illusions bar and lounge

A very fun and impressive evening of entertainment! The bar and lounge space is really cool and the customer experience is amazing. Friendly and attentive staff and good drink prices, especially the specials after the show. Spencer is very talented and has a great sense of humor. He is great with the crowd. Make reservations, especially if you want to sit near the stage. I would definitely take friends or visitors here for a fun night!

Spencer is not only a talented magician, but he is hilarious and quick on his toes with the audience...AND a great bartender! This was my second time going to his show in a matter of months (had to bring relatives I loved it so much the first time around) and it was so much fun! Great intimate atmosphere, not a bad seat in the place, and Spencer gets the audience very involved. If you are looking for a fun and unique night out in Baltimore go to Illusions!!! There is no surprise why this show gets sold out so make reservations now!

An amazing night of magic and a side of comedy at Illusions! Spencer Horsman is wildly talented! (Do yourself a favor and Google him!) It's a real treat to have such an amazing show and talented act right here in Baltimore!

Spencer Horsman is a very talented entertainer. His show has comedy, magic, and a comfortable atmosphere. Would strongly advise reservations! After the show you can stick around for drinks and maybe even witness a few more slight of hand illusions!! Overall great night!

My boyfriend and I were in town for the weekend. Read the reviews and thought we would try it. Great show!!! Funny, interesting, and magical. Recommend for a great night out with a loved one or friends!

I stumbled across Illusions on Groupon before Christmas. My husband is a big fan of magic, comedy and illusions, so I ended up getting 2 tickets for $16 on Groupon. What a steal, for a fantastic show!I emailed the bar to make a reservation and heard back promptly that it was confirmed. The person that I was emailing back and forth with, was awesome! We were coming from out of town, so they let me know where to park, what time to arrive and what we were to expect. Make sure you contact Illusions for a reservation - the show we went to was sold out, and it sounds like many of the shows are.We parked at a parking garage on E West Street and walked to Illusions. It is in Federal Hill, so everything was well lit and it was easy to find. We got to the bar at about 8 pm, and were the first people there.They seat you by, first come, first serve, so get there early to get good seats. There is a two drink minimum (doesn't have to be alcoholic beverages), so you hang out in the lobby, drink and mingle before the show starts. The bartenders were super friendly and helpful, as well.The show, itself, was awesome. It was about an hour and a half or more, with a fifteen minute intermission. It left us trying to figure out how Spencer did all his tricks and illusions. He picks audience members to help him out with tricks and keeps the audience engaged. He is snarky (in a good way) and hilarious. He kept us laughing throughout.All in all, a great night out on the town! It was worth the two hour trip for us (we stayed overnight in Glen Burnie and made it a weekend getaway). We highly recommend it and would definitely go and see this again!

I was completely blown away by everything about Illusions. Tickets were only $15! You walk in and the bar/ lounge is gorgeous. High ceilings, dark wood and the walls are decorated with large vintage posters of old magic shows. Their signature drinks are delicious and the bar tenders were more than happy to explain everything. The magic show was mind blowing. The first act was exciting enough, but the second act went above and beyond. Spencer did classic style tricks with a modern take as well as brand new ones. THEN when the show is over everyone is invited to stay in the bar for discounted drinks and Spencer does up close magic for every individual group. The show is perfect for large or small groups and it would be a great date night.

My husband & I were treated to the Illusions Bar and Lounge as a Christmas gift from our son & his girlfriend. My husband loves magic and we were looking forward to the show and expected to see a good performance. It was GREAT performance! It went waaaaay beyond any expectations we had. Spencer Horsman is an amazing magician AND gifted entertainer. I would recommend this to anyone whether you are a fan of magic or not. It is a small-ish theater, so make your reservations and enjoy the large lounge area with friendly bartenders. Stay a bit after the show and be treated to some close up magic. I cannot praise the entire experience enough.

Spencer, the magician, is a great entertainer and performs some excellent magic tricks. This is one of the best shows I've seen in Baltimore. I would recommend this to anyone!

Spencer is not only funny but also does amazing Illusions. Went this past weekend to go see him and he did not disappoint. Everything from close up magic with coins and cards to larger tricks such as being submerged under water and chained up and locked. His father is the owner of the bar and also the commentator and it works perfectly. He's been in americas got talent and now is in france's got talent. Go see him quickly before he takes his show on the road and charges a lot more to see him. Entrance was only 15 dollars which is not bad at all for the show you get and its a 2 drink minimum. Beer prices range fro 4-8 drinks range from 8-11 and wines range from 7-11. They also have great specials for after the show, such as shooter specials 5 dollar wine and 2 dollars off specialty drinks.

