The 12 best escape rooms in San Francisco
Come for the culture but stay for the escape rooms, San Francisco has some amazing ones to play.
“Had a lot of fun with this room! I think that was in part because it was just me and my partner playing - no randoms joined us luckily. The game play was pretty intuitive for the most part, but not too simple where it didn't make you think. This room had similar elements as their other new room "Timeliner" in my opinion, but I found this room more enjoyable. Puzzles were not entirely linear, so you could have multiple people working on different things. The difficulty level for this was noted as 7/10 on their website.”
Leesha
73 games played
“With the most unique puzzle lineup of any game I've played, this room just might also have the best puzzles out of any room I've played - Timeliner's theme just barely keeps it from being my favorite room of all time. The room itself was incredibly immersive as well, and with production value you can only find from The Escape Game. Out of 22 escape rooms I’ve played at the time of writing, this one ranks a very close 2nd.”
coasterfish
35 games played
The Escape Game
Very Positive
145 Jefferson St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
Palace Games
Overwhelmingly Positive
3362 Palace Dr, San Francisco, CA 94123, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
“Such an interesting concept!!! I can’t say enough about the palace games group! I feel like my reviews of all their games sound the same but they truly are excellent products. Be sure to have more than 4 people as there are ALOT of things to do.”
iamgoo
140 games played
Palace Games
Overwhelmingly Positive
3362 Palace Dr, San Francisco, CA 94123, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
“Great room design. We have done all the rooms at palace of fine arts and this was probably slightly better than houdini but attraction and Edison were far better. Although even being one of the lesser rooms st palace, it was still miles better than most rooms. (Edison and attraction are just in a whole other league). Still an amazing room with a lot of fun and engaging puzzles”
DoctorWhom
92 games played
Palace Games
Overwhelmingly Positive
3362 Palace Dr, San Francisco, CA 94123, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
“There is so much to do in this room, and there are some very clever and challenging puzzles. We were constantly oohing and aahing about some of the delightful details. We did it with a group of 4 enthusiast, and everyone was constantly engaged, less experienced group might want 5 or 6 brains. A great experience!”
Scoopspope
193 games played
Palace Games
Overwhelmingly Positive
3362 Palace Dr, San Francisco, CA 94123, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
“Absolutely the most unique escape room I've ever done; almost more like an immersive experience. I would NOT recommend this for newer escape room folks. Not only is it quite difficult, but you will not be properly blown away by how very different and special this room is until you've seen what "typical" escape rooms often look like. One of my favorite rooms I've ever done. Worth traveling in for! There is more than one moment that will absolutely blow your mind, trust me.”
caerleigh
86 games played
The Escape Game
Overwhelmingly Positive
150 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
“Ive done all The Escape Game themed rooms in Downtown SF, Fisherman’s ward, and San Jose and this was by far our favorite room of all! The puzzles were easy, good flow, unique puzzles, and just super super fun all around!”
jasminejuwvipart
100 games played
“So far, my favorite game at The Escape Game besides Ruins. Split start is utilized well, set looks fantastic, and clever puzzles that make you feel smart. Above all, it’s a very immersive experience, from lighting to sound design to the set and puzzles themselves.”
CaptainN3mo
56 games played
The Escape Game
Very Positive
150 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
“The second best game here, and one of The Escape Game’s best, only overshadowed by Prison Break, Ruins, and Playground. Anyway, it’s one of the best in San Francisco, and this game is very well done. The game feels split in two halves, and those two halves are very different from each other. I personally preferred the first half, but to each their own. The room looks amazing, sounds amazing, and even smells amazing, and has some very neat puzzles in it too. The storyline is cohesive, though it does rely heavily on screens. I’m a fan of this one for sure. Highly recommend this one.”
CaptainN3mo
56 games played
Escapology
Very Positive
3251 20th Ave #360, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
- Escape room
- IRL
The Depths
The Escape Game
- Escape room
- IRL
“Had a lot of fun with this room! I think that was in part because it was just me and my partner playing - no randoms joined us luckily. The game play was pretty intuitive for the most part, but not too simple where it didn't make you think. This room had similar elements as their other new room "Timeliner" in my opinion, but I found this room more enjoyable. Puzzles were not entirely linear, so you could have multiple people working on different things. The difficulty level for this was noted as 7/10 on their website.”
