It was a lot more fun than I imagined it would be to choose a men's outfit at Drinkwater's for our elopement, for a bunch of reasons: Gary is a pleasure to work with and his expert eye instantly pulled together an entire outfit that we love. With the fitting included, we were in and out within 90 minutes. The shop has a wide array of stylish, quality men's clothing that are a feast for the eyes. Plus, importantly, we felt safe shopping there during the COVID-19 pandemic. By making an appointment beforehand only the three of us were in the shop so it was easy to keep a safe distance from each other while selecting clothes. We all wore masks the entire time. I am sure we will be back. read more

Submitted a inquiry about tailoring the suit for wedding. It was crickets for a week. When I called to check the status of inquiry, the guy just said they are not doing any tailoring for outside clothes and they just outsource tailoring to Keezer's which is few blocks away, and recommend me working with them. I wanted to work with them but it sounded like they don't want anymore business. Simple email reply could have saved my time. Won't be coming back. read more

One of the last true better mens store left in our area. Great for made to measure garments.

Got there and one of the team members was attending to a couple (fair) the other team members were just around. So we waited in the small shop for about 20 minutes. Eventually one of the other team members finally offered to help. I walked out after realizing that the others could have helped but were just doing nothin. read more

The staff are so nice here! Clothing may be high end, but there is no snobbiness or pressure here. Great experience shopping here.

Gary and his team made me feel like a million bucks on the most important day of my life! His communication was timely and thorough and setting up an appointment was very easy. Having never been measured for a suit before he made the process as simple and seamless as possible, explaining each aspect so that I fully understood the potential final product. It was a great experience that took no more than an hour and I couldn't wait to return a couple months later to see my new classic charcoal custom suit. It was everything I'd hoped for and wearing it on my wedding day made me feel more confident than I've ever felt in my 30-ish years. 10/10 recommend going to Drinkwater's for all suiting needs, for the outstanding customer service and incredible quality. Cheers to looking and feeling like the best version of yourself possible. read more

My father has been purchasing clothes from Gary Drinkwater for over 30 years, starting when he was a salesman at the now-defunct Louis in the Back Bay. Today, I made my first purchase, a beautiful Colmar winter coat, from Gary and could not have been happier with the experience. Drinkwater's is a small boutique shop but has a plentiful and unique selection of men's clothing. Gary has a great eye for style and carries some unique brands that I hadn't known of, but that I now like very much! Shop with Gary and you'll walk out looking fashionable and sophisticated! read more

A wonderful place to buy a custom made suit. Gary Drinkwater is a master at his craft. He knows what he is doing and very easy to talk to. it was a wonderful experience. read more

I was looking to replace my worn out Galibier Super Guides but was no longer able to buy them directly from France. Gary Drinkwater is a Paraboot Pro dealer in the US and procured them without delay. If you are looking for exceptional customer service and best quality clothing, Drinkwater's is worth checking out. read more

I was already a fan of Drinkwater's, so when it came time to figure out what to wear for my wedding, I stuck with them. Stephen talked me out of my initial idea (which in retrospect, would indeed have been a disaster-- thank you, Stephen!) and set me on the right path. I wound up getting a new pair of slacks and a lightweight blazer, in the fabrics of my choice and tailored to fit my unusually long limbs. Stephen and Gary were very helpful at all stages (as always), and the end result looked great-- I got numerous compliments about the outfit at the wedding. And even better, the items are separately useful and will give me plenty of ongoing value. (I didn't own a lightweight blazer before, so that in particular was an excellent investment both for the occasion and for the future.) My only gripe about the process was that I felt I had to chase them more aggressively than I would have liked to get timely updates about my order. As an anxious person by nature, and even more so when a once-in-a-lifetime event is on the line, I would have appreciated more proactive notifications about ship dates, deliveries, etc. But if you're more laid back than me, or if you are not dealing with deadlines, this would probably be a trivial concern to you. read more

What a completely extraordinary experience!!! Now I look like a million bucks and I spent somewhat less than a million bucks here! Mr Drinkwater is a lovely and deeply knowledgeable person who helps you from the minute you walk in. He helped me find the right clothes and then made sure they were perfectly tailored. I'm so happy with how I look now!! read more

