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XEX Hair Gallery
Rating Details »
Category: Hair Salons
Neighborhood: The Loop35 W Wacker Dr
(between Garland Ct & Lower Wacker Dr)
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 372-9211
50% Off Your First Visit to XEX!
Exclusive for Yelpers! Receive 50% off your first haircut, color or highlight (or any combination). Valid only during your 1st visit to XEX.
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- Nearest Transit:
-
State/Lake (Orange, Brown, Purple Express, Green, Pink)
Clark/Lake (Pink, Brown, Green, Blue, Purple Express, Orange)
Lake (Red)
- Hours:
Mon. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Tue-Thu. 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
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$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- By Appointment Only:
- No
24 reviews for XEX Hair Gallery
This business is a Yelp Sponsor
2/4/2010
1/13/2010
1/7/2010
12/3/2009
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6/29/2009
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5/11/2009
5/4/2007
Updated - 7/17/2008
9/10/2007
1/7/2007
3 photos
1/30/2008
One of the Business' Favorite Reviews What's This?
I'm impressed.
Here's the sitch - I had an event on a Friday night downtown and live up north but I needed to have fresh hair so I didn't roll up to this event looking like a grease ball. After some asking around, a friend of a friend suggested I check out XEX, so I looked them up on yep, saw the coupon, decided I was overdue for a cut anyway, called for an appointment and was on my way.
I had an appointment with David, who ended up being one of the owners, and wonderful. He was friendly, I was relaxed. He had a clear understanding of what I wanted out of my cut. I wanted an inverted bob, which is not a forgiving cut. He was on time, gave me a great cut, good conversation and I left very happy with my overall experience.
I will go back. You should give it a shot too. Honestly...just try 'em out.
I work upstairs, which is the only way I heard about XEX. I was skeptical at first...what are the chances that the best salon in Chicago is in your building? But lucky for me, it is!
XEX is different from any other place I've ever been. It's not snobby or pretentious, but very relaxing and neat. You go to XEX if you want your money's worth for an excellent job done. You don't go if you want to get your hair cut at a place that looks like a lounge. XEX is only open during weekdays so the point is to get your hair done on your break or right after work. This works out great, so I don't have to make an extra trip. Also, there is no stupid price breakdown according to "experience." All the stylists are the same price, eliminating the dilemma of choosing whether or not to take the risk of the less-expensive cut. From experience, they all seem to do a great job. Also, your stylist will wash your hair herself/himself, eliminating yet another hassle -- tipping 5 times. Instead, I just give my stylist one big tip since he does such an amazing job.
My hair is really thick and long, and T.J. is the only stylist I've ever had who can give me a cut that looks great for weeks afterward. His layering technique is just amazing! It never looks too clumpy or uneven in random places...the layers blend in nicely. I've also got my hair colored here before by Tracy and feel that she did an amazing job even though I no longer get color.
You can't beat these prices for this service in Chicago. Most importantly, you get treated very nicely and always walk out feeling excellent.
One more note. If you're Asian, like I am, try T.J. He is really good with cutting Asian hair, which I think takes a unique skill. Please tell him Julie sent you.
Barbara did a good job on my haircut, but I felt like she was just trying to get the job done. I told her what I envisioned and left the creativity to her on what she thought would work well with my face shape. She's a no nonsense kind of lady - very little chatter (that's ok), efficient (fast - but not very meticulous), and totally ok'd everything by me first.
The only gripe is the price. $58 for a women's haircut! But they give you a coupon ($20 off) for your next haircut.
Enter through the Leo Burnett lobby and take the revolving doors to your right, then go downstairs. XEX is located in the strip of stores.
I was really excited to try XEX since it got such great reviews and is very close to my office. Unfortunately the experience was not a good one. Right off the bat, I was offered a wine upon entering and never got it. I wasn't too upset though since I knew a good haircut experience could make it all better. Didn't happen.
I had been growing my hair out for a wedding so I was really excited to go really short. So after my wash the stylist asked what I wanted and he started the dreaded "negotiation" that I've unfortunately experienced before. I told him what a didn't want - short layers, a helmet or bangs. Then I told him I wanted short. He seemed to think I needed to go longer than I currently had. I said "no, I want it shorter." He explained that my hair was too thick. I said "no, I've done this before". He asked why I wanted it short and I explained that I like the look and the feel. Then he said if we went short, it would look like a helmet. At that point, i was just so frustrated and pretty sure that if I forced him to try and give me what I wanted, it wouldn't turn out well.
So I let him have his way. I ended up with an only slightly shorter haircut with more layers at the bottom. It actually feels much lighter which is great and is more fun to play with. Also great. However, nobody can even tell I got my haircut and it just wasn't what I wanted. So now I'm on the hunt again for someone that can give me the haircut I actually want.
