When you go to M Matoi Hair Studio, the first impression you get is that this place is very clean and stylish. The studio is pretty big, and have a lot of stylists that work there. The waiting room at the front has an appropriate amount of chairs too. Both my girlfriend and her two sons goes to Leo Lieu to get their haircuts. Leo cuts and styles my boy's hair very well and stylish. He also cuts, colors, and styles my girlfriend's hair exquisitely. If you live in town, and you need to cut, and or style your hair...go to M Matoi Hair Studio. See Leo, or any stylist there. read more

M Matoi Hair Studio - Hair Salons Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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After coming here for a very long time (like when I was a kid!) I'm finally writing a review. Leo is the absolute BEST hair stylist and colorist! Besides the amazing head massages he gives when he shampoos my hair, he always cuts my hair perfectly each time. I usually show him a picture for inspiration and like magic he is able to cut my hair exactly how I envisioned it! When my hair grows out, it always looks great. He also does an amazing job with highlights. Occasionally when I do highlight my hair it always grows out so beautifully and naturally. People still notice many months after I initially highlighted my hair how nice it looks even though it's growing out! I always feel amazing (and like a new person) whenever Leo cuts my hair. read more

M. Matoi is located in the Imperial Plaza Building (Gold colored) on Kapiolani, which is the block next to the BMW Dealership and across the street from Yanagi Sushi. The salon is on the second floor. They do validate parking and the garage entrance is on the back side of the building. I've been seeing Leo for many years now and get my haircut every three weeks. He has a very busy schedule to definitely plan ahead and schedule an appointment in advance. Tip: they can schedule your appointments for the entire year. Just let them know your preference of days and times. They can print out your scheduled appointments for the year. Two days before your appointment, you get a text reminder and which you confirm by just clicking the link. Leo is very professional, listens with care and stays up to date on the most current styles by attending workshops. The entire staff at the salon is very friendly work with great camaraderie. Over the years, I've noticed that the clients feel a connection with their stylist, have great trust and are very loyal due to the consistent service and terrific results. read more

Cari Ann is the BEST!!! I have been going to her for 15 years, I will not trust any one else with my hair. She truly is a color specialist! I am ASIAN and she got me white blonde! WHAT WHAT?! She is AMAZZZZZINNNG! A great thing about Cari is she will let you know the process it will take to get your hair the the color or style you want it to be. Another great thing about her is she is a awesome listener and gives great advice! You know sitting in that chair can get boring sometimes, not with her, she makes sure you are entertained. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Highly recommend Cari!! read more

M Matoi Hair Studio - In love with my blonde by Cari Ann!! - Hair Salons Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Leo is an incredible hair stylist! I literally tell him he can do what ever he wants and am never disappointed. He takes his time and is detail-oriented. Not a single strand of hair isn't thought through with precision. He's creative, precise, and also really funny! I always looking forward to getting my hair cut with him. read more

I shopped around before I found the salon and stylist that was a good fit for me. I found Love, my stylist, over 2 years ago and am very happy with her. She was at a different salon, but I followed her here because she is so good! An amazing haircut! read more

Christie saved my hair after two other stylist's had ruined my hair. I went to Christie after going to Studio 6 in Waipahu and they completely damaged my hair by over processing it. Christie gave me a beautiful lavender color that she mixed up herself just so I could love my hair again. After about 2 weeks the color washed out and my hair was still damaged so I went back to her change me back to dark and cut all the dry, damaged ends off. She did such an amazing job with my layers, my hair looks and feels so much healthier than when I first came to her. Christie is an amazing stylist and gives you her full attention and she's the sweetest person too. You won't regret having her do your hair read more

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Love my carefree haircut. Been coming here for years. They send their stylists to the newest trend setter classes to keep up to date in the latest styles! Friendly Staff calling or Texting me to remind me of my appointment. Lots of hair products to keep you looking beautiful. Plus the trips to Japan to bring back yummy goodies found only in Japan and Knick knacks! Love the Tiramisu candy and the Ume and the varieties of seaweeds and....I could go on and on. So many Ono goodies! Appointments are made one year in advance for me so I won't need to call and see if there is an opening. You NEED to make an appointment as they are always booked solid!!! read more

