EDIT #2: I received a call from the owner/manager, whatever position Alan has at Optical Underground. without telling the details, you can figure out how a 5-star rating went down to a 1-star rating and back up to a 5-star rating. Yes I am a priss, but paying $8 for BART and to give up 2 hours of my friday afternoon AND to be FORCED to wear contacts, pissed me the fuck enough to give them a 1-star rating. But that is all in the past now. What has been done, is done. A simple phone call from them patched things up. Besides having such GREAT inventory, they are starting to let the world know that they also have equally great customer service. I do plan on going back again and stock up on frames before my prescription expires! EDIT: My sister went to go pick up my glasses for me since she works in SF and I don't. They sent her home with the wrong glasses. Now since these aren't my glasses, I'm without my glasses for two weeks, or even longer, when I was told they would be ready in 10 days. Let's see what they can do tomorrow, so then my 5-star to a 1-star rating can be salvaged.... ---- I didn't find any Gucci frames... but what I did find was a pair of Missoni frames for $89 + 25% OFF + $25OFF that were super cute! The $19 frames were super ugly...but the ones on the $79 table were cute! So cute! Too bad I couldn't buy more than one pair... The staff is professional and honest, I absolutely enjoyed my experience at Optical Underground and plan on going back very frequently! read more

Really nice staff in a very cool space. The frame options are interesting because it's overstock and closeouts, so they tend to be of the weirder variety. Still, they have name brands at significant discount. I almost bought a pair of Oliver Peoples sunglasses for 20 bucks, but then decided I didn't love them. There's a fun camera where you can see 4 views of yourself on screen, so you can turn your head and see what you look like from all angles. I get a vision benefit with my HMO, but I may shop at Optical Underground for the frames and just have my insurance do the lenses. read more

Optical Underground - Check yourself out on their camera - Eyewear & Opticians Near Me - San Francisco, California

I so wish we could give this place 5 stars! Everyone is so nice! It's a great place to buy good frames at a discount. But in our opinion, if you need anything more that single vision lenses, maybe consider avoiding this place. I ordered two pair of glasses and could not see well from either. I got lenses at another place that uses a different lab (I have poor vision and need progressives) and I could see perfectly in the other lenses. My husband had the same experience. It's still not cheap at Optical Underground and we both ended up using another office for lenses that were higher quality. And it's not in network for VSP so we ended up eating 3k in charges (for 4 pairs of glasses between the two of us). So sorry, we love the people there, just not a great product! read more

Priscilla is the best if you have any questions about high prescription. She will make sure the dimension of your lenses can fit inside of the frame you will choose. She has really good knowledge about optical subject. She is doing the extra mile about the customer service. Optical Underground has a good selection of glasses for anyone. It is clean, spacious and friendly! Next time, i am in need of glasses/sunglasses, I will come back here without any hesitation! read more

I just picked up my Cynthia Rowley glasses today and I love them. It was like these frames found my face! LIke peanut butter and jelly. Like 2 peas in a pod. LIke a missing piece of the puzzle. Ok, ok, you get the idea. Great prices, nice staff, cute frames. What more can I say? For those extra tight wade folks, there is a $25- coupon on their website. Go print it out!!! read more

At the Linden location: Cold Harsh Lighting by the try-on mirrors is my only complaint! I love this place so much otherwise! The styles, prices and employees are always awesome! I also love the newest location on Linden. Only thing, maybe they have changed them (praying) but what weirded me out is the lighting by the mirrors/glasses cases. At the old location there was nice soft warm light to look at yourself in the mirrors. At Linden there are lights very similar to fluorescents (think inside a fast food restaurant) that honestly made me feel more ugly than i already am. I asked about the deal with lighting, and the person said that was the only kind of lighting available to them--cold cold lighting that makes all the veins and discolorations stand out on your face. I dont understand--it is hard for me to believe warm lighting is not available for purchase.... read more

Great customer service! Just popped in for an eyeglass repair and they were quick, friendly, and conscientious. I really appreciated the service. I'll be back! read more

