I'm embarrassed to admit that, after living in Chicago for ~7 years, I had NEVER been to the Spice House. I had never even heard of it until this past week! [currently hanging my head in shame] A co-worker was talking about the store last week, and I just had to see it for myself. I decided to go bum around Old Town on a Saturday afternoon to hit up the Spice House. Holy. Amazing. If you want it, they have it. And if they don't, well then you mustn't have really wanted it. I dropped ~$50 in 15 minutes, and had to stop looking around because it could have been waaaaay more than that. I got 2 bottles of different popcorn toppings (if you know me at all, you know I freaking LOVE popcorn), some strawberry-vanilla-sugar, truffle salt, the Lake Shore Drive spice mix & some of the Dill Dip mix (2nd thing I love behind popcorn. Mmmm. Dill.) Everyone was SO nice, willing to help, and eager to tell me what to use each spice for. Prices are very reasonable... there is no reason to buy crappy Jewel spices as opposed to these. The Spice House is going on my list of places-to-take-the-family when they're in Chicago... not to mention hitting up the gift-box sets for Christmas & birthday gifts! I can't wait to go back. read more

I stumbled upon this gem when walking by. I wish this was in CA! You could smell a variety of spices from outside the doorway. You are able to try the spices by sprinkling them on your hands. It's truly an experience even if you're visiting and can't bring back spices. read more

Man this place is amazing. I was looking for some dried lavender - I'm a rather avid baker and was looking to try my hand at scenting sugar to use in my pies. They definitely had it as well as three other spices I picked up. They have multiple sizes and you can pretty much get as much as you want or as little. Their staff is amazing, helpful and explains everything quite thoroughly if you have any questions. FYI, the pullman rub mix is great. I tried it to dry rub my pulled pork the other day and it turned out amazing! read more

When I was working in Illinois in the Summer of '07, my girlfriend flew out to spend a weekend with me. A "must do" was going to the Spice House. She has gotten her spices there for a while by mail order or courier (her brother and sister-in-law went to Northwestern). I had never been and wasn't that familiar with them, but it seemed like a nice outing. We could smell the spices from across the street. We went in and played in the spices for a few hours and picked up a bunch. The staff was friendly and helpful without being obsequious. Since then, we have tried other mixes and bought many a thing by mail order. So have our local friends. Sure, it's a little pricier, but I haven't found any better and I live in a "foodie" area with plenty of cosmopolitan shopping, farmers markets, etc. I still order from The Spice House. read more

The Spice House has any spice you want! I love that they bring in a variety of seasonal spices too (who knew there were so many types of cinnamon). Really awesome place to get international spices too. Very friendly and helpful staff. I'm not sure if they are dog friendly, maybe I'll ask the next time I stop in. read more

What an incredible resource for anyone and everyone who puts a pot on the stove or fires up their grill. In cooking, high quality ingredients are everything, and Spice House gives you the best in spices from every corner of the world. One thing that I love, and recommend to everyone, is the dried ginger root. It's the highest quality ginger, and the flavor will turn you away from that limp, soggy and almost flavorless stuff you get in the grocery store. Another must try is the spice blends that Spice House makes in the store - we like the jerk and back of the yards. When you go to Old Town in the summer, the sweet spice smell will hit you about a block away from the store, drawing you in with every waft of breeze. read more

I like The Spice House. They have just about everything you could want (in terms of spices, of course). Their staff is super friendly and accommodating. If you feel overwhelmed by the dozen different types of pepper, don't fret, they are very patient and will explain it all to you. I like also that The Spice House smells like the general store my mom took me to as a child. Ah, memories... read more

This is pretty much my favorite store in all of Chicago. They pretty much have every spice under sun... and inexpensive too! Spices, salts, herbs, cocoa, dried chilli, molecular gastronomy ingredients galore. The only place you'll get cheaper spices is if you shop at the marts along Devon St (but you're limited to South Asian spices). I love that you can check online to see what products they carry. Some of my favorite things: - sweet spanish paprika - tomato powder - dried lemongrass - mulled wine spice mix - malaysian white ground pepper read more

