Tanya and FALKOR, the sweetest big-girl dog, are AMAZING. Seriously has to be one of the best, if not the best, haircuts of my life. I told her I was so bored with my curly hair. That I was open to more bangs and layers, and I told her to do her thing because hair grows back. I told her that I like to wear my hair straight too. She did a dry cut, where I showed up with my hair already washed and dried, so she can see what she's working with. I feel that Tanya really took her time to assess my curls, consider my preferences, and to UNLEASH her creativity. She's an artist. So after some relaxed and easy conversation, she hands me a mirror. Although my hair hadn't dried yet, I knew she had done a good job. It looked like every curl was considered and had its place. She didn't just give me long layers! Hallelujah!!! No, she gave me a playful and approachable (for little old me) haircut. It's not a full on shag, though it has elements of a shag. It's fun and bouncy; I'm able to wear it curly AND straight. So basically, she really listened to me. I appreciate so much that she listened to me AND let her creativity shine. So this woman can do it all! She can give you the rainbow mullet of your dreams or the bounciest, bossiest curly shag. She can also give you something more low key, but full of personality. That's because she has SKILLS and empathy. I told you: she's an artist! Thank you, Tanya! Thanks for making me feel comfortable in your chair; thanks for making me look and feel amazing with my curly hair. I think I'm going to be wearing it more curly than straight, even though I can do both! *bonus: Falkor (iykyk), the dragon dog who looks like a wolf-princess, will be a good girl the whole time. She will show you how to be confident, and she is the sweetest baby* *I will add a picture of what the cut looks like straightened, after I straighten it* read more

Pirate Salon - Dry and curly! I feel great, and I love my curls again. - Hair Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I love everything about it. I love the cut with Tanya. It's beautiful. She does such a beautiful gypsy cut for a curly hair. She's the best Best. I've been doing my haircut for nine years with her. She's awesome.!! read more

Tanya is amazing. She listened to what I asked and made my hair look its absolute best without any of the pretentiousness of the usual Bay Area salon experience. Can't recommend her highly enough! read more

Pirate Salon - Curly hair cut - Hair Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

I love my hair. I feel like tanya, where have you been all my life?!? So impressed with how she worked with my hair to give me something wearable and easy to style based of my natural wave pattern. She also was not afraid to give me the volume and 80's vibe i have been looking for. I woke up this morning after sleeping on my new hairdo and it was READY TO GO!!! I didnt have to wet it, didnt have to brush it, it looks amazing. This has never happened! Thank you, I'll be back. I love the vibe of the salon, and tanya you are super cool. read more

Pirate Salon - I woke up like this - Hair Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

My curly hair has never looked better. Tanya is a gifted artist, besides being very fun to talk to. Can't wait to become a "regular" read more

Back to refresh my cut and Tanya did another great job. She is a magician with hair, creating waves and volume in my straight, flat hair.

My curls have found a new bestie in Viva Rose! She did such a great job at liberating the heavy sections by removing weight and giving it great shape. She's really creative and fun to talk to, and the space is an artsy delight. I love that you don't have to bother with a wash - I'd rather go home and wash my hair in the comfort of my own shower. Dry cuts are the best for my hair. Thank you Viva Rose! read more

Tanya is incredible. Both my wife and daughter swear by her. We are at Tanya's pirate salon right now and she's cutting my daughter's hair. Tanya is so patient in understanding what hairstyles my daughter might want, and taking through various options. And she's been cutting and coloring my wife's hair for a decade. She always comes home super happy with her haircut. read more

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I've been going to Britney at the pirate salon for years and years. She is a joy to spend an hour with! She really gets my curly hair, and does great color. I love the no frills/great prices at the pirate salon. I've met a few other gals who go here and we're always so excited to find a fellow pirate customer-- it's like the best kept hair secret in the city. read more

Tanya gives me the best haircuts! The sessions are a pleasure -- she's lovely to talk to, has a fun and welcoming salon, two of the cutest dogs around, and her prices are affordable. And it's nice to get so many compliments on my hair. Thanks Tanya! read more

My first Yelp review, and probably my last. Tanya is supremely talented, her space is chill, almost private, and the conversation sparkling.

