Okay, where have they been all my life? I had the most fun I could have at an optometrist! Honestly, the moment I got there, I knew I chose the right place. Esther Kim was my O.D. and she was wonderful! We laughed, we joked, she told me detailed explanations about my eyes. It was just a very relaxing environment. You can tell they care so much about their patients. I've never had such a detailed eye examination. Okay, now for the FUN part. Imagination the tv show "say yes to the dress" but for glasses! It was like I was picking out my wedding dress and my bridesmaids' ( the other O.D.'s) were there saying "oh those are cute, yes those look nice on you, these glasses are on trend". I took about 40 minutes just choosing glasses and they did not get tired of me. Once it came down to purchase, they broke down the cost and gave details about what I can expect from my glasses. I wish I could go back sooner than 12 months. I found my new favorite spa day...Shinmori Optometry. Oh and they are open on SATURDAYS! Yes! read more

This is my first time here and Dr. Oda is very friendly and patient. I made an appointment for eye exam and when I arrive, they let me in pretty much on time. I plan to pick a frame same day but since they are not my in network provider and I didn't find the frame that I really want, I decided to go somewhere else. Overall my experience at Shinmori is great. read more

Great place and all very professional and kind. Lots of frames to choose from. Accepts VSP vision insurance

I was really hoping my experiences would be more like others'. I had been looking for a new optometrist and Shinmori Optometry had so many impressive reviews. My eye exam was back in November with Dr. Tat. She was extremely nice and explained everything in great detail. I believe it was the most comprehensive exam I'd ever gotten, there were multiple tests run. I had to get fitted for new contacts because my prescription had changed (for the better!) so she gave me two different kinds. I really wanted prescription sunglasses so I took a look around and found a pair I liked a lot. June took down the information and made sure they fit me correctly in case I wanted to call in & place an order. I decided to wait until I came back for my contacts follow up. Two weeks later, I came in for my f/u appt and ordered the sunglasses. I opted for gold mirror coating like one of the other pairs they had on display. This is where my problems began. I paid and was told it would take about 2-3 weeks. After only a week, I got a call to come pick them up. Wow, what a great surprise, I thought! I came in and saw that the gold mirror coating was a hideous neon yellow!! Immediately I told them this was not what I wanted & I pointed out June said I could get the gold mirror like the other pair. They sent it back to the lab and told me it would take 2-3 weeks. To cut the story short, I waited 10 weeks before I finally picked up my sunglasses. The lab kept redoing the mirror coating because it would come out yellow or not up to standard to be released to me. Turns out that they were unable to do the gold mirror like I wanted so they ended up doing silver. It was fine with me but I wish they had given the optometry samples of what they CAN do. They said they would do this in the future to avoid the problems I faced. After several weeks, I began calling on a weekly basis to get status updates. June ended up following up with me each week after my constant calling so one star for her & one star for Dr. Tat's thoroughness. I wished the offices would pair up with a better lab or consider finding a lab that could meet my needs. Instead, I had to settle for silver. They still look good but not what I had expected. I was given a complimentary glass cleaner and cloth for my troubles but I believe that's free with a Yelp checkin anyway (free glasses or contacts kit). Sadly I won't be back but I hope they are able to better serve future clients after learning from my ordeal. read more

So glad to have Shinmori Optometry in the SJ Japantown neighborhood! I just went for a first time eye exam and prescription today. Dr Oda was really nice and informative! The staff were very nice as well and also very attentive and patient. Although, frames are just limited but thankfully found one that I liked. Maybe add more frame choices? Nonetheless, still give em a 5 star! read more

My daughter and I just had an eye exam, which was administered by Dr. Oda. I felt like we received excellent care -- and the Doc was great with my daughter (9 years old). Additionally, the entire (Opticians and front desk) staff is helpful, very professional and clear on insurance items and billing. I will definitely continue receiving Optometry services through Shinmori Optometry. read more

I have been going to Shinmori Optometry for many years now and l always have 5 star service.

