where to get a great hair cut in/near SF?

March 25, 2011 9:57 AM

Where to get a great hair cut in or near SF? I have very long hair and I've decided I'd like to chop it to a bob, but I want to go to someone who can do a great job and give me advice on what will look good since I've never had this haircut before. Any recommendations for amazing salons or stylists in the SF Bay Area (SF, east bay, wherever...) or up north in Santa Rosa/Petaluma/Sebastapol areas? I'm not made of money, so salons at all price points appreciated!
posted by dahliachewswell to clothing, beauty, & fashion (13 answers total)

I swear by Glen at Headlights in Hayes Valley.
posted by Zophi at 10:00 AM on March 25, 2011

No recommendations here, but as you've mentioned that your hair is "very long" and you're getting it cut to a bob, please consider donating your hair to an organization like Locks of Love, and tell your stylist that this is your intention so that you wind up with usable hair in the end. (They need long cuts, 10" minimum, instead of lots of little snips.) :)
posted by xedrik at 10:13 AM on March 25, 2011

Eddie at Zip Zap (Haight and Fillmore, SF) has been cutting my hair for a decade and always does an excellent job. He cuts all kinds of hair - long, short, in between - and has told me that he loves cutting longer hair. I cannot give him this kind of love; perhaps you can!

Claire, also at Zip Zap, does an outstanding job (cut and color) on my partner's hair, so you can try her, as well. Eddie only cuts on Sundays and Tuesdays right now (maybe Thursdays?), I believe; Claire is there more often, I think.
posted by rtha at 10:26 AM on March 25, 2011 [2 favorites]

Ilona at Addiction Salon in the Mission!
posted by liketitanic at 10:34 AM on March 25, 2011

Mishi at Morphic Beauty in SF does a great job with bobs (for me, normally a layered or shattered bob). I've been very happy with her work, and she is good at consulting and helping you figure out what would be flattering. Also, she will teach you how to properly blow dry if you ask (I never knew the right technique until she showed me).
posted by JenMarie at 11:01 AM on March 25, 2011

James at Zip Zap gave me many truly fabulous bobs. I adore him. Also, I had no idea rtha and I went to the same salon! Huh.
posted by mostlymartha at 11:16 AM on March 25, 2011 [2 favorites]

Tony at Artist hair salon on Stockton next to Kearny. Just next door to the bakery two doors uphill direction from Kearny. He's from Hong Kong. He's really really good with short hair. He's not that good with english but used to charge around $30 to 40 for a very decent cut.

Artist Hair Salon719 Clay San Francisco 94108 415 989-1238
posted by infini at 11:37 AM on March 25, 2011

James also cut my hair once, when Eddie was out of town and I was desperate - it was a very good cut. We came up with a theory recently that there are actually only four people in SF who cut hair, and three of them work at Zip Zap.
posted by rtha at 11:50 AM on March 25, 2011

Daragh at Rouge Parlor in Petaluma is my one and only stylist.
I ♥ Daragh!
posted by Lynsey at 2:26 PM on March 25, 2011

I really like my stylist, who has a one-woman operation at Azure Salon on Piedmont, in Oakland. I change my mind about chopping stuff all off and growing it out all the time, so we have a good talk about what I want to do beforehand to hash it out. I've had bobs from her and lots of good razor cuts.
posted by oneirodynia at 3:39 PM on March 25, 2011

Yes -- Clar at Zip Zap is awesome. I love her.
posted by gingerbeer at 8:21 PM on March 25, 2011 [1 favorite]

Just to finish of this thread for posterity's sake, I ended up with an appointment with Clar at Zip Zap (i just told them my situation, long to very short, and that was who i got). She was very nice, good listener and I love the haircut. And I ended up donating the hair (which Clar also immediately suggested) to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths program (similar to Locks of Love but less overblown).
posted by dahliachewswell at 7:57 AM on July 12, 2011 [2 favorites]

Yay! I am glad that worked for you.
posted by gingerbeer at 3:28 PM on July 14, 2011