The best karate dojos in Illinois
Ranked by the members who actually train there — Google rating weighted by review volume, across 4,968 reviews of Illinois dojos. Minimum 20 reviews to qualify, real karate dojos only, one location per chain, and nobody pays for a spot. Updated 2026.
#1 National Karate & Martial Arts South Elgin
5 ★★★★★ 310 reviews · South Elgin, IL
“National Karate is truly an outstanding karate school that offers so much more than just martial arts training. Being part of this community has significantly boosted my self-estee…” — Samahi
#2 True Balance Karate
4.9 ★★★★★ 124 reviews · Downers Grove, IL
“TBK is my second home, and my favorite place to be. I started training here 8 years ago, along with my son. I had a background in martial arts from my youth, having done Tae Kwon D…” — Jordan
#3 Ekims Karate Kickboxing & MMA
5 ★★★★★ 87 reviews · Silvis, IL
“Mike is a great instructor with little kids. He's the perfect amount of firm and friendly. He smiles while he yells. Karate is a physical sport, it isn't easy; but Mike tempers his…” — Kyrie
#4 High Kick Fitness
4.9 ★★★★★ 71 reviews · Worth, IL
“Don’t second guess yourself when thinking about putting your kids here! My son has not only gained more confidence, but his physique and discipline have changed immensely! The coac…” — Eynas
#5 Sharkey's Karate Studio
4.9 ★★★★★ 68 reviews · Naperville, IL
“In 2024 my then 11 year old started at Sharkey’s Karate during summer break, and the transformation since then has been incredible. What began as a fun summer activity quickly beca…” — Jim
#6 Karate for Kids / Success Now Martial Arts
4.8 ★★★★★ 68 reviews · Darien, IL
“We absolutely love Success Now Martial Arts! The instructors are amazing—always super helpful and encouraging. Who else can say they train with the best of the best, including a 9t…” — Kristin
#7 Fonseca Martial Arts - Evanston
4.9 ★★★★★ 62 reviews · Evanston, IL
“My 3-year-old daughter has been going here for about 2 weeks now. Excellent curriculum (with excellent Sensei), even for the little ones. My little one is always ready and super ex…” — Sal
#8 Wave Martial Arts
5 ★★★★★ 56 reviews · Streamwood, IL
“My daughter has been attending Wave Martial Arts for almost a year. All of the staff are absolutely amazing! They are great with the kids. Not only has the karate classes helped my…” — Tutu
#9 Illinois Shotokan Karate Clubs
4.7 ★★★★★ 56 reviews · Palatine, IL
“Our boys have been training with ISKC since they were four years old. Almost 6 years later and one of them with a Sho Dan, we are still going strong! This place is more than a kara…” — Rhena
#10 Imazaki Dojo
5 ★★★★★ 40 reviews · Chicago, IL
“I am an experienced martial artist, having practiced TKD, Wing Chun, and Kickboxing in previous days, and I've been continuing my martial arts training at Imazaki Dojo for almost a…” — Tai-Chi