This establishment is the best and cleanest in the City of Chicago. I can name one in the city that is foul and has not been clean since it's inception. There is music. A place to lounge. It is drug and alcohol free (they do check bags). There is someone for everyone. These young bitches who think they are all that. Just wait, your ass will age as well. From my experience. All the young I see there are in no better shape or can hold anything up to me. The gay community needs to stop the bashing. We get enough from the straight world as it is. The elder fought before your ass was born so you have the freedom to enjoy an establishment like this raid free. If you are into bathhouse, Steamworks is the best! read more

Was ok. Greeted by staff that were rude and not friendly. The establishment is big. The large jacuzzi is the best part.

so I decided to try steamworks yesterday, what a mistake and I want to warn others. I got a 'private standard room' as I was walking out of the room I stepped on something sharp and looked and it was piece of glass, my foot bled as a consequence. Being HIV- my heart dropped, the staff was nice and said it was from a broken popper bottle but this does not help my anxiety. I now have to wait 3 months to make sure I didn't catch anything So as a warning, if you go there, where shoes or something, learn from my awful, scary experience. read more

Pay much attention at membership fees. If you are there for a day just pay the $5. The door staff confuses you about the fees and you end up paying a 6 month membership that you may never use if you are not from Chicago! I wish they will be more sensitive about this since they know that your ID is out of State. Are they getting commission for what they collect? read more

i dig the alternative lifestyle...woo hoo! call me baby...lets steam! read more

I spent a night steamworks during a weekday night - and it was not that great (perspective: early 30s white in-shape). This might get filtered by yelp since I have no other reviews on this account - but here goes: First, the price was high - I paid $19 just to get in for membership (1 month = $5) and $14 locker. It's $25 for a room. I found the music annoying, especially after an hour of it. It's repetitive techno music & is pervasive everywhere. It's not loud - just like a Queer as Folk episode. Guys - ok so this is the big question, right? Here are my estimates from my night: Ethnicity: 25-30% black 25-30% latino 5% asian under 50 % white Looks Maybe 2 or 3 out of the 50 people I saw were facially attractive. 5 or 6 had "good" bodies - but the rest were average - maybe 10 were very unattractive. Hairiness varies...most r moderate to smooth. Ages 20% over 50 (up to 70) 50% 40-50 20% 30-40 10% under 30 Guys - Issues and STDs Lots of guys were drunk or on drugs or weird. A lot of guys had distended abdomens & facial wasting - but in the dim light it's hard to see. Once you get in brighter light, it's clear. Perhaps you are already Poz and this doesn't matter - but it's just weird & if HIV is present in such high numbers there, so are other things. Dealing with people Most people just avert eye contact when they are not interested. Easy enough. Some guys will randomly come up and touch you for a few minutes, see if you are their type (i.e., 'big enough') and then decide if they want to do more (or just walk away). It's also a reminder u r just meat here. Some that walk away when they decide they aren't into you...and some even forget that they did this & come up to you again - as if they never met you. Low light? Drugs? I don't know. But that's what happened. After being there for a few hours and inhaling the man scent / bleach mix (it is quite clean), you start to let your own guard down...and this is where I regret where things went. A very aggressive unattractive guy came up to me - who i clearly showed NO signs of being interested in...repeatedly (since he was staring at me over and over) - and just started grinding against me until he 'finished' - i should've left but I was so tired by then I didn't even care - and I regret it now. The facility This place is clean - but such a maze that I actually got a little dizzy walking around for 30 minutes. Here's the general idea (no maps r given): The locker room is what you see first. It is the most well-lit and it is next to a room with a fireplace and a TV where it is well-lit and you can actually see people's faces. Regular TV was on - not porn. There are snack machines here too. This is next to the "wet area" which has a steam room and shower and jacuzzi - all enclosed in a separate room - and the jacuzzi is extremely dark. You can't see anything unless people are towards the front. There is a stairway up to what is sort of the "main hub" of sex - where many of the private rooms are. There is a lube/douche/toy vending machine there with benches at the top of the stairs. Condoms are free. In the main hub area (FL 2)- you can walk down endless corridors of hundreds of rooms (mirrors everywhere). The labyrinth leads to some other, darker, creepier rooms like the "sling room" and another set of glory holes. There are a few glory hole rooms here and there - the place is a maze. On top of this floor is the gym and 2-computer area...if you want to get on the internet. The lighting is better up here too. I personally couldn't meet anyone on floor 2 bc I couldn't see their face. There's a smoking / semi-outdoor area somewhere on 2 or 3 also...I can't remember. There is STD testing info on screens everywhere. Here's why I am not a fan, in general: I like NSA sex, but not with total strangers in the dark. I need to see people - but the main areas to "meet" are very dark if not pitch black. The private rooms, at least, provide the option of different levels of light - but the hallways upstairs are so dark that the SAME guys over and over kept looking brand new to me until I saw them up close. The drug / alcohol use is also very irritating because when you actually do like someone they turn out to be on something & weird. The music was annoying & this place is full of sex addicts - so they r looking to do u as # 2 of 5...not that hot. On the one night I went at the most bizarre hour - I ran into people I see on manhunt and grindr any time I log in. Also, whether you are concerned about HIV or not - probably 30% of the men are visibly positive (hard distended abdomen, facial wasting) and I'd estimate another 20% are positive without it being visible. We can avoid HIV these days, but other STDs are not as easy to avoid. If this many have HIV, there are other things. The staff were nice but slow (5-15 min) to get in and out...they needed another few people at the desk read more

