I have gone to several CrossFit gyms in the Ravenswood area for many years, and I can confidently…read moresay that feast is a fantastic option. There's other great gyms in the area, but, in my mind, several things set Feast apart from the others: -The programming. The programming is classic CrossFit with a weightlifting emphasis and is challenging, but not so crazy insane that you get frustrated or disheartened because you can't complete it. -The instructors. Andy, Conner, Anna and PJ are all really fantastic. I am not an elite athlete by any stretch of the imagination, but they work with me on ways that I can modify while still pushing myself to get better and better. All four of them are really top-notch athletes, and also happen to be as nice as they could possibly be. -The facilities. It's by far the nicest gym that I have been to in the Ravenswood area. It's climate controlled, the equipment is in really good shape, it's very clean, the bathroom facilities are really nice, and I think it's laid out well. -The culture. The culture of a gym really matters. When you walk in, you could just feel the positivity. I really appreciate the ways that they cultivate community and how encouraging they are. The people are fantastic, and that makes a big difference. -The owner. Greg is a really nice guy and is super knowledgeable about nutrition and fitness. I have found him to be very flexible, and open to feedback. The most important thing to me in a gym is that I'm getting results - and that's exactly what's happened. The one downside is that it's expensive, it is more expensive than other gym in the area. I've been part of several other gyms in Ravenswood, and while this is a more expensive option, for me for the value of what you get with the instruction, people, curriculum and the facilities, it's worth it. Overall, I highly recommend feast.

Top notch. Coaches are fabulous. Equipment is superb. Friendly atmosphere. Excellently managed.read more

This gym is clean, the owner is nice and professional, I really appreciate the different workout…read moreareas - its nice to have your own space to workout. They have a wide variety of fitness equipment as well as a workout of the day which is a great motivator to work out.

I'll never be able to go back to a "Global Gym" again. Being able to schedule and reserve a…read morestation to myself is the only way to workout. Each pod has everything I need to get in a great workout. I no longer have to wait on equipment to become free or deal with the people who don't have gym etiquette. I never have difficulty reserving my spot, and if needed Victor is very responsive, and very accommodating if my schedule changes last second. The website makes it super view and book my workout times. Victor, the trainers, and all the members are all very friendly, and contribute to a safe and comfortable workout environment.

Not a safe place. The owner Zach had me do risky exercise during a trial session. I said I didn't…read morefeel good about it, he told me to keep going. I got severely injured and had my life upended. He never reached out until a couple months later when they tried to recruit me back. All they wanted was my money apparently, not my wellbeing. Everything was handled very poorly and I paid the consequences - I do not recommend this place.

I cannot recommend All Strength Training enough. Zach and the entire coaching team are incredibly…read morehelpful, friendly, and truly committed to helping you achieve results without ever compromising safety. They motivate you, but do not pressure you into doing more than you are comfortable with, and there is no sales pitch for doing more than you want. The focused and personalized coaching here has been a game-changer for me. The trainers ensure every workout is effective and safe, which gave me so much confidence in my fitness journey. My experience with AST is that it has been a supportive and a results-driven fitness experience. I am super grateful to them for helping me find my way back to feeling fit and on track with my health goals.

No I'm obsessed. Have taken classes with two different instructors and they were both amazing…read more Kind, patient, encouraging. Clean cute studio. Love love loveeee no notes

This is a story about the class that almost didn't happen…read more I was going to be in the area that day and it just so happened to be a holiday weekend. I had signed up online and received a text from the owner a few hours before class noting I was the only one signed up for class and generally they do not hold classes for a single student...womp womp womp. I was really excited to take a jump board class---but I get it--me, myself, and I does not really constitute a "class"---I said no worries just credit my account back and I'll see if I can find something else to do at that time. I was devastated, ok maybe more like really bummed---I really wanted to take jump board reformer class. A few minutes later the owner said she would ask the instructor if she would mind teaching a class with one student since there was another class right before my scheduled class---- Julie said yes!!!!!! So I willingly went in to have my butt kicked and it was great!!!! Julie was an awesome instructor; encouraging, upbeat, and provided great cueing! I love instructors who push me and are genuinely excited to see me sweat profusely. Hope to be able to take some more classes there sooner rather than later. Bonus--they have a shared parking lot next door as well.

Best gym in Chicago, hands down! I've been going to Quads for years and it truly stands out from…read moreany other gym I've been to. The trainers and staff are incredibly knowledgeable, supportive, and always willing to answer questions or offer advice, no matter your experience level. The owner, Sharon, is so welcoming and has created such a great community where everyone feels comfortable and motivated. If you're serious about lifting, this is the place to be. They have an amazing variety of machines and equipment that you won't find at most gyms, and everything is designed for people who really want to train properly. The atmosphere is motivating, the people are friendly, and it feels like a gym where everyone genuinely wants to see each other succeed. A couple of my friends joined after I recommended it, and they're so glad they did. I couldn't recommend Quads more!

