In our throw away culture, shoe repair businesses have all but vanished from most cities. Not so New York. This is a pedestrian's city, and taking care of one's shoes is critical to saving money, enhancing comfort, and making sure your shoes don't create a risk of injury. Because of this, neighborhoods here still have shoe repair shops staffed by people who are career artisans. When I returned to New York, finding a new shoe repair place was one of the first things I did. Fortunately, Cesar's is the place in my neighborhood. Cesar's is everything one could want in a neighborhood shoe repair shop. They are friendly, communicative, and the work they do is outstanding. I've brought in shoes for new heels and for resoleing, and every time I get back shoes that look brand new. I've also brought in shoes that they recommend not repairing, and each time they've walked me through the reasons why. Many places would just take the shoes and perform a repair they know won't last, but Cesar's staff value customers and will forego an easy buck if it means the customer will end up with an unsatisfactory result. I've also taken leather purses in to get straps repaired. They usually warn me that it will be a costly repair, and suggest weighing that against the cost of replacement. They show me what they will need to do and, importantly, estimate how long the straps will be once repaired. In addition to repair work, Cesar's stocks an incredible assortment of products. They have shoe polish in a host of colors and formulations, and will recommend which ones are best for your shoes. They have insoles, products for shoe cleaning and waterproofing, laces, and much more. Despite the small size of the store, everything is tidy and easy to find. And anyway, when was the last time you went to get your shoes repaired and were tempted to browse? PRO TIP: You pay when you drop off your shoes, not at pickup. And CASH (remember that?) ONLY. read more

I called trying to get a quote and explain and once he heard theres another place offering to do same day service he hung up on me

Nice guy but the prices are questionable, at least for my lifestyle and the shoes I typically wear. I had a beat-up pair of Blundstones that I was thinking about reviving--he quoted me something like $80-$120 to repair the rundown soles, polish the leather, etc. (Price was for both shoes / per pair. This was a while ago so I don't remember the exact numbers.) Blundstones run about $200/pair when they're new so I wasn't really sure about spending approx. half the cost of a new pair just to save an old one. Ultimately I decided not to go through with it, but I might've changed my mind if the price were lower. The cash only thing is pretty inconvenient as well. read more

Put your beat up old shoes back on and run out of this place . Friendly enough guy, Caesar...but his prices are obscene and he deals in cash - only. After having received a quote that was seriously out of line, I walked to another reputable shoe repairman in the neighborhood and had the work done for a quarter of the cost. read more

This guy needs a reality check. I have been coming here for years and recently noticed his prices are getting out of control. I drew a line when he quoted $200 for some replacement. I went to another place in the neighborhood and price was $80. Needless to say he lost a long time customer read more

My patronage at Cesar's Shoe Repair spans 15 years and counting, and I can confidently say that some things truly never change--like the phenomenal bench work that Edward (the owner) and his team consistently deliver. Over the years, they've expertly rubber-soled countless pairs of my high-end footwear, always exceeding expectations. Most recently, this past summer, Edward and his team took on a unique custom soling request for a pair of John Lobb slippers. I wanted them to be more sturdy and functional for the unforgiving streets of New York, and I asked Edward to mirror the sole structure of a similar pair of Loro Piana slippers. After several consultations where we discussed the direction and selected materials (including a Toscana leather sole, a thin wedge for heel support, and topy rubber soles for protection), Edward absolutely nailed it. The end result (see attached photos) was nothing short of perfection--his work was not only flawless but far superior to the original Loro Piana pair I had referenced. Edward and his team continue to impress me, and they've earned my loyalty for life. Simply put, Cesar's Shoe Repair is the BEST cobbler institution in all of NYC--truly one of a kind. read more

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The prices here are way too high and to make things worse, they only accept cash. It feels outdated and inconvenient. Would not recommend unless you're okay with overpaying and carrying cash. Just walk over a few blocks to 23rd street. read more

