This is a great shop with awesome NAUI teachers. Jack the manager was very helpful in guiding me through my nitrox and open water cert course sign up. All of the NAUI instructors they have volunteering are fantastic to work with and knowledgeable. Highly recommend. read more

I would not recommend Learn Scuba Chicago to anyone, and I hope this reviews helps at least one person. I do not like swimming, I hate being underwater, and snorkeling freaks me out. But here I am anyways, because I met a boy who wanted me to get scuba certified. The things we do for love. I researched a few companies on Yelp and landed on this one. Plus they had a groupon and immediate openings. I don't know how else to structure this review so here is some lovely numbering: 1. Scuba diving is expensive. You are being misled to how expensive this hobby is when you are sold a $300 groupon. Not really a criticism, but keep that in mind. 2. To become PADI certified, you are required to complete a classroom portion a take a test. As a busy working professional, I actually liked that I could study on my own and take the test on my own time. Well, I was waaaay wrong on this one. This shit is dangerous and complicated. You need the instruction. I read probably 40 pages of that book and watched maybe half the DVD. Don't criticize me; I know you did the same. I went to take all 5 quizzes and the final exam at once. I failed the final, looked at the answer sheet, and took it again. Guess what? I passed. I had to return the book after. 3. Now that you know everything you need to because you diligently read the book and watched the DVD, you are ready to get in the pool, or should I say, schedule a pool session. They don't have their own pool but instead use other people's pools around the city and suburbs. The only class that was after work, 6:30-9:00 if I remember correctly, was all the way by O'Hare. And only once per week. That Lakeview store front is quite misleading. Every other class starts around 5 or earlier. They also don't have enough classes to accommodate their students. Remember when I said they had immediate openings? To sign up, yes. To get into a pool session, no. By the end of the summer, you had to schedule a pool session about 2 months out. So expect your summer to go something like this: drive from the city to the suburbs for 2 hours during rush hour, try to remember everything you learned 2 months ago, can't remember anything, just wing it, drive home, wash, rinse, repeat. 4. All of the instructors are volunteers because I guess this company is not-for-profit. I'm not criticizing the volunteers, their personalities, or their knowledge of Scuba, but these people should not be teachers. Teaching is more than just knowing the subject matter, you need to be able to explain it to your students and make sure they feel comfortable and retain the information. They didn't. Your instructor can be different each day so they don't really get a chance to know you. Because I knew this whole Scuba thing freaked me out, I made a point of telling each instructor that I am having trouble, get nervous under water, and might need more attention. Their response? "Don't worry, you'll be fine." Great. Thanks for the helpful tip. When you tell your calculus teacher you're having trouble is that how they respond? No! They work with you until you master the subject matter. I don't understand why this would be any different. The absolute last straw with the place was on my very last day and why I never went back. I was on my 5th or 6th pool session. To put it in perspective, most people can finish 5 modules in about 3-4 sessions. I was on my 6th and still on module 2. On this particular day, I got freaked out under water and came up. The instructor came over to talk to me and I explained how this is freaking me out, its too deep, and I don't feel comfortable. He responded that, "we're just trying to get you through this as quickly as possible." This was the attitude I got the entire time using this business. I never returned to Learn Scuba Chicago and ran into my cousin a few months later, whose husband happens to be an instructor at another company. While I was telling her about my experience, she was literally speechless. I should never be uncomfortable under water. It should move at my pace. And I shouldn't have even been cleared for module 1 while still being so uncomfortable. I am now working towards my certification with another company. I still get very anxious and nervous at just the thought of trying scuba again. I really want to get my certification and am willing to work through the anxiety to get to a place where I feel comfortable. I hope I can overcome my prior fears and bad experiences, but I think it will take a lot of work. read more

My husband and I just completed our first Discover Scuba lesson with Capt. Bob. It was such an awesome experience! Capt. Bob was funny and knowledgeable, and his intern, Art, will make an awesome diving instructor! We didn't know a thing about scuba diving at first. After about an hour of instruction and dipping in the pool with the gears, my husband and I were playing a version of football under 15 feet of water in the UIC pool location. It was fun! We will definitely recommend Learn Scuba Chicago to our family and friends!! :) read more

This place is top notch!! The staff are extremely friendly, knowledgeable, kind. They offer very flexible scuba pool sessions. I had to get certified before a trip and they worked with me to get it done in time. read more

