It isn’t hard to find Karaoke in New York City if you know where to look, and Algin residents tend to live near spots that have quietly anchored their neighborhoods’ late-night social scenes for years. The vibe varies by neighborhood: private rooms in Koreatown, live piano in Chelsea, dive bar simplicity on the Upper East Side. 

Iggy’s Karaoke Bar (1452 Second Avenue) has occupied the same Second Avenue corner since 1995, and its appeal is straightforward: it’s open every night until 4 a.m., the song library is extensive, and the format is welcoming.The front half of the space functions as a sports bar — wooden fixtures, neon beer signs, flat screens showing whatever game is on. The back half is where the karaoke happens: a small stage area, a solid sound system, and seating arranged so everyone faces whoever’s at the mic. The crowd reflects the neighborhood, with a mix of longtime Upper East Siders and newer arrivals, medical professionals from the nearby hospitals, and groups celebrating birthdays or blowing off steam after work. People cheer for strangers, the bartenders know the regulars, and the energy stays high without tipping into chaos. Residents of 330 East 85th Street and The Pearl (400 East 66th Street) are close enough that Iggy’s functions as the neighborhood’s de facto karaoke option rather than a destination requiring planning.

Karaoke City (22 W 32nd Street) sits a few blocks west of Murray Park (120 E 34th Street) and Laurence Towers (200 E 33rd Street), on the seventh floor above one of Koreatown’s busier Korean BBQ restaurants. The setup is massive by New York karaoke standards: private rooms that range from five-person booths to party halls that fit eighty, all with their own sound systems, wall screens, and bar service that delivers directly to the door. The private-room model is the key differentiator here — groups get full control over song selection, volume, and who else is in the room, which appeals to office teams, birthday parties, and anyone who doesn’t want to perform in front of strangers. Hours stretch from early afternoon to 4 a.m., perfect for post-work sessions or late-night singalongs. Some rooms are bright and modern, others darker with neon lighting, but all come with mics, tambourines, and sound systems that can handle both quiet singing and full-volume group performances.

Sid Gold’s Request Room (165 W 26th Street) replaces the karaoke backing track with a live pianist who sits center stage to accompany whoever’s singing. The pianist harmonizes, adjusts tempo, and fills gaps — turning each performance into a duet, rather than a solo act. It’s been the venue’s signature feature since 2015, when Joe McGinty (keyboardist, formerly of the Psychedelic Furs) and Paul Devitt (Beauty Bar founder) opened the space with that format as the centerpiece. The layout splits into two zones: a front bar with cocktails and lounge seating, and a back room behind a curtain where the piano sits and the singing happens. The back room has booth seating wrapped around the piano, dim lighting, vintage drapes, and chandeliers — design cues that lean mid-century lounge rather than contemporary bar. Song requests span genres — rock, soul, indie, pop — and the live piano makes even familiar tracks feel different because the arrangements shift depending on who’s playing and who’s singing. The drink menu boasts craft cocktails (Hemingway Daiquiris, signature mixes) rather than beer-and-a-shot basics, and the bar quality holds up.

The right karaoke spot is the one you can visit after dinner without checking the subway map, and Algin’s buildings sit near venues that have been running nightly queues and private rooms for years. Algin’s impressive offering of No-Fee Apartments in NYC are located accordingly. Schedule a tour today.