Nightlife in Punta Gorda

At Pastimes Pub, guests gather to sip brews and cocktails while witnessing the musical feats of live bands and artists. An impressive variety of acts take the stage, from ska ensembles blasting horns to head-banging metal bands to open-mic blues impresarios with lightning-quick fingers and ever-changing nicknames. When not compelled into fits of dancing by the up-close live acts, guests can challenge each other to friendly games of billiards at the green-felt-clad pool table.

Mark and Mary Devlin were once overseas-publishing magnates, creating, among other magazines, Metropolis_⎯the widely circulated weekly English-speaker’s guide to Tokyo⎯and the online newspaper _Japan Today. After 18 years of living in Japan, the couple moved with their two children to Sarasota, where they began yearning for the electrifying karaoke clubs so abundant in Tokyo. In particular, they missed the city’s private rooms, where friends can sing for each other or practice Nobel acceptance speeches without fear, and so the entrepreneurial clan decided to open their own hot spot, Kroaky’s, where a main lounge harmonizes with 10 fully equipped private chambers.

Since opening its doors, Kroaky's Karaoke has attracted droves of five-minute superstars, garnering attention from such media outlets as the Herald-Tribune. Along with the private rooms featuring full room service, Kroaky's webcam allows customers to view the lounge’s performances from home or broadcast the subliminal Soviet propaganda encoded in Starship’s "We Built This City."

Owner and Chef Tony Newton keeps bellies filled sun-up to sundown with classic American fare, from omelets and waffles to sandwiches, steaks, and pasta. Located near Vanderbilt Beach, Fred’s Food, Fun & Spirits fuels patrons for a day of sandcastle-stomping by cooking a bottomless breakfast buffet as fresh as the alphabet’s 27th letter. A dog-friendly outdoor patio, meanwhile, conveniently allows diners and their best four-legged friends to hang out while patrons nosh on one of the day’s three most important meals. The patio and two full bars also entertain patrons with nightly events, including musical acts, poker, comedy, and Fourier analysis competitions.