In an age of increasingly anonymous global clothing brands that aren't worth the money and indifferent, badly informed service in shops, Gary Drinkwater completely bucks the trend. A long-time veteran of Louis Boston and Stonestreets, he has launched out on his own in a gorgeous little space near Porter Square with free parking in back (yes, the same building as the Elephant Walk). Although there were four customers in the store at once yesterday -- one picking up six pairs of trousers, one buying a sport coat, one ordering custom shirts for the first time, and me trying to match a new Hermes jacket to some trousers and shirts, not to mention two walk-ins over the same 90 minutes -- Gary made it all look easy and made everyone feel well served. Gary stocks a lot of fantastic US-made brands like Bill's Chinos, Hertling trousers, and Agave jeans as well as little-known Euro and UK brands like Gianni Agnelli, Hilditch & Key, and Paraboot (my favorite shoes in the world, which last for decades if cared for well). Gary's tailor does terrific free alterations for regularly priced merchandise and even delivers to your office if you're too pressed to pick up. He also stocks nice little surprises like the Acca Kappa line of fragrances from Treviso and gorgeous Zegna fabric cashmere blankets for under $300. Not to mention art openings in the store and chino trade-in events where he donates used chinos to charity and throws in a discount on Bill's Khakis. I can't abide two San Franciscans giving we Bostonians the low-down (and even so-so rankings) to Gary. He's a total pro and he has the stock and the customers to prove it. Go see for yourself. You won't want to go anywhere else. read more

I wanted to leave an updated review after Drinkwater's was particularly helpful recently. I've been going to Drinkwater's for around 4 years now, and it's still the best shopping experience I've ever had. Gary and Stephen have both gotten to know me, know what I like and what I want, and more importantly I've learned a huge amount about what works for me from them. Their customer service is always impeccable, they go out of their way to be helpful, and everything in the store is extremely high quality. You're never pressured into buying something that wouldn't work for you, the opposite is true, in fact. Drinkwater's is one of the rare stores that really plays the long game in establishing long term relationships with its customers. I will routinely go to Gary's for fun even if there's nothing in particular that I need. I strongly recommend it to anybody looking for great clothing, or just advice. read more

...this is an odd little store in an odd little location. (It's in the same building in Porter Square that houses the Elephant Walk restaurant.) I really want to like this place, I really do. There's a trend in men's fashion over the last few years to return to a 1950's look...and its a look I like most of the time. Square, analog watches with patent leather wrist straps; silver cuff links; knit blazers.... all of these things with a modern twist, of course... but still, a very nice retro look. Drinkwater's is attempting to hit that mark, but they just...sorta...miss it, and I'm really can't put my finger on why. The folks that run it are very nice...and older man and a woman in her early 30's seem to be the joint proprietors, and they are very helpful and polite and nice. I think the problem might be that the inventory is a little schizophrenic - it wants to have both the masculine retro men's fashion look, and it wants a softer (not gay - then it would make sense - but, almost feminine) look to the products as well. Check it out - or at least give them a chance. These guys have two albatrosses around their necks right now: they are trying for something a little different but missing the mark, and they are in a really bad location for shopping. (No foot traffic in that area.) So...they may be a non-starter, but you can probably find what you need - and the owners will point you in the right direction if you can't. read more

My husband knew exactly what he wanted to wear at our wedding. A blue suit - not BLUE blue, but not navy blue. Not electric blue, but more like royal blue. Not like ROYAL blue, more like royalish blue. Needless to say, we struck out at many suit stores before finding Drinkwater's. We went in and Gary helped us pick out the perfect shade of blue (not blue blue, navy blue, electric blue, royal blue, but the right blue.....it did exist!) and we had a suit custom made from scratch. The end result was a super-fly groom. Word. read more

I came here in a last-ditch attempt to get my wedding dress altered, as I was eloping and other tailors wouldn't accept me (or outright laughed at me) due to the short amount of time before the big day. Even though I'm not exactly the ideal customer (being that I am a woman), Gary and his staff graciously welcomed me in and took on the job. The customer service was exemplary, and any issue was remedied in full. Would highly recommend for the well-dressed man! There are so many beautiful ties and pocket squares!! read more

I was just in Drinkwater's for the first time. I recently moved to Boston from Chicago. I've spent a lot of time in Oxford, MS, where I shop for clothing at Hinton and Hinton, on the square. Drinkwater's carries a lot of the same brands of suits and sport coats, so I was hoping I would find my new store. I went in the store, there were three shoppers and two employees (one seemed to be the owner). There was no "hello" or "welcome" or any acknowledgment that someone had entered. I tried on several items, having to move a dozen or so shirts and jackets to get to a room. Employee had disappeared by this time. After shopping in this tiny store for half an hour, no one ever offered to help me find a size, said hello or kiss my butt. I'll keep looking for a new men's clothing store. read more

