My life changed for the better when I finally paid Lakeside Optical a visit a couple years ago and met the man, the myth, the lens legend -- Emmanuel. The instant joy and peace I felt was almost spiritual. Like, is this what I'd been missing as an adult? Emmanuel is patient, thoughtful, and has an almost unsettling ability to read what works for you better than you can yourself. He steered me past my usual boring picks and into frames I actually loved. I left feeling like a new person. Dramatic? Maybe. But good glasses will do that. Fast forward to today -- imagine my devastation seeing his business listed as closed on Yelp. I wasn't ready to grieve. So in a moment of denial, I called the number anyway... Emmanuel answered. Of course he did. Turns out he's between locations, and so he offered to meet me at the Peet's coffee shop in the Lakeshore Shopping Center -- and showed up with a variety of frames already tailored to my facial features (sent him a selfie in advance to refresh his memory). We spent 30 minutes picking out two pairs of glasses from the trunk of his car while I took selfies to audition each frame (was able to forward the selfies to my wife for some quick validation and to ensure Emmanuel hadn't lost his touch). Honestly? The most fun I've ever had spending money. I think there's some unique potential in setting up a mobile glasses dealing operation and I hope others are able to benefit from his unmatched kindness and his superb ability to offer tailored selections based on quality, style, and cost. read more

Emmanuel is very kind person and always goes out of his way to be sure his customers are taken. His selections and guidance about quality, what to consider regarding functionality, style, expense, and how to help you get what you like in the best way for your pocketbook or wallet are unbeatable. He even replaced lenses on an old frame for nothing except to help me out in a tight time situation. You can not find better Customer Service than that. Highly recommend read more

Lakeside Optical - Me with my cat Bisous. - Eyewear & Opticians Near Me - San Francisco, California

Emmanuel checked me in as I called the office and opened the door for me and got my lenses switched from my old frames to these new ones. I'm excited to start wearing them as I came in to get my favorite lenses into a new frame as my old ones are now destroyed. So sad but very excited to rock these new style. Many to chooses from but I like these. Thanks Emmanuel for the great service! $144 for these new frames and cutting of my lenses. read more

Lakeside Optical - Eyewear & Opticians Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Emad is the consummate professional. Knowledgeable and patient. He delivered my glasses in record time. Truly a delightful man to deal with, service oriented, provides many, many frames to choose from and had the patience for me to try a lot of them before I chose a great pair. A great experience, I highly recommend him. read more

I'm so sad to see this go, but I understand Emanuel is moving his practice to Oakland. I highly recommend using him. He is incredibly knowledgeable and won't push pricey products over quality for the customer. He also bends over backwards to get your glasses ready in hours or days vs. weeks other places. read more

Lakeside Optical is my go to shop for prescription lenses! Emmanuel, the owner, is very helpful, fast, and efficient. The turnaround time for prescription lens is only about 3 days whereas other places would take 1-2 weeks. Additionally, the price is very reasonable. Highly recommend this place for your optical needs! read more

Emmanuel is a gem. I've had him make at least half a dozen glasses for me (and my daughter) in the last five years, and they've all been perfect. In the last year, he closed this location, but will still meet me nearby, take my order, and deliver new glasses. It's taken 2-3 weeks from calling to receiving the glasses, which is not longer than the fancy place I tried in Hayes Valley, with a good deal less fuss. read more

This is the my new glasses, Manuel safe my life, last weekend i order new lences because I had emergency travel outside the town, But he noticed that my prescription was about to expire, he got me an appointment with an optometrist for the next day, the story doesn't end there, he made my glasses with my new prescription and on Tuesday (today) he is delivering my new glasses with the updated prescription. 5 stars is not enough, I give it a thousand stars, AMAZING customer service, thank you so much read more

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Emmanuel treated us like family and had so much patience with my four year old getting glasses for the first time. Everything came out great and the turnaround was four days! Unheard of. Super happy and will return for my own glasses next year. Thank you! read more

Lakeside Optical - Our happy boy with his glasses. - Eyewear & Opticians Near Me - San Francisco, California