Spencer was the magician the night I went and he put on a really really funny show. Every trick was really surprising too. Seriously, go watch this show before he hits the big time and watching him perform is more expensive!!!

I was a little skeptical about going but was pleasantly surprised. I thought it would be a little corny and it wasn't. First, the magic was very good. I still haven't figured out how he did it. But Spencer and his dad are really good entertainers. They keep the crowd interested. Definitely go

My husband and I had the pleasure of going to Illusions Bar and Lounge last week. We were highly entertained by the show, which lasted over two hours. Spencer Horsman does a wonderful job of combining many types of tricks, including card tricks and disappearing tricks. When doing close-up tricks, he makes good use of a web-cam so that the whole audience can see what he is doing when he sits intimately at a table with customers. His final act is an astonishing escape act, his specialty. Spencer is energetic and quite humorous. He is also adorable. Go see his act at Illusions Bar and Lounge and find out for yourself!

My wife and I were sitting at home wondering what to do one night and decided to check on comedy shows in Baltimore. We came across Charlie Murphy at the Laugh Factory, but he was completely booked. Doing a few more searches, Illusions Bar & Theater/Lounge magically appeared. The website said the weekend was entirely booked, so we followed the recommended online standby list. Being a bit more proactive by doing it the old fashioned way, we gave them a phone call as well. Turns out there was a cancellation and the man himself, Spencer Horsman, took the call and fit us in. We were in luck!We showed up a hour before showtime and secured the B seating call; nice! There was a two-for-one Groupon available, so we bought that for $16 as we checked in. NOTE: There's a two-drink minimum per person (non-alcoholic is counted as a drink), so you will have to leave a card with the bar. The lounge/bar area is decorated nicely with photographs of the Horsman family in a display cabinet, while artwork of pioneering magicians and illusionists and other pieces decorate the space and walls nicely. A high-mounted LCD above the bar plays documentaries of magicians as well as highlights of Spencer’s accomplishments. We decided not to watch since we wanted to be surprised! The lighting is dim, but nice, with accent lights adding a touch of mood to the speakeasy-inspired decor.Everyone stages by the bar area until 10-before, then seatings A, B, C, and so on are called. The theater is tight; only about 130 or so can safely be seated. With B seating, my wife and I, to her chagrin, still sat in the very front row. Honestly, it was a bit too close as my neck started hurting from looking up for the entire show. Three rows back would have been perfect.As the first half of the show begins, you’re treated to light comedy from his father who then introduces his son. Spencer is a new bread of hybrid non-PC comedian, slash street magician, slash escape artist; it’s a welcomed treat. Not tall in stature and with babyface appeal, we weren’t sure what to expect from Spencer. But let me tell you, he successfully delivers on all levels! His quick-witted, smooth approach and stand-up comedian style deliver borderline offensive jokes that break the ice! The jokes relax you and urge you to just have a good time. The tricks are up-close and personal and there’s no hiding behind a camera; although at one point he did use one (with a projector and screen) in case you have a bad seat. The show is separated by a 15-minute intermission.For second half of the show, Horsman leverages that first-half connection with the audience and elevates his game with similar street magic that you’ve seen on television, but never saw in-person. He simply is mind blowing! The entire audience had to pick their jaws up from the floor. He topped off the night night with a Houdini-inspired escape that had everyone ripping with applause. Spencer Horsman is a must see for the DMV! Having no expectations, but with a little sprinkle of skepticism, we can honestly say that we’d pay to see him again and perhaps check out other substitute performers at the Illusion. If you want a great first date or just want something different to do one night, check Spencer and company out. It’ll be worth it.TIPS! (in no particular order)- No video recording allowed, although still (no-flash) photography is permitted!- If you don’t have a sense of humor, you may be offended by some of the jokes! Please have one! It makes life easier.- Show up and 1.0-1.25hrs before showtime)!- Bathrooms amenities are limited, so be prepared for a line-up!- The theater is tight, so sitting front-row isn't recommended as the stage and performer are right in your face!- If you like to participate, Spencer will call on anyone within the theater no matter where they're seated! :D- Two-drink minimum (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)!- Check Groupon or Living Social for a deal! We bought ours as we checked in!- Call ahead even they say they're booked! Cancellations are a possibility!

My husband and I had lived in the neighborhood for years, and never went to a show because we had some negative impression of the bar... where that originated, I couldn't tell you. On a whim we finally went, and were wildly entertained. Very impressive slight of hand, and Spencer is a very entertaining showman. Highly recommend. Do know that they pack the room, and its a bit crowded and a bit warm. Seating is by arrival time, so you may want to get there early to be upfront. The drinks are reasonably priced and there's a 2 drink minimum.