Harvard Cleaners

Incredibly nice owners who put great care into their work. Everything is always meticulously done, reliably on time, and alterations turn out really well too at a very reasonable price. This is your place in Brookline.

Hard to believe this just happened. Left jeans 2 days ago to be shortened, paid cash. Went today with receipt to pick-​up jeans, having paid cash for alterations when I left them. She said I didn’t pay, that her husband always marks «paid» on the receipt when cash is paid. I told her that I only had me to think about, and I had paid cash. She didn’t believe that her husband could make a mistake and hid the jeans behind the counter. She wouldn’t give them to me unless I paid again. $ 50 to shorten jeans is a bit much but she said that she deserves to be paíd for her work. I said I agreed, but she shouldn’t demand double. She wouldn’t release the pants unless I paid again. INCREDIBLE!

I’ve lived in multiple cities and used to hate going to the dry cleaners. Now I love it! This is a family run place that really cares about its customers. They do a fantastic job and always have a smile when they are doing it.

Lovely family that runs the place. They always remember our name and number, so no need to remember the paper ticket at pick up.
Best prices that I have found. Have been a loyal customer for 5 years.
Always ready on time.

I needed to get a suit, pants and shirt cleaned by the next day. I was pleased to see a sign on the wall that said for $ 10.00 and more worth of dry cleaning, shirts would be $ 1.25. I received the receipt showing the shirt laundering price to be $ 1.75. I asked the woman why I was not getting the deal. She said that because I wanted my clothes cleaned the next day, the deal was not included. I informed her that the sign didn’t indicate that. She said that she couldn’t include everything on the sign. I left but decided that the price was okay and I did need the suit the next day. When I told the woman I changed my mind and that I’d like to have it cleaned, she told me that the information that she had already entered was erased. I said «so now you don’t want to do business with me»? She said to come back another time. I work in retail and the company I work for bends over backwards to make things right and help customers. This is inexcusable and I felt the need to post this poor review. I think the least the woman could have done was to give me the benefit of the doubt.

I have been going to Harvard cleaners for quite some time. The family is generally very friendly. I used to go to eagles cleaners but felt that Harvard cleaners was cheaper for my shirts so I started bringing them my business. I guess you truly get what you pay for. Although the family is nice they have zero emphasis on quality service. I have repetitively picked up shirts that have been wrinkled. I mentioned it to them today and all I received were excuses… ‘I can’t wrap your shirts individually’ ‘if you come earlier when your shirts are done they would be better’ ‘I can not do much about it’. However they have no problem complaining to you about not ‘unbuttoning your shirts’ because it inconveniences them. Last time I checked I was paying them to do dry cleaning for me and not the other way around. When I complained today they had no initiative to make things right. If you are like me and want quality service and don’t want to pick up clothes that are wrinkled, still have to pay for it, along with hearing complaints about not unbuttoning your shirts I highly recommend staying away from
this place. I dropped off 18 shirts and needed them to be cleaned and ironed and instead I left frustrated, unsatisfied and out $ 40 bucks.

I went here for the first time for alterations and was extremely pleased. I had a patterned ski jacket that needed to be taken in on a quick turnaround. The lady was meticulous in taking my measurements, looking at the design and composition of the jacket, and explaining to me what needed to be done. She was extremely friendly and the end product was perfect. The service was excellent, fast, and reasonably priced. I’ll definitely be returning here for all future alterations.

Once I finally got home and had a chance to look at each item of clothing all of the pieces are now either damaged in some way or just were not at all cleaned.
I cannot believe that this cleaners actually has good business reviews. It is amazing how much people are willing to overlook because of a good personality and «cheap» prices.
I just want a cleaners that does a good job, and one that doesn’t damage my clothing. I don’t care about the price.

I picked this place based on Unilocal reviews, and have not been disappointed. The family who owns it is wonderful – always very polite and speedy. They do a great job with my monthly drop-​off of business dresses and coats. Their turn-​around time is super-​fast, even though I always say I don’t need a rush job. The prices seem fine, and they haven’t pressed any elements of any dresses in weird ways (a common issue with some dry cleaners).
I haven’t tried them for alterations yet, but the wife is always so friendly when she’s at the sewing machine that I might get over my shyness and ask for her help.
The parking situation in Brookline is always amusing. The town has changed back to single spot meters instead of those awkward machines that you had to hike to for a receipt & then hike back to your car to leave on your dashboard. Picking up and dropping off is much easier as a result of the new meters.

