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Aquarius Barber Shop
Category: Beauty and Spas Barbers Barbers [Edit]
505 Haight StreetSan Francisco, CA 94117
Neighborhood: Lower Haight
(415) 621-9295
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- By Appointment Only:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Liz L. said: "I have only been here once, but here are my first impressions: -It was easy to make an appointment - I called, asked for an appointment, and they were cutting my hair an hour later. -They use Bumble&Bumble -Everyone was pleasant…" read more »
9 reviews for Aquarius Barber Shop
9 reviews in English
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Review from Jarrod B.
San Francisco, CA
3/18/2010
I'm surprised by the bad reviews- I'm not sure what people were expecting. This place is far from a salon or stylist or anything like that. Let's not mince words- this is an old fashioned black barbershop. And if you're not looking for a haircut from an old fashioned black barber, then you should probably look elsewhere. There's about 6 salons within 4 blocks of this place complete with tatted up stylists who will wash your hair with some organic locally made cruelty-free shampoo that'll leave your faux-hawk smelling like pomegranate.
But, if you want someone who knows how to give haircuts- not styles or hairdos, but actual hairCUTS- then Mac is your man. And if you're black and live in this city, you probably know your options are limited when it comes to finding a barber shop, and despite the hours (which as far as I can figure are whatever Mac wants) this place is convenient and more than fairly priced. -
Review from Nicolas K.
San Francisco, CA
4/12/2008
I go here once every three weeks. Mac is the barber and he's been in the location a long time. His services are fairly straightforward: he cuts hair. I'm not sure what the one star reviews are complaining about. I've never had a problem with hygiene or anything else. Mac is no spring chicken and the decor is decidedly 20th century. It's seen better days, but I don't really care. When else do I get a chance to watch daytime judge shows on a glass tube television? Where else can I get a haircut for $11 and feel like a big tipper for throwing in $4 more? That's worth 4 stars right there.
Judging by the fact that other reviewers have pointed out that "an older black man" does the cutting, I'm guessing that the writers are younger white guys. Perhaps they should go to a stylist. Or a salon. This is a simple barbershop that's often full of waiting repeat customers. -
Review from Joshua K.
San Francisco, CA
6/25/2007
Aquarius is the third barber I tried in San Francisco after moving here a few months ago. I like my hair really quite short - typically done with clippers and one of the easier haircuts - so I wanted to avoid paying more than $12 or so. And before I went, I had read something on Yelp about the barber not liking clippers, but I thought I 'd try my luck and see how it goes.
Like the other reviews say an older black man does all the cutting. I get there about an hour before he closes on a Saturday evening and patiently wait about 40 minutes for two gentleman to go before me. I'm up and remembering what I read I say, "Well I usually get it cut pretty short with clippers. #2 on the top and sides..." He stood there for about five seconds and just stared out towards the opposite wall before I finally said, "Well just cut it as short as you can with scissors."
He then proceeded to cut my hair while having a conversation with the next customer about this and that. So the guy doesn't like clippers but for some reason trimmers without the plastic blades are okay. I thought that a bit ironic. So he proceeded to use the trimmers but didn't get anywhere near "as short as you can". What's worse, he had to make sure his trimmers were well oiled right in the middle of my haircut and proceeded to get oil throughout my hair.
Hands down, the worse haircut I've had, like ever. I don't know if it had anything to do with me being a white boy in a black man's barbershop, but it really didn't work. Not recommended unless you're a family friend and don't mind getting oil in your hair. -
Review from Mark C.
San Francisco, CA
4/11/2007
This is your classic old barbershop run by a grumbling old black man who's been in this location for decades. Upon telling him I wanted my hair cut on the sides with a #2 clipper he snapped back: "I don't have any of these crappy numbered plastic blades. I have real blades made of metal. Just tell me how you want your hair cut!"
The place is populated with nothing other old chatty black men who have no doubt been coming here for years. As your standard white hipster I at first felt out of place, but being there for a while I felt like I was quickly part of the gang...well, sort of. -
Review from Owen C.
San Francisco, CA
4/19/2007
After looking across the city for a "barber shop", not a salon, not a stylist, I finally tried out Aquarius on Monday. Tell you the truth, it's half a block away, and the name threw me off--I always just thought it was a hippie place.
Old black guy does the cutting, and though there may have been a full staff in there at one point, I think it's just him now. They use the high quality clippers, like five different kinds, with the nice steel attachments. Don't tell him what # you want; he doesn't use the cheap plastic ones.
He's not great with instructions--he lopped of my sideburns after I told him to leave them--and he seems somewhat unaccustomed to my sort of hair, but if you're not fussy and you want two haircuts a month for c. $20, this could be a good place for you.
Also, doesn't look like he's done anything with the place in about 30 years--it's more than a little worn looking, and the lighting is bad which makes it difficult to assess the results right away. -
Review from Mark A.
2/17/2009
I was pretty ready to give him one star after I went there. We argued and argued about what to do, and the final product was nothing like what I wanted. I thought about getting another haircut somewhere else, but decided to give it time.
But since that haircut, girls have been talking to me left and right at bars and clubs, which has not been happening to me before. Now, perhaps that would have happened anyway regardless, it was just a matter of getting it all out of the way.
But I'm not complaining, I'm doing better than ever before. -
Review from Alex P.
San Francisco, CA
1/19/2008
Worst haircut I've ever gotten in my entire life. A blind quadriplegic could have done a better job gnawing my hair off than what this guy did. I needed to spend a couple hours with a mirror and scalpel to clean up the job he f-ed up. Not only did he give a shitty haircut, but he also does clean his blades; the back of my neck started breaking out where he ran the clippers. Terrible Terrible Terrible!!!, I wouldn't go here again if you paid me!
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Review from Joe D.
San Francisco, CA
11/10/2009
I didn't experience any of the strangeness that other folks did, but I also didn't get a top notch haircut.
The dude's personality aside, I frankly got a haircut that had 2 majors mistakes which I can't only attribute to carelessness. Around the ear I got a stripe across my sideburn and in the back a huge patch that is cut shorter than the rest (i.e., bald spot).
I can accept 1 mistake every once in a while, but 2 in one do is a conspiracy.
Mr. Haircutter, respect yourself. Even at $13 this wasn't worth the coin. -
Review from Alex C.
Seattle, WA
2/12/2011
Like most before me say, this place is an old school barbrer shop. I come here expecting the usual hair cut I get. Nothing special, buzz it off on the sides and back with a taper. Then a little longer on top. Takes supercuts max of like 10 min. This guy, took about 30 min to get the job done. It was very very grueling too. After 10 min, he was ready to let me go, with the sides uneven and the top even worse. I looked like Doc Brown from Back to the future. However, after pointing to where to cut and giving very, very specific directions on where to cut, I got a haircut that went from horrendous to bad. He's not very meticulous about getting all the strands even, I think it's just because he may have a hard time seeing. I will say though, he was a nice guy, very patient with me. That's why I give it two stars. Maybe I just went in on an off day, but I probably won't go back again.
