Great guy the barber. Great hair cut in no time. I love that he cleans your hair with a vacuum cleaner afterwards. Strongly recommend read more

Terrible haircut. Do not go here. I only asked for a lineup as I was growing out my hair and beard. Barber took the clippers unguarded to shape up my beard and gave me multiple bald patches I have to go straight to another haircut to fix this now. He began working on my head with scissors and I had to tell him to stop before he did any more damage. read more

Lee's Barber Shop - Barbers Near Me - Oakland, California

Mr. Lee is very efficient and seldom requires any wait. I've had my hair cut by him about seven times now and highly recommend him for a consistent cut and at a very economical price!! read more

Walked in. Short wait. Oddly plenty of street parking. Great price of $18 as of 08/2023. The process was fast and efficient. Resulted in a haircut on par with other places double the price. So I left a big tip. The chair is one of the most comfortable chairs over sat in while getting a haircut. Waiting chairs are also nice with those old school wooden bead massagers on them. Decor felt very old school Korean. I brought back memories. Will return. read more

After three visits, no problems. I specify my haircut, and then he gets to work. Wet down your hair, scissor cut and then the clippers. And if have short hair like me and look like a toilet brush after getting a hair cut, he will slap down some hair gel to make you look normal. Not much for talking but not a problem for me. I have noticed that he will use your right shoulder as a brace as he walks around you. Same for the vacuum, that vacuum will be stuck on your head, and he walks around you and then clean the rest of you up. Kinda funny actually. You can't bet the price and he is two blocks from my work. I have gone there during lunch and it's a quick 20 minute turn around. read more

Solid choice for a quick, simple, and inexpensive men's haircut in Oakland Chinatown! We walked in on a Monday afternoon without an appointment and were out of there in 15 minutes. Mr. Lee is quick and does a solid job. Like others noted, he's not much a talker, but he is still welcoming and I thought the quiet was nice. Could see communication being difficult if you want something specific and don't speak Chinese though. The bf normally cuts his hair at Supercuts (much to my dismay). This was quicker, cheaper ($14 pre-tip), and looks better. Seems he can cut hair on men of all races, as the Asian owner cut my Jewish boyfriend's wavy hair with no problems and saw a black client after we left. I'm not sure how he fares on fancy cuts since the bf didn't get one. I recommend Lee's for a simple, quick cut though! read more

Lee's Barber Shop - The shop - Barbers Near Me - Oakland, California

Mr. Lee is very efficient, though he can be a little ham-handed when moving your head around to use his clippers. For the price, I can take a little neck-bending. One thing, however: he is definitely NOT, repeat NOT there til 6:30 everyday. At least not on Saturdays. Another person who I think was also a barber was sitting in there talking on his phone. He said Mr. Lee had left. It was 5:05. I asked him when he "usually leaves", and he replied that Mr. Lee leaves around "4:45, 5 o'clock." Qualify that to mean Saturday or the whole week as you will, but I wouldn't bother. I will be going back again next week, but definitely earlier! read more

I asked for a 5 on top and 0 on the sides, what I ended with was what seemed like a 1 on top and 1 on the sides. It feels like a bowl cut. I was also given the experience of having my whole head vacuumed, I don't even know if he cleans other stuff with it... The barber was a nice Korean fellow, but had bad breath and touched my eye during the cut. Worse haircut experience of my life. I felt like I was paying to get tortured. read more

Lee's Barber Shop - Bad haircut - Barbers Near Me - Oakland, California

Let's be honest: most men want a cheap, no-thrills cuts. No complimentary beers, no bromance-in-progress with your barber, just a damn cut and nothing else. And that is exactly what Lee's Barber Shop offers at just $14. That said, Mr. Lee is kinda in his own zone. You might tell him to do this & that but someway along the way he'll just go on autopilot, and out of nowhere your top that was not meant to be touched is trimmed, or your beard line is getting cleaned up. Or worse, he stars shaving the invisible hairs on your ears... You better believe it. In other words; don't close your eyes, be alert and communicate with him when he doesn't listen. read more

