My friend invited me to brunch at Midtown Athletic Club (they are a member). The public can't just walk in, there are gates in the lobby and I had to scan a code (and fill out my info) before entering. I visited Midtown before as a prospective member so I know that guests can only enter a limited number of times. We went upstairs past the cardio machines (they are plentiful) and the weight area to the cafe. There are tables and booths that overlook the outdoor pool area (closed for season). It wasn't a large brunch but we had some made-to-order omelets, bacon/sausage and fruit. There was also some potatoes and pastry. When I sat down to eat I received a text from Midtown about a membership. The brunch was bottomless although one omelet was enough for me. I also had two emails from Midtown when I got home, one a waiver of liability and the other a membership offer. I didn't join as a member on my previous visit and I am not going to join now. I already have a Pilates membership that includes three studios with classes from 6am-8pm. Midtown has a Pilates studio but none of the class times work for me. They also have some reformers in the middle of the cardio area reserved for private lessons. If I have a private lesson I would prefer to be in a secluded area, not in the middle for all to see. The facility has many machines, a boxing area, a cycling studio, a theatre, a spa, a cafe, courts, pool, etc and this is a great place for those who need this. There are families who spend the morning at lessons, classes, workouts, then join up in the cafe. This is great for those who are looking for this but it doesn't fit my needs right now. read more

See all

If you're a dedicated tennis player and competitive, this place is for you. Otherwise, go somewhere else.

Midtown continues to send me several annoying solicitation emails each day, despite my repeated requests that they refrain from doing so. I spoke by telephone with a Midtown employee, "Billy" yesterday I was assured me of that my email address would immediately be removed from Midtown's server (how t ever got on there in the first place I have no idea.) Midtown's assurance through its employee, Billy, was false. read more

Such beautiful facilities - outdoor pool, Pilates, etc but you pay a lot to belong. We joined and they jacked the family rate up to 6500 per year! And it's an annual commitment. My frustration was around billing and lack of communications as well as what other people have said on different rates for different people. Despite multiple quotes that all varied, they always found a way to charge the highest possible number. Not impressed with the company's approach to customer service or their interest in taking care of guests in a long term way. Disappointing value but on the flip side, it forced me to evaluate other options and no worries, there are plenty of other high quality gyms in the area that actually want members to be satisfied read more

LIE LIE LIE. We were straight up lied to by Dave the membership guy. Backed up by the general manager. WARNING: you cannot bring a guest on the weekend even for a fee. They closed the club unexpectedly on Memorial Day at 2 PM. They are short staffed and it took an hour to get food. read more

Don't sign up unless you're 100% certain you want to be bound to a 12 month contract.- They will not allow you to cancel before your one year agreement, even if you move a considerable amount of distance away - Must be 25 miles minimum read more

I just had my hair highlighted and low lighted with a Smokey root with Hanna at the spa, she did an amazing job! I was so happy she knew exactly what I wanted... I showed her some pics and she was very intuitive and creative with making my hair dreams come to life. I will def see her again. Everyone in the salon was so kind and warm it was a pleasure to spend a 2hours there :) plus if you're a member they offer child care so that was amazing. I knew my little one was playing and having fun while mama was getting her hair done! Make an appointment with Hanna, she rocks!! read more

Don't join unless you are sure you are committed to a 12 months contract without being able to cancel or downgrade. Sales team have no ethics and they lie about everything. They also give different people different member price even though they join at the same time. If they keep operating like this they are going to lose more customers. read more

How this club recruits members sounds like a scam to me- I joined for tennis for the summer - didn't like classes and quit- and was told I am "locked-in" for a year!!! Had to file a complaint to get it canceled. Tennis courts are nice but training poor, also Pilates mat class was promised, and it's just once a week in the middle of workday. Pool is small, family locker room all lockers broken, from woman's locker room have to walk through the gym and hallway to get to pool. Absolutely not worth this huge price tag. read more

Do not take a new or nicer vehicle to this club, the parking spots are just too small. It would be nice if they made the spaces wider, sick of the door dings in my vehicle and new ones pop up all the time. read more

Called twice to find out about membership (specifically tennis and fitness). I initially spoke with a guy, who said he was going to email me some information, but I never received it. I then called back and spoke with a woman, who said she would put me through to someone in the tennis department, but she disconnected me. Considering the fact that I was ready to go, you would think they would jump on this, but certainly didn't. Not a great start. Think I will check out other clubs in the area. read more

