My friends planned a trip to escape artistry as part of my birthday celebration to celebrate my 40th birthday. If you do the math, I was born in 1985. The dollhouse escape room was perfect because it was girly and 80s themed. Everything was really authentic looking, and the puzzles were fun without being too difficult. Don't get me wrong, they were still pretty hard. My only complaint is that we didn't realize there was a second room as a part of the game, which would've been nice to know because I think we would've worked faster. We didn't get to spend any time in it unfortunately. The employee that we worked with was super friendly and unhelpful, other than that minor complaint. Would definitely recommend. read more

Escape Artistry - Time Gallery - 80's girly escape room "The Dollhouse" - Escape Games Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We completed Detective v Dillinger and it was a ton of fun!! I can't give too much info without giving any hints but I think it was difficult but doable. We were able to do the room without 10 minutes to spare. My only feedback is you have to write stuff down on a clipboard and they give you a wet erase marker but nothing to erase with if you make a mistake. Overall I'd be back! read more

Escape Artistry - Time Gallery - Escape Games Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So much fun. Agent Brooks was a huge part of the fun. We did the detective room with just three people and it was hard but fun. We came so close to getting out. I highly recommend this escape room. read more

Get fun experience. Loved the service from agent Storm! would definitely go to again. Great place to have a birthday party!!

I have done many escape rooms before and this was by far my least favorite. The clues were not great and the rooms didn't have a flow so our group was often left standing around waiting for one clue to be solved. read more

A fun time! We went with a few other couples to solve an escape room based on a Chicago mobster in the early 1900s. At first, it might feel a tiny bit cheesy, but isn't that the point? We had a great time working together and made it out of the room just in the nick of time. I would definitely return to play another room! I appreciated that they made us feel safe with hand sanitizer, lockers for belongings, release forms and keeping masks on. read more

Escape Artistry - Time Gallery - Escape Games Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We did Duck & Cover Classroom and had fun, but there were some things that took away from the experience. I've done a lot of escape rooms (10+) and the bar is getting higher these days for keeping competitive in the field. This escape room did a good job with atmosphere building, and the person who got us ready was very bubbly and enthusiastic. However, they were a bit too involved, and so they'd often chime in and give us hints when we didn't want them. The constant jumping in sort of hampered the immersion, and the constant clues when we didn't need them (e.g., "try looking over there!", "have you solved that puzzle yet?") bothered us. One major issue we encountered was that two of the key devices for the game didn't work. So, we had to use cheating "alternate" ways to solve those puzzles, and wasted lots of time on thinking we were doing something wrong, when they just weren't working. Those should have been checked in advance. There was also one other puzzle that I realized if you did something wrong, you could lock yourself out from being able to solve it at all. The puzzles were also very linear. There were only 4 of us, but it felt like early on we got bottlenecked into all crowding around each puzzle because there weren't many things to do in parallel. Not sure what it'd be like with even more people! That being said, there were some great ideas here and the atmosphere building was great. But not sure I'd do other ones here in the future. read more

I did the DollHouse room... wow that was scary, but honestly very fun. Difficulty wasn't too bad, but we definitely needed a little help. The staff gets very into character which adds to the experience. Good location with places to go afterwards as well. Highly recommend! read more

We did the Detective vs. Dillinger room as a surprise bday celebration for a friend and she loved it! The puzzles were a good mix of difficulty and the decor of the room was well done. Big shout out to Rosie and Agent Chase for being so helpful and enthusiastic! There were a couple fumbles with the room setup, but didn't impact our game in a big way - we completed it just in time. Would highly recommend for anyone looking for a fun, themed escape room! read more

Did the Operation G.R.A.N.I.E. Escape room and it was very well set up. There were a ton of puzzles and overall experience was well worth the money. Would highly recommend this room for anyone in groups of 4 or more! read more

So much fun. My 2nd time doing an escape room challenge. Escape Artistry was so accommodating after we discovered we booked our challenge on the wrong day. Very appreciative that they had the time gallery available to help our group of 8. Bandit was awesome our game master. Just the right amount of clues and I can say this was very challenging. We managed to escape with 25 seconds to spare. Highly recommend. So much fun read more

