Best Heist Escape Rooms in Chicago, Illinois
1
The Escape Game Chicago
Address: 42 E Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60611
The Escape Game Chicago, located in the heart of downtown Chicago, Illinois, offers an immersive collection of expertly designed escape rooms featuring diverse themes and challenging puzzles. Their well-maintained facility showcases detailed room designs with creative storylines ranging from heists and prison breaks to gold rush adventures. The venue accommodates both private and shared experiences, with friendly game masters providing just the right amount of guidance while maintaining the perfect balance of challenge and entertainment for groups of all skill levels.
What People Are Saying
Difficulty Level: Many reviews mention the challenges and difficulty of the escape rooms, with some describing them as "challenging yet fair", "difficult but well worth it", and "the perfect amount of difficulty". However, other reviews mention the puzzles being not too hard and easily solvable, and some needed hints.
Themes: Reviews mention several themes including "special ops", "mystery market", "gold rush", "prison break", and "the heist".
Puzzles: The reviews indicate that the puzzles involve a mix of logic, searching, and problem-solving. Some puzzles mentioned specifically include codes and sequences.
Mystery/Detective: Several reviews refer to the games as "mysteries" and involve solving puzzles to "escape", strongly suggesting a mystery or detective theme.
Prison Break: The "Prison Break" theme is explicitly mentioned in multiple reviews.
Heist: The "Heist" theme is explicitly mentioned in multiple reviews, involving stealing valuable items.
Kid-friendly: Several reviews mention family participation and kid-friendly experiences. One review specifically states that it is "kid-friendly".
Party: Multiple reviews explicitly mention birthday parties and family celebrations taking place at the escape room.
Large Groups: Reviews describe experiences with large groups, including parties of 8, 9, and 10 people, suggesting the suitability of the escape rooms for large groups. However, several reviews also mention concerns about too many people in the room.
Discounts: Reviews mention discounts for repeat customers or for booking multiple games on the same day. One review mentions a 40% discount for doing two games in a row.
Price: Some reviews describe the price as "acceptable" and "great", while others find it on the higher end or "a little dear".
Not Noted
Scare Factor: No reviews mention scary or horror themes. One review even specifically states that the room was not terrifying.
Zombie: There is no mention of a zombie theme in any of the reviews.
Tomb: No reviews mention an Egyptian theme.
Parking: One review mentions that parking is difficult.
2
Fox In A Box Escape Room Chicago
Address: 47 W Polk St suite l5 basement, Chicago, IL 60605
Fox In A Box Escape Room Chicago, located in the heart of Chicago, Illinois, offers an immersive collection of thoughtfully designed escape rooms that challenge players with clever puzzles and engaging storylines. The venue features multiple themed rooms including a spine-tingling Zodiac room, an intense Prison Break experience, and an action-packed Bank Heist scenario, each crafted with meticulous attention to detail and varying difficulty levels. The facility stands out for its exceptional game masters who provide the perfect balance of guidance and autonomy, while adding personal touches like custom drawings for participants to commemorate their escape adventures.
What People Are Saying
Difficulty Level: Many reviews mention the rooms as challenging, but still fun and solvable with some hints from the game masters.
Themes: The reviews mention themes such as Zodiac Killer, Prison Break, Bank Heist, and The Bunker.
Puzzles: The reviews suggest a mix of puzzle types including logic, searching, and some puzzles incorporating codes or ciphers.
Scare Factor: Several reviews describe rooms as creepy or spooky, particularly the Zodiac room, but not overtly scary or horror-themed like a haunted house.
Mystery/Detective: The Zodiac Killer and other mystery-themed rooms are mentioned in the reviews, suggesting a mystery or detective theme is present.
Prison Break: The reviews clearly mention a prison break theme among the escape rooms offered.
Heist: The reviews frequently mention heist themes, including the Bank Heist room, indicating this theme is present.