This is the place to join- if you can afford it! Yes, it is a bit pricey, but you definitely get what you pay for and more. The Classes and instructors are fantastic, the facility and equipment is all top-notch, and continually maintained or replaced, the indoor and outdoor pools are clean and beautiful, and the locker rooms are kept spotless and feature both sauna and steam room. Unlimited towels are included, thank god for that! The Cafe/restaurant is lovely- terrific and delicious smoothies, breakfasts, lunches and even dinner. During the Summer, the outdoor facilities make one feel as if you are at a country club- not a typical gym. The outdoor pool is kept open 10 months out of the year, so when an "Indian Summer" happens in October or November, it's as if Miami, Florida, came to Chicago! The trainers are excellent, too. Tennis classes and instruction are great. I feel like this is my "happy place", and I hope that coming here will keep me young, healthy and fit forever! read more

Lisa was terrible at showing us around. Looks like a club with lots of complaints. Most frustrating is that everyone pays DIFFERENT AMOUNT!!! Asked several friends , and they all pay different -- in 200-300s monthly, yet I was quoted $395. Outrageous. They keep their pool extremely hot, would be uncomfortable to swim laps in (I'm a master swimmer so I know what I'm talking about). We won't be going there. read more

The tennis pros give the courts a "frat boy" vibe. The courts are nice, but the atmosphere is unpleasant.

Midtown offers something for everyone! The class schedule is extensive! I like the HIIT classes like Zoned and Voltage. The new spaces in the Arena and the boxing are awesome, offering classes at all levels. I've worked with a trainer named Mark at the club. He has been great working with me on my goals of getting stronger, pushing me harder than I would push myself and keeping the workouts new so I don't get bored with them. And lastly, I love their pro shop! They have a great variety of work out clothes, shoes and super cute bags. It's a great place with great staff! I highly recommend checking it out! read more

Very happy with the facilities, group classes and specially the coaches. This is an excellent club for anyone's schedule.

I admit that I am not an expert on fitness clubs. I was spoiled by my first encounter with the genre - PedalSpin Studio in South Pasadena CA. They were Awesome. But This place surpasses All my expectations. The towels are plentiful, everything is spotless and the showers never run out of hot water. On top of that, every member of the staff with whom it has been my pleasure to interact has been helpful, interested and actively supportive of my fitness goals. When you combine all that with the country club quality of the setting, two pools, giant hot tub, tennis, paddle board, weight training, spin studio and group fitness area PLUS fabulous lounge areas inside and out to socialize or just recharge - it makes for a fitness experience that actually encourages one's continuation and on-going success! read more

Midtown Athletic Club - My favorite view "between my toes" at 7:30am - Gyms Near Me - Bannockburn, Illinois

I have been swimming here for one and one half years. They treat the swim class participants like they couldn't care less if we were there or not. Imstead of finding substitutes for when a teacher travels or gets sick, they just cancel class, even if they know a long time in advance. It is so disappointing to be treated so poorly. And that is the reason I joined the club, for swim classes, 6 days a week. Shame on them for not even caring enough to have class. Will be looking elsewhere in the spring. read more

Highly recommended. After renovations looks amazing. Extremely nice trainers and very, very clean. Happy to go back every day!!!

Midtown is my favorite club! awesome classes and spaces!

Wonderful club, friendly staff who are very helpful. Great equipment here and I love how they keep the outdoor pool open much of the year, heating it when weather is cold. Midtown is worth every penny. read more

Midtown gets the $150 they squeezed out of me, I get to leave them a horrible review. I had a contract that said I could cancel if I moved out of town. When the time came, an employee in the membership office (I wish I knew her name) said that was impossible and that I had to keep paying for my membership. She wouldn't even look into it until I had to demand she pull up the contract. Sure enough, the contingency was right there. You are trying to lock me in to a contract and make me pay $150/month for 6 months for a membership I'm never going to use? Think again money-hungry lady in the membership office. She proceeded by charging me a full month ($150) for the 1 week period I was still in town before moving to Chicago. They have made no effort to reach out to me and make things right and I will leave this review up even if they do contact me - because people should know. read more

Midtown has saved our winter. We joined in December and have been here almost every day. My water-loving-11 year old swims in the indoor pool for over an hour each day. The staff has taught him swim technique and creates a wonderful environment. We recently had his birthday party at the indoor pool- it was March so swimming indoors was a great party for stir-crazy kids. My daughters and husband are enjoying tennis and the fitness center. We are lean, mean, lifers. read more

