Let's take a break from all the sports reviews and talk about Chicago Sport & Social Club's Bloody…read moreMary Fest (which, let's be real, drinking boozy calories is way more fun than burning calories). Theater on the Lake was the perfect venue. Part indoor, part outdoor space made it easy to enjoy the beautiful fall morning! Tons of passed appetizers, including ham & cheese mini-sammies, french toast bites, cheddar scones, and more! Not being a Bloody Mary fan myself (I know, I know, blasephemy!) there was still PLENTY of other options, including Truly, spiked sparkling water; Angry Orchard, hard apple cider; and plenty of mimosas! The fest had tons of food and drinks, the voting was easy with multiple tablets set up by the stage, and the vibe was super laid back and casual, making for the perfect Sunday. We had a blast. Totally looking forward to next year's already! Thanks for an awesome event, Sport and Social Club :)

Fitz-Hume!! Do you…read moreremember that scene in Spies Like Us when Emmett Fitz-Hume (Chevy Chase) and Austin Milbarge (Dan Akroyd) attempt to pass themselves off as doctors? And then, of course, a patient needing an emergency appendectomy arrives, and Fitz-Hume and Milbarge go to work with their scalpel, having no clue what to do, all the while slowly inching it in different directions as they get confirmation from the actual doctors... The softball umpires for Chicago Sport & Social Club must have studied this clip from the movie repeatedly because they've performed analogous actions during games on multiple occasions. I was playing in a game earlier this week, and a woman on the other team steps up to the plate. She grazes the ball with her bat, and the ball drops about two feet in front of home plate. She releases her bat as she runs to first, and the bat drops about one foot in front of home plate. Meanwhile, the ball slowly rolls backward, and then stops at the bat which is still in fair territory. The umpire just stares at the ball dumbfoundedly for several seconds, entirely unsure of what to do. From shortstop, I finally yell, "That's out of play." The umpire then looks up and triumphantly shouts, "Foul ball!" (While not technically correct, I figured arguing this minor detail would be moot since the outcome was the same.) Unfortunately, this example is just one of many blunders repeatedly made by CSSC's umpire crew. This is the second season I've played with CSSC, and the officiating has been atrocious nearly every game. I'm convinced it is run by some dude who knew someone at the Chicago Park District, got a license for sporting events, and then hired all of his college bros to ump games. I'm certainly no expert, but it amazes me that a sports club doesn't know jack about ASA rules. It would be one thing if they simply made up their own rules--and in fact, they do--as the games are being played, but even within those made-up rules, there's absolutely no consistency. You have no idea what is going to happen from game to game. I could bore you with several more examples, but then you might think I'm just some overly competitive jerkface. I'm not. I just find it obnoxious when umps give various teams (and even sometimes my own team) significant advantages because they don't even know the rules of their own league. I can't speak to how other sports leagues or social events are handled by CSSC, but I can say with experience, that the other two major sports clubs in the city know how to officiate softball correctly. The only reason I don't play in one of those leagues is because my company pays for the league I'm currently playing in. I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I'm certainly not shy about trashing it on the internet. P.S. There are no restrooms near the softball diamond I play on, so I just pee in the bushes. If you're in Grant Park, don't have a picnic near any bushes.

The soccer facility is nice, but as a parent who would like to use the hour while my son is in…read morepractice productively, it is very frustrating that they do not provide a public wifi. No wifi for paying patrons???

From the owner: Sofive is a state of the art, large and clean outdoor soccer facility in the heart of Chitown. We…read moremake the game accessible year-round in all of our soccer centers across the US. Whether you're a seasoned player looking for fast-paced competition, or just developing your game and hoping to get more touches in while getting a great workout, Sofive is the place to play. We offer pickup games, field rentals, adult & youth leagues, tournaments, kids classes and camps! Contact us today or visit our website to find out more!

I attempted to sign up for a class as an out of towner and was ask to pay a surcharge, even though…read moreI have a premium membership. When I asked for a waiver they said it's nothing they can do, despite the class not being half full.

