Enso

In my view, Enso’s philosophy is: hard work pays off. Whatever your reasons may be for signing up for martial arts classes, Enso will lead you in the right direction.

We feel very grateful and lucky to have discovered Enso two years ago on the recommendation of another family whose children were thriving in the program. The senseis and support staff are so patient, kind and respectful with the children and families. Our children have been participating in classes for almost 1 and 2-​years and really look forward to their time at Enso. The belt-​testing is done on Saturdays so most parents can come and see their children test in the beautiful Chicago dojo. Our kids haven’t participated in the tournaments yet– their choice, both shy– but chances to participate are offered on a regular basis so even the lower-​belt students can experience that. I think the monthly fee per child is very reasonable and well worth it for our family. There is also the option for the whole family to take class together which is a very nice thing to watch in action. The older students are amazing with the young ones!

This place rocks. My daughter has been going here for a few months now and she loves it. Very clean locker room and the Sensei’s are super friendly and very patient with the 5 year olds. At first I thought parking was a nightmare, but then I found out they had an agreement with this lot and its only $ 2.

We liked Go Time Fitness for karate, but this is even better. We go to the downtown studio but I hear people like their Oak Park program too. Really amazingly peaceful place to learn the discipline and «art» of this martial art. My son has taken karate here for 2 ½ years and it’s just wonderful what these instructors have done for his body and mind. He is confident, doing very well, and the community of this dojo (karate studio) is wonderful for kids, teens and adults. There are social get-​togethers for the kids and really fun flash mob events (check out you tube and you’ll see the group at union station last year and the bean the previous year). They did karate on the beach one Saturday morning last summer for a special treat! The vibe is great and the quality of the instruction, while seeming understanding and «gently encouraging» seems to be good. Kids from the dojo (not all of course but some) get medals at tournaments with kids from around the region, and there are lots of tournaments within the dojo (a couple a year) that gives everyone a better chance to win a medal.
Our son has bloomed into a more confident teenager with the Enso karate program — can’t say enough good things about Jay and Denise, or all the great teachers who work there. It seems to be a very supportive place for teeny kids and adults too.

Take the tai chi class in Chicago with instructor Chris Cinnamon! He has admirable
and extremely effective teaching skills that combine elite yet effective verbal skills with an extensive martial arts background. He is fully present during his classes and conscientous in his efforts to assist the progress of his students. I have studied various arts over the years and have been exposed to over a dozen top flight instructors but I don’t recall that any of them had the ability to articulate the art with the verbal facility that Chris has. It is so much easier to learn something when the instruction is clear. The collaborative and supportive spirit of the school/​dojo is evident
from the moment you walk in and the school is spotlessly clean.

With it’s convenient South Loop location, friendly staff and excellent teachers, Enso is the best Traditional Shotokan Karate studio in the City of Chicago. They have a very flexible schedule offering a lot of choices for classes. The owners are great and treat everyone with respect. The prices are also very reasonable. My three children have been students for over 6 years and we recommend it highly.

I found this Dojo just walking by. The owners are great. They let us come up and meet them and see a class before we told our son about it. They were encouraging and available. I like the frequency of the classes, it makes it possible to fit it into my child’s schedule.

Enso is great place for children and adults! I have several friends that bring their children to enso to train. They make life long friendships, learn discipline, and most importantly have fun in a safe and controlled environment where the parents can stay and watch if they choose to.
I personally don’t have children but I do train at Enso and it’s been fantastic. I’ve lost 20 lb’s and gaine tons of confidence that’s carried over into my working and personal life. I’ve heard horror stories about dojo’s before… but this place is a dream come true. I started off with no karate experience and now feel like I can do anything. And I’ve made lots of friends too.
Enso has a stong sense of community and I will hopefully continue to train there for many years to come.

I took yoga with Jim. Jim teaches in the Iyengar style which I align with. He is intuitive in terms of what the students need that. It was a small group of us each time and flexible enough so that we received what we needed in class.

Actual rating 4.75 stars (I wish yoga was offered more than once a week)
I found this place doing a web search and was VERY excited since I live right around the corner.
I’ve been seeking out a good yoga studio since I moved to the South Loop area and I’ve finally found one!
I love Enso! It’s tucked away and not very easy to find but once you know it’s there you’ll be hooked. Decent size studio and Jim (the yoga instructor) really knows his stuff!
I feel so calm and at peace after each session and can’t wait to go back the next week.
The only reason I’m bummed is because yoga is only offered once a week and I love it so much that I wish it was offered more! :(
(I run my own business so sometimes it’s not easy for me to get there every week)
Kudos to Enso for coming to the South Loop!
P. S. they also offer types Karate and Akido classes for adults and youths.