If I had only listened to my co-worker ten years ago... When asked where to take some items for alteration ten years back, my co-worker said, "Michelle's in Noe Valley-she's rude, but she does fine work." So I went in and was so turned off by how rude she indeed was, brushing me off, not really giving me the time of day, and charging double to what I can get as equal work with at least a smile, that I turned around like Gloria Gaynor and walked out the door. This time, ten years later, this past week, I now had a wedding dress. Well, not my actual wedding dress, but the satin dress and matching jacket that I would put on instead of my wedding dress for our late night dance party. I had already been to Vietnam and lived in Asia for two years, so I knew a thing or two on how to work a cultural difference. Since my dress & jacket were so precious (and trust me, I'm NOT one of THOSE brides. I'm chill), I decided to bite the bullet and take it in to Michelle for alteration since she does do a good job, even if she is grumpy. Our interaction ten years later (last week I went in, this week I picked up) was cordial. I could woo her with my, "I lived in Asia..." speak and it worked. She was all smiles. Who knew?! Then came the downside... I came to pick up my handful of items, which included the satin bridal dress with jacket. For 2 pants hemmed, 1 t-shirt strap fixed, 1 dress altered, the wedding dress altered, a hole on a sweater fixed, and a few of those items dry cleaned, it was $144.00. That seemed really steep to me, but I bit the bullet once again. Bad idea... When I went to pick up the items the other day, she explained that it was cash only. There was no sign on her door and no sign saying that loudly as most places tend to do. I asked her if that were legal. She didn't laugh. So I left & returned today with cash. When I looked over the pieces, they seemed fine. Then, when I got to my car, I saw that they had safety pinned, not once, but twice, some sort of dry cleaning tag on the wedding gown. IN THE SATIN! So now there were two holes in the back of the jacket where the safety pins lived. They poked holes into satin on a new dress. I was shocked. I had told her it was my wedding dress beforehand. So I went back in and said to her, "Hi. You know, I'm wondering why they put not just one, but two, safety pins in this jacket with this tag? That seems really unnecessary and now there are holes in the satin." She says, "Oh, they weren't supposed to do, sorry. You see, usually tag here, so they always pin on the tag" (she points to where a tag would be on the inside-top back of the jacket) I said, "But it's satin. You're never supposed to pin on satin, it shows and ruins the fabric. I'm really disappointed. I told you this was my wedding dress." Trust me. I really am not that kind of bride (i know, I've said this twice, but trying to make a point, I guess). I like to think of myself as someone who floats through San Francisco, giving most, if not all, of my business to locals because I like the interactions, being friendly, and supporting our 'hoods. I've been here 15 years and I value the relationships I've built in the community. But at this point, I'm a bit pissy inside. So she grabs the jacket from me and says, "Fine. I fix," and she starts ironing where the holes are. Ironing satin? I'm confused. I walk over to her and calmly say, "You know, I appreciate your hard work, but I'd really like you to do something for me. This was a special dress and I told you so and now it is damaged. I'd like to not pay for the work you did on this jacket." She says, "Fine! $3.50" I say, "Well, let's look at what it cost on the receipt, please," and I walk over to her counter to check. She says, "I KNOW PRICES! It $3.50!" Turns out the dry cleaning on the jacket was $4.00, which I happily took back from her, told her I would be writing this bad review, and promptly left knowing that I should have listened to my co-worker long ago. read more

I am so glad that I finally tried Michelle. What a terrific tailor and service to have right in my neighborhood, Noe Valley. Michelle's expertise is hard to find these days. I appreciate her professional shop (many tailors are in dingy spaces) and it's really easy to find parking. Time after time Michelle has been able to provide rush turnaround on my requests which is a dream. She's open 6 days a week which is big help. Her prices are fair and competitive in SF, and the quality of her tailoring is excellent. Thanks Michelle! read more

Sorry to see all the bad reviews. But hey... I've never had a problem with Michelle. I only use her alteration service. I've had almost all my jeans, shorts, dress pants and suits altered by Michelle. I've asked her to mend jackets that I've managed to rip and she has always managed to do an amazing job. read more

