- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Bolt Barbers
Category: Beauty and Spas Barbers Barbers [Edit]
460 S Spring StLos Angeles, CA 90013
Neighborhood: Downtown
(213) 232-4715
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 8 am - 10 pm
Thu-Sat 8 am - 12 am
Sun 11 am - 5 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street, Validated, Private Lot
- By Appointment Only:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
$115 for $150 Certificate
Bethany B. said: "Tara Barel is an extremely talented stylist, and I am glad to have met her when I moved to the area in 2009 and needed some serious hair help. A few…" read more »
125 reviews for Bolt Barbers
125 reviews in English
-
Review from Gordon L.
Portola Valley, CA
2/9/2012
I hate this place. It's filled with smug hipsters who are there for the artisan root beer and the overpriced craft beer and wine store next door. These guys couldn't cut a 5 year old to satisfaction. The only barbershop I dislike more than the Downtown Bolt is the Bolt on Melrose.
But in all seriousness this is my favorite barbershop downtown. It's a fun spot and different from your run of the mill barbershop - heck, they serve you beer after 7pm, and if you aren't of age they'll serve you root beer. If you go to USC you get a big discount on Tuesdays as well. The guys are pros with the sheers. Your best bet is to show them a picture of what you want and they'll cut you well. -
Review from Scott V.
Elysian Park, Los Angeles, CA
2/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great shop!!!!
I always go to Shane for my hair cuts
He is super cool and one of the best barbers in LA. Men don't screw around with those so called barber wannabee /salons. GO TO BOLT AND SEE SHANE! -
Review from Sanden T.
Los Angeles, CA
12/17/2011
Dude sheered me fast like I was a sheep and went way too short.
The barber asked me what I wanted, I even showed him a picture of what I wanted but it wasn't what I got. Didn't talk to me once during the cut to see if he was on the right track, kept me facing away from the mirror so I couldn't see and then put a ton of nasty gel in my hair without asking me.
If I had to compare this place to a band I would go for the grind-core kings An*l C*nt. Short and brutal. Great for music but not how I want my haircut. -
Review from Rick R.
Los Angeles, CA
1/27/2012
The downtown location earned 3 stars mainly due to the lack of convenient parking and the complete disregard of appointment times.
If you can get past the fact that you have to pay $5 for parking or park in the basement of a hotel nearby for $3 (w/ validation), then this place is pretty cool. The staff is generally very nice and they seem to know what they're doing. This place is a BARBER shop, not a hair salon, very different.
All-in-all this place is worth checking out. -
Review from Gavin M.
Los Angeles, CA
2/4/2012
I've been getting my hair cut by the same person for as long as I can remember. So I was a little hesitant to go get a haircut down here in LA this past semester. A buddy told me about Bolt, so I decided to give it a shot, and ended up totally happy. Sure, nothing beats the barber back home, but this was the closest I was gonna get. Good haircut and a cool, hip environment. I'm definitely going back!
-
Review from DANNy P.
Honolulu, HI
12/27/2011 1 photo
I really have to say that this BARBER SHOP is fantastic.. The customer service is fantastic.. The cuts are about 30 bucks if your a $5 tipper but yea.. I've only had MIKE cut my hair.. He is a very amazing barber and takes time... He has amazing customer service and is always talking and cracking jokes.. The cuts are fresh.. I recommend if your those picky people who like every part of ya hair in detail and they do it.. Have the curtesy to tip a brother... They're amazing.. I recommend this place to all the guys looking for an amazing service!!!
-
Review from Dan K.
Los Angeles, CA
10/19/2011
Beer? Man Caves? "Mr. Happy Feet?" Monkey House? Dudes, this is -not- an old-school barbershop. It is a wannabe marketing construct. That fine; entrepreneurship is good. But all those cool add-ons are worthless if you can't supply the basic product - and these guys are entirely capable, if not likely, of sending you home with a shitty haircut.
There's too much scene here, and they haven't earned it. I hope they do. -
Review from Jeff M.
Beverly Hills, CA
10/14/2011
I give them three stars because I've never had a Barber hot towel shave. So I don't have others to compare them with. I've though Why not try it out. Went there a month or so ago to get my first Barber towel shave.
