Soon Lee Chinese Laundry

Excellent Job! I just took an expensive velvet & silk Ralph Lauren dress here to get it cleaned. My beautiful dress came back to me in incredible condition. Thank you Soon Lee!
–Erika

Very nice people, they do an awesome job, always ready when they say it will be and can’t beat the price or location. THE BEST there is, period.

Oh my goodness!!! I really love this place!!! The prices are unbeatable and the quality of work is insane. I really enjoy the fact that this is a real traditional old school place, that’s one of the reasons why I love coming. They package your sheets in paper and tie when you get them cleaned here. Really satisfied, I hope they never sale out and stay forever!

We like them! I drop off somewhat frequently and they always remember me and who I’m picking up for either myself or someone else. Their prices are pretty decent. The consistency is good aside from a few mix ups but that was partly my fault because the clothes had been there past pick up time. They work hard on those collared shirts! There’s always good rapport built with each visit their customers make.

I dropped off some work slacks plus a red and WHITE designer blouse. When I got it back, that blouse was pinker than a breast cancer 5k.
I was incensed! I pointed out the damage. The women working there told me I’d brought it in like that. Bullshit I did. There’s no way I’d have worn an obviously ruined blouse like that, much less bothered to have it cleaned for $ 6. For that result, I could have stuck it in the washing machine and taken my chances.
Not only was I not compensated for the ruined blouse, the price somehow went up in between the time they quoted my original cost ($ 10) and the time they gave change ($ 13.)
I’d say «thanks for nothing,» but since I’m out a blouse and paid to have it ruined, I’d say I’m in the negative. Nothing would have been a step up. I haven’t examined my pants too closely, but I’m afraid to find out if there’s damage to those, too.
So, screw you guys. I’m within walking distance of this place, but I guess I’ll walk a little further to find a dry cleaner with a better ROI.

This place has been here since the beginning of time. It is an original and historical Chinese laundry, of which there are no others now, I believe. I’ve been coming here about once a week for over 15 years, they have NEVER lost one item of clothing. I park directly in front of their front door. They know my car, and by the time I get to the counter, my laundry is waiting there for me. Friendly smiles, we chat about the weather, and tell each other to have a good day. My parents went here before I was born. I go here now. I would never go elsewhere for laundry service in San Diego. People matter. These are good people.
Open 7am — 6:30 pm M-​F; til 5pm on Sat. Closed Sundays.

One of the few Chinese laundries in perhaps Southern California. A friendly group of employees.
However, parking is curbside. However, if you have parking privileges at San Diego City College across the street, you should take advantage of such if you plan to go to Soon Lee.
If you take the trolley, they are located 2 blocks east of the City College Trolley Station.
My favorite part is that they will have your dress shirts folded and wrapped in paper.

Going to the dry cleaners is not in my chores checklist, ever. I just wash and dry at home (and I actually miss drying the clothes the natural way (Napoli style:). But this piece of history still not converted in a massive East Village building is very charming and worth mentioning. This is a real Chinese business, family owned and managed. I love passing by and staring at the window, watching the old man (maybe he is Soon Lee in person?) doing his numbers with pen and paper, day and night. Every time that I am in the area, they are open, and at night is very charming. The contrast of the darkness with the immaculate white and the red lettering. The observer suddenly notice tons and tons of clothes, recycled paper bags, sewing items, all kind of properly disorganized. I used their services only once and was for a friend, but the result was satisfactory and the experience, well not something you find every day.

I have been going here for 25 years. If you have quality clothing and want truly hand finished service this is the only place in town. A unique place run by terrific people.

Wow, I’m surprised this place has any bad reviews.
Years ago, I lived in Golden Hill and I always took my drycleaning here and got great service at an unbeatable price. Then I moved away to NYC, and then LA, and finally back to SD but not Golden Hill and good ol’ Soon Lee was just too far out of the way. In the past 7 years that I’ve been back, I’ve tried countless drycleaners all over Hillcrest and North Park and always longed for the cheap, friendly and, most importantly, quality service that I always got at Soon Lee. Well, Soon Lee, I’m back. And I’m sorry I strayed.
I took a boatload of clothes here on Saturday — what seemed like half my work wardrobe — and picked it up yesterday… for $ 24! Four pairs of pants, a suit and a few blouses… for $ 24?! Service was great and friendly like I remembered. When I picked up my clothes, a friendly young woman at the counter greeted me and went out back to find my clothes; there was a little old lady hand ironing a rack of men’s shirts that I chatted with while I waited (yes, she spoke more English than just «dryclean only» or «no starch»).
The only downside is that it’s cash only, but if that’s what it takes to keep the overhead down and prices so low, fine with me.

