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450 Sutter Pharmacy
Category: Shopping Drugstores Drugstores [Edit]
450 Sutter St7th Fl
(at Stockton St)
San Francisco, CA 94108
Neighborhood: Union Square
(415) 392-4137
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 9 am - 6 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
21 reviews for 450 Sutter Pharmacy
Review Highlights
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"The pharmacist was nice and very thorough when explaining..." In 4 reviews -
"They take all the insurance everyone else does, with..." In 4 reviews -
"They'll deliver your medications anywhere in the city (for..." In 3 reviews
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21 reviews in English
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Review from Phan H.
Berkeley, CA
12/10/2011
Great group of people to chat with while they fill your prescription. They are fast and friendly, and will ship your items to you if you're in a hurry.
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Review from Christina L.
San Francisco, CA
2/24/2012
I want to support local business owners -- but c'mon. How many 1 star reviews are necessary before somebody at this establishment steps in and makes some changes?
My suggestions for improvement:
1) Try to minimize customer time on hold.
2) When customers are on hold, don't hang up on them. Twice. I know it was an honest mistake (twice), but it's not professional.
3) When you say you are going to mail a prescription, please do it. When I miss a dose of medication and it's your fault -- I am understandably not happy.
4) When customers call and leave a concerned message about a missing prescription, please do return the call promptly. If your pharmacists are too busy to do this, maybe you can hire a temp to answer your messages..
They have the right resources to get the job done -- likeable and friendly staff, mail order service, good location. It's just a management issue, and I hope 450 Sutter can resolve it! -
Review from Haein L.
San Francisco, CA
2/23/2012
These people made me to write my first yelp review.
They are horrible. I called to check if my prescription that was faxed there hours ago was ready yet, and a guy who pick up the phone put me on hold for 10 minutes without any explanation! I honestly think he didn't even looked it up, and then he transferred to another person, who was quite nice and apologetic of the guy's behavior. But they didn't have my prescription, saying they didn't receive it. I had to call my doctor and she said it was definitely sent to them hours ago, and she kindly made a phone call to the pharmacy making sure they got my prescription.
Sometime people waiting for prescription are under a lot of pain, and this is not how you treat patients. Horrible, obnoxious. The only reason I got my medicine there after all this is because I didn't have any closer pharmacy and I needed it right away.
I wouldn't go here again. -
Review from Susan M.
San Francisco, CA
2/27/2012
Very unhappy with the whole experience
Went in person to change my prescription a month ago. Was told it was not in stock but would be the following Monday.
I show up on Monday and they say your insurance was incorrect. I give them the card Again
Then they give me 2 days worth of pills to hold me over They say.
Why I have no idea because I could not get an answer.
That was 2 and half weeks Ago. Notthing since.
I call and was told someone will call me back. No call
Called back, again was told someone will call me back.
So one MONTH and No pills on a pretty ordinary RX
Luckily I had some pills left or I would be out of luck
Hopefully I can get the pills and then never ever eveer go back
Completely UNACCEPTABLE. -
Review from Lisa N.
Pittsburg, CA
3/7/2011
INCOMPETANT!!
I'm all for the Mom and Pop establishments but don't waste your time here! Dropped off an RX on Wednesday and it was not ready until the next Monday. I had to keep calling and calling and calling! They were suppose to call ME when it was ready but never did. Finally, when it was ready, they had me mixed up with another patient (whom had my same last name), kept calling me by HER first name to the point I was worried they had the meds mixed up. Dangerous!!! -
Review from Richard S.
San Francisco, CA
3/16/2011
I chose this place over Walgreens (or any chain pharmacy) because it is a stand alone. The decor is a time warp, as someone else characterized it, but the service is what I came for. Service and attitude were variable. One pharmacist went out of his way to attentive and friendly service. Others also gave competent service but the place often seemed rushed or inadequately staffed--or perhaps they just weren't well organized in providing customer service.
It has many medical devices (you won't find these in Walgreens); I purchased a back brace--very high quality--but my trainer told me I needed one with different specifications. 450 Sutter lacked knowledge on other versions (but offered to get one for me if I could provide ordering instructions).
Today I ordered a printout of last year's Rxs; they called me ten minutes later saying the printer was "disconnected" and instead of picking it up this morning. They offered to mail it to me so I would have it tomorrow (and seemed to prefer that to me picking it up later today).
Last Autumn I had to change pharmacies as my new insurance was not accepted at 450 Sutter Pharmacy. It asked for my continued business but when I called back to advise that was not possible with my new insurance I received a curt response rather than the polite "thank you" that would have been appropriate for me taking the trouble to call back. That one act cemented my feelings about this pharmacy. -
Review from Stephy S.
San Francisco, CA
8/11/2008
Let's do the time warp agaaaaaaain.
This place is seriously out of the 50's (or the oh so awesome 60's since I am now totally obsessed with Mad Men and looking for any similarities I can find in our modern world). The little old pharmacist with all the old school knowledge, the bed pans and walkers hanging from the walls and the decor that is straight out of yesterdayland.
They also carry Valium here.
