The karaoke etiquette in London is as follows.  In a pub, in front of many people, pick a lively, happy song.  Anything by Bon Jovi is fine.  Anything by Celine Dion should either be skipped altogether or only done at the very end of the night by a fabulous singer who can move everyone to tears by belting out the Titanic theme tune.  Don’t hog the microphone – no one likes that.  

In a private booth the etiquette is even more important, though more subtle.  Everyone gets so excited about their favourite songs that they tend to compile a massive list, which means you might never get your song.  Don’t be that person.  On the other hand, if you must delete someone else’s song choices to make room for everyone else then pick ones from the bottom of the waiting-list, so that by the time you would have got there the person who chose it will have forgotten all about it.  Then try and keep them away from the song book.  Again, don’t hog the microphone.  And be careful when ordering drinks – there’s nothing so sobering as being presented with a humongous bill that you weren’t aware was accumulating.  Most importantly, don’t annoy the staff by refusing to leave and needing to be dragged away from the booth.  It happens more often than you’d think. Anyway, here are some karaoke options in London:

Private Karaoke
Are you familiar with private karaoke bars?  It’s quite a phenomenon – you and your mates pile into a room with comfortable seats and a big screen, get handed a book of song choices and a few microphones, and from there you all sing your hearts out.  You pay by the hour, and it’s a highly addictive form of fun – it’s amazing how many songs will jump into your head that you absolutely can’t leave without singing.  It’s probably the nicest, least terrifying form of karaoke and it’s amazing for bonding.  Many private karaoke places offer a drinks service, too, delivered to your booth.  

Karaoke Box – 12 Smithfield Street, London EC1A 9LA
This is pretty much the crème de la crème of London karaoke.  Highly swanky and often booked up, the Karaoke Box has over 8000 songs to choose from and a massive food and drink menu.  The prices vary massively from £20 per hour off-peak for a room that holds four all the way up to £120 per hour during peak times for a room that holds 40. They also have a much smaller Soho branch, if East London is a bit too far for you.

The Old School Yard – 111 Long Lane, London Bridge, SE1 4PH
This place is a favourite in London Bridge, and they’ve set up a few private karaoke rooms in their basement.  They have quite a large minimum spend – £250 for a Friday or Saturday night – but the rooms hold up to 15 and they’re yours for at least three hours. Otherwise, the bar upstairs is good too.

Pub Karaoke Nights
The Birdcage – 80 Columbia Road, Bethnal Green, London E2 7QB
Bizarre place; a mix of old locals and young ‘uns, but the karaoke here is great and the atmosphere fantastic.  You can easily make an idiot of yourself here without worrying about it, and a pint is about £3 which is pretty good for the area.  There are also costumes and a dart board – knock yourself out!

The Dolphin – 165 Mare Street, London E8 3RH
Out east, near Victoria Park, is the Dolphin, and Friday night is karaoke night.  It’s a grimy, arty place, full of interesting weirdos, and not somewhere to touch the walls if possible.  But it has a great atmosphere and the karaoke is a hilariously drunken experience.