The Spice House is a real Chicago gem, and I'm glad I finally got to check it out after hearing raves from many of my friends! The selection of spices and rubs is ridiculous and I like that you're able to sample them. I bought some Korean Black garlic and sampled some of the homemade crystalized ginger, which was fantastic. I'm not the best cook in the world, but if I was, I would definitely come here often to try all of the awesome spices and flavor combinations. read more

They always have everything I need or could possibly ever want to make a fantastic meal. Best Herbs de Provence. Excellent vanilla beans, multiple varieties. If you are a true home chef, this is a fantastic place. They even mail order your herbs & spices to you. I think they should expand and carry more herbs too. It only makes sense. read more

Visited while I was in Chicago, and was instantly jealous that we don't have comparable spice shops in Hawaii! I bought the freeze dried corn after looking at other reviews, and it made for great road-tripping snackage with some of their tomato powder sprinkled in. Also bought black truffle oil, sumac, chai powder, and smoked paprika! I've used the chai in granola now, which was delicious, and just used the sumac in the breading of my chicken thighs last night. The sumac gave them a wonderful bright flavor! I also used the smoked paprika in an Indian okra and onion stir fry, and the smoky flavor permeated the dish and brought it to a whole new level. I also have been using the tomato powder for sprinkling on cheese puffs . Haven't used the truffle oil yet, but I look forward to it! Update: Use the truffle oil on your soft-scrambled eggs! You won't regret it. read more

The phrase "like a kid in a candystore" is no longer part of my discourse. Standing in its stead: "like a baker in the Spice House." The staff are as genial as they are knowledgeable. I came in looking for vanilla beans, for the purpose of making my own vanilla extract. Through friendly conversation and a few quick lessons, I left Spice House with a new type of cinnamon (Ceylon, I'm very excited to add this to cookies!), salt cream, chili powder, vanilla extract (I couldn't resist) and two types of vanilla beans! Everything was reasonably priced for the high quality, something I appreciate. I bought none of the Chicago neighborhood themed spice blends, a decision I already regret. I think a quick jaunt back to the Spice House is in order! read more

I love the Spice House. It is a great place to come for gifts if you have friends or family with an affinity for cooking. I once bought some mediterranean spice set, which was a collection of 4 different spices along with a few recipes inside. It always smells like heaven in the Spice House, and everything is just so beautiful, with all the colors and such. I came in here today because I needed pomegranate molasses, and they just never disappoint. I had read this was hard to find, but I knew I could count on the Spice House. Sure enough, they had it! My salad dressing turned out great, and I'll definitely be back for any future cooking needs. If only they were closer to my house, and it wasn't so hard to find parking! read more

For anyone who is even somewhat interested in cooking - this is your place. The staff is extremely helpful and friendly, and you'll find nothing but the best spices at really great prices. If you find yourself at Jewel or Dominick's looking at the $4 spice bottles, don't even bother! Make the effort to stop in at Spice House and spend that money on some real quality product. One of my favorite easy to do things that every boy I know loves: cook up some tater tots in the oven & sprinkle them with the Spice House Cajun mix. So good! :) read more

I know my spices, or at least I thought I did until I walked in here. I've been shopping here for years and they hands down have the best quality for anything they sell. The ground cardamom is de-shelled before it's ground (i used to do it myself for baking, what a pain in the butt, just buy small quantities from them!), the cinnamon tastes unlike anything you'll find on your supermarket shelf, the chilles are simply gorgeous. My favorite blends are the cardamom/lavender sugar and the vulcan fire salt. If you sign up for their newsletter they'll let you know when they have free shipping specials. But for the quality they offer, if you buy the refill bags they have really terrific prices. For nerds like me, their catalog is the perfect bedtime reading. I got a discount one time for being "such a fun customer". Hah! I guess I asked all the right questions. read more

If you are skilled in the kitchen you will really appreciate the unmatched quality and selection that Spice House provides. If you are not so good in the kitchen then you should start shopping here because at least your ingredients will be amazing :-) I buy all of my spices here or through their online store as it is the absolute best spice retailer in the country! read more

