I guess If you play hockey, Johnny's West is the place to go in Chicago. I don't play hockey, so this was the first time for me hearing about this place. My godson is a goalie on the Ice Doggs, a kid's team and was playing a game there on a Saturday. Most of his games are on days/times that I can't make, so I was happy to be able to see him live. The facility has underground parking, but I can see that it can fill up quickly as there are games going on all day and well into the night. As a matter of fact, when we were leaving, there were cars already sitting there waiting for folks from the last game to leave. Cost to park is $2 and they do take wallet payments. It was nice that we could park in the lot and enter directly into the building. The main rink was on the first floor as well as the locker rooms. Seating and the bar was on the second floor. Seating was bleacher style, but not too bad on the backside. The bar was pretty basic, just one white wine (Sauvignon Blanc), so I got a vodka and ginger ale with some lime juice...$8 which was not bad. Bartender was nice and they are cashless for payment but prefer cash for tips. The rink is affiliated with the Blackhawks, so there was a sign that stated the rink is an official partner of theirs. As for the game, I had so much fun watching my godson get 20 saves and his team won, 9-1 over the home team. The players looked as good as any adult skater and were skating as if on silk. There was one player that did a great hip check and got a penalty, but I shook his hand later in the locker room to tell him it had been executed excellently, even if it was not allowed. We went in to see my godson in the locker room, which was okay looking, clean. Didn't see any showers, but guessing they could be somewhere else? As we were leaving , there was an adult locker room next door and players suited up for their game. I could definitely come back to see my godson play here again, it was a good time read more

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i agree with previous review，the instructors are irresponsible. We were enrolled in beginner skating lessons for 2 sessions, I have to admit that my son is not really a skating kid, but this is not a reason for instructors' not helping him. My son walks fine on the ice, but the instructor didn't bother to get close to him, encourage him and challenge him to step out of his comfort zone to move faster. When we talked to the instructor, what they said is "then why other kids can skate?" I was so shocked to hear that, isn't it because the kids who need more help have to find another teacher who can really help them??!! My friend's son had the same situation and she warned me not to take Johnny's class because it's waste of time. I really regretted that I didn't listen to her advise as Johnny's is close to our home. So I would say, if your kid doesn't have fear on ice, it's ok to take their course, the instructor can give them a bit instruction. but if your kid's personality is very cautious, Johnny is definitely not a good choice. It's a waste of money. read more

If you play hockey, Johnny's West is 5-stars. The new facility has spacious underground parking (good because it is in a shady area), excellent ice, a nice Gunzo's, a great bar for a post-game beer and great leagues, instructional and you can go there to watch a Blackhawks practice every now and again. The locker rooms are more spacious and nicer than at Johnny's East, including the shower area. I love skating on this ice and seeing the Blackhawk head on the wall and on the ice, knowing our Hawks skated there just a few hours before. Great addition to the Chicago hockey scene - nice rinks are few and far between around here. read more

As soon as you walk into Johnny's IceHouse West you're greeted with that sour smell of a combination of sweat, socks/feet, and I guess hard work? Once you adjust though, you're entirely fine and you don't notice it as much! =) Other than that, Johnny's Ice House is pretty clean, cool, comfy, and modern. It's a really great facility and I was very impressed during my first visit here. There are 2 locker rooms to put your stuff in and change. There are showers so you can rinse off after a good session. There is plenty of bleacher seating in the upstairs level for spectators. There is also a great bar for spectators to grab some drinks and watch -- though I haven't been there myself. The ice is great--pretty well-maintained as are the facilities in general. I was here for some auditions so my experience is different from those that come here for hockey. People were respectful of each other as far as getting onto/off the ice as we transitioned out of our auditions and the hockey players headed onto the ice for their session. Staff was very helpful. Parking is street, where you can find it. There is metered and permit parking in the area. Across the street and down a half block east is a parking garage where you can park for 2 hours for $2 -- not bad for a parking garage. Overall Johnny's IceHouse West is great; I'd love to return here. read more

