Pretty fun I did a year and was very fun and a very great learning experience great time.

Every class my son takes here is absolutely fantastic. He's 13 and has taken Level 1 and currently enrolled in Level 2 within their youth program. Within these classes they get a little taste of everything and can branch off of that. He's also taken their independent MIG Welding and Woodshop Classes with adults and absolutely love the friendly supportive community here read more

Urban Workshop - Cutting board created in Woodshop Class - Vocational & Technical School Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I used to volunteer as a weld teacher at this school. Very cool if you don't have access to a shop or your own garage. Highly consider getting another membership and going back soon. Miss you guys. read more

Wonderful people! everyone in the office is nice and welcoming, the facility is awesome plenty of things to learn the place felt electric. I met Chris himself and he was extremely helpful with explaining proper procedures and techniques. If you're looking to learn a new skill this is the place to go. read more

The teachers are very knowledgeable on the topic that they are teaching. Very helpful. Will be taking classes in the future.

Urban Workshop has been a huge part of my son's life, and it's apparent that the feeling is not mutual. Their inability or rather, unwillingness to work with families is a reflection of their priorities. It is evident to me that the way they run their business does not prioritize the things that I prioritize, which makes me question whether the amount of time my child is spending there is safe and valuable. My child has attended several of their youth classes and my determination is that while he has a great time, it's not worth the $800. This boils down to their customer service. If I'm driving my child to attend classes for hours at a time, I want to feel like they are cared for. I don't feel that way. I feel that they see him as a paycheck. They don't challenge him or push him to do better. They do not have training in managing kids. While the final products appear impressive, i'm not sure if the process prioritize skills. Rather it seems to me that their priority is the ease of logistics of projects. Additionally, they made it apparent that if my child miss one of the classes, it could easily be made up in another one of his classes. This leads me to believe that there is more that they can be doing with a time that my child is spending there. My latest experience with the company really highlighted this. Additionally, some classes were met with so much down time my child spent a lot of time of his phone/computer. There is room to grow in terms of the difficulty of their projects. read more

My boys were in level 1 for fall semester and we paid out of pocket $800 each for 12 weeks. Not with charter funds. I personally knew of at least 7 other kids whose parents used charter funds, so for some reason, when you use state money, your expectations are not as high? I didn't expect extended wait times to use the tools and machines most weeks, no communication from the Education Manager until Week 5, almost halfway through the semester, to know what they did, and were underwhelmed at their projects until they were nearing the end. I would highly recommend a do-over with classes that enroll less than 10 kids. My friend even spoke with the manager or owner expressing our concerns. Our max capacity class had lots of waiting around, partner or group work to save time and resources, and the teachers doing more of the work to get the kids through the projects in time. I did not think this was a good value for the price I paid. One kid does not want to come back and the other wants to give it one more chance. I will not make a decision about Level 2 until mid-January when I survey how many kids are enrolled in each time slot. read more

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Stopped off at Urban Workshop today for a small woodworking job. I'd never been there before. GM Dave interrupted his lunch to help me out and did a fine carpentry job for me. Highly recommended. John Austin Costa Mesa read more

My son was obsessed with his camp here. He learned many hands on tool working, and couldn't get enough! The cost was $800/week and chocked full of projects. They also have a legit, ginormous workshop for adults with all the tools you could need even a blacksmithing forge in the back. read more

David was very helpful. He stopped what he was doing to help me and gave great feedback to help me think through my project. Even though my project was small he took it seriously. Would recommend! read more

Great place for kids to learn it was amazing. Everybody was friendly. I would recommend it for any one who comes here.

