Astor Place Hairstylists

OMG - If you want a fabulous cut at a fraction of the cost of salons - but better, go to Astor and see STEVE under the stairs. He only works Thurs-Sat - and there may be a wait for him, but believe me he is worth it! I have been going to STEVE since 1994 and would not let anyone else touch my hair. I have sent many of my friends to him. Trust me he rocks! Pros: Great Cut and Great Price Cons: NONE more

I have had two decent experiences at Astor Hair and one very, very bad one. The first two involved cutting my extremely long hair into a layered, pixie-ish style that framed my face. Fran did a nice job, and for $25 I couldn't beat the price. I went back a couple months later to get chestnut red highlights put into my hair and they turned out BRIGHT ORANGE! If I were a Suicide Girl I might have been able to get away with it, but not a young professional working in a hospital. I was out $75 and had to dye it back the next day. Now that I found Dramatics NYC on 96th and Broadway, I doubt I'll go back. Also, some friendly advice: if you decide to go to Astor Hair, watch out for your belongings -- I've seen a couple disgusting things crawl across their floor. Pros: Decent, cheap haircuts, ready availability for walk-ins. Cons: Terrible highlights, unsanitary facility, a little scissor-happy. more

My hair story... Seven months ago: I move to New York, excited, but sure that for hair, anyway, I'll have to choose between a bank-breaking salon "experience" and a nine-buck high-and-tight. Not a good situation for a man of few means who still likes his locks. Then-- I hear rumors, whispers on the internet, of this man, this artist-- Jose. I search--the search is short, thanks to google--and come across this trove of praise on Citysearch. I figure, worth a shot... Seven months and nearly as many cuts later, I will let no one but Jose near my head. He is a barber of consummate skill and care. He listens to the client's garbled idea of desired look, intuits immediately what must be done, and goes on to produce a cut that is both beautiful and entirely masculine. There is nothing fussy about Jose's method-- he is deft, quick, and sure. And the cuts are great, every time. In short--not to discount the dozens of talented barbers at Astor--Jose is a special find. That Astor cuts remain under $20 is a fantastic bargain, so be sure to tip generously. Thank you JOSE!!! more

I just got my hair cut today at Astor Place. Jose gave me the best haircut ever! Unbelievable. Better than the picture I showed him. If you're not looking for a luxurious salon to get pampered, but want the best haircut possible, go there and ask for Jose. He is great and such a nice person. I only had to wait about 10 minutes. I will definitely be back! Highly recommend. Really!!!! Pros: Affordable, perfect results, highly satisfied customer Cons: the place needs to be redecorated! more

Rosa is the woman I've been going to for the past 6 years. I found her completely by accident and she has been phenomenol ever since. I go to her every week for a blowdry and every six for a hair cut. She always does a fantastic job, I don't even have to be paying attention to what she does, and when she turns me around to see the final product - voila! It's perfect!!! Rosa is great at cuts, blowdrying, and works really really well with curly hair (which is always a challenge!) I've gone to people that I've paid double the amount of money to, but seen half of the result. The place is eclectic, but it gives it a special charm. I feel so lucky to have found Astor and even luckier to have found Rosa. She is to put it quite simply - the best! Pros: Cheap, good service, flexible hours, lots of energy and pizzazz Cons: Always bustling more

I moved to the city over 6 years ago. Living in a city as big as New York, I thought it would be easy to find a good haircutter. I was quite mistaken. After trying countless barbers, hairdressers, stylists, etc, who in some cases charged 3 times the price of Astor but never did a great job, I found Jose. Jose has been cutting my hair for close to a year now and I hope for many more to come. He is an excellent barber, conversationalist, and philosopher. He always takes his time and does a great job with attention to detail; you're never rushed even when he's busy. As long as he continues to cut hair, he will cut mine. more

After reading the reviews on this place, I decided to give it a try. I called and made an appointment with Rosa, but when I got there about 15 minutes before my scheduled time she told me she didn't take appointments--walk ins only. So I had to wait for about 30 minutes after my "scheduled" time for her to start. The whole place looked extremely dirty was very uncomfortable. I told her my hair was a little knotty because I'd had curls in so she should probably try to brush it out a little, but instead she took me straight to the sink and BARELY washed my hair. Then, while she was trying to get the tangles out (of my wet hair) she complained about the knots the whole time! When she took me from under the dryer my hair was still wet at the roots (I told her this and she said she'd blowdry it out). There were still knots in my hair at this point and she didn't even bother to try to remove them. She never completely blowdried my hair and I walked out looking a mess. Thank goodness it was only $30 or I would've been completely horrified. There are places in Manhattan that do a much better job than this, granted you will pay more but it's not worth $30 to look horrible. Pros: cheap, open late Cons: dirty, rude staff, no talent more

I just moved to NYC and needed a cheap, but good place to get my hair cut. Jose was my angel with scissors!! As an actress, I need to look my best. Not only do I get a great haircut from Jose- but also great conversation. He has wonderful stories and is constantly giving me great ideas for places to go out to in the city. Do yourself a favor and go see Jose- he is the best!! Pros: Easy to get an appointment- or no appointment needed, great conversation, excellent haircut!! Cons: First time going there- it was a little scary- the place looks pretty interesting at first sight. more

Jose is the best in the whole place. He takes the time to give you the haircut that you want. Make sure you stop by his chair. more

i've been goin to Jose for years now...i trust him with my hair. he has never messed up my hair. he's the guy to go to. Pros: good cuts by jose Cons: bad cuts by a drunk guy more

