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    First Class Braids

    4.9 (66 reviews)
    Open • 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    By appointment only

    Services - First Class Braids

    Applying hair extensions

    Haircut

    Hair styling

    First Class Braids Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - First Class Braids

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    Reviews With Photos

    Festival braids!

    I was looking for a festival style braids for the Lightning in a Bottle. Mercedes immediately respondent to me with the information on different options and scheduled a convenient time. She is super easy going and very professional. Mercedes matches my costume and nails colors and braided my hair so fast and efficient! Braids held up for 2 weeks and could go longer, they also didn't damage my hair. I was so ready for the dance floor :) Prices are very reasonable for such high quality work, and Mercedes is an amazing person! She explained everything I needed to know about the braids and also showed me around as I was new to the city. Thank you~ https://s3-media2.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/E9bKXqENoR6As5KwmM1Ejw/o.jpg

    Lily B.

    These braids were perfect for my festival and vacation. Mercedes was really nice and let me know all the products to buy To ensure my braids would hold up nicely. I have really curly hair and it was important to me that these braids could stand up to sweat and water, which they did! They lasted 2 weeks and I even went swimming with them twice. Only took them out because I was itchy from the sand that got in my hair. Definitely will come here for future festivals!

    Leah P.

    This review is long overdue! I first came to Mercedes a year ago. I was nervous because I had never had my hair braided nor did I have any clue what I really wanted. I gave her a general idea that I wanted 5 turquoise/blue braids and let her do her thing. Let me just say that she did more far more than I could have imagined I wanted, the way she blended the colors looked amazing and the braids looked so clean! I returned once again to have her braid my hair and even brought my friend to have her hair done as well. I gave her some colors and let her work her magic! I cant get over how cool my hair turned out! Mercedes is super friendly and very accommodating, I can tell she really cares about her clientele. If you want your hair done right, go to Mercedes!

    Beaches and box braids
    Tara R.

    I found First Class Braids LA online and based on the pictures I stopped searching and called the number. Mercedes called me back quickly and I scheduled my appointment. I've been going to the same hairstylist since I was in 8th grade and usually never trust anyone with my hair. This was my first time getting braids and I absolutely love them. It took a long time because I have a ton of hair but it was a lot faster than I thought. Also I shaved the left side of hair and started growing it back about 2 months ago. Mercedes was able to make that side look great. She is go friendly and professional. I get so many compliments about my hair. I will definitely be going back. If you want great looking box braids go to Mercedes!!

    Two middle rows that run into the side

    It was my first time doing braids to my hair & honestly I couldn't be happier on how it came out. I'm going to festival this weekend and she helped build my character to be different and unique. The amount of compliments I've received are INSANE! I don't normally post reviews but she has mad talent and dope creativity that should be noticed. Not to mention she was very gentle on my head while braiding.

    Joslyn C.

    Loved my hair! Stayed in perfectly and Mercedes is very sweet and kind. Would recommend for anyone going to burning man or and festivals for an easy low maintenance style!

    Braids, cornrows, red, color, long length, love'em
    Chyna B.

    My sister referred me here to Mercedes... My first time coming and I love her already. She does emaculant work. I love neat braids and she gets the job done. She can do the feed-in and make them medium or long like I like them and they lasted over a month, if it wasn't for my newgrowth, I'd had them much longer cause the braid itself still looked good. I have already made recommendations for new clients to her... I am currently in my second appointment... Discussing new ideas for my upcoming appointments. Thanks Mercedes

    Love my birthday hair this year
    AJeejom O.

    Can't say how much I love getting braids with Mercedes. She is lovely, friendly and very talented. I am always surprised how fast she can do my braids nice and neat. Absolutely she knows what she is doing because she is a pro. I can't wait to do more braids with her again

    Jessica L.

    First off let me say..... Mercedes does the BEST BRAIDS! I live in OC and drive almost an hour just to get my hair done. She's so good!!! She has mad skills and every braid is Perfect! I don't know how she does it, all she uses are her fingers, truly blessed with skills. To top it off... she's fast! Like really fast... I'm in and out the door in about an hour. Would recommend her to the world

    Christine Z.

    I love First Class Braids LA!! Such an easy experience through and through. You make an appt. and then Mercedes will send you all the product information for your appt. It is very easy to schedule and the duration of the appt is efficient. Mercedes is very professional and provides perfect braids. I have gotten 3 different sets from her, and I will certainly return.

    christine t.

    Love my cornrows! Mercedes was friendly and quick . Love the quality of her work . She was very accommodating and squeezed me in for an early morning appointment right before Burning Man. I'll definitely be back for some box braids. Her daughter Leila is a sweetheart and their dog Austin has quite the personality.