I've never been here before. The front desk guy was really cool and a nice guy. I waited and they offered Root Beer and I paid to get their Bolt Member card which lets you get unlimited amount of root beer for a few dollars. ok fine.
As I'm waiting I see they have a book "Yelp - People hate us" Not the best thing to have. But I understand they want to be able to laugh at them self and joke around with it. But as I read some of the stuff and when they reply some are ok and some are some what making fun of the people. Which if you want to run your business like that. ok.
It's my turn so I get in the chair and the guy was nice. I tell him this is the first time I've ever gotten a shave from a barber. As he's going thru the shave process I ask him what he's putting on. He's nice and explains what he's putting on. But I can feel it I'm getting small cuts on my chin and upper lip. After I'm done I say it looks good. Which it does from far away. I go into the bathroom and be hold. I have three small cuts on my chin and two on my upper lip. Come on! Glad I didn't have an event to go or meet people. I would have looked like an idiot who didn't know how to shave.
I paid the bill and give him a good tip, I'm not cheap. But I'm never going to get a shave from them again. -
Review from Chris N.
10/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
In LA on a layover and have three goals for the day... haircut, lunch, & movie.
Google barber's near me and as I'm looking through the first thing I see is "People on Yelp Hate Us".
OK, I have to go there now.....
They lose a star for the price but I'm not sure if they're competitive locally or not... it costs me $15 for a haircut in Houston, so $25 seems a little steep for me, but I'd still come back here for the ambiance, the shuffleboard, and of course a good haircut.
Just the right amount of conversation (not overly chatty, but not silent), attention to detail, and a great straight edge razor neck shave.
Sorry dude, this yelper gives you a thumbs up. -
Review from Rose L.
Topanga, CA
12/27/2011
I set up two straight razor shaves as a Christmas present for my boyfriend and his father. Owner, Mohawk Matt, was so accommodating and helpful during the set-up process. Very customer oriented and clearly takes pride in his business. My boyfriend and his father loved the shave, the service, and the barbers. His father was apprehensive going in and left extremely happy. And my boyfriend has become a bolt barbers convert and will be enjoying shaves there every now and again from now on. Thanks guys! From another person who has been called horrible names by crazy yelpers ;)
-
Review from MS L.
Los Angeles, CA
9/1/2011
My experiences with Bolt have been mixed. I had Matt both times. The first time was a good somewhat faux-hawk-ish cut but it grew out within days after and lost its form quick.
The second time was a nightmare. I had a photo shoot for our wedding coming up in a few days, so I thought Matt would be fairly conservative. I told him I just wanted a fade on the sides and a trim up top. He started listing out various men's hair styles and I had no clue what they were. He ended up giving me a pretty extreme faux-hawk that wasn't cut well, shaggy on the back, extremely high and not blended evenly at all.
Funniest part is he was telling me how great the cut looked as he finished up. Maybe he was just complimenting himself but I had no idea since he doesn't face you toward the mirror during your cut. He did however, try to fix me up a bit the next day when I went back, without any complaints. Though, he was pretty rough, shaving the same spots excessively at times. Not sure if he was taking aggression out on me but I came out with red razor burns on my scalp.
I've seen the Latino guy next to Matt give some pretty clean cuts and maybe he'll actually listen to and work with you when you ask for a particular haircut. The place is still pretty cool given the reasonable price, free beer and late hours but be warned about the styling. Know exactly what you want, speak up and be specific. Or maybe just come get mohawk.Comment from M. Matt B. of Bolt Barbers 9/5/2011
MSL, Mohawk Matt is truly the worst barber we have at Bolt!… More » -
Review from Ryan O.
Los Angeles, CA
9/6/2011
Makes ya feel good. Good drinks, good cuts, good conversation, good times.
Went on a Trojan Tuesday, got a sizable discount with my USC ID.
Shane's the man. I got everything I wanted, exactly how it should be done, and with flair.
Get the drink card, it's worth it. Free root beers every time I go in for a haircut? Yes please.
One of these days I'm gonna save up and go in for a straight razor shave.
