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.
“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
59 escape rooms
“Abominably excellent room that may remind you of the original room that stood there Gold Rush. But this is definitely super different, and I actually like this one more. Great puzzles that were very logical and fun with good flow. Wonderful wow moments and transitions, and even a guest appearance from the big guy himself! Be warned that like all rooms at this company, there are public bookings but we lucked out and had the Yeti all to ourselves! This room was nice, ice baby!”
Panda
662 escape rooms
Fox in a Box Chicago
Very Positive
47 W Polk St suite l5 basement, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
“we did 3 straight rooms here & RAILED every one: Zodiac 33:31, The Bank 32:15, & The Prison 50:23, for an average of 38:43. all clean. this one had a great gimmick to start us off, a little cramped for 6 people, but some cool individual tasks which is always fun. also the GMs here are great & thoughtful. one drew us personalized postcards”
ThunderBoy
60 escape rooms
The Escape Game
Very Positive
42 E Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- 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
40 escape rooms
Fox in a Box Chicago
Very Positive
47 W Polk St suite l5 basement, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
“we did 3 straight rooms here & RAILED every one: Zodiac 33:31, The Bank 32:15, & The Prison 50:23, for an average of 38:43. all clean. this one was supposedly the hardest, but we did it the fastest. also a little cramped w/ 6 people, but lots of puzzles, and having to use flashlights the whole time was cool & on-theme. also the GMs here are great & thoughtful. one drew us personalized postcards”
ThunderBoy
60 escape rooms
“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
662 escape rooms
The Quandary Escape Rooms
Very Positive
3205 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
“This was a really fun room. Aside from being able to play games in an escape room (and you straight up Play some of these games) this was just a well designed room with lots of puzzles. While my wife and I managed to squeak by and finish with about 30 seconds remaining I would say 3 or 4 people would be the perfect number for this room based just on the number of puzzles. The game master Gracie was super enthusiastic and you could tell she loves what she does. There was an assortment of different kinds of puzzles and all of it stayed on theme and didn’t pull me out of the game to solve. There was one hiccup with a moving puzzle but it was quickly fixed and so smoothly that we almost didn’t notice there was an issue. I gotta say I’ve done a bunch of escape rooms and this one might be my wife and I’s all time favorite. I was really shocked this didn’t have a higher number of reviews on Morty but other glowing reviews made us decide to check it out. So glad we did! Definitely a diamond in the rough.”
TruffleShuffle
31 escape rooms
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
“Fox in the box is not the highest production value but always always the best GMs. They’re always in character making people feel welcome and safe. fox in the box is one of the best escape rooms in the city”
droepke35
35 escape rooms
![Activate [Interactive Arcade]](https://images.morty.app/mortyapp/image/upload/c_limit,w_654/f_auto/v1/store/s/533513f6-c1a0-4d74-b6ae-09feb344234a.jpg)
Activate
Very Positive
51 E Ohio St Space 106, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Escape room
- Other
The Quandary Escape Rooms
Very Positive
3205 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
“Excellent room, with a pretty smooth puzzle flow and a really great theme! Great setup and how accurate it felt to the 90s; this came off as a room made with a lot of love. Would rec for smaller groups (we did it as a pair and it was pretty comfortable). This room feels old school but in a good way, and is well worth it if you're in the area.”
curieous
31 escape rooms
![Escape The City - Chicago [Outdoor]](https://images.morty.app/mortyapp/image/upload/c_limit,w_654/f_auto/v1/store/s/a3c308d3-573d-45b6-926b-2d2b964f4b59.jpg)
Escapely
Mostly Positive
Fulton Market, Chicago, IL, USA
- Escape room
- Other
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
59 escape rooms
Legend of the Yeti
The Escape Game
- Escape room
- IRL
“Abominably excellent room that may remind you of the original room that stood there Gold Rush. But this is definitely super different, and I actually like this one more. Great puzzles that were very logical and fun with good flow. Wonderful wow moments and transitions, and even a guest appearance from the big guy himself! Be warned that like all rooms at this company, there are public bookings but we lucked out and had the Yeti all to ourselves! This room was nice, ice baby!”
Panda
662 escape rooms
Zodiac
Fox in a Box Chicago
- Escape room
- IRL
“we did 3 straight rooms here & RAILED every one: Zodiac 33:31, The Bank 32:15, & The Prison 50:23, for an average of 38:43. all clean. this one had a great gimmick to start us off, a little cramped for 6 people, but some cool individual tasks which is always fun. also the GMs here are great & thoughtful. one drew us personalized postcards”
ThunderBoy
60 escape rooms
Special Ops: Mysterious Market
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
40 escape rooms
The Bank
Fox in a Box Chicago
- Escape room
- IRL
“we did 3 straight rooms here & RAILED every one: Zodiac 33:31, The Bank 32:15, & The Prison 50:23, for an average of 38:43. all clean. this one was supposedly the hardest, but we did it the fastest. also a little cramped w/ 6 people, but lots of puzzles, and having to use flashlights the whole time was cool & on-theme. also the GMs here are great & thoughtful. one drew us personalized postcards”
ThunderBoy
60 escape rooms
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
662 escape rooms
Board to Death
The Quandary Escape Rooms
- Escape room
- IRL
“This was a really fun room. Aside from being able to play games in an escape room (and you straight up Play some of these games) this was just a well designed room with lots of puzzles. While my wife and I managed to squeak by and finish with about 30 seconds remaining I would say 3 or 4 people would be the perfect number for this room based just on the number of puzzles. The game master Gracie was super enthusiastic and you could tell she loves what she does. There was an assortment of different kinds of puzzles and all of it stayed on theme and didn’t pull me out of the game to solve. There was one hiccup with a moving puzzle but it was quickly fixed and so smoothly that we almost didn’t notice there was an issue. I gotta say I’ve done a bunch of escape rooms and this one might be my wife and I’s all time favorite. I was really shocked this didn’t have a higher number of reviews on Morty but other glowing reviews made us decide to check it out. So glad we did! Definitely a diamond in the rough.”
TruffleShuffle
31 escape rooms
The Mob
PanIQ Escape Room
- Escape room
- IRL
Mountain Top Murders
The Great Escape Room
- Escape room
- IRL
The Prison
Fox in a Box Chicago
- Escape room
- IRL
“Fox in the box is not the highest production value but always always the best GMs. They’re always in character making people feel welcome and safe. fox in the box is one of the best escape rooms in the city”
droepke35
35 escape rooms
Activate [Interactive Arcade]
Activate
- Escape room
- Other
Escape The 90's
The Quandary Escape Rooms
- Escape room
- IRL
“Excellent room, with a pretty smooth puzzle flow and a really great theme! Great setup and how accurate it felt to the 90s; this came off as a room made with a lot of love. Would rec for smaller groups (we did it as a pair and it was pretty comfortable). This room feels old school but in a good way, and is well worth it if you're in the area.”
curieous
31 escape rooms
Voodoo Spirits
PanIQ Escape Room
- Escape room
- IRL
- Escape room
- Other
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!