To sum it up succinctly: this place has character. I came on a Friday night early (8:30ish) to stake out an area for my group of 10 and looks like other people already had my idea since all the couches were taken. The bartenders are cute older Asians that look like a couple that have been doing this for years (not sure if it's true but this is a story I have fabricated in my head). It's not as big as I originally envisioned it (it's actually not big at all). It consists of a bar with some bar seating, a few raised tables, a few regular tables and couch/lounge seating around a part of the perimeter all with a good angle to see the stage. Drink prices are decent, I think mine were around $7 for cocktails. Karaoke is $1/song that they put on a card for you that you scan at the machines near the KJ (Karaoke Jockey) and the stage and it's programmed to distribute songs depending on rounds and who's sung less (first-timers get heightened priority). The booklets are a little hard to navigate so you might just want to search or peruse the machines. There's such an eclectic mix of people and none were antagonizing. And people are good! There are a bunch of regulars and it had this really nice and open sense of community. People chime in to the indulgent guilty pleasure songs and dance for the Rock or Spanish songs. There was also eyecandy as some friends and I were eyeing a fun, really drunk (and probably really high) guy all night. The only downside was a buzzkill that happened because of a misunderstanding (which is why I'm not lowering my rating). Later on in the night, the bouncer(?) came and tried to get us to leave the table because of a 2 drink/person minimum to sit at a table. It took a lot of explaining to him (who hadn't even been there when we first got there) to convince him that we had already more than satisfied that. We just drink fast and the waitress was doing her job in cleaning up our table. It actually took my friend to go with him to talk to the bartender to convince him. I'm guessing someone just wanted to sit and complained to him seeing our table was clear. I came as a laundry list of things I wanted to do before moving to NYC but having come here, this is definitely a place I'd want to come back to when I'm back in town. read more

Thanks to Van the Man for setting up this UYE on 03/14/08 http://www.yelp.com/events/san-jose-uye-friday-im-taking-over-seven-bamboo Don't' let the size of the place fool you. This karaoke bar gets packed on a Friday night by the after work peeps in the downtown San Jose area - Japan town to be exact. When we drove by Seven Bamboo I was like... What!!! Is this a strip club in disguise? I didn't see anyone hanging out in the front. No windows. No waiting line. Nothing. So Sab and I found our parking, walked over to the place, and found the UYE Yelp Squad. Van had already positioned his guests and the Yelpers at the reserved table. The song binder was already out and Sha had her song tickets in hand. I thought this was going to be a relaxing Friday evening. I was looking forward to listening to all the Yelpers sing their hearts out until............. Sab L: "What are we going to sing?" Me: "What's this WE? I don't sing! And I'm not going to try either!" So after couple of OB beers I gave into Sab and left her to decide the song. Finally after 45 minutes or so, our time came for Sab and I to perform. God I wish the karaoke machine broke! I had no idea how I was going to do this. So I took a deep breath, zipped up my Elite hoodie, and we rocked it with "California Love" by Dr. Dre and Tupac. Thank God nobody You Tubed this moment! HA! Don't you dare Jer!!! Highlight: We all meet Weide!!! This is his realm! I had no idea that he had so much energy and charisma when it comes to singing. This dude ROCKS!!! Future Yelpers that should be on American Idol Auditions: http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=s3M9vUXbmzCGmSbW-HlzIQ http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=0QyKJygFY_Tk2liAnXe2hQ http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=umBGm4JeW4C4w52ZCTq7-A http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=va2XugPlo3Q_QHW0Ag90vA Perfect to Display your high notes: Yes. Serves Dinner: No. Bar only. You might want to have dinner in Japantown first. How's parking: All street parking. We parked a block away in the residential area. No worries. The community is safe. Perfect for Large Groups: Maybe. Make reservations in advance. I don't sing. Can I still go: Cross your fingers! It's very much a "peer pressure" thing with your buddies. Cover Charge: No. read more

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Best karaoke spot I've ever been to. Such an awesome atmosphere. Fantastic KJs. They open at 7pm and the party lasts all night long. Fridays are phenomenal and we cheer all who get on stage. Come get a drink and sing your heart out! read more

