Astor Place Hairstylists

Giovanni’s my guy! He’s been cutting my hair since the late 1970’s. That pretty much says it all, doesn’t it? But not quite. The place feels like home, everyone is friendly, you’re greeted with a smile. A couple of times I showed up on a day when Giovanni wasn’t there, and another haircutter cut and styled my hair for me. It was beautiful, even though it wasn’t my guy!

Ross is a genius. He’s done it again. I ran into a friend on the street and she saw my hair and she said, «you’re going to Devachan again.»

A mixed bag if ever there’s been one. The place is huge and has a chaotic feel to it. There’s usually tons of hair on the floor and it’s not as clean as I would like. I’ve had my hair cut there a few times and it’s never been great. They’ve always rushed through the job and it shows in the finished cut. I’ve left the place covered in hair. If you’re looking for an average haircut at a cheap price it’s not a terrible option, but there are so many better inexpensive barbers in the city. I guess this place is iconic, so go for the experience, and maybe you’ll find that special barber, but I would recommend trying somewhere else.

They are really good at what they do. Every Time I come here I leave satisfy with my hair cut! I highly recommend it to every one .!!

Ultra quick service. $ 17 for a mediocre cut. It stung. You can go to so many places to get the same quality at a cheaper price. Only come here if you have no other options.

Quick, easy, simple, affordable and good. I didn’t need anything fancy and they aren’t a fancy shop. You get what you ask for and your in and out. I’ll back for my next cut!

Okay, I’ve been going here for YEARS and this rating is based on the hair dresser who basically refused to give me a short enough hair cut «because I would look like a man». Never mind Astor as being the place you’re supposed to go (or WERE supposed to go) for daring haircuts, I really wasn’t asking much, just the moderate undercut every girl has these days. I think it was Jose, and in general I have an issue with men telling women what is «appropriate» for women. I won’t go to a sexist hair salon.

I had my hair done at 2 Astor Place this week. Ross made my day! From the street the place looks like a barber shop and when you walk in it does not look much different. I went to Astor Place for one reason and one reason only and that was the prices.
I use Ross who is all the way in the back. I had color, low lights, high lights, a cut and blow dry.
The prices are always great. I have paid more for color alone then I did today for everything today. The big deal though is really the job that Ross does on my hair. The color was fantastic! Everyone I see has commented on how great my color looks. It looks like I have three or four different shades all blending in together. By the look of it you would think I paid at least three times of what I did pay. The cut is also good and is falling right into place as it should. I will not go anywhere else and pay those crazy amounts of money to get my hair done ever again. Ross is great! Don’t be fooled because he is young. He really knows what he is doing. I have read some other reviews. I have been using Ross for years and have never had a problem. This is not a high end salon and does not have that feel but when you get a high end cut and color for barber shop prices you will have no problem with the setting. At least I did not. If you want to be in and out in 5 minutes and be treated like the Queen of Sheba then go somewhere else and pay three to four times the amount for exactly the same cut and color. I’m sure they have many good people but to me Ross is the best! He always goes out of his way to make me happy and really tries to give me what I want. I have NEVER had a bad job done by him.
Someone wrote that he was inappropriate in conversation. I have never found that to be true. He is young though so i do not know if that made a difference but in the few years that I have been using Ross I never thought he was inappropriate in any way!
This is not the place to go if your are in a rush but if you are let Ross know ahead of time so he can work with you.

Mostly a bunch of old men who think they’re the best barbers in the city. They pick and choose which customers they are going to like and accept from the second you walk in. I would not recommend Sergio. He’s too quick for his own good and only starts talking and smiling when you come back with his tip. I will not be going back based on my past experiences.

If you want butchered hair this is the perfect place. 0 stars fit better but oh well…

I can not write enough about what a great talent Noemi is! I found her (recommended by a friend) about 2 years ago and she just changed my perception of hair cutting/​styling. I can completely trust her and let her play with my hair with her magic scissors and hands! And the outcome always brings a big smile on my face :))

Normally I would be singing the praises of this village staple, but not after my last experience there just now.
I go in and say i need a trim. They sent me to some douchebag who thinks he’s the white guy from Barbershop who practically threw a fit that they dared to send someone with *gasp* long hair to him.
Then when I go up up front to ask for another barber and they’re all confused like they don’t know what to do. Meanwhile I see a dozen barbers sitting around. Fuck that noise. I’ll take my business elsewhere.
I’ve only been going there 25+ years, but probably not anymore. I don’t appreciate having my time wasted. I guess the old village really is gone for good.
And Vanilla Ice, you should learn how to deal with people you’re going to be in a service job. Just a thought.

Been going for ten years, not one bad experience! Suzy is an absolute miracle worker, I came to her once with terrible, uneven orange highlights and left a few hours later feeling like a bombshell with perfect hair. Prices are half that of other salons and the quality is often so much better.

Omg Irma she the best ! very sweet lady, love how she did my color and highlights and hair cut. She knew what I expected from her wow, amazing hair Irma keep up the good work, you have a loyal costumer your way now ,
Thank Irma I love my hair

Been wanting to try this place for a while. Not happy with my haircut, stylist didn’t cut my hair even close to what I asked for. The reviews that say hit or miss for females is probably true, it’s mostly guys getting cuts at this place. Good prices and went here to save $- but I’d rather spend more to get the cut I asked for.

