The Best Tailors and Alteration Shops in NYC

Getting your clothes tailored is the easiest way to look like you have money. You can buy a cheap suit, a pair of rigid jeans, or an oversized coat from a sample sale, but a master tailor turns it into something made entirely for your body. New York City is home to third generation pattern makers, specialized denim surgeons, and quick fix neighborhood lifesavers who can hem pants in under an hour.

Finding a great fit takes some trial and error. If you are shopping the menswear stores or scouring the racks at vintage stores, knowing a good tailor opens up your options. You do not have to leave a great jacket behind just because the sleeves hit your knuckles. Find the right shop, build a relationship, and never walk out of the house in ill-fitting clothes again.

Here are the most reliable tailors and alteration shops in New York right now.

Ramon Tailor Shop

Lower East Side · 110 Forsyth St · $ WebsiteMap

Ramon Nuñez has been fixing the neighborhood's pants since 1990. He operates out of a modest storefront on Forsyth Street, building a cult following for affordable, precise work on casual wear and thrifted finds. The turnaround is reasonable, the prices are extremely fair, and the man knows exactly how a modern break should sit on a shoe.

Go for: cheap and perfect pants hemming. Know before you go: cash is highly preferred.

Beyond Bespoke

Midtown West · 45 W 46th St, 2nd Floor · $$$ WebsiteMap

Nick Torres runs this second floor studio with a team of 13 master tailors handling high end alterations and custom suits. They take apart designer dresses and restructure jackets without compromising the original seams. You will pay a premium for their time, but it is the place to trust with your most expensive wardrobe investments.

Go for: wedding attire and major structural changes to designer pieces. Know before you go: appointments are strongly recommended, and they charge a $50 rush fee if you need it back in a week.

Alts

Union Square · 89 5th Ave · $$ to $$$ WebsiteMap

Formerly known as Alteration Specialists, Alts operates 10 studios across Manhattan, treating alterations with a luxury hospitality approach. Their Union Square location offers same day rush service, making it the emergency room for fashion week disasters and sudden formal events. They handle everything from basic hems to complex leather repairs with consistent, corporate level reliability.

Go for: rush alterations and bridal fittings. Know before you go: you can book appointments online to skip the wait.

Williamsburg Garment Co.

Greenpoint · 67 West St, 3rd Floor, Suite 310 · $$ WebsiteMap

Maurice Malone is a legendary denim designer, and his Greenpoint studio is the authority on jeans. If you need a chain stitch hem, a severe taper, or a completely reworked waistband, his team unstitches the denim and resews it with factory machinery so the alteration is entirely invisible. It is a mandatory stop for serious denim collectors.

Go for: invisible denim tapering and chain stitch hems. Know before you go: you can order repair services online and mail your jeans in.

Denim Surgeon

Garment District · 150 W 36th St, 3rd Floor · $$ WebsiteMap

When your favorite jeans suffer a catastrophic crotch blowout, Denim Surgeon puts them back together. They use a highly specialized reweaving technique to blend matching thread into the fabric, reinforcing the weak spots without leaving a bulky patch. They save garments you thought were destined for the trash.

Go for: repairing rips and crotch blowouts on heavy denim. Know before you go: wash your jeans in cold water and hang dry before dropping them off.

Eva Joan

West Village · 28 Jane St · $$ to $$$ WebsiteMap

Eva Joan does not just fix clothes, they reinvent them. This creative mending studio in the West Village specializes in visible repair, custom embroidery, and patching up garments with vintage materials. If you have a torn jacket that needs a colorful second life rather than a discreet seam, their team will turn the damage into the best part of the piece.

Go for: artistic visible mending and custom embroidery. Know before you go: they do not repeat exact designs, making every project a unique collaboration.

Shopboy

Tribeca · 62 Walker St · $$$ WebsiteMap

Shopboy is a modern, chic studio in Tribeca that serves celebrities, stylists, and downtown creatives. Their master tailors handle complex knitwear, leather, and formal wear, focusing heavily on how the garment moves and fits your personal style. It feels less like a dry cleaner counter and more like a high end designer showroom.

Go for: luxury alterations on leather, knitwear, and evening gowns. Know before you go: turnaround times are usually three to four weeks.

Bhambi's Custom Tailors

Upper East Side · 14 E 60th St, Suite 610 · $$$ WebsiteMap

Bhambi's has operated near Fifth Avenue since 1968, adhering to strict Savile Row standards for bespoke suits. They execute full canvas construction and hand sewn buttonholes, maintaining an inventory of over 100,000 fabrics. If you need a wedding tuxedo built from scratch or an heirloom suit radically altered, this is the traditional Midtown standard.

Go for: true bespoke suits and high stakes tailoring. Know before you go: expect multiple basted fittings to get a custom suit exactly right.

Hector's Shoe Repair

West Village · 11 Greenwich Ave · $ to $$ WebsiteMap

Do not let the name throw you off. Hector Sanchez has operated this Greenwich Avenue staple for over 20 years, and while he excels at resoling boots, the shop is a secret weapon for leather jacket and bag repairs. They fix broken zippers, restitch heavy seams, and condition tough leathers that standard tailors refuse to touch.

Go for: heavy duty leather repairs and zipper replacements. Know before you go: the customer service is straightforward and fast, though not always chatty.

Kingbridge Cleaners & Tailors

Downtown Brooklyn · 202 Livingston St · $$$ WebsiteMap

Kingbridge offers museum quality garment care alongside a highly skilled tailoring department. They handle delicate beadwork, couture gowns, and challenging fabrics that require serious attention to detail. It is a premium service for premium clothing, complete with nationwide shipping and a dedicated bridal concierge program.

