Just a quick note about about Jessica. I've taken my mom to this Oakland location a few times. Jessica has always been compassionate and helpful. Even when I know she has been a bit stressed out, Jessica has always been understanding and supportive. Recently when my mom lost her hearing aids and we were looking at replacing them, Jessica was gracious. Thank you Jessica. Matt says if you or a loved one may need hearing aids, drop by and see Dr. Crookston and Jessica. read more

We will not be going back to this office. The office experience was horrific. The provider, Raymond Crookston was fine, however the front desk lady is extremely rude. She was telling me that is the office policy to charge the customer the out of pocket ahead of time, even though I said to her that our PPO doesn't have a copay, but I paid anyways. A month later a get an EOB from my insurance that they had covered everything at a 100% including the office visit. ( interesting that on top of the test, which was what I made the appointment for, they charge an office visit) It took me several calls and voicemails left that they needed to refund the copay they charged me ahead of time. If it wasn't for the EOB I received from my insurance, I wouldn't know that they paid fully. I believe that the office should have either called me to let me know that my insurance pays it all and therefore they would send me a check with the amount they charged me ahead of time ( office policy) or just send me a check with a note showing that they were paid by my insurance and returning the copay they charge ahead of time per office policy. That really rubbed me in the wrong way. It felt that they would have kept my money if I didn't go after it. So, a couple weeks ago I made an appointment for my husband and explain what had happened to me and asked them to please send it directly to the insurance and don't charge ahead of time as I didn't want to have to run after them to collect the fee they have a policy to charge. My husband primary is Medicare and secondary is a PPO. He paid as per policy, even though I had explained to the lady at the reception what had happened before and she said that she understood. I just got off the phone with her, who was extremely rude and had an awful attitude. I asked if she could please send the receipt to our insurance showing the payment. She rudely said they don't do that and told me that I said to her that she didn't know how to do her job. I never ever said that. I said that it was upsetting that k had to keep calling them to get my money back as they were paid by my insurance. Anyways, I tried to use them again. Big mistake! Will never be setting foot at the Lakeshore location again and will make sure to tell friends and family to stay away. I think the lady in the front desk would be better off working at the DMV as a clerk. It would suit her much better. read more

Called to inquire about appointment for ear cleaning - they are not accepting new clients. I was referred to my Primary Care for this service. I mentioned that's not on their website (or voicemail) that they aren't accepting new patients and the response was "we don't update it every day". Would have been nice to know if and when new patients are accepted. I reached out to a specialty office for a speciality service - based on their website/Yelp/Google that's what they offer. If I wanted to utilize Insurance through my Primary Care Doc that's the route I would have taken. I love supporting local businesses over huge corporations, and would have been happy paying out of pocket for services as it relates to my ear health. This will not be a local business I suggest working with. read more

Dr. Ray is a terrific audiologist! He really knows his field and explains things clearly. He's responsive, super-patient, and really listens. I've had regular hearing exams for twenty years and worn hearing aids for ten of them--and Dr. Ray is far and away the best I've encountered in this field. Hearing is a crucial element in quality of life for me, and I'm delighted with the care I've received from Hearing Zone! read more

Dr. Crooks is very nice, thorough efficient and affordable. The hearing test here was far less expensive than what I was quoted over in at Berkeley Hearing Center. The office is filled with amazing art done by the doctor's mother. Parking is easy in the public lot--very convenient and free - and you can pop into by Trader Joe's on your way home. read more

I honestly had quite the crazy experience here, and although it was pleasant overall, I don't think I would return. I made an appointment a ~week in advance (dr was on vacation) and it was a quick & simple process. They gave me a phone reminder the day before, which I appreciated. Come the day of my appointment, I arrived 30 minutes early (over estimated travel time), and decided to sit in the waiting room to wait instead of standing outside. I walk in at 2pm and the Myrah (spelling?) looks at me wide eyed, and without speaking a word to me, screams, gets up quickly, runs out the office, and proceeds to scream out "DR ANISH! DR ANISH! COME BAAACK" Immediately, I knew I was in for a ride and I didn't know if I was ready. To be 100% honest, for a split second, I debated if I trusted this place with my eardrums. Well, before I could run out, Myrah returns in and greets me, she's a quick speaker, very kind, and eager to help. She apologized that she couldn't catch the Dr before he left, I said it was fine because I was 30 min early, and she proceeds to fill out my patient form for me LOL It was honestly endearing at this point. Dr. Anish returns to the office around ~2:15 and sees me. I don't have any wax sadly, so all he did was examine my ear drums and applied some sort of oil to help with a little bit of dry skin inside my ear. For $20, it was kind of a waste of time, but at least I satisfied my curiosity. If you have ear wax issues, I think this is a great place to go. The staff, although (cutely) odd, are very top notch. Other mention: -Their office is open, so you're able to see into Dr. Anish's office from the waiting room area. They share their bathroom with the bank, so per Myrah's recommendation, please lock the door behind you! -Decent street parking options on the street and in the residential area behind the office. -Great location, if you arrive early you can visit local shops or restaurants to occupy your time. -They do not accept insurance for ear wax removal (or at least for my case they wouldn't) & quoted me $40-60 for the potential ear wax removal cost. The price depends on the tools and time they need to clean your ears read more