My next haircut will mark 14 years of fantastic haircuts with Tanya Mia. She's a true artist and her cuts always last so long! We have so much fun when we go to her place and chat it up. I've had long hair, short hair, asymmetrical hair, always fabulous. Today I learned the Japanese word: "Age-otori" - The feeling of looking worse after a haircut. You'll never have Age-otori again if you just stop messing around and go to Pirate Salon! read more

I had hi-lites done here about 3 months ago, and I really hesitated to write a 2-star review because this is a small business. BUT - I feel that by sharing my experience perhaps someone else can benefit from it. My stylist was WC, and I very specifically requested WISPY, ASH blonde highlights. Dictionary.com says wispy means "a. One that is thin, frail, or slight. b. A thin or faint streak or fragment.", and ashy means "of a pale greyish colour; ashen". If the stylist didn't know what either meant, he should have asked me. I came away with fairly chunky (by chunky I means 1" wide highlights... that is NOT wispy!), and fairly brassy highlights. I know you will say that I should speak up to the stylist, but in my opinion it should've been done right from the first try and you should be able to go to a salon and not question or correct the stylist, as that is their job, right? Photo of the "wispy, ash blonde" highlights so you can judge for yourself: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/qWVcCs_HYGvad7_t26qEaw?select=y9Or_TGz1b1SvYpL8bYyUg This makes me sad because I paid a good chunk of money to have this done, and it's a chemical process, so I couldn't do anything to my hair for a few months, and the thought of doing a corrective job over it would cost me so much money. Also, this salon has an average 5 star rating, so I really dislike having a negative review. This is the reason why girls find salon hunting so difficult, and why it's so traumatizing to even go to a salon. If any of you girls know the place to get wispy, ashy hi-lites please let me know!! read more

Pirate Salon - my "wispy, ash blonde" hi-lites. Uhm, yea.. - Hair Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Tanya is a true artist. She has been doing my hair for over a decade. We first found her while searching for a stylist who could do men's cuts. My ex started with her and told me to give her a try. I was skeptical about the dry cut and the do-it-yourself wash and style. I love both. Her attention to detail is outstanding. She really takes the time to talk to you, learn the shape of your face, assess the type of hair you have, and make suggestions based on all of those things. She will, of course, do whatever you want but I trust her completely to give me a cut and color that works for me. Now, both our kids see her too. My 17-year-old daughter loves her layers and my 14-year-old son actually takes the time to do his hair in the morning before school. A true hair genius. I feel lucky to have found her. read more

Tanya is the absolute best hair dresser! Hands down... She is an artist. Tanya does my hair, as well as my 2 teenage daughters. We all have long curly hair ~ she does hair magic for us! Tanya sculpts and shapes like no other... my curls are so healthy and stylish! read more

Tanya is the greatest! Love the personal experience the salon offers. She is a genius at coloring from natural highlights to any color you want! She also does men's trim and cuts! read more

I cannot speak highly enough of Willow at Pirate Salon! I decided I wanted to try a blue ombre look and made an appointment at Pirate because of the Yelp reviews. I was a little nervous, as I don't regularly dye my hair, so I E-mailed Willow prior to my appointment with lots of questions and pictures of what I wanted. He was extremely helpful and addressed all of my concerns, and even took time when I was actually there just to go over everything to make sure that I was getting the exact look I wanted. I initially wanted more of a pastel color, but he was really honest and told me about all of the damage that kind of bleaching would do to my hair. He ended up suggesting a blend of turquoise and dark blue, which was a bit bolder, but ended up looking fantastic! Thanks to Willow my hair is imaginative, sassy, and fun and I couldn't be happier. I highly recommend going to him for anyone looking to change up their normal look with something funky and fabulous! read more

Pirate Salon - Amazing blue ombre by Willow! - Hair Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Amazing. I went to see Tanya for a cut (10+ inches?). She was super chill and awesome to talk to, very down to earth and accepting of my more...indie hair care routine shall I say (it was exactly the opposite of a former salon experience). Anyhoo I was even late, thus making her late for something but she still spent a long time carefully cutting away and gave me just what I wanted with no fuss--a super low maintenance stylish mussy shaggy almost bob thingy (although it can get a little on the mullety side for me--I just need to hand style it in such a case). She was also very obliging to my request to not really style it at all/use a bunch of products. Tanya also gives the best hugs, so yeah. After that I realized I needed to up my hug game. Highly recommended. read more