Been going to Steamworks for years and always enjoyed their facilities until tonight. Upon check-in I was told that I was being assessed a $50.00 room damage charge. When I questioned the clerk he told me it was from July 16, two months earlier. I left the room in the manner I rented it. If their was damage it was there when I checked in. I had been to SW two times since July 16 and nothing was said on either of those visits. How did this all of a sudden show up on my record? I felt like I was being shook down for an additional $50. I left and won't be back. read more

Went last night (Monday) around 8:30. There was a line to get in, great vibe, sexy guys. Had a blast! Best sex club in U.S.

This is a clean, professional, well-operated gay men's bath. Read the low ratings in detail and learn a few basic facts: you probably should wear flip flops or other shoes, things do fall on the floor that you may not want to step on in bare feet; you need to decide for yourself if you look good enough in nothing but a white towel to attract the attention of others that you find sexually appealing; there are definitely guys outside the mainstream having a good time, if you're not uber hot maybe you should adjust your expectations; everyone there is playing as an amateur, the venue is not responsible for getting you laid; the employees are reasonably friendly considering what they put up with. I'm 50 years old in good shape and always have an outstanding time with guys that I find extremely appealing... from 24 - 45 years old. There are guys there who are not interested in me (duh), and some of them could break the news more gently. Personally, if I see a guy who I find attractive and wonder if he'd be interested rather that touching him in any way, I simply say "dahm, you are one hot man" and see what he says back. Many say "thanks" and move on. Some say "you too daddy" and we're off to the races. LOL. Depending on your tastes, day play can be a lot of fun there... lot of married guys... read more

Last night was my first time and I can say i will definitely come back! My two friends and I had no problems getting in, getting rooms, or having fun. Mixed crowd of both old and young guys and because i'm only 18 I was glad there were many people under 30 here. Also got hit on too many times to count. Prices are fair for the amount of things this place offers. The Wait lists for rooms are a bit weird and difficult to read, but still got one none the less. From the reviews above, Id say that if you want action come on the weekends around 11pm and later. thats where i saw the most young guys. 9/10 would recommend to all!! read more

I visit this place, WUAO!! I loved it. A very clean, everyone was very loving me. You can do everything here, everything !!!!!. I will go back to this place very soon. read more

