Good things can come out of bad.... Not long after I posted my original review, owner Lloyd Silverstein called and offered straight-up apologies, no excuses, for my prior negative experiences. He expressed a sincere desire to repair the situation and a commitment to correct the problems with my glasses. Though I felt cautious, I figured it was worth giving him a chance, considering how much money I'd invested and was out. My positive experiences working directly with him in the past also influenced my decision to try and work things out. It took a while, but Lloyd has come through, solidly. On the condition (mine) that I work only with him on all aspects of replacing the useless pair, he patiently checked, measured and documented everything and got me the glasses I should have had in the first place, with a positive attitude and approach, and, significantly, no further cost on my part. The same staff still works there, but it can be said that this firm will stand by its work and products should something go wrong. Because of his integrity as a small business owner-- and a hats off to the value of Yelp-- the situation was resolved satisfactorily, and I am happy to upgrade my review and rating. read more

A friend referred me to the Optical Underground and after my wonderful experience I've since referred so many people. I walked in and was greeted with a smile and quick- If you need help, let us know. Oh boy, did I! I haven't had glasses since I was a kid and needed a lot of reassurance. I relayed this info to him and we were off... he handed me a bunch of frames and made me try then on... and reassured me that sometimes you look at them and may not like them but they look different once they're on your face. During the time he was helping me many other people came in looking for frames too- he always greeted them with a similar line and smile. We went through 20 different pairs and finally found the best ones- I purchased them and was off to my optometry appointment. read more

Locally owned and operated for over 100 years. This family has a dedication and passion to their business. This is a staple of local business that has been around and a part of the community longer than most of its historic buildings. A great place to check out for First Thursdays Art festivals and among that it is an optical eyeglass store. But this is easily forgotten when you walk in and meet the honest and by far most knowledgable staff. I find it incredible that you can still receive service at the prices that this store is offering. In my opinion Optical Underground embodies the charm and expertise that has been lost as businesses gradually took to big box stores. Check it out while you can. To add impartiality their lense selections is top knotch for people with akward prescriptions and they are about half the price of Lenscrafters or any other store. read more

Every excellent review of this optical emporium is correct! I got my first ever prescription for eyeglasses to wear for computer use only - at Kaiser the options for frames were good, but the prices were ridiculous. So, I called my eyeglass frame guru friend Katherine and she said the best place was Optical Underground. Made a date with my husband for dinner in the City afterward and off we went. We were greeted by Addy as soon as we entered and she basically walked me through the process and then left me to my own devices so I could try on a zillion frames. When my husband and I got down to two choices we let her cast the deciding vote. They are now being prepared and I will pick them up next week. No pressure environment, lots of selection, killer prices. The ones I got were 50% off the original price, $25 off that with the coupon from their web site, and the lenses with anti-reflective were less than just the anti-reflective alone at Kaiser. So, getting my first pair of prescription eyeglasses that I love ended up costing less for the whole package at OU than a pair I could have tolerated from the bargain rack at Kaiser. Now I may have to get a few more pairs... read more

Very happy with the of Chrome Heart reading glasses I purchased. Optical definitely contains more rare brands than any other shop in San Francisco. The customer service was fantastic; when looking for the right look for something that'll be on your face 80-90% of the time, you'll want to go to the best, Optical Underground is the best!!! read more

Got my glasses done here. Costs the same as costco, great quality everything and service and genuine people. Who needs costco membership for cheap glasses when you have this place! Was referred here by my doctor, great everything! read more

Great ownership, great service and wonderful underground location. It truly feels like a place to get a great pair for a great price. I recently got VSP insurance but before I visited and found the perfect pair of "modern geeky" thick black rimmed glasses. Once you find a pair that works, they walk you through the process step by step and you're out the door read more

What can I say? This is a family owned business and that's hard to find in SF with the high rise in Tech. Lloyd and Sam are absolutely fantastic and make you feel at home right away. Their knowledge is exceptional and their level of service is incredible. In addition, their prices are far more reasonable than other glasses stores I've been to in SF. All in all no complaints. Easy. Friendly. Reasonable. And knowledgeable. read more

Stopped in to meet my boyfriend (who was getting an adjustment to his glasses) and this AWESOME employee named Priscilla offered to do the same for me, FOR FREE...And I didn't even purchase my glasses there! Talk about grade A customer service! I know where I'll be going for my next pair of eye glasses :) read more

I love my glasses that I got from here. Yeah they're just a pair of black framed glasses with the anti-glare and thinning lens option, but they're a CUTE pair of black, framed glasses! And the price...at first I thought it was rather expensive but the more I think about it, it's a reasonable price for a pair of designer frames. The owners did a good job of keeping the "underground" theme because as you enter, you take the stairs down to the land of frames and stellar service. read more

