Ellie is the best!! I'll definitely come back for tailoring, dry cleaning or any other services they provide. I needed a tux to rent and Ellie was gracious enough to help me find a fitting suit. Even after a last minute change because my partner wanted a different color, Ellie accommodated me for a swap for no extra charge. They've been in business for over 20 years and I can see why! read more

Cash only for alterations. I found some alterations to be a bit pricey. Originally, the tailor told me to pick up by a certain date (before my event I needed the dress for) and she called me and asked me to pick it up a few days later which was pushing close to my event. When I went to pick it up, she did not do all the alterations we discussed so she was kind and said she would rush do it before my event. It was just stressful because the dress alterations were delayed and she didn't do everything we talked about during the first go. I would return here only for hemming, any other alterations I will be going elsewhere. read more

My fiancé came here to get (very) last minute alterations ahead of our wedding which was only a week away. She was able to hem his pants, alter my reception dress, and take in my wedding dress in two days, right before Christmas. She did a wonderful job for a very fair price. She was also very lovely. I would highly recommend! read more

Over the last several years, I've probably had at least 20 sport coats, four suits, 20 pairs of trousers/chinos/jeans and around 10 coats altered here. Without fail, the work is done impeccably and most often on time (exceptions being for more challenging requests). I am a long time veteran of the corporate apparel world and I know good work when I see it. Berkeley is really fortunate to have such a good resource. read more

We love Uni Tailor and have been loyal customers for several years. Ellie is always very kind, friendly, and helpful, and her work is impeccable. Her shop is often busy--she's popular for a reason! It's best to plan ahead and allow extra time when you visit. Her shop is usually packed with items to be tailored, and there are often two or three people ahead of me in line. Sometimes, customers come in asking for emergency help, and Ellie's kind-hearted nature means she tries to assist everyone she can, which can lead to delays. While we once had to wait longer than expected, an extra day. it's never been an issue for us. If you need something by a specific date, it's a good idea to give her a few extra days to avoid any stress. For example, if you're leaving for a trip on a Friday night, plan to pick up your items well in advance rather than the same day which means you should drop them off with extra time in mind. Ellie takes her time with each customer, and her attention to detail is worth the wait! read more

Excellent, professional work, delivered with kind customer service as well. Uni Tailor is the best!

They have been altering my families' clothing for over 15 years, prom dresses, jackets, suits and always have done outstanding work. Ellie always knows exactly what to do and is very professional and a perfectionist In all she does. read more

Brought some suits, blazers, pants, and a coat here. I don't know how to describe the work quality other than to say that I don't know it's there and I never think about it again. So one could say that this is the mark of good work. I like the owner and find the prices to be perfectly fair. I normally avoid that part of University but I've always found street parking and walking 3 blocks when I need to is not really an issue because I like the business. It's cash/check (which could be contributing to fair prices) so she is the reason I keep checks in my wallet now. read more

I have gotten a lot of clothes adjusted here. Her work is flawless, she is very reliable and reasonably priced.

I never write reviews, though the woman at the counter is amazing, kind, and extremely helpful. She wouldn't even accept a tip, though she definitely deserves it. Would wholeheartedly recommend this shop for her alone. read more

Elham is a talented and skillful seamstress. I dropped off a multilayered chiffon bridesmaid dress and she quoted me a fair price and a reasonably fast turnaround time, especially considering spring is a busy time for weddings, graduations, etc. The stitching on my dress looks even better than the original. I'm so glad I chose this place. read more

Uni tailor - Excellent stitching on delicate fabric - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Berkeley, California

To start off with, our first impression of Uni wasn't great. We'd walked in with one person in front of us waiting to drop off, then a couple who came in after us. The first person was given a changing room, we were then offered a changing room which we declined and then we were skipped over for a conversation with the couple who spent more than ten minutes discussing designing a dress. Normally I chalk this sort of thing up to confusion, but it happened again, when the first person came out of the changing room (he was ignored for the couple still talking about their dress) and then again when we were finally describing the fixes we needed - another woman came in and the associate stepped away from our items to speak with her. It's understandable that associates get busy, but Uni would 100% benefit from a ticketing system or a one at a time policy. After finally getting to fully explain the fixes we needed, we left more than 45 minutes later. A week later, we never received a call to pickup, so I called to check if the pieces were ready - they were, so we made the trip to go pick them up. Parking is pretty difficult in this area so it's a whole thing to search and pay for parking each time. Coming into the shop to pick up, you guessed it - yet another instance of line cutting and helping everyone at once, although thankfully with much less of a wait. Immediately after the second round of it I knew it was unlikely we would return but I do want to say, that for the bulk of our easy fix items (hems and buttons), we were satisfied. Unfortunately, for the two most expensive fixes of the bunch we were not. One was a vintage 60's scooter dress where I wanted the shorts turned into secondary skirt - in case I ever wanted them turned back into shorts. Super easy, remove the line up the shorts, connect them to the other side. Done. Sadly I still don't know what she did because a bunch of the fabric is gone. The shorts? Gone. When I asked for the fabric she brought out small scraps. So she either re-worked the entire dress, or she cut them out entirely - neither being what I asked for. The second item was turning a buttoned skirt with zipper into an elastic waistband skirt. I held up the fixed piece and was rendered speechless. While the associate had measured me for the skirt when I dropped it off, the skirt didn't even fit with no stretch. The skirt (a vintage size 10) had been turned into a size 14-16 without stretch and with stretch included, was a XXL or XXXL. She hadn't taken the stretch into consideration. The associate offered to fix the skirt (and have us return the next day), but by that point all trust was lost. I no longer wanted to put more time and effort into driving back, finding a spot, paying for parking, and continuing to be patient with the myriad customers she'd allow to cut in front of us. For basic fixes if you live walking distance, Uni will probably be just fine - otherwise I just can't recommend making a special trip or bringing vintage items here. read more

