Benjy / June 13, 2005 11:14 AM

I typically use the one in my building and they're pretty good, but it takes like 4 days to get things back.

One time, I took some shirts into Chicago's Discount Cleaner in the strip mall on Fullerton where Trotter's To Go is, because I had a coupon and they promised same day service. All but one of the shirts needed to be re-ironed because of creases or wrinkles.

anne / June 13, 2005 11:21 AM

Unfortunately I can't remember the name of a place I went the first year I moved to town, but it's just south of Diversey on N. Racine Ave. They do all their work there (which is key in picking a great dry cleaner I think) and had coffee and little candies for customers. A neighbor of mine went there so much they knew him by name and would greet him each week with a hearty hello. Nice folks, and great service for sure. I'm sad that I live pretty far from the place now so I don't use them as often.

Carrie / June 13, 2005 11:37 AM

There is one on Milwaukee just west of Western. Avoid it. It's a couple of doors down from Osco. The tailor there is a really old guy who will yell at you. I think it all started b/c he made a comment about Europe and I mentioned I wanted to go there. For some reason that sent him off on a tangent and he started telling me I was stupid and didn't know anything. It was really fun when he started making racist comments. I kept trying to leave and he just kept yelling. Someone finally came out and rescued me so I could go home. I was almost in tears.

miss ellen / June 13, 2005 11:38 AM

i also use the cleaners in my building most of the time. they don't do onsite work, so it takes a few days usually. but, they're very nice & appreciate when i bring them all my old hangars back...for the run of the mill nice shirts & skirts i refuse to iron myself, it's fine & very convenient.

i've also gone to the greener cleaner at the damen el stop. was hoping for some miracle red wine removal, and wasn't quite as good as i'd hoped. they do "wet" cleaning, as opposed to dry cleaning & are very environmentally friendly; pretty $$$, too.

paul / June 13, 2005 1:18 PM

I've been successful in avoiding them almost completely. With the exception of a couple times a year for my dress winter coat, and a jacket or two once or twice a year after getting caught overdressed in a smoky bar. Should I be going more?

If I had to say to avoid one in particular, it would be the one on Dempster in Evanston across from Blind Faith Cafe. It's the scene of a lost battle over a historic building.

Stephen / June 13, 2005 1:35 PM

I'm quite fond of Downtown Cleaners, 407 S. Peoria St. (intersection of Van Buren & Peoria), in the West Loop / Greektown area. They're friendly, always remember my name, and pretty well-priced, especially for its location. However, since I'm a guy and only usually need my shirts washed & pressed, I can't speak to the more expensive stuff.

Blake / June 13, 2005 1:46 PM

As an alias, I cannot reveal my dry cleaner's name or location for fear that the man will track me down and the gig will be up.

That said, I used to take my clothes to Nuri's dry cleaning on Lincoln near Berteau. Top-notch service with a big big smile.

None to avoid, except the one that would regularly launder and press my corduroy shirt, then one day returned it to me as a dry-cleaned garment at dry-cleaning prices (an extra two and a half bucks) saying that corduroy needed dry cleaning. I can't remember the name of that place, though.

Paula / June 13, 2005 2:36 PM

Forest Cleaners on Lincoln near the Western El stop - good prices and service and inexpensive alterations.

Thurston / June 13, 2005 3:03 PM

I go to Wilton Cleaners #2 at McLean and Damen, just north of Armitage. Though it's kind of a dump inside, the clothes come back both dry and clean, and at prices that are staggeringly low. They have another location (the fabled Wilton Cleaners #1), which is where they actually do the cleaning, on Western a block or two south of Armitage.

Katie / June 13, 2005 9:19 PM

I moved away from the wicker park area recently, and one of the things I was most sad about was leaving my dry cleaner. I can't remember the name, but it's on North right next to the Sultan's Market (about two blocks west of north/damen/milwaukee). There's one woman that works there and she's sooo unbelievably cheerful. Good attention to detail, and nice job of alterations as well.