Exactly how a man's barber should be. -
Review from Joaquin G.
Los Angeles, CA
8/28/2011
Working full time and going to school full time at night made it so I'd have to do everything on weekends. Yet, I'm a fun loving individual, so wasting weekend party time to get a haircut was a terrible idea for me. So I did a search to find a place near work.. I found something even better than expected, I found Bolt Barbers.
Now I drink a beer while I wait for Pablo on Thursday nights after class, and l look great on weekends without wasting weekend time. You guys are social life savers. Thank you. -
Review from Joey L.
Los Angeles, CA
10/27/2011
This place is pretty rad. You get a beer, soda or water while you wait; they have SHUFFLE board; they give a damn good and clean high and tight. The guys there are fun and friendly... very easy to "shoot the shit" with them. They are also very skilled with the straight edge razor. You walk out feeling like a million bucks. Some people have complained about the price but haircuts are like tattoos... you pay for what you get. 'Nough said
-
Review from Jasmine A.
Los Angeles, CA
6/9/2011
They have beer! $3.33 for an all you can drink membership card. I enjoy playing with shuffle board as my husband gets his hair cut. They have playboy magazines available to read. I enjoy reading the articles.
Pablo does a great job cutting hair. Trust me I a very critical of his haircuts. My husand went to one other person to cut his hair he did a fantastic job, but almost cut his ear off. I thought my husband was going to need stitches. Besides that one freak accident this place is fantastic. -
Review from Bill T.
Los Angeles, CA
6/8/2011
Sadly, I had to down-grade Bolt. Received a very poor haircut after being cleart and detailed about what I wanted: a high fade, shaved sides, and a scissor cut on top. The barber (who will go unnamed: I hope he improves) immediately took a #2 down the top of my head. Arrgh! He then replied, "That's scissor length, and it's faster." This experience differed vastly from previous experiences I had there.
My worry is that the gimmicks of free root beer and selling products is more important than running a good place to get very good haircuts. My favorite barber there left after a disagreement with a manager there. Who's right? Who cares. I'm taking my business to another place.
I really wanted this place to make it, but my partner and I have been disappointed the last two times we went there. We have both found better barbers. -
Review from Jennifer C.
Los Angeles, CA
4/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had a long review here explaining about lack of consistency in skill of the hairdressers and the overall attitude of "i don't want to help", but I think the owner's comments below speak much louder than anything I could have said.
All in all, unless you're okay with the possibility of having to deal with a rude owner, rude "barbers" (haridresser/cosmotologist/barber, aren't you guys all supposed to be able to cut hair?), and incapable work staff, I wouldn't head over here. I'm sure sometimes you can catch them on a good day, but that's not really a gamble I need to pay for.Comment from M. Matt B. of Bolt Barbers 4/24/2011
Please don't insult us by calling us Hairdressers. We're… More » -
Review from Spencer K.
Chevy Chase, MD
1/5/2012
Great barber. I was in town for work and needed a haircut. Got a great haircut for a reasonable price while talking about the Lakers.
-
Review from Eric M.
Los Angeles, CA
7/25/2011
I dont understand how someone cant like this place. I have been getting my haircuts from "salons" for years but got mad at my stylist. I passed by this place and was intrigued by the "USC Tuesday's" so stopped in. You get a great cut, soda/beer, quick massage, while getting to watch sports on a big screen. Staff are young men who are as friendly as can be but not looking to kiss up to anyone. Ask for JOSE, he will listen to all your details and give you great advice on your style. I would park in the lot on Spring between 4th/5th - $5!
For those interested you can play video games while waiting. As a USC student, this place is awesome and I will be returning so long as Im in LA. -
Review from Justin F.
Los Angeles, CA
5/19/2011 10 Check-ins Here
Grab a membership and enjoy a frosty one while ya wait.
SHEERS !! ( see what I did there ) -
Review from Jeremy F.
Los Angeles, CA
6/16/2011
Wow i come here every month and i am never going anywhere else. Besides the good location (right next to my house) they have every selection of hair wax that i freakin need!