I brought my Margiela shoes to get soles as I had worn them out, and granted this is difficult because they have the split toe. They came back with a big tear in between the toe which was not there when I dropped them off obviously. Now, I can understand that as you're separating the toes that might happen when you're putting on the sole and it's OK if something like that happens as long as the shop takes responsibility and you try to fix it for free but instead of owning up to it Caesars denied that they did it and they refused to fix it for free, so I haven't been back since. I don't mind when mistakes are made, I just want honesty and openness about it and I want people to own up to their mistakes and to try to fix them. read more

Cesar's Shoe Repair - New sole - Shoe Repair Near Me - New York, New York

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Service was spectacular and kind. My shoes came in looking horrific and now look better than when purchased. The price is great, especially for location. Turnaround was very quick as well. Will be bringing more shoes in the future read more

Cesar's Shoe Repair - Shoe Repair Near Me - New York, New York

Excellent work on Goodyear stitched shoes with danite soles. Stitching is clean and the new heel well executed. $160. Worth it if you have good quality shoes you want to last for decades. read more

Cesar's Shoe Repair - Like a work of art - Shoe Repair Near Me - New York, New York

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I went to Cesar's to get my vintage florsheim shoes re-soled after reading the positive experience of another customer with the same shoes. first they charged me an additional $40 for re-soling with a dainite sole job because of the "extra thickness of the sole"... When i picked up the shoes, there are marks of the belt sander on the uppers as well as glue. I paid extra and got my shoes ruined. Avoid Cesar's at all costs if you can. read more

Cesar's Shoe Repair - sandbelt deep scratch on heel - Shoe Repair Near Me - New York, New York

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This place does impeccable job. I take my shoes only here and the work that they do always exceeds the expectations. The service is great as well. People here are super professional, you can tell right away that they know what they are talking about. At the same time they are friendly, answer all the questions,​ and explain what they will be doing to your shoes. I feel comfortable going there and trusting my stuff to them. I wish good luck to this business and to go through hard times smoothly. Keep up a great job for us and we will be coming back to you. read more

He did a great job at repainting my shoes, they look brand new! I will be coming back here for all my shoe needs! read more

Cesar's Shoe Repair - Before - Shoe Repair Near Me - New York, New York

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My $200 runners had a huge glaring hole on the top due to factory defect. It was impossible to fix because the material is a complex mesh grid that is hard to sew. I came to Cesar's hoping for nothing. They took it and did an amazing job replacing the entire top element on both shoes with the leather that looked like the rest of the shoe in style. After the repair, the shoes looked as good or even better than before because the patch matched the design. Two years later I am still wearing the repaired shoes and the patch holds! read more

Cesar's Shoe Repair - Fixed shoes. A bit dusty though after many years of use. - Shoe Repair Near Me - New York, New York

