Mint Karaoke Lounge
1942 Market St.
(at Duboce)
(415) 626-4726

by Camper English

Given the location of The Mint (on Market at Duboce not too far from the Castro,) and knowing the type of bar it is (karaoke,) I imagined that it would be a dingy little dive with 80 year old gay men singing showtunes and Barbara Streishand hits as teenage boys sat in their laps and tried to earn tips. Obviously, I was excited to see it first hand!

I checked it out on a Saturday night and found that I wasn't even close. It is a rather large place divided into two sides by a long bar. It wasn't dingy and the crowd was on the mixed side of straight, with everyone looking to have a good time. I guess it's hard to have a bad attitude in a karaoke bar.

On the left side is the stage where people perform. Behind the performers and all around the bar are screens where they show the words to the songs being sung, as well as "videos." These videos are reminiscent of the romantic-mood-couples-in- the-sunset-embracing-and-smiling clips seen on commercials for soft-rock compilation albums from the 80's. They are delightfully cheesy and entertaining in themselves. As I am blind as a bat I was wholly satisfied just watching the video screens and missing most of the performances. In front of the stage is a long room filled with tables where people sit to watch their friends make fools of themselves or just to talk. From the other side of the bar you can still see the stage while standing in a more traditional bar setting.

If in the course of your evening you drink a bit too heavily and are tempted to actually jump on stage, you can go next door to the adjoining Hot and Chunky for a burger to sober yourself up. If that doesn't work, there is no fee to perform and an enormous list of songs from which to choose.

I shall be making it back to The Mint in the near future. Where else can you get all the fun of a bar with the added bonus of being able to watch people making asses of themselves on stage for free?

Reproduction of material from posthoc is prohibited without written permission.

Copyright 2002, Posthoc, Inc.