Most karaoke in Waikiki is a once-a-week thing — maybe Thursday or Saturday night at a bar that drags out a machine and lets a few people sing between DJ sets. If you actually want to do karaoke in Waikiki, and you don't want to gamble on whether tonight is "karaoke night," Skybox Taphouse is the answer. Karaoke runs here seven nights a week, 9 PM to 2 AM, every single night of the year.
Karaoke Every Night, Not Just Weekends
This is the thing that sets Skybox apart from every other karaoke bar in Waikiki and Honolulu. It's not a special event. It's not seasonal. Karaoke at Skybox runs nightly from 9 PM to 2 AM — Monday through Sunday, no exceptions. Whether you're in Waikiki on a Tuesday or a Saturday, you can sing.
The setup is proper — a real sound system, not a laptop plugged into a portable speaker. The song library is big enough that you'll find what you're looking for, whether that's classic rock, 90s hip hop, current pop, or the Hawaiian standards. You sign up at the bar when you arrive, and they'll call you up when it's your turn. Simple.
The Vibe
Skybox karaoke isn't a private room situation — it's open-floor karaoke in a sports bar, which means you're performing for the crowd. That sounds intimidating, but the vibe is supportive. First-timers get cheered on just as much as the regulars who come every week. The crowd ranges from groups of friends on vacation, to locals who've made it a weekly ritual, to couples who just wanted a drink and ended up grabbing the mic.
Early in the night (9-10 PM), it's more relaxed — fewer people singing, shorter wait times, good for warming up or getting a song in before it gets busy. By 11 PM, the energy picks up. By midnight, the bar is in full karaoke mode — louder crowd, bigger reactions, and the kind of spontaneous moments that make a night out memorable.
Because Skybox is also a sports bar with 20+ TVs, the earlier part of the evening is usually people finishing up a game before karaoke kicks in. The transition from game day to karaoke night happens naturally, and a lot of people end up staying for both.
You Can Actually Eat Here
One thing that separates Skybox from dedicated karaoke bars is the food. Most karaoke spots in Honolulu either don't serve food or have a token snack menu. Skybox has a full kitchen running until 1 AM every night — hand-crafted pizzas, Upper-Cut jumbo wings, nachos, fish tacos, burgers, sliders, and more. The late-night menu kicks in at 10 PM, right when karaoke is getting going.
That means you can make a full night out of it: dinner, drinks, karaoke — all in one spot, without closing your tab and walking to a different bar. For groups, that's a big deal. Nobody has to figure out where to go next.
Drinks While You Sing
Skybox has two full-size bars, so getting a drink between songs doesn't mean waiting in a long line. The drink menu includes house-brewed Skybox Blonde and Hazy IPA on tap, local Hawaiian drafts from Kona Brewing, Maui Brewing, and Ola Brew, and 11 signature cocktails at $16 each.
A few cocktails that pair well with karaoke courage: the Rain Delay (coconut rum, pineapple, orange juice) is smooth and tropical. The Oahu Touchdown is basically a Long Island with pineapple — it'll loosen you up. And the Overtime Buzz espresso martini will keep you going if you're planning to close the place out at 2 AM.
If karaoke falls during happy hour on a weekday — which it won't since karaoke starts at 9, but your pre-karaoke warmup drinks can — you're looking at $5 domestic pints, $7 local drafts, and $11 cocktails from 3-6 PM.
Karaoke for Groups and Private Events
Skybox is a go-to for birthday karaoke, bachelorette parties, and group nights out. The 275-seat venue with open-air seating means your group isn't crammed into a tiny room. Everyone can spread out, eat, drink, and take turns singing.
For larger groups or special occasions, Skybox offers private event packages that include karaoke setups, food and drink packages, and dedicated areas. If you want to throw a karaoke birthday party in Waikiki, this is the venue. Call 808-378-8542 or visit the private events page to inquire.
Trivia Night on Wednesdays
If karaoke isn't your thing but you still want a night out with some action, trivia night runs every Wednesday at 7 PM. Form a team, compete for bragging rights and bar tabs, and stick around for karaoke at 9 when trivia wraps up. Wednesdays at Skybox have become a full evening — trivia, then karaoke, with dinner and drinks throughout.
Why Skybox Over a Karaoke Box
Honolulu has private karaoke rooms — the Japanese-style KTV boxes where you rent a room by the hour. Those are fun in their own way, but they're a different experience. You're singing for 4-6 friends in a small room, paying by the hour, and the food and drink options are usually limited.
Skybox is the opposite — open-floor karaoke in a full sports bar and restaurant with a crowd that reacts. No hourly fee, no room rental. Just show up, sign up, and sing. The energy of performing for strangers (who are almost always on your side) is something you don't get in a private room. And the food and drinks are legitimately good, not an afterthought.
Getting There
Skybox Taphouse is at 2330 Kalakaua Ave #302, on the third floor of International Market Place in Waikiki. Karaoke runs every night from 9 PM to 2 AM — just walk in and sign up at the bar. The kitchen is open until 1 AM and the bar pours until 2. No cover, no reservations needed for karaoke, but you can save a table if you're coming with a group.