- AMERICA'S CUP
- CLASSIFIEDS
- NEWSLETTERS
- SUBMIT NEWS
Columbia Yacht Club
Review Highlights
“ The view of the Chicago skyline as the icing on the cake along with fireworks off of Navy Pier . ” in 5 reviews
“ Alright, I am a member here and have been eating here since I was old enough to consume solids. ” in 9 reviews
“ (unless your more of the McDonalds crowd) Laid back bar, and a great chef in one of the cities most beautiful settings. ” in 2 reviews
Location & Hours
Suggest an edit
111 N Lake Shore Dr
Chicago, IL 60601
Closed now | |
You Might Also Consider
Academic Tutoring & Test Prep
in Tutoring Centers
Gateway Montessori
in Montessori Schools
Dovetail Studios
in Dance Studios, Venues & Event Spaces, Dance Schools
Amenities and More
About the business.
Business owner information
Whether you own a vessel or just love being on the water, you will find that Columbia's diversity offers something for everyone. Unparalled skyline views combined with our gourmet food and year-round social activities make Columbia Yacht Club one of Chicago's most fun and unique clubs. The Sailing School offers classes for students of all ages through its Junior and Adult Sailing Programs. The Sailing School 's Classes are open to both non-members and members of the Club. Our Clubship has several great locations available to use for hosting parties, meetings, and weddings. Offering stellar views of both Chicago and Lake Michigan, our unique Clubship venue combined with our Chef's phenomenal food makes Columbia a perfect event location. The Membership is comprised of boat owners as well as non-boat owners, and we have Junior Members, Honorary Life Members, and everyone in between! Please email [email protected] for any inquiries about Columbia Yacht Club. …
Ask the Community
Ask a question
Yelp users haven’t asked any questions yet about Columbia Yacht Club .
People also searched for
Graduation Dinner
Old School Movie Theater
Swim School
Sports Clubs
Kids Cooking Classes
Fun Things To Do At Night
Recommended Reviews
- 1 star rating Not good
- 2 star rating Could’ve been better
- 3 star rating OK
- 4 star rating Good
- 5 star rating Great
Select your rating
Overall rating
Ok, there are a few caveats here to begin with.....we were here on a Tuesday when only the bar, not the restaurant was open, and we had to sit inside because it was not warm enough to enjoy outdoor dining. I've been here plenty of times before, with my parents, as they are members here. Ah, they're into sailing, you surmise. No, they were looking for a monthly parking spot and found that with a $50/month membership you also gain access to a $25/month parking space. Sure beats $200 - $250/month, which is what most spaces go for in Streeterville. Their food here has been ok to good before, and the food was certainly acceptable on this night, but nothing special. I had the blackened salmon with avocado sandwich along with mom and dad had the steak sandwich (which he said was very good), The salad was decent, but not great. The service was just ok as there were at least 10 minutes that went by before my empty glass of water and beer were addressed. But the guys working there are all very friendly. That doesn't refill my beer though. It got really loud and annoying toward the end of the meal, as some boisterous clearly-single-pretending-not-to-be-in-their-mid-forties-but-are ladies sat down at the bar next to some dudes and proceeded to carry on and cackle in a way that screamed "look at me." This bothered my mom the most, so I reminded her, "mom....we're in a bar." Hey, I'm all about having a good time, but come on ladies, don't be so obnoxiously loud. The boat itself is pretty cool, it was brought to Chicago as a retired icebreaker/passenger ferry from Quebec. I guess at one point in the 1940's it was Canada's best eastern-based icebreaker. But as one reviewer mentioned, watch your step! There are seemingly unnatural steps, drops, things you need to lift your feet over throughout the entire boat. After it few drinks, this could get hairy! The views here are fantastic. This is clearly the main attraction to the venue, as it's parallel to the north end of Grant Park, and thus, has unobstructed views of the skyline toward the north and south. I'll have to come back on a day other than a Tuesday when its nice outside and perhaps the review will get better.
I'm only here to review their restaurant and food since my friends and I got a chance to dine here at this members only club (long story short: we bid on a friend during a date auction and got a gift certificate with him here). Everything here is overpriced, which is surprising because you'd think they would have special prices since members already have to pay fees! Most of our dishes were pretty salty so you'll see a trend as I describe some our dishes below: Bread basket: Great variety but totally not fresh. It was warmed up but you could tell when you bite into something that's sort of soft on the outside but then gets harder and stale inside. How does one describe that? French Onion Soup: very very salty King scallop appetizer: Wow, probably the better dishes of the night. Great texture, generous with the sprouts and mushrooms but the sauce overlaid was way. too. salty. Fajitas: average. Bass: Big chunk of fish but again, salty. Seared fish sandwich: On a brioche bun that was slightly stale (see above comment for bread basket). Fish was tasteless and overcooked. BLEEEH. Filet mignon: Could've been better. Atop a big mound of salty risotto. Sangria: Both peach and regular were pretty yummy. LAY OFF THE SALT yacht folks!
