Joe's Pharmacy

One of the few positives of pandemic times was that parking in San Francisco was much easier. My…read moredentist was closed for a while, but when she finally opened back up, I still wasn't taking Muni regularly again, and many of the lines were still suspended, including the one I usually took to the dentist. So I started driving. It was still more difficult than it needed to be to find parking, which means that in normal times, it must be nigh impossible. In any case, I think I drove to the dentist three or four times before braving the bus back, and sometimes I had to park all the way in Japantown. (My dentist's office is off of Van Ness.) Walking from my car to my appointment, I was very aware of this place's hidden (protected?) little parking lot, so I made sure to stop by after having my teeth cleaned. It did, indeed, have a little parking lot, but it was designed very poorly and could require lots of backing up and turning and backing up again. This poor Walgreens. I don't care about the corporation itself, but its workers had to deal with a lot. On the three occasions I came (one of them totally unrelated to my dentist visit), they were always either shooing shoplifters out or trying to explain why the photo counter was closed or calling the police to deal with unruly and/or insane people loitering in the aisles. They really tried to make a go of it; they did. The employees, not the corporation. Again, I don't care about the corporation, but these people either valued their jobs or believed in putting in a hard day's work or both, because they just tried so hard to do things the right way. They didn't allow line-cutters to intimidate or sweet-talk them, and they didn't suffer fools--or at least they tried their darndest not to suffer fools. The cooler always seemed to be running out of diet soda, which is my main complaint. And yes, you can bet I seriously considered parking in the lot, buying something from the store, and then going to the dentist, but I'm pretty sure they would have towed me. Now that it's gone, I guess we'll never know.

Not a bad store and the location is very convenient. Depending on what you're looking for this…read morestore has lots to offer. The staff was friendly and generally knowledgeable. Pro tip: make sure you check for store hours during the holidays. You can check online or call them for more information.

3.1 mi•Polk Gulch, Nob Hill

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Walgreens

2.7(73 reviews)

they do the best they can with the crowd of SF. I feel safe…read more+ they have everything I need + staff is nice considering all the crazies they have to deal with. I come here for all the little house hold things I need that I can't get / wait on Amazon. Sometimes they're much cheaper here than online.

thought I would be efficient and group my errands here and schedule a flu shot appointment. WRONG!…read morelong line, very understaffed, no clarity on the process.... 10/10 would NOT recommend using this pharmacy if you would like to wait less than a half hour for an appointment already scheduled confirmed and checked in on time

2.3 mi•Lower Pacific Heights

Abreva for cold sores, slim Jim on clearance, lays Cuban sandwich

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Walgreens

2.3(88 reviews)

I went here at 4pm on a Friday after noon after work. There was no line and the worker behind the…read morecounter was polite, helpful and friendly. I asked several questions on my multiple medications and she took the time to explain what I could do to try to get a discount on an expensive item I could not afford to pick up. Usually I don't go in person. Usually I have my medications delivered to me because of the long lines. But this one time it was perfect. Usually delivery service is awesome. Never had a problem with that.

Absolute TRASH customer service from Gheraldine…read more Came in looking for some first aid, and Gheraldine acted annoyed that someone asked her for assistance. Immediately dismissed the notion that they carried the item I was looking for(even though they did). Vaguely pointed at the aisle in question and said "it's somewhere in there"..... Luckily, Dolores from the front desk was nice enough to help me find what I was looking for. If I was a manager here, I would be disappointed to learn how Gheraldine interacts with folks in the community.

Frozen foods

Cooler

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Photo price list

Walgreens

2.8(113 reviews)

