IMPORTANT: CASH ONLY! Going in the store it looks very clean, taped booths (so that no one sits on them during the pandemic), social distancing signs on the walls and on the floor as well. What I really like about this place is that the employee washed his hands after handling money. I asked for a mild order of their popcorn chicken snack and it took a decent amount of time, can't wait to try a drink from here next time I'm in the area :) Also the pictures attached are updated menus (including for food, drinks, and their desserts) this shop has as of 3/29/21 because all their menus on yelp right now are super outdated, hope this helps! read more

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Spiceology is probably one of the best bangs for the buck Taiwanese snack restaurants. The strawberry snow was not very impressive with a rather artificial flavoring reminiscent of children's candy for about $6. On the other hand, the popcorn chicken was on par with other places like Quickly. They were crispy and flavorful with a weird sweet aftertaste that I could only imagine is the marinade and only cost about $4. Overall, I cannot really recommend Spiceology flavor-wise unless you're just looking for some cheap snacks that aren't terrible. read more

Spiceology - Popcorn Chicken - Taiwanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

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I didn't have much expectations for this place, and only went because my son asked for some popcorn chicken. So I googled the nearest place for popcorn chicken, and this place popped up. The place was a bit dim as there wasn't much natural light coming in since it faces north, and the lighting inside was pretty scarce. And upon entering the place, it was as quiet as a library even though there were two tables occupied by some teenagers. I couldn't help but find the atmosphere very bizarre. Out of curiosity, I asked the lady behind the counter why don't they play some background music. And she told me it was because a lot of customers (young kids) would bug her to switch the music. And when it gets busy, it's just too much trouble. She then told me that they used to play music videos or dramas on the TV, but then one customer demanded them to turn it off because it was too distracting for their kids to eat properly. Gosh, people are so entitled these days. Anyway, we proceeded to go order at the counter after checking out their simple menu. I chose the Taiwanese sausage bento and my son got the popcorn chicken bento. Both were very good. The popcorn chicken was very juicy and crispy. The Taiwanese sausage was very flavorful and juicy too. The bento boxes came with a side of corn, cabbage, and rice. The portions of the bentos were very good for the price, and we completely devoured them. We were already very full at the end, but we just had to try their shaved mango ice cream. And that was also very good. Overall, this place exceeded my expectations. And while I still find the atmosphere awkwardly quiet, I do intend to go back very soon. Note, this place is cash or zelle only. read more

As I continue my quest to eat at all the mom and pops Taiwanese food places in SGV, Spiceology was next on the list. It's located in the 99 cent store plaza, in the corner next to the 99 cent store. Food-wise, the menu is pretty much like other Taiwanese places, with lotsa bento boxes, and small appetizers like fried tofu, popcorn chicken, etc. They also have customizable fried rice on the menu which is different. My go-to at any Taiwanese places is fried chicken bento. And this place does not disappoint. I was surprised at the amount of protein in the bento box. There were 2 layers of fried chicken leg. We also ordered the boiled angus beef in spicy sauce, fried tofu, and fried tempura. These aren't the best I've had, but they're not disappointing either. The service was good. I was able to call the order over the phone, and show up 20 minutes later, food ready to go. The gentleman behind the counter was efficient and courteous. There is also a big drinks menu with a variety of boba, slushy, snow ice etc. I'm not big on drink, but definitely will be back when it's warmer for the snow ice. Overall I'm happy with my experience at Spiceology. If i'm in the area, I will definitely stop by again. read more

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This review is for the shaved ice (or as they call it, snow). I havent tried the other menu items so cant really comment on those. I have tried two types of snow, namely the following: Original strawberry snow which includes original flavored snow, sliced up strawberries, rice balls, and of course condensed milk The pudding snow with caramel includes original flavored snow with pudding, boba, condensed milk, and wait for it, yup you guessed it....caramel! Before I tell you how yummy they are (wait did I just do that?), I have to tell you that the portion sizes are big. This is a dish you order to share as no ordinary person could possibly finish one alone. Sorry starving artists may be common in LA but they don't qualify as ordinary people. Anyways. The snow is good, comes very cold, but doesn't cause brain freeze for some reason, which is oddly satisfying. The taste of the condensed milk and caramel is delicious, although when it wears off you're left with a kind of tasteless, flavorless, icy substance. An interesting phenomenon, but hard to complete. Overall, I give it 4 stars due to this strange occurrence. Worth checking out for those looking for a shareable, healthier option to sugar laced ice cream or froyo. read more