Columbia Yacht Club doesn't have a club building, they have a Club Ship. It's seriously an old ice cutter they bought from Canada. I see that several people have complained about the price...but, it's a yacht club..... Anyhoo, view alone this place gets five stars. During the summer you eat on the bow of the boat with Lake Shore Drive and the whole city skyline before you. Durring the winter or bad weather (except January when it's closed) you can eat inside. Their bar is always a fun venue too. And then the food...Chef Bre does a great job of keep the menu fresh and interesting while leaving some nice comfort food options on the menu. The menu changes with the season and features local and sustainable ingredients. It's closed during January and I've gone through withdrawal. So glad that it's back open again. The staff is always super friendly and has great advice on what wine to order with your meal.
Great sailing club with a very cool location and membership. Lots of characters and friendly competition. Club includes a very nice restaurant with great city views and a nicely decked out bar. They also have a good sailing school for kids and a skipjacks program for adults. They have a great tradition of relaxed Wednesday night racing called the "Beer Can Races". Beer Cans are a great way to learn about racing without all the stress of someone freaking out on you.
The Columbia Yacht Club is members only, but as members of a yacht club in Canada, we were welcomed at Columbia Yacht Club as reciprocal members. We stopped in for breakfast and couldn't have been more pleased. First off, the place is a retired passenger ferry that you can explore which is really cool by itself, but our breakfast was outstanding. If there is one must-try item it is the French Toast. It's crispy on the outside and tastes of nutmeg and cinnamon, but soft, almost marshmallow soft inside. It's topped with maple syrup that has been aged in bourbon barrels and is simply too good. The service was prompt, friendly and attentive. I would love to visit again on a summer Sunday morning.
Sunset views to end an afternoon of gazing to the east, north and south on a sunny Sunday afternoon. I loves me some of that. 5 stars for location go to CYC. Food wise, though? Oh, CYC you do me wrong. I knew to keep my expectations low given that we were attending a buffet-style graduation dinner for 60. However, ahem, however, despite my low expectations, I was underwhelmed. The pasta was overcooked, the roasted potatoes dried out, the beef also dried and cold despite soaking in Au jus. The final travesty of this meal? The kitchen managed to ruin brussel sprouts. Tough, bitter, and grayish looking are the first three adjectives that come to mind in describing the dish that we were presented with. Honestly, I was shocked. I am a brussel sprouts fiend, and I know that it takes a lot to ruin this humble vegetable. Strong coffee and tasty cookies ended our evening on a slightly higher note. I would love to say that I would give CYC another shot, and maybe I will for drinks or to admire the view. I'll know better next time and come prepared. KIND bars in the purse and the number for The Gage on speed dial.
Have eaten at the restaurant here twice now as executives at my company have memberships here. The food here is really great, and you can tell the manager, Nick, loves what he does. He did a nice job of throwing our company party and even figured out how to create bourbon-flavored and Jasmine-flavored cotton candy using natural sugars for our Fair/Carnival-themed-party this summer. It's an old boat with lots of history and the view is really great. Would recommend trying if you can swing it.
The staff is incredible! They go out of their way to welcome you and provide the best service. Food and bar selections are outstanding. Even if you are not a boater you will love the activities. If you are a boater you will appreciate the location of the dock in the heart of the city and the many boating friends you will meet. Club is casual and not at all stuffy or pretentious.
