James Leonard Opticians

This is going to be a strange review.
This is a nice little eyeglasses shop with an eye doctor office inside as well. The people up front and the doctor are all very nice and I can’t fault them for anything. Though I did feel the eyeglass frame selection was somewhat limited, but you may have better luck.
The reason for taking off 2 stars is because I saw what looked like a giant rat scurry around inside the office and dart into one of the rooms in the back. I don’t know what to make of it, but that’s what I saw. And it freaked me out.
I don’t know if the building or the shop has a rat problem, but they need to take care of it, because rats are a health hazard.

OK this place is fabulous.
Customer service is impeccable. I was treated like a VIP from the time I entered the store. The optometrist was thorough and professional my questions were answered and the process and results were explained throughout the consultation. I have been here previously and this was the main reason I returned.
Tristan is fantastic, he will not let you leave without looking absolutely fabulous. He has a talent for knowing who you are and what will look good on you. This is a business who values and appreciates their clients.
The selection of frames are not only current and stylish but are of superior quality its hard to settle on just one pair. (I never do).
Oh and I found out you can leave your old glasses there, I love that too.

If you wear glasses and believe they should be unique and fashionable but also want high quality and great service, look no further than James Leonard. The frames they sell are like works of art! Not only do they have a wide selection of frames you won’t find anywhere else, their service is excellent. I used to bring a friend to help me choose a frame — no more. Tristan always finds a frame that I might not have picked initially but ends up being the perfect choice for my face. There’s no sales pressure; he just genuinely wants to help you find the right frame for you. I came here for the first time 6 years ago because it was one of the few places in the city that carries Face a Face and Lafont, and now it’s the only place I go to get my glasses and sunglasses. I get a pair every year (sometimes two because it’s so hard to pick just one)!

I refuse to ever give my business after Tristan (manager?) gave my appointment to another patient. I had confirmed my appointment the previous day and was on my way over at my lunch break. Although I was told that I did not confirm, I have never had my appointment given away to someone else. Time to find a new optometrist.

If you need glasses, this is the place to go. Friendly and reasonable prices for the neighborhood.

So I was searching for a pair of very expensive Dita glasses and came across this website which had the pair I was searching for.
was currently out of stock so this was my only option. This was to be a bday gift for my partner. So I ordered the glasses and provided billing address and the address it would need to be shipped to. Days later I receive an email from Mr. Leonard himself telling me he could only send to the billing address. I live in MS and my partner in Miami. The website said nothing about it only shipping to billing address. Has that been the case I would have just not done the purchase. Mr. Leonard then sends me instructions that if I wanted to ship to another address I would have to verify PayPal. I don’t have nor want a PayPal account so my option were to cancel my order after going back and forth with emails. I did eventually contact DIta who I have purchased with before and they were kind enough to ship to the address THE PAYING CUSTOMER wanted. I’m sure this is a nice optical place to visit in person but for online purchases it was not efficient and would not recommend.

I went to the shop for an eye exam and a new pair of glasses, and the overall experience was great. The optometrist was very thorough and professional. The staff (Tristan) was very patient and helpful in helping me select a great frame and answering my questions. After my initial purchase, I went back to the store quite a few times to adjust the glasses, and the staff there were always so patient and offered me great service. Even though the place is a little on the expensive side, it is well worth the money. I would highly recommend the place!

I have been here quite a few times and every single time i leave feeling like i learned a lot about optics and frames. The expertise of the staff are unparalleled. Not only does everyone here understand the quality of good frames, lens and everything that goes with having great optics, but they are extremely friendly. I had an issue with my insurance and James himself spent 25 minutes on the phone trying to ascertain the issue and do his best to fix it — and he did.
Really friendly staff, with great knowledge, highly recommended

No review of James Leonard would be complete without the word «amazing,» so let’s get started: amazing service, amazing selection of glasses, amazing quality all around.
And speaking of quality, this place doesn’t compromise or waste any time on mediocrity, and they’ll make it clear up front. They recommended me a Lindburg frame, but I was a bit skeptical at first. They explained everything in a simple way and I immediately felt like I was making the right choice.
I took the leap and went with their suggestion. The glasses were ready a few days later. My jaw almost fell off and hit the midtown pavement when I put these on and saw how clear the world looked. The best pair of glasses I’ve ever worn, bar none. I was so happy, I came back a few minutes later and gave them a box of macaroons as a treat. I never do this.
Their level of professionalism and depth of knowledge was much appreciated.
My first night out with these new glasses, my friends noticed and gave me some unforgettable complements.
I won’t go anywhere else for glasses again!