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STAY AWAY FROM THIS BARBERSHOP! This man is not a real barber, he messed up my lineup. It was so bad that I had to go to another barber right after! THIS IS A SCAM! STAY AWAY!!! read more

Jesus mang, apparently shorter but not too short mean super short-buzz cut to him on my side, but thankfully the word medium to him didn't made my top too short. Now I look like one of those hippie with short-no hair on the side and long in the middle. Jesus I never know how to communicate with hair people. Gave him $20, didn't bother gave me change, just assumed the rest was tip lol. But one good thing from this place is every head is about 10-15 minutes max, so it super fast. I would say that this is not a place for an Asian guy hair cut or if you want your hair NOT TOO SHORT!!! read more

I really enjoy the local feel of Lee's - a man truly masterful at his craft. This barber shop is a local business that deserves the support of local patrons. Everything you read in the reviews is true: Mr. Lee doesn't talk much as he focuses on your cut. He uses a vacuum to clear loose hair on your head after the cut. There were a couple of tense moments where I wasn't sure I understood what he was doing with the thinning sheers on my head... BUT, then he finished, put in product and I was beaming. Over the last couple of years I have appreciated more and more local business. This is someone's American Dream in action which may sound trite, but it's true. 4 Star rating for awesome cut. Wish there was a little more clearer communication at the beginning but the ending paid off. A standard barber cut is $14, with a good tip you're at $20. Check it out and please help invest in Oakland. read more

I never like to give any reviews but I'm very upset with the haircut result! I was desperate in looking for a location nearby early morning since my usual barber spot wasn't open and found this location that was the closest. I told him I wanted skin fade on the side and a little bit of a cut at the top but for some weird reason he spends majority of the time cutting the top of my hair and less on the sides and barely trim the sides when I specifically said A LITTLE BIT ON THE TOP AND MORE ON THE SIDES and when I ask if the sides can be trim more he said no for whatever reason that I couldn't hear Wow really!? The sides are uneven I had to cut the spots that were sticking out myself when I got home. This would be the first and last time I'm getting a cut from this place I would not recommend this place to anyone especially if you're a young man trying to get a hair fade. This isn't the kinda place to get faded It's terrible to the point that I wish my hair would grow back faster read more

Lee's Barber Shop - Barbers Near Me - Oakland, California

Catastrophic failure. I asked for a standard fade. Showed the man a picture. He says alright. I sit and close my eyes. Let him work. I thought he was halfway when he said he was done. I told him he'd hardly cut my hair. He says ok I sit back down and he takes the thinning shears and just goes over my whole damn head. All willynilly. No variation in length. My head looks bloated. AND HE INEXPLICABLY TRIMMED JUST ONE SIDE OF MY BEARD!!!! Avoid. Avoid. Avoid. read more

Unfortunately I didn't listen to all the review warning against going to this barber shop. I showed Mr. Lee a very simple haircut and gave him multiple pictures to confirm. It was a very simple fade on the sides and shortening of the top. Not even a few minutes into the haircut, a Korean family shows up and he drops everything to go talk with them. When he wasn't distracted by Korean customers, he was constantly glancing at the TV and not really paying attention to cutting my hair. It felt extremely rushed and he didn't even get the haircut right. When he was reaching for the vacuum, he only trimmed my sides when I specifically asked and showed him pictures of a fade. I was thoroughly disappointed and regret that I didn't listen to the other reviews. On the topic of the vacuum, I'm not a very big fan. He basically places the suction tube on the skin and moves it around areas of the head, but he leaves the tube on the top right corner of the head for some reason and it felt very uncomfortable. Read the reviews carefully. read more

Just got me a haircut. Not the most desirable area, but I've been to worse. What you do get is a no frills, no chit chat cheap haircut. $14. Walked out with a decent cut. Quick, but not rushed. Im not sure if the no chi chat is due to barbers lack of English, buf it works. Nothing else really to say. Bye. read more

Just like others said, the barber doesn't speak/communicate much, so you are not getting exactly what you want. It's cheap, that's the only benefit in my opinion. read more

Lee was the best barber I ever found in the area. The cuts are good, cheap, fast, and I was disappointed to lose this option when I moved to Hawaii. Still haven't found a good barber here. read more