I started my scuba journey last year with a different Chicago shop. Being new to the industry, I didn't know any better, "Sure it's a laid back community, I guess it's okay then that they routinely open the shop anywhere from 10-45 minutes late.." I justified this other shop's behavior and gruff customer service and heavy leaning on the up-sale of equipment. Learn Scuba Chicago was an eyeopener!!! The sport is already expensive, and I love that Capt. Bob is committed to making it as affordable as possible for his students. The process of signing-up, the e-learning, and class scheduling was pretty easy to navigate. I really like how you the student choose your pace and when you dive. It's convenient but does rely on the student acting as a responsible and sensible adult- which is totally okay with me. I've gone through a few certifications with LSC and am happy with my experience. I like the atmosphere he and his staff create. It is fun, inviting, and encourages socializing. From my open water dives at Haigh Quarry, it is evident that this shop doesn't take itself as seriously as the other ones do- from potlucks to random dancing- this group is always laughing. The quarry days are like weekend day-trips from the city. Expect to spend a good chunk of your day there- it's a relaxed pace.. but consider it a small vacation from the usual hustle and bustle of life. This is the shop for you if you enjoy bad jokes (Capt. Bob makes a lot of those haha!), staff with a patience, and having fun while learning. read more

Just got my PADI license with LSC. They're great people, super patient and helpful, the instructors are all very capable and make the lessons really fun! read more

I recently took an open water certification course with Captain Bob through Learn Scuba Chicago and was very satisfied. Bob made the whole experience a lot of fun and I learned a lot valuable skills I will be taking with me into the open water! Unlike my confined dive instructor, Bob was very patient and respectful when explaining new skills. I look forward to joining him on one of his chartered dives in Lake Michigan in the future! read more

I went in August for a refresher. The staff have really upbeat demeanors and the ability to sign up on-line is very convenient. However, the experience was sub-par. At first they just had me follow along with an OW class. That class was fine. The next time I was asked to just watch. I can say that the instructor raced through the skills in order to get our little group get caught up with others and actually overlooked some skills. In the end, I did a refresher elsewhere. It was individualized and we carefully went over all of the skills. So, unless things have changed, I would not recommend Learn Scuba for this purpose. read more

I just recently finished my open water certification, and I had the best experience learning from Learn Scuba Chicago. Starting from when I went into the store to sign up, to doing my open water dives at the quarry everyone was super helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. During the pool sessions I never felt rushed to get through the skills and even my instructor during the second session gave us the option to keep practicing or go into the next dive. When my partner and I wanted to keep practicing mask skills he was more than happy to take the entire rest of the session helping us get more comfortable and never rushing us. The quarry day also was very relaxed and enjoyable! On the second day my buddy and I officially completed all of the skills early enough where they gave us the opportunity to go out on our first unsupervised dive, which was a great way to celebrate being certified! I couldn't recommend this place more and if you're looking for a dive shop look no further. read more

Great place to get certified! Jack was extremely patient with me while taking the written exam. If I had any questions/ concerns he walked me through each question to make sure I understood the process correctly. Katie was also extremely helpful in the pool to make sure I felt completely comfortable. Highly recommend this shop!! read more

LSC is a completely rewarding experience for anyone that wants to learn scuba diving. The staff is friendly and completely professional, patient and they make it fun for everyone. This should be your first choice if you want to learn how to scuba. Kevin P. read more

Learning scuba at Learn Scuba Chicago has been changeling, fun, rewarding, and empowering. The staff is extremely patient as they share their love for diving with you. I would recommend LSC to anyone ever thinking about scuba diving. Bob, Aaron, Casey, Josh, Mary El, and Ashley have made us feel so welcomed and comfortable with the whole process. We are looking forward to our trip where we can test out of scuba skills in the real ocean instead of the Northeastern Pool... will update review after trip! read more

Captain Bob and his crewman Jason Kulas were awesome. I bought a Groupon to give Scuba a try. It was a blast (come to learn, I'm a fish at heart!)! For a quickie intro to scuba class, it was very informative. They were a patient bunch, with gobs of information and a great sense of humor about all that can happen while learning to dive. They are able to put those that may be nervous about breathing underwater at ease, and turn their fear into anticipation. I would love to continue with these guys! read more

I just finished my open water certification and I can't say enough good things about Learn Scuba Chicago. Capt. Bob and his team of DMCs and scuba groupies take you through each of phases of your scuba with patience, empathy, professionalism, and respect. More importantly, they tactfully blend the lessons from the book with practice-proven, real-life tips that equip you with the skills to be a safe, confident, and happy diver. read more

I've had the privilege to attend several Discover Dives with LSC and am never let down. The entire crew is professional, patient, and very good at what they do. Most of all, they're all really fun to be around. They are very military and veteran friendly; they're always providing free opportunities for vets to enjoy the water at no cost. I'm looking forward to completing my certification and doing some diving with them! read more