Mmmmm, Valium. -
Review from megan w.
San Francisco, CA
3/22/2006
Man, screw Walgreens. I don't know why you would ever get a prescription filled anywhere but the Four Fifty Sutter Pharmacy. Big chain pharmacies have fluorescent lights and asbestos ceilings and mean pharmacists who yell at you when you don't understand your deductible.
Four Fifty Sutter is the art deco shangri-la of pharmacies. They take all the insurance everyone else does, with friendly service from pharmacists who grew up in the city and love to chat about back in the day. They'll fill your prescription in less than five minutes, scarcely enough time for you to plop down on a red leather and wood settee and get halfway through an article in Architectural Digest. Not convenient, you say? They'll deliver your medications anywhere in the city (for $6.00, I think.) As if they weren't cool enough, the font on their labels matches the art deco Egyptian revival theme of the building.
Fresh. -
Review from John S.
San Francisco, CA
3/17/2008
I like to patronize independent pharmacies, which are a dying breed. But medical buildings usually have them, and when St. Mary Pharmacy closed its door to the public, I switched to the pharmacy in the 450 Sutter Street medical building.
Like most of these places, you won't find a whole lot of Walgreens-type selection here. For the small space, they do have a lot of over-the-counter remedies, but there's basically nowhere for you to browse; the extent of the store is the counter you walk up to.
The pharmacist was nice and very thorough when explaining my new medication to me. I had to wait awhile for them to fill the prescription, but there are benches in the hallway, and if I had taken it to Walgreens or wherever, I probably wouldn't have waited in the first place, so this place actually saved me a trip. -
Review from Vandana K.
San Francisco, CA
2/3/2012
It took the pharmacist 45 minutes to prepare my medicine for sore throat. This is the longest I have had to wait for my prescription ever!
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Review from John K.
San Francisco, CA
11/14/2007
The worst customer experience I've ever had in San Francisco. Do not do business here.
I've stopped by here on occasion over the years because its in the same building as my doctor and it's convenient. But never again.
In September, I had a prescription filled and was told my co-pay was $10. I put it on my credit card and walked out. (There was a little bit of confusion at the counter at the time, ironically because another customer was complaining about the terrible service that HE had received, but I didn't think anything of it.)
When I received my credit card statement, I realized that I had been overcharged for my prescription by nearly $80. My guess is that they confused my receipt with complainer-guy.
A pain, but mistakes happen right? So I called the pharmacy, politely explained the problem and was told that it would be taken care of within a few days.
That was six weeks ago.
I gave them the benefit of the doubt for the first few weeks, but it has gone from bad customer service to just absurd. They can't seem to credit the difference back to my credit card. And they've said they've tried to mail me a reimbursement check twice...neither of which has shown up.
At one point I called to tell them that I was going to be in the neighborhood and could stop by so they could credit the difference back to my credit card. They said, "No need." Then, the day after I was in the neighborhood, they called and said, "Come in." And I said, "Forget it...if you can't get your act together, I'm not taking time off from work. Mail me the check." And I'm still waiting.
Things happen, but a good business apologizes for their mistakes and goes out of their way to make it right. The person that I've dealt with has been incredibly rude. She acts as if their mistake is MY problem. She hasn't apologized for the error and even handed me off to somebody else in the middle of one phone conversation...while I was talking to her! And in my most recent conversation, she hung up on me.
I will NEVER again do business at 450 Sutter Pharmacy and unless they make a radical re-commitment to customer service, I would discourage you from patronizing them as well. -
Review from Erica F.
San Francisco, CA
5/13/2008
1) They remember me.
2) They remember my phone number.
3) They understand my prescriptions and don't need it explained every month
4) They deliver.
5) They remember my delivery address.
6) They remember my insurance and copay info.
7) They suggest helpful alternatives.
9) They are super nice on the phone.
I call 450 Sutter Pharmacy every month and say "can you send me my prescriptions?" And they do. They deal with copay, refills, everything. Good people. -
Review from Thurston F.
Albany, CA
1/14/2008
I stopped by here because it was close to a blood drawing lab on another floor. I've found the staff to alternate between extremely friendly and helpful to.. well.. not MEAN.. I'd call it a cold professionalism.
They seem to cater to seniors based on the other people i see there and some of the wacky gear they sell (female piss pots anyone?), so i suspect that sometimes during the day they must get a little frustrated explaining the same things OVER AND OVER.. I donno, I would..
They will courier your meds anywhere in the city. The first time they did it free for me, when I asked the second time I think they wanted to charge $10 or something.
I really should switch to a pharmacy closer to my house, as this place is way out of the way for me, but I find myself compelled to keep going back. I always learn something each visit.
If you are a bit squeamish at the idea of someone else hearing what meds you are getting you might feel uncomfortable here. Unlike a Walgreens or huge chain, they don't have those bank-teller partitions for privacy. I don't really care if the old guy next to me knows I'm getting Xanax but some people might.
I never had any money problems with them like the other guy did. I can't see them deliberately screwing anyone over, but sometimes their inner-office communication could be better. You talk to one woman on the phone, then go in and the other one has no idea what you are talking about. -
Review from Daniel B.
