Imagine hair salon has been around in Mountain View for 35+ years, and I've been going to Helen for the last 12 years for haircuts, color, treatments etc. even though I've moved homes. They know what it means to maintain consistent quality. I've had various hair cut requests over the years, and they just get me! I really appreciate the care with which they treat their customers. read more

I've been coming here for years, along with my masculine child. It's got a great location downtown Mountain View, with several parking lots nearby, and tons of restaurant and boba options to make a haircut/snack combo. // Helen I started getting my hair cut with Helen, the owner. She's a bit chatty, like any good tiger mom. But if you just close your eyes and take a nap, she winds down and gives a great cut. // Danny The dude has been here a long time. Currently, he's got asian blonde hair. I really like his cuts--young and metro looking. Seems to do better on men than the kids. // Li Gen She works at the first station on the right and is always our first choice. Makes my hair standard short nowadays, the way I like it. Cuts the kids hair different each time, and always asian pop star cool. Everyone likes their cuts from her. She can do the do for the jock, the lover-not-a-fighter, and even the hipster. I love this place because it's a quality salon but also no nonsense asian. It's not too fancy and actually about the same price as a standard men's barber shop, but with much better consistency. My advice--pay the extra couple bucks, and look your best. read more

I am new to the area and this salon is close to work. I like it because the cost is average and Helen (the owner) does a good job. I usually get a shampoo and blow dry for $20. The wash is nice, they shampoo twice and massage the scalp every time. I don't require anything fancy but Helen usually adds to hot tool and always leaves my hair beautiful. At this cost, it's easy to return. Helen speaks English so we can communicate well. But the other employees seem to stick with the Chinese language. I have also had a deep conditioning treatment for $35. read more

Imagine Hair Salon - See my review. - Hair Salons Near Me - Mountain View, California

I've been here several times (at least 4 times!) so I think I should really write a review for them..... (sorry for slacking off!) What I appreciate the most from this salon is that the service is fairly quick, I don't think I ever has to wait to get a haircut... I've got a haircut with a couple of different stylists (a guy and a young woman), I think there is another person there too but I don't think I've had that person cut my hair (schedule didn't match). They don't always wash your hair, so if you want them to, you should tell them you want a wash... I usually just show them the style I want from pinterest and they will try to mimic the style. I never had a bad experience and always happy with the result. The only thing though, it seems like they tend to cut one side slightly longer than another ahahahah, so do speak up and they'll fix and adjust it for you :). The last time I went (about weeks ago), I paid $28 for a haircut....not a bad deal at all! In fact, perhaps one of the most economical around here...(and that's also the reason I've been going there lately :)). I don't normally make an appointment and just walk in, but if you have a preference as to which stylist you want and a set time frame, you can call for an appointment. read more

Helen has been cutting my hair since college. I graduated in 2003, so you can do the math. Since moving away from the area, I've gotten cuts from other people and I still keep coming back to Helen whenever I can make the drive to Mountain View. She always does the best job and is better than much pricier cuts that I've received. read more

My daughter and I have been coming here for over 20 years. Helen just highlighted my daughter's hair exactly the way she wanted it. Wash, cut and perm in under 2 hours. She was treated like royalty!! Prices are reasonable for such great professional services. read more

I've been thinking if I should leave a review for this place since my experience has been fairly negative but the salon operators (elderly Asian man and a lady) seemed like they might not be able to get feedback from my review here. But maybe it helps somehow so here it goes - I've come here for my hair cut twice in a row. The first time I came here I was not really happy with my haircut but it was bearable and to be honest i soon forgot about it. However, I recently made the mistake of coming again and got such a bad haircut that I have made a promise to myself to never come back again. I showed pictures of what I want and explained it. That usually works at most other salons. The lady who did my hair said yes she understands it but trust me when I say it - I am completely baffled how a professional hairdresser can give this haircut. The attempts I've made at cutting my own hair six times during COVID have been a lot better ‍ read more

