Dr Sykes is everything other reviewers said about him and more. He is simply the best doctor I have ever seen in my life. Not only is he an outstanding neurologist and diagnostician, he is a phenomenal human being - compassionate, caring, thoughtful and patient. The wait time is very long but he is worth it a million times over. I had gone undiagnosed for years and got so used to chronic pain that I almost didn't make an appointment with him. Every single neurologist in LA told me they had no idea what is causing me pain. The most celebrated ones were the most unenthused and the best they could do was to give me tramadol. I had given up and didn't really expect anything from my visit with Dr Sykes. After one visit he was able to prescribe me one medication that changed my life. And the reason why he was able to do that was because he cared to listen and genuinely wanted to help. You would think all doctors should be like that... He is extremely busy but gives you as much time as you need, doesn't rush you one bit. He responds to messages very quickly. He has the patience and the knowledge to explain everything that's going on with you. He is not afraid to admit when he isn't sure. He is your partner in the healing process rather than just a doctor. We make decisions together. I've never had such an amazing experience with any doctor. After I left his office on my first visit I started crying because I finally felt validated. Years of pain and someone finally acknowledged my pain and my symptoms. And the medicine he prescribed actually helped. I got my life back. I couldn't be more grateful to Dr Sykes. Absolutely and undeniably the best doctor. read more

There is no finer neurologist. Dr. Sykes is experienced, knowledgeable, and takes the time to arrive at the correct diagnosis. He will then explain your condition and review the options for treatment. Dr. Sykes is excellent in every way. read more

Beware of not being able to recover payment that your insurance paid to the office . Dr Sykes is a good caring doctor and deserves 5 stars . Billing lost him stars and some patients . I saw him in August and I paid $800 cash . The office offered to send the super bill to my insurance, my insurance paid DrSykes $500 in September.it's now November. I've called the billing multiple time so get the money my insurance paid but they keep giving me the run around . Be prepared to be fully out of pocket for a while. It may be best to submit the super bill marked paid yourself and that way the check will come directly to you . read more

Dr. Sykes is what you want from any doctor. He is clearly very intelligent, experienced, and has an excellent bedside manner. He is careful to make sure you understand everything he has said and that he has addressed any concerns or questions. You can trust any decisions he makes because you are involved in the entire process. The office staff is friendly and warm. read more

My husband was a patient for Dr. Sykes and we found him to be the best neurologist in Los Angeles. Dr. Sykes is thorough, kind and told us exactly how to handle the problem. Incidentally, I went to see him and told him how I had diagnosed my problem and of course, I was dead wrong. He diagnosed it, gave me the prescription and called another specialist and got me an immediate appointment. Dr. Sykes is the full package. If you don't want to screw around with different diagnoses, go see Dr. SYKES! read more

How sad. With so many impacted by the financial challenges caused by the pandemic, Dr. Sykes has chosen this time to accept only cash paying clients (i.e., medical insurance / medicare no longer accepted). This is after Cedars agreed to allow Dr. Sykes to move his practice away form Cedars and to Santa Monica. Dr. Sykes is still listed as Cedars "Clinical Service Chief". Why in the world would Cedars have a Clinical Service Chief that doesn't accept any kind of medical insurance?? It unfortunately supports the idea that Cedars prefers clients that are well to do, and not the common masses. read more

Dr. Stephen Sykes is my sister's neurologist and has been for a number of years. My sister has autism and epilepsy - she is also nonverbal which makes treating her so complicated. She came to Dr. Sykes after my family had seen so many different neurologist that told us that medication would most likely not work and were recommending some different options that my family were not comfortable doing. She had several grand mal seizures a month and they were violent, scary and her recovery was horrible (she would cry, scream) Long story short - Dr. Sykes had recommended different medications and we tried different dosages - now my sister does not have grand mal seizures any more, she has light seizures and the number has reduced greatly. He changed her life. He changed the quality of her life. We are forever greatful. Dr. Sykes is busy - it's because he's the best. I see some negative reviews about some administrative things but I can say that my experience has been nothing but great. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. read more