New customers, don't bother…read more I was excited to try this studio and received a free first class from a friend. Upon showing up 20 minutes early to the class, I was told I could not join unless I paid $30 because I had now "missed" my time to meet with the instructor and sign forms, which was 30 mins early. I had already signed the forms online and said I was fine attending without meeting with an instructor. There was also no instructor to be found to meet with me anyway, and another class was in session. The employee at the desk kept saying "it's just our policy" and wouldn't explain anything to me beyond that why I was now being cash grabbed to join the class, that I was early to, that was advertised as free. I frequent many other studios and gyms throughout the city and never have I been treated anywhere close to this poorly as a new customer. If you're looking for somewhere that doesn't waste your time and has good customer service, keep looking. I wish I'd checked reviews before because now I'm seeing that this has happened to other people too.

This place deserves a whole hearted 5-stars, but because the aquatics management at UIC is not fit…read moreto their jobs much of the time I demote to a 4-star rating. This is the story... I swam at a Division 1 level for 4-years of college and upon graduating I needed to find a place to try to remain active. Swimming alone is the most mind numbing and painfully boring activity in the world... so I knew that I would need a team and a coach to keep me motivated and having fun. I was 100% correct in this statement. I first joined Chicago Blue Dolphins (read my review of them elsewhere) and liked it... then it got old, and terrible, and mismanaged, and over priced, and and and... I will let you read the rest on my review of them. So when it came time to switch, a number of my friends and I made our way to Chicago Masters. I heard they were coached by the UIC coach (Paul Moniak) and they had a great team- that had a passion for swimming. Paul has an old-school methodology to his training habits that prove successful for his collegiate and masters swimmers alike time and time again. He is a great coach and is always willing to help with your stroke and swimming fitness needs. There are PLENTY of workout options, and the team trains long course much of the year- which is AWESOME. There is a large variance of skill levels from pre collegiates going for masters world records to 1-step away from aqua joggers. Ages range from lower 20's to infinity... so you will find someone in your skill and age range. The team is just as social as serious having breakfast outings after morning workouts occasionally, picnics on the beach, and other fun activities... Why you would not like it and I demote it to 4-stars. (1) WAY TOO MANY people wear equipment for the duration of a workout. Sure I wear paddles now and again, but fins the whole workout is so beyond appropriate swimming etiquette that it blows my mind. (2) You want a LOT of fine tuning to your stroke. This is a swimming team- we do mostly training. There is some drill work involved, but there is not going to be someone holding your hand through learning how to breath or finish your first triathlon swim. YES- there are options for private lessons (and I encourage those, because I love the though of anyone getting into my sport) but workouts are more training focused than skills. (3) The worst of all... the pool maintenance is poor. Its always clean enough, and the lane lines are in- the stuff you need to swim. But the water temperature is sometimes so impossibly hot that normal swimming is not possible. It seems that the staff that regulates it doesn't understand what good competition and training temps are. So in all- look past a few flaws that keep this from the perfect aquatic experience, but I can confidently say you wont find a better training program in the city. We have multiple masters world record holders, consistently send people to state and nationals... and Paul is easily one of the most underrated coaches around.

Nice atmosphere, classy restaurant, great buffet with many choices. Ate a big meal then watched the…read morehockey game. Had tri-tip, ham, and roast turkey and a couple salads and veggies. Loaded up so I didn't have room for dessert.

This was my first time in this stadium and my first time ever going to a hockey game. Getting there…read morewas as expected with a bit of traffic for the Uber. Getting in was easy and they had a big store with gear from their teams. They had stuff for everyone in there. Our seats were good and as expected for a stadium. The drinks were expensive, as expected. The lights, the crowd and everything else was amazing! For being my first hockey game, there being a fight within the first min was just a point in my checklist for a real hockey game experience. Although I knew nothing about the sport, I still had a great time. At the end, I was pleasantly surprised by seeing the Uber tent. They have a very organized spot where you get your Uber and you wait inside the tent. They are verifying that your Uber is there before heading out to the different lanes.

Anyone who is looking for basketball coaching for their son or daughter, must check out Hoopademix…read more Coach Marpray Monson is extremely knowledgeable. Great with kids of all skill levels but particularly with serious basketball kids.

From the owner: "At Hoopademix, our mission is to make a transformational impact on the lives of youth across our…read morecity. We have developed a program that combines instructional basketball with academic and personal mentorship. Our organization reaches across the entire spectrum of social and economic backgrounds; we enrich the lives of every child in HD by bringing together communities, families, and athletes from all across CHICAGO

We did the Tball for our 4-year-old through Sheridan McGuane. It was very professionally run,…read moreenthusiastic coaches, and the kids actually learned a lot about baseball. The price was a good value for what the league provided and the field was very nice, convenient. Highly recommended.