This review is about my experience staying at the Temple for few nights, not the meditation sits,…read morewhich were great! Years back, I had stayed few days at the Zen Buddhist Temple, which was ran by this nice lady monk who had since moved. Because I had a phenomenal and transformative experience, I decided to come back for a second retreat! When I came back, the Temple was ran by a male monk from Korea (could be the same monk now, not sure), and I left there with an uncomfortable and unpleasant time. Reflecting on this, I realized that there were certain assumptions that the male monk failed to inform me, before I checked in. I don't want to go into exact details of what those issues were because I don't want to ruin people's view of the Temple. But, if you have any plans to stay at the Temple overnight, ask what rules and expectations are for guests, especially when it comes to the access and use of the kitchen...

Very welcoming and friendly experience. We were introduced to the meditation center from a friend…read moreand will continue to go. I highly recommend if you are looking for a Zen Buddhist temple.

Although I was born in Chicago as half Swedish (father's side), half Sicilian (mother's side), and…read moreBaptized as Roman Catholic - I was raised as a Zen Buddhist. And the Midwest Buddhist Temple in Old Town was the place of meditation and Japanese culture where I and my family went most often. Because we lived in Lincoln Park less than a mile away. I was privileged to have this place be so prominent throughout my young life. It is a wonderful part of my heart. Annually the Midwest Buddhist Temple puts on it's traditional "Ginza Festival", at which there are food stalls, shopping tents, artisan demonstrations, and live music & dance performances on the temple's large outdoor stage.. Occasionally the Midwest Buddhist Temple offers classes in Japanese dance & music, as well as scheduled live performances. The temple is also the home of Chicago's famous "Ho Etsu Taiko".

It was their Ginza Holiday annual event! They had lots of food vendors and crafts! Performances on…read morethe main stage by Minyo dancers, Taiko drumming, Martial arts demonstrations and other groups. It was very entertaining!

The Bahai temple in Evanston, IL, is the Taj Mahal of North America. Extraordinary setting, design…read moreand craftsmanship.

The Bahai Temple is a place for all to come and meditate or pray. The temple itself has so many…read moresymbolic motifs incorporated into its architecture that represents all religions. Their grounds are well maintained and gorgeous with plants, flowers, and water features. They have a Welcome Center that explains the history and symbolism to truly appreciate everything this temple has to offer. I recommend stopping here to not only take in its beauty but to connect to faith as a whole. Tip: No Photography is allowed inside the Temple.

This place is fantastic! I can't remember the last time I felt more welcome. They do a fantastic…read morejob of guiding you from the moment you step in the door till after the service. It is also structured similar to a Christian service so I didn't feel like a complete fish out of water. If you are curious about learning Buddhism this is a great place to start!

Temple offers a weekly Qigong class on Tuesday mornings. If you're "not getting any younger,"…read moreQigong exercises are good for maintaining flexibility and balance. Dennis the instructor is a long time tai chi practitioner. No fee but donations are appreciated. Very low key - everyone goes at the speed and extent they are able (most of us are senior citizens). Temple's communications fall short of 5-star so you may not get accurate information from the website

Beautiful temple. My hubby and I went in just to look, I have never been in a temple before. I…read morewasn't sure if it was okay to go in... Thank goodness for smartphones! If you are not Buddhist and want to go to temple just to observe, look it up online for some tips on what and what not to do so you are polite and respectful.

I just left. Very nice visit. There was a nun there who told me about the temple and gave me things…read moreto read about tantric Buddhism. I hope to go back soon. Sunday service is 10-12pm.

I use to go to meditation sessions there on Friday nights with my wife, Ajahn Tappekorn was usually…read morethere, he was very good at guiding our sessions, and very accomadating to my crazy schedule. This is a great place!

Excellent temple, well cared for, went on several wkend retreats there, very comfortable. I highly…read morerecommend it.

Nice, peaceful atmosphere. Kelsang Dorje takes Dharma teachings and applies them to practical use…read morefor today. It was as if he knew exactly what i was going through. Meditation bliss in a fun part of town!

This is a wonderful place. They are warm and welcoming and people from all walks of life attend…read moreservices. Their workshops, classes and events have really invigorated my spiritual practice.

For the Lunar New Year, upon our parents request my friend and I blistered this snow storm and…read morevisited some temples for the new year to pray for a great 2014. I heard about this temple briefly from an elderly man I met on a flight to Chicago from California. This temple was easy to find, but there isnt much content about it online, so i'm glad i'm creating a search for this temple on yelp!! From the outside the temple looks very plain, but instead its a huge eye opener! It has a huge praying room and an individual room for those who recently passed away. In addition to the praying rooms, in the back theres a mini school where Sunday school is held to learn to speak/read/write Vietnamese, martial arts, lion dance and traditional dance. A great community center with a lot of amenities and resources for all ages. Since it is the Lunar New Year, the temple has been cooking all weekend long vegetarian and vegan food for all the guest. Best part, its all free!!! I stuffed my face with delicious veggie noodle soup, tofu, veggies and desserts! I was informed that every Sunday from 11am (after the second praying session) until they close they offer free food for all attendees, but this weekend due to the special occasion its going on all weekend. All of the people here at the temple were SOOOO FRIENDLY! A lot of them made an effort to converse with us. They also gave us a tour and prayed with us individually. This temple has a true sense of family. I think I found my resident temple between the two temples I went to today! CHUC MUNG NAM MOI!

I have always had a welcoming and peaceful experience here, both online and in person.read more

Wouldn't trust Shambhala as far as I could throw them! Any "meditation" studio that would host wild…read moreparties after closing hours with incredibly loud DJing, in my opinion, shouldn't be teaching patrons how to relax. Doesn't sound so peaceful now, does it? I question the judgement of any business owner who would allow their children or relatives to come into their space and be so obnoxious and disruptive to other residents in 1017 West Washington. If you can't respect your neighbors, you certainly shouldn't be preaching love and joy. There are plenty of other ethical places to go in west loop to expand your practice. Please don't give them the satisfaction of neighborly kindness when they can't do the same in return.