Adding to the list of favorite locally owned businesses! My first visit was a lot of fun! Before, I had only karaoke'd in the bars that charge by the hour. I was intimidated by the Queens Gambit set up! But man, you get over it quick once the crowd picks up. First, the environment. There's a lot of space to float around, to dance, to talk, to smoke cigars, you name it. Good vibes all around strangers cheering each other on regardless of how well other people were singing. Did not get a chance to try the food. Ordered a Tequila Mockingbird. It was good! read more

Came here after a workout on fri night just looking for a cool down beer and was turned away at the door because my shirt didnt have sleeves... and to top it off there were 3 girls sitting together all wearing camisoles with spaghetti straps but that was fine. Make that make any sense read more

Who can beat karaoke 7 nights a week?! Locally owned and operated for last 20+ years. Support local family business! Family provides generous New Years Eve celebration to thank all patrons who supported QG throughout the year. So dress to impress for the New Year! You will love the vibe at QC! read more

He took her to Queens Gambit. Showed around his friends. Tried to pick the energy up, but it didn't matter.

Thanks to the DJ for trading shirts with my cousin in exchange for a banana. I didn't think he'd accomplish his mission of the night. Haha fun time. read more

Queen's Gambit Restaurant & Banquets - two men posing for a picture - Bars Near Me - Woodbridge, Virginia

Place is dead, service sucks, and it's filthy. But bottles are cheaper then most places in area and it's basically the owners and homies at the bar. I think atleast . I'm good with local simple bar - in fact that atmosphere is my preference . But damn, sweep up annually at-least And smile now and then. Or close it down and tear that eye sore down WhY are there almost no woman that go here? It's weird as shit to see so many guys everytime I forget for a moment and have to be reminded when I open the door to the saloon and that , "no one gives a shit smell" takes me right on back. FYI You have Poison Ivey growing in bathroom T read more

Things I learned at the Queen's Gambit: - That dance song that's like, "left foot left stomp. take it back now, y'all" is called the Cha Cha Slide, and there IS a move called the Charlie Brown! Allow me to demonstrate... - If a male stripper is built but missing a tooth, he is a waste of good arm muscle - "The Sign" is impossible to sing without sounding like a banshee Thank god I had a great time at the QG, or else boy, would I be bitter about having driven 45 minutes out of my Bethesda-Chevy Chase comfort zone. My friend Lauren invited me out for karaoke, St. Patty's Day style, and I agreed after she promised to be the DD. We rolled in, green outfits blazing, at 9 pm. First up: "Restaurant & Banquets"? Really? This place did not scream classy. This place screamed electric slide. In fact, the entire room danced to the electric slide two hours later. I was very pleased by the giant green mugs of Miller Lite and the Emerald City cocktails, and I ended up paying $14 for one of the first and two of the second, which is great. However... WARNING: I was told by a few people in the know not to ever order a mixed shot here. The bartenders apparently charge you for each ingredient separately, and Red Bull alone costs $6 or something equally ridiculous for Woodbridge. As for the karaoke... it was four stars' worth of excellent. They had a great computer system that let you put in your name to reserve a spot and pick a song later if you needed time to look over the enormous song list, and the system would tell you approximately what time you were up to sing. The volume was perfect, no one talked over anyone, and people were really enjoying themselves onstage. I only wish this place were closer to me, because it beat the pants off Peyote. QG would be fantastic for a UYE if we could coordinate rides somehow... just a thought :) read more

Queen's Gambit Restaurant & Banquets - exterior - Bars Near Me - Woodbridge, Virginia

We had fun! Karaoke was awesome! Drive bar where locals come to chill. Not gonna lie, I was told to stay away from this place... Though I'm glad I came. It's really a spot where it depends on who you come with. A lady there tried to pressure my friend and I to take her home... That was strange, but we suggested Uber to her. I'd go again with a group. read more

Queen's Gambit Restaurant & Banquets - a woman and a man - Bars Near Me - Woodbridge, Virginia

I've been here quite a few times for drinks and karaoke. I LOVE this place. It's a hole in the wall type bar but I've never seen any drama and the crowd is generally there to have a good time. The owner is a blast and makes a point to talk to and become familiar with his customers. The drinks are always made well and the bartenders are attentive. The building is a bit old and it could obviously stand to have some remodeling done (I'm pretty sure the owner said he's been there for around 11 years) so its not modern or chic or anything, but its an awesome place to grab some drinks and have a good time. This place has to have one of the most extensive karaoke song selection. It's comfortable and I have never seen any nonsense going down, seems like everyone is there to have some fun. read more

