We recently moved to the area and was in Cranford and decided to explore downtown bit. We passed by and I had been debating on a place to get my kids' hair cut and I saw how busy this place was... out of the 8 barbers (don't quote me on that number), all were filled and three were kids. I ultimately went in but everyone was so busy. Eventually, a lady came up to me. The place is conveniently located near the Cranford train station and across the street from a macaron place. There are benches outside for those waiting as well as one inside by the small cash register. They do appointments BUT she said they might have an opening for me in about 20 minutes. I accepted, was added to the list, and my son ended up getting his hair cut within 10 minutes. Not bad! I'm sure it was just luck though. I'm not sure what the barber's name was but he was pretty good! I don't know much about hair cuts when he started asking me about numbers and such for how short, but I ultimately told him shorter on the sides and half as short on top. The place is a bit small and with every chair full, not much room to stand, so I waited on a bench but I caught glimpses. I don't think anyone in the family has had such a thorough job done on their hair. The cut took just about THIRTY minutes for my 4 year old. He took his time and was meticulous, putting in the fine touches and applying what looked like 20 (maybe closer to 5) hair products. When he was released, my son looked quite sharp and smelled so nice! And his longer hairs were coiffed up in a way I have no clue how to even replicate it. I don't mind spending money if needed, but I admit I've never quite spent that much money on my own hair before. You pay at the cash register ($35 for a kids' cut) and I sent my kid with cash tip to his barber. I thought my husband was going to have some choice words about it, but he was also impressed with the cut and the fact that nothing was rushed. This place is legit and the two people I spoke with were nice! Our barber wasn't the chattiest only asking what was necessary, but I didn't get an off vibe from him. He humored my daughter who did stay inside by "giving" her hair clippings when he noticed she was trying to collect them. Overall, an excellent experience. Now I still have to find a hair place for my daughter and myself and it's turn for our cuts, but at least we discovered this one! read more

Mary is an absolute gem, as a stylist and a person. Love the whole crew at Cory Mathews in Cranford!

great service and perfect location. Maria is the best, very meticulous and always friendly.

The best in the biz and Always the best service and vibes. My hair isn't difficult to cut so I'm more about the people and conversation. Everyone I've met here is warm and outgoing and love the laid back set up with the TVs/music. read more

Always get a perfect hair cut honestly perfect the very nice people they take time and effort in the cuts read more

Cory Mathews - Barbers Near Me - Cranford, New Jersey

Great place. Schedule and appointment so you don't have to wait. Plus they treat you very very politely. They know what they are doing.

Reluctantly, I was looking for a new barber a few months ago and dreading the trial and error shop hopping. Since I live in town and never visited this shop, I figured I would give Cory Mathews a try. With so many salons and barber shops around, over the years I have found that it's hard to find someone who cuts consistently and listens to your preferences, and delivers a great customer experience at the same time. Well all I can say is that I am glad I took a chance on Cory Mathews. I booked with Stacy and she's amazing! Friendly, patient and gives an amazing haircut. I am now a regular (visit #6 today) and plan to continue as loyal customer. Entire staff is friendly and welcoming which is also a big plus. read more

Came in with no appointment and requested a service the barber wasn't comfortable performing, so I settled for a regular cut. Once she found out I had my wedding that weekend she asked her co-worker to help out & they spent their limited time to take care of me. They were fantastic from start to finish. I highly recommend the barbershop for everyone. read more

Andre is the man! Great cuts for me and my son. I won't go anywhere else and my son won't either. If you want to splurge definitely go with the beard trim. read more

Really like this place. Cool vibe, tv's, good music and this was the 5th time Heather (Westfield) was quaff master. Got there 5:10 for 5:15 appointment and walked out 5:30 with a nice cut and a good scotch while having hot towel treatment and hand massage. Really old school quality feel you rarely get anymore. Respectable pricing and only cash tips which in this world of guilt-tipping via card readers I really appreciate -and felt good giving cash tips well above the usual "guidelines". read more

