I have been here on two different occasions and had very different experiences. The first time was similar to most other reviewers. It was crowded and the only way you were going to sing was if you were raining 20's on the KJ or were boys with him. This is definitely not cool. I'm not against tipping the KJ, but there is a complete difference between tipping and flat out bribery! Usually the people making it rain on the KJ are the ones doing an 8 person rendition of "Pour Some Sugar on Me". Those performances are as annoying as the "5 dollar foot long campaign". There is no need for that to be done on stage. To those who practice this behavior, please, keep your 20 spot, stand with your posse, and sing along to other performances. It will save you money, keep the crowd less annoyed, and will be a step towards stopping this KJ's scandal. Like other reviews I had read, I finally got hip to the scheme and dropped a 10 spot on him for my friend and he still never sang. So bogus! My second experience was much better. Granted it wasn't as crowded as the first time and there was a different guy operating the songs. He was an equal opportunity karaokeer for the most part except for one or two guys, which I think were his buddies. He let them go more frequently than others, but at least they were doing good songs and being funny. (One guy did all 80s and 90s sitcom theme songs.) Besides the shady kj, this bar is a pretty cool place to hang. People are always friendly, bartenders are pretty hilarious, and the drinks are some of the cheapest you'll find around town. (Its cash only so hit up that automated teller machine.) It's unfortunate that one kj can ruin this place for so many people because it's a fun spot. You'll get yours one day shady kj. You'll get yours. read more

i went to the lamplighter on tuesday night march 1st, 2011 with some out of town friends. we were having a good time and getting ready to sing karaoke. when i got up to sing, two men at the bar started yelling out "Faggot!" and "Queer". so i called them out over the microphone. the kj then asked them to leave at which point a third gentleman started making Freddy Mercury comments. all 3 were then asked to leave by the kj. at this point the bartender refused to back the kj so we both went over to confront the 3 guys. an off duty "employee" then proceeded to pick me up from behind and attempt to carry me out of the bar saying i was causing a disturbance. i stayed to sing my song and the 3 guys stayed as well, all the while continuing to call out homophobic slurs. when i asked the bartender for a business card he said they didnt have any and refused to give me contact info for the manager or owner. as a gay man i have never been forced to undergo that brand of establisment supported humiliation. having wasted money on a few rounds of drinks at this point i left. if i could take back the star i was forced to give to place this review, i would. i strongly urge anyone who believes that this act was wrong to stay far, far away from the lamplighter as their $s are going towards this type of ignorance and unfortunately, blatant stupidity. this story has also been reported to the LGBT Weekly, Frontiers and Michael Turko. hopefully a lesson is learned from this experience. thank you. Jarett Wilkins read more

A group of girlfriends and I came here last Saturday for a girls night out and some karaoke. A few of us have been here before and have always had a blast. We were disappointed when we heard that the usual female KJ wasn't going to be there for the evening, and even more disappointed when the KJ for the night came out, and we could literally hear groans from the crowd, not a good sign. Well, after about 10 minutes, we saw him being rude to a group of people that were sitting near the KJ booth. One of the males in the group said they were going to complain to the management, and he literally laughed at him. When the man came back after he complained, the KJ said to the guy arrogantly "Well, how did that go for you buddy", I heard the whole conversation because I was in line to put my name on the list. Throughout the night, he was a total creep. He hit on me and another one of my friends, ummm, no thanks buddy! He was also taking bribes throughout the evening to move people up on the list, and told people they couldn't sing unless they gave him money. Chatted with a few of the regulars, and they all had negative things to say about him. The vibe wasn't nearly as fun as when the female kj is there, and a lot of people cut out early, which is what we did as well. Good thing Hillcrest is a only a few blocks over, which is where we went and had a blast. We will never stay again if we see that male KJ walk up to the booth, and I'm sure a lot of other people will do the same. read more

If you're looking for a fancy cocktail bar... you're in the wrong place. If you're looking for a great night out, welcome to The Lamplighter. Fancy cocktails: nope Dress code: nope Pretentious vibe: absolutely not People dancing like nobody is watching: yes This place is simple in the best possible way: strong drinks, good music, and a dance floor that somehow convinces everyone they should stay "just one more hour." This bar has history. It's seen birthdays, bad decisions, great decisions, first dates, breakups, and people absolutely thriving on the dance floor until close. And the best part? Nobody here is trying to be cool. They just are in the moment. The lighting is perfectly dim enough that everyone looks great. The drinks are strong enough that the dance floor and questionable karaoke are always a good idea, and you might leave with five new best friends. Every time someone says, "Should we go somewhere else?" the answer is always: "Nooooo... let's stay." Look, Lamplighter isn't trying to be the fanciest bar in San Diego. It's just trying to be a really good time. And honestly? It ALWAYS succeeds!! Also, on a random note, the water here is suspiciously good. Like really good. And I'm a water snob. So shoutout to Grumpy Bear for clearly caring about his patrons and installing a seriously legit water filter. Because when you're three, or ten drinks in and questioning your life choices, hydration matters. read more