Not a shred of talent from whoever cut my hair. Had to go to a different barbershop to get them to undo the damage my barber did. Steer clear.

I love this place, have been going there since 2009. Price is more then fair, they do a great job. Ask for Alex he is the best. Place is old and beat up but that is one of the things that make it fun. I highly recommend going here at least once if anything the experience alone is well worth it.

20 bucks for a men’s haircut, tip included.
Everyone’s helpful and good at what they do, but my usual guy is Yuri, a friendly Russian in the corner of the store. Never had a bad haircut, and he remembers what cuts I like.
You’re in Manhattan. Haircut places here are disgusting posh salons or fake-​retro hipster cuts that remind me more of massage parlors than traditional barbers. The only place you can go cheaper is Chinatown, for a 5 $ cut, but I wouldn’t risk it unless you have the language proficiency to explain what you want.
Do yourself a favor and come here.

I love this place. Straight ahead, fairly priced barber/​hair stylist. I typically cut my own hair but decided to finally let someone else do it for the first time in maybe 5 years. I went here for a short, choppy pixie cut and came out with exactly what I asked for down to the angled side pieces and specific part. Dee was my stylist this go around– and my total was only $ 20 without tip included! Will definitely be back– it’s good to know spots like this still exist in Manhattan. They’ve been here since 1945.

Just got an awesome haircut from Pepe. He was really friendly and super thorough. Cost (at least for a short-​hair haircut) was $ 17 before tip, which is pretty great for a quality haircut in lower manhattan. I didn’t have an appointment but they take walk-​ins, and there was no wait at 11am on a Sunday. I highly recommend this place for men’s haircuts, I’ll be back.

Josie, Deon, Crystal… Yes. If you want a «hood» cut, go with Deon or Crystal. Deon works quick though.
Josie is nice, and does women, boys/​girls and every thing in between. And «does» means hairstyle, you bunch of freaks.
Seriously, this is BANG PER BUCK. Considering it’s Manhattan — the cuts here are CHEAP! In other places, they hike up the pricing 20 – 60 USD just based on location. No. Not these people. Walk down the steps, avoid getting smacked in the head as you trek into the bowels of the entrance, look for the barber or stylist you want, and enjoy ol’ school NYC. This place is untouched for years. One of the few spots left in that sector of the city that isnt being modernized. You can smell the history of sex, drugs, debauchery and complete sordid nature of this fine establishment.

I have been here once or twice and had a perfectly fine experience. This time was I came out looking like a prepubescent boy.
I always donate my hair to Children with Hair Loss. I grow it out at least the minimum amount (8″) and then I donate it. I have done this for years. Other than that, I do little with my hair, so all I needed was a very simple cut job.
I had the minimum amount, give or take, and was tired the hassle of the length, so I went into Astor and asked for that exact amount off. The woman who was doing my hair, Dee I think her name was, insisted that she wanted to cut a little extra. I was adamant that I did not want anymore than 8″. So, she agreed and chopped it. I commented lightly that it was the shortest my hair had ever been and that it looked like more than what I had requested (no use making a fuss after it’s gone; not like she could put it back), but she said she thought it was exactly the amount. She VERY quickly evened it out somewhat and sent me on my way. I knew it was not what I asked for, and she did not even fix it up, so paying the $ 26 for the butchery felt like a bitter pill to swallow.
I got home and measured what I was donating. It turned out she took of NEARLY TEN INCHES of hair, 2 more inches than what I continuously insisted upon. That is not even close to the proper amount! It is a good thing she is not a surgeon, or people would be dead. It doesn’t sit evenly or straighten properly, and I had specifically mentioned to her that I needed it long enough to straighten, given the texture of my hair. It looks absolutely awful for my face shape; this woman clearly had no idea what she was doing. I’m appalled that she took someone doing something nice, like donating hair to sick children, and made them regret it.
Despite past acceptable experiences here, I will not be returning. I look absolutely awful, and she cut it so short there’s not even much I can do with it. I want to keep feeling good about my choice to do this, and I won’t risk having that taken away from me.
EDIT: Further trying to straighten and fix my hair has revealed that the back is choppy and uneven, so she could not even cut hair straight properly. Astor should legitimately be as embarrassed to take credit for my haircut as I am to be seen with it. More so, actually, because I was more correct about how to cut hair than their so-​called ‘stylist’ was.
EDIT 2: Actual quote from friend: «I mean, you really won’t go shorter to even it out? Cuz, like… I don’t think you can leave it like that…» She might be right. I have a chunk hanging down longer than everything else on the right side.