Lots of fun went here for my sister's Bachelorette Party. Between the 8 of us we did pretty good. Did need help toward the end as the clue made no sense but we had a code card to "activate" that helped us with with combo. We did the Dollhouse which was creepy and for our spooky celebration. No technology allowed as to not distract anyone from solving the clues to escape. They have a locker with a key to put those in. Overall fun experience! read more

See all

Not the worst escape room and my friends mostly had fun. It's got some heart and does try, they have set pieces that match the themes well enough. However, there are some core problems with the puzzles and they do show their age. Some puzzles defy escape room etiquette, some puzzles had very poor clues or clues that were broken, some clues were in poorly lit areas making them difficult to read, some puzzles were so obviously scarred from excessive use that we could easily brute force them without the clues. And then there was a riddle that was a janky version of a real riddle, missing key aspects that would actually make the riddle work. The room runner did provide hints without prompting to help make things work, but I've done many rooms and if a room has poor clues and messed up puzzles, it feels like a poor crutch. Also a hint to not touch something because it would solve the whole room far too early is not a good sign. read more

So much fun! Tonight the two of us escaped Roaring Dan's Pirate Dungeon with 7 minutes to spare! The theming and puzzles were so well thought out, and were definitely unique compared to other escape rooms I've been to. Shoutout to Agent Rosie for the comedy and tremendous help through some of the puzzles! These escape games are great for a date night, family bonding, or company team building! Escape Artistry is taking the necessary steps for COVID prevention. I 100% recommend! read more

Far and away the best escape room experience I have had. We went with our two kids and they had a blast. Really just well organized, very great space to work in to figure out the puzzle. Definitely will be going back and really only want to go back here next time we are doing an escape room read more

Roaring Dan's Pirate Dungeon was so much fun tonight! We escaped with 6 minutes to spare. Agent Rosie was ICONIC and helped us so much. Can't wait to come back. Loved seeing such a successful escape room being Chicago artist based and women owned. Also, super COVID safe. Would recommend to everyone! read more

Loved the location and the theme of the rooms and that it was independent and women run. Unfortunately our experience in the room was not quite what we had hoped. Our group was mixed experience with me and one other having done 10+ escape rooms and 3 others having done 1 before. The gamemaster was very bubbly but tried to help us without prompting or asking for a hint for a lot of the game, which took away from the experience, especially because several of these hints were for things that we had already solved and something that was misplaced beforehand. While she did seem very nice, she often came across as very condescending when giving these hints which our group was a bit frustrated by because sometimes our confusion were because we were misled by her before. The game itself had cool decor and you could tell there was a lot attention to detail. However was pretty linear and many clues could only be done by 1 person which meant there was a lot gathering around a clue. We'd be willing to give it the benefit of the doubt and try another room. I've been to several different escape rooms in the Chicago area and you could tell there was a lot of love put into the time theme and the room and clues. We as a group just had a lot of the same thoughts and feelings about the experience and would hope for a better time next time. read more

Had a great time here with my family for my mom's birthday! They were SUPER patient with us it being our first time doing one and the attendant was so helpful in explaining everything. read more

We had a really good time on our Dillinger room. A few snafus yet Agent Leo compensated our time and was quite helpful. We do an escape room as a family on each vacation trip - this was an appropriate Chicago theme - a closely timed challenge for our team of four - 2 adults and 2 twelve year olds. read more

I popped in with family and it was a great experience. While we failed at escaping we were very close to the answer. I wasn't really confident in my ability to figure the puzzles out but it wasn't as bad as I thought. Had a lot of fun overall, 10/10 Thanks Iguana. read more

Bandit was AMAZING! We love Bandit and we love Duck and Cover! Great story. Best virtual reality entrance to an escape room, and we have done many. Tough room, great clues, great support. So impressed with the story and effects! We were proud to get out with 5 minutes left! read more

Escape Artistry - Time Gallery - Escape Games Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First time experience with escape room adventure and I'll be back. With Mission control specialist 'Baby' to help orient us, through the 60 minute clue-laden 3-Room process, it was an intense but fun undertaking that resulted in a 'win' for our 4-person team! Try it-you'll like it! read more