The Face of Cesar's Shoe Repair is a condescending... Oh I'm going to have the herculean task of keeping it PG. I brought in three boots (a pair & a single) for relatively minor repairs. The older gentleman who works in the back did make a face at the state of the backs of my boot heels, but he did do some damn fine work. The problem starts with the single boot I brought in with the slight tear. He didn't put it on the ticket and it wasn't in the bag when I came to pick it up. Amazingly, my missing boot isn't the real problem. It's the smarmy douche working the front end. The gentleman from the back went through every bag of boots. Opened up and checked Every. Single. One. God bless him. Meanwhile his mouthpiece grouped a couple of bags that he said would contain single items, and called it a day. When I tried to express how important it is that he find my boot, because when you wear a Woman's 14 it's not an easy thing to just run out and find an attractive boot, this.... arrrgh "person" had the nerve to tell me, "You can always buy a man's boot and bedazzle it". BEDAZZLE IT. Anyone who knows shoes, hell anyone who has ever worn shoes, knows that men's and women's shoes are styled very differently. From the length of the vamps to the shape and size of the heels. Buying a clunky man's boot and slapping some rhinestones is not a solution to you making a good faith effort to find my missing boot, you trifling.... He shuffles me out the door by taking my number and "promising" to call me if they find it. Now I spend a week looking at a single boot and letting that brush-off fester. But I still come back being polite. Now he doesn't even pretend to make an effort to look for my boot. I had to ask him repeatedly to ask the guys in the back if they've seen it. I came with its mate for the express purpose of seeing if it would trigger a memory. I had to threaten to go to the precinct around the corner before he even spoke the the two guys in the rear. I had to ask one of them just to come out to look at it because this..... oooohhh... wouldn't deign to ask them to look at the boot. Out comes the Gentleman. He get's a capitalized title because he, unlike his co-worker, is a stand up human being. He looks at it, takes it to the guy who specializes in tears and with genuine regret tells me he has no recollection of it. You can't possibly be upset with a person that tries whether they are successful or not. The Gentleman made the effort that their customer service person couldn't be bothered with. So I am writing this 1-star review with a lot of ambivalence. I still don't have my boot, and I surely could have done with out Mr. Bedazzle's stank attitude, but the Gentleman deserves to wear the nice button down shirt and work the counter. He's the kind of person you want as the face of your business. Edited to add: The douche-canoe is Cesar's son and the now owner. Oh man. Talk about the next generation running the family business into the ground. read more

My home was hit pretty hard (but not as bad as others within NYC) by Hurricane Sandy and my basement was completely flooded. Sadly, I'd used the space to store a majority of my shoes and one of the few that I really loved was completely submerged in flood water. The snuff suede on my double-monks had already become stiff and I feared they'd been irreparably damaged since I waited so long to take them in (about 2.5 weeks after the storm, I'm a jackass, I know). I did a quick Google search, found Cesar's, read a few decent things and decided to bring 'em in since it was close to my office anyway. I told the gentleman behind the counter, presumably Cesar (though I didn't ask), what happened and asked what my options were. Once he heard flooding he explained that they first needed to completely dry before he could work on them and inserted cedar shoe-trees to absorb any residual moisture. He knew what he was talking about since he recognized these were Goodyear welted and that the cork layer within was probably still moist. I took his understanding of this as a good sign since most shoe repair/shine shops are just run of the mill operations where workers usually don't know the first thing about legit shoe care practices. He told me he'd only apply a small amount of cleaning solution so the nap wouldn't become overly fuzzy and unsightly. This guy knew what's up. To make a long story short, he took my flood-damaged shoes and managed to remove any visible trace of them getting wet or stained. Granted, the suede isn't as supple as it once was, but I'm not complaining. He even applied a waterproof coating gratis. They were ready in a week at a staggeringly reasonable cost of $30 or $35 (sorry, my memory is TERRIBLE). But here's a thousand words in a picture - before/after: http://i.imgur.com/u9tMR.jpg **This is my first review only because I've never felt this compelled or indebted by such great service. read more

Cesar's Shoe Repair - Before and after. Brought them in to restore after they were submerged in floodwater by Hurricane Sandy. - Shoe Repair Near Me - New York, New York

I was running a bunch of errands and needed my tall black boots shined after all the walking around in wet/ snowy weather. I went into Cesar's because it's right around the corner from my apartment and quite frankly I mistook it for Chelsea Cobbler - the nice store one block up. $12 for a pair of boots seemed steep, but didn't quibble. The shine was fine. Cesar gave me back my boots, but was in such a rush that he handed me the boots, without me having full grasp of the boots, and the heel of the boot dropped on my toe. OUCH! I said, "you know i didn't fully have that in my hand and it dropped on my foot". He then said that HE did hand them to me, and then he said that because I was wearing gloves I didn't have a handle on my boots. (please note they were fingerless texting gloves!) A simply or even mumbled "sorry" would have been fine. At this point, when I went to pay he gave me all $1 back from my $20. AS IF I was going to tip. I then said "A simple sorry would have been fine", at which point this extremely RUDE man then told me that because I was texting while waiting for my boots, I wasn't paying attention. Cesar was rude, a jerk, and his shoe shine was completely overpriced. Go one block north to the Chelsea Cobbler on 7th Avenue between 21st and 22nd. They are super nice, do a great job, and first time I came in they even gave me a 10% discount because I brought in a bunch of shoes for repair. read more

