My experience was same as below! Came in unmasked (vaccinated, it's a huge store to social distance, we forgot ours and sign said they give u masks), so we entered. Nosy manager asked loudly if we were visiting and demanded to know where we were from. Then lied and told us Dane county requires masks (it does not at present) then talked loudly following us all around the store about masking. Where are we staying, where were we golfing, lecturing about masking. We always mask, forgot them once, and got yelled at by the spice lady. She is the reason I will not return to this store. Her behavior should be reported to corporate. read more

Got suckered into buying some spices and I can honestly say Walmart sell a better spices than anything I got from Penzeys. Overpriced and low on flavor...go to Walmart. read more

Very high-quality spices and unique spice blends, some of which are salt-free! I enjoy experimenting with adding them to hummus, soups, homemade pizza, etc. I get deals every week or so sent to my inbox and the best deal of all came this week, just in time for holiday shopping - $50 gift cards sold for just $35! read more

Love the reasonably priced and well stocked Penzey's! Always great spices, interesting blends and knowledgeable and helpful staff. They always seem to have some sort of cool promotion, often to also support a good cause! Pro Tip: sign up for their e-mails and get great coupons! read more

I have been a customer for over 2 decades. Initially while living in WI in person and then by mail after moving south. I cabinet is filled with 54 different jars of Penzeys spices. By far the best quality spices read more

This is not a review on the business. This is a review of the original taco seasoning. It is horrible. Salt is the second ingredient and the only flavor detectable! I couldn't even eat the ground beef I seasoned with Penzey's Original Taco Seasoning. read more

If I take a tablespoon of cumin from the asian or mexican grocer and grind it in a mortar and pestle, it smells like practically nothing. If I grind a tablespoon of cumin from a fresh jar of McCormicks or something, it smells like cumin. If I grind a tablespoon of cumin from Penzeys, people can smell it in the next room. Go to Penzeys because their spices are better. Go to Penzeys because they're the only ones who don't give you a blank stare when you ask for zaatar. The bulk of the store is a bunch of REALLY specific blends to make one thing with, like "chicken taco seasoning". It's usually something you can make in 1 minute with a cupboard of common spices. It seems kinda... for people that don't like to cook? Buy a whole jar of chicken taco seasoning and it's going to go stale unless you make chicken tacos constantly. The coloring table: If your kid is energetic and curious like mine, you can't leave the kid at the coloring table because it goes out of your line of sight when you take just a few steps away. You can't leave them in a room with thousands of expensive glass jars, anyway. But the kid will still really want to color. I find the thing unhelpful and don't take my kid there because of it. I've no constructive ideas on how to fix that, sorry. read more

Great Place to Shop I'm totally hooked and refuse to purchase a spice anywhere else. The store has every spice I could possibly imagine and recipes to match. Employees are super helpful and really seem to enjoy their jobs. I will be a fan for life! read more

I didn't think I'd have this much fun in a spice shop! They have jars with each of the spices so that you can smell each variety. The layout is impressive and not too overwhelming. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable about all the spices in the store. And they have a very cozy coloring table for kids who want to pass the time while their adult counterparts are shopping! Even if you don't end up buying much (prices are a little higher than at the grocery store!), it's a fun experience and opens your senses (pun intended!) to the wide range of spices that are out there! read more

Penzeys Spices - Herbs & Spices Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I visited Penzey's Spices while visiting family in Michigan. We live in SC and looked forward to our visit to a shop with so many choices. As we were cashing out, the cashier asked if we would like to sign up for their email list for specials and sales. He said he would throw in a few free jars of spices for doing so. We thought it was a nice gesture considering we would be giving them some free advertising via our personal email address we keep private. Well, we have been bombarded by them. But I was angered by the current one today from the owner "Bill". While the email did have some advertising specials, 50% of its contents was a personal blog type message, condemning the Republican Party, making a reference to the current Supreme Court Justice situation and urging people to vote in the upcoming midterm elections. (and obviously NOT for the GOP) While Mr. Penzey can write whatever he chooses in his email advertisements, I DO NOT appreciate these diatribes. This is a misrepresentation of what I expected to receive when I signed up and handed over my personal email. I did not sign up to be lectured politically. Mr. "Bill" Penzey has lost my business. I will never buy their products nor step inside another Penzey store. You've lost one customer today. And btw... prior to these emails, I wasn't impressed with the store. Overpriced. Huge selection but not worth the trip. read more

I have been buying PENZEYS spices for years, but not anymore! I trusted them to send me emails about their spices when I signed up at the store, but recently I received an email regarding their political views! That is not what I signed up for! I am an educated adult that can make up my own mind on my political opinions. I do not need a spice store giving me their political views!! read more