Overall, I was very disappointed and won't be back. I really hate it when I know what I want and stylists won't give it to me! Frustration.
Comment from Gary M. of
XEX Hair Gallery
12/24/2009
We deeply apologize that your first experience with XEX…
More »
This review is long overdue as I had my haircut here a little over two weeks ago. I saw that XEX was giving Yelpers 50% off haircuts so I decided to give them a try since it's located 5 min from my office and I have walked passed the salon many times.
When I arrived I was greeted right away and was taken back within 2 minutes by my stylist Gary. I'm currently trying to grow out my hair so I was looking for a trim with some style and thick side swept bangs. I told Gary that and he took a look at my hair and seemed to know exactly what I was talking about. So far so good. During the haircut we had great conversation which is a rarity for me because I'm not much of a talker during haircuts or colors. At one point I mentioned how I wanted to color my hair but I was unsure of what to do and he called over the colorist to talk with me and give me some ideas. I thought that was really nice. 25 minutes later I had a great haircut with a great blowout. I am very pleased with my haircut and even more pleased weeks later. I have wavy hair and I'm often too lazy to blowdry in the morning and the cut Gary gave me works great with my waves as well.
Probably one of the better haircuts I have had and I'm planning on going back there for my next haircut even if I have to pay full price!
I came here with a Groupon a few months ago. My appointment was with Keara, the so-called "senior stylist."
My usual habit is to tell stylists to do whatever they want with my hair. To me, hair is just hair -- it will grow back if they made a horrible mess of it. I expected a senior stylist to be a little more creative. Instead she pretty much gave me a trim and cleaned up my layers. That was it.
It was very disappointing that this senior stylist showed no confidence in styling hair. I am never going back there again.
I made an appointment here because a friend who works in the building loves it. Her hair looks great, and while I didn't request her same colorist, I figured it wouldn't be a problem because of the rest of the amazing reviews here.
Unfortunately, I did not have the best experience. My colorist was upset from the moment I came in- I think the person before me didn't show up. She brought me a glass of wine, and I explained that I wanted to go blonde, but I wanted it to look natural. Since I had never been blonde before, I was very nervous.
She nodded, then told me she thought I should get partial highlights. When I said that really wasn't what I wanted, she said that she only had time for partial highlights, and they'd look fine. Then she asked if I wanted golden or platinum. I was a little in shock, but I managed to say, "I don't really know... What would look best with my coloring?" She said golden, and walked off to get the color.
This is where I should have said something because I felt uncomfortable, but I didn't. My fault.
She came back and started putting foils in my hair. About 20 minutes later, I had blonde streaks in my auburn hair. Not really what I was going for. She told me that this was the most natural way to go blonde. Again, I should have said something or gotten someone else at the salon to fix it. But for a few minutes, I really thought that it wasn't that bad.
And really, it wasn't. I got a few compliments afterward. But as I was examining my hair later that night, I realized that some of the color had bled onto my brunette. While most people probably wouldn't notice, it drove me nuts. All of my friends encouraged me to come back here for her to fix it, but I really didn't want to chance it again.
I stopped into XEX for a cut because it's near my office to give it a try and ended up sticking with it for the last three years. Gary is an excellent stylist; he's not afraid to give you his opinion and is great at recommending a look that suits you well. When I went for the first time I'd had the same cut for years and was looking for something unique and classy (not easy when you have curly hair) and he gave me the perfect change I was looking for. I'm also hesitant to trust anybody with my curly hair, because most people don't know what they're doing, but this man certainly does!!
A cut isn't cheap there, but like I said, it's worth it, and you can't find a great cut for much cheaper in Chicago. After tip it ends up being $70. They have punchcards that get you a free cut (or color) every six visits which definitely helps. I would recommend giving it a try (check http://Groupon.com for half off) and see if it works out as well for you as it did for me! There is always some kind of discount out there for new clients, so get on the internet and look around (check their site too).
If you are looking for an amazing team of experienced stylists, a great location and a beautiful salon, then XEX is a must! The salon is absolutely gorgeous inside--a fusion of both art gallery and salon--filled with bright colors and showcased glass.
I would definitely consider myself hair-obsessed(kindof a trademark for me) and am incredibly picky about who I let cut/color my hair, so finding a stylist who listens to my needs as well as advises me about what would look good is a must. Sheena is awesome! After my old stylist moved away, a friend recommended I come see her and I'm so glad I did!! Her cuts are great and I can go a few extra weeks without needing a trim since my cut grows out evenly. Sheena is super friendly and attentive and everyone at the salon is nice and not snobby or pushy at all, making you feel really comfortable and amongst friends.
I highly recommend this salon!!