This isn't a review for the entire shop, but just for the hair stylist had today, Stanley. Basically, I walked in today with the intention of getting my hair cut. The last time I got a hair cut was a year ago, and had happened to get Ligen, who did a fabulous job (I remember walking out of there very satisfied). However, today, walking in, I didn't recall what her name was (I know, should have checked Yelp before hand), and didn't see her in the shop. However, since I figured I needed a haircut anyway, I just went with Stanley, who was available. It was just a basic cut, layered hair that doesn't look too short (I have very thick, heavy hair), and overall it was an okay cut. Nothing that I will go home crying about, but also nothing that leaves me satisfied. I still miss my long hair, and can't wait till this hair cut grows out. Next time though, I'll remember to find Ligen! Edit: Now that it's been a few days and I'm accustomed to my hair cut, I would say that it's actually quite a good/decent hair cut. I guess I was just a bit jarred by the initial change. read more

I'm going to add to the chorus of voices: Ligen++, Helen++. This review has been a long time coming since I've been a patron for almost 10 years. I've been coming here since middle school for Ligen, the only person I trust with my hair. I'll have to give a shoutout to Helen, too, she did my sister's, mom's, and friend's hair a few times before and as far as I can tell is just as good! I prefer Ligen just because I've known her for a while. Since I've been coming to Ligen for so long, she knows just how my hair works and is never pushy with me, always giving me just the right trim. I don't like to do drastic hairstyles so I come in maybe every few months to cut off my split ends and relayer my hair and I always walk out feeling lighter than before. Before Ligen, I hated getting haircuts because I felt that my stylists always did a terrible job and I could not understand for the life of me why anyone would enjoy getting a haircut. Thankfully, Ligen opened my eyes. The only time she has messed up my hair was when there was a miscommunication and she cut my bangs to my eyebrows instead of my eyelashes like I asked, but she did not charge me for the mistake and I still keep coming back! More recently, I tried going to another stylist at a very high end salon (Julian Chase) to get my hair cut since I'd been going to Ligen for so long, and they completely botched my hair. I came to Ligen and she quickly fixed it in no time, making me love my hair again :) In all the years I've been here, they've only raised their prices once, and it's still much cheaper than a haircut anywhere else and of much higher quality. I don't think I'm going to be changing stylists anytime soon. read more

Paul takes a nap in the middle of a slow day in March. Paul gets up and obliges a customer who needs a cut. Paul is relatively tall. Paul seems surprised at how much hair the customer wants chopped but shrugs and proceeds. Paul takes calls on his cell, interrupting the trimming. Paul sounds agitated and yelly on the phone, but Cantonese almost always sounds that way to me. Paul resumes the hair cut then stops again. Paul makes a call on his cell... more loud conversation. Paul seems to know his stuff, and is not scary or attacking with weird hair tools. Paul's pretty careful with the trim (which looks OK, even after several weeks). Paul forgot or doesn't know how to operate the credit card machine. Paul gets help from a staffer, speaking in Cantonese again. It's not a dialect I ever understood. In this case, I'm glad I don't. You know, so I can remain blissfully oblivious of the smack the staff must be talkin' of me and my hair. If I'm ever compelled to get a haircut here yet again, I'll avoid the pushy staffers and just go see Paul. read more

The owner is not nice. I got a haircut there a while ago. They are known to be pretty pushy with upsales, but the location was convenient to me. Anyway, when I walked out, I saw a black Jaguar backed into my car with his bumper sitting on top of mine, overlapping by about 4 inches. The driver was talking on his phone (without a headset), and trying to backup his car at the same time without even looking at his mirror. I called out to try to stop him but he was too busy with his phone. The driver happened to be the husband of the salon's manager and I was later told that he is the owner of Imagine salon. When he came out of his car, he took one glance at my bumper and proceeded to preach to me that "it's nothing". I looked at my bumper more closely and found there were a horizontal line of vertical scuff marks. They were very hard to see from more than 3 or 4 feet away but clearly visible when you inspect it closely. There was also a black scuff mark. When he saw me inspecting the bumper and deduced that I wasn't just going to let it go. He started raising his voice and now there were people starting to surround us on the street. Instead of just arguing with him, I asked for his driver license and insurance card. He started cursing at me and behaving fairly aggressively. His wife (the hair shop manager) came out at this point, and I took down his insurnace info. He was still yelling, saying I don't deserve to drive a Porsche if I cannot "take such a small thing." There is a puncture and lots of scratches all over the bumper of his fairly new Jaguar (obviously this guy is very reckless in parking). At this time, his employees started coming out to support him. I guess he felt braver at this point, and actually started turning around and accused me that I am responsible for the those damages on his bumper. And he even asked one of his barber girls to take picture of his car. He threatened me that if I call the insurance company for a claim, he will have his employees as witness, and they will say that I damaged his car. It was surreal, I felt like being in one of those Chow Yuen Fat movie being harassed by a bunch of mafia guys and their barber girls. On the other hand, his wife which seems a very nice person kept apologizing and said she will handle the damage. So I took my car to Mathew Carlsen Bodyworks (renowned body shop who does all my work) immediately. Tom at Mathew inspected it. I have some previous scheduled work to be done there, and Tom said he can take care of the front bumper for free while he does that job. So, I was glad this didn't cause me any monetary damage. I called the store and let the owner's wife know that they are off the hook as far as repair goes. The wife of this stupid jerk apologized to me again and said please don't cause any trouble. I did file a complaint on BBB's web site and received no response. But hair salon like this, I doubt that anyone would check BBB before going to a hair cut. Anyway, I know this is just a hair cut place. But if you care about what kind of people runs the place and where you bring your business, just thought this might be relevant info... read more

