Ignite Glass Studios was the perfect space for our eclectic, slightly nontraditional wedding that we'd both claim was one of the best days of our lives! We wanted someplace artsy, someplace with a rooftop view of the city for our ceremony, and someplace that had space for food trucks to pull up in front for dinner for our guests, and would let us bring in our own alcohol so long as it was staffed appropriately. And we needed to keep it all relatively in budget in an expensive city. Ignite hit all of those options, more than any other venue in Chicago frankly! Having the rooftop, downstairs area which included the glass blowing studio space, and the outside lawn with the strung patio lights all at your disposal makes you feel like you're getting 3 spaces in one - very versatile. The setting lends it's own color and décor, which also helped us have less to worry about. The staff at Ignite was very helpful throughout the planning process, and encouraged us to set up a walkthrough as we neared the wedding so many of our vendors could see the space. The added touch of the unity ceremony, where we combined glass beads during our rooftop ceremony that were then made into a glass piece for us during the reception (which guests could watch), was a really unique addition. Highly recommend Ignite Glass Studios for your wedding or next big event! - keRi + patrick read more

I recently went to Ignite Glass Studios with my God Daughter for a private lesson. Each year we try to do something together and this was a new option. It was a fantastic experience!! All of the people that we met here were extremely friendly and accommodating. Stephanie was a great ambassador in welcoming us into Ignite Studios. And Alex was really fun and worked easily with my 14 year old God Daughter to teach us entry level glass blowing. Needless to say it was a really special, memorable experience for both of us. I highly recommend them! read more

They made the mistake of doing a Groupon, which when trying to redeem requires booking months and months in advance. By the time I could redeem it it was only worth its face value and not worth what I spent for two people to go. Just from this and the poor customer service I'd explore other glass blowing options, or go axe throwing or candles or anything but this place read more

I honestly don't know where to start. This review can't possibly do Monica and Ignite justice for the tremendous job they did for our wedding! To start, Monica is one of the nicest and caring people I know. My wife is a pretty meticulous person and Monica always put her at ease when it came to the details. We felt like she genuinely cared about our needs and ensuring our wedding day was perfect. And it was! As for the venue itself, it's phenomenal. We did our ceremony on the roof, dinner inside, and dance floor/band in the courtyard. My recommendation: Use the space to its fullest and embrace the unique industrial character it has. We've had people tell us it was one of the most unique, fun weddings they've ever been to. Hope this helps and happy wedding planning! read more

Wow! What a great space. The foyer offers a beautiful display of glass artwork. The caliber of talent here is bar none! I was here for a private event. The rooftop, the garden and the large space in the back were the perfect location for the beautiful, stunning, gorgeous wedding I attended here. I would be curious to check out the glass blowing demos and lessons here. Totally a bucketlist item for me for when I visit Chicago. read more

For the place, not so much the Yelp event thrown by Getaround. Sure it was nice having a DJ and stuff, and an open bar. One of the bartenders was absolutely unfriendly, no smile, and shitty service. The other two were great. City views, secluded enough to be quiet and enjoy the nice summer air, glass walled high-ceilinged postmodern interior with a glassware art gallery, grass courtyard. Only gripe was the food provided, it was pretty tasteless sausages. The pulled pork buns hit the spot though. read more

Just took an Introduction to Glass Experience. Made a glass bowl and a glass tile. Tyler was great as an instructor. Had a great conversation with Trish afterwards. My father had blown glass as a hobby when I was a boy. This was first time as an adult to experience what I always wanted to try out. read more

Ignite Glass Studios - Entrance to Ignite Glass Studios - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ignite Glass Studios is the truly unique space we were looking for. With the multiple outdoor spaces and decorative glass throughout, we felt additional decorations weren't even necessary. The entire team was fantastic to work with - especially Genevieve who took the time to provide some great direction on utilizing the space effectively. I really appreciated the flexibility with vendors. While some spaces force you to stick with one or two preferred caterers, florists, etc., Ignite provided a few dozen so we were able to find ones that fit both our vision and budget. The glass blowing demonstration is a must - people raved about it. I highly recommend the venue - there isn't one thing I would change about our experience! read more