Update after many more months of service. Last time I went to Michelle's, she took my brand new pants UP instead of letting the hem DOWN, and cut the fabric and thus it was not reversible. I had to spend a solid 20 minutes arguing with her about the fact that she was going to pay for my ruined pants. She tried to convince me that I could wear them as cropped pants and they would be just fine. I left only after I got my money back for my pants, but was frustrated that I had to fight for it. When you make an obvious and big mistake, I expect an apology and for the situation to be remedied. It's a tough call now. She's seriously talented most of the time, but is it worth the risk & the ensuing hassle if something goes wrong? ______________________________________________ Let me preface this by saying that I use a tailor VERY frequently. Every pair of pants I buy has to be let out at the hem, and taken in at the waist. I must have some very oddly shaped bubble but, because most tailors need 3 or 4 attempts to get my waist-hemming right. Half the time I end up with a smaller (but not small enough) waist, and a funny spot that sticks out a few inches below the waistband in the back, making me look like I'm trying to hide a tail inside my pants. Or they go overboard and give me permanent wedgie pants. And these are the results I get from some pretty well-regarded tailors. So I was getting a manicure next door when I noticed Michelle's shop. I decided to give it a shot, and dropped off 3 pairs of pants. Two new, and one that another tailor had botched (and left me with a tail bump). I also dropped off a jacket for new buttons, and a tank for strap-shortening. I tried them on, she marked them up, and explained to me what she needed to do to fix the botched pants. She instructed me to come back one week later. One week later, I walked in (bitter & jaded from past experiences) and said that I wanted to try them on before I left. I went into the dressing room with a very critical eye, expecting all kinds of errors. I was astonished when I walked out of the dressing room with not one single complaint. Nothing. The alterations were PERFECT. I have never had the luxury of this experience with any other tailor. She is my new regular tailor. As for her demeanor, Michelle was very professional. I didn't see any of the craziness or temper that other Yelpers have noted. Of course, I didn't criticize her work because it was *perfect*. :-) She was very polite and straightforward with me. I highly recommend her. read more

I went in as a first time customer to get some suit pants hemmed. I needed a quick turnaround (48 hours) and based on some of the reviews I had read before going in I honestly wasn't sure how my request would be met. Well, Michelle was quite pleasant with me and said they would be done later that same day. Overall it was a great experience and she'll certainly be my first stop the next time I need alterations done. I don't often leave Yelp reviews, but based on what I had read I wanted to make sure to share the positive experience that I had. read more

I wear my vintage dresses as if they weren't 60+ year old pieces of art. I work in them (not at an office, in the fast paced world of theatre... crawling, climbing ladders, heavy lifting) I go drinking in them, spilling drinks down the front and ripping the seams with my dancing because I think women used to be tinier than we are now. Michelle handled my dresses beautifully. Reshaping a few things to by body, mending the torn and worn, removing stains, and reshaping pleats to their original shape. I am very pleased at the face lift she gave dresses my grandmother might have worn. I also had zippers replaced in a few of my very tight skinny jeans, less satisfactory because they don't stay up, thus the lack of 5th star... but I'll be going back. read more

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who was treated so poorly here. I'm new to the area and dreamed of having a friendly and reliable alterations business in the neighborhood. I promise I'm a patient person- always trying to give people the benefit of the doubt- maybe they had a tough day? I even said that to my boyfriend upon my return home- "Geez, I think the lady at the alterations place down the street really must be having a tough time today." This was really a miserable experience, however, as I opened the door and turned around to shut it (so it wouldn't slam), before I could turn back around I was greeted with a harsh "Yeah?" In the process of being fitted, she was incredibly rude and to be honest, she was giving me some pretty awful and unwarranted mean looks. My mind was telling me the entire time to just stop the process and go somewhere else (which I NEVER feel compelled to do). Once it was time to pay, she started going through the prices (which I'm fairly familiar with in general) and tacking on all sorts of outrageous charges that had nothing to do with the alterations I went in for. Maybe she thought I had never been to a tailor before? My saving grace was the fact that they don't accept ATM or credit cards, so I was able to escape at the last minute (I really didn't have cash) and take my business elsewhere. The good parts: As I changed in and out of my clothes to be altered, it was good that she was quick to pin everything up, not to mention that she told me how much each alteration was going to be at the checkout. Is that worth going back to though? No, no, and no. Are there other hard-working and friendly people to whom I'd rather send my business? Most definitely YES. read more