I have been coming to Lakeside Optical for a few years now. It's a wonderful local shop owned and operated by Emmanuel. He is the sweetest man, who loves what he does. Emmanuel has a great selection of glasses and provides individualized and attentive care as you shop. I've bought 4 different pairs of glasses and sunglasses from him, and the quality and selection is much better than previous places I've shopped (e.g. Jins). I highly recommend his shop for anyone looking for glasses! In addition, Dr Tina Han (OD) operates her practice in the back of Emmanuel's store. She is a wonderful and friendly Optometrist, who provides detailed and personal care. I've gone to her for prescriptions and dry eye issues, and she's always been a great help. I recommend her for anyone looking for an Optometrist. In short, you can't go wrong with Lakeside Optical! read more

Excellent service!! Friendly, professional and a great selection of frames! Highly recommended! read more

It was great to go somewhere and get truly personal service at a local business like Lakeside Optical. Emmanuel was very helpful and patient with my indecisiveness at choosing new frames. With the discounts he offered, I saved more money than if I had gone to a big optical place that would take my insurance. It is also very convenient to see the optometrist who has an office nearby. Thanks very much! read more

I very highly recommend Lakeside Optical for your glasses needs! I went in originally to buy glasses and was kindly helped to find the right frames for me. Emmanuel allowed me try on many different pairs from their wide selection and took the time to help me choose the pair that best fit my face and style! He made the lenses himself and got the glasses to me in only a few weeks. The glasses have been great! A few weeks ago, I unfortunately rolled over on my glasses and broke my frames. I called Lakeside Optical right away and they were able to check out the frames and fix them just like new! Great service and caring staff. read more

I've worked with Emmanuel at Lakeside Optical for the past 5 years and have always been satisfied with the experience. I appreciate his honesty and attention to detail, and I trust his recommendations completely. As a small business owner myself I know how important it is to have integrity in your work and respectful relationships with your clients. I highly recommend Lakeside Optical and would never go anywhere else. read more

Came back for new prescription lenses for a new pair of glasses and also new lenses for sunglasses. Service was top notch and they ensured everything was satisfactory. Highly recommend. read more

I returned to Lakeside Optical because I remembered the wonderful quality I had received years ago. I took my frames to Emmanuel, and gave him my prescription. We then discussed features and cost. Emmanuel was very honest regarding what I needed, and the cost, in addition to when I could pickup my glasses; I took my frames on 6/28/24, and was told the pickup time would be in 2 weeks. On 7/16/24, I received a call from Emmanuel saying my glasses were ready for pickup. After I arrived, I put the glasses on, and wow!!!!, I don't know how to express how happy I am with the quality he rendered. The lenses are great quality, and true HD. The transition lenses are great, the blue light, anti scratch and ani glare are great! In addition, his prices are reasonable, and he really cares for his customers. I have 2 additional frames, and I will be returning to his place of business to have him service them, as well! I highly recommend Lakeside Optical for eye-care needs. The service is GREAT quality, and so is the way Emmanuel takes care of his customers! Dee read more

Lakeside Optical - Lakeside Optical Eyewear. - Eyewear & Opticians Near Me - San Francisco, California

This ophthalmology center is fantastic. Emanuel, the optician, is very professional and provides excellent service. I highly recommend this place to anyone in need of glasses for vision correction. I was impressed with the quality of their work and their great customer service. Sincerely, Maks read more

All weekend long I've been trying to get into a Site for Sore Eyes or Lenscrafters to fix my glasses. My sister sat on them and one of the arms broke off and I don't have time to order new glasses since we're moving and won't be around by the time they arrive. Sis reminded me that there are mom and pop stores and sent me the address for these guys. Felt a little hopeless when the guy said he couldn't fix the glasses, but then he said he'd look at his inventory for matching arms or at least similar sized frames that maybe he could fit them into. He asked if I'd give him an hour, so I waited up the street at Ambrosia's Bakery. 30 mins later he calls and says he found matching arms and I could come over in 10 mins. That was quick. Glasses look great and I felt great about his honesty and speedy service. Thanks Emmanuel! read more

