The Ambassador Restaurant & Lounge, Portland

Pillars decorated with ornate Chinese dragons hold up a pagoda-style canopy and invite visitors to the Ambassador, where classic Chinese recipes and cocktails fuel nights of karaoke tunes. The lounge presents itself as a stylish karaoke haven, outfitted in jewel-toned neon that casts colorful light throughout the shadowy interior. Each song from its exhaustive library is programmed to coincide with lighting effects that amplify performances and distract belligerent cats. Singers belt out their chosen tune through the high-quality sound system on a long stage surrounded by panels of tiny star lights.

A bevy of Chinese dishes served in the dining room, bar or lounge helps singers recharge when offstage. Egg foo young and popular pork, chicken, beef, and seafood dishes populate the menu alongside the kitchen’s specialties. Mongolian steak is cooked in a spicy brown sauce, and the yuzi shrimp pairs large shrimp in chili-ginger sauce with baby shrimp stir-fried in black-bean sauce.