TL;DR: This place is great! Book with Mark--he's an *artist*! Longer version: My hair stylist quit the biz a few years ago to pursue a career as a therapist (so fitting, right?!) I was stoked for her! But since then, I've been adrift and searching for my hair match, trying out a new stylist for each cut. (My hair is fine but wavy with a weird cowlick, so it needs just the right layers. I had some great cuts and some so-so cuts, but never the right combo of close enough, a decent amount of availability that I'm not waiting months or driving across the bay, AND a great cut.) I tried Mark at Maru on a random rec from a friend whose daughter works at the salon--and after one cut, I feel like my search is over! The salon is very well-run and had an opening within a couple weeks. I arrived on time, was offered herbal tea, and waited under five minutes. It's in a nice spot in Berkeley with plenty of street parking with pretty cheap meters--$4. Mark asked me what I was looking for, got it right away, and was of course fun to chat with. I walked out with a cut I love for a reasonable price. I will definitely be back! read more

Maru Hair Salon - Here's my cute shoulder-length shag. (The pic doesn't do it justice! It looked even better the next day.) - Hair Salons Near Me - Berkeley, California

I was nervous about getting my hair done since it was such a spur of the moment thing to get a trim. My stylist, Shawn, led me through to the second area of their salon which was cool and was so detailed about doing my hair. I've never had a stylist so precise and who really took great care in making sure everything was even and cut in exactly the way I wanted. I showed him one photo, and my hair looked exactly like it after. It was definitely the longest haircut I've had and pricey as I'm not used to Bay Area prices just yet, but honestly, so worth it. read more

Came in feeling stressed about thinning hair and Nina gave me some great advice on how to adjust my current routine to take better care of it. Loved that she was so collaborative when talking through haircut options too-- will definitely be back!! read more

Maru Hair Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Berkeley, California

I honestly couldn't be happier with my hair! A coworker recommended this salon, and after a quick Instagram search I chose Nina because I was hoping to find someone who truly understood natural curls and she did not disappoint. She was warm, transparent about her process, and made me feel completely comfortable and confident throughout the appointment. The entire salon team was incredibly friendly and welcoming, which made the experience even better. I will absolutely be coming back many more times! read more

Maru Hair Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Berkeley, California

Been here three times now, and as long as Irina is there, I will keep going back. The overall service by the salon is fantastic, the products they use always leave my hair feeling so healthy. I have had my hair cut, colored, bleached by Irina, and she is absolutely 10/10, excellent hairdresser. The first time I went to her, I got a warm caramel-esque balayage and she did it sooooo well. I have since gotten my hair colored and cut by her as well, and she does an excellent job every time. Definitely recommend! Parking is easy near the salon too, though it is paid. read more

I really enjoyed my experience. I got a lovely cut. Laka was thoughtful about my request and is so detailed. I really appreciate how she cut my hair. I am happy I found Maru. I found my new place. read more

Called around 12 and was able to snag an appointment with Brooklyn only two hours later. I had been long overdue for a haircut and covered in split ends. Brooklyn quickly understood exactly the haircut I was looking for based on my inspo photos and totally delivered on the cut! Came out of the salon looking great, feeling great - with much healthier, happier hair. The salon itself is super polished, clean, and professional. Will definitely be coming back for the flexibility and quality of service! read more

I've been a client at Maru for a few years. I have a super last minute schedule travel a lot -- and now moved to Australia! I'm one of those clients who makes appts 48hrs in advance & so I really love 1) the ease of the online booking platform & 2) I've now been to multiple stylists as I see whomever can fit me in. I've loved seeing Brooklyn a few times and today went to Nina who did an awesome job on roots, highlights, refreshing my cut. Great team all around. My only note is be sure to ask for price estimate once you've discussed the plan with your stylist -- extra little services can add up quickly. This is true anywhere. Love them, love the owner Kip & receptionist -- always friendly & welcoming every time I swoop through. read more

Maru Hair Salon - Roots, highlights, cut (by Nina) - Hair Salons Near Me - Berkeley, California

