Room Escape Artist

Prepare yourself!

Shaky Grounds Cafe is one of the best escape rooms in Portland, Oregon. Here are our recommendations for great escape rooms in Portland.

Location: Portland, OR

Date Played: October 4, 2025

Team Size: 3-8; we recommend 3-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price:  $36-$45 per player, depending on team size

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: None

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

I’d heard good things about Shaky Grounds Cafe, an unusual combination of a coffee-shop-themed escape room and emergency preparedness education. But I was unprepared for this thoughtful experience where our team actually learned something valuable as we puzzled. It’s obvious that this is a theme near and dear to the designer. I was impressed not only by the amount of information presented, but also how it was integrated into the puzzles so as not to feel heavy-handed. 

Did I mention it all took place in a towable trailer? The game space was deceptively roomier than we anticipated, and we only felt crowded in one late-game area of the set. Turns out you can do quite a lot in a limited space when the designer has a background in TV and movie set production and works with Search & Rescue as a side gig. The addition of a few select special effects brought the story to life in unexpected, and sometimes humorous, ways. 

Our game began just outside a local coffee shop after a devastating earthquake had hit the Pacific Northwest region. We had an emergency on our hands, and desperately needed supplies – blankets, first aid kits, and of course, coffee beans – this was Portland after all. The puzzling was approachable and fun,  with a touch of humor and nods to Portland throughout. Though some puzzles will be familiar to seasoned escapers, strong theming and creative implementation gave most tasks a fresh feel. One of my favorite puzzles was one I know I’ve done numerous times, but was presented in such a way that I didn’t even recognize the mechanic until after I had solved it. 

By the end of the game, my mind was swirling with all the things I needed to do in my own home to be better prepared for a natural disaster. And I really wanted a cappuccino. If you are heading to Portland, find out which area of town Shaky Grounds Cafe will be in next – it moves around – and “get prepared” to have a great time.

Who is this for?

• Puzzle lovers
• Any experience level
• Preppers
• Baristas
• Preppers who are also baristas
• Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle

Why play?

• Gameplay that’s fun and educational
• Unique setting
• It may save your life someday

Story

It had been a week since a major earthquake hit the Portland area, and we needed supplies ASAP. This local coffee shop looked like a good place to search for emergency rations, and if we found some coffee beans for a much needed caffeine boost, all the better, right?

Setting

The game took place inside a towable trailer, with rustic decor, wood floors, and the basic elements of a casual coffee shop. Signs of a recent disaster – fallen planks, pictures on the floor, and a car backed through a brick wall – told us there was work to be done, and quickly.

Gameplay

Side Quest Escape Games’ Shaky Grounds Cafe was a standard, yet mobile, escape room with a moderate level of difficulty. 

Core gameplay revolved around searching, observing, making connections, puzzling, and preparing for the next big disaster.

Analysis

➕ The space in the trailer was well-utilized and felt roomier than expected, with 8-foot ceilings, the same as any standard office room height. Once inside, we quickly forgot that we were playing in a mobile space.

➕ Set design effectively conveyed that a disaster had occurred in the space, and while props were “scattered” appropriately, the area never felt messy or disorganized.

➕ We were surprised at the number and variety of puzzles that kept us busy the entire time. We always knew our progress towards completing our objectives. All tasks centered around emergency supplies and preparedness tips and we learned a lot through gameplay, though it never felt heavy-handed or school-ish.

➖  One prop made sense to use with two different puzzles, and we stalled when we tried to use it with the wrong one.

➕  Some special effects made the crises feel more realistic and added urgency and nuance to the scene, while others just made us chuckle.

➖ That said, we noticed a few areas where sound or scent effects would have added to the immersion.

 ➕ Preparing for a disaster like an earthquake was more than just the theme for this escape room. The owner went above and beyond to communicate the importance of having the right supplies, and even related the game to real-life events in the area in the post-game debrief.  We left not only entertained, but a little bit smarter.

🚒  🔥 Shaky Grounds Cafe reminded me of Firefighter Rescue Mission in Ontario, Canada, which also incorporated real-life emergency experiences into its gameplay.

💻 At the time of this review, Side Quest Escape Rooms was offering an online course called Be 2 Weeks Ready, that “reinforces the preparedness lessons you experienced in the Shaky Grounds Cafe escape room and helps you put them into action at home.”

Tips For Visiting

• Shaky Grounds Cafe is a mobile game built into a trailer that periodically changes location. We played the game at its home base in the parking lot of Oaks Park amusements. Check the website for current location and availability.
• While in Portland, we enjoyed breakfast (and coffee) at Sweet Bacon Cafe, bagels (and coffee) at Spielman’s Bagels, and the Italian food and rustic pizzas at Piattino (sadly, no coffee – the espresso machine was out of order that day.)
• Need something to read? Go to Powell’s Books in the Pearl district downtown. Covering an entire city block, it’s known as the world’s largest independent bookstore.
• For something different to do in the Portland area, visit Next Level Pinball in Hillsboro. For one price you get unlimited plays on over 600 vintage pinball and video games, as well as access to peruse an incredible amount of pop-culture collectibles.  

Book your hour with Side Quest Escape Rooms’ Shaky Grounds Cafe, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: Side Quest Escape Rooms provided media discounted tickets for this game.