Like me, you like to eat, but you don't like to gain weight well, here's a secret for you! The Spice House has everything you need to turn your drab dinner into a fab meal without adding extra calories, cholesterol and fat. They sell spices from all over the world at reasonable prices with a variety of packaging options. This place is a winner if you have an international cookbook and you don't know where to get that secret spice. Also, if you are looking to send your taste buds into pure bliss they sell great bbq rubs, marinades, and extreme spices so enjoy! read more

Top notch! Each visit to the Spice House lives up to its excellent reputation. They have a large variety of obscure to common spices along with house made spice blends from sweet to savory. You'd think its old town location and fantastic reviews would make it expensive, but it's surprisingly affordable especially given the high quality. You can get nearly any spice in nearly the exact quantity you need which makes trying new ones affordable since you don't have to commit to a whole jar. I think what makes this place extra special is the staff who continually go out of their way to help you find what you're looking for, answer questions, and offer recommendations. Just a lovely place! read more

Why on earth would anyone buy grocery store spices after finding this jewel?!?! So much cheaper and worlds better! The Cinnamon is amazing, the Fenugreek pungent, the baking cocoa is so incredible that I can't imagine making a chocolate cake without it! I can't recommend this store enough. And the staff, despite the crazy mob of people on a weekend are patient and helpful. Heart it! read more

The Spice House pretty much rocks. When I started my biz, I knew there was only one place I was going to get my spices. I had used their spices at previous jobs and was aware of the superior quality. They have 4 different kinds of cinnamon, a bazillion (rough estimate) different kinds of chilies, and more salts than you ever thought existed. I haven't tried any of the spice blends, with the exception of the garam masala, because I don't do savories. The employees are pretty knowledgeable and you have to give them credit for being able make it through a full day without passing out. Personally I can only spend about 15 minutes in there before my allergies go into overdrive. One note- I did have some trouble with the whole chilies- I was infusing them into cream and found that my chocolates were turning at an alarming rate. I called and inquired, and was told that the ground chilies are put through an extra heating process that kills any possible bacteria which may still be there on the whole peppers. I switched to ground chilies, and haven't had any problems. I think if you're making something to be consumed immediately, you'll be fine with the whole chilies, but if you want anything to last, you should stick with the ground. read more

This is a great example of what specialty shops should be. Their spice selection is vast and everything is very organized and every spice has a description. I came for saffron which was very reasonably priced, but I also picked up a few other spices. They have lots of different dried peppers of all levels of heat. The saleswoman was very nice and helpful. Probably my favorite part of the store is the aesthetic of it. It just looks great, the decor and displays are top notch. I will be making the 2.5 hour drive into the city to visit this place again. read more

I know the Spice House because my sister works at the spice house. I also know when she's just come from work because she smells like a pirate --- in a good way, of course, one of those friendly pirates who traded cartons of monkeys for heaps of Javanese spices. Open the door to the Spice House for a double-barreled blast of exotic olfactory bird shot. If you resist the urge to purchase one of their gourmet selections you will walk-away with a freebie: Ode de Spice House. You'll know when it happens. I've tasted cookies with their Vanilla and pineapple-jardiniere pizza with their Chicago pizza blend. The Spice House gets props for giving both a CPR-style breath of fresh-air. The spice must flow. read more

I went in looking for rosemary infused sea salt, what I came out with was much better. I knew the selection here would be vast, but what I did not expect was for there to be samples of nearly everything! I was able to buy a salt that worked even better for the recipe I was planning as a result. I also found the staff to be very helpful and kind people. The cashier mentioned how it was the busiest time of year for them, especially when I stopped by (a Saturday near Thanksgiving). Instead of rushing me through the process, however, he took the time to ask if I had been before, what brought me to the store and how I liked the area and city life so far (I'm new to the city). It was a great experience and I will recommend this place to anyone who enjoys spices or is looking for a spice. read more

I would have sex with their cinnamon. On a completely unrelated side note, you might want to avoid anything I make at my house with cinnamon. Just sayin'. read more

