Lin Sister

This was my first visit to Lin Sister – Medicina Tradicional China, and I honestly left feeling very hopeful. The evaluation was very thorough and focused on finding the root of the issue, not just masking symptoms. After months of digestive discomfort and trying different medications, today is the first day I’m already feeling a real improvement, even though it’s only been one day. I felt truly listened to and cared for. I’m very grateful for the experience and highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a natural, holistic approach to healing.

Oh my, I can't even begin to explain how wonderful I feel after my experience here. I have been struggling with constipation for many many years. I tried everything, I saw a gastroenterologist, he tried everything. I know I had years of stuck feces in me. My daughter's both said I just had no energy or umph. I was miserable. After probably 4 days on the herbs the Dr. had prescribed I had glorious relief .Then more and more and so on. I feel so good now. I'm so much lighter and can't begin to describe how much better I feel. Even my face looks better. I had a puffy red face ( from the toxins in my body I imagine). My daughter commented on how much better my face looked. I can see a difference too. Thank you Dr. Lin for your help I can't thank you enough. This shows me that Western medicine has nothing on Eastern herbal natural cures.

Came here because of a positive Instagram recommendation and immediately understood how viral businesses forget basic customer service. The place was packed, no problem . What wasn’t fine was being dismissed when asking how to get service. The woman at the desk brushed me off. Another staff member started answering my question, then mid-sentence stopped to help another customer and seemed annoyed when I was still there. I asked if calling for an appointment was an option and was told he answers the phones and that he doesn’t want anyone calling. Instead, you’re expected to stalk Instagram for appointment drops. I was also told people line up two hours before opening, even though they’re booked out for months. MAKE THAT MAKE SENE!!!. Customers are the reason you’re busy. Treating people like an inconvenience unless they show up with an 100k social media followers and an entourage is wild! Social media fame doesn’t excuse disrespect.

After the discriminating reviews, I know better not to visit this establishment. Your herbs may be good but the discriminating is a hard PASS. Thank for those that share your experience so others are AWARE.

Absolutely amazing. The herbs are helping with all issues I've been dealing with! I like how they hand write everything like old times 💯 also I've heard mixed opinions about the taste..but my blend taste amazing!! I do like earthy drinks tho

I swear by Lin Sister because I don’t have to mention anything and Dr. Frank can tell me about my ailments. The staff is always so friendly and nice, I always feel refreshed when I leave there. When my session was over Dr. Frank pointed towards the rest room told me I had to use it. I looked at him in total shock because he was spot on. He knew this from checking my pulse.

This is the best natural medicine pharmacy in New York City! The staff is very friendly, welcoming, and always ready to help. They are very organized and work quickly. You can tell they really know their products and care about their customers. Highly recommend!

This place is awesome, If I could live there I would! lol! Lost lots of blood from fibroids and low energy. I felt better after the first day of taking what Dr.Lin prescribed!! Grateful ☺️

I always try to avoid medicine, Eastern and Western, but after a bout of endless rheumatological issues that steroids and anti-inflammatories couldn't fix, I was recommended here by coworkers and friends. Some of my many symptoms included excessive localized sweating, fatigue, random aches and soreness, and costochondritis. It's $30 to see the herbal doctor. You don't need to see him if you have a list of herbs from elsewhere. If you've been to Lin Sister before, they have a record of your last visit and will prepare the prescription upon request so you don't need to see the doctor again. They'll only charge another $30 if you need to see the doctor again, which makes sense. The herbs come in easy-to-use packets. You pour the packets into a cup and then boil water. The herbs are freeze-dried and crushed, and I've found that they are more potent than the full herbs, which need to be boiled in a pot. The herbs taste nasty, and the nice ladies at the front will warn you several times. Add honey to alleviate the bitterness. The doctor Frank and the nice ladies speak English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. They are very knowledgeable. They are not overly chatty and will only tell you basics, so ask questions if you're not sure about dosage and refills. Compared to other herb shops, they are very friendly and organized. There was no wait when I went near closing on Friday. As of 5 days, the medicine has cleared the sweating, aches, and costochondritis, all of which I have been dealing with for nearly a year now. I wish I came here sooner instead of taking those terrible steroids. We're talking about herbal medicine recipes that are 1000s of years old. I'll trust those from now on. You're in good hands here!

