Measurements were off, work was at least two days late, and he doesn't accept credit card.

I'm going to update my review, because my previous review said that I've gone to this tailor for 16 years - but I said that in 2012 - -so now I can say in 2025 that I've been going to this tailor for 30 years, which seems amazing to me. But I recently visited him because my favorite alpaca sweater that I bought in Peru had a moth hole smack in the front. I knew that if Sammy rewove it, it would be fixed perfectly. And thats precisely what Sammy did. I couldn't tell where the hole was - I have to shine my iPhone light onto the material and focus - it's that good of a repair. It was totally inexpensive to repair which I was shocked. I've been coming here for 30 years and I have never regretted it. read more

Sammy is so great! He is a kind warm soul and is willing to take on last minute projects. It is cash only, so be prepared for that when you pick up your clothes! Price is wonderful, especially compared to places nearby in DC. read more

Very nice man and inexpensive, but the work was shoddy (asymmetrical stick/weird fold on one part of what was altered) and the garment smelled like smoke afterwards; wouldn't really recommend. read more

I really hate to leave negative reviews, especially of a small business. But I feel I need to warn others after my recent experience. I dropped off a suit and a jacket to be tailored for my wedding, the alteration was good but came in a full two weeks late (also not that this was not him calling me but instead me calling him) and absolutely stank of cigarette smoke. Not having a card reader is a smaller nit, but definitely still annoying given that my two articles were close to $200 total. No discount offered for the late delivery. I'm very lucky that I should have time to take it to the dry cleaner before the big day, hopefully it'll be able to get it back to wearable. read more

Ultimately, Sammy is a fine tailor, and does good work. Much like many masters of any art, actually experiencing him and his workspace is a bit jarring. His shop is insanely disorganized and his business records appear to be piles of scrap paper that he scribbles into claim checks and receipts, and the smell of cigarette smoke is palpable. I don't really care what a man smokes, but I do when it may make its way into my clothes. I also don't care how good someone's English is if they're good at their craft, though I admit I was a little skeptical at first since it seemed Sammy rushed through the initial fitting of a suit and I didn't feel I was communicating to him very well what I wanted - it was just some gruff tugs and grunts and he sent me on my way. I just tried to trust! In the end, he always got it right. But it was a bit of a rickety experience! read more

I took my simple wedding dress here to be hemmed a couple inches shorter. Sammy charged $80, which I think is standard. However the dress was not ready when he said it would be. Also, the dress REEKS of cigarettes and there is no time to get it dry cleaned since he was late altering it. Also, he doesn't take credit card, only cash or check. read more

Mr. Lee always does a great job & he has consistently provided timely service. Highly recommend!

Great work and great value. Got dress pants hemmed & the waist expanded a few weeks ago, and I needed it done within 48 hours for a wedding. Dropped off on a Wednesday evening and picked them up Friday afternoon, with no issues whatsoever. The work is impeccable and only cost $40. Very happy with the work and will be coming back here moving forward. Mr Lee is awesome! read more

The best tailor in town. I meet him 30 years ago. He alters or creates clothing that fits you perfectly and does not look like it was altered. Sammy is still #1!!!!! read more

Undoubtedly one of the worst experiences I've ever had with any business establishment, ever. I bought a nice dress from a consignment shop on Capitol Hill that needed a small zipper repair, and wandered into this shop because it was nearby. When I arrived, the place was absolute chaos - smelled of cigarette smoke and there was burnt garbage (or so it seemed) everywhere. Apparently, there had just been a fire. I would have immediately left if Sammy Lee, the tailor, hadn't aggressively yelled at me about how I couldn't fix the zipper myself. So I left it with him. We agreed on $10. I left feeling slightly humiliated by the way he had spoken to me. I returned two weeks later to pick up my dress - at which point he yelled at me again that he didn't have a credit card reader because it had been burnt up in the fire, or something. I didn't have any cash on me, so I had to leave without my dress, which was incredibly irritating. I would think that a business owner would take quicker steps to restore their card-reading abilities. Another week later, I went back to get my dress, this time cash in hand. When I arrived and asked for my dress, he looked dumbfounded and began picking through piles of clothes. He asked me when I needed the dress and when I was planning to wear it. I didn't have a specific event, I just wanted my dress. I was also about to go out of town for a long weekend and wanted to take it. He couldn't find it anywhere - and given that I was meeting someone, I had to leave AGAIN without my dress. Yet ANOTHER week later, I returned, and when I arrived, he still had no idea where my dress was. I watched him pick around for ten or fifteen minutes, until I was so irritated I started looking for it myself. I eventually found it at the back of a pile of clothes - covered in dust, probably from the fire. I suggested that it might be fair to give me my $10 repair for free, given the incredible hassle the whole thing had been and the complete, utter lack of professionalism. He began yelling at me again, telling me that I "talked mean" and "I was very wrong." It's probably worth mentioning that Sammy Lee barely speaks English. That's fine as long as everyone is cordial, but I didn't appreciate being rudely yelled at and berated in indecipherable, broken English about how wrong I was for being upset that I had to traipse back OVER and OVER to this dirty establishment. I will be trying to get the smell of cigarette smoke out and fire-dust off my dress before wearing it. I would highly discourage anyone from using this tailor. read more

