After my dry cleaner next door closed up shop, she referred me to Top Hat which is just a short drive from my place. I was immediately greeted by a woman who knows her stuff, well organized system, and never misses a beat when it comes to knowing my preferences and finding the spots/stains I need her help with. The turnaround times can be on the longer side, averaging a week or more, but the prices are very modest, and if I did need something in a pinch I'm sure they would accommodate it. Wonderful people, solid service. Good prices. read more

Owner is super nice, service is quick and price is reasonable. I will definitely bring all my dry cleaning jobs here.

Really happy with Top Hat's dry cleaning and tailoring services so far! I needed to find a dry cleaner that could clean my vintage clothing with care and they certainly do! Very kind and professional service. Street parking. Fair prices. read more

This is my new spot! Just moved up to the area and Top Hat was a recommendation. So far, so good. Elizabeth has helped me both times I've stopped by with a warm and welcoming energy. The process was easy, the prices reasonable and everything came back great. One of my shirts had some stains that had set in pretty well, and they got everything out. I can't speak to more creative requests (I've only taken dress shirts and suits so far), but it definitely looks like they wide tackle a variety of tasks. read more

Nice dry clean place. The place is a little far away from downtown san mateo, but has been around for many years, and well worth the extra trip. The folks who work there know what they doing. The cleaning service is fast (a few days), and not bad. I got them to wash my suit, with pants, shirt, coat, and tie. They cleaned my pocket handkerchief for free, which was nice. The whole suit was cleaned in the end, except for the inside collar area of my shirt which still had a little stain. I guess they couldn't clean that part. The price was $20 for everything which was reasonable. Overall, a pretty good place for cleaning. read more

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Great customer service, owner is very friendly. Clothes come back crisp and clean. Decent price to clean suits and they have a relatively quick turnaround time. read more

I have been coming to top hat for a little over a year now and have nothing but good things to say about Chester and Elizabeth and their operation. They are always very friendly, and take great care in their work. They charge a fair price and have always delivered quality. read more

I only go here to get my sons pants hemmed they do a great job but the prices are high for Hemings I have not used the dry cleaning services but I have heard from others that they do a great job that is how I learn d of this place to get my sons pants hemmed I would have gave another star for service but the price knocked it down a star. I am not sure if they are higher than other places since this is the only place I have used. I just believe it is to high but I still come back. Parking is hard to find here since they are located in a residential area and we all know how parking is in residential areas nowadays The service is slow but they do a good job. I see many customers here that seem to be regulars since the employees call them by name. This pace has been in business for a long time so they must be doing something right It is a small place but they do have everything organized to their liking they seem to know where everything is the employees are nice and straight to the point no okaying around here just straight to business read more

Oh my goodness! I am back praising this business to the heavens!! The business is operated by the brother/sister team of Chester and Elizabeth. First, they are so ethical and customer-focused. Chester previously advised me on the likelihood of stains coming out of a jeweled formal dress. Another cleaner had tried and failed. But at a LOWER price he was successful at bringing a beautiful dress back to life! Other times he has advised me about cleaning vs dry cleaning, always offering the best and most economical approaches--even when it meant he didn't make a profit! And beautiful results when he did to the cleaning. Amazing conscientiousness. Today he once again showed his professionalism and customer-care. I had more than $300 of drapery cleaning to accomplish. He inspected all the material (10panels of lined draperies. The cost to clean each was about $28. ) His conclusion was a simple dryer tumble to remove dust in industrial sized dryers. He inspected all ten panels for stains. The dryer/dust removal option was what he would recommend. Not cleaning or dry cleaning which he could easily do. Wow What a conscientious business man, looking out for the customer, not just his profits. I tried to buy some super heavy duty hangers and bags from Elizabeth. She, like her brother, showed me the weakness of hangers to support each panel and the fragility of dry cleaner bags. She could have just charged me a bunch. She sent me for super heavy duty trash bags. Is this amazing service??? Please everyone! Find something to wash, dry clean or press. This business is a community treasure. read more

Found this place for my boss after her original cleaners closed, and she couldn't have been more pleased with my find. Top Hat Cleaners is like a mom&pop shop that was passed down to two siblings who run it together till this day. I really appreciate their honesty and reasonable prices, even for silk and cashmere blouses! All In all it was a great experience, my boss and I will be coming back for sure. read more

Good little cleaners not far from central San Mateo with reasonable prices. I came here with an evening dress of mine needing to be cleaned and they did a really good job at getting the stains out of the bottom where it had been dragged along the floor (and trodden on a few times by hubby!). I dropped it off on a Saturday to which they offered to have it done by the Wednesday morning to which I informed them I was in no rush to have it done, which they seemed a little relieved and happy about. I was told that being a 'long' dress it would cost extra, fine with me as the prices are very fair anyway. Yet made me wonder how they judge what is long.. being just 5 foot, yes the dress is long on me but to the average sized person it wouldn't be. Picking it up the following weekend I was really pleased to find they had successfully got all of the marks out and my dress was still in one piece. Handing my clothes off to a complete stranger has me nervous so it was a huge relief to find somewhere that looks after the items people have trusted them with. $10.50 for one dress well spent. Parking nearby is difficult to find so don't be surprised if you can't find a spot right out the front. read more

