Pros: Monthly payments & sign up fees are cheap. Staff is friendly. They're adding new improvements to the facility such as steam rooms, new flooring in the gym, and increasing the size of the workout room. Compared to other gyms I've visited, it's very lo-key and there aren't a million people at the Y at one time (unlike X Sport which I visited yesterday). Cons: Hardly anyone wipes down the machines after using them, lack of machines available, the workout area is still a bit small if you're looking to have room around you, lots of kids running around, and the idiots who park in the no-parking area in the driveway. Oh and it's in the ghetto. read more

I was a member for a year before I quit. I *thought* it would be better than joining a big gym because it's less crowded -- which is true, but in the end all of the cons outweighed that single, lonely, pro. What I hated about the YMCA: 1. True, there are lots of vacant machines, but it's because they're broken. I'd guess that when I left over 50% of their ellipticals were broken. What is that? 2. Broken stuff doesn't get fixed -- the same stepper was broken when I joined and when I quit. 3. Most people do not wipe down machines after they use them. It's gross and a total waste of workout time to have to wipe before and after you lift on a machine. 4. Very few people bring a towel. See #3. This is just gross people! 5. Sometimes it would smell very, very bad. I understand gyms have a certain odor to them -- but there were a couple times that I had to leave an area because the smell was just so bad I couldn't breathe. 6. The random kids and teens that use the exercise machines as jungle gym equipment. Kinda makes you nuts when you want to use a bike and there are kids playing on it. Maybe a reason why everything is broken. Hmmm.... 7. I like working out at night so the 9pm closing time wasn't working for me. My problem more than theirs...but 1-6 are negatives for ANYONE considering joining. read more

This Y is basically brand new! The work out area can get a little crowded after work hours, but I've never had a problem finding an open Treadmill. Most of the machines are newer and have TVs which is pretty nice too! The staff are all super friendly, and the facilities are clean. The locker room is pretty standard, but they do have a steam room which is nice. Overall I really like this Y. read more

The sliding scale pay at this place is great. I assumed I wouldn't qualify but you qualify for the sliding scale as long as you make less than $55,000 annually (and, ha, I don't make anywhere near that amount). I pay a little more than $25. I've enjoyed the yoga classes that I've taken and I think the equipment is decent. There is a very large parking lot, so that is a definite plus. The staff has been very helpful anytime I've had questions about the place. The clientele includes a wide range of young hipsters, familes, and yes, the occasional "guy running on the treadmill in jeans" but I would much rather work out here than at some meat market where I pay $100 for the same equipment. I wish there was more equipment and I also wish there was adequate warm-up space. I have had to stretch in the hallways and that's a little weird. They are doing some renovations and I don't know what that entails so I'm hoping these are some of the changes they'll make. Definitely, DEFINITELY, worth it for the price. read more

I love the Y! I love you, Y! I've been going here for a year and a half. The staff is friendly and helpful, there are plenty of machines to go around (they just got 4 or 5 new treadmills, among other things!), sliding scale so you can totes afford it, and the TV often has Soul Train or the Colombian version of Ugly Betty ("Betty La Fea") on the two fuzzy TVs. No one is going to hit on you or make fun of your doughy butt here; it's mostly neighborhood grandmas. The minuses: no pool, a lot of the equipment is from like 1988, and nobody follows rules/they aren't enforced. Be prepared to see some chucklehead running on the treadmill in jeans and a baseball hat while yakking on a cell phone. Then he will get off the treadmill and rub his sweaty body on everything without wiping it up. read more

I joined the YMCA McCormick Place (Logan Square) about a month ago. I live in bucktown and it seemed to be the closest gym for a decent price. I am giving it two stars because: 1. My roommates and I didn't have to pay a joiner fee, and we pay 24$ a month. 2. They have some decent kickboxing classes for free. Reasons I wouldn't recommend: 1. It smells and its dirty. The people at this gym don't seem to be that serious about working out. I saw a guy in jeans last week running on the treadmill. 2. You almost always have to wait for a cardio machine. 3. It's in the middle of nowhere. There is no accessible public transportation. I would say its closer Humboldt Park, not logan sq. Overall, I don't mind the place, I've learned to deal with the uncleanliness and lack of quality machines. It's good enough for now, and relatively cheap. read more

