Real: 4.5S As I rated the other place I cut my hair when I am down South, either you like the stylist or you don't....like shoes. Long cuts my hair when I am up north and he cuts it well. We chat for a few minutes and then he gets started. I usually am in a rush so he gets the job done and I am out like how I go shopping for clothes, no fuss. Yes, it's not as cheap as the $14 haircut that I get if I was to go to Chinatown or Latino areas...but then I don't get my hair messed up and wait for it to grow back to have Long fix it. Overall, give this place a try and see if it fits your stylo. That's the only really way you will know. read more

After years of paying $60 - 80+ haircuts as a guy with the same stylist, I decided to try a new place with the help of Yelp. I looked around a bunch of places on Yelp and called a number of places. Most chic places in Alameda and Oakland charged in the $65+ range and had good reviews. I looked around Walnut Creek and noticed Absolute Salon. I called and got an appointment for the same day. I had not had a haircut since Christmas so I was to say in dire need of one. Kay picked up the phone and took my appointment. The place was not too hard to find. I parked on the street a couple of blocks away. I was a few minutes late due to traffic but she was understanding. Kay asked what I wanted and offered her suggestions. She listened and gave her advice. Kay works really well, very friendly, and asks routinely if it is working out okay. I tried to look hard despite the glasses but then just gave up, lol. She used a variety of techniques, worked with a combination of scissors, clippers, machines, etc. Made me feel really comfortable with casual conversation. The result was really really good. I really liked my hair. Yes, it's not layered perfectly like some $100 haircuts I have paid for, but for $20 range, not much to complain about. I can get my hair cut here 5 times for that price rather than pay $100 to get perfect layers, and for a guy it really does not matter. Still got a lot of compliments. I like it a lot and the salon itself is nice too, nothing less than any Toni and Guy I have been too. Will definitely be returning here, well worth the nice drive anyway. Highly recommend it for a great haircut for a moderate price. read more

Long Nguyen here at Absolute Salon is amazing. He really listens to what you want in a haircut, and has great professionalism. Customer service here is always quick and efficient. The staff all have great personalities. Onto the actual haircut. Long is very knowledgeable and has plenty of experience. When I say plenty, I mean years and years, both cutting and teaching. I always get a haircut that looks better than I expected here. read more

Mary is a magician. People pay $50 in this town for an elite level haircut. Absolute Salon charges chain haircut prices for top shelf hair care. I always feel guilty when the time comes to pay, even with an 8 dollar tip I feel like I am ripping them off, so next time it will be a $10-$15 tip. I will continue to go to Mary. Kay and Long are excellent as well, but I'm picky, so I chose the master. Mary's probably been doing hair for 40 years, and it shows. read more

Amazing, seriously. I just moved to the bay area and have been in search of a new stylist that I could actually afford. I have had a few terrible $60 dollar haircuts and then I went to Mary at absolute. I beleive it was $40 or $45 dollars and the quality of service was worth so much more, she listened to all my requests and even though my hair is thin and fine and a nightmare to cut and style, she did GREAT! And the whole time Long was giving me advice on how I could cut and style and give my hair volume. Super personal service, nice clean salon, and great prices. I would recommend to all. read more

I've brought my baby girl here for her first and now second hair cut and suffice to say I'll never take her anywhere else! Not only does Long magically do a beautiful job with a squirmy six and now ten month old, but he makes her laugh and makes us feel like family. We look forward to our next visit! read more

Absolute Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

See all

3 years later and I am still a very happy, loyal customer! I always get compliments on my hair, even on days when I don't have time to style it. I come here about every 2-3 months to get my haircut with Kay. I always feel very relaxed when I get my haircut, and I never have to worry about Kay cutting off too much hair! My worst nightmare is my hairdresser cutting off five inches when I say "just a trim," and that has never happened here! read more

Got to give the Absolute Salon a shot out. Nice tranquil environment, nice people, nice shop. Prices are good and I'm always pleased. Mind you I'm not the most picky person when it comes to my hair but I've been going here for about 18 months and I'm not looking elsewhere. I can usually get a haircut the same day I call in. read more