Ellie came highly recommended from a friend, and my husband and I are so glad we went to see her before our wedding. She saved our wedding day by fixing my husband's suit situation when we were in a huge pinch and was incredibly kind and helpful in our time of need. Go see Ellie for any alterations or suit needs!! Thank you Ellie!! read more

We were told items would be ready to pick up next Saturday, giving them a week to hem 2 pants and 1 shirt and replace a button. We arrived on Saturday morning and were told to come back an hour later. An hour later, we came back and the woman had our items to the side. She also had our contact number and could have called us to let us know the items were ready. The pants hem are not even. The fabric was cut so it can't be fixed. We weren't told the price until we picked up the items. We're so disappointed with this place. It's obvious they did a rush job the day they said our items would be ready. We paid $72 dollars. Don't go here. I'm surprised with all their positive reviews. The thread isn't even the same color. She ruined my pants. read more

Uni tailor - Uneven pant hem that I paid $72 for - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Berkeley, California

Ellie is the best at her craft! Hubby and I came her to get about five items tailored. We have been coming over the years . This was initially her fathers store and he gave it to her. Service is excellent ! All was perfectly done at a very reasonable price . She also has lots of clothes for sale as well and a loyal clientele! She is amazing ! Does excellent work ! Street parking and also in the heart of downtown Berkeley and is easily accessible by all modes of transportation! Highly recommend Ellie for all your tailoring needs ! read more

Great service and the owner of the business was very nice and accommodating. However, I was told that I could pick up my item on a Friday but she called me that morning to let me know that it wouldn't be ready. I said it was fine and that I could pick it up the following morning. Before I drove over, I called to check and see if it was ready to find out that it wouldn't be ready until that afternoon. I couldn't wait until the afternoon because I had an event to attend to. I was a bit disappointed because I needed this item to wear to this event but no big deal, I told her that I would come back Monday to pick it up. Upon picking it up, I found that this was going to cost me $60 dollars. I felt that the price was a bit unfair given the circumstances. Again, no big deal. I tried my item on and had a few issues but didn't want to bother with bringing it up because of how long it took to be completed in the first place. FYI this place is Cash Only, also a bit inconvenient. I unfortunately will not be coming back. :( read more

I took my expensive jeans to get hemmed with the original hem plus tapered. When I went to pick the jeans up, they did not use the original hem and it looked terrible and the stitching did not match the original thread. The tape job was similarly poor. I would never go to this place again. read more

I got my uniform tailored to my exact size for $33! I dropped it off and received it back 3 days later. She is very fast and efficient at tailoring and will work with you if you need it done by a certain date. She's very busy with lots of customers, so keep that in mind when booking with her! read more

I have been bringing my vintage clothes here for all types of alterations for about 10 years and Ellie does an excellent job! I am also a vintage reseller and carry her cards with me to hand out to customers. Ellie is very skilled and professional. Her turnaround time is quick and her prices are very reasonable. She is friendly and cheerful, so seeing her is always a joy. She even custom made a cushion for my cat's bed; I brought in a vintage sheet, foam padding, and a zipper and Ellie worked her magic for under $30. My cat and I could not be happier! ‍ read more

I had an excellent experience here. I needed to attend a wedding in SoCal and send my tuxedo measurements online to Friar Tux. This store was listed as a business that did tuxedo measurements in the Bay Area! I called ahead to ask if I needed to make an appointment for a tuxedo fitting. The woman that answered the phone was so nice. She told me that I didn't need to make an appointment for a tuxedo fitting and that I could come in anytime between 10am to 4pm. I came in the next day and brought a paper to write down all of my tuxedo measurements. She did all of my measurements for free! Not only that, but she gave very good advice for specific measurements. For example, for tuxedo shoes, if you have wide feet you need to specify that you have wide feet otherwise they will be very uncomfortable. I felt strange leaving this business without giving them any money. I feel so grateful for the business owner to help me without anything in return. To me, this means that they are really honest and hardworking people. The next time I need a tuxedo, I'm definitely coming here to support this immigrant business. read more