Kid-friendly: Reviews mention family participation and game masters adapting to children's involvement, suggesting some kid-friendly aspects.
Party: One review explicitly mentions hosting a birthday party, indicating the venue accommodates such events.
Large Groups: Multiple reviews describe groups of 5 or more participating without issue, suggesting suitability for large groups.
Discounts: One review mentions a discount for booking multiple rooms on the same day.
Not Noted
Zombie: There is no mention of a zombie theme in the provided reviews.
Tomb: There is no mention of an Egyptian theme in the provided reviews.
Price: Some reviews mention the price being higher than other escape rooms, while others find it reasonably priced, leading to mixed opinions on affordability.
Parking: The reviews do not provide information about parking availability at this location.
3
The Great Escape Room Chicago
Address: 160 E Grand Ave #400, Chicago, IL 60611
The Great Escape Room Chicago, located in the heart of Chicago, Illinois, offers an immersive collection of themed puzzle rooms ranging from haunted hotels to historical adventures. This entertainment venue features multiple challenging rooms with varying difficulty levels, where groups can work together solving intricate puzzles and decoding clues while racing against the clock. The facility stands out for its well-designed spaces and helpful staff who provide just the right amount of guidance to keep the experience both challenging and enjoyable for everyone from beginners to experienced escape room enthusiasts.
What People Are Saying
Difficulty Level: Reviews mention various difficulty levels, with some calling rooms "very challenging" while others found them "moderately challenging". Several reviews mention successfully escaping with time to spare, while others did not, suggesting a range of difficulty.
Themes: The reviews mention several themes, including Haunted Hotel, Mountain Top Murders, Roman Colosseum, Heist, Sherlock Holmes, Poker with the Presidents, and Infirmary. This indicates a variety of themes are available.
Puzzles: Many reviews praise the "clever puzzles", "well-designed puzzles", and "logical puzzles". The reviews suggest a mix of logic-based, search-oriented, and perhaps some physical puzzles, though this is not explicitly stated.
Scare Factor: Multiple reviews refer to rooms as "spooky" and "scary", specifically mentioning a "Haunted Hotel" room and "gory images" in "Mountain Top Murders". This suggests some rooms contain scary or horror elements.
Mystery/Detective: Reviews frequently describe the experience as a "mystery" or involve solving a "mystery", implying a detective or mystery theme in multiple rooms.
Prison Break: One review mentions a "prison guards" theme, suggesting the presence of a prison break theme in at least one room.
Heist: The reviews mention a "Heist" room, indicating the inclusion of a heist theme.
Kid-friendly: Several reviews mention bringing children and having a good time. Reviews specifically mention rooms being suitable for families and that the staff was great with kids.
Party: Multiple reviews refer to birthday parties at the escape room, indicating it hosts these events.
Large Groups: Reviews describe experiences with large groups, including bachelorette parties, work outings, and large family gatherings. The facility is mentioned as being able to accommodate several large groups.
Discounts: Reviews mention a discount for booking a second room the same day, and one review refers to discounted tickets bought on the day of their visit. This suggests there are discounts for repeat or large group visits.
Price: Many reviews refer to the pricing as "affordable", "reasonable", "great price", or "unbeatable". However, one review mentions concerns about pricing for young children, suggesting some price variation.
Not Noted
Zombie: There is no mention of a zombie theme in any of the provided reviews.
Tomb: The reviews do not mention any Egyptian themes.
Parking: Some reviews mention parking challenges or suggest using a nearby parking garage, while others do not mention parking difficulties. This suggests parking availability may vary or be limited.
4
PanIQ Escape Room Chicago (Logan Square)
Address: 3061 W Logan Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647
PanIQ Escape Room Chicago (Logan Square) in Chicago, Illinois, offers an immersive collection of themed rooms ranging from wizard trials to spy missions in their well-maintained facility. The venue features multiple difficulty levels with carefully crafted puzzles that encourage teamwork and critical thinking, while professional game masters provide just the right amount of guidance when needed. The establishment's rooms incorporate a mix of technological elements and traditional puzzles, housed within an historic building that adds extra character to experiences like their bank heist scenario set in an actual vintage vault.