Very satisfied! Found the store due to Yelp, (thank you!). Great location for public transit.Took Bart to Montgomery station it was a short 5-7 minute walk to the store. Dropped off my frames on a Sunday was told that it would take 5-7 days for them to be ready for pickup. Received a call on Thursday (only 4 days later)that my glasses were ready. Very fast turn around time. It was nice knowing that the work is done there in the store instead of being sent out to a 3rd party. It is also convenient they are open 7 days a week. Came in to pickup very quick and the glasses came out perfect. They have a lot of frames to choose from and the price list is clearly noted so there is no confusion. Large size sales section with frames for $20.00. And lets not forget the friendly and helpful staff. read more

Had a fun time trying on the frames. If I was in the area I would definitely be popping by on a frequent basis. Hugely discounted sunglasses and glasses. They just didn't have any I would like at the time, but it seems like the styles rotate depending on how old the design is, so a repeat visit may be find a good deal! read more

This is so dangerous to me! I just love this place, I never leave empty handed. That is why I am happy they moved to different location. Before they were down the street from where I live. But I love this place. Even the customer service is great! read more

You know those glasses you have sitting in a drawer that you love, spent hours choosing and paid dearly for, but when you wear them now you feel queasy, can't read street signs and clip unsuspecting people with your butt (okay that may be less due to the glasses then the copious amounts of ice cream you've been eating lately but just leave it okay you really needed that toasted almond )? Well take them specs out of mothballs and bring them to Optical Undergound for some sparkling new lenses and love them anew. You will feel so great about the money you saved you may just buy or 'refresh' another pair or two as a gift to yourself and it will be so worth it to have more glasses to choose from every day. Just avoid those full length mirrors, the new lenses have this way of making your butt look really big. read more

So...I'm new to this whole glasses thing. When I was young I had 20/15 vision, but alas years of staring at a computer screen have finally taken their tole. And so I stand (type) before you; a four-eyes, a squint, a poindexter (alright, that last one might not be entirely the fault of the glasses). I had read a lot of positive reviews for Optical Underground and wanted to check them out so I headed in earlier today. The service WAS very friendly and not at all pushy. Since its one of the first glasses stores I've been in I can't really comment on price or selection, but I chose a pair of frames that I liked, bought them and after explaining that I really needed them sooner rather than later the guy at the counter went to the back, checked and found the lense in stock, and ground it down for me in about 10 minutes. So yeah, I'm pretty happy (mostly because I can see again)! read more

Incredibly helpful! I shopped around for a while and Optical Underground was the perfect combination of small/approachable customer service with a ton of selection. I left a voicemail for them and got a super long and detailed message the next day. The two visits I made were both great - the employees are all super fun and helpful. The most amazing thing was how accommodating they were - they gave me a 7-10 range, but got them made by the following day. GREAT BUSINESS. Highly recommend them. read more

Awesome shop with some of the coolest styles of glasses I've ever seen. I had a hard time finding anything that suited me personally, I was looking for a more industrial high-speed look, but these seemed to be more artsy styles. Still, a very very impressive selection, highly recommend checking this place out if you're a fashionista. Also notable was their $20 rack. read more

This place is dope. Renee was really helpful and was totally giving good direction. Definitely going to come by when my next pair breaks.

Aaammaaazing service!!! Priscilla cheerfully greeted me as I walked in and when I mentioned that i would have to wait a couple weeks before getting a pair, she offered to put them on hold for me. Super pleased with the service! Totes recommend. read more

I had to buy the highest index lenses I could find (1.74). They have Nikon Lenses, and they're the cheapest in town for them. Frames are inexpensive. And the staff is very helpful, with a special mention to the owner. read more

So, of course waiting to the very last minute to use my FSA , I had 2 days left & had been all over the city only to find either the same trite frames or ridiculously priced ones or both, sprinkled occassionally with attitude from rhinestone studded cat-eyed clerks- um, no. HOW refreshing at Optical Underground to find: 1.) people who politely leave you alone (not ignore, big difference), let you browse & not hover or offer up unsolicited opinions 2.) truly AMAZING prices 3.) a diverse & incredible selection (as a designer, my standards are ridiculous, i admit) 4.) no nonsense, professional, helpful & kind staff! I ended up buying 4 pair, the prices are so good! Highly recommend to those who consider frames an accessory & that you can change with your mood. :) read more

I love this place! I commented to a friend that she had cute frames and asked where she got them and she told she found them here! So upon her recommendation I checked them out and left with two frames for $19 each! My friend's frames were Paul Smiths and they have other designer glasses as well and lots of choices to choose from. But I think mine were a total steal! The staff were super helpful and I had them give me a lot of input while picking out the right frames and it was awesome. I totally recommend this place to anyone who needs new frames and cute stylish ones that aren't crazy overpriced! Great place and helpful staff and overall awesome place! ps. Parking is hard to find during the day but I parked in the Sutter Garage, $2 for an hour, which is not that bad at all. read more