For a first-timer, I enjoyed it quite a bit. As an older guy and new to the scene, I was a bit nervous. Found convenient indoor parking just a few doors down. The check-in person seemed a little rushed but was very helpful in getting me started. I had a very likely connection in the first 15 minutes but I held off because I was still getting the lay of the land. Nothing personal, mister! I actually quite liked you but needed to relax a bit more. And relax I did -- in the steam room. It was a bit too warm for me to spend any length of time there so I mostly went in & out. The dry room was more comfortable but small, and usually busy. Not a bad thing. I spent some time in the hot tub but due to its nature I couldn't see anybody from the waist down. I guess I'm a bit of a voyeur. Checking out the upper floors with the private and special rooms I saw plenty of things I liked. A good variety of men and possibilities, and a very clean presence over all, even later Saturday night when it got pretty crowded. Stayed about six hours and only left because I needed to get something substantial to eat. There were plenty of snacks and beverages available (and, uh, condoms) however. Thanks to the younger guy in the cap to chatted to me near the end of my stay. I might have pursued it but was getting ready to go. Then after getting dressed (this about 2:30 am) I saw my most ideal guy come in, short, blond, well-built young man wearing a school jacket. It almost made me stay checked in to check him out. (Yes, I'm sure he was verified as old enough to be there!) Even if he wasn't interested in the older guy like me (and that's ok) I liked that there were some beautiful people there who like to show off. The checkout person was kind, also -- giving me lots of information of the things I was entitled to as a first-timer if I came back soon. Unfortunately I only had the one night and my own reticence kept me from pursuing what I went there for. I believe anyone who wants to (and acts on it!) could get some satisfaction at Steamworks Chicago. I would definitely like to go back (wish I could this weekend, even!) read more

this place is great-gotta be 1 of the hottest bath houses around -huge place lotsa play areas and tons of hot guys sat nights get packed-lets just say i came outta there and it was 8 a.m -i lost all track of time was having such a hot time!! check it out guys you'll luv the place! read more

I have been to many "bear days" they run there. The hot tub where lots of guys want to hang out is so hot you can't use it. This coming from someone who feels hot tubs are never warm enough. Today the management had it at 105 which is not a comfortable temperature to relax in it. REPEATED REQUESTS TO TURN THE TEMPERATURE LOWER have been ignored. I dont know why this place would want to endanger the health of its clientele and waste energy. Maybe if enough people complain they'l do something, because other than that (which is a big deal for me) this can be a fun aftrnoon. read more

Visited Steamworks first time yesterday.. I have to say very clean.. and I felt very safe.. the staff was very accomodating and pleasant... only negative was yesterday happend to be lights out night so the place was pretty dark and it was hard to move around in the dark..l the place is very big and again exceeded my expectations.. not sleezy.. not filthy... worth a visit.. plus I did have some fun.. clientele is mixed but average around 30-35 with some younger and a just a few old guyz read more

I had a great time here during a vacation to Chicago. Went on a late Friday afternoon and had no trouble hooking up. I'm 53 and met a couple of younger guts in their 30's. Room was clean, lots of lube and rubbers, and the facility was in great shape. read more

It was very clean and a good variety of men but in terms of the amenities, I'd say it was your typical bath house. Nothing spectacular. I definitely didn't have a bad experience here but it also wasn't what I expected based on the reviews I had read. read more

I've been coming here (literally) for several years. I've been to several bathhouses over the years. This is the best one. It's pretty clean for what it is, but it is likely you will step in some man juice at some point. Some of it may be mine although i prefer to send my loads down some twink's warm throat or tight rear. Anyway, I'm in my late 30's, bald, hairy and chubby but very rarely can't find someone or multiple someones to have fun with. Not every night is hot studs gang banging my hairy tight hole, but it does happen about 50% of the time. There are an abundance of bottoms but still manage to get the action I'm looking for. There seem to be enough young hot guys that are willing to play with me. The staff are never rude to me. They sheepishly will ask if i want a regular towel or an extra large towel, but they're nice about it. It's fun. I would rather gear the porn and the moans of the men pounding rears around me than the annoying music, but it's got a nice rhythm to bang to. It's a good time, you should go, bring your friends and have a good time. read more