I never run out of beer or rootbeer when i am getting my cut and they are always helpful whenever i'm unsure and want to switch up my hair. Pablo is the guy i go to and they always got some funny story to say. Friendly and skillful more so then any place i've ever been too, did i mention is a man cave? -
Review from dave e.
1/10/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Today was my first time at Bolt. Having moved back downtown I was excited to try them as they weren't open last I lived here. I was a little nervous having been accustomed to another place for the past year and as I walked up I got to thinking maybe all they do are fades and flat tops and stuff. Maybe they don't even have scissors in such a place. I don't know why I thought that. Maybe because the sign had a picture of an electric razor. I walked in and became more nervous about the situation because I didn't see anyone using scissors. Just these massive electric clippers. I ask the guy somewhat quietly as it felt like a stupid question if they used scissors there and he assured me absolute confidence that they have scissors.
Now I thought perhaps that question is probably going to land me in the special needs projects section and I'll get the guy who handles all the nut jobs. Maybe that's where I belong after all.
I buy a Hairy Beast card for 3 bucks because I already know I want this to be my new spot. It's just too convenient for it not to. Even if the haircut sucked I was going to probably going to back anyway.
They offer me a drink and I picked the root beer. I expected some cheap can, but was given root beer in a frosty mug. It was some damn good root beer too.
I get Craig Fabian and he was a really nice guy. I'm used to Supercuts where I either get the cheap perfume wearing old Russian lady who insists I buy $200 hair loss products and depresses me for the rest of the day sending me into a drinking binge or the hot chick who between cuts washes the hair off her feet in the sink. This was Craig. Granted I'm probably going to miss seeing the hot chick wash hair off her feet in a sink, but I need to keep my core objectives in mind which is getting a good hair cut and that's exactly what I got. He was attentive and even made sure I took a few swigs off my root beer as I had forgotten about it. He gave me some pretty cool pointers on and suggestions on my hair and we talked about some dude stuff like the movie True Grit.
It was a nice change. Highly recommend this place.
New regular. -
Review from Paul S.
Burbank, CA
7/26/2011
Wow where to even start with this horrible place. I think the owner would be perfect. I believe if this place was ran by someone else than "Mohawk Matt" it wouldn't be as bad but alas it is. Mohawk Matt is a barber that hates Cosmetologists, for whatever reason. Mohawk Matt hates places like Floyd's Barbershops, Rudy's Barbershops, Shorty's, etc. because they employ cosmetologists. Mohawk Matt believes he is God's gift to the barbering world and even believes that the only clippers a barber should use are Oster Classic 76's (we had a conversation about this). Here's the deal, Mohawk Matt has been a Barber for a whopping 3 years. He's failed at everything he's done before and this is where he is right now in his life, barbering. When first starting out Mohawk Matt was hiring cosmetologists that are going to barber school without a barber license to work at Bolt Barbers (I remember the craigslist ads and again, had a conversation about this too). Since Mohawk Matt has been a barber for so long, he has had time to read up on California Barbering rules stating that you only need 1 barber in order to call yourself a barbershop and adding a barber poll, thus hating on Rudy's and Floyd's for finding a loop hole which has ruined his lifelong dream of barbering. Mohawk Matt believes so much in the art of barbering and it's old school ways that he has modeled his barbershops to be exact replicas of the way they were back in the day, with trademark logos everywhere and an all you can drink beer and soda UPSELL card for $3.33. Mohawk Matt: You are not God's gift to the Barbering Industry, you've only been a Barber for 3 years, sorry everything before this has failed but this is not your industry to try and hate on other people that have nothing to do with you (You're comparing apples and oranges), you have a shop in West Hollywood so stop being a homophobe, and maybe if you put as much effort into actually gaining experience and skills in our field instead of hating and being such a prick, you might one day master the skill of barbering. How's this for your "People Hate Us On Yelp" section.
