Men's Hairstylist Recommendations in the Bay Area (San Diego, San Francisco: salon, live in)

[MisterCali]

I just moved to Oakland for a new job in SF. Yes, I know how to use Yelp. Yes, I will be asking my new colleagues for recommendations, but I'm not working for a huge company and don't have a big social network up here... yet. So, I'm supplementing that research with.. you guys.

And, yeah, I said "stylist". I'm not particularly snooty or foo-foo, but I've had universally bad experiences at 'regular' barber shops in LA and San Diego. It seems that every traditional barber I visited had one way of cutting men's hair and that was it. For someone like me -- with fine hair that can look surprisingly full when cut and styled properly -- the looks never worked. I always found I had to spend between $40-70/cut to find a stylist who could cut fine men's hair and do so in a stylish, modern way -- I guess you might say hipster'ish. Funnily enough, I found my best stylists in LA and San Diego had a large lesbian clientele. It seems there isn't much daylight between the young, modern lesbian 'do and that of the hipster'ish male.

Anyway, if you just go to a barber shop to get everything buzzed off or if you're one of those satisfied customers that keeps SuperCuts in business, I'll pass. But if you're a Bay Area gentleman who has found a great stylist / salon or, yes, even a barber shop that knows how to cut a wide variety of men's hair, let me know! Since a haircut is really a once every 4-to-5 weeks thing for me, I'm more than willing to travel a bit for the right stylist. Let's say anywhere within 90 min commute of Oakland.

[jade408]

Yelp.com

[2sleepy]

Try Mark-Jason Solofa in Berkeley, that's where my son goes and he swears by them, he lives in Contra Costa County but can't find a shop that he likes there. And it's funny you mentioned the best shops having a lesbian clientele my son remarked about that too.

[tanglenet]

Galleria Hair Design in SF. A 2 minute walk from Montgomery BART Station. Recommend Eric or Caroline.

GALLERIA HAIR DESIGN

[evening sun]

When I lived in the Bay Area, I used a man called Paul, who has a shop in Burlingame. I used him for 10 years, until we moved. He does a great job.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/home-burlin...=Joannes+nails

His wife does nail & tanning & he does the hair. I really miss his haircuts. They are 2 separate shops.

[evening sun]

Originally Posted by evening sun

When I lived in the Bay Area, I used a man called Paul, who has a shop in Burlingame. I used him for 10 years, until we moved. He does a great job.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/home-burlin...=Joannes+nails

His wife does nail & tanning & he does the hair. I really miss his haircuts. They are 2 separate shops.

On that yelp page, the hair cut reviews are on page 2.

[tanglenet]

Since you live in Oakland, I should also mention Temescal Alley. I haven't been since I go the Galleria Hair, but a buddy does and says it's OK. Biggest downside is that you can't make a reservation.

Temescal Alley Barbershop

[much_obliged]

I know exactly what you are looking for. My hair is also very fine. It shows every clumsy unskilled cut and only rewards stylists with a vision and good technical skills. Barbers with their electric clippers use much too blunt a tool on my hair (in my opinion.)

A few years back I admired a co-workers hair (with a texture I similar to mine) and asked him where he got his hair cut. He told me who his stylist was (she had her own salon in San Francisco) and I was so happy to find a good stylist in a city that was new to me.

Cut to 2017. My stylist had a baby a few years ago and has given up her salon in San Francisco. She now works a few days a week at Marquee Salon in Oakland. Her name in Jubilee and I recommend her wholeheartedly. Plus she’s a total sweetheart.