Great cut by Travis last summer who spot checked by self-cut bob. He really took his time to introduce some nice layering and even mentioned that my self-cut at 3 am wasn't half bad. I don't think he actually believed I managed so well--ha! Grateful he was there to get my intended "look" to the finish line. Salon vibe is also very friendly and easygoing. read more

Nina is a lifesaver lol and equally important: an amazing stylist. Her warm demeanor and sense of humor made me feel comfortable as a new client. My color came out beautiful and my silk press was silk press'n lol. Thanks again, Nina! I'll be back :) read more

My first time to this salon and Kip the owner paired me up with Nina. I'm someone who would be salt and pepper if I were to go natural. My hair color is auburn and unfortunately the salon I went to previously couldn't seem to the the root touch up right. I always came out too dark and was not well blended. Nina - is a perfectionist and took great care to ask me many questions and get the color right. I was what you would call a color correction client. I also got a fresh cut - with nice long layers and some fringe on the side. The blow out was perfection. I'm a happy new client. This was NOT inexpensive but hopefully the correction was one and done. read more

Maru Hair Salon - Finished color and cut - Hair Salons Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Highly recommend Travis!! He was so kind and patient and asked thoughtful questions about my hair, since it was my first appointment with him. The color is perfection - so many tones, feels really natural!! The salon is lovely and relaxing. read more

Maru Hair Salon - Perfect blonde by Travis - Hair Salons Near Me - Berkeley, California

I have been a client of Vidalia's for several years. She is amazing! Color, cuts, styling and Keratin treatments she is the best. Vidalia's is not only talented she is Is professional and friendly . I look forward to my appointments. read more

Go book your appointment with Nina Snell! she is the best of the best! I've been going to her for over 10 years! she can do it all! no one else makes you feel like a million bucks after stepping out of her chair. transformations can be done in a matter of a couple hours! read more

I've been going to Vidalia for over 5 years now and she is amazing!!! I have long, dark almost black hair and she knows exactly how to highlight my hair each and every time! She also does short haircuts for my mom and her friend's hair. We all love her! read more

Irina was amazing!! I have super dark hair and was really scared to bleach it...but I wanted to go blue and Irina did a wonderful job of getting the color I wanted. The price is so definitely worth it and she was so sweet and I'm so happy to have found a stylist who specializes in Asian hair :) The environment was so welcoming and friendly and all the staff I interacted with were so nice as well. I'll definitely schedule with Irina again once I want to do yet another crazy color project :D read more

I went into Maru today for a last-minute - emergency - haircut after an epic failure of a DIY haircut that looked more like a shag mullet than the butterfly and face-framing bangs I was going for. I was extremely lucky that Irina was available. She immediately understood what I was going for and gave me the most beautiful haircut, perfecting every detail, then took her time styling it for me. For reference - I have lots of fine, sometimes frizzy, wavy dark brown/red hair and was looking for a shoulder length cut with face framing bangs. It's very rare that I leave a hair salon liking the way my hair is styled but I've been showing it off all day. She also showed me pictures of her airbrush highlighting technique and the blending looked natural and subtle, I decided I'm going to go back and have her do mine too. Sidenote - if you're someone who doesn't love to chat the entire time you're getting your haircut, she made me feel really comfortable sitting quietly and working from my phone while she focused on cutting my hair. Once the cut was done and she was just styling my hair, she was super friendly and chatty. But very pleasant and polite the whole time. read more

Laka was great! She puts so much care into your hair and I'm very happy with the results :)

Looking for a color expert who's both incredibly skilled and genuinely cares about her craft - Nina is the one! I've been a loyal client of hers for over 8 years, following her from Cetana Salon in San Francisco to her new home in Berkeley. I wouldn't make the drive from SF to Berkeley for anyone else--Nina is simply that talented. Nina is a true expert in hair color and styling. She's not just a stylist--she's an educator, having taught hair coloring at the Aveda Institute, which speaks volumes about her depth of knowledge and technique. This time we went with an ashy blond balayage for the winter. It's so amazingly balanced and blended. Nina has an incredible ability to customize the perfect tones and blends, making my thick Asian hair look natural, dimensional, and beautifully lifted. Her attention to detail, from the placement of highlights to her use of toners, is remarkable. She knows how to work with different textures and achieve results that grow out gracefully and keep my hair healthy. What sets Nina apart isn't just her technical skill but her approach. She listens, understands what you're looking for, and makes thoughtful honest suggestions to achieve the best results. Maru Salon is lucky to have her, and I couldn't be happier she's found a new home! If your looking for read more

