What is there not to love about Mohamed's? The charm of Mohamed's comes from the owner himself. This eponymous establishment is a reflection of a man who has mastered his craft. The person who recommended me to go there my first time said cutting hair to Mohamed is like sushi is to Jiro. So true. Before Mohamed I liked going somewhere and chatting with the barber. But Mohamed is too engrossed in his craft for chit chat. He hums or sings along to the music playing on his laptop as he transforms you into a more handsome version of yourself. He could rent out other chairs to other people and likely make more money. But no. He wants to focus on the task at hand: cutting hair. There are no appointments. It is first-come-first-sever. Bring a book or your phone and just hang out in the modest shop, taking in the music. If you don't know what to do there are a few months-old magazines to peruse. Hanging out with people as they wait, even without talking, has a special sense of community. Five stars for many a great haircut, and so many relaxing mornings just hanging out listening to Algerian music. read more

I drove 13 miles to do a haircut. Called him he showed up and charged me around 60$ for a regular haircut read more

Mohamed's Barber Shop - I showed up at the place during his working hours. Around 3:20 PM Saturday afternoon and his store is closed. - Barbers Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

This is my favorite barbershop, Mo gives great haircuts! Unlike many barbers Mo is very consistent.

Mohamed always offers a quality cut at a good price. Cash only and no appointments, so make sure you get there early.

Moved to new hood so this place is pretty close to apartment. Yelp reviews were positive so thought I'd check it out. First impressions, not best neighborhood ever but the haircut place is like a hidden gem. Clean, plus Mohamed is friendly and lets give it up, dude knows how to cut hair. I came on a Sunday aft and only had to wait about 10 min despite him being only person and had to wait a cut and a half. Like others have said he is meticulous in trying to make each haircut perfect despite having an endless line all day. I left very happy with my cut. Pro tip: Cash only, there is ATM at CVS a five min walk away. read more

Back for another review after Mohamed got me looking fresh again. Like a master samurai, Mohamed is an expert in the art of the blade. I showed him a picture of what I wanted and he made it happen. Best barber in DC and a very friendly guy read more

Great men haircut. Very efficient and precise. Affordable price for DC area. He is used to all kinds of hair

I came here first time because the google reviews where amazing! And I had a really good experience. I didn't wait much! And he asked me how do I wanted my hair and he did exactly what I demand. So nice, so professional. We had a small talk about Spain I really appreciate that he know my culture and my country really well. I am so happy with my haircut por $28 I think it is going to be my haircut place for a long time! read more

Mohamed's Barber Shop - Barbers Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Mohammad is great. He cuts hair. He does it well. Nothing else. No free drinks and bad haircut. Nothing fancy. Just cuts hair well. I have been coming here for years after several frustrating experiences at other places. I admire good hard working attitude and his skill/pride what he does. If you want the full spa treatment, this is not your joint. And I'll admit there is some variation in what he does from time to time depending on the crowd. But it's always better than most places around for a very reasonable price. Note he works alone despite the big space. There may be a wait it's also cash only. read more

Nice guy. Good haircut. Fast. $38 + tip. Not cheap but you can easily pay much more in a "salon." I'll be back.

Mohamed is a consistently good barber. He often has some Arabic news or music playing in the background. I always feel comfortable in his chair. Cash only. read more

Mohammed get's the job done well every time. Usually not too busy and not too expensive.

This place is an old school gem. A completely unpretentious place to get a quality hair cut for a decent price, well for DC prices anyways. Mohammed is a one man operation. You'll walk in and see a row of barber chairs, but only the one right up front is the one you need to pay attention too. Mohammed is quick and efficient. He's a friendly guy, but he won't waste his breath on small talk. He just floats around you making precise cuts while he hums along to a YouTube playlist of some kind of Middle Eastern music. I've come to love tapping my foot to his playlist, it's definitely unlike anything I'm bumping on my headphones. Now like I said, this is one efficient barber, but you can still can end up waiting a while as a line can add up quickly. There's no appointments, you just walk-in and cross your fingers the customers ahead of you will be quick. Almost everybody there asks for a short, old school cut. This is not a place for you to explore another look, ain't nobody got time for that. Go here if you have a simple cut and you know how you want to look. Even though I got weird aqua hair, my style is kind of a conservative pompadour. He doesn't say anything about my weird blue head and just goes straight to cutting. No nonsense, no gimmicks, just good service for a good price, I love this guy. CASH ONLY! $25(used to be like $17-18, oh well) read more