Dr. Kim is very professional. At no point did I feel that she was in a hurry to get the job done and see the next patient. She showed genuine concern and took time to answer questions. I'm very happy my neighbor referred Shinmori Optometry and more happy it's so close to home. read more

Excellent place to get your eyes checked and for contacts and glasses. Nice selection of glasses. It feels like a family atmosphere. The staff are very friendly and helpful. I look forward to coming here, and then you can also get some yummy Japanese food for lunch, too, with all the good places to eat nearby. read more

Had vision exam for glasses at Shinmori optometry today. Liked the way Dr. Shinmori interacted with me. She clarified all my doubts regarding eye care, while doing the tests. She was patient and friendly all through. Staff at the reception were cheerful too. They have a good collection of glasses as well. Will update once I receive glasses and use them. So far, all good. PS: There is ample street parking available if you can't secure a parking spot near optometry during busy hours. read more

I love the location of this spot. The staff is very prompt, very sweet and kind. I love coming here! My doctor, Dr. Oda is very informative and clean. She washes her hands and cleans everything before we start checking my eyes. They have a great selection of eye wear too. Even some super cute sunglasses! read more

I am one of those people who really appreciate the personal touch, and the staff at Shinmori Optometry are just so friendly and open they really make sure you are comfortable and happy - and have healthy eyes. I have been going to Shinmori Optometry in Japantown for years. Staff is always helpful, polite and warm. I think over the years I have seen all the doctors there, and have always been very well cared for. They take their time and are thorough, and make sure you are comfortable. I most recently saw Dr. Shinmori, and she spent time answering all my questions (I always have lots of questions, which I know drives some doctors nuts...) and never felt hurried. In the end I get a good prescription out of it, with fashionable glasses that look good. They also take VSP and will handle the insurance side. The folks at Shinmori Optometry make sure that your health and comfort come first. I am a happy, long-term client that highly recommends them! read more

I've been seeing Dr. Shinmori for years now. I recently saw Dr. Kim when Dr. Shinmori wasn't available, and I prefer Dr. Shinmori, although they are both very good. When my contacts began bothering me and giving me a foggy, "halo" effect, Dr. Shinmori was patient and kept in close contact with me as I went through at least 4 different types of soft lenses (not her fault- i'm picky!) , until I finally found the right one- one that she suggested would be the best for comfort, although a little more expensive. I appreciated her patience, honesty, and expertise. The staff is always friendly and I appreciate how prompt they are when calling me to let me know my contacts are available for pickup. I also like that they're open on Saturdays, since it's hard with my schedule (between grad school and work) to stop in for a checkup. I recently recommended her to my boyfriend, who needs a south bay optometrist, and would recommend Dr. Shinmori to anyone who wants friendly, professional, and prompt eye care. She's awesome! read more

I recently moved to Japantown and am thrilled to have found such an excellent optometry office. I went to Shinmori for my annual check-up, with hopes of getting both my contact and glasses prescriptions updated. Dr. Tat was very personable and I never felt rushed through the exam like I have at some optometrists. She explained the various tests to me (it seems like they change every year...) and went over my medical history and risk factors. I was never upsold on additional services. Of my two prescriptions, my contact lens was the older. Without being asked, Dr. Tat worked within my vision insurance to only charge me for my contact prescription, as my more recent glasses scrip was practically unchanged. Further, Shinmori advised me to bring in my old contacts (or prescription) and we were thus able to avoid an additional fitting fee. Unfortunately they didn't have demo lenses available in my strength/sizing. However, they were able to give me a different demo set (two-week, as opposed to dailies), while my preferred demos are on order. Great overall experience. A+ read more

It has been a little over 2 years since I have had my eyes examined, and I was referred to Shinmori's office. I could have not been more please with my experience! The helpful staff followed up promptly with appointment reminders and made the paperwork process easy to complete. Prior to my appointment, I had injured my knee and was not able to walk as normal. Dr. Hakanen and the lovely staff were kindly sensitive to this matter. They patiently waited for me to walk into the room, and even brought me eyewear options when selecting frames, so I wouldn't have to walk. Their meticulous attention to detail, and thorough explanations helped me feel warmly welcomed during my time at Shinmori Optometry. Based on my experience and their informational video, I would highly recommend this Optometry! read more

We recently visited Shinmori Optometry after postponing our annual check-up til the last possible minute. First thing you notice is how friendly the staff is. There were three staff members when we walked in, and all of them greeted us. After filling out some paperwork, they looked up our insurance info and had it all set for us. We got Dr. Kim for the eye exam and she was very thorough. I've been to several optometrists over the last 12 years, and she did tests that others never did! She's also very friendly and patient. My husband went next, and same experience for him. Though we didn't get to interact with Dr. Shinmori, we did get to meet her and she was very nice. We also worked with June to order our glasses and she described all of the charges as she was processing them. We were actually pleasantly surprised at their prices. The selection of glasses isn't huge, but we were able to find exactly what we wanted. They also have catalogs to place orders if needed. See you back next year! read more