I've been seeing Tanya Mia since this Summer, when I had a birthday and decided to get the asymmetrical cut I've been wanting since my younger days. My friend, her hubby, and their daughter all get their cuts from Tanya and each of them look amazing in their own unique cuts. Tanya is smart, fun, no-nonsense and honest. I love that about her. She got to know me, asked me about my usual hair routine to figure out how much maintenance I'd be willing to put into my hair, and then she hacked away at my shoulder length shag I'd grown out for a wedding the year before. I went to my birthday dinner covered in bits of hair, but I knew I looked AWESOME! The best thing about Tanya is that she's got an amazing sense of balance and aesthetic--I chalk that up to her experience as a sculptor. I'm posting a pic of the back of my hair just so you can see what I mean. It's brilliant razor work. Never mind the decent price she charges so that the 99% of us can actually afford her. What's even better is that she is mindful of your budget and will cut your hair in such a way that you really don't necessarily have to come in monthly for maintenance. As I left her salon after my most recent cut in October, she said, "I'll see you in a few months!" and true to her word, I probably won't be needing any styling until December. Love, love, love her; and the rest of the staff seem mighty awesome, too. read more

Pirate Salon - Birthday hair--look at all the amazing texture! My favorite haircut ever. And that is saying a lot! - Hair Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Viva is THE BEST for curls! I've been going to her for years for my very thick, frizz-prone curls, and no one else even comes close. She's super intuitive, patient, and precise, and she keeps my curls looking perfect. Pirate Salon is such a cute, welcoming space, it's always a fun time to stop by and chat with Viva while she works her magic! read more

So I followed Ana to her new digs because I *cannot* do without her. Recent haircut comment results provide a case in point: Boss (tame): You changed your hair, looks great. Gay male co-worker (racey): Giiiiirl, what'd you do now? You're gonna have to learn a cat-walk strut now to go with that hair-do. Straight male co-worker who knows I'm married (inappropriate): That's hot. You're gonna have no trouble getting lots of guys. (My response: Great, my husband's gonna be stoked!) Mom (it's Mom, what do you expect): That's a great cut for you. It frames your face nicely. Husband (Hot): I like it. *touching* A lot. From tame to inappropriate to hot, Ana's hairdos always inspire generally positive, frequently entertaining comments. And so, I stalk her. (Ha, now who's inappropriate?) She recently joined up with Pirate Salon, which, as I learned upon my recent visit, is home to a rather novel approach to the modern salon. Here are just a few tidbits I learned from Ana as I was quizzing her about the new place. 1. Because neither Ana nor Tanya are into driving cars around the city, when they need products delivered, they hire a bike messenger. 2. In order to cut down on time/costs, you are encouraged to wash your own hair before arriving, or you can wash it at the station in the salon. 3. They will accept barter/trades in specific cases. 4. Schedule your own appointment online. No snotty receptionist. Bring cash. (Cash only) This is an alternative approach to the modern salon . . . and I like it! The atmosphere is sort of high-class punk rock, and you won't be served a glass of champagne or an espresso. Instead, you'll get exactly what you came for: a damn fine haircut! read more