This is my favorite gym. I've gone through my ups & downs in terms of attendance over the last 3-4 years, but in the last few months I have been pretty regular. I still sometimes visit Irving Park (for later weekend hours) and Lakeview (for free Nia classes), but this is definitely my home base most nights of the week. Juan is great, I just can't make it to his abs class anymore, a bit too early for my regular schedule. When I had weekdays free, I always loved chatting with Benny. All the people are really nice & it is a refreshing atmosphere, lacking the attitude and fake vibes in some gyms. This is a no frills place, but for people who want to get in, workout, and leave, it is totally acceptable. There could be some more equipment, esp. bikes, but it seems like it has been getting a bit less crowded in the last couple weeks, as the New Year resolution folks die off. read more

I've been going to the Logan Square Y for almost 5 years now and have to heartily recommend it to everyone in the neighborhood (or not-- with New City closing, it might be worth the trip!). The facilities are new, the equipment hasn't had a chance (yet) to become dated, rusty, broken, or filthy. Big, clean locker rooms and nice showers which I've never used. The staff does a great job of keeping the place clean and everyone is really nice. Some great things about this Y: Lots of free classes with membership. Aerobics, Abs & Core classes, Yoga (Hatha and Vinyasa, both with a great teacher!) and more. And, it's a great gym for everyone-- I'm not an exercise person. I go to the gym a couple times a week, use the cross-training thingy, do some stretches & sit-ups and leave. I feel totally un-intimidated and very comfortable here. There are exercisers of every level-- super fit chicks, big muscle-y guys, flabby people, skinny people, old people, young people. And, in my opinion, everyone's pretty considerate and respectful. It's a good shared, multi-cultural, multi-generational space. My complaints: This place has the stuffiest, least-air-conditioned fitness room in the world. I really can't understand it. Why can't they get the thermostat to stay under 75 degrees? It makes no sense to walk in, in shorts and a t-shirt and immediately begin sweating without even moving a muscle. Uggh. Also, five years ago, there was talk of building a pool. Since then, they've built an access road through the space where the pool is supposed to be. Not a good sign. I don't go to the Y as much as I should-- the fitness room at work is more temperate-- but I support my Y because it's even more important to me that it's available to my neighborhood and my neighbors and the kids. I hope everyone in the area supports them (and don't take advantage of their super generous subsidies if you don't have to!) because everyone in Logan Square needs this. read more

I visited this YMCA last night for their open volleyball, and I must say that I was impressed. The facility is modern- it looks like it was built in the last 10 years. The locker room is nicer than the Lakeview or New City Y's. From the parking lot (yes free parking!) you may notice, as I did, that while the building is small, it is ready for expansion once the New City closes. The staff was quite friendly. This YMCA seems especially kid-friendly- my v-ball teammates kids were under the supervision of the staff. read more

This is my favorite Y for several reasons. The staff are super friendly, and the facilities are clean and new (I'm a bit scared of showering at the lakeview Y). Also, this Y really fits in with the Y's mission of helping underserved communities. Best of all, they have great raquetball courts. Only downer is that the equipment is pretty poorly maintained- I nearly broke my ankle after the treadmill's tread continuously slipped as I ran (the other two I had tried didn't work at all). Also, there's always a boatload of unsupervised children running to-and-fro, so you really have to buy into the Y's "family" mission. read more

When my Master's swim team stopped meeting because of COVID, I tried out many different pools. The McCormick YMCA was by far my favorite. The space is open and airy with great air circulation. The front desk employees are courteous yet thorough in their screening. The pool is impeccably clean and a full 25 yards long. On deck, there is both a fountain to fill up your water bottle and a shower to rinse off in before and after swimming if you so chose. No other pool I know of has these amenities. They allow me to hydrate before and after swimming and to clean off the chlorine that dries out my skin before heading home. Highly recommended! read more

I love the YMCA! They are very willing to help you out financially if you can't afford to join, which is totally rad. The staff is always mega friendly. read more

It is definitely not bad given the price. I have worked out here on the AWAY program since my family has a membership at home that I am still included on. I didn't have a problem getting a machine nor did I see any machines malfunctioning. Definitely worth the value. read more

This review pertains to their child care programs. The staff wasn't friendly with my child and it seemed like they were annoyed or bothered that they had to watch a bunch of kids. Seemed more interested in joking around with the other staff members. read more

