Thanh Lam Tailor & Alterations

This place is in a super convenient location for me, right in between work and my house so I was looking forward to having an easy access tailor. I took in 5 pairs of pants to be hemmed. When the tailor measured me I made sure to wear a higher heel than I normally do and also told him to keep them long. Everything was going well and I was told to pick them up on that Thursday, 4 days later. I went in Thursday (with a good Vietnamese friend) around lunch time while the 2 guys in the shop were watching tv on their break I assume. When I told them my name and what I was there to pick up and started scrambling while speaking in vietnamese to his friend saying that he hadn’t even started my pants. I would have never known had my friend not told me what they were speaking about. The guys told me to pick them up the next day and I said ok, however I should have taken the pants and left. The next day when I came back I asked for a discount because my pants weren’t done on time. The tailor refused to give me the slightest break which annoyed me. When I got home and tried the pants on EVERY SINGLE pair was too short. Like, highwater when they were slung low on my hips and I was wearing flats. I know I should have tried them on right then and there, but was in a rush to get back to work… my bad. But did I seriously just pay full price (40 bucks!) for a service that wasn’t done in time and that was done incorrectly? Great! That’s probably $ 250 worth of pants that are now ruined… Half of those had never been worn and still had the tags on them. Suck. I will never set foot back in that place. My advice to you is to avoid at all costs. On the top of all that bulshiz when I went to pay the tailor said very forcefully that they don’t accept credit cards. That would have been nice to know before. Seriously what legit business doesn’t accept credit cards?! So I had to visit the corner store in the shopping center and pay $ 2 more in ATM fees. Awful…

For men’s pants, jeans, jackets, suits, this has been a consistently reliable choice for many years. There is some difficulty in communicating, but repeated pointing and trying on and simple phrases («too loose,» «too tight,» «too long,» «no cuffs») gets the job done. Prices are reasonable, and the work that comes back in the very basic tailoring I have bought many times is simply a cut above other places. Getting your clothes altered can be a fearful experience! Not here. Bring cash.

If I could, I would give Thanh Lam a 2.5. They are close and very convenient, and if you just need very simple alterations like having the length of a pair of pants hemmed, or a sleeve length shortened, then they are fine. I’d give them 3 stars for that.
However… I need more complex alterations regularly. I’m small. Most stores size me out. So everything I buy has to be adjusted to fit — taken in at the sides, at the shoulders, shortened at the legs and sleeves, etc. You shorties know what I mean. Thanh Lam is not the place for this. The gentleman there is so sweet, but he just does not want to take in my shoulders (by this I mean take the upper seam in. I wouldn’t DARE have them adjust the width of a blazer shoulder.) Several times I’ve asked to have the shoulder adjusted, and he tells me «Don’t need. I take in at sides, shoulder fit. See?» and he pins and demonstrates. Every time, I get the dress or top, and it’s gape-​y if the neckline is a crossover, and the sleeves are always slipping down my arm. It’s never been a huge issue, I just bring it back and insist that the shoulders be taken in. Yesterday, I picked up a top that was pleated in the front, with origami folds on the straps. No bueno. The sides were taken in too much — as if thought my chest and waist were the same measurement. Close, but not quite. lol. The pleats are pulling open. He promised to take the straps in on this one, as they were waaaaay too big. Guess what? They are still waaaaay to big. They weren’t even touched.
I think, perhaps, he is more suited to men’s alterations. But I know with certainty that he is not the tailor for the diminutive lady. I don’t know who is, but I need to find them. Quickly.

I needed two new men’s suits altered with a one day turnaround. I called the shop and can’t say that it was the most pleasant phone business experience, but I needed help fast and they seemed knowledgeable. Based on the only Unilocal review on the shop, I tried them. Great result! I was very pleased with the turnaround and quality, plus the price was very, very reasonable. I can recommend them with comfort, but beware, don’t expect much in the way of pleasantries and for those who speak only english, there may be a bit of a barrier.

Yes, there may be language difficulties and the woman can be a bit bossy, but it is just the cost of getting the service. For inexpensive alterations on everything from my jeans to the Zegna suits, these guys are as good as it gets in Houston.
Now if you want them to make a suit for you, that is an option too and one I will be exploring in the next few weeks, as I am reminded of the places I have seen in Thailand and Hong Kong.
I just had my elbow jogged, and been reminded that they do work on women’s clothing too, but I have no direct experience of that.
Hidden away in a shopping center just inside Montrose Blvd. on Alabama, it is one of those true hidden gems.