    Mercedes is a PRO!! My son just got his first set of ROWs and we are more than blown away! Mercedes was fast, punctual, and made my 11 year olds experience extremely positive! Will only come back to her! Thank YOU Mercedes!

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    7 years ago

    I love getting my braids done here! I've had two styles done and both times I left the salon really happy.

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    10 years ago

    Mercedes is the best. I've done my braids twice now, and they always look so amazing. Looking forward to another braiding session :)

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - First Class Braids

    What kind of hair extension services do you offer? How much do they cost?

    How much for box braids for hair length that is down to middle of back?

    Hello! Mercedes has different prices for hair lengths. I'm sure she would be happy to give you an estimate.

    How much would it cost to get box braids on hair up to your lower back?

    $$$

    View All 8 Questions

    Review Highlights - First Class Braids

    “I discovered Mercedes on Yelp and was lucky to snag a last minute appointment for medium sized box braids.”

    Mentioned in 50 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Eddie's Edition - Arts District

    Eddie's Edition - Arts District

    4.7(122 reviews)
    9.9 km•Downtown
    Available by appointment
    Free parking

    Came in with no reference photo and hair that was basically a Karen styled bob and Melvin still did…read moreme right. I was looking for a barber that knows how to cut Asian hair and I found exactly that. He's an absolute master with scissors and knows exactly how to work with the type of hair you have. He recommended some product that's more specific to my hair type and buying it at their store was $10 cheaper than buying it online. Great place with great barbers, I'll definitely be coming back once I need another cut!

    Let me just start by saying that Hin has some skill in cutting hair. I could tell by his scissor…read morework. But when he asked me what hair cut I wanted and showed him a picture of a burst fade Mohawk and he proceeded to ask have you had this haircut before. Then I showed him a picture of me with the haircut I wanted (which was a burst fade Mohawk) and he proceeded to say "is that really you". This was at the beginning of the hair cut. Mid way he asked a second time if I had ever had this hair cut before which I answered yes. Also at the beginning he had mentioned how much are we taking off the top. I mentioned just a little bit and we can work our way down. When it came to cutting the top I feel he had gone too low. At that point I just wanted to get out of the chair. I waited 2 days to post this just to see if my hair needed to settle in since I went from a wild lions mane to what ever this short hair cut I have now. But no matter how much I attempt to style my hair it just looks dumb. My feedback to Hin is if you aren't confident in cutting someone's hair then please just say so. Or if your specialty is clean cuts then tell your client so they can make the decision of sitting in the chair. I may come back to try with someone else to cut my hair since I feel the people here have some skill.

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    Hair Craft

    Hair Craft

    4.7(187 reviews)
    10.9 km•Little Tokyo, Downtown
    •$

    I moved to LA and tried a bunch of salons, but none of them really worked for me. My girlfriend…read morerecommended Kaz, though she warned he's usually booked out about three weeks in advance. At my appointment, Kaz started with a wash and then spent a solid 40-60 minutes on the cut. He's super detailed. It felt like he was paying attention to every single strand. I love how it turned out.!!! After washing, my hair just falls into place naturally. I barely have to style it...just brush and go. I travel a frequently so I didn't get back for about three months, but my hair still held up and looked good. Definitely recommend Kaz.

    This was the best value haircut I've ever gotten in my life. Hair Craft is located on the third…read more(top) floor of a plaza in Little Tokyo. Yuji was my hairdresser, and he was so kind, precise, and skilled with my haircut. When I first walked in, I thought, "ah this really is a no frills hair salon," and I'll admit I was a little nervous since it was my first time and I didn't know what to expect. As soon as I sat down, my nerves went away. Yuji was so gentle and attentive, and I felt really well taken care of. My appointment lasted about an hour and included a wash and cut. Parking is validated for up to two hours, which is definitely enough time. I was so happy with my results. I truly don't know how Yuji creates such magic with his hands! I'll be coming here from now on for my haircuts. Please show Yuji and Hair Craft your support by leaving a generous tip. An establishment like this that truly gives you high quality results for such a generous price deserves to be met with gratitude and good tips. Too many salons are charging an arm and a leg for a basic trim these days, and Hair Craft is not one of them. There were only 1-2 stylists working during my visit, so please be patient and make sure to book at least three weeks in advance. When I booked, they were already scheduled out for three weeks, and I overheard them telling other callers the same thing. Thankfully, it was absolutely worth the wait. I can't wait to come back and will definitely be booking with Yuji again. Thank you Hair Craft for such a wonderful experience!!!

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    Hair by Kyunghee - Two-tone  color

    Hair by Kyunghee

    4.9(328 reviews)
    8.7 km•Koreatown, Wilshire Center
    •$$

    It's clear they know how to do hair! Very meticulous hair cut and blowout with great service. They…read moregive hand made cookies with beverage while being pampered! I did have a less than stellar hair dye experience there. The shampoo person I had left a lot of leftover residue and I developed a reaction to their hair dye. However, when I told them about the problem they immediately resolved it and was apologetic. I appreciate them taking responsibility. The owner is wonderful and I highly recommend trying their salon!