I went to Michelle with high hopes - she was highly recommended by a clerk at a fussy men's boutique in the neighborhood. On one pair of slacks, she insisted on not listening to my guidance on length and hemmed them such that they are too short. This is a reversible problem but it will be expensive to fix based on the type of fabric. On the second pair of slacks, I put my foot through the stitching first time I put them on and half of the hem came undone. Another re-do... So now I'm 0 and 2. Reading other reviewers' comments about what happened when they brought back their defective alterations, I can see that Michelle most likely will not stand by her quality, and I have decided to take them elsewhere. read more

is there an emergency number available to call this place? it says their store would be open today online but they are closed and i have a bridesmaid dress that they have read more

Michelle was professional. She hemmed my dress without any drama. Not sure what everyone else is complaining about. It's important to remember to bring your receipt and it's cash only. read more

Well, I have been using Michelle's Tailor for years, and think she does great work, but just had my first experience of being yelled at, and was quite taken aback. I had written a review a few years ago praising her, mostly because I didn't agree with the negative reviews. This was a bathing suit that I wanted altered and I asked a couple of questions. She said it was too much work the way I wanted it, and when I asked about a possible alternate way, the yelling started, "You can stand here for two hours and I won't do it! Buy a diffierent one!" Sigh. She is in my neighborhood, and a good tailor, but I won't be back. read more

Excellent quality. Michelle is no-nonsense. If you know what you want, she can make it happen. She is extremely hard-working, and her work is superb. I trust my entire professional wardrobe to her and have never been dissatisfied. She is a consummate professional and stands behind the quality of her work. I highly recommend her. read more

Michelle is a great tailor and I'm always happy with the results. She has always been friendly with me. I left a pair of jeans with her for a year while I was pregnant and although I had lost the ticket, she had no trouble finding them and gave me no grief about leaving them so long. We're lucky to have such a talented tailor in Noe Valley. read more

Michelle is the best tailor I've ever gone to. Extremely fair prices, fast, excellent service. No BS, all business -- she's great. Fun fact: she's a doctor of philosophy. what a gem! read more

The person I always encounter is always very rude and unorganized - not sure if this is Michelle or not but I suspect it is bc I never see anyone else there. I have been there for all services: alterations, laundered shirts and dry cleaning and always encounter a lazy woman who is always on the phone and despite having no customers in the store will not give you the time of day when you walk in. I'm not sure how she stays in business given all the comparable places nearby. read more

One of the worst experiences I've had with a tailor. Michelle was extremely rude and unprofessional. She speaks to you as though you are below her and she has something way more important to do. I had a favorite cotton dress with two holes that needed repair. I showed her both spots and she proceeded to write out a ticket for me. I didn't realize the place was cash and she literally looked disgusted with me that I didn't have cash on me. I politely asked if it would be ok to pay when I picked it up. So pick up time came and I accidentally gave her the wrong ticket and she threw it back at me and said this is not hers and walked away. I frustratingly ran back to my car found the right ticket and threw cash back at her and left. Her attitude is extremely negative and I didn't want to waste anytime being aroundit. Of course my mistake I didn't look at the work done... one of the holes was not repaired. Never again and please save yourself the trouble and find another place to give your business to. read more

I agree with Jeremy S. (post from a while back) ---- LET IT GO PEOPLE! Michelle isn't the warmest person but she works hard and does a REALLY GOOD JOB! My boyfriend and I took in several of our favorite pieces of clothing that were torn and tattered as favorite clothes are. I picked them up yesterday and they look brand spanking new and I can tell just by looking at the work that it will last! And back to the part about letting it go ... You never know what someones story is so give Michelle a break! If you want good repairs and alterations she is a great choice! read more

I am 4' 11" tall, and therefore require tailoring on most items I purchase. Michelle is the best. I have been going here for over 10 years. She is a perfectionist, she absolutely knows what she is doing. I trust her completely to advise on what is needed to create a perfect fit. I would not go anywhere else in the city. read more

i have been going to Michelle Tailor for 2 years now. i get a lot of things altered because i like my clothes to fit perfectly. last week i brought in a pair of pants for a basic hem. i went to pick them up last Wednesday. when i tried them on one of the pant legs was obviously longer than the other. in her typical cold self she said she would fix it. i went in today to pick them up and still the hem was off. she got very rude with me and told me that she didn't want to fix my pants anymore. she basically kicked me out of her shop and gave me my money back. she kept yelling at me about who knows what. i couldn't make out what she was saying in her thick accent. i wont be going back there again. i would rather pay more to her already high prices and go somewhere else. she is very rude and disrespectful to her customers. its one thing to be a cold spirited person but another to be down right mean and nasty. i will never go back there again! read more