Holy crap, I love this place. And no, it's just just my nonprofit inclination speaking. I just joined last week, so maybe I'm just honeymooning. After looking for a gym to join, I was getting pretty wiped out on the idea of a huge membership cost, bratty gym goers, and having to venture so far east of my neighborhood to join one. Here, no one is pretentious, membership is dirt cheap (and it's on a sliding scale for households/individuals making less than 50K a year.. just bring in your 1040 form), and there are no cancellation fees or contracts. I walked in, got a tour, and signed up and worked out all within the same hour. The staff were incredibly friendly, and I was in awe of how nice the facility is. It's pretty large, has a huge parking lot and it's tucked away in a residential neighborhood. The equipment, as another reviewer noted, hasn't even had the chance to get beaten up yet. The other patrons were all really nice and considerate, and there was a huge mix of people and ages there . I can't wait to try some of these free classes. They don't have a pool, but it looks as if there's room to expand, so.. who knows? Hopefully it will stay nice and not painfully crowded once New City closes.. read more

This Y is seriously a great place to work out. Most of the equipment is brand-new, and the gym is in pristine condition. The staff is incredibly charming and nice. Ultimately, your paying a fraction of what you would be paying at most "higher-end" clubs and getting at the very least the same if not better experience; what's not to like about that? read more

today i signed away my ymca membership. its just too much of a hassle to get to. they say you should give them 30 days notice before cutting off your membership, but the very nice front desk lady set mine to cut off at the end of this month. i'm bumping them up another star for being awesome, even in the face of rejection. now, a choice between bucktown fitness or xsport. opinions welcome. read more

I've been a member of the YMCA for several years now but have never visited this location. As a matter of fact, because it's called "McCormick Tribune", I assumed it was located downtown and affiliated with the Tribune building. This is really a hidden gem! I decided to be "adventurous" today and try this location out, as opposed to my local neighborhood location. Also, it's on the way home from work, so I'm thinking of trying a few classes after work a few nights to help alleviate stress. They have kickboxing, Zumba and several other classes...at no additional charge! I was really impressed with the facility, which was remodeled in September. They had a lot of new machines and plenty of equipment so that you didn't have to wait for anything. It wasn't too crowded at all. Some facilities are older, but this one was clean and new. The clientele was diverse -nice, "normal" people focusing on their workout (no Barbie dolls or massive Roid Rage type dudes.) There were *a lot* of lockers, a steam room and plenty of parking in the private lot -a nice bonus. I'm really excited to try some classes this week and see how the experience is during "peak" after work hours. I'll update soon! read more

I love this place. Great great price, especially if you get a family plan with some family or friends (they don't care if you live together or not). The facility is solid and it's going to get even better and nicer; they are doing some amazing renovations in the next year or so. They have pictures of what it will look like in the lobby and I can't wait! Pool will be added soon. Everyone who works there is super friendly and I love the regulars in the gym as well. Very happy I switched to this gym. read more

i decided that i was long overdue for a gym visit, about thirty pounds over due. Extra junk can make you do some crazy things, so I did the unthinkable. i walked into the YMCA, paid for a membership with out even seeing the place. Why, you may ask? Because I believe in the Y, that and the lady at the front desk was really nice. i couldn't be more pleased. i do non-profit work, so the financial assistance is wonderful and amazing. when i finally entered the Y I was pleased to find that the women's locker room didn't smell like armpit --or any other body part for that matter. machines are all functioning, and i digg the express area. next week i'll try a class. i hear Juan is the shit. To all you beautiful hipster girls and guys who frequent the Y, with your arms and chests covered in ink and your vintage bicycles filling up the bike racks out front... I would like to thank you, for being too cool to use any other equipment save the trusty treadmill and stationary bikes. More elliptical gliders for me. read more

Sadness my New City YMCA on halsted is closing on June 30! They have sold their location and I'm sure that will be replaced by condos and a bank. My membership is being transferred to this place which the closest YMCA. The facility itself is clean and modern looking, there is a big free parking lot. The staff is helpful and friendly. The gym is considerably smaller and lacks new equipment. There are only 5 elliptical and tread machines. During peak hours there is usually a wait for machines. The clientele is a bit more unobservant. I get easily annoyed when people don't follow rules posted by the gym about proper attire, not using cell phones or letting their bratty kids run free and run a muck. There is a nice indoor pool scheduled to be here and hopefully other improvements will be made here too. read more

This is such a cool place. I am happy to be a member here. First they have a great fitness area. It never seems to be packed and the machines are clean and ready to be used. The people who work out here are nice and non-judgmental. The best part of it is they do your membership on a sliding scale. They have drop in babysitting hours so your kids will be safe while you work out. They have classes, family nights, parents nights out, and all kinds of other things. I wish I would have known this before spending tons of money at X sport and not getting half as much as I get here read more

I love this YMCA. It's never too crowded, the people are nice, and there's a sauna! We're really lucky to have the YMCA in our neighborhood, it provides a great community, lots of free classes, and it is very affordable, especially for those with lower incomes (they do fee adjusting based on your taxes from previous year) Yeah! so, check it out! read more