EDIT: Thanks for reminding me Mohawk Matt! I almost forgot the most important part: the haircut. Came in and asked for a half fade on the side, taper in the back, and a Don Drapper/Dapper Dan haircut on top. I specifically told them not to cut anything on top and just connect the hair on the side. The fade was horrible with very visable lines (due to the fact that he refused to use anything but the Classic 76 to do one size and "fade" using clipper over comb as oppose to using something like the Andis Masters or Wahl 5 star seniors that have a lever that erase that horrible line that Osters leave), cut way too high in the back that left me with my first ever cowlick that had co-workers laughing at me for days, sideburns were about 1/2 inch uneven, and even after I told him take nothing from the top and just connect on the sides, he went ahead and took about 2 inches from the top making my hair layered instead of having it all one size. Even if I were to base this whole review on just the haircut, I could honestly say that this was one of the worst haircuts of my life. But it's ok, it was my fault. That's what I get for getting a haircut on my day off.Comment from M. Matt B. of Bolt Barbers 7/27/2011
I'm thankful to the likes of miserable people like People… More » -
Review from Sean L.
Los Angeles, CA
6/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been gong here for about the last year. Awesome vibe and really solid barbers. Growing up on the east coast I'm used to very old school barber shops. Bolt has that same classic foundation, but with an updated twist. there's no way I could walk into my old New Yorlk barber and expect them to give me a good faux hawk. I always fo to Jose. Who is on point every single time, he's quick, and a super cool guy. The cuts and the service are 100%.
I'd go with a 5 star rating, but the appointment set-up could be better. Although they have a very cool online booking, you can't call in a same day appointment. It's kind of a bummer when you've got a busy schedule and can't get in there last minute. Which I guess is only a problem because they're busy in the evenings, which means I sometimes have to wait an hour for a cut. Overall it's an awesome old school style shop with a modern twist. -
Review from Nicholas T.
Los Angeles, CA
8/26/2011
Don't go here!! It's a trap...they don't post the prices but like an idiot I assumed it would be no more than $15 for a simple cut, but, what do you know...$25 for a simple cut. I guess they're paying for the location or the fancy interior. Give me a break!
-
Review from Louie D.
Los Angeles, CA
9/15/2011
Best hair cut I've had in a very long time, The owner, Matt, was a cool dude.
-
Review from Dan M.
Los Angeles, CA
11/13/2010
If you want to look like a child from the 50s this is where you get your hair cut. If you want someone to listen to what your looking for and do it go somewhere else. I got a decent haircut on my first visit and something so short and bad on my second visit i had to go somewhere else and get it buzzed.
These guys are old timers, they don't know how to listen.
=================
RE: M. Matt B. of Bolt Barbers
=================
No i didn't... i thought the people to tell would be people thinking get a haircut.
I didn't mention that I bought a membership to get free water and during my visit you didn't have water.
Or that he nicked my ear and obviously made it bleed but tried to ignore it rather than confront it..
And by old timer I mean someone who starts the clippers to your head and then asks how short you want itComment from M. Matt B. of Bolt Barbers 11/18/2010
We offered this idiot a significant value of free services… More » -
Review from Ryan S.
Los Angeles, CA
12/25/2010
I love this place. I've been coming to this place since it opened up last year, and as long as this place is up and running, this will be my barbershop. It is $22 for a haircut, but it's LA (even Cost Cutters is like $15) and the price is worth it. They are all very friendly. Mohawk Matt is a great guy and very personable. I've had my hair cut by a lot of their barbers and they're all good. If you get Denise (who is great!), don't be afraid to ask her to take a little more off the top as she usually tends to err on the safe side of cutting too little off rather than cutting too much off.
Also, pay the extra one-time $3 dollar fee for the Hairy Beast card. I've definitely drank my share of eggnog, beer, and root beer to pay for that card several times over. -
Review from Tyson L.
Glendale, CA
11/5/2010
Paying $22 (+tip) for a haircut reminds me why I cut my hair myself.
Stopped by today to take advantage of the Hot on Yelp specials, but somehow I thought the haircuts were discounted but they weren't, my bad. Whatevers, I was there and needed the cut anyway.