Really wish I could rate this place higher, because I’ve been going here since I was a kid and it’s a place with a lot of character
Gotta be tough with the guys in front, they’re very old school NY
I’ve gotten some terrible, misshapen, uneven haircuts here, but I’ve also found two stylists that I really like her. Ali is a barber, but he is FANTASTIC for cutting and styling women’s hair. Mercedes is also wonderful, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE CURLY HAIR! Those who have curly hair know how difficult it is to find a stylist who knows how to handle it. I’ve gone to places that blame my hair for them not being able to straighten it; both Mercedes and Ali blow it out with ease. They take their time, know what products to use, and know how to protect your hair from the heat properly.
Would not be able to recommend any one else, and absolutely use caution and do your research when going here.
Finally, prices are pretty decent for New York. If you get a good stylist, it’s absolutely worth it. I have long, thick, curly hair and it cost like $ 50 for a wash, cut, blow out, and straighten (not including tip)

I am so sick of paying upwards of $ 50 just to get a trim, so this place was a breath of fresh air. It is big and they take walk ins, and my stylist (her name was either Nikki or Nicole) was very friendly and asked me what I wanted exactly (I have layers, which I asked her to keep and the cut look great). Cost $ 25 (without a blow dry or shampoo)

I just had the absolute worst experience with «Deon The Barber»
Let me preface by saying I went here the first time that I got designs, and was very serious with the guy at the front, letting him know I want someone who really knows what they are doing and who can freehand with a straight razor. After deliberation they stuck me with this amazing barber (wish I remembered his name) who gave me some of the most organic and clean designs I have seen around.
Fast forward to today; I walk in and tell them I just want to clean up my sides and get designs (not stressing that I wanted someone really good was my first mistake).
They set me up with Deon, and the disaster begins. After trimming my sides, which turned out fine, he starts working on the designs. I asked for lightening bolts. Just simple, no frills, lightening bolts.
Listen, a girl needs to be able to go all out for HP trivia.
The BS that is currently sitting on my head could not even be mistaken for lightening bolts, no matter how drunk you are. As Deon is finishing the designs, he tell me «I like it when they have to ask what it is». WAIT, WHAT.
Safe to say, it will be hard for me to walk into Astor Place Barbershop for a while, and i will never ever be going back to Deon.

I have been consistently going to this establishment for the past 3 or 4 years. It is officially the longest relationship I’ve maintained in New York ;)
This review is probably beneficial for the women, if you’re looking for a cut or dye job (or both) please visit the lovely Noemi. I think I have 4 or 5 girlfriends that get their hair cut by her at this point and she’s the best.
I recently decided to try something bold by getting an ombré done. Let me provide some context, the most I’ve ever done in terms of color, is maybe low-​lights (which Noemi did last year). What I like about Noemi is that she’s consultative and if you find a style you want to try, she’ll give you her honest opinion and make the style your own. She’s very helpful and just overall really sweet. If you just want a trim, tell her and she’ll only cut what is necessary. If you want to try a new trend or style, talk to her about it and she’ll get the results you want.
I am very happy with the ombré and so far, the reactions have all been positive. Admittedly, because I’ve never had blonde hair, it took me a couple of days to adjust. With the spring and summer on its way, I feel I’ve channeled my inner Beyonce, which has made going to the gym and grocery store way more fun: D

I’ve been here a few times for haircuts, and it’s your run of the mill haircut. If you go in with an idea of what you want, they will do a great job making sure you come out embodying that. The barbers are all very friendly and helpful in determining layering and fade lengths. Make sure to be vocal about what you want, and you’ll come out looking great. If you’re timid and you let the barber work on their image, it may not be what you want.
Always leave a tip, as they are happy to have you back again!

TLDR; Ross is inconsistent and unprofessional. Would not recommend.
My first experience with Ross in terms of my satisfaction with my actual haircut was without a doubt 5 stars. Came in with an overgrown pixie and for something insane like $ 17 he gave me an absolutely perfect haircut. He put in a dash of product, hit it with the blow dryer so it wouldn’t be sopping wet and sent me on my way. I was initially unhappy with the lack of drying/​styling as my hair tends to be a frizzed-​out mess but it dried beautifully. I marveled at the fact that he managed to cut my hair without that terrible ‘just cut’ look.
However — All of the services I have received since have ranged from disappointing to downright unacceptable and it mostly has to do with his conduct. Other reviewers have mentioned his penchant for inappropriate topics of conversation so I’ll skip that but my main issue is Ross has very little regard for sticking to appointment times and getting you out of the place in a timely manner. There have been multiple times that I have been thrown into a corner with a towel on my head to watch him take other clients or to do a lengthy colour consult with a potential client after he was already 35 minutes late to begin my appointment. All of which truthfully I can look past if his work was really dope but (Sorry, boo!) it’s just not. My haircuts are consistently sloppy and my one-​time colour process was not what I had asked for. It’s a shame, man. That first haircut was really great.

I love this place… I’ve been going to Astor Place since I was 16… And I’m fuckin’ OLD!
If you need a great cut… look for Ledo! He’s my man! A pure artist! As soon as you walk through the doors turn right, and he’s in the corner! You will NOT be disappointed!

This place is dirty. The employees are rude. The haircuts are average. But I love it so much.
Astor Place Hairstylist is an NYC institution. It’s smaller than it once was but it’s still as gritty as ever. Come here for the aura, not the expertise.
Let’s hope the high rents don’t ruin this one. It’s a classic and it’s the only place I get my haircut in NYC.