I have been shopping at Drinkwater's since 2007 or thereabout. I purchase of their soap, deodorant, and shaving gel for my husband. When we had more income I purchased shorts, jerseys, belts, and socks. My husband is very tall; so pants are not possible unless he is fitted/measured for them and we cannot afford this. I don't work and so no income on my part to support my husband as most couples do. I like to visit Drinkwater's and to purchase some small items like toiletries for my husband. It is a lovely store and I am happy to have found it one day as I walked on Massachusetts Avenue. They have been there 10 years now; and may they remain always in the area. It does seem out of place in that it might be better housed in Harvard Square perhaps, but the owners know what is best for them. read more

Summary: I would highly recommend Drinkwater's. Long version: Prior to finding Drinkwater's on yelp, I systematically went to every major suit store and high end men's fashion store in Back Bay. After exhaustively going to so many places and comparing construction, fabrics, style, I determined that there are basically 3 ways to buy a suit. 1) Budget - Nordstrom Rack, Macey's etc. - These suits are still very decent, but they use names like "Z Zenga" rather than just "Zenga" to sound like high end suits but are not nearly the same construction. These are great if you just need suits for work and don't care too much about appearance. 2) Custom budget - Blank Label, Modern Tailor etc. - These suits can be made to order in your exact size and are about $600-$900. I haven't tried this route, but if I were buying 10 suits for work and needed them to look like they fit, I would definitely try Blanklabel. The big issue I found with BL was that they look too fashion forward and their fabrics do not compare to more expensive suits. Since they are made to measure, I'm assuming you get a really good fit. But I'm not so sure they would look really good. 3) High end - These are the suits you buy at Saks Fifth Ave etc. They are fully canvased and start at $2500. The quality on these is insanely good, but they don't have much custom fit. I am between Reg and Short which means that I couldn't find a suit in their sizes that fit me. They can't really hem the R much to make it shorter because doing so would mean throwing off the ratio of length to pocket height which would look weird. You can order full custom Zenga etc. but they are in the $3200+ range. (Saks also sells stuff similar to NR for around $800-$100, these are partially fused and still decent, but they are sort of an in between high-end suits and budget without the customization. I'd rather have BL or step up in price). So.... After going to over 10 stores, reading numerous things on the internet, I just couldn't find something I really wanted. Then I walked in to Drinkwater's. Right away I noticed that the suits were high quality. They felt like what I almost paid $3k at Saks for. They offer some minor customization of the height of the suit which makes a huge difference if you are between heights. They are fully canvased which means the fabric 'floats' better for lack of a better description. The materials are awesome and the suit I bought looks incredible. They took the time to make sure it was tailored correctly to me and fit perfectly. The price was less than half of what I almost spent at Saks and the look and quality are indistinguishable. If you are in the market for a nice suit, you really owe it to yourself to shop around, and then go to Drinkwater's. Once you understand suiting it will be clear that you are getting the best deal on the top quality materials and construction. read more

I didn't actually buy anything from the actual store, but I purchased a coat online from Drinkwaters. i have to say the customer service is excellent. I was not 100% satisfied with the coat and they took great care of the matter. Wish all stores in SF could have such great CS. Great ppl and superb CS makes this a hidden jewel. Highly recommended!! read more

Came to Drinkwater's looking for a made to measure shirt for my wedding last year and wasn't disappointed. Gary guided me through the process of selecting each element on the shirts. He's got all the options you could want and a nice selection of fabrics. The end result was great - loved the fabric and all of the individual aspects we picked out and most importantly, they fit perfectly. read more

Gary is a peach of a guy with impeccable taste in clothes. As an immigration lawyer, I wear a tie everyday to work. And Gary has a really great assort of my ties; much better than Brooks Brothers, which every one wears. Plus, I really dig the Engineered Garment gear. read more

My favorite store in Boston! Hands down has the best selection of made in USA clothing in all of Boston. Great selection of Engineered Garments (Japanese brand), and they also stock Paraboot! Gary the owner is so inspiring, and has been in the fashion industry for longer than I've been alive. He's incredibly knowledgeable, and excellent people. If you care about quality garments, this is the place to be. read more

Only place in Boston area where you can get Engineered Garments which are my favorite. Gary knows clothes and you will look/feel better in clothes that FIT and LOOK great. Stop buying disposal clothes and invest in some great pieces that you'll wear all the time. read more