We've been members for 9 years and this place gets better all the time. The recent addition adds a HUGE area for cardio equipment and makes loads more space for the weight room. The tennis program is first class. My wife and I both play 3-5x per week and enjoy the indoor and outdoor (Har Tru clay) courts immensely. They take very good care of the place. Our kids even like the kids club (at 6 and 9!). read more

I absolutely love being a member at Midtown. It is an amazing club. My favorite part is the group fitness, especially the boxing and Arena classes with Sara Goldberg. Her music is so motivating and her programs are fun, exciting and truely have helped shape my body! read more

Come on... fix the ventilation in the cardio are. You added on, so make sure you have proper circulation in order to accommodate the new space. You are going to give one of your members a heart attack!!! Also, the humidity in this place attracts bacteria. It's bad bough that a majority of the members don't wipe after use..... but when moisture is left on a machine and the hot/moist air lingers, bacteria forms. Disgusting. Put fans up and circulate the place. Also, it unfortunate that the one who cares the most can't be around every day.... but when Mike isn't there, you can tell. Areas that Mike would check just aren't touched. For instance, the locker rooms closest to the indoor pool is just a mess! Towels all over and just simply dirty. The acting manager (taller, skinnier guy) just stands around and gossips with the younger staff. Dues here are VERY high. I don't mind paying them, but when the YMCA seems cleaner, then that's a problem. read more

Midtown Bannockburn is great since the renovations. The new classes and instructors are great. Check out Sara and Marnie in EBF, the field is amazing with Bridgette and Sarah and in the arena Sarah M and Sara G are pros. The basketball court is also fun and the pool is a blast. read more

I've been a member here for 6 years and I think its the best health club in the Chicagoland area hands down. They just did a gorgeous renovation of their inside space. They have a ton of small boutique style studios like (boxing, cycle, dance and HIIT rooms) all under one roof. The place definitely has a dark sexy vibe. My favorite part is their turf field filled with sleds, tires and kettlebells. You really feel like an NFL athlete training on the gridiron. The instructor Courtney teaches a very challenging yet effective class on the turf, she knows how to keep you in a positive mental attitude while making you sweat out every last drop. Jason, a boxing instructor is also a master with the mitts. You feel like a gritty MMA fighter when you walk out of his class. read more

If you're not from the neighborhood you may not fee entirely welcome. Don't expect much in terms of manners people everyone seems to be in their own bubble. read more

Thank you for keeping the outdoor pool open for so long. You are all trying your best to make everyone happy.

Decent place to exercise. Good facilities for weights, cardio, swimming (indoor/outdoor), yoga, classes, and tennis. Place needs some updating. Bonus is the bistro. read more

Positive aspects - Good energy, lots of activities, services, classes, pool, and childcare. Large facility, pleasant staff, expansive property and family friendly. Towels, infused water, ice machines are nice touch. Most instructors (Boot Camp and Yoga) are great, friendly and accommodate all levels of fitness. Opportunities - The Pilates Mat was very uninviting, rude and difficult to understand. It would be nice to have a better variety and selection of weight equipment. There are areas that really require renovation such as - carpet on the main staircase (very worn) and the children's bath on the first floor. More attention to cleanliness would be additive. read more

This is a shout out to BARI Kaplan who is a fitness instructor at Midtown. She & others have a Werq work out class. All the instructors are good, but this girl is amazing!! Her classes are fun energetic & really give you the work out to keep you fit while enjoying yourself. Thank you BARI for all the money you raise for different fundraisers every year! You shine!!! read more

You will not be able to use the steam room or sauna because of covid restrictions. I was especially disappointed with their billing and staff team. I'm a student with only so much budget to my name as I'm graduating soon. I was told that I would be under a student membership.. and for multiple months was charged a full member price without me knowing. BE AWARE OF THEIR 12 MONTH CONTRACT! This was not explained to me when I joined the club!!! As a student who is leaving town to go back home this summer... I would have never joined if I knew I was going to be forced to pay for twelve months and be held on this secret contract?!? So upsetting. They do not value costumer service, but rather scamming people like me who were just trying to find a home gym for the school year. One woman told me I was all good and cancelled last month.. and after checking my account today I saw they are STILL charging me( they "cancelled" my membership two months ago). The gym look great but it is overhyped for not being fully open.. they will take every chance they can to take money from you, lack of honesty and professionalism. Customer is NOT first at this gym. So disappointed read more

