We had a birthday party there for my two sons in January. I was so disappointed! It was incredibly crowded and loud and chaotic. The parents could hardly hear each other. The desk staff were not very friendly on arrival. The girls who ran the actual party and interacted with/directed the kids were teenagers. They were harsh and rude to the children! They weren't very engaged and they were playing on the equipment themselves during the party....not just demonstrating to the kids what to do, but goofing off themselves. They did not appoint a party organizer or someone who I as the mom could address as my "go to" person. In fact the girls didn't even introduce themselves to me or the kids. The party room was so small and cramped with hardly any seating for the parents who accompanied their children. And they didn't let my kids open their presents there! I was shocked! They pointed out that I had missed that in the contract but I was still so taken aback! And my kids were so disappointed. I will NEVER have a party there again. I paid over $300 for 16 participants. Terrible way to celebrate! :( read more

I've worked for a few gymnastics gyms in my life. This is the cleanest gymnastic's gym I have ever worked for. The staff has made me feel like a part of their family. All of the teachers care about every kid they teach. The front desk staff are really front desk goddesses! Not to mention the clientele of this gym... amazing kids, parents, and teens. I have never had a bad day here. Oh and let me not forget how the administrative staff is constantly working on projects to make the program better. I'm not kidding.... they literally make it a priority to improve everything about the business. I'm really glad I found this gym. read more

Came here for a 5th b-day party..pretty good I think..its a gymnastics facility so there were a lot of balancing, jumping, and climbing for the kids to do..all the kids say they had a blast. read more

Great place! My daughter LOVES it and the staff is so friendly.

So shortly after writing this post I received a post card from Encore saying the girl that caused so much damage to their rep is no longer with the gym. They invited me to come back and try another class. A few months went by, and due to my work hours changing my daughter could no longer go to her dance class at 3pm. I needed to find something for her to do that was in the evening. Encore has a great class schedule that fits in with my work schedule... and my daughter loves the idea of gymnastics class. I gave it another shot. Like night and day! This time there were 2 girls teaching the new kids class. Which allowed for more one on one attention to my daughters "first" class. And these girls were great! They paid attention, they gave words of encouragement and smiled! Only thing I would say is the front desk is still a little lacking. You can stand there at the desk making it obvious you need help and no one really pays attention. But whatever. My little girl is happy that she can take gym and I feel much better about having her in class now. read more

I'm in between 2-3 stars... but 3 stars would be too much. My son has been coming here for quite some time and although routines change up every week. My son enjoys parts of it. others... he looks bored. He is fully capable of advancing and exploring his capabilities to develop more skills. We have had a couple teachers and man.... they all look and act like they are 16 yrs old. The gym is in an old building. but things look eh.. mostly in decent condition i guess.. I WANT to like this place. i went here as a kid and enjoyed it. but i am having more and more difficulties in wanting to keep my son going here paying close to $90/month. Once i saw a mouse scamper across the floor which i told a staff member just out of humor and they totally shrugged it off. We are looking for other places. Parents night out. I dont stay and watch the whole thing, my son seems to have fun and sleeps good that night lol..we may still do these.. maybe.. but not any more weekly. read more

The reaaon for my two star rating is because of how they are being unfair about the age you could have your child do ballet. Today I spoke to a family who said they allowed their daughter (2.5) try out for the class when you need to be 3. I understand about their attention span so that is reasonable but what bothers me is they allowed her to try out to see if she can pay attention but not giving my daughter (who really wants to learn as well) a chance. To me that is so unfair! I am real upset about this place and will go to dance ace academy in walnut creek instead! Dont honor for one person and not the other. Im only trying to make my daughter happy. She enjoys ballet alot, practices and talks about it all the time. I say just give her one try but they wont. Only for some people. read more

Great place - coaches are like family, front desk people are always nice and willing to help, Waiting area for the parents to chill out and wait for the kids. For those who need to do the last minute shopping there is a shopping mall within two minutes drive distance. Highly recommended! read more