Queen's Gambit Restaurant & Banquets - I'm not so sure I can describe that... - Bars Near Me - Woodbridge, Virginia

Decided to check out Queen's Gambit on Friday night. I went a long time ago, and remembered it being okay. When I walked in, I noticed the decor was dated (probably because it was a bit empty). There were people surrounding the bar watching a person singing karaoke. I decided to order a drink before sitting down at one of the tables. As I sat and watched someone sing a song near the DJ, my drink was good, but I couldn't ignore all of the smoke coming from the other room. I'm guessing this is their idea of a smoking section/room. I don't know if there is a door there, but if there is, it was wide open. For someone who despises cigarette smoke, I was disgusted. I am not sure why this section is not closed off or outside, but there is clearly smoke inside the bar. I just had my hair done and didn't want that stench on me, so I got up and left. 2 Stars! read more

Nice, quiet bar with friendly bartenders. The atmosphere wasn't quite as energetic as im used to for a karaoke bar, but there aren't a lot of people going out right now. I had a really good liquid Marijuana and the fries with cheese and bacon. Im into the cheese and bacon but my fries were only about halfway cooked and soggy. It could have been better if the fries were cooked through and slightly crisp. I couldn't eat much of them. I did like their ranch dip. read more

I don't care what the haters say I love this place. The staff are super friendly and so is the owner! The drinks are a good price and Paolo is my favorite. Come here and sing some karaoke or play some darts. Definitely a good place to chill in the area. read more

Queen's Gambit Restaurant & Banquets - the bar - Bars Near Me - Woodbridge, Virginia

This place is awesome, I don't care what anyone says. The owner is so sweet, even though I'm pretty sure he doesn't remember me most of the time, BUT HE MAKES ME FEEL LIKE HE DOES! It's a little hole in the wall, but it's so much fun. Give it a chance and try it out, I bet you'll like it if you open you're mind to it. read more

Okay so let me start here: If you are looking for a 5 star restaurant this is NOT your place. If you are looking for a robust menu with appetizers and sirloin steaks this is NOT your place. However if you are looking for a nice dive bar with great drinks, mix of people, nightly karaoke and decent bar food. THIS IS YOUR PLACE. When I first walked in the door, I was like OH HECK NO!!! I felt so uncomfortable. I was with 6 people, including my dad (who is 48) and I wanted to go to the Alehouse and they were super busy. He came up with this brilliant idea to go to this "lil place around the corner with good drinks". I am NOT the dive bar type of person. I am NOT a hole in the world type of person, BUT I HAD SOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH FUN! When I got out of my own head I realized that these were some of the coolest patrons. There didn't seem to be a stuck up person in the building. The bartender (with the long curly hair) was the nicest! I had the Cajun Wings, and they were so good, I order some before I left. I can't say I would order anything else, besides wings and fries, but for bar food it was pretty good. While I was there other people order the lemon wings, so they must be good too. Drinks were priced well. I usually spend 100 or more in DC, so I was HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY! I will definitely go again. There were a few biker people in there and I can't speak of other nights. It was a predominately Caucasian crowd but as an African American I did not feel uncomfortable. read more

This place is one of those sketchy looking bars you would see in a movie and I don't know if I love or hate it, but the drink prices are a welcome sight! Bartenders are friendly! read more

Now let me tell you somethin' 'bout the Queen's Gambit...it is the BOMB. DIGGITY. If you're looking for a good time drankin' and bein' a full blood Merican, this is the place for YOU. If you want a bunch of jukin and jivin with a bunch of flashy lights and what-not, take your pansy appletini drinkin, city slicker ass back to the slums of DC where you belong. Don't mind the backwood appearance of the location of this beautiful, wish-granting establishment....which, may I remind you, was a gift from baby Jesus himself. The southern redneck location is just to scare away all the city lovin butt-pirates stated above. I mean, for God's sake...there is a whole goddang elephant head inside. Is it real you may ask? Hell no. Because we people at the Gambit love animals. THEY'RE DELICIOUS. So if you are in the area and want to: 1. Sing karaoke until you like Chewbacca himself. 2. Feel like drinking your Merican butt off until you cry Red, White, and Blue. 3. Change your life forever. 4. Meet some bomb ass people (Ask for Austin, Ben, and Paul a.k.a. the Big Spenders). Hell, I'll tell you whut, I've been here more times than I' ve been to church. Don't forget to tip your bartenders!! Love you Paolo. read more