Today I got a full highlight and cut at xex and it was a good experience. I can't think of anything particularly negative about it, but my salon at home in Dallas is fancier and cheaper. Hmm... So I'm not giving it 5 stars, but I would still highly recommend it to other people.
I got highlights done by Tracy, who was nice to chat with and they turned out nice. David cut my hair and did a good job making what I ask for work.
They offer you wine or beer when you arrive which was nice. Only bad part was that it was a little expensive. $150 for highlights and a cut AFTER the $40 discount for being a first time customer. I dunno if i wanna pay $190 next time.... Its also a little hard to find. When you go into the Winston and Straum building, there is a little mall tucked away in the back behind all the elevators.
Took advantage of the 1st-time Yelpers discount and was so glad I did! Got Sheena for a haircut, I was kinda nervous cuz I wanted to try getting bangs but was worried that they would make me look too young. She was super friendly (as are the other people who work there), and didn't try to push hair products on me, which I really appreciated. I can pretty much only afford to splurge on good haircuts because I don't buy $15 bottles of shampoo all the time! Got a great haircut with bangs and ended up winning their holiday fundraiser raffle for a complimentary cut or color...how crazy! So I went back to Sheena again for a bang trim and fun blue highlights! She was also an expert at the bleaching/coloring process, it went fast but not sloppy. And my hair still feels pretty healthy for being bleached. I really like them...I think I'll go back to get more highlights done, maybe mix up the colors too. It's all part of my master plan to turn into a generic anime character.
Haircuts are a bit pricey (especially when you're a student), but their website lists special monthly offers...after that it's actually pretty reasonable, compared to a lot of other salons in Chicago.
You can also find the salon by going into the entrance for Wow Bao/The Renaissance on State and Lake, and just follow the hallway (if I remember correctly there are some stairs that lead up to the Renaissance, don't go up those...stay on that hallway as it takes a slight left).
Love XEX and the warm and professional staff there -Sheena, Barb, Charles, Gary, David, Tracy! You walk in, are offered a glass of wine(!) and treated like they genuinely care. I go to Tracy for color and she is truly an expert in this area. Each time I go it's like the first -not just routine, she pays attention each time to the details, checks to be sure nothing should be changed and always offers new advice and product information when it makes sense. And, they don't gouge you on their fees which are competitive.
Sheena, you did great! I was able to just say "Make me stylish" and you did it. Thanks
I found this place through the first time customer discount while looking for a salon close to work/school. I like convenience. I saw Sheena, who did a great job on my poor tresses (after moving to the southside and far, far away from my high-priced salon up north, they had gone somewhat. . .neglected!!)
Anyway, being a no-fuss girl who is trying to just grow my hair out, I had no interest in a salon that charges 80 bucks for a stupid trim. On the other hand, I had already suffered from my miserliness thanks to the Hair Cuttery butchers who give new meaning to the "you get what you pay for" rule of thumb. I wanted something in between.
Sheena did/does a great job, never tries to talk me into getting highlights or going just a "little more blond". She doesn't try to convince me that everyone is doing bangs now, nor does she push product into my hands or attempt to coerce me to come in more often than I need to. I am so incredibly grateful to have found a stylist who listens to what I want and can deliver a great look without all the unnecessary upsell you get at other salons.
Everyone else at the salon is incredibly friendly--price, location, quality and friendly staff. I couldn't ask for more. So glad I found XEX!!
If your recession budget has you feeling a little bit antsy about your usual $80+ haircut, but you're not ready to subject your tresses to the $18 Russian roulette of a Great Clips kind of place, you might want to consider XEX- it's got a luxury feel and expert service, but surprisingly reasonable prices ($48 for a women's cut with the first-time $10 discount, and daily specials on their website for other great discounts.)
Gary, the owner, did a great job cutting my hair, and it was a lovely, unhurried experience throughout. He's got tons of experience in North America, Europe, and Asia, and is very thorough and detail-oriented. He was also lots of fun to talk to and a really nice guy. We talked a lot about the business, and he emphasized that their goal was to run a salon with high-end service without charging high prices, which certainly seems to be what they've achieved.
Another neat thing- I noticed a Feeding America poster on their wall and asked about him about it, and he told me about the various fundraisers that they run to give back to the community, namely doing events to benefit foodbanks and promote local artists. I think he said that their most recent event raised on the order of $20,000 for Feeding America. This salon is a great choice for a haircut, but it's also a business that cares about and gives back to the community- another great reason to visit.
So after 1 visit I've decided that this is going to be my downtown hair place. It's really hard to get down there from my house and parking's awful, but it's convenient from work and they do a great job. I showed up late and they were cool about it. There were only 2 stylists working and they were awesome at multitasking. They did a good job on my color and they did an awesome cut. I like it, I'll be back and I'd send friends too!