I add to what many others have said: Cari Ann is the best. My hair is fine and I have male pattern baldness. My regular stylist referred me to Cari Ann twice, roughly five years apart. The first time was to do a straight perm and color and tonight I had extensions. Cari Ann is able to work around my work schedule and is willing to teach me techniques such as flat ironing and other long hair styling techniques from scratch since my typical hairstyle is crewcut or regular parted hairstyle. Since I enjoy trying new styles and Cari is open to teaching techniques, it is a mutually worthwhile endeavor. read more

M. Matoi is located on the 2nd floor of the Imperial Plaza, which is across of Yanagi Sushi. Imperial Plaza parking is free with validation. Woot. Thankfully, M. Matoi Hair Studio is very clean. Unlike some other places with tumbleweeds and hairballs.... I really like the ambiance and decor of this place. M. Matoi is more decorative than other salons without looking cluttered. They have contemporary Asian-influenced sort of chic decor: wood floors, flowers, black chairs, vases... Kind of "Zen-like" if you know what I mean. If not, don't sweat it. Not only is it a salon/hair studio, it's also like a mini Marukai in there. They sell hand-made bags and random snacks like beef sticks, Biscoff cookie/biscuit things, and dried ume from Japan. I bought the dried ume once. Very delish. Anyway, I go to M. Matoi to get by hair "did" by Ashley. She is a wonderful stylist. I love her honesty and the fact that she will give you her thoughts on your desired "look" if you ask. She also gives great recommendations of hair products. The It's a 10 miracle leave-in product is one of my faves. I had asked for something different the last time I went in. I asked for blue peek-a-boos and she picked the perfects spots! The color was so vibrant! I loved it and had gotten so many compliments :) I definitely recommend Ashley and M. Matoi salon to anyone. They do hair on people of all ages at M. Matoi! Yelp 365 - #019/365 read more

I heart M.Matoi. The place is hard to find, it's in that purplish building on the corner of Cooke and Kapiolani, second floor. Parking is in the back, so you have to get on to Cooke and take the next left (or right; which ever direction you are coming from) The people there are really nice, Matoi himself is there too, laughing it up and having fun with his customers. Their is always photography on the walls which is always a plus in my book. Matoi even features one of his stylist's work; Leo. Who happens to do my hair, and has for....5 years! Man, it's been a long time. the lobby has a few seats, but tons of Chinese horoscope books and cook books. (weird yes) As for me and my hair, you see, I am not into having a "trim" or "highlights". I'm in it for crazy cuts, styles, outrageous colors, buzzing one side of my head and leaving the other long, etc. Leo once called me his "walking advertisement" so I HAVE to keep my hair always in check when I go out. I go there so often that I see other people around me getting their hair done, and they are always so pleased with the way their hair turns out. I hear the stylist talking with their customers and laughing that it seems everyone who goes there, goes because they ALWAYS have, you know what I mean? read more

M Matoi is located in the Imperial Plaza building. The salon validates so feel free to park in the building. And the best part, if you're feeling a little hungry, you can venture on downstairs to the many food establishments available. If you're looking to try this salon, might I suggest seeing my boy Jaime Torres (pronounced Hi-May). I've been a loyal client of his since his days at 808 Salon. He has since spread his wings and landed at M Matoi. Jaime is great with cut and color. He takes pride in the work he produces which is the one thing I love most about him. I have a lot of hair which means it takes a long time to process, especially if I'm feeling like highlights. We can be in the salon until 9 at night and I've never felt like he was rushing to get it over with so he could leave. He's committed to making sure his client leaves satisfied no matter how long it takes. Go see Jaime!! read more