Spiceology - I don't know where I'm going, I don't know the mission - Taiwanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

My sister and I were craving popcorn chicken and stumbled upon Spiceology and decided to give it a try! The gentleman helping us was super nice and the service was great! The popcorn chicken came out hot & fresh, it was super crispy and yummy! I will definitely be coming back for some more! read more

Spiceology - popcorn chicken - Taiwanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

簡單。好吃。 It's simple but delicious. Good for friends to order different items and share them. read more

Ordered: -Taiwanese sausage meal -Minced pork meal -Popcorn chicken -Peach Slush -Oolong MT boba Pro: -Clean inside -Popcorn chicken is juicy & crunchy! -peach slush was good Con: -Milk tea seems to be powder tea -Taiwanese sausage did not include garlic -Minced pork was ok (kind of dry & bland) -Came on a Friday afternoon and difficult to find parking It is cash only! I would come if you are looking for good popcorn chicken! read more

Despite some of the negative reviews here, I think Spiceology is such a wonderful little restaurant! During high school, I came here all the time after track practice with my friends to order a drink and either some fries or popcorn chicken. I also recommend their shaved ice. The manager is pretty funny, and it is almost always very lively inside. With free wifi, good comfort food at very reasonable prices, well sanitized tables, and air conditioning, Spiceology is definitely worth a try! read more

Spiceology - Fries and boba with my twin sister! - Taiwanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Togo shaved ice was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!! Recommend!!!! But their hours have changed, they close at 7:30pm instead of 8pm

The mango slush and the popcorn chicken are the best! You can get different spiciness for the chicken. We usually get medium and it's not too spicy. The mango slush is really refreshing. We add lychee to it for a little extra something something. read more

Great Korean fire chicken, popcorn chicken,cabbage & cucumbers. The bento box is the way to go. read more

They've got the best popcorn chicken in town, and their sweet potato fries are pretty darn good too. During the summers my friends and I like to come here to chill out over their shaved snow, which is big enough to share between 2-3 people. As for drinks, their peach black tea is super refreshing on a hot day and their honey lemon/kumquat drinks (hot) are great for when you're feeling under the weather. Happy hour is Monday through Friday from 3-5 PM - $1 off select drinks! Note that they will not stamp your stamp card for happy hour purchases. CASH ONLY read more

Had a craving for Taiwanese snacks and decided to come to Spiceology. It's a lil mom and pop shop that's hidden in the corner next to the 99 cents in Arcadia on Duarte. I called in my order and the guy on the phone asked me my eta and I told him 15 minutes. He also let me know it's cash only which I already knew but thought that was really nice of him to inform me so there's no problem when I'm trying to pick up my food. I ordered popcorn chicken and fried tofu. The popcorn chicken here is tasty and the breading is a bit on the sweet side. The fried tofu was perfectly fried with a thin crunchy layer. It's tofu so obviously it's a bit bland and needs sauce. Now here's the part that I really love is the price. It's only 4 dollars for each order which is unbelievable when you compare it to other places. The foods here is priced super low and it's also actually tasty too. This restaurant has the best food deals in Arcadia. read more

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I think they're at regular business hours now--ignore that part of my review. Stay safe! read more

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Went here all through high school - love their boba and all their drinks honestly. Their milk drinks are all delicious and the honey grass jelly is my favorite. Two things that are MUSTS: their fried chicken tastes so authentic - just like Taiwanese ones you get at the night market; their fried tofu is the only one I've had that uses the silky/soft tofu, and it is so tasty! Make sure you get the sweet and spicy sauce/Thai chili sauce to go with it! read more

CASH ONLY, they need to post a sign at the door and at the register. This place does NOT have shave ice. Snow Ice and Shave Ice are not the same. If you are lactose intolerant, take some lactaid before having snow ice. Take your ORDER TO-GO. They don't seem to have staff to bus tables or wipe them down. Not the friendliest of service, so you better know what you want before you get to the register. read more

Spiceology - Strawberry on strawberry snow with mochi - Taiwanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

My favorite place in Arcadia. I recommend the pork chop rice and three cup chicken. Their green tea, passion fruit green tea with lychee and boba milk tea with pudding drink are great also. read more

Spiceology - Menu 3/21/21 - Taiwanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

I love this place so delicious, quality is good so is price! Owner is very welcoming and kind.