Disclaimer: Peppercorns are the only thing that I buy here. Their authentic premium Indian Tellicherry (extra bold) is $20/pound, which is an insanely great price. You can order Tellicherry online for about the same price at Amazon, but it's never the real thing. They also have normal Tellicherry for about $16/lb, or Malabar for $14/lb. All are excellent, although if I had to pick one it would be the extra bold (only 10 lbs in 2000 qualify as this extra-large and premium quality peppercorn). The Malabar has a much different profile, and I always keep some on hand too. You have to buy all of their spices in bags (not glass jars) of 4oz or more to get a good price, otherwise they are just as expensive as anywhere else. Just move the spices to mason jars or ziplock bags when you get home. The main reason that I'm reviewing Penzey's is because about a year ago when my wife's car refused to start in their parking lot, a woman from Penzey's came out to help and even offered to give her a ride home when her shift was over! The car started after about 30 minutes, but it was an amazing gesture. 5 stars for Penzey's; a great local business that goes beyond their call of duty in service. read more

Penzey's is a great place for high quality spices. They have some off the off the beaten path items that are hard to find, fun blends, and your everyday basics. Note to the budget wise, it is a WAYYYY better deal to buy the bigger bags, and buy the jars separate for spices you'll use frequently. That's what we do, and I stash the overflow in the freezer. Some of my faves are the bay leaves, vanilla beans, and the nutmegs. read more

I have been a customer for decades. My first experience with Penzeys was as a gift and I was sold on the quality. I did not have an opportunity to shop in a store for several years but continued to replace the spices in my pantry with Penzeys via mail order and then online. The stores are fabulous and I could spend hours just browsing at the selection. Love this company and their product! read more

We have been using Penzeys Spices for years. We love the many selections of hot peppers, baking spices and everything else. Many of my own special blends are created using your spices, they just don't taste as good using the grocery store over priced merchandise. I just wish they would have a catalog with the gift cards. It would not need prices but the descriptions would be awesome. read more

How can this not be anything but a 5 star review. Basically any spice or herb under the sun. I feel their product quality is second to none and staff is willing and able to assist with any questions. Some may argue about price points but considering the quality, it's a no-brainer that you should come here. read more

I hate confusing Penzey's and the Spice House, but they're both great quality (and the same origin) with very typical friendly service. Fresh, locally owned, with great blends and some pretty good original styles. It's pricier than McCormick's out of the Copp's aisle, but it's supposed to be...you're not buying crap. Support (quality) local! read more

Penzey's offers some unique spice and herb blends that you can't find anywhere else in town (at least not that I'm aware of). Staff are very helpful and provide great recommendations and advice. One downfall is that Penzey's does not offer bulk spices like other spice shops. They also do not offer many, if any, rare or extra special spices or blends, such as truffle sea salt. Overall, a nice place to obtain things like curry powder and other unique blends. read more

bad taste in all of their products. bitter low quality ingredients. I found the cheapest of the cheap (tones) to be far superior. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY! read more

Very poor quality and shipping really bad. Better to get quality spices locally. Never buy Penzeys Spices.

Tired of Bill Penzeys political diatribes filling my email since the 2016 Presidential Election. Bill should extend due respect to customers; if Bill wants to write a political blog, go for it, but don't subject customers to emails "peppered" with your political rants and views. ... When I do business with a company, I expect business-appropriate correspondence, not political diatribes via email disguised or wrapped with product emails (and offers); that is NOT APPROPRIATE. ... I'd like Bill Penzeys to cleanup his act and put his political views and messages in a more appropriate forum such as Penzeys facebook page or a separate blog. ... Some of the Penzeys spice blends are fabulous (Mural of Flavor) and some are a complete disappointment (Pizza & Frozen Pizza. A good one is Frontier Co-Op Pizza Seasoning *salt free blend*) read more

We spend way too much money here but we do get some great spices that are ohhh sooo fresh. Great selection and they also expanded their store too. The staff could be nicer and more helpful. How about a free jar of something for my 100 dollar purchase? That would be nice. read more

Love the variety and freshness of the spices. All I have purchased have been great. The garlic salt is amazing!

I was introduced to Penzeys from my daughter in law and have been a fan ever since. Maybe even a fanatic. As a former caterer and long time cook, I am so happy I found these spices. Or they found me. I bought a new spice rack just for these!! The flavor is outstanding. My personal favorite is the Pasta Sprinkle and I love the Rosemary. Truly makes all my food taste better. Thank you for being there and for your huge savings/offfers that you send in emails. Sign up people. You'll thank me! :) read more

The NOW curry is more spicy than you would think from the description. It ruined my soup. I would really recommend refraining from using this in a recipe for which you want predictable results. It lacks the full earthy flavor of a regular curry powder and has considerable heat. I wish the staff did not offer it as a sub for plain old curry powder. And now I am stuck with the rest of the bottle. read more