I've had a short, unisex hairstyle for the past ten years. I walked into an empty Mohamed's on a weekday, asked for a basic trim, and was swiftly told to leave because I'm a woman and he only does men's haircuts. If I had longer hair and was asking for a more complicated haircut with layers or coloring I'd totally understand, but my hair is literally equivalent to most men's styles. He wasn't even busy cutting someone else's hair... I left feeling really dejected and self-conscious. Instead of giving me a haircut he told me to go to a competitor. Instead of seeing this as an opportunity to pick up more loyal clientele, he effectively insured the opposite. You know what hurts a small business? Turning away customers. This a pretty obvious case of gender discrimination. read more

Absolutely terrible experience. Women and non-binary persons should avoid at all cost because he will rudely dismiss you and tell you he will not cut your hair no matter what short hairstyle you sport simply because you are not male. read more

I had been going to Diego's since shortly after I moved to DC two years ago. My haircuts were generally decent, though a bit variable, and I didn't argue with the price. I just couldn't usually spare the two hours it took on a Saturday to go from Columbia Heights to Dupont Circle, wait on line, and get back. And it would have to have been before five. And there were no haircuts on Sundays. So I turned to Yelp and went to Mohamed's. What an easy experience! The place was immaculate and Mohamed was very nice. There were two people in front of me, but they went very quickly (and got awesome and very distinctive haircuts). He asked me what I wanted and I didn't give him much of a description. He kept giving me a mirror to check whether I liked it. It was a fantastic haircut. Probably one of the top three barber shops I've been to in the world. He seemed to really understand the shape of my head (admittedly, a bit odd) and what would look good for it. All of his work was done with a comb. Honestly, it was the type of craftsmanship that you rarely see at a barber shop these days. I am so pleased I've found this place. read more

As it good as it gets for me that is! I visit Mohamed every three weeks. He cuts my hair. I never tell him how. I've only told him once how. He charges 15. I give him 20 We chat sometimes but not often. He has 10 Chairs. He only ever uses one. He works alone. His barber shop is immaculate. He has been cutting hair since he was 12. He only works certain hours. His hours are inflexible. He has never under performed. That is tough statistically. He is not a stylist. He is a barber. He is a great barber. read more

Normally I only browse this site, but Mohamed's service was so good I felt compelled to write a review. Yes, it's a long wait (nearly 2 hours on a Sunday for me) but it's definitely worth it. Dust off your Game Boy and read his magazines... tough it out. (UPDATE: I guess this is expected, but if you can make it during the week, there's barely any wait at all). Dude does an amazing job. I watched like 5 guys ahead of me give 5 different descriptions, and Mohamed cut them exactly how they wanted. Price is subjective but I think Mohamed is worth the $18. Tip him well. He's one guy, by himself, cutting an endless conveyor belt of hair all day, and he does a great job. Old school barbers aren't around anymore. read more

Mohammed is great. Sometimes when I'm not in the mood to talk, he's cool just chilling, cutting my hair, and trying to keep me from moving my head too much if I fall asleep. Other times, when I'm more in the mood to talk (or he is) he tells me about what it was like to grow up in Algeria, live in France, move to the US, etc. Which I personally, find really fascinating. The real bonus though is that I think he does a great job with my hair. And he's very reasonable! Sure the neighborhood is rough, but Mohammed is a light in the midst of that darkness. read more

Still my go to place in DC, despite living in Pentagon City. Also, the prices did go up shortly after I posted my review. Haircut = $18 Styled Haircut = $20 read more

After trying several barber's which were mediocre I went to Mohamed after a friend recommended him to me. I was very impressed the hair cut I received. Mohamed is very methodical when it comes to giving a haircut. He does not rush and makes sure it is exactly what you want. If you are a new customer he will ask you how you want your hair cut then ask your opinion several times throughout the haircut to make sure he is cutting to your specifications. After a few visits you don't even need to tell him anything as he remembers how you want your hair cut. This is definitely a sign of a great barber. His shop is extremely clean and although he has several barber chairs he is the only one who cuts hair. He is very pleasant to speak to as well and can carry on a conversation about pretty much anything. He even told me he has customers that have been coming to see him for over 30 years! That really speaks volumes about the customer service and haircut you received. I would highly recommend him to anyone who wants a men's haircut. He does not have experience in cutting women's hair so the lady who gave the one star rating below is unfair since you did not even receive a service. read more

