West Portal Optical

After long, futile searches in big optical stores, I went to West Portal Optical thinking that I would just update the prescription in my old frames. After seeing the style and quality of Mark’s frames, I realized that I didn’t have to settle. I even asked him for suggestions, and every frame that he presented looked good! I’m happy with my final choice, and with the elegant sunglasses that I purchased on a return trip. Highly recommended!

West Portal Optical has the best selection in town when you are looking for something above the rest. Mark carries a great selection of Oliver People’s which are my favorite!

What an easy experience! I stopped in and it took about five minutes of dog petting and ten minutes of questions and trying on frames to get it right and secure a fabulous and unique green pair.
Confession: I’d had a place I tried prior to stopping by West Portal Optical. I had a nightmare of a time at the other place finding glasses that fit my aesthetic and that I could actually see through– somehow they kept botching it up. I even had my prior shop from out of state send my exact prescription from my previous pair, and the lenses were still uselessly blurry– and they tried four times. West Optical was the opposite: one super quick appointment and then a quick pick up and they are fabulous.
Many vision plans (mine included) reimburse a portion of the cost, too.
And face time with that adorable bulldog sure doesn’t hurt.

Two stars simply because they don’t take any sort of insurance. The person I talked to was somewhat pleasant, but the fact that they’re probably the only optical shop in town that doesn’t take insurance is disappointing.

i specifically made a trip to west portal after reading online about this store. i showed up at 5pm, their hours state it’s open until 6. i try the door and it’s locked. there is someone inside, they look up at me and keep talking on the phone. i knock on the glass part of the door and the person inside mouths to me «do you want to come in?». i nod my head and instinctively pull my phone out thinking somehow ive gotten the time wrong but I see to my right, a hand painted sign that also says open until 6. my phone reads 5pm.
he gets up finally to open the door but only enough to pop his head out with phone still attached to his ear. «do you want to come in»… well yes, that’s why i knocked on the door and why i am standing here. i’m feeling bewildered at this point, this guy is a total ass. I have my dog with me, he sees him and immediately says, «my dog is very territorial you’ll have to tie him up outside». my dog is a 5 month old puppy. i say that is not an option, he is too young to be tethered outside. he shrugs his shoulders and slams the door in my face and locks it.
FOR REALS. This happened. I’m not even mad. I’ve come to expect rudeness and pretentiousness when traversing around SF these days but this is a small neighborhood shop. His attitude was so gross. from seeing pictures online, the guy is most likely the owner. he is snobby as hell and clearly thought i was not worth his dime. oh how wrong he was. i hope this shop closes.

The store owner is super awesome, straight forward, and obviously owns an adorable and sweet french bulldog. I love my glasses! They haven’t scratched, bent etc. He was super patient and nice while me and my mother were probably taking up wayyyy to much time. When I came back in to pick up my glasses his adorable son was there playing with the dog, and was a sweetheart! Thanks so much!

My first time at West Portal Optics. I read the Unilocal reviews and they had all been positive, except for a couple… Which didn’t deter me from at least checking the place out. I must say that my experience was great. Mark was very personal, he new exactly what I wanted by listening to me. He truly has a gift in suggesting what fits your face. Every pair of glasses that he suggested fit my face and style. I love the fact that he could give you the background on his products and the vintage glasses were such a treat, learning about the designers of the product and who they were created for. The history is so intriguing. Before leaving the shop I purchased a pair of Claire Goldsmith frames.
My prescription was filled within a week and I have received so many compliments, which is a plus. My son was so impressed with my glasses he went to see Mark and found and purchased a pair for himself. Thank you Mark, I have found my new optical home.

Only discovered this gem recently when it was right under my nose all these years. I have been in search for more unique and stylish frames as I am tired of the usual Prada and Gucci brands offered by most optical stores. I walked into the store and Mark, the owner, was on point in his recommendations. I ended up purchasing the initial pair of frames that he recommended! He definitely knows his stuff and has a good intuition of what looks good for his clients. Highly recommend this place. Thanks Mark!

5 stars for monty the frenchie. 1 star for the owner and customer service.
after some initial research online, i walked in the shop excited after learning they carry oliver peoples and oliver goldsmith. when i first walked in, i did not feel welcomed. i asked the owner if he accepted vision insurance. they did not and i believe the question made him profile me.
i browsed very briefly at their limited selection of men’s frames and made a couple comments but the owner did not say anything in return. he failed to show any willingness to educate me on their products or show me any of their frames.
i felt like he wanted me out of his store asap. i quickly decided to leave. on the way out, the owner advised me to go to ‘site for sore eyes’ down the street because they «accept insurance». obviously, if i wanted to go to a retail franchise, i wouldnt have gone to your shop.
personally i enjoy shopping at local small businesses because they tend to have a unique selection of products and offer a more personable shopping experience. however, i left this shop in utter disappointment. i specifically made a trip to sf from the pensinsula on a weekend to visit a shop with a snobby owner with horrible customer service skills. im happy to take my money elsewhere.

