The 10 best karaoke bars in Chicago

Karaoke in Chicago runs on two tracks. One is the private room, rented by the hour for a birthday or an office night, mostly in Chinatown, West Ridge and Lincoln Square. The other is the open stage, where a host works through a sign-up list and strangers clap for whoever steps up. This list ranks 10 places across Chicago in both formats, including one River North bar with live-band nights, for party planners and solo singers looking for a regular stage.

The ranking leans toward places that run karaoke most nights and post their rules. Louie’s Pub and Sidekick’s post free karaoke, and Trader Todd’s adds a $5 cover after 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Private rooms start at $15 an hour on a Thursday at Green Light and reach $250 an hour for the biggest room at King KTV, before food, drinks and service fees.

How we chose

The order rests on four karaoke guides published or updated in 2025: Time Out Chicago (December), The Infatuation (May), Do312 (August) and City Cast Chicago (September). Places named by all four rank first, then places named by three, then two. Inside each group, more karaoke nights per week, as the business posts them, ranks higher. Any tie left after that follows the order of Time Out’s December list, or The Infatuation’s list for places Time Out left out. Schedules, room rates and booking rules come from each business’s own site where one exists, checked October 19, 2026.

Hours and prices below come from each business and change without notice. Call ahead if you are making a special trip.

Lincoln Karaoke

Private rooms are the whole business at Lincoln Karaoke, a room-rental spot on Lincoln Avenue just south of Bryn Mawr Avenue; the FAQ says plainly that there is no open stage. Small rooms hold up to six people for $30 an hour, medium rooms take seven to 14, and large rooms fit 15 to 30 for $40 to $50 an hour. All four 2025 guides named Lincoln Karaoke, and the rooms run seven nights a week, which puts the place first. WBEZ’s Susie An told City Cast Chicago the system finds songs “like a YouTube search.” Book about two weeks out for a Friday or Saturday, since the site says weekend walk-ins are not guaranteed a room.

Hours: Sun-Fri 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Sat 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Address: 5526 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625

Why they made the list

• From 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, room rates drop by half for groups that arrive by 7 p.m., though the deal does not apply on weekends or holidays.
• Weekend bookings carry a $15-per-person minimum on food and drinks, and small and medium rooms need at least two hours while large rooms need three.
• Lincoln Karaoke is strictly 21 and over, and no outside food or drinks are allowed apart from a birthday or special-occasion cake.
• A few parking spaces sit in the alley behind the building, and the site warns that cars left in neighboring business lots will be towed.

See the full directory listing

Trader Todd’s

On Sheffield Avenue at Belmont Avenue, the tiki bar Trader Todd’s runs karaoke from open to close every night the doors are open, which right now means Tuesday through Sunday. On weekends and select Thursdays a second stage opens in back, so two sign-up lists move at once. The song book holds more than 30,000 tracks, and singers queue requests online with the venue number posted for each stage. All four 2025 guides named the bar, and the Monday closure leaves Trader Todd’s one night short of Lincoln Karaoke, good for second. Ask for one song at a time; the site warns that stacked requests may get deleted.

Hours: Tue 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Wed-Fri 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Sat 2 p.m. to 3 a.m.; Sun 3 p.m. to 2 a.m.; closed Mon

Address: 3216 N Sheffield Ave, Chicago, IL 60657

Why they made the list

• A $5 cover applies from 9 p.m. to close on Fridays and Saturdays, with no cover on weeknights or earlier on weekends.
• Credit card payments carry a 4% merchant fee.
• The chef placed in the top 20 at the Las Vegas World Pizza Games, according to the bar, and party packages include a pizza, pasta and salad buffet.

See the full directory listing

Louie’s Pub

Gene and Connie Gloria opened Louie’s Pub on North Avenue in 1987 and named the bar after their son, Louie. Karaoke is free from 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and the karaoke jockeys sing backup and take requests. A digital system downloads a requested song on the spot, and wireless microphones let singers work the room. All four 2025 guides listed Louie’s, and City Cast Chicago called the mix of regulars and big groups the best karaoke crowd in the city. Six karaoke nights and Time Out’s order place the pub third. The Infatuation reports a line on weekend nights, so get there early on a Friday.