Haircut done by Irving. Nice guy, skilled and paid attention to detail, but sorry man, I cant recommend anyone with Asian hair to you. I think the biggest problem I had was that I'd rather face the mirror than the TV so I can see whats going on. Call me a control freak, but lets just say I left with my hair looking like Bert (of Muppets fame). I caught a glimpse of it off the other mirrors before the final (and only check) and knew it was going to be awkward, and far too late to fix. But its cool, its just hair, shit grows back.
I "get it" tho. Its more than just a nice barber shop, complete service orientated right in the middle of DTLA and even open late night on weekends, you could practically stop by on your way to a real pint.
But 2 stars is the best I can give. I wont be coming back, not because I think the place is horrible, but I rarely do let (pay) others cut my hair. And I really did go out of my way to give this place a chance, I just dont see myself doing it again.Comment from M. Matt B. of Bolt Barbers 11/6/2010
Tyson, You're not a control freak....you just don't "belong"… More » -
Review from Rebecca W.
Oakland, CA
1/21/2011
I've never gotten a hair cut here, I'm not even sure that they do haircut for women, but I did take my father here for a haircut when I first moved into the Downtown area.
We didn't need a reservation, we just walked in. The guy behind the counter talked my father into buying the hairy beast card which gives you free drinks. We tried the root beer and coffee which were both very good.
They have some nice entertainment there for you while you wait or while you are getting a hair cut. Large flat screen TVs, games and magazines.
Denise did a very good job on my fathers conservative hair style and made him happy and looking sharp. -
Review from George p.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 10/11/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Holy Sh*t!
Miss Leah popped my cherry on Sunday.
Soo, I needed cut really bad and tried to make it out all week. The genius' at Bolt have a once a month event 2010 Big Sundays! Man Grooming For Social Beasts! $50 for a cut, shave, shine, drinks, and cigar tasting.
Rolled in about 4:15 and got set up with Leah, we went over what I needed...trim, long on top, thin down the burns! Perfect cut! The very friendly gentlemen at the counter served me several drinks of Maker's Mark which I have never tried. Good.
Mr Happy Feet took a look at my 19 year old harley boots and promised me a kick ass shine. Wow! I have only shine them twice in my life. They look brand new. I loved the shine station and watched the end of the Raider Charger game there.
The cherry on top was the shave that Leah gave me. I have never had dis done since I don't have too much to shave off. The application of oil, face massage, and hot towels was enough for me to doze off. The warm cream being shaved off with a straight razor was unsettling but sort of a pleasure/pain thing for me. You know, in the gangster movies...guys are always getting wacked while getting shaved! This gangster isn't going out like that....instead....I stumbled out of the chair like a new born pony. Highly recommend the shave with your haircut. Trust me....there are only two other things that can make u relax like a good shave(the other two will cost u more than $20! and arrested in most states)
Overall, great event but I didn't get my cigar or swag bag. Seriously considering coming back for the next event, but will def be back to see Leah again.
Also, I don't get the neg reviews of this place. I am totally not a douchebag but I love this place. This is the closet thing to a spa for guys. I spent about 1.5 hours here and felt like a new man!
People on yelp may hate u but its a thin line between that and LOVE.
Keep on Yelping1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
4/3/2010
First time here and wanna go back. My hair was a tad too long and got trimmed pretty good. I hated… Read more »
-
-
Review from Jonathan V.
Los Angeles, CA
10/16/2010
I love this place, almost more than I do women. I was passing by on my way home one day and caught a peek inside. I said, "shit, this looks better than SuperCuts, might as well try it out."
I started going here about 5-6 months ago and have stuck with CJ since day one. Dude knows what the fuck he is doing and does a precise job at that. All the guys at Bolt are top-notch dudes and service is great. I also enjoy the fact that I get a rootbeer whenever I go for being a member...it's like being a little kid again and going to the doctor and definitely not as fallic as a lollipop.
This place is great, check it out. -
Review from Louis L.
Los Angeles, CA
10/11/2010
Bolt Barbers rocks despite Mohawk Matt's best efforts to screw things up. This morning I went with the highly regarded and heavily anticipated MPB haircut.
My advice, have Denise do it.