I can't say enough great things about Learn Scuba Chicago. I'm really happy I got certified through Bob, Sue, Sera, Nicole, Jena, Art, and Dimitry. I was psyched when I got certified that I even continued to get my Advanced Open Water Certification with Bob and his team the week after. They are a great team: they are great at making you feel very comfortable, knowledgeable, patient, detailed, fun, laid back, flexible, etc. I consider them a great new group of friends and now even my buddies to dive with. I am now addicted in scuba diving and can't wait to go on an actual trip, oh, and maybe even become a divermaster!! I highly recommend signing up for their scuba program if you want to get certified. Overall, if you want to have fun and get into the water, dive with Learn Scuba Chicago. read more

What a great experience! Amazing teachers who are passionate about scuba diving! They are very patient and helpful, and explain everything about diving and getting certified. I highly recommend them. This is a not for profit, so a lot of the teachers aren't getting paid, which show there excitement and enthusiasm for scuba diving. read more

Learn Scuba Chicago is a great place to get certified! The DMCs and instructors are very friendly and knowledgeable. I came for the OW certification and stayed for the DMC program. read more

The customer service there is astonishing! The woman working with us went WAY WAY above our expectations to help us. Super grateful. Definitely recommend. read more

Great Instructor! Captain Bob, it was a great experience and I will send a few people your way! Nick and Britt

Me and my friend happened upon Learn Scuba Chicago when we decided we would like to become certified divers and I am so happy that we found them. The entire operation that Capt. Bob and the rest of LSC crew run is top-notch in every way. I spent a few months diving with LSC and earned a PADI Open Water Diver certification. The process for this is 1) Read a book and take a bunch of handwritten exams relating to the material 2) Diving in a pool to become accustomed to breathing underwater, setting your gear up, etc. 3) Diving in an open environment -- I did my outdoor dives at Haigh Quarry in Kankakee. The entire process took me a few months, but it could be done much quicker if you are time strained. Before the first day of diving, I thought it would be really easy, take no time to learn, etc. but after the first pool dive, I realized that it was actually a completely new environment that is kind of scary to be in. I am thankful that the entire time that I was learning with LSC, I always felt safe. I had dives with Mark, Marj ("The LSC Mom"), and Bob and never once felt in danger. Diving is really fun, and LSC is a wonderful place to learn. I will certainly be diving again with LSC in the future. read more

WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER! After taking our money, they had NO availability for us to schedule dives, even though we still had over a month left in the "season". Here is the exchange that ensued: LSC Shop: "Chris" Refunds are only available within thirty days of purchase and if you did not attend a pool session. You are well past that point. We aren't responsible for getting you guys to the pool (that's up to you) and you signed up on July 13 which as of this days was well over 50 days ago. When you signed up we laid out the pool possibilities and you chose to wait until the end of the season to finish up. Unfortunately, that puts you in the same position as many other people who booked their sessions when spaces were still available. We'd love to have more sessions or accommodate more people in our pool. However, we are limited by the pool availability and our agency standards as to how many pools we can have and the number of students allowed at each session. If you signed up for a University course, failed to attend the classes that were offered, they would not give you a refund. As we said when you signed up you have a year to complete these sessions. I would suggest doing a Discover Dive on your trip so that you get a chance to dive on your trip with a dive guide and then finish your certification with us next year. I'm sorry you're in this situation but, as I said, we aren't responsible for booking your sessions. That is up to you and, like many other people, you waited until the end of the season which is when things start to get crowded. If you had a chance to attend pools in July and August this would unfortunately not be an issue. Me: Hi Chris, I am going to come into the shop tomorrow to go over my options. I think we are having a bit of a communication breakdown. When we signed up in July no one told us that pool sessions end mid-September. I took your course last year, communicated with different personnel and had a much better overall experience and impression of your team. There were a lot more pool sessions to choose from and at locations that were much more accessible for people living in the City. I am very disappointed in the tone of your email. We are paying customers just trying to figure out our options. I look forward to discussing this with you tomorrow so that we can get some kind of value out of the hundreds of dollars we have spent. This is not a university course, and there were no mandatory class dates which we somehow failed to attend. I am very experienced in that area as I have a law degree and have spent plenty of time at universities. We were simply given a set of materials and told to sign up when we had finished them. Which is what we did. This is essentially fraud. I am willing to work with you if you are willing to work with me. I hope you will have some better options and explanations when I come in tomorrow. LSC Shop: Ok, see you tomorrow. Nothing you say is going to change what I've said. The policy is the policy and you're totally responsible for scheduling your courses Me: I understand your position, I just can't imagine that you have zero options for us. Sara from your shop said that you are "working on" adding pool sessions in October. If that is the case, perhaps we can sign up for those and then do an open water dive somewhere else. We have actually saved the "Policy Statement" that was provided to us, and there is absolutely nothing in there about the thirty day refund policy you cite. Also, as we were told at the shop when we signed up, the statement says that you need to have attempted the written test prior to scheduling any pool sessions. As you know, the materials for the course are voluminous and dense. Six to seven weeks is a more than reasonable amount of time for someone to take to complete these materials before attempting the written test. If we were specifically told we can't schedule a session until these are complete, how could we have signed up before? No one told us to sign up any earlier LSC Shop That's not all of our policies. The refund policy was printed on the wall at the time That has since come down because, like Underwater Safaris, we don't give refunds on classes or unused services. Yes, you need to attempt the test before signing up for sessions. It looks like you guys waited a month before signing up to even start the eLearning. It's about 6 to 8 hours of work. We have 10 year olds that are capable of this. Again we are not saying you can't take courses with us. You have a year to complete. Your inability to complete something in a timely fashion before your trip falls solely on your shoulders. We will not be offering any refunds. I'm not unsympathetic though. If you guys would like to apply that payment towards a Nitrox class (which you can take in the off season) or an Advanced class we'd be happy to do that for you. read more