Seriously. I've been going here for years... it's the only place I use. But today they get a review because I'm overly impressed. In addition to reconditioning my Dolce's, they resoled them... and you'd never know it!! read more

Cesar's Shoe Repair - Shoe Repair Near Me - New York, New York

Fixed up our Vintage Louis Vuitton luggage handle like new! Went above and beyond by checking out this same very piece and doing some excellent research to make it look perfect! They took the old handle apart and reconstructed new one in the same exact way as the old one. It came out great, thanks!! read more

Cesar's Shoe Repair - Vintage Louis Vuitton luggage handle repair - Shoe Repair Near Me - New York, New York

Cesar's has worked magic on a pair of Frye boots not once, but twice after my dog has made a meal of them. Could not more highly recommend, he even matched the red leather to a pair of Wolverines the dog also ate. (I don't know what to tell you, he's a good pup, just has very expensive taste!) read more

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Wonderful, kind, fast and always top quality work. Come her frequently and I always leave happy and with nice rubbered shoes

Cesar's came highly recommended on yelp so I sent them a message to get a repair quote for my Louis Vuitton bag. I got a response the same day with a very fair quote of $70 for a broken strap. The work is flawless! Couldn't be more thrilled. Took them only 5 days. read more

Cesar's Shoe Repair - Thoroughly conditioned and repaired! - Shoe Repair Near Me - New York, New York

I walked past this store and was attached by the clean Louis Vuitton purses and luggage in the window. The staff was very nice and friendly. I brought my bag to have some leather trimmings done and I am soooooo happy with this my nerver full looks brand new. Edward is amazing at explaining. This store also accepts pay pal. read more

Absolutely THE BEST shoe repairs in the WORLD. Edward and his team do more than 'repair'- they RESURRECT! From Gianvitto Rossi, to Chanel, To Louboutin, to Nike (yes, I even brought some Nike Cortez leather sneakers here), Cesar's has you covered! Thank you for keeping my feet happy and beautiful for years and many more to come. read more

Not sure where all the bad reviews came from. I've been bringing shoes here for a few years and they always do a great job. I'm very hard on my shoes and have to get them resoled and polished every few months. My shoes always look brand new after I take them here. I find the prices reasonable for the quality of work, but it is more expensive than other places. Also they accept credit cards! For a while they were cash only which was a drag. read more

First time here. Great prices, quick turnaround, solid repair. Will definitely be back.

John Varvatos makes stylish shoes that disintegrate because they're made in China. When the zipper of my left John Varvatos shoe broke after about a week, my wife said to go to Cesar's. Since she owns 43,000 pairs of shoes her recommendation carried some weight. Cesar's replaced the zipper. You'd never know it wasn't the original, shoddy, John Varvatos one. Later, but not much later, the glue on my right sole gave way and my John Varvatos shoe looked like it had a mouth with staples for teeth. I limped back to Cesar's. He fixed the sole. You'd never know my shoes were poorly assembled by someone whose heart really wasn't into it. When the zipper on my right John Varvatos shoe stopped zipping - because apparently it was made with weak tin or pretend metal - I shuffled back to Cesar's. He replaced it and now I have two functioning zippers on my not-inexpensive, poorly made but stylish John Varvatos shoes! When the left sole of my John Varvatos shoe peeled apart and it looked like I was walking on a leather castanet, I hobbled my way back to Cesar's. He immediately recognized me as the guy who paid too much for poorly made shoes that looked nice. "They look nice," he said, "but they're poorly made." Nevertheless, for some dollars he made my John Varvatos shoes look like they'd just come off the Varvatos assembly line in a cinder-block factory in Xiangxian, with its fluorescent lighting and dying dreams. Thanks to Cesar's I wear my John Varvatos shoes all the time, although I try and stay within a four block radius just in case something falls off or dissolves. read more