Ahh, Spice House - great place. When my roommate moved out of our apartment, she took her spices with her - which gave me the excuse to start building my own collection from scratch. I could find a way to blow an entire paycheck by buying everything I "need" at this store! The quality at Spice House is superb, and the staff is very friendly and helpful. And I'm sure you're thinking, "oh, but it's a small gourmet shop in Old Town, I bet it's super expensive, I'll just buy spices at Jewel." No, my friend - that is incorrect! Most jars (1/2 cup) are like $4, which is actually less than grocery store prices. Another great thing is that the labels have recipe suggestions, so even if you're not a terribly experienced cook, you'll have lots of inspiration to try new twists on your favorite dishes. I just purchased a blend called "Salad Elegant" which you can mix w/ sour cream to make salad dressing, or use it to season poultry/fish, scrambled eggs, baked potatoes, etc. The blends take the guesswork out of the equation, if you're afraid of screwing up your food b/c you don't know the proportions of spices to use. I could rave about this place for days, so let me stop here and just say: if you love cooking, you'll fall in love with this store, and if you normally eat out all the time, you'll be inspired to start cooking on your own. read more

Spice House is great! I was recently introduced to Spice House and have been back twice since. They have wonderful mixtures, which are great for all my cooking needs. My personal favorites are the Milwaukee Ave. and Lake Shore Drive. I'm wondering how I didn't know of this place sooner! read more

This place is amazing! You can smell the store a few blocks away. The selection is a bit ridiculous. There's so much. As someone who has travelled a fair amount I found the spices amazing and saw things I didn't think would be available easily in the US. Also, any idea how long some of those spices have been sitting on the shelves in there? Maybe a little pricey?? I find the bulk spices at Whole Foods to be a better bargain. read more

Do it. Go here. Taste things, buy them, and repeat. Seriously. Amchoor? Vadouvan? Be still my heart. They have everything and then some. We came away with a dozen different things- shakers, and small bags, and large bags, oh my! Also- for those of you seeking out good quality saffron that won't break the bank, try Spice House. I got a gram of really fragrant saffron for $10. I'm Indian, and I cook Indian food, so I know (most of) my spices. This place really had everything I could think of, and good quality, too. You can tell by smelling it. I was impressed. I'll be back! read more

By now you are thinking, does this guy and girl do anything but eat, drink, and uh...shop. Well, uh, yeah, but this is a family show and we cannot discuss those things here. This is a fabulous place for picking up seasonings or checking out things you did not know existed in the seasoning world. What a great staff to help, and what a fun place to chill in between a bloody mary crawl on a Saturday morning/afternoon. I especially recommend the dried tomato seasoning. Although we cook nearly everything, Italian is a favorite and this stuff just makes anything rock. Never having seen it before, i can tell you that the only way we have not been in awe of it, is straight out of the jar.....but then again we have not really tried it that way either. This is one little secret that just wows almost any tomato dish whether it be Italian, Asian, Barbeque, Spanish, Mexican, etc. Careful---you might leave a house payment behind if you do not bring someone with to stop you. Worth more than a visit. read more

If you are a foodie, and if you are ever close to Old Town, you MUST make a pilgrimage into the Spice Shop! Highest quality world spices, arriving into Spice House in bulk wooden barrels and boxes, and broken down by knowledgeable staff into manageable bags and jars, and all the way down to electronic-scale measured grams for your saffron fix (2 or 3 diff kinds of saffron BTW), make this a unique and aromatic adventure. Marco Polo would be envious of all the spices gathered in one space. What can I say that numerous others haven't? Spice House is just an AMAZING icon of Old Town in Chicago and a true homage for cooks and foodies. 15 kinds of bar-b-q rub? Yes. 25 different salad spices and herb mixtures? Yes. Peppercorns? 8 different varieties.... This place is a foodie's dream. read more

This place is awesome. The Spice house is inexpensive, fun to shop at and inspiring. I've loved almost all the spices and blends I've gotten here. Also with most 1 ounce containers costing less then $2.00, you can experiment without feeling guilty. For the person that gave it three stars and shops at Penzeys instead- it is actually owned by Penzeys- FYI. I highly recommend going here! I am sure you could go to Devon or Chinatown for cheaper spices, but what you are also paying for is the variety and selection. read more