Hours: Tue-Sun 4 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.; closed Mon

Address: 1659 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Why they made the list

• Louie’s Pub marked a 25th anniversary in November 2012, according to the history page on the pub’s site.
• The pub sits at North Avenue and Paulina Street, on the Wicker Park side of the street.
• The Infatuation describes the song selection as heavy on Frank Sinatra.
• Free popcorn comes with the wait, a perk Time Out Chicago also noted in December 2025.

See the full directory listing

Alice’s Lounge

Time Out Chicago put Alice’s Lounge first in a December 2025 roundup of karaoke bars, and the Avondale lounge runs karaoke seven nights a week, starting at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, per Time Out. Alice Boron opened the bar in 1986, and new owners bought the place from her family in October 2022, WhatNow Chicago reported. The Infatuation noted that the room is darker now and the old pool table is gone. Three of the four 2025 guides named Alice’s, and nightly karaoke plus the top spot on Time Out’s list put the bar first among them. Time Out warns that a full list can mean one song per singer.

Hours: Check current hours before you go.

Address: 3556 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Why they made the list

• The bar is on Belmont Avenue at Central Park Avenue.
• The 2022 buyers, Jeremy Schnitker and Zachary Fox, planned to keep the wood paneling and the original staff, according to WhatNow Chicago.
• Do312 lists a 4 a.m. liquor license, later than most bars on this list.
• Alice’s has no website, and the bar posts updates on Instagram instead.

See the full directory listing

Sakura Karaoke Bar

In a lower-level space on Cermak Road, Sakura Karaoke Bar runs both formats under one roof: eight private rooms plus a main stage, a dance floor and two bars. Small rooms hold eight for $55 an hour Sunday through Thursday and $80 on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays. The VIP2 suite fits 25, with a private restroom and a projection screen, for $175 to $220 an hour. The library tops 100,000 songs, and Time Out points to pop from China, Korea and Japan. Three 2025 guides named Sakura, and Time Out’s order puts the bar just behind Alice’s. Rooms need a two-hour minimum and a $50 or $100 deposit.

Hours: Sun-Fri 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Sat 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Address: 234 W Cermak Rd, Lower Level, Chicago, IL 60616

Why they made the list

• Sakura validates parking at the Chinatown lots at Cermak Road and Wentworth Avenue or Archer and Wentworth avenues, at $3 for up to four hours.
• Guests ages 15 to 20 may book private rooms only and must leave by 10 p.m., and anyone under 18 needs a legal guardian along.
• A 20% service fee applies to every private room and to main-lobby parties of four or more, and card payments add 3%.
• Deposits are nonrefundable, but a change made at least 24 hours ahead earns a store credit good for 30 days.

See the full directory listing

Brando’s Speakeasy

Karaoke at Brando’s Speakeasy runs on demand, with no fixed start time and a library of more than 300,000 songs; staff will look up and download a track that is missing. The Loop bar on Dearborn Street dates to 2007, according to the bar’s site, and a second Brando’s operates in Lincoln Park. City Cast Chicago named the Loop location the best late-night karaoke in town in 2025, and three of the four guides listed Brando’s. Time Out’s order puts the bar sixth. Anyone who would rather talk than sing can take a seat in the East Room, a cocktail lounge open seven days a week.

Hours: Mon-Fri 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Sat 5 p.m. to 3 a.m.; Sun 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Address: 343 S Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60604

Why they made the list

• Happy hour runs 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• Daily specials include $4 PBR and $6 margaritas on Sundays and $8 Tito’s martinis on Tuesdays.
• Private rooms at both Brando’s locations hold more than 100 guests for company parties, with karaoke optional.
• The bar sits between Van Buren Street and Jackson Boulevard, a short walk from the Jackson stations on the Blue and Red lines.

See the full directory listing

Sidekick’s

Out on Montrose Avenue between Kostner and Kenneth avenues, Sidekick’s is a darts-and-karaoke bar with a raised stage and a big dance floor. Karaoke starts at 8 p.m. seven days a week with no cover, and parking is free. Three 2025 guides named Sidekick’s, and Time Out’s order places the bar seventh. The Infatuation notes that the song catalog lives in an app and that the bar takes cash only, so charge the phone and stop at an ATM first. The kitchen covers appetizers, pizza, hot and cold sandwiches and Chicago-style hot dogs.