I came to Astor Hair because of all of the raving reviews about Jose, and after having my second haircut with him the other day, I definitely wasn't disappointed! For one, he's such a nice guy and a great conversationalist. But what I was most impressed with is the amount of care he put into cutting my hair. It was clear that he wanted to get it just right, and really listened to me to make sure that it came out the way I wanted it to, while also making his own suggestions. Overall, go with Jose, you won't be sorry! (note: I am a male first-year college student) Pros: Inexpensive, quality hair cut! Cons: May have to wait a bit for Jose, but it's definitely worth it! more

I am very happy with Jose. He has been styling and dyeing my hair for years and I get many compliments. Jose has female and male clients, it is'nt just women. He is attentive to my requests and takes his time with me. He takes great pride in his work and is a tremendous asset to the shop. I am very happy having him as my hairdresser. Pros: Great prices, great hours Cons: none more

I read the reviews on this site and I thought he must have been the bomb, but then I cut my hair with him and I have been sad and looking bad for the past 2 weeks, waiting for my sides to grow out. I asked him to leave my sides long and he automatically used the clippers all the way around and up my head. He really is ruined my whole look. It appears he is using the same technique over and over. So be careful and be specific if you get your haircut by him. I am a guy so maybe he's better with dye jobs, etc. Pros: cheap Cons: Jose has little stlyle, so how can you expect him to give you style? more

Lets put it this way I could never cut my own hair with the ease and simplicity that Jose does. More importantly, he is a very personable individual and most certainly an intellect in conversations. So if you don't even care how your hair comes out, at the least, go for the conversation. Jose's consistency is something many haristylists strive for with every customer, hands down he's got it. more

I have been going to FIFI for about 16 years and I will not go to anyone else. I have been to the top places in NY and no one does as good a job as FIFI. I am female, and FIFI never cuts more than I ask but can also give me a trendy, different cut. He is honest, reliable, and the best. I don't know what I would do without him!!!!! more

I've been lucky most of my life, and have only ever suffered one or two dismal hair experiences. Even so, it's still reassuring to know that I won't have to go through that horror ever again! Jose at Astor Place is a true artiste, and a big part of the reason he is so highly rated is that he simply and obviously enjoys what he does. He is creative, enthusiastic, intelligent, and funny (but beware: if you're female, he'll probably try to set you up with some of his male customers!). His prices are unreal, and the service is spectacular. Even when I'm unsure exactly what I want done, Jose seems to know for me. I have never been disappointed, and have been a client for almost two years. I did stray from him once, and bought one of those all-inclusive package deals in Union Square. And while my ritzy salon haircut was fine, I am confident that Jose offers a better haircut at a much more reasonable price. I only hope he's not angry at me for two-timing him! My roommate has also been going to Jose for two years, and while I get a simple cut, she gets color. And while I can't speak for her, I will say that she received a salon gift certificate from a friend, but refused to get her hair cut by anyone other than Jose! Seriously - this guy can do anything, and he will do whatever he can to fit you in. Just be prepared to keep up your end of the conversation! Pros: Excellent value, consistent service, Jose! Cons: "Decor? What decor?" more

I am latina with coarse curly hair- unrelaxed. Getting haircuts is a nightmare, but Rosa was a savior and so inexpensive. I was spending 100 + on very mediocre haircuts and now I pay SUBSTANTIALLY less and my hair has never looked healthier nor grows better. And I get the best blowouts all under an hour. She's amazing. I only recommend her, dont know about anyone else. Pros: Fast, very skilled stylists Cons: The atmosphere might scare some people away and undermines the talent. more

After reading all these positive reviews, I figured it would be impossible to go wrong at Astor Place Hair. But I was not satisfied with the work done by Dolores. After I showed her a picture of the style I wanted to copy, and she informed me that it was a very simple cut, I figured it was going to be no sweat and I'd be looking well groomed in no time. Well, that was not the case. I got a serious botch job instead. Sorry Dolores, even though you seem like a nice person, you really didn't do so well on a very simple cut. Pros: no wait Cons: bad work done more

I have only been to Astor Place once, and it was Citysearch that finally convinced me. I decided to visit the Church of Jose. So I called and made my appointment, which I was able to make for the next day with no problem whatsoever. Jose was very nice and interested in what I wanted to do with my hair. I waited about 20 minutes for Jose, but I didnt mind. People were constantly walking in and asking him for haircuts. When he came over to me, I explained what I wanted done. It was a tall order actually. I needed a haircut, my highlights touched up, and a blowout. Jose looked over my hair, talked color and quoted me $140 on the spot. I really appreciated how he let me know what it was going to cost from the get-go. He then brought a woman named Rosa over to me, told her what I wanted, and asked if I would mind switching to Rosa, since his day was especially crazy. Rosa seemed very nice, so I agreed right away. I was glad I did. I love Rosa. She was so awesome. I showed her a picture of what I wanted my hair to look like. She looked at that picture only twice. Once when I handed it to her, and again right before she started cutting. The haircut was exactly what I had asked for. The haircut was perfect, the highlights were perfect, the color was perfect, and the blowout was perfect. I would take a bullet for this lady. It is a giant barbershop and there are no frills. However, the atmosphere is fun. In the time I was there, I saw hip black guys getting designs shaved in the back of their heads, people getting mohawks, and little old ladies getting rollers and rinses done. I couldnt believe that no one else commented on the diversity of this place. It was really cool. I recommend Astor Place wholeheartedly! Ps Beard Papa next door has delicious delicious cream puffs. You can buy them with the money you save on your hair! Pps - Everyone wants to know where I got my hair done. more

I have been going to Jose for my haircuts for 17 years, since I was a freshman in college. During that time Jose has cut my hair exactly the way I wanted. Just tell him once and he knows what you want done. Plus he is a very friendly guy who makes you feel comfortable while getting your haircut. I would never go to any other barber except Jose. more