I am extremely happy and impressed! Before going to Shinmori I used to go to Lens Crafters and something just always felt off about my experience. At Shinmori they were a lot more thorough and had a lot of different ways to check my eyes and I felt like I was getting the best care possible. The whole place was very welcoming and they made sure every piece of equipment was sanitized before and after each use. They have a great selection of glasses and I had no problem finding a pair I love. I finally feel like I've found the right place to go and I highly recommend them! I can't wait to get my new glasses! read more

Amazing service and help! The optomistrists were very friendly and helpful. They explained all the tests they were running (it's been a while since I've gotten my eyesight checked!). Also the office staff also went above and beyond with helping me out, they helped me pull and look at new frames for over a half an hour. They even encouraged me to wait a few days before picking my frames in case I decided to change my mind. I'm a lost cause while shopping so the help was appreciated and I'm still loving my glasses four months later. I'm planning on being a long time customer here! read more

Always great service. Dr. Tina Shimori is the best. My husband, kids and I have been coming to her for over 20 years!

I use to live close to Japantown. So Dr. Shinmori Optometry was the closest for me to go to. Now that I moved away, I still go back there. Their staff is very nice and professional. Office is quiet and clean. They provided prescriptions for both contact lens and eyeglasses. I was able to buy some contact lenses using the remaining money I had with the insurance. read more

Got my new pair at this shop. Very pleasant experience. There was a misunderstanding with computer vs distance prescription that make the fist pair incorrect. But they rectified the mistake happily without any extra charge or argument. read more

The optometrists are great. The team is good at helping save you money with your insurance. My one issue is I'm on time and first patient but they are not ready to take me back after 10 minutes. Parking is metered so I'm paying to sit and wait. read more

I came here a few months ago for the first time. I was in search of my first optometrist in San Jose (I recently moved from the east bay). Scrolled through Yelp and found Shinmori Optometry, was sort of familiar with the JapanTown area and they accepted both my bf and i's insurance (EyeMed and VSP) I called and was able to book appointments for us both, appointments that were flexible with us (as late as 5pm due to work) Dr. Oda was my dr and he was very friendly, informative, and answered my questions well. I ended up bringing some frames I already had to put lenses in, and they were able to help me with that as well and got my glasses back to me in about a week and a half! Fast forward to now... I recently changed insurance companies and those glasses are now broken... Kathy the receptionist is always very helpful with looking things up for me and making calls to insurance companies at 5:15pm.. And June is always helpful with picking out frames... I'm currently waiting for Shinmori optometry to call me to let me know when some frames they ordered in for me to try on to come in. Then I'll be back to put my order in! Overall-- great experience, I like coming here. The only thing I would hope for is more selection in frames. read more

Always a really great experience during my appointments. I've seen all of the optometrists there and each one is equally friendly, knowledgable, and easy to talk to. On my last visit, I was having a tough time choosing new frames so they offered to take pictures of me wearing SIX different frames to see if that would help me. Can go on and on about how friendly and patient they are! Definitely recommend Shinmori Optometry! read more

I have been going to Shinmori Optometry for almost twelve years. While all the optometrists have been stellar and informative, the office is not quite as well managed. It definitely has gone downhill from the time I started going. For the past year, my husband or I have ran into issues, whether it's the wrong contacts that were ordered, or they forget what kind of lenses we would like, or how our insurance policy works. In addition, their glasses selection is not very large, so that's another downside. All in all, I give them three stars because the optometrists are great and even though the office is not as organized as I would like, they still are very nice and try to be as helpful as possible. However, my husband and I may try to look for another optometrist if we keep running into these issues. read more

Dr.Kim was very knowledgeable and professional. She was much nicer than most of other doctors I have met.

Dr. Shinmori is so thorough and caring. I have gone there for my eye exam a couple times. One day, I had my contact lens chipped off. I was so worried a small piece would still be in my eye. I brought my broken contact lens and a picture of dried blood around my eye to show the doctor. She examined my eye and washed it thoroughly. She asked me to go back if I still felt something was in my eye the next day. My eye is totally fine now :) Beside the great doctor, the staff is nice too! read more

Very helpful ladies, I ordered my Ferragamo glasses they didn't have the style i wanted But orders them took about 2 weeks but I did not take the exam here. Dr.s seem knowledgeable. Took off star for parking and price. (But $$ cuz even when you have/pay for ins it's a rip off) read more

