San Mateo Neighborhood Pharmacy

Well where do I start… Alvin and his staff our by far some of the nicest and sincere people in business that I’ve ever come across. They truly want to help me and do what they can to make sure I am getting what I need when I need it. When I first found this place I loved the concept of an old world feel. I take a lot of medication and spent many hours at Walgreens and the staff was hardly nice, caring or sincere. I was a bother to them. When I first went to Alvin I was taking a very medication and didn’t have many options. Because Alvin is licensed to make medicine onsite at his lab he offered to make the medicine for much lower cost. I was amazed, I thought I had stepped back into the 1950s! Since then I trust him with my medicine and enjoy stopping in to pick up my refills. I wish they would have come into San Mateo sooner but glad the are here now. I rave about this pharmacy as much as I know now. Thank you Alvin and friends you are some amazing people running a priceless business
Nancy Freschet.

Alvin is very helpful, attentive, timely and informative. I would not trust anyone else with my pharmacy needs!

Alvin and his staff helped me provide palliative care for our beloved cat during the last four months of her life. They even called when it was time to refill her prescription. I told Alvin that even my own doctor doesn’t do that!
Anyway, thank you Alvin and staff for helping us alleviate Katie’s pain so we could have her with us just a little longer. You’re the best.

Alvin is the pharmacist and owner. He goes above and beyond for his patients. He will deliver your meds to your home. He does what is best for the patient and not what will make him the most money. He’s a good guy.
His pharmacy is always immaculate.
I wish there were more Alvin’s in this world and that all pharmacies were like his.

I have been getting my dogs meds here for almost a year. Alvin and his team are always super helpful and accommodating. Since I don’t live in the San Mateo area they have the meds mailed out at no additional cost. Not to mention there are no other compounding pharmacies that I trust more than Alvins! Best service ever.

Alvin is the best !!! I tell everyone to switch to his pharmacy !!! He makes refilling prescriptions a breeze !! Always helpful polite and cares about his customers !!! Goes above and beyond !! I call it the Nordstroms of Pharmacies !!! Total full service !! Best !!

I dropped by here during their soft opening & was impressed by how fast and friendly the service was when I dropped off a prescription as it was filled in a matter of minutes (as opposed to me standing around for a half hour in line just to pick up something that already took four hours to fill at the downtown San Mateo Walgreen’s!) Today, I swung by there again to ask more questions about getting prescriptions to them, hours and delivery services. Spoke to Alvin, the sole proprietor and the pharmacist on duty, and he was has super helpful & efficient, as always. Doctors can send him prescriptions the way they would to CVS, Walgreen’s, etc. electronically or if you are stuck with a paper prescription (that can happen when you have to get narcotics after C-​section surgery!), you just snap a picture & send it to the pharmacy via MMS & upon collecting it, they will take the actual paper version. When I asked about home deliveries, he asked where I live (just 1.5 miles away) & he immediately estimated I could get free delivery Mon-​Sat & that it’s be at my doorstep around 6 PM! They are closed on Sundays but will consider accommodating folks with emergency situations. Wow. Bye bye chain stores & long waits!

San Mateo Neighborhood Pharmacy offers the BEST service! My dog has special needs and the team at SMN Pharmacy compounds her meds so it is easier for her to take. Alvin goes above and beyond for his clients. I wish Unilocal offered ten stars because this pharmacy deserves it. Thank you, San Mateo Neighborhood Pharmacy!

Great personal, timely service. That alone is enough, but when you compare prices with the chain pharmacies there’s no comparison. The pharmacist, Alvin is very friendly and helpful. I haven’t had to wait nor than a couple of minutes for a drop off prescription. Take a look at the costs charged for generics and name brand at the big chains, they overcharge so much because nobody looks at it. Best pharmacy I’ve been too. Despite being by the mall I’ve never had trouble getting parking right in front of the shop. Thanks for the great service, I wish more people would support the local, and in this case, superior local businesses. Try it! You will not be disappointed.