So after being sweated by all the ninja cops in North Park we found this place, thanks to the yelp iphone app. Definition of a Dive Bar. People who go out to get wasted on Tuesday nights are pretty much guaranteed disasters. Freaks upon freaks. Shady individuals. Egg nog lady, tryna give everyone a taste of her yule-tide joy. Morse '79 white guy in a northface winter coat with the pinoy asian fever. "Mabuhay tigers!" Guy who just broke up with his girl 2hrs earlier manhandling a friendly woman. Love in this club being found by two lovebirds to the backdrop of a projection screen with the line "Out of nothing at all" about 50 times over. The Karaoke DJ guy looks like he hates his life. I would too if I had to hear drunk white people singing either "Ice Ice Baby" or "Baby Got Back" 7 nights a week. I think he liked us Filipinos who came through and added some much needed variety to the song selections rather than the usual Eminem - "Without Me's" There's a good book of song selection. Has a lot of new stuff. But unfortunately, no Sasha Fierce...yet. The stage is kinda ghetto with the cable public access bed sheet pinned to the wall. When your up there the mics feel like they don't work. But we're all off key anyways, so who cares. Place is cash only and the ATM charges you $3.50! WTF?! I had fun though with the people I went with. No, this place is not wheelchair accessible. -1star read more

Well, a lot has changed in my mind since I wrote my last review of this place. Don't get me wrong I love the lamplighter and the people who go there, but there is one huge flaw and I just found out his name JJ! Last night was one of the worse experience I have had there and of course I brought a group of friends that shared in this chaos! The bar was packed of course, but for some reason there seemed to be only one hard working bartender there. Every time we go to get a drink, only one bartender there. Occasionally we would see 2 or maybe 3, but that guy JJ whenever he was behind the bar he was a complete douche bag!!! He obviously HATES working there, so why is he!!! He is RUDE, OBNOXIOUS, and a DOUCHE bag. At the end of the evening he puts the microphone to the speakers so that it lets out a full blown shriek!! Not once, but multiple times just to annoy this shit out of people!!! What gives with the inconsiderate person and why is he still working there?!?!! I've heard he is the owner's son, not sure if this is true, but that would explain a lot. . . The people that keep this bar going are the customers, so I hope he checks his attitude at the door or this place will be losing lots of it regulars and ultimately MONEY!!! If I return I will def. make sure I won't be going in on this douche bags shifts!!! Good luck Lamplighter . . . read more

If you haven't experienced Raya at Lamplighter, you're not living. I mean, are you even aware of what you're missing? Picture this: you walk in, and there she is--Raya, like some radiant vision from a dream, just standing there, lighting up the whole room. She is stunning, otherworldly, like a mythical being somehow roped into karaoke hosting. And when she grabs that mic? GOOD. NIGHT. The pipes on her! It's like if Adele, Olivia Rodrigo, and Hayley Williams had somehow united in a lightning bolt and were reincarnated as this karaoke deity in the form of Raya. Her voice doesn't just hit notes; it ascends, shattering every notion of what you thought a karaoke bar could be. Angels are quaking. And as if it wasn't enough to be talented and beautiful, she's also hilarious. She's bantering, she's cracking jokes, she's hyping people up like they're about to perform at Madison Square Garden. Five stars? Not enough. Ten stars? Still a joke. Raya is Lamplighter, and if you haven't experienced it... then are you even experiencing life at all? read more

Lamplighter is hands down one of the best bars in San Diego! The atmosphere is always fun and welcoming, the drinks are strong and reasonably priced, and the karaoke nights are a blast. The staff does a great job of keeping the energy high while still making sure everyone feels safe and comfortable. I especially want to give a shoutout to James, the security guard. He goes above and beyond to make sure everyone is taken care of. He's professional, attentive, and approachable--always keeping things under control with a great attitude. It's clear he genuinely cares about the safety of the guests, which makes the whole experience that much better. Also, Mariah at the front door is amazing! She's welcoming, friendly, and makes you feel at home the moment you walk in. Having her greet guests really sets the perfect tone for the night. If you're looking for a lively spot with great vibes, awesome people, and top-notch staff, Lamplighter is the place to be. Highly recommend! read more