The 14 best escape rooms in Chicago
Over the past decade, the windy city has introduced a typhoon of amazing escape rooms. Find out where to play the best ones here in Chicago.
The Quandary Escape Rooms
Very Positive
3205 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
“Some of the most fun I’ve had in an escape room! I’ll admit I’m extremely biased towards this room themed around 2 sisters’ bedrooms in the 90s, but can you blame me for having such vivid nostalgia?! I appreciated every reference, and I loved specific parts involving video games! The hint system was genius and inherently fun and filled with personality from the excellent GM! The room can be overwhelming with the literal dozens of references and unclear start points, but all locks are explicitly marked, and we never had a real issue once we got going. Most importantly, it felt in theme and was enjoyable throughout. I recommend this specifically for anyone with fond memories of growing up in the 90s!”
Panda
572 games played
The Quandary Escape Rooms
Mostly Positive
3205 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
Escape Artistry
Very Positive
1342 N Milwaukee Ave 2nd floor, Chicago, IL 60622, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
“Rounded out my birthday with this room. We were doing it with people that had never done an escape room before, and so I imagine this was pretty wild for them. Teamwork was tough due to not always being able to see each other, but we made it out! The setting was great! There was one puzzle in the beginning that was much longer than it needed to be. The athletic checks were nice additions. We over-complicated one puzzle near the end of the room, but not so much that it caused any issues. We still exited with plenty of time remaining.”
saxyhacker
56 games played
“Super fun museum room! I felt like every puzzle was well signposted and it had a clear flow. Also liked how the heist narrative progressed, especially towards the end. Still not a fan of public bookings and never will be, so that’s still a shrug. But I still recommend this room otherwise. Maybe not as much as other Escape Game rooms but a solid choice at the Chicago location at least!”
Panda
572 games played
“The set design and production are superior to other space games I’ve played. The puzzles were fun. The only hard part is with all tech sometimes we were confused who just finished their puzzle when something opened. These games are all public and we were placed with another couple. But they were awesome, so it worked out. If we were placed with duds or children I feel like the experience would not have been fun. So that is a risk! Overall a very fun escape room. We escaped with minimal time on the clock, the adrenaline was pumping.”
ktbaustin
190 games played
“This game did feel a lot less corporate than prison break! There were several clever moments and neat puzzles, but the gameplay was a little stilted and playing with 4 people felt like far too many, it’s more of a 2-3 player game. Overall, a good time, worth it if you’re in the area, but I wouldn’t travel for this game”
Mwanduh
39 games played
The Great Escape Room
Very Positive
160 E Grand Ave Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
Fox in a Box Chicago
Very Positive
47 W Polk St suite l5 basement, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
“I really enjoyed this room. Even though the hiding aspect was kind of silly, it led to a lot of fun within my group. There were a few unique puzzles, and I think my group found the overall experience to be very entertaining.”
RG9400
135 games played
Fox in a Box Chicago
Very Positive
47 W Polk St suite l5 basement, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
“This is one of the most immersive escape rooms I’ve ever experienced. This room really makes use of cooperation between players in fun ways! Towards the end, the puzzles were a little hard to figure out for our small group, but this is one of those rooms where it’s totally worth it for the experience alone!”
Panda
572 games played
Fox in a Box Chicago
Very Positive
47 W Polk St suite l5 basement, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
“1st time doing a Fox in a Box room and it was a fun experience. Prices are a little high at FIAB, but if you disregard that, this is a very good ER company. Zodiak’s set was well done and the room was a very immersive experience. The start was very cool being blindfolded and handcuffed, and needing to work together to get free of the cuffs. Puzzles were all fun/fair, however, a few times things silently opened after a puzzle was solved so it was sometimes difficult to figure out what happened. A cool moment for 1 person was when a secret area was revealed and then teamwork was critical to move forward. Never experienced something like that before, so your senses were heightened. Our GM (Alisha), was fun to talk with before and afterwards, and she did a great job of giving us a few nudges and hints to ensure we never spun our wheels too long. We will definitely be back at FIAB to play the rest of their rooms.”