Simple and fast. Don't expect anything else than that. Except for some sweet jams. The price has gone up over the past year but still worth it. read more

Mohamed runs the most peculiar barbershop i have ever been to. His hours are bizarre and his door is always locked, even when the shop is open. You have to knock to be let in by Mohamed. As the first reviewer mentioned, he has several barber chairs but he is the only one that ever works there. The shop itself is usually extremely clean, and the walls are lined with various pieces of Islamic calligraphy and pictures of the Kaaba in Mecca. I have witnessed Mohamed carry on extended conversations in at least five separate languages - English, Spanish, French, Farsi, and Arabic. Sometimes he is watching Persian language TV, sometimes a movie on his laptop. The haircut was well done and the price extremely reasonable. Mohamed is the man. read more

Mohamed's is great! Since I moved to DC a few years ago, I've run through a string of mediocre barbers who usually left my hair uneven or did not cut it the way I asked it to be. Mohamed only needed to ask once how to cut my hair, and he nailed it on my first visit! I'm still in awe over how satisfied I am with his work. He's quick and efficient, his prices are reasonable ($18 for a men's haircut) his shop is clean, and there is usually not a long wait although he is the only barber there. What's more, his shop is only a few blocks away from my apartment, so I will definitely be heading back the next time I need my mane clipped! read more

I needed to find a local barber who felt comfortable cutting a white guy's hair. I found Mohammed's shop a few months ago and have gone to him ever since. He has done a good and consistent job for me, giving me among the best cuts I've been able to get anywhere. FYI: Cash only. read more

I moved into Columbia heights (a few months ago) and today I decided I needed a hair cut. I immediately went to yelp to search nearby locations and Mohamed's was the highest rated (and 3 blocks away). I walked over and saw through the window that he was cutting a customer's hair. I went to the door and it was locked, so decided I'd just walk around and wait for him to finish. After walking around the block, I saw he was free and he came to the door the was very friendly. I assume he locks his door because directly outside is a somewhat sketchy group. After sitting down, we discussed what I wanted. I'm pretty easy going about my haircuts and ultimately just want it to look good, so just told him I wanted it short and hope for the best. He was incredibly thorough and worked with a clipper, comb, and scissors. We chatted a bit (actually about yelp some) and he was very pleasant to chat with. The haircut was great and I'll definitely be coming back the next time I need one. I assume he gets pretty busy past 5 pm (and works 1-7 pm), as I was about halfway through, 2 other people had come in. My haircut took about ~30+ mins so I imagine a build up of 1-2 people could take awhile waiting. On a side note: He explained the incident with the negative review (that he walked to the door to greet the girl, then simply told her that he doesn't have experience cutting women's hair and there was no reason for her to come inside). read more

After reading these reviews, I didn't get why everyone was so upset someone had given him one star. Now I get it. The man is really nice, friendly and great at what he does. I was there about a month ago, I wanted to go back this weekend, but I somehow got lost (my bad). He's worth the travel. The first time I went there I called him once to ask him for an appointment and he was very nice, too. I can't believe someone would say he's not great. read more

Mohamed gives a pretty solid haircut for the price and time. I came in on a weekday after work around 6pm and there were two guys in front of me (one in chair and one waiting) but I only waited about a half hour total. The big plus: never that long of a wait even though it seems like he is the only cutter at his place. The downside: he will cut your hair in 15-20 minutes and do a decent job with it, but I like someone who will take a bit more time to get all those stray hairs. He doesn't do a great job of keeping the hair off your clothes/neck and so you end up with prickly hairs all over--definitely don't want to go out right after getting a cut. Overall, for $18 (plus 3-5 dollars for a tip depending) Mohamed gives a good cut. If you are looking for something quick and decent, go here. If you want styling/a little more care, I would look elsewhere. read more

