Robert Lim Tailor

1/2/2016

Robert was amazing. Very kind, efficient, and highly professional. From the moment I stepped through the glass doors, I was greeted warmly, had the measurements taken and pins put in place, and in three days, my work polo was complete. The sleeves had to be taken in, the bottom of the shirt shortened, the sides taken in, the armpits taken in, and the end results were phenomenal. I held an example of an original shirt up to the tailored one, and the hem stitches from Robert were actually cleaner!! Totally impressed. Will be returning.

9/19/2015

I tried Mr. Lim out based on his nice Yelp reviews speaking of his craftsmanship, and I am pleased with his work. I would come back again with any high end tailoring demands in the future for me or my fiance alike.

I brought in a long cotton dress for alteration, that I had planned to wear for my Wedding Rehearsal dinner. I have a couple tailors/seamstresses I usually frequent for easy hems and small adjustments, but this was a bigger job and I didn't want to risk someone messing it up as the dress was purchased from Crossroads and I knew I couldn't find a replacement if something went awry.

It was a considerable amount of alterations: Taking up the waistline from a normal waist to an empire waist (that involved taking the dress apart, removing and replacing the zipper with the new cut), and then coming in to have the new empire waist taken in after that was the second part. On my second fitting, he also adjusted the sleeves a tad while I waited.

All in all, it was a 3 part process due to my wanting to restructure the dress. I did not visit other tailors for a competing quote, but I feel what he charged me was reasonable (not super cheap, and not super high) considering the labor involved, and he was attentive to the work.

He is very good at his craft and took the time to have me try it on 3 different times. What I found most impressive was his taking the time to baste the dress to test how I wanted it (hand sewing to hold something in place, which is something I learned when I took sewing classes at age 12) which I had never had another tailor take the time to do while being in their shop.

I am giving 4 stars now and if I come back in the future and have another stellar experience, I will update to 5 stars depending. I just wasn't sure about the rates because I did not compare with other places, hence the 4 stars which is still a great review in my eyes!

11/18/2015

This guy does great work.  I take all my clothes to Mr Lim because i know i'm going to get quality work.

6/25/2015

I bought a suit from Indochino, and unsurprisingly it ended up being off in a number of places: the arms and legs were trunk-like, the waist on my pants too large, the inseam comically low. (Not a knock on Indochino, per se; that's just the risk you run when you enlist a friend who isn't a tailor to do measurements for you.) So in my mind all these things added up to an insurmountable number of changes, plus I had heard sleeves were some of the trickier things to alter.

I explained these concerns to Mr. Lim and asked him if they could be fixed. Could he slim down the legs and sleeves? Could he essentially take apart the pants and raise the inseam altogether? He said he could.

He was right. These pants are now the finest ones I've ever worn, and the sleeves on the jacket look as if they've always been that slim. The man's a consummate professional.

11/26/2015 Updated review

Another amazing experience at Robert's shop. Got a custom suit that fits like a glove and is so well priced, I will never buy off the rack again.

9/22/2014

I stopped by here recently to alter a suit for a wedding and also asked for a custom tailored shirt to go with it.

The suit was finished in a few days and surprisingly the shirt was finished ahead of schedule and both were flawless. I'm very happy with the work he does.

He will make custom suits and shirts for men as well as alterations. He will also do women's clothing alterations so long as they're modern apparel as opposed to vintage/unique designs which will be at his discretion.

Robert used to work for the movie/tv studios back in the day so he's got the craft down right. A class act and a great place for tailor work.

1/23/2014

This place was close to my location and looked like the best option for Saturday evening. So I decided to drop by after reading a couple of comments. I should say I wasn't disappointed with my hasty decision because this place turned out to be very nice. 
The location in the shopping center is a little bit tricky, so use the escalator to get on the 2nd floor, go in the direction of food court and then turn right. 
I'm very glad to discover this place. Definitely will come back again with all my suit pants!
Mr. Lim is very professional and polite. I needed to have my curtains hemmed and I was thinking I had an idea about the way they should had been hemmed. After measuring Mr. Lim gave me an advice on what would be better for curtains.    
They also returned me parts left after curtain hemming, in case if I moved and had a bigger window.

