Wow the balsamic vinegar and white vinegar selections and taste were amazing. Such a great variety of unique flavors and free tastings of almost all of them. Looks like they also keep up with consumer demands and likes and dislikes bc some were discontinued so it's good they must listen to opinions. We loved the balsamic vinegars and bought 3 for $60 and they were pretty amazing: black garlic, watermelon, and white peach. The staff Van was great and friendly. read more

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Awesome customer service . The bottle of vinegar i ordered arrived broken. Two days after notifying the company a new bottle was delivered. Great products great service read more

I didn't have any intention of stopping here but... I don't know, FOMO maybe? I stopped in and purchased a few things: A couple of rubs, and three small bottles of vinegar/oil. I love dill, so that was an easy choice. I know olive oil is their thing but I wish they'd had garlic grapeseed oil, which is my favorite flavored oil. But you can taste all or nearly all of the oils and vinegars here, so I tested a few that I'd like to use with chicken or vegetables. The one woman, someone in her 20's I'd say, managing the tasting desk at the front when I stopped in was really friendly and happy to answer all my questions. Others were not unfriendly, but decidedly less friendly than the first woman I encountered. read more

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Live this place! Our go to for all olive and Balsamic's. We trying the cheese sandwich and was awesome!!

We just love to balsamic vinegar, so much when we relocate to Florida we still order from them. Our package arrived today and packaged with care. Even bringing to family in Canada read more

Galena Garlic - Galena - Herbs & Spices Near Me - Galena, Illinois

If you're in Galena, make this place a stop. It has a huge selection of infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars. My favorite combination is Rosemary Olive Oil with Fig Balsamic, but there are countless combos and on every product sign, they list perfect pairs. The employees are so very helpful. They will help you locate oils and vinegars or help you pair things if you need a little direction. read more

Tons of stuff but... the help was very busy on their phones which was irritating and not helpful

One of the largest selections of spices, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in the Tri State area. You are able to taste as many of the oils and vinegat as you like. Friendly staff and they have an awards program. Highly recommended. read more

I know almost every tourist town has an oil and vinegar shop, but this really is a great one. I was quite skeptical about flavored vinegars. I usually hate favored anything because it is typically artificial tasting but the vinegars here are consistently good. I make salad dressings with them--just add oil and mustard--and almost always get compliments when we have guests. They also have some delicious nut oils (pistachio, almond, etc) besides flavored olive oils. Like the dipping olive oil for bread--add some freshly ground peppers and finely grated parmesan. read more

A must stop if you like to cook or know people that do. There are spices, spice rubs, sea salts, oils, peppers, chili powders, infused spreads, just all kinds of interesting flavors to add to spice up your BBQ & everyday cooking. It's awesome to learn that even the likes of some top chefs across the country and those that have been on the show "Top Chef" have come to Galena, IL to get these important garlics, salts and more. One of the owners was on hand that day and gave us a tour and talked a lot to us about garlic and his business. Made him a bit envious when I mentioned my upcoming trip to the Gilroy Garlic fest. Nice guy, helped me out in picking up a few rubs and gifts. I hope to go back and try some different rubs one day. For those that love a spicier flavor, they have some rubs which bring the heat with cayenne chili's. Their products take the guessing out of recipes by giving you premixed spice rubs perfect for adding a zing to your dish. Their products are sold in resealable pouches which keep the freshness for close to a year. Parking in this area is hard to comeby because of the constant tourism, if you don't find any directly in front make a right turn down any street and you should find some parking. read more

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This store caught me by surprise. I don't know what I thought I would find in a place called the Galena Garlic Company, but walking in and seeing all of the oils and vinnegars as well as the dry rubs on the wall sent in me into an overload. I am an avid barbequer, and I'm always interested in new sauces and rubs to try. The lady working, possibly the owner was very helpful when I walked in. Greated me and the other patrons with in a minute of walking in. She explained what she had and told us was could sample the flavors. I found two that knocked my socks off and I had to buy to try out. I'm looking forward to firing up the smoker and putting them to use. read more

They have very high quality spices to choose from here, if you love flavor this is a great spot to add some "BAM!" to your food. They also have gourmet olive oil and balsamics, you can sample them before you buy like other places that sell these items. Very good stuff here all around, if you cook this is a great place for you to pick of some items for your cooking needs. read more