I absolutely love Drinkwater's. Their clothes are all so well-made and much of it is sourced from within the USA. Gary treats you with the utmost respect and consideration. This is not a place for a bargain-hunter, but if you are someone that is looking to strategically buy 1-2 things at a time to build a wardrobe that will last and that you will always love to wear, then this is the perfect spot. I couldn't recommend it more highly. The world needs to remember the value of a high quality local retailer, even if it's pricier than a large chain. read more

Drinkwater's is great and Gary is incredibly helpful. Over the last couple months I've purchased two made to measure shirts, a pocket square, and a pair of trousers from here and they've all been spectacular. The made to measure shirts fit perfectly and are a great price for the quality. I couldn't be happier with the turn around time either. I needed the pants on very short notice and Gary was able to get them tailored and ready to go by the time I needed them. Great customer service unmatched by any other men's store in Boston that I've been to. I highly recommend stopping by, there are a lot of cool things in the shop. It's not a gigantic store, but it doesn't need to be, everything in there is worth a look. read more

This is the store for anyone who looks at clothing as an investment. At work I take great care to insure that I dress professionally. Over the years however, I have had one big obstacle when dressing for success, and that is my size. I am very thin, and much like men who are very big, it is difficult to dress professionally when your clothes either look baggy, as mine often did, or if you are trying to squeeze into clothing that is just to small. That's where this store comes in. In addition to the clothing on display in the store, they also sell custom tailored clothing. The owner of the store will measure you right there in the shop, and then show you books, with hundreds of different types of fabrics to chose from. He can then order you custom made shirts and pants, tailored to your exact measurements. (All made here in the U.S.A.) I have never owned clothing that fits as well as the clothing I bought here. All of it was made to my exact proportions. This is the perfect store for anyone, big, small or in between, who cannot find clothes in department stores that fit. As with everything in life, you will pay for the quality. But personally, I would rather have a wardrobe that consists of a few classic items, that fit perfectly, rather than a closet full of cheap, poor quality clothing. This enables me to go to work every day feeling confident that I look my best, and helps me to make a good first impression, no matter who I am meeting with. I would recommend this store to anyone who has been looking for fine custom tailored clothing, with the perfect fit. read more

When you're ready to buy a top quality suit (which means being prepared to drop around $1K or more), Drinkwater's is the place to go. A true boutique, the shop features a small inventory of carefully selected classic men's styles (think Cary Grant). My husband is a personal injury attorney who wears a suit and tie almost every day. But the suits he's been getting from places like the Brooks Brothers outlet simply don't last, they don't fit very well, and they're not very comfortable. My husband has a big trial coming up and he recently decided it was time to buy a high quality suit. We went to Drinkwater's together and Gary helped my husband choose a gorgeous dark blue suit (it's seriously the most elegant shade of blue I've ever seen). Even before tailoring, the suit fit so much better than the one my husband walked in wearing (which had been tailored!), and Gary assured him of the other fine details (hand sewn, full canvas construction, etc.) that meant the suit was built to last. My husband was so pleased he ended up getting a new white dress shirt and a stylish silk tie to complete the look. And Drinkwater's tailor had the suit ready in two days! Bottom line: for timeless, sophisticated menswear and excellent service, go to Drinkwater's! read more

After successfully ordering 3 trousers MTM ordered two suits which did not fit in the least. Not returning!

I have been going to Drinkwater's since being introduced to Gary and his great store 3 years ago by my son. I have purchased numerous items most of which are pants. The pants are made in the US of the highest quality materials and workmanship; always a perfect fit. The prices are higher than I what I am used to paying for clothes(Macy's and Kohls are my regular stores), but well worth it since these clothes will last forever and always look good. read more

There are reasons why my closet is full of suits, sports jackets, trousers, shirts, and shoes purchased at Drinkwater's. Gary Drinkwater knows his clientele, cares about his customers, and provides excellent value and service. No upselling, and he has carefully put together very high quality offerings at reasonable prices that truly represent value and style. His custom, made-to-measure shirts have changed my life; imagine a shirt that actually fits in the shoulders AND across the chest AND at the waist. The quality of the items, service, fitting and overall value blow away what department stores can provide. It's a pleasure giving Drinkwater's my business and a big role in my wardrobe. read more

Great clothes, run by a great guy. Helps you find what you're looking for if you don't come in with a specific item in mind.