Lee's Barber Shop - One of the best photos I've ever taken with my iPhone. - Barbers Near Me - Oakland, California

Great cut for a great price. He doesn't speak much and that's honestly what I prefer at the end of a long day. I love the hair vacuuming. Highlight of my day. read more

I've had Mr. Lee cut my hair around half a dozen times and they were always mediocre at best. I mostly tolerated them because his location was convenient for me. However, my most recent haircut was just terrible. He basically rushed through my haircut so that he could give a haircut to one of his friends who showed up after me. Not a fair way to treat your customers, but he strikes me as someone who doesn't care about that. Never going back! read more

Great haircut for an affordable price. Not fancy but terrific value. As others have noted, the proprietor isn't the talkative type. I found this trait refreshing--instead of inane chatter, patrons should expect peaceful quiet and an efficient haircut. Also, a very clean shop. I found the vacuum finish to be unexpected and delightful. Excellent way to remove those itchy bits of hair that never quite seem to come out without a shower. read more

Don't go in here unless you want a simple haircut. He won't take your input at all. I walked in and showed him a picture of what I wanted and he said yes yes yes he can do it. He proceeded to do the side short and top trim haircut. Which is somewhat what I wanted, I wanted the sides even shorter, but I really didn't get a chance to give him my input. Before I knew it he was vacuuming my head and it was over. And I didn't want to ask him to keep going after he had started cleaning up which happened without him even asking me if I liked the cut. Unless you want a quick easy and solid (which is why I give him two stars) side short and top trim then dont go here. He won't take any of your input and forget about getting a specific or special haircut. Another note is he trimmed my beard shorter and I didn't ask him to do that at all. He didn't even check with me first and by the time he did it out was too late. Had to match both sides of the beard. read more

Definitely not for everyone.. but good enough for most people. It's a strange experience to walk in, not say a word to the barber besides hello, get your hair cut, all the while wondering what the shopvac in front of you is for.. "Oh that's probably a good way to suck the hair off the chair after he's done so that he doesn't have to sweep." Nope that shopvac is for your head and face.. it's strangely exhilarating. It would just be a little awkward if your friend was walking by and saw someone running a vacuum cleaner over your head. Unless you're one of my friends, in which case it's pretty par for the course. read more

This place is awesome, Lee really took his time and gave me an awesome cut and beard trim for $25. He has great style and flair, and is what I would consider a hair sculptor. The decor is outdated but charming. The clippers have a certain rattle and patina that comes with age. I never go to the same place twice anymore, and I usually tell the person to do whatever they want, so I have a lot of experience with Bay area and upstate NY hair places... I strongly recommend Lee's. read more

I've been coming to Mr. Lee for about 6 years now. A no-nonsense kind of guy that gets the job done with as little time as possible. The reason Mr. Lee can charge so little is that he doesn't need to do any of that frivolous stuff that other barbers do that could possible make them more money. He just gets down to the task at hand, "Wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am" kind of deal. Whenever I get my haircut done, there's this picture of a dude with a faux hawk on top of the mirror, in front of the barber's chair. I just point to it and he understands, like the pro that he is. I must say though, as what other Yelpers have been mentioning: He does use that vacuum to suck up the cut up hair from your head. It doesn't completely rid you of it, but which I will confess fells pretty good. Although he should definitely refrain from sticking that vacuum from my ears and keep it as far away as possible, lest I go completely deaf. Overall, if you want a cheap, quick and decent haircut, go to Mr. Lee. read more

Walked in on a whim, got a great trim, had my whole head vacuumed, which was exciting. Would go again.

