The 13 best Austin karaoke bars

The Highball is part of the Alamo Drafthouse family—so the fun is guaranteed. Expect various recurring theme nights (Motown Monday, for example) at the main bar and themed rooms for karaoke. With seven different rooms that range in theme, size and price, patrons have a variety of options to choose from, all including personal servers that will bring drinks and snacks to the room. We do, however, suggest calling in advance if planning to stop by during the weekend.

Part gay bar, bar sports bar and part outrageous karaoke lounge, Iron Bear is simply glorious. Attend Bearaoke on Wednesdays and Saturdays, both days featuring killer drink specials that will provide you with the liquid courage you need to make a grand musical appearance.

Everyone's a star at Ego's Bar. What once was a quiet basement bar has turned into a super social spot ideal for anyone who wants a turn on the mic. Dim lighting, cheap drinks, chairs that roll, an excellent song list and rotating DJs make this a karaoke favorite. Although the karaoke sessions begin at 8pm every night, feel free to stop by earlier to enjoy trivia, happy hour deals and more.

The venue's downtown location turns into a karaoke lounge every Thursday through Saturday. Have some shrimp and honey walnuts with a side of Shakira at this casual karaoke den with an extensive song list. Expect family style food portions that are served until late at night.

If you find yourself in Pflugerville Tuesdays through Saturdays searching for some songs to sing, head to Red Rooster's. Cocktails, shots and food specials every night include a pizza-and-a-pint combo for $9 until 9pm. Also expect bar bingo, bar games and a multicolor LED dance floor.

The Common Interest stepped up its game a couple of years ago by adding private karaoke rooms. In addition to the seven nights of on-stage karaoke, select one of seven large private spaces that fit up to 50 people each. Find wireless mics, video screens and a karaoke console for scheduling in each room—but make sure to make a reservation in advance.

This is the most popular private karaoke spot in Austin, mostly due to its late night availability. Sunday through Thursday, the venue is open until 4am. Friday and Saturday, you’ll be able to sing your heart out until 5am in the morning. The BYO spot boasts nine private rooms that range in capacity but are all guaranteed to host lots of fun.

Karaoke, pool and stiff drinks are the name of the game here. Pick from over 20,000 songs at this strip mall venue, which happens to be pretty low-key on weeknights. Expect slightly longer times to get your hands on a mic during weekends. 

DK Sushi is something of a legend around town. There are two locations now—North and South—and they both have a reputation for a crazy-fun atmosphere. The sushi holds its own, but the raucous and raunchy karaoke nights are kind of a big deal. DK himself leads the singing and the sake bombs and is known for being the most outrageous one on the mic.

Saturday night’s alright for singing at Pacific Rim. What’s normally a sushi/yakitori restaurant transforms into a full-crowd participation karaoke event. With happy hour deals running all day every day, food and drinks are relatively inexpensive. May we suggest the $29 all-you-care-to-eat on Saturdays?

This north Austin dive bar is exactly what you'd expect it to be: stiff drinks, "gourmet" food, pool, arcade games, mismatched furniture and an overall laid back atmosphere. With a spacious enough venue to accommodate a large amount of guests, expect a big audience for your performance. Karaoke runs Fridays through Sundays, but you might want to stop by and scope the scene on Wednesday Steak Night.

Lodged between a Mexican restaurant and a Korean one, Hi Tunes is certainly defined by the difficult-to-decipher remote controls and the dramatically weird videos playing in the background while you're singing. With a song list featuring English, Korean, Chinese and Japanese songs, you're sure to witness some pretty interesting performances while here. With only three rooms that vary in size and price, reservations are highly recommended. Bring your own food and beverages but be sure to have only overage guests in tow if alcohol is present.