Nina is the blowout QUEEN! She did an absolutely incredible job and was able to breathe so much life, youth, and professionalism back into my hair! Her expertise and recommendations for maintaining my hair were also super helpful; It goes to show how much she cares for her clients, both during and after their appointment! I will most definitely be returning in a few months! read more

Nina is incredible!!!!! She is the only stylist in the world who knows how to tackle my hair. I have so much of it! Thank you for always making me feel beautiful! read more

Maru Hair Salon - Nina is the best! - Hair Salons Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm a broke college student but will gladly come back to Maru :')!! Rebeka was the sweetest ever- so so so talented and kind! She was extremely fun to chat with and it was just a great time all around. The entire staff was so bubbly and sweet too!! Free parking at Safeway across the street read more

Maru Hair Salon - Bleach & tone - Hair Salons Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Miracle one - I could be seen on the very same day when I was in a bind. Miracle two - Rebeka gave me the best color EVER. It's obvious she's at the top of her game as well as being a warm and interesting person. Miracle three - Kipp looked at my out-of-balance never-been-right hair and said, "Here's how we'll shape it," then proceeded to make me look, for the first time in my life, like a person whose hair makes sense and is actually quite fun. He balanced me! Praise the heavens, it CAN be done! We have a plan going forward as to how to grow it in a certain way. I really appreciate Kipp's vision and experience - also his easy-going and friendly disposition. I'd trust anyone at this establishment after my very positive experience today. And nod to the sweet receptionist too. What a sweetie. The quality at Maru is exceptional, the prices are definitely fair for the excellent service one receives, and it's not even that hard to find parking. What a find! Highly recommend. Ten stars :-) read more

10/10 for Nina Snell over at Maru. Best blowout I've ever had. Vibe of the overall studio was light, airy, and full of happy people. Nina was so knowledgeable about what would work well for me and what I should stop doing. Love, love, love her and her work. read more

I've had Brooklyn color my hair for the past 2 years and what an incredible experience. Even after 7 months, I still get compliments on the colors. Just booked an appointment for September before my next trip. read more

Vidalia is a color master! I get so many compliments! She also always works with me to ensure my cut is easy to style. She's the best!

Great experiences with both Iryna and Nina! Salon is lovely and the staff are very nice.

I love Travis! He was so patient, down to earth, and just "got me" from the start (it seems like he's just a genuinely lovely person seeing that others felt the same way)! I was at the point where I was going to learn how to cut my own hair at home because 9 times out of 10, I leave a salon feeling like I just paid a lot of money to feel worse about myself. Travis was the complete opposite. This was on the higher end of what I'm accustomed to (I'm suuuper low maintenance) but he was worth every penny and then some. My Asian hair is thick, coarse, and wiry. Most Asian stylists tell me to get a magic / japanese thermal reconditioning perm. I've also made the mistake of letting others cut my hair who really had no idea how to manage the density or natural wave. Travis took SO much time with me upfront, he even did some dry cutting to make sure the front layers would "fall" in just the right way, and it really felt like he was a good friend who happens to know how to do hair reallllly well (which is no surprise since he got his cosmetology degree in high school)! I'm sooooo thankful to have found him.... no more flying to Ktown in LA . Thank you with all my heart, Travis! read more

Hair color matched exactly what I had in mind. Rebecca is very knowledgeable plus the product she suggested was a long term wash out product. I wanted color but not damage. It's working out perfect for me. read more

