Both of my kids (3.5 and 14 mos.) see Dr. Takao in his Orinda office (15 Altarinda Rd) and I recommend him to all parents without reservation. He was recommended to me by our wonderful (and now retired) pediatrician in the city when we moved to the burbs. Takao is a warm, thorough and experienced pediatrician with a good sense of humor and a welcoming support staff. My kids actually like going to the Dr.'s office. He's shown us flexibility when we've needed it, and has always been incredibly responsive. For example, when my kid took a header into the couch armrest on the Fourth of July, I texted him and he called me right back from a party he was attending. He squeezed us in the next day just to make sure my child was ok, and also followed up with a phone call. This is his standard of care. I'd heard his practice was closed to new patients, but I just spoke with him and it's now reopened. read more

Increasingly out of touch, too focused on social life and Warriors and training of new medical assistants. Delays and office wait are true from other reviews. It's a degrading situation. This is not the interpretation of a weary parent, this is also the assessment of a teen patient who was too respectful, polite and hopeful to call out the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the care offered when the patient knew something fresh was needed. Referral of services for other care was extremely ineffective and unhelpful, waste of time and our adult (parent) family primary care physician even told us the doctors, locations and services that were suggested by this office were the scariest and not good places or doctors. We learned the hard way that the referrals were stale, We spent a lot of time trusting the referrals and trying to find our solution. This was precious time lost while being bullied at school that the child could have used to make progress rather than struggle. Current era bullying is a topic not well understood by this office and this office is not equipped with finding the right fit for care. The Rx were only a benefit to Pharma and have scary side effects that were counseled to the parent as 'most kids' are on these meds these days, that's not a good basis to counsel a parent. You'd think a professional with decades of experience would have a better assessment of efficacy. An office like this with the cost of visits, which were also a billing focus and priority for the office, should have an excellent top tier network and fresh ideas, with cutting edge care referrals. At the prices charged (especially for a HDHP deductible situation), there's a lot more out there in the services field; a simple good therapist approach is best. My kid also did not have confidence and trust in the doctor or staff. Experienced professionals should recognize this and immediately tell parents and help them find another primary care provider where the kid is comfortable; instead of shielding their findings from the parent, regardless of patient age and confidentiality. We got a simple "I'd like to see the patient again in 2-4 weeks, can't quite figure out what the problem is ..". Chaching$$$$$ more visits. Suggest: Prioritize care and reduce poor referrals. Prioritize care over billing codes. For bullying that causes anxiety, develop better resources, help parents expose the problem, not hide it in confidentiality presumptions. Stop dragging out the recovery and stop the prescription of depression drugs that don't work, and only benefit big Pharma and are impacting a teen brain that is still developing way into an individual's early 20's. Also the documentation in the medical records was inconsistent and troubling enough that it was a last straw. Under the guise of confidentiality, things were blocked so only the office could see notes and appointments and the documentation and records were inconsistent. We were told patient and parents could not see the visit notes, appointment times, etc under the guise of confidentiality. This is not correct, we are allowed have access, at a minimum the teen should have access. We now know this because our visits with other providers in the last 8 months have the same legal standards and in the same network of children's Benioff/ Alta Bates/ and John Muir networks these recent office visits and documentation share much more than this office did, and we were told by this office that neither the kid nor parents could view it based on the software and rules of confidentiality. Obviously, by equal comparison with other providers, this issue is mismanaged by this office and their statements are not accurate Our expectations for our kid as the patient and as parents for records review were VALIDATED by these newer providers as reasonable and normal, legal. It makes me think this office didn't know how to use the online system or they were over-interpreting and over-applying some rule they misunderstood. The patient has a right to see the entire file and notes and it is important for their health record. Their peer providers prove this office's record management and teen confidentiality protocols as flawed. Professionals are supposed to lead, not create more problems. Regarding time, network resources, cost and ability to problem solve, and ensure better outcomes....... There's a lot of other options out there, God bless and good luck. read more

Dr Takao is absolutely amazing human being and wonderful pediatrician. Our younger daughter has been seeing him for close to a year now since we moved to Lamorinda. It's practically impossible to find a doctor who would be so much invested in your child's growing process and development. He is a great educator for young moms. Visits are never rushed and all questions addressed in detail. His office runs like a well oiled machine. Support staff is extremely pleasant and great with kids. Our daughter always looking forward to come here! That alone is priceless! Highly recommend! read more

If I could give a 0 star I would to Dr. Takao. A mean, unfriendly man with no compassion and understanding toward his patient.