3.7 mi•Union Square

The store closes at 11:00 pm. I arrived at exactly 10:56 pm before the doors were closed and before…read moreend business hours all the way from the Civic Center area. To go and add money to pay a bill before a late charge is applied at midnight. The only Walgreens open is this one besides Castro's 24/7 Walgreens. I proceeded to use the ATM to withdraw funds and fell in line at the registers to add the funds onto a specific card/bank. I was behind two other customers when I was next in line. Walked up the the counter for some lady with her back turned yelling across the room to the security to lock the door. For like 15 seconds turnt around and with a urgently raised tone said "hey, hey, hey, you can't do that we're already closed, there's no more shopping allowed, there's no more shopping allowed" reiterating her point with me being right in front of her I began to explain I was at the ATM before the doors were closed and I came to the line to add money which is the only reason I came to Walgreens was to reload my card. She then proceeded to say " it doesn't matter if you weren't in line at the time that we the doors then I can't let you in the line because it's not fair to everyone else" I literally looked at her and said I was already in the line while you had your back was facing the customer and were yelling at the security guard. I understand I was the last one in line but obviously there may be some delusional thinking or blindness because the doors closed and I was last in line so yeah I couldn't reload my card and had to leave. Terrible customer service! I don't remember if it was management may as well be as she was supposedly calling the shots for presumptive closure of the store with customer still inside not allowing them to check out. Shouldn't matter if I had to reload money on a card or purchase something if I was clearly in the store before they closed the doors, then I feel that they intentionally didn't want to have to recount their drawer or change their nightly deposit routine (yeah I've worked in retail before too) ...rude...and ignorant people

I really like this location. They always have my medications and deliver them on time. Whenever…read morethere's an issue, they call right away and communicate it clearly. I never run out of my meds, and I'm on medications that I can't abruptly stop, so I really appreciate their reliability. The app can be glitchy at times but I'm glad the pharmacists are always reachable.

Powell x Sutter Walgreens - Outside

$5 Dubai Chocolate {2/24/2026}

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Doctor's Brush Picks | Tongue Cleaner {4/7/2026}

Walgreens

2.3(88 reviews)

3.2 mi•SoMa

I honestly feel really bad for the employees after everything is now locked up. They have to deal…read morewith a lot of people that are on drugs or trying to steal or just obnoxious. Is this Walgreens perfect of course not but it's also just a Walgreens please people be nice to the staff. They didn't do anything to you. It's not their fault that you have to wait.

I have waited for 20 minutes in a huge line. 1 cashier and a huge line and I'm still waiting for…read morethe manager now still. Thought I would share my terrible waste of time experience. AVOID

The manager Ann

The line to the pharmacy

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Waiting here for almost an hour. if there is something less than zero, I would give them. 00000 00000 00000 0000 000 000 000 0000 ppp

CVS Pharmacy

2.5(93 reviews)

3.2 mi•Nob Hill

I just had my prescription filled at CVS on Hyde Street. The pharmacy staff member at the cash…read moreregister was very calm and patient with everyone even though the line started to get long during the lunch hour. She was really pleasant to deal with (every time). The pharmacist was good about speaking with me about generic versus brand name for my medication. Very patient! The heeded my preference for the brand name and filled the order promptly when my original prescription slip had stated brand or generic. This CVS Pharmacy is outstanding! The prescription steps were clear. I called in for refill. CVS texted me when my refill was ready for pick up. I went to the pharmacy cashier with the QR code then got my medication. Doing this job day-in-day out and dealing with impatient people on medication situations (refills, orders that not have been transmitted by doctors, insurance coverage of meds or not): the pharmacists and staff deserve a medal! With some stores closing down, we need this CVS in the neighborhood. Let's be nicer to staff, be patient and grateful they are here.

I do not recommend this place for passport photos. Despite advertising a one-hour service online,…read moreit took four hours to complete my order. Furthermore, they did not print the photos to passport specifications, providing only 5x7 glossy prints instead. If you're saying "oh you should prepare it sooner instead of bla bla" I did, I drove 5 hours to get here for passport renewal, unfortunately my bag got stolen while I am walking to the building. Yet I don't want to spend another $17 for 2 photo shoots. So I chose printed the picture I had in my email, for only $5. But waiting 4 hours to get it printed in a wrong way is too much. At least aware me that this location don't prepare passport photo (Online website sure have this option) when I am about to pay. Or just simply, took the passport option off your location for photo printing. This location failed me deeply.

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CVS Pharmacy

2.1(14 reviews)

3.6 mi•Union Square

Accessibility: good. They have multiple floors here, but there is an elevator and stairs. Well-lit…read moreinside. Experience: Expensive and almost everything is locked in cases so you have to press a button and wait for a staff member to come unlock the case for you. They also don't have a restroom for customers, and no pharmacy.

This used to be a decent store but over the past few years it has steadily declined. I get why,…read moreeverything is locked up (including some food and beverages), but the problem is, no one who works here gives an actual crap. You can hit the "help" button a hundred times and be really lucky if someone actually comes to help. I stay in this area a lot of have walked out a few times empty handed because no one will assist you. I'm pretty sure this place will cease to exist much longer.

