Uniontown Karaoke

Karaoke doesn't have to take place at a divey bar where the plastic-covered pages of songbooks are stuck together from years of use; at Uniontown Bar and Grill "karaoke" and "class" are not mutually exclusive.

On Tuesday nights, the charming Anacostia bar fills up with visitors sipping specialty cocktails and snacking on the restaurant's tasty crab balls before singing a ditty or two. Happy hour stretches from 4 to 7 p.m., with specials including $5 appetizers and rail drinks to grease the wheels before the singing kicks off.

As one of Anacostia's few gathering spots, Uniontown has a distinctly neighborhood vibe, which makes for a friendly, supportive evening of amateur music-making. On a recent Tuesday, customers clapped to "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" and imitated the falsetto during a performance of Prince's "Kiss." The laid-back scene may also explain why Uniontown is a bit casual about karaoke's start time. No matter; that leaves more time for peach blossom martinis.

-- Stephanie Merry (Oct. 28, 2011)