I recently purchased the Livio 2000 (with Bluetooth connectivity) hearing devices from Hearing Zone. Dr. Ray helped me choose the right product and I couldn't be more happy with my choice. Dr Ray and Spencer have spent time with me tweaking to get it just right. The hearing devices have made a big difference in my day to day life. The technology is amazing these days and Dr Ray's knowledge is right at the cutting edge! If you've been putting off purchasing hearing devices, like myself, I thoroughly recommend Hearing Zone on Lakeshore. Thanks very much for your help Dr. Ray and Spencer! read more

I had a basic hearing screening at the Hearing Zone and they were very professional, efficient and provided useful information so my audiologist could figure out the best course of treatment. When I had an insurance issue, Hearing Zone was very accommodating and worked with me on the additional payment. I really appreciate their attention to customer service and ensuring every person who visits their practice leaves happy. read more

Met with Ray who was very informative. Turns out we were clear so we didn't need the services. Reduced fee and we were out quickly with the peace of mind that we didn't have roach eggs or something weird in our ears. read more

Had my hearing tested this morning at the Hearing Zone on Lakeshore; in & out in about 20 minutes. Really nice folks & Dr. C explained things clearly. I highly recommend this establishment if you need your hearing tested. read more

I am a first time hearing aid user and would recommend the staff at Hearing Zone. I've turned down the volume on devices and noticed what I've been missing. If you're hesitant about addressing hearing loss you'll want to check them out. Very accessible and knowledgeable. read more

I take my father here to check and adjust his hearing aids and to clean the waxy ears. Our visit here is usually pleasant and uncomplicated. Everybody is friendly and able to provide the service without any problems. Doctor is knowledgeable and can offer and explain different hearing aid options. We're thinking to get new hearing aids that are more advanced sometime soon but not ready yet. read more

I was initially happy with my evaluation and treatment some 5 years ago. When I recently returned for an assessment, I was treated very poorly and rushed through. More importantly I was up sold a remote device so I didn't have to physically adjust the sound of my hearing aids so visibly. It had stopped working after only a few months and when I took it in to be tested, I was told "Oh these only last for a few months and the battery cannot be replaced. Oh you weren't told that when they were sold to you? So sorry. Nothing we can do for you." $245 down the drain. They ates patronizing and non- responsive to older people and finally even fraudulent. Stay away! There are better alternatives. read more

A wonderful caring group of people who provide excellent service. They stand by their work, are available and efficient if problems arise. I know this because I actually did have an issue of miscommunication occur and they really went out of their way to more than correct the problem. I definitely felt that both I and the quality of their product matters to them. Highly recommend. read more

I went to get custom molded "musician's earplugs" Read this before you go: https://www.etymotic.com/downloads/dl/file/id/55/product/122/musicians_earplugstm_proven_tips_for_success.pdf Also read this: https://www.etymotic.com/consumer/hearing-protection/erme.html This is the company that actually makes the custom molded ear plugs. Here is their page where they sell the filters: https://www.etymotic.com/consumer/hearing-protection/erme.html I was charged $75 for an extra set of 25 db filters. That's $35 over the $40 listed on their website. Shipping is $6.50 on their website. That's 28.50 you're paying extra for an extra set of filters. The doctor did clean out my ears of wax with a small syringe and alcohol and water solution which they did for free and didn't charge the usual $30-50. They did include a hearing aid case which i found the exact same one online for $10. All in all I paid $325 for a pair of custom molded musicians ear plugs. I am a musician and I want to protect my hearing and be able to hear clearly at shows and concerts when I'm listening and when I'm playing and so I thought it was worth the high price for a couple ear plugs. The staff is pretty nice and friendly. The audiologist blasted my ears with some saline solution with rubbing alcohol to clear the wax out before he took a mold. He also had me come in for a fitting when the plugs arrived. the right ear was a little too tight so he ground it down a bit. what I wish he had done is use some kind of lubricant like otoease as is recommended by Etymotic because I could not get the plugs inserted after I left the office until i put a bit of coconut oil on them. Also: "Request different colors for each filter set (e.g., clear for ER-15, tan for ER-9, etc.) so they're easy to identify." I got two identical looking filters that are both clear: 15 and 25. Etymotic suggests that Audiologists request different colors for different filter levels so they can be distinguished. Overall, pretty good service. I am a little flumoxed by the discrepancy in price for filters. read more