This is Alvin’s pharmacy, which means you actually get to speak to the pharmacist and owner when you are there. The moment you step inside this modern and well organized shop you will feel the difference.
The level of service, knowledge and professionalism I get at the big box stores and chains who have rapidly grown to almost totally dominate the pharmacy industry leaves a lot to be desired. I am old enough to remember when things were different.
There is a reason people go to school and go through a lengthy degree process to become a pharmacist. They exit with some valuable knowledge.
At big box and chain stores you deal with a pharmacist who you will almost never talk to who is bolstered by many clerks. However friendly they might be (if you are lucky) they are not going to evaluate your situation or ask questions to insure you are taking the right medicine the right way or point out alternatives. They don’t have the ability and there is a line behind you that they need to keep moving.
I have always believed that we should support local businesses. That is sometimes a pledge that’s wonderful to make but hard to keep because the reality is usually things are more expensive or inconvenient.
Alvin isn’t more expensive, actually far less than I paid at target or Walgreens and he makes everything convenient.
I can actually call ahead when I know I have a doctor appointment for medication management and he will order my medicines to make sure they are in stock when I come there on the day that I need them. Who else does that? Nobody. Usually I have to hand in my prescription and come back 3 days later if they aren’t in stock. A huge waste of time. He also delivers free of charge for people who aren’t mobile.
It is also remarkable that Alvin works with local charities like the Samaritan House on a nonprofit basis. He should have your business because of convenience and professionalism but this means you are supporting the community when you go there .
I was raised locally in a family of doctors and medical professionals. I have watched over the last few decades as satisfaction with providers has gone down the proverbial toilet in the healthcare industry. There isn’t a lot you can do about it most of the time, but choosing to support a business like this is one option that will make a difference and also make things easier.
A rare opportunity.

I have started going to this pharmacy after years of going to either Walgreen’s or CVS or Rite Aid. I think the final straw for me was not being able to get my medicine on time or the medicine no longer being carried by the pharmacy. I have had the pleasure of dealing with Alvin the pharmacist. He takes the time to help you out and makes sure your time is spent efficiently. I will be transferring my other prescriptions to this pharmacy. Thanks Alvin for your kindness!

Alvin runs the best Pharmacy in town! He goes way beyond the call of duty to give the finest customer service just like it used to be many years ago.
He delivers himself when you need your meds and I give him and his business 5 stars and an A+…please run do not walk to this pharmacy it is the only one of its kind on the Peninsula! Bravo!

I’ve dealt with a lot of different pharmacies and hands down this is by far the best customer service I have ever received. I would highly recommend not just for the outstanding customer service but because this is the best way you can support San Mateo small businesses. I’ve told all my local friends that the prices are fair, the service exemplary, and the overall vibe is one of friendliness and personal attention.

My 15 year old dog was diagnosed with severe pulmonary hypertension. The vet wrote out two prescriptions and referred me to a vet compounding pharmacy in San Rafael, and two other places in San Francisco. Those places were neither close nor convenient for me to get to and I thought «there has to be SOMEWHERE in the penninsula that does this».
There is. I found San Mateo Neighborhood Pharmacy on Google and Unilocal.Called up the number listed (close to their closing time) and Alvin helped me which was such relief. I was able to email him the prescriptions and pick up the next day.
Sadly, after picking up the medicine, and having the vet administer it. my poor dog was taking a turn for the worse and was put to sleep with her family surrounding her 2 hours after. Although the situation is a sad one, the customer service at this pharmacy was a great one. Thank you for all your help! I passed on their business card to the vet (per the the vets request) as the vet was surprised to hear there was one in San Mateo.

Love love love this Pharmacy. They go really above and beyond to get you your meds when you need them and at such reasonable costs. Much better Care than you would get at a CVS or a Target. The Pharmacist (I think his name is Alvin) managed to get my insurance to back down when they were being difficult. Also they free local deliveries is just unheard of. Much better to go to a local Pharmacy than to support a large chain that doesnt care about you. It also helps that it is so clean and new in there!

Came in today since it was close and convenient to where I live. Had a few questions which the pharmacist/​owner himself was able to help answer. Very friendly guy and happy I’ve found my new local drug store!

Brand new pharmacy and it already exceeds my expectations. I am impressed! Thank you for your existence. Best of luck!