This has been our regular cleaner for several years, and they have always come through. We've done both dry cleaning and finer washed items, and for a glorious period we had them doing sheets. (Ironed sheets are a real luxury.) My mother-in-law has also used them for years, and ah is much pickier than we. read more

It took me trying 4 other laundry/dry cleaning services before I found Top Hat Cleaners. Elizabeth and her brother run this family owned business that their father started. They have bent over backwards to accommodate my special requests for heavy (real) starched shirts and jeans!! I like my jeans to stand up on their own. LOL. So if you're looking for a family business that really cares about their customers you can look no further!!' read more

Top hat always does a good job cleaning my clothes at a reasonable price. Elizabeth and Chester are very warm and friendly and always remember my name. Will always take my dry cleaning here. read more

The family that runs this cleaner is Top Notch!! I know that people drive from all over the area to come down here to see Chester and Elizabeth, because they are so attentive to their customers. Having Top Hat Cleaners in my neighborhood is one of the best things a girl could ask for! read more

I wouldn't take my dry-clean only clothing anywhere but Top Hat. Chester and Elizabeth are so friendly and they greet everyone with a smile. Since they also provide tailoring, I've had pants hemmed several times and had repairs done for my children's' and my husband's clothes too. I can sew but it looks so much more professional when they do it. I take the wire hangers back to them for recycling too. Their prices are very reasonable. One more thing - my kids do like going with me because the candy bowl on the counter is always full! read more

Nice staff, fair prices, great quality.

I love every item of clothing I own and so the thought of ever having to leave behind clothing for cleaning makes me very nervous. I will spend weeks tediously reading over every last review to make sure my clothing will not be ruined. Top Hat is family owned and offers the best service and cleaning around. It also helps that they have super fast turn around time and have the lowest prices in town. Elizabeth and her brother are always super friendly and will look over every last inch of your garments to make sure they don't miss anything. I've been here 3 times so far this month and I will only bring my clothes here from now on :) read more

I have been to a couple places in San Mateo to go Dry Cleaning but was weary of the location when i first knew about it. After coming here, i found the prices to be reasonable and since they do the dry cleaning in house, they can be very flexible when you get your dry cleaning back. The owner is super nice and they have just won over a repeat customer. Lowdown: If you have dry cleaning needs, this place offer great service and cheap prices read more

Top Hat is everything you might ever want in the dry cleaning place: they are very professional, pretty cheap, always on time. And they are super nice too! I'd give them five stars, but the street parking is a pain every time! read more

Yay for yelp! All the previous reviews are accurate. I feel like the angels came down from heaven and harps were playing, as soon as I walked into this place..What a relief! Chester.. one of the owners, recognized I was in a hurry, helped me quickly, and made me feel as though my suits, dresses and blouses were in good hands. A couple days later when I picked up, there was no nonsense and no confusion and they are so professional and incredibly inexpensive!!!! I could not believe it! I love this place! Finally after going through sooooo many other dry cleaners in the area.. I've found the one.. ;-) read more

After doing much research on dry cleaners in the area, I found this one to be of best price and convenient location. It's a small place on a street with ample street parking. Inside, they set up a small dressing room if you need something hemmed. Elizabeth is so honest and genuine that it makes me laugh. On different occasions, she has told me not to hem certain pants because I should be wearing different shoes with them, she can't tailer a dress hem because she doesn't have the equipment for it to not warp, and that I should throw away a purse rather than fix the ripped lining, etc. She is very sweet and helpful. You will get your clothes back very quickly and presented very nicely. I continue to go back to this place and so should you! read more

This place is awesome! They are so friendly and very helpful. Also, they really pay attention to detail. My husband had a loose button and when he went to put it on, he noticed there was an alteration. They never even charged us for it! We were going to another place in Foster City which did not have great service, so when we started using Top Hat Cleaners we realized what we were missing out on! Highly recommend this place! read more

I always go here for dry cleaning. It's fast, inexpensive, and doesn't leave that harsh chemical smell that you can get with other cleaners. If they missed a stain, they'll re-clean with no extra charge. I also get pants hemmed here and they're also pretty fast. They don't do original hems on jeans so I usually only get work pants hemmed. They did recommend another tailor when I brought in a stretchy dress that they said they couldn't do. Parking is hard to find - I usually have to park down the block and around the corner, but it's a short walk. The owners are always very friendly. read more

I brought 4 items here for dry cleaning and the clothes came back looking fresh and clean. It took 4 days. I liked that they did not staple or safety pin tags to the clothing. A jacket was $8, sweater was $7, scarf was $4.50, and dress was $10. I would say pricing is on the high side but I used them anyway since I was there already. Be sure to get an estimate before dropping off. While there is street parking available out front - it's usually full around their area so you may need to park a block or 2 away. read more

Even i moved from N.Ellsworth i still take my dry cleaning to Top Hat, It's always pleasant to see them welcome and smile but also price wise they are very reasonable comparing to others Keep it read more

Excellent friendly service, fair prices and very clean clothes! Parking can be a little tricky but truly a local gem.