Lakeside Optical - Can you tell where my glasses were broken? If I didn't already know, I wouldn't be able to tell. Great job Lakeside Optical!!! - Eyewear & Opticians Near Me - San Francisco, California

Emmanuel is a gem!!! He provides outstanding customer service and care. Lakeside Optical has fantastic inventory and prices - highly recommend for your next pair of glasses! read more

I've gotten two pairs of glasses here. The first was a pair of progressives. The lenses are great, and way clearer than the ones I got from Site for Sore Eyes on Fillmore. Man, that shop took forever to get the lenses, and they kept getting it wrong. Emmanuel got it right the first time! The second pair of glasses I got last week. They're computer glasses, specifically for wearing in front of the computer. Man, it's a luxury having these, but it's worth it! The progressives are okay for use in front of the computer, but I have to keep my head tilted back a bit, and it doesn't feel great. Emmanuel was able to use my progressives' prescription to calculate the correct magnification for the computer lenses. Emmanuel also spent a lot of time with me helping pick the right frames, thanks Emmanuel! read more

On this little strip of Ocean Avenue are some fairly good restaurants, a plant shop . . . and Lakeside Optical. This is a small shop. Buuut . . . it is extremely close to the M tram stop on Ocean Avenue. The selection of frames for sale is as good as it gets for a shop of this size. However, it is Emmanuel who really makes this joint shine! A consummate professional, he provides some of the best service I have ever seen: far and away some of the best in San Francisco. You will get your glasses, you will get them on time, and they will have been properly assembled. Also, he's a really nice guy. read more

I needed same day glasses and they provided! Top notch customer service all around and the glasses I got were reasonable and durable. Would recommend this place to my friends! read more

I had a terrific experience at Lakeside Optical. I didn't really know what style of glasses I wanted and the owner walked me through my options and came up with a great choice. Locally owned, great inventory and terrific customer service. This is the place to go. read more

The service I received at Lakeside Optical was exceptional! I've purchased two separate prescription glasses from the store, which both turned out perfect. Emanuel took great care to understand what I was looking for and answered any questions I had. I will return to the shop when I need another pair of glasses! Thank you, Lakeside Optical! read more

I was traveling in San Francisco but lost my prescription glasses. My eyes start hurting using contact lenses for laptop screen. I called so many optical shops in San Francisco and Bay Area but no one can help me to get the prescription glasses within one day. Only Manuel helped me even it's very late in the afternoon. They are one of the few places in this area that has the lab as well as enough stock of all kinds of lenses. Even though the exact lenses are not available, he tried many alternatives to make sure to get the closest one to my prescription. He even kindly advised me on different styles of the frames and went beyond his duty call with my insurance. I managed to get a very good pair of glasses within 24 hours! It really saved my from any eye infection or injuries. This is truly a gem in the San Francisco city! read more

The optometrist is very friendly and thoughtful. He is very courteous over the phone and in person. My son before he turned one l had cataract surgery. It was challenging to find an optometrist who could accommodate him by providing small frames and lenses for him. Emmanuel knew how to put my son at ease. He had no problem adjusting to wearing glasses. Emmanuel even got the best frames with a strap to better secure that the glasses would not easily fall off my son's face. read more

Lakeside Optical - 1 years old wear glasses. - Eyewear & Opticians Near Me - San Francisco, California

I have been a very satisfied customer for about 6 years now . Emanuel knows what he is doing . He is knowledgeable, efficient , capable , honest , courteous and kind . He inspires trust in a customer . And there is a really good selection of frames in the shop . Quality of work of my glasses has always been excellent . read more

Lakeside Optical is a community treasure! Emmanuel, the proprietor, is kind, and very helpful. I am happy with the two pairs of glasses that I ordered there: my progressive lenses that were perfectly made to prescription and my computer glasses with blue light filters. Emmanuel had very good recommendations on the frames (so many to choose from), on coatings for my progressive lenses, and on the computer glasses. I would highly recommend this business! read more

