The Ruse Escape Rooms was phenomenal! This was my very first time, and honestly I was so scared initially to be locked in a room. The thought of that freaked me out! We came to GR for a bachelorette party and this is what we did Friday night!!! What a fun night, and a great experience. I haven't laughed that hard in such a long time. Thankfully, the alcohol was limited before we left the hotel, I don't think we would have made it through with anymore!! We finished with like 28 seconds left I do believe! I apologize I do not remember our hosts name, but he was fantastic! I'm excited to come back and bring my fiancé and children! They will love it! Thank you again for the great experience. You rock!! PS: The complimentary matches are an added bonus ;) read more

My husband and I have been to many escape rooms around Michigan, and we agree - this is the best one we have visited! Not only are the rooms challenging, intriguing, and LOTS of fun, the staff is great! They really get into introducing the story of the rooms, and they'll love to chat with you about how they started and other escape rooms, etc. We've done both rooms and made it out of both, too! The rooms are challenging (and sometimes stumped us) but it's worth the challenge. They're not filled with too many red herrings or all just number codes, but they're really story based and make you think! I can't wait until they release more rooms, so we can come back! read more

My group of eight visited this escape room as a last hurrah on the way home from a bachelorette party weekend in Grand Haven. The bride to be is a big fan of all things sleuthing and it was a perfect way to wrap up the weekend. Our group had tons of fun working together, and there was enough for everyone to do that there was no trampling over each other and nobody left out. The leader of the room was also very fantastic, and kept us engaged all the way through. The lobby is absolutely beautiful, which isn't a big deal, but was honestly just a nice touch. I will definitely be going back next time I'm in Grand Rapids to do one of the other rooms! read more

I played both of the rooms at The Ruse with my son. We were able to escape the Inventors Guild, but just barely. The Trophy Room stumped us, and we were unable to escape. Regardless, both rooms were challenging and tons of fun. All of the clues made sense and there was nothing unreasonable. The rooms also looked amazing! The atmosphere, backstories, and clues were all very immersive, which added to the fun. I have done a lot of escape rooms across the country, and I must say that this one has to be one of my favorites for sure! Would definitely recommend to anyone, whether or not you have done an escape room before! 10/10! read more

Very friendly employees who are rooting for you to win! My party of six completed the Trophy Room with a few minuets left! The room was perfect for that size group. The Trophy Room was challenging enough, yet not completely frustrating. The Ruse offers a true test of mental strength, team work, and out of the box thinking. Hopefully I will be able to return for the other room and I am interested in the outdoor escape room/scavenger hunt. Overall, I highly recommend the Ruse. Professional, classy, kind, and clean. Our very friendly game master made the whole experience great. read more

Our group of 6 friends went for a birthday and were pleasantly surprised how much fun it was. I had done a couple of these before with work groups and had fun but The Ruse is hands-down the best escape room I have ever been to. It isn't a run into a room and find 137 knick-knacks before starting the puzzles kind of room. Instead, there is a story line and your puzzles come along the story. The room itself was very well done and professional looking. Previous rooms at other places had seemed like they filled it with items they found at garage sales. read more

Okay folks, we have done escape rooms in North Carolina, Michigan, and the Dominican Republic....this is a good one!! The clues are very well thought out and test your ability to think outside the box. We did the Trophy Room. Not only was it a well set up story line, but they actually use "trophies" collected from family members...which I thought was very cool! The Ruse was very accommodating and informative as we waited for our chance to escape...yes we did make it out with only a few seconds to spare:) Super great place and owners!!!!!! read more

If I could give it 6 stars, I would. This is the by far the best escape room I've been to. Unlike a few other establishments that rely on occupying your time by putting your through a scavenger hunt, The Ruse is a cerebral challenge. The storylines are captivating, the decor is fantastic, and the puzzles are unique. The game masters have engineered their challenges to be accessible, yet still complicated enough to engage even seasoned escape room participants. If you are thinking of going to an escape room in GR, this is it! read more

