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The Escape Game - San Diego

4.9 (137 reviews)

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The Escape Game - Highly Recommend! Clues
Ruben S.

The Escape Game - Highly Recommend! We had a great time at The Escape Game. The experience was fun, enjoyable, and really engaging from start to finish, with just the right amount of mystery to keep everyone thinking. The puzzles were well-designed and the atmosphere added to the excitement without feeling overwhelming. The staff was friendly and helpful from the moment we arrived until we left. They set the right tone and made the whole experience smooth and welcoming. I'd highly recommend The Escape Game to friends and family -- it's a solid choice for a fun group activity. We'll definitely be back!

They do allow photos inside the actual rooms but I didn't want to post any spoilers-- have fun!
Rebecca C.

We had a great experience doing the Heist, and our game host was Rebecca (easy to remember since she also spelled it my way). This UTC location is really convenient and by Macy's and Marugame Udon. It was very easy to find. I've only done 2 other escape rooms from other companies, but I do feel like the production value here was a little higher and there was more bang-for-your-buck in terms of how many clues and the variety. I was really impressed by some of the clues (but don't want to share too much and spoil the experience). We were a team of 4 and asked for 3 hints. The game host gave us perfect hints that helped guide us along without just telling us what to do. The only drawback from The Escape Game is that when you book, it's not automatically private. They called us about 4 hours before our time to let us know we could pay $10/person more to guarantee that it would be a private booking, which honestly seemed like a money grab and why I'm taking off a star. No one else ended up booking the room, so it did end up just being me and my friends.

Anna L.

Had such a great time and our group escaped!! Woo! John was great, the entire staff was super friendly!

we escaped!!
Bernadette T.

SOOO FUN and immersive! My group of 6 had such a blast playing. We arrived for a 1pm Cosmic Crisis reservation. I have heard that it is possible for you to play with other groups to fill up the space. We didn't have to combine with another group so it was nice to have the room to ourselves. It is $46/per person, so somewhat of a premium price, but fun for a celebration or special event. The space theme was super cool, it did feel like we were in a spaceship! Of course walking in, it was a bit chaotic taking everything in but everyone started solving things right away. Everything was nicely designed, with lots of involved riddles. I loved solving everything and using teamwork and the power of friendship (lol). I loved how the puzzles were layered and integrated so we had to 'unlock' certain ones to get access to the next item. Helpful tips: don't be afraid to touch stuff, and look at ALL of the signs and written notes, everything helps :) We finished with 2 minutes to spare and no hints! Most of my group were first timers so I'd say Cosmic Crisis was a great one to start with (7/10 difficulty on their site) Thanks to our guide Arav for a great experience and watching our chaos through the cams. Best comment of the night was when he told one of our friends he was running that game like the navy, lol!!

Outside
Myphuong L.

The Escape Game has a few locations with many games to choose from. We played the Playground theme at LJ. This was the biggest game with up to 12 players but we only had 4 which could be paired with other. Well, we had the place to ourselves. The Escape Game is different than any I've been to because they allow and encourage the use of photos and filming during the game. You will see so many social media reels of this particular room. Afterwards, I realized, OMG the answers were clearly given out in the reels many times! We had so much fun. My favorite by far. Made us felt like a kid again and definitely had all of us contributing, studying and playing together. Such a clever game! Well thought out and as players, you just need to listen carefully starting w the very FIRST clue! We asked for help a few times. Sadly we didn't unlock the last lock on time but they graciously let us finish with a few minutes after the deadline. Parking at UTC is free thr first hour. Use GPS to take you directly to the parking lot. There's a ticket booth in front of the Escape room if you want to pay in advanced when you exit.

Mary H.

Amazing so much fun. It was just the two of us and we were able to escape the cosmic one. Lots of fun.

Wall of Fame
Denise P.