Starting coming here on Wednesday nights. It's definitely the place to be! Place starts to pick up after 9pm. The bartender, Jewels, is smoking hot and she learns your favorite drinks. Karaoke is always a blast, and there is typically a good range of singers - not just all amazing or all *also amazing.* There are booths and high boys to sit at. The place is clean with a slightly dive-y feel. Some people bring in food from the surrounding restaurants to enjoy while there, but people are pretty good at cleaning up after themselves (thankfully!). Love it, and you should, too! read more

If you've seen 7 Bamboo in person, you're probably a bit skeptical. You have to go through the backdoor and it's nothing glorious. It's basically a dive bar karaoke joint, a bit grimey. But give it a chance and stay a while, the vibe here is INCREDIBLE! The crowd realy gets into all the songs. Even if you're terrible, the crowd will back you 100%. They'll clap, whistle, cheer, they'll sing along with you, they'll dance. Everyone seems to be really friendly. Don't worry, you won't get boo-ed off stage, so sing!. Pros: Great vibe, great crowd. There are some great singers who show up. Cons: It gets really packed and the song queue will get very long especially Thursday - Saturday. Parking is a bit difficult. Drinks are on the pricy side. read more

7 Bamboo - Stage - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

Let's be real, if you're here, you're here for the karaoke. And if you're here for the karaoke, you're in good hand I don't know about the food or the drink but this place is always takes care of me when I want to do karaoke (their lines are not long), so I give them a 5 star. read more

Okay folks, here is my (long-overdue) review for 7 Bamboo Karaoke Lounge. First off, there's parking on the street, but there's also parking in a small lot behind the bar (ignore the "Private Property" sign; that only applies to daytime hours). There's also a small lot on 4th Street just southwest of the 'Boo. Try your luck parking in the back lot first since you can only enter the 'Boo in the back (but you can exit in the front when it's time to leave). Have your ID ready, 'cuz you gotta be 21 or older (it is a bar, after all). Once you're in you can grab / save your seat, then (if you or someone in your group plans on singing) you head on over to the bar and ask one of the bartenders for a "Song Keyfob" - it's a small blue chip with small black numbers on it that you can attach to your key chain. The cost: $2 with $1 song credit. To those of you who still have the old song card - you can ask them to transfer whatever $$ you have left on the card onto the keyfob. Then you head on over to the kiosks and scan your keyfob on the black pad at the bottom of the screen. Follow the (touch screen) instructions and get your pic taken on the webcam (your pic will be displayed on the wall when you sing - more on that later). Then you'll be asked to create a 4-digit pin and enter a Screen Name (you'll need to remember your pin# - you'll be asked for it whenever you want to sing). Once you've entered all of your info you can search for a song. My wife and I have been to several Karaoke bars all over the Bay Area and 7 Bamboo has BY FAR the best song selection. They just implicated a new system where if they don't have the song you want but is available you can download it (it costs on average $2.49 but you get a $1 credit). Takes about 60 seconds (or less) to download a new song. Then the new song stays in the system for next time. You can also "bribe" yourself up on the list, starting at $0.29 per slot (the price goes up the more slots you want to advance). The list of singers / songs is prominently displayed on the wall via screen projection (with song titles and times), so you can see exactly what people will be singing, and (more importantly) when you'll be singing next. This is my favorite Karaoke bar, no others come close. NOTE: I give a review of 4 stars (instead of 5) for one reason and one reason only. Unfortunately, every time we go there, people smoke RIGHT NEXT TO the back door (as opposed to 20 feet away), so the (second-hand) smoke drifts into the bar and makes it seem like they're smoking right next to you. And for non-smokers like my wife and myself this is a big drawback (and has resulted in our early departure on more than one occasion). One suggestion would be for the owners to install a fan (pointing downwards) right above the back door... read more