This is very true. Although, my initial visit she was pretty tolerable. However, you may not under any circumstances do small talk with this woman. She becomes impatient... "Just gimme your garment, come back Thursday, I have it waiting for you, she says." Thank God, her skills are great, and never disappointing. But, she could use a big hug from someone & major attitude adjustment to lighten up! *maybe other folks are doing her sewing/altering.. so sad to hear about the dress. read more

Horrible woman. She hemmed my pants badly and when I expressed dissatisfaction, she started yelling at me in front of two other patrons. She told me to take my pants and get out and never come back. As I walked out she kept yelling at the other patrons that she did what I wanted, I just didn't want to pay. It was a pretty bizarre situation. I would have liked her to have offered to fix it as I now have messed up pants, but she didn't seem to speak English well enough to understand what I wanted. I don't recommend this place for either service or work quality. read more

I never write bad reviews and I won't talk badly about the actual skills and work of Michelle's as there is nothing bad about the work. But gosh what a cold attitude ! I never felt so uncomfortable, and I lived in Asia, I'm from Europe and now I live here. A smile, a welcoming Hello, I don't ask for much, but maybe she has already too many costumers to be worried about gaining new ones. Good for her. I actually used her three times but now luckily I found a place with wonderful and courteous tailors on Church ! read more

No, no, no. What a sh%#hole. I walked in, waited 5 minutes to be acknowledged and was told my drycleaning would cost twice what was listed on the board. While I waited, I contemplated the sun-faded carnivalesque animal in their window and if I had ever been to a dry-cleaner that charged a $5.00 service fee for a lost ticket (as Michelle's cleaners threatens multiple times in writing). I also watched how poorly she pinned the hem on the pants she was altering and was milidly amused that people actually pay this woman to alter her clothes. I walked out with my dry-cleaning and headed down the street to my tried and true Bay Castle Cleaners on 24th St. read more

It's true that Michelle isn't exactly friendly. She is a woman of few words. And she can be a bit scary to some with her matter-of-fact manner and excessive mascara. But who cares? I don't pay Michelle to talk to me. I pay her to hem my pants. And she does a fine job. read more

I am a financial analyst who has had to wear suits to work and have them well-fitted for client presentations, etc. I am relatively slender and if I buy a standard suit size, I need extensive alterations (would buy trim-fit more if they weren't so pricey). I was referred to Michele's for tailoring and I have been very happy with her work and prompt turnaround. I have been using her for at least 10 years and started when she and her late husband ran the business. She has tailored several of my suits (and my tux) including several pants recuts and taking in jackets from the back center seam instead of the arms like many tailors do. I think the latter alteration requires great skill and I have never been to a tailor that does that. I have lived around the US, have used tailors everyplace I lived, and haven't found a tailor that has been as consistent. I think her prices are reasonable and competitive (much better than downtown tailors). I have also had her repair torn textiles and misc clothing items. I have never had to take back anything to be re-altered. I highly recommend her. She hasn't been rude to me, though I have heard differently from others. To me, it's an issue of communication. Listen to what she recommends and inquire. If you don't see her point about how something should/can be altered, be diplomatic in expressing your opinion. I have found she responds similarly. (Also, I have never lost my yellow pickup slip/receipt, so I can't speak for what happens in that circumstance.) In sum, I honestly don't take the time to write reviews unless I am really impressed and satisfied and feel Michele is very deserving of my effort. read more

literally the worst! avoid her at all costs. she's incredibly rude and even when i had a photo of my ticket she yelled at the top of her lungs at me. on top of that she couldn't find my order for 20 minutes and blamed me for not telling her it was dry cleaning even when i walked in there and said i'm here to pick up dry cleaning!! read more

My husband has been going to Michelle's for 13 years, and had really liked the work. I've gone a few times too. I don't know if someone else is doing some of the work now, but my husband recently brought in 2 pairs of wool slacks for hemming. Upon coming home, we saw how bad the work was. The stitching was visible, one side was longer than the other, there were still chalk marks, and it was poorly done all around. Not even pressed on the bottom to see the finish. The inside hem had visible cuts, and was not entirely finished. I took them back to get a refund, and she noted all the things wrong and said she'd do them again. We opted against it because they were so bad. It didn't feel great either that there was no sense of apology or inconvenience. Brought them to my other place and then also realized they were cut too short. We won't be going back. read more