Great local place with various Taiwanese style teas, small dishes, and snacks. The owner here is a nice guy, and we always get good service. It's not too busy, but you can find a few groups of people hanging out at all hours. I've had a few of the plate meals, and they were all good. They offer the staple rice dishes and the usual fried chicken/pork chops, etc. We come here all the time, and I'd highly recommend it. read more

Spiceology - Taiwanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Plenty of seats inside, Pretty extensive menu of drinks, snacks, and food, Prices are from 2010s. 3 orders of popcorn chicken, and a drink for ~$15. read more

Be aware that it's CASH only. I keep forgetting. My waxing lady is near here so every time we're done over there, we come here for some popcorn chicken meal and sausage combo. Well seasoned and cooked. So far every time we come, it's only one guy working and from the other reviewers it seems his name is Ray? He's really nice and is always quick. The drinks are good too. I like that they're not overly sweet at 100% sweetness like other shops. It's a pretty big and open space with a good amount of seating. It looks pretty simple and minimal decor. Great for studying and hanging out, but don't bring outside food. The parking in the plaza seems okay. We've found parking every time pretty easily so far. But it does look like if you go during rush hour, it could get filled up quick. The plaza is quite dated and could use a makeover. read more

CASH ONLY ! Service was really good here for me. Patient and knowledgeable employees! What I like about this spot is other than the yummy food are the low prices!! Good cheap Taiwanese eats for sure. I think my fave would be the Taiwanese sausage bento. read more

Spiceology is my second home- Years ago, my friends and I would come here after school in middle school and high school. Now, I don't come here as often but when I do, everyone gathers and we absorb the nostalgic surroundings. Popcorn Chicken (5/5) - My favorite in the area, maybe because I grew up on it. Each piece is nicely sized, crunchy outside, tender inside. The ketchup is for the fries normally but I still eat it with the chicken sometimes. Fries (4/5) - Pretty good but not too special. These are the ones that come with ketchup. My friends and I think the ketchup is sweeter here but we don't know if it's in our heads or if it actually is. Regardless, the ketchup here is great so it's a definite must to dip your fries in some. Passionfruit Green Tea w Lychee Jelly (5/5) - I have this quite complicated order that I order with no ice as well. "Uncle" Ray - the owner of the store - used to remember this complicated order back in middle school along with my popcorn chicken with medium spice. Maybe he doesn't remember it anymore since it's been quite a while but I appreciate those years when he did. The tea itself is always well flavored and strong and they shake it in ice before pouring it in the cup so your drink will still be cold if you order with no ice. Lychee jelly is nothing special, but always good. Overall, a very well-put-together drink. Green Tea Fluff Ice (5/5) - This is always a great dessert to share with everyone. The shaved green tea fluff ice is drizzled over with condensed milk and is surrounded by some boba, big mochi rice balls, red bean, and green tea ice cream. Huge portion that you can share with at least 3 people. Beef Noodle Soup (4.5/5) - Although this is not a specialized noodle restaurant, I still love their beef noodle soup. The soup is actually very flavorful, more so than many restaurants I've been to. The beef is always tender and the noodles are cooked nicely. Try this if you're craving more than just a snack! Service (4/5) - This is mainly about the waiting times. The service is always friendly but they do take a little longer sometimes. I would say you have to wait 7-15 minutes for a popcorn chicken. As students, we didn't care because we were there to hang out but if you're in a rush to go somewhere, maybe call ahead. The drinks come out quicker, normally within 5 minutes. Parking - There is a big shared lot with the 99 cents store and Tapioca Express! read more

This is our go to place for milk tea. Nobody else compares. We recently started adding popcorn chicken to our orders. The quality and value is unmatched. The owners are so nice. They always address me by my name. read more

If you are pipcorn chicken lover, you must try this place. The best popcorn chicken so far. So bomb read more

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Pretty good place. Place was empty during lunch time so I thought this place is out of business. Great bento box with free drinks. Popcorn chicken was yummy. read more

I found this place randomly and perfect for my popcorn chicken craving. They have very lovely price for a good portion of appetizer/ snacks. I only ordered for takeout. The popcorn chicken was decent, it is the authentic taiwan style. The sweet potato fries was good as well. I think I will come back for the popcorn chicken when I'm around. read more

This place is a gem. They have very affordable lunch sets, snacks and drinks. It is next to a 99 cents store so there's ample amount of parking. The only negative is that it's one of those restaurants that tries to avoid paying taxes to the government so they only accept cash and Zelle payments. read more