This is a great place to buy glasses, or to get your prescription updated... The prices are fantastic!... The customer service is on point!... LensCrafters tried to charge me over $500 more than they would here just to replace lenses... Highly recommended! read more

It's pot luck going to the Optical Underground, but you will alway's find something special for half the price of most other store's anywhere in the country, there is always a friendly welcome when you arrive and the best advice on frames that suit... I couldn't be more happier with my glasses and the service I got from Anna. read more

The screw fell out of my glasses and I went to Optical Underground. They fixed it right away and refused to take any money for it. I'm definitely hitting these guys up next time I need a new set of glasses. read more

All the staff at optical underground are fantastic. I wanted to switch it up and get larger frames than I typically do. However it turns out that my eyes are too sensitive to adjust to the bigger lenses. Lloyd and his team still made attempts to adjust the lenses since I loved the frames and we weren't sure what the issue was but when that didn't work they were happy to exchange the frames that I purchased for something more suitable. Frame selection varies depending to what they have at the time but the service and prices when you find that something you like can't be beat. read more

Be curious before you be furious.  Edward H, if you have "loved this place for years" then why didn't you reach out to the owner or the staff directly before posting a ONE STAR(!!!) review. They answer their phone, they answer email.  Why didn't you ask "Hey, why are you supporting the criminalization of homelessness" ?  That would have prompted a conversation whereby you would have learned that the owner was misleaded into signing that petition.  Why didn't you reach out to the people who circulated that misleading petition and ask them why Optical Underground has asked to be disassociated from it ? If you are such an engaged member of society whereby you care deeply about the unhoused, then it would not be a stretch to also care about a small business, their employees and the customers whose ability to see (!!) depend on their service.  WHY CALL FOR OPTICAL UNDERGROUND TO BE SHUT DOWN ! without even being a tad curious, doing just the bare minimum of reaching out to the very people whose livelihood you are raging against.  To do that takes effort that you clearly are unable to extend beyond the one minute it took to help exactly no one. Not our unhoused brothers, sisters, families, not Optical Underground, their employees, not the Hayes Valley Merchants - you helped exactly ZERO stakeholders.  That said, your one star review did help you feel better because you can now claim to be "woke" on homelessness. In a City where the cost of living is beyond reach for so many, Optical Underground has been a community treasure for those who are visually AND financially challenged.  Imagine being unable to see, needing glasses and finding a place where you can actually afford it.  Imagine a place where the staff takes a pair of glasses - bought at Costco - that you broke and fixes it without charge...telling you "don't worry about it, that took 2 minutes".  That is the place you want to shut down !  Imagine this place in a hip, trendy, nice neighborhood so you can feel like you too can be a part of the new San Francisco if only for the 30 minutes that you are there.  That place is Optical Underground.   Please support this business, please engage all stakeholders before leaving one star reviews.  I have been a customer since their Union Square days, back when $89 all-in for a pair of glasses was a week of my rent money.  Thank you to all who support this business. read more

I've been a loyal Optical Underground customer for years, but I am no dummy and I might be a bit of a Grouponesque junkie (yes, I subscribe to about 15 of these damn sites and have a stack of paper discount options on my desk at any given time, what!!??). Recently I was very tempted by a LivingSocial offer for $200 worth of eye wear for $25 at another store recently. ...that is, until I did the math. Did I mention I am no dummy? After scoping out the competition (because that is what I do) I discovered that not including their frames (which were nice but WAY more expensive that OU) the other store wanted to charge me $149 for basic lenses plus another $125 for reflection coating ($274 total). That is at least $100 more that OU. The funny thing is, when I went into the store they immediately offered me $150 off my lenses if I bought a frame, so the $25 "deal" only would have bought me another $25 off. Huh? It seemed a little shady, so I went back to Optical Underground where they charged me $98 complete for the same lenses, so even with the "deal" at the other store they were less. When I include the killer frame I picked up for $69, I'm sorry for even thinking of cheating on these guys. Did I buy another pair of glasses with the money I saved? Yep, so what, I am no dummy but that doesn't mean I can't treat myself every once in a while. read more