I've never actually done this, which is contacting a company and giving a testimonial or review about a customer experience. I've never actually done this, which is contacting a company and giving a testimonial or review about a customer experience. However, today, I feel compelled to share that I not only like the location but also the clean and simple interior. It features lovely mid-century chairs, big, modern, and alive plants. (= not fake ones!) and a nice view, but also want to give kudos to the services I got. When browsing the modern-looking website, I booked "artist" Sean Connearney, and he literally went above and beyond my expectations (and past interactions with stylists). He positively surprised me, with a stunning result. For my entire life, I have struggled with my hair (straight, but curly when there is moisture in the air), and a variety of hairstyles. My preference is more on the modern spectrum; think Vidal Sassoon style crops, bobs and pixies. This is why I have been wearing my hair very short, usually at a three-quarter of an inch. However, since last August, I decided to grow my hair longer (for a bob); in January I had a bit of a trim at another salon; simply to get rid of the "mullet"; longer hair in the neck. I have to admit that I've been wearing headbands in the last couple weeks and still felt frumpy and unattractive. Yesterday, I decided to try a new hair salon. I booked an appointment late in the day, with the expectation to get another trim in the back of my neck and so-called dusting, meaning cleaning up split ends, and perhaps debulk the hair -- within 20-30 minutes. However, Sean C., after washing my hair with great diligence, he spent probably 15 minutes, just assessing my hair by combing it this way and that; by looking at it, touching it, asking helpful and meaningful questions. After listening to his recommendations he was able to convince me to be a bit more radical -- meaning going a bit shorter -- if it would help the look. We had lovely conversations about our upbringing in Europe. He grew up in Greece, and I can attest that he lives up to his description and profile on the website: His aesthetic is classic and he enjoys creating sleek, timeless looks for the wash and go client as well as someone looking for something sophisticated, contemporary and modern. He is excellent with bobs, pixies, short and long haircuts. He draws inspiration from the flappers of the 20's and the mod styles of the 60's icons. More than hour later I ended up with a truly beautiful haircut that will help me to further grow out my hair, but look polished and put together. Last night, I walked away self-confident and feeling put together. Thank you so much, Shawn. read more

This was my dream hair salon for the past year since I moved to the area, and finally convinced myself to pull the trigger and spurge on a $110 on a haircut. However, this ended up being the longest haircut of my life, totaling 1 hour 45 minutes. The actual haircut was only 20 minutes. The receptionist had (unbeknowst to me) told my stylist Shawn that I was here for a blow dry, even though the computer system reflected that I was here for a hair cut. I'd only been to extremely cheap hair salons before, so when Shawn spent an hour meticulously blow drying my hair in the tiniest little sections, I assumed this level of precision was what all high end salons did. Leave it to the professionals to prep my hair exactly the way they want to before cutting it. We did not realize there was a misunderstanding in why I was there until after he finished the blow dry. Shawn was quick to pivot and spent another 45 minutes of his time undoing the blow dry with a flat iron, then cutting my hair. The haircut turned out great and Shawn was so efficient and precise with the actual haircut portion of the appointment. The receptionist was apologetic when I told her what happened. There was a man standing next to her (perhaps the owner of the salon or another stylist) who was trying to put a positive spin on the experience, talking about how the haircut was so long because "oh, you know Shawn, he's just so detail oriented" or "hey, at least you still got your blow dry and hair cut, but instead of a cut then dry, you got a dry then cut." These comments definitely put a bad taste in my mouth. Sure, Shawn may be detail oriented, but I highly doubt he would have spent that long on the blow dry if I was there just for a cut, whereas if I was there specifically for a blowout I can understand why he would spend an hour on it. Furthermore, he had to straighten my hair to undo the blowout (which had product on it!) which took extra time, and meant that I walked out of the salon with pin straight hair rather than the styled hair that I would have after a cut + dry. So the way this man was justifying this experience as still being a positive one rather than taking responsibility for the salon's screw-up soured my experience. In conclusion - I feel like I paid for the most expensive, longest haircut of my life. Shawn is a great stylist and deserved all my money esp. after staying an extra 45 min to correct an error that was neither of our fault. However, the experience itself, especially my interactions afterwards with the receptionist + this owner/ stylist man, was not great. I was surprised they did not even offer me a discount for a future cut or some kind of actual consolation, which is pretty common after a negative experience like this. I had places to be afterwards, and cannot take time off work to get my haircut here regularly if I cannot trust that I won't be stuck in the salon for nearly two hours while my hair goes through heaven and hell. read more