Dr. Sykes is a thorough professional: empathetic, attentive, kind, knowledgeable, resourceful, approachable. This gentleman should be teaching medical communication skills to new Cedar Sinai physicians. He conveys a genuine interest in a patient's health and well being, encourages questions, provides clear, understandable explanations and available medical options. His approachable manner encourages honest discussion between patient and physician. He has a calm, easy manner and after several visits, we have discovered his delightful sense of humor. My husband and I found Dr. Sykes also easily accessible on myCSLink. He responds quickly and thoroughly to CSLink message. Frankly, Dr. Sykes is the best Cedars Sinai specialist we have encountered. Bravo to Dr. Sykes and bravo to Cedars for having such an exceptional specialist on staff. read more

How have I not written this before? Dr Sykes is simply the best doc I've ever seen. His bedside manner is matched by none. He is super smart, and incredibly nice. He feels like a partner in health, not just a prescriber of meds. He also happened to save my life when I was in the ICU at Cedars with a mystery illness, by brilliantly figuring out that it was a rare auto immune condition, and finally getting me the correct treatment (I had gone years undiagnosed). Since then, he has been my partner in navigating the scary waters of treatment, and just could not have been more supportive, authentic, compassionate and full of integrity the whole way. I am very holistic and drug averse and he has been endlessly patient with my desire to seek out alternative treatment, while always firmly but kindly laying down the Western medicine protocol that is necessary for survival. I am truly and profoundly so very grateful that he exists. A shining example to all other medical professionals. read more

I just received the letter today: Dr. Sykes will no longer accept Medicare. He's a great doctor, but make sure there's lots of room on your credit card. Very disappointing. If he's still a Cedars employee, I'm not sure why this is permitted. read more

I have been seen by more Doctors than I care to remember this past year, attempting to diagnose my problem and always coming up with essentially nothing. I saw Dr. Sykes in hopes of a more complete answer, or at least getting pointed in the right direction. The staff was courteous and prompt, as was the Doctor. He made me feel at ease and thoroughly explained things to me in a very nice manner. He kept my lab reports and MRIs to review and said he would call me after looking through them. I appreciated him taking the time to do so, and expecting a call weeks later, he called me the next Morning!! He narrowed in on what may be going on with me and ordered lab tests that no Doctor up to this point has. I am hopeful that I will have my diagnosis soon and finally have some answers thanks to Doctor Sykes. read more

Dr Sykes is AMAZING!!! He is the best of the best. He really listened to me, I never felt rushed and he explained everything in a way that I could understand. I really felt like he cared and wanted to help me. THANK YOU Dr. Sykes. You are a blessing. read more

Dr. Sykes is the best nuero in the world. The amount of time and compassion he dedicates towards his patients is on another level. Definitely worth the money to see him. read more

If you ever have to see a neurologist it's usually not on happy terms. Dr Sykes is beyond amazing. His bedside manner makes me feel like I am in the best hands in town, and I really am. He is the chief of neurology at Cedars-Sinai (...no biggie!) He and his office staff went so far out of their way to fit me in to be seen ASAP, as it was for an emergency situation. The doctor ended up seeing me during his lunch break. That's right. It's 2014 and there are still doctors out there that actually care about their patients more than themselves. They do exist! And Dr Sykes is it! He explained everything to me in great detail to a degree that I could understand and not just speaking doctor lingo mumbo jumbo that goes right over my head. If you're having to see a neurologist, you want the guy to know his stuff inside and out. And be kind to you. And go out of his way to make the experience as pleasant as possible. I'm telling you, stop reading this right now and call for an appointment. But don't take mine ;) read more

Dr. Sykes is not just the best neurologist, he is one of the best doctors I have seen in LA. I have had several chronic medical problems the last few years and Dr. Sykes really listened to me. He spent a lot of time with me at each appointment reviewing options and has prescribed medication that helped me quickly. For some reason, a lot of doctors, in LA especially, will just say "I don't know" and not be willing to go any further but Dr. Sykes always does any tests he thinks may help solve the problem and is willing to try medications to see if they help. When I was in the hospital twice in two weeks with extreme migraines, or what I thought might be something more serious, he reviewed all of the scans and prescribed medication that helped me get better quickly and safely. He is extremely knowledgeable and answered my questions on mycslink very quickly. I cannot say enough great things about Dr. Sykes. I am so impressed with his level of compassion and knowledge every time I see him. He really cares and clearly wants to help his patients get better above anything else. read more