DON'T USE LILY. IF YOU ARE CHINESE, DON'T GO THERE JUST BECAUSE THEY SPEAK CHINESE. My girlfriend went there today and came back very angry, the hair came out completely off her expectation. She actually pointed out the exact style she wanted on a book there, this lady, Lily, about 40 - 50 years old, first criticized the cut on the book, and said something like this is not fit for your hair, blah blah blah, and just wanted to talk you into doing a perm. My gf accepted the suggestion and wanted big waves. She agreed but it came out as small waves. She also tried to sell hair highlights, my gf wanted something between orange and dark golden brown, she again disagreed, suggested wine red. My gf insisted this time and she agreed. but when it finished, highlights came out more like wine red than golden. This lady sounds very kind-hearted, appears very attentive, but she talked a bit imperatively like a teacher all the time, if you have a weak heart like my gf or you are embarrassed to argue with people, don't go. For the things she agreed with but that come out unexpected, she would insist that's actually what you want. for other things, she just makes suggestions to make things worse. This lady has totally no sense of style (for people under 30) and has this surprising ability to make you look like a mid-aged woman, whatever your age is. What's most important, SHE DOESN'T RESPECT YOUR REQUIREMENT AND JUDGEMENT. She looks like one's parents, feels kindhearted all the time, but actually only wants what THEY think is right, not you. After all, you are the one who's going to wear your hair!......Avoid her. read more

Thanks Fay！！！！ She is an amazing stylist !! She spent more than 3 hours on my hair. I really like her work on my hair. Price is reasonable read more

Imagine Hair Salon - Thanks Fay!!! she is amazing! I really like what she has done on my hair!! - Hair Salons Near Me - Mountain View, California

I used to go here all the time because my dad would take me when I was younger. Oh my god these chinese ladies are insane. They will not stop selling you stuff! They'll tell you your hair is dry, they'll tell you that you need some color, they'll tell you anything for your money! I've had some really bad haircuts here. It just turns out really fobby, I can't explain it any other way. Never went back once I grew up and knew better. read more

I usually go to Helen to get my hair cut. She's pretty nice, and is very knowledgable in hair styles. I just let her cut my hair however she feels, I don't really say what I particularly want since I normally just want my hair to be trimmed. She gives it a nice style and does it really quickly too. read more

I was with Helen for quite a few years. But since recent two years, she was pushing the add on items, even at the beginning I declined. First time she said my hair was dry and needs treatment, she did it without my consent, then charged extra $35. Second time, I started hair cut only, but she pushed hair color. This time, we started saying haircuts and hair color. She said I only need highlights, which includes root touch up, no need to color hair since my current hair color was too dark. She ended up charges both highlights and hair color, telling me she already waived conditioner fee. I am not sure how to decline paying the service we said no, but she still did. especially this time I didn't even know which part is hair color, or why conditiner is charged separately. If you are ok with paying extra for her overall polite service. Just ignore the is review. If you are not comfortable about this style of adding service and being charged more than expected, be better alert. I may not return to her place any more. read more

If you are looking for a hair stylist who doesn't try to rip you off, go for Ligen. Tell her exactly what you are looking for and she will make your dream come true. She will not sell you something you don't need which is awesome. Thumbs up for Ligen! read more