    It was my first time getting a haircut by Kyunghee, and the entire experience was wonderful from…read morestart to finish. As soon as I arrived, I was warmly greeted and given a locker to securely store my belongings, which I really appreciated. I was then promptly taken for a relaxing hair wash before being seated at my station to have my hair dried. Throughout the visit, the attention to detail stood out--there was a variety of complimentary drinks offered along with a small cookie, which was such a thoughtful and welcoming touch. Kyunghee took the time to listen to what I wanted. I asked for curtain bangs and long layers, and she absolutely delivered. The cut was exactly to my liking--soft, flattering, and very well balanced. After styling my hair, she came back to do a final trim and made sure to check in to see if I was completely satisfied, which made me feel really cared for as a client. Overall, the service felt elevated, professional, and personal. I left feeling confident and happy with my hair, and I will definitely be back again soon!

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    Theodora Hair Studio Olympic - Cherry brown hair with no bleach at Theodora Hair Studio in Los Angeles for a rich, dimensional red-brown finish.

    Theodora Hair Studio Olympic

    4.8(257 reviews)
    8.1 km•Koreatown
    Women-owned & operated
    Luxury

    Switched here from another salon- BEST DECISION EVER…read more I followed Olivia when she moved from Etude. She's the best. Super considerate. Calm and understanding. And a true master of her craft. There's also a super sweet person- Dayoung. Nicest person in the world. Amazing service and she's so great that I'd let her cut my hair too Their staff is super friendly (unlike Etude where reception acts like you're bothering them) and it does feel like the nice salons I've been to in Tokyo and Seoul. Highly recommend if you're thinking about it. Trust me- it's a good experience.

    I had an excellent experience at Theodora and would highly recommend this salon…read more Derek did an amazing job with my hair, and both he and his assistant, Kaylee, were professional, attentive, and genuinely kind. They took the time to understand what I wanted, gave honest recommendations, and never pressured me into unnecessary services or products. The salon itself is clean, modern, and high-end, yet still feels comfortable and welcoming. They also offer complimentary snacks and drinks, which was a thoughtful touch. The entire experience felt personal rather than transactional, and I'm extremely happy with the results. If you're looking for skilled professionals who prioritize quality and honesty, ask for Derek and Kaylee at Theodora.

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    The Hideout Salon - The color this time was my favorite

    The Hideout Salon

    4.9(96 reviews)
    9.5 km•Downtown

    I've been going to Daniel for years. He is absolutely amazing. I can honestly sit in his chair…read moreblindfolded and give him free rein and always be amazed. I recently came in for a bob with inspo pictures and styled me even better than the photos! He's the only stylist that can make me a beautiful classy blond to a deep brunette in phases. Not only does he do wonderful haircut but he's an expert at color. All while recommending the best products for hair care! Do yourself a favor and book a consultation with Daniel!