This place is terrible, I worked in the building, so went for a cut during my lunch break. I asked for a trim, keeping the same style, and came out with super short hair. The guy cut over three inches off the lenght, layered it, and payed no attention to what I had asked for. I have never cried over a bad haircut, but this was horrible. I dont know if they dont know what they are doing, or just dont listen or care to what you actually want but I will never be back and do not recommend this salon to anyone.
I recently got my hair highlighted by Tracy. I have long dark brown hair. She did an amazing job. I am going lighter with my hair and it looks great. I definitely recomend Tracy to my friends. I have been really timid in coloring my hair because it is so long and healthy. My hair is now colored and still just as healthy.
I just came back with a very awesome hair cut by Barbara. I LOVE my new cut. She did a fabulous job. The staff is very friendly and helpful. I have nothing but good things to say about XEX . The salon is very unique. It is inside an art gallery and the salon uses Aveda products. Very convenient location in the loop. I am definitely booking my next appointment here. Very reasonable prices, discount for first time clients and you get a discount card, once it is marked 5 times you get a free cut. How cool is that.
Finally I found a good salon near where I work! ...XEX is a great salon and I liked Gary. They serve you beer/wine/whatever while you wait... but the question is, how is the hair!!
I've been going here continuously since they opened (4 or 5 years now?).. Gary does a great job with my hair. I am one of those guys who is willing to try new things but every other stylist I've been to never really does anything different and my hair never changed... Finally my hair is different, and I really like it!
He's Italian and obviously up on the latest trends... (he frequently goes back to Italy and cuts hair there too?)
I've missed Gary once or twice and TJ is great too!
It's a salon but they also sell a bunch of Italian art and have a huge hair product selection.
Men's haircuts are ~$38ish. Their web site has daily web only offers on it, and they have one of those cards where if you get 8 haircuts there you get one free.
Definitely would recommend this place!
My second visit to XEX was on the third week of June. I decided to add some color, as recommended by Barbara. Tracy, was my Colorist and she is FANTASTIC!!
I'm getting compliments almost everyday on the new look!
Thank you, ladies!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/19/2008
I found this salon here on Yelp and love it! I wanted a salon close to work so I could get my hair… Read more »
Great place in the Leo Burnett Building. The store is located on Lake St. by the Chase bank. I had my first appt. here a few weeks ago with Gary. Unfortunately, he took ill and Dana took care of me for my visit; she was great and has all the skill and then some needed for her clients.
Overall it was a great experience and I will be stopping by after work from now on.
XEX is A friendly, comfortable place with quality service.
If someone told me a few years ago I'd be reviewing a hair salon ... but nonetheless, life moves in odd ways and here I am.
What you should know about my perspective on this place:
Prior to getting my haircut here for the first time in April '05, I was strictly a Hair Cuttery and Super Cuts guy. For years.
What that means is:
- I have no other fancy-pants salon experience to draw upon for comparison
- I was coming from a situation where clearly anything would have been a dramatic step up
- I was also apprehensive about stepping into the grown-up haircut world and the people at XEX have been gentle with me, ultimately converting me into a regular customer.
You should also know that I work in this building, so I kind of arrived by default at first. So location earned them trial, but the experience has earned them my monthly haircut for the past 18+ months.
More background
This salon was something else before David and Gary came in to turn it around. And they have changed everything - the look, some of the folks working there, and ultimately the attitude. They are small business entrepreneurs who care and work their asses off trying to deliver good service. By all means ask more experienced hair salon critics for better/different perspective, but if you're in this area of the city and looking for a place, give them a shot.
I was in desperate need of a new salon & stylist in the Loop since I'd moved to South Loop and have been working in the Loop for a while now. Being a woman, and one who takes pride in myself, I've been leary to leave Nikki at Salon Siren in Wrigleyville/Lakeview but the commute was killing me. If you live in that area - she's awesome at cuts and color - you'll love her!
On to XEX...I tried them out and I'm crazy happy with my results. Dana was my stylist and I'll definitely be going back again and again. I hadn't had my hair shaped and cut in 8 weeks which is a long time for my style since I wear it in a contemporary bob cut...meaning, a lot of shaping and maitenance for the stylist.
She's very personable and Michael (the receptionist) was great on the phone and in person. They took my coat, got me a glass of water when I came in and are an Aveda salon so my hair had a great scent when I walked out as well.
Plus, they're open on Monday so I was able to sneak away during my lunch time and get my hair beautifully redone during the day - bonus!
And to boot they gave my 15% for being a first time client. I'm a new regular at XEX and will be sticking with Dana. I was thinking of getting highlights and she actually told me to stick wth my natural color because it's so shiny and beautiful - what a great stylist - definitely not trying to push product or services.
Give them a shot if you're looking for a great salon in the Loop!