I absolutely ADORE Li-Gen [pronounced "Lee-Jenn"], my stylist and friend... I have been blessed to know this awesome female before she became the fantastic "shear" master she is, and her style is definitely different than the other women that work at this particular salon. She thinned out my thick mane so that it was manageable again - my hair grows pretty fast, and it's always so hard to style when full because my curls go limp from all the weight. After she works her magic, my hair has bounce and body again, with the delicate layers I oh-so-covet each time I am ready to make an appointment with her. She's fairly new here, and it's her first permanent chair at a salon since graduating from the world of beauty school, and I totally see her working elsewhere more worthy of her style... but she takes whatever experience she can get and takes her time with you in her chair, unlike other stylists that rush through the job, doing the bare minimum. ATTN GUYS: diggin' that J-Rock or Chinese pop-star hairstyle, she is the PERFECT person to go to. I referred my guy friend there after his friend moved to China [the one that cut his hair] and he loved it. She got his hair to naturally stand on its ends with the volume he was seeking. He loved her cut so much, he referred two more of his friends to her, and they're all happily continuing their loyal patronage to Li-Gen. The pricing isn't too bad, versus upscale salons that charge for the ambiance and atmosphere. The ratings for this place are low... but I know better than to go to any other stylist. I only go here for Li-Gen. As for the gossipy ladies... I'm used to it. It's really no biggie once you become accustomed to nail salons, hair salons, etc... Do not come in here expecting to be waited on hand and foot - it is an Asian salon, with the loud and boisturous gossiping one would find at any other typical neighborhood salon, but for the prices you get for a cut - it's worth it. Li-Gen works every day but Thursdays, so call in and make an appointment! Bring a photo in to minimize the amount of communication necessary to get the cut you want, and you'll be pleased with what you come out with. Try the ramen place next door afterwards too, it's pretty awesome...! read more

Several years later, I am still getting my haircuts every 3 months from Helen- the owner. In fact, I regularly get compliments from my short, pixie haircut from both boys and girls. Helen spends so much care and attention. She easily spends 30 minutes perfecting the frayed uneven look. Even though now I've moved to San Francisco, I make the 2 hour roundtrip drive for her. read more

I did the hair treatment here for $55(not included tax yet). The result is good and the stylists here are friendly, too.

Summary: Horrible Pushy Rude service. Never go again. Details: My work is around the corner. I went there to get a perm once. To avoid having to use my horrible Chinese, I just let them believe that I just don't know the language well enough. Instead of speaking to me in English, they ignore all my requests that they don't want to do. Furthermore, they talk !@#$ about their customers in Chinese behind their backs. For example, I asked them if they do facials while she was washing my hair. The lady turns around and tells her coworker in Chinese that she just does not want to do a facial. She ignores my question altogether, pretends she doesn't even hear me, then flashes an evil smile at me. Instead of telling me that the solution she used on me was "more expensive" she told me it was "good" not differentiating that there was an alternative "cheaper/bad". So, I ended up having to pay $85 for a perm. She also rushed me to get highlights on the same night! of the perm! (horrible for your hair) After my perm, I also did a hot oil treatment in case it fried my hair. Well, it didnt work. My hair looks like Edward Scissorhands. I went back a week later to try to find something I can use to restore my hair. 1. The guy at the counter tells me I need to cut off my hair because it is fried 2. He recommends hot oil treatment which I already did and 3. When he didnt understand what I meant when I asked him "Can you cut my hair for FREE because I was just here last week and you guys didnt cut it right?" He brought over a translator who immediately turns to him and says in Chinese "I suggest that you do not deal with this customer." read more

My hair stylist was Helen (she might be the manager/owner not sure though) who did a really good job with my hair, I love my new bangs. She also did exactly what I asked: side swept bangs + light trim and long layers in the back. She didn't try to sell me any products, but did ask if I was interested in deep conditioning, I said not today and she didn't push me at all which is very good compared to other stylists I've had. I really don't know why there aren't more positive reviews on Yelp, I really think they deserve higher ratings, at least Helen definitely does. As far as the cost is concerned, she charged me $25 for wash and cut which is very reasonable. I've been to 2 other salons in Mountain View that charged me about $50 which is way more than I am willing to pay for a simple hair cut. Overall, a great experience with Helen today. read more

Imagine Hair Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Mountain View, California

I SHOULD HAVE READ THE YELP REVIEWS. 1. Do not let Lily cut your hair. 2. I believe everyone else when they say that these ladies are way too pushy-- they want your money! 3. I, too, fell for the hot oil treatment -- partly because I didn't really understand her Never before have I felt so vulnerable and preyed-on than in that hair salon. I'm never going back. read more