I love Spiceology! My friends love Spiceology! My family loves Spiceology! We all love Spiceology! Such a homey old school mom n pop boba shop with all the staples, along with a bunch of yummy Taiwanese foods. At the moment they have a plexiglass barrier at the register and there's lots of space to social distance and wait for your food/drinks. Wear a mask and bring cash as it's CASH ONLY! Used to come here all the time in high school back when it was still Tasty-To-Go. The only big difference is that the steam table food is now gone, but I can assure you the food is even better and fresher now! My favorites are the boiled spicy pot (vermicelli, crab sticks, napa cabbage, bean sprouts, woodear, spam, etc. in a mildly spicy broth), hainan chicken rice, popcorn chicken, and sautéed string beans.. green beans?? i forgot what they call it but yeah that. Their teas are super strong and can literally keep me up all night so if you're looking for a caffeine boost or boba drinks where you can actually taste the tea beneath all the creamer, sugar, and syrup, Spiceology is the perfect spot for that! As for the boba, Spiceology's boba tastes more traditional with a very deep brown sugar flavor versus honey. It's always bouncy, flavorful, and made fresh; sometimes it's still warm when they put it in your drink! The clear boba just tastes like little balls of sweet agar, but it's a great substitute for when you want something lighter. My favorites are the oolong milk tea, peach green tea, wintermelon tea, milk fusion with pudding and boba, and strawberry slush, but you can't go wrong with any of their drinks. Just an FYI: I THINK the difference between the milk teas and the tea lattes is that the former is made with non-dairy creamer while the latter is made with fresh milk. You can always ask for clarification though because both the man and woman who work there are super friendly! :) read more

This spot was absolutely amazing. I tried the mango shaved ice and I think it was literally the best shaved ice I've ever had. Not only was the ice super soft and creamy, but it was also very flavorful. I took my first bite without any toppings and was already blown away, with toppings astounding. The portion was huge and only 7 dollars (5.5 without any toppings). The people there are also super sweet and kind. I would recommend this place if you want some shaved ice. A lot of other places I've tried have shaved ice with visible ice crystals, but the ice here was so delicate. It would be a huge to have this place close down, so if you can please support this place. P.S. this place is cash only when I went read more

It's your run of the mill Taiwanese place and it doesn't stand out much in the area. Drinks are an okay price and there isn't a lot of food options, but they have a ton of seating and are welcome to people just getting a drink, kicking back and hanging out. Even had a group of people playing a complicated board game in the area. The popcorn chicken was okay, it wasn't very crispy and the drink was also pretty average, I got the barley tea. While it isn't a place I would come a whole lot, I could see myself coming by here to hang out with a few friends in the area in the middle of the day to pass some time. read more

Spiceology - Taiwanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

This place has gone downhill from when we first ate here. Today, when we came when they had been open for 1 hour, I was told there were no noodles, no pork chop, and no wonton. So we placed our order for rice bentos and told it would be 25-30 minutes. While we were waiting, other people were told there was no rice. After waiting 30 minutes, we asked about our food. It wasn't even made yet, and the owner said it would be 30 minutes. Even someone who came after us received his food first. At that point, we just asked for a refund and left. If you really want to try the place, I would suggest calling ahead. They're so short staffed that you would be waiting for over 50 minutes for Hainan chicken rice. read more

I got off work early with my wife and we were looking for somewhere to sit, relax and eat some good desserts! I found spiceology which sounds more like a restaurant rather than a place you go to get ice cream or boba. However, looking at the pics from my fellow yelpers, it gave me the encouragement to try it out. Upon entering the restaurant, it looked pretty plain, dark, simple and really average. Don't expect a Starbucks type atmosphere or a desert place with colorful lights and furniture. This is also probably one of the last places that accept only cash which was really inconvenient which is why I only ordered one dessert, the green tea shaved ice with red bean, mochi and honey boba. To be honest the snow shaved ice was really good but the boba was a bit too sweet. I would give this place an average score but if you want to cheap desserts then come here! read more

Giving this spot an overall 4 out of 5 stars when taking price into consideration. Came here primarily for their popcorn chicken which was overall not bad. It's not the best Taiwanese popcorn chicken I've had in SGV but considering it was only like 4 bucks, it's decent. It could have been crispier and it was a bit sweeter than other popcorn chicken for my taste. Also tried their Jasmine Milk Tea with boba and it was okay. Boba tastes pretty standard not great but again when looking at the price, overall with Spiceology, you get what you pay for! read more

