New York Men's Haircut, redux

April 24, 2010 1:16 PM

Need to find a good haircut in New York

This question was asked four years ago and six years ago, and several of the links are dead. So I figured I'd pose the question again: where can I find a good heaircut in new york? I'm a guy with shoulder length hair and it's about time to get rid of it.
Things that make this easier: I got the best haircut ever while visiting a friend in spain and have a picture of it.
Things that make this harder: I have curly hair once it is past a certain length and want the curls, but this isn't obvious when my hair is wet. I don't want it so short that the curls disappear. (I didn't know I had curly hair until I started to grow it out in college.)

My budget is in the $50 range, max. Cheaper is better, if the cut is still good.

I've had several disastrous haircuts, which is mostly what led me to having such long hair. So, time to ask, where should I go?

posted by Hactar to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (10 answers total)

Goodness, I was just searching AskMe for the same thing (I'm a girl, though). I ended up picking a place at random near my office, Momotaro, which does men's hair as well. The gentleman who did my hair, Hiro, didn't really do what I asked, but once he was done I actually like it more than what I had come in for. I paid more than your price range, but I think women's hair is more expensive generally. Hope this helps!
posted by orrnyereg at 1:38 PM on April 24, 2010

I've always had good luck at Astor Place Hairstylists. I've been going there on and off for the past 20 years. Very cheap, a New York institution. But then I keep my hair cut pretty short and it doesn't need much in way of styling.

$15 plus tip.

http://www.astorplacehairnyc.com/
posted by dfriedman at 1:42 PM on April 24, 2010

I would suggest poking around on your local Yelp.com - you can narrow results by neighborhood, price, if they take credit cards, etc. And of course being able to read reviews and compare them is very helpful.
posted by Amanda B at 1:47 PM on April 24, 2010 [1 favorite]

My brother has been getting his hair cut at this place for several years. It may be towards the top end of your budget, though. Their cuts might be on the more conservative side, based on their clientele.
posted by Lycaste at 3:26 PM on April 24, 2010

A guy at Astor Place made my look something like hers --

but that was the 80's and I'm a woman.
posted by DMelanogaster at 3:54 PM on April 24, 2010

That was my *hair*.

Or maybe it was more like this
posted by DMelanogaster at 3:56 PM on April 24, 2010

Astor Place is huge with so many stylists. I've never really been happy with the cut I got there (but only went a couple of times).

So far my two favorites are:

- Chelsea Barbers (no reservations, just sit & wait, out of the way)
- The Little Hair Shoppe (reservations, centrally located)

Chelsea Barber may be a bit more of a typical barber in that they mostly only do a few basic styles, but do them well. The Little Hair Shoppe may be more able to do what you want. It looks pricey, but they gave me the student price - I have easy hair.

I think a cut I got a Chelsea Barbers is the best haircut I ever got - my girlfriend thinks The Little Hair Shoppe is the best haircut I ever got, but I've got straight hair so we're... uh, splitting hairs.
posted by MesoFilter at 5:29 PM on April 24, 2010

3 Aces is my place of choice.

It is an old-school barber shop experience for $12 or $13.
posted by bignerds at 7:33 AM on April 25, 2010

I'm a fan of Freeman's Sporting Club.
posted by The Whelk at 11:24 AM on April 26, 2010

The Hairbox on Spring near 6th Ave is $18 and gives me the best haircuts of my life. The barbers are old men (except for the woman) and they don't really wet your hair so you'd keep your curls. They also don't really talk to you, which I like in a barber.
posted by oreofuchi at 4:33 PM on April 26, 2010