OUCH. I read the reviews for a few tailors around town and this sounded like a decent place to go although others said it was expensive. I had a sweater and two shirts that needed a hole fixed on the sleeve. He put suede patches on the sweater, which worked out fine, but he charged $25. For the shirts he cut the entire tail off the shirt to fashion a patch rather than just sewing up the tiny whole. I really wish he had asked before butchering my favorite shirt. In the future I'll go somewhere else. read more

I left some drapes at the establishment to be hemmed. I have very mixed feelings, as the tailor did a good job, but thoroughly infuriated me by lying about when he had said they would be ready for pickup. I could even see on his copy how he had scratched out the date to change it. It was very unscrupulous to lie and cause me to return another day. If he had just told me he was overwhelmed by the amount of work that he had received and asked if I could pick them up at a later date, I would have been fine with it. It's just the attempt to deceive that rankles me. read more

A diamond in the rough. An amazing find in capitol Hill. I've traveled all over and with the exception of London, you often find the best craftsmanship in the smallest out of the way places. Mr. Lee is no different, his shop is over crowded and seamingly (pun intended) disorganized, but Mr Lee knows where everything is and does amazing work! read more

Sammy is a true expert in the field! I took my wedding dress here to be fitted, and despite it being a delicate job, he knew exactly what to do and how to do it carefully. I'm only visiting him from now on, highly recommended! Plus he won't overcharge you! read more

Walked in- and walked right back out. The smell of stale cigarette smoke nearly gagged me! I certainly didn't want my clothes that I needed mended to smell like that, too! I'll have to pass, thanks. read more

Sammy Lee is the best tailor on Capitol Hill. I took him a dress I needed altered within 48 hours and it came back perfect, AND cost way less than the other tailors around the Hill. Can't recommend this tailor shop enough!! read more

Sammy is the best tailor on Capitol Hill, if not all of DC. Whenever friends ask me where to go to have an alteration done, I always point them to this man and his storied shop. He is pricey and worth every penny. Every time I've been tempted elsewhere, I always regret it (and Sammy fixes it). In his quiet and contentious way, he takes care of you. Not only will he listen to you and give you exactly what you want, he'll also give you what you didn't know you needed. Make no mistake: Sammy is in charge, and that's a very good thing. Just the other day, I walked out with a blazer that looks custom-made. Sammy's been kind and gracious to me over the years. I can ask no more than that. read more

Terrific little shop in a great location with reasonable prices for D.C. The work I've had done has been exactly as needed and on time.

My wife and I have been going to Sammy Lee since 2012 and he does exquisite work on both men's and women's clothes. His attention to detail is impeccable and his prices are always reasonable. He has replaced the lining to a winter coat, shortened a suit jacket that was too long (not the sleeves, the jacket itself!--it was the right size but in "extra tall" size...I really didn't think it was workable but I needed the jacket for a specific event and the only size that fit in the chest was an "extra tall" length), etc. etc. etc. and always top notch results! He has turned things around in the same day in same cases and I practically have to force him to take a tip! read more

For a neighborhood FULL of politicos and business professionals, it always amazes me how the Hill lacks an abundance of service-orientated businesses like tailor shops. But we are luck to have Sammy Lee!! He is incredibly reliable and delivers a good product. I've entrusted him with bridesmaid dresses and ball gowns (typically not easy materials to work with either), and he has tailored them for a perfect fit. The best thing about Mr. Lee is that he really understands how clothes are made and are supposed to fit - this is especially important for the ladies when it comes to dresses. I am also notorious for waiting until the last minute to get my things altered and he is great about finishing pieces for me more quickly. Sammy Lee is in fact a bit pricey, but I think most of the tailor/alteration businesses in DC are so he is probably at market value, but you are definitely getting your money's worth in that you won't need to worry about getting a poor product in return! I think I've paid about $40 for shortening dresses and $80 for more massive work that included taking the entire top of gowns in several inches. Ladies, just an FYI, he is definitely cheaper than having your alterations done at the rip-off bridal shops. read more