Go for: altering and preserving delicate wedding dresses. Know before you go: they offer pickup and delivery if you cannot make it to the Brooklyn or Manhattan locations.

Orchard Express Tailor Shop

Lower East Side · 136 Orchard St · $ Map

This old school Lower East Side spot is the neighborhood savior for last minute emergencies. They can usually hem a pair of pants in under 30 minutes while you wait, charging around $10 to $15. It is bare bones, highly efficient, and exactly what you need when you buy trousers for a party that starts in two hours.

Go for: fast, cheap hems while you wait. Know before you go: drop offs after 5 p.m. might require picking up the next day.

Stanton Tailor Shop

Lower East Side · 90-96 Stanton St · $ to $$ WebsiteMap

Pablo Vargas is a Lower East Side institution who has been altering clothes on Stanton Street since the 1990s. He listens closely to how you want your clothes to fit rather than forcing a traditional break, making him a favorite for vintage shoppers and downtown locals. The shop is busy, but the quality of the tapering and hemming is consistently excellent.

Go for: dependable, affordable alterations on casual wear. Know before you go: the line can get long on weekends, so aim for a weekday drop off.

Alpha Tailor Shop

Lower East Side · 128 Rivington St · $$ WebsiteMap

Miguel Guerrero opened Alpha Tailor to offer high quality work at a completely reasonable price point. They do everything from adjusting casual shirts to letting out suit jackets, and they handle the work with precision. It is the perfect middle ground when a cheap express hem is not enough, but a luxury studio is overkill.

Go for: reliable suit jacket alterations and shirt tapering. Know before you go: check their hours online, as they close on Sundays.

Flatiron Tailor Shop

Flatiron · 20 W 22nd St, Suite 410 · $$ WebsiteMap

Tucked into a commercial building, Flatiron Tailor Shop is staffed by a team with decades of collective experience. They are highly trusted by menswear enthusiasts for letting out suit trousers, shortening sleeves from the shoulder, and executing complex adjustments without leaving a trace. It is a calm, professional environment with serious expertise.

Go for: complex suit alterations and menswear adjustments. Know before you go: you will need to take the elevator up to the fourth floor.

Wo's Custom Tailoring

Upper East Side · 1018 Lexington Ave, 2nd Floor · $$$ WebsiteMap

Wo's offers traditional craftsmanship to the Upper East Side, operating as a neighborhood staple for those who need precise, flawless work. They handle expensive fabrics and delicate evening wear with ease, offering the kind of old fashioned expertise that keeps locals coming back for years.

Go for: high end alterations on delicate evening wear. Know before you go: walk ins are welcome for basic alterations, but call ahead for gown fittings.

55 Express Tailor

East Village · 246 E 4th St · $ to $$ WebsiteMap

Located right near Avenue A, this highly rated shop is a reliable stop for East Village residents needing quick fixes. They handle everything from patching jeans to taking in dresses, often turning things around in a day or two. The prices are competitive and the work is consistently sharp.

Go for: quick reliable fixes in the East Village. Know before you go: they are closed on Wednesdays.

Alan David Custom

Midtown · 16 E 40th St, Suite 702 · $$$ WebsiteMap

Alan David Horowitz is a fourth generation tailor whose family began making suits on the Lower East Side in 1926. Today, his Midtown showroom focuses exclusively on full canvas, bespoke garments with no cut corners. It is the place to go when you are ready to invest in a piece that will last a lifetime, supported by their lifetime alterations guarantee on the garments they make.

Go for: investment pieces and full canvas construction. Know before you go: weekend appointments must be scheduled in advance.

The Tailory New York

SoHo · 511 Canal St · $$$ WebsiteMap

Founded by designer Shao Yang, The Tailory operates at the intersection of modern design and heritage tailoring. They are a celebrated destination for LGBTQ+ bespoke wedding wear, engineering suits and blazers that fit every body without relying on outdated templates. They also handle expert alterations on outside garments, bringing their exacting standards to the pieces you already own.

Go for: custom blazers and inclusive wedding wear. Know before you go: they operate by appointment only, and you can book virtual design sessions.

G&G Cleaners

SoHo · 311 W Broadway · $$ Map

Do not underestimate a trusted neighborhood dry cleaner. G&G relocated from Grand Street to West Broadway and took their devoted fashion industry clientele with them. This SoHo spot is highly regarded by downtown stylists and designers for meticulous alterations, leather cleaning, and handling sensitive fabrics that you would normally hesitate to hand over to a corner spot.

Go for: high end alterations masquerading as a local dry cleaner. Know before you go: they are excellent for washing and folding as well.

Expert Tailoring

Lower East Side · 160 Allen St · $ Map

When you need to adjust the length of a casual shirt or tighten up a favorite tank top, bring it to Expert Tailoring on Allen Street. It is a no frills, highly talented operation that handles the everyday casual wear you do not want to take to a high end bespoke shop. They work fast, their prices are incredibly low, and they get the job done right.

Go for: altering t-shirts and casual basics. Know before you go: they are open seven days a week, but bring cash.

The Shout NY take

A great tailor is like a good bartender. You want someone who knows your preferences, works efficiently, and tells you when your ideas are terrible. Start by taking a simple pair of pants to a neighborhood spot for a hem. Once you trust them, you can start bringing in the pieces that matter.