Beautifully curated collection of frames and sunglasses and a friendly French bulldog to keep you company while you get measured!
I’ve long despaired over ever getting stylish glasses in my prescription. I’m so blind that contacts are deemed «medically necessary» and my insurance covers them. I’m usually relegated to tiny wireframes barely able to support the weight of the coke bottle lenses.
But Mark told me he could work miracles, and he did! He helped me pick out a delicious, heavily beveled catseye frame whose extruded edges help mask the thick curve of the lens. The quality and clarity of the lens itself is some of the best I’ve ever experienced.
So grateful to the woman whose glasses I complimented for turning me on to this place. So I’m paying it forward! Go! Now! Just don’t by the last pair of plaid sunglasses. They’re gonna be MINE!

FANTASTIC !!! Mark Norrell provides exceptional personalized service, a great selection of quality heritage brands (like Oliver Goldsmith etc.) and has a passion for his craft that is rare in this day & age. If you want unique handmade frames that you won’t see everyone else wearing, go to West Portal Optical. Mark’s deep knowledge of timeless iconic fashion backed with his friendly laid back approach, will leave you educated and looking smart! You’ll want to go back and get a second pair…

This is a NO STARS review because after all, glasses are about seeing. Some things in this review may sound a bit over the top… but, they are unexaggerated truth.
I am 71 years old. I came in with my trifocal prescription and was told (multiple times in multiple visits) that «they don’t make trifocals anymore». I knew this to be false and said so each time…(6 weeks into our ordeal, he at last acknowledged that it was HE who didn’t do trifocals… a totally different claim, and I «praised» him for correcting his silliness).
I’m guessing by results that he was intent upon selling me progressive lenses… and I, only wanting to see well, really don’t care how that is delivered… trifocals or progressives. He assured me that progressives were great, they were the next generation glasses, his clients loved them, and that I would be happy with them. OK fine. Frames (regular and sunglasses) picked, credit card swipped, 3-​weeks for delivery he said.
Six weeks in I get the call… tried them on, and learned they have huge areas of distortion… by design. (Look up Wikipedia «Progressive Lenses). Never a word from him about the disadvantages of progressives. I did ask about differences as best I could early on, but I didn’t know what there was to know. One hopes he did!
I have a 3-​in wide undistorted visual trough with which to see my computer screen or book… if I’d like to see in-​focus what is to either side of the trough, progressive lens wearers are advised to adjust their head!!! Say what?
To the left and right of the trough in distance vision are great patches of distortion by design… advice…turn your head! Did he think maybe neck flexibility improves with age… is that the reason he chose to say and do nothing about this unhappy feature of progressives? Even without the flexibility problem, having permanent distortion such that moving your eyes takes you immediately to distortion is not a feature I seek. I’m accustomed to having the freedom of eye-​movement!
I’ve since learned that progressives can be designed to work better (only better, not great) with computer screens, but they are not a general use glass if designed for that use. He asked nothing about how I live and use my glasses so he had no opportunity to know I am a heavy user of screens and print. Can’t say if my lifestyle would have influenced his recommendation because — in his shop — if it isn’t progressives, it isn’t anything for the trifocal (or bi-​focal) user.
Heading over to return them for a refund now. I’ll pay for the frames if he will remove the lenses but, I will not have someone who tells me that trifocals aren’t made anymore, or if they are, he doesn’t «do» them handle the measurement and whatever to have them made for me.
I’m told that progressives are pricier, so his mark-​up (no pun intended, his name is Mark) is richer for them than non-​progressives. Could that be his motivation? I can’t say… but if it was fitting the glasses to the client, he failed miserably. If giving the client the opportunity to make a rational decision about a major shift in lens utility is standard professional practice, he failed miserably.
Oh…and I chose his shop (on purpose) knowing he didn’t handle my insurance. I was trying to thank him for a small favor he did for my niece, and too trying to do my bit to encourage owner-​operated businesses in West Portal.
I will say he has a great eye for what frame will enhance your face. Maybe he should stick to frames.
11÷9÷14 UPDATE… I took the glasses back, he refused them saying «no refunds», just a store credit which would have zero value to me.
Best he will do is get some «blended vision bi-focals»…which are unacceptable for two reasons, I have trifocal vision and he is not someone I would trust my vision to again. He said he would not do trifocals. (Is that because he can’t? Is there some licensing or training he doesn’t have for other than «blendeds» for some reason? It is odd he wouldn’t offer it in order to resolve this dispute… but only «blended bifocals».)
He would not accept the glasses. He just stonewalled after attempting to say to my face «I tried to talk you out of them!!!» I stopped him asking him not to waste his breath telling me what both he and I knew was false, for him to save his «story» for another venue where he might get away with it.
I told him he had done a bad thing and he should both be ashamed of himself and review his business practices.