When I first moved to Lake Ridge, I was looking around at the various restaurants (there are so many to choose from) and found this Tudoresque building off the beaten path set back from the Prince William Parkway on Black Forest Lane. There was a big sign for "Queen's Gambit Restaurant and Banquet Hall". English cuisine popped in my mind with hearty steaks, soups and stews in the jovial atmosphere of an era we remember that was King Henry the VIII. Whoops, my-my was I in for a surprise! Several years ago, the restaurant had been bought by a Filipino entrepreneur that wanted to open up a karaoke bar in Lake Ridge and the QG became just that. Unfortunately, the owner didn't bother in spending any money on renovations and much of the establishment still resembles it's original purpose. THIS IS NOT A RESTAURANT. Do not come here looking to have a pleasant dinner with the family. This is a dive in the true sense of the word. They only offer bar food and there is only a touch of Filipino flavor to the menu (they offer lumpia shanghai and a couple of other items as appetizers - I don't even bother to add this to my Filipino list). I found the clientele frequenting the QC to be people of all walks, but mostly consist of the older singles crowd. Despite the seediness and less-than-stellar cleanliness, they are very popular with their regulars and the parking lot is full on weekends. read more

You know what you do here? 1. Drink. 2. Karaoke. 3. Repeat. 4. Awesome. You know what the 1-star complainers have been doing here? Eating, apparently. I have not made that move, and I don't think I will try, based on what I've read. But for cry-iy, why would you? You should be too busy drinking and karaoke'ing! And if you can't handle this dive atmosphere, put your singing aspirations back in your purse and mosey along, li'l doggie. This place has laptop computers off to one side where you enter your name and the song you want, and the computer tells you when you are going to sing within an accuracy of a few minutes. Now you know exactly how much time you have to drink your courage. The crowd is awesome, and the booze is surprisingly affordable. We avoided the smoking patio, so we didn't leave reeking or coughing, just full of awesome. read more

It took me a while to realize that this place was even there. You can't really see it from the road. When you go in, you can tell that the place is old with unattractive decor. When I visited, there weren't too many people there (maybe 12 to 15). From what I saw many of the people are regulars there. The bartender knew most of them by name. He was also friendly with me and very helpful with finding a new drink. The awesome bartender was the extent of the positive part of my experience. This place does karaoke, which is awesome and I love but one of the women that was singing was so drunk that she was falling down all over the place. After she was done her and her friend started fighting and getting a bit overly rowdy. No one said anything about it. It made me think that this type of behavior is normal for this place. read more

Sleazy bar which is what one should expect in Woodbridge. Reeks of cigarette smoke and years of filth. BEWARE if you use a credit card and forget to close your tab that night because they automatically add a 30% gratuity to your balance. read more

This place is fun, sign up to sing karaoke EARLY because there is usually a long wait. read more

Queen's Gambit Restaurant & Banquets - a woman speaking into a microphone - Bars Near Me - Woodbridge, Virginia

This review is LONG overdue. I've been coming here for a couple of years now, and every time, it's been an experience. From thinking "oh god, they're taking me to the backwoods to kill me" during my ride in that very first night, to the whole bar singing me happy birthday this year. It's an experience, and I always leave having made a new friend or two. It really does feel like you're hanging out at your eclectic best friend's basement. Why is there an elephant on the wall? Has that fountain always been on? How on earth am I going to top the last singer? These are the questions I always find myself asking. My great experiences aside, this place is definitely a dive. Drinks are decent (and CHEAP!) , but food is a hit (after a few drinks) or miss. There's a McDonald's down the street that I like to hit up after a night at QG, but I'd give up on that tradition if the cheese fries here were a little more fries than nacho cheese. There's a few beers on tap, and although there are no featured drinks, I have to say, I've been offered a few experiments by the bartenders and they've been great every time. For best results, go in with a big group, and sign up to sing as soon as you get there! read more

Queens Gambit is a hole in the wall dive bar that could definitely use a good cleaning and some remodeling. I've been to this place quite a few times with friends and each time I wish I hadn't come. The entire place has an old musty smell and is quite dingy. Not to mention if you are a woman the owner usually tries to kiss you on the mouth when you enter. I was once sitting at the non-smoking bar when a patron a few seats down vomited all over herself, the bar, and her chair. It seemed no one else had noticed because I had to tell the bartender and never did see anyone clean that chair or surrounding areas. There are definitely a lot of regulars here and karaoke addicts that do enjoy themselves. The owner is nice as well as the staff, and he has obviously conquered his target audience for sloppy drunks and karaoke fans. If he could just stop trying to kiss every woman that walks in there and clean the place up a bit it may be more favorable. To each his own. read more

I'm not sure I'd want to see it well lit, but if you want a fun dive bar with great karaoke, this is it.

