I have shopped here for several years, purchasing herbs, oils and other supplements. They have the best pricing on oils and herbs. The staff, however, are unfriendly. There's a middle aged man, not super young and not super old, and he's friendly and helpful! A+ for him. But the other staff, not all, but some have something left to be desired. Some do not greet you when you enter or it feels like you are wasting their time. I mainly attribute this to one woman who has reddish wavy/curly hair. Generally I am ok with this when I know what I want but if were to ask a question, which I have, I feel like I am annoying her. About two weeks ago, I walked into their Shattuck store (new location next door -- awesome!) to see if I could special order an item. I left my name and number, but no call back so after week, I emailed, still nothing. This is unusual because Lhasa is generally very responsive. Anyway, today I call at 2:20pm, and I spoke with an unfriendly employee. She said they had just moved etc which I totally get but the tone with which she conveyed this information was rude. I was not upset about the delay just wondering when I could expect a response to my request. The call ended and I did not have any further information. She told me to call the other store and see if "Mark" was in. I don't think I should have to do that -- she should! read more

The BEST Herb shop EVER Knowledgeable people friendly and so far they've had everything I've ever asked for I love both are stores handy and easy to navigate and they have most of the answers when I asked I would not go any place else for my herbs read more

I have lived up the street from this place for years and will often stop by to pick up incense, tea or cooking spices. incredible cooking spices btw. 7 out of 10 times I go I get poor customer service, but for the most part they are nice. Funny story: Yesterday I went to get some white sage but they were out of stock. There were two emplyees behind the counter, one with her head in her hand like she was about to take a quick nap. I asked the girl who seemed more helpful if they happen to have more in the back. "Nappy" jumps in a a snide tone and says "No...we dont". So my only option at that moment was to get brush sage instead, which I have never smelled, so I take a leap and ask about the difference. "Nappy" again jumps in again and rudely points out that they are two different types of sage. Really?!?! No Sh*t??? My god I thought they were exactly the same. So basically she did'nt know either Im guessing. Before she could finish "guessing" I walked out. read more

4-5 stars for the items they carry. 0 stars for customer service. I don't like to write negative reviews for businesses but because it is my second time in a row going in there and receiving negative energy from the women who work in there, I have decided that I will not be going back in there. I was super uncomfortable both times. I expected a more positive experience in a place like this... read more

Down with McCormick and other commercial spice companies! I will never buy any spices from Safeway again, when Lhasa Karnak has a bigger selection with most spices for only $0.80 an ounce! $0.80! That's dirt cheap, for almost a lifetime supply of bay leaves (actually, 6 month's worth, but my apartment mates and I cooked a lot), and month's worth of other spices! And by "bigger selection," I mean curry powder, gumbo file, Szechuan peppercorns, and other stuff that you'd have to bus 30 minutes for. The only downside is that the people running this place are often "on break" and leave a sheet of paper outside the door saying so. Comical, but inconvenient. read more

Haven't seen this type of herb shop in the city. By the way, just a note, I'm giving the 5 stars based on product ONLY... Although we have Rainbow Grocery and places like Clement street in San Francisco where one can purchase alternative, holistic medicines, there's no place like Lhasa Karnak. You can find many different types of herbs for preventative care. I mean, seriously, they must have every type of root, berry, grass, dirt, and whatever the earth can offer up a human. Golly, they've even got a pretty decent selection of literature on alternative medicines. However, I do highly recommend that you do a fair bit of research regarding what ails you, what you need, and the quantity because it's just better that you go in and know exactly what you want. Depending on who is manning the counter, you can either get really great service or really poor service. That's the hit or miss part. Yet, the selection is great and if you are into tea drinking, they've got all sorts of tea accoutrement! Sweet! read more

The mark-ups on their products are ridiculous -- wildly overpriced. I purchased some supplements and then realized the actual manufacturer sells the bottle for $12 less online, through their own store. I can understand a few dollars more, but $12 is just stealing your money. Very unsavory business practices. Will not come here again. read more

I just returned from the Shattuck shop totally impressed. Maybe I was lucky, or maybe they've solved the service issues, or maybe the complaints below are totally misguided - who knows? What I know is that I walked in expecting to be ridiculed or vibed, but was instead met by a young woman who knew exactly what I was asking for. She was extremely nice, packed my stuff up for me in no time, and even chatted about the vermouth I'm making with the Gentian and Angelica I bought from her. Furthermore, their bulk prices are great and they are eminently accessible. What more could a customer want? So yeah, I hope that this represents the usual Lhasa Karnak standard of service. I'll obviously post again if I run into any issues, but I'm feeling optimistic. read more