I was just wandering down Main Street Galena the other day and "GARLIC" on the sign caught my eye. I had to head in here. Man, let me tell you, they have a whole slew of options of seasonings, rubs, oils, balsamics, and salts. I was in heaven. They offer small packages of their seasonings, rubs and salts 2 packs for $12 or 5 for $28.00. My first thought was "its a little pricey", but I just had to buy a few things to try! I ended up getting some seasoning for steaks and a rub I have yet to try out. The gentleman working there (possibly the owner) is a Cubs fan and was actually playing "Go Cubs Go" while we were in the store so I wasn't leaving without supporting this local business! You are allowed to taste anything you want which I assure you, is the best way to increase business. As long as you have a good product and people can taste it before they buy, you will sell! Next time, I'm in town, this place is on my list of places I must hit before leaving Galena! read more

Came here on a Sunday - Labor day weekend to check out the spices, rubs, etc. See my pic. It was so much fun to see so many different varieties and everyone/the service was so friendly and encouraging. It was so hot outside they gave us a bottle of cold water; thank you!! This is a great place to find a small gift for a friend as you're traveling through town! And then, the overhead music was some really good Merengue and Salsa music going for the day.... Had me stepping to some Salsa, just needed a dancing partner and it could've been a party in there! read more

Galena Garlic - Galena - I bought 6, gave away 2 already...yummy!! - Herbs & Spices Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Specialty oils? Spices? Salts? Count me in. If I wasn't facing unemployment and on a super tight budget, I would've gone *crazy* in here. And my experience with the staff was the opposite of Hannah Y. I found everyone to be welcoming and attentive. I will definitely be back next time I'm in the area. read more

I LOVE THE PLACE WITH EVERY BEING OF MY SOUL. For reals fo' reals....this place is the bees knees. The selection of high quality spices is out of this world and simply cannot be beat. My husband and I make multiple trips a year out here JUST to get spices. We drive 2 hours....for f**king spices!! That's how good they are. They balsamics and oils are beyond compare and will make you start drooling right there on their beautiful hardwood flooring. And the SOAPS...oh the soaps. Smooth like butta! Just do yourself a favor, go in there, make small talk with they always friendly and adorably tiny Natasha and leave there with bountiful amounts of kick. ass. spices. read more

Um... have you ever heard of Violet Balsamic vinegar? Let me tell you what it's delicious! I would have never known of such a thing had I not spent some time at the Galena Garlic Company. So many vinegars!! Love, love, love! They also have all sorts of oils, seasonings, soaps, and general awesomeness! It was a bit difficult finding someone to ask questions because the place was packed but that's hardly their fault. It was a Saturday in the fall which is crazy busy in Galena. I can't wait to go back, I'll be there again this summer and one of my first stops will be the Galena Garlic Company!! read more

This place used to be very large and had every condiment that contained Garlic, NOT anymore now it's a spice packet and Balsamic vinegar store. read more

A must stop if you are a garlic, EVO, or balsamic lover. Lots of spices and other items as well. You can taste sample all the variations which is great to test out. Some of the custom infused balsamics taste like candy. read more

If you're the kind of person that likes the new trend in olive oil/vinegar sampling, then you will really enjoy this place. Not just because they have those, but they take it one step farther and have a plethora of seasonings to taste as well. Lots of places would just put together a dip with a few of the seasonings and leave them out to try and try to decide if you like the seasoning or if you just love all dips made with sour cream and cream cheese. Not this place. Nearly all the seasonings were available in a long row of salt/pepper grinders along a shelf so you just pick one that sounds good, grind a little in your paw, and lick away. After a day of being a tourist, I'm sure my hand was filthy, but I did it anyway. We found a handful we HAD to have. We found a couple that weren't available for tasting, but the overwhelming success of my other licks made me buy them anyway. I found one that I could taste, but they were out of the packs that were for sale. We found at least one that had ghost pepper in it and the lovely gal that was helping us tricked us into trying it and although my mouth was on fire, it was pretty good. Fortunately, they also had olive oil and vinegars to try, and after enough samples of those, my mouth returned to normal, and I had decided to buy two vinegars. I may have just been subjected to the best sales tactic I've seen in a long time. Anyway, it's a little pricey. 5 packets for $28 seems a wee bit steep, but the seasonings really are very good. The oils and vinegars were priced on par with what I've seen elsewhere. There was only one gal working and despite the ghost pepper trick, she was great. Friendly, knowledgeable, personable, full of suggestions and questions to help her make good suggestions for us. You should go here (with clean hands!) and have fun licking your hand 4 dozen times. I'm pretty confident that if you ever cook anything at all, you'll find something you like. read more