I went with the bf who needed the haircut, so I can't attest to the no-girl policy. Nice guy, very no-nonsense about the haircut. He doesn't have all of the traditional clippers it seems. My bf knows what haircuit he wants and the clipper numbers, but Mohamed said he doesn't have them, and/or the plastic vs. metal lengths are different. So Mohamed said he would cut a bit first, and ask along the way what he likes, wants shorter, etc. He as very meticulous about everything - he used a comb and scissors to cut where I've seen most people just razor around. I really like the shop, it is big, clean, quiet, and a complete contrast to what is going on outside - not the best neighborhood, so no wonder he keeps his doors locked. Slightly irked that I was misled by Yelp. The haircut is $18, not $15. read more

I'm on a bit of a DC barber adventure -- I've been trying a new place for almost every haircut, and Mohamed's was actually one of the best. I visited him last summer. Good attention to detail, great looking haircut. I'm only giving two stars because of his attitude. After reading reviews, I was looking forward to Mohamed being some kind of angel, but I didn't get quite the same impression. For one, he took a non-brief personal call in the middle of my haircut -- not professional. The ending put me off the most, though. I asked him to take a little more off in certain areas after he was done. After he made that change, I was trying to decide whether I wanted any other edits, but... he basically shooed me out. He said something like "all right you're done" and then began cleaning everything up, unmistakably signalling for me to get out of there. There was no one waiting to go after me, not to say that kind of behavior is ever acceptable. I got the feeling he wasn't taking me seriously because of my age (17 at the time), not something you want to see when paying full adult price! Mohamed may have been having a bad day. I'd be willing to give him another shot. I really did walk out with a good haircut. read more

YouTube music videos are blasted on the laptop which can't take the heat from the sounds so it sounds muffled. A sound system that slaps would be unbelievable in this joint. Good clean family fun all around and lots of chairs to put your kids and other belongings on. FYI - cash only up in here read more

Mohamed is the best men's haircut in DC. Great prices. Open again after a break during the pandemic. Wonderful guy

The best barber I have ever had. Mohamed makes you forget how other barbers are often not very good. I don't live in the area but make the trek in every time i need a cut. Never regret it. There can be a line sometimes on the weekend (it's just him, and no appointments) but usually it's not too bad. And it's always worth it. read more

No complaints does a decent cut and he runs his own business. However, even for DC he is pricey, around 40 USD for a haircut with tip.

@Alex D. I just don't understand this whole one star for not cutting women's hair. Why would you want your hair cut by someone who admittedly doesn't know how to do it, and then give them one star for a service you never received. Isn't that somehow against the Yelp terms since you never experienced the service? Also he *always* has the door closed locked but your description makes it sound like he barred you from his shop because you are a woman. I suspect you are trying to imply something that isn't true. read more

He's absolutely fantastic. He doesn't rush through each haircut to see how many folks he can get through in a day. Instead, he properly takes him time and is meticulous in his detail. As some have said below, after a few visits he'll remember your cut and you won't even have to tell him how you want it anymore. I won't go anywhere else in DC for a haircut. read more

If I could give fewer stars I would. I told Mohamed I get a men's fade and he said "I only do men's hair." I reiterated the cut I get is a men's cut and he said, "it doesn't matter - I only do men's hair." He is sexist - don't patronize. read more

This is the only barbershop I'll go to in DC. Mohamed is fast and efficient, not to mention does a great job on your hair. Plus he'll chat with you as much or as little as you like--no pointless yammering/personal questions, but he's happy to shoot the breeze if you want. read more

Mohamed's is worth going to. I asked for the Classic Cut (a la Inglourious Basterds). He did it better than any other barber I've been to. I showed him a picture prior to him cutting it. He pointed out the back wasn't as faded as the temples and asked which I'd prefer. In other words, he is observant and wants to make sure the customer walks out happy. He was extremely fast, efficient, detailed, committed, and friendly. The shop was clean, simple, and basic. He'll talk if you're talkative, or he'll just cut if you're the quiet sort. No problem. I believe the cost was $18 per cut. I gave him $30 because 1) I plan on returning and 2) he deserved a good tip. If you're planning on going to a barber, don't waste you time anywhere else. You'll get your money's worth and then some at Mohamed's. read more

I got a decent haircut yesterday but I waited at least an hour since Mohamed does not take appointment on the phone. But the most important reason I gave 2 stars is the haircut was not worth $28. Before living in DC, I lived in New York and I was paying $16, lived in Mosaic District in Fairfax and I was paying $20. And both my barbers in NY and Fairfax were way better than Mohamed and they were taking appointments on the phone so I don't have to wait. Short story is not getting haircut from Mohamed again. read more