"I can't say enough good things about Leo Lieu! Leo and his team is amazing, wonderful, talented and are thoughtful stylists. I am glad that I finally found a stylist who really understands men's, especially Asian men's hair. Every person that Leo works on looks spectacular! He really listens to his clients. I appreciate the fancy coffee and biscotti but, it's a treat to visit Leo at M Matoi Hair Studio. read more

You may say that I'm a rarity in Hawaii when it comes to hair. I have short, very thin blond hair, hence it took me a lot of time to decide where to go get a haircut and find someone who can cut short women's hair. And based on the reviews of fellow Yelpers I decided for M Matoi. I had to wait for my appointment with Leo for a few days, but it was worth it. I basically let him do whatever he wanted with my hair, I let him be creative. He took his time with me, studied my hair a bit and at the end did an awesome job. I can honestly say that I haven't been so happy with a haircut in years. Plus, Leo was really nice and friendly. I already recomended the place to all my friends and will be going back. read more

I consider myself fortunate to have found Leo as my hair stylist over 5 years ago. HE IS THE ULTIMATE BEST! I don't know why I didn't write about him sooner but I just got my hair cut today and remembered how AMAZING he is. He listens to you and takes the vision you want for your hair, and makes it 10x better. I can say that I fully trust that anything he does with my hair will be 100% to my liking. We all know how hard it is to find someone who produces a good hair cut, and I would say I found my hairstylist soulmate for life! He is so happy and his bubbly personality makes you love him even more! He genuinely listens to you and treats you like his family. I would recommend him to everyone I know without hesitating. His location in the Imperial Plaza is also very convenient because you can park in the structure for free! But make sure to schedule a haircut/color ahead of time. He is so great, he is nowadays booked a month in advance! But totally worth the wait!!! read more

There is no shortage of salons and spas and places to get your hair done around the island. Getting it done the way you want...that's a whole different story. I have been seeing the same person for the better part of 20 years now--with a break here or there for trying different people. I've come to the conclusion that I love her and all the value she represents but I do get restless and need change from time to time. In particular, this time, the reason I was looking for a change is because I noticed my color (which was perfect when she did it) only lasted about 6 or 7 weeks before all the things I liked about it washed out and all the things I was trying to cover (my brassiness) started showing through again. My BFF, who uses my same stylist, told me that she only uses our stylist for straight perms and cuts. But for colors she goes to Karin at M. Matoi. GENIUS!!! She noticed she was having the same problem of having to color too frequently and when she started seeing Karin, she has a lovely, healthy hair color for months! Karin was quick to schedule me and was SUPER cool. We were quick buddies. I had texted her a pic of what my finished hair looked like after my last color, which she was grateful for. My last color, interestingly enough was not what I asked for, but I ended up liking it anyway. This was not the case with Karin's work. I gave her a general idea of what I wanted (dark color that will look red in the sun) and she executed PERFECT. No miscommunication here. The energy in the salon is positive and friendly (not catty and competitive) and like others have said, it's clean and well-lit. I will update my review again when I figure out how long this color actually lasts, but for now, I will say that I have accepted Karin into my inner circle of hair ninjas and entry into this club doesn't come easily. ;) read more

Cari Ann is the BEST! She has done amazing things with my hair and it is still healthy and full! I have gone from bleach blonde to silver then blue and then back to square one. She has a great eye for color and I always get compliments on it. She gives me great advise on how to take care of my hair and products I can use. I trust her completely, and am never worried because I know she will make my hair look awesome. read more

LOVE it here! Leo is the best!!! Can't wait to get my hair did again when I'm visiting!!