So... What's the difference between a $35 hair cut and a $15 haircut. It's consistency and passion. Long is a phenomenal genius granted that I came here due to most of the places being closed or busy, but I'm glad that I did. granted that being still in college and a guy I don't regularly get costly hair cuts. Long was very friendly and knowledgeable of his craft. He was honest about my previous cut and told me tips on how to make my hair look better. One thing that I did like was he readily gave out tips and his own opinion. Usually when I go to a hair stylist and am feeling a bit adventurous and say, "Do what ever you think looks good." rarely does a stylist give their advice and often they return my word with a blank stare. I would highly recommend him to any one that wants an excellent haircut and would like to pay for it. The difference between $15 hair cut and a more expensive one is that the more expensive one the stylist has their own opinion and has a higher level of consistency. read more

Let me first disclaim that I came here on a Thursday night and my stylist was Kay. Your results will vary depending on the day, time of day, and the stylist that works on your hair. Parking is difficult even though they do validate for the parking structure on Locust, which wasn't available because there was an event going on. Normally, I am rather frugal when it comes to my hair. I cannot fathom paying more than $20 for a haircut because I need to get my haircut roughly every 3 weeks. But at the recommendation of my friends, I decide to do some fine hair styling which is like fine dining which happens every so often. So I decided to splurge on a haircut and yelped for a venue near where I work. Yelp popped out with numerous selections. I made a few phone calls but settled with Absolute because they did not sound desperate. Immediately upon entering the salon, Kay greeted me with a smile and handshake. Of course she asked me how I wanted my hair, but she also asked other questions that other stylists have never asked me before such as how often do I cut my hair, how I style it (clean or messy), etc. As Kay was cutting my hair, I observed her carefully cutting my hair. Intricately fading my sides and cutting my hair by the millimeter to make sure that she did not take off too much. Then she used a unique tool that looked like a comb but had a razor on it. It thinned my hair, making it finer and much easier to manage. Thanks Kay. read more

Long has been my family's barber and stylist for the last 15 years. He is not only a barber/stylist but is a genuine craftsman who approaches his job with passion and creativity. What's most amazing is the quality of service and care has always remained consistently high through all the years I've known him. Highly recommended!!! read more

Okay, I'd say this is long overdue... I've been coming here for years so I feel bad about posting a review because it's more like I am posting a review for friends. Probably because the people here are really great and very friendly. From the moment you walk in you will be made to feel at home. Walnut Creek is full of snooty, overpriced, mediocre Salons (and restaurants too!!!). This is NOT one of them. The staff is quite friendly and very competent. Long updated my style and keeps it updated. Kay does great work as well. As do Mary and Erica. The prices are reasonable: more than StuporCuts but way less than the high end shops. This is definitely THE place in town to get your highlights done. It won't cost you an arm and a leg, you won't need a bailout package, and you WILL look fabulous. read more

This is a long overdue review. I have been going to Absolute Salon for a couple of years now and I have to say that every time I go in my experience has been above and beyond. Both Long and Kay are always welcoming. Unlike most stylist I have gone to in the past, they take the time to listen to exactly how you want your hair and through out your haircut, they check in with you and make sure you're comfortable. Their customer service is outstanding. Once you're a client, you're family. They have always answered my questions and never once grimaced!! I would recommend their salon to anyone in that area. Hope you take the chance and head out to Absolute, they'll take care of you!! Thanks Long and Kay for always listening and giving me FAB hair!! -Rowena read more

I had a haircut with Kay this morning. I had no idea what needed to be done with my hair and she gave me some great advice...and a great haircut. The salon is very clean, modern and airy. I was treated exceptionally well and will definitely return. Great prices, too. read more

Absolute Salon is a gem! A team of true professionals. I was looking for a new stylist two years ago and found this place on a fluke. Long is no doubt a true master stylist. He knows exactly which haircut and color compliments my face and skin tone. He takes his time with each client to give them the ultimate salon experience. Believe me, this guy knows what he's doing. It's a little pricey, but your hair is worth every penny. You leave the salon feeling great and refresh. I highly recommend this place to all my friends. read more