My daughter has been attending Encore for over a year. Just recently we decided to celebrate my daughters 6th birthday here and it was so awesome. The lovely ladies who helped me with the party were wonderful! They played so well with all the kids and gave them great directions. My favorite part of the event was how helpful they were the entire time and happy I was because I was able to enjoy the party without worrying about getting things prepared. They set up the party room, decorated, served the food and dessert, cleaned up the room, packed up all our belongings, and everything just flowed so smoothly. My only reason for 4 out of 5 stars is because of how rushed it felt at times.The length of time could be adjusted. Over all my daughter was very happy and felt that she had the perfect party. I would recommend encore to many of my friends and their kids. read more

Great gym! My daughter recently started gymnastics here and she loves it. She is improving and loves to go to class. They are moving to a new facility at some point which will be great because this place does get busy! That being said they keep the class sizes small and the kids don't stand around during the class at all. The kids and the coaches are constantly engaged and active for the entire class. Thank you Encore! read more

Tot time here is great! Well laid out and a huge space. There are not a lot of employees who are watching the kids so you need to be on your game, but def worth the $5! read more

I just had a birthday party for my 5 year old & we had the BEST girls coaching our kiddos & guests. Sabrina & Amaya your hard work was appreciated. You 2 ladies were wonderful. Thank you! Easiest party ever and the children had a blast. read more

Attended a birthday party there yesterday - all the kids had red faces from mild heat stroke within 15 mins of being inside rheir 93 deg warehouse. How difficult is it to install a couple porta-air units. Everyone was suffering. The staff is great, the facility is severely lacking - if it is warm outside it will be hot inside. Hot outside makes it oven like inside. read more

My daughter takes dance (ballet & tap) and gymnastics at Encore. The staff is awesome and very helpful. The instructors are excellent. My daughter loves it and has developed skills while having fun. The parents' night outs are a great bonus and they allow my son as a non-member. Great baby sitters and the kids come home exhausted ready for bed. I sign up for all the parents' night out for the year. Thanks Encore for be a great part of the our community. read more

I've got 2 very active boys that love to climb and run and play. Encore has definitely become one of our top places to go. We've had a birthday party here, nothing fancy but it's a great place to let your kids run around. They have separate rooms for parties and staff to help you with set up, which is nice. We have taken classes and definitely have our favorite instructors. It can be a little hit or miss with the teachers but overall we have been happy. We are glad that Encore is in our neighborhood and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE parents night out!!! read more

Our daughter just loves Encore. She started out with Itty Bitty Buddy Blast, moved on to classes and had her 3rd birthday here. She has a blast every time she comes. The staff is friendly, competent, encouraging and safety conscious which I cannot say about East Bay Sports. read more

My daughter celebrated her birthday here. The staff is friendly, organized and professional. It was such a fun party. Her favorite part was the rock climbing. The foam pit was also a big hit! The staff provided all of the paper products and we ordered great pizza from Mountain Mikes nearby. The day was effortless and fun for both the boys and girls who attended. We definitely recommend Encore! read more

We had my sons birthday here-- we were super impressed. They did a great job entertaining the kids and burning their energy. Also the facility was perfect. You bring your own food and their staff helps to serve. Best birthday party yet. read more

Just returned from attending a birthday party for my 9 year old cousin. My son is 3 and I was told quiet rudely I had to leave the floor. No explanation as to why except that it's the rule and only birthday parents are allowed to be on the floor. When I explained my son was only 3 and mixed in with a bunch of much older kids I thought it would be fine. Oh no no no, I got the look and eye roll from an empowered feeling teenager of "not this again". When my aunt (the grandma of said birthday cousin) explained she was the grandma and could she stay. no no no, only the birthday parents. When she said that she was the one paying for the party and surely she can stay, still only got the "only parents of the birthday kid" response. She stayed anyway. I went to talk to a manager, and again quiet rudely had their policy explained to me. When I told her my son was 3 and mixed in with older kids she found his waiver and then scoffed that he is almost 4. Still I had to use the argument that he is with abunch of older and bigger kids who aren't looking out for him. Even if I hadn't had a bad experience with the working teens (one in particular) I still would not trust them to watch my son closely, nor would I want them to correct any of his behavior, I am to particular about who I let watch my son as it is. Needless to say after not giving up my argument the manager Bernadette finally had me sign my sons waiver and wear a name tag so I could then be on the floor.Give me a break Encore. Your policy sucks, and it conflicts with my personal policy as well as the policy of others. I only read a small amount of reviews and saw a couple people with the same issue. Time to review your policy or at least let people who book parties with you aware of it. My Aunt that paid for the party was not happy. This place was dirty, smelly and stuffy, My socks were dirty from walking around. Even when they get a new location with AC and it is clean to start with they need to work on customer service and cleaning maintenance. read more

