Pioneer Tailor & Alterations

I’m almost reluctant to write this review because they’re so good that I feel like I’ve found the best kept secret in SF! Genneth does incredible work and is so detail-​oriented and skilled, that I don’t think I’ll ever trust anyone else to alter my clothing. The only downside, which in my opinion didn’t merit losing a star, is that they only take cash. Just call ahead to find out how much it’ll be so you’ll be prepared.

I was impressed with the customer service at this shop. I will return here the next time I need my pants altered. Quick service and good pricing.

Not sure where to start? BUT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE COMING HERE AND HIGHLY RECOMMEND GENNETH! I was recommended to her by a family member who had been going to her for a while and I wouldn’t dare go anywhere else. I moved to Sacramento and I still will make sure that if I need anything altered (especially for expensive items and for special occasions) I make a trip out to SF just to go to her. I’ve tried other alteration places and no one compares — I’ve never had a problem or had to have Genneth go back and fix her work…
Recently I had a last minute alteration and I was on a time crunch… I am flying out tomorrow to Hawaii and just got me dress last week bec as a mommy my body is constantly changing. Well lucky for me Genneth was able to work her MAGIC and have my dress ready within a couple of hours!
HANDS DOWN THE BEST ALTERATIONS PLACE

High-​quality, quick alterations (of an evening gown) at a reasonable price. Will definitely return.

She fixed my trousers very nicely and even the problem I forgot to mention she fixed automatically which was impressive. The service was also very affordable :)

I’ve had several pants done here. She hems for only $ 5, does quality work and possible next day service depending on her workload. She has been my go to since discovering this place.

Genette Rivera takes care of her customers. Brought my uncle here and she found him a barong that fit perfectly at a reasonable price. She showed the proper way of putting it on and removing it and even pressed it ready to be worn. Highly recommended!

Oops! My review is two years late! The place small, but its got everything you need! The couple that own the store were extremely helpful and sweet! They do alterations, custom made items and can order special items you may need.

I went here to get a tear in my vest fixed. The owner was able to do it within a few mins and asked for just $ 5! I gave $ 10 and they probably deserve more. In the past my gf went here to get something repaired and the lady, (Sorry I don’t know her name), fixed it right then and there for free. I will certainly be back.

Jánet was real sweet. How I judge how many cubes they deserve, is when they accomadate a procrastinator, a lagger, a last-​minute decider, an anxtiety induced, wait this is not about me and about her business and her craft. Right. 2 days before a wedding, a bridesmaid dress 4 sizes to big, thank god again, that it wasn’t the opposite. A***** it might’ve been, but Super J, jersey #51, would’ve still been able to hit that jumper and one. Forgot my shoes, told her I’d come back the next day, I lied and came back the day after giving her 1 ½ days to work her magic, and sobra cadamn bra she made it happen. 2 minutes too late almost happened, but I believed she waited for me and stayed open a few minutes longer so I could pick up the dress the day before the wedding. Thank God or thank her, thanks hesus. Ring her bell, if you regret it, thats your issue not hers. Take a gamble, procrastinator. says it all.

Fantastic hole in the wall. If you’re looking for a place that does cheap and efficient alterations, this is the spot to go to. I’ve been here twice for pants and zipper alterations. First time was to get my zipper fixed — $ 5, second time was to alter my pants to make them shorter– $ 5 again! Owner also has a really cute shop dog.

I was extremely disappointed with this store. I had not visited their Unilocal page yet and was referred to this store by word of mouth. I called the store and asked if they were open on Sundays. The woman who answered the phone said yes and gave me the store hours. Then, I decided to visit this Unilocal page to see the reviews and photos only to see that their store was closed on Sundays. So I called yet again to verify if they were open on Sundays or if their Unilocal page was outdated and I was told –again– that yes, they were open on Sunday and was given the hours again.
This Sunday, I drove 2.5 hours from my home to come to this store only to find them closed. If they can’t get their own store hours and days of availability correct, I have little faith that they can help with anything else. All of my son’s godparents and my family are now getting their Barongs in Vallejo. That could have been 11 barongs they would have sold, but because of their inability to provide the correct information on the phone, they have lost out on that business. I am telling every Filipino person I know not to go to this shop.