Very cool, 7 DAY A WEEK, karaoke bar. I LOVE karaoke, and this place loves it too. Karaoke starts at 7pm every night. Great selection of spirits and a fair selection of brew. If you're trying to sing, Sundays through Wednesdays are your best bet. Trying to get the crowd hyped with your lyrical prowess? Thursday through Saturday is the time to wow the crowd with your top ten hits! A word of caution..if you request a song, you better be ready to sing. They have NO PATIENCE for absent singers. Request a song = You better be ready to sing when they call your name (or you will be skipped) Great environment, great bartenders and KJs. 5 out of 5 stars, would definitely recommend. read more

I went to this place with some friends and was very surprised by what I saw. The placed looked like a rundown bar in a shack. I was surprised with the size and I had never seen a karaoke bar with a stage outside in front of everyone. At first I was thinking "what did I get myself into?", but I quickly changed my mind. As people started going up, I found myself singing along to their songs and laughing at those who were making fools of themselves (and there were a lot). It was so much fun to have a drink, sing along, and make fun of those who were not very great. I really liked the laid back atmosphere and how people felt comfortable enough to go up there and sing. In the end, I was able to go up there too. I really liked the place and would definitely come back! read more

I've lived in the area for 7 months already but never stopped by this bar. Finally decided to stop by when we had some friends over. Didn't know what to expect but I knew it was a karaoke bar. It was super crowded when we went and there was no room to move. It was hot, stuffy & musky inside. We stayed to watch two people sing and they were all super good. You could tell they were regulars. We were going to get drinks here but decided to bail because it was too hot and uncomfortable inside. Will probably come here earlier next time so I can beat the giant crowd heat. read more

User to be s good spot before it became a hipster spot. Remember when you could sing any songs as long as you put your songs before anyone else did. Now even the KJ sings before you but he always tells you there is no more room for your 2nd or third song. Waited 3 hours to sing my second song. Was charged $70 in my credit card because i left to get some food and came back and they wouldnt refund me my money when i closed my tab. Bar tenders are jerks and they love to sing before any paying customer and they don't care about leaving customers waiting for their drinks. If i could leave 0 stars i would. So consider yourselves lucky you get 1. read more

2nd time in and both were cool vibes. Ever heard of a bar that offers Karaoke 7 nights a week? Now you have. I can see why people like it here. It's laid back and has fun lighting. Definitely a quirky place to frequent. I was relaxed and able to hear some very nice voices. You could tell there are regulars. Love that they offer the Sake I like and also have beer specials. I plan on coming here more often, but not to sing. Just chill, hear a cool rendition of a song and people watch. read more

7 Bamboo - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

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Is the recession finally hitting the 'Boo? A bunch of us came down here for a friend's birthday. It was slightly packed but the crowd was pretty tame (song selections were particularly weak tonight) It was not a busy night at all (normally fridays are crazy). When I left before 11pm, there were still 20+ singing slots still open. I did recognize a few people (random regulars and yelper Weide Z.) Apparently, he and his cowbell and tambourine have been unbanned as long as the singer at the moment approves of his accompaniment. Hmm, props to the girls who had never done Karaoke, that downed sake bombs all night, then got up and sang 'Rapper's Delight'. That isn't at easy feat. Somethings I learned tonight: Don't order water ($1 for tap, $2.50 for bottle) if you haven't ordered alcohol yet. Wow. Or ask someone else in your party who did order alcohol to get you the water (free). Yes, it sucks for someone who doesn't or can't drink. BYOW. Seriously. read more

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Love this place because there always great fun people. NOW this place will be best to bring your friends who like to singsss but they are not good at it. LOL... read more

Cheap drinks and they even sell cheetos for you to munch on! A good place to bring groups in, especially coworkers. Songs are a buck each, and you're on a stage with two mikes (wish there were more to go around), and bright lights. Also, they play your sessions live online, which you'll probably forget as soon as you make a fool of yourself. The place is a hole in a wall place, but you'll have too much fun to care. I loved it when Jason Thinh used to host certain nights, he was the best, and made the experience even more awesome. The crowd is random night by night, and pretty friendly and responsive. You'll find yourself making friends with everyone. read more