Sammy took FOREVER to get my suits finished. I dropped off 3 suits to get tailored and we agreed on $500. Sammy said they would be ready in 1 month which was perfect because I had a wedding to go to in a month. After the month was up only 1 pair of pants were done, he said they would be ready in 2 additional weeks. After two weeks I went back and 1 jacket was finished. Long story short it took 4 months for the final 2 suits to be done. His "office" is extremely disorganized so it's no wonder he wasn't able to keep his promises timeline. The reason why I gave him 2 stars instead of 1 is because the quality of work was pretty good. I will not be going back to Sammy in the future. read more

Sammy Lee does excellent work. I have had several suits tailored here and have been extremely satisfied. Even jackets that fit poorly off the rack now fit perfectly - almost like a bespoke suit. Sammy is expensive, which is why I gave him 4 stars instead of 5, but you get what you pay for. read more

I've been going to Sammy Lee for almost 20 years. He's done gorgeous work for me all that time. He's been worth every penny regardless of the quality of the garment I brought in. He did an unbelievable job reweaving a pair of staple holes that my (ex-) dry cleaner put in a pair of suit pants. I let the house tailors at Nordstrom do one of my suits and while they're serious and professional, they didn't nail it the way Sammy does. In fact, they didn't note that one of my arms is marginally shorter than the other and marked one coat sleeve and did the other to match. When I took that jacket into Sammy for a minor lining stitch up a couple years later, he spotted the sleeve issue instantly without my mentioning it. And fixed it. In a city that all too often seems filled with indifferent and mediocre services, Sammy is a pro and a treasure. May he never retire. Take your stuff. Pay the money. Worth it. read more

They lost my $1,100 suit, and lied about it! After consistently good experiences with the work, Capitol Hill Tailor Shop (or Sammy Lee Tailor) committed a fatal flaw for this customer. Dropped off the suit pants of a Boss suit to have a tear mended. After several delays in the estimated completion (two weeks stretched into a month), I finally asked for the pants back only to discover that Sammy lost the pants at the onset. More disappointing is that he lied about the delays, saying his finger was broken and that was the source of delay, rather than being honest up-front about losing the pants. Basically, I'm out $1,100...needless to say, I'm not returning. Think it is time for this tailor shop to clean up its operations a bit. A shame. read more

Bottom line, with tailors and so much else in life, you pay for the quality of the work you get and Mr. Lee's work is excellent. I had him alter a blazer for me to the tune of $100 and it was worth every penny. The interior is as clean and finished as the exterior, one sign of good craftsmanship, and it fits like a glove. He's since done work for my (very particular) husband who has been pleased with the results and I plan to bring him anything else I need done. Mr. Lee is actually less expensive than other quality tailors in the area and if you live or work on or near the Hill his location is very convenient. Make sure you go to the right shop though - there's another tailor just a door or two down - Mr. Lee's shop is upstairs above a nail salon. read more

I have been going to Mr. Lee at Capitol Hill Tailors for some time. I agree with other yelpers (like me, presumably working under a budget) that his time is costly. In my experience, it's been well worth it as his work is always exquisitely done. He always completes my garments by the date he quotes and, on a few occasions, he has been kind enough to work with me on some simpler short notice alterations. Bottom Line: High Quality and Excellent Service read more

I've taken any number of items in for tailoring and am always pleased with the results. Once I brought in a skirt to be taken in - the zipper pull had broken off and i was using a safety pin instead. When I got the skirt back, Sammy had replaced the entire zipper free of charge - that's a service oriented business! read more

Very reasonably priced with great skill! I had several pairs of pants hemmed, all finished within a week. I will definitely return!

