I started learning Italian while living in Italy more than a decade ago. While there I took group…read morelessons and private lessons. After returning to Chicago I took more group lessons, some private lessons, and back to group lessons. Approximately 7 years ago, I settled on Sentieri Italiani. Why? Because it was the best school I'd found and... because it's fun. There's a variety of things other than the standard classes to enjoy... movies, dinners, travel, game nights, etc. Currently I'm enjoying the Italian "book club" where we are reading not a text book, or a book written as supplemental material for a language class, but a book selected from the shelves of a bookstore in Italy where "real" Italians shop.

A friend and I snagged a Groupon deal for the Italian Language and Culture class at Sentieri this…read moresummer. Despite my love of classes, I approached this one with some hesitation - my lowest grades in school were always for Spanish class (well...and gym), I'm not naturally gifted at foreign language, I have no time/desire to study, and I'm not Italian. But my friend assured me there would be alcohol at every class and I would love to travel to Italy some day, so I bought the Groupon and enrolled. I'm so glad I did - it was a great experience! The school itself is fairly small - just a sitting room with couches and a large table and one classroom. I was greeted when I arrived for our first class by our adorable, enthusiastic instructor Enrico. Classes seem to be kept pretty small - we had about 10 students in ours. The Language and Culture course is split into two halves - the first half of the two hour class is a language lesson, which was taught by Enrico. Obviously there isn't a ton of language you're going to learn in three one hours sessions, but we were able to cover basic pronunciation and some key concepts for travel (time, how to book hotels, etc.) The second half of the class is about Italy's history and culture and is taught by the school's founder, Daniela. Daniela's theory, which I really appreciated, is that learning a language divorced of learning the culture is pointless - you'll never be able to make your way in the country. The culture lessons were fascinating and, yes, involve food and alcohol. Each session was incredibly enjoyable - I couldn't believe how quickly the time went. The school also really tries to foster a sense of community. After the last class we were invited to hang around and let our "liquore" wear off while enjoying cappuccino in the lounge area. The school also hosts book clubs, movie screenings, dinners and trips (they organize tours of Italy every year). Unfortunately my schedule doesn't currently allow me to take regular language lessons here, but this is a great resource in the city and I highly encourage everyone to check it out. Even foreign language study-phobes like me.

We have used Little Linguists as our weekly Spanish lesson for the children at For Your Child…read morePreschool for over 5 years and have had such an incredible experience. ALL of the staff are extremely professional, reliable, and energetic to keep our kids entertained for their classes each week! At the moment we have Ms. Marcela Peña as our weekly teacher and she is absolutely fantastic! I could not recommend this place enough!

My 5yo knows only basic Spanish, so I was super impressed with how the teacher engaged her in the…read morelanguage in a playful way at a trial class we attended. She didn't even realize that she was learning Spanish as they made crafts, sang songs and played games. I'm looking forward to seeing how much Spanish she learns at their summer camp, but I doubt she'll notice when she's just having fun with her friends and the high-energy teachers.

I have been studying with Brazil in Chicago in some form since about 2006, either through…read moreindividual classes or group classes. The school and space have evolved/grown significantly, and the Lincoln Square location is a great facility. While we drink less wine than we used to during our classes, they are just as enjoyable as they were at the beginning, which I attribute to both the teaching style as well as the character of those who would choose to pick up Portuguese language in a city (as far from Brasil) like Chicago. One of the nicest things about the school is the continued support for and encouragement of participation in Brazilian/Portuguese/Cape Verdean/etc music/sports/cultural events in the greater area.

I took my first Portuguese class at Brazil in Chicago and I know these 12 weeks ahead are going to…read morebe a lot of fun! My first impression of our instructor Carla is someone who wants nothing but her students to understand and have as much fun with the Brazilian culture and language we are learning right now. Obrigado y Tudo Bem! The classes take place in the small rooms of a house or if you are lucky like me the living room. The best thing is that people are only there because they really want to learn the language...an atmosphere of passion. The neighborhood of Lincoln Square is easily accessible through the Metra (get off of Ravenswood) and the L (brown line Damen stop). Much to my delight there were some cool places nearby that I went to: Tiny Lounge and Book Cellar...reviews will come pronto. Come to Brazil in Chicago and learn the language of a country that has everything going well for it so far: Large oil reserves, The most ecologically diverse rainforest in the world, hot women and men, Carnevale, Samba, Jiu Jitsu & Capoeira, and Caipirinhas. What more could I ask?