Rude security, shitty drinks, small hot area. Don't waste your time. Plenty of other better places to visit in San Jose

The stars aligned and all was right in the world when i walked thru the doors of "the boo". the first time i came was on a thursday night. amazing people!!!! i walked in the door and some hotty was singing Tom Petty and I was in love. The walls decorated for halloween like my 9 year old's class room, but with so much character i couldn't help but love it. After a few stiff drinks, i was singing my heart out and did an impromptu duet with a harmonica player and even a duet with the hotty tom petty singing guy. so much fun. Friday was super busy. the wait for a song was about 30mins, but i didn't even mind because the karaoke stars were so good i didn't feel the need to get up and make a fool of myself. My friend was banging the cow-bell all night long. There was an awesome version of some spanish song sung by weide z! that was my fave! there were bongo solo's and tamberine's a jingling. The energy is off the charts. a million extra stars for the mogo taco truck across the street. soooooo yummmmmmy! Im going to be making myself a regular at both the bar and the truck :) happy camper. read more

7 Bamboo - 7 bamboo in legendary karaoke book. Lolz. - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

Crowded and loud and lots of energy...how a karaoke bar is supposed to be. It's really the only spot in japantown that stays open after 10pm. Def fun and entertaining to watch people sing and laugh at them while catching up with friends. They don't have private karaoke bars here..it's one open room where you watch one person/group sing one at a time. read more

7 Bamboo - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

I updated this review because I went back to give them another chance. I spent another $120 on drinks this time . It took an hour to sing, but it was worth it. Big crowd, big energy. KJ guy was cool this time. I'll be back! read more

Best bag for karaoke in the South Bay! I came here several times before the pandemic, and loved the crowd. Drinks are good, priced about normal. Haven't been back since the inside reopened but I'm looking forward to another night at 7 Bamboo! read more

Located in the heart of Japantown, "the boo" provides entertainment for the bored. If you love to do karaoke, this is a great place for you. They broadcast live on the 'net, so if you have friends outside of the area, they can always watch you perform online and say hi from the chatroom. Even if you don't sing, you are guaranteed a good night of entertainment, especially if Jason, the crazy Asian is hosting the evening. They pour strong drinks so if you plan on drinking, be prepared to have some sort of hangover cure ready. If you want a good seat to see the quality entertainment, arrive early like 9ish because it tends to get packed pretty early. The bartender never returned my change though, but I'm not sure if she thought it was her tip or what. Otherwise, no complaints from me. Helpful, friendly staff. read more

Teeny little place in the middle of Japantown. Can't complain having a karaoke joint close enough to walk to so YAY for that! Was much smaller than I was expecting for some reason. Seats get taken up fairly fast - at least on a Friday night they do. Interesting mix of people there. Fun and diverse. Good singers and bad ... but what else would you expect at a karaoke place in downtown right? :) Looks like the owners are also the bartenders. Went last Friday night and they were working as fast as they could to serve folks and keep track of who was there first. Gotta admit I was a little surprised at the cost of the drinks. $16.00 for two SMALL tequila gimlets. With no name booze - not even the good stuff!! But that is what the bday girl/coworker we were with was drinking.. Even though I am not serious about the karaoke scene - I think if you are the kind of person that is - this place would be disappointing. Its really disorganized when it comes to who gets to sing next and the singers are just drunk and silly. Everyone sings along with everyone else's song (which I like!) but if you were looking for one of those environments where everyone there is singing ballads and respectful of the person on stage - forget about it. read more

Basics: Karaoke starting at 9pm, Tue-Sat. 1$ per song. Buy the 'song slips' at the bar. This place is fun cause it brings a crazy diverse crowd! Well, it was fun on the Wednesday night that I went. When I tried to take a group of friends back the next weekend, it was so crowded you couldn't even get in the door. I was new to the area then so we drove around for an hour or so looking for another karaoke place that served alcohol... now I know private karaoke and alcohol don't mix in San Jose. :( If you know of a place that has both... please pm me with it!! My favorite part of the Wed night was when a 50-something white man got up and sang Baby Got Back! He was pretty good! There were so many fun fun performances though.. the crowd loves it! I ordered a drink which was quite strong (grey goose cranberry) and then paid my 1$ per song to sing a few songs. My main complaint though is that I couldn't hear myself sing, only the artists voice. Acoustics problem... That made it hard to tell if I was singing on or not. On my second song, I just gave up and sang it how I felt it... which is probably funnier to everyone anyway. Haha Oh yeah, there was good scenery for both sides and a wide age range which, is more fun in my opinion! I love to see people have fun! read more