I love strolling into places that can improve my near-flawless cooking (not). We sampled a few oils and balsamics and had wonderful help from the lady at the counter (I think she was an owner as well). Ended up getting the mushroom/sage oil and the lime olive oil that we used already (worked out perfectly on steak and potatoes). She even threw in a few soaps and bottle stoppers for us. Great service and great products! read more

The gentleman that helped us was very nice. The variety of oils and rubs can't be beat.

Awfully proud of their products. Very expensive...Rude store clerk, not welcoming at all. Good idea to steer-clear.

I absolutely loved this store. The clerk was knowledgeable and very helpful. I'm actually excited to start cooking again after a long spell of no motivation. read more

Hands down one the most interesting, accommodating shops around. I love this shop and if you can't get in they will ship to your door!! Just got my box opened!! I am so excited to dive in. Gourmet all the way! Wonderful people to order from & deal with face to face. Endless ideas on how to use everything. Can't wait to use the coconut white balsamic in my water bottle!! read more

The Garlic Company is a great place for you if you're into flavor dynamics. In fact, all of Galena is a good place for flavored everything: coffees, wines, popcorn, beer, olive oils, vinegar; and a huge variety of "homemade" sauces, condiments, salsas, hot sauces and dips are here. The fun part is there are always lots of samples for tasting, so you can "do" your appetizing here before you hit the restaurants. And so many good things to bring home and keep in your pantry for entertaining or just for the family. One of my favorite shops in Galena. read more

This is by far my favorite place to shop in Galena. They have some amazing spices and spice combinations that are perfect for anyone who loves to cook. I personally love the Bourbon Molasses spice mix which I use frequently while grilling, especially on steaks. There is something for all tastes here. They also have a fantastic selection of flavored balsamic vinegars and infused olive oils, many of which make awesome dressings when paired together. Everything they have can be sampled so you shouldn't have buyers remorse after you get home. I highly recommend stopping in. I never visit the area without picking something up. read more

After J. and I were walking around Galena without an agenda, we found ourselves passing by this small, adorable store. I saw the words "garlic" and "spices" from the street. These words seemingly called out to me in a way that an apple pie or a juicy steak would in a cartoon, with the aroma forming a hand, gesturing me to enter the place. The next thing I remember is being kicked by J in the shin! Apparently, I was drooling over the table of vinegars and the wall of spices and dried peppers. So many choices, so little budget. I was helped out by Matt, who seemed to know soooooo much about garlic, to the point that I myself, a garlic aficionado, was getting frightened. He was great to talk to and hooked me up with some Korean garlic bulbs (both whole and the bulb sans stalk), and some fresh scapes (the immature stem of the garlic bulb). J. and I walked away with a variety of items: spices for dipping breads, a peach vinegar bottle, a bloody mary mix, a ceramic bowl for baking garlic bulbs and a bottle of garlic basil olive oil. I highly recommend stopping by the store. Besides Matt, everyone there was nice and helpful; their spices and herbs were top notch and they stayed open late for us so we could pick out our items without feeling rushed. A must stop for any planned or unplanned agenda while in Galena. read more

Just a delightfully little boutique with amazing spice mixes. Natasha is just amazing and so nice. She knows what customer service really is all about. In addition to the spices they have the cutest little bars of soap at a great price. Not to mention the wonderful selections of evoo and balsamics. You can also order online so BOOM. read more

As a Chef and a frequent visitor to Galena I was psyched when this store opened. It is a gem of a store that is surrounded by many touristy nick-nack shops. Laszlo and his staff are very helpful and excited about their products. I am a big fan of flavored oils and sea salt and this place never disappoints with the selections. Like other customers I always end up leaving with more than I purchased, with the owner himself giving me free products to sample and taste. As a business owner myself this is a great way to keep customers coming back for more. I highly recommend stopping by this store (you can't miss it, he always has the door open and cool music playing on the stereo. And half the block smells like garlic). His salutation is funny as well "Have A Garlic Day!" read more