Our son used to dread his old tutor's sessions but since we found Diana through Learn Better With…read moreUs he looks forward to the sessions and he's made huge improvements in English, Maths and Spanish! I'm thoroughly impressed with Learn Better's attitude - happy learners really are better learners and we're so happy we found a tutor like Diana!

Madrelingua Italiana, Inc. offers an innovative way of learning Italian and English and several…read moreother related services such as translation, interpretation, language training or coaching, tutoring and intercultural competence courses. Gianluca, the owner, will work around your schedule to accomodate all of your needs. He is the man you can follow with trust to get a very good Italian language level of competency and professional advice pertaining to all the services listed in their website.

I know Gianluca on a personal and on a professional level from years. As a world traveler, I enjoy…read morevisiting Italy and I can state with confidence how everything looks different when you understand the language and the culture of this gorgeous country. Gianluca is dedicated and patient with his clients and his services are highly result oriented. He is definitely an asset for all your Italian traveling and language learning ambitions.

Just started taking lessons with Eric today, so far so good :) My hopes with these lessons are to…read morehave a firm grasp of the theory behind what I've learned to play by ear.

I would highly recommend Eric's studio for any level guitar player. He teaches you how to 'see'…read morethe scales and arpeggios in ways that make them come to life in music. I have taken lessons before and never got 1/10th of what I have learned from Eric. Very relaxed atmosphere and a great place to talk about and experience jazz and blues in all their forms.

They really make the space count!…read more I decided to become a member ($50 a year for an individual) since I'm currently taking one of the virtual adult German classes. The membership gave me a discount on the class and so much more! I highly recommend the classes. My instructor is good about making everyone feel comfortable and included and has creative but fun ways to ensure everyone enjoys even the most challenging of topics, like grammar! Yes, I truly mean that German grammar can be fun! In addition to german classes, Dank Haus has so many different, affordable activities that you can sign up for. I've done the bilingual yoga classes - the meditation is all in English and the yoga part is all in German. Don't let the yoga all in German scare you off though! If you don't understand, you can just watch the instructor and mimic her. She's really good. The wild part is...the yoga classes only cost $5 each! Crazy! They were outside in the summer (on the terrace with a gorgeous view!) and soon to start up again this fall indoors. The cooking classes are also loads of fun. I've only been to one so far, but everyone was so kind and welcoming considering I went to it solo. I came out of the class happy I made some friends! Not to mention, each cooking class includes a drink in the price (choice of alcoholic or non-alcoholic) so they're a great deal! If you're interested in touring the place, they offer guided tours and self guided tours by appt. You can do it via their website. I did a self-guided tour where I picked up a paper in the lobby of the highlights of what to see on each floor. I was surprised at how much history was crammed into even the hallways! There's definitely more than you think there is... I also requested to visit their library of books in German, since the public library is kinda lacking in that department. Their selection is excellent. They have everything from books to learn German to easy readers (short stories that aren't super wordy) to full fledged adult fiction to cookbooks. Id argue Dank Haus is a great place whether you know German, want to learn German, or know German. I wish I had learned about all the affordable activities they had sooner! All I know is I'll definitely keep on taking advantage of them

The Dank Haus is such a staple in the Lincoln Square community. If you haven't been here yet,…read morefollow their socials and get on their newsletter to find an event that interests you. On our latest visit, during the annual Open House Chicago architecture event throughout the city, we came in to appreciate the beauty of this big building. We popped up to the second floor bar to enjoy some beer and enjoyed watching the indoor shooting (not as scary as it sounds). The volunteers, regulars, and fellow patrons are always a good group to hang out with. If you're lucky enough to attend an event on the sixth floor, be sure to take photos out on the patio as the views are pretty nice! As far as transportation, it's right off the Western CTA Brown Line stop. There's paid parking on the closest streets (or lots). If you're willing to walk a few minutes, almost everything west of Western is free neighborhood parking.

My 16 year old son visited from NY for their summer jazz intensive, and it was the most incredible…read moreexperience for him! He was challenged with working with the best choreographers, and can't stop talking about it. He really felt like he was part of a family after the first day! He's already looking forward to next summer!!

My girls (now 8 and 4) absolutely LOVE dancing at Gus! They both started a little over a year ago…read moreand have learned so much and have so much fun in class. They like to have their own dance classes at home where they put on their shoes and practice what they learned in class with each other. My older daughter is now a company dancer and is there twice a week. The teachers are wonderful with the little kids and keeping their attention, which I just got to see first hand during parent observation week. I also like that Gus gives back to the community and puts on so many free performances for families and other members of the community throughout the year. They are family owned which you can truly feel in all aspects of their interactions and communication with the children and parents. Highly recommend!