I have been avoiding a haircut for such a long time (over a year). I have really long thick hair and don't trust many people with it. My last haircut was pretty much a disaster and for that, I have not gone back to a salon since. This weekend I decided with Christmas coming, I better get my mange cleaned up before I visit my family. A friend of mine who keeps a similar hairstyle (long, dark, straight hair) referred me to Erica here at Absolute. I called and was able to get an appointment same day! Even though I came in right before closing Erica made sure to take her time with me. All of my salon anxiety immediately disappeared when I sat down with Erica; she was so sweet and real. She listened to what I wanted and cut my hair PERFECTLY. I couldn't have asked for a more trustworthy stylist. I even received a few compliments on my hair and the way it was cut while I was running errands later that day. Thanks Erica! I was also really impressed with the salon itself. It was very clean, well set up, roomy and prices seemed pretty decent. I will be back! read more

A close friend referred me to this place and I had to see what this place is all about. Called in the day of I wanted to come in and Long the owner/stylist had appointments available to get a haircut that day! I love how he isn't in his own world and cuts, he takes time teaching about hair stuff, hair products, and whats his style is when cutting hair. Not use to standing up while he's cutting hair but it does the trick! He listens and recommends what looks good and tries new ways that your comfortable with and does his magic until your satisfied. I use to drive to Sacramento for a haircut now I found my go-to! I'll def recommend Long and come back! read more

Absolute Salon - Looks healthier and has body! - Hair Salons Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Long is the B-O-M-B. I stopped going for almost a year cuz I decided "I can cut my own hair!" and when I finally (finally!) got fed up with DIY jobs gone awry, Long fixed me up in like 10 minutes (I have a pretty short pixie cut). Snip snip snips with such ease and grace and makes it perfect and fantabulous. AND! He helped me figure out how to style it again! I have always loved the fact that I had fun and spunky hair, and would always play it up. But before I came back, I had almost lost all hope with it. Long brought the life back into my hair, and me! He totally made my whole week, perhaps month. I am NOT going to stop coming back ever again, a hair-don't in my book. He is a miracle worker with short hair! I'm moving to San Francisco and will FOR SURE take the trek back to the Dub-C for some hair-do! read more

See all

It's taken me 15 years to write this review -- I wanted to be sure they earned the 5 star review and have only great things to say about the entire Absolute family. Thank you Long, Kay, Mary (and Maverick)! read more

Best hair salon in Walnut Creek hands down! Long is an artist. (See pics attached) He's always open to new hair styles. He is so patient. He always asks, listens, and advises practical and professional advice, and has introduced me to the most amazing products to use. He so knowledgeable and a pro not only in his field but far far beyond that. I been going there for almost a year now. Depending on availability, I have had both Kay and Long cut my hair. They are so professional. I have always felt welcome and never had an issue with my cuts. The salon is always clean and everyone is so nice and friendly. Both Long and Kay are highly qualified and exceptionally talented- I would certainly recommend them! read more

See all

I recently moved to Walnut Creek and needed to find a local salon that charged affordable prices for a good haircut. Lo and behold, I came upon Absolute Salon by way of YELP. I made an appointment with the salon owner, Long Nguyen and am very pleased to report that he did an exceptional job cutting and styling my medium-length hair. The whole experience was perfection by a perfectionist. Long is an artist with a creative passion for hair design. He takes time and care; detailing, discussing and explaining every cut he makes, so you know what to expect at every snip The final outcome was awesome! Everyone in the salon is very friendly and approachable; excellent customer service. I highly recommend this salon.and look forward to my next visit. read more

Have been going here for my haircuts for years and Long always does a great job. I've been slightly hair "challenged" for a while now, and had pretty much resigned myself to the buzz look. Long said "hell no" and has shown me how I can have a great look. Thanks, Long. read more