I learnt how to make a cheeseboard from a block of pine at OC Makers Fair. They are super friendly and patient! I had great fun at my first woodworking experience. read more

Urban Workshop - Cheeseboard from a block of pine. - Vocational & Technical School Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Christopher Lynch... THE MAN. This place will make your jaw drop. Lora I think it was gave me a tour of the workspace/facility and my goodness, for a creative mind with a small space this was heaven. I haven't looked into the rates to much because I actually just came for the AWS certifications they offer, BUT I found the FUTURE. Chris explained the expectations for the D9.1 test and made sure I was ready before I took my final test. Great service and great staff :) read more

This business is run by lawyers. No class and no honor. I was charged for a membership that I canceled within the first month and they continued to charge me for a year (yes I should have caught this sooner by scrubbing my bank statements monthly) because the cancelation request wasn't sent to the one specific email that they require you to cancel through. This was never made clear. Instead it was sent to their contracts team (the same team that set up the account)... And on the back end of this error, the management team ignored calls and emails to avoid having to make the situation right. Just awful to see small businesses caged in community act like big business because they are lawyered up. But what should I expect out of Orange County? read more

This place, the staff, and everything they offer are just 5-star across the board! You can literally do or make anything here!

This place is the best. My boys are taking their level one class now. So happy we found this. I can't say enough good about it. The instructors and administration, the professional work that is done there, the people and friendships. This is huge for us and everyone else we know that's involved is loving it just as much as well. read more

This place is great! So many amazing tools and people. I've taken 3 classes so far. Can't wait to start on my own projects soon. read more

Urban Workshop - Vocational & Technical School Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Went in to get more information on the welding program. Was greeted by the sweetest girl, Kamy. She took us on a full tour of the facility and answered all of our questions. The place is super welcoming and the staff is wonderful. I plan on joining the new AWS welding program they offer! read more

I really like this place. I have been a member for 5+ years. A lot of great people always willing to offer advise or lead a helping hand. From auto lifts and welding equipment to laser and vinyl cutting with full wood work and metal shops, you don't need to look for another place to do your projects. Stop in and take a tour to see what they have to offer. And no, I wasn't paid to write this. read more

This place takes advantage of people. You have to pay hundreds of dollars to take several more classes just to use the equipment. I joined thinking I can use the lift to work on my car. Turns out you have to take an $80 class. I own a lift in Florida. Wanted to use other equipment but you have to pay for 2-3 more classes. All this is on top of the $199 per month already charged. To ad insult to injury they charged me a second month after I told them I don't want to be a member anymore and wouldn't refund my $199 because the said I have to give 10 days notice and I gave them 5. So I'm out $400 expensive mistake. BEWARE!! read more

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Urban Workshop is such a fantastic place. I can't speak highly enough of it. I've been in manufacturing and product development for 15 years, and while it might seem expensive, it is really a tremendous value considering the tools and equipment at your disposal. Sure, you have to pay for some classes on certain equipment/work areas, but I wouldn't have it any other way. It ensures that you don't damage the equipment, but more importantly, that you don't damage yourself. I've used and been around this type of equipment my entire career, but I gladly paid the class fees to ensure I was aware of the shop requirements and machine specifics (do you know where safety cutoff is on every bandsaw or belt sander in existence? I don't). In addition to the facility packed with tools and equipment, the community here is really terrific. The staff is very helpful and they are constantly improving, but there is such value in the depth of knowledge and camaraderie among the members (for the most part). Need help lifting a sheet of plywood onto a cart? Few here, if any, would turn you down. Want to bounce ideas of someone? There is no shortage of people who love to talk through a project. This place is a rarity, and Socal is fortunate to have it here. read more

I took a metal class here once in 2015 and had a good experience as a guest but now (seven years later!) I've been spammed with marketing emails and text. Even after unsubscribing they still contacted me. Is the business suffering so badly that they need to resort to unethical practices? This aggressive approach has left an awful impression on me. read more

When you need make wooden boat parts, the routers, sanders, saws, and other tools are are here. I'm ready to join when if my project happens. Take the tour to become familiar with the shared shop facilities they offer. read more

Love it here, staff is so awesome and helpful and genuine. Great options for wood projects, metal work, and electrical. Lots of space, tools, and support. read more

This is the best maker space in the area. Seriously places like this benefit the local community tremendously. They have anything a maker could ever want and they offer training for anything you may want to learn to do, from woodworking, blacksmithing, arduino coding, casting, ext. I have found my second home! Can't wait to see what I will make next! read more

Urban Workshop - Cheese board made from the basic woodshop class - Vocational & Technical School Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