Consultation $30 Medicine can be $8 per sachet and you might get prescribed 7-12 sachets depending on your condition so that can be $56 or $96 Total $86 to $126 Languages spoken: English, Cantonese, Mandarin The ladies downstairs at the front are not rude, but they are sharp & quick and you should be too. Must clarify what dialect you speak. Otherwise, it's default Mandarin You have to go upstairs for the doctor. It looks secluded once you get to the door to go up the stairs but it opens up to a big second floor office The actual doctor is thorough and patient does a holistic approach the first time. He wants to bring your immune system back up before tackling all in individual issues. He hand writes everything. I have yet to start my course of sachets so there will be a second review to follow

I had some herbal formulas sent to me from Lin Sister and was very pleased with the level of professionalism, knowledge and fair pricing. From the time I sent an email to inquire about availability of the herbs until they reached my door in the Bronx was less than 24 hours. This Family definitely knows what they are doing and look forward to placing many more orders in the future. If all businesses were ran as efficiently as Lin Sister's Herb Shop, the World would be a much more Beautiful place. Place your orders with confidence, knowing that they will take very good care of you! d.h.

They are great!! So amazing at that they do super informative & have a ton of different herb options

This review is for the shop retail only. Not consultation. I've reserved this review for a really long time but geez, every time I go into the store, it's never a pleasant trip. Staff are rude, unhelpful, condescending and assume asians would know TCM? or know how to read mandarin. Annoying. Most of what they sell in store can be bought from any Chinese pharmacy anyway. And why would I still go there? Because the facade of the store is nice. AC is optimal and it's the closest to my place. But yeah, seriously...lose that attitude please.

The store is nice and clean. They have many herbal remedies and medicines. I came to see Dr. Frank. He was very professional. He listens to the problems and make recommendations. Overall, I have great experience here and could recommend Lin Sister.

Lin Sister has helped me with many things during my adult life- either personal or......work related. My husband has been coming here for the last 20+ years and introduced me to the wonders of natural, Chinese healing, medicine and what have you. And since then, I've been a loyal, Lin Sister customer. Service is straight to the point: go in, explain your ailment (or what your needs are) and someone will advise you. Within the scope of what you'd like, they suggest a number of things. They do all the mixing and packaging themselves. The times I've visited, either for a lingering cold or work related matters, they'd start me up with herbs to make tea, other times, have been easy-to-swallow tablets other times, tinctures- so it all depends. It does me good Taking this alternative path- just wish I could take advantage of it more often- if I lived any closer. Attention to detail is always there and have never left second-guessing their expertise or have never had any issues with their remedies. Price? Unbelievably reasonable! Really like the whole mind and body approach to traditional Chinese medicine I get here.

My husband and I struggled with infertility for 5 years and decided to look into Eastern medicine. Our first two IVF transfers were unsuccessful. For our 3rd transfer, we decided to visit Lin Sister and take Chinese herbal medicine. I was a little worried there would be a language barrier as I do not speak Chinese, however, he speaks English and I did not have any issues. He asks questions, examines your pulse and tongue and provides herbal recommendations. The powder teas come in these little packets and you combine them into one cup and drink daily. I drank the tea before, during, and after my transfer. Our third IVF transfer was successful! We finally have our baby and have to thank Lin Sister for being apart of our miracle baby!

