West Village Tonsorial

Aurelio the Barber is an artist.
Happy positive guy, attention to detail, passionate about his work, experienced, friendly and great mustache. Enough said ;)

I moved back to New York 5 months ago and my favorite barber shop in the West Village from the 1990s had closed, so on a whim I tried the West Village Tonsorial. It’s a serious old school Italian barber shop. Let me be blunt:
1. It is NOT cheap
2. It IS the best place in all of Manhattan for a hair cut, beard trim and shave. Nothing else compares.
It is a rare find, a barber who really knows how to cut facial hair, and I have had some horror scenarios. But these men are consummate professionals. You pay for quality, and it is worth every cent at the Tonsorial. Let women go for a mani/​pedi. If you have an X chromosome, go here, throw back a whiskey, and enjoy!

Love the ambiance of this only timely style barbershop. From the décor on the walls, the music in the background, and the attitude and friendliness of the barbers, it is a great place to get a shave and a haircut. Plus, you walk in and you are treated like one of the family. Maybe that is because Aureliano, his wife, daughter, barbers, and assistants are not afraid to playfully argue, fight, poke fun, and kibitz with one another in front of the clients. It’s just like being at home!
Oh, and Aureliano gives one hell of a service!!!

Aurelio is the best barber in NYC. I have been getting a haircut and beard trim from him for over a year. He’s friendly and you can tell he knows and likes what he’s doing. I never feel rushed and the price is just right. I used to go four times a year and now I go once a month.

Never had a professional shave until two weeks ago… when I wandered into WV Tonsorial. I have to say I was not all that comfortable with the idea of a stranger holding a sharp blade to my throat. I’ve seen too many movies… Anyway, it was Amazing. I’ve been back twice. Worth every penny.

I am from Miami and was visiting NYC. I was having a hard time finding a good barber locally that knows how to trim a long beard and moustache. I found this shop on Unilocal and based on the photos and the excellent reviews, I decided to make an appointment with Aureliano. To say that I am happy with the beard trim is an understatement. Aureliano is a true artist and a master at his craft. Not only is he talented, but he’s a really nice guy too. He listened very carefully and gave me exactly what I wanted. I am so pleased that I don’t think I will ever let any other barber trim my beard. I will now make a special trip to NYC every time I need a trim. He is that good.

Aurelio is great at his job. Full stop. And creates a fun, relaxing feeling in the place. And it’s clear he really cares about making his customers look their best. Finding a good barber is hard, especially to trim and shape a beard. This is the spot for it.

Absolutely. Worth. It.
If you’re a no-​beard having, twice-​a-​month crew cut kind of guy this isn’t your place. But for the hirsute men who are a bit clueless when it comes to mane management then there is no better spot in NYC. The staff is knowledgeable and meticulous. The atmosphere is sublime. You will feel good while you’re there and look good when you leave.
I will never go anywhere else.

Not great. Rushed out with a boring Wall Street haircut. Not a cut a ten minute trim really — just the sides — 42 bucks. Seriously. Also I mentioned it was really hot, and he said he was comfortable. So… Fuck it. Go somewhere else.

If you like over-​paying for less than stellar service, and generally rude service — this place is great. I’ve was in the area and decided to give this place a shot — MISTAKE.
Plenty of barbershops in the area that are nice, great service and a fraction of the cost. I’d whine less about this place if the haircut was good — but even that stunk.
Note to self — when you read the reviews of a place and all you see is 5-​stars (question who is doing the reviewing).

I’ve been a ‘Moustache’ customer since they were on Greewich Ave. It’s been several years that I have been coming to Aureliano, and only to Aureliano. Every time it’s just the experience I want and he knows exactly how I like my haircut. The thing is, once you find a barber, you want to stick with that barber. As the business has grown, Aureliano has always kept time aside for me. I travel constantly yet I will not get my haircut anywhere else, no matter how long I have to wait.
When I walk in, I am greeted with a beer, whiskey, or water, and I never have to wait longer than 5 mins. The cut is always clean, smooth, and to my personal liking. Also, if I don’t like it, I just tell him, although I’m not sure that has ever happened.
I want to tell everyone to go here but I will say this instead, only come here if you take your barber seriously and appreciate him.