Nice new facility. Really friendly staff. An affordable place to work out. I wish I could make it here more often. It's not oversized or overcrowded. When stuff breaks down, they fix it. It's clean. Well supplied, and has everything you need aside from a pool. And there are no jerks. It's a no nonsense, decent place. And the parking lot is convenient. read more

This place is awesome. It doesn't have a pool, but whatever. It's never that crowded, the classes are great and stuff. read more

Just the basics at a great price. Like others have mentioned they base your membership dues on your salary if you make less than 50k or something like that. read more

Members here are great as are most of the staff. The free weights are a bit scattered as there is no weight room attendant to oversee the use of the room. The trash cans are always clean and empty, but there is always an obvious amount of sweat towels on the ground and on the machines. Another issue is the amount of people that don't use lockers & leave their coats, bags, etc in the weight-room itself. Word is they don't allow this, but they do provide coat hooks in the weight-room, so it's sort of a mixed message. There are about 8 treadmills, but only about 4 (2 new & 2 quite old) ellipticals. There are about 2-4 of the other standard cardio equipment. During 5-8 it's hit or miss whether you'll be able to work on a specific type of machine you're after (e.g., elliptical w/tv). Another odd thing is that all of the tvs (if they're working) are behind the cardio machines so you cannot watch them. Everything else about this Y is great, but the upkeep of the weight-room seems to be a tier below other Ys in the city. read more

I took a tour this week based on the reviews and I plan to become a member because it's in my neighborhood (although the street it is on is a little scary...) Everyone was friendly, there seem to be a lot of classes, new equipment, clean and it didn't seem overly crowded-- although I was there during the day. The one thing I don't agree with is membership dues based on salary. If the Y is non profit, I think EVERYONE should be offered the same great price. There are advantages to attracting different salaried folks--- not just the ones who can't afford another gym. Regardless, this is a nice place. read more

I love this YMCA. There is no way you could possibly feel uncomfortable here. I wish they had more equipment, but I'm not going to complain. If you bring in your 1040 forms (and you don't make much money) they adjust your membership fee making this possibly the most affordable gym around. Plus, everyone is so friendly! And there are totally gym celebrities that are there every day and all seem to be friends, like the really fit girl and the guy with long hair. I don't drive, but there is a pretty big parking lot too. read more

I've been a member of the Y for a few years now. I like them because the weight rooms are usually empty. I don't have to deal with a crowd of people around the squat rack during prime time which is great. My biggest complaint about this particular location is that no one ever puts the equipment back and no one ever cleans their benches after use. The staff there never enforces anyone to clean up so you have dumbbells all over the place. Other than that, the front desk has been very friendly read more

Even though this place is a little out of the way for me, it is clean, friendly and just keeps getting better. They have a lot of programs, with diverse staff and clientele. The hours could be improved upon and there has been talk of a pool being built which would also be great. Plus, they have sliding scale fees. An added bonus is that it's near the Brown Sack. read more

I love this place. I happily pay twice as much as I did at la fitness because this gym is so great. The classes are fun and the equipment is nice. I love the cute garden outside and steam room smells of eucalyptus. Definitely recommend this gym! read more

McCormick Tribune YMCA of Metro Chicago is on a great location. It has free activities for the community. The services that the YMCA offers is helpful if needed including the missionary service on Sunday. The downer is that most members do not follow house/facility regulation. Even if it is posted around the facility. I do not want to say that the clientele runs the facility, but has a group of bullies that attended the YMCA. And, are destroying the premise. Managers need to find a way to filter these people out. I realized that you can not say or mention to these bullies their fault. They seems to fuel themselves and TRY to worry someone. Uh-hmmm, righ, righ-jejejejejeje...I pray that these bullies are shown, become aware of their faults and that they manage their consequences. YMCA-Young Men Christian Association. A place of body, mind and spirit. NOT a place to advertise your sexuality. I say "Everything has it's place" like books on shelves, fish in water. If you are going to voice out any interest, voice out on Christianity not your sex preference. Overall, YMCA representatives need to point out the rules and regulation that need to be abide. Beginning in their tour of the facility to their new prospectors. And, mention to them that people seems to observe each other in admiration of their being and not to take in offensive. After all we are human in this aspect. . Through this experience I pray to my lord for serenity and keep guiding me. read more

This YMCA has a great staff, up to date equipment, and is a relaxing as well as comfortable place to workout.

