Most of the time, the bff and I will get a room when going out for a night of karaoke. We think it is more cost effective and we don’t have to wait forever to sing. Plus, we can act like idiots, and if we have an awkward vocal moment, nobody is the wiser! BUT, we feel lame always doing that and have wanted to get back out to the bar for a while now.
So, the other night we had a little time in between a show and a 10:30 PM dinner reservation, so I suggested we just pop into a nearby karaoke bar to sing a few and drink a few. It was between 8:30 PM and 9 PM on a Friday night, and we tried a few old haunts that were very close, and found no patrons in any of these places. After these failed attempts (we wanted the full bar experience, including some audience/competition, if you will), we landed at Karaoke Boho West 4th, which had some good signs of life, yet still some premium seats at the bar. Located at 189 West 4th St., near Sheridan Square, karaoke Boho West 4th had both rooms ($8/hour, minimum 3 ppl), and a good bar scene ($2 per song, one free with each drink purchased).
The experience was fantastic overall. The patrons in the bar were very supportive of everyone singing (you definitely don’t get this everywhere, especially if you decide to sing something obscure or even slightly less than popular). Everyone was cheered on and applauded, having nothing to do with talent (though I will say that the majority of the singers were pretty good). The sound system was great – you could hear both the music and the singer over the crowd, and the vocals were mixed well.
The bar staff was very, very pleasant and attentive, which was nice to see. The drinks were pretty low grade, which is not terribly unexpected. I ordered a girly shot (kamikazi) at one point and it came in a practically thimble-sized container and tasted mostly of sour mix. It was gross and cost $7. I would say stick to beer or the unmixed drinks, where you are guaranteed to get some alchohol for your $$.
The whole crowd was exceptionally friendly (people who didn’t know each other were buying drinks for others in recognition of a job well done, etc.). I definitely recommend this place if you want to feel loved while giving it your all with the microphone. I will be returning and often.
Oh, and we never made our 10:30 PM reservation. The place was just too fun to leave.
Tags: bar, boho, karaoke, manhattan, nightlife, singing, west village