Based on previous reviews, it seems like they either provide decent or downright terrible service, depending on what they think of you when you walk in. As a business, you'll really catch more flies with honey than the laughable elitism that goes on here. They charged $60 to add basic, single-vision lenses to a pair of frames that I already owned. What a deal, right? Not really. I needed to be patient with the newly hired sales rep who helped me because she processed my order very slowly. She also hastily measured my pupillary distance which I thought was typically an actual optician's duty. I asked about my lens options and it took 15 minutes for a more qualified employee to come answer them. I left the shop feeling apprehensive. Fast forward to 10 days later when I was told to expect my glasses. I called them to confirm and they told me that they needed an additional day. Okay, whatever. When I picked them up the next day, I had the briefest encounter with someone who might have been the owner who seemed antsy for me to leave right away, rather than welcoming me to try them on or anything. Two weeks and a few throbbing headaches later, I figure that there might be something off about my new glasses. I take them to two other opticians to verify that the prescription was wrong. I phone OU with my concerns and recognize the voice of the supposed owner on the other end. He sharply instructed me to bring them in and then hung up, as if someone pointing out the possibility of him ever making a mistake was the most offensive thing he'd heard. When I brought them in, the same rude man disappeared into the back room for a minute and came right back out. Not only did he insist that the prescription on the lenses was correct, he did so in a way that suggested that he couldn't care less about me shopping there to even make up some bs as to why the glasses were causing me headaches. Proceed with caution. Also, seriously go to Sight for Sore Eyes in downtown Oakland where I actually experienced the best customer service ever. read more

I've been wearing glasses since I was in grade school and I have to say that after discovering Optical Underground I WANT and LIKE wear glasses now. They have frames that range from funky to conservative, designer to generic. The best part is that they carry frames that fit all head sizes, even those with a melon of a head like mine! They carry some pretty trendy frames and the prices are reduced repeatedly on each frame after a set period of time has passed. The frames on display are all of what they have in inventory, and that inventory is constantly refreshed with new frames. Thus, if you see something, you should probably decide fairly quickly if you want them. Prices are low and the quality is high. My lenses are thinner, cost less than the ones I used to order from my optometrist and the options of stylish frames are so much better. Best of all, the folks that work there are great! They have provided me with honest feedback about how frames look on my face and have warned me about how the lenses would look or feel (in terms of weight) in some of the frames. Not once during my visits did I feel pressure to buy frames that day or buy frames that cost the most. They were open to me taking pictures of some frames while I pondered if they were the right ones. I felt free to try on as many frames as needed without any pressure to hurry up. They were there when I was ready to make a decision and/or needed their assistance. They don't take insurance but at these prices I was happy to pay for the quality of service and glasses received. read more