12/9/2012

if you're not korean do not go here.

Sarah's review nailed it. Not sure if he's a rascist of just has no intention of dealing with language barriers. But I called on the phone and when I came in he was with another customer yet he didn't even acknolwdge me for 30 minutes. I just left.

Also really hard to find if you're not familiar wit the mall.

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  Better pic. Really hard to find. Had to walk through the bathroom to find it

  Better pic. Really hard to find. Had to walk through the bathroom to find it

4/3/2014

A man of a few words but he is great at his craft. Gonna recommend him to all my friends.

4/4/2013

So I know there's been some interesting reviews about this place, but rest assured that after two years of searching for the right tailor, he hits the spot (and yes, I'm not Korean).

I originally became acquainted with this place when I was wondering around the plaza while waiting for Boiling Crab. I met Mr. Lim as he was closing up shop, and he seemed like a nice guy. I asked him about his pricing, and it was very reasonable, so I came back the following day to give him a try.

I first gave him one of my cheaper Kenneth Cole suits to tailor. The pants were too long, and the top was too wide. I'll be honest, I thought I had to return it back to Macy's but then Mr. Lim said that it would be possible for him to unhem it, make the modifications and put it back together. I said, sure why not. Right after, he asked me when I wanted it, and I said "as soon as possible".

Low and behold, two days later, I get a call from him saying my suit was ready to go. I tried it out at the shop and I've never had such a perfectly fitted suit. In fact, coming into the office, I received compliments on how nice my suit was - as it's a $99 polyester.

So I decided to try out some of the fancier suits. I first started with my Boss by Hugo Boss Suit - perfection. Then had him tailor my YSL and Zegna suits - stunning. Next thing you know, I'm the guy in the office that's walking around with the "perfect" fitted suits.

Even when I gained a little weight, I took it back to Mr. Lim and he made adjustments to make it wider. And when I lost some weight, he made the adjustments to make it smaller again. Amazingly, the suits have held up, and you can tell by his workmanship that this is more than just tailoring - it's an art form for him and he does a hell of a job at it.

I get all the naysayers - sometimes I've waited outside. But I learned that just walking in where the tailoring is and just saying hello is enough for him to come out of the back to help you out. He won't ever just leave you hanging, even with another customer.

I'm so glad I found Mr. Lim. In fact, I'm taking my best friend's groomsmen all there to get their suits tailored. Thanks for the great service and for making me look great!

2/10/2014

This tailor is a throwback, he cares about his work and it shows. My slacks needed serious alterations and in a hurry! I was pleasantly surprised to not only be accommodated with a quick turnaround (less than 24 hrs), but I also received very professional service to which I am grateful. My pants fit great and the price was also reasonable, I will definitely return.

7/29/2010

I have to say, this place is a hidden gem in the middle of the Koreatown Shopping Center.

Originally, I stumbled upon Mr. Lim's shop out of sheer curiosity, as it was placed in a newly developed shopping suite behind a shoe boutique and across from the cafeteria. The place might be small, but when I stepped in, seeing the racks of cloth spools made me realize this guy is the real deal.

Robert Lim has a bit of a history, especially one with presidents, actors, and the general riff-raff of Hollywood. He has numerous pictures out front of his glory days, with presidents and famous actors. But what really stands out is, despite the simplicity of the establishment, there is a seemingly hidden talent underneath the slightly spartan and utilitarian room design. You see, what the room lacks in beautiful chairs and a massive display, Mr. Lim has in skill and a quiet, unassuming humbleness that turns out quality workmanship.

So far, I've had a suit, several suit pants, and multiple dress shirts, jeans, and even casual wear adjusted and tailored here. From the most formal of styles, to the most up to date, waist hugging European tailored look, Robert's quality and workmanship matches that of higher end Beverly Hill boutiques without the steep price tag.