This place has been in business for decades. My little sister, who is now 30, wanted to take lessons at Encore when she was a kid but her mother chose ballet for her. She is still bummed about it. So when my daughter said she wanted to do gymnastics, I knew right where to take her. Encore has a friendly staff who are always professional and helpful. Their facility is always busy. A good sign. They put on the most amazing birthday parties. I highly recommend it. The stress melts away. They plan for everything. Activities? Done! Passing out cake and ice cream? Done! Presents? Done! They even write down the present list for you. Well worth it! read more

My daughter has been taking classes here since 2012 and enjoys them very much! The coaches are energetic and compassionate. We just had her 7th birthday party hosted at Encore and it was amazing, way better than I anticipated. Coaches Connor, Callie and one more whose name I didn't catch ran the gymnastics party for 19 kids and they were phenomenal! Especially coach Connor who seemed to lead the party and did the most interacting with the kids. Worth every penny. I highly recommend Encore, and wouldn't want these next comments to deter you but the reason for 4 stars and not 5: 1. The crazy busy parking lot, though I am always able to find a space the first or second time around on Saturday mornings. 2. I wish that the coaches communicated with the students and/or parents better on how to improve and advance through the levels. You have to be proactive if you want your child to advance. 3. I wish they gave the students more ribbons or tokens of some sort for their efforts. In 2 years, roughly 80 classes attended, my daughter has received one ribbon. Positive reinforcement would be appreciated! All that being said, it's a great way for my daughter to get her 50 minutes of exercise on a Saturday! read more

@dan s: your comments are spot on. When the Little Gym closed in Pleasant Hill we were on the hunt for a similar environment a.) a friendly and warm atmosphere b.) caring teachers that actually looked like they enjoyed what they were doing and c.) an established and published curriculum. To the point, we found none of this at Encore. And not to be trivial or superficial, but the facilities are, well, a dump. We've given it almost a year, and the benefit of the doubt, but we'll be taking our business elsewhere. read more

Encore is a wonderful place to have your kids take gymnastics classes. My girls both love their classes and their coaches. They are staying active in a fun environment. Not only are the classes great, but they have a lot of other wonderful events such as mini-camps and, my personal favorite, Parents Night Out. Unlike another reviewer, I appreciate the fact that they are a non-competitive gym. This allows for ALL students to enjoy the sport and not feel so pressured to compete. Also, they have a wonderful program called "Show Team" for those students who desire the challenge of performing their skill in front of others. I would highly recommend this gym. read more

I brought my 18 month old daughter here for a trial class and couldn't run away fast enough. To begin with the actual gym area is dark and dingy. The girl who was in charge of running the class didn't do anything but socialize with one of the other parents who she said was her best friend that used to work there. I basically had to do everything with my daughter without any guidance or direction. There was absolutely no structure. We didn't even stay to finish the class. Needless to say I won't be going back. We tried out Liberty after and it was so much better. read more

Second time attending a birthday here, first for two year olds and now four and under. They have two employees per group - not enough to allow the kids to use the equipment, but they won't allow parents on the floor. Watched my daughter roam around or attempt to climb and then come back down. Was told if we signed a waiver we could be on the floor by one of the group workers, went to the front desk and was told rudely that not for any child over two. Staff appropriately or allow parents to supervise. And a little bit of subtlety would mean people wouldn't write reviews like this about the brusque owner. read more