Well it's day 11 and I still have yet to receive my second pair of glasses. Okay let me begin again. At a friends recommendation I went to this store. I would not recommend!!! 1*limited style selection is good not great 2*Initial contact good 3*delivery policy while not clear and not adhered to. 4*Owner and staff not professional when handling complaint seemed to take it personal. 5*neither owner or staff offered any recompense for the inconvenience of the client and tried to blow off the mistake THEY made. This store is located in the upscale shopping area "Union Square" in San Francisco where parking is atrocious to say the least. But, they do have an okay though not great selection of frames. Not too pricey given the location. I found some I liked immediately. The sales girl was very attentive and even seemed intuitive which I mentioned while she assisted me in selecting frames. We found some cool frames and I was ready to go! She wrote up an order for 2 pairs of glasses ( they had a special buy one get one...). Then after plunking down more than $600.00 cash (I paid in full) then asked how quickly I could get my glasses because I really need them for vision (I lost the old ones ). She replied with 'the speech', "your glasses will be ready in 7 to 10 days. We will call you when they are ready". Fast forward to day 10 and I hadn't heard from them. I call and someone asks my name. After they rifle through something she comes back to the phone and says she 'd call me back in no more than 1/2 an hour. After waiting 2.5 hours for the return call, I call back and am told, "yes, we have one pair, the other pair was sent with the wrong lenses, we sent it back". My next question, why hadn't anyone called to let me know there was a problem? I was told "they were waiting for the other pair before calling me". This was all per a phone conversation. I quickly went to pick up the pair they had on hand. When I arrived the sales girl who had been so helpful and even intuitive, acted like she had never seen me before. Okay!? Really? I asked again, why hadn't anyone called to let me know there was a problem with one pair of my glasses and only one pair was available? She quickly asked if I wanted to speak with the owner? At first, I said forget it then I was like yeah, I'd like to ask him about this policy. He came out and I asked him the same question I'd asked the girl, to which he repeated 'the speech'. When I pointed out that if you are not able to deliver as you promise, doesn't the client deserve a courtesy call at the least? At this point he 'Finally' apologizes and agrees there should be better follow up. He also said he would make sure my glasses would be addressed first thing the next day and that he would call to follow up. I asked him if he thinks about the inconvenience this has causes his clients namely me? He then quipped "what would you like me to do? What would make you happy? At this point, you can't make me happy short of giving me these glasses or reimbursing me for my time and gas. Because I now have to come back to pick up the other pair of glasses or refund /reimbursement . I don't know who this guy has been talking to but he seemed snide when he said he would reimburse me for my gas. Saying, if I would give him my credit card he would reimburse $20.00 for gas. Rude! As if that would compensate the inconvenience of not knowing where my paid for merchandise is. BTW I paid cash and was made to sign an agreement to make payment. I feel like they should sign an agreement to deliver what they promise and follow up when not able to. At this point I have not heard from OU. I'm writing this review it is 10:30 pm. Day 11 has ended and I have waited!!! At this point I will probably get a refund for the botched pair that still are not in my possession. read more

I never needed glasses before last year, and I was ASTONISHED to find out how much they cost! I looked at frames at the UC clinic and Kaiser, and pretty much figured I'd have to find some cute-ish ones at the Salvation Army. I mean, yeesh! I read the reviews of OU, but had my doubts. I was pleasantly surprised that they actually had nice stuff for reasonable prices. I ended up with gorgeous frames for like 1/5 of what the Cal clinic was charging. Nice people there - they asked if I needed help, then left me alone for the next hour or two, while I tried on every pair in the store and agonized over which looked best (hey, they're my first pair). The only thing is that underground, surrounded by the spotlights and funky frames, you can start to go a little insane in a "why, these enormous square white-and-red frames look GREAT on me!" way. Bring a friend. read more

Every year, I inch a little bit closer to having the worst vision possible. I have the kind of glasses people put on to "see how they look" on themselves, and then quickly realize how distorted the world looks through a pair of coke bottles. If I want to avoid that whole magnified precious moments eyes look, I am relegated to paying top dollar for the thinnest possible lenses. What can I say? I'm vain and like to attract people, not scare them away. I have to say, I read Bella's review, and think she must not have purchased glasses and/or good lenses before, because no matter what kind of deal you can sway on a set of frames, it's always the lenses that inflate the cost by a longshot. $99 for lenses is NOT NOT NOT expensive. I have been wearing glasses since 2nd grade (my first pair were Nintendo brand, no lie). I know how pricey these things can get. Glasses aren't the greatest impulse buy since they're usually non-returnable, so when it came time to invest in a new pair of glasses with an up-to-date prescription, I researched my options exhaustively. I found websites where I could get a pair of designer frames for $60-$100, but no matter which way I sliced the pie, the lenses I needed would still cost 2-3 times the price of my frames, and I wouldn't even get to size them or try them on beforehand. I realized that while I could probably save a pretty penny ordering online, I really needed to try things on first. Optical Underground is quite literally underground, with a "Mind the Gap" message written on the steps down to the showroom. I was drawn in by the dance music and the funky glittery glasses in the display cases by the door, but thankfully, they had a pretty wide selection, from the wacky "personality" styled glasses, to the chic designer frames like Tom Ford and Gucci. Here's the deal with Optical Underground that I didn't realize: while their claim to fame is discount prices on designer frames, the frames they offer go down in price for every month they sit on the shelf, and if you're a first time buyer, they'll give you a 10% discount on your first frames. I ended up choosing 3 different frames that I liked, and had the rep there help me narrow it down to two. Though I only planned to purchase one pair of glasses, I really couldn't beat the fact that one pair of Bjorn frames was only going to cost me $10, so I decided to bite the bullet and get a spare pair. I ended up paying $600 for 2 designer glasses that without a doubt would have cost me $800+ together. You can't get cheaper rates online, or anywhere else that I'm aware of where you can actually walk in and try things on. I was really happy with the service and would definitely come here again. My boyfriend was so impressed, he's buying his next pair here next month, as a matter of fact :). read more