This place is SO cool and so hidden! The location could be better, but I think it also makes this place a hidden gem so I don't mind. They have karaoke going all night and it's sooo fun! The karaoke sign up is organized and they have a variety of songs and genres. They have a smoking area, darts, a bar (of course), and tables. The atmosphere is nice and you can tell everyone is just enjoying their time together. I'm very happy someone told me about this place! read more

This dive bar deserves better reviews! As a Woodbridge local I usually end up here on the weekends because it usually never fails me as a fun place to end up. Good drinks, nice bartenders, and the crowd doesn't tend to take themselves too seriously (duh, it's a KARAOKE bar). I just love this little hole in the wall, it's just good fun. I've never gotten food here though, but I probably won't because when I think of food in the Woodbridge area, QG is not something that pops up for that category. read more

Great place for a night of karaoke! If you are looking for a laid back place to have some drinks with friends and do a little singing, this is it. Drink prices are great and the bar staff is friendly. As for the karaoke, well, I have seen better stages, better sound systems, better equipment, and better song books, but this place still blows the others away. The KJ is great, nice and friendly and will get you loose for your performance. The crowd was great, clapping and cheering regardless of your talent or ability. And the sign up list is the best I have seen. You log into a computer and input your song choice. The computer will show you the line-up so you know how many singers are before you and it will tell you the approximate time you will be singing. The display lists who is singing next. If you are one of those karaoke singers who thinks they are auditioning for American Idol, keep looking for someplace else. This place is rocking with people who are out to have a good time. Not with people hoping to be discovered by a talent agent with a recording contract in his pocket. I have read other reviews on other websites, where the Queen's Gambit was given a poor rating for not being a good family restaurant. Well, I can't tell you anything about the food. It's not the place I would bring my kids to eat dinner. But, I am definitely gonna be dragging my friends out for some fun at this great karaoke bar!!! read more

As Toby Keith sings, "I Love This Bar" We've been fans for years, but we've become regulars since the separate smoking room. The drinks are affordable, bartenders, staff and patrons are friendly. The karaoke has wide variety of choices and everyone is so friendly and supportive. Whether it's girls' night out, birthdays or just drinks, this is our "go to" bar. The owner will warmly greet the "newbies" and welcome you back like you're family the next time you come. read more

This bar has been a favorite of mine for about 5 years. A great place to drink away your sorrows (or celebrate a new job, etc). Just a few things of note: -They do karaoke every night of the week from 9 p.m. to close. -The booze are cheap, but like Juliana said, it's not great for drinks like Jager bombs or Irish Car Bombs, where they'll charge you for individual shots/drinks of each ingredient. Regular mixed shots - like Red Headed Sluts - are fine. -The place REEKS of smoke. Seriously. I guess this will change when the smoking ban takes place, but I can literally get nauseous smelling my clothes the next morning (and I used to smoke and it still bothered me). You don't notice it so much while you're there, but you will the next day when your throat hurts. -The owners are fantastic and will remember your name every time you're there, as will the other patrons. It's definitely like a white-trash Cheers. -Cops patrol the place, so have a DD. -It's NOT a good place to go to meet members of the opposite sex if you're looking for the type of person to bring home to mom. If you're looking to spend time with really nice people who may or may not be lacking in class, this is your place. -The bar food isn't bad - home made Filipino treats like dumplings are better than the frozen hamburgers, though. read more

Douse in gasoline and light a match. This place is even dirtier than the people who hang out there- which is quite a feat. An older crowd that seems to have never grown up, probably has their 11 year old at home watching their 3 other younger children, and become sloppy and belligerent by 11:00pm. There are MANY other places to go but unfortunately not in Woodbridge. So, stock up on the Recombivax, arm yourself with hand sanitizer, and drink something strong enough to kill the germs inevitably on your glass and have yourself a ball. read more