Wow! What a great experience. Had earwax blockage in my right ear for a few days and it was driving me crazy. Made a same day appointment with these guys to get it looked at it. Myrah and Dr. Tucker were so friendly and welcoming. I was in and out in maybe 15 minutes with clean ear canals, my hearing regained, and it only cost $45 (about half my copay for a specialist on my insurance). If you got waxy ears that tend to get clogged, definitely go see these folks! read more

I wish I could rate this place higher than 5! Ideally I was originally thinking of heading to my personal doctor about my hearing problem but jokes on me, I don't have a personal doctor... but lucky for me I'm really happy I found this place. I found this place on Yelp, due to the problem of me having a hearing issue due to swimming. What had happen was that after swimming I used a Q Tip which initially blocked out my hearing from pushing the wax close to my ear drum mixed in with the chlorine from the water. I messed with my ear more which made me start bleeding. I set up an appointment the next day and was able to come the next hour! I'm really happy and satisfied how Dr Thakker has treated me. Especially the gorgeous desk worker Myra! :D I felt like I was rushing them and nagging them of my problems but turned out to be such an enjoyable treatment. Thank you guys and I'm really grateful for being treared comfortably! Definitely check this place out, they have 2 locations. Alameda Lakeshore, Oakland read more

I've been wearing hearing aids since I was 19. At age 45, I was do for a new aid and before Ray, hated the process. Walking into the space I was immediately treated like they knew me. He helped me walk through the process and was funny, kind, very honest and I felt like more down to earth. He's a fantastic Dr. and really cares about the outcome. They even loaned me two aids for a couple of weeks just to test out what it was like to wear aids in both ears (which I have yet to step up to). I don't know a lot of people my age who ear hearing aids, but if I did these are the folks to go see. They are contemporary, sweet, caring and actually very cool. Seriously, I am a life long customer now. read more

This place never answers the phone and doesn't call back even if you leave a message.

Everyone in the office is absolutely lovely, knowledgeable and as a team they communicate really clearly.

I was looking for a nearby ear specialist in Oakland. I was searching yelp and stumbled upon this gem. My right ear was feeling a bit full, so I gave them a call and made an appointment. Myra at the front desk was super nice and welcoming. Dr. Thakkar had a look at my ears and turned out my right ear was "impacted", which was what was causing the feeling of fullness. Dr. Thakkar had to irrigate my right ear; no discomfort at all. Could not have asked for a better experience for my first ear cleaning. I was in and out within 15min. If you have not had your ears cleaned by a professional before, it is definitely worth it. I will probably make this an annual visit moving forward. read more

Anish and Mayra are the best! Both were professional and very knowledgeable. I now fight the urge daily to use QTips and will continue to try and not use them. read more

I felt like my ears needed cleaning, so made an appointment here. They were able to fit me in really quickly. Dr. Thakker was awesome and answered all my questions, and also did a thorough exam. Turned out my ears were clean and didn't need any treatment - even though Dr. Thakker spent a lot of time with me, he didn't take any payment. Really nice office and experience. read more

I have nothing but good things to say about this place: I came here with what I thought was impacted wax in my ear, because of sudden hearing loss. Dr thakkar was very kind, looked at my ear and gave me great advice! Would recommend and I'll be seeing him again when I decide to get custom earplugs! read more

I went in for a early cleaning with Dr. Thakkar. The appointment lasted about 20 minutes and he was very professional and knowledgeable. Ended up flushing my ear to get all the wax out. I will definitely return in the future and recommend my friends to Dr Thakkar read more

Really great local audiologist. Highly recommend! All of the staff is awesome and patient. read more

