My motherof the bride dress was altered by another company, result was poor. A 1 tailors did the needed and correct adjustments and altering. I won't go to another tailor after this! I can sew, but knew the first work was not correct. A1 did the alteration like it should have been done to begin with. Ready for the wedding now!! Mary Morello read more

This is a great resource to have in Evanston. Everyone there is so professional and nice. I dropped off a new sport coat to have the sleeves taken in. He measured it with a long sleeve shirt I brought along. I paid a small cash deposit and picked it up a week later as promised. It was perfect. He only takes cash which I don't mind. read more

Never again! I brought in a pair of black jeans that I wanted altered in the thighs so it cook fit and look better on me. I told the man who does the alterations, a short hispanic-looking guy snd he said that he could do exactly what I asked for and I showed him a picture. I paid in full $40 and cane back a week later. When I got there, I tried them on and it was if he never did any altering. The pants fit and looked the exact same as when I dropped them off. I informed the guy that I was not pleased and they still fit the same. He rambled on and on about nonsense and made excuses. The man then proceeds to state "this is what happens when you are a new customer." Completely unacceptable. I informed that while I am new to this establishment, I am not new to getting alterations. Needless to say, I said it needs to be corrected. I came back two weeks later and nothing, still fit the same. I just left as he was not worth my energy. I took them to another place and they indeed gave me what I wanted. I was telling them about my whole ordeal and the nice lady did the alterations on the house. That was so nice of her even though I ended up paying because she did an amazing job. A-1 never again. read more

Always does a great job. From pants to dresses things look and fit great! Will be back

I read previous reviews which sold me on this store. the tailor/s live up to their A1 business. specifically I had 2 vintage coats that needed fur collar, hem and button removal and repairs. not only did they perform excellent tailoring they repaired my confidence- confidence which was destroyed by other businesses which promised similar expertise. the price point also proved a great value thanks very much read more

They've done a great job with repairs every time I've brought them jeans to patch or sweaters and t-shirts to stitch up -- and their prices are VERY reasonable. read more

Tailor/owner destroyed two flannel shirts I brought in to be shortened. When I called to let him know, he got defensive. No apologies offered. Net: bring your clothes elsewhere to be altered. read more

I had a very large, very ill-fitting bee jacket that needed a little of work. A1 tailor did the job quickly, affordably, and very well! read more

A-1 Tailor - The before picture... - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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I had a zipper replaced on a Northface jacket, and they installed a zipper with the pull on the left side instead of the right side, the way the original was. The tailor did show me the zipper before he installed it, but he was fiddling with it on the table and I did not notice this detail. When I returned and tried the jacket on and told him about this, he just responded "that's the zipper we had". From what I understand this left side vs. right side thing with zippers and buttons is/was a gender thing with clothing, but even my wife's Northface jacket has the zipper pull on the right side. Now it feels weird because all my jackets have the zipper pull on the right side and never in my life have I had a jacket with the zipper pull on the left side. Otherwise, the work looks professional and maybe this is minor but I just feel as the tailor he should have noticed the difference from the original and told me. If he would have, then I would have paid extra for a new zipper. read more

Happily recommend Luis, the talented tailor. He has totally satisfied our many needs, and made my clothes fit. A couple of garments were just not quite right, and I couldn't put my finger on the problem. Luis took a tuck here and there and now they look great. He is also kind and pleasant. Even though we moved to a different neighborhood, we will go-to A-1. read more

I had a great experience and would highly recommend A-1! I brought in a skirt to get the waist altered. When I came back to pick it up, it was ready on time and looked perfect - fit exactly like I wanted, totally worth it. Really great quality and friendly service. read more

Fantastic minority owned tailor on Dempster near Chicago Avenue. The owner is very knowledgeable and honest regarding what cut will look best on your body and the material. I've taken 2 pairs of pants and a wool peacoat in for hemming/tapering and a pillowcase and leather jacket in to be stitched up. The prices are reasonable and they do excellent work. The only downside is that they only accept cash or check for payment options. read more

I have used A-1 Tailor for several years. He he has always been reliable, and feels like an Evanston institution. I have recommended him to friends, and all have been pleased. read more

Excellent tailor. He does very good work. It's pricey but you will be pleased with the work.

Here's a piece of advice I wish my father had given me as a young man: Find yourself a good tailor and never settle for poorly fitted clothes. In the absence of that advice, I've lived most of my adult life in off-the-rack clothes that *almost* fit. Finding this tailor changed all of that and leveled me up in my adulting game. I've brought in several items that had good potential, but were just off in one way or another. This tailor sees exactly what's needed, deftly pins and marks, and I come back a week later to a garment that fits breathtakingly well, and all at very reasonable cost. Why haven't I been doing this all along? read more

I have taken pants, dresses and curtains to be tailored and all have come back done perfectly. I highly recommend!

