We just had our first class today with my three-year-old I absolutely loved it. My son took three…read moremonths worth of classes at the British swim school in the Gold Coast. That was my one and only experience with swim lessons after going to goldfish it makes the British swim school look like a disorganized dump. Literally everything that goldfish does is the complete opposite of British swim school. Zola I think is her name was warm, kind and welcoming. The water is warm instead of freezing. The kids look like they were enjoying themselves immensely in the water. They have big huge changing rooms a play area parking and parent viewing area to look through the glass area around the pool is not slippery. You can walk on the cement , instead of worry that you're gonna slip and fall, my son had a blast It was so enjoyable and comfortable I wanted to cry.

Had our "little one" (child) here for almost a year. Was told they were doing great each time...a…read morebit unclear what they were doing great at, seeing as the teacher would tell them what to do, they'd do whatever they felt like, and then get a high five. The teachers seem nice, but it does not feel like there's a ton of concentration on teaching going on, mostly people going through the motions. What adds to this is the fact that each lesson ends 5 minutes before the half out, and then you are called in at 5 minutes past. I asked Claude, and it told me 30 - 5 - 5 = 20, which strikes me as inconsistent with paying for a 30 minute lesson. I personally want the teachers to get a break between lessons, and I understand changeover takes time, but that's the institution's problem to manage, not mine. So don't tell me it's a 30 minute lesson.

Updating my review because I need to give some love to our amazing teacher Crystal!! We took the…read morefall & winter season off from lessons since we would be out of town quite a bit and end up missing classes anyways. We started up with lessons again in the spring and needless to say we regressed quite a bit. Luckily for us, our new teacher has been so supportive and encouraging to our 2 year old. Our first lesson back was pretty rough with lots of tears, but Crystal encouraged us to keep at it and not give up. Over the last four weeks, our son has become so much more comfortable in the water. Crystal has cheered him on the whole time and always moved at a pace he is comfortable with, while slowly encouraging him to try new things. She has been so patient and encouraging, and he has grown to love swim again!! Thanks you Crystal for getting us comfortable in the water again!

They swim only like 5 yards for little kids, don't challenge them…read more They made the biggest progress when I took them for swim myself. Money wasting experience.

After seven years, we recently unenrolled our children from Goldfish Wicker Park after two and a…read morehalf years of repeated frustrations with communication, instructional accountability, and prolonged stagnation in swim levels. Most recently, our daughter spent approximately 13 months in one level at a cost of nearly $1,700, only to be told she still had not mastered skills that should have been intentionally addressed throughout the year. What was most disappointing was not simply the slow progression, but the lack of proactive communication and the repeated feeling that meaningful intervention only occurred after parent escalation. This has now happened multiple times across both of our children. Rather than acknowledging the pattern or engaging thoughtfully with our concerns, management became highly defensive and focused primarily on justifying staff actions through internal notes. We fully understand that children progress differently and that safety matters. However, families also deserve transparency, progress monitoring, and a collaborative approach when concerns are raised, especially at the price point of these lessons. There are many wonderful instructors there, and our frustration is not with individual young staff members. Our concern is with leadership, accountability structures, and how concerns are handled when families advocate for their children.

**Goldfish Swim School: A Thoughtfully Designed Experience for Young Swimmers**…read more We tried Goldfish for our 1.5-year-old's first swim class and are completely hooked! The facility is thoughtfully designed to support young kids learning to swim, with great amenities like ample parking, rows of seating for parents, a warm pool area, 90-degree water, spacious changing rooms, and even a swimsuit dryer. There's also an attentive staff member coordinating class times, making the whole experience smooth and welcoming. Be sure to get on the waitlist early; it took us four months to get off the 9 a.m. parent-tot slot. Our class is with Jessica, who's fantastic, but every aspect of the class feels like part of a well-oiled machine. The teacher welcomes kids playfully with toys and Elmo as they arrive, creating an environment that gently pushes comfort zones while allowing flexibility if kids need to pause. Each exercise builds naturally towards swimming skills and even water safety, like returning to the wall after jumping in. It's clear they've put a lot of thought into making every activity both fun and practical. The instructors stay attentive, encouraging kids through dips, underwater practice, and skills like climbing out on their own. I feel confident that my child will learn to swim here. Also, I appreciate that the spacious changing rooms make it possible to manage solo, though I do prefer to bring my partner when I can. **Comparison to Other Swim Options:** 1. **First Class Swim School:** We've done private sessions here, which offers excellent 1:1 attention since the instructor comes to your pool (for $70 per session vs. $31 at Goldfish). This convenience is amazing, but you need pool access. Additionally, Goldfish offers the benefit of social interaction with other kids, which I think helps reduce any intimidation about swimming. 2. **UIC Swim Classes:** We've also tried UIC's group lessons, which are more affordable ($22 per class). However, the experience is comparable but inferior in many small ways. While their instructors follow structured exercises, they vary in engagement, providing little feedback and few opportunities for underwater practice. Facilities-wise, UIC is less convenient: parking is paid, entry is restricted to exactly within 15 minutes of class, and changing areas are limited. For us, Goldfish offers better value with its focused, fun approach and kid-centered amenities. Overall, Goldfish Swim School has created a safe, fun, and highly effective environment for teaching kids to swim, and we couldn't be happier with our experience so far!