West Portal Optical carries many well curated and crafted frames-​the best I’ve seen in SF.
I have been looking for a pair of glasses that fit my face well for years– I wish I was kidding. I have an odd shaped brow and that makes finding glasses all the more difficult.
As soon as I walked in, Mark found three pairs of glasses which fit very well. Needless to say I purchased a pair of Oliver Peoples glasses and will definitely be back for another pair soon.

A West Portal gem.
Mark’s frames transform all of us
into works of art.

I made the mistake of ordering prescription sunglasses online, not realizing that it takes more than a prescription to get it right. When I tried on my new prescription sunglasses, I couldn’t see very well. The focal point of the glasses didn’t line up with my eyes. Sheepishly I walked into West Portal Optical to ask what I could do. This after getting turned away at a chain optical place on the same street.
Mark was not only patient and understanding, he took the time to explain and educate me about my prescription and proper fit in glasses. He also offered a creative solution of adding custom nose pads that lifted the sunglasses to the proper place so that I could actually see and use the glasses.
I’m really grateful for all of his help and will definitely return when it’s time to update my glasses.

Mark has a wealth of knowledge in the optical industry. I came in looking for a pair of sunglasses and the moment I stepped in the door Mark knew exactly what would be the best pair to fit my face. I tried them on first, and then tried on a multitude of others, but had to come back to the first pay simply because he was SO spot on and right about the type of glasses that suited my face. I also liked that they were unique and different, the glasses themselves were incredibly well made and Mark spent the time I needed to make sure I was happy and that the frames fit my face the best possible way.
I’ll definitely be getting my next pair of regular glasses and sunglasses here, simply because of the quality of the frames, Mark’s expertise, and one can’t forget the cute dog in the window Monty.

After years of buying frames at more chain oriented places, it was a bit of a revelation to land at West Portal and have Mark help in choosing frames. Some things you should know: The shop is small, and as a result the selection is more modest than some other big box places — that’s ok. Also, its not cheap. But honestly what place with quality frames is? Mark carries really premium stuff, and as a result you really do get what you pay for.
And then there’s Monty the dog. Adorable.
Overall, I’ve been extremely pleased with both the purchases I’ve made, and the experience shopping at West Portal. You will be too.

I recently bought glasses at West Portal Optical after checking out many, many opticians in San Francisco. In my experience, the majority of the opticians cannot explain the differences between lenses; they appear to have little knowledge of the lenses or what looks good and are just trying to make a sale. I wear progressives and Mark (the owner) was very straightforward and clear in explaining the differences between the lens options.
They seem to have the most complete Oliver Peoples collection in town; high quality, hip, classic retro. No filler «frames” — frames that nobody actually buys. Not my thing but a lot of «breakfast at tiffany’s”-esque women’s sunglasses also.
There are several muni lines which run right in front of the store and easy street parking. I came in several times just to browse and try on glasses and there was no pressure; just information and advice and a good sense of what complements your facial structure.
Overall, a very good experience. Seems like the negative reviews are several years old and associated with the prior ownership.
Oh, also received, a nice follow-​up call to make sure everything was good with my glasses.

I’ve never been a big fan of the style of frames that my local optometrist has had to offer over the years. After seeing the frames that my sisters boyfriend had picked up at West Portal Optical, I decided to go check out their selection before settling for what my optometrist had to offer. After arriving, Mark showed me to his great selection of frames and was very helpful with the selection process. It was almost hard to pick just one!
As of now I’ve gotten my last two frames from Mark and don’t plan on going anywhere else. I highly recommend West Portal Optical to anybody looking for a nice pair of glasses!

Everyone is a star at West Portal Optical.
Start with Monty. Monty is the resident French Bulldog. He sits in the window of the shop every day, keeping watch on West Portal and allowing you to view his fabulousness. He has a HUGE fan club. Monty’s gift to the world is himself.
Next you will meet the owner, Mark. Mark has a big smile for everyone and perfectly bridges the gap between small-​town hospitality and big city sophistication. Mark will take you under his wing and make sure you find something beyond what you are looking for, something modern yet classic, and most of all, something that reflects exactly who you are. It makes a huge difference when the store owner and buyer is the one helping you with your glasses — each frame has been hand-​selected by him and he stands behind the quality of every single one (anyone who has ever been helped by a vapid 20-​something at the mall glasses emporium can appreciate this).
The real star at West Portal Optical is YOU. Whether it is a through a pair of hard-​to-​find Oliver Goldsmith glasses or a pair of Oliver Peoples’s, your inner Audrey Hepburn/​Michael Caine/​Truman Capote is sure to be revealed.
The quality, the service, the selection, and the mascot. Your portal in West Portal to the best you!
P. S. Chris Isaak shops here. NO JOKE.