This is a review for the restaurant only. I am not a member of the club, but recently had a chance to dine here on a business lunch. When I arrived, I boarded the boat that serves as the clubhouse and restaurant. I had no idea where I was going, so I asked the first passing staff member that I saw. To be honest, I was kind of expecting my non-member status to earn me help only begrudgingly, but to my pleasant surprise, the. staff member was exceedingly nice. and even took the time to actually. take me to the restaurant location. Shame on me for assuming the. staff would be snooty. The restaurant itself is very classy and tasteful, with some great harbor views if you are seated near the windows. My party and I sat down to take a look at the menu. I was impressed with how reasonable the prices were. Aside for big steaks and a couple other entrées that you'd expect to be expensive, nothing was over $13-14. Most sandwiches were $8-9. The server started by telling us the drink specials, which I found amusing for lunchtime. But I suppose if I were a member of a yacht club, I would partake in lunchtime drinks more often myself. The sommelier stopped by and recommended the sangria, which he described as being "Gringo" style; I later found out that this means "really, really strong." The sangria was in fact absolutely delicious, but if you want to get anything else done later in the day, I would recommend sticking to one glass. To start, we ordered a plate of fries with black truffle oil and parmasean cheese. They were served with a goat cheese ranch that was out of this world. The fries were cooked perfectly (don't laugh; I find over- and under-cooked fries to be a pervasive problem). We were licking at the plate while the server was clearing the table. I was feeling rather simple, so I just ordered the burger. It was a good size, and cooked exactly as I ordered it. It didn't blow me away, but it was very good for $9. The yam chips that came with it were awesome. Just the right amount of crispness, and sweet in just the right way. For dessert, the four of us split two dishes: a peppermint cupcake thing, and a creamy peanut butter cake. Both were delicious, but so rich that we could each only manage a few bites. The service was friendly and attentive, so definitely no complaints there. The bill? Less than $80. That's for an appetizer, four entrées, two desserts, four sangrias, and miscellaneous coffee and soft drinks. It's not *extremely* cheap, but for the quality and the amount of food we got, it was a and hard to beat. The rub is that you have to be a member, which is pricey in itself, but if you know a member, I'd definitely suggest having them take you here for a lunch (I have no experience with the dinner service here). It may not be world-class cuisine, but for the price and quality, you'll probably be quite happy.
Wonderful facilities and a nice Club... However, if you are looking for a sailing program, I would NOT recommend the sailing school for children. I had real safety concerns. There is no sign-in or sign-out procedures so kids are left up by Lake Shore Drive and can be picked up by ANYONE. My 6 year old was bullied, came home sunburnt, and spent more time watching movies and swimming than sailing. Not worth the money, since there many other excellent sailing programs in Chicago.
3 other reviews that are not currently recommended
Pinot’s Palette - Logan Square
in Paint & Sip
Kiddie Academy of Lincoln Park
Now Enrolling
in Preschools, Child Care & Day Care, Summer Camps
Collections Including Columbia Yacht Club
Chi-town stand up
By Chizzle L.
Chicago Summer Patio/Rooftop
By Sandeep C.
By Jason G.
People Also Viewed
The Cliff Dwellers
Theater on the Lake
Union League Club of Chicago
The Metropolitan
The Sky-Line Club
Burnham Park Yacht Club
The Den Theatre
Lincoln Park Young Professionals
Browse Nearby
Restaurants
Things to Do
Restaurants With Private Rooms
Table Tennis
Luggage Storage
Other Places Nearby
Find more Social Clubs near Columbia Yacht Club
Find more Specialty Schools near Columbia Yacht Club
People found Columbia Yacht Club by searching for…
Day Club Chicago
Graduation Dinner Chicago
Live Supper Clubs Chicago
Private Club Chicago
Social Clubs Chicago
Social Groups Chicago
The Abbey Pub Chicago
- AMERICA'S CUP
- CLASSIFIEDS
- NEWSLETTERS
- SUBMIT NEWS
Boats for sale
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History” |
Columbia Yacht Club
Founded 1892.
Columbia Yacht Club
Columbia Yacht Club is a private club in a 1946 Canadian-built icebreaker in Chicago's harbor. It has a cozy bar, a formal restaurant, and a small shop selling club goods. The club offers excellent service and spectacular views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. Visitors can walk through parts of the ship and enjoy events such as weddings, receptions, or celebrations.
All experiences in Columbia Yacht Club
There aren't any active events in Columbia Yacht Club.
But you can take a look at all the events we have in Chicago
Events near Columbia Yacht Club
Ferris bueller movie tour at the art institute of chicago.
31 Aug - 19 Oct
Big Bus Chicago Sunset Tour
Bike tour of chicago's lakefront neighborhoods.
31 Aug - 03 Nov
Chicago River Boat Architecture Tour
31 Aug - 14 Nov
Chicago Bike Rental
Bikes, bites, and brews: chicago's signature dishes bike tour, directions to columbia yacht club.
111 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago
Venues near Columbia Yacht Club
Salvage one.