I read some of the reviews and what came to my mind was that the place that they were reviewing was not the place that I know. "STD CENTRAL "obviously in that kind of venue one has to protect oneself that is what "THE CONDOMS ARE FOR "if you are very squeamish please don't go. The facilities inside the club are very clean considering the fact that is a huge place and you always see the guys cleaning.Some people complain about barebacking going on WELL IF YOU ARE NOT DOING IT DONT CRITICIZE THE ONES WHO ARE IS NOT YOUR YOUR BUSINESS maybe they are on TRUVADA. It is always a personal decision. The club really gets good over the weekend after midnight, during the week not too many people as it used to be but it gets better late at night sometimes. A bathhouse is a bathhouse it doesn't matter how much equipment you use .It is a place for sex between men and thank goodness they exist so we can have a place of our own. There is a bathhouse in LOS ANGELES " THE MIDTOWNE SPA" where they have Tuesdays of every week at half price and the stay instead of 8 hrs is 6 hrs and it is a success the place gets packed. STEAMWORKS should do events like that to bring back their lost customers because weekdays for the last 3 or 4 years the club is pretty empty compare to previews years also not too much eye candy left at the store like in previews years except for weekends after 11 pm when is crowded with beautiful guys. I still recommend STEAMWORKS as the best here and abroad but the customers have changed a lot and not for the best. read more

This place needs to switch it up. Yes, ive been there several times a year, but when you think about it the 2nd and 3rd the floors are the same. Gloryholes and private rooms. 80% of the 2nd fl are private rooms and the remaining 20% is two redundant gloryhole 2 tier style play areas with bright flat screens killing the mood. Im not here to watch porn, i can do that at home. So its mostly hallways. The 3rd floor is 60% private rooms and on one side of the 3rd floor is 8 gloryhole stalls, like ANY bookstore and the other side of the 3rd floor has octagon tiered gloryholes that they have turned upside down for some reason, with an area to watch a two people fuck, [lets hope their hot] and MORE bright flat screens to kill the mood. There are so many bright tv screens that the place should be called a VIDEO BATH HOUSE. For the sake of those who do better with dimly lit places, good luck hooking up. There are also 3 bunk bed style beds that some call free parking. These beds are open on one end and have a cyclone fence covering on the other. The problem here is they are USED many times a day/night and can be soiled with lube, seamen or poop. You might want to just get a private room and pay the difference, private rooms get fresh, clean linen with each change of guest. I will say the place is very clean, the day staff very friendly, the night staff, i have to agree with a lot of the other reviews, they have a snooty additude. Perhaps because the place is located in a bar attidude strip. It seems like forever since they have done anything new. There is one good value monday thru friday, a locker is only 7.00 for a 4hour duration, starting at 9am and you must check in by 1pm to get this deal. With the money they take in, its time to make the place more interesting. read more

I always wanted to visit this place, so I decided to go up to Chicago for the weekend. I really wish I would have stayed home. It was not worth the drive!! The place is clean and the front desk guy was very nice, but the guys are horrible AND boring! Many walk a round as if they are muscle gods or if they are some sort of celebrity. Many are not even worth looking at. All most guys do is pay the fee and WALK around in circles ALL NIGHT long hoping to find some action. It was so damn boring. I stayed in my room and a guy came by, came in, and we had a nice little time. Another thing that bothered me was the MIRRORS. I kept running into them thinking they reflected an exit or another entry, lol. I will never go again. I ended up leaving very early and headed back home to a 5 hour trip. I wanted to see for myself. If you live in or close to Chicage, then it's not problem, but if you live more than 3-4 hours away, I suggest you stay at home, unless you're really bored. read more