I can't give this place a zero so I guess I'll have to give it a 1. I went to Tania 10 months ago. When I walked into her salon I had dark brown, almost butt length hair. When I walked out- ALMOST 6 hours later- I had 90's peroxide blond hair on almost, but not fully, my whole head... She left me my dark brown 1 inch roots. A slight back story. I had dyed my hair but I wanted it to grow out. My hair is naturally medium brown. So- I wanted something that would allow me to grow my hair in naturally but not look too crazy (I'd dyed my hair a darker shade). Ombré was the obvious choice. I already had 4 inches of outgrowth. I sent Tania 3-4 photos before coming in and explained via email what I wanted. Suffice to say I was extremely unhappy. How do you get peroxide blonde hair from ombré? I had pictures!! I wish I could attach photos. You'd all be horrified. So here I am, 10 months later. I was attached to my hair... but walking out of that salon, I looked ridiculous. I called my friend who normally did my hair (who lived hours away which was the reason I went to Tania in the first place) and she had it re-dyed, cut, and re-dyed again until it looked like what i initially asked for. But even after all of that it was literally breaking off in chunks in my hand from the ridiculous peroxide-like chemicals she put on my head. Eventually I had to cut it- hardcore cut it. I had to chop my very wavy, freakishly thick hair into a bob. I looked like a mushroom. 10 months later- I've cut it 5-6 times and I've vowed to never dye it again. I'll have to cut it about 4 more times before the blonde is gone. Tania has made my decision to never dye my hair a very simple one. Oh- and I asked for a refund and she refused. We emailed back and forth and while I kept my cool and was extremely professional (even though I was dying inside over my hair) she yelled, argued, and spewed profanities and insults at me. Eventually she gave in and told me that my hair looked horrible and gave me a 50% refund. 50% didn't even cover the expense it took me to fix it the first time...and definitely didn't help towards what I've paid to have it cut since the job was done. I've worked in customer service and cussing and yelling and threatening customers? Yeah... Great :) Overall? I will drive the 3 hours to my friends salon. Forever. This was the worst service and the worst experience of my salon-going career. I had hesitated on writing this but... I had to do it. I couldn't let this experience go unvoiced. read more

I've been getting my haircut by Tanya since she was running it full pirate style. Now she's got an awesome fully registered sailing ship and I can finally write her the bad ass review she deserves. Nowhere else in San Francisco can you get an amazing haircut of whatever level of conservative to wild you desire by such an amazing and friendly stylist at such a great price. Tanya wields her over ten years of professional experience to provide a cut, style, and color that are truly extraordinary. She's great at realizing your vision for your hair or helping you come up with one. I've had her give me cuts ranging from short and spiky to full on Wolverine style such that kids on the streets of Oakland yelled "Hey Wolverine!" out to me as I went by on my bicycle. Her color skills are also awesome and when I want to treat myself I'll have her give me a two or three color wild dye job. And the salon itself is a funky and friendly place to be. The decor is playfully punk rock pirate and the you'll often run into other cool people and chat for a little while before and/or after your cut. Tanya will often offer you tea or some other beverage on hand and make you nice and comfortable. The atmosphere is definitely casual though so if you're looking for a hoity-toity salon experience with fancy dressing rooms and attendants scurrying around everywhere, go elsewhere! This is a pirate ship, a pirate ship of awesome! The one uncommon thing about the salon this way is that you wash your own hair. As much as I like a happy head massage shampoo, I can live without it for the benefit of everything else and the $10-$15 I'm saving in the process. Another nice note is that if you come by bicycle you can bring your bike right into the building and up the elevator and leave it right outside the salon. I really can't say enough about how wonderful Tanya and the Pirate Salon are, but I'm writing a Yelp review not a novel so just go! read more

I dont know what the hell went wrong when I went but I clearly did not receive what I expected from reading these phenomenal reviews. To make it simple, expensive haircut with no skill WHATSOEVER. Never coming back. read more

I made an appointment with Willow for Wednesday at 5 PM. The night before my appointment Willow emailed me asking if I could come in at 4 PM instead of 5 PM, which I emailed back saying I could not because I had work until 4 PM. The day of my appointment Willow calls me to cancel at 12:30 due to "food poisoning", which I find a little suspicious since he asked to move my appointment the day before. He also made no apologies for canceling my appointment only 3.5 hours before I was supposed to be there. I called him back to reschedule. I said I was open Friday morning and his response was "I have errands to run." He then asked if I email him a few different times I would be available. I emailed him back immediately and I did not hear back from him for almost 24 hours. Again, with no apology. After seeing so many great reviews, I was very excited to go to Willow. Not only did he cancel last minute, he made no attempt to reschedule, and did not apologize once for cancelling or for taking too long to respond. read more

Arrrrg! Avast me mateys, and get yer scurvy arse over to Pirate Salon for all of yer hair needs. Pirate talk aside----if you are looking for a cool person to do your hair, Tanya Mia is your woman. She sits down and talks to you about what you want, and delivers. Imagine that! She is great with colors and dry cut my naturally curly hair, no problemo. I'll admit that the pricing drew me here at first, because I have a problem paying somebody $80 to wash, cut and style my hair. Tanya Mia takes that out of the equation. YOU wash your own hair, and YOU do your own styling, and as a result you pay a good deal less. The salon is small; I liked it though, prices painted on the walls along with some other interesting designs, and a comfy couch for lounging. read more