I'm a fan of Ligen's. Not only does she snip with precision and deftness, she's candid about what will and will not work with my hair. And not least, a cut is $21 ($25 with shampoo). The digital perm wasn't as good as the one I got in Taiwan, and highlights seem as pricey as a $50 haircut salon, but every haircut I've gotten from Ligen has been on point. And I rarely have to explain further than "cut shorter" before submitting to her capable hands. And I'm in and out in less than 30 min which is sometimes sad because we always have so much to chat about, and she cracks me up so much. And my mom, who is super-picky and hard to please, has nothing to complain about after visiting Ligen. And now I want blonde hair like hers. That's a lot of "ands." So, I'll just say this: if you have straight hair that grows fast enough to require periodic trims, why would you go anywhere else? read more

I have a love and hate relationship with this place. Where should I start. This is one of those chinese hair salons that supposedly will know how to style hair better than the american ones for asian women. Also all the stylists are from taiwan/china and they make no bones about speaking in whatever local language they feel like while you are there. So make sure you know what to expect when you get in there. It doesn't bother me too much as I am chinese and from Shanghai, but it did bother my friend who went there. They often also break out whatever food/snacks they been having and sometimes you can smell everything when you are there... so just heads up! If you are chinese, they will try to start up a silly conversation, but all stylists do that, so it's not a big deal. Now that's out of the way, the actual styling ranges from so so to very good. I have very thin hair, and they manage to do a good job of shearing and bodifying my hair to make it look like I have more. The thing that keeps bugging me is they will push for their products so hard that it makes you uncomfortable. I mean I know most hair salons make money from doing that, recommending certain brands of products, but for me, after indicating no 5 times to a root perm or ultra grade conditioner, they should know to back off. Sometimes I get suckered into their services because I am way too tired to argue or tell them I don't want one. (This is also very standard chinese tactic for pushing a product onto someone) In summary- I like the way they do my hair most of the time, I have good experiences with several stylists there who knows how to style asian womens hair better than the american salons. But their service/attitude at times are very traditional taiwanesely annoying. Also the whole "how you look when you walk in, how much bling/style you have" translates into how they will treat you holds true here as well, even if it's on a more understated level. For men though, I think this is a safe bet place to go to, if you don't mind paying slightly more. read more

I used to visit this place several times a year, but I regret the last time I visited on may 31, 2021 Memorial Day I will never forget! I went to get my hair straightened by a lady who promised she'll do so good! I'm not going to name her. I straightened my hair once a year, yes, my hair wouldnt turn out great as others because of my dry hair condition but satisfactory! This time, this last totally ruined my hair (very sticky after the wash, falling hair like crazy, extremely damaged, you name the worse condition, I got it!) I had to revive my hair condition back yo normal that I had to google n visit expensive salons for treatment! They were so shocked to see my hair' I'm still going under hair treatment spending extra dollars! That lady charged $240.00 for ruining my hair! I see no point in arguing because I won't get my hair back! Don't want to make a scene! Never got a chance you write my experience to save others! But today I had to make sure customers should know & thick twice before the go there! I'm still REGRETTING SO MUCH ABOUT THAT DAY WISHING I HAVE NEVER VISITED THAT IMAGINE HAIR SALON IN RANCH 99!! I've given my honest reviews today in the middle of my busy schedule to save others! Bit late to post but nevertheless, too late! Thank you! read more

I wonder how they survive their business with all these negative reviews and angry customers. I actually didn't get to read the reviews before I went, I just heard that it's cheaper there and since I only wanted a trim, to cut the split ends of my hair, I didn't want to spend more than $30 on it. Their cut price is $21 which sounded reasonable. Of course they gave me Lily, maybe b/c she's idle or something. The first she suggested was to wash my hair, I almost went for it except that I did ask "is this covered within $21?", the answer is "No". I declined the hair wash, then she sat me down and started suggesting that I need to get hair treatment b/c my hair was so dry, blah blah blah, I kindly declined b/c I knew she was just trying to make more money. The cut was alright, I can't tell the differences, I don't think she did anything with layering my hair (even though I asked her to), except that the ends were cut, but I think anyone could've done it with the way she did it, simply using a scissor and cut the ends. Of course after the cut, they were trying to sell me their products. I did end up buying a couple bottles of shampoo and conditioner there but they changed me 10% taxes on it, I asked "isn't tax 9. something?", one of the ladies yelled out "it's 9.75%!", I didn't want to argue w/ them about the 10% taxes although I thought the whole thing was shady, it's not about the dollar, but more about the ethics or honesty. The place seemed shady. I definitely wouldn't go back there again. read more