Next time you want to have your shirts, pants, or anything fitted, tailored, tapered, or everything in between, come to the City Center's hidden gem. Squared away in the back of the shopping suite, is a place where you can even create your own suits from spools.

Think quality. Relative to the workmanship you get elsewhere, I would easily say the price Robert charges is reasonable.

8/28/2013

Okay after reading the reviews for this place, I thought it would be a hit or a miss. THEY ARE A HIT! My girlfriend and I took in five pairs of dress pants to get hemmed. They did it in 24 hours at decent prices. To give you an idea, she had four pairs of basic suit pants and one pair of pants that had a lining in them. For the basic pants it was only $10 for each pant, and the one with the lining was only $14. Not bad at all for your basic hem. They are a bit hidden (the location) in the Koreatown mall/city center. However they do validate parking if you park in the garage below the mall. I would go back to them if we ever had anymore hemming needs.

4/18/2014

Mr. Lim is awesome!  Reading some of the reviews, I understand some people had issues here regarding service but I found him to be an attentive and detail-oriented man.  He seems to focus his attention and service on the customer he is currently working with.  I had to wait a little (he was with someone ahead of me) but in the end, it was worth it!  When he serves you, his focus is on you and what you want done and nothing else.  I love this guy.  I definitely will recommend his services to everyone who needs alterations, tailoring or a new custom made suit!

1/21/2012

I really really wanted to like this place - it's within walking distance and all the other reviews were so great.  I brought in 5 things - 4 jeans and a dress.  One of the jeans I just needed a new button on.  I paid for everything up front.

When I went to pick up my clothes, I was in a rush so I didn't realize that one of my jeans was missing.  When I went back the next day they found my jeans, but said I hadn't paid for it because they had added a button but also tailored it (taken in the leg width).  I told them no, I never wanted that pair to be tailored in any way besides having a new button put in.  They said it was marked and pinned up so it was tailored.  I had never even tried them on while I was in the shop so I don't know where they got these measurements from.

He asked me to come back Monday, when his wife will be in to sort this out.  I don't know what will happen, but it seems like even in the best case scenario if I do get them back and don't have to pay the extra $20 they tacked on, I still will have a ruined pair of jeans.

UPDATE: After an awful experience, I want to advise people to use DEBIT and CREDIT cards here, and to document everything.  I paid in cash, and so had no record besides their handwritten receipt, which on top of everything, they had tallied wrong.  I also didn't feel like I should pay for an alternation I did not ask for, and I would have paid if I had even a bit of doubt that I was in the wrong.

They also sent me coming back and forth because when I came in Monday his wife still wasn't there, and then I had to come in Tuesday (and his wife still wasn't there, even though I called in advance to see).  He also yelled at me for not picking up my phone when his wife called me (I was at work, and her voicemail merely said to call before coming to make sure she was there).  To James K. who said that perhaps he didn't consider me a client - I paid $91 for my alterations, up front.  If he didn't consider me a potential client, then he should have told me before taking my money. At the end of this whole experience I felt so browbeaten by this man who was yelling at me that I actually cried in the store, in which he told me to go away and come back later.

All this being said, their work is excellent.  I only wish their customer service was not so severely lacking.

10/13/2011

I have this magical awesomeness of a pair of jeans that fit me perfectly and is perfect lengthwise. This combination is hard to find since I am short. They are so old though that they have been touched up more times than Heidi Montag! Its been to alteration places 2 times in the past for different areas but I just can't bear to throw them away. So when I got a 1 inch tear in the crotchel area, I decided to give Mr. Lim a try. I don't want to incur any indecent exposure fines in LA..

The place was hard to find. After 7 mins of walking around the corner of 6th and alexandria, I figured out it was in the shopping mall. After realizing it was in the shopping mall, it was still hard to find. It is tucked away in the corner on the second floor by the elevators in a lonely area called "Fashion Square".  Entirely my fault though.