This particular Escape Game location has it all - production value, fun puzzles, and above-and-beyond customer service. As escape room enthusiasts, my husband and I sought out this particular location because they are the only site in Southern California (for now) that host the Ruins: Forbidden Adventure. We have done all the other Escape Games except this one! Angela was our game master and she made sure that we had a great time. We were joined by my sister who is fairly new to escape rooms, and Angela honored our request to only provide hints after we ask! We also shared with her beforehand how we had a negative experience with having random strangers join our game. Because the day we stopped by had slower foot traffic, she was able to make our particular game a private one. I can't promise that they will do that on a busy day! The Ruins: Forbidden Adventure is rated a 6/10 difficulty, and I thought that this rating is appropriate from our experience. I know that there is a bigger version of the Ruins in Nashville but this version was so much fun that it made me more excited if I ever get to be in this side of the country in the future. Because we had done all the rooms, we were able to sign their Wall of Fame and that felt particularly special! They also sell pins to commemorate each room. Parking is easy enough. You can tell the staff love working here. Thank you so much Escape Game UTC and Angela. I will definitely recommend this particular franchise and location to all my friends! They also have validation from what I was told - always a plus!

Cleared The Heist with over 11 minutes to spare!
Christopher C.

Let me say this is favorite escape room franchise overall! It would have 5 stars but the mall its located in reduced its free parking from 2 hours to 1 hour recently. I have been to their other location in Gaslamp (downtown) which has some of the same rooms but this location has more selections. The production value is the best with the escape game and I feel they are technologically ahead of their competitors. Every time we finish a room here the staff will offer you a discount to do another room. We always try and do two. I have been here with friend, family and coworkers. This is a great place to do teambuilding. If you can start doing validated parking I will update this review to a 5. I have tried this franchise at 4 other locations in different states and each one has the same quality. Some have exclusive games so if your traveling check them out.

Audrey D.

absolutely amazing experience!! i've completed most of the rooms here and each one has been wonderful. mason (our goat) has been our host for three of them and he has been so helpful!! we will definitely be back again :DD

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Reviews are largely positive. People highlight the friendly and helpful staff and creative and challenging puzzles. The space is also clean and well-maintained.

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2 days ago

Jules was the best guide, and the Heist room was a lot of fun and decently difficult! Had a blast, would recommend!!

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6 months ago

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7 days ago

Elizabeth was sweet. We really enjoyed having her as a host! We had a great time. We made it out with time to spare.

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1 month ago

We escaped! Fun with friends and family. We did the time traveler. We will definitely do another one the next time that we are in La Jolla.

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1 month ago

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7 months ago

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8 days ago

Starr really helped us out today. Thanks Five Starrs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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15 days ago

It was so fun! While they do allow an unlimited number of clues, our group only needed 4! We Escaped! I would highly recommend.​

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1 day ago

it was amazing. John was great and we had a lot of fun. Escape game was very cool I really recommend it

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1 day ago

Cole was awesome. He made my mom's and daughters baby awesome. I cant to come back and ESCAPE.....

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16 days ago

Mason gave a great job in facilitating our group! Good hints, hard escape room but fun.

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4 months ago

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4 days ago

Highly recommend!! So much fun and so elaborate! Special shoutout to James!! Made our experience so fun!!

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1 month ago

So fun. Great staff. Good puzzles. Gave us a little extra time, which we needed! Clean and well designed.

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1 month ago

Just did our first escape room here, Prison Break with our game master Claire. Super fun puzzles and enjoyed the team work!

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1 month ago

Love coming here!! Ernie was really nice and made our bday/anniversary celebration really fun. :))

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5 days ago

Mason was very helpful with the hints and very fast to respond. Mason made our experience really positive. Very cool totally recommend!!

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Review Highlights - The Escape Game - San Diego

“We did Cosmic Crisis, which is a 7/10 for difficulty (only because members of our group had already done the harder rooms).”

Mentioned in 11 reviews

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4.9(322 reviews)
2.0 mi•Sorrento Valley

Very fun game! Sam was a great host. We will be back for sure!…read more I highly recommend coming here!

Their Arcade room, offered at a "Expert" mode only, still remains one of my favorite escape rooms…read more It very much incorporates the arcade theme within the puzzles. You'll feel a strong sense of nostalgia from 80's and 90's video games decor. Instant favorite! Deja Vu, while not their hardest room, has very thoughtful and out-of-the-box (literally?) puzzles which makes it likeable as well. They only have 2 rooms though which I find frustrating because these 2 rooms have been around for some time and could really use an overhaul. They are located in Sorrento Valley and are likely utilized heavily for team building activities, so their rooms will always stay relevant and, therefore, there never will be a push to change them out. Their hint system is via text prompts on a TV screen in the room which is not necessarily a deal breaker. The game masters are upbeat and motivating but hardcore so their hints could be somewhat vague as they don't always want to hand you the answers.