Leesha
73 games played
Gold Rush
The Escape Game
- Escape room
- IRL
“With the most unique puzzle lineup of any game I've played, this room just might also have the best puzzles out of any room I've played - Timeliner's theme just barely keeps it from being my favorite room of all time. The room itself was incredibly immersive as well, and with production value you can only find from The Escape Game. Out of 22 escape rooms I’ve played at the time of writing, this one ranks a very close 2nd.”
coasterfish
35 games played
Timeliner: Train Through Time
The Escape Game
- Escape room
- IRL
The Great Houdini Escape Room
Palace Games
- Escape room
- IRL
“Such an interesting concept!!! I can’t say enough about the palace games group! I feel like my reviews of all their games sound the same but they truly are excellent products. Be sure to have more than 4 people as there are ALOT of things to do.”
iamgoo
140 games played
The Roosevelt Escape Room
Palace Games
- Escape room
- IRL
“Great room design. We have done all the rooms at palace of fine arts and this was probably slightly better than houdini but attraction and Edison were far better. Although even being one of the lesser rooms st palace, it was still miles better than most rooms. (Edison and attraction are just in a whole other league). Still an amazing room with a lot of fun and engaging puzzles”
DoctorWhom
92 games played
The Edison Escape Room
Palace Games
- Escape room
- IRL
“There is so much to do in this room, and there are some very clever and challenging puzzles. We were constantly oohing and aahing about some of the delightful details. We did it with a group of 4 enthusiast, and everyone was constantly engaged, less experienced group might want 5 or 6 brains. A great experience!”
Scoopspope
193 games played
The Attraction
Palace Games
- Escape room
- IRL
“Absolutely the most unique escape room I've ever done; almost more like an immersive experience. I would NOT recommend this for newer escape room folks. Not only is it quite difficult, but you will not be properly blown away by how very different and special this room is until you've seen what "typical" escape rooms often look like. One of my favorite rooms I've ever done. Worth traveling in for! There is more than one moment that will absolutely blow your mind, trust me.”
caerleigh
86 games played
Playground
The Escape Game
- Escape room
- IRL
“Ive done all The Escape Game themed rooms in Downtown SF, Fisherman’s ward, and San Jose and this was by far our favorite room of all! The puzzles were easy, good flow, unique puzzles, and just super super fun all around!”
jasminejuwvipart
100 games played
Prison Break
The Escape Game
- Escape room
- IRL
“So far, my favorite game at The Escape Game besides Ruins. Split start is utilized well, set looks fantastic, and clever puzzles that make you feel smart. Above all, it’s a very immersive experience, from lighting to sound design to the set and puzzles themselves.”
CaptainN3mo
56 games played
Gold Rush
The Escape Game
- Escape room
- IRL
Special Ops: Mysterious Market
The Escape Game
- Escape room
- IRL
“The second best game here, and one of The Escape Game’s best, only overshadowed by Prison Break, Ruins, and Playground. Anyway, it’s one of the best in San Francisco, and this game is very well done. The game feels split in two halves, and those two halves are very different from each other. I personally preferred the first half, but to each their own. The room looks amazing, sounds amazing, and even smells amazing, and has some very neat puzzles in it too. The storyline is cohesive, though it does rely heavily on screens. I’m a fan of this one for sure. Highly recommend this one.”
CaptainN3mo
56 games played
Murder on the Orient Express
Escapology
- Escape room
- IRL
More Escape Rooms
About San Francisco
Some of the most popular attractions in San Francisco include the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, the Exploratorium, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Fisherman's Wharf, and Chinatown. Other popular destinations include the cable cars, the Painted Ladies, and the city's many parks and gardens. There are also several popular festivals and events that take place in San Francisco throughout the year, such as the Bay to Breakers race and the San Francisco International Film Festival.
Learn More about San Francisco Escape Rooms
San Francisco is home to many escape rooms that offer thrilling and immersive experiences for participants. One such escape room is Palace Games, located in the historic Palace of Fine Arts. Their rooms are designed to take players back in time and include themes like "The Great Houdini Escape Room" and "The Roosevelt Escape Room." Another popular option is the Real Escape Game, which has multiple locations in San Francisco and offers unique escape rooms like "Escape from the Time Travel Lab" and "Escape from the Bank." Other notable escape rooms in San Francisco include EscapeSF, which features rooms like "The Experiment" and "Escape from Alcatraz," and EscapeIQ, which offers challenging and interactive rooms like "The Hex Room" and "The Elevator." Whether you're a local or visiting San Francisco, these escape rooms offer a fun and exciting way to test your problem-solving skills and enjoy a unique adventure.
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 San Francisco Escape Rooms with Morty
There are plenty of awesome escape rooms to choose from in San Francisco. 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 San Francisco?
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 San Francisco 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!