Halfway into my haircut I learned Denise had actually done a couple of MPB cuts earlier that day and was well warmed up. Meanwhile, cool hands Mohawk Matt struggled with his Parkinson's which had a direct effect upon my Norwood Type 7 Male Pattern Baldness cut. One side ended up noticeably lower than the other leaving an otherwise perfect skull now appearing crooked.
Thankfully there were still pumpkins in the Bolt Barbers Pumpkin Patch and I was awarded a free pumpkin for my extreme patience. That's something.
Bolt Barbers rocks and is the ONLY barbershop for me despite all you Yelp haters. My only recommendation is that you either have Denise cut your hair or make sure Matt pushes through his yoga warmup routine before attempting to shear your noggin. Don't forget to give Phil a big high five on the way out the door, he lives for that shit.Comment from M. Matt B. of Bolt Barbers 10/11/2010
Louie Louie Louie Lou-EYE. Thanks for hating us on Yelp! More » -
Review from matthew r.
Los Angeles, CA
10/8/2010 2 Check-ins Here
"You'll have to put a gun to my head at this point to go anywhere else. And even then, f@ck it, just shoot me. I want my corpse to have a decent haircut."
Sweet, sweet, sassafras! This place is as good as it gets for a man looking to look and feel respectable.
Each barber looks you in the eye and shakes your hand. Where the hell do you get that anymore?
Each hair cut ends with a massage administered with a car buffer. If the compressed air hose they use to blow off any remaining hair doesn't work, the buffer sure does. (Hmm, compressed air hose? Car buffer? I think somebody in that shop grew up watching Transformers.)
They offer old fashioned straight-blade shaves, shoe shine's and even advice. For a few bucks, you even get a membership card that entitles you to a free beverage (alcohol too after 7pm) every time you come in for services.
They have a calendar of Sunday events (Once a month) where you can get a package of services at a more than reasonable price, and you have an option to consult with an expert tailor that will fit you for suits and give fashion advice.
There is a tournament size shuffle board table in the foyer and magazines to keep you occupied during your short wait, and art on the walls for sale.
Let's see you get that kind of action @ supercuts. -
Review from Raymond S.
Los Angeles, CA
8/25/2010 6 Check-ins Here
This is a long overdue review. Much like most people I very rarely praise people - its so much easier to complain.
Ive been in about 5 times now, I come in about once a month - I walk in and Phil offers me a drink. I always go for the espresso and its always good - the little "bolt" cup is a cool touch. The rootbeer is good too, but usually I head in after eating and I dont feel like it.
Theres like 6 guys there that can take care of that mop of yours. Believe it or not, yes, this barbershop has a whole team of well-trained, pleasant, barbers.
Ive used three different Barbers at the place - I only remember Shanes name...no offense to the others - Shane welcomed me into the shop the first time I came in, we chatted quite a bit and he told me how LA used to be. Im a transplant and have only been here about 7 years so hearing stories about 15 years ago was cool.
When I go here I never have a clue how the conversation is going to go. Its never "so how are you today?" You get a bunch of guys together from different places, all different upbringings and you can have a decent conversation without pissing off a bunch of people...every customer and employee seems to be able to take the crap they dish out :) Even when touchy topics like immigration and gay marriage pop up everyone seems to be able to debate and voice their opinions without getting too heated.
So back on track - Shane and the other two barbers - Every hair cut has been great. I especially like the stuff the barber in the back (dont know his name) put on the back of my neck after a hot-shave. I have no idea what it was...but it made my neck tingly and smelled of light cinnamon. My girlfriend was all over me.... Anyone know what it is?
Although I walk in and just say "do whatever you want, just take like half of it off," I really mean "I need my haircut to look good, part of my job depends on how good/bad I look....so dont mess me up," and they seem to understand that. They have always taken off a little less than I ask for to make sure they dont take too much off, which is good...you can take more off but you cant put it back on.... My lines are always clean and I feel like a million bucks when I leave.
They also have some good shaving products for sale, some are a bit pricey - but they are worth it....now if I just knew what that cinnamon smelling stuff was I would buy a case....
Anyway - if you are a dude (OR DUDETTE!!), and need a dude (OR DUDETTE!!) haircut...then come here and check it out. Ive been to a lot of places here in LA for a haircut and none of them can compare to Bolt Barbers. -
Review from Mark Virgil M.