After reading all the comments we are searching for another gym. I often thought that something did not seem right but after reading the comments it has confirmed what I thought. I appreciate the suggestions. Encore is not far from our home but enough is enough. The people at the front desk are usually pretty abrasive and I really could care less about that. The instructors are young and fairly uninterested. There is one that is really sweet and one of our girls had her for a few sessions. The rest of them act as though they are doing us a favor by helping our young children, especially later in the day or early evening. There were 2 classes that the instructor never said one word or even ecknowledged my daughter. They should act professional, as they are our children's role models. They need more supervision. read more

I've been taking my kids to encore for over a decade. Their classes are fun & age appropriate but I especially enjoyed the itty bouncer class for toddlers who just want to explore an amazingly fun environment with safety & freedom. I also loved the mid-day mini-camp. The name is confusing, they should call it "Drop-in child care with trampolines & foam pits!" All preschools should be gymnasiums in my opinion. I used it for child care & my 3 yr. old loved it. read more

So I have read the good and the bad stuff below. I only write reviews when it is something that matters to me so here is mine. I only started going in January. I met this girl Stephanie through a mutual friend and she told me that she works there and about this open play for tiny tots on the first Friday of every month. It is not a class, just a chance for parents and kids to check the place out and well play for an hour. When I arrived, I was immediately greeted by the woman behind the desk which was nice since there were a tons of moms there signing in so I didn't feel ignored. I checked in and then was told where to store my stuff. Since it was my first time they let me in for free but I think it is normally $5. My son LOVED it! We had the best time! They had laid out all these huge foam blocks and shapes for the kids to climb on, which he adored then we went and jumped into the huge foam pit...Awesome! Afterwards my kid slept for 3 hours! I have been back for that three times so far. I noticed this one instructor Alex (my son is too young for his class) He was leading this group of 4 or 5 year olds around the gym, shouting fun instructions, leaping onto things and tumbling....the kids were laughing histerically and having a blast. I can't wait for my son to be in his class. Then there was another lady I saw leading a class of kids just a little older than my son. She had them sitting on this giant parachute with the moms all lifting the sides and going in a circle, the kids loved it. Is the place old....well yeah, but what place that is afordable to a company like this in the east bay, not old. Is the equipment run down, not that I could tell. Were the instructors involved and animated and good with this kids, from what I saw...100% Will I go there again, absolutely. I have already brought in 4 of my girlfriends to join with their kids and they love it. If your kid is having the time of their life, getting worn out from playing and enjoying it completely....who cares about the rest. If you are in it for another reason, well then maybe it isn't the best, but I wouldn't know cause all I want is for my kid to have a great time, play with other kids, learn a little coordination and maybe find something that interests him. So anyways, hope this helps you out. read more

I am surprised that there are any negative comments on here. This place is AMAZING! The instructors are very kind and approachable and always seem prepared to answer any questions about how well your child is doing. I am so excited about the new location that I was well informed about because they also are very good at keeping you informed on updates and days they are closed. They seem to have everything together! Love the enthusiasm here and the how huge the facility is! By the way, they have FOUR trampolines! Highly recommend to bring your children here! Less pressure because they are non-competitive but still provide so many chances for the kids to show off their skills!!! Love love love! read more

Super fun, super friendly, super organized, super convenient, lots of class times to choose from and a coach to fit every need. Good job guys! keep it up :) read more

My four year old loves it at Encore. He's not there to be a gymnast, rather, learn some new skills, get out some pent up energy and have some fun! He is, afterall, 4. Andrea is a fantastic teacher. Melissa as well. I have yet to experience anything negative there. The coffee is good too :) I agree with some of the comments about the facility, however, I have recently noticed several new toys and a new paint job. The parent's night out is an awesome perk as well. We are leaving for the summer (swim lessons instead) but will be back in the fall, no doubt! read more