I went to see Dr Frank today. I came here because western drs have not been able to help me with my issues. I sat down with Dr. Frank in a few minutes he knew the reasons I was there without my telling him. Very impressive. I was given 14 days' worth of 2 teas a day. I was taken back by the price it cost me $121 for the tea and the consultation. The dr told me I would start to see results in 2 weeks but that real results would take place after 3 months I did the math. That would cost me $726 The lady upfront said I might see results before that. The Dr said let's just try for 2 weeks see how you feel and then he can make changes accordingly. I had 3 issues I wanted help with he suggested just working on 2 out of the 3 to start. I liked that he wasn't looking to simply sell me more teas to make a few more dollars. I haven't started the teas yet so I can not speak to the efficacy of the teas so I will check back in 2 weeks to let you know how it goes. I must say though the fact that he knew my conditions was quite impressive.

Frank is an excellent herbalist- I have the utmost confidence in his capabilities. He has helped many members of my family overcome chronic illness. I couldn't tell you a better place to go for health issues Western medicine just hasn't been able to solve.

Having extremely bad back ache, which was compounded by an accident I had a few months ago and it felt like my back muscles were constantly locked and raw, disturbing my daily and nightly life, I found Lin Sister on this forum and decided to give them a try, I went in, with a little reservation, having not been there before, just for a 30 minute basic acupuncture session for my back, which cost $55. Let me tell you, this maybe the best $55 I have spent in the past 12 months. My back is much better, even after one session, it doesn't feel sore anymore, achy still, yes, but far better than it was. I will be returning again.

This is the REAL DEAL in Traditional Chinese Medicine. They carry every herb used in TCM. If you have a TCM prescription - they are the place to get it made. They ship all over. I get my herbs Ground and Blended here. The best!!! The prices are very reasonable for everything. They also have an in-house TCM Doctor who will really help you out.

I never believed in Chinese Herbal medicine until I went yo see Dr. Frank 10 years ago. He was able to cure two polio's I had in my vocal chords. As a result I was constantly loosing my voice. Dr. Frank put me on an herbal treatment for a month. I went back to my ENT who was quite surprised my polyps were gone. In disbelief he honestly told me hat he was ready to schedule surgery because my polyps were so bad and were bleeding that he wasn't convince the treatment he gave me would help. Then I honestly said "I went to a Chinese doctor'- Herbal medicine. He smile and told me to continue doing what I was doing because the polyps were gone! This is my though real story. I recently took a friend there to have her tinnitus treated with herbals and acupuncture. She has found significant relief, which is helping her quite significantly because her tinnitus was 24/7. I can only say positives about Chinese herbal medicine.

This is a great place to come and get a tune up for your body. Your pulse is checked, the iris of your eye is checked and your tongue. Within ten minutes they can give a very good diagnosis to what ails you. You are then given a prescription of Chinese herbs to make a tea that you drink for the next ten days. From time to time there can be a communication issue with the people who prepare your herbs. Today they had a young man named Patrick who recently started working there help me out. His English was excellent the communication was on point and he gave me a few pointers on preparing my tea. I love this place.

My whole family comes to this place for over 10 years for all their needs when it comes to herbal and TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). 1. Honest TCM Doctor. This is very important because I had been cheated and lied to from other less ethical TCM doctor in NYC Chinatown. Frank Lin had been great in both diagnostic and treating the common misalignment. 2. Cost effectiveness. For many of the common issue, I save so much more over seeing my primary care + cost of drugs (and we all know in US how that ridiculous medicine costs). 3. Less side effect. I am not a big fan of drugs, because if you really read the reports and the fine prints, ever single drug has side effects over time, especially for kids and elderly. 4. Again, I do not get paid for this review, just my honest opinion.

Gotta give it to the Chinese, they are so skilled in medicine and reading peoples bodies. It was like having a personal diagnosis to treat my body, rather than going to a doctor and just giving me tylenol. A few check of my tongue, wrist pulse, and questions he was telling me what I've been doing wrong and what I should cut down on. The staff was very helpful and they made me feel very comfortable with their knowledge of the medicine and treatment. I am usually very nervous at these places but they were just awesome and prescribed a herbal formula personally for ME! lol . feel the love.