I must say that before purchasing two pairs of glasses here about a month ago, the last pair I bought was in 2005, so I don't have that much to compare the experience to. What I can say with assurance is that they had quite a selection of frame styles that looked unique and prices from very inexpensive to expensive. One of the frames I bought I have never seen anywhere before, and I like that, but I wouldn't call what I paid for it "cheap," but maybe relatively speaking, it was. And that seemed to be the order of the day--you can buy HELLA inexpensive glasses here, but they're not going to be extraordinary in any way. The more exotic glasses you buy, the more expensive they are likely to be. They also have a selection of sunglasses. From the day I put in my order (they were prescription) to the day they arrived was a solid week. Obviously I wish they would have been finished quicker, but in the end I am very satisfied with the feel of the two pairs I bought and their ability to make me see. And the staff was nice. read more

So I visited here today with my sister looking for a great pair of glasses but with an even greater price, meaning cheap! I really liked this place, it was casual, the guy (Allen...?) who helped me was helpful, knowledgeable, and not at all pushy! He was very informative, gave me great and honest feedback! even told me that the only place cheaper than Optical Underground was Costco, I was holding out for him to uptalk how great and amazing O.U. is...... I gave him a little info about what I needed them for, and he told me his recommendations without trying to rip me off. Even gave me $25 off cuz I visited the website! All in all, I bought great frames, they have uv protection, anti-glare, obviously the prescription lenses, all for $130. Not too shabby! I would definately recommend this place to anyone and I will be going back next time I have to get new glasses! read more

I'm looking for sum semi-hip frames and this store seems like a popular Yelpster pick so I checked it out: 1st star for the nice greeting I received the second I walked in. There is no sales pressure at all. 2nd star for the spacious and well-lighted atmosphere. Open cases were a plus so no extra work and time wasted asking a clerk to open/unlock as most Optical stores do have them locked unless asked. 3rd star for the reasonable prices for an impressive selection. 2 missing stars for not enough mirrors for such a spacious store and not taking any vision insurance. Overall, I didn't buy anything but I may come back in 3 months to see if the frames I did like drop in convincing fashion. read more

Typically shopping for specs sucks. There's the forceful salesperson, cheering "you look greeeeaaaat in those!" every time you try something on, which took for ever to get around to, since they have to unlock Fort Knox before you can get your hands on a pair. Enter Optical Underground. - nothing is locked away, try on anything you want - nobody tries to sell you anything - they are very friendly and will help if you ask - they are genuinely cool people - they have a really great variety of cool specs arriving all the time - it's absolutely impossible to beat the prices I wish every business was run like this! read more

My husband and I stopped in over the weekend. It was nice being able to browse without being hounded by the sales staff. The selection was good and the prices were very affordable. Note: While at the counter being helped by a sales person, a young sales person stood there flossing her teeth. I emailed the owner directly and he was very appreciative. read more

I'd read the reviews and popped in once or twice when I was in the neighborhood and decided that Optical Underground would be a good place to try out getting a new pair of glasses. Whoever is giving Optical Underground a bad review obviously didn't do their homework by reading the reviews or just asking! I'd walked in after driving in from Walnut Creek from my optometrist's office still vaguely upset with the one I saw last year, who completely fouled up my prescription from what it normally would be and was asked by Addy if I needed help. I am also the person who left to her own devices, picks out completely unfashionable clothes and accessories, and I told Addy this. She told me to look around still, but she'd pick out a few things that she thought would work for my face. About five minutes later, she came back with about 9 frames, of which two I liked. Not taking off any stars since I did ask for her help because I'm incapable of doing it myself, and she managed to find the right color when I found the style of frame. I've been wanting to be wearing a pair of Prodesign Denmark for a long time and found a pair that I currently LOVE LOVE LOVE. The best part of this experience is that when I explained to Addy I've been having headaches for the past year because my script from the doctor last year was completely off and my doctor this year (who knows my eyes since I've been seeing him since I was 11) told me to try and get into a new pair of glasses ASAP, put a rush on my order. I was in on Tuesday morning and got a phone call Thursday afternoon that they were ready. Picked them up Friday morning and been headache free ever since! I will definitely be going back. read more

Problem with the lenses. Poor customer communication skills. Was given wrong Information three times. Nobody contacted me about the problem until I called. I have been their customer for a long time and disappointed with the current service. read more

Damn I am sorely disappointed by their selection nowadays. Of course my discontent comes from being the lame ass and sitting on a pair frames I'd figure would still be available. WRONG!!! Gone like a Barry Bonds homerun. Salespeople are a bit chatty if you like that sort of thing. read more