I wanna tell you all a story about some employee at here at midtown. Now I went as a guest with a friend of mine, and bad a pretty bad experience about a week ago. I didn't even have a Yelp account, but a friend who did leave a scathing review that was taken down, and that is simply unacceptable. Now, I've been there probably 5 times; my friend has a family pass and more than enough passes left for us to get in. We let the woman know what's going on, and she let my friend through and had me enter in my info. That's fine and all, and then suddenly some employee comes down the stairs and says to us "I need ID". I'm not a member, so My friend goes "what? Oh, I'm not a member here." He responds with something along the lines of "what part of 'show me your id' do you not understand?" Okay, fine. We show our id 's and right then, my friend, the member, comes back. He asks for my friends name, he gives it, and then tells us we can't enter because he's only allowed 3 guest passes. First off, my friend offered to buy more passes, because in the past, that's apparently been an option. Secondly, it's the third month of the year; my friend ha a family pass. He says that he knows for a fact he has plenty more passes left. Maybe the policy is that each guest can only come 3 times a year, but that wasn't how it was explained to us. Anyways, my other friend (also a guest) points the fact that it's the beginning of the year out to the employee, and this is what he responds with: "I'm not talking about an actual year, I'm talking about the fiscal year." What? And before we could even contest this, they kick us all (even my member friend) out into the pouring rain, citing the fact that other members were complaining about lack of parking space. Again, understandable given that only one of us was a paying member, except for the fact that my PAYING MEMBER FRIEND was the one who drove. My friend's family is thinking about dropping the athletic club for a different gym and club. It costs more, but they are so fed up with midtown's garbage that they are seriously considering it. Since this is a review, I may as well just give a little tour of the rest of the facility. The locker rooms are nice and the cafe looks pretty, and that's about it for the pro's. The weights all reek, the gym is missing quite a bit of important and common machines, the food's quality fluctuates wildly, and the hot tub is consistently too cold to name the first few problems that come to mind. I remember coming to midtown for swim meets years ago; i recall it being an amazingly lavish club. It's very clear that nostalgia has betrayed my memory strongly. read more

A home away from home! With over 100 weekly classes to choose from, a beautiful new pool and cardio area, paddle and tennis, Midtown Bannockburn fills all my athletic and social needs. Don't forget to sign up for the monthly extras such as cooking light, flip turn instruction (for the swimmers), CPR instruction and racket socials. Midtown is my country club. read more

Horrible disappointment following the 18-month, and still not done, remodeling project. Feels more like a community center than a club charging $350/month for a family. Heaven forbid the group classes ever become popular again like pre-remodeling, they won't have room for everyone since all the spaces are small and will likely max out with 25 participants. If you like working out before going to work, the offerings are very limited if the goal is to be on the road before 7:00. If you go on a Thursday morning the facility is drowned out by the sounds from the boxing area with a dance club pounding beat, ridiculously loud music, and the barking of an incredibly loud, on-video, group leader. If you are anywhere on the same floor level or directly below in the locker rooms you will think you are in with the group in the workout. I truly hope the club survives. It was the other members that made it a great place to go. With so many things being done badly, the attendance so decimated, and seemingly no attempt to make changes, I have my doubts. I would guess management does as well or else they would get the remodel complete and begin to address the reputation remodel that will be needed next. read more

This place does nothing but over price EVERYTHING, and over charge their members. It isn't a good environment to be in. I do not recommend anyone wasting there money in this place. Avoid this club if you can, there are many other clubs that actually care about their members! read more

Called the spa located in Midtown Athletic Club and asked a question about a product. The person who answered the phone was short and not very polite, and then hung up on me. Based on other reviews of the entire place it definitely seems like a place I'll pass on completely. read more

I have been a member of the Midtown Athletic Club in Bannockburn for over 25 years. I joined originally for its excellent tennis facilities and its outdoor and indoor pools, the latter with a great waterfall whirlpool. Since then I've transitioned to using exercise equipment with the assistance of the outstanding training staff. The facility has undergone major renovations over the years, keeping it attractive and up to date. Its most comprehensive renovation is now being completed. During my membership, I have received nothing but respect and as the years have gone by, affection from the staff. Presently I'm training with Mark, who has introduced me to bodyweight exercises. I have been amazed at the effectiveness of this regime. I would not be able to maintain an active lifestyle as I've aged without the assistance of Mark and his colleagues. This facility and its staff receive my most heartfelt recommendation. read more