Lexus60068
53 games played
Escape The 90's
The Quandary Escape Rooms
- Escape room
- IRL
“Some of the most fun I’ve had in an escape room! I’ll admit I’m extremely biased towards this room themed around 2 sisters’ bedrooms in the 90s, but can you blame me for having such vivid nostalgia?! I appreciated every reference, and I loved specific parts involving video games! The hint system was genius and inherently fun and filled with personality from the excellent GM! The room can be overwhelming with the literal dozens of references and unclear start points, but all locks are explicitly marked, and we never had a real issue once we got going. Most importantly, it felt in theme and was enjoyable throughout. I recommend this specifically for anyone with fond memories of growing up in the 90s!”
Panda
572 games played
Lab Of The Lost
The Quandary Escape Rooms
- Escape room
- IRL
Operation G.R.A.N.I.E.
Escape Artistry
- Escape room
- IRL
Prison Break
The Escape Game
- Escape room
- IRL
“Rounded out my birthday with this room. We were doing it with people that had never done an escape room before, and so I imagine this was pretty wild for them. Teamwork was tough due to not always being able to see each other, but we made it out! The setting was great! There was one puzzle in the beginning that was much longer than it needed to be. The athletic checks were nice additions. We over-complicated one puzzle near the end of the room, but not so much that it caused any issues. We still exited with plenty of time remaining.”
saxyhacker
56 games played
The Heist
The Escape Game
- Escape room
- IRL
“Super fun museum room! I felt like every puzzle was well signposted and it had a clear flow. Also liked how the heist narrative progressed, especially towards the end. Still not a fan of public bookings and never will be, so that’s still a shrug. But I still recommend this room otherwise. Maybe not as much as other Escape Game rooms but a solid choice at the Chicago location at least!”
Panda
572 games played
Mission: Mars
The Escape Game
- Escape room
- IRL
“The set design and production are superior to other space games I’ve played. The puzzles were fun. The only hard part is with all tech sometimes we were confused who just finished their puzzle when something opened. These games are all public and we were placed with another couple. But they were awesome, so it worked out. If we were placed with duds or children I feel like the experience would not have been fun. So that is a risk! Overall a very fun escape room. We escaped with minimal time on the clock, the adrenaline was pumping.”
ktbaustin
190 games played
Special Ops
The Escape Game
- Escape room
- IRL
“This game did feel a lot less corporate than prison break! There were several clever moments and neat puzzles, but the gameplay was a little stilted and playing with 4 people felt like far too many, it’s more of a 2-3 player game. Overall, a good time, worth it if you’re in the area, but I wouldn’t travel for this game”
Mwanduh
39 games played
Mountain Top Murders
The Great Escape Room
- Escape room
- IRL
The Mob
PanIQ Escape Room
- Escape room
- IRL
Voodoo Spirits
PanIQ Escape Room
- Escape room
- IRL
Insane Asylum
PanIQ Escape Room
- Escape room
- IRL
The Prison
Fox in a Box Chicago
- Escape room
- IRL
“This is one of the most immersive escape rooms I’ve ever experienced. This room really makes use of cooperation between players in fun ways! Towards the end, the puzzles were a little hard to figure out for our small group, but this is one of those rooms where it’s totally worth it for the experience alone!”
Panda
572 games played
Zodiac
Fox in a Box Chicago
- Escape room
- IRL
“1st time doing a Fox in a Box room and it was a fun experience. Prices are a little high at FIAB, but if you disregard that, this is a very good ER company. Zodiak’s set was well done and the room was a very immersive experience. The start was very cool being blindfolded and handcuffed, and needing to work together to get free of the cuffs. Puzzles were all fun/fair, however, a few times things silently opened after a puzzle was solved so it was sometimes difficult to figure out what happened. A cool moment for 1 person was when a secret area was revealed and then teamwork was critical to move forward. Never experienced something like that before, so your senses were heightened. Our GM (Alisha), was fun to talk with before and afterwards, and she did a great job of giving us a few nudges and hints to ensure we never spun our wheels too long. We will definitely be back at FIAB to play the rest of their rooms.”