Well, Frank is excellent and his consultation price is extremely reasonable. I felt like he really listened and my seasonal depression changed for the better almost immediately once I started with the herbs. The one star off is for the price of the herbs which was $72 for a 12 day supply. I can't afford an ongoing $180 monthly herbal bill so I'm hoping as we figure out what's working and what isn't maybe I can buy things in bulk and that will help with the cost? In any case, for the time being I'm going back and sucking up the cost as the results are totally worth it.

Dr Fang Yao Lian is a master in TCM. I have been getting tests done for the last six months without even a proper diagnosis by medical doctors. As per the tradition he took my pulse for a long time. He also checked my tongue. He asked a number of questions regarding my symptoms and every visit he has tailored the herbal teas. Slowly and gradually I am regaining my strength and balance.

Came here to purchase herbal tonic soups for wife's confinement. Very satisfied and helpful staff. Thank you!

3 generations of supremely talented Traditional Chinese Doctors in NYC. They have cured a friend of mine of serious ailments, she was diagnosed with lupus and liver issues but nothing the Western trained doctors could do absolve her of severe pain or even suggest a cure. After she returned to work looking amazing, I went to them for minor issues and lost weight and gained energy. I have t been back since I moved near Princeton, NJ, but a friend is getting confused looks from her doctors over pancreatic issues and they came to mind. I'm driving her there myself. I trust a 2000 year old medical tradition based on my own experiences with my health than Big Pharma and the unfortunate misguided doctors that peddle their wares.

They are so helpful in here! Wish I got the women's name that helped me out with my lower abdominal pain. Thank you! Definitely would recommend!

Acupuncture has practically healed my sciatica and the woman in the herb shop gave me a great supplement to take in between sessions.

Very Helpful indeed. I explained my problem, and they showed me several alternatives. Friendly and knowledgeable men and women. I'm sure whatever ails you, they have something legit for that.

I used to have regular consultation with the herbalist there to ease my stress from work. They would take my pulse, look at my tongue, the "color" of my skin, etc. to come up with a diagnosis. After each visit, I would be prescribed a few packets of herbal essence powder to be dissolved in hot water. I felt great afterwards because I have "done something" to relieve my stress. I went back again and again every time when I felt stressful from work. These consultations continued on and off for more than a year. Then, I got pregnant. This time, I did not go there to get "stress relief". In fact, I went there to see if the doctor would be able to prescribe something for my baby's growth and nutrition. As usual, I sat down for a consultation, but relaxed and happy for the baby growing in side me. The doctor checked my pulse, looked at my tongue, etc. The diagnosis was: "Yes, you are a little stressed again. Let me prescribe something to help you." I was surprised, and asked, "I am 2nd trimester pregnant. Are you able to see that?" "Oh yes, of course I know. I just did not mention it." I decided that he was running a scam ever since.

I was very skeptical going in but I'm so glad I did. Everyone there is very helpful, friendly, and personable. For any who might have doubts about natural herbs. I suggest to give it a try worth the consultation. Thousands of years ago before all these pharmaceuticals. Civilizations used herbs and natural remedies.

Lin Sister saved my life. I swear by this place and Susan and Frank the two doctors in the clinic. I have sent dozens upon dozens of friends here and everyone has seen results. Chinese medicine is about balance. So go here for a check-up or for a health condition. A health magazine actually interviewed me and included my Lin Sister story in an article a few years ago. Certainly the herbs are bitter but the health results are dramatic!

I Honestly can say enough good things about Frank Lin and his staff. I came to him with my issues and In less than a month I am doing much better. Real medicine from a real professional. I've been to other herbalists in the past that were ok but I highly recommend him to anyone . I've already given his number out many times. Very fair pricing and his system of pre prepared, powdered herbs is a very easy more modern not to mention much more effective/ easier way of transporting and preparing medicinal teas. Closed on Wednesday.

