Koreatown's Brass Monkey is one of the city's better karaoke venues. The singers there usually know what they're doing, and they kill it. Every time. It's intimidating. How can you become one of them? Practice, practice, practice. But you don't want to be polishing your game in front of a crowd of strangers. You want a booth. And the best booths are at Rosen Music Studio. Walking in can feel like entering the tunnel in the Wonka factory. You'll be hit with a din of off-key Korean melodies and tambourines. But once you get into your own booth, you're free to expand your karaoke repertoire with total abandon. No waiting your turn. Just go for it. The TV screens can be a little distracting. Ballads tend to feature a lot of images of Korean people pining and weeping. Minor complaint. You can also push a buzzer to order food and alcohol. You can bring some trusted friends along, too. 3488 W. Eighth St., Koreatown. (213) 387-0467, rosenla.com.

—Gene Maddaus