Lexus60068
53 games played
More Escape Rooms
About Chicago
Many people view The Loop as the heart of Chicago, owing to it being the home many of the city’s most recognizable high rises and exciting destinations. Among the most famous of these would be Millennium Park, The Art Institute of Chicago, and the Willis Tower, which are each more than worth a visit. If The Loop is the heart of Chicago, then Lincoln Park might just be its soul. This part of the city is full of life and culture, and some of the best cuisine in the Midwest, including Alinea, a 3-Michelin Star restaurant famous for its avant garde dining experience. On top of it all, both areas have numerous amazing escape rooms to experience no matter your taste.
Learn More About Chicago Park Escape Rooms
Chicago is the capital of the midwest when it comes to amazing escape room experiences. Since the first escape rooms arrived in Chicago in 2016, the great city on Lake Michigan hasn’t stopped crafting these immersive puzzle experiences. In fact, greater Chicago is home to nearly 30 different escape room venues and The Loop and Lincoln Park have emerged as the inarguable dual hearts of the Chicago escape room scene. Wizard Trials at PanIQ Room Logan Square is a popular game for all ages. The Railcar at Escape Artistry is an artistic experience that really draws you in. And Team Vs. Time’s Save the Queen takes you on a journey through a regal mystery. With over 100 escape games in the area, the possibilities are nearly endless — you’ll find games with themes of horror, adventure, crime, espionage, and plenty you may not expect.
How Do Escape Rooms Work?
Remember those point-and-click adventure games where you’re locked in a room and have to solve puzzles to find the key and escape? Those online games were the original inspiration for the live escape rooms you’ll find all across the world today. An escape room is an immersive experience where you (and your team of 2 or more people) are locked in a room with a series of puzzles for 60 minutes. To escape and win the game, you have to look for clues, solve the puzzles, and find the key. While most escape rooms only give you 60 minutes to complete the challenge, others may have shorter or longer time limits. Many venues are private rooms where you and your team are the only players. However, some places may pair you with other groups who booked a slot at the same time. And don’t worry about getting stuck, asking for hints on a difficult puzzle is totally normal. While the original escape room (created by SCRAP in 2007) had a fairly simple aesthetic, today’s escape games often take you into a different world. Artistic set designs, secret doors, and unique interactive elements are all part of the fun. It’s like an adventure game that you can interact with in real life. But if you’re hoping to preview any rooms before you book a game somewhere, detailed images and videos can be hard to find. To keep the puzzles a secret and preserve the experience of seeing the room for the first time, most venues only offer a few photos or a short trailer about the room’s theme or narrative. The only way to know what it’s like is to go and try it for yourself!
Find the best Chicago Escape Rooms with Morty
There are plenty of awesome escape rooms to choose from in Downtown Chicago. The goal of Morty is to make escape rooms more accessible for everyone to find and play. With Morty, you can: - Browse escape rooms anywhere in the country - Read reviews and ratings from other community members - Book a room together with your friends Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned escape room enthusiast, our aim is to help you play more escape rooms and visit more immersive attractions.
Frequently asked questions
How Do I Book an Escape Room in Chicago?
Most escape room venues don’t accept walk-ins, and time slots for popular games may fill up fast. Besides that, not every escape room is the same — some have varying difficulties, and you don’t want to get stuck playing a room that’s beyond your experience level. That’s why the best way to book an escape room in Downtown Chicago is through the Morty app. You can get updates on new games, read reviews, compare details (including difficulty, theme, runtime) and plan an outing with friends, all on the same platform. You can even coordinate games with your friends collaboratively. Download the Morty app and book your adventure today!