I am re writing a review for this place. I finally decided to give it a try and had a visit with the herbalist and fewer more with the acupuncturist. I have to say that results were extraordinary. I, as many others, ended up being treated here because Western medicine doctors couldn't figure out what I had. Here I was successfully treated. So, my suggestion is, TRY it. The rest of the staff is very nice. My first review came from an upset reaction to a price that seemed exaggerated because I was used to another Chinese doctor in China Town who charged much less. Too bad she retired. In any event, Linn Sisters became my point of reference if I am not well.

Went in a lady warmly greeted me told me where to go. I told the dr what was going on and no problems he came back wrote my prescription and as I went downstairs helped a lot. I asked a few questions off of what ailed me and I was helped so much. I forgot the ladies name but she gives honest help and does not try to take your money . I will call as she told me to and I will come back again when I visit new York. Great experience

Great place for herbs. The staff were very knowledgeable and patient as I asked about a variety of herbs. This is now my go to place to pick up chinese herbs.

I was having severe back pain and yelped an acupuncturist in Chinatown, and this was one of my options. After reading the few reviews I took the next subway down. The acupuncture is done on the 2nd floor of the herbal shop. I had about 10 needles put into my back and a magnetic machine that looked like a lamp was put above me. I layed for a half hour like this and walked out feeling better than ever. Very professional and clean. I paid $55 -- better than waiting for doctor appointments and copayments.

I've been taking Breathe Free (allergy granulated tea) since last my review that was 2 years ago. I am happy to say that it works! I start taking it before allergy hit the season. I don't know that makes any different but I used to take 3 different kinds of allergy medication for Spring but I am down to only one at night. I am free from red and puffy eyes to sneezing all the time feeling miserable. If you have seasonal allergy, try it! It's very reasonable (about $5 a box).

I consulted with the herb doctor today. He was easy to talk to and seemed to understand all my ailments and how they connect in my system. He took his time to think about his recommendations and asked questions thoroughly. After we consulted I brought his notations to the front counter where three women and a man began pulling little drawers open and taking packets of herbs out that they then divided into 12 containers that represented each day of treatment the doctor recommended for me.The total came to $102, which included the herb consultation. My instructions were given calmly and patiently before I left. I begin the course tomorrow and will return in two weeks for a follow up. I'm hopeful! A great experience so far.

I love this little herb shop. Stopped in to pick up some cold medicine, medicated oil and tiger balm. They have everything. Just wanted to have these at home. They were really helpful and answered all my questions.

Lin Sister herb shop is so great for my teen daughter - she catches cold so easily, and a quick visit to Frank and some herbs will fix her up very quickly so she doesn't spend much time in bed and has enough energy to get through her studies. The herb packages are easy for her to handle - she would not take the time to boil herbs, but she will cut open the packets and pour boiling water on them and drink them. So this is good and Frank is "right on" with the combinations. This is much easier than having to make an appointment with her pediatrician, wait forever, and then pay top $$ for antibiotics and the mentality of doctors who think drugs are the answer to everything and don't teach youth to take care of themselves with diet and nutrition. NOTE: we recently went down there on a Wednesday and they were closed with a sign in the window stating they are closed on Wed. I don't know if this is for the winter months or what, but be prepared.

The real deal as far as Chinese medicine goes. Very clean place, and very interesting setup. Got acupuncture done here because of back pain. (First time ever!) They were good, thoughtful, and helpful. Will go back a few times to ensure pain is gone. Can't comment on acupuncture itself, but if it is legit as far as therapy goes, I trust this place is among the better ones.

Can't praise them enough! After weeks of dealing with a mysterious allergy issue, I decided this would be my last sane option and, it was! They look at your body as a whole, and prescribe customized teas and concoctions for whatever is ailing you. The herbalist doctor is very nice and asks pointed questions...you have to try some ancient Chinese wisdom!

5 stars for effectiveness and affordability. I had one of those lingering bugs that never fully takes you out of the game but always has you wishing it would so you could call out sick for three days and my western doctor found nothing. Dr. Lin gave me a ten day herbal treatment and I feel excellent again.

Lin Sister is a lifesaver. Such great and honest people. Frank is one of the best herbalists you will ever find.