My certifications and training with LSC made a world of difference. I can tell that when I dive in other places, the level of attention, care, clarity and fun that LSC put into my training was far above and beyond. I continue going to LSC--they're super easy to work with, responsive, friendly and knowledgeable. Whether you're a beginner, advanced, advancing, or need gear, this place is excellent. read more

I was in a rush to get an Open Water certificate and Learn Scuba Chicago was extremely accommodating without compromising on quality of education. The numerous pool and quarry days that they have available provide flexibility for any schedule. I enjoyed working with the staff and volunteers, and will definitely be going back to dive with them. read more

I had wanted to take Scuba diving lessons for years. Signed up for the Groupon deal, spent my time studying the book and went for it. I must say that instructors Bob, Aaron, Casey and the entire staff do an excellent job. They really made it easy, safe and enjoyable for me. I'm continuing on from basic certification to open water and probably beyond thanks to the friendly staff. No plans on going on any trips, it's just nice to get certified at a non-rushed pace. I highly recommend Learn Scuba to anyone interested. read more

I completed the confined pool dives for my Open Water Certification through LSC in December and I had nothing short of a great experience. Capt. Bob and his staff were thorough, polite, and well organized. I feel completely confident to take the skills learned here to the ocean in a couple of weeks on vacation. If you do not want to jump right in to certification, the Discovery Dive is a great way to experience scuba diving without the full commitment of certification. read more

The whole team at LSC is awesome! I've finished my pool dives at a couple of the Chicago pools, and everybody I've worked with has been knowledgeable, attentive, and friendly. Can't really ask for more - their prices are also competitive, if not less, than lots of other places. If you want to get certified (and you definitely want to do it before your vacation) do it with LSC! read more

I purchased the discovery dive on Groupon for my boyfriend and myself last summer. Not sure why it took me so long to get around to writing this review but I had an amazing experience with the learn scuba team! The staff was very helpful and friendly! They were even patient with me as I got nervous taking my first dive and through my difficulty finding a mask that fit my face. They were very knowledgeable and completely exceeded my expectations. I would absolutely recommend them to anyone looking to take certification courses, learn more about diving or just try it out for the experience of putting on the scuba gear and taking a dip with a trained professional. read more

I'm so happy I chose Learn Scuba Chicago to get my open water certification. Everyone was extremely nice and friendly from the moment I walked in the door. They provide multiple pool locations throughout the city which was extremely convenient during my busy work week. The instructors all had great attitudes and were extremely approachable. I will definitely be going back to Learn Scuba Chicago to get my Advanced Diver certification. I highly recommend Learn Scuba Chicago for anyone interested in scuba diving. read more

I found these guys just searching online for a place to get my PADI open water certification. After taking all my classes I can say it was the best choice. All the instructors were extremely helpful and fun to learn with. These guys really know their stuff. Also if you get a chance to train with Bob. Make sure to bring your funny bone. He is a riot! I can't wait to come back and continue my training. read more

It was a wonderful experience from the beginning. Everyone was super helpful and patient, especially as an anxious and apprehensive diver. I couldn't have asked for more from the staff. read more