I went to see Anish Thakkar, Au.D, to have impressions made from my ear canals for a set of custom in-ear monitors. Anish was friendly and efficient. His office was very clean and we had a very nice conversation about music, ear monitors and the importance of protecting my hearing. The impressions were excellent and the monitors fit perfectly. read more

Quick, friendly, and painless ear cleaning! I would definitely recommend and can already hear better! :)

Had a great experience with Dr Thakkar. As a music professional my ears are invaluable to me and taking care of them is a must. Dr Thakkar was polite , friendly gave me great advice going forward at an awesome price. I'd definitely recommend Hearing Zone if you need your ears treating or hearing protection/devices. read more

I came here because, not only is it in my neighborhood, but there are beautiful oil paintings hung throughout the office, creating a lovely, and non-medical environment. Dr. Courtney Crooks is delightful, friendly, and thoroughly professional. She took pains to see that I had the right hearing aids for me, and over a period of weeks made sure that they were adjusted correctly for my hearing capacity. I couldn't be happier with the results, and, what's more, I know that any problem will be taken care of in a caring manner. read more

Amazing experience! I went in for a early ear cleaning with Dr. Thakkar. I was able to book an appointment very easily with Sara, who was very responsive. The appointment lasted about 20 minutes and he was very professional and knowledgeable. Ended up flushing my ear to get all the wax out. Office is very clean and staff was very caring and friendly. Great affordable price and will definitely return in the future and recommend my friends to Dr. Thakkar. Thank you so much!! read more

Dr T and Myra are godsends. Went back for a 2nd time to follow up on an issue and they solved my hearing problem. Didn't even charge me. Top notch customer service. This will be the first place I go to for anything ear related. read more

Dr. Ray Crookston and the Hearing Zone are amazing! I first walked into the Hearing Zone in 2008. Dr. Crookston performed a thorough evaluation of my hearing loss, and then spent the next NINE MONTHS helping me test out, adjust, and select the perfect solution for my needs. It's not that I'm incredibly picky or anything - he wouldn't stop with an almost-right solution. This year when I needed to replace my original aids, he knew all about all the changes that had happened in the field in the four years that had passed - he stays very current. There's absolutely no sales pressure - finding the right solution is his top priority. If you have trouble hearing in a noisy restaraunt, or sometimes feel left out of a conversation in a group of friends, don't put it off - go see Dr. Crookston! You'll be astonished how much you were missing. read more

Is it possible that there are professionals who care about more than the bottom line, who care about helping people and about people as people?? Yes, Ray, Dr. Crookstone, is one of those breed. Not only a fine audiologist, he'll assist you to work out the best solution for you. I'm someone with a recent profound hearing loss and am in the process of dealing with surgeons, a large medical group, insurance companies, etc., and having Dr. Ray on my side makes a huge difference. I give him my highest unequivocal recommendation! read more

Went in to get my ears checked. They fit me in last minute and I was able to make it on time. The Dr was very patient and thorough with his examination and told me there was nothing wrong with my ears. An overall good experience and I will be returning for any of my ear needs. read more

I made an appointment to have my ears cleaned here and had a really great experience! Was able to make an appointment for the next day and saw Dr. Thakkar. The receptionist was helpful and welcoming. Dr. Thakkar was calm, friendly and knowledgeable, and helped put me at ease right away. He took time to explain the process and answer any questions I had before he did anything. The whole thing took about 20 minutes, cost $45 and I walked out of there with my ears feeling clean and fantastic! read more

I went to hearing zone today to get molds made for custom earplugs. I couldn't have been happier with the experience. Dr. Anish was patient and professional. Highly recommended. read more

I went to Hearing Zone to get fitted for a pair of custom musician's earplugs to help manage my tinnitus. Myra welcomed me warmly and lead me through the process with clear instructions and genuine care. Dr. Thakkar is as warm as he is knowledgeable. He efficiently created impressions of my ear and gave me great advice about my hearing in general. I'm really happy with my earplugs and my overall experience was great. read more

Friendly, efficient and on time. Had ear wax successfully removed and what a difference! Will go back again if I need to.

I have been going to both of The Hearing Zones locations in Oakland and Alameda for going on 9 years, no matter which of the doctors I have seen, they have always been, attentive, friendly and informative. And the receptionists are just as great. Truth is, it sucks loosing your hearing...but feeling like my ears are in such good hands makes it almost worth it. I would highly recommend The Hearing Zone to anyone struggling with hearing loss. read more