Great time had by all! We had ten people in the 1982 Dollhouse room and we finished with 3minutes to spare. The staff were all very enthusiastic and helped us have a great experience. Would definitely return to try another room. read more

Escape Artistry - Time Gallery - Escape Games Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Located at the same address as 105 yoga in Wicker Park, never even knew it was there. I purchased my ticket online and signed waiver online so that process was super easy. When we arrived there the employees were super nice and very very into "character". They have multiple rooms but I have only done the "G.R.A.N.I.E" room so far. I will be returning to try the others. I cannot spoil the details of the room, but I had a fun time and it wasn't too easy or too difficult. Scooter was our guide and he was awesome! Just like any other escape room, always try to get there early and be prepared to use a lot of team work! read more

We played Duck & Cover with Bandit as our Game Master. The lobby is large and full of interesting things. There is a coat rack and lockers to store your things during the game. The intro videos are well done. I loved the interactions between Bandit and the video. The game itself is visually stunning when you enter the room. It's as if you've stepped back into a classroom of the past. I enjoyed the variety of puzzles used throughout the game. The storytelling was well done. Overall it's a fun game. read more

See all

SCOOTER! My man hooked it UP. Made me feel right at home in a decade long, long ago. Plenty of escape options to choose from 'round this town, but this is DEFINITELY the room you're looking for. Love that Chicago tie-in with "Detective vs. Dillinger." read more

Escape Artistry - Time Gallery - #MeatlessNuggets - Escape Games Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've done all 6 rooms with Escape Artistry ("Railcar," "Duck and Cover Classroom,"Roaring Dan's Pirate Dungeon," "Operation G.R.A.N.I.E," "Detective vs. Dillinger", and "Dollhouse"). I think Duck & Cover was my favorite, but they are all excellent and challenging, with support available, should you need it. The puzzles are unique and clever, but still accessible, especially when playing with a diverse team. The missions are lead by fun and engaging Escape Artistry captains - everyone was awesome, with Scooter being the superstar. I've done other escape rooms in Chicago and in other cities; Escape Artistry stands out with a balance of story, design, execution, and personality. Highly recommend! read more

Just came with my family to the Dollhouse room and it was SO fun! Sweetheart was...well, a sweetheart! He's the best. Elaine the skeleton got a little fresh but she was just so proud of us for finishing the room with 1:46 to spare! Thanks for a really fun way to escape the cold. I didn't realize how fun this would be with a small group (3) but it was a blast! read more

Escape Artistry - Time Gallery - Escape Games Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had a blast in the Dollhouse tonight! Scooter was a great host and gave us fun, helpful guidance and encouragement when we needed it (but not too much)! We had a small group of 3 to celebrate a birthday, and we all loved it. This was my first Escape Room, and I'll definitely be back to try others. Very fun! read more

We did a virtual escape GRANIE and it was alot of fun. I got to do it from the comfort of my own home while drinking some beer. There was maybe 10 of us local business owners that got together for this and Rosie offered us such a fun experience. We were able to get out of the room to!! I will def be coming back. Thank you so much read more

Escape Artistry - Time Gallery - Rosie was awesome - Escape Games Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My friends and I love escape rooms and generally try to do them once/month or every 6 weeks. We love puzzles and this is a great way to bond, do some puzzles, and have a good time together. We've reached a point where we've tried several different escape room locations around the city of Chicago. We definitely have our favorites and the Time Gallery is at the top of that list of favorites with only one other place. A few months ago we played Detective vs. Dillinger, which we loved. As one of the more challenging games, we raced to complete the puzzles in time. This room was challenging but accomplishable for the 4 of us, which made it is awesome. Additionally, the quality (stagecraft) of the room itself was excellent! It's a bummer to be in a room where you feel like the craftsmanship of the room is not all that good. We thoroughly enjoyed this room! So, when we found out that Tim Gallery was hosting a fundraising event, and we could play some rooms, we grabbed tickets and went. They did not disappoint! We split up and did 3 rooms between us: Roaring Dan's Pirate Dungeon, Detective vs. Dillinger (for those who hadn't done it before) and The Dollhouse. Each were awesome, though I have to say Dollhouse really hit the mark for this group of people. The theme was delightful and creepy all at once. We loved it. It also would not be a fair review if I did not mention how much we enjoyed having Bandit as our game master for the Dollhouse. We were there late, there was a party going on, there may or may not have been open bar (wink), and Bandit stayed to run the game for us. Bandit made it feel like we were all in this game together and would give us just enough information to move things along, would egg us on (or in some cases talk a little trash to us - remember the open bar?), and refused to give us a clue that we asked for because we were so close. Bandit was excellent at reading the group and giving us good feedback in a wacky fun way. I cannot wait to do our next room at the Time Gallery! read more