Cari Ann is by far the best hair stylist. I had bleached my hair on my own, and it turned orange and yellow, Cari last minute fit me in and was able to transform me. She saved my hair. She took my orange yellow hair and turned it into a beautiful balayage. She is real and upfront about what she thinks will look good, and I completely trusted her and now I am SO happy with my hair. Cari Ann is great at conversation and makes you feel comfortable. Extremely happy with the service and skill she has, and will definitely be going back! read more

Customer service for new clients needs improvement. If it's your first bill your willing to drop in years, for a hair cut that's long over due, do yourself a favor and drop it somewhere more welcoming and friendly. read more

Cari at M Matoi Studio is my go to girl for the last several years! She's super sweet and listens to what you want. She does not try to push you like some other stylists do. She is great with Asian hair. Always has good advice (on hair and life). She's easy to schedule with, easy to talk to, and offers quality work AND at a great price. I love Cari! read more

After 3 haircuts, increasingly more expensive and decreasingly worse quality I had given up. As a new resident I had gone to three of the best known salons and gotten equivalently crappy haircuts and color. As a guy I'm unusual in that I like wild hair; a bit edgy with colors and funky style. This seemed to be too much to ask from high end salons that left my hair anywhere from dull to fried and scalp blistering. Like I said, I gave up and became so desperate that i just decided to cut my hair myself to hold me over until I could get back to the mainland for my regular stylist. When I could go no longer, I Yelp'd. I found M Matoi. A few reviews but good ones and decent prices. Nothing like spending $130 on hair that falls out and leaves your scalp scabby (ahem really expensive hair salon on at ala moana). So I bit the bullet and called up. The receptionist recommended Leo, but he was booked about 2 months out. Hmm, great. The receptionist said that he tended to do the funkiest cuts/colors and that he was probably the best bet, but when I was about to give up she said "well, I could do your hair." Not only did she answer the phones, but Ashley cut hair too. Reluctantly, but completely defeated, I caved and scheduled an appt for three days later. I could go on and on, but lets just say that it turned out great. She didn't have a TON of experience with crazy colors or cuts on guys, but she did a great job. She asked other stylists for advice (which I completely applaud her for) and worked with me to completely understand 1) how I wanted my hair colored 2) how I wanted my hair cut. Sure, I was there for 2.5 hours, but I've been other places for 3+ hours and still left completely dissatisfied. Nothing better than a great head of hair just in time for the weekend, and the best compliment so far that I overheard at a bar last night? "Mmm his hair looks so good, like ice cream...I just wanna lick it!" Enough said! read more

Great place to get your hair done. MY personal hair stylist is Leo, he is amazing and makes the time fly by.

I come here, M. Matoi Hair Salon, for my hair cuts. The salon is nice, clean and i always love the decor! I go to Christie Rickard! She is an amazing hair stylist with amazing talent! She always gives me the best haircuts! Not only is she a great hair stylist, she is very sweet and down to earth. She makes your experience very pleasant, enjoyable and fun! You will never be disappointed if you go to her! read more

M Matoi Hair Studio - Just got my hair did ombré style by my friend and fabulous hair stylist, Christie! She's got mad skills!!!!! Go see her! - Hair Salons Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

It's okay. Certain degree of professionalism but if not, I've seen better with less of a staff running a muck. They do do a good job of cutting hair, I give them that. And cheesy holiday decor. Ugh. read more

Getting your hair cut the way you like it is not easy. It takes a while to find that right person. I found that person at M Matoi Hair Studio. Karin does a great job, has a flexible appointment schedule, and is a nice person. The studio is well appointed, with friendly staff. Considering the quality of service and studio ambiance, the price is right as well. read more

I get my hair don by Jaime Torres. He is fabulous with color!! He does a great job with highlights. He styled by long brown hair for a formal and made me look great. He is highly skilled and true professional. You wont be sorry if you give him a chance. I found him by looking at pics on yelp of different hair dressers. He does a great job with layers. read more

Taryn Lee all the way ! She is a wonderful, down to earth, understanding, patient, funny individual ! And did I mention she is an amazing hair stylist ! She has done my hair for years. She has been doing hair for for 27 years! I felt comfortable and confident in Taryn doing my hair with all the great experiences I had for years with her services. I had so much compliments to friends, family, and even strangers yelling out their car window saying I love your hair ! When I moved to Colorado, I had over priced coloring and cuts that didn't meet to my expectations from awkward rude stylists who didn't apologize for dropping a hair brush on my face or would talk on the phone. So as soon as I came back, I quickly went to Tayrn for all my hair cuts, coloring, and treatments! I feel fabulous and can't wait to bring more of my hair ideas to Tayrn for my next visit! read more