Hours: Mon-Fri 2 p.m. to 4 a.m.; Sat noon to 5 a.m.; Sun noon to 4 a.m.

Address: 4424 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60641

Why they made the list

• The Montrose station on the Blue Line and the 78 Montrose bus serve the block, per Time Out Chicago.
• Time Out Chicago’s December 2025 roundup notes the 1980s-style decor and the dartboards.
• Party bookings go through (773) 545-6212.

See the full directory listing

Green Light Pub & Karaoke

Thursday brings the lowest posted room rates in this guide at Green Light Pub & Karaoke, a two-level Korean pub on Peterson Avenue in West Ridge that has run since 2018. On Thursdays rooms cost $15 an hour for up to six people, $20 for up to 12 and $30 for up to 20, rising to $30, $45 and $55 on Saturdays. The kitchen sends out Korean fried chicken, kimchi fries, tteokbokki and kimchi fried rice. Three 2025 guides listed Green Light, but the rooms open only Thursday through Saturday, which places the pub behind the nightly spots. Ask about the birthday special when booking, since the pub needs advance notice.

Hours: Thu 6 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Fri-Sat 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.; closed Sun-Wed

Address: 2519 W Peterson Ave, Chicago, IL 60659

Why they made the list

• Birthday groups choose between $20 or $30 off a bottle or a lower room rate once the bill passes $200.
• A reservation counts only after a confirmation email arrives, and the site suggests checking spam folders if nothing shows up within two days.
• Bookings also go by text to (773) 654-9310 or by phone during business hours.

See the full directory listing

King KTV

Twelve private rooms fill the second floor of King KTV on Wentworth Avenue, along with a cocktail bar and a lounge. A room for up to six costs $60 an hour Monday through Thursday and $80 Friday through Sunday, and the Throne Room takes up to 30 people for $200 to $250 an hour. The Infatuation wrote that “the room setup is what makes this a premium karaoke experience,” citing adjustable lighting, YouTube song search and private bathrooms in some rooms. King KTV appeared in two of the four 2025 guides and opens every night, which ranks the lounge ninth. The kitchen menu runs to KTV Wings and a Chicago Quesabirra.

Hours: Sun-Fri 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Sat 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Address: 2002 S Wentworth Ave, Floor 2, Chicago, IL 60616

Why they made the list

• A deposit equal to one hour is due at booking, rooms carry a two-hour minimum, and a 20% service fee is added to the final bill.
• Guests must be 21 or older with valid ID, bags are searched at the door, and bringing outside alcohol means a $225 open-bottle fee.
• The dress code rules out backward hats, hoods, slides and pajama pants.
• Late arrivals get a 10-minute grace period before the booking is canceled and the deposit is lost.

See the full directory listing

Mom’s Place

Of the 10 places here, Mom’s Place is the one with live-band karaoke. The Infatuation’s karaoke guide, updated in May 2025, says a three-piece band backs singers on Monday and Tuesday nights, playing from a set song list or learning a request on the spot, with regular karaoke on weekends. The River North bar on Dearborn Street now advertises karaoke seven days a week on the events page. Two of the four 2025 guides named Mom’s Place, and The Infatuation’s order puts the bar just behind King KTV. Check the bar’s social accounts for the current band schedule before planning a Monday or Tuesday.

Hours: Mon-Thu 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Fri noon to 2 a.m.; Sat noon to 3 a.m.; Sun noon to 2 a.m.

Address: 650 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60654

Why they made the list

• The bar has three separate bars, and any of them can be booked for a private event through the contact form or by email.
• The Infatuation pointed to the Lazy Mom’s Breakfast, a hot toddy made with Fireball and served with a donut hole.
• The downstairs bar draws a calmer crowd than the main floor, according to The Infatuation.
• Do312’s August 2025 guide listed karaoke five nights a week, so confirm the night before going.

See the full directory listing

Also worth knowing

Country fans should watch the calendar at Carol’s Pub, an Uptown honky-tonk on Clark Street established in 1972. Pop-up karaoke lands on alternating Tuesdays, according to the bar’s site, between weekend shows by country bands.

In Logan Square, Cafe Mustache is a coffee shop by day and a 21-and-over bar at night. Karaoke runs Fridays at 10 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 8 p.m., according to the cafe’s site.

See a place we missed or a detail that has changed? Send us a correction.