We have been going to this office for such a long time, that I'm updating my review. We are still, about eight years later, extremely happy with our experience with Dr. Takao and his staff. Dr. Takao is wonderful. He (and every single staff member) is helpful, warm, and thoughtful. My kids are both happy going to the doctor and it feels like Dr. Takao treats my children (and me) as if we're part of his family. He always asks if I have any questions or concerns, and answers every single question in a very kind way, often citing current research. I feel lucky to have such a sweet, knowledgeable, and experienced doctor overseeing my children's health. We recommend him any chance we get. read more

We recently moved from the East Coast and were looking for a new pediatrician for our kids and decided on Dr. Takao after reading the reviews. Each and every review that was mentioned was spot on. My daughter sprained her ankle recently and we were amazed by the genuine care and concern showered by Dr. Takao and his staff. He personally waited on call for at least 30 mins to get her x-ray scheduled with an Orthopedic that would cover our insurance. He even asked his staff to show me the directions to go to the Walnut Creek hospital because I was new to the area. He called us on the phone with answers to all of our concerns. We couldn't be more delighted at having found such a wonderful doctor. Would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a kind, caring and genuine pediatrician for their kids. read more

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Dr. Takao. His experience and knowledge is invaluable to me as a mother of 2 young children. And on top of that, my kids adore him. We interviewed a couple of different Pediatricians when we moved to the area, but knew we had found a gem when we met Dr. Takao. His office staff is warm and welcoming and the whole practice has a familial feel to it. Dr. Takao is great at listening to my concerns and takes the time to answer all of my questions and educates me on what I need to know. He is very diligent, detail oriented, and vigilant when it comes to my children and their health. And the topics he has experience with and identifies gives me a peace of mind knowing that he can identify and treat almost anything my kids have thrown at him. I recommend him to everyone who asks and we feel so blessed to have him in our lives. read more

Dr. Takao was my doctor from the day I was born till I was around 15. He is a wonderful doctor and a great person. Nothing but positive things to say about him. You are in great hands if he is your doctor. read more

Just adding my voice to the choir of praise here. Dr. Takao is a dream come true for parents and their kiddos. Our daughter had a few serious heath issues around the time we saw Dr. Takao. We only saw him once and he was ordering some follow up tests around the time we ended up in the ER at Oakland's Children's Hospital. We were inpatient and I gave Dr. Takao's name as our pediatrician. We had literally only seen him one time. Fast forward and we're on patient at Oakland's Children's about to have surgery. It's a weekend. A tiny little 1980's phone started ringing in the closet of our hospital room. It was Dr. Takao. What happened? How is Eleanor? Who is the surgeon (and ok that ones a good one.). I thought maybe post op he'd get a report to his file. Never did I think he'd look us up in real time when Oakland Children's alerted him of our admission. Same thing later this year. Our daughter accidentally ingested part of some herbal supplement (unidentifiable) off the ground. Back to Oakland's Children's we go. Later that same day, a call from Dr. Takao. How is Eleanor, what did she invest, who did you see, what did they say, how is she now. He really cares. I mean REALLY cares. He has an answering service now, which is new, but if something feels truly urgent I just pick up the phone and call his personal cell (not a typo). He either answers or you leave a message and he calls you back straight away. And I've never received a bill for any call--mind you I'd be happy to pay it if I did, but no bill has ever arrived. This week Eleanor had a bum rash that wouldn't go away. We were out of town and couldn't make it to see him. He had me send him a text of the rash and was able to advise a course of treatment. There are few out there practicing medicine like Dr. Takao. It's a great relief! Thank you Dr. Takao! read more