I had my 1st hair cut with Long a few weeks ago. I left the salon with a happy hair cut and a feeling that this guy really care about his customers and take pride in his work. What I appreciate most from this hair cut experience is that Long helped me arrive at the hair style I like. Thanks! read more

17 years, that's how long I've been visiting Long to get my haircuts. I can't even believe it, such a long time. My wife goes to see him as well. She had been through at least five or six people over the years trying to find the best and finally I was like why don't you just try my guy Long? She did and never regretted it and now she's been seeing him for years. He is the best!! read more

It was okay...I think I looked 10 yrs older after the cut, but people there were so nice that I didn't wanna say anything. I paid $45 for a shoulder length cut, which is not all that bad, but they charged me $10 for "styling" and $ 5 for shampoo which I was not informed at all. It was partly my fault that I didn't look at the receipt while I was there, but still, that was sneaky. Don't think I'll go back again.. read more

I agree with all the other reviews that the staff is super friendly, but they cut my hair way tooooo short. With curly hair, you cant cut it super short b/c then it looks like a 'fro. It was so short, that I had to straighten it every day for over two months (my hair grows slow), in order for my hair to look halfway decent. read more

I got the best haircut of my life from Long Nguyen recently. A colleague recommended Long when I was looking for a new stylist. It had been over a year since I'd had more than just the ends trimmed (no style, just enough to get rid of the tangles), and she said long had been cutting her hair (which always looks amazing!) for about 10 years. I have long hair with typical wiry Asian texture, and it's very thick. If it isn't cut just right, it can be just a poofy, frizzy mess unless I wear it pulled back somehow. Other people have styled it and it looked great, but then I could never recreate the look on my own. Long did a dry cut; he took the damaged ends off first with a razor, then added layers for depth with scissors, along with thinning shears. My hair now feels so light and stylish, and I can't believe the great movement it has all the time! I also haven't worn it pulled back since I got it cut. I don't think I'll ever have anyone else cut my hair. read more

After another salon gave me the worst haircut of my life, I saw Long the next day in an attempt to at least make my too short hair look presentable. Not only did he do that, but he also showed me ways to style it to add more volume while it grew out. I've been back twice since and he has trimmed the growing hair so it's even as it returns to a length I prefer. He also, out of every stylist I've ever seen, is the only one to get rid of a pesky cowlick. I will continue to return and am recommending him to others. He's great! read more

i'm only giving them 2 stars because the staff here was very nice, and their prices are decent compared to other salons in the bay. but in terms of the hair cut they gave me. i thought i was going to cry. i have short, very fine asian hair. when i first moved to the east bay from socal i was looking for a place to maintain my short layered cut, but they ended up ruining my hair. The lady that did it took over an hour to ruin my hair. i'm not sure she knew what she was doing. she took out the layers that give my hair any life at all, and my hair ended up just laying flat there on my head. Needless to say i haven't been back since. After this horrific event i found another salon to fix my destroyed do, and i'm a much happier person with them (juut salon in palo alto). read more

If you don't feel like reading the whole post, I had to cancel dinner plans the evening I got my haircut. I'm male, not dramatic, don't care about my hair that much (usually just roll out of bed, never style even when wet just let it dry however it is). Enough said. But if you need more..... Wish I knew how to post pictures on here, absolutely awful. Uneven, jagged, tufts of hair sticking out, you name it, just atrocious. Not sure how they do on female haircuts but males don't bother even if its $10--30 cheaper than other places you'll most likely end up shaving it or going elsewhere. The worst part is they thought it was a great haircut and kept saying you just need to train your hair to go into the right positions blah, blah, blah. I didn't even ask for something I hadn't tried before just my usual haircut. Unfortunately the guy I went to before isn't around anymore and I read decent reviews about Absolute and saw they had decent pricing. My hair is not that hard to cut, it's thick and I have a cowlick but previous people have never had a problem. People there are nice felt bad not paying so I sacked it up, paid, and left with no intent of going back. read more

