Karaoke Box

Soho

Karaoke Box in Soho has recently relaunched, one of a chain of three London-wide karaoke bars, and naturally, we went along to check it out.

The bar, which has six rooms, is well appointed, if a little small. Each room varies in capacity, holding between 5 and 12 people depending on the size of your party. The room we were in seated eight (at a push) and was comfortable with a modern, if simplistic décor. The system for queueing up songs was easy and intuitive to use and the selection was more than adequate.

The bar itself had a nice atmosphere and the friendly bar staff were very capable. They did well to produce one of the nicest mojitos we have tasted. The rest of the staff were pleasant and courteous, even showing us a bit of leniency when it was time for the bar to shut. The main difference between Karaoke Box and its major competitor seems to be the price. Where similar venues can cost upwards of £10 an hour per person (excluding refreshments), the Karaoke Box website tells us that if you filled a room you wouldn't ever pay more than £7 an hour each, even at peak times.

Whilst you might sacrifice a little in choice of songs (there were some missing from the list that were available at some competitors) the cost-effectiveness will appeal to those on a budget, and it's well worth the small sacrifice. One thing's for sure, you won't struggle to make the most of the place and only the most hardened sourpuss will manage to resist a good sing-song by the end of the night. Highly recommended.

Branches in Soho, Mayfair and Smithfields