If you have aspirations to be a Korean pop-star, all you need to know is one word (well, name): Ligen. I first came here 8 years ago as a new California transplant not knowing what to expect. After my family came to visit my new digs (aka a studio apartment the size of a walk-in closet), my mother admonished me for looking like I had just slapped a mop on my head, which apparently wasn't quite in line with the young techie hipster look. So I went to the closest hair place to where I lived. Luckily for me, Imagine was within a mile, and luckily for me, Ligen was my first. I guess you're supposed to flip through the magazines on the table and figure out what kind of style you want, but for some reason, I was feeling adventurous (yes, my idea of adventurous is quite out there, I know). So mustering all the swagger I could, I sat down and told her to do "whatever." 15 minutes later, I swear I could have been the poster child for extreme makeovers. In that span of time, Ligen had transformed me from Steve Urkel-nerdy to Harold (and Kumar)-nerdy. How amazing is that?? Nearly a decade later, I still go back (before or after trips to see my parents) and simply tell her to either give me a "cut" or a "trim" depending on the stage of growth I'm in, and off she goes. read more

What a good laugh I had at all the yelp reviews! I am a white guy with Asian wife, and have been coming here for 22 years. I love this place. You just walk in, ask for a haircut and they will squeeze you in fast. Helps to call first to see if they are backed up. I always walk out with a nice haircut, though I am not super critical. But other people compliment me on my haircuts. I am one of those people who who does not want to waste a big chunk of his life on haircut anxiety, appointments, etc. And they have always delivered -- fast, pleasant, and reliable. - and reasonable price. My wife likes it too. Mostly for the same reasons. She is a busy professional woman and does not worry about the chit-chat in Cantonese. The very ethnic Chinese ambience she finds actually quite entertaining. Once we had a wedding to go to and they came in early just for us, to do my wife, in-law's, and daughter's hair and makeup. As for selling you this or that in addition to the basic services, that's just business. Most places I have been to try to do the same. They have a very nice and very ethnic seamstress in the back, and you can drop off a garment for alterations and pick it up at the next visit. "Amy Fashion House". Counting is all she can do in English. Prices are good but not bargain. Dan read more

Yep. Gonna top those who left reviews for ligen. She's kind hearted, skillful, and not pushy at all. She explains why you need a trim or why she cut it this way. After my haircut I recommended my coworker to go, and her hairstyle is so much better now too. Always read all reviews and see why there were lower stars, any hair salon you always want to hear other people's recommendations. And I was really lucky because I got Ligen by walking in before yelping... read more

I love the way my haircut was done. The man who cut it did a good job and he was so nice. The salon looked clean all very professional. The only reason I gave it 4 stars was because one side was longer than the other and I had to walk back to get it fixed. When I went back another lady cut it for me but she didn't really seem that friendly so I felt kind of awkward and I felt like I was being a bother. When she was done she just walked away and didn't say anything to me. But other than that it was a good haircut. read more

Imagine Hair Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Mountain View, California

I came in to get a haircut with Li-gen this morning and she was so fast and precise! I told her the length I wanted and how I wanted, and she also gave me some suggestions on how she was going to cut it as well and I love my hair! Will definitely be coming back to her for trims in the future! read more

I've been coming here for quite a few years already, and have seen a lot of hairdressers come and go. Most of the people are not so great, but that's true with a lot of hair salons. You're here to hear about who is best at what they do here. So here goes. If you're a woman, you probably want to get a haircut from Helen or Ligen (Li-Gen? just say lee-jen and people will know what you're talking about) because they've been there the longest (Helen is the owner/manager) and they're always very popular. From what I understand these two do the hair for the girls who are competing in the Miss Chinatown in SF this year in Feb (2013). However, since I'm a guy, my standards are a bit lower but I still want someone who knows what they're doing. My recommendation is to ask for Hannah, but she only works on the weekends. From my experience, she is one of the more meticulous hair dressers that work there. A lot of the time when I get my hair cut by other people, they always miss a few areas and leave multiple strands of hair uncut, or they don't fade the sides properly. Nothing drives me crazier than getting home and seeing a staircase of hair on the back of my head. I don't think I have ever been unsatisfied with a haircut from Hannah, and I think (at least for all the guys out there) no one else will either. I like attention to detail when it comes to my haircuts, and that's what she provides. Just make sure you call ahead of time to see if she's there, and also be sure to request her at the door (otherwise someone else is going to try to snag your business) read more

