Sei Tomoko Salon

Nori gives great sharp cuts-brilliant work on my long asian hair. Inexpensive prices & easy to get an appointment. Will totally recommend. more

Best place you can find in New York. Great skill with great price and services The owner Tomoko has been cutting my hair for the past 7 to 8 years. She did my wedding hair and make up. Now she is cutting my son's hair. My husband also goes there by the stylist Takeshi. more

Their english is terrible. I made appointment for 6PM and the salon called me 10 minutes before my appointment that my appiontment would be 20 minutes delay---- I was already in front of their store. And acturally, that lady stylist kept me waiting for ONE hour!! Poor english. She is at most a barber, not a stylist. She kept asking me to design style myself. Then I asked her to cut my bun shorter, she said I had already asked her to pull my bun to one side. I never heard that these 2 conflict each other. I got the worst hair style of 2009!!!! more

Went here for a simple bangs trim. Told the hairdresser to mimic the EXACT shape that my bangs were already in (which is a very simple, round side-bangs shape). Said I wanted only a little taken off, round shape, and for it to swoop to the side and not be shorter than my eyebrow. He started cutting, and I thought he was making a too-blunt cut, and too straight across. I explained again what I wanted and said what he was doing was too Blunt and straight across. He said OK. I walked out of there with blunt cut, straight across, awkward style side bangs. Shorter than my eyebrow. Not at ALL in the shape the were when they came in-- completely different to be honest. What I gave was a simple direction, and what I got was completely different. My roommate could have done a better job and the only hair she cuts is my dog's. Pros: Place LOOKS professional Cons: my hairdresser didn't have the skill or experience to follow the most simple trim directions more

Ando gave me a great cut for my medium to long length hair the first time I went to Sei Tomoko -- though the layers at the top were short, and the bottom layers were rather thin, the cut fell very nicely. The second time I went in with slightly longer hair, she listened for a few moments to what I wanted and jumped in to begin chopping (perhaps there was a communication gap). I asked her for bangs that weren't too heavy, and slightly layered so that they fell to the side, as well as blended layers in the back. She proceeded to chop my hair with a razor into a mushroom of layers around my ears and a mullet that fell to the middle of my back, with no layers between the mushroom and the stringy mullet layers. Not to mention the bangs that she chopped halfway down my forehead made me look like a disheveled anime creature/trailer park resident. It took me hours afterwards (and a few shed tears) to fix my hair and hide the bangs before my evening out, and almost a year later, I'm still struggling to have the shorter, poofy mushroom layers grow out to blend with the rest of my overly thinned out hair. NOT WORTH THE CHEAP PRICE to suffer for a year with her cliched skills. She can do only what seems to be a Japanese haircut, which is not what everyone walks in the door wanting. Despite the scalp and shoulder massages, and the kind personalities at Sei Tomoko, I've learned that screwed up haircut can take a long time--way too long-- to grow out, and not even the most skilled stylist has been able to fix it yet before the short layers grow out fully. Pros: Scalp and shoulder massages, good products Cons: Stylist only knows one style, which might not suit all hair types more

I just got back from my haircut and I really LOVE it. I've been hopping from salon to salon over the past 4 years and I've still yet to settle on a hairdresser. I tried Sei Tomoko on 13th Street a couple years ago but it was hard to communicate what I want since he barely spoke English (but very talented). Today I tried the W4th salon and was appointed to Ando. I was really super satisfied with her work. I went in there not really knowing exactly what i wanted but I did briing in a couple of pictures for ideas. She was very helpful with giving me suggestions as far as what's best for my face. I may have gone at a time when it was slow because she spent an hour and half on me and got a mini massage out of it too. Best of all, it was $30 bucks cheaper than the last salon I went to for the same great cut! I can't say much at all about the other stylists and how good they are but I would definitely give Ando two thumbs up. Pros: Clean, very welcoming atmosphere. Friendly staff, they serve tea! more