Worst experience ever. So extremely rude and couldn't understand the simplest of jobs. Probably because her tv was blaring. Then told me to leave because I wasn't explaining what I wanted clearly enough. Absolutely worth going to a different neighborhood to avoid. read more

This review is for dry cleaning only since I have not used their tailor services (and probably never will). I was ignored for several minutes when I first went in to drop off my clothes (even though there were two employees there, not attending to anyone else). Then when I went to pick up my clothes, I was told, in a very unfriendly manner, that they don't accept credit cards. So I had to go to the ATM nearby, costing me an extra $2. I think the cost of the dry cleaning was pretty average, but this made me mad. Also, have you ever heard of a dry cleaner charging $5 for a lost ticket???!!! Most places will just look it up and don't even bat an eye if you don't have your ticket. Never going back here... read more

I've been going to this shop for over ten years and is the best tailor in the City. The owner may not be the most warm and fuzzy person initially, but she is extremely competent and the most detail oriented tailor I've ever patronized. Her service charges are very fair, she has a loyal customer base, and has been in this exact location for almost twenty years. You don't stay in business that long (especially in Noe Valley) if you aren't great at your trade. I've gotten to know her better throughout the years and she is super friendly and accommodating. I've referred several of my friends and colleagues to her and they all thank me for recommending her. read more

yah, Michelle's a bit of a curmudgeon, which can be kinda scary the first couple times you take something in that you really care about. besides that, her work is pretty solid. read more

Went there twice despite what the reviews said. Second time I used her she lost a $150 cashmere sweater. When I went to ask her to look for it she said to write everything down for her. She didn't look for it then and when I asked her to she said she'd do it later because she didn't know where it was. Not kidding! Go look for it and then maybe you will! Horrible person to deal with, please don't go here she needs to be taught a lesson. read more

This could be the worst tailor in the city. Took a pair of slacks in to get brought up a touch. When I got them back the cuff was not set properly. After arguing with me and telling me that was how a cuff looked, she took the pants back to fix it because ahe knew she was wrong and couldn't admit it. When I returned to pick the slacks up a second time they were now too short! Again the woman argued with me and reluctantly said shed try again. Finally when picked them up they were now too long again. Instead of being apologetic she told me that she wouldn't work on the pants anymore and told me never to come back. Very nice customer service, huh? read more

I love Michelle's. The services are on the expensive side (it is Noe Valley), but she does amazing, fast work. I won't take my dry cleaning or tailoring anywhere else! read more

The worst. Terrible service. Not worth your time or money. Michelle is rude beyond measure. Go elsewhere!!!

I'm hesitant to insert myself into this pitched battle. We've taken worn-out sentimental favorites there to be repaired. Flannel shirts with frayed holes in the elbows, favorite t-shirts with holes in the underarms. Stuff that you might reasonably expect a tailor to laugh at and refuse to do (which I've had happen elsewhere). Michelle has been very professional, non-judgmental, and has done a fantastic job on everything. When we brought in a flannel shirt with a hole in the elbow, she even suggested that perhaps the other elbow might need repair too. We said "no, the other one's alright" but we turned over the shirt and sure enough, there was a small hole already starting in the other elbow that we hadn't noticed. So we will definitely continue to go to her. She doesn't waste alot of time with chit-chat. read more

I've avoided going here for the four years I've lived in Noe Valley because of the reviews. My hemming backlog got to the point where it was worth it to take a chance. She's a fast, capable, tailor, which is exactly what I wanted. The bad reviews are probably a combination of personality clashes and people who want to keep her services for themselves. read more

Highly recommended!! The owner has always been nice to me. I walk in, give her clothes to hem, and tell her what I need done. When I return, everything is done perfectly. All the hems she's done are the right length and they last longer than some of my other clothes! read more

Michelle's Tailor is a very fine tailor and dry cleaning service that handles clothing expertly and takes pains to deal with difficult stains and damaged material. They are thoroughly professional and treat their customers with respect and deliver clothes on time. read more

While this place did a fine job on the dress I took in, the job was way overprices and the service is curt. So nope, I won't be back, even though it is most convenient to my house, I'd rather go out of my way. read more