My husband and I used Learn Scuba Chicago for our Confined Water Certification and Captain Bob was great! I recommend Bob to anyone looking to get scuba certified. My husband took to scuba like a fish to water;) but I was a bit more nervous of this whole breathing underwater thing. Bob took his time with me and made me feel at ease. We just finished our Open Water Certification in Belize and am so thankful for Bob giving me confidence in going out in the open sea! My husband and I have even talked about going out on Bob's Lake Michigan dives. read more

Excellent! I started with LSC after I purchased a Groupon. After finishing the eLearning I was able to jump in the pool with LSC at my leisure and the Bensenville location made it really easy to get to from work. My pool sessions were excellent as it was just me, the Instructor (Art), and the dive instrcutor in training. Everyone was very patient and made sure I understood the answers to my questions. I never felt belittled or looked down upon if I did something the wrong way. I took the referral from Capt Bob and finished my cert and open water dives in Hawaii. Wow. So glad I got started with Capt Bob so I didn't have to waste time in a pool and in a classroom while on vacation. Definitely considering going back to LSC for my Advanced cert. Thank you Capt Bob! read more

Learn Scuba is an incredibly organized team and a the experience was top notch. Very happy I enrolled in this class via groupon and would certainly point anyone interested in learning how to scuba dive to Bob and his team! Well done read more

We had a great experience with Learn Scuba Chicago, friendly and patient people. My wife and I got certified before our honeymoon in Turks and Caicos and I'm glad we did, the diving was great. We're only certified to 40 ft, but we plan on upgrading to the full certification in the near future. read more

Learn Scuba Chicago is a great place to learn to dive. I would highly recommend this dive shop to others. I conducted my pool dives and open water dives with LSC to obtain my PADI open water certification in May and June 2014, and I really enjoyed the experience. They have many great instructors who want to ensure that all students learn how to dive safely and effectively, they have many divemaster candidates assisting in the training during classes (very high staff to student ratio), and they are able to conduct training in a range of methods and paces to accommodate students of many different abilities. In addition, the instructors are very nice and fun people. Scheduling the training dives was fairly easy, and the staff was very helpful in ensuring that all students scheduled dives in a manner that would allow them to complete all necessary skills. In summary, it was a great experience. Again, I would recommend Learn Scuba Chicago to others. read more

Big thank you to Jack and the team for helping me get through the referral course in 1 week! I wasn't sure if I could do it but LSC helped me every step of the way and made the experience fun and comfortable. If you are in Chicago and want to get scuba certified look no further! read more

Capt. Bob was extremely patient and worked with me until I was comfortable performing the underwater tasks. South side pool at IIT's campus was extremely convenient for me to get to. The price was the best in town and I'm ready to scuba. read more

All stars. My kid loved the group, got certified, and loves diving. All at age 12. Very knowledgeable instructors, very patient, great attitude, and an asset to the diving community. Thanks guys. read more

I had always been fascinated with exploration and more specifically the final two facets of life which remain a mystery: outer space and the ocean. Since there aren't many astronaut schools (yet?) I decided that I wanted to become a scuba diver. In parallel with my love of videography I knew that scuba could procure me a wonderful backdrop to record my adventures. A quick search on yelp! revealed two scuba shops not far from my residence on the north side of Chicago. After little debate I chose Learn Scuba Chicago: The ratings were perfect and the website made me laugh. I made my deposit to prevent myself from backing out and scheduled my first pool dive. I had no idea what to expect when I arrived but I imagined it would be something to the tune of a long-winded lecture and painstaking paperwork. Surprised, within the first 15 minutes I had assembled my gear and was jumping in the pool. The experience of breathing underwater is unforgettable; I was immediately a fan. Captain Bob had assembled a team of very competent and diverse interns that were both interesting and attentive. It was obvious that the people of Learn Scuba Chicago wanted to be there just as much as I. After my pool sessions I scheduled the final chapter of my certification: the quarry dives. The park was beautiful and littered with scuba aficionados. I began to realize a culture of diving that I never knew existed. The atmosphere of the Learn Scuba Chicago site was noticeably different than others. Besides having the largest vehicle in the lot (Bob's RV) we were the first (or only) group to get the grill going each day. Scuba, brats and burgers, followed by more scuba on a beautiful day at the quarry felt like paradise. I don't currently have any vacation plans but I look forward to my next time in the water. I am happy to call Learn Scuba Chicago my scuba alma mater (which translates "nourishing mother" in latin; so I guess that would be Bob). TLDR (too long didn't read) - Guy decides he wants to learn how to scuba dive. Has great experience with Learn Scuba Chicago. read more