Súper helpful, went over my options and did a great job at hemming and fixing a zipper, would definitely use them again!

I brought in two 12-year old, high-quality silk suits to be tailored and updated. They were very helpful. While both required a complete tear down, they turned out fabulously in the end. I'd highly recommend them. read more

Went to Levi's the other day in search of shorts, and finally found the perfect pair!! ..... minus the fact that the back was WAY too long (in fact, it looked so ridiculous that I couldn't help but wonder if the designer was drunk while making the shorts). ANYWAY, the sales person suggested that I visit A-1 tailor to get it hemmed, so I decided to make the long walk from campus down to Dempster. The store is rather hidden and easy to overlook. Once I got inside, I was promptly helped and service was fast. I paid $15 for him to cut the shorts and also to re-create the original fringing. Wait time for the service was a little less than a week - a bit longer than I thought was necessary, but fair enough. All in all, very satisfied with his work. Will be back. read more

I recently came here to tailor two Kurtas for a friend's Indian wedding. The kurtas were originally too big. Luis did a good job with taking in the torso part. But when I came to pick those up, I had noticed the bottom parts were flaring out like a fish tail. I asked him to take it in further in the bottom. I went to try them on again today. All I said was "I think it's still flaring out at the bottom" He immediately insinuated that I said that to make him do free work. Now it is only 3 days before the wedding so there is too little time to make any adjustment. It was his attitude that gave me a bad impression. I would recommend going elsewhere that provide better customer service. read more

The owner and master tailor here is fantastic. I bought a used item of clothing that started falling apart after I wore it. I asked him if it was worth repairing or if it would continue to disintegrate. He gave me great advice and told me that repairing it wouldn't be worth it. He's also altered other items of mine and has done fantastic work. I highly recommend him! read more

I've had many men's pants and shirts altered at A-1. They do relatively complicated things well, things that others sometimes do quite poorly. For example, they can remove a center pleat from a shirt, while also adding darts to ensure that it tapers well. They also attend to small details: for example, when they take a garment apart and then sew it back together, the stitching is always carefully done. I haven't yet asked them for alterations of suits or jackets, but for shirts and pants, they are very reliable. read more

No need to look any further for a tailor! I absolutely love Luis and his team. I have lived in 3 other metropolitan cities across the country, and I have not previously found someone who is so skilled and who genuinely cares about the quality of his work. I actually live in Chicago, but drive up to Evanston to visit this tailor whenever I need something adjusted. I like to buy clothing items based on the overall look and often have the desire to change items (shorten, lengthen, take in, add a cutout, remove straps, remove lace, etc). NOTHING is too tough for these guys, and everything comes out looking fabulous. The guys are really kind and remember their customers by name as well. A note: Give them a few days to complete their work. While in the shop, I overheard a patron get upset at him because they wanted next-day service. Luis is very honest about what is realistic in a given timeframe, as he really cares about quality. 5 stars! read more

My first visit was a great experience. I brought in seven pairs of pants that needed to be altered and they were done professionally within a week. However, I dropped off an expensive pair of snow pants to be hemmed. I asked for the original hem to be included. The tailor said it would be $20 and ready in a week. When I picked them up today, he charged me only $12. I looked at the hem and realized that they had just cut the whole bottom part off and NOT put the original waterproof hem on it like I requested. When I brought it up, he insisted that I never said anything about wanting to keep the original hem! Still had me pay the $12 even though he didn't give me what I very specifically asked for! Are you serious?!? You botch an expensive pair of snow pants and then expect me to pay for YOUR error? I don't appreciate being called a liar, especially when it wasn't my fault that you didn't write my request down; that's no way to do business. Won't be back. read more

