This place is a gem. For the past year, I have been relying on Lifebooker to book cheap haircuts at expensive places. The only problem is, the times I can book are odd, and you should tip on the original amount. W/ Lifebooker I felt pressure to go to a different place every time, because a lot of the places seem like their deals are for first-timers. I really wanted to find a hairdresser I like and stick to going to the same place, so I looked up where the cheapest and best is and came across the thousands of great reviews for Astor Place.
Based on the reviews [and common sense], obviously your experience depends on who specifically you go to. So I tried to find someone who was always well reviewed by women, and narrowed it down to a ranked list of who my choices would be. First on my list was Regina, and lucky me, she was working on a man's haircut with no one waiting when I got there.
The place I went before was less than stellar and charged almost 3x the price [though I had a HomeRum deal which made it cheaper]. The place before gave me layers that were way too drastic for my hair type and thickness. I explained what I needed [evening out of the layers] and she knew right away what I was talking about [agreed that the other place screwed me].
I personally don't like being pressured to talk the whole time, and Regina is great if you're like that. She isn't cold either - she just is good at reading what kind of person you are and if you're into small talk or not. She is unassuming and basically blushed when I explained I was going to her based on reviews I read online.
She is definitely popular with men, while she was finishing my blow dry, she accrued a line of 5 men, all willing to wait it out to have her cut their hair.
Note: if you prefer a shiny/posh/modern environment this is not the place for you. It is run-down and "hole in the wall". It is cash only but they have an ATM inside. Not many high-end products from what I can tell, tons of people, tons of stations cluttered with personal effects. But, I think it's charming.
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