It does not get better than Dr. Takao. He has been my son's pediatrician for the past five and a half years (since he was born) and we truly hit the jackpot when we chose him. Having a baby and raising a kid is full of challenges and having Dr. Takao on my team has been priceless. He has always been available to answer my questions and gives 110% every time. I trust him completely because he is very thorough, knowledgeable, caring, and goes above and beyond to get us the help we need. My son LOVES him and trusts him and it's because he really cares about our well-being and does everything he can to take care of our little guy. He has thirty-five years experience but, unlike some older doctors I have been to in the past, he is not out of the loop. He is on top of his current research and very involved in the evolving medical community. From everything I know of him, he has completely devoted his life to his patients in a way that is very rare and "small-town" amidst a big-town and medically impersonal world. Thank goodness for this diamond in the rough. read more

At first you might find Dr Takao is a bit chill and cold towards a sick child (I totally understand some parents can be upset by this), but he really know his stuff. He can give out great tips in his field (like how to prevent diaper rash and which cream is better for kids) He is a great doctor with a LOT of experience in the field. And one best thing with this office is that they try to accommodate urgent appointment if possible (and not ask us to bring my kid to emergency or urgent care) read more

Our whole family loves working with Dr Takao and we recommend him unreservedly. My son is 9 and has been going to Dr Takao since he was about 5. We had a pediatrician near our home in Rockridge at the time, and he was good - but his office was a nightmare with 1+ hr wait times. A babysitter told us that she'd been going to Dr T since she was a young child - now in her 20s! Her mom said he was the best pediatrician she'd ever met. So we interviewed him and switched - even tho his office was then in Alameda and is now in Orinda. Not super convenient for us, but we are so comfortable with him, so impressed by his knowledge and attention to detail, that we are very happy. Literally every single time we go to his office it's a wonderful and helpful experience - and I have thrown him a couple curveballs! But he's handled everything with grace, professionalism and insight. His most recent practice in partnership with Dr Lewis in Orinda is EXCELLENT. I have recommended them to several friends. There is almost never a wait time of more than 5 mins. They have drop in hrs at 8 AM every morning. If you have a problem at midnight, you never speak with a doc you've never met - Dr T or Dr L are always on call. I've had emergencies where I needed my son to be evaluated at 5 PM and Dr Takao always tries to avoid a visit to the ER, stays late, and tries to fix the problem on the spot. He will respond to emails and give his cell number. Their practice works the way family medicine used to work, and should work: Very personal, never rushed, available and easy. I can easily see my son going to Dr T until he's a young adult. read more

Dr Takao is a great pediatrician! Very down to earth. He really cares for his patients and take the time to answer questions and encourages kids to leave a healthy life cycle (healthy food, plenty of sleep etc..). read more

The best pediatrician we've ever had. After switching due to insurance and then moving we were so happy to find Dr. Takao's office. Our two kids are happy to go visit him wether for a well check or an illness. The staff is so accommodating and helpful. We had an emergency on a Friday afternoon that we might have needed the ER for. Dr. Takao's office was able to get us in and do stitches on my son. They kept him so calm and comfortable it couldn't have gone smoother. The entire staff goes above and beyond. read more

There is nothing bad to say about this doctor and his staff. He is incredible. 38yrs in pediatrics, 3 grown children and a true love for the little kids. He is attentive, he is pro active, he follows up and he ALWAYS errors on the side of caution, which I as a mother agree with and appreciate. He is just wonderful. If you live in the LaMorinda area than he needs to be your pediatrician. Nicely located in Orinda read more

I have been meaning to write this review for 2 years! Dr. Takao is the best. We found him when we first moved to Orinda based on his reviews on yelp and have been so pleased. My 3 1/2 year old daughter and 5 month old son both see him. He has taken so many phone calls from me after hours when I am concerned about the kids health. Just this Christmas we spent so many days in and out of his office getting my little guy back to health. He never is in a rush and always takes time to answer all my questions. He is gentle and kind. My kids love him as much as we do and his office staff are top notch. I would highly recommend Dr. Takao to any mom living or moving to Orinda. read more