Lisa / June 14, 2005 9:02 AM

If you live near Southport and Belmont, you must go to Devrim Cleaners, 3134 N. Southport. The guy who owns this business, Figo, is the nicest guy ever. He's a permanent figure in the neighborhood and anyone who has ever met him would agree with me. It's also pretty inexpensive and I've never had any problems with the clothes I have brought there to be dry cleaned.

Lisa / June 14, 2005 9:04 AM

I second the recommendation for the cleaners on Wrightwood/Racine. Family-owned, pleasant, same-day service, affordable.

I avoid Bart's on Racine/Altgeld. They don't always return garments on time.

Thurston / June 14, 2005 9:13 AM

I forgot to mention one that totally sucks: the cleaners in the Aon Center, AKA Amoco building, right by the Au Bon Pain. They say they can get clothes back to you 99% of the time on the same day if it's in before 9 am. However, I've tried this with them six times and not gotten my stuff back the same day three times. The third time I refused to pay and the little man who works there just about shit his pants. Let's just hope he could get his pants back on time.

DebO / June 14, 2005 11:00 AM

I like Cleaners Depot on Broadway near Diversey. What's not to like? They charge only 1.75 per item (with men's shirts laundered for $1 each), provide same-day service if you bring your clothes in by 10, and do a pretty good job.

If I need something special, like mending or alterations, or I want to launder stuff besides men's shirts, I go to Tom's Cleaners on Broadway off Aldine. Very friendly and good quality work for reasonable prices.

JT / June 14, 2005 1:35 PM

I can't remember the name, but my favorite cleaners were in my old neighborhood, on Bittersweet just steps west of Marine Drive. Very sweet little lady ran it, and she always greeted us in a friendly manner and charged fair prices for decent cleaning.

The worst (again, can't remember the name but I think it might have been a Swan) was on Clybourn next to Lou Mitchells. They ruined a white blouse, and then lost it when they offered to re-clean it to try to undo their damage. Then, they insisted that I had doctored the receipt and never left a shirt after all. To this day, I'm positive that woman is wearing my favorite Donna Karan blouse.

jen / June 14, 2005 3:53 PM

for another Belmont & Southport recommendation, I took a comforter to be washed to the one at Southport & School... reasonably priced and no complaints from me... Joy Cleaners, that's it. I constantly see people picking up & dropping things off there as well.

amy / June 14, 2005 6:26 PM

Kim's Cleaners on Montrose & Winchester...Mr and Mrs Kim were so kind and excited to see me everytime I actually came in...(I'm a 4x/year dry cleaning chick) and if you bring 4 shopping bags full of cleaning it somehow always totals to $75. And Mr Kim can re-line a full length coat like nobody's business.

I'm next to the greener cleaner now - pricey but nice. Now I try not to buy things I have to dry clean.

Pat / June 14, 2005 7:15 PM

Dry cleaning, or martinizing, is so not sexy. Though there's a dry cleaners, laundromat, and tailor at Granville and Kenmore that is fantastic. They were able to patch up some ripped jackets I had, and they were so fantastic, you can't even see the seems. They were so fantastic, I can't remember the name of the shop... but it's right next to Metropolis coffee shop.

Lori / June 14, 2005 7:42 PM

I like the name of the one on Addison and LaVergne:
Best-yette. I like to change that to Betsy-ette when I'm driving by.

never been there though.

Mike / November 10, 2005 2:37 PM

I agree with Katie, the one next to Sultan's market is really good. The one lady who works there is very nice and the prices are good. She'll rush big jobs too (like altering a whole suit in one day). This is on North Ave., a half-block west of Damon.

Wendy / April 2, 2008 3:38 PM

I am sick of the Downtown Cleaners ( 407 S. Peoria St.), which was surprisingly recommended by somebody. They are not willing to take responsibility when I found out my coat was broken after they cleaned it. Their attitude is very very bad. Untrustful and irresponsible. I will never go to that cleaner again. Never!