We just had my daughter's 8th bday party at Encore and she said it was the best party ever and I agree. So nice for the parents to just drop off and let the kids play. Gina and Sam were fantastic party hosts with so much enthusiasm and positive energy for the kids - while still keeping it safe. They also did all the work with setup and cleanup - LOVE that! Plus, when I had forgotten the candles for my daughter's cake they said no problem and had an extra stash with even a color selection! My daughter is taking classes here too and she loves it - great facility and great staff!! Oh, AND, we have done the parents night out too with my 8 and 10 year old and they keep on asking to go back so, another great program at Encore! read more

My daughter has been going here for about a year now. She is in a Tiny Tumbler class and I can tell you she LOVES it!! She starts with Alex and Elki and then the classes split and she is with Elki. These two coaches are awesome and each week when we leave I am appreciative that she has them as coaches. Alex is so silly with the kids that he always has their full attention. He brings a very fun energy to class and he is great at what he does. My daughter was very hesitant to go out on the floor alone when we switched her from the Mommy and Me class to the Tiny Tumbler class but thanks to Elki she got over that in the first class. Elki is very sweet with her and gives her the attention/reassurance she needs to feel OK leaving me behind in the lobby. She grabs Elki's hand and immediately she is at ease. I have talked to the front desk staff on occasion (arranging make-up classes, checking other available days/classes) and have never had a bad feeling of any kind. As long as my little one looks forward to gymnastics day, so will I. Thank you to the staff at Encore for all the smiles and giggles you bring to these kids!! read more

Murray and Stephanie devoted extra special attention to our three yr old who was the youngest at a birthday party. Very attentive, fun, high energy and organized. Now it was my first experience with Encore but a very pleasant one. Some concerns are that it gets really chilly out on the activity floor and the kids go barefoot. My oldest was asking for his jacket by the end, but seems the other kids didn't really mind. And our younger had really cold arms, even during all the high energy play, so I know it was COLD in there! Also, I didn't really like the kids going from the play area to the cake room barefoot, passing over where all the adults and Everyone walk in their shoes-- doesn't seem very sanitary. I saw that they have another way to get them to that room- maybe they can designate a special "lane" for the kiddies to use that is padded and kept clean. Just a suggestion. Overall, great equipment, huge place, fun and caring staff, huge viewing window for the parents, very cool place. ANd u get a lot of playing time for ur money. read more

We had our son's 6th birthday here and did rock climbing, gymnastics and trampoline. One word - FANTASTIC. The coaches assigned to the party where incredible -- so helpful, wonderful with kids, amazingly patient and friendly. We had a two hour party and they literally played with the kids the ENTIRE 120 minutes including ushering 16 kids thru shoes on and off, a photo opp, etc. I'd recommend this venue to anyone that wants a stress free well run, totally flexible party. read more

Instructors are awesome but parking (or extreme lack of) is a NIGHTMARE!!! They enroll tons of people without considering the limited parking spaces. Traffic backs up both in the lot and out in front on the street. If I lived close by, I would hate this place. And, the parents double and triple park in front so nobody else can drive to the back parking lot. It's frustrating!! We're thinking of quitting because of the parking situation. read more

First off lady who complains about sweat smell at a gym... I have no idea what to say about that... Do you know what the point of a gym is? , but anyway This place is great krystal sullivan is a great coach in particular always enjoy going in read more

My 3 year old loves her tiny tumblers class. Her coach Alex is amazing and has helped her come out of her shell. This gym is old, but the little ones have a great time. I don't think this gym will be turning out any Olympic athletes, but it is a lot of fun! read more

My son has been attending Encore Gym for 1-1/2 years. He has had a wonderful experience so far. He has been on a boys' performance team for nearly a year and has received excellent coaching from Brandon and Dan. They not only have helped him develop gymnastics/tumbling skills but have also helped him develop his self-confidence. We feel very fortunate to have found Encore Gymnastics. read more

If this place was a let down for you, I would suggest you try a place called "My Gym Childrens Fitness Center" in Walnut Creek. The staff is amazing and are always concerned on having a fun, safe, and clean experience. They teach age appropriate classes, and you can try a free guest class and see for yourself what a great place it is for your children to grow. read more