This place is like crack for a balsamic vinegar freak like me. Try the raspberry balsamic drizzled over fruit, or even chocolate cake. Or for a delicious salad dressing mix it with their orange olive oil. The rubs are wonderful too! A great place to pick up gifts for your foodie friends. The staff are friendly and helpful. read more

Never have we ever enjoyed their balsamic dressing more, especially the PINEAPPLE!! I like we can taste before the purchase.... their oil is perfect not too much vinegar making it bitter.... it is DELICIOUS! We have traveled from Montana to partake!! read more

As a single Dad, I really struggled in the kitchen! I made mediocre meals, bland desserts, and my kids seldom ate the meals that seemed it took hours for me to make. Waffling into Galena Garlic Company completely change the way I approached cooking meals for my family! Thanks to Laszlo and all is wonderful help, they told me so much about food, how to season it, and how to prepare everyday meals. Add trust me, they were right!!!!!!! I literally used to dread going into the kitchen, and now, I can't wait to prepare my next meal! There are literally endless ways to use the product sold it Galena Garlic company, and I try every combination I could possibly think of. What I I get a kick out of the most is seeing my children actually finish their meals. Thank you Galena Garlic Co! Yours truly, Super Dad (: (at least that's how you've made me feel!) read more

I really like the great artesian olive oils and vinegars here. The quality and taste is top-notch. Everyone is super helpful and friendly here as well! They have really cute holiday gifts that your mother-in-law is sure to swoon over! :-) read more

Hey this review is for the web developer I can't remember his name. I met you at the American Cooking Expo at Harper College in Palatine. You gave me a sample of the coffee bbq rub. AWESOME. I have it on butterfly pork chops for later today. The bouquet is terrific. Can't wait to taste the chops.... and I will write another review too. I do have a couple of packaging comments for the owner...... One great package. Two Labels need to have waterproof ink.... You're going to lose your ad copy, a potentially easy marketing tool, when I it gets passed on and a reminder for repeat purchases. read more

I was first addicted to the beautiful soaps that are homemade and smell beautiful! The even offer scrubs and bath ball spritzers! I also am a salt lover so naturally I fell in love with the bacon flavored salt which I use on my poached eggs. The friendly atmosphere is awesome and they are very knowledgeable about everything they sell!! Natasha runs a tight ship and her smile is contagious!! read more

Wonderful store, I discovered it 2 years ago on a visit to Galena and bought several items to take home. We loved everything we tried, our favorite is the Coffee BBQ rub. It sounded strange when we bought it, but we use it on almost everything. It's a favorite item for us to put in gift baskets to our "foodie friends" who always ask us to get more. I am reordering 4 more packs today. I only wish they sold spices in larger quantities, but I guess their method keeps the freshness. Don't miss this place, and if you can't visit, trust me and just buy online. Added bonus, I live in California and have to pay shipping but no tax! read more

Galena Garlic opened my eyes to spice rubs 3 years ago. I have tried almost all of them. Coffee Rub is addicting and excellent. These rubs have really spiced up are cooking and grilling. Its something new instead of the same old stale store seasonings. Try it and you will be hooked for sure. One of a kind blends that are really unique. Order online and its there the next day. A++++++++ read more

I have been shopping here for the past 4 years. The store is a fun and festive place (great spunky music and an aroma to almost keep pace with the robust and exquisite flavours of the rubs and spices) and once you try one of the award winners you'll be hooked! Far from shady, the owner is a riot and knows his stuff. Guys, if you want to look like a champ in front of the ladies and impress them with your culinary expertise, this will be your best secret arsenal for never ending cooking prowess. Ladies, you should look for a man who shops here. read more

Their seasonings make EVERYTHING taste so good! It is so easy, put it on chicken, pork, fish, and bake. Try the Napa Valley rub on anything you want and it will taste great. Don't leave without trying the Galena garlic blend...you won't go back to that cheap stuff in the bottles ever again. Store is well stocked and the service is top notch! read more