* They are always open
* There is always parking out front.
* They understand: Laundry Only, Press Only, Dry Clean with Light Starch

UGH i hate giving them ONE STAR… but it has to be done. My mom and I have been going here for years and years! and they were amazing! but in the past year or so they became mediocre at best and now they are just TERRIBLE! Did Jerry leave? Seems to be run by a daughter and the mother/​wife now?
I hate writing a bad review, seems like a waste of time… but I couldn’t resist. I took a bundle of clothes in, they took forever to be ready and then when i finally got my clothes (after 3 times stopping in)…i noticed as I was trying to wear the clothes… there were holes in seems, no hem in one pant leg, no hem in shorts, a pair of shorts had discolored spots on them!
WHAT??? my clothes aren’t inexpensive… typically BCBG or theory! i am DEVASTATED! and trust me… they don’t care!!! if you go in, they will tell you that they didn’t do it, or it is the fabric!
SO UPSET! this has happened in the past but over all they did such a great job… but now… there is NO WAY I WIL EVER RETURN AND YOU ALL BEWARE!

I brought some jackets here because they smelled like marijuana and stale farts — thanks Grandpa! This building (and its interior) looks like something that you’d see at Knott’s Berry Farm.
When they returned my jackets, that’s when the grumpy Jason appeared. See, I’m one of those weenies that prefers unscented everything — hand soap, shampoo, laundry detergent and Golden Retrievers. The aroma emanating from these jackets was far worse than anything that could come from Snoop Dog’s tour bus or at a Chili Eating contest. Something that smells this bad can’t possibly be healthy for anyone or anything. Oddly enough, The Woman That I’m Currently Married To usually says the same thing about me during long car trips.
Next time, I’m going to try one of those green, environmentally friendly cleaners. Hopefully, they won’t make it smell worse than it already was. Soon Lee you bareLee get three stars because you didn’t ridicule me for my choice in terrible looking jackets.

5 Stars — that’s right — good as it gets
These people are so nice, helpful, and they will try to work anything out for you and try to get things done asap. I consider them friends now and what more do you want, fast, economical, easy to get to, no meters, friendly people that are willing to stop and talk a few minutes.

Three years of loyal patronage before my wife noticed that they lost two pieces of her dry cleaning (subsequently, I realized that they lost one of mine too). Left a number, and even some pictures of the clothing in question (yes, my wife went there), in hopes of a call where «Jerry» (not Soon) would say «Hey Joe, let us make it up to you with some free cleaning». No such luck. No love whatsoever.
You don’t have to lose many items before the charm of this place wears off completely. I’ll happily pay more for a place that takes responsibility for their work.

I swear, scott p. is right about the looks of this place. It’s straight out the 40’s or something.
What else can I say? There is always parking right out front even though there is a college right across the street. They are open pretty late. I have never had any problems with the service or prices. I’ve sent like 8 pieces and paid like 20 bucks. I should ask about pricing, but why bother. When it comes to my clothes, «I’m rich, bitch!»
I just can’t figure out how to get them to launder my clothes wrapped in the blue paper and tied with string. That’s pretty much all I want in life right now.

Ok funny story that kind of makes me sound like a racist: This place is a real, family owned Chinese Laundry. The building looks original. There is one guy who runs the place, he is chinese, but I don’t know his name. Anyway, I was at Target on midway with my wife and I saw the owner walking out as I was walking in, and I was like, «Hey Soon Lee!» like that’s his name. Ha. Funny story, right?
I love the location, prices and attitude at this place, unfortunately they have trouble with your pricier lady garments and occasionally lose clothes, so after about a year and a half here we moved to another dry cleaner. Still, I wonder how old the building is– it looks original! It’s also owned by the family that runs the laundry, as is the old house next door. Pretty cool slice of living history.