1840 West Hubbard Street, Chicago
5045 meters
Thalia Hall
1807 South Allport Street, Chicago
4710 meters
Aire Rooftop
100 W Monroe St, Chicago, IL 60603, United States
1543 meters
Chopin Theatre
1543 West Division Street, Chicago
4912 meters
Water Tower Place
835 N. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL
1744 meters
Cafe Brauer
2021 N Stockton Dr.
4298 meters
The Fairgrounds at the Salt Shed
1357 North Elston Avenue, Chicago
4557 meters
Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA)
820 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago
1753 meters
Teatro ZinZanni Chicago
32 West Randolph Street, Chicago
1304 meters
Sushi By Bou - Lincoln Park
1816 North Clark Street, Chicago
3870 meters
Sorry, JavaScript must be enabled to use this web app
Columbia Yacht Club
111 N. Lake Shore Dr.
Neighborhood
Description.
Since 1892, Columbia Yacht Club has been celebrated as one of Chicago's premier boating clubs and sailing organizations. It is located where Randolph Street meets the Lake Michigan shoreline. In the winter of 1982-83, Columbia Yacht Club purchased the MV Abegweit, a 372-foot, 7,000-ton train ferry from Canada. Its lower level held railcars and motor vehicles during the ship's service on the Northumberland Straight from 1947 to 1982. The ferry now serves as the club ship and headquarters. Once the most powerful icebreaking ship in the world, "Abby" remains "in service" today as an exclusive dining room and event space that offers unparalleled views of the Chicago harbor, skyline and Grant Park.
Archived In
2015 , 2016 , 2017 , 2018 , 2019 , 2023
Presenting Sponsor
Media Sponsors
Join to receive exclusive OHC member benefits, and be the first to know about Open House Chicago updates when you sign up for the e-newsletter.
Become a Member
Sign up now!
Columbia Sailing School
41°53'02.07"N | 87°36'43.25"
Learn to sail at Chicago's premier sailing school!
Located on the water in the heart of downtown Chicago, Columbia Sailing School is the perfect location to start your sailing adventure! From breaking the ice in the spring to the first snow at the end of the fall, each season, we welcome hundreds of students of all ages and ability levels to learn and advance their sailing skills while enrolled in one of our many courses. Our dedicated US Sailing certified staff promotes the US Sailing Instructor’s responsibility for safety, fun, and learning.
Our Mission
Columbia Sailing School, shaping stewards for our waters.
Columbia Sailing School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
Adult Sailing
Youth sailing, non-discriminatory policy.
The Columbia Sailing School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in its education policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
Sign up for our mailing list!
Venetian Night 2024 is July 20th at 9:00 p.m. in Monroe Harbor! Read more »
Chicago Harbors
Yacht Clubs
Want to share the love of the water with friends? There’s a club for everybody no matter what you’re looking for. Explore the yacht clubs at each harbor.
COLUMBIA YACHT CLUB
Race committee, to learn more about race committee at columbia yacht club, please complete this form. .
Wed, Aug 11
Columbia Yacht Club
100 Boats on a Beer Can
Time & Location
Aug 11, 2021, 6:30 PM
Columbia Yacht Club, 111 N Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60601, USA
Share this event
|
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Columbia Yacht Club is a historic and welcoming club for sailors and boaters on Lake Michigan. Learn about its history, membership, events, and facilities on its official website.
Enjoy the stunning views of Lake Michigan and Chicago's skyline from the Clubship Abegweit. Columbia Yacht Club offers hospitality, culinary, and educational excellence for members and guests.
In 1892, Chicago was rebuilding from its disastrous fire, the world was wildly anticipating the Columbian Exposition, Daniel Burnham was advising city leaders to make no little plans, and a group of yachting enthusiasts organized what became formally known as Columbia Yacht Club. Within months, those founding members built their first clubhouse ...
The Columbia Yacht Club was established in 1892 and has been based on the former ice-cutting Canadian ferry the MV Abegweit since 1983. I have visited this spot several times over the years since it has been freely accessible as an Open House Chicago venue (usually access is for Members Only).
Columbia Yacht Club, Chicago, Illinois. 4,844 likes · 76 talking about this · 45,812 were here. You board the Abby, club ship of the Columbia Yacht Club, permanently moored in Monroe Harbor, Downtown...
Columbia Yacht Club is a historic sailing club on Lake Michigan that offers racing, cruising, power boating and social events. Learn about the club's history, news, events and directions on the Sail World website.
Specialties: Whether you own a vessel or just love being on the water, you will find that Columbia's diversity offers something for everyone. Unparalled skyline views combined with our gourmet food and year-round social activities make Columbia Yacht Club one of Chicago's most fun and unique clubs. The Sailing School offers classes for students of all ages through its Junior and Adult Sailing ...