Instead of having to truck myself down to Oaktown Spice twice a year, I was happy when the San Pablo store opened around the corner. I walk in, ask for French thyme, buy 6 oz. at $5 only to find out when I get home that it's Moroccan thyme--that dusty-looking stale-smelling stuff--NOT French thyme--which is green, floral and smells grassy and fresh. I know the difference. I asked for French specifically because I know the difference. I go in the next day, knowing pretty much what I'm going to get when I ask, which is what happened: no, we don't have French thyme. The woman at the counter KNEW the difference, because she said, "All we have is the Moroccan, but we might be online to get the French soon." But of course, no we can't take the stuff we sold you back which wasn't what you asked for (AND WE KNEW IT), and I guess it's your tough luck that even though you asked for a particular spice--AND WE ARE A SPICE STORE--we didn't bother to tell you we didn't have it and instead went about selling you something you didn't want, can't use and you know what, we don't really care, because we now have your $5. And when I brought back the bag of thyme later--let them take responsibility for throwing it out, which of course is not what they are going to do, they are just going to put it back into the jar and sell it to someone else--the passive-aggressive woman at the counter actually sarcastically said to me, "Thank you, have a nice day." Is it possible to act like complete assholes to your customers and stay in business? I guess so. Meanwhile, I will continue to spend my $100 at Oaktown twice a year where they listen, respond and provide actual customer service, and aren't looking simply to make a buck because they realize a happy customer treated with respect will spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars in the future. That will be the last dime Lhasa Karnak ever sees from me. read more

Every year I throw a huge holiday dessert party--and last year I was desperately searching for culinary-grade lavender for a shortbread recipe. I called I don't know how many places searching for it--to no avail. Until I remembered that a friend who practices homeopathy had long ago told me about this place. Sure enough--they had a whole jar of the stuff, and I found a parking space right in front with time still in the meter! Amazing!! (Needless to say I left with several other herbs and spices as well. The loose leaf teas here are amazing--sure beats Berkeley Bowl's lack-luster selection of stale bulk teas!) I still haven't made it into the Telegraph location--I understand it has a much larger selection, but I just can't subject myself to trying to find parking on crazy crazy Telegraph Ave. Bottom line: even if you just need plain-jane spices that you can pick up at a god-awful Safeway--you can get them MUCH cheaper here! (With the added benefit of feeling smug about "sticking it to the man" and supporting a local business.) read more

Small place, great selection. Walked past by coincidence and walked out of the store with a big bag of nettle tea for a buck! They have shelves of packaged goods you'd recognize (Yogi teas, etc) but the best value is the goodies they sell in bulk. AND the woman at the counter was cool with me paying in a sad little pile of change. read more

Walking in the door, I am Always greeted with a warm hello. If you are in need of powdered, whole seeds, tinctures, essential oils, tea, jars or information, Lhasa Karnak is the place. There is not much that they do not carry. Parking can be a challenge sometimes but being able to find the things you want at a great price will more than make up for it. read more

On the 6th of September I purchased several herbs for my liver and was greeted and served by two young ladies who knew their stuff. I promised Willow and Mali I would write a comment on Yelp for their great professional service they provided me on that day, THANKS WILLOW & MALI!!!!!! read more

Every time I come here I get a bad vibe from the staff. The owner and his son seem like good people but they could do a better job with the people they hire. I have multiple witnesses of the experience because it's the same when I come in with others. I've shopped here for a few years- ever since Dr. Presti, who teaches a popular class at UC Berkeley, recommended the place. Maybe if your not a Black male you should check this place out but if you are I'd say steer clear and avoid an awkward experience. read more

By Far THE BEST place to get your spices!! Do not pass up on their AWESOME curry Powder!! IT IS AWESOME!!!

Lhasa Karnak is the BEST. I started sneezing and snorting one day and it just would not stop. After a couple of days of this nonsense ( I couldn't leave the box of Kleenex behind, for a minute) I finally stumbled into Lhasa Karnak and they figured it out immediately. After 30 something years I had finally become allergic to my cats, They fixed me up with a tea that had me stoppered before I was done drinking it. and freeze dried nettle pills to take daily that fixed me up long term. They know their stuff and are generous with their knowledge. What a great place. either one, really. read more

So happy I found this place. Cute little spice and herb shop on Shattuck. They have a great selection of fresh herbs and spices. I was able to find things that I can't find at other stores, so that was great. Everything I got was top quality, very fresh! The woman that helped me was friendly too. read more