I think a lot about this very first experience of purchase and get my suit repaired. And I don't know how to appreciate the owner, this marvelous businesswoman, has made my day so amazing. Her tailoring skills are impeccable, highly efficient, and the results are very surprising. But in addition, I would like to thank her for chatting with me, which gave me a deeper understanding of the world and communication between people. She is so nice and patient. It is indeed wonderful. If you have any clothes that need to be repaired, or if you need to customize a perfect dress or tuxedo, this is where you should come. Strongly recommended! read more

Bought a suit online that needed substantial alterations. Uni Tailor was able to finish it before my event, and was super easy to work with for drop off and pick up! Will definitely use again! read more

This shop really went out of their way to make my wedding day possible and I'm very grateful. Fantastic customer service, great products, what else could you ask for? read more

Great place, Great tailor. Me, and my husband take all our clothes to be tailored here. She does a FANTASTIC job. She also altered my wedding dress, it was beautiful, fit like a glove. I cannot mention how many good things about this place, great customer service, great work, and such a very nice lady. I love the little shop, and it's so close to my home. She does an awesome job, if not she will fix it for you, till you are stratified. Highly recommend. read more

Had my bridesmaids dress tailored in three places, costing $60 which is the upper limit for what I was prepared to pay, but I think it's a standard charge. It took a week. The three places are in three very different parts of the dress so seems like the charge is $20 per "subcategory". (When you see the receipt, you will know what I mean.) The lady was very smooth and easy-going; the whole shop seems like a floating dream: once you walk in there is peaceful meditative, almost-sentimental music playing at a pretty loud volume. So you are pretty much swept in the ambiance right away. The shop is actually spacious inside: there are 3 changing rooms in the back and one more behind the counter. I'd come back here since it's close to where I live, but can't say for sure if there is anything particularly notable here. read more

One star? Yipes. Yep, that is what happens when your favorite its-covid-everything- sucks-expensive-jeans-splurge are held hostage for six weeks by an aggressive tailor. My first time experience was awful. Sooo... the deets. I gleefully arrived to pick up pants I had tailored and discovered they weren't the agreed upon hem. Drats! I politely tried to explain it, the owner becomes defensive, blames me for the miscommunication, and immediately, aggressively pulls out the stitches. Yank yank! I stood back in horror and shock. My pants! Ahhh what.is.happening!! Fast forward four weeks and three attempts to pick them up. They are finally done! Thank gawd. I put them on, the hem is completely weird looking. Ugh. Im shaking with nervousness. Im not sure if I should mention this to the tailor. When I tried to explain my disappointment and frustration, the tailor literally shoo'ed me away like a fly and said, "there are plenty of other tailors around- go to one of them." Wow. Thanks lady, I will! read more

I recently moved to the area pre-COVID, and based on the reviews here, I went to Uni Tailor. The woman there is super friendly and did a great job with my clothes that needed tailored. I am so glad they are still open after the re-opening. Go support this business, they are open! Note - it's cash or check only! read more

I have been using UniTailor on University Avenue in Berkeley for many years now to alter and hem my costumes. As a professional vocalist, it is important to me to get dependably good and timely service. I also enjoy Ellie's positive and supportive personality. read more

Elham is skilled and ethical, and she charges a very reasonable rate for her alterations (I am a student.) I've taken many pairs of pants and some sweaters and skirts there and all have come out great. read more

It is unfortunate to have to leave such a negative review, but I have been a long time (over ten years) customer of Uni Tailor and spent thousands on alterations over that time period. I have been very loyal over the years but unfortunately the work and attention to detail has completely dissipated. The last round of clothing (around 8 pieces) I was having altered had half the items come back with alterations missing or that were entirely wrong and thus ruining things that had fit perfectly, like she took out the waist on a pair of pants that fit when she was supposed to add belt loops which I now need to take elsewhere to be fixed. Other issues like pockets were put into another pair of pants at the wrong depth that I had very specifically said needed to be deep enough to hold a cell phone, another item had part of the alterations missing entirely, like a sleeve alteration. When I came back to collect and pointed this out, I was super chill about it and said it's fine, please just fix them but they need to be done by todays date (several days after the original pickup date) at noon because I am leaving the country. I just arrived and they are not done "because of prom" even though she told me thru would be ready. I now am leaving for a month long international trip without the items I needed and she was super rude about it even though I had specifically said I would be coming by at noon today. Do not come here if you want your alterations done well (or even perfectly fitting parts of your clothing not ruined) or if you want things on time the first or even re-do pickup date! read more

