I lived across the street from Epic Spices for several years before I stopped in, and I regret that, because this place is a gem. Not only are the spices fresher than the grocery store, they are often less expensive or similarly priced than the grocery store, there is WAY more variety (they often say, if it's not on the shelves it's probably in the back), and they offer refill packs so you're not buying a million tiny bottles of cumin (is that just me?) They wholesale to restaurants which is how they're able to keep the variety and freshness on point. Plus, the owners are super nice, know a ton about their products, and seem to love educating their customers about herbs and spices -- I have learned about the differences between Mexican and Greek oregano, and why the price of vanilla fluctuates, etc. read more

Going to Epic Spices is the best walk-in experience I have had in a very long time. I went in to Epic looking for a simple spice for some ribs and walked out with a pantry full of fresh spices. The owner, Steven, is insanely knowledgable about spices (as you can imagine) and also about food in general. You can test each spice and Steven will tell you all about it. One of the best parts is that HIS PRICES ARE INSANELY LOW -- cheaper than you'd pay for a stale spice at a major chain store. Though not an active Yelp reviewer, my first reaction after leaving Epic Spices was to write a 5* review. read more

1. Spices you can't find everywhere, especially not at the mainstream chain stores 2. Prices are inexpensive especially for the quantity and quality! Less $ than McCormick's which is crap 3. Steven is the nicest dude ever and knows his stuff. One time he gave me a mixture of black sesames and maple syrup crystals to try. Who knew those two things taste so amazing together! 4. The hours of operation are totally convenient 5. Little shops like this need our support now more than ever! 6. I love this shop and so will you :) read more

I had my first opportunity to visit Epic Spices over the weekend. The store currently has a nice selection and additional spices available in the back. The owner, Steven, is very passionate about his business and it shows through his knowledge and customer service. Personally, I am excited to have fresh spices in the neighborhood and look forward to not having to shop at the local grocery stores or driving to Old Town for our spices! Give Epic Spices a visit, speak with the owner, maybe learn something and get cooking! read more

Such an awesome little shop! My boyfriend and I wandered in as we were checking out shops along Chicago Avenue and we were blown away. We just moved to Humboldt Park and had no idea a spice house was nearby. I wanted to buy it all. We left with dill, garlic parsley sea salt, and tandoori masala (which he ground on the spot for me when I saw they were out of it on the shelf--and he gave me a small pouch for free!). Everything is available for sample, so we tried some black garlic and we'll definitely be back for it as well as all of our other spice needs. It's a very small storefront, but that's kind of the point. They're spices, they don't need a ton of space. The best part? Unbelievable prices. Seriously, everything was at least half the price you'd see in a conventional grocery store...and think of how much better the quality is. Great spices, great service, and supporting local businesses always feels good. Take a trip out here and you won't be disappointed. read more

Amazing collection of spices, good prices, and excellent service. I was looking for a variety of spices to explore making bitters and Epic had everything I needed. Definitely coming back! read more

My wife and I came there Saturday to grab spices for a dinner with friends and they were more than helpful getting us the special spices we needed. We were able to have a special blend made for us for our dinner and they were more than helpful explaining how the spices could be used on other things like vegetables. We can't wait to go back and try some of the amazing spice blends that they have waiting for you. Thanks again for your amazing service see you soon! read more

Great Place. Very Helpful. Came to get spices to make Glug, and the owner crushed it. Got me everything I needed at a affordable price. Thank you will be back. read more

The best place I have ever been to get spices hands down! I've been always impressed at what they can create and their spice quality is out of this world amazing. We come here as much as we can to keep our shelves stocked with the essentials. And the mulling spices have been beyond amazing, its been a seasonal staple for us for years. read more

I LOVE Epic Spices. The quality of their product is outstanding and their prices are much cheaper than the grocery store. Plus, the owners are amazing. Every time I go in they ask what I'm making and have suggestions for other spices that would be good. They have a wealth of knowledge that I love tapping into. On my most recent visit I stopped in to get spices for mulled wine (how else do you get through a Chicago winter). I had several bags of spices totaling at least $10-$15. When I let the owner know what I was making, he directed me towards their pre-mixed mulling spice mix which was only $3. He could have easily let me purchase all the spices and taken my money! The fact that he didn't shows their character!! PS. I highly recommend the mulling spice mix they make... It's unreal read more

Affordable, incredible spices. The owners are wonderful people and always willing to have a conversation about how to use the spices. Throw out all of the broke down spices you have in your cabinet and go there right now. I'm particularly partial to the blends they have in jars - roast chicken seasoning, the jerk, smokey steak, and berbere. read more

Folks here could not be nicer and the place smells DELICIOUS! Can't wait to put these goodies to use!