DO NOT TAKE YOUR CLOTHES HERE!!! The tailor, Wafa, is terribly rude, has very little patience, and is completely full of himself. He might do a good job sometimes, but if you EVER have comments or feedback about a completed job he will go into a frenzy! First of all I would like to disclose that I do not normally write reviews nor do I demand that tailors perform miracles on my clothing. I am aware that if I want clothes that fit perfectly and exude great wealth and confidence I should have them custom made. Second, I buy the best quality clothing I can afford with the goal of looking like a real man that is well put together and dresses with respect for his family and community. In the last year, I relied on A1 tailor for minor alterations to a suit jacket, some shirts, and trousers. The suit jacket and the shirt both turned out fine, but the trousers were a complete service failure. I brought in three dress pants, all the same brand and style, to have the hem and waist adjusted. Wafa measured me and pinned the first pair of trousers. He assured me that I did not have to try on the remaining two, since the trousers were all the same. After waiting two weeks, I stopped in at A1 Tailor and tried on the trousers. To my great disappointment, the pants were all different lengths and they all had significant fraying around the bottoms (See comparison picture). I had better hem adjustments done by the tailor at the Men's Department store at Macy's. I mentioned my concern about the hemming to Wafa and he just went crazy. He went on to tell me how in 32 years of working as a tailor no customer had ever complained and that it was not the pants but instead my fault because I was wearing them incorrectly. He then proceeded to have his assistant measure them and the assistant confirmed that the lengths on the trousers were indeed different. At that point Wafa was extremely upset and just walked away and refused to talk to me anymore. As a result, I will not be supporting this business anymore and I will make sure to let everyone I know about the terrible experience at A1 Tailor. Wafa insulted my intelligence and attempted to belittle me with his comments about the quality of my clothes. As I mentioned before, I buy the best I can afford and I paid him full price to do the same work as he might do on high end designer clothing. He chose to attack the person instead of focusing on the problem. That should be enough to convince you about the type of person he is and the quality of the business he runs. Caveat Emptor "Buyer Beware!!!" read more

Great small establishment I found on Yelp. I'm an doctor and wear embroidered scrubs every day that make me look like a child playing dress up. I came to A-1 with a set asking to resize it substantially and some pretty specific demands -- I wanted it to be more female in shape at the waist and chest but no darts, there was no stretch at all in the material but I wanted it very close to the body while still being to put it on/off without dislocating a shoulder, and I wanted proper sleeve seams to be put in as it it was just two single pieces of fabric stitched together. For the pants, I was equally demanding...I wanted to lower the waistband and raise the crotch and also narrow it significantly. He spent at least 20 minutes with me on the first sizing and I returned 1 week later to refit, requesting several alterations. Without a blink, he agreed and continued to honor our prior price despite the additional workload I had given him. We negotiated a deal since I ended up giving him all 6 sets of scrubs and they all came out pretty good given all the parameters and limitations. A couple days into the order I wanted to get my white doctor coat done as well and he was able to do it without delaying the finish date (1 week...not bad for 13 items!) Cash or check only, but there's an atm across the street. Great small establishment with pretty quality work and excellent service. I'd trust them with anything from cheap repairs to full on tailoring of expensive items. read more

The owner could not be any nicer and he does outstanding work. I tend to tear up my suits and this place has become my go to when I need a quick fix. The turnaround is typically a few days and the price is almost never more than $10. I'm sure there are a ton of tailors on the North Shore, but this is one of the best. Also street parking is relatively easy, even though the area gets very busy around rush hour. read more

The tailor is great! Very friendly and professional, and my clothes were ready on time. I asked him to hem 3 stretchy camisoles, and he thoroughly explained to me that while he could do what I asked, he couldn't produce the same hemming stitch (only industrial machines could make that stitch). I didn't care, but I appreciated that he took the time to explain what was going to happen to my clothes. Hemming my camisoles was $10 a piece for $30 total, and that was with a single stitch rather than a double stitch (which costs slightly more). CASH ONLY! read more

And again, A-1 Tailor aka A+ Tailor to me saves the day. My husband was cleaning out his closets and had a lot of nice name brand dress shirts that he was going to donate because they were just out of style. The shirts were that baggy loose style that was popular in the 90s for men. I went to A-1 Tailor and all he did was take my husband's measurement and offered to fit them to him. As a birthday gift, I took about 10 shirts in there and he did an AMAZING job with them and had it done within the week! The price was just right and my husband feels like he just received 10 brand new shirts. I'm waiting for the next gift opportunity to bring the rest of the shirts to get tailored. Thanks again! read more

I was looking for somewhere to get my first suit tailored. I did a search and found A-1. I arrived on a Saturday and the owner helped me right away. As I was trying on my suit, several who I am guessing were regulars - came in to get and pick stuff up. The owner knew them well and even asked them how their husbands, family members, etc. were doing. I liked that, because it shows this place has repeat customers who like the work done here. When I came back to get my suit, before I even handed him my ticket, he knew immediately that it was a charcoal suit. I got it home and they did fantastic work. A better name for this place would be A++ Tailor! I will definitely be going back here in the future! read more