If you're a basketball player trying to find a good in-door court, this gym is not for you. Many days I find my self wanting to play basketball, but going to the gym and playing is not an option. There are many activities that go on through out the day and very limited court time. The court is also quite small, and when there is court time it is extremely hard to play because of the amount of people coming in to play at once. Many of the people can be a little ghetto, but if you can handle that (It took me time to learn how to get into games) then you'll POSSIBLY get to play. However, the staff here is extremely nice and they do so much for every member, and whatever it is you need. The Workout room is great and never really gets crowded, there are many ellipticals and bikes. Even though I have never taken a class here, there are MANY free and (a small fee) paid classes to choose from. Lastly, if you were looking for a pool you are out of luck, none here. read more

Don't get me wrong-- I support and donate to the YMCA yearly-- and I was an employee there for a long time too. The machines are fine, but it isn't very big, and it sort of is a bummer that they don't have a pool. I find their method of cleaning off machines to be pretty disgusting, partly because a) most people don't do it, and b) everyone touching the bottles and that spray getting all over the place looks disgusting (if you want a good example, there's a nasty door by the treadmills that is caked with bacteria from residual sprays). They have some pretty great classes, and there are usually a solid amount of machines. One of the treadmills is pretty messed up with their touch-technology, and I've complained about the safety of it in the past. I like the gym overall, because it's simple and usually pretty quiet (aside from the plethora of youth constantly loitering outside and using up machines). It's a great community location, and I love that they are making a garden and doing great things for the Bloomingdale trail; I just sort of feel like the gym part is not their number one priority, and neither is the cleanliness (some of those mats are scary, and so are some of the weights). read more

THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU for all those positive reviews! I was a member of the Chicago Assn. of Realtors' "Good Neighbor Award Committee" several years ago. Every year we evaluate new or rehab projects in up-and-coming or under-served parts of Chicago and suburbs, to give special recognition to those projects that have a positive effect on the quality-of-life for the surrounding community. (Multi-million dollar McMansions need not apply.) I was assigned this new Y, on property once owned by the Schwinn Bicycle Co. (check out the bike sculpture on the grounds!), and was amazed at the excellent architecture and the ambitious plans of the managers to make this a major gathering place and institution for the Logan Square community. I'm so glad that their ambitions have panned out so well! So next time you go to this Y for a workout or whatever, ask to see the "Good Neighbor" plaque. It should be somewhere in the lobby; and they'll be so pleased that you know about it! read more

I feel really great going to this gym. What I like about it, unlike other gyms *cough* Balley's *cough* , you don't have to deal with a bunch of bro's and ho's checking each other out, watching the TV, looking at themselves in the mirror, and generally not working out. It's a real neighborhood place. It's great for the community, it's great for me. read more

One might argue that objectively the Y is not "Whoohoo! As good as it gets!" because it's not laden with all the amenities of some posh yuppie sweat factory, but it's definitely exactly the gym I need and more so, the one I want. The facilities are bright and clean, the equipment is up to date and plentiful, the classes are varied and mostly free (the paid ones are super cheap), and the community there is outstandingly welcoming and inclusive. I don't feel bad when I show up wearing leggings I have owned since the Reagan era, or that my ratty t-shirt has hair dye stains. I get welcomed by all my regulars who are as fit and unfit as they come, and we all try to stay healthy together. I love the fact that the Y is an amazing anchor in my community and provides so many other programs---it is not simply a gym--and I want to support that. Lastly, I enjoy the reciprocity that exists with other Ys and have worked out in cities around the globe with their AWAY program. read more

I have been a member of this gym for almost two years now. I must say, with the construction of a new pool, it seemed sensible that they would consider expanding the weight room as well. I would estimate maybe 50% of members utilize the weights in that area. However, after checking construction on that side just the other day, it seems that they're just adding another dance studio for more classes! Mind you, the weight room is extremely crammed and hazardous, with members literally tripping over each others weights while trying to avoid bumping into others. I maintained my membership because it seemed like they were expanding the weight room. But no, now we're going to have members trekking through a maze of weights and other members to get to their 7:00pm Zumba class. It's ridiculous!! I have been going to the Irving Park branch due to the amount of people working out in the weight room which takes me an additional 20m to drive to from where I live. Definitely looking for another gym this month. Oh, I also don't appreciate the members in the zumba class utilizing the handicap and pregnant parking, when clearly they are neither. There are pregnant and handicap members in the gym who need those spaces and I think it's very inconsiderate when these members park there. You guys really need to consider towing the people who abuse this. read more