Compared to other herb supply prices this is the best!

In just one visit, I know this place is the real deal. Coming from an excellent acupuncturist and herbalist in Portland, Oregon I was nervous about Lin Sister taking time and care with my evaluations and treatment. In just one session with Dr. Cai I saw tangible results with my health issues. He is an EXCELLENT acupuncturist. While there was a bit of a verbal language barrier, he spoke the language of Qi. And, as far as I'm concerned, that's all a great TCM practitioner needs. Great experience. Highly recommended. Headed back for a second session as soon as I can!

My husband is Board certified in Pathology with a long, successful practice in the midwest. Still, I prefer acupuncture and Chinese herb over western medicine because of the many side effects the latter one causes, published or unpublished. I have received treatment from many different acupuncturists. In December 2008 I got 2 treatment at Lin Sister herb Shop for lower back ache. The second treatment was my last one at that place. The acupuncturist left the needles and a heat lamp shining on my back for over 45 minutes. When it started to be uncomfortable, I knocked on the wall and called, but nobody came. Apparently, it was a busy day for the acupuncturist. Because of the needles I couldn't get up from my laying position either. When the acupuncturist finally came to remove the needles I complaint that he exposed me too long to the lamp. He said something I didn't understand. The heat of the lamp was so bad, I walked out from the shop with a scarred area on my back. A few days later the scarred area turned into a big blister. Six months later another acupuncturist from another practice could still see the scar. My advice to anybody going to an acupuncturist using heat lamp is to ask the acupuncturist how the lamp will be turned off timely or what to do if it is too hot for you. In the hands of irresponsible practitioner any valid healing method can cause big damage. My advice to Lin Sister is to have better supervision especially if their acupuncturists have language problem.

I'm usually really skeptical about these places. I've never done anything like this and I'm still in shock! I walked in late last week with an appointment to see the herbalist (Dr. Frank). Dr Frank proceeds to ask me a couple of questions and within minutes he knows everything I've been doing the last few days (ok, slightly exaggerated), but this place is the real deal. The cost of consultation was $30. Not bad in my opinion, definitely worth it if you want to treat your body right. You'll learn a lot more about yourself and go home very satisfied. I have to thank my friend for recommending me to this place (Ker/P-Star). I haven't tried the acupuncture yet because I don't get along with needles, but if I do, I'll let you all know how it goes.

I've come here for years for everything from a foot massage, to herbs, acupuncture and colonics. It's all first class and the prices are reasonable. Frank gives me check ups and recommends herbs, John and Devin do the foot massage. John even remembered my name and my problems after not seeing him for two years. Need I say more? You owe it to yourself to stop exploring all the rip offs in Chinatown and settle in here on the real deal!

Frank is a kind, well trained doctor who genuinely cares about his patients - something lacking in today's so called "medical experts." Nevertheless, he was able to prescribe the proper herbal formula that suited my needs. I am slowly but surely getting better. Parking is hard to find, but a drive out to Manhattan is worth every penny. I have been to other herbalists, healers,medical experts, or whatever you wish to call them, in the past, but in all honesty none of them were really able to help. I definitely recommend him for your health problems.

The herbal formulas giving to me by the practitioners at Lin Sisters have always helped me with my episodes of back pain. Have been coming here since 15 years ago

A great selection of Chinese herbs and medicine. Go with a basic level of knowledge if you don't speak Mandarin.

Was here in January and had a thorough consultation with the TCM specialist and bought a bundle of instant tea herbs I had to take for 30 days. The tea helped very well. Since that I swear on TCM medicine and on this doctor.

I had just come down with flu, the really nasty 2012-13 flu, and a friend recommended I immediately purchase Flu Away chinese herbal remedy (it's an instant beverage) not only sold at Lin Sister, but formulated by the Lin Sisters themselves. I drank 3 or 4 cups on day 1, 3 cups on day 2 and was almost better by day 3. Remarkable. I can't speak to their other products or their acupuncture & other eastern medicine services, but they have already established trust with me.