Dr. Lloyd Takao is the best pediatrician I have ever seen. He actually cares about your children and takes his time to listen to your concerns and answer your questions. He's kind and intelligent. We first started seeing him in Alameda and followed him when he opened a private practice in Orinda, even though it's a little drive. How could you not? He's the type of doctor who gives you his cell and replies to your concerns when he's on vacation in Hawaii within the hour! (Really!)This is a person who loves his job and cares about his patients. I've found that to be pretty rare as far as doctors go these days. I Highly recommend Dr. Takao! read more

Dr Takao is seriously the best. We switched to him from a bigger east bay practice because we were tired of never being able to get a hold of our doctor, and useless nurse lines when our boys would get sick in the middle of the night or on weekends. Dr. Takao is caring, patient, and SO knowledgable! There's nothing that he hasn't seen before. And, he's always available. He'll come into his office on a Sunday, he answers his phone at night, and he always calls you back right away. You can't get better than that. I cannot recommend him enough. Dr. Takao has been a true blessing to our family. read more

Dr. Takao is the best doctor you could ever hope for your child to have. He is incredibly knowledgeable, experienced, and accomplished. Most importantly, Dr. Takao genuinely cares about his patients. He's taken my calls on weekends and even stopped by our house when my daughter was really ill. His office staff is friendly and helpful. Deciding to have Dr. Takao as our children's daughter doctor is hands down one of the best decisions I've made as a mom. read more

Dr. Takao is such a wonderful pediatrician. He been warm, helpful, and patient with my million first-time mom questions. He's been in medicine for a long time and knows his stuff! His staff is super helpful and very caring. He's also available nights and weekends if needed. read more

We have the unique experience of Dr. Takao being my pediatrician as a child, and he is now the pedi for my child. We couldn't ask for a better doctor. He is "old school" in the best of ways: taking his own call on weekends, avoiding ER visits, setting simple fractures and doing stitches in-office. He's met us after business hours, on a weekend, and has even talked me off a ledge via text while we were vacationing out of the country when the baby spiked a fever. He's very conscientious and thorough. Can't say enough good things about him. The highest compliment of all: we have referred all of our parent friends to him! read more

Dr Takao has been pediatrician for each of my 3 children since birth, 15 years plus. He is an experienced, competent, caring doctor and sweet guy - and importantly, my kids love and trust him. Has recently opened a nice, new office at 15 Altarinda Road, Suite 100 in Orinda (with lots free parking). Totally recommend him. read more

Dr Loloyd Takao has been part of our healthy family for 19 years. He is gentle and repecttul with our three girls. Every diagnosis is thoughtful and comprehensive. He has never disappointed us or ignored our concerns. We feel lucky to count Dr.Takao as a expert who has our back. read more

I interviewed a few doctors when I was pregnant and was immediately drawn to Dr. Takao. He has treated my son like his own child over the past 4.5 years and I can't sing his praises loud enough. He's answered calls after hours and once he opened his office on Sunday just to see my son so that I didn't have to take him to the emergency room (and caught the pneumonia before it got bad.) Frankly, I would travel miles to keep this man in our lives - he's that good. We're moving to another country soon, but will be coming back on our vacations to visit Dr. Takao and see everyone in the office :) read more

Dr. Takao responded to my review. I stand by my review. He was late, did have Starbucks coffee in hand and did make a personal call with the door open--he was not talking to a doctor or a parent. It was about tickets to a Warriors game. Furthermore, he has no idea what day I was in the office therefore his statement about an emergency with an ill child is a falsehood. I feel fairly certain that I would've been told by the receptionist that he had an emergency. She stated he was running late and apologized. He also.could've apologized and explained that he had an very sick child that needed to be admitted to the hospital. I would have understood. Regardless, if he was going to reply to my remarks, he should've been truthful. read more

Dr. Takao is so so so fantastic. He has decades of experience and a very calm demeanor. He takes his time evaluating and asking questions and then gives reliable, solid advice on how to move forward (and explains his thinking). I have been through colds, viruses, possible broken bones, rashes and the million stupid concerns first time parents have with him and he has always been so supportive and given us the correct course of action. Typically his first inclination is to be patient. That's tough for first time parents, however, he has always been right in my experience. I appreciate how he doesn't write a prescription just to shut up a worried parent; he knows what is best for the child. Can't recommend him highly enough. read more

