The 14 best escape rooms in Chicago (2026)

Can you and your teammates escape from the prison because you have been wrongly accused of a crime and your cell that once belonged to a person who was murdered?

“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

An expedition vanished in the Himalayas while searching for a legendary jewel. All that remains is an abandoned outpost feared by locals. What happened to the explorers? What secrets does the jewel hold? Dare to uncover the Legend of the Yeti!

“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

663 escape rooms

Can you and your fellow field agents investigate an area's local market as you are about to wrap up you encounter a twist never expected?

“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

Can you and your teammates find a way to the Han's office, recover the painting and slip away before Hahn returns? Make it out in 60 minutes.

“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

663 escape rooms

You are captured by a serial killer. Tied up and left in his lair, escape is your only chance. His method of operation is much like that of the infamous Zodiac killer. Has the real Zodiac returned or is this his copycat? You have only 60 minutes to escape, or the next body in a morgue will be yours.

“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

68 escape rooms

You are a professional and well-connected group of thieves. You have learned that the general manager of a local major bank is holding a sizable stash of diamonds in his office safe. In the dead of night, a break in the bank's electrical system has deactivated all alarms for exactly one hour, providing the opportunity to make your move. If you locate and crack the safe in time, you will be rich beyond your wildest dreams. Stumble, and you will end your career of crime behind bars.

“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

68 escape rooms

The justice system is flawed and imperfect. You discover this first-hand having been sentenced to life in prison, without chance of parole, for a crime you did not commit. All requests for appeals have been denied. The only path to freedom is to breakout, but you are in a maximum-security cell and are constantly monitored. Suddenly, a riot erupts in another prison block. Your guard has left his post. This is your only chance for liberty. Are you quick-witted and resourceful enough to escape?

“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

The Board Game Hall of Fame is hosting its annual awards night in the iconic Clue mansion, where legendary board game characters have gathered for an evening of celebration. But before the event begins, a chilling discovery is made: one of the characters has been "taken out of the game." As panic spreads, a cryptic note from the killer is uncovered, taunting the guests and daring them to solve the mystery. The note reveals that the murder was meticulously planned, and only those clever enough to uncover the who, where, and how of the crime stand a chance of escaping the mansion unscathed. Teams must split up to follow three investigative paths, searching rooms like the Study and the Ballroom for hidden clues, each suspect concealing motives and secrets. The clock is ticking. Can you unravel the murderer's plan and escape this deadly game, or will you be the next piece removed from play? This is deadly fun for all ages. A mystery that will keep everyone on their toes!

“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

32 escape rooms

The year is 1990-something. You are in the bedroom of Kat and Bianca. The girls used to be close growing up, but have drifted apart in their teenage years. Tonight there is a big party. Everyone is going to be there. It was rumored in school that Bianca's crush was going to be there and Kat's band, Something-something Explosion, was going to play at the party. However, earlier that day, the girls had a huge fight. Their parents sent both of them to their room and locked them in. Now, you need to help them make up and find a way to escape their room to get to the party. (Knowledge of the 90s is not necessary to complete the room)

“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

Enter the game where you become the player in the world’s first active gaming facility. Jump, climb, problem-solve and laugh, as you and your friends move between challenges. Each dynamic game room has interactive technology that reacts in real time, ensuring an adrenaline-filled adventure.

An escape room set in the prohibition era, when gangs ruled the city of Chicago. You and your fellow mob members have just been informed that a local rival gang is on its way to blowup your headquarters. You’re outnumbered and must gather all the cash before you flee! Can you escape the room in time?

“Fun room for two players! The atmosphere is great, and puzzles are novel but simple. Anyone with a decent amount of experience will catch on to the classics, and one puzzle struck us as very unique! A few tricks in here repeat in other rooms at this location, so a few puzzles are slightly easier if you've played others first. Definitely a search-heavy room, but nothing felt mean or overly difficult. Our GM was absolutely fantastic! We look forward to coming back to do our last room here.”

CharlieS

30 escape rooms

There is a "Loa" – a Haitian Vodou ghost, also called as "the Invisible" – haunting the hut of a priest where you have been trapped by this evil spirit... The priest has a powerful golden skull that can protect you against Loa possession. You must find it within an hour before the spirit enters you.

Your Nana was always a bit estranged from the family, but you tried your best to stay connected to her. I mean after all, she’s quite old, and she shouldn’t have to spend her days in solitude. You do really worry about her, but she insists that she's fine in her mountain cabin by herself. It was always an hourly phone call that was your little bonding time, but nearly a month has passed since your last contact with her. You decide it's time to take a visit up to check on dear old Nana Hannah. It takes you all day to get directions and now that night has fallen, you only make out the cabin by the cracks that shine through her fencing from your headlights. You peak through a broken window pane to see red marks down at the end of the hall. Calling out, there is no answer. Did someone break into the cabin? Is that slashes of blood on the wall? What happened to Nana Hannah?

“Legend of Ultira” was supposed to be released in 1988 for the NES, but the game mysteriously disappeared from production along with the company that developed it. Decades later a copy of the game finally turns up in a long-abandoned cabin, along with a dead body and references to an urban legend known as “The Cackling Man.” Whatever happened here is about to happen again. Something has awakened in the woods, and it’s coming for you. You can already hear the cackling. Can you solve the mystery behind a cursed video game and a strange occult ritual before midnight? Or will you be the next victim of the Cackling Man?

“Having done a couple of Pop-Up Escape rooms at this point, this is far and above my favorite. I say this despite the logistical and scheduling mishaps that meant I nearly didn’t get a chance to play. The puzzles are split between an NES-style video game and a physical room. Two people can play the game, while the rest of the team searches the room and finds keys. This split meant everybody had something to do and didn’t feel like we were tripping over each other. The video game was fantastic to explore, and felt like a fully-featured game rather than a prop. I almost want to play it again so I can experience the non-game puzzles and story that I missed. Highly recommend.”

JonahWhite

27 escape rooms