Recommendations

A tiny karaoke bar packing a bold ’80s aesthetic.

Guide: Hipster (Isabella)
Location: East Village

Strengths

• Whether you’re too bombed to stand up or suffering from stage fright, cordless mikes give you no excuse to avoid singing.
• Your drunken photos will come out great thanks to blood-red walls and zebra-stripe upholstery.
• The neon-lit bar and red-afro’d mannequin transport you to another planet, where, it just so happens, society accepts people’s need to express their inner Mariahs.
• Planet Rose’s stellar, ever-expanding karaoke songbook even includes a long list of showtunes, but luckily you're with a crowd that'll always choose "Pour Some Sugar on Me" over "Just a Spoonful of Sugar".

Shortcomings

• It’s a small place with lots of regulars, so crowds are inevitable. Just take another shot and you won’t mind.

Insider tips

• Want to see another side of your coworkers? Take them here! You’ll get enough juice to quench your thirst for office gossip for the next few days. It's also a fun place for bachelor parties and birthdays.
• Arrive before 10pm or you’ll wait for your song to come on.
• Get lucky on a Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday, and hottie bartender Johnny O might duet with ya.

Anecdotes

Part of the reason why I'm such a fan of Big Rose is Missy, who works the bar on Thursday and Saturdays, will blow fire from her mouth to keep the crowd going full-blast. I always ask for her specialty - a flaming shot - to go with my "We Didn't Start The Fire" cover. What fun is karaoke without that extra cheese factor?