Room Escape Artist

Latest update: August, 2025

The escape room scene in Chicago is building in quality, year over year.

The top games are largely outside of the city center. Be prepared to travel to the suburbs.

Additionally, some of our favorite experiences in the area are day trips out from Chicago proper.

Given this, in the Market Standouts below, we’ve also listed the standout games in 2 areas that don’t have their own recommendation guides: northeastern Illinois (about 45 minutes north of Chicago, en route to Milwaukee) and Champaign-Urbana (2 hours south of Chicago, but well worth the trek to visit CU Adventures in Time & Space!). These standout games would all also fit in the Set & Scenery Driven and Puzzle Centric categories below.

If you’re in the area, check out our guide to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Market Standouts

• Bonus Fun Time Game Show, Escape Factor
• Jurassic Outpost, 60 to Escape Schaumburg
• Lockbuster Video, 60 to Escape Schaumburg
• Magic Heist, 60 to Escape Schaumburg
• Special Ops at The Escape Game
• The Last Wish, iPanic Escape Room

On the way up to Milwaukee:

• Duke’s Farm, 60 to Escape Gurnee
• Hidden Temple, 60 to Escape Gurnee
• Mad Scientist, PARADOXsquared
• Mystery Manor, 60 to Escape Gurnee
• The Passage, Twisted Limits Escape Rooms

In Champaign-Urbana:

• Calling All Villains, CU Adventures in Time & Space
• Forest of Fables, CU Adventures in Time & Space 🔒
• Game Night, CU Adventures in Time & Space 🔒
• Revenge of the Cabin, CU Adventures in Time & Space 🔒
• Rise of the Icarus, CU Adventures in Time & Space 🔒
• The Wizard’s Curse, CU Adventures in Time & Space

Set & Scenery Driven

• Arctic Expedition, 60 to Escape Schaumburg
• Bonus Fun Time Game Show, Escape Factor
• Cheesie’s Pizza Party, 60 to Escape Schaumburg
• Jurassic Outpost, 60 to Escape Schaumburg
• Lockbuster Video, 60 to Escape Schaumburg
• Mafia Heist, Mind Trap
• Magic Heist, 60 to Escape Schaumburg
• The Escape Game (multiple games)

Puzzle Centric

• Bonus Fun Time Game Show, Escape Factor
• Ghost in the Graveyard, Escape Factor
• Jurassic Outpost, 60 to Escape Schaumburg
• Magic Heist, 60 to Escape Schaumburg
• The Escape Game (multiple games)
• The Last Wish, iPanic Escape Room
• The Timekeeper’s Trapped, Escape Factor
• Zodiac, Fox in a Box Chicago

Newbie Friendly

• Arctic Expedition, 60 to Escape Schaumburg
• Floor 66, Just Escape Room
• Mystery Manor, 60 to Escape Schaumburg (reviewed in Gurnee)
• The Escape Game (multiple games)
• The Treehouse Raid at Fort Knocks, Escape Factor

🔒 Golden Lock award-winning experience

If you enjoyed the games at CU Adventures, check out this interview with Anne and Chris Lukeman on REPOD!