This is the most difficult review I've ever written for Yelp because I honestly love the idea of…read moreQuads and its history, but after a trial week, I ran back to my pathetic Planet Fitness. For years, I walked by and looked in the window just to see if some of the vibe would entice me to walk in and get energized by all the real-life Marvel Superheroes working out. And I'm glad for the week of experience I had because Quads has some of the nicest, knowledgeable, and dedicated fitness people I've ever met. From the moment I walked in to my final exit, the desk staff, the family members who run it, trainers I encountered, and a few guys who could deadlift car engines whom I asked questions how to use this or that, I felt a lot of compassion for me being the new guy in a sea of bewildering equipment that could either change my fitness life or scare me away. Bear in mind that I truly love Quads but coming from a lengthy history of memberships at Lakeshore Sport & Fitness, Gorilla Sports, YMCA, Holmes Place, Chicago Athletic Clubs, and Planet Fitness (with visits to FFC, Crunch, East Bank Club, Cheetah, Life Time, Bally's, and Midtown Athletic Club), I have to do a pro and con thing. Pros It's a good environment to watch others doing astonishing calisthenic exercises and massive lifts and squats. I'll never get to that level, but it's an inspiring place to get jazzed about your own routine. Quads has a diverse membership. You'll see everything from people doing their daily treadmill to pro bodybuilders doing four-hour circuits. I saw every kind of body type and age group. People doing rehab exercises and a person with a visual impairment. The specialty here is bodybuilding, though everyone is welcome. You'll hear grunts, fits of anger, yelling of encouragement, the rage of accomplishment, and claps of high-five. I felt like I was in a place where great bodies are refined. The membership prices are fantastic for the amount of equipment you're offered, and the hours are comparable to other gyms. They offer a few additional membership discounts not listed on the website, so go in and talk with them. Kudos to a gym that finally understands the right way memberships should work--upfront and no hassles. You are constantly reminded of your potential. There are photos and awards everywhere of past and present bodybuilders and pro and amateur athletes, and you can't help but soak up some of that greatness. You're in a place where celebrities have trained, too. Cons Here's where I have to be brutally honest. I may not know the difference between an Iso-Lateral Front Lat Pulldown and an Iso-Lateral Wide Pulldown, but I do know when machines are so old that they need to be replaced. If a machine's pads are worn, replace them. If a Selectorized's weight stack has half its weight labels missing, that should be fixed asap. If a machine's so old that the frame's been painted a number of times, it's probably a good time to replace it. I'm going to guess most of the equipment is older than the members. Sure, old-school machines can be great, and a lot of bodybuilders want them, but at some point, you need to replace them. Hammer Strength, Precor, and Cybex are constantly evolving the science of ergonomics, body mechanics, and safety. Please, Quads. Get new equipment. I didn't see any dumbbells less than 10#. That's not a bad thing, but small weight dumbbells would be great for people doing rehab or weaklings like me starting back at doing simple free weight exercises. In fairness, Planet Fitness dumbbells start at 10#, too. Other reviews are correct: A lot of the equipment, especially the Selectorized machines on the first floor, are squished so closely that safety could be an issue. There are a few machines so close together that parts could touch if used in full range of motion. If you're used to a defined circuit from a previous gym--especially if most of your workout is using Selectorized equipment--you might have difficulties matching it to the machines here. Plate-loaded and cables, no problem; they'll have one of anything you'll ever want. But for Selectorized, nothing made sense because a lot of what I needed was spread throughout the gym on both floors and in hard to find areas (e.g. the pec fly/rear delt machine was in a dimly lit corner, and most of the weights in the stack had no labels). I won't go into cleanliness. Suffice it to say this is a well-worn gym. The rusty lockers and second floor smell attest to the longevity of Quads, for better or worse. Overall, you should try Quads for a week to see if you like it. Most people swear this is the best gym. No, Quads doesn't have a pool, a sauna, towel service, group fitness classes, fancy self-locking lockers, a three-story climbing wall, or sleep rooms. They offer a world of fitness possibilities in an old school gym where amazing happens.

This is a great place to get strong. I work with James and he is very knowledgeable and…read moreexperienced. Whether you are a college athlete or a new lifter trying to get fit, you will get a personalized work out and be challenged. Welcoming and motivating atmosphere. (p.s. - don't know why Yelp thinks I'm in San Francisco - this review is for Iron Bear here in Chicago)

The trainers care about your well being and health. The facility is Clean. Great vibes throughout!read more

Staff lacks professionalism. If you want to be part of a gym where members and staff behave as if…read morethey're still in junior high school; where destructive gossiping and cattiness is prevalent, then this is the gym for you. However, if you want to be part of a community that is welcoming and supportive of your fitness goals, there are far more superior gyms out there. When you are paying a premium price tag for a gym, being treated with decency and respect should be the least of your worries. This is not the case at Hardware Strength & Conditioning. Give your money to another gym.

Hardware Crossfit has been my home gym now for over 4 years. After taking a small break from an…read moreofficial Crossfit gym I noticed myself following and implementing Hardware's programming each day at an independent gym prompting me to join. Given the abundance of Crossfit gyms now available in the Chicago area, I was very fortunate to have made this decision. George and Jess (owners) are absolutely wonderful both from an owners and coaching standpoint as well as being just genuinely good people. They have created an incredibly positive and, most importantly, accepting environment. Their coaching staff is second to none which is due to the extensive shadowing hours a newer coach is required to perform prior to taking on a class of his/her own. All coaches can properly and safely demonstrate movements or at the very minimum explain proper technique. I've never felt unsafe or not properly coached. Lastly, George and Jess are always open to any kind of feedback and suggestions. They want to do anything they can to make members, old and new, feel the most comfortable and will do anything they can, within reason, to accommodate. This mentality then very notably trickles down through their staff. If you're on the north side of Chicago and considering Hardware, try it. And if you're visiting and looking to drop in somewhere, definitely reach out and stop by.

I really recommend Evolve and personal trainer Reshanna. The concept is unique in that everyone is…read moreworking out with their personal trainer and Reshanna is awesome! She's super knowledgeable and ready for whatever fitness goal I throw at her - running a race, challenging hikes, weight loss, personal best lifts - you name it, she gets me to my goal!

Excellent gym. Pricey but if it's in your budget I highly recommend doing sessions here. I work out…read morewith Kevin and he's amazing. Always adjusts for injuries and keeps things challenging. Don't have enough good things to say about this gym