Illusions Bar & Theater

a hidden gem of Baltimore

After having attended a Yelp preview (a smaller glimpse of the fuller show) I immediately bought my husband & I tickets for the full experience, as I enjoyed myself immensely-

Spencer is a genuine performer- his skills & humor blend into a wonderful interactive experience-his passion is evident through his magic & charm-

easy street parking nearby- when entering, the vibe is transformative- the beautiful old theater welcoming ambiance-

Nicole is a welcoming bartender, who makes a killer drink! (two drinks are included with the ticket & beyond that the choices are reasonably priced-ample variety between specialty cocktails, basic cocktails, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic options)

I won't get into the specifics of the show because it's something to discover, but the experience does not disappoint- having seen it twice already, while some tricks may be the same at their core there is variety flair added through audience engagement, making each visit feel unique in their own-

He left me in awe, top notch ace in hole entertainment

cannot recommend enough- will bring friends & family to enjoy

A friend of my sister's had told me about Illusions and how fun it was, I made a mental note of it before finally getting tickets when my friends from Seattle were in town for a visit this past weekend.

We got tickets for Saturday at 3 pm and got there a little after 2 pm. There was parking on Charles st and on the side streets (it might've also been because we're in the middle of a heat wave and nobody wants to leave their house). The owner and magician came out to greet us. He gave us our drink tickets and showed us to our seats.

When you walk in, you're immediately transported to a cool and spooky bar atmosphere. We loved it. All of us were super hyped when we saw it. We went up and grabbed our first round of drinks. My husband got the hazelnut espresso martini, and my friend and I got the daiquiri. My other friend also got a drink with a cherry in it, I can't remember the name. But we all really enjoyed our drinks. And they were strong. The hazelnut espresso martini was on point. I don't like coffee, but I would've taken my husband's drink if he let me!

We did get another round right before the show started. My husband got the strawberry lemonade cocktail while my friend and I got the pie car. The pie car tasted exactly like an apple pie, and I'm kicking myself for not getting that first. It was definitely my favorite.

The show itself was SO fun. We all had such a blast. Spencer is great. He's hilarious, and it really adds to the experience. We loved the magic tricks - especially my husband who loves this kind of stuff. He even suggested we bring some of his friends whenever they come to visit us. I already have another friend tell us she wants to come the next time she's in town as well! There is an intermission to go to the bathroom and get more drinks! Although the bartender comes around during the show to see if you need another drink!

After the show, I got Spencer's autograph and we got a selfie with him! It's such a fun way to spend an afternoon, I can't recommend it enough.

When my friend said she wanted to go to a magic show for her birthday celebration I was a little skeptical. But this was such a fun evening out! We went with a very large group for a birthday celebration with a wide range of different ages from 14-70+ and a mixed group of locals and out of towners. Everyone in our party was thoroughly entertained.

The illusionist, Spencer Horseman, does a lovely job of engaging everyone in the audience and of providing moments for spectators to become a part of the show. The tickets include 2 drinks, which you can also choose to use for merchandise instead. The drinks were surprisingly well done. I really enjoyed the Hazelnut Espresso Martini.

Overall, I think this a great option for an out of the box night out in Baltimore.

Really fun magic show that is both interactive and funny. Spencer is great at getting the crowd involved and his family story and personal background was cool to hear. The bar itself is lined with cool decorations that have a "spooky" sort of theme to it. They seat you at a table and you can order up to 2 drinks for free with the two tickets they give or save those tickets to buy something like a pack of cards or book.

I won't spoil any of the show but suffice it to say that this is a great place to take friends and family to for a good time!

Finally got tickets to see a show here for my boyfriends birthday and it really did not disappoint. It really is the perfect date night or cool experience to share with family and friends. Everything from the communication before the show to the organization of the flow of the night once we arrived there was awesome. Spencer the magician was so interactive with the crowd and really made us feel included with every act he did. He really left me in awe with the tricks he did and it's an experience I will never forget. The bartender Nicole was very sweet and made delicious drinks all night. Would 200% recommend this place to anyone and I hope more people continue to discover it! I plan on coming back!!

A fantastic night of magic and connection! Spencer's energy is contagious, and the whole crowd had a blast! And Nicole's signature cocktails are DIVINE!

When my husband first suggested we go to Illusions a few years ago, I was not convinced (after all, I hadn't been to a magic show in years, if not decades). We continually heard rave reviews from friends and finally decided to scope out tickets (they sell out way in advance!).

I vaguely expected a large auditorium style show with a magician on the stage, but was so thrilled to find the intimate, transport-yourself-into-another-era bar that Illusions is held in! The show was captivating and magical and almost surreal.

The entire operation is so smooth that it is hard to believe it is run by a dynamic duo of Spencer and Nicole. I love that this was / is a family-owned establishment! In terms of performance, Spencer does an incredible job of entertaining the audience, performing ~magical~ feats, sharing stories, and making sure folks are involved.

A note to my fellow introverts who run from interactive events - I am not usually one for audience participation, but was chosen to help in one of the last acts. While a little nerve-wracking, it was still a really fun time and I felt good vibes and good energy from everyone in the room!

As others have noted, two cocktails are included in your ticket. They also give you the option of buying something from their magic shop (e.g., magic books, keychains, trick kits, etc.) in case you don't drink or you don't want two mocktails. Such a thoughtful touch! They also allow BYO-small bites to eat before the show or during intermission. We were running late from work before our Friday showing, so grabbed two slices of pizza at Angeli's a few doors down and ate it during intermission.

For all of the "why would I come to a magic show" folks and all of the "I would love to try something new" folks - this is definitely worth it. A whole hearted 5 stars from me!

Oh my where do I begin I want to start off thatSpencer is quite the Show master! And the place is literally ran by the bartender and him and they got it quite under control it's all amazing. My girlfriends took me there for my b-day and we really didn't know what we were getting but it was very nice and I love the feel of the place! You can't beat the price and includes two drinks and barmaid made her drinks with tender loving care! She was Super nice too!! Spencer you should go on AGT and perform you are that good and then some it's every thing you do!! totally crack me up! Definitely going again you told me Halloween was a fun time so I know I want to go in October but I want to come in summer too! I love your energy!! Thank you for a fun b-day! And for the review some jerk left saying your place was outdated well your reply was straight up you Rock!!! See ya y'all soon'!

I booked a private event at Illusions for a corporate get-together with my team, as an alternative to the usual corporate activities. Nicole was very quick to respond via email to my inquiry and I was easily able to set up the date and put down the deposit online. I separately arranged for caterers to come prior to guests' arrival to set up dinner.

Illusions has a full bar and gave out 2 drink tickets per guest as part of the package. I ordered the hot chocolate winter special drink and it was delicious. We were given an hour to eat, get drinks, and mingle prior to the show. We picked the shorter, ~45 minute show so that colleagues would have additional time to mingle afterward, and it worked well. The 4 hour time block allotted was great for a Tuesday night.

On to the show- like many other reviewers, I found it was exactly as advertised with comedy and wide audience participation. The feedback I received from the team was overwhelmingly positive. It triggered many fun discussions of how we thought each trick was done the following day. Glad to have finally checked Illusions off my Baltimore wish list.

I finally got to see this whole show, and it was everything I wanted and more. I have been wanting to come here since moving to Baltimore, and I was surprised with tickets for my birthday! My partner had already seen the show and was still excited to go back. Let me tell you, it was magical! Spencer is so funny and so talented. All of us enjoyed the show and had a great time, even though we all have different levels of enthusiasm for magic to begin with.

I recommend this place so highly to those I talk to that I already know of another surprise birthday happening there in December. It is a Baltimore MUST!