We just moved to Orinda and I chose Dr Takao based on yelp and Lamorinda mom's recommendations. I called Monday to let them know I would be faxing over charts. The very next day my daughter had a serious emergency and they were wonderful with her. The follow-up has been excellent and they have been very accommodating. So happy I made this decision! read more

I am so blessed to have Dr Takao as my daughters pediatrician. He is amazing!! I couldn't ask for a better doctor. He is kind, caring, knowledgeable, and great with my daughter who is 5 months. He explains everything to you and is always available if you have more questions. I would recommend him to anyone who is about to have a baby or is looking for a new pediatrician. You would not regret your decision. He truly is the BEST!!! read more

We found Dr. Takao mostly by accident when my wife was pregnant with twins. From our initial and brief contact with him, we both really felt comfortable and confident that he would take great care of our two boys. Every single interaction with Dr. Takao has been wonderful. He helped us get through the early months of the boys lives (including visiting them in the NICU when they arrived prematurely) with confidence and helped us get through our first toddler cold season of non-stop colds, flus and even pneumonia. One thing both my wife and I really liked is that he has some "natural" remedies for common issues...like a tablespoon of molasses for a constipated baby. I never ever worried about the long-term health of our boys since we had Dr. Takao in our corner. He has a warm, gentle and kind touch with the pragmatism of highly experienced and capable pediatrician. He is amazingly available around the clock....whenever we had questions or needed a last minute appointment, he was always easy to get in touch with by phone or in person. We recently moved out of state and one of the few things we miss is having Dr. Takao as our doctor. I can't recommend him highly enough...Dr. Takao rocks. read more

I have been taking my son to Dr. Takao for almost a year now. As a first time parent you couldn't ask for more. Our son had some issues when he was first born and Dr. Takao was very attentive and would always return my calls in a timely manner. He would even call in between visits to see how he was doing. Very nice staff. Dr. Evans is also awesome. read more

When we had to make an insurance change a couple of years ago, my biggest concern was finding a new pediatrician for our young sons but since discovering Dr. Takao we have never looked back. We happily drive through the tunnel from our home in Oakland to see him and I can't say enough positive things about him. He is thorough, warm, kind, caring, willing to take all the time needed to explain and discuss things with parents and patients and he does it all with humor and clearly still loves it. He is extraordinarily knowledgeable as he has been practicing for ages (he had been the beloved pediatrician of my neighbor's now 25 year old son) and at the same time is clearly up to date on what's happening in the world of pediatrics. Its one thing to have good bedside manner - a very important thing when you're talking about pediatrics--and he definitely has that, but most important in my estimation is someone who has a good solid foundation in medicine and who stays current. Dr. Takao has all of that in spades. And, in contrast to the former practice we saw, whenever humanly possible, he handles his own after-hours calls and holds his own morning clinics for sick kids. He offers the kind of personalized attention I thought was a thing of the past and I'm so grateful to have been wrong. read more

Dr. Takao is a wonderful doctor and person. He is incredibly diligent and kind. He checks in consistently until he knows you're okay. Whenever I've had a medical issue, Dr. Takao has made sure to see me by the end of the next day. I am confident that Dr. Takao is committed to his patient's wellbeing and he always does the right thing. I feel very lucky to have been a patient of his. You won't find a more trustworthy doctor than Lloyd Takao! read more