Have to say this is a great little dry cleaners! It’s hard to find a place that hits the sweet spot between price and quality. Harvard Cleaners is definitely in that sweet spot! If you have other dry cleaning, they’ll wash and press your button-​up shirts for $ 1 each. They’re also incredibly friendly and funny. I’ve had them tailor some pants for me, and they’ve always come out perfectly.

I have used Harvard Cleaners for over 4 years, and while I have had issues every once in awhile… a missing shirt, missing buttons etc… I overlooked it, because the couple that owns the shop were always very nice and knew me name.
However today my experience was outrageous. I had purchased a new Italian suit, it is from a well know, respected design house, and I needed to have the sleeves shortnened and the pants hemmed and waist taken in. The alterations cost me about $ 75.
I picked up the suit, and took it home. When I tried it on the pants were made to short, so I brought them back to have them adjusted. I wasnt in a great hurry and went back to pick them up a couple of weeks later when I picked up my next dry cleaning and laundry order. My pants were gone…
I was told they must have been misplaced, but that the owner would check with his wife as maybe she put them somewhere else… so i came back about a week later with the jacket so they could now match the pants.
I was cool about it at first, I figured they may have been misplaced etc. So I stopped in again and asked if they had located the pants… it was then that I was accussed of loosing the pants… and that too much time had passed… that it was not their responsibility…
They did not offer to replace the new suit. They did not offer to make it up to me with some free service… nothing… I then asked that they do something… again I was trying to be gracious about it… it is when I was told it was not there fault and there was nothing they could do, that I began to get upset.
After being a loyal customer for over 4 years, spending an average of $ 125 a month for laundry, alteration and dry cleaning services. They are not responsible for lost items.
I was out a 1200 suit and 75 for alterations… but worst of all I was made to feel taken advantage of… Never again… time to go to Christos!

They do a great job. Are always so friendly, can get my stains out without fail, and also have tailored a few pairs of my pants perfectly. Everyone who works there is always kind and friendly and appreciate the business … highly recommended!

Great alteration work and very good cleaning.

Quick and careful with your clothes

I can’t say enough good things about this place. I’ve been coming for nearly a year now at the recommendation of coworker. They’ve always cleaned my items thoroughly and I’ve never had anything damaged. Owner is very friendly and makes an effort to know regular customers. Great pricing compared (ie shirts for $ 1) compared to Dependable Cleaners. Nothing but great things to say.

Harvard Cleaners really know what they are doing, and it is always done promptly and well. I went there after going to Dependable Cleaners and paying a boat load for minimal and awful service and am absolutely in love with Harvard Cleaners! They are amazing!

Upping my star count. They called me right after I dropped a suit off to be pressed to let me know they were having trouble getting out some marks. Now that’s customer service. These guys are solid.
Also, I’ve started to take my basic tailoring here as well… $ 13 for a simple pants hemming done well, excellent.
UPDATE: they do an excellent job hemming dresses as well, and despite only using their services once every other month or so, they know my name on sight. 5 stars.

These guys are the best. The family run business is extremely attentive and friendly. They make my shirts somehow feel cleaner and silkier! I have never had a lost item, button lost or any problems whatsoever. There is no reason to go anywhere else in the are.

Amazingly nice owners. Great prices. I travel from cambridge to have our clothes cleaned and my alterations done.

There are some small businesses out there that just plain «get it». Harvard Cleaners is one of those. They offer all the standard services any other cleaner offers at competitive prices. But I am a fan of these guys because they understand customer service.
The woman who owns the place was able to recognize me by name after only my second visit. And it’s not even just in the store; I’ve run into her on several occasions around Coolidge Corner and she always greets me by first name. She also has a minimum charge for credit cards, but has implemented a credit system for people like me, who like to charge everything. So if I have a cleaning bill that’s under the charge, I can charge the minimum, or any other amount I’d like, and have the remainder written on my receipt as a credit for my next load.
Nice to see some old-​school customer service still in action.