Auriliano knows hair, beards and mustaches. He’s a stand up fellow. He makes you look swell each time you go and the dapperness lasts for months. I’ve seen other reviews that say this is expensive. Please. I’ve been getting haircuts in NY and SF for over a decade now. My first cut in NY, with a razor, was $ 150 BEFORE tip. For this level of service and quality you will NOT be overcharged. Even with a big tip to appropriately thank him for amazing service I still spent $ 50 less than my first haircut in NYC.

Aureliano is the guy if you love your MOUSTACHE… He is the best.
I am growing my stache from last 6 months and went to different barber for little trim but no one come close to Aureliano.
Such a nice people. It is little expensive but worth a try. I am giving 5 stars becuase they earned it.

Aureliano is really nice and welcoming. He offered me a drink and made me feel comfortable. I showed him a picture of what I was going for and he also helped direct what kind of cut I was wanting. For $ 40 bucks he takes his time with comb and scissors, unlike some places which hack and buzz to get you out the door. His shop is small and cozy. Only 3 chairs. Will definitely go back.

I took my boyfriend to get a treatment shave here. He has sensitive skin so we specifically asked the barber to not go against the grain and we were told they would not. However they did go against the grain and now my boyfriend is suffering from a major breakout on his neck. We are both very disappointed because we were not given what was promised and on top of that I paid 58 dollars plus 10 for tip.

For anything facial hair related Aureliano is your guy.
I walked in off the street and he got me in and out in 25min. He even gave me a hot towel shave even though he was just cleaning up my lower neck and cheeks.
Super friendly. Awesome family. Superb first time experience! ¹⁰⁄₁₀

Ask for Aureliano — great cut, great price.

I have been growing a beard for about 2 months and it was time to get it trimmed and shaped. I looked around Unilocal and found West Village Tonsorial. It is in an unassuming, tiny storefront that you could miss if you weren’t paying attention. Inside is no frills, with just 3 chairs. The space is so small that you have to weave your way through the chairs to get around.
Size and space aside, they did an excellent job. The main man there is a guy named Aureliano. He started off with the oils, hot towels, etc stuff and then performed a straight razor shave with warm shaving cream on the parts of my face and neck that I shave. Then he went to work on my beard. He spent a lot of time trimming and shaping to get it just right and did not stop until he felt it was perfect.
He is truly dedicated to his craft and did an excellent job on my beard.

If you are a gentleman and want a gentleman’s haircut, this is where you want to go. If you’re a guy, and you’re reading this, I understand your dilemma. You’ve been going to the same guy to get your hair cut for ten years. We’re creatures of habit, and decisions pertaining to grooming and personal style make us feel uncomfortable. For whatever reason, you need a new guy. You just moved here, your barber finally died, or you just got a new job at Goldman Sachs and need to up your game from Supercuts. I know how you feel. Trust me: this is where you want to go. Aureliano will treat you like his favorite regular the moment you walk in, and you’ll walk away thinking you’ve gotten not only the haircut you need to face Manhattan but that you’ve made a new friend, too. You’re a dude. You don’t want to feel weird. You feel weirder than most people think you feel. Haircuts are not your favorite thing. But they might become one of your favorite things once you sit down and Aureliano or one of his guys puts a glass of whiskey in your hand. Relax. You’re in good hands. These guys are artists. And people will look at you when you walk out and think, «wow, nice haircut.» And say it. And mean it. And then want to go there, too. Or send all their male friends. By all means, tell them. We guys need help with this sort of thing. And West Village Tonsorial deserves their business. Thanks, Aureliano.
See my prior review for location and reservation details, if you need them.

Some good friends of mine took me here to start off my bachelor party when they were at the old location. I’ve been a big fan since. This is the BEST straight-​razor shave out there. Have a whiskey while you wait to jump into the (surprisingly comfortable) vintage barbershop chair. Really classy look and feel for a small store front shop. The guys who work this place are super-​pro. Very easy-​going. If you can get Aureliano, he’s a master. Seriously can’t rave enough about this place. Sure it’s a few more bucks than a dude might be used to spending on a hair-​cut or a shave, but big deal. Spend the extra dough and treat yourself to a super relaxing slice of your day. (Bring Cash! It just makes it easier.)