If you are anything like my friends and I, you love karaoke, especially after imbibing in a few adult beverages. The problem with karaoke Uptown is the availablilty of establishments open late. We are always on the look out for new places we can drink and sing, but I think we may have found a permanent home. We discovered this amazing place, Kajun’s Pub, after searching for a place outside the Quarter for late night singing and cheap beer. It’s easy to miss if you are not looking for the sign with the alligator or the address on the outside of the building. I haven’t had any trouble finding a parking spot near the entrance, which is great if you are going over there late at night.
Kajun’s Pub is a 24/7/365 neighborhood pub located directly on St. Claude. It is well lit, and not at all gloomy inside. The bartenders work behind a large counter that almost runs the length of the bar and serve up drinks quickly and efficiently. I never waited more than a minute for them to notice me and take my order, which is great in a busy place. Smoking is allowed in here, but it wasn’t so thick that you felt choked if you are a non-smoker.
They have one of the best ongoing draft specials in the city if you are short on cash with $1 draft PBR offered up all the time. Karaoke begins at 9pm 7 days a week and has one of the most sophisticated karaoke setups I have seen in this city. It goes each night until interest seems to wane which can be as early as 3am or as late as 6am. You can choose from over 60,000 songs at any given time by one of three ways: talk to the DJ, use their touch screen machine, or use your own smart phone. This bar even has free Wifi with a T1 line just in case you want to blend studying or work with fun.
The crowd is blended with both local neighborhood people and those of us that drive in from across town and everyone cheers on those brave enough to climb up to the stage and give it their best shot. I have been to several places in town where the crowd enjoys jeering and sarcasm, but this is not one of those places. This audience wants you to feel welcome on stage and even the worst voices get some positive encouragement.
Some of the singers are quite talented and a treat to listen to. I heard everything from old school R & B to modern rock, and everyone is encouraged to get up and participate. The presence of an actual DJ makes the experience even better, because he can skip the program easily if someone chickens out, and he can break the ice when people are scared to get up by getting up and singing himself.
I encourage you to load up your friends and head on over to Kajun’s Pub to check out the cheap beer and the karaoke over the holidays and see for yourself how enjoyable a trip over to St. Claude can be. You will not be disappointed.
Kajun’s Pub is located at 2256 St. Claude Ave. You can call them at 504.947-3735 if you would like to set up a special event, or check them out at their website below.
Nikki Randolph is a LSU grad with a degree in political science. By day, she is a minion to the man; by night, she is a Faulkner wannabe. You can follow her on twitter @nolajeepgirl