Despite my earlier review, my coworker and i went back here AGAIN since Optical Underground had the cheapest frames among the other stores. And yet AGAIN, no one bothered to help us the entire 30 minutes; we ended up when leaving two girls came in who started looking at frames and not 5 minutes of being in the store the clerk came over to greet them and asked them if they needed any help? Shady! This is the last time that I'll be going here. I give them 0 stars. read more

W-O-W, that's all I can say. I went with a friend to buy her a pair of glasses and the service and range of frames were so great that I ended up buying a pair of glasses for myself. Be sure to check out their $19 frames. Usually cheap frames are unattractive - but sometimes some really great frames end up on the discount rack. That's how I ended up with a new pair of great frames for $19. Kudos to Julie who helped me and my friend select glasses and a pair of sunglasses that look fantastic. Thank you, and I will be back! read more

After walking into a few frame stores around downtown and seeing extraordinary prices and cookie cutter frames (all made in China), I took the steps below street level into this place and realized it was everything advertised....and much more. Long story short: Saw frames from Denmark (custom) at an Optometrist a few hours earlier in the day for $395. I purchased the same frames for $150 at Optical Underground. Anna is an amazing frame consultant because she loves people and really wanted to help me find the glasses that "worked" for me. I am a picky guy but that did not dissuade her. Anna loves her job and it shows, THANKS ANNA! Most importantly, this is a REAL OPTICAL shop.. that is they have an onsite lab and technician who actually fits and fine tunes the lenses. AMAZINGLY!: All the various frame prices are listed on a huge monitor behind the service desk. No extra add's, upcharges or any other nonsense. The prices list include all of that stuff. I appreciate this and did not feel pressured or cajoled. Really. The grandson of the founder is the owner/boss and is onsite. Although you would never know it from the hip appearance, the establishment is over 100 years old and is an SF Institution of sorts. Pictures of the founders/family/former locations adorn the walls while dance-hall plays over the impressive sound system. Truly a juxtaposition of young/old, tradition and modernity. It all works. TODAY I picked up my glasses and I'm now seeing in HD. Great products, no upselling, good people and class outfit. I HIGHLY recommend you stop in and see for yourself. Thanks for reading YELPER's! :) read more

I've walked past this place 1000 times... bet you have too. Finally I walked in. I needed glasses because I had to have shoulder surgery and could not put in my contacts. This would be my first pair of classes in 15 years. That being said. This place rocks! They had some amazing frames. The lens prices are the best in the city. Actually, I got the frames, hi index 1.6 lens for what just the lenses (not 1.6's) would have costed me elsewhere. Do yourself a favor stop in and upgrade your life! read more

Two years and a new prescription later, it was time to replace my lenses on my beloved MYKITA frames. I went to a store in Cambridge, MA that carried MYKITA and was told it would cost $330 to replace the lenses. LENSES ONLY, PEOPLE! Those folks even tried to get me new glasses for what would be a total of $880. So...I wanted to see if Optical Underground could do it by mail. And they did! All for less than half the price I was quoted in Cambridge, MA!! What a deal! And the prescription was definitely mine this time! :) read more

I have a HARD prescription to fill - I have double vision and I need progressive lenses. So, after 18 months of trying the online stores, my Dr. recommended Optical Underground. The 3 pairs of glasses that I ordered are perfect!! I can see clearly again. I won't ever go to any other optician! Simply the best glasses I've had in years. read more