This place is full of "character" - old, dusty, fading autographs from politicians on the wall - but the quality of work is excellent. Alterations that Sammy has done for my family have been truly professional - no sign of any work done, just a great fit. As others have mentioned, it's more expensive than some other places, but honestly not unreasonably so for Capitol Hill. read more

Sammy Lee is a great tailor who provides excellent service and an even better product. I've had two suits tailored by him and he understands the modern, slim-fit trend. My first suit had to be lengthened a bit the second time around but he did that free of charge. Don't be weary of the shop's decor - this place is great. The only reason for not giving 5 stars is because, as others have mentioned, he's pricey. Personally, I have no problem paying a premium but it's not cheap. read more

I've tried different tailors all over D.C., and Sammy Lee is the best. He's quick, friendly, and a magician. No matter how many times I make the mistake of trying somewhere else I wind up back here. read more

The guy is an expert at what he does, but also a great conversationalist. It wasn't boring listening to his jokes and stories while doing my pants. If you're looking for a quick tailor, this is your guy. read more

I have been going to Mr. Lee for years. I've had alterations, and dry cleaning done. Mr. Lee is so sweet and respectful. He has hemmed many articles of clothing, and taken in suits for me, etc. He has never given me less than top notch customer service. He is always punctual, precise, gentle and polite. He does not make a big fuss, he's all business. He has even called to remind my clothes were ready. Despite the fact that his prices are not as cheap as I'd like, I still go back. read more

Sammy Lee is one of the rudest tailors I have ever dealt with. I brought in fabric for him to make simple curtains. Not only did he waste 30 minutes of my time measuring and cutting in front of me (when this could have been done afterwards), but he overcharged me. I am fortunate that I did not pay on the spot since two weeks later I ended up picking the fabric up. He said he would have them completed in 10 days and on the 10th day he hadn't even started working (besides cutting them and butchering the ends of the fabric). He was unapologetic and could have cared less that he lost a customer. He's severely overrated. read more

Sammy Lee at Capitol Hill Tailor Shop is the best tailor in the world. He can sew anything. His craftsmanship and skill are world class. I live in New York for half of every year and I save all my tailoring for him. He can alter any garment perfectly; he can copy any garment you own and make exactly the right adjustments for your size. His handwork is exquisite. He can tailor men's and women's clothing with exquisite precision and craftsmanship. His work is world class. His prices are MODEST for the quality of work he does. There is no tailoring challenge he cannot meet. You will never find a better tailor. He has relined coats and jackets for my husband; he has copied complicated dresses and suits for me and our daughter; he has transformed expensive cashmere and silk jackets for me, and has also patched nightgowns and pajamas! He has made breathtaking pillows for my home out of antique fabrics I collect. I cannot recommend him too highly. He can make any dress or suit you want -- just bring him the fabric of your choice. He can make a superb man's suit from an excellent selection of fabrics he keeps in his shop. He can repair holes in sweaters and conceal moth holes in woolen coats. He finishes every garment beautifully. If you have a favorite dress or suit ,and would like it in a new fabric or color, or with the size, style, or length adjusted, he can do it flawlessly. You can ask for fittings through the process if you want; you can ask him to make the sleeves any length you want. If you are seeking a repair, he can patch a hole with fabric from inside the pocket, from a too-long hem; or you can bring in new fabric you select. He can let out any jacket, pants or dress, or take them in. He can cuff pants or finish them un-cuffed. He sews on buttons and replaces zippers -- He does it all! If you ask him for a price up front, he will tell you. He is THE BEST! read more

Just to update on my previous experience. I took my clothes to another nearby tailor to try and get my clothing fixed. They were shocked to see what the Capitol Hill Tailor Shop did and said that I should definitely take my pieces back and at least discuss it with Sammy. As soon as I went in Sammy began yelling at me without even letting me explain what the problems were. To be honest , on top of bad quality tailoring this is the worst customer service I ever experienced. I would recommend people not to ever take their business here. read more

It's true that the Capitol Hill Tailor shop can be pricey but Sammy Lee is an outstanding tailor. I just had three new suits altered there and they fit perfectly. Perfection in tailoring is hard to find but Mr. Lee comes through every time. read more

Brilliant tailor, a real craftsman. Rather pricey, but he can take an off-the-rack suit or shirt and make it fit you like a custom one, so ultimately it's a bargain. read more

I've been to Sammy a couple of times. Once to tailor a shirt for my wedding (a very fine job) and more recently with a pair of pants and a suit that were both too large and needed to be taken in. The charge was really high -- $260 for hem and slight alteration to the pants plus helm on the suit pants and some alterations to the jacket (sleeves, taking in the back). I really expected a brilliant fit and what I got was a jacket that was oddly shaped on me -- big in the shoulders, tight in the waist -- a bit zoot suit like! When I questioned him about the fit, he told me that this is how all the congressional power brokers ask for their suits and it looked just right. In the end, I am indeed a bit broker and have a suit that I hardly every wear. I wish he had actually listened to me regarding how to fit the suit. Take care to be very firm if you want this done the way you want it -- particularly at these prices. read more