Best saunas in Chicago

Chicago's atlas is a short pair: two curated saunas across 3 formats (Finnish, steam, and infrared). Small list, but the split itself is the point. Each format changes what the heat feels like and what you do between rounds.

Both listed venues run a cold plunge on site, so the hot–cold–rest cycle is the design of the session rather than an afterthought. Budget a little extra time so you can do the cycle properly.

Both sessions land in the mid-range ($$) band. That makes the decision about operator and setting rather than budget, and either is a defensible spend. Walk-in rates vary, so confirm the current price on the listed website.

On character, the pair reads differently on paper: one stands on heritage. The setting shapes the session as much as the heat format does. Weigh the atmosphere alongside the format.

Two places to start: Eastend, a modern West Loop wellness club centred on a 40-person Finnish sauna, with four cold plunges and an infrared cabin; and Chicago Bath House, a 1906 Russian banya in Wicker Park, anchored by the Red Square hot room. That’s the on-ramp. The full ranking sits above.