I have only walked the park. There is a hot dog stand outside that's pretty busy. Nice grounds.read more

Great place for family, tons of classes to offer, the pool is clean and enjoyable, staff is a…read morelittle uptight, except the person at the reception, he was amazing and very nice, but overall the place is awesome to spend time with family

Not a bad option for a gym in West Loop…read more Usually running a promo for free enrollment and a month or two free. If you're looking to become a member, watch for these deals as they are run pretty frequently. Nice staff. Good amenities. No B.S fees like many other gyms have. Very utilitarian. Happy with my membership.

I would STRONGLY caution anyone considering a membership here. Their customer service is some of…read morethe worst I've experienced at any gym. When you request to cancel or pause your membership, they'll continue to take your money but won't actually process the request properly. In my case, when I asked them to cancel my membership in advance (so I wouldn't be charged again), they canceled it early out of spite because I had complained about them not pausing my account when I was traveling for 3 months. Instead of showing remorse for canceling my membership, the manager tried to blame me, until I had email as proof. Even then, the manager, Darrell Szymanski was dismissive, rude, and completely lacking in empathy or consideration. A gym is supposed to be a place where members feel valued and respected--not taken advantage of. Unfortunately, this club falls far short. They were so condescending, it's was insulting.

Looks like a solid gym, with decent amenities. I was here for a class, specifically BURN…read more 5 stations, 2 times through, approx 45 minutes. Good workout, great instructor -Kristin! Location is a little far for me, but again, the gym itself seems to have a ton of equipment and good layour.

This gym has been a huge disappointment. It's consistently dirty, and the lack of air conditioning…read moreis unacceptable. My biggest concern, however, is the customer service from some of the front desk staff. The scanner at the entrance rarely works, so employees have to manually let members in by pressing a button. Instead of being helpful, one employee, who I believe is named Will, acted as though I was inconveniencing him simply by asking to be let in. He gave me such a rude look that it made me genuinely uncomfortable. There was never a greeting or any attempt to be welcoming--just an annoyed expression because he had to put his phone down for a few seconds to do his job. The interaction was unprofessional enough that I contacted the manager the following day, but I never received a response. Between the dirty facility, the lack of air conditioning, and the poor customer service, I've decided to cancel my membership. I expect a gym to provide a clean environment and treat its members with basic courtesy, and unfortunately this location failed to do both.

Well having checked in now about 75 times, I think I can finally write a 5-star review for the Ray…read moreMeyer! I started going to the Ray 5 months ago on the recommendation of a colleague and I have not been disappointed. The staff at the front desk are very friendly - and with your membership you get a free locker and towel. The locker rooms are in good condition and the showers are well kept and gives you plenty of room. The pool is really nice - and there are quite a few classes you can join. I use their personal training services with Kizzie Mailander and she has truly changed my life! She's a great trainer, but she is funny, direct and pushes you in the most positive way. I couldn't recommend her enough. The most important thing about the Ray is that they have a great selection of equipment and the place is kept in great shape. My membership may cost more than some of the chain gyms - but I feel it's a great value for the money. Highly recommended!

For the love of god, please play better music. Nothing worse than unbearable radio pop blaring…read morethroughout the facility. The last thing I want to hear is "Honey, I'm Good" by Andy Grammer blasting my ears off at 96 decibels while I'm trying to workout. Other than that, the Ray is the best.