Courteous, fast and reliable. These guys are experts at recrafting Allen Edmonds. I came in at five to drop off my shoes. When I came back at six, the shoes were ready and looked brand new. read more

I've had my Louis Vuitton's NeverFull MM bag for a good 8 years (a gift from my now husband when we first started dating) and I have been using it everyday. Like evarrree-day. I throw all kinds of things in it and slowly but surely, the straps started to wear out and one day, my friend pointed out to me as I threw my bag down that my two leather straps were going to rip. I was distraught! I frantically went to the LV store in Soho and showed them what had happened and they told me (in a snobby way too!) that each strap would cost me $160 and the trim would also need work which would cost another $160. $160 x 3 = $480 (160x2 for straps and another 160 for the trim). They said since my bag was in such a "bad condition", they would need to assess if my bag was even "worthy enough to savage". Yup. That's what the lady downstairs told me. Aaaannnd they told me it would be at LEAST 6 months wait IF they do decide to fix it. Like what? So my bag sat right at home, cleared of all the stuff in it, and everyday, I stared at it hoping that it would somehow come back alive. That day came when I finally couldn't handle my new bag (it had no structure and took me forever to find things) and I googled places that fix leather. I stumbled upon Cesar's Shoe Repair and read some reviews on how great they fix LV bags. I was skeptical and even called their competitor (The Leather Spa) to what their prices were. Since they were more uptown, I wanted something close to my work. I walked into Cesars, was greeted by a nice tall man (I think his name was Edward?) and showed him the straps. He immediately said they can fix it and proceeded to let me know what kind of leather they use. He brought out different color leather (natural, brown, dark brown) and said that the brown color would best fit for my already worn bag. I agreed and he set the price at $270 and told me it would probably take 2 weeks. TWO WEEKS?! Hell yah since LV said at least six months if "worthy enough to savage". I paid through the paypal system on their website and gave them my information and walked away crossing my fingers that it will not come back looking cheaply made. Five days later, Edward called me and said it was ready. I was like "what??!!" I hurriedly ran over there during my lunch break and when Edward brought it out. I was so surprised! It looked completely new! My straps were like new, as if LV did them. The stitching was perfect with the yellow in the straps and the trim was done so well. I was impressed. (See before and after pictures) (There was a thread hanging out that I had to cut off later but if it falls apart, I will bring it back to Cesars for a fix up). They told me that I had 6 months to come back with anything so I was quite pleased. I'm giving this place five stars because of their quality of the leather, their friendly service, and the quickness they did it in. Keep up the good work! read more

Cesar's Shoe Repair - My old straps - Shoe Repair Near Me - New York, New York

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I must say that I'm very impressed with the repairs I had these guys do on my favorite wedges and boots! Along with a boot zipper repair, insole replacement with cushion and heel replacement on my wedges I received stellar customer service. Without even requesting, they even got rid of the scratches I had on the wooden part of the wedge. The turnaround was about 3-4 business days for the 2 pairs of shoes, but I'm sure they can work with you on a schedule that better suits your needs. The repairs cost $75 and had to pay in advance. Also, they only take cash as an only form of payment so head to the ATM before you drop off your shoes. Cesar's has been around for about 31 years and have done repairs for various TV and film productions. They also do repairs on purses and bags. When I find myself in another situation where I am not yet ready to part with my favorite heels or boots, I'm definitely heading back to Cesar's! read more

I've used only them for years - excellent work with great results, nice service, high quality in every regard and at fair prices - it's what they do and they do it nicely. read more

If you have an eye for detail this place is not for you. Granted my shoes were in rough condition, but from reviews that I read I figured they could handle the job. The sole of the shoe is completely different. I specifically said to Edward that I want a dark, layered, leather sole. Now it's very light leather, one piece (not layered), much thicker than it was before. Just an awful experience all around. Also, they over charge way too much. Quality is not in their vocabulary. read more