Five stars isn't enough for Dr. Takao. I've been with him since my kids (17, 15 and 11) were little. He excels at everything from the routine appointments, to coaxing the little ones through shots, to counseling all of us on various health situations. We've thrown a lot of medical problems at Dr. Takao over the years, most recently my son's serious concussion from fainting. During the past month, he has shepherded us through a scary few weeks of ER visits and tests. He advocated for us at two hospitals. He called throughout one eventful weekend and told us what to expect, lined up the right dr's to see our son, and handheld us through the process. When we texted or called, he was somehow always there. Thanks to his focus and dedication, our son is on the mend. We couldn't ask for a better dr or a kinder man. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Takao and we are so fortunate to have him as our pediatrician. We met "Dr. T" when he joined the practice in Alameda and I was immediately impressed with his exceptional knowledge, background and bedside manor. He is a very personal doctor and genuinely enjoys knowing our family, and us knowing him. He is so sweet with both of my girls and they love him. They actually get excited when they get to visit Dr. T. A year prior to meeting Dr. Takao, my daughter had some serious health issues associated with a viral pneumonia and resulting emyema which had required surgery at Children's Hospital in Oakland. She still had a pneumatocele which hadn't resolved, so Dr. Takao took it upon himself to familiarize himself with her entire case file and treated her every ailment with a perspective of urgency and confidence we hadn't received from any other doctor in the practice. Our family had spent so much time at Children's Hospital, it was especially comforting to know of Dr. Takao's background of working at Children's Hospital and his relationships with our daughter's surgeon and many doctors there. We recently had another health scare when some blood work came back with an abnormality. Dr. Takao was immediately on the phone with several specialists at Children's Hospital and answered every one of my frantic phone calls that day. Thankfully, the abnormality turned out to be nothing. But if it had been something, there's no other doctor I'd rather be on the case than Takao. He's kind of like the rock star of pediatricians. We happily followed Dr. Takao from his Alameda practice to Orinda. Living in Alameda, it's a little drive for us. But we have never had to wait for an appointment, and when you have a two year old in tow, that is HUGE. read more

I feel so lucky to have found Dr. Takao, who was highly recommended to me by my OB-GYN. Dr. Takao is a genuine doctor that takes the time with each patient. I couldn't believe that on our first visit, Dr. Takao gave me his cell phone number for any after-hours questions (no more long-distance calls with nurses that didn't know my kids!). And, when my infant was sick in the middle of the night, he made a house call. Priceless. He continues to invest his time in each of my kids, following-up the same day to check-in on their health, or the next day to make sure they are improving. I just wish we could have found Dr. Takao sooner! He's the real deal. read more

Dr Takao is seriously the best. He is honest and straight to the point and makes you know that your children needs are his priority regardless of time of day or day of week you need him! He is a brilliant MD! If you call his office off hours you will get him!! read more

Dr takao is amazing. Not only was he my pediatrician from birth until early adulthood, he is now my three son's doctor! Wouldn't take my kids anywhere else!!! read more

Dr. Takao was my pediatrician and now 31 years later is the amazing pediatrician to my 6 month old son. He is knowledgable, kind and makes you feel immediately at ease. I never feel rushed during a visit, his staff are all very friendly and greet us by name when we come in. To top it all off if I have a concern or questions after hours he is amazing at getting back to me very quickly. As a first time mom I couldn't have picked a better doctor to help manage my sons healthcare needs. read more

We interviewed with Dr. Takao in Alameda and instantly liked him. We liked him so much we followed him to Orinda when he opened his own practice. He's an excellent and well-rounded doctor - he is attentive, comprehensive, caring, warm, and has outstanding judgment. He's cared for all three of our kids since their birth and with each kid there were unique medical conditions, which he detected early on and calmly helped us get through a few scares by thoroughly answering all our questions while putting our mind at ease. He has followed through on a number of situations by staying on top of other doctors/lab-work, checking in with us over weekend, and responding quickly to all our calls. Our kids are in very good hands with Dr. Takao and on top of that they really like him! Our oldest looks forward to seeing him all the time! It is evident Dr. Takao truly cares for his patients and we are so happy he's our family pediatrician. We also appreciate of the "old school" way he runs his business, not something you see anymore in this day and age. Lastly, the ladies at the front are all so nice and personable. I recall one of them helped soothe/hold my crying newborn baby girl while Dr. Takao was caring for my other son...just a friendly group of ladies. read more

Dr. Takao is a total GEM. He is a truly caring doctor who goes many extra miles for his patients. He has such a great wealth of knowledge and experience from his years as a pediatrician in our community. We have been so impressed with his attention to our concerns and the health of our baby. He is so accessible (a huge plus for new parents), so kind, and always follows up extensively until a problem is solved. He calls on the weekends to check in and makes you feel as important as family. I'm so grateful we found Dr. Takao and recommend him 110%! read more