March 3, 2022..12:30PM Just talked to the rudest, most uninformed receptionist at the Urban Workshop just now. I have never been to the Urban Workshop but was looking forward to joining. I am pretty sure the owners don't know that the girl representing their business at the front desk and answering their phones is incompetent otherwise they wouldn't have her there... one thing I do know this person doesn't care about the business all. Update:3/14/22 Just talked to the coolest, nicest person "STEVE" (I think who maybe the owner) He was beyond helpful and super nice....more then made up for the rude girl upfront! The place is very well organized with all kinds cool classes...really clean too!! read more

Be careful! Staff was not congruent or transparent. When I asked for a refund I was denied, then my character was attacked and everyone treated me like a villain. After taking classes and being certified to use equipment and properly reserving tools I became a Tetris block that management wanted to move around when they saw fit. This company does not operate in good character. I humbly left :( read more

I love all of their innovative classes. They have a candle making class I'm going to be a part of this Sunday! They teach everything and anything here. Top of the line 3d printers Illustrator classes Blacksmithing Woodcrafting. You name it! Some classes you can be well on your way in as little as 3 hours. I appreciate the time and instruction and most of our the community here at Urban Workshop. Amazing opportunities from students to small business owners to the average Joe interested in creating. Forget doing things in the garages alone at home when you can meet people similar people to yourself here! read more

they do not make it clear that you have to take a class to use any of the machinery/equipment when signing up for the membership. I understand the need to take safety courses for those heavy industrial machines like (metalwork, woodwork, mechanics, etc), but to be required to take a course for a sewing machine...to use a white backdrop and box lights? Ok....I wish this was all specified before I signed up. They said that all equipment is included with the membership, given a few required pre-safety courses for just a few. Rather than just a few, it looked more like a safety course for everything except for the open table space (working area). They do have a lot of various fields of equipment, which I admire. It's a one stop place for all your creative needs. But I wish they were more specific about the requirements to use anything (that is supposedly included with your membership) read more

These guys have a truly one of a kind space here. There is an amazing community of employees and makers, all of whom are more than happy to offer a helping hand or offer some advice to work through issues. Would happily recommend to anyone asking! read more

This place is great. I like to do my own work on my cars and enjoy taking on challenging projects. Unfortunately the one bottle neck was always limited space and no access to a real professional level lift. one day when I was looking for a place where I could pay for access to a lift I found Urban Workshop. At first I didnt know what to make of the place so I booked a appointment to have a look at their facility and I am really glad I did. The first word that comes to mind when I think about their facility is impressive. They have all the resources that I was looking for and then some. They can provide you with just about anything that the serious automotive enthusiast could want for maintaining or upgrading their car. they also have many woodworking tools that are so far beyond anything you would ever get at home depot its not even a fair comparison. If their shop seems interesting to you I highly recommend booking a appointment with the staff and taking a tour to see if Urban Workshop is a good fit for you. I'm certainly glad i did. read more

Urban Workshop - Vocational & Technical School Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

My son has taken levels one and two of the youth workshop courses. It has been a great experience for him. Every Saturday the students do different projects and he has experienced so many cool things as a result. How many 14 year old can say they've done wielding or used a table saw? This place is so unique and an incredible opportunity to learn so many creative and unusual things! He has enjoyed his instructors and will complete the next two levels over the years. I highly recommend their youth workshops!!! read more

This review is for the youth classes (not the membership option). I have 2 kids that have taken a total of 5 classes so far and they have all been great. Very hands on, actually use the tools, and the projects are legit, not just card board and string like other places. This is like the "old school" shop classes of the past which are still needed! My kids have made a skateboard, blue tooth speaker, keepsake box, molded masks, tic tac toe board, wood model airplane, welded sculpture, and lots more. I definitely recommend them. read more

This place is so awesome! It's been great for my 11 year old to experience hands on learning with all sorts of equipment. He's excited for every class and comes back with so much knowledge. His entire wishlist is now full of power tools. They've done a good job keeping classes small and spaced out due to COVID which is greatly appreciated. read more

My son loves the Youth classes at Urban Workshop. We wanted to sign him up years ago but couldn't due to his school schedule, but since he's part-time now due to COVID we were able to find days that worked. The instructors are fantastic! The kids are learning skills that will stay with them for life, and depending on where they end up, what they're learning now could be the base for a career in the trades. Can't wait for Level II to begin! read more

