Native Ken

I have been going to Native Ken (which used to be Tina Catherine) for several years for eye exams, contact lenses, and glasses prescriptions. I am always impressed by the friendliness of the owner and staff. My kids are often in tow and no one minds that they are running around hundreds of expensive frames… they are just always so calm and courteous. Today I was seen by Justin, an optician who was super nice and took time to explain eye conditions to me that no one has in the past. The facility is spotless and modern. Not sure how price compares to others, but I don’t care, I wouldn’t go anywhere else.
Thanks as always, Native Ken!

Great/​quality selection! They carry trendy unique pieces guaranteed to attract your interest.
Chris, the owner, is a very cool dude and very helpful.

This was my best eye doctor experience ever! Not only was the appointment on time, and in a nicely appointed room, the optician was great and very helpful with my questions. I picked out a new pair of frames and they were done that afternoon. Talk about FAST! I highly recommend them!

Rafael is the best !

This review is for an experience I had almost 2 years ago that bothers me to this day.
I made an appointment with Dr. Amanda Martin shortly before leaving the city to get a contact lens prescription. The store was within my network, and conveniently located around the block from my apt. Making an appointment was a breeze, and the receptionist was accommodating.
I don’t know if I caught her on a bad day in light of all the good reviews here, but Dr. Martin was oddly confrontational. After the exam, I asked for the prescription, but she wouldn’t give it to me without purchasing lenses from the store, and she gave me pricing for a 1-​year supply. This is illegal under the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act which protects my right to comparison shop.
I don’t think she was prepared for a patient to be well-​informed. I caved, and asked to buy one box for each eye, which really bothered her. She pointed out that since I was moving, I might not have insurance for awhile so I should buy a longer supply. I explained that I clean and re-​use daily lenses with solution, and this revelation made her irate. She demanded to know specifics of where I got this information, and when I wouldn’t tell her any more than «a previous doctor in NY», she pressed further. A spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson has said, «No physical property of 1-​Day Acuvue limits its use to a single day disposable wear». I’ve been wearing contact lenses for almost two decades and never once had any sort of eye problems. Yes, it is cheaper, but the cost of lenses and eye wear really add up.
It was an uncomfortable situation; I was bullied and coerced into a purchase I didn’t want. The store was compensated for my exam by my insurance, but the doctor wasn’t satisfied with just that. It is illegal to withhold a prescription until lens purchase, and unethical to pressure a patient to buy directly from one place.
I would never recommend this place to anybody.

The level of service I received from TCEO is like no other. I misplaced my last pair of contacts and needed new contracts for a wedding this Sunday, but unfortunately I have astigmatism and use the Acuvue brand, which no optical store front has stock of for a moment’s notice emergency. The owner called their distributer and within 24 hours I had a new pair of contacts as I waited for my new order of contacts to be delivered by mail. WOW.
Thank you!

I’ve been going to these guys for my glasses for a while now. But I went in to have a lens replaced and the frame cleaned up .I was treated like I was buying the most expensive glasses in the store. I can’t say enough about how great this store is and the guys who run It top class with a hit of caring. P. s. they aren’t bad on the eyes either. Jeff B

Great curated selection of glasses and sunglasses. At the same level as Silver Lining but different brands. Tina Catherine has a more sleek environment compared to Silver Lining’s sort of bachelor pad aesthetic.

This place is amazing. I needed to get my lenses replaced and had called a few places in the city and got some crazy expensive quotes. Not only did Chris give me a reasonable price, they had my glasses ready for me same day and he was as nice as could be. I’d absolutely come here for any pair of glasses. They have a cool selection of both sunglasses and eyeglasses, their service is great, and reasonably priced.

So i recently went to Tina Catherine, and was wearing my sunglasses i purchased there, and one of the owners was talking to me and noticed some scratches on a pair of Polarized Paul Smith sunglasses with a brownish gradient.
At Tina Catherine, they have their own gradient and lense dipper? Where they can take your lenses and make a gradient of any colors you like or even solid colors.
I changed mine from brown to a gradient of grey. It was remarkable.
Chris took my glasses and told me to come back in a couple hours and when i came back they are all ready to go.
Glad You guys are doing well still!

Wow! I went here after reading the 2 5-​star reviews and my experience was no different. This is not a glasses factory like Cohen’s or Lenscrafters — it is a boutique eyewear shop.
I came in really late for my appointment due to a baby shower running late. They took me in with no problem. The ambiance here is amazing! I know it’s weird to say that about a place that is not a hotel or restaurant but it feels very posh here. The doctor herself was so lovely and quick with my exam — my prescription had not changed much in 5 years so it was easy.
The girls helped me pick a frame that I LOVE! I am really into the new nerdy chic look with the bigger, more prominent frames — see Victoria Beckham in Glamour Sept 2012 issue. The first pair she picked for me were exactly what I went with — looked very similar to Victoria’s.
The entire process was less than 30 mins — I also spent less $ 200 on exam, frames and lenses! Can’t beat that!
The frames were ready 2 days later — I had some anxiety if I would still like them days later since they were different than the ones I’ve normally worn. But there was no regret — only love!
I

After having the world’s worst experience with Cohen’s I remembered that the staff at Tina Catherine had been very nice when I stopped in to browse a few months before. While they were out of network for my insurance I felt they were worth paying out of pocket for. I had purchased some Tom Ford frames online (a brand they do not sell) and after Cohen’s put lenses of the wrong prescription in (mind you I waited a whole week for them) I just wanted to see again!
Tina Catherine’s staff warmly welcomed me with my frames and prescription in hand. They admired my frames and said that they would be ready in a day or two. I stopped by as I passed later that week and my glasses were all ready to go. No fuss, no attitude.
I would definitely recommend Tina Catherine to anyone who needs work done fast and likes to be treated like an adult (two things I cannot say about Cohen’s). Well worth the extra money in my opinion. Oh, and their lenses were competitively priced.

Good News/​Bad News… They have a great selection and the staff are very helpful. If you have the VSP Vision Plan, Tina Catherine is OUT OF NETWORK. Be warned that you will get ONLY A TINY FRACTION of what you would get back if it was in network. They don’t bother to warn you about this.

Tina Catherine is AH-​MAZING! My boyfriend referred them after the leg on my 6 year old frames fell off. Needless to say, it was time for a new pair and an eye exam since it had been ages (clearly, I’m not a fan of eye exams). I went in on a Saturday and got my exam. The optician was lovely! She was gentle yet thorough and made the experience painless — and quick!
The eyewear selection is very impressive. They only carry the best brands and the latest styles available. The customer service was also great. The sales staff is also very knowledgeable and honest — which is important if you’re shopping solo. They also were very helpful with the insurance processing and answering questions about payment and claims. My glasses were ready in about 2 – 3 days (so fast!) and they came out perfect. I can finally see again –with two legs! LOL
Overall it was a great experience and I highly recommend Tina Catherine! Thanks guys — you ROCK!