The 12 Best Karaoke Spots in Dallas

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who love karaoke and those who are afraid to have fun. The go-to pastime of inebriated bachelorette parties, high school choir singers whose careers never took off and Japanese businessmen is what dreams, including nightmares, are made of. There are few places where it’s socially acceptable to get absolutely hammered and attempt to hit the high note in the final chorus of Prince’s “Kiss,” on a microphone no less.

And because this is Dallas, you might stumble upon a pop princess at a karaoke bar. In 2024, Kacey Musgraves (or, rather, her Bianca Valentine alias) stopped by a beloved gay bar on this list to offer an intimate, once-in-a-lifetime performance.

But whether you’re a vocal pro or a novice, the power of song can soothe almost any emotional ailment, even more so when you’re with friends, loved ones and coworkers who are about to be acutely aware of your vocal range. Dallas has some of the best karaoke spots in the city, and even better, some of the best performers. Here are some of our favorite spots:

Alexandre’s
4026 Cedar Springs Road (Oak Lawn)
Drag queens make everything more fun, karaoke included. Every Sunday from 9 p.m. to midnight, Alexandre’s on the Cedar Springs Strip hosts “Cher-e-oke” with renowned Cher impersonator Wayne Smith. Bonus points if you know the entire number for Wagon Wheel Watusi.

Charlie’s Star Lounge
4319 Main St. (Old East Dallas)
Charlie’s Star Lounge might be the most famous karaoke bar in the city that isn’t fully dedicated to the activity. The venue, which converts into a karaoke room on Fridays, has a regular cast of patrons of varying skill levels. The drinks are cheap, which is good, because the more you’ve had, the better everyone will sound.

Barbara’s Pavilion
325 Centre St. (Oak Cliff)
Barbara’s Pavilion is one of the oldest LGBTQ+ bars in Dallas. Tucked into a discreet street in Oak Cliff, the bar hosts frequent karaoke nights, by frequent we mean every Thursday, Sunday and every other Saturday. It’s a true dive bar with a little rainbow and a whole lot of singing.

The Goat
7248 Gaston Ave. (Lakewood)
Lakewood isn’t exactly the quiet, manicured suburban enclave everyone assumes it is. At least not on Wednesdays and Sundays, when one of the best dive bars in Dallas dedicates its corner stage to karaoke. If you need all the liquid courage you can get, the bar famously opens at 7 a.m. every day but Sunday, when it opens at noon.

Liquid Zoo
2506 Knight St. (Oak Lawn)
The star power can be felt throughout this queer- and trans-friendly dive bar, and even more so on the aforementioned Cher-E-Oke nights, because you can never have enough Cher.

One Nostalgia Tavern
6521 Abrams Road (Lake Highlands)
One Nostalgia Tavern (also known as “one nasty,” if you’re nasty) has served as one of Dallas’ most popular karaoke joints for nearly five decades. The movie This World Won’t Break and the show Cruel Summer both filmed scenes in the tavern, so if not for the music, go for the historical relevance.

Mac Karaoke
3525 Royal Lane, Suite 311B (Northwest Dallas)
At Mac Karaoke, an Asian-themed karaoke lounge, you and your closest friends can rent a private room and choose from a selection of thousands of songs: Today’s Top 40 hits, Korean and Japanese earworms and deep album cuts you won’t be able to sing along with anywhere else. If you’re too drunk to remember your performance, Mac Karaoke will send you home with an audio recording, so you’ll never forget it – or live it down.

The Round Up Bar and Saloon
3912 Cedar Springs Road (Oak Lawn)
The Round Up is a favorite of music icons Robyn, Charli XCX and Lady Gaga. And every night of the week, you too can feel like a legend on the bar’s karaoke stage. But you may want to wait until 10 or 11 p.m. to sign up – that’s around the time everyone starts feeling drunk enough to tip karaoke singers.

Twilite Lounge
2640 Elm St. (Deep Ellum)
This Deep Ellum venue offers a permanent stage for singers – those by trade or by acts of liquid courage. So grab a gin and tonic and pour your heart into that Amy Winehouse cover. Who knows? Dallas’ own loop daddy, Marc Rebillet, was known for appearing at Twilite before he traded Big D for the Big Apple.

Uptown Pub
3605 McKinney Ave. (West Village)
Whether you’re catching the big game or singing karaoke on the patio, Sundays are better at Uptown Pub. One of the last true dives in uptown, the Pub serves an eclectic mix of guests and an even more eclectic selection of song offerings. Their sound system is so loud, you can hear singers belting all the way from Whole Foods on McKinney. Talk about star power.

Single Wide
2110 Greenville Ave. (Lower Greenville)
Keep it trashy and just a little bit nasty at Single Wide, our favorite trailer-park themed bar on Lower Greenville. The energy from the crowd mimics that of the best rock concert you’ve ever been to.

City Night KTV Karaoke Bar & Café
2528 Old Denton Rd #150 (Carrollton)
Sure, you’ll have to make the trek to the furthest limits of “far North Dallas,” but this one makes it worth it, especially if you’re in a group. When you step into the neon-lit bar, it’s the closest you’re going to get to an authentic Japanese karaoke experience in Dallas. There are 20 rooms to choose from for reservations, each with varying prices and themes inspired by cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, and, of course, Tokyo. A server is assigned to each room, too, so you don’t have to pause your cover of “Don’t Stop Believin” (dying cat version) for a trip to the bar.