Fun plot, challenging, great props. Good for family or friends. Staff is great. We didn't escape this time, but we had a blast trying!

I randomly decided last minute that I wanted to do an Escape room nearby. I checked out Southside Escape Rooms, and decided to give it a shot. When you walk in you have no clue what to expect! I loved all of the vintage items as well as the artwork on the wall. We spent an hour on our escape and we didn't make it but it was so fun! The setup was not what expected and you really have to search HIGH and LOW! I plan to come back because it was such a good time to spend with family and just laugh! Thank you for allowing me to spend my birthday at the establishment. We'll be back! Parking is okay depending on the day and time. I believe two hour street parking is available, but it wasn't difficult to find a spot a block up. read more

South Side Escape Rooms - Can you find the entrance! Lol well neither did I! - Escape Games Near Me - Oak Lawn, Illinois

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The staff at the location was extremely friendly. Explain the game well and there to offer help when needed. A fun experience. read more

South Side Escape Rooms - Entrance - Escape Games Near Me - Oak Lawn, Illinois

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Never knew this place existed. Great location, parking was easy to find. And it's my first escape room, we made it with 14 secs to spare so there was no need to call the cops, lol. Whoever build this has a tek mind and is very creative and attentive to detail. It was a good night. Shout out to Edward for his dedication and hard work. I'll spread the word!! read more

South Side Escape Rooms - Escape Games Near Me - Oak Lawn, Illinois

I attended this mystery as part of a birthday surprise for a family member. We had the best time, while still enjoying time together. Our group split into 2 sessions. While the 1st group was in the room using their wits to solve the mystery, the 2nd group socialized in the event room with our own provided pizza and snacks. I am proud to brag that as a member of the 2nd group, we solved the mystery (different mysteries for each session) before our counterparts. Our host, Brandon was friendly, fun and accommodating. He engaged with our family and made the kids feel like real sleuths. Best night out with family and friends. read more

This was my first escape room and now I'm hooked great team effort it's so exciting hidden keys and objects you have to find to pass the different rooms all in all I will definitely be back with my amazing team so happy we passed finished in 38 minutes read more

This was by far, the BEST escape room we have ever played! The setting and the props were so cool and authentic. I've never seen a setup like this ever...and we've done about 8 other rooms in the past. Get A Clue part one was similar to playing the board game Clue and I can't wait till part two is available to come back and play here again. I didn't want to leave even after we finished! Lol It was so realistic and interactive. I will definitely be back to play the other rooms while waiting for part two. PS...we solved it with 8 seconds left and used all 3 clues. Lol. read more

If you are looking for a high quality escape room on the South Side, here you go. The Cold War room was the first high quality room that I ever did, and I'm still comparing all rooms to it. The Cabin is difficult but amazingly themed. The owners immerse you in the experience from the moment you enter the building, a nice change of pace from most rooms. I've been there with friend, family, and even the high school game club where I teach! Fun for everyone. These folks know their stuff, and they respect the process. Can't wait for new South Side Escape Rooms! read more

Had a fantastic time. Doesn't look like much from the street, and when we walked in, it didn't look like much, almost a little cheesy. The owner greeted us and was super cool, we signed a waiver and jumped right into it. He set up the scenario for us, opened the door we were on our own. It was our first escape room. This room was designed for up to 12 people and we had four. We started out slow, not knowing what we were doing, and slowly picked up our pace. Once we figured out a few clues we were on a roll The creativity used in this room was extremely clever. I felt I had a good eye for these things, and I missed a ton. Definitely a challenge and a ton of fun, I would highly recommend them. They change up the rooms every few months and I will definitely be going back again soon. read more

Both rooms at South Side Escape Rooms, are a blast Puzzles have the right level of complexity and the owners have created an immersive experience with design and decor. This is a great venue for date night, family fun, or work groups. read more

My mind was BLOWN at how amazing Dr Cabin was. The Gamemaster and super dope and he did an amazing job with explaining how the rooms work for people who had not tried an escape room before. MY group was crazy fun and funny to work with and even though each of us were wearily walking into the room unsure of what to expect or if we would succeed, saving the world one clue at a time!!! read more