I recently bought a pair of 60 year old aluminium cat eye reading glasses fished out of someones garage and in poor shape. I was interested in putting my own prescription in the vintage frames and sought out Optical underground for the difficult task of making these vintage frames usable again. Julie and Eli are beyond amazing and took such great care of these frames they look absolutely brand new now! They not only cleaned all the rust, and dirt from every crevices of the frames but they also replaced the rusty, 60 year old nose guards with new ones. I almost didn't recognize the frames upon pick up! The phenomenal customer service paired with the impeccable craftsmanship has made this shop, top on my list. If you have vintage frames and wish to restore their beauty, TAKE THEM HERE! They wont disappoint you if anything they will absolutely make your day! Thanks Optical Underground, I'm a customer for life. read more

This place is literal Eye Candy. I went in when I started seeing a new eye dr, and was able to get rid of the frames I'd had for 7 years (broken so badly I could only wear them balanced precariously on my nose, w/o moving my head) I went in to OU, fully knowing I may not like anything, and prepared to go back a few times. But w/in 30 minutes, with a little help from one of the nice assistants; who was happily putting all kinds of cool eye-wear on me; I went to ONE more case, and fell in love with a pair of turquoise titanium Danish metal frames. Lovely assistant concurred, these were THE ONE! Abso poifect! And at $79 (down from like $400), how could I possibly resist? Wearing them as I type, happy as a turquoise titanium clam! How many pairs of glasses can I get on my ins plan anyway? read more

I loathe going to Union Square. That's why it's 4 stars. You know, you get bumped into, jostled by street hustlers and then you have to stop in the middle of the sidewalk because a loving couple from Oklahoma is taking a selfie in front of Macy's. Shoot me now. But I will keep going back through this horrid grotto of consumerism to get my glasses adjusted and buy new pairs @ Optical Underground. I found the experience really positive and got a great deal on frames and new lenses that transition from indoor light to be sunglasses. For me, it's a good thing not to have an overwhelming frame selection. Glasses frames are like trying on bathing suits for me - I end up trying on too many, feeling like i was spun around and drugged, and then end up purchasing the exact wrong option. Thankfully, the saleswoman talked me out of a tragic eyeglasses mistake (you know, to keep the tradition going from one I'd made a few years ago - yeah, big blue cat eye frames - God bless you). It was pretty busy on Saturday when I went in, but the very energetic and helpful salesperson gave me her full attention once it was my turn. My glasses arrived within four business days, and I picked them up when it was quieter in the store, which I'll keep in mind in the future, as it was easier for me to focus when it was calmer. Oh, and she also talked me out of thinner lenses, which I'd been previously brainwashed into believing I needed. "You know, if you want me to charge you more money for these, I can make them thinner, but you really don't need it." And then, she offered me if I really hated the (cheaper) plastic lenses she could redo them as the thinner, more expensive lenses. What's not to love? read more

First let me preface this review by saying that I have 14 pairs of glasses. Or at least, I had 14 pairs when I walked into Opitcal Underground. So I do know a little bit about shopping for eyeglasses! I went into the store and after about 5 minutes of browsing, was greeted by a sales person. I told him that I was trying to find somethng that was different than my current 14 pairs (meaning: leave me alone to browse). He said a few more things, and left me to my business. I tried on at least 100 pairs of glasses. They have a fantastic mirror that has a camera in it. You can take up to 4 pictures for each "round", turn the mirror around, and see the pictures played back on a video screen.. either separately or all 4 on the same screen. This can help you to 1.) see the glasses on your face in different angles or 2.) compare up to 4 different frames at a time to see which looks best. This is fantastic! Every display case is open, so you can browse at your leisure. They don't follow you around, but are very attentive when you have a question. Their selection is fabulous, and they have all kinds of unique and colorful glasses, including things that I have never seen before. After a long, arduous selection process, I narrowed it down to one pair. I took it up to the counter. For the super stylish two-tone metal frames, with polycarb lenses, with anti-reflective coating, my cost was $216. Can you belive that!? Oh, and that includes scratch-resistance too. I had not dreamed that it would be so inexpensive! I felt obligated to go back to re-visit the frames that didn't make the final cut, and I chose another pair. This frame had been in the store since November, so it was 75% off. (The frame was $34!!!). The longer the frames are in the store, the cheaper they get. They even have a $10 frame rack! With the same polycarb/antireflect/scratchproof lenses, this pair came to $165. What!?? $165? Okay, that means that I have to go get that third pair that I wanted. That pair was $137!!! All in all, I spent $518 on three (count 'em), THREE pairs of glasses. I have spent this much on just one pair. And they are hip, funky glasses. The service was fantastic. Three different sales people struck up conversations with me and provided input into the final selections. And yes, they did say no to two of my choices, which is refreshing. I bought my 3rd pick up to the counter to purchase it, and the guy told me that it was a little to wide for my face. Thanks, buddy! I got the 4th pick, which actually looked better. Overall, highly recommended. I can write this review now because I already horded the inexpensive glasses that I wanted for myself! Heh heh heh. read more