The best escape room I've done so far! It's not just a simple scavenger hunt, if that's what you're looking for--in my opinion much better!! The themes of the puzzles all tied together and you progressed through the room in a logical manner. The puzzles/challenges struck just the right level of difficulty for a mixed group of people. The staff really helped make the experience though, making sure you didn't get stuck for too long. Disclaimer: you probably shouldn't try this if you're scared of the dark or claustrophobic. read more

We have a group we do escape games with whenever we are together. We've done them in different cities over the years and generally have pretty high standards as far as the types of puzzles, how immersive the experience is, and the "wow factor". Basically we aren't easily impressed. The Ruse is one of the best we've done. We've done both of their current rooms and can't wait for them to add more. They said they're adding an outdoor, untimed, point-based game later this year and we could not be more excited! Keep it coming!! read more

We decided to do something different on "couples" night. We decided on the RUSE ESCAPE ROOM and had an absolute blast. Not only are the employees there incredible, but they truly wanted you to have an amazing experience. This was by far the best escape room that we have been to (and we have been to different ones in different states)! The Inventors Guild was challenging but completely "doable"! We cant wait to go back and try the second room available! Thank you so much for an incredible experience! read more

Absolutely enjoyed the Trophy Room at The Ruse. My favorite part is that there are some puzzles that can be done at the same time (not linear) which is nice to ensure you won't get stopped up by 1 hard puzzle. Steven did a great job giving us a beat to get the puzzles but also provided us with much needed clues, perfect balance. Plus - just enjoyed having fun chatting before/after the room. The puzzles/tasks were very impressive and fun. Good job The Ruse! Had a wonderful time! read more

We have done several escape rooms before in several states. This was our first in Grand Rapids and it was an excellent one. We did the Inventors Guild room with a group of 5. Very good and challenging puzzles. It was also nice that every item was something we would need with no unnecessary items. Our host was wonderful, guiding us as needed but allowing us to solve puzzles without excessive help. We look forward to coming back and doing other rooms. Highly recommended! read more

I had a great time at the Ruse! The entire experience was great! I was full suspense mode as we determined our clues and advanced each step. Totally a must do if you're seeking a night of fun in town. My only concern is if they do not change the rooms after 2 visits you would know the clues and the enjoyment wouldn't be the same. Not sure if they rotate ideas or not. But I would love to go back and thought the staff and everyone we ran into was great to work with. read more

Was looking to kill time with my teenage daughter and found the ruse while searching online. They had two indoor rooms to choose from and an outdoor adventure. Definitely helps to have 4 or more but just the two of us were able to almost complete one of the indoor rooms in an hour as they will drop hints if you get stuck. Awesome time. Puzzles were hard but like I said hints will keep it moving. Will definitely visit again when we're in the area read more

Such a great experience!!! Having done escape room games I was looking forward to doing an actual escape room. The Ruse does not disappoint. The puzzles and clues were well planned and fun to figure out. The decor was perfect, down to the last detail. I'd have them come decorate my house because they probably won't let me move in. Do yourself and your friends a favor...book a room at The Ruse. You'll be glad you did. read more

Staff at The Ruse has done an exceptional job with their outdoor experience! They created some great puzzles that take you around a central part of Grand Rapids and make you see the city in a different way. This was a great opportunity to get some exercise - both mental and physical - and have some fun with the family. This is our third experience and we look forward to visiting the new room that is planned! read more

The staff is knowledgeable, accommodating, and fun to interact with. They meet all skill and interest levels, ensuring all participants have a great experience. The room was very well decorated, completely creating a unique environment, and the props are high quality. Everything is clean and the location is within walking distance of all other downtown destinations. I did not want it to end. So fun! read more

This escape room is extremely classy and professional. It felt like we stepped back in time for an hour and it was a wonderful experience for all 5 in our group. The puzzles were well thought out and just tricky enough to keep it super fun! Plus, if you successfully escape, you get a free beer at a great bar down the street - bonus! We can't wait to go back and try the other rooms! read more