I really liked the setup and went here with my sisters to do something new. The young lady( recently hired) rolled her eyes and expressed clear exasperation towards me at least two times, to the point of embarrassment for me in front of my friends. I didn't know anything about the process and her directions were too fast and unclear. I was excited about learning the process at first, but ended up feeling bad about myself afterwards. Perhaps someone who has more patience for novice customers should teach the classes next time. Beautiful products...poor teacher. read more

Wow! The only word I could say as I first walked through the doors of this glass studio. Not only are you greeted by unique, gorgeous, and absolutely stunning pieces of glass art when you first walk through the doors, but also a wonderful and attentive receptionist. Megan was friendly, helpful, and extremely knowledgeable. She was able to place both my fiance and I in a session that we could both grow from (he had blown glass before, this was my first time). Our lesson was with Ben. His skill level, creativity, and passion for glass art are truly inspiring. He loves what he does and is willing to take the time to help you create exactly what you want from this experience (my fiance made a molar, who knew that could even be done???). I am not the easiest person to teach or work with, but Ben was beyond patient and accommodating when helping me create my glass goblet. Honestly, I can't say enough good things about this place or the people that work here. It's rare to find a place that will teach you appreciation, give you inspiration, demonstrate passion, and leave you with a mean set of glass blowing skills all within a one hour session. read more

Very excited about this studio! Chicago has something to talk about. There are a lot of talented glass blowers involved with this place. read more

Left work early to accommodate the event manager's schedule and when we showed up nobody was there. She did not pick up her phone or respond to my voicemail. If you can't even be reliable to show the space why would I trust you with the most important day of my life? Unreal. read more

My husband and I hosted our wedding reception at Ignite a couple of weeks ago and were very impressed with and excited about the space. First of all, the outdoor space you have access to with a rental is unbeatable. We were able to use a fire pit they had (we brought our own wood) to have an outdoor fire in their garden/courtyard, which is decorated with beautiful glass art. We didn't make much use of the rooftop, but some of our guests enjoyed getting some fresh air and taking pictures up there. Second, the event space itself may not look like so much when you walk in on a regular day, but done up with tables and linens and with the track lighting on the night of it was absolutely stunning. They do have some pictures on their website of the event space, and it gives a pretty good idea. We didn't use any wall hangings at all, and honestly, I'm glad we didn't. I think the space looked great! It also seems like they are constantly working to improve the space and make it more attractive as a rental. They added a couple really cool glass touches between the first time we visited and the time we had our reception. My only real complaint about this space was that there was a communication snafu or two. The woman that we first talked to about the space and signed a contract with left the company and we were not informed. Not a huge deal, except that later, her replacement called and told us that the space had been booked for another event! She thought we had not signed a contract or put down a deposit. I will say once I called and explained the situation, that we had a signed contract and had paid a deposit, they were very accommodating and got us our original reservation back with no problem. Also, sometimes, if I called and left a voicemail it would take a little while for them to get back to me. E-mail seemed to be a much more reliable communication tool. That might be because of some weird office hours for that staff though. Overall the staff was friendly and helpful. We worked almost exclusively with Monica, the new events coordinator, but anyone else we talked to was also very attentive. The only other thing I will say is that while they can accommodate more people in the space, our wedding of 175 with a dance floor did pretty much pack the place. We had round tables though, which take up more space than 6 or 8 foot long tables. If you want to have a larger event, keep in mind that round tables may not work. read more

I had my wedding there on 9/1 and highly recommend this beautiful space to anyone that is looking to host an event. There are multiple options to have an event with well executed layout options from the massive rooftop space to the large outdoor garden to the inside main event hall have have windows along an entire wall. This is also the home to a great glass studio that showcases the talent of local artists in the lobby area. We coordinated everything through the office manager who was an absolute delight to work with. I would definitely have another event there! read more

