From late-night bowling and lane-side dining to year-round ice skating and retro arcade games, Queens offers far more than a typical evening out in West London, drawing a steady mix of locals and passing crowds to enjoy 45,000 square feet built for entertainment.
The Venue
Queens may be approaching its centenary, but it shows little interest in leaning on the past. The long-standing Queensway venue has recently completed the most extensive refurbishment in its 90-year history, reopening after nine months of construction. Bowling sits at the centre of that renewal, not as a novelty, but as one of the venue’s most popular attractions and the biggest of its kind in London.
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What’s Inside
Open seven days a week and for nearly fourteen hours a day, the site now operates as a broad leisure complex rather than a single-use location. Alongside London’s only year-round ice rink, which is also the oldest in the UK and was founded by entrepreneur and ice skating enthusiast Arthur Octavius Edwards, the venue also houses a plethora of bowling lanes as well as interactive darts, ping-pong, table football, arcade games, bars, cafés and lounges.
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Bowling
Bowling at Queens is designed to be social first and competitive second. Twelve standard lanes make up the main bowling area, positioned at the heart of the venue and framed by a dark, industrial interior washed in blue neon light. Games are played in a relaxed, informal setting, with lanes arranged to keep groups close to the bars and seating areas rather than in a traditional bowling hall layout.
Sessions are geared towards casual play, making it just as suited to midweek drop-ins as weekend group bookings. Lane-side service allows food and drinks to be ordered without pausing play, encouraging longer stays and a more fluid evening. The result is bowling that feels integrated into the wider venue rather than treated as a standalone activity — easy to join, easy to leave and rarely rushed. Off-peak lanes begin from £7.95 and peak slots from £9.95, alongside a handful of weekday deals that add an extra incentive to drop in mid-week.
The venue has also become one of the city’s best choices for children’s bowling parties, with packages designed to keep things seamless from start to finish. The packages include one game on the main lanes, followed by 45 minutes for food, with a children’s menu and boxed juice, along with ice cream for dessert. There are also signature touches too, such as keyrings for party bags, attendance certificates for every guest, a birthday card for the host and even a free bowling or ice skating voucher for each attendee’s next visit. Invitations are included, with prices beginning from £29.99 per person for a minimum of ten children.
With music kept at an even level and lighting focused on atmosphere rather than spectacle, the space strikes the perfect balance between lively and comfortable. It’s bowling built for conversation, shared rounds and repeat games, rather than strict scorekeeping.
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VIP Lanes
For larger groups, the Liquor Lanes offer a more private alternative and transform the bowling experience into an unforgettable night out. Five ruby-red VIP lanes sit slightly apart from the main floor, each with access to a private bar and plush seating. With capacity for 60–80 guests across the space, they’re perfectly designed for shared occasions. Dedicated hosts oversee bookings, making them a practical option for birthdays, work socials or celebrations that require a bit of separation without compromising on the wider energy of the venue.
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Activities
Bowling benefits from being part of Queens’ wider ecosystem. Guests can move easily between activities, from a stint in the retro arcade with Pac-Man, Mario Kart and other familiar titles to a turn at one of the six interactive darts boards that offer both 30 and 60 minute sessions. Big screens show live sport, while in-house DJs play on Friday and Saturday nights, adding to the sense that the venue is designed for extended stays rather than quick visits. A game easily turns into two, a drink leads to another and the evening stretches without feeling overmanaged.
The indoor ice rink also remains a central draw. Open year-round, it hosts public skating sessions, lessons and is home to London’s only ice curling lanes. Over the years, it has played host to everyone from Olympic and world champions to generations of Londoners. Even royalty has passed through its doors, with Princes William and Harry visiting as children alongside Princess Diana.
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Food and Drink
Food and drink are built into the bowling experience rather than treated as an add-on. Queens is home to a full MEAT liquor restaurant, serving the cult burger chain’s familiar line-up, including the Dead Hippie, alongside fried chicken, fries and the Triple Chilli Challenge. Orders can also be placed directly from the lanes, with burgers, wings and loaded fries delivered mid-game so play doesn’t have to stop.
The drinks selection is equally straightforward, covering beers, cocktails and soft drinks. Signature serves include the Cockney Ladder, an apple and pear cocktail made with Chase vodka, pear liqueur, pear purée and apple juice, and the Palace Garden, mixing Portobello gin with elderflower liqueur, cucumber, mint and apple. It’s a menu designed for sharing, quick refills and staying put for another round.
That balance is what Queens gets right. It avoids over-styling or chasing novelty for its own sake, instead offering bowling that reflects how people actually spend their evenings in London: informally, socially and with food and drink close at hand.
In a city crowded with leisure concepts determined to reinvent familiar pastimes, Queens takes a simpler approach. It’s not trying to impress and that, ultimately, is its strength.