YES YES YES!!!!! Ok just a little excited to review this one. It's so nice to have this place in close proximity. The selection of amazing spices is unparalleled and the knowledgeable help is refreshing. Clearly a labor of love going on here. Make it your place to go for spices! read more

A great place for all our spice needs!! This guy knows his stuff! Spice are fresh and a good value.

Love this place! It's a hidden gem and thankfully it's in my neighborhood. I can't live without their roasted chicken seasoning anymore. Everything is super fresh which when you taste the difference you will never byy shelved spices from Whole Foods ever again. They are also super nice. read more

Love having this little gem in the city. They're great people, always friendly and helpful with high quality and hard to find products.

I am never going anywhere else for spices again. Seriously, I will never need to. Steven at Epic is the best. He will mix anything for you and the prices are unbelievable. Why would I go back to The Spice House? I won't. Epic Spice, you have a customer for life. read more

Epic Spices is a gem. A small but so well curated store. I really appreciate spices and use them in everything I cook. I usually go to a place on Wells but needing some cinnamon I walked into Epic Spices after the Mr. mentioned there was a spice store near Yuzu. The owner Steven is really helpful and knowledgeable. I was happy with the quality of the cinnamon and went back to Epic Spices to get turmeric, black salt and zaatar. All spices I buy regularly and since I buy them regularly I realized that the prices were $2-$4 less per spice than what I usually pay. This store is great, fantastic quality and great prices. read more

This is quite literally the best spice shop I've ever been to. Between the freshest spices I've ever seen, to a variety that seems infinite, to the prices which are insanely low--- this store is like a dream. The owner is incredibly passionate about food and quality ingredients. He's happy to share samples and insight. Ghost pepper powder? No problem. He grows that himself. The women in the shop before us said they had reloaded the parking meter three times. They kept trying the amazing spices Steven had behind the counter. read more

If you value the the time and effort you put into your cooking than this is the only place to get spices. The quality of epic is unlike anything I have found throughout the country if not abroad. The price is the same as grocer bought spice and you only have to use 1/4 the amount. Do yourself a favor and look no further. J.O. read more

This place is awesome! Great fresh spices and unique mixes... The prices are extremely competitive as well. I won't get my spices anywhere else from now on. read more

This place is fantastic. The spices themselves are fresh and full of flavor - with price tags lower than the grocery stores. The owner is the only guy there and is always there to greet you on your entrance. He's also incredibly nice, passionate about spices and full of knowledge. Go! read more

I love this place for a number of reasons. The products are very reasonably priced, and yet some of the best spices I've ever bought. What really takes the cake, however, is the customer service. Steven clearly loves what he does. He's always happy to explain the different spices and give suggestions for how to use them. He loves to let you sample his products, but not in a pushy salesman kind of way. I never feel guilty if I don't want to buy what he's given me to sample. I always leave this place happier than when I went in. I highly recommend it for stocking your spice cabinet, and their products make GREAT gifts, too. You must try the hot chocolate and black garlic. read more

This place is awesome. It has high quality, interesting spices at AMAZING prices. Good variety, fresh blends (he even made one for me on the spot by request), and great prices. Customer service is perfect -- friendly, knowledgeable, genuine, invested in offering super prices, and not at all foodie-pretentious. Did I mention fantastic prices? I'm talking WAY better prices than big grocery stores for a million-times fresher, purer products and hand-crafted blends. Support this guy so he can keep doing what he's doing! read more

Love this place! Dropped in tonight & left with cumin, chili powder & cookie spice (yum!). The owner, Steven is incredibly knowledgeable, helpful & friendly. He encouraged us to taste the spices & everything was so fresh! I love that this is in the hood & is my new go-to spice shop; cannot beat the prices! read more