I came here for a party that was hosted by Ray Ban, I was surprised to see how awesome this place was! It had a very LA type vibe to it... Huge indoor and outdoor space! I wish more events were hosted here, it's so trendy and I had a great time! read more

Great Value. I received a Groupon for a class for two for $50, regular price is $100. They were accomodating from start to finish. Living in the suburbs, i can only do weekend visits into the city. It was nice to go into a Sunday morning class with my father. We got there early and looked around their beautiful gallery. I wish they had some small vases that i could have afforded. Joe took us on time and was such a sweetie-Pie. We were very curious about the process, the tools and the technique as first timers. Joe has a lot of enthusiasim for his art for his students. My father and I were the only students he had, which i liked the extra attention. It was very appreciative that Joe walked us through the tasks before we handled the glass. So when we did have the hot glass, it was less scary. Joe was very safe. I really like how Ignite allows you to either choose a glass paperweight or a bowl. I went with the bowl since it actually had you blow glass. My father choose the paperweight, but doesn't actually have you blow glass. I am so pleased that i made something and did it succesflly off my bucket list. Joe explained we can bring our whole family next time. I think this might be a great xmas or birthday gift for my young twenty something siblings or my teenager cousin. Too be honest, it was my father that had a ridiculous fun time with the class. The class was an hour and it went so fast. Please go see Joe~ read more

We loved Ignite Glass, my family did a private class and Eli was our instructor, they guide you through it so you're safe and your pieces turn out well but you get to be hands on throughout the entire process. It's a nice studio, would definitely recommend as a fun event! read more

You have to check this place out. Take a class and blow your own piece. No experience necessary! I went in from a groupon i bought and had so much fun! I was led through all the steps and was totally comfortable the entire time. The staff is supremely wonderful and i felt like a friend the entire time. I highly recommend you give this a try! read more

I attended a wedding at Ignite last night, and everything for the wedding ceremony and reception was perfect. Great vendors and thoughtful planning from the bride & groom. It seemed like the venue had a cute outdoor space, but the rain kept us indoors, so that was a bit unfortunate. During the cocktail hour after the ceremony, we had the option of attending a glass blowing demonstration, which a lot of the guests were excited about. About 30-40 of us stood around and waited for a good 20 minutes for the demonstration to start. There were three...maybe four employees just standing around...maybe prepping for the demonstration? Finally, they said their names and gave a one statement overview of what they were going to do. Then after 10 more minutes of waiting for them to start making something, I grew disinterested and decided to leave the studio and return to the party outside of the studio. When I found out that the wedding couple had paid an additional fee for that to be part of the wedding, I was disappointed. Overall, the venue was nice and there was plenty of free parking nearby. read more

Ignite Glass Studios is a great experience. I'll start by saying I've never blown glass before, but I'm a big fan of glass art pieces. When you arrive you can view (and buy if you choose) some of the cool pieces that artists have created. We then had a lesson/session with Aaron B who is great. He clearly is very skilled and passionate about what he does, but on top of that he makes it fun (and safe, which you realize is of utmost importance once you see the tools). We did it as a small group and were all first timers so he had is work cut out for him, but he was extremely patient and really let us enjoy. We didn't try anything fancy and just stuck to making a pint glass (or something close) and it was great. I now have a much greater appreciation for how much work and skill it takes to create those pieces of art in the lobby - I struggled mightily with just a glass. On top of the appreciation, and probably more importantly, at least for me, I had a good time and walked away with something (well not really, I had to go pick it up, but) tangible from the experience. Throughout the time we were there everyone we interacted with was extremely nice and helpful in explaining things. Overall, clearly a quality operation. I would highly recommend trying it whether you have experience blowing glass or just like the thought of trying something new, different and fun. CW read more

My friends and I got a groupon for the glass blowing/tile making workshop and we LOVED it! It was such a fun and different activity to do. Our instructor, Alex, was very friendly and accommodating for us. The studio has beautiful artwork displayed, also. I would HIGHLY recommend taking a workshop at Ignite. read more