ok, one should *read* yelp before one goes to a hair salon. I walked into this one because it was close by and I needed my hair styled for a friend's wedding that day. To be fair, I think they can do guy's hair fine, but if you are a girl, DO NOT go there! I open to a magazine and points to exactly the hair style I want, (I already have had this style for some time at other salons, so I know exactly what I want)... and it turns out -=----NOTHING like the magazine hair cut!!! the stylist does a very quick chop chop chop without even talking to me for a full minute to decide what my preferences are, turns out my hair is too short and she cut way too much layers into it.. and I asked my hair to be curled at the end, the way she did such multiple short layers, it makes it impossible to get the actual style I wanted... she turned me around during the cut because obviously I was telling her too much about exactly what I wanted, and at the end when she turned me to the mirror, I almost burst out in tears!! she made me look like I have a messy mop on my head, nothing like the big airy curls in the magazines, and it was MUCH worse than what I had walked into the salon with!!! at the end, I walked out paying for the exact hair cut bill without a tip, and I think she knows that I was *EXTREMELY* unhappy about the hair cut and style! [[ in retrospect, the hairstylist should have communicated with me about what I want instead of going ahead to just chop and cut... the hair style is not as bad as I initially teared up for, thus I am moving it up to 2 stars .]] read more

I would recommend this as a last resort, you know like if I was stranded on Gilligan's Island and it was the only place around. It was also very reasonably priced. When it takes a hairdresser longer to shampoo your hair than to actually style it, this may be a clue. Although everyone there was very pleasant, the actual hair style I received was mediocre, something I could have done myself. Sorry, but this experience lacked lustre for me (pun intended). read more

I'm all about the cheap haircuts. Been going to the same place in Cupertino for over a decade... $10-15. Last weekend my hair was feeling long but living in Mountain View, I was way too lazy to drive all the way down to Cupertino.. especially with those crazy gas prices. Yelp recommended all these crazy $80 places, waaay outside my hair budget (hair budget?). I didn't want to get devastated with a Supercuts bowl-cut though. So, I asked around and apparently my friend (a girl) has been driving up to Imagine forever. Since I haven't gotten my haircut at that many places, this won't be the best comparison in the world, but: - Was nice getting my hair washed before and after the haircut. No little hairs getting everywhere afterward. My other place didn't do this. - I know some people love to gab while getting their hair cut but I prefer to just sit back quietly during the process. My stylist gaged this well and didn't talk too much though she did trash-talk my hair for a little bit but gave some good tips on how I could make it spiffier. Useful advice. She did try to upsell me but what do you expect. - About $20... not bad. read more

Both me and my boyfriend get our hair cut by Ligen. We now have cool hair for an awesome price. She's a cool, talented chick who knows what she's doing. Again, my review is strictly for Ligen (pronounced Legion). For anyone else, enter at your own risk. read more

I used to like this. But today I came here, a lady quickly cut my hair roughly within about ten mins. Still charged the same, 24 bucks. Tips are in cash and separate. She did not want to take care of my hair at all, just wanted to finish it quickly. So bad. Not worth it. Will never go back again. read more

Wow, I don't know where to start. I've been going to American Male Salon in Mountain View for over year and I have been content with the job that they do. I recently lost a job and decided to try out Imagine Hair Salon to save some money. The haircut I got there was excellent! I'd say its better than the haircuts I got from American Male. The place is pretty organized and clean and they have a nice plasma screen TV on the wall. I would recommend this place to everyone. I am not quite sure why this place got some 1 star reviews. Maybe they didn't get the right hair dresser. ASK FOR HELEN! I plan to start going to this place regularly. I am not a big fan of tapioca tea drinks, but there is one right across the street so you can order a drink, have a haircut, and enjoy. read more

This place is the worst! Do not go here! I went here for a facial in some dingy back room with their facial person. She picked at a benign lesion on my face with a sharp object and caused permanent scarring and pigmentation. I had to go to my dermatologist and get the lesion removed. It has still not healed and likely will not. Please for your own safety, do not go to this place!!! read more