This place is incredible. The woman who runs it and does the tailoring is expert at her craft and adapt at managing several customers at various stages of try on, pickup and just curious if you can .... I've been going here for many years for career and high end as well as basic hemming on Levi's and shirtsleeves. The only surprise I've ever experienced was the low price I was presented with versus what I was prepared to pay. They have no control over parking so if you want a shopping center go find one. If you want a fabulous custom tailor though , go here. read more

As a petite woman who loves fashion, all my garments need tailoring to my shape. I've taken soo many items back-to-back, to Eli and she does an amazing job as she understands style and fit. She has the eye. Things I've dropped off and had fitted : wool Jackets, multiple Jil Sander & Isabel Marant trousers, vintage Levi's, cocktail dresses, vintage pieces, and an array designer garments in luxury textiles. Eli is the best and it comes back with a lovely fit, the right stitches & thread to match, and even the extra fabric. Yes, she is normally busy - but that's a sign that she's an expert at her craft. Most items are 1-week turnaround (depending how much items your dropping off, plus the season. Graduation, Christmas, holidays etc is busy - early drop off recommended.) Specialty items like dresses with lining, or multi-layer pieces is 2-weeks. Small shop with big talent. Bring cash. Obvi I'm a fan. Been seeing Eli for 2 years now. She's a staple in Berkeley. read more

I figured this review was due for an update. I've been a happy customer of Uni's since I moved to Berkeley in 2015. The shop is family run, and the tailors work some incredible magic. I've brought things as simple as a button fix/hem to a reconstruction of a dress. Ellie will absolutely tell you when a repair or an alteration doesn't work which I appreciate. I admit I've taken clothes for a second opinion or to a place that would tailor them, but often times its either poorly executed and it becomes clear that Ellie didn't want to do a messy job. It's so important to me to have places that are committed good work and to the community, and Ellie and her late husband are absolutely those people. Yes, its still totally only check or cash, but I've taken to carrying around a little checkbook with me (the millennial's can learn!) read more

Love her attention to detail and work. Ellie has made my wardrobe look fabulous on me.

I've waited awhile to write this. The owner seems pleasant, but I did not have a pleasant experience with her. I took some items in to be altered. Pants, jackets, etc. my first appointment/drop off seemed fine. But when I went back to pick up my items we had a few problems. -(The shirts/jackets were fine.) -my jeans were not very aesthetically pleasing with how they were altered. -and she wasn't paying attention during our first meeting so she had to remeasure me for several of my other pants. I was pretty mad so I took awhile to return. I contemplated even leaving my stuff there because of the bad experience. But I returned. I just paid and took my items. She ended up altering another pair of pants but my Vsx pants were still untouched. WHATEVER! So, all I can say is that I'm glad she didn't accept my payment upfront.... read more

Elle and her Team are very talented tailors. She was a wizard with my Wedding dress and now the only person I will trust to "fine tune" my favorites. read more

Very strange experience. They dont really have any tuxedos for rental and the lady who works there is very confused about how to run a shop. read more

She was great. She hemmed a dress I needed and really cares and wanted to make sure it looked good. Will come here for all my tailoring needs read more

Elham is a wonderful and kind seamstress, this is my first real positive experience with dry cleaning as well as my first experience with alterations in Berkeley, but I'm glad I found this nice shop right around where I'm currently living. My first experience was with altering an XL vest that I ordered online into an XS/S size, and Elham professionally fitted me right then and there and called me back in for a refitting to see if I'm satisfied with the alterations before giving the article back to me and charging me for her service ($60, but given how much she cut off and the fact that it was faux leather, I thought it was still a good price)! After that, I've brought my dry cleanables here and found that an oversized knit sweater goes for around $6-7 (which I think is pretty cheap) and the turnaround time is approximately 2 days (which is super fast for me!). As far as I can tell, nothing she has cleaned for me has shrunk or been damaged, which brings me to point out the fact that she definitely knows her fabrics well and knows what works and what does not for a great variety of clothes. I think the price for service is fair and actually a bit cheaper than what I'm used to paying, so I definitely give Elham and her shop five stars for their quality of service as well as their speedy and prompt service time. Even though people have said her services are a bit pricier than other cleaners or alterations around this area, I definitely think her work is noticeably more refined and neat. One thing to note about Elham's tailor and cleaning shop is that they don't take card, just cash and I believe checks. read more

It is always disappointing to go to a 5-star place and end up with a different experience. I took in a few things. It was a little pricey, but certainly better than having good quality but ill-fitting clothes sadly ignored in my closet. She seemed to be in a hurry, and I left the store nervous that she didn't understand what I wanted. Results? Two items weren't quite right, and the third wasn't touched. Unfortunately I didn't realize until I had paid and was home. She worked on them eventually, but it was a hassle. I would stick to hemming here (I have had a good hemming experience in the past), but I am still looking for a good tailor. read more