We asked our 510 Families facebook group where they take their children to get haircuts and the results came rolling right in. I thought a list of kid-friendly hair-cutters would be useful for rookie parents who have not yet cut their child’s hair. Some places focus on the kid hair cut, others are more general so BYO lollipop. During Covid-19, all establishments require children to wear masks.Â
Here are the favorite hair-cutting places parents shared with us in the East Bay (alphabetically):
Clips ‘N Snips in Oakland’s City Center comes recommended. Kids haircuts $25, detailed haircuts $30. Adult haircuts $45 and up.
Eclipxe Hair Salon just off University on MLK offers kids cuts (12 and under) for $25 and up, ages 13-16 is $35 and up. Ask for Marisa – she’s great with kids, if she’s busy, don’t fret, Yelpers rave about their other stylists as well.
Grand Barber Shop on San Pablo in El Cerrito was named by several parents. “Old school all the way, including the ancient Care Bear video my son looks forward to watching each time.”Be sure to read the reviews on Yelp, which mention $20 as the price of a haircut.
Heads on lower Solano Avenue in Albany is a cut above Supercuts (yep, I said that), located right across the street, where I continue to take my son, though my daughter got a terrible uneven bob there. The price is $19.
Peoples Barber on Broadway is the hip place to go if your “Little Man” (aged 4-10) needs a cut. It will set you back 35 bucks, but for some, the luxury treatment is worth it.
Revival Barber + Beauty is recommended by Annie. She says Mitzi is amazing with her four year old. They’re not currently accepting children due to Covid-19, but they hope to again very soon, so give them a call to check.
Snippety Crickets on Solano gets mixed reviews from our readers, but I always loved it. Ask for Linh there, she’s our favorite. Half the square footage of the place is occupied with small toys you can purchase as a bribe reward, so decide in advance if that’s going to make your life easier or harder. Haircut is $19 and up.
Snips on College Avenue in Rockridge was mentioned by several people in our Facebook group. Online booking available. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Posted price of kids’ haircut: $26; bang trim: $12
Supercuts in Rockridge was mentioned at least once. If you like the chain, there are locations in Alameda (Marina Village and Park Street), El Cerrito Plaza, Solano Avenue/Albany, and Elmwood. The kid treatment is not much different from adult, but they service their fair share of kids and offer a balloon or lollipop at the end.
The Temescal Alley Barber Shop is pretty hip. My friend had the tattooed stylists cut her son’s and daughter’s hair and said that their offer of a glass of whiskey while she waited made her feel cool, although she declined the drink. Kids must be able to sit still on their own (no phones or ipads), and no reluctant customers. Recommended ages 5+. Online-booking available. Kids cuts are $40 and up. Cash only!
University Haircare is a favorite of Heather’s. They offer cuts for kids at $20. Call ahead to schedule an appointment.
17 Jewels Salon + Spa is a great option for family cuts. Paula says Zoie did a great job with her kids and that “She was so nice!”. Haircuts are $30 and up.
Your house. The home haircut was also a popular answer, with numerous parents exclaiming, “Me!” as the name of their child’s barber. One mom said that she and her partner take turns, sometimes in the same sitting.
Pro tip: Some folks bring their kids to their own stylist where they get a discounted kids’ rate.
Finally, a question for the crowd:Â “Any recommendations for curly hair?” asks one mom. “So scared his curls will go away, but way past the proper time! But the curls are soooo cute!”
[Photo Credit: Anna Azimi, Heather Flett]
2 thoughts on “Where East Bay Kids Get their Hair Cut”
Is it still Lourdes at Clips n’Snips or someone else now? I thought she was going to retire?
My son and I have fine, curly hair, which is difficult to cut, so I usually allow a few tries before I move on to a new stylist. We had tried a few places listed, but no luck. Only two that cut our hair nicely on the first try were Tony at Keter on 4th St. in Berkeley, for my son, and I just started with Emily Hair & Design, in Kensington.