What an amazing place! We had our corporate event here and it was awesome! The space is very cool and the glass blowing demonstration was wonderful and kept our guests enthralled. Wish it was during the summer to take advantage of the outdoor space but even in winter it was great. The comment we heard over and over was " this is so COOL!" I highly recommend ignite for any function, the people are wonderful to work with and it's just a great time and a cool event space read more

Awesome event space! It has a nice large lawn lit up by string lights and a large fire pit. The rooftop patio is great with a view of downtown and has the perfect feel for a fun or romantic event! read more

Awesome experience- Josh was awesome and everyone else I dealt with was too! Great Groupon

This was an awesome experience. My sister and I took a glass blowing and tile class with Ashley. I would highly recommend this studio. Very fun staff and creative environment. Absolutely loved our studio time. We will return. read more

Called this Ignite to see if they could fix or replace a glass decanter that was broken. Spoke with someone a few times on the phone with no email or call back. Finally someone contacts me over email 2 weeks later with the shortest message saying basically "sorry we cant help you". I was expecting maybe a recommendation of someone that could help or even some type of explanation why they couldn't help me. They need to work on their communication skills and customer service if they want to be successful! read more

Bumping up the review to 4 stars. They did contact us shortly after I wrote the review to allow us to schedule another visit.

A friend and I took the Discover Glass workshop and it was even better than I expected. Our instructor, Joe, was awesome and explained everything so thoroughly. Great price for all we learned, and we had a wonderful time! Highly, highly recommended! read more

My dtr and I went here after she heard about this place from the web. Totally cool, super fun and made for great daddy/daughter time. We made a few bowls then a glass for me to sip some schnapps and finally a paperweight. Isaac, the artist working with us, was fun and educational and informative and got us involved right out of the gate. I've told all my friends about this place and we plan to take more classes there. A+ for coolness factor! read more

I took my kids here after purchasing a Groupon as a Christmas gift. To say they LOVED it would be an understatement! We got lucky with a spot being available for the weekend we wanted and everyone from the reservationist to their instructor to the receptionist when I came back to pick up their beautiful masterpieces was incredibly friendly and helpful. Having worked in Trauma for many years, safety was my biggest concern for this outing, but I was relieved to learn it is their top priority as well. Not only were the procedures explained thoroughly, but having the kids participate in the creating of something tangible, not just taking pictures of someone else walking thru the process was great. The instructor was patient, funny, but again, above all, safety conscious. As we were leaving, the kids asked when we could come back. Not soon enough guys, not soon enough. read more

Ignite is easily one of the best venues in the city! We have worked several events in their space both large and small & always have an absolute blast. Staff is extremely accommodating & easy to work with. We highly recommend this space! read more

This place will blow your mind! We got married September 24, 2016 and wanted something completely different from the same venues with rugs and enclosed areas that we immediately knew we wanted a room with so much light and open space. Well this was our 5th place to look at and it was a deal!!! We got a rooftop ceremony with a beautiful skyline! Our cocktail hour was outdoors in the amazing garden accompanied by mariachi. Not to mention the main room itself!!!!! SPECTACULAR! High ceiling and NO RUG! The lighting that came in that room from all around was just amazing. The very cool glass artwork displayed all around was a hit with all our guests and a plus since it's free. Parking is a big plus! plenty around and It's a BYOB venue so saved us a ton of money. Let me take a long moment to THANK SO MUCH OUR ANGEL MONICA ( event manager)!! She went beyond to help this process go so easy and smoothly!!!! She cares so much she would make sure every detail i thought i would miss was taken care of. We were left with sadness when our wedding ended just to know we wouldn't talk as much. That's how much she took part in our celebration. Thank you Monica for everything. We are beyond happy with our wedding we want to do it all over again!! ( well maybe not all over lol) not to forget everyone else there=) every single one of you thank you thank you! LOVE ANGIE & ERICA read more