What People Are Saying
Difficulty Level: Reviews mention various difficulty levels, with some describing rooms as challenging and others as a good mix of difficulty.
Themes: The reviews reveal themes such as Wizard Trials, Red Wire (described as well-designed and challenging), Medieval Madness, Spy, and Prison Break.
Puzzles: The puzzle types are diverse, incorporating logic, technology, memory, riddles, and collaborative elements, indicating a mix of puzzle styles.
Mystery/Detective: While not explicitly stated as a primary theme, several reviews suggest mystery elements within the puzzles and storylines.
Prison Break: At least one review explicitly mentions a "Prison Break" themed escape room.
Heist: The "Red Wire" room is described as having a heist-like setting within an old bank, including an original vault.
Kid-friendly: Reviews mention bringing children, including a 14 and 9 year old having fun in the Prison Break room, indicating kid-friendly options are available.
Party: Multiple reviews explicitly mention birthday parties being held at the escape room center.
Large Groups: Reviews describe groups of various sizes participating, including groups of 8 and even a group of 14 teenagers.
Parking: One review mentions difficulty in finding parking, implying parking exists but may be limited or inconvenient.
Not Noted
Scare Factor: No review mentions scary or horror themes. The overall tone suggests a focus on fun and challenge, rather than fright.
Zombie: No review mentions a zombie theme.
Tomb: No review mentions an Egyptian theme.
Discounts: One review mentions a discount being offered to play another room, suggesting the possibility of discounts for larger groups or repeat visits, but no explicit mention of this.
Price: One review mentions the price being an issue, while others suggest it is worth the cost despite being expensive, indicating that pricing is a point of contention among customers.
5
Art of Escape Room
Address: 162 W Grand Ave LL, Chicago, IL 60654
Art of Escape Room in Chicago, Illinois offers two distinct themed experiences - a Casino Heist and a Kingdom of Night room - where groups can test their puzzle-solving abilities in uniquely decorated environments. The facility provides complimentary refreshments and snacks while teams wait to start their adventure, creating a welcoming atmosphere for both newcomers and experienced players. The rooms feature varying difficulty levels with game masters who provide guidance when needed, making it suitable for both family outings and corporate team building events.
What People Are Saying
Difficulty Level: Reviews mention both challenging and easy puzzles depending on the room and experience, indicating a range of difficulty levels.
Themes: Reviews mention themes such as Casino Heist, Kingdom of Night (Game of Thrones-inspired), and an unspecified room with a culturally correct theme. There is no indication of a consistent central theme across all rooms.
Puzzles: The reviews describe a mix of puzzle types, including logic-based, search-oriented, and some mentioning broken or unclear puzzles.
Heist: The Casino Heist room is explicitly mentioned as a heist-themed room.
Kid-friendly: Reviews mention the escape room being suitable for families and children, with at least one review specifically mentioning a birthday party for kids.
Party: Multiple reviews mention birthday parties being hosted at the escape room center.
Large Groups: Reviews suggest the escape rooms can accommodate groups of various sizes, including families and larger teams.
Not Noted
Scare Factor: No reviews mention scary or horror themes; most describe the experience as fun and engaging, not frightening.
Mystery/Detective: The Kingdom of Night room, inspired by Game of Thrones, could be considered to have some mystery elements, but it is not a central theme across all rooms.
Prison Break: No reviews mention a prison break theme.
Zombie: No reviews mention a zombie theme.
Tomb: No reviews mention an Egyptian theme.
Discounts: There is no mention of discounts for larger groups or special events in the provided reviews.
Price: Reviews express differing opinions on pricing. Some found it acceptable given the experience, while others felt it was too expensive for the quality.
Parking: The reviews do not provide information about parking availability.