I now don't have to worry about what length my jeans are as if they are too long, I can just go here and get them tailored for $10 without fear. The hours are 8-5 Monday-Saturday. I went in on Friday and he told me they would be ready Tuesday. When I told him that I might not be able to come in until the weekend, he just told me to come in the next day after noon and they would be ready. I paid him upfront and he didn't mark it down at the time, but it was not an issue when I picked up the jeans. read more

Eight minus one is an excellent tailor shop. I had number of suits adjusted here as well as dress pants and jackets. The owner Louis does a great job! Extremely focused on quality of the work, I welcome his suggestions on the alteration well styles. read more

Okay, so I wanted to make a note that I did finally have something go wrong here. I had been going here for 4 years and constantly getting great results. One of my most common alterations was having my pants taken in about an inch. This time, I needed them taken out about an inch. He took them IN an inch. When I told him, he started to tell me I was wrong, then looked at his ticket, and became flustered and apologetic. He then did his best to take them out as far as possible, but they very close to the original size - they could not be taken out more because of how he trimmed the fabric to get them to lie flat. He should have given the pants to me for free. I should have demanded it. But I didn't...because I didn't want to make waves. It was right before I moved out of town and I had a lot going on! read more

No problem so far with A-1 Tailor. I've gotten two pairs of jeans hemmed for $11 each. I wish their turnaround time was faster (4 days for a hem seems a bit much, no?) even with their increased popularity over the last few months on Yelp. read more

The last time I went to a professional tailor that I liked, I haunted a whole different set of neighborhoods and needed a bridesmaid dress taken in. He was a nice Jamaican guy who offered me a relaxing if not entirely legal treat while he fitted me (sadly I declined), and he did a fabulous job (on the dress). That was a long, long time ago, and I'd be surprised if he's still there. Anyhow, I thank previous Yelpers for pointing A-1 out to me. I'll give A-1 five stars if I ever bring anything more challenging and he does as great a job as he did on shortening my jeans. He pinned, he sewed, and I'm very happy with his work. I had a choice between $11 for a standard jeans hem or $15 to reproduce the decorative hem on the pants. I went for the $15 and he did a perfect job of matching the thread and reproducing the original look. He told me the pants would be ready in a week, which was fine with me. He did not ask me to pay in advance, and he took my check--I probably look like the solid citizen I am. Additionally he's pleasant to deal with. I think my days of doing my own lousy hemming jobs are all but over. read more

Wafa at A-1 Tailor is my go to person for tailoring and alterations. I first found him thanks to fellow Yelpers when I needed a bridesmaid dress altered. He did a beautiful job of taking in the top, as well as hemming the bottom, for around $40. I've also had jeans hemmed for $11, which are fine. However, what gets the five stars is how Wafa saved my wedding. I ordered my two-piece wedding dress on ebay from some random seamstress in China. It arrived a few weeks before the wedding, and while the top fit fine because it was lace-up and therefore adjustable, the waistband was way too big and the whole thing was at least six inches too long. I brought it to Wafa and begged for his help. Ordinarily he doesn't do wedding dresses, but we worked out a compromise. Instead of hemming the whole thing (satin main layer with an embroidered mesh overlay), he took the six inches off the top, redid the waistband, and redid the zipper... for $75. He turned it around in time for the wedding, the alterations were perfect, and I didn't even go over my dress budget. Now that's a five-star tailor. read more

I brought a new suit and a pair of slacks here to be tailored. I have to admit I don't know the first thing about how stuff is supposed to fit (sorry, we rarely deal with these things in the South) but the tailor was very patient with me. He explained how the jacket and pants are supposed to fit on the body and while he seemed ready to tailor the suit as I wanted it, when prompted, he was more than happy to make recommendations. Naturally I went with his recommendations (the guy used to make suits, he should know!), and I wasn't disappointed. The suit fits very well, as do the slacks. He was willing to work within the timeframe I specified and charged a very fair price for the amount of work involved. read more

Do not go here!! I rarely write reviews, but was compelled to after my last two experiences. The main tailor is rude, impatient, and mean. He made bizarre tailoring recommendations that I later learned were absolutely awful ideas. The first time I went in I assumed he'd just had a really bad day, but the second time he was even worse. I left and went to Quality Alterations in Evanston, right up the street from this place, and had an amazing experience which I highly recommend. Do not go to A-1 Tailor!! read more

I never write reviews like EVER but I'm so excited I finally found a reliable tailor shop that ONLY does tailoring, so they focus on quality tailoring and nothing else. The guys there did a great job on a difficult request and did it for half the price that multiple other people quoted me. I will be returning! read more

I have used this gent's services for years. His work is always flawless, his prices are reasonable, and he always makes me laugh! A+ read more