I want to love this sweet little dry cleaner, but they keep ruining my clothes. For some unfathomable reason they repeatedly decide to WASH clothing brought to them for dry cleaning (even when dry-cleaning is specified at time of drop-off). In just the last batch of clothes I brought them: 1. A pair or brand new, professionally altered black pants was washed instead of dry-cleaned. Result? The pants were horribly faded, to the point where they're no longer a viable work pant. (They were also shrunk slightly.) 2. One brand new dry-clean only shirt was washed and now has multiple small holes. 3. One other brand new shirt was washed and shrunk - it lost about 2 inches vertically, and the buttons now gape across my chest. To give them credit, I know that if I went in to the store and complained, they would be genuinely horrified and would give me full credit for these items. Unfortunately it's reached the point where I just don't trust them with any of my clothes - I'm now unwilling to even let them do FREE dry cleaning for me. I just can't risk having more clothes destroyed. read more

Best Cleaners in the area!! This family owned local establishment has the best reputation. They remember your name, they are fast and friendly. read more

The only reason I brought my jacket to dry clean here was the reviews but when they returned it to me, I could not believe what I saw. It was wrinkeled and the color fad edin areas. It looks like they did such a 3rd class job. I was pissed!!!! The jacket collar flap had faded from black to gray and it was not steam pressed. They pressed it on an ironing board which could have been too strong. I called them and they wanted to fix it but NO WAY. I went to my old dry cleaners who informed me that YEs they did a really bad job and they would press it for me and try to dye certain areas!! Extremely amateur job!!! DoN't PATRON THIS PLACE! The reviews on Yelp could be fake people. If you look at the people their last names all end with an initial. read more

I have been going to Top Hat for years, along with the rest of my family and a majority of our family friends and their offspring. Chester and Elizabeth are the best, truly nice people with fantastic senses of humor. The dry cleaning is done on site (and I have never in the last 10+ years have ever had a damaged garment), and the laundry i.e cotton dress shirts...etc are sent out. If you live or work on the Penninsula or even go through there with a frequency that makes this location convienent, try it out you will not be dissapointed. Not much else to say except they are the best. read more

I can't speak to their quality of work but can speak to their amazing customer service. I reluctantly arrived at Top Hat Cleaners to drop off my much loved comforters to be dry cleaned for the first time. Two very heavy comforters and pillowcases, I was already dreading the cost. I pulled both of them out and the man behind the counter examined them and after checking the tags (though they state, dry clean only) said I could save a ton of money by just washing them at a laundromat. He then offered to treat a stain with ammonia first, for free, to make sure it came out in the wash. How awesome! I will definitely return for all my dry cleaning needs. :) read more

Still looking for a place - its alright for now. I need a place that has better parking. Anyone have any recommendations?

Super rude and condescending woman there. I just asked for some prices and she looked at me like... its too expensive for me! I choose Allstar over this place anyday. read more

dry clean list: one jacket, one vest, two shirts, two scarves, one skirt totaling at 22$ (and maybe a couple cents more) they're pretty fast, but i really like how this store is really cute. it's not dumpy like some dry cleaners are and the people i've met that work here are always very friendly and nice. i just hope they can get this curry stain off the next shirt i'm bringing in. it's pretty big :( read more

Been bringing men's and women's laundry here for many years -- and could not be happier. We are sure to be lifelong customers.

My family have been using Top Hat Cleaners as long as I can remember like some of my fellow customers it's about time I put down a review. The Shop Owners Elizabeth and Chester are an excellent team, and are extremely passionate to their craft, in some cases too much! Overall their quality has been consistent, their service tried and true, and have memorable personalities. These are the only reasons I can think of that can be a testament to how long this business has been running for without fail. read more

Elizabeth and Chester are the BEST. Prompt, polite and fantastic serves...ALWAYS. Last week, I needed a suit pressed ASAP and Chester did it while I waited and chatted with Elizabeth. I wold him I could wait til tomorrow but he just did it out of the kindness of his heart despite it being past their business hours. read more

The lady working there today was a doll! I had my boyfriend's costume and needed it cleaned for tonight since it got some black stuff from Saturday night- she said they did not do costumes because they are not meant to be clean-but she took our the black spots in the leg area in 2 minutes free of charge- I recommend this place- the lady is very sweet- and next time my boyfriend needs to go to the dry cleaners this will be the cleaners he is going to. read more

Needed a shirt ironed on Saturday morning they delivered while I waited awesome!! Most cleaners say see ya!