will fit right in at The Mint in San Francisco, where people vie for their chance to sing it out in front of the literal and main stage spotlight. If theater or jazz might be more of your scene though, venture on over to Martuni’s piano bar, also in San Francisco. Be careful, however — Martuni’s has standards and depending on the night, you may be cut off mid-song if you can’t keep up.

The Bay Area’s a big place and there may have been some great spots that missed our post. Let us know if you have some suggestions or better yet, share a karaoke anecdote of your own.