Let's all support this local business while enjoying better spices at lower prices, because, in doing so, we can help this nice man follow his bliss. This tiny spice store opened less than one month ago, but I hadn't noticed it yet and was surprised to see it when I walked by today. When I opened the door the smell was heavenly. Steven Tobiason, the genuinely friendly and knowledgeable entrepreneur, greeted me warmly. I welcomed him to the neighborhood, and we chatted a bit. I was completely shocked by how inexpensive his product is. He let me smell some of the spices so I could get an idea of their quality, and I was impressed. He processes and packages them himself. Come check it out! Hours are Tuesday through Sunday 11am-7pm (closed on Mondays). read more

Amazing place! So many spices and even custom made spices of you ask! So much more cheaper than going to a normal grocery store also and better quality. read more

Couldn't find any sumac at Mariano's and I'd heard such great things about this place so I decided to walk down Chicago Ave. and check it out. The owners were wonderful and very helpful when I told them about some restrictions I had with certain spices; they offered to make some personalized mixes without cumin if I wanted so the customer service was incredible in my opinion. The great prices and the owner's knowledge definitely make a trip to Epic Spices well worth it! It's a little hidden so don't give up if you walk past it twice, like I did, before finally finding the entrance. read more

This little shop is AMAZING. It was even smaller than I thought it would be, but there is a great selection and all very reasonably priced. The spices are ground fresh, so the fragrance is totally different from stuff you might get off the shelf in a big grocery store. I got some real ceylon cinnamon that is totally game changing. Also, the owner is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I got a fascinating spice history lesson on vanilla and cinnamon. There is a lot of love and passion put in to this tiny store. It was such a pleasure to find it. I will definitely be back for future spice needs!! read more

Great spice selection, friendly knowledgeable staff and very reasonable prices. What else would you want?

I, too, found this place while on vacation. Went though the place like a whirlwind and bought many pepper varieties. This place is awesome and I look forward to when I can order online! read more

People - you need to hit Epic Spices on Chicago Ave. We were at Alcala's getting new boots for kid 1, stopped for a bite to eat, and then my husband caught this out of the corner of his eye. The owner, Steven, is passionate about what he does- they process the spices on site and make all the blends, taking requests from customers. Prices were great, service was amazing, and the shop is charming (tiny postage stamp with a lot of workspace in the back). Need something specific? Let him know. Want advice or information on a spice? Thoughtful response right away. I cannot wait for the temperature to drop so I can make the Aztec Hot Cocoa blend we picked up! read more

Great spice shop. Friendly service. Inexpensive prices. All spices are ground in house and blends can be customized by the store. Will be back. read more

This is an awesome, high quality spice collection at very reasonable prices. The owner is very friendly and helpful- he knows his spices and can figure out the best spices for his customers quickly. Definitely a Chicago gem! read more

Steven knows his stuff. This place rules!

Stopped in the other day and was AMAZED! Steven the owner is very knowledgable, friendly and passionate about his creations. He took a great deal of time explaining what went into many of his creations as well as suggestions on how to use them. He also let us try a few things that I have never tried or heard of before. What an amazing experience. I will get as many of our spices as I can from him as I know they are fresh and well made. No grocery store can make that claim. Truly a one of a kind shop and owner. read more

Not much to add to what's already been written here, but I just wanted to add my voice to the many praising this place. Once you've been here, you'll realize that there is no reason to EVER buy your spices anywhere else. Huge variety, great blends and an incredibly knowledgeable owner who can guide you to things you didn't know you needed. And the prices are low enough that exploring new things is easy. Continuously surprised that this little shop hasn't gotten more attention -- it deserves to be at the top of the list for any cook (or, like me, wannabe cook) in Chicago. read more

Have you ever found the god of anything before? Well this would be the SPICE GOD ! A man so knowing and meticulous in his spices that he makes all others pale in comparison. The prices are as sweet as the spices no more will u pay as the same for the trash they try to sell you at Mariano's .... But can Mariano's paprika take u to Spain when u close ur eyes..... I think not! read more

Amazing selection. Price point can't be beat. This shop has EVERY spice you've been looking for that one-off recipe that requires a spice that can't be found in a regular grocery store, but is FAR cheaper than Whole Foods or similar retailers. Love this place. read more

I mostly buy spices from this store because everything is freshly grounded and freshly sourced from locations throughout the world. I also get the opportunity to try new spices, which I incorporate in my cooking. The owner is super helpful and very enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge. The spices here are affordable and waaaay better than the stuff at whole foods or Marianos. My advice is to ditch the grocery store spice aisle and head over here. read more