This is my go to bar. I know I can go there any day of the week and have a good time. The bartenders truly care about their customers and the drinks never disappoint. The karaoke is a blast and the whole bar will always cheer you on. Good people, good food, good drinks and a great atmosphere for any night of the week. read more

For a divey karaoke bar it's a lot fun and not a rough crowd I was pleasantly surprised

I just felt dirty in here. Drinks are pretty cheap and karaoke is fun. It does need a lot of updating and cleaning. It is woodbridge so don't expect too much. It's fun if you have a lots to drink and a good group of friends to hang with. read more

I recently discovered QG after googling bars near me. Come to find out, I live a three minute walk from it! Living that close to a bar is always wonderful, and dive bars appeal to me on an emotional level. It's like home. Dartboards, cheap drinks, and karaoke are my favorite things. Hopefully this place doesn't change. read more

Crappy bar that serves crappy food. Overpriced and LOUD. I have no idea who in his/her right mind would have a banquet there.. If its only clientel read more

This place is a low life "stay away" joint as others have pointed out regarding the clients who go there.. We had been several times to the Black Forest Inn German restaurant that preceeded this one and noted they were going downhill--roaches ran across the table as you waited for your food....at the new restaurant, the roaches were worse. I did not see any comment about the food at QG--omg it was so loaded with salt and msg that we could not eat it--took extra blood pressure meds...ewwwww...just dance or sing as lady GaGa would say....never going back..... read more

So glad we found this local place so close to home. It's a 8$ uber ride away so you can party and have a good time and get a safe ride home! Love the bartender/karaoke guy Jeremy! When we brought in our gang(family including my 84 year old dad) to sing he was very accommodating and Oakly was nice enough to teach us how to sign up and pick our songs! The food is great comfort food and the drinks are priced right! It sometimes gets smoky though.. We can only stay for awhile because my dads a cancer survivor and the smoke smoking area starts to get into the non smoking part. Better ventilation is needed when it's gets crowded. Also handicap parking is needed for when it's crowded. I've never been there when it's been super crowded but I feel secure when I'm there. I've seen them handle people when they got a little out of control! A waitress/waiter would be a nice addition. read more

If you like to sing karaoke, this is the only place in Woodbridge that I know of. Go and have fun. Otherwise, don't bother. I believe there is a health law that says the smoking area but be completely separate/closed off from the non-smoking area. This place has the designated smoking area, yes, but the door stays open most of the time. My friend got up many times to close it, but it was a futile effort. Once in a while a staff member would close it, but usually they didn't bother. The patrons didn't bother either. We could smell the smoke as soon as we walked in, and there were only a handful of people there. I stayed three hours (we were celebrating a friend's birthday, otherwise I would never have gone) and I was hoarse when I left. (Not from singing, from the smoke.) The women's bathroom was clean enough, but there was water in the soap dispenser, not soap. Seriously? And no toilet paper. I had to track down a staff member to ask for t.p. My friend said the men's room had a urinal and a stall (with no door), and the lock to the room was broken. When he went in, someone was in the stall, so he walked back out. YUCK. I had a glass of cabernet when I first got there. It tasted a little off, but I figured it was a cheap brand so it was OK. When I ordered a second glass, they said they were out. What? I wondered how long the bottle had been open, or if maybe I received the last bit out of the bottom of the box. I used to go to this place to have fun watching my friends sing karaoke, but I've made my last visit. It's so obvious the owner spends nothing on fixing up the place. One final comment: If you are expecting table service, forget it. One must go to the bar to order food and drink. They'll pick up your empty glasses (they must need to wash them to keep going through the night) but they sure won't serve you anything. As I wrote before, just don't bother. P.S. Based on the other comments, I'm glad we got there before the owner did. I feel very lucky not to have been kissed by him. Blech. read more

I went last Saturday with some friends........ actually really enjoyed it! Not sure if I'll have the same experience the next time, but for now I stick with my four stars :) I don't sing Karaoke but I was content to sit at the bar. Cheap, solid drinks. Fast service. They refilled a drink of mine for free when I drunkenly spilled it (oops). Didn't really talk to anyone other than my friends, but they seemed to be decent. Nobody obnoxious. Will be back. read more

Good drinks, fun karaoke, good food! A very welcoming environment and always bring friends and family when they come and visit. Love this place hand down... read more