Love this place. I really do. In and out in under ten minutes. No unnecessary chit chat, just a number one buzz cut for a mere $14 and that's that. The use of the vacuum to suction up hair is a hoot and rather relaxing. It's closer to home than the other place I've been going for over ten years and charges a tad more but it's so worth it. The other place costs less but the barber there prattles on and on and on about the same stuff every time I go in and I just can't take it anymore. VERY MUCH appreciate the silence and the fast service. This is my barber now. read more

Lee's Barber shop is an experience I'll never forget. Having most of the Barber shops closed on Chinese New Year, I had to find an alternative. When I searched all around Chinatown, I found this place not too far from it. He was very welcoming, cut with minimal direction, and finished the cut really quickly. I'll always remember the vacuum to clean the small pieces. It was a fair $14 price. read more

Lee didn't listen to instructions and was in a hurry to get me out of my seat to seat the next customer. Not sure if others have had a similar experience, but he gave me an uneven haircut and after repeated requests to trim them both evenly, he kept saying "that's okay, that's okay". Easily worst haircut I've ever gotten. read more

Nice guy, but he jacked up my hair. Now I have to go back to work with an uneven fade.

Great experience here. Sat down. Got my haircut, and it was simple but quick. Like Robert H. said, Mr. Lee wasn't much of a talker. He just cut my hair. Was easy. But bring cash. No ATM or credit. read more

Quick, convenient, affordable. This is not a trendy hipster barbershop, so if you need that kind of validation look elsewhere. If you're just a regular joe, looking for a quick downtown cut--this is the spot. Bring cash, and an understanding that English is not Lee's first language. Solid value, plus you get the old timey experience of having a vintage vacuum cleaner suctioned to your head, neck, and ears. read more

Sometimes a bit less than perfect cut but good enough to pass. Mr. Lee is fast, neat and the vacuum experience is a must have. Weird but it makes sense for getting those hairs off your head that might otherwise itch you all day when they find their way to your collar. As others have noted, he speaks little English, co not the place to come shoot the breeze about the A's, your kids, etc. unless you are conversant in Korean. All in all a good experience. read more

Be warned, Mr. Lee will use a #2 guard that is really a #1 and his english is broken so it was hard to gauge if he understood what I wanted. I ended up leaving with a shorter hair do than I was accustomed with but gave him a upstar for his ingenious use of a vacuum to clean the hairs off your head and face! I was confused and exhilarated at the same time. read more

that vacuum! man, what an experience. love how old Mr. Barber doesn't really speak besides muttering a few English words to confirm that you want Part A 'short' and Part B 'trimmed'. I normally defer to barbers to pick how they should cut my hair so that totally worked out. $14 without tip. great deal. read more

Don't go here! He seriously messed up my head. I got a call for an interview on Monday and I needed a cut. Most barbers are closed on Monday but Lee's was open so I went there. Didn't seem like he spoke much english, I told him I wanted a fade and he said ok. Thats all he ever said. Not only was the fade not even, at my temples one side was half an inch when my other was almost an inch, he majorly F'd up my beard which I've had for 8 years. So much so that I had to shave it off and go into my interview with a tanline on my face since the bottom half hasn't seen much sun in years. SUPER PISSED. read more

Mr. Lee has been cutting my hair for over 20 years. He is not very communicative, but the price is right ($14) and he is quick and competent. It will be a sad day when he retires. And love the vacuuming after the cut. I can't speak for those with complex or bountiful hair - he may be best for those with simple needs. Give him a try, you won't regret it. read more

Mr. Lee still there. I now work close by and wandered in for a haircut. Didn't realize I was in the same place until I noticed the shopvac next to the mirror in front of me. Felt like a little kid, anticipating the vacuuming of my noggin after the cut. $14 for a cut and vacuum! read more

If you're unfussy this is an awesome option. I feel fortunate to work near Lee and be able to run over for a quick haircut at lunch. His use of the vacuum makes the experience for me. I find it massaging, and the method is the best at lessening the likelihood of me feeling itchy until I get home. read more

Mr. Lee is very rude. I told him to do a medium fade and when I saw that he was not doing what I told him, I told him to correct it. He got mad. He cut my hair in like two minutes and started vacuuming my head. I told him he was forgetting to trim the top, so he cut my hair in one minute and told me "no more, I cut two inches." I was unhappy, I didn't tip him because I left unsatisfied. There was a guy before me and Mr. Lee was rude. He snatched his phone away when the guy said he had a credit card and sent him to the liquor store to get change. That guy was unhappy too. I would never come back here. I should have waited a few more days to get to my usual barber but this place is a complete dump. Don't waste your money on this guy. The positive reviews are misleading! Beware! read more