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MindFox Escape - Black & White Cafe--WE DID IT!

MindFox Escape

5.0(193 reviews)
3.2 mi

For her birthday celebration, daughter requested an escape room. She did the research herself and…read morepicked the Black and White Cafe. I made the reservation online. Minimum 2 people, maximum of 5. The room is all ours, no other people will be added unless they are part of our party. I originally reserved for 4, but I can add another person and pay when we arrive. The location is hidden, but check the website for the map of the complex so you know where to find them. They have parking near by, including 1 handicap accessible space. No spoilers allowed, so I won't talk about the room, clues, or answers. This was my daughter and mine's first time in an escape room. We recruited 3 more people in the family who are more seasoned. We definitely needed the entire time, but we figured it out and were triumphant! Read through the entire website! Everything you need is there. Everyone participating should complete their waiver online and submit it ahead of time. Minors need to be included on the waivers of the adults who will stay with them. Plan to arrive 15 min before your reservation for check in, secure your belongings, use the bathroom, and watch a briefing about safety and more instructions. If you are late, it just eats into your time in the room, so you'll have less than 60 min to solve it. The door is never actually locked, so don't panic. There is a host watching and listening if you need hints or need to leave early. The owner and staff members were very friendly and thorough. It's best not to bring along people who will not be solving the escape room challenge because the waiting area is small. We had folks who weren't participating meet up with us at a different location for lunch. Wear shoes and clothing that are comfortable and you can move in. There was some reaching up and crouching down involved for us. Accessibility notes: The entrance is accessible without stairs or ramp. I am handicapped and use a cane or walker. Today, I used just my cane. I might've been able to maneuver with the walker, but it would've been very tight, so I'm glad I used the cane only. I don't recommend this escape room for someone who uses a mobility aid larger than the standard aluminum walker, and I suggest being able to stand a move for the duration of the hour. Their restroom is a single-stall, all-gender toilet. Plenty of room for transfers on and off the toilet, and plenty of space to wash and dry hands at the sink. I love the addition of a bin with feminine hygiene supplies for emergencies ("Shark Week"). Would love to do more escape rooms in the future. I'd definitely recommend the Black and White Cafe for a fun, non-scary escape room for beginners.

probably the best escape room ive ever done! a really cool variety of puzzles that were very fun…read moreand there were alot!! we only finished 75% of the room because we were really stuck on one in the second room LOL and i usually dont care for re-doing rooms but this one would be fun to do again in like a year. we did moriarty's manor :) our game master was super nice and very sweet! i forgot her name though :(

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Brainy Actz Escape Rooms - San Diego

Brainy Actz Escape Rooms - San Diego

3.9(327 reviews)
2.3 mi•Sorrento Valley

What a unique and fun experience! Totally worth the time and money…read more I had recently had an amazing experience with Brainy Actz. I saw them on Yelp & found their Groupon. Some existing reviews made me have some initial doubts which led me to attempt contact before I go through with paying for the experience. There were no issues trying to reach the staff via phone to answer any questions or concerns. They were very efficient and helpful in helping me book the experience instantly. When I had to make some same day scheduling changes, they were so accommodating and worked with me on a new time. Upon arrival, we were greeted warmly by Ella. She was thorough in giving us a run down of how our blackout escape room experience works and provided us with useful tips when we needed assistance (and we definitely needed some assistance; the game was challenging enough to maintain excitement but doable enough to motivate you to keep playing). Ella was so kind and encouraging and made our visit feel super special. The blackout experience was so different than anything else I've ever experienced. It's exactly as it sounds. You are in a single escape room that is pitch black the entire time. There's some background sounds to create a somewhat nerve-wracking ambience that got me extra paranoid especially because I couldn't see a thing. There were just two of us trying to navigate the room, and the space definitely felt much bigger in the dark. This would be just as fun and comfortable with a handful of friends. You have one hour to use your remaining senses in the dark to decipher some cryptic hints given through the loud speaker with the press of a button. You're allowed to relisten to these hints multiple times this way. However, if you need further assistance, you will have to communicate via walkie talkie that is handed to you at the start of the game. One of their staff monitoring you throughout your gameplay will guide you through the current necessary action. You're allow unlimited hints but keep it within three if you're competitive and wish to make the leaderboard. I have no shame and did not hesitate to ask for help when really stuck. LOL I which case, Ella's voice would reply over the walkie talkie and provided us aid to help us continue. We managed to finish the game and definitely felt like we were given a full experience delivered in the best way! Whether you're a lover of the more typical escape rooms or just trying to find something new to do, I highly recommend checking out Brainy Actz and experience this for yourself!