This place is like crack for me. If I have money and go in there I will inevitably walk out having just ordered a new pair of glasses. Funky, hip frames for label-whores like me on a budget! Great customer service too. And they do vintage glasses too, so bring your favorite pair of grandma grandpa's old frames in and have them fitted with your prescription. You will not regret it. read more

Good price for lenses. No attitude about putting new lenses in old frames(not bought from them) unlike Lenscrappers. Parking sucks. Took just over 2 weeks to get lenses. read more

I like to support private businesses. They have great customer service and answered many of my questions. Very knowledgeable... Many choices and brands to choose from at great prices. You will definitely walk out feeling great from saving yourself so much money. They also fixed my old glasses free of charge (it was lopsided, I abuse my stuff, so I am sure it happened when I sat on it accidentally some time ago!) read more

I just called the place, wow...what a great customer service! Honestly, that girl i was speaking to gave me a lot of good information! read more

Have purchased several pair of glasses from this business over the years but hadn't been in a while. But with 3 pair of broken glasses, I rode over to see if they were open. They were and graciously explained their reservation policy. I explained my plight and was working on scheduling an appointment when they told me to hang on. Lucky for me, they had some time and fixed 2 of my glasses right then. I'd broken the arms from the 3rd pair - don't ask, so figured I'd have to get new ones. The wonderful gentlemen at OU found a pair they could fit my lenses into and sold those to me at what I'd paid for the originals!!! And they did it all in about 30 minutes. The service here was always outstanding. But this was truly another level. I will be back as soon as I get my eyes checked!! Thank you gentlemen - you made my day! read more

Everyone else posting on here is right. If you need glasses and are a person, seriously just go to Optical Underground. It's tough not to be immediately impressed by their selection, price, and staff as soon as you walk in. They have so many really, really cool frames for prices that are just crazy. The first time I bought glasses here, there was an unfortunate mistake handling my emailed prescription which delayed my order. I happened to really need those glasses, and I got a bit more frustrated with the owner than was strictly called for when he reached out directly to make things right. Despite my curtness, he rushed the order and offered me a hefty refund on the delayed order. I feel bad for being bitchy, and super confident shopping here in the future. When I picked up my completed order, I immediately spent the entire refund (and then some) buying more cool glasses. The ones they had just rushed for me felt awesome, and this place has way too much cool stuff to ever want to leave empty handed. I am ending up with two pairs of awesome glasses for less than I would pay for one at my optometrist - even after applying vision insurance. read more

i broke my eyeglasses yesterday, so i needed to find a place that does repairs. optical underground had been recommended by a friend in the past, and i recently moved to the neighborhood, so i decided to swing by to see what they can do for me. a nice team member helped me immediately, and referred to a technician for an opinion on the repair. the price that was quoted was very reasonable, but since i had these frames for a couple of years, i needed a little time to consider if i'd rather put the repair cost towards a new frame. they totally understood, no sales pressure whatsoever. to get me through the next few days, i asked them to swap the lenses into an older frame i had (it was the same model in a different color, so i knew they'd fit), a service that i have paid $30 for in the past. not only did they do it in lightning speed, but when i asked what i owed, they simply waived it off. i asked for a tip jar or coffee bank or something, nope, they weren't having it. how nice is that? they had very nice frames on display, i'll definitely be back when it's time for a new pair. didn't catch their names, but the technician is the gent on the very left in the staff picture. thank you, i'll be telling everyone about you! read more

Of the 5 eyewear stores I visited yesterday, this one had: --the glasses I was looking for --more variety of styles than the other Union Square or Marina shops I visited --the best prices --friendly, down-to-earth sales people who weren't at all pushy The bottom line is: Don't waste your time and money. Go to Optical Underground. read more

It's a new store near Patricia's Green in Hayes Valley. They only have 6 or 7 displays set up so far, so not a lot of choice. I think the space could hold 4x that much. Probably gearing this new location's inventory up. Employee was very helpful and did say they were expecting more selection in the coming months. But I needed my glasses now so bought somewhere else. read more

I'm torn about this place. On the one hand, they offer excellent prices and offered to re-do my lenses at no additional cost when I didn't like how they came out cosmetically (which was my mistake). The lab manager Z (who no longer works there) was very knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating. On the other hand, they also filled out the wrong prescription for me, which I had to point out after the lenses had already been done. They also messed up a few times while measuring my pupilary distance, which didn't inspire a lot of confidence for me as the customer. The staff was friendly if not the most, dare I say, competent. Ultimately I got the pair of glasses that I wanted, but I probably wouldn't come back or recommend it to a friend. As someone with a heavier eyeglass prescription, I've realized that eyeglasses aren't something I'm willing to go the "budget" route for. read more