There's a reason this escape room has nothing but 5 stars... it is spectacular! My husband and I drove an hour and a half through to city traffic to get to this hidden gem and we are so glad we did. First, the staff are brilliant, silly, and fun. They welcomed us into their world of mystery and we got in on the illusion. I loved both rooms so much. They are tough without being impossible and the hints were vague without being unhelpful. It was a struggle but we prevailed! We are room enthusiasts and this small business just won our hearts. Don't second guess yourselves, just book a game now! I hear there might be a new room coming from this group and we will be right there waiting as soon as it opens. Thanks SSER!!! read more

THIS ESCAPE ROOM WAS AWESOME. The creators really put a lot of time and thought into this room. We absolutely loved it and we can't wait for them to open another room. The room was larger than most and contained many authentic items and cool clues. If you're looking for a great outing, look no further than South Side Escape Rooms. We also went to the Whistle for dinner, which is 1/2 block east. read more

I had no idea what to expect when our group got to the escape room. We started in a typical waiting room, and were escorted into a second room where the game began. At first, we didn't have a clue as to what to do, so we just started searching randomly. As soon as the first clue was found, the game was on! More and more clues were discovered, and soon the puzzle was becoming clearer...and then, it became even more complex! We did solve it, using teamwork. This would be good for older children with supervision. Younger ones would provably be bored. All-in-all, this was one of the most exciting evenings I've spent in a long time. I really got into it; I was genuinely surprised, because I'm not a huge mystery fan. For the money, it sure beats going to a movie! I'm waiting for their next room to be finished. Like Ah-nold said, "I'll be back!" read more

Great fun. A lot of little details, surprises, and red herrings sprinkled through out the room. We had a group six, and it seemed like the perfect size for the room we chose. Would highly recommend. read more

South Side Escape Rooms - Escaped from the Cold War room. - Escape Games Near Me - Oak Lawn, Illinois

Visited the South Side Escape Room this evening with our Girl Scout troop of high school freshman. We had a great time and will return to try the Clue room. read more

I took my wife here for her birthday. She had been asking to go to one for sometime. I was hesitant due to the price point. Believe me when I say it was worth every penny. The detail that they put into the rooms is amazing. It was an experience from the moment we hit the door. The owner was very nice and extremely helpful. We will be returning to try their other room. Knowing what to expect now, i have no hold ups on paying for the experience. The experience was ABSOLUTELY worth it. We need more of this on the south side. My wife left her floral crown behind, she was so focused on talking about the room and hints we missed! read more

This is one of the best escape rooms I have seen or heard of. It was elaborate and clever every step of the way. Our group did The Cabin of Dr. Bishop and just missed finishing by 2 minutes. I would recommend this to any group looking to have some fun and escape on the South Side of Chicago. read more

We had a great experience at South Side Escape Rooms. So much fun and the hosts were terrific. I would highly recommend this establishment. Challenging yet fun and wildly entertaining. Give these guys a try, you won't regret it. read more

We had a great time and it's clear the owners put a lot of time putting everything together. 5/5 would recommend.

This is the second escape room in which I've participated. The first was lame and formed my initial impression of escape rooms, so it had been years since I chanced a return to another. And WOW, I am glad I did. My expectations were exceeded. It's apparent that a lot of thought and planning were invested to create the scenarios, and unique props and furnishings were used to effectively produce an intended experience. The sum of all this planning is that THESE ROOMS ARE FUN. The first room we played, Cold War Crisis, was so enjoyable that my party decided to undertake the second and more challenging mission of the Cabin of Dr. Bishop. What a blast! And now I learned that a third room will be opening soon; I am eager return and solve the next mystery. This is a refreshing change of pace for a fun activity. Highly recommended. read more

My family has played both rooms at South Side Escape Rooms, and had a blast each time. Puzzles have the right level of complexity and the owners have created an immersive experience with design and decor. This is a great venue for date night, family fun, or work groups. read more

First time doing and escape room and it was a lot of fun. The guy in charge, I think his name was Brendon, was very nice and helpful and positive. We were a big group of 8 and it still came down to the last seconds. I recommend giving it a try. We will likely be coming back. read more

Just left with my friends. This was by far one of the best experiences ever. The host was very pleasant. A few of us are police and we had a rough week at work so this definitely took a load off our shoulders while testing our fake detective skills. Can't wait to do it again!!!! read more