I just wasted 7 hrs of my life at this establishment. I waited 95 hours to get to my song just for a white man(MC Daniel), an employee, to end with the real slim shady by eminem. My friends wasted money at this place and none of us had a good time. It closed over 30 minutes early as well. I was not happy with my stay. read more

This place is awesome!!! Love the atmosphere with the karaoke and the drinks are a great price! The owners are badass and they contribute to the entertainment. Definitely a new favourite spot. read more

7 Bamboo - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

I am here. All. The. Time. Come here. The patrons are friendly! I know that could be a big plus since people are always "too nervous to sing at karaoke". People WILL cheer you on and the kind regulars always sit close to the stage. Songs are $1 and on busy days, you have to act quickly to get a song in if you aren't like me and close down the bar every time. Be warned: It's closed Monday and Sunday. read more

We got here at 8:30 which was the perfect time, yes it was practically empty but the bar was easily accessible and the DJ hadn't yet arrived. We ordered drinks from a very friendly and knowledgeable bartender. Being here early afforded us the opp to pick a great table and seating arrangement. This spot got "poppin" soon after so we were super grateful we arrived early. The crowd is friendly and the dance floor is big enough to dance. The song collection is over 150k and when I requested a song the dj didnt have he said he would add it to his list for next week; can't wait to come back next week. read more

7 Bamboo - This is the stage where dreams are born and die. Make it happen tonight my friends, make it happen. - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

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Cute place, little dingy. I've had fun here a few times, but it's always a bummer because it seems like the same few people sign up for all the karaoke spots at the beginning of the night, so by the time people like me get there (aka people who work till 11 at night/people who are really slow to get out of the house) there's no spots left. That's understandable, the early bird gets the worm and all. The last time I went there it was too crowded, and there was no place to even stand. Plus the bathrooms are disgusting! (I was in a sorority and went to frat parties weekly for years, so I've seen some of the nastiest bathrooms!) Also a bad sign, they always try to tell my friend his tab is like $20-40 extra, and he has to argue him down. Plus one night they gave his credit card to someone else (both were white guys with beards) Luckily we knew they guy, so we called him up and made the switchero. But it's quite the bummer to come to close your tab, only to hear, they already closed it and gave your card to someone else "with a beard." Other downside, it's one of the few boozing places in that part of Japantown, so I think its just too crowded for late-night fun:( read more

Yooooo, I loved it here. First time here a couple of weeks ago. I didn't sing, but everyone was so chill! The DJ is a great singer/rapper. I went on a Monday night and it wasn't packed. The space is small, so I reccomend if you wanna go on a weekend, to go early. Nothing but love for this place read more

Thursday nights!!!!!! My last semester in college, I'd come here with my journalism buds and scream our lungs out. On and off the stage it was a blast! The songs do sell out fast and the selection always seems so small when you see the line up people choose to sing. It's a very small place so don't expect to find a seat if the place is already packed. Drinks are eh, bottled and some on tap. The atmosphere is totally corny with hanging Christmas lights and strange art work, but the bartenders are really cool and the karaoke dude is chill. 7 Bamboo usually closes shop around 1:30a but it's always a good time for sure. If you're looking for something new to do just a few blocks down in Japan town, try this place out. You never know, you might actually like it! Plus, there's no cover charge, so if you discover it's not your thing take a walk back downtown. BONUS!: Mogo BBQ was parked outside of there this past thursday. Yum! read more

