Cheat Treats: SafeHouse Chicago — Aesthetically Athletic

Welcome to the inaugural Cheat Treats, a series dedicated to helping you find fun cheat meals or experiences to sneak in between your hard work training. I've said it a million times: life is about balance. And while I train a lot, I like to have fun at non-fitness events as much as the next fittie.

This first post is dedicated to legendary Milwaukee-based spy-themed bar SafeHouse, which just recently opened here in Chicago. I was fortunate to be chosen by Yelp in conjunction with Chicagogrammers as one of the bloggers or Yelp Elite to get a peek into the new location.

I don't want to spoil the fun for you, but I will disclose what is available on Yelp: It's located around 60 E Ontario in River North, and you'll have to find the entrance yourself. Know the password? Great! If not, prepare to prove that you aren't a rogue agent with the agent in the Spybrary.

Once you've proven you aren't a rogue agent, prepare to descend into the SafeHouse. This restaurant/bar is jam packed with pieces of James Bond-esq trivia and secrets. If you're really looking to explore, grab a mission briefing from the host/hostess and complete the tasks for a change to win appetizers and percentages off your bill!

The food I tried was great. We got to try the nachos, sliders, and mini ahi tuna salads. I loved all of them and made a meal out of them! Additionally, we were treated to a Pina Colada (it was delicious) and gin martinis (shaken, not stirred, obviously). The food is great, but what truly sells the space is, well, the space.

Jam packed with wall to wall tech in addition to the pieces of spy art and trivia, you can watch others enter the Spybary for their chance to prove they're a trustworthy agent, as well as see drone footage from all over the world. There's constant feed of space satellites and other "agents" as well, which make for a fun sense of immersion.

I recommend checking this spot out as a bar first, so that you have time to fully explore. I definitely peeked a tunnel you can crawl through, a couple of false doors, and a mostly nude photo of Daniel Craig (only ladies can find this one). I went ahead and went out the boring way (which still isn't boring) but if you have $1 in quarters you can exit through the secret exit. I seriously wish I'd had change on me, because the videos I saw of the secret exit looked amazing. Want a hint on where to find the secret exit? Think of a normal place you would enter coins (or would have, back in the day) and go from there.

Would I recommend SafeHouse as a Cheat Treat? Absolutely. I highly recommend you go and get the full experience. Complete a mission, get a martini, and channel your inner Bond/Honey Ryder.

What do you think? Would you give it a try? Any questions for me? Leave a comment below!

--B