Columbia Yacht Club, Illinois. Since 1892, Columbia Yacht Club in Chicago has been known as more than a ship on the Lake, as more than a sailing organization, as more than a dining room. It has been known and continues to be celebrated as the club that fosters a deep sense of pride and camaraderie among its members, officers, and staff.
111 North Lake Shore Drive Chicago, Illinois 60601 312-938-3625. Erected by Columbia Yacht Club. Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1891. Location. 41° 53.046′ N, 87° 36.746′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in The Loop ...
2,014 Followers, 662 Following, 915 Posts - Columbia Yacht Club (@columbiayachtclub) on Instagram: "Since 1892 our members have shared a passion for sailing and camaraderie.The ice-cutting ferry the Q.S.M.V Abegweit has been our club ship since 1983."
Since 1892, Columbia Yacht Club has been known as more than a ship on the Lake, as more than a sailing organization, as more than a dining room. It has been known and continues to be celebrated as the club that fosters a deep sense of pride and camaraderie among its members, officers, and staff. Members are drawn together by their love of the ...
Columbia Yacht Club is a private club in a 1946 Canadian-built icebreaker in Chicago's harbor. It has a cozy bar, a formal restaurant, and a small shop selling club goods. The club offers excellent service and spectacular views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. Visitors can walk through parts of the ship and enjoy events such as ...
Chicago, IL colyc.org Joined July 2009. 518 Following. 1,441 Followers. Tweets. Replies. Media. Likes. Columbia Yacht Club's Tweets. ... Columbia Yacht Club is now the proud owner of this Chris Craft 31' Commander as our RC signal boat! Let racing season begin! — feeling excited. 1.
Since 1892, Columbia Yacht Club has been celebrated as one of Chicago's premier boating clubs and sailing organizations. It is located where Randolph Street meets the Lake Michigan shoreline. In the winter of 1982-83, Columbia Yacht Club purchased the MV Abegweit, a 372-foot, 7,000-ton train ferry from Canada. Its lower level held railcars and motor vehicles during the ship's service on the ...
Columbia Yacht Club, located on the scenic Lake Shore Drive in downtown Chicago, offers a premier sailing experience with its convenient location near walking and bike paths, public transportation, and Divvy stations. ... As one of the leading yacht clubs in Chicago, Columbia Yacht Club boasts a team of experienced professionals, including a ...
Learn to sail at Columbia Sailing School, a nonprofit organization located on the water in downtown Chicago. Offering courses for adults and youth of all levels, from beginner to advanced, with US Sailing certified instructors.
Columbia Yacht Club is located in the heart of Chicago's sailing scene. As you look west from the Club Ship, Abegweit, you will see the single most magnificent view of Chicago's skyline. The Club is nestled between two of the city's greatest harbors, Monroe and DuSable. As you look east, the glory of Lake Michigan is nothing short of breathtaking.
Columbia Yacht Club is one of the oldest yacht clubs in Chicago, founded in 1892. It is located at 111 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago IL 60601, and offers a variety of activities and events for its members.
To learn more about Race Committee at Columbia Yacht Club, please complete this form. First Name. Last Name. Email. Phone. Birthday. Address. Continue. Contact Us. Phone: 312 - 938 - 3625. Email: [email protected]. CONTACT US. 111 N. Lake Shore Drive. Chicago, IL 60601. COLUMBIA YACHT CLUB. Parking at DuSable. Public Transit. Divvy ...
For 132 years, Columbia Yacht Club has been a haven for those who love the water. Join Today! Our unique Club Ship sets us apart from other clubs, but Columbia is known for much more than this; we are known as more than a sailing organization, as more than a stunning dining experience. ... Chicago, IL 60601; Phone: (312) 938-3625; Contact Us ...
Aug 11, 2021, 6:30 PM. Columbia Yacht Club, 111 N Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60601, USA
Columbia Yacht Club. Racing . Signature Regattas; Chicago Beer Can Series; Annual Regattas; Special Regattas; Race Committee ... Chicago Beer Can Series; Skyway Yacht Works COLORS Regatta; Regattas; Facebook; Instagram; 111 North Lake Shore Drive. Chicago, IL 60601; Phone: (312) 938-3625; Contact Us
Yacht Scoring is a featured packed 100% web based regatta administration and scoring system that simplifies the task of competitor registration, event management, competitor and media communications while providing results in near-real time to competitors and the World following your event on the internet. ... Columbia Yacht Club Chicago, IL ...