I only wear specs once in a while, but even for the limited time I wear them I require them to be fabulous. Unfortunately, my tastes run on the expensive side and it is hard to justify multiple pairs of $1000+ reading glasses. Optical Underground is the perfect solution to my champagne taste on a beer eyeglass budget. Marc Jacobs sunglasses for $99. Yes. Please. $600 Lafont frames for a little over $100. I'll take 2, thanks. I think their entire stock is made up of designer overstocks and samples, so they might not be current season, but I couldn't tell you what the current seasons frames look like anyway so it doesn't bother me. The stock is also constantly changing so you might have to visit multiple times to find what you need. I appreciate that Optical Underground doesn't assume that everyone is a thief so I am able to browse and try on glasses freely from unlocked cases. When I had narrowed down my choices to a couple of frames I had no trouble securing some sales help to make my picks. I have never ordered lenses from them simply because I now live in Canada and am usually back in the Bay area only for short visits so I don't have enough lead time to wait for my prescription to be completed. read more

I went there because my husband always gets his glasses there, and this time I needed it too, so we both went for our items. We were greeted by a guy, nice... until I said, I have this insurance and this is my first time here and... he interrupted me in a rude way and pronounce "we don't take insurance". "oook", I said. I stood there looking at him because I couldn't believe the attitude. He turned around and disappeared. We started looking at glasses, and we wondered how were we going to get our purchase done if the guy kept barking at us. Thankfully a nice indie-looking lady in her late 20's came to the front, greet us again and offered amazing help and assistance!!! She was genuinely interested in helping us. I even said, sorry to have to ask you this question but how do I work this with my insurance, I am sorry I have not done this before (this are my first glasses for god sake!) She was great! Rude guy kept his barking-mode-on with other clients! Nice place, great job, but be prepared to deal with attitude. read more

I walked into this place two days ago on the recommendation of my girl friend. She had seen them on yelp. I brought in a pair of glass that I had broken while playing kickball (yes... THAT kickball... yes... with adults) and was hoping to get some good news on the possibility of a repair. Not only was the girl super friendly, but she immediately informed me that they could be fixed (even though she told me that the right hinge wouldn't flex any more). She then took my glasses back to the lab manager and told me to come back in 20 minutes I browsed the shop (they have a great selection of marked down frames) and headed down the street to make a quick call. I came back in about 10 minutes and they were already fixed. PLUS, when I asked her how much I owed them, she said zero. Say what?!?!?!? Who does that? I would recommend these cats to ANYBODY that needs their eye wear repaired. They were super nice and treated me like somebody that was there to buy the most expensive glasses in the place. read more