Johnny's Ice House West, or as it appears on my calender on a game night, JIHW, is the shiny-new addition to the Chicago hockey scene. For those of you who are familiar with the original location east of the United Center, picture that building, but bigger, and with a few more amenities. In addition to street parking, JIHW has a more spacious parking garage beneath the rink itself, which can be accessed through its own driveway (no more awkward pileups into traffic waiting for the buzzer to be answered). As of right now, there are no rental lockers in this parking structure, and I'm not sure if there are any plans to install any. Upstairs skaters find a full-sized sheet of ice (the east facility is a bit smaller than regulation size), four large locker rooms, a ref room, and (yes!) an extra locker room where the ladies can go change if need be. The top floor boasts a Stanley Club that is at least 2xs the size of the bar at the east rink, and what will eventually be another Gunzo's pro shop (I think). Also present on the top level are facilities that are off-limits because they are part of the new Blackhawks' practice space - there is a private entrance for these, so don't plan on sneaking a peek. The best part about JIHW is what it has done to hockey in Chicago. With the addition of an extra rink to the Johnny's Ice House facilities, the management there has been able to greatly expand their adult hockey leagues, clinics, and kids' programs. With JIHW becoming the new practice rink for the Stanley Cup winning Chicago Blackhawks this year, I can see there being a rise in interest in bringing kids to both rinks to learn to play, and adults coming by to check out the game for themselves as well. Best of luck on the new rink - I love it already! read more

I rented the small rink for Broomball approximately one month ago. The people that setup the event were diligent and it was easy to communicate with them via email and telephone. The event itself was done well. There is a small rink that is used for some hockey practices and is the perfect size for broomball. Further, they had all the required equipment available (helmets and sticks) so it wasn't necessary for anyone to bring anything. If I were to critique anything it would be that the sticks were all primarily one color so it was a little difficult telling who was on whos team initially - make sure to bring light and dark shirts to rectify this issue. Finally, there is a bar that is open pretty late on Friday that we went to withing Johnny's. Bar wasn't anything special but the bartender(s) were attentive and made good drinks. The bar also overlooks the main ice rink so you can watch a game if there is one going on then. Summary: great event and wouldn't hesitate to use Johnny's for another event. read more

Katie, thanks for showing us a great time at the bar. LOL. Did I mention they have a great bar here? Whenever I get the opportunity to come here, I am routing for my friends as they play ice hockey. It is cold in here obviously so bring a jacket. read more

Came here to watch some hockey and have some beers. It was a unique experience on a Saturday night over watching rerun sports on TV screens or the bartender pouring drinks. Not that great for beer or food selection, but it's a tiny bar overlooking an ice rink, so you can't expect much. All in all, it was different, and fun, and had a comfortable atmosphere with what seemed like good people. Definitely a cool find and yet another random thing to do in this great city of ours. read more

BRRRR! Like many ice houses it is cold inside, duh. fun place to watch a tournament. has a little warm escape (a bar) right inside the place. Bonus! read more

Perfect addition to Chicago hockey We have been taking skating lessons at Johnny's Ice House East for a year and this move doubles the ice time available in the downtown area which is great. since getting into Johnny's learn to skate is an adventure in parent determination. The west ofd Western location can put some people off, but as they told us, 3 CPD teams play in leagues there and are watiching the street parking to make sure their fellow players have no issues and to date I have not heard of any. The parking lot is bigger and easier to naivigate than at East, there is a larger pro shop and the bar also looks nicer, but unfortunately it is not open during learn to skate. (ONLY opportunity for improvement). The elevator is a bit hidden so if you have grandma with you to watch jr, pretend he/she is a Blackhawk, you need to know it is behind the door in the southwest corner of the parking garage. This is a top notch facility that has no difficulty filling itself, nor wil it for years to come. read more

Great place to watch a game, and cheer friends on. Staff is very friendly and the beers are cheap!!! They always have fresh popcorn for the patrons too. Both locations rock! read more

Got a concussion from a ref. Got hit by an opposing player at the end of a lopsided game, referee came in to break up a jersey holding tie up I wanted no part of in the first place, and referee shoved my helmet-less head into the dasher boards once the two of us had already let go. As someone who loved playing hockey to the point of showing up for an 11:10 pm game on a weeknight and someone who's had previous concussions, I'm extremely disappointed in the fact that I can no longer enjoy hockey safely at the only rink in Chicago. Playing hockey for 20 years, I get that it's a competitive contact sport, I get that there are players that may compromise your safety and it's part of the game, I understand why the player that hit me hit me, and I get that refs need to separate players, but I never imagined a referee on a power trip would end my hockey career. For someone looking to play for fun, try finding someplace else. read more