Update to reopening with covid - This place embraces the pandemic opening like it was natural. Temperature checks at the door, all masks on, sanitizing left and right. The door handle is constantly sanitized, I don't even think hospitals can keep up with it. Great job at reopening and finally getting people back to looking fresh! ............................. I've been going here for about 6 months. It's always been consistent and way above what you expect for a men's haircut, especially for the price. The environment is modern and one you'd expect from a barbershop but with many more amenities than any other shop you've ever been to (hand massage, wash, free drinks etc.) Cory is quick, and always does an A+ job. The entire staff is on point, I've never seen a disappointed customer. Ignore the negatively from the bad reviews, and check them out. Best barber in the area hands down. read more

I'm truly fortunate to have found such an amazing and welcoming barber shop/salon and appreciate the effort the barbers and staff put into my visits. Cory, Andre and the rest of the staff are so accommodating and I look forward to seeing them. Do yourself a favor and stop by for a cut/shave/wax. You will not be disappointed. read more

Unfortunately horrible. Came in with a picture, Simple Justin Bieber long surfer style haircut and the barber said no problem. He ended up giving him a crew cut. Unbelievable. Not coming back here again lol read more

Well let me start this review by saying the stylists do give good haircuts. However, I think that Cory's (the owner) ego has become too big & the customer service is almost nonexistent. First, the price for a kid's haircut recently went from $15-$20. Maybe I'm wrong, but twenty bucks is more than I've seen at any other place in Cranford or the neighboring communities. Second, my 11 yr old son loves getting his haircut by one stylist (Rosie) in particular & will make an appointment so he can reserve her. He's been there over 10 times already. We had a 5:45 pm appointment. We were there by 5:40. We were still waiting for Rosie at 6:25 pm when the staff told us that she would be busy for a while with her current customer and they have another stylist available. Begrudgingly, he agreed. However, less than 2 minutes after the other stylist started, Rosie was finished and was by herself, texting on her phone. I approached the owner privately outside of the shop on a smoke break & let him know that my son was upset. He was minimally apologetic. Most businesses would offer something for making you wait & not giving you your choice. We also bought over $30 worth of hair products. Rosie was still by herself texting on her phone when we left. We know it wasn't her fault. It would've been good business practice to offer a discount for either the cut or the products. I guess Cory doesn't really care though. I think we'll be going elsewhere from now on. read more

Landing in Cranford after spending the previous 15+ years in NYC and Hoboken, I wanted to find a local place for a haircut, and from all outward appearances, Cory Mathews fit the bill. Modern, great reviews, apparently talented barbers. I made an appointment for a cut, and upon arriving had to wait an extra 45 minutes before anyone could take me. The atmosphere was a little strange. They were blasting hip hop that wouldn't pass FCC standards for radio play as a few parents waited with their young children. As a new customer, I was eventually handed up to a young girl (not of legal drinking age) and was given one of the worst cuts of my life - and this includes the time I resorted to some bad chains out of sheer desperation. I'm talking shaved off sideburns (uneven at that) and all kind of ineptitude going on up top. I resorted to fixing the mess myself when I realized how bad it was once home. Even still, a place with great reviews probably shouldn't be discounted on the experience of one bad barber, so I decided to give the shop another shot. After running around doing errands on a Saturday, on a spur of the moment I stopped in at 3:45pm. Obviously I was expecting a wait, but upon walking in, I was told flat out that they could not take me, despite not closing until 5pm. I walked out of the shop, down the street, and found the barber that I've used in town ever since. read more

Great experience today with Cory. I appreciated his thoughtful suggestions throughout my cut. Solid job with COVID precautions.

I used to like Cory Matthews but from what just happened, I'll never be back, I went in to get a haircut without an appointment it was awesome that they'd got me in because they had a lot of appointments and I was even grateful saying thank you multiple times and I ended tipping him for this reason and a good haircut which I end up regretting; my watchful girlfriend analyzed when I sat down. From the second I sat down (Cory) the owner had this super negative attitude about him and I kept trying to tell him how I wanted my hair done and it basically took inserting myself multiple times just to even get it to him. It only got worse when a interesting looking dude came in with the same problem as mine and was then shooed out of the store almost immediately, the second he left the entire store (workers) started to mock and berate the random customer and it was so immature it was hard to even stay in there it was just horrible and it only got worse when apparently they let another customer without an appointment get a haircut. Also apparently the whole haircut he was rolling his eyes while doing my hair and mouthing things. Shouldn't have tipped anything wasn't worth it and the last dude who did my haircut didn't even do it right such a shame cause owner is good at cutting hair but is horrendous everywhere else. read more

My son loved his haircut and all the little details they cared about at this barbershop. Was not overpriced.