5 of my friends and I did the Dillinger escape room. I've done over 10 escape rooms in my life so feel I'm a pretty good judge of good vs bad escape rooms. I'd rate this one about average, which still means it's a lot of fun. I hovered between 3 and 4 stars but decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. I am, in general, not a fan of the big group escape rooms where you can get paired with strangers. Escape Artistry's rooms can have up to 10 people. In our case, it was just our group of 6 as nobody else bought tickets. I don't think it would have been as fun with 10 people, especially 4 strangers. The room is quite spacious though, so at least it wouldn't be crowded with 10 people. I thought the clues were pretty good. Nothing incredible but decent. I've been to some escape rooms where the clues are way too hard and some where once you kind of figure out the pattern for the clues they all follow that pattern. Not the case here. One of the locks at the end did malfunction and it cost us several minutes. Eventually, they just had to tell us what was inside the box the lock was on. We still got out, so I guess no real harm, but it was annoying. The atmosphere was OK. I don't care that much about escape room atmospheres, but I guess they did an alright job of making it seem like you're in 1934. I like the "time detective" theme. The person running our escape room was totally cool. Good customer service. Overall, I would recommend these guys if you can avoid having a full 10 person room. read more

We have done over 40 Escape Rooms this year - DO NOT MISS THIS PLACE. We did all 6 rooms in a day, including the Railcar, and were blown away by the detail of each of the rooms. Rosie, our Game Master, was fabulous. She was entertaining, attentive and funny as ****. She was always ready if needed. Request her - no one is better at this. Wishing there were more rooms with Escape Artistry. Shout out to female owned business as well. Happy Puzzling! read more

I took my 11 year old son and his friend to do Roaring Dan's Pirate Dungeon. We were 3 first-timers to escape rooms and had no idea what to expect. Our guide, Scooter helped us along so perfectly. We didn't really even know when we needed help, and he so subtly gave us the hints we needed to keep momentum and to have a lot of fun and laughs. He monitored and encouraged us just exactly when it was right. He's a pro! I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the room felt authentic, and the time travel theme was fun and enjoyable. We had such a great time that before we left, we bought vouchers to come back and do another room. I highly recommend this place, and Scooter especially! read more

We had a totally rad time in 1982 trying to solve the mystery of the Dollhouse killer. None of us had ever done an escape room before so the truly outrageous Agent Bandit really helped us ease into it. We escaped with literally one second left on the clock. Next time you're sitting around with your friends trying to figure out what to do that doesn't involve drinking, I highly recommend checking one of these rooms out. read more

So much fun! Scooter is the best!! He was constantly making us laugh. Totally made the experience. The rooms have really cool themes and are very detailed with intricate puzzles. It was only my second time ever doing an escape room, but my friends were pros. We all liked it and would come back. read more

Had a blast doing the jail/pirate theme escape room even though I didn't make it in time. Our escape room guide Will did a fantastic job and definitely helped us when we needed it. If your looking for fun with some of your friends I'd definitely go here. read more

Had a lot of fun. Rooms are designed for up to 10 people but our room was just our foursome. We had to wait a few minutes before someone greeted us, but they made the experience fun and it made up for any delays from our arrival. They gave us help when we needed it and any technical issues with the room itself were quickly resolved. Definitely a fun experience and worth the price of admission. Great for all ages. read more

First timers here... it was so cool! We did the Doll House and it was perfect for a child of the 80's! Perfectly run and executed by our commander, Bandit! We would do it again in a heartbeat! read more

We did the dollhouse with Bandit. It was really fun and challenging. This was my first escape too. And I'd definitely come back to another room they have put on! read more