4.0 mi•Financial District

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Walgreens

3.3(59 reviews)

Wow! I have never experienced such a helpful staff in a drugstore. The female cashier went above…read moreand beyond to assist me.

The store staff are great and the pharmacy staff are especially wonderful. I've always had an easy…read moretime filling my prescriptions here. I went today to pick up a few prescriptions and they couldn't find one that they'd already filled, but they redid it immediately while I was waiting to check out. So kind and thoughtful.

2.9 mi•Fillmore, Western Addition

Pharmacy closed for lunch

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CVS Pharmacy

3.2(46 reviews)

Nope....We were passing by and I was looking for travel size lotions and hair products. I saw none…read moreof those. And what I did see in larger size products, confirmed that I am not buying anything here that I can't buy in Costco or Amazon for a third of the price. EVERYTHING IS LOCKED UP. Okay, I get it. Theft. But that doesn't mean that I dont like being able to touch and compare products without the hassle of calling for someone. The store is clean, fairly well organized but still not organized in a way that I can quickly find what I am looking for. I never did find travel size products but I didn't ask either. I have pretty much crossed all the CVS stores in any city, off my list.

Leaving 5 stars purely for the staff, not for the greedy corporation that is CVS. If any CVS big…read morewig reads this thinking y'all deserve a pat on the back: absolutely not, the changes you have made to the Pharmacy Phones in the last 6 months are TERRIBLE, greedy, just flat out DUMB. I hope whoever implemented this change stubs their toe every time they get out of bed and get shampoo in their eyes every time they shower, not to mention a few other ideas (*paging Luigi*). Did you know CVS has donated millions to a 501c4 which actively lobbies against Medicare for All, other public options? AKA CVS doesn't want you healthy, they want you paying them hand over fist for medications for which our neighbors to the north and south pay pennies on the dollar. CVS is also being sued by the FTC Looking at some of these low star reviews is COMICAL. Like, Laura L.: you waited until the very last minute to try to pick up an Rx and are upset they closed on time? And you're upset this is the closest pharmacy, as if this store controls the openings/closings of other pharmacies across the city? Are you aware brick and mortar retail across the board is shifting? Maybe you should figure out if your insurance provides mail order services so you can get your meds straight to your door? Or Nicole T.: "it's really horrible customer service and support. It's really horrible- like should not be open horrible!" Okay... what specifically about it is horrible? CVS doesn't pay for enough enough staff to be at your every beck and call? Ma'am. You think the employees have any say in staffing levels?? These people are making minimum wage, trying to get by, verbally and sometimes physically abused by those entering the store with bad intentions. Or Star H.: "Staff is not friendly, store seems to be disorganized and you don't find things that you usually find at CVS." Again. Ma'am! Wah wah, they didn't greet you with cheer. Are you tipping them?? Have you worked in this type of service industry role in a location such as this??? Highly doubt it with that review. Additionally, did you check online to see if the item you sought was stocked at the store before going there? Maybe do that next time? All y'all need to GET A GRIP on reality in 2025!!! I have t1d in addition to plenty of other things that go along with that lovely chronic illness, have had t1d for nearly 20yrs. Given I need to fill medications on the regular and will literally die within days without, I have WAY too much experience with corp pharmacies from SF, to the East AND South Bay, to Seattle, to Vegas, to Bakersfield, to DC, to many places in between (amazing how one can plan for everything and still manage to not have enough insulin, or your third CGM fails within 10 days once in a blue moon while away from home). One of my medications is special order (to the tune of $4k/mon without insurance, a med I have no choice in taking) which means it is prepared at an offsite facility and shipped to the store. Unfortunately, I don't have access to the precise timeline of delivery via the online system, but if I call (leave a VM with specific question, ask them to leave the answer on my VM when they call back) or go in store, they are able to look up more specifics. It usually doesn't take more than a week, and I've learned I need to be on top of ordering well before my bottle is near empty. Annoying, but fine, just a thing I gotta plan for. Another med, and a big annoyance thanks to CVS corporate's ineptitude, I have to actively call every month to ask them to fill it even though the Rx is sitting in their system. So again, I call, leave VM with specific info, ask them to leave any and all details on VM when they call back (not often can I answer when they call), and thankfully I can see in the system where the med is in filling process + eta for completion. Going back to my hatred for CVS corporate, there are so many things surrounding efficiency (for the staff, as well as customers) that could be tweaked ever so slightly to make the experience better for everyone, and instead of tapping customers to understand where their painpoints are, they have made so many wrong choices over the last year. I'm forced to use CVS because of my insurance and I'm grateful the pharmacy staff understand how important my medications are. They are partners in my care. It's a shame others don't take the time to slow down, realize we're all in this together, treat the pharmacists/techs with kindness and respect, and work *together* to solve whatever issue may be at hand. A lot of the negative reviews are because of greedy corporate decisions. Wake up, it's not the low level, minimum wage employees you have beef with, it's the gajillionaires at the top.