We used Ignite Glass Studio for a recent corporate outing (via Kapow events). What a terrific experience. We rented their board room from 9-2, and then did the glass blowing from 2-4. The folks there could not have bene more hospitable during the "working" portion of the day; the food was fantastic; and the glass blowing demonstration and instruction was top notch. I would HIGHLY recommend Ignite for any team building, corporate or social event. read more

We had a groupon. They were nice and accommodated us for 2 people (me and my mom) late in the evening, as we were only going to be in Chicago for a few days and this was something I wanted to do very badly. We walked in and they were ready for us, there were just artists doing their thing, we watched him for a few minutes and then Alex told us about the whole process. He was patient and friendly. The machines are incredible, this is a real artist's studio, not some little craft store. Alex was very reassuring, and helped us throughout the process. We had a choice of making a paperweight or a bowl. We both made bowls. It's an incredible experience that you don't want to miss out on. Megan even shipped us our stuff as we were flying home the next day and wouldn't have been able to pick it up. Thank you Ignite Glass and Alex. Signed up for yelp just to leave you guys a review, you deserve it. read more

Date Night @ Ignite Glass Studios was AMAZING! Best date I have been on hands down! The venue/studio was decorated so cute for the event (date/valentines). The entire staff were all very polite, informative, friendly and accommodating. We were served sparkling wine and some chocolates and got a chance to talk for a little bit. I got to go first out of everyone so I had no idea what I was about to do. Our instructor, Aaron, was very easy to follow and made it very easy or me to understand. We made a heart and twisted some color into it. He was very comfortable to work with. After we made our pieces, we were able to sit and enjoy watching the other couples and artists work. We also had a glass blowing demonstration for the artist, Pearl Dick. She was exceptionally talented and a wonderful person to talk to and did not hesitate to answer any questions we had. We will be returning for private lessons, which they offer at very affordable rates. If you just want to watch the artist work and create, you can do that too! They have a nice venue space for all kinds of events (weddings, corporate events, parties, ect). They also have group events (not just date nights for couples). read more

We had our wedding at Ignite at the beginning of October and it was so perfect. Monica was always amazing to work with. The space is just awesome. We got so many compliments on how cool the space was. The day was pretty windy, so we didn't get to enjoy the lawn area as much as we'd liked to, but the kids didn't mind and were able to run off some energy outside (and still within view for the parents). Monica came to my rescue with some safety pins when the clasp on my dress zipper broke. She was present the entire evening just in case anything came up. Thank you for a wonderful wedding experience, Monica and Ignite Staff!!! read more

We used Ignite as our wedding venue and it was absolute perfection. Not only is the venue itself gorgeous, but Monica, the events coordinator for Ignite was incredible. She was a total pro at all things wedding prep putting us at ease throughout the entire process, but she also stayed the entire evening to make sure the wedding ran smooth. We could not have been more pleased with the way the entire wedding turned out and are so grateful for all of Monica's help. read more

I can't say enough about Josh and Ignite Glass Studios. I was a very nervous beginner and Josh (my teacher) was so patient. He knew his stuff and was able to provide a lot of detail and information about the technique and art of glass blowing. He provided the right amount of guidance and autonomy so I felt like I created my piece while having an expert there to correct any mistakes :) The studio made setting up the appointment very easy and everyone was really kind. Thanks again to Josh! read more

I was searching for a fun activity to do with my boyfriend and stumbled upon Ignite. We did a private lesson for making a drinking glass and had a wonderful instructor who was from England! Very friendly staff and one of the coolest activities I participated in to date. I highly recommend! read more

I recently worked with Ignite to host the annual event for the non-profit I work for. Maureen was incredibly nice and flexible throughout the process. We had multiple site visits with our staff and committee members and she was always so accommodating and understanding. She also was very helpful as a thought partner for how we could make the event extra special by commissioning our own piece to auction off after the glass blowing demonstration. Our guests absolutely loved the venue itself and raved about how cool it felt. And our caterers also loved the space and how easy it was to work there. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a way to freshen up their events. read more