Steamworks

Chicago Steamworks is hands-down the best gay bathhouse in North America—period, 10/10. (For context, Toronto’s SW takes second place, and Montreal’s G.I. Joe takes third). Among all the bathhouses I’ve visited across the continent, its overall quality, spatial design, and atmosphere are truly top-tier. The first floor houses the locker rooms and wet areas, featuring a large pool, steam room, and dry sauna that are exceptionally comfortable to use. The second and third floors are dedicated to private rooms and play areas, with a layout that perfectly balances privacy and social interaction. My personal favorite detail is the decoration at the landing of the staircase between the first and second floors. The staff changes the theme based on the holiday, season, or specific events. I’ve never seen another club put so much heart into its decor; it’s truly impressive. The best times to visit are Friday and Saturday nights, as well as Boyz Night. Sunday evenings tend to be quiet since most people have work on Monday, so it’s not the ideal time if you’re looking for a crowd. SW-Chi offers lockers and a variety of private room sizes to suit your needs. The crowd is incredibly diverse—covering all ages, body types, and ethnicities—and generally, everyone is friendly and respectful. A pro-tip: bring a pair of clean flip-flops and take care of your personal grooming at home beforehand for a more comfortable experience 😎. If you’re a regular, I highly recommend following their social media for updates on special events. Also, be sure to keep their ID and bag policies in mind before you head out.

This sauna is fantastic! It’s very clean, well-maintained, and the facilities are top-notch. The staff are friendly, professional, and always ready to help, which makes the experience even better. I love that it’s open 24 hours, so you can visit anytime that suits your schedule. Whether you’re looking to relax after a long day or just enjoy some quiet time, this sauna is the perfect choice. Highly recommended!

This place is honestly ableist. They wouldn’t even let me in because of my stutter like, they really thought I was drunk just because my words weren’t coming out perfectly. I kept trying to explain myself, and the more I tried to talk, the worse my stutter got, and the more they looked at me like I was lying. It was embarrassing and frustrating because they weren’t listening to what I was actually saying, just judging how I said it. I’ve dealt with people misunderstanding my stutter before, but this was different. It felt like they made up their mind the second I opened my mouth. Instead of treating me like a person, they treated me like a problem. That’s the part that really gets to me they acted like my disability was something suspicious instead of something real. Honestly, it just shows how quick people are to assume the worst without even giving you a chance. It shouldn’t be this hard to exist in public when you don’t speak perfectly. I’m not drunk I just stutter. And I shouldn’t have to defend that to anyone. I won’t be going here ever again!

Disappointing Experience Despite Nice Facilities I visited this sauna about two months ago and was really looking forward to it. While I had to wait in line for quite a while, I completely understand that—it happens. However, the staff at check-in and check-out were noticeably unfriendly and dismissive, which unfortunately set a negative tone for the visit. The location itself is quite nice and clean, and there were many great people around, which I appreciated. The towels provided were a bit small, but that’s a minor issue. What really spoiled the experience for me was the consistently cold and unwelcoming attitude of the staff. It made what could have been an enjoyable visit rather disappointing.

I’m 26 feel a little like a Karen right now butThe staff’s attitudes are such a vibe kill sometimes. They act annoyed at the very fact you are coming to be a customer and others have shared similar experiences with me. Today the steam room and hotub was closed when I came in and I asked to upgrade to a room as there’s no place to relax if u just have a locker and half the facility is down. He said “is this your first time” in a condescending way that implied I should know when the steam room gets cleaned. Just ask if it’s closed when u check in if it’s during the day even on a weekend and don’t let the staffs terrible attitudes get u down and you’ll have a good time Maybe they could let people know when checking into STEAM works that the STEAM room is closed haha seems kinda like a scam to only let people know after they’ve paid