I was a member of Urban Workshop for a year, prior to moving away fro OC. The facilities here are great for anyone looking for a workspace, or to learn some new skills. While I had lots of experience using tools previously, I learned a great deal about woodworking, welding, and general fabrication from the staff and people there. They have tools for almost EVERYTHING. Welding, woodworking, auto lifts, silk screening, vacuum forming, sewing.... the list goes on and on. The staff and patrons were always very friendly and helpful. If you like working with your hands, you must check this place out. Prices are very reasonable as well (in my opinion). They also offer classes for children as well. read more

Where do I start? Urban Workshop has been such a great experience for all 5 of my kids ages 10-17. The lessons learned in UW are multifaceted. They learn to build things they can actually use (Bluetooth speaker and skate boards have been their favorite). They learn how to use tools properly. They learn responsibility and rising up in maturity in order to use machinery. Because of a learning disability one of my kids struggles in the classroom but Urban Workshop has given her confidence. The instructors are always positive, encouraging, knowledgeable and just all around cool people for my kids to look up to. I'm so thankful there is a place like this for kids to experience building and working with their hands. read more

It's incredibly naive of people to complain about safety classes and think they're not necessary. I can't imagine ANY business owner in their right mind that would let strangers come in and use a million dollars worth of tools and equipment based solely on your "word" that you have expertise on that exact machine or tool. In fact, insurance companies wouldn't allow it. My friend is an ER doc and he would assure you that power tool accidents aren't pretty and can even happen to experienced craftsmen. I've also seen experienced people break equipment. Can you imagine if someone dropped their vehicle on themself because they "claimed" to know how to use one? From my point of view, $80 and a few hours for a department safety class in is a small price to pay to ensure that everyone is safe AND doesn't break the equipment. They are very open about this requirement from the start AND it's in the membership agreement, so it should come as no surprise, unless you're just not paying attention. A HAPPY CUSTOMER read more

Sort of like a DIYer Disneyland! Checked out their open house event for the new location on Clinton St. I had been meaning to drop in and see the outfit for quite a while, but it was perfect timing to get a tour of the brand new facility! All of the equipment here is production/professional grade. Not the typical stuff you get at a regular hardware or tool store. This is important because more often than not what you can get on the mainstream consumer market is not designed for all day, every day abuse. This is important for longevity, quality of results, and even safety reasons. In any case, about the facility... It's very nicely laid out and of course has an intensely cool collection of fabrication equipment. The layout allows for ample working space at each workstation/toolstation. Some things I was wary of but would need to look into further... Seems like there are lots of "basic" classes that are required to even start using the facilities here. Some of the equipment also requires specific training, and some even require multiple classes. They charge for each one, so it can add up quickly into the many hundreds of dollars (and probably well over $1000). This is in addition to the monthly or annual membership fees. It is understood that this is a business and is trying to turn a profit, but having some sort of certification or testing for certain things would probably net them more money in the long run. Also, I'm not sure how crowded it gets, but that would be quite sucky to keep coming here and having no available equipment or area to work. Not sure if there are any rules on reserving or time limits, but that can start to become a hassle if their schedule(s) actually start to control your visits. The purpose of the anytime-visit membership is so that you have the ability to work at your own particular convenience. Definitely need to investigate this further. I'm sure with more members, this could start to become an issue. Overall, a nice facility, and a great workshop opportunity if it actually works as the theory suggests. I actually pondered signing up and getting a membership on the spot but didn't get much help with getting my above questions answered from staff during the open house. Some were energetically helpful but were busy, and the not-so-helpful ones were...well...not very helpful nor friendly. Go figure. Perhaps a visit during a regular day might paint a better picture of how all of this stuff goes and if this really is a usable workshop. I do have to say that having access to this shop even in addition to the pretty good spread of equipment I already have was quite inviting! read more

A great big workshop to build anything your creativity will allow for. Cad/cam, silkscreen, metal shop, wood shop You name it they have it. Centrally located and reasonable membership prices. You'd be hard pressed to find a bigger space in the country. If you wanna build prototypes or just make a fun project, check UW out. read more