This is a killer place with designer frames at super discount prices. I have been here several times and its such a fun experience! i wouldn't come here if you have to have a soecific designer brand or style bc they only have a few of the real big name brands. I think this is better if you are more of a unique person and want to have killer funky fresh frames that no one else has. I bought these super cool 70s era frames that totally bring out my inner rapper! The price was pretty low considering the high quality of the frames, and they have these great deals if the frames have been sitting awhile. Unfortunately i have a very high precription, so my glasses tend to be $300 no matter where i go. That would be my only hesitation, they do the thinning techniques here for an extra fee, but somehow they still came out to be the thickest pair of glasses ive owned since the 5th grade! I am not sure if their thinning techniques aren't as good in their lab or if it's bc I did buy a bigger frame than i normally do, but minus one star for that. That being said, the uniqueness and funkiness of these frames can't be stopped, and the setting and ambience are so cool, u feel like you're at a club with eyewear (think the cool styles of the see glasses store but at the cellar nightclub)! Also, they have these awesome camera things set up so you can take a picture of yrself with 6 different frames and compare... they thought of everything! I would def come back for my next cool pair of frames, I may just buy the frames next time and take them back to my regular eye doctor to fill my thick prescription. I will also pick out smaller frames next time. read more

This may be a boutique and hipster like neighborhood but it doesn't take away from the need of knowledgeable staff and in general some signage. I asked for wide frames and I was looked at like I didn't know what I was talking about to them beyond that the store is not organized in size. Hard to find anything. You should improve this if you want customers to better engage. I may never be back but it may salvage other customer relations. read more

Optical Underground features: -Fantastic brand names (Paul Smith, Oliver Peoples, Kate Spade, etc) -Display cases that are unlocked so you can try on frames without needing help -Dirt cheap prices The selection can be a bit overwhelming...too much, in fact for me to handle on my own. Anyone want to come help me pick out some new frames? read more

Funny place, strange interior down some stairs, and just a few cases with frames. But what frames, very cool, very hip, very colorful. Lots of choices, almost too many. They have frames for men and women, and prices are reduced at the stock ages. That's a good deal. And they have a huge selection of frames in brown or black for $49...wow! Prices are a bit high compared to lots of places, and the staff for the most part is helpful. Enjoy! read more

I'm surprised how many people love this place!! I have been twice. The first time I picked out two frames and had glasses put in one of them. Down the road I tried to get lenses put in the sun glasses type frames and the eye care center had some trouble with them because they're rather large. Both frames were cute, and on sale. The next time I went in the two guys there were insanely rude. They would like not help me, not answer questions, etc. It was like they were offended that I dare come in there and like buy something. WTF? I am still looking for a better place, but it's a bummer that the place has to be so pretentious just because they've got funky frames and are only marking their merch up 300% instead of like 500%. Booooo! read more

After reading the reviews on yelp, I decided to see what the hype was all about. So I checked it out. What a DISAPPOINTMENT. Terrible customer Service, the staff are all just talking to each other, and pretending to work. They didn't even try to help any of the 4 customer inside! The frames, shades, selection was terrible.... and the prices are not as cheap as other reviews claimed. Avoid this place at all cost! Side Note: The owner contacted me after reading my review. He explained that he spoke with his staff regarding the lack of customer service. Offered to help personally the next time I stop by. Even though I had a bad experience I can see that this is a small business and the people who runs the show wants to make it a better place. Changing my review to 2 stars... and until they show me they can do better... read more

Best selection! Best Prices! Best Service! And yopu can use your VSP to get some great deals on some hawt sunglasses! Sweeeeet! read more

Great deals, fantastic styles & choices, good quality brands and friendly/helpful salespeople! They will help you find things/give recommendations if you ask, and will give you their honest opinion. I am leaving very happy with a pair of glasses I cannot WAIT to wear. Thank you Anna & Brenna for your help and hospitality today! p.s. they have hot cider which is a reason to stop by in itself. read more

If I could give ZERO star, I would. I'm not sure why other people say the customer service here is good. From the second that I walked in, no one was helping me even though the store was not busy at all! One of the workers Julie was just hanging around and playing with some glasses, while she clearly could tell that I needed help. And when I asked for help, she was not being helpful, not to mention that her attitude was like everyone owed her money. Although I saw a couple of frames that I liked, the horrible customer service threw me off (and I'm usually a compulsive buyer). Tl;Dr THE CUSTOMER SERVICE SUCKS D read more