Great place to watch friends' games and amateur hockey!!! Awesome bar looking over the ice which is a great touch. Hidden gem in Chicago. Love it read more

Definitely the better of the two choices, but as someone there to watch a hockey tournament it is nice if there is more of a lobby. This rink has the underground parking which is awesome, but unnecessary at this location because there is ample street parking. There is a nice bar with drink and food selections and you can watch the ice from most spots in the bar. The seating in the rink itself is limited, but decent views. It could definitely be a little warmer in this place. read more

I come here for Blackhawks morning skates every once in a while. I love Johnny's! Everything is top of the line, clean, and modern. There is even a bar in Johnny's that looks great for after practice drinks or a place to hang out while watching a scrimmage. They also let you wait outside to get an autograph or two after the practice and the free street parking right outside is a plus. I have never been in such a nice facility, kind of makes me wish that I played hockey as a kid! read more

Don't waste your time on ice skating lessons here for beginners. The coaches overall are somewhat useless and don't provide much instruction at all. One instructor (the female one) is better than the others. The others tend to stand around a lot and watch without contributing or helping the kids much. Granted, for some kids that works and they just pick it up on their own. However my daughter needed a lot of instruction and didn't really get any. We are going to teach her ourselves because these lessons were pretty much a waste of time. The facility itself is kind of dirty and gross although the ice rink itself is fine. read more

I LOVE JOHNNY'S ICE HOUSE! I come here all the time to watch the blackhawks practice and the rink is super clean and there is free parking right in right! If you are going to a blackhawks open practice, especially on the weekends, get there super early!!!! I LOVE COMING HERE TO WATCH THE BOYS! read more

Great place to place a game. Nice ice. Accessible by subway (California-Green). Nice bar up top. Was here for a tournament and would come back in a heartbeat. Great staff, well kept facility. Couldn't ask for more. read more

This place is a little sketchy, but has a lot of great camps/programs to keep kids involved in hockey.

This review is mainly based on me coming here to watch the Blackhawks Open Practices. Their open practices last year were during my lunch period so a few of us would drive over and watch them practice. It wasn't always busy since it was during the work day and we would always be able to score autographs after they were done. It's great to see the team scrimmage and be so close to them. I have also come here to watch my friend's son play hockey with the Jets. It's great to see the kids play on the same ice as the Hawks practice on. I'm hoping that this year I will have the same opportunity to watch the open practices but since my lunch has changed, I doubt it. So sad. I love watching them practice. read more

Best Men's Hockey League in Illinois is played here.

Comparing Johnny's IceHouse West to Johnny's IceHouse East: bigger (regulation size) rink, better ice, larger locker rooms, more indoor parking. read more

This is a great place to play hockey for all levels. There is also a travel hockey team called the Jets Hockey Organization. I suggest everybody that likes hockey goes here. Also there is hockey lessons. read more

I totally get the prestige of being part of the elite at Johnny's IceHouse but....very dissapointed with the learn to skate program for 3.5 - 5 year olds. Coaches, if you can call them that, are rude and provide absolutely no instruction to the kids. When asked by a coach for one the US National Championship Teams what my child has been instructed on so far, I had to tell him nothing. Great facility but should be a little more instructional for the little ones. They aren't pros yet. read more

I've played hockey my whole life and this place is the best. Games always start on time, refs and management are professional, showers are hot and beer is cold. read more

Great addition to Johnny's East. Great staff, fun to catch the Blackhawks practices and as with East great for learning, practicing and playing hockey. The bar is larger which is certainly not a bad thing. Love both of Johnny's locations, recommended for all hockey and sports fans. read more

Great Learn to Skate program and hockey skills classes for kids. It is very personal and friendly. The coaches are great!

This place is a sump. Poor service. Dirty. Bartenders lazy. When not busy should clean.