This was my first experience at Cory Matthews, a recommendation from a co-worker. Plus, it's my first haircut experience since the start of COVID. The shop had a positive vibe and welcoming atmosphere. Stacy was wonderful, she was very friendly and professional. I will be back for my next cut. read more

Would like to say that I've actually been a patron. However, our Sunday appointment, made through the Cory Mathews website, and our on-time arrival to a CLOSED business already says they don't value their potential customer's time. I value their offer for a second chance even less. Pass. read more

Cory Mathews - CLOSED on Monday and Sunday. - Barbers Near Me - Cranford, New Jersey

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I've been getting my hair cut at a local salon for years now... but they can only cut my hair... and were not able to trim/shape my beard. So, needed to find a one stop shop... walked by Cory Mathews and decided to give them a shot. I forget the name of the person who cut my hair, but she was great and did a nice job... both with the hair cut, as well as the shape/trim of my beard. The hot towel right before my shave was relaxing... and they even did a quick hand massage. The staff was friendly and professional, and the price is right on point. I am hopeful that this will be my go to place from now on. read more

+1 on Juliet being the best barber around. I've been going here for about a year now getting the best haircuts I've ever had. Making an appointment on line is fast and easy... they'll either call or send a text confirming that appt the day before. read more

Love this place! Great haircuts, fades and fun staff. I go to Mary and she's amazing. Cory is the owner and is fabulous. Good vibes only here. read more

I finally came to this barbershop after passing by it many times on my way to grab some food from any of the great local restaurants or just driving by in my car. I was greeted very warmly and was sat in a chair to get my hair washed and had a great conversation with the employee before my haircut with the stylist I chose, Sierra. She was extremely friendly and open to very cool and interesting conversation. I was offered complimentary Hard liquors and was able to try some beer they had on tap which was amazing. She asked what I'd like to do to my hair and followed my simple instruction as if I'd written a full novel on the subject. It came out just the way I wanted and imagined. After my cut, I was treated to a warm towel on the face and another employee massaged my hands with oils and lotions. Overall, I left happier (and less scruffy) than I was when I walked in and I am most certainly going to return for my next haircut. Shout out to Sierra for doing an amazing job! P.S. They have a great taste in music. read more

Wow! Wonderful and very friendly barbershop. When I came in, I didn't know what to expect. They assigned me a barber, and she did an AMAZING job! Definitely recommend this barbershop. read more

Been looking for a good barbershop since moving from nyc. Saw this place on yelp with good reviews, so I figured Id give it a try. I've never been so botched up in my life. I had a hair cut and shave. Alli needed was a simple part. It came out uneven and poorly trimmed around the ears. The shave was even worse. It looks like I've been attacked by a raccoon. See picture. read more

Cory Mathews - Barbers Near Me - Cranford, New Jersey

I was referred to this place from a friend. Cory himself cut my hair and it was the best hair cut I have received locally. I will be returning here and referring anyone looking for a barber. My hair cut was a week ago and I've been getting compliments all week. If you are reading this Cory. Thanks! read more

Been coming here for years now, huge fan of this place. Prices are good, great atmosphere and services provided. I drive from Jersey City to get my hair cut here, so you know it's worth the visit. Have read a few reviews, the one saying "no one over 25 would feel comfortable here". That's ridiculous. I'm a few ticks away from 40 and I feel very comfortable here. Also to the guy who was mad bc he had to wait and his son didn't get who he wanted... it happens, people run over, I've had it happen here but I can honestly count on one hand and I've been coming here for 4 years. This place has grown in 4 years and there has not been a drop off in quality. Hidden gem in Cranford/central jersey. Highly recommend! read more

I am a 59 year old male who takes extreme pride in my appearance and grooming. I don't mind spending a few extra dollars for quality products and services, but after patronizing this establishment several times, I don't know if I will go back. Although the hair cut (simple crew cut) and hot towel finish was ok, The ambience seems to be geared towards catering to a younger clientele, and I felt somewhat out of place . I feel that this isn't an age appropriate venue to get a haircut for anyone older than 25. I think I'll stick with Angie @ the Westfield Barbers on Elm Street in Westfield, read more