San Francisco, CA
5/19/2010
I had such a terrible experience with 450 Sutter Pharmacy (twice!) that I finally got around to making a Yelp account after several years of using Yelp just so that I could warn you all never to go there!
Here is the story:
My doctor said that she was going to fill my prescription at 450 Sutter. I asked her not to because the only other time I had gone there the staff had me wait for an hour just to tell me that they did not stock what I needed.
But she insisted that it was one of the only places that did compounding (custom formulas), so I relented and let her fill the prescription.
Later that day 450 Sutter called me and said my prescription would be ready the next day, so the next day I stopped by to pick it up.
They told me when I got there that they had forgotten to fill my prescription, but that if I paid for it then they'd deliver it to me free the next day.
One week later, I realized I had never gotten the prescription. Luckily later that week my wife had an appointment in the same building, so she stopped by to see what was up (over two weeks had gone by at this point). They told her they had forgotten... again... and would send it out to me first thing Monday morning (this was a Thursday).
They forgot ... for a third time.
It finally took having my doctor call and yell at them to get them to fill the prescription. When she called them, they told her they had talked to me last night (a blatant lie), as if that would make it all OK even if it were true.
They called me today 5 hours after talking to my doctor and said it was too late to deliver today, but that they'd deliver tomorrow.
They then asked me to pay again, and when I told them I had already paid a month ago, they didn't even apologize.
Truly the worst customer service I have ever experienced in my life, anywhere, bar none.
I'm all about supporting local, historic businesses, but I have to say that in this instance you should just go to Walgreens if you can! -
Review from Kristen S.
San Francisco, CA
6/9/2008
Why are there two listings for 450 Sutter Pharmacy? Go figure. I like these guys 'cause they're conveniently located right downstairs from my doctor's office. The less running around required when you're sick, the better!
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Review from T D.
San Francisco, CA
3/9/2010
Had three consecutive experiences of utter incompetence. I will go 20 miles out of my way to avoid this place.
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Review from Sarcastic T.
San Francisco, CA
1/14/2008
I stopped in here briefly to see if they carried something Walgreens didn't (and they did - big surprise). The packages on the shelves could use a little dusting and I'd check the expiration date if I were you. The staff made up for the oddness and were very helpful. One woman chatted with me about the benefits of omega-3 and some other things to help with cholesterol. Given the lack of intelligence I had just experienced at Walgreens, this was refreshing and pleasant. Three stars for that alone!
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Review from Paul G.
San Francisco, CA
11/11/2009
Great place for personel service. Not like a jumbo pharmacy that does not get to know you.
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Review from Rusty B.
San Francisco, CA
1/5/2009
This old-fashioned pharmacy is a business you'd like to love. Unfortunately, their sense of confidentiality and customer service is very poor.
While collecting a prescription, the pharmacist proceeded to discuss my malady loudly and in graphic terms. I suspect it either amused or annoyed the people waiting who could plainly hear the discussion.
More upsetting are their frequent commitments to having a prescription ready and this simply wasn't true. This has happened on more than one occasion and,when I had to go elsewhere, I discovered their prices to be high.
Even though I find them convenient, I will not trade with them again. -
Review from W S.
Walnut Creek, CA
3/3/2009
Avoid. An ENT prescribed what she called "Magic mouthwash" which could only be filled at this pharmacy. It was a compound (blended medication) so it had to be pre-authorized by my insurance company, and they had to send what is called a compount worksheet form. They claim to have sent it, but kept telling ME to figure out an individual at my insurance company to send it to. Insurance companies aren't eager to give those out, and when I did call my insurance company they told me that I had to submit the compount worksheet. 450 Sutter wouldn't give it to me!! They claim it is a proprietary blend of medication. So, not only did I have to fight with my insurance company for them to cover it, the pharmacy wouldn't even tell me what medication I was given. My insurance company AND the prescribing doctor were both shocked that they refused to give me the worksheet.
Also, I had the same experience as another reviewer - I was told they prescription would be ready at noon, and when I went by at 3 I was told it wasn't ready and they'd deliver it to me later. They didn't. I had to go the next day and sit and wait for about 40 minutes to get it before I left for a two week trip that night. Also, ditto on the no privacy. No sense of confidentiality here, except with the drugs they give you. -
Review from Loni B.
Durham, NC
9/22/2007
So I have two different types of insurance. I handed the people at the pharmacy the insurance card that would actually work for the medication i was attempting to pick up. Somehow they got the information for my second insurance and tried billing that for AN HOUR AND A HALF while I sat there waiting (I needed to take the medication up to the doctor's office for administration). Not once did they bother asking me during that time why there was a problem. It was not until they had given up that they said anything about it..so then I explained to them what the problem was, and in less than 5 minutes they got the medication to clear insurance and gave it to me. Trust me when I say that with the insurance I have, they should have known that the medication I was going to pick up was not covered by the plan they were trying to clear it through initially. I have better luck with the Safeway down the street than with this place. I don't recommend it unless you need to go there as I did.