As far as product goes... 5 stars. The experience knocks off at least three of them. I was looking for some hard to find spices during my stay in Dallas. I went to Penzey's rather excited. I should have done a little more research. I completely agree with what others have written here about the store's political slant. While aside from being briefly hassled about wearing a mask I didn't experience any negativity in the store. I bought enough spices to qualify for some "gifts" which was nice. However, I wasn't prepared for the literature that came along with those gifts and I didn't even see it until I got home and unpackaged them. It contained wild generalizations about how republicans are evil people who believe all sorts of crap. I cannot write it better than Veronica B wrote back in Nov last year. I am sure I will enjoy the spices I bought, but I won't be buying products from this company again. My advice... if you want to just buy spices without being lectured, try another store. read more

I don't understand this co. They have a form to fill out if you want a catalog, but they have no catalogs at present. Called today and was told they left the form in because Bill 'might' want to have another one some day. I wanted one to go with a substantial gift certificate. Will rethink that gift. read more

One of my favorite places to get spices in town, and though many thing they're a fancy-pantsed place for foodies, their prices are quite competitive with most everywhere else in town (including spices at Copps, Target, and what have you.) The staff is incredibly attentive and helpful when asked, and it's great that I was able to find out, with very little fuss, that EVERYTHING in the store, except for a couple of the soup bases, are made in a dedicated gluten-free facility. (The soup bases all come from a separate facility, and some contain gluten.) Overall, great quality, huge selection, and friendly, knowledgeable staff. Highly recommended. read more

Walk into Penzey's and tell me you don't walk out with the inspiration to cook or bake something. I will admit that I don't go here EVERY time that I am in need of spices, but if I had unlimited funds I definitely would. Everything here is great quality and they have such a huge selection! Yes, they are generally more expensive than the spices you'd find at a grocery store, but they come in nice refillable containers and they just seem nicer and fancier to use and they have a much larger variety that I normally see at grocery stores. Penzey's spices make a great gift as well! they have pre-made boxes of spices, or you can create your own, OR you can get a gift card. We got a gift card for our wedding and it was one of our favorite gifts, definitely a good motivation to get cooking! read more

Political BS flyer in my bag. Had I seen it upfront, I would've had them reverse my order. Taking my business to The Spice House. I'm tired of 24/7 politics and I certainly don't want it when I'm shopping! read more

Spices are just ok. Actually the grocery store spices are better. I have tried these products a few times but won't be buying them again...don't like the political opinions they think mix well with the spices. A flop. read more

I went to the Naperville IL store, called the phone number listed to give a telephone and was told "there were 16 orders ahead to go to the website and order there". I felt Penzeys was false advertising since I could not give a telephone order. I understood that I would have to wait for the order to be filled but Penzeys would not even take the order. Business must be very good and Penzeys did not need my business read more

Expensive! I think the cost of walking on the original spice roads in the far east must be factored into the retail prices here. I have discovered that Costco is the best place to buy. The quantities are larger but split with friends. I have also discovered that the big lot and dollar stores offer great discounted spices. This store I think caters to the Beverly Hills type zip code where it is located. read more

Love their spices. We especially love Fox Point on our vegetables. Their Chicago steak seasoning is another favorite. If you are interested in adding some additional spice to your food try penzey spices. read more

First time purchasing a Penzeys product - air dried shallots. I received an added bonus. It wasn't just air dried shallots; I had an air dried insect (looked like a fly). I am so disgusted by this because I didn't discover it until my fourth use. Filthy and nauseating. Never again. read more

A+ spice shop. My favorite seasoning is their "Fox Point"; you can use it on just about anything for extra, unique flavor! They have spices you didn't even know you needed to try. I love the variety. read more

Love this place! Whenever I travel back to IA from CO I make it a point to drive the 90 min to Madison to visit. Not only high quality products but respect this company's integrity. So rare nowadays. Keep up the good work!! read more

Excellent spices! Better than the Chinese McCormick imports! I will always buy true American products first! Bill is a true American businessman! read more

This tasty little store carries the top quality products. It's not cheap, but you're paying for quality. You can also find spices here that you can't find elsewhere in town. read more

The folks who work here are knowledgable, helpful and pleasant. Pleasant retail employees? Yep, hard to believe. Nothing here is really any more expensive than the bottled sawdust at any grocery store. And the spices here are really good. Docked one star for the occasional political emails sent out after using their mail-order service (which is otherwise a great service). I agree with Bill Penzey's professed political beliefs (as much as I know about them, anyway), but I don't think my simply being a customer should suggest that I want to be emailed social commentary. Docked another star because (while we're on the subject of social commentary) Penzey's doesn't treat its employees as well as they think they do (glassdoor...). When you talk the talk, you ought to walk the walk. read more