Los Angeles, CA
8/30/2011
This was my first time here, and I just came back from getting a haircut. The atmosphere and the staff are really like family, and I think that the fact is that it doesn't really get anything better than this. The barber I had was really funny and it was very entertaining to sit down and talk while you get your haircut. Also another good thing personally is that they sell products, not only both hair and skin, but also Bolt merchandise. I really wanted the underwear, but it didn't come in my size. Overall, a really nice place to be!
-
Review from Justin S.
Los Angeles, CA
7/26/2010
I'm always happy when a new independent business comes to the neighborhood and bolt is definitely that. I learned all about the history and the founder after reading a few articles in the local rags.
So when the shop opened up I gave it a few weeks to iron out the kinks and went in for a haircut. As other reviews mention they do a little extra to make the experience barber shop-y which is nice.
I even joined their hairy beast club to get free beverages whenever I get a haircut. Then I remembered that any decent salon provides complimentary soft drinks and cocktails without any membership. Nice one guys.
It's apparent that they are definitely making an effort here but for me it ultimately falls flat. Sort of the idea of a cool experience but in practice it seems most of the staff are just going through the motions.
Both haircuts I've gotten were unsatisfactory despite providing more than adequate instructions the first time, and even bringing in a photo reference the second time. My barber couldn't seem to execute the haircut as we discussed, despite claiming it would be no problem. One time I can write off to a fluke, but not twice.
Even with the little song and dance neck shave and mentholatim it didn't make up for the lackluster hair cut.
If anyone wants my hairy beast card you can have it.
Best of luck boys, I hope you work out the wrinkles and make it in dtla.Listed in: My Neighborhood
-
Review from Sara j.
Los Angeles, CA
9/5/2010
I'm going to write this review on behalf of my brother Colin.
First to note, Colin is retired from the USAF and is not used to paying more than $25 for a buzz cut.
For less than $40 Colin gets a cut, a hot lather shave, a shoe shine and a beer. He has been very happy with every visit to the Bolt.
I've met Mowhawk Matt a few times, and he seems very nice. While his concept does not fit the needs of a long haired redhead like myself, for a simple haircut with benefits, Bolt is a great place to go. -
Review from Ben K.
Los Angeles, CA
12/30/2010
Everyone else has already said it, this place is awesome. So I'll just bullet point it.
GOOD
-Online reservations - No need to call in, book it online!
-Hairy Beast Card = Free Drinks. Sure its usually PBR, but its free. I like the idea of offsetting the cost of my haircut with free beer. Or just use it as a excuse to pre-drink and get a hair cut before going out on a Friday.
-Late night reservations. I work late, and I can still get a hair cut afterwork.
-Early morning reservations - Get a haircut and a espresso before work.
-The guys are friendly. Many times you can just hang out after your hair cut. I love that. Last year I got a cut during the final Lakers game, afterwards we hung out and watched the rest of the game. That was pretty rad.
BAD
-Reservations - They aren't always on time. Though they are getting better. For awhile there I had to wait a hour even though I had a reservation.
-Consistency - You still need to be careful who you get. All these guys are cool, but not all of them do as great of a job as you'd like. Its not a salon, its a barber shop, if you want anything more then a shave, choose carefully. I recommend Irving. If you want a straight forward cut/shave you're good with most of these guys.
-Artwalk. Don't go on artwalk nights, I tried it once and it was madness. And there's no free drinks. -
Review from Joseph Z.
Santa Monica, CA
Since moving here since last year, we've been looking for a place that can do Mohawks AND bleach my 8 year old son's hair. We've had a lot of hit and misses over that time.
Recently at the movies at L.A. Live, my wife and I saw an ad for Bolt Barbers and decided to give them a go.
Boy! Are we glad we did!
CJ did a great job on my son's cut. One of the best mohawk cuts he's ever had. The bleaching was well done.
The mood and the vibe was great. My son is pretty direct and he said he'd go back in a heartbeat. (he's the kid with the blonde mohawk in the pictures)
Definitely recommend!
Good Times