First time doing an escape room and I had a blast! I would definitely recommend for a friends get together to try something new. Host/ owner was very polite and inviting, explained the game well and helped through the journey. I will be back and checking out the other locations. read more

Ive done the cabin of dr. Bishop and just did the Clue one and it was awesome! Clue is by far my favorite escape room game!! Highly recommend. We did it with the max 12 people and it was perfect. We made it out with minutes to spare. It was so much fun and just like you are playing the game Clue. read more

Been to quite a few escape rooms, but this was one of my favorites. Multiple rooms and plenty of props in each room. There was Definitely a lot thought put into Clue. I highly suggest going. My friends and I plan on returning for additional rooms! read more

Great time, can't wait to go back. Very unique. The puzzles are very inventive and creative. A lot more interesting than other escape rooms I have done. read more

8 of us were lucky enough to Beta Test the new second escape room they just added, Cabin of Doctor Bishop. We escaped but in 60 mins and 30 seconds so technically we lost. It is definitely much more challenging than Cold War Crisis. It's got quite a few elements so you definitely are racing against time! Move fast! Communication is key, especially if you're going with a group as large as ours. The story ties in really well with the room and everything about it was so genuine! I asked the owners about why they don't have "Don't touch" stickers or other such directions and they said they do not want to limit their gamers and take away from a genuine and the most realistic an escape room can get sorta experience. I was sold after their answer b/c we all really did feel part of the story and that nothing in the room was off bounds! It made for a better experience altogether! I've done around 13 rooms so far and this is definitely in my top 3! Lastly, please note that the owners write the stories and stage the rooms themselves which makes me appreciate it even more! I can't stop talking or thinking about it and this long review is proof of just that! Well done, Allison and Brandon! read more

Honestly one of THE best escape rooms our group has been to. It was challenging and very fun! I loved the Cold War theme. Very interactive and realistic too. Had a ton of fun! Would definitely recommend to everyone! Check it out and try to beat our time! It was an amazing time! The staff was very friendly and helpful as well if you needed it. read more

An awesome experience that did not disappoint! The six of us were able to solve the mystery of Dr. Bishop's Cabin in just under 57 minutes, and had a wonderful time along the way. The mystery was well thought out with lots of fun puzzles and props. Best way to enjoy is to get a group of friends together and rent the whole room for the hour. Well worth the price for a great hour of entertainment. Friends who have been to a few other local escape rooms said this one was by far the BEST in the area. Give it a try! read more

Had so much fun. Went with my husband, three sons, and daughter-in-laws. We did the cold war scenario. We felt like we were in an episode of The Americans. The escape room is well set up; enough clues for everyone to find, work on, and solve. Challenging, but doable. They will be opening up a new location down the block that features a murder mystery. Can't wait for that! read more

This escape room was great. It was the first time for all 7 in our group and our last minute decision on a saturday afternoon to do the escape room in oak lawn proved to be loads of fun. The guys running this escape room, were cool & fun and took the time afterwards to answer our questions etc. This is a definite must do again. I would recommend. read more

My son (age 14) and his two friends went to the Southside Escape room on Saturday night and came back the following night to go through the other room. The three of them loved both of the rooms! It's a great activity that fosters teamwork, problem solving, and fun! They were able to escape both rooms with just a little time left. Alli and Brandon were able to help with a few clues that guided them along to their final escape. All and Brandon, thank you for opening up your new business in Oak Lawn! The fact that you love going to escape rooms has led to your success in your new business adventure! Your rooms are creative, challenging, and very well thought out! You enthusiasm and excitement about each group going through is evident. Can't wait until you get new rooms in the future! My son is now addicted to the challenge of escape rooms! read more

I've played a few other escape rooms and this was definitely one of my favorite! My family rented out the entire room and it was great for people of all levels (we had some who had played escape room before and multiple beginners). The clues were creative and the owners have clearly put a lot of effort into crafting a great experience. We are excited to come back and try a new room! read more

My family and I went to SSE on New Year's and had a blast. The owner is a super nice guy and put a lot of thought into the room we went through. Would go again! read more

lots of fun. there were eight of us and we all enjoyed it. the best part was that all of us were able to contribute and help solve the clues. they are currently working on a second room with a new theme and we will be going back read more