Lhasa Karnak is as good as it gets for finding affordable, fresh herbs in bulk in the Bay Area - especially for organic and wild-crafted herbs. I far, far prefer their Shattuck Ave store to the main on on Telegraph. It may be smaller but it's less trafficked so you get more individual attention from their knowledgeable and friendly staff. read more

This place recently moved up to 2482 Telegraph ave. I was impressed with the selection of medicinal herbs. There's even some of the basic Chinese Medicine ingrediants here. Coupled with the knowedgable and super friendly staff, I can't imagine what Berkeley would be like without places like this. 10$ for a tincture, find your favorite organic brands or buy bulk tea...this place is a jem. read more

I have loved coming here for over 7 years: -When I'm ill -Need herbs and advice or books or all of the above -Knowledgeable Staff -Amazing Quality and a vast range of products and herbs Brilliant!!! read more

They have some of the herbs that I use that are not available everywhere. The cost is reasonable. The customer service was horrible......I wasn't even greeted when I walked inside! Then, they were staring at me as I was reading the herbal list at the counter. I didn't feel welcomed there at all. I will continue to search else where for rare herbs and will only return here as a last option. read more

This is a small little shop with lots and lots of quality herbs. The staff are very knowledgeable and will answer any questions you ask. This is the place to go for all those hard to find herbs, and you can buy them in whatever quantity you want if the herb you're looking for is the bulk bins. The only problem is like everywhere else in this area, the parking is horrible!!! read more

First time in here. Maybe it's because I've been spoiled by Scarlet Sage all the years I lived in the mission. I expect employees at an Herb Shop to have some basic knowledge, and it's a bonus if they're friendly. I got neither. I'll look for another herb shop to spend my money. read more

I'm a novice and it can be pretty intimidating. I just happened upon the store knowing nothing about it. The owner and his son were at the front counter, both very warm and nice. The owner helped me. Very nice, patient and funny. He didn't try to push stuff on me or overwhelm me. He listened and met me at the level I was at, and went from there. I absolutely love the teas I bought. I've tried many lately as I try and figure out what I like (again I'm a novice) , and these smelled fresh and were tasty! I will definitely go back to this store. I think I finally found my go-to source! There are so many great reviews about their products, but many negative reviews regarding customer service over the years - it's hard to brush it off as an isolated event or to just a bunch of yelp complainers. Most did say how great the product was! I am glad my first experience with customer service was great. If it were poor, that would have been a huge turn off. I do hope my positive experience with customer service continues. Customer Service quality is equally as important as the product quality. read more

Vastly overpriced!!! Just bought a supplement that cost more than twice what it costs online. I should have researched before buying, but Ye Gods! And salespeple do act like they are doing you a favor to wait on you. read more

Hey everyone - Check out Lhasa Karnak's new store on 2506 San Pablo Ave near Dwight. I was just there today and they had everything I needed. The customer service was excellent too! read more

DO NOT SHOP HERE the owner is a BIGGOT! I walked in to pick up a couple of things this afternoon and witnessed the owner (elderly white white-haired man) having a conversation with a young mannerable black man about skin remedies. The customer asked if they had any products for acne and scarring. The owner answered "no not really". I asked the clerk that was helping me what that meant and she comfirmed that it was bull. She also confirmed that he was the owner. After having paid, i asked her to void my $63.95 order as I wouldnt feel good using products from such an establishment after what I had just witnessed. Bad karma. If you are passionate about equality and justice or love even...don't shop here. read more

What? This place is CLOSED? I must've been in the freakin twilight zone or something because I was just here TODAY! I didn't get a chance to browse as long as I would've liked because the place was packed with other customers. It was difficult to really look at everything -- the herbs, spices, books, lotions, soaps, and who knows what else. However, I did notice a bar of soap called "DITCH THE ITCH." I've made a mental note. You never know when it might come in handy. read more

DO NOT GO HERE!!!!!! You would think that an owner of a place like this would be very enlightened - I mean what else inspires someone to open a store so full of eastern paraphernalia? If you need any herbs go to Whole Foods/Berkeley Bowl or anywhere but this horrible place! 1 star for many reasons... starting with their lack of customer service. It seems like the employees hate their jobs, the customer service was horrible. The owner is a complete idiot. Dont waste your time or money. Oh and not mention they are very pricey!!! read more

I have been a customer of this place for decades! Yesterday i bought a smudge stick, which i have done several times before. I opened the top to smell it on my way to the car and it had no scent. I put on my glasses and saw that it was turning brown as well. I went back to exchange it or return it and the salesperson said they couldnt take it back or exchange it without managers approval. The manager had gone home, and they asked me to come back the next day! The salesperson was so unfriendly. She had me call the other store, and they said i had to BRING the item there to return it! So i drove over and returned it. apparently they were doing me a big favor! and yes, i will avoid Lhasa Karnak whenever possible. Customer service seems to have gone the way of the dinosaur. read more