    I went back-and-forth on writing this, but given that it's now been 10 months since the incident, I…read morehave to warn others. I spent years growing my hair to be healthy & strong, & I have ended up with fried hair that I have had to slowly nurse back to even halfway health. Come here if you want to be ignored, gaslighted, & end up with completely damaged, ruined hair. I do NOT recommend this salon for Black women / women of color / curly textures. This is long so buckle up. I originally reached out for a simple color service & was referred to Aly. I came in for a consultation and after an hour, she told me to continue texting her ideas so that we could figure the look out together. She then proceeded to mostly ignore me, & when she did respond, she sent photos of basic results nowhere near what we had discussed. Frustrated, I decided to come back in to just get my test strand toned back. She didn't even care to respond, just passed me off to the front desk. When I came back, I was asked if I wanted to consult with another stylist, Daniel, known for being "great with color." I have dark brown hair, & he assured me the cinnamon red look I wanted was achievable. In retrospect, having now lost my long & super healthy hair, still recovering from excessive chemical damage 10 months later, I WISH I had just walked out the door. For context, I had healthy, fine hair in long layers, anywhere from 2A-2C mixed wavy/curly textures, with length about an inch past my bust. I had defined curls, shine, & softness, & barely heat styled. Daniel lightened my hair with a low volume (supposedly) bleach & put a heat lamp on it. The heat lamp was so close to my hair that I moved at one point & it melted the plastic hair cap. After, I noticed my wet hair felt dry & tangled when he was combing, but I was trusting the process. When he started blowing out, my hair was WAY too blond & visibly dry. We had to tone it again. After another toner & cutting layers - 8 hours later - the result was pretty but felt parched, & also was not what we'd discussed color-wise. I was headed out of town the next day, so he promised to tone me when I was back & I trusted him. Fast forward - I shampoo my hair on vacation. My hair is GUMMY, breaking & pulling out in clumps. I can't stop crying. My super healthy hair that I could run my fingers through whirl wet was now inexplicably matted & dry, to the point I couldn't even work shampoo in properly. My curl pattern was DESTROYED. I reached out to Daniel & he put me in touch with the salon owner, saying my hair seemed "healthy" condition when I'd left. When I got back to LA, he did a deep conditioning treatment & a keratin treatment on the house, which helped somewhat. He also cut a few more inches off due to the damage - mind you, we had originally discussed that retaining my length was extremely important to me. He said to come back in 2 weeks for the toner to achieve the final color I'd requested. Traveling again, I got a simple wash & set at a local salon bc at this point, I couldn't even manage my hair on my own anymore on a day-to-day basis. Again, I do not do chemical treatments. The stylist told me I had intense chemical damage & chemically burned hair. I ended up having to cut off more, leaving my hair a little past shoulder length. I reached out to Daniel letting him know about the chemical damage; at this point, he said because I'd gone to another stylist he "couldn't service my hair anymore." He wrote a long text where he falsely asserted my hair was in healthy condition when I'd left & that it'd been too long since the service for him to help. Like...what? I had sent numerous pics & videos of the matting, shedding, gummy clumps of hair to both you & the salon owner & you're going to try & gaslight me? You told me to come back later! For him to try & rewrite history was extremely disappointing, & I lost all respect for him. Given his lack of integrity, I cut my losses, blocked, & decided not to argue about it further. I had to cut my hair a third time into a shoulder length bob. Now, 10 months later, I've been able to grow my hair a few inches with consistent trims, conditioning treatments, & protective styles, but it is still so hard to manage. My curl pattern has not returned to normal. At this point, I am STRONGLY considering a big chop, which was the worst possible scenario IMO. I will have to start over & spend the next few years growing back all the hair I've lost & restoring it to the health that I had before I ever stepped foot in this salon. I have spent 100s of dollars on bond building & reparative products, as well as follow up visits at other salons. On top of that, the immense stress & anxiety of losing my beautiful & healthy hair for what should've been a simple service was extremely, extraordinarily depressing. If you made it this far, do yourself and the health of your hair a huge favor and GO ANYWHERE ELSE.

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    Sono Felice Hair Salon - Blonde hair with colorful highlights

    Sono Felice Hair Salon

    4.9(2.6k reviews)
    7.7 km•Koreatown
    •$$
    Free parking
    Available by appointment

    I have been coming to Sono Felice for almost four years - it's my absolute favorite in town…read more After my haircut with Eileen last month, I decided to come in for a hippie perm. Like last time, we started with a consultation to find the right perm style for me. Although the process was long she was conatantly making sure I was comfortable the whole time. She really handled my hair with so much care. At the end she even gave me tips and tricks on how to maximize the life of my perm. Will definitely be comimg back to Eileen as my stylist, and I would 100% recommend her to anyone ! --- Google review from a month ago: I went in for a women's haircut and Eileen was my stylist today. From the very beginning she was exceptional. She started with a consultation to learn about my hair and what I wanted. She made recommendations and got to work. She was very meticulous throughout the haircut and stylist process. I left with a haircut I am in love with!

    Edit: After having some time to reflect, I wanted to add a few things about my experience. Before…read moreleaving, we were asked to leave a review in exchange for a discounted service or free product, which I think is important context for anyone reading the reviews. While I'm happy with how my perm turned out, the salon was overbooked. I completely understand stylists working with other clients while hair is processing, but my digital perm took about 6 hours, with a lot of waiting when I was clearly ready for the next step because my stylist was occupied with other clients. He was called on by the front desk at least 3 times that new/different clients were ready for him. My friend and I were both there for over six hours--surprisingly, her full highlights took even longer. I was also confused by the pricing. During the consultation, I was told that a certain hair length would put the perm at around $400, while keeping the length I wanted would make it closer to $600. That was already surprising considering it was only about a 2-inch difference in length for roughly $200 more. But then my hair was cut to approximately the shorter length anyway, and my final price was still $550. I'm not really sure how the pricing was calculated based on that. My friend's highlights were $500, even though her hair is shorter than mine, and her hair ended up looking surprisingly similar to how it did before. Between both of our services, the pricing felt very high for the overall experience. I do want to emphasize that I'm satisfied with how my perm looks and appreciated the care my stylist took while he was actually working with me. Unfortunately, between the six-hour appointment, the amount of waiting, and the price, I'm not sure the experience was worth it for me.

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    First Class Braids - hair_extensions - Updated October 2026

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