Nina has cut my hair 2x now, and she does amazing work! She cut about 7-8inches off this time, made me look good, and most importantly made my wife very happy. She takes her time and listens to what you want, giving thoughtful insight and suggestions. She even showed me how to properly style my hair so I can replicate the salon look. Thank you again! read more

Such an amazing experience!!! Shawn and his magical hands and mind rescued my hair today. I left feeling so confident and my hair feeling so healthy and perfect!!! I'm so grateful to be taken care of so well today at such an incredible salon!!! Thank you!!!!! read more

5/5 service with Irina! I have loved coming to Maru for 2+ years now and they always have incredible stylists who provide a stellar, stressless service. the vibes are impeccable at this hair salon. Thanks Irina! read more

The salon's ambiance is fantastic, creating a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Travis did an incredible job with my hair--he carefully adjusted the style to suit my hair type and face shape while staying true to the photo I showed him. He really knows how to work with Asian hair and made sure the hair looks good both styled and unstyled. It made this one of the best salon experiences I've ever had. He also took the time to share styling tips and demonstrated how I could recreate the look at home. I highly recommend! read more

I moved to the Bay Area 5 years ago and had two different disappointing experiences at highly rated, expensive salons in Albany and El Cerrito. It was actually shocking how bad the cuts and color were. I tried Mark a year ago and finally found someone who understood my hair and my asks. Mark is talented, kind, and efficient and have absolutely loved my haircuts from him. read more

I am giving Maru Salon a one star rating for their customer service, not the quality of their haircuts. Here is why: I've been a Maru Salon client for almost three years now paying $120 plus tips for a haircut. My stylist, Mark Chin, has always done a good job cutting my hair so I decided to bring my husband, our 10 year old daughter, and our 8 year old son to the salon. Maru Salon charges the same $120 price for children's haircuts. Recently, Maru Salon participated in the Solano Street Stroll, where they were giving away discount coupons. Mark saw my husband and children at the stroll and gave them four coupons as a sign of appreciation for being Maru Salon clients. When they returned home, they gave the coupons to me. The coupons stated that they were good for a 10% discount on one service each. I was pleasantly surprised to receive these coupons, as Maru Salon had never offered any discounts to our family before. During my next visit to the salon, I decided to use two of the coupons for my haircut and color service. However, when I presented the coupons to the receptionist, she told me that I could not use two coupons during the same appointment. There was no mention of this restriction on the coupons, and Mark had not mentioned it during the Street Stroll. I ended up using one coupon and was told to bring the other with me on my next visit. I recently had a haircut at Maru Salon and brought a coupon with me as I had been told to do during my previous visit. However, when I presented the coupon to the receptionist, she told me that I could not use it at all. I was surprised and confused by this information, as it contradicted what I had been told previously by Maru Salon. The receptionist was unsure how to handle the situation and asked the owner of the salon, Kipp Hamilton, to step in. When Kipp arrived, he began shaming me for trying to use the discount coupon and told me in a demeaning manner that the coupons could only be used once per client and that I needed to give the remaining coupons to new clients. I was shocked by his behavior and the way he spoke to me. After the altercation with Kipp, I returned the unused coupon to my bag and paid the full price of $120 for my haircut. Before leaving the salon, I went back to Kipp and told him that his treatment of me, a loyal customer, was unacceptable. In response, he mumbled that I was not his client. I found this comment to be strange, as even though he does not personally cut my hair, he is the owner of the salon where I have been a client for several years. After returning home from my disappointing experience at Maru Salon, I texted my stylist, Mark Chin, to let him know about the incident. Rather than receiving a call or a sincere apology, I received a corporate text message blaming COVID-19 for the misunderstanding. I was confused as to how COVID-19 could be responsible for Kipp's disrespectful behavior or the lack of information on the coupon. It seems that many businesses continue to use COVID-19 as an excuse for various issues. In response to my negative experience at Maru Salon, I mailed the remaining discount coupons, along with an additional $24 in cash, to Kipp Hamilton. This was not about the money for me, but rather a statement about my dissatisfaction with the way I was treated as a loyal customer. I don't want discounts from business owners who feel superior to their clients and do not value their customers. I hope that this review will help Maru Salon to understand the importance of treating all customers with respect and appreciation, and to recognize that no hair stylist is irreplaceable. read more