I don't know if I can blame it on the owner having a bad day or her feeling that she can treat customers as she wishes because she knows her customers are addicts of her wonderful straightening skills. My 1st time going to Sei Tomoko I was unable to get Takeshi who I've heard rave reviews about, but they offered Tomoko which I thought "what could get better then that!" She did a beautiful job, but there was MAJOR PRODUCT PUSHING the entire time. Which is quite uncomfortable especially when you have to endure this for 4 HRS. She was still very polite so I pushed this to the side. Upon my second visit it was clear that Tomoko had become a bit more comfortable. I went to the wrong salon not knowing there was more then one location. By the time I got to the correct location I was barrated upon entry into the salon & then given orders and demands. I'm guessing since this was my second visit & she knew I was one of her new hair straightening addicts that she could speak as she wished. I had to endure this rude behavior for 4 HRS now along with the product pushing which was much more aggressive this time around. When I said I like the products I already use she became nasty & criticized the conditions of my hair for the remainder of the time while still pushing her product. Knowing that the fate of my hair lay in her hands since this process was already started I had to swallow this abuse. Once payment was made I got change to give her & her assistant a tip. As I finished handing her a tip & turned towards her assistant she loudly ordered that I give him a tip as though I wasn't alread in this process and I've never done this before. As I exited she threw in 1 more last ditch effort to push her product which I took more as a threat. She said "Don't call me with any complaints if your hair starts breaking". I'd love to say I'll never return, but the hair straightening is way to great. I definitely won't be taking Tomoko's services again though! She lost them 2 stars! Pros: Great Hair Straightening Cons: Abusive Owner more

I have to say she will never give you a bad haircut. Always consistently great cuts. I'll never go anywhere else, never. Pros: shiatsu massage, water, tea, polite staff Cons: none more

I wear my hair long and as such, I am always game to try new hair stylists. Afterall, how bad can one mess up with cutting long hair? When I learned about Sei Tomoko, I decided to give it a try. I am very dissatisfied with my hair. The style that my hair stylist picked for me did not fit my face shape and she cut it much shorter than we had agreed on. Not only that, there are two long fingernail scratches on my face (I keep my nails super short). I would have gone back but to a different hair stylist....however, because of the scratches, I'll pass. In addition, the administrator at Sei Tomoko was rude. I find this shocking as Japanese are always very polite to their customers. Pros: Serves Water Cons: Impatient Staff, Unqualified stylist more

Part of me wants to keep Sei-Tomoko as secret as possible, but it's only fair that everyone be able to benefit from this amazing salon. I have historically been VERY anti-hairstylist and seldomly loyal to since they always seem to do what they want with absolutely no regard for the client's request...Sei is the ONLY place I've ever been where I have come out of the salon saying "this is exactly what I wanted!" It's no nonsense, with great styling and an amazing value. I always end up overtipping because even then I am still paying less than I would anywhere else for the PERFECT CUT and my stylist deserves every penny. I doubt I'll ever go anywhere else in the city. more

I have been back here every 3 months for the last 2 years. The free 5-minute head massage after shampooing is a sign of a traditional Japanese hair salon. I have a LOT of very long hair, and my poor stylist meticulously spends 3 hours on highlights and a cut every time I visit. Sometimes I ended up there past the salon's closing time, but every staff stayed until I was finished, and they made me feel welcomed, not rushed out of there. I have very natural-looking highlights and a great haircut that people have stopped me on the street to ask about my salon. My stylist offers professional advice during the consultation at each visit and is very receptive to my requests. They NEVER push products, but I noticed most customers ask for the 2-brush tong-like hairbrush, and the "Foundation Jell" which I love too! Pros: Excellent hair cuts, Friendly, Great value more

I have serious commitment issues with stylists because if I don't feel it in the first 5 minutes I just won't come back. I've been to Sei twice now and have an appt for a third. When even I don't know what I'm talking about they still get it and I wind up walking out of there with the greatest haircut. You won't get a better experience anywhere else for such a price. Pros: affordable cuts, friendly staff, massage more

I love this place. Highly skilled, charming staff, in addition to the unbeatable prices, make SEI a keeper. Why pay more? Seriously sharp styles and even a little massage! I'll never go anywhere else. Pros: Sharp-looking cuts, Friendly staff, Surprise lil' massage Cons: , Book in advance more

This place is great! They are excelent at evaluating hair texture and styles that flatter you while making the hair cut managable for your life style. Under $50 an amazing hair cut. I was the fifth person recommended to go here from an old coworker. Everyone said they wouldn't go anywhere else after having a cut there. I've since told 4 friends about this place and they all now refuse to go anywhere else. more