My husband and I are cord sponsors for my cousin’s wedding and we needed a Barong Tagalog for a wedding. He’s a tall, broad white guy, so I really didn’t have too much hope, but they were in the area and it takes 6 – 8 weeks to get something custom made online. Crazy. I had 1 month to get this done.
We live on the peninsula, so I called them to ask their hours and make sure we wouldn’t be wasting a trip into SF. We ended up making an appointment for 11am on Saturday. (I get the feeling that if you said 3am on a Tuesday, they’d be there for you).
We passed the place about 3 times before we found it– you just need to have sharp eyes.
We were about an hour early, but in the neighborhood, so we rang the little bell and they opened for us. While we were waiting for the girl to come help us, the father showed us around and there are tons of photos on the wall of him with famous people and his shops in the Philippines. I think he’s a great alterations guy and if I ever need anything altered, I’m totally going to take it to him! Especially mens suits/​tuxes.
Anyway, the daughter, Becky, came and she took one look at my husband and decided that he needed a 2XL. And it fit! She showed us how to put it on and helped him into it, and then –miracle of all miracles– showed us about 6 other designs that they had in the same size. You can’t tell me that they outfit big white guys all that often! or maybe they do, but it was really nice to have a selection.
Then I got a blouse as well, also in my size.
She then ironed both items and apparently the Barong Tagalog comes with lifetime free ironing. Cool! And they will launder them by hand for you as well.
They only take cash so stop at an ATM on the way, but you’ll definitely find what you’re looking for there. 12 thumbs up!

Great little family business! $ 5 for jeans and same day service, you can’t beat that! $ 10 for taper and $ 7 to hem dress pants! Love this place! They do a great job

Very impressed! I went to purchase a Barong Tagalog and wasn’t sure of my size. The gal looked at me and told me my measurements without hesitation and without measuring tape and she was spot on. She also took the time to explain the different «classes» of barongs and made suggestions on styles, which was very helpful. She also did the alterations on my fiancée’s wedding dress. 1-​day turnaround and very, very, very inexpensive with very high quality. Unfortunately, there aren’t any other barong shops around (how’s that?), but luckily they were all we needed. Thank you!

My boyfriend wanted to purchase a barong tagalog (Filipino, see-​thru dress shirt) for an upcoming family party. After searching Unilocal high and low, I stumbled upon this little shop. We decided to head up to the city to check it out.
The store was pretty easy to find, even though we passed it and had to do a little back tracking. Upon arriving at the store, the door was locked, you have to ring the door bell for the owner to let you in. It was a cute little shop, which we soon found out to be the downstairs of the owner’s house. I had never really been to any other barong shop, so I don’t have anything to compare it too. They seemed to have a fairly good selection of barongs and dresses for men, women, and kids. The prices were a little steep from what I had found on some barong websites. But ordering a barong online, especially a colored one (which was what my boyfriend was looking for), would take about 6 weeks! That was time that my boyfriend did not have. We were in luck and found a brown barong, just the color he wanted. The owner doesn’t take credit cards, which I understand since his shop is a little small plus it’s not like people are out shopping for barongs everyday! We had to take a trip to the Safeway down the street to get some cash.
Overall, we were happy that we found what we were looking for. The owner was really nice, it felt like we were talking to a family member. If we ever need another barong on short notice, this shop would definitely be our first stop.

Our interactions with Pioneer Tailor were great in every regard. They were prompt, helpful, kind and fast! When my husband needed a special barong for our wedding, they helped us find the right one and were able to do the alterations in less than a week. I don’t think they accept credit cards so make sure to hit the ATM before you purchase anything. A mom and pop shop that will take good care of you.

I signed up for Unilocal just so I could give Pioneer Tailor & Alterations an excellent review. If you are looking for a barong in the Bay Area, especially within San Francisco, look no further than this shop. It’s a Mom and Pop shop… literally. They will treat you as if you were family and give you a great price on a great selection of beautiful barongs. I was in a pinch and really needed one ASAP. Fortunately, Pioneer Tailor & Alterations had the perfect barong for me AND they were willing to tailor it for me in less than a week! I couldn’t be happier with my experience with Pioneer Tailor & Alterations.

Barongs in San Francisco. They are hard to come by. You ask Filipinos where to go in the area and they shrug their shoulders. Sure, you get a few smart ass responses like «Philippines.» (Duh, but it’s a little too late for that!) Or they send you over Serramonte way, only to discover the shop they are referring to sells Chinesey-​like outfits, if anything. Apparently there used to be another store in Daly City that sold barongs, but it’s closed now.
Lucky for Pioneer Tailor & Alterations. My mom found out about this place after asking a Filipino stranger in a hotel. Gil and Beck Rivera are the owners and the nicest people. They had my husband, mom, dad, and nephew trying on a bunch of things. And the prices weren’t ridiculous either. Our problem were the too many Krispy Kreme doughnuts and fatty Chinese food over the years that made the sizes a bit challenging for my parents. We just didn’t have enough time to special order them.
It’s a small shop, so be sure to call before you go. They may just open up just for you. They have a good variety of barongs to choose from, and even some traditional dresses for women too. If anyone ever asks me where to find a barong in San Francisco, I’m sending them this way.