I got my hair cut here by Long. My regular stylist had gotten off track of what I wanted, so I decided to try this place. After 3 or 4 visits Long got my hair just the way I wanted. Then, Kabam! Next visit he screwed it up. I went back two weeks later to try and get it straightened out a little, and he screwed it up even worse. Add insult to injury, he raises his prices by 50% in one shot. I can get unpredictable for a lot less somewhere else. So, now I have to try and find someone who is reliable. read more

Yesterday I was really antsy about getting a haircut and, because I live in San Francisco, it's pretty much impossible to get an appointment on short notice. Since I'm familiar with the WC area, I started to look around on Yelp for a good hair salon. To be honest, I've been looking for a replacement hair dresser for over a year now...I've tried different people with good reviews but no one seemed to match. Suffice to say, when I first walked into Absolute, I was a little skeptical only because of so many prior disappointments. I made the appointment thinking I'd just "give it a shot" but also not getting too excited or setting my expectations too high like I did in the past. When I called, I was *wishing, hoping, praying* to get in that same day and also *wishing, hoping, praying* to get an appointment with Long, the head stylist. I spoke with Dustin (Long's brother) on the phone and he said Long was pretty booked that day but that he could get me in at 5 o'clock and I took it. I made my trek out to the Dub-C from the city early and did a little shopping and reading at Starbucks beforehand. When the time rolled around, I made my way over. As soon as I walked in, I was welcomed with a warm greeting. Dustin introduced himself and also introduced me to Long. I got a good vibe right off the bat but I still kept my optimism in check. Long attended to me right away and our pesonalities meshed instantly. He's a super nice guy and doesn't do the small-talk stuff. On top of that, he is an instructor at the salon so he gave me some tips and reviewed Hair 101 with me throughout my appointment. Before washing, he asked me what I wanted to do with my hair. I wasn't quite sure but I knew I wanted something different and that I trusted him to turn me into a rockstar -- a hot one, of course. He started telling me what he thought would look good and also explained why. He got into my face shape and how certain styles and techniques work for different shapes. I was really impressed -- not only with his knowledge (because these are things that hair stylists learn anyway) but because he shared this information with me because he wanted to make sure I would leave feeling good about my haircut. When it came time to cutting, he would take the time to show me what he was doing and explaining the reasoning behind it. It's obvious that Long is passionate about what he does and takes his work seriously. He spent about an hour on my hair (much longer than any other salon I've ever been to) and perfected it until he and I were both satisfied. Because he truly focuses on making your hair look good on you (keeping your facial shape in mind), each haircut he does is different. It may be the same style but never the same cut. Needless to say, it was an EXTREMELY positive experience and I left with a smile on my face and the feeling of relief of finding the hairdresser of your wildest dreams. I definitely will be coming back. Kudos, Long! read more

The pretty girl name Kay did my hair and I was the belle of the ball. Great cuts and fair prices!

The worst haircut I've ever had in my entire life by Long, not to mention expensive! Worse than that spot I think called Great Clips that I went to once during my teenage years in high school. I've never been this angry before with someone (over a haircut nonetheless). It grows. But I'm angry for being charged three times as much as other salons in Wanut Creek without mention. Giving it two stars only because Mary gave me an amazing head massage during my wash. I was too relaxed to raise my voice at Long! Long gave me a haircut with a TRIMMER! I am a woman and I don't need a shave or a crew cut! Absolutely appalling! Had the haircut for a week and noticed both sides were UNEVEN and a few strands of hair sticking out that were HALF an INCH longer than the whole length! Unacceptable from someone that has cut hair for decades. (My dad used to come here when I was little.) He charged me $115 for a five inch cut and a wash and he didn't even style my hair afterwards! I thought it'd be worthless to dispute at the time but I'm furious I had to get it fixed by STEM Salon just a week later. (They're incredible and just a block over). If I could shut down his place, I would do it in a heartbeat! GO TO HELL FOR TAKING ADVANTAGE of a customer! Get off your social high horse and pay attention to what you are doing! You are the worst hair stylist! Hide in shame! read more