Great place, great atmosphere, and nice staff. Got a haircut and shape up here on a Saturday because I missed my appointment with my original barber. I needed someone good, experienced and clean. Luckily I found Cory at Cory Mathews. Small shop but he got the job done. Only complaint is that I had to wait a half hour after my scheduled time for a haircut and then my haircut and beard took an hour. Normally this is a 30 minute max type of affair, but for some reason it took him a little longer. It came out good but there is no way it should have taken an hour. All in all a great place with normal prices and I would go back if I needed to, but spending an hour and a half at a barbershop for a scheduled haircut really made me feel indifferent. Nice area though. read more

I called in yesterday, because I needed a good haircut and found this on Yelp with good reviews. Yelp did not steer me wrong. Was able to get in a few hours later and get a spectacular haircut and awesome experience at this place. Don't remember the guys name who cut my hair but he had a big beard and was super friendly. Haircut is top notch and prices are fair. $25 for a haircut is fine with me if it's a good one. Nice work to everyone here, especially the guy who cut my hair and the lady who was working at the front who stayed busy and worked hard the whole time I was in there. read more

If you want your man to look really hot, have MARY give him a fresh cut! She is the best!!I wish I could give her more stars!

Came here for the first time this weekend and had an absolutely great experience. Haircut was exactly the way I wanted it, thanks Mary! They offer you drinks, and hair wash, razor blade neck trim, hot towel and hand massage was all included in my $25 haircut price tag. That's totally reasonable (I think Westfield location is more expensive and not sure why; their $30 price tag is on the high side). Definitely will be coming back here. read more

I've been going here for three years and have been very satisfied for the most part. But two of the last three times I went have made me not want to come back anymore. Michele has almost exclusively been cutting my hair every time I've been there. She's good at what she does, undoubtedly. The last time she cut my hair, I was charged an extra $5.00 for a beard trim (I believe). This was never discussed with me ahead of time. It was only when I got to the register that I was told I was being charged an extra $5. She did nothing during the haircut that was any different from the dozen+ previous haircuts she'd given me. My haircuts usually take only 15 minutes, as I have a receding hairline and only require a simple haircut. So spending $30 on a 15-minute job seemed a bit high for me. Today, I had an appointment for a haircut at 4:00 with one of the guys (I don't remember who). By 4:10, he seemed nowhere near finished with his current client, so I left. I don't like having my time wasted, and waiting what would likely have been 20 minutes for an appointment isn't worth it. There's at least 20 other places in the Cranford/Garwood/Westfield area I can get my hair cut, so I'll be going to one of those from now on. read more

I've been coming here for about a year now and I have to say this place is fantastic! Michelle is my go-to and she's amazing- friendly and timely. Plus, she always does a great job with my haircut and beard trim (by the way, always upgrade for the $5 beard trim- it's worth it). The receptionist calls the day before to confirm your appointments and will call you ahead of time if there's any issues. Cory does a really nice job of running a barbershop that is both professional and fun. I'm really glad to have this place in the area. It's definitely worth checking out. read more

I have been going to Cory Mathews for about 9 years now. My first visit was the first free haircut they offered everyone in near by towns. From that first visit to my last which was about 2-3 months ago everyone from the receptionist to my barber (Stef) treat me like gold. Very family felt atmosphere. Cory Mathews is a pioneer in there own right, a salon for men women and children you cannot go wrong with this salon. read more

I've been there 5 times in the past year. Ryan is really good barber/hair dresser. I'm always happy with the final result. The hand and scalp massage is really good too. read more

Just got a haircut with Michelle showed her a picture on my iPhone of what I wanted and she nailed it!!! this place is amazing!!! Monica made the visit very relaxing with fantastic hand massage and hot towel, overall I'm very excited I've found my new barber shop!!!... read more

Been going here for a few years now and have consistently been getting my haircut from Cory who has been great. Great guy, and a great barber. read more

Recently there for the first time. My hair was cut exactly in the way I requested. This has never happened in my entire life and I'm 37. I expect to be going there exclusively. read more