M Matoi Hair Studio - An excellent job done by Tayrn Lee !!!! My hair is so much softer and vibrant!!! - Hair Salons Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Cari Ann Leong has been our family's hairstylist for many years. Two aunties, two cousins (and their daughters and son),my two sons, my husband, my mom and I all have Cari as a stylist. She is great with coloring as well as styling our hair. Her haircuts are up to date as well as easy to take care of on your own. She is honest when you bring in a picture of a hairstyle that you want but may not be the right style for you. Much appreciated! She is time efficient. I would highly recommend her services. read more

Thank you Kristi R.for always taking good care of Aunty Lydia hair. You are the BEST!!!! Big Hug's

Cari Ann is THE BEST stylist around! Her choices for color is amazing and so spot on. I always get compliments on the style and color. I am confident that my experience will be amazing each time! I totally recommend her! read more

Got my haircut by Leo. Place is very professional and the stylist will go with the style you are looking for based on the way your hair grows out and work with you to get it looking fresh. Place your reservation a month in advance because this stylist gets booked fast. read more

I have been getting my haircuts from the owner, M. Matoi for over 35 years, from before he owned his own salon. I don't think he accepts new clients, but he has other hair stylists in his shop that he has trained and they do really great haircuts and coloring. Most clients who come here, have been regulars for years, which goes to show how satisfied they are, as I am with this salon. read more

Jaime Torres is the best! He did a great job on my hair!

I got introduced to Cari Ann through a good friend. He told me he's only trusted her with his hair and has only gone to her for the past few years. 2 years later I can confidently say she is amazing at what she does. She's also so friendly and funny. She even makes recommendations based on face shape, life style, and how often you plan to return. And I can say I too won't trust anyone else but her to cut, color, and style my hair. read more

Love is my hairstylist and all I can say is that she is AWESOME! She has cut my hair for 9 years. I followed her when she move from Salon 808 behind Ala Moana Shopping Center. I receive compliments all the time regarding my cut and color. She is the best! read more

Love this place! Great customer service, clean, and conveniently located in town. I often work late, so Cari, who I go to regularly, also has late hours on certain days, so it works out perfectly. She is one of the most sweetest persons I know and does an amazing job! Satisfied every time I go there to see her validated parking is conveniently in the building as well. read more

My hair artist, Christy, was fantastic. Here's why: -listened to my haircut needs -relaxing head massage during hairwash -constantly checked to see if i was alright with the drastic change i was requesting (she cut off slightly less than a ft of hair) -very friendly and not pushy to cut it her way -told me to come back within a week if i had second thoughts about my hair as she would adjust it -very personable and warm-hearted THANK YOU FOR THE SWEET HAIRCUT!! Will definitely come back! read more

I had my hair and makeup done for my wedding with Marlo. I recommend her to anyone. The salon is nice and clean, beautiful fresh flowers all over, everyone's so nice and down to earth, and all the stylist are good. But I LOVE MARLO and the FABULOUS work she's done on me. I'm sold!!! She's a freelance stylist there and does weddings and photo shoots as well. She did a great job on my cut, its so easy and flattering, and the hi-lites were beautiful. It looked natural. A bit pricey from what I'm used to but well worth it! I do recommend her!! read more

Milton, the "M" of M Matoi Hair Salon is the BEST. He listens to what the customer wants, asks questions, and he is very skilled and talented. I've been having my hair cut by Milton for about 18 years now, and he is always welcoming and hospitable. I would recommend this salon to everyone. I ALWAYS get compliments on my great cuts. Thank you Milton!!! P.S. On the flip side...Salon Tiffany is the WORST salon I've ever been to. Read the comments there, poor quality and stylists have a very bad attitude. read more