Great Doctor. I had an appointment for some symptoms I was having. While I didn't get a diagnosis like I was hoping to, Dr. Sykes was able to rule things out like ALS/pinched nerve, giving me some peace of mind. Which is great because I had started getting worried, as I had people suggest I get checked for MS, etc. So neurological reasons were ruled out. And he was able to do this by not running a bunch of tests; which I greatly appreciate and was worried about, already having a little debt from medical bills. So I feel he is honest. Also very nice and friendly. I had to wait a while to get an appointment and they don't validate parking but I feel like his honesty, knowledge, and friendliness was worth the wait. read more

Dr. Sykes is world class, period. This man takes the time to dig deep. He is one of the most thorough clinicians I have ever encountered in 55 years. There is zero rush when you see him, he gives you 100% of his time and stays laser focused on you and your issue. He is thoughtful and experienced, such a rare combination in this day and age. His staff is excellent and will bend over backwards for you, Jackie and Shawn are wonderful to deal with. What an excellent doctor, I felt guilty taking so much of his time, but left armed with the knowledge I needed for my condition. I can't believe how lucky I was to see him. None of these written words can do justice to what a world class doctor this man is, you will not be disappointed. read more

What a breath of fresh air in comparison to the alternative doctors I've seen over the last 4 months to diagnose my issues. Dr. Sykes has a pretty long waiting list for appointments, but trust me, get on the cancellation list and if his office calls, drop what you're doing and meet with him. I was called within 5 days and got in to see him. The first thing I noticed that was not typical of a doctor's office is that he met me within 10 minutes of the scheduled appointment. No waiting around for an hour in the waiting room. In the consultation he was targeted with his line of questions and was able to help me at times explain my symptoms better than me. He was able to simply explain the "why" behind the "actions" even though other tests (EEG, MRI, MRA) all came up negative. He recommended a treatment that I have implemented and have had no symptoms since. He is quick to respond to my follow up questions and gives realistic time lines and expected results. If it is a neurologist you are in need of, Dr Sykes sets the bar. read more

I went to see Dr. Sykes after having a really unpleasant experience with a different neurologist at Cedars. Dr Sykes is incredibly wonderful. The combination of true compassion and kindness, as well as the confidence he inspires because of his intelligence and knowledge, I feel I won the lottery by getting to be his patient. A rare combination these days and thank you Dr. Syles. read more

Dr. Sykes is an amazing doctor. Not only is he thorough in his exams, but he explains everything to you in such a caring manor. He is definitely one on the absolute best doctors I have encountered. Thank you again. read more

Great doctor. I came to Dr Sykes with a couple issues and he's been so helpful in getting them resolved. He's smart and careful in deciding the best approach, being conservative when it comes to medications or procedures. He's been so responsive when I have questions over email or the phone. I couldn't be happier that I found him. I feel very fortunate to have found such a great and caring doctor. Thank you! read more

I just got off the phone with Dr. Sykes' office trying to make an initial appointment. His staff is completely incompetent. Despite giving them my name three times, they insisted that my referral diagnosis was "headache", which it is not. Then they wanted to know what insurance I had BEFORE they would schedule an appointment. Then I was put on hold for a few minutes and handed over to another person who had no idea who I was. After identifying myself again, we went back through the headache thing. Now 10 minutes into the call, they tell me they can schedule me in JUNE. It's mid-February now. I gave up. I can only hope Dr. Sykes is worth all this nonsense. read more

My question is how do you even see this doctor that is supposed to be so amazing? I tried to schedule an appointment for a serious issue and was told his first available is late August or September. Huh? 4 months away? She also said I had to send her my referral before she would even schedule it. I can get a referral lady but can I be treated with some compassion here and maybe try to act like you care just a little. While I hear he is good, his staff sure isn't, and clearly didn't care at all what my issues were. Disappointing. read more

Dr.Sykes is a very caring a compassionate doctor who cares and takes very good careof his patients. Dr.Sykes is one of the BEST neurologist in the world. read more

What an amazing, personal, kind, and thoughtful Doctor. We have only met once so far, but I feel like he has been my Doctor for years. Caring and thoughtful, he listened, and then gave me a plan. So rare, and so welcome. I recommend him highly. read more

I was recommended to Dr. Sykes by two other well respected doctors. I was very impressed. As busy as he is, he took the time to give me a very thorough checkup of numbness in my toes as well as answering other questions I had on another topic. I instantly knew how knowledge and caring he is in explaining about the issue as well as answering all questions. I can't imagine finding a better Neurologist than Dr Sykes. I hope more people step forward and give him a 5 star review. read more