3.9 mi•SoMa, Financial District

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CVS Pharmacy

2.2(15 reviews)

The new pharmacists have horrible customer service! Wait time for over 45 minutes for just 4…read morecustomers. This new woman seemed lost and confused. I even had to explain how to put the medications through the register. My medications were not properly counted either!!

DO NOT USE! My prescription is stuck at the pharmacy; they…read morerequire FORTY-EIGHT hours to give it to another pharmacy. Worse yet, they simply ignore the requests. They are charging more than $500 more than Costco, and are simply sitting on the prescription. My mistake was sending the prescription to them in the first place. Just don't use them.

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Suzanne S.

18 years ago

Joe's is a great neighborhood pharmacy. The Pharmacist is accommodating, pleasant, and anxious to help in any way he can. While I was there several people came in for advice on medications, claims, insurance. He patiently took them into his consulting office and carefully explained the answers to their questions. It is an independent pharmacy with few extras. My husband was coming home from the hospital and needed a drug to do so. Joe's was the only pharmacy I could find that carried the drug in stock. None of the majors stock the drug and could get it only if I ordered it and waited for two days. Joe's also had the best price for what I needed. If you are looking for cosmetics, etc. don't go there. This is strictly a serious pharmacy specializing in medications. If I lived closer they would be my pharmacy. read more

Alex B.

598

17 years ago

The best pharmacy in the city if you have a real illness. The "pharmacist" is a no nonsense kind of guy. He's the best! He cares!

Joseph N.

10 years ago

Great place, and great customer service, been to this pharmacy many times and definitely beats the service at walgreens

Phillip W.

9 years ago

They were very hard to communicate with and became rude quickly.

Sam S.

14 years ago

Rude. Unhelpful. Never Again.

Joe's Pharmacy - drugstores - Updated October 2026

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Thank you SO MUCH to the team at Parnassus Pharmacy for keeping my multiple-medications life…read moretogether! As someone who spent far too many years in the Hell Mouth that is Walgreens pharmacy services, I appreciate this amazing, attentive, timely service that delivers my meds right to my door. The staff are basically magicians! And the pharmacist has always given me good consults any time I need them. Outstanding!

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I have complicated dental issues, I'll start with that. This requires me to use a prescription…read moretoothpaste that my dentist prescribed for me, and after many unsuccessful attempts at getting it from the big box pharmacy on 32nd and Clement, I got fed up and decided to look for it elsewhere. I searched up "pharmacy" in my maps app and this little shop popped up just around the corner from where I live, no more than a 5 minute drive, and so I called and spoke to a very kind staff member who, within a few minutes, asked for my information and said they'd call me back as soon as they knew if they could order that particular prescription toothpaste. A whopping four minutes later, I got a call back! Yes! They could absolutely order it for me, but it would take... *drumroll* a day, or MAYBE EVEN TWO, for them to have it ready to be picked up. My apologies with the sarcasm but in the pharmacy world, that is lightning fast, especially for something they didn't have in stock! Amazing. I went to pick it up, and when I did, I realized that I hadn't specified the flavor I prefer, and I just decided not to bother, because I didn't want to be a pest. But as I called in for the refill a few weeks later, they said it wouldn't be any trouble at all to order a specific flavor, and that I could've said something during the first pickup! Amazing. I love this place. I did have to pay out of pocket but that wasn't a surprise at all to me. It actually was about 20% less than I was paying at the big box drugstore, so that's amazing on top of amazing. I LOVE supporting local and small businesses anytime I get the opportunity, and sometimes I do so with a slight grimace because the service at smaller family owned shops can vary, but no fear of that at this particular local pharmacy, it is genuinely far better than the alternative. I will keep getting my 3M toothpaste here (in vanilla mint) for as long as they're around!

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