Now I don’t like to stereotype people… … … okay who am I kidding… I freaking LOVE to stereotype people! And Dr Eddie Li, is like the buddhist zen master of optometry. Picture if you will, the most boring kung fu movie you will ever see, because instead of kung fu, it’s an eye exam. He has clear, precise and efficient movements, as if not a minute about anything he does can be wasted. Even down to the way he will fold the prescription in the end, and hand it to you using both hands, with a slight bow. The guy is awesome.
After the appointment he said «Well, you don’t really need new glasses», gave me the prescription and I felt like I could have walked out there and it would be okay. This is in contrast to every other optician I’ve ever been to in NYC where they never want to give you the prescription and try to force you into buying at their place. I didn’t feel that pressure at all. They have a pretty good selection and I’ve gotten a pair from there in the past.
This is the best experience I’ve had in NYC for an eye exam. The staff is extremely polite, friendly and they don’t pressure you at all, which is a godsend if you’ve ever been to any other optician in NYC. Happy customer.

DO NOT GO!!! They sold me discontinued contacts, that I wore for 2 years and now have eye problems. I am in the process of beginning a law suit. They even made it sketchier because they had me pay cash and hand delivered the contacts to my apartment. Hence making it harder to prove that they sold me these (no shipping info/​no credit card info). Very, very bad!

In a city that is slowly filling up with national chains it is great to have a store like James Leonard Opticians in the neighborhood. They have a great selection of frames and a knowledgeable and friendly staff.

Love this place. One stop shop. Easy to make an appointment with doctor. I wear glasses all the time so spending a little extra seems right. They have a huge selection and we great team of opticians who will assist you in making the best choice for your features.

I have been on Unilocal now for 3 years, have written 14 reviews, and have never had a problem. Yet my previous review for this establishment was removed for violating Unilocal’s Content Guidelines. I have no idea what I could have written to cause that to happen, so I would just like to say, please scroll down and read «Fitz T’s» review of this establishment. My experience was very, very similar — i.e., the staff was rather bizarrely unpleasant and unhelpful.
I would also encourage you to scroll down to the very bottom of the page and click where it says «reviews that are not currently recommended» in gray, and read those reviews (who decided they were «not recommended,» I can’t imagine).
There are many, many optometrists doing business in Manhattan. Consider carefully before taking your business here.

I just moved to the city and was in need of a new pair of glasses. I had a positive experience at James Leonard. Tristan was great in helping me find a frame that suits me — they have a good selection of frames with tasteful design. The optometrist, Eddie, was very professional — carried out a very detailed eye exam and clearly explained things to me.
Oh, did I mention that without me asking, they rushed the service for me because I was going on an important trip? The new glasses were ready the day after I ordered it!
Can’t find a frame that you like? Stop by James Leonard!

Walked In last minute, in need of glasses ASAP. Broke my current pair and was due for an exam. They accommodated me with the next available appointment and the service was incredible. I’ve visited multiple eyeglass places and this was by far the best experience. The Dr. was incredibly informative and provided details to each part of the examination. Was truly concerned with my needs and provided suggestions and solutions. I live and work no where near this place and will be sure to come back!
Now moving on to Tristan (love the name!). He was super friendly, funny and knew his stuff! He worked with me for what must have been an hour. Ran through all of the frames he thought would look great on my face. Even when I resisted and asked for a more (how shall we say?) «boring frame» (your regular brown or black frame), he worked with me. After a lot of work and trying to get me to step out of my comfort zone, he finally got me to see what he saw. The «boring» frames no longer made sense! He strategically selected frames to match not only my face shape but my skin tone and hair color. Pfft like who does that?! After an whole hour of hard work and full dedication to the sole purpose of having me leave satisfied, he did it!!! I walked out of there with a pair of gorgeous face a face PURPLE frames! That’s right folks! PURPLE! Little miss boring is now little miss sassy chic! Oh yes, they are purple and they are CHIC! Love it! Can’t believe I actually love a pair of purple frames. But hey, what else would you expect from a true professional. LOVE YOU TRISTAN!!!

I enjoyed every bit of this experience.
Friendly staff and an awesome optometrist. Leo was great at communicating during the eye exam. This is my second eye exam since moving to New York and the friendliness was a nice surprise after having a not so good first experience.

Love James Leonard! Eli is awesome! First pair of glasses (Dita) are my fave ever and am about to get another pair — can’t wait! They do such an amazing job (and sell such comfortable frames). Also very reasonably priced and take insurance. Yay!

Personal attention spot-​on recommendations, and expert customer service are the hallmarks of James Leonard Opticians, where I’ve been shopping for over 15 years.
Tristan is an eyeglass pro who really wants his customers to purchase frames that suit their face and personality. He worked with me for over an hour until I found the right pair of sunglasses (from a very broad selection) and then made sure I loved them since they were a bit out of my style comfort zone. Now happily sporting a more fashionable look, I’m glad he convinced me to push the envelope.
A great place to shop for readers, eye glasses, and sunglasses.

I bought my last pair of glasses from here two years ago. I was in the area for a dentist appointment so I decided to stop by on my way. The staff was friendly and the salesperson (I didn’t catch his name) suggested some great frames. In less then 10 minutes I found a pair I loved and was trying to decided if I should get them now or to wait. The salesperson said that I could get them TODAY! I have a common prescription and they could fit the lens while I was at the dentist. I was sold. They were ready in less then an hour and it made my day.