Sometimes, as a pastry chef, you need fun spices. Trying to find bulk culinary dried lavender became was way harder than I thought when I struck out at Berkeley Bowl and a couple of Indian spice shops I tried. My last resort was this place, and hallelujah! And at $2/oz, it will last me forever! I now know where to go back to for the rest of my bulk spice needs. The curly haired woman helped me, and she was pretty friendly. read more

Great selection of herbs, tinctures, essential oils and natural and organic health care products. They would get 5 stars for great selection BUT honestly get 3 stars off for terrible customer service. Note to staff: not all of us are experts in herbs and alternatives to healing, because most people are NOT! Try to be helpful and NOT disconnected, NOT pretentious and NOT judgmental! This way is not the way to help people heal and take care of themselves. I went in today for the 2nd time and was actually helped somewhat but still felt judged and not at all welcomed. There is not good energy here which is ironic since these products are a source of healing. I'll try again in a few months.... read more

The apothecary part of this review is an A+ for a store this size. Exactly what I was looking for, when I need some bulk herbs, and a few other things. I very much miss my beloved Tenzing Momo, in Seattle. This place will fill that gap tidily. The three star removal is for the girl working there. I went in with a friend today, and she acted... the only way we could think to put it was RESENTFUL that we were there at all. She was markedly bitchy to us, it was WEIRD. We walked in cheerily, said hi, said we had stuff to buy, and she was so unresponsive, I actually asked, is that okay? She huffed. My friend bought some stuff too, and though she is also a cheerful person, was treated icily, as well. UGH. It was so uncomfortable, and she displayed very little more cheer to the other customers who came in after us than she did to us. My friend and I paid and left and got the hell out of there, because who wants to stay somewhere they are obviously not welcome? I could have spent more time and money there, but since I got what I came for, and was being treated so bitchily, we split. Ick. Owner, be careful. The girl who works for you is driving business away. read more

Four stars for the variety of herbs and minus 10 stars for the weird customer service. I like having a place to buy all kinds of herbs for colds, flu, salve making, etc within walking distance. There's a ton of useless and expensive stuff lying around in the shop that you can get for less on the internet (amazon, vitacost, etc). Not a fan of their sullen customer service and the fact that they calculate your receipt with pencil and paper and make mistakes. I was once almost charged $16 extra. Please be sure to check the amount you owe when they calculate your bill. And don't expect a smile with the service. read more

These folks used to have a tiny little store on 4th Street selling kitchen herbs and spices. Yerba Buena, I think it was called. Then they closed. I asked at the ice cream shop that took its place and they told me about the store on Telegraph Avenue, so I went there to buy the turmeric and other spices I needed for some recipe or other. But Telegraph is such a hassle, I was delighted to discover their Shattuck store and now that's my store when I need to replenish my spice/herb jars. read more

Cheapest Indian spices ever. They have exactly what I need to make my chicken tikka masala just right, and it is SO MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE than Safeway up the street. So stoked on their selection/prices :) Now that I know they sell more than just oils and herbs I'm gonna stock up my kitchen like never before! They even have dried lavender, yay. I had been looking for months. read more

I am impressed at the range of stuff this store carries. I love that they are willing to sell in small amounts. The merchandise seems to be of very good quality, and the prices seem reasonable for the items I've explored. The service has been polite and responsive every time I've been in (even though I buy very small quantities), probably about 15 visits so far. I wouldn't say the service has been extroverted, but I've never experienced or seen any issues in my few visits. I'm thrilled that there is a place like this in the neighborhood. read more

Excellent service and great recommendations..they seem to have everything you could need... the store have a very happy vibe

I have been a customer on many occasions and my experiences redefine TERRIBLE customer service. Unfriendly, unwelcoming, discourteous ... that only scratches the surface. The young woman who "assisted" me on my last visit looked and smelled as if she hadn't bathed in a week, was annoyed by my questions, and was apathetic when she wasn't being patronizing. Unless you're in urgent need of something in stock, make your purchase from the website. Stay away from this cesspool of unfriendliness and negativity! read more

The woman who works in the Shattuck store is terribly rude and couldn't be bothered helping customers. Why doesn't the owner get rid of her? He may be saving money on her salary, but he's losing lots of sales and customers. Please hire someone who has good people skills and knowledge about products in the store. read more