The Tennyson Lodge is a very unique little strip club just outside of the city of Pittsburgh. On the one hand the place is sort of like a local hole-in-the-wall. On the other it has some of the most distinctive adult entertainment I’ve ever seen. That’s because this club is home to “bare-aoke”.
Americans pronounce the Japanese word karaoke in a way that makes it sound like “care-e-o-key”. That rhymes with bareaoke. If you put two and two together you quickly realize that this is a place where performers sing songs on stage while fully nude. It’s not erotic. But it is creative.
Inside the Tennyson Lodge
The Tennyson Lodge is easy to find on a main road. The building looks a lot like a house. In fact I am quite sure the place was converted from a residence or at least some sort of restaurant or something. Inside the doors there is a small entrance way that leads into the main floor. Tucked there in a room with low ceilings and little space is a big square bar. It’s the sort of full bar that a non-strip establishment would be built around. There is even a friendly female barkeep inside.
On the side of the bar there is a small stage no bigger than a kitchen table with a pole that gets a little attention. Beyond that is the main performance area with an elevated stage against the back wall. There are tables and chairs on the floor and some stools up along the stage. Although the area is small it feels roomy enough to be comfortable.
During the day there is no cover charge. After the sun goes down they charge a $5 USD. That is either a very reasonable fee or all they can actually get out of the customers. I would lean towards the latter. This is definitely no high roller affair. The clientele seems to be nearly all local even though the bar is just a short way from a major US city. Drinks are reasonably priced too with a beer going for just a couple of bucks.
Strippers, services, prices and summary
There are just four or five dancers working at the Tennyson on any given night. Yet that seems to be enough here. Any more and the place would probably be over crowded. Especially since there is also a bar tender and a DJ on the floor at all times. The ladies range in age from maybe 21 to over 40 and maybe even approaching 50. It’s unlikely any of the gals are mistaken for super models in their daily lives. Though they aren’t physically repulsive either. To my surprise I did not see any overweight dancers in the bar.
As is usually the case with an American strip club the dancers take turns on the stage. When gets up they dance fully nude. Anyone sitting near the bar gets a real eyeful and is expected to tip at least a few dollar bills in exchange for the pleasure. Lap dances are also available though they don’t amount to much. They’re done behind a cheap room divider against the wall. To their credit the dancers mingle around with the customers in between their sets. They don’t necessarily do that to earn extra money either.
The real standout feature of the facility is the aforementioned full nude singing. Thankfully the customers do not get naked. Though some of them do sing along with the hits of the 1980’s. The dancers on the other hand belt out tunes while prancing around in their birthday suits. It’s a surreal scene that is unlike anything I have seen before. Especially when one of them decides to follow up a number by Madonna with a heavy metal song I’ve never heard. It’s a roaring good time.
I have been all over the world. I’ve visited adult entertainment venues of every sort. I’ve reported on many of them here. The Tennyson Lodge is a unique place to say the least. I don’t know if this is real Americana. But it is a fun little bar to spend some time in. I give the place two-and-a-half stars. 
Tennyson Lodge is located at 4797 Library Rd, Bethel Park, PA 15102 USA. Click here for a map. Open every day from 8:00 PM until 2:00 AM.