Aleppo pepper, sumac, and poppy seeds OH MY! Middle Eastern cooking here we come. Bagels too. And my usual stock pile of cinnamon, clove, coriander, peppercorns, and diamond crystal kosher salt. And a few vanilla beans thrown in for good measure because homemade vanilla extract is just a bottle of vodka away. read more

I don't understand why there aren't more of these kind of shops around the country. The Spice House really is on to something here. I picked up an ounce of the "Historic Pullman Pork Chop Rub" a few weeks back for dinner and wow was I impressed. It added to so much flavor to my grilled pork chops. The Spice House has every spice you can think of and you don't have buy an entire bottle of something you'll only use once. They have a great system down by keeping their spices in jars. If you are in old town you should stop in. If you can't find it, follow your nose. read more

On my quest to have some fun cooking ingredients we stopped in this store before we hit the oil store. So much fun! I love this stuff. I wish i had come in here with an agenda though. To play it safe I stuck with my favorite thing the salts. Got some truffle salt and garlic salt that I could eat alone! I got some taco seasoning and some province salt. Next time want to try some of the spices to include in salad dressings. Great store! read more

These guys are from Wisconsin! I love 'em already. All the things other people say are true -- I would just add that they have a "salad spice" shaker that is crack-level addicting. It sneaks up on you, but pretty soon that's all you'll ever want on a salad. So good! read more

Listen: there's the average table top run of the mill Mrs. Dashesque pepper and salt and THEN there's the Spice House! Truly a culinary wishery for those lovers of spices in Chicago! Wall to wall apothecary inspired spices from ALL over the world! Saigon cinnamon, Black Hawaiian salt, deep dish Chicago spices, pink Himalayan salt, fresh Indian cloves that beg to be in an orange themed holiday centerpiece, and a host of other internationally fabulous spices to sample while strolling it's hardwood floors. Exceptionally friendly staff, well versed on spices and all that is culinary! I'd suggest bringing hand sanitizer though, because even at the height of flu season, spices that you sample are put into your hand, no spoons or anything, so wash up if you plan on sampling the wonderous finds here! read more

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While on a business trip I decided to try and find this place since I love to cook and we don't have any real spice shops at home. I took a cab to get here and it was cool to see all the different flavored spice blends they had. It was nearly overwhelming! They didn't have what I was looking for though, which was disappointing since I came from so far and took a taxi there (and back!) I didn't think what I wanted was so exotic. Oh well, I did buy a lot of other spices anyway! The service was friendly and helpful. read more

I cannot say enough about this place! I am so grateful to have one here in Chicago that I can go to and try so many wonderful spices. I have been going here for years and the staff are always friendly and helpful with anything that you need. you can buy spices by the ounce or in a jar. They have gift boxed spices, most of them themed. They have a variety of vanilla - and let me tell you they are good! I have also tried their variety of salts. I have tried so many things from here and I have too many favs to probably list. If you love to cook you need to get to this place and try something that no grocery store will offer! I never thought that spices could make a difference, until I tried these. It makes a HUGE difference and you will never go back to getting spices anywhere else! read more

The Spice House is serious business. If you like to cook, you must go there immediately. I mean it. Put down that fork of flavorless crap and get over there. For my birthday, my wife bought me the Deluxe Grill and Barbecue Gift Box. But you can do a whole lot more with the offerings in this set, mixin' and matchin' to reach a whole new level of zen in your kitchen. So far, my three favorites are the Bronzeville Rib Rub, the Back of the Yards Butcher's Rub, and the King Creole Seasoning. If you like cooking food not fit for a prison, then by all means keep doing what you're doing. Otherwise, quit wasting your time and check out The Spice House. read more

Borrowed from J...but my thoughts are the same: This place is awesome! If you like to cook or know a wannabe (or real) chef this is the perfect place to go for a gift. The employees are always so nice and willing to help. To top it off the prices here are a steal. Spice House will likely have anything you would need for even the most obscure recipes." read more