I recently picked up my third set of glasses at Lakeside Optical over a 5 year period, and I'm pleased to report their standards and quality of care continue at a high level. Emmanuel's personalized customer service is outstanding. read more

Emmanuel was extremely responsive and helpful with enabling my own frames with permanent nose pads Very professional and very happy with my glasses. Reasonable prices and got my glasses within 2wks Support small businesses. read more

Lately I upgraded all my glasses in this store. I would like to share my experience. Mr. Emmanel the owner handled my transactions. My experience is pleasant and excellent. This gentleman is truly an expert in his field. As as matter for fact, he has an optical lacing machine which is operated inside his store. This means he cut all the lenses once they are returned from the manufacturer. He cut them to the perfect size that fitted my frames. Since he personally handled all the measurement, the result was perfect each time (and I have a total of 5 glasses made !). His price is much more reasonable as compared to even the popular chain stores (Costco, etc.) I am highly recommending him. And I would have no problem returning to him in the future. in the picture: 2 top are old frames, refitted with new prescription lenses. The rest 3 are new frames and lenses. read more

Lakeside Optical - Top 2, reused frames. Bottom 3 new frames. - Eyewear & Opticians Near Me - San Francisco, California

We have been going to Lakeside Optical for our glasses for the last 2 years and highly recommend it if you are in need of glasses and want great customer service. Emmanuel is very experienced, knowledgable about frames, fit, and lenses, and extremely helpful when it comes to helping you select and purchase the best frame for you! We definitely appreciate the care and attention he shows when helping to guide you through finding your perfect frame. read more

Just came here with my daughter for her first pair of glasses. Emmanuel was super helpful and kind and also connected us to Dr. Tina Han who has an optometry office out of the same shop. They both also offered to submit the claims to our insurance for us since they were out of network. It was overall a lovely experience and we are really grateful for all of their help! read more

Have been going to lakeside optical for many years. Emmanuel makes the experience of purchasing new glasses a pleasure. He will give u his honest opinion on how the glasses look on u. Just recently I needed to upgrade my prescription. Emmanuel after reading the prescription said it's not right and called the Dr. Emmanuel was right a certain part of the prescription was left out. He's truly knowledgeable on his profession. read more

The owner was fantastic. I was helping my dad get new glasses and he was able to walk us through clearly and throughly through the whole process. I never felt pressure to choose items I didn't need and explained very clearly which frames would be best for style and comfort. He was even able to accommodate with a emergency pair of glasses. After this experience I will continue to take my dad here. Thanks so much! read more

I've worn glass my entire life, and so have lots of experience on which to base this recommendation: Lakeside Optical is easily the best place to buy your glasses if you value personal attention and a deep commitment to your satisfaction. The optician, Emmanuel, is not only knowledgeable and skilled, his gentle demeanor is like a warm embrace. Whatever your needs, he will patiently explain all the various options available, as well as the (very reasonable) prices of each. The interior of the shop is familiar, with a wide selection of eyeglass frames on display -- from plain utilitarian to the most stylish. And a Doctor of Optometry is on-site once a week to conduct examinations and provide prescriptions. This place is simply the best! read more

Emmanuel offers excellent service in suggesting frames and seeing that they fit properly. He also helped me with insurance forms for which my check came soon after. I will never go to places like the ones found in malls for my optical needs. Lakeside Optical is the best! read more

I brought a pair of scratched-up lenses to Emmanuel for replacement. The glasses are perfect now. Once the new lenses arrived (on time), he took only a little while one afternoon to mount them on my old frame. Everything fits and functions really well. And what a pleasure it is to see better. read more

I just got my third pair of glasses from Lakeside Optical, and as always, it was wonderful and professional service, with a large variety of frames and very good prices. I highly recommend this place.  Emmanuel, thank you so much for everything! read more

The proprietor of Lakeside Optical is extremely helpful in selecting and preparing prescriptions for corrective lenses. My regular glasses and sun glasses were ready within the week and were perfect both in fit and vision correction. read more