Maru Hair Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

I have been searching for a hair salon in the east bay and I am super happy to now be able to say I have found it in Maru Hair Salon and their stylist Denisse! I came in with a home haircut and 1 year growth on my balayage. I felt comfortable with Denisse from the start as she made sure she understood what I wanted, she asked questions, looked at my reference pictures, and continued to check in through out the process to make sure it was looking like I had hoped. I would recommend Denisse for your balayage needs! read more

Maru Hair Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Berkeley, California

It has now been twelve weeks since I went to Maru to get some highlights from Nina, but instead of enjoying lovely extra blond roots during the past three months, I have been absolutely miserable in the midst of the worst hair experience I could ever have imagined in my fifteen years of getting highlights regularly. Nina spent SIX hours doing highlights, lowlights "to add some dimension," and a toner on my naturally-light-blond-in-the-sun long hair which has gotten darker with age and needs to be supplemented to look as it always has looked. It's pretty easy to choose what color to make the highlights as I always have natural light blond at the front from the sun, so I really don't get what Nina was thinking. I had objected to her using the toner as I had never had one before but I let her do it in the end, and it ended up being the most HORRENDOUS MISTAKE! The toner left my gorgeous hair in its entirety -- whole head, root to tip -- ASH BROWN. I have been beside myself, and feeling vain for having let this situation affect me so much, but as women, we have a lot wrapped up in our hair, and it has been excruciating to look in the mirror for months on end and not see myself as I have always known myself. I went back a week later and Kip the owner looked at my hair and tried to console me, telling me that the dark toner would wash out in 6-8 weeks and to use clarifying shampoo if I wanted it to fade faster. (He also offered to refund me every penny of what they charged me, which was very kind. So at least I'm not out $550, but honestly, I have *never* been charged that much before, nor has even a whole head of highlights ever taken more than 3 hours tops, so this whole experience was just so out of the ordinary.) Then, since yes I did want the ugly brown color of my formerly gorgeous blond hair to fade faster, I used clarifying shampoo daily for a month which caused so much breakage even though I deep conditioned with K19, Olaplex and other high end products like crazy on top of the clarifying shampoo. So now it's been TWELVE WEEKS, and to add insult to injury, even after a Malibu C treatment with another stylist meant to strip the toner out gently, the ugly brown toner has STILL NOT washed out! I'm sitting here with hair that is basically as dark or even darker than my natural color, and there is no way to fix it as it is too damaged now, being bleached under the awful dark toner and then further damaged and broken from everything I've done to try to wash out the toner. What a giant nightmare! I wanted to share as I just cannot believe that any experienced hairstylist could do this to someone's beautiful hair. Nina literally covered up all the natural highlights I had near my roots from the summer sun and made everything dark. I mean, I literally have no blond left in my hair. I guess I will never know what she was thinking -- did she accidentally pick the wrong bottle of toner, or just make a gross miscalculation of what it was going to do to my porous long blond hair? Either way, it is inexcusable and a tragic mistake that has had a cascade of repercussions in my life and dramatically affected my self confidence for the past three months and will have to continue for a few more months before my hair is healthy enough to figure out what I can do next. I can't say to avoid Maru salon as clearly others have had nice experiences there, but blondies, be careful with the toner that the younger stylists want to use to "blend everything together" -- it really shouldn't be necessary if they know what they are doing with the highlights in the first place. read more

Nina consistently does the most perfect balayage every time and I have long thick curly hair! Been going to her for years. Very detail oriented and a master of her craft! read more