Cash only. Tucked in a corner of a small plaza in between a 99 cent store and a dry cleaners. Their crispy tofu is indeed very crispy. I hate tofu, but even I found this tofu pretty bearable, which is an A-plus if I ever wanted to go vegetarian or something, I guess. I ordered the hainan chicken, which was delicious, but there wasn't enough rice and pickled radish (?) for the chicken that was given. I would feel like I got my money's worth if there had more rice and side to go with it. Wasn't busy at all on a Friday night, but not sure if that's par for the course. The fluffy ice is very fluffy, definitely good for those with a sweet tooth. The pudding topping tasted too much like caramel/flan for my taste; it was way too sweet, but the texture was nice. read more

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Snuck over to Spiceology yesterday for lunch. Previous to this trip, the last time I was here I walked in and received a styrofoam container filled with salty goodness for about $5. It seems that between these two trips, the old place closed and Spiceology showed up. No matter, I'm hungry. I took a look a the menu while standing at the counter, and ordered up the Spicy Chicken to go. For 12:30 on a weekday, there wasn't another soul in the place. Despite the "A" grade on the window, empty restaurants make me nervous... especially knowing how high rents are in Arcadia for businesses! Within a few minutes, my food was served-- a handsome plastic container of chicken, peppers, zucchini, chiles, and baby corn, with rice and steamed broccoli in the other parts of the bento-like box. Back at the office, I ate the whole plate like a ravenous dog. Everything was tasty, with surprisingly good spice. Alas, that same blessing became a curse; it seems that heat stayed alive and well for most of the journey through the Land of Digestion. Alternating rounds of intestinal lava, heartburn, and what sounded like bottlenose dolphins mating in my ascending colon made things interesting. If my stomach was a movie scene, it would be Emperor Palpatine frying Luke Skywalker with blue lightning from his fingertips in RETURN OF THE JEDI. Really, this is probably more about my destructo'ed liver that is a couple of decades past its expiration date, than it is about the food here. Like I said... tasty and fresh. If you have the intestinal fortitude of an octogenarian, thanks to consuming copious quantities of hot sauce as a youth... Caveat edax! (Look it up.) read more

Spiceology - Taiwanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

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Taiwanese Shaved Snow! It's so sad that so many Taiwanese shaved snow places closed during the pandemic (RIP 302) but this place is amazing! I ordered the Mango Shaved Snow Set (which is only ! $7.00 ) which was absolutely delicious. Taiwanese shaved snow is superior to Bingsu in my opinion. I devoured it so quickly that I forgot to take a picture. I also ordered the Taiwanese popcorn chicken set which was also delicious and very affordable. Love supporting mom and pop shops, especially when they serve great food! Highly recommended for Taiwanese Shaved Snow or if you like Taiwanese rice dishes! read more

Not a fan of the food. I suggest sticking to the drinks and desserts. Fried tofu- Like that they use the silky tofu. The dipping sauce had no flavor and they gave very little of it anyways. Pan fried dumplings- Same as the ones from the frozen section of the supermarket. Needs more sauce. Preserved vegetable and pork rice noodle soup- So bland. This looks like something you can make at home. I think my home version would've turned out better. Pork Chop rice- The pics look like it's deep fried with some batter. It came out un-coated. Did have a good flavor though. Total $25 You order at the counter and they bring out your food to you. The place looks like a local hangout/study place for a bunch of high schoolers who order 1 drink and sit there for hours on their laptops. read more

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So this place use to be "Tasty to Go" and now has a new store front name operated by a new management team. I use to come here when it was "Tasty to Go" and I recognize the male owner's face. This new place is operated by that same guy so I'm not sure if it's under new management but more like just a new store name with some new add ons to their menu. I ordered the mango shaved snow that comes with mango and pink mochi and added a side of popcorn chicken - medium spicy. The shaved snow portion is modest but the amount you get for mangos definitely changed. There's barely any mangos and I think the old place use to give generously sized mango portions when it was starting out as a business to get their name out. Anyways, in terms of quality, it's OK. If only class 302 was closer, I would definitely go there instead..but this place will have to do. I do not recommended ordering anything main course food related other than small bites/snacks. Food is really lousy. Most come here just for boba/tea drinks or shaved snow. read more

Spiceology - Mango shaved snow...ugh..barely any mangos! - Taiwanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

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