I got there and for 10 bucks I got the sucker fixed. They didn't talk much because I don't speak Korean, but it was simple to tell them what I wanted. I don't know exactly which of the gentlemen working there patched it up, nor do I know which one was Mr. Kim but he did a fabulous job. Did it on the spot, took about 20 mins and I was reunited with the awesomeness that is my favorite jeans. I'd recommend Kim's Taylor to anyone.

1/16/2012

I went to see Mr. Lim and his associate last week to get a skirt taken in and a pair of cords shortened and a pair of jeans shortened. I was greeted so nicely by one of the gentlemen. He measured each of my items on me and we discussed options and I was so happy how reasonable the prices were.

I just had such a pleasant experience here. The work was exceptional, done in a timely manner and was affordable. I'm so happy with each of my garments!

When I picked everything up the same gentleman (I don't think this was Mr. Lim but his associate...or I could be wrong...oof!) - anyway, he was so nice when I came to pick up and he wished me a good night and said he really hoped I would come back.

I'm happy to say: I will!

8/28/2010

Mr Lim is one of the original Old School Tailors to the stars.  His sartorial skill is unsurpassed.  Other tailors have been doing alterations for years but Mr Lim has been making suits and custom clothing for decades.  Don't be misled by the quiet and unassuming storefront.  In these hard times all of the other businesses in the adjacent spaces have gone belly up and he is the lone survivor.

Custom suits are the only way I will go.  You actually end up happier and it is more cost effective.  Buying a suit off the rack usually entails tailoring anyway, but can also drive up the cost.  I recently got fitted for a tuxedo using super 180 English wool.  Most places don't even carry that quality of fabric.  And since he is Old School, he carries a lot of fabrics that are conservative.  If you are not used to custom tailoring, the best point to start is to bring  a picture of the suit you have in mind.  He will then walk you through all the finer points and details.  If you want a more updated look, then ask him for references to some fabric stores and you can bring him the swatches.  Most likely all the big brands like Armani, Gucci, etc do not have tailors at this elite level making their suits for you. He made a custom tux for my wedding that I asked to be a hybrid.  It is amazing b/c I can wear it for other occasions without it looking like a tux.  Who says that you have to wear your wedding outfit only once?! This suit will last me at least 10 years (as long as I don't start growing my waistline).  My tux would have cost $2000 anywhere else and that is without the tailoring.  I only paid $1500 out the door and it included a silk vest.

So unless you have the dimensions of a mannequin, I strongly urge you to go to Mr Lim for all of your tailoring needs.

11/30/2012

I've recently become acquainted with the joys of tailoring my clothes to fit me properly, and I have to say that Mr. Lim is primarily responsible for my epiphany. There really is no substitute for proper fit, and I can't begin to tell you what a difference it makes in how you look.

Mr. Lim isn't particularly chatty (not to say that he's not friendly), but he's a professional, and the times that I haven't been completely satisfied with a tailoring job the first time around, he's been more than willing and open to continue tweaking the fit (at no extra charge, of course) until I'm satisfied.

Support one of the last of a dying breed, and get your clothes over to Mr. Lim.

2/15/2010

Mr. Lim really disappointed me.

This business - professional tailoring and alterations - is located very close to my work.  My dad is currently looking for a tailor to build him a custom-made suit for my upcoming wedding. I stopped by Mr. Lim's shop one day after work and he was very friendly and told me to have my dad stop by anytime.  My dad himself also called, and Mr. Lim was friendly over the phone too.

Then, my dad and mom went to Mr. Lim's shop today. He was so incredibly rude to him, I could tell my dad's feelings were very hurt. It was a Jekel-and-Hyde type of thing - so friendly on the phone, but when he saw my dad, he was so cruel to him. He literally turned them out of the store without answering any of their questions.  My dad even told him he was ready to do business, but Mr. Lim ignored him.  I have never witnessed that level of rudeness.

Is it because my dad isn't korean? Or maybe because he's a person with a disability? Either way, I am so sorry I ever recommended this tailor to my dad. I am appalled by his rudeness, and I wouldn't recommend ANYONE go here.