It's a shame I don't live in San Jose, but every time I come visit I try to make a stop here. They're music selection is great, drink prices are good, and overall the people are always friendly. They have these awesome light trees in there too, I happen to love those. read more

7 Bamboo - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

I came here a few Saturdays ago for a friend's birthday shindig. They were told by the establishment to come before or around 8pm because it get packed around 9pm. 7 Bamboo Lounge isn't the biggest place; about five booths and a handful of bar top tables. After 10pm it got really packed. That being said, it's an awesome place to sing karaoke. The songlist is pretty eclectic; do a google search for 7 Bamboo and you can find what songs they have. You then go up to the DJ and he plays in order that he receives the requests. After it started getting really busy he gives you a count of three before moving on. My suggestion is for you to ask who is in front of you. So you can prepare and have an idea when you're next. My suggestion to 7 Bamboo is that they tell the crowd who is on deck next to sing so you don't have to find through the crowd when you hear your name. The drinks are what they are. Don't order anything too fancy. Simple Jameson & Ginger Ale is probably something simple and safe. Anything beyond that is something that may be too difficult. Shots are also a go to for that liquid courage before you go up. My biggest suggestion when singing - unless you're really really good - is to sing a relatively popular song; whether that is an oldie from the 60's, motown, 80's rock, 90 hip hop or some new top 40, sing something that people know. If you're struggling (not a strong singer, or don't know all the words), the crowd liking the song and singing along with you helps. Your song choice also helps pump up the lounge. One of the employees sang Can You Feel the Love Tonight from the Lion King and that got the crowd going. I've always wanted to check out a Karoake bar and this one is a pretty good one to go to. read more

Huzzah for there being a decent karaoke place in San Jose! My first time here was during a friend's post-birthday dinner celebration, and good times were had. The yay: - You only pay $1 for each song. - The bartenders here? Awesome. - The crowd = generally enthusiastic and supportive. The...ehhh...: - The new karaoke queuing machine can be a little temperamental. You have to hold the ticket just right before it reads properly. - You don't go in chronological order; first-time singers get priority over people who have already sang that night. This can be pretty confusing in terms of you trying to figure out when your song's actually going to come on. - It can get very, very crowded. Additional notes: If you go onstage, you are streamed live over the Internet, and people's online comments show up in real time. It's a really neat form of interaction, although if you're the shy sort, it can also be rather humiliating. You are allowed to karaoke from offstage though, as the microphones are wireless and apparently have decent range. As for song selection, it's decent, but definitely not extensive. read more

7 Bamboo - Karaoking to "My Girl" - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

7 bamboo lounge is the type of karaoke place where you sign up to sing a song, buy some drinks, then wait two and a half hours, and never sing because the karaoke host's friends come in and jump in front of everyone waiting to sing. read more

Bamboo 7 is a fun place to karaoke with a group of friends. I've been here quite a few times for birthday parties and such. It is a great place to people watch, or sing your heart out if that's your cup-of-tea. Why 3 stars? The place gets crowded and smelly by 10pm. If you're here for a party or other event, you're pretty much stuck shoulder-to-shoulder with other patrons until 2am. read more

7 Bamboo - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

I wish I could give this place 0 stars. It's s shame. Bartenders are phenomenal. But the DJ completely freaked out when someone whistled. Yes, you heard that right. Someone whistled. In a packed bar. Someone whistled, and he shut it down. I'd honestly rather spend my money anywhere else. Whistling and the DJ freaked out. read more

I love this place! The vibe is great and there's some regulars who are amazing at karaoke! They have a great selection of songs and it's a great place to celebrate a birthday or bachelorette party read more

I don't do Yelp reviews that much, but I just have to say this. We were supposed to check this place out, but the bouncer Friday night (1/31/20) made us change our minds with his crappy attitude. That is not how you deal with potential customers. read more

My first karaoke experience and I will not be going back. We paid an extra tip and still weren't given the chance to sing. Old, regulars were given then floor time and time again. Bad customer service! read more

I lover coming here for Karaoke. So much fun, recommend to groups of 5 or more. Like others said, parking is a challenge. Call an Uber instead. read more