Took my daughter to a paint splatter room for a surprise date night. We had a great time! We…read moreconnected to the rooms Bluetooth so she got to listen to her favorite songs while we painted. They do offer ponchos, hair nets and shoe covers but I recommend wearing clothes that you don't mind getting dirty.

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Lara's Labyrinth - Da birthday girl!

Lara's Labyrinth

4.9(200 reviews)
8.7 mi•Middletown

We had the best time at Bewitching! It was the perfect level of difficulty for a group of teenagers…read morewhile still being so much fun for the adults. The room was immersive, exciting, and the characters and acting made the experience even better. A special thank you to Jonah for being so accommodating. We already can't wait to come back and try another room!

Lara's Labyrinth is located near the Mission Hills part of San Diego in an industrial area. There…read moreis no parking lot, but there is street parking across from the building. They're on the third floor, and the elevator didn't seem to be working, so it was a bit of a trek up three flights of stairs. We arrived ten minutes before our start time for the Cannibal room, checked in, and waited, and waited, and waited. We finally got started a little over twenty minutes past our scheduled start time. This room has an option to add a live actor for an extra $20, but we decided to pass on that. Waivers can be completed online before arrival. The room has a split start. I was in the smaller part of the start, and there were a few puzzles for me to do, but the other person was doing the majority of the work in the bigger part of the first room until we were united. Even though we didn't opt for the live actor, we could tell there was somebody in the next room a few times which added to the creepy factor. The room leans towards mostly linear and has a good mix of combo locks, logic puzzles, mechanical puzzles, memory puzzles, a keypad, and some back and forth between rooms. The decor is definitely gory and it is dimly lit. Hints are given over a speaker, but they were often garbled and hard to understand. The room is ranked five stars difficulty and I would agree it's a hard room. We escaped with only two minutes left. POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT: I've never had anything bad to say about an escape room, but after having done 70 of them, this was the first one that felt like it had some potential safety issues. Having to stand on a wobbly stool to reach something above, standing on another chair and handling some bare wires overhead to turn on something electric, an uneven transition between rooms which I stumbled on and almost face planted twice even though I knew it was there, and a desk drawer that came out way too easy and narrowly missed smashing my feet. Be careful! Our game master Nasir was cool, and he was happy to answer questions at the end. The cost was $54.50 per person for the two of us, and the price drops with three or more people. They sometimes have discount codes on the website when booking. Even with the negatives, we would still return to try some of their other rooms when we're down in San Diego.

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Ragescape Rage & Escape Rooms - Before the rage

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4.9(103 reviews)
23.9 mi

Stressed out? Angry? Having a bad day? Then I recommend you try Ragescape and break some stuff…read more Location is in Oceanside not far from the 5 freeway In a little strip mall with some other businesses and restaurants. Parking was easy and convenient. They recommend getting there 15 minutes before your start time to fill out the waiver, watch the safety video, and put on the safety gear. You don't want to eat into your scheduled rage time. They also have escape rooms and paint rooms in addition to the rage room. Staff was friendly and helpful. The safety gear included helmet with a visor, gloves, overalls. You can use your phone to take videos and photos, and hook up to the speaker so you can play your own music. The basic package is 20 minutes and you get to break 12 bottles And 6 ceramics. It was plenty of you go slow And break 1 at a time but you can buy extra breakables if need be. And there are tires that you can bang on if you run out of breakables. There are a plethora of weapons to use to destroy the breakables (shovels, bat, crowbar, mallets, pipe wrench, etc). Photos and videos attached.

We had such an amazing experience at Ragescape Rage Room & Axe Throwing! It was so much fun and…read moredefinitely a unique experience! A special thank you to Tyler for being so professional, friendly, and helpful throughout our visit. He made sure we had a great time and felt comfortable. Excellent customer service! Highly recommend for anyone looking for something fun and different to do. We'll definitely be back!

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The Escape Game - San Diego - escapegames - Updated October 2026

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