The people here are all super nice, but I have to be honest, it's a bit cheez-tastic. Being a fellow Asian, I'm always searching for the right balance when I go to Asian salons -- knowledge of how to cut/style Asian hair (yes, our hair is different), but not too fobby. I'd say this place tipped a bit towards the latter. I walked out with way too much product in my hair, and a bit 80s stylin', as if I was going to a karaoke competition. I'm also not a huge fan of hair stylists who use the razor-scissor too liberally (vs. good ol' fashion scissors) -- I often feel that this is just a short-cut (lazy) or a cover-up for lacking in true skill. Anyway, this is not to knock the folks there, as they are all super nice -- just not what I was looking for. But for $40, it's a great value. read more

I've been going here for FOUR years now... and I am still impressed by their 5 star service. Everyone there is super friendly and helpful but I get my haircuts by Long, so let's focus on him for a minute mmmkay? I don't know what else to say other than he's brilliant. He knows how to cut hair- for your hair. What do I mean? I have a LOT of hair.. but it's fine-normal. In fact, Long is the first person to tell me my hair is in fact fine. Everyone else said my hair was thick-coarse.. which is probably why my haircuts always looked like crap. Long always asks, what do you want me to do to your hair? and I actually get annoyed because, shit, what do I know? I just say (again) do what you do. And he does. And it looks fabulous. I don't wear hair products on any sort of regular basis and Long doesn't push them on me, but once in a while he'll say, you HAVE to try this. So I do.. and it'll be some awesome, delicious smelling stuff.. and I'll end up buying it, because it really does do what it says it will. My hair is naturally curly and was the bane of my existence until I met Long. Now it's easy to manage and I get people randomly saying my hair looks good, asking where I get it done..even on days where I just let it air dry, which is most, cuz I'm lazy. I found Absolute Salon because of yelp, so it's only fitting that in turn, I yelp as well. Don't be afraid to try a new place folks. My ex bf gets his hair cut by Long and one of my coworkers now as well. Everyone is happy. I'm sure you will be too! read more

OK, so I needed a haircut bad one day and I walked around all Walnut Creek to find a good place..well of course being W.C. everyone was so uptight and even at one shop, they pretended not to see me walk in.. Anyway, I saw Absolute Salon and gave it a shot..Best decision ever... Long was soo nice and even though he was on his lunch break, he fit me in. Long story short...I come all the way from L.A. to cut my hair here...(and also visit friends..) His wife is so nice and they always make me laugh. Its the first time that i felt welcomed in a salon and not just like a client.. I highly recommend this place... read more

Having problems finding a good stylist in Walnut Creek, I went here because of the rave reviews on Yahoo. Not knowing Long's prices are three times more than anyone else, I went for the color and style - cost me over $200.00!!! Loved the color, the style was horrible. Went back to get that fixed, still was not happy. My Mother was unhappy with her cut by Long as well. I will not be returning. read more

Okay ,so its been months since my haircut/hair color here, but I just never wanted to create an account. I was tired of the salons that I always went to, so I decided to look for one closer to home in Walnut Creek, and came across this one. I read reviews and they were all positive, so I thought, why not. I walked in the store and Long was there to greet me. Long and Kay (husband and wife) are one of the most chill couples out there. I was greeted with a welcoming feeling, as opposed to other Walnut Creek Salons, and they sat me down. Asked if I wanted anything to drink, and asked if I needed anything else. . Long cut my hair, and before he got started, he asked me what I wanted and what not. I showed him a picture of the hairstyle of what I wanted, and we discussed the color I wanted, as I did NOT want blonde highlights, just a warm natural brown color. He said he knew exactly what I was looking for, so I took a breath sat back and relaxed. BOY was I WRONG, hair was cut shorter than picture, and guess what color my hair had...BLONDE. REALLY after we had a discussion about it? Don't do color here. Expensive, and NOT worth it! read more

Been here 3 times and Kay's done a great job. She dials me in for $30.