Cesar's Shoe Repair - Shoe Repair Near Me - New York, New York

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Best shoe repair place I've found. Professional, friendly and the price is right. I've gotten several pairs of leather shoes cleaned, polished, re-soled, and re-stitched. At this point I wouldn't trust anyone else. Thanks Cesar! read more

Quickest and best heel repair.......in 20 minutes. Yes, you read correctly. Here's the scoop: 5:30pm: I yelp search for shoe repair places. It listed Luz's Shoe Repair. You should read my review on them, they are not top 10 in my book. But I digress.....all the other top 10 places are not near me. I google shoe repair places in my neighborhood and found Cesar's. The website looked legit, so I called them. I asked how much to re-heel my skinny heel boots. He said $12. OK, no problem. I ask when they close. He says 6pm. He then says if I can get there tonight he'll do them on the spot and i can leave with them. Score! 5:45 - I am in the shop with the boots. Edward looks them over, asks if I just called on the phone, and happily confirmed the $12. Cash only. I didn't have any on me. Sigh, off to my bank on 23rd and 6th Ave. He said no problem, he'll wait for me. 6:05pm - Boots are back in my hands, new heels, complimentary shine. They are glowing from their buffing. The four stars are because of the cash only. I will be back here with my other boots and shoes on Monday! read more

This place is top notch! I've taken my beat up Gucci loafers for an overhaul, my Salvatore Ferragamo for a little TLC, and they did an outstanding job touching up a nasty scratch on my Brown Ballys. Cesar's it's what the doctor ordered! They even do a great job on my everyday shoes like my Rockports. The price is fair for what you're getting back. It's not cheap, but you gotta pay for great work! I've been taking my shoes to get work done for years to many places, so I know to not expect miracles, but this place is probably the closest thing short of miracles many times. This is why I've come back time and time again! Ladies, my girlfriend's gotten stuff done there too, and she's always happy as well. The manager, Edward is a nice guy. He always delivers! Highly recommended....pictures soon to come! read more

I was introduced to Edwin through my husband I took 2 of my bags that I had from 1980 and other bag 1979 he actually cloned one of my bags yet the bag he change my line and in my bag I'm taking legal actions out on him now I realize it's not my bag and I never left the store with the bag I threw it back at him told him this is not my bag so people need to watch out with Ham and your sentimental Things that you can not be place and you had from many many years God is so good I have identical twin sister and we have the same bag so this is how I'm able to identify my bag and I'm taking legal actions Against them I will be posting it on Facebook it will be going vival read more

Super friendly. Great service - quick but thorough and they explain what they're doing and why. Cash only. Will definitely bring more shoes back here as they really saved a pair that was basically dead and cleaned up a pair that just looked a little sloppy. read more

I rarely give 5 stars for anything. However not only do they get 5 stars for quality of work, but price is reasonable and service - true gentlemen and attention to detail. I took in 6 pairs of shoes to get them fixed up or polished. Not only did they make them all as good as new, but they asked more time to spend on my leather boots to ensure the salt (from last winter) was fully out & polished them so I could see my smile! read more

Fantastic revival of my loafers! I walked my shoes to dust and these guys brought them back! My sole was completely worn out and my heel was a sloped mess. A week later they were born again! They even polished them from a dried out beef jerky state!!! The best! I've also had a pair of Ferragamos done here for protection. I chose not to do that with my new Church's after seeing this work! read more

Cesar's Shoe Repair - New soles with a polish! - Shoe Repair Near Me - New York, New York

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It was the first time getting my boots resoled and Edward, the son of Cesar, have me the best service I could ever ask for. He gave me options and suggestions on what sole I should use. I went with the commando style itshide sole and it is the best sole ever. My posture has gotten better because of a thin piece of leather that Edward put inbetween the upper and sole. Go here every time!!! I am a customer FOR LIFE. Thanks Edward! -Wolf read more