It has been a while (like 5 years) since I've visited Shinmori Optometry. And everyone was as friendly and very helpful as I remembered 5 years ago. During this visit, I scheduled back to back appointments for myself and my husband on a Saturday morning. My visit was great! Dr. Nakano was very knowledgeable and friendly. She relayed the comparison of my eye from my visit from 5 years ago to today. It good to hear the difference eyes have changed. The only comment I have is based on my husband's observation, that he wish she explained what tests they were doing and why. This helps with understanding the status of our eye health. Though we, both, have pretty good vision we just wanted to know more about where my eye health is today and what we should do to prevent deterioration of vision and how to protect our eyes. Also, my husband thought that there should have been some warning on side-affects when administrating the chemical used for the eye pressure test. My husband had a negative reaction to it which was comment for men. Other than that, overall our experience was excellent. Lastly, I just wanted to note that I had my daughter there with us and they had a little section for kids to play. When I had to step away from her, the staff was extremely friendly and was able to calm her down while I was away. Extra brownies points for this! Thank you to everyone there! read more

I had a great eye check exam and ordered some new reading glasses. The fit is too big-so dropping off today for them to be adjusted. I really appreciated all the covid care taken by this shop! Really kind folks! read more

Friendly staff and Dr, efficient, I always have a pleasant experience. If you are looking for an optometrist I could not recommend Shinmori optometry more. read more

I have been using Shinmori Optometry for three years for my annual eye exam and to order glasses. The entire team is incredibly kind and helpful. Dr. Tina Shinmori explains the eye tests and results better than any optometrist I've seen before, and is very patient answering questions and offering assistance. Prices for glasses are very good, they have all the answers to insurance questions, and prescription glasses are usually in within 1-2 weeks. Highly recommend. read more

Shinmori is excellent. Staff is always so friendly and accommodating. My husband, myself and our 11 year old twins get our eye exams and glasses here. Great frame selection from varying price points and covid protocol is outstanding. read more

Very easy to make an appt. also very friendly from entering and through the appt. I appreciate the thoroughness and ease even though I was having a rough day (allergies). I highly recommend using them for optometry/glasses usage. read more

Amazing service from the front desk to the doctor! They were so knowledgable and welcoming! During my first visit they helped me understand my insurance and walked me through my plan and the eye exam procedure. They have a good selection of glasses and can special order anything you might want but don't see on display. I have referred a coworker to this office and she also had a great experience. read more

Shinmori Optometry is a great place to go for examinations and purchasing eye wear. I went to them to get my eyes checked and they were "all" very pleasant and professional. The doctor was very nice and while I waited for my eyes to dilate I was looking at frames. The person helping me with frames also very nice. She helped me try on at least 50 different frames and gave me her opinion (I asked her to) on every pair and really narrowed down my search to the pair I ended up choosing. By the way...I am picky. I had them make them progressive (never had before) and after a couple of weeks of trying I called back and they changed them to a singular vision for free (first time trying progressive). Can't say enough, go see (no pun intended) for yourself. read more

I love Shinmori Optometry. Everybody is so friendly, especially my optometrist Dr. Tina Shinmori. She has great bedside manners and you can ask her anything. They have a great selection of glasses and the office is super clean. 5/5. read more

I have been moving a lot which means I have to look for an optometrist every place I move to. Dr Shinmori is the best optometrist I have ever had because. - short wait - dr and staff are so organized, personable, explain very well and helpful - handles insurance info expertly so the patients don't have to Thank you dr Shimori and all the staff! read more

The minute I walked in the office, I felt at ease. The front desk ladies were so nice and had that 'welcome' smile. Dr Oda answered all my questions since it's been a long time for an eye exam for me. Technology! She was very patient and told me exactly what she was doing and why. When it was time to get my glasses, I decided since I was there...let's just say I had fun picking out a pair! And I just got a call saying my glasses were already ready! Took only a few days! I highly recommend this place. They will take very good care of your eye needs. read more

Best Doctor's office I have ever been to in my life! I have been coming here since I first needed glasses in the 5th grade, and I am now 28. AMAZING staff all around!! Knowledgeable, professional and genuinely care about their patients. I'm sad to say that I have moved out of state and will no longer be able to continue going to their office, but even up until I left they went above and beyond. The office was aware I was leaving out of state and I had glasses and contacts ordered in hopes I could pick them up before I leave. The DAY I was leaving, I get a call saying they picked up the glasses from the lab as soon as they could, seeing if I was still in the area to pick them up. I was able to stop by before my flight later that night. Thank you SO much for everything!! read more