Photo by Guillaume Raberin
Audio By Carbonatix
Karaoke, which translates to “empty orchestra” from Japanese, has evolved over the years. With everyone having a smartphone with internet access in their pockets, we can now find lyric videos of just about any popular song in our imagination that we can belt along to. But still, it isn’t nearly as fun as doing karaoke the old-fashioned way, in a public setting. A bar or lounge where the alcohol is flowing, the song selection is more limited but points you towards unexpected songs, and most importantly, the chance to perform in front of strangers is the only real way to do karaoke. And so New Times presents to you the best places in South Florida to sing karaoke.
Sweet Caroline Karaoke Bar
1111 SW 1st Ave, Suite 107, Miami
786-673-2522
2445 N. Miami Avenue, Miami
305-990-8305
sweetcarolinebar.com
Named after a karaoke favorite by Neil Diamond, Sweet Caroline has two South Florida locations, one in Brickell open seven nights a week at 6 pm, and one in Wynwood, open Wednesday through Saturday nights at 7 pm.
Their website differentiates the two locations with Wynwood, “designed for photo ops & group nights out,” while Brickell is “great for bachelorettes, parties, and corporate events”. The Brickell location also offers a nightly happy hour from 6-8 with $3 beers and $7 specialty cocktails to social lubricate you before grabbing the mic.
Seven Seas
2200 SW 57th Ave., Miami
305-266-6071
instagram.com/sevenseasbar
The cash-only bar takes its dive status seriously, just as it does its karaoke. For decades, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday night at 10 pm was dedicated to patrons singing their hearts out.
The bar is open every other night of the week to watch games, shoot pool, or hang out, but karaoke only happens Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. If you want a head start, you can browse their song catalog at karaokemiami.com.
Tokyo Club
1000 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
786-728-9318
tokyoclubsouthbeach.com
Tokyo Club is reminiscent of how karaoke in Miami was when it first gained popularity here in the 1990s. It is an active part of the Japanese-themed restaurant, which is just as integral to the menu as the sushi and the sake. You’re going to get to know the singing voices of the people at your neighboring tables, as karaoke takes an immersive center stage each and every night from 5 pm to midnight.
Plugin Karaoke
801 Silks Run, Ste. 2597, Hallandale Beach
844-475-8446
pluginkaraoke.com
If you’re feeling the need to get out but don’t want to karaoke in front of strangers, it might be worth taking the drive to Gulfstream Park, at the Broward County border. Plugin Karaoke offers plenty of private rooms where you can take chances on your singing range in a way you might not feel comfortable inflicting on others. For those without shame, there’s also a main room where you can treat or torture innocent bystanders with your karaoke talents.
GD Lounge
300 S. Biscayne Blvd., Unit C-202B, Miami
305-249-1222
gdmiami.com
This downtown lounge is only open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 9 p.m., but on those nights, it offers a karaoke room that accommodates up to 40 aspiring singers. They offer twenty thousand songs in multiple languages and even backup singers at your disposal. Fancy!
Let’s Sang at Gramps
176 NW 24th St., Miami
instagram.com/letssang
You won’t have much longer to take part in this Monday night Wynwood karaoke institution, as Gramps is set to close down at the beginning of 2026. But while you can head there every Monday at 9 p.m. for what they’ve long billed as “karaoke for music nerds.” Hopefully, the Let’s Sang tradition will continue at Gramps Getaway on Virginia Key.