Went in for a trim. Talked about wanting about 2" off and then there was over 6" of hair laying on the floor. I didn't want short hair but I have it now. I keep chanting "it's only hair. It will go back" Beware the pirate! read more

I've been going to Brittany since finding out she was the one working hair magic on my friend. She's amazing! She makes my hair look amazing and always gives me exactly what I want. I love short bangs and find that with most hairstylists, I need to get them trimmed a few weeks before I want them at at their ideal length. Most people make them too long or too short. Brittany fixes them up perfectly every time! read more

Pirate Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

I really adore the Pirate Salon! I've been seeing Willow for over two years now, and I always love the haircut and dye job I end up with. I love trying new things with my hair, and Willow always seems to have a creative inspiration that works really well with my hair and my style. It's also worth noting that Pirate Salon is an especially great place for weird art people, burners, transgender folks, gender non-binary people, and anyone who never seems to fit into anyone else's box. I feel really comfortable there, and it's a place I'd recommend to friends who wouldn't feel comfortable seeing most hairstylists. read more

Tanya was all booked up when i needed a last minute appointment, so I made one with Ana. She is also amazing!! Tanya actually saw that I was coming in so she came all the way to the salon just to say hi and decided she would mix my colors while she was there. Not only did Ana do a great job of making my highlights look as natural as possible, but the cut she gave me is AWESOME! I have been getting compliments left and right from friends and family... and when I wear it curly people don't even recognize me because she brought out curls in my hair I have never seen before. Thanks again Pirate Salon! read more

Ana is my new gal. She knows her stuff.

So many stylists (at all price ranges) have no idea what to do with curly hair. Tanya Mia gives me the perfect a-line bob with a dry cut. She compares cutting curly hair to sculpture - she has an artist's feel for the lines of a sassy, funky cut, while using my hair's natural talents instead of fighting them like every other place does. Tanya Mia and Ana are phenomenal human beings. Going to the Pirate Salon is always FUN. All for HALF the price of Medusalon. What Anji said. read more

I went from black to platinum blonde hair with pink and purple tips under Tanya's care. She knew exactly what to expect and managed to get a smooth blonde even though I had previously bleached and colored it. I also came in with a couple of pictures of the cut I wanted and Tanya got it just right. She noticed details that I completely missed. Five stars all the way :) read more

AMAZING!!!!! All the men who have ever been attracted to me have been real DOUCHEBAGS and I was in a real hair funk...blonde for 15 years...yawn...and I needed a drastic change. So as a bit of a social experiament I decided to change my hair and thanks to yelp I found the Pirate Salon! Going here was the best decision I have made in YEARS...I asked for Jessica Rabbit red and layers the framed my face...NAILED IT! I love my hair it's totally different and the cut is super cute. I will never go anywhere else. Oh yeah and $85 for the cut and the dye job??? are you kidding me?? sooooooo cheap! I love this place! read more

I hate to admit this, but I am somewhat unfaithful to stylists. I just cannot CANNOT go to the same one twice. I think Pirate Salon might have just stopped me dead in my tracks. Ana was friendly and is obviously SUPER skilled. I told her sort of vaguely what I was thinking and she not only got it, but kicked it up about a billion notches. I am now a hot b*tch. Well, maybe just a girl with a fiercely cute haircut. The salon itself is great--it's in a cool building full of other salons, massage parlors, tattoo parlors and something called Mission Cats. Enter on Treat St.--not on 18th--that's the one weirdo thing and a lot of reviewers get lost. I was able to figure it out and if I can, so can you. I didn't miss NOT having my hair washed. Who cares, don't be lazy, do it yer dang self. You're not going to care when you come out of that salon looking hella fine. Ana, thank you so much--you rock. read more

Got my hair cut and dyed by Willow. I went in with a specific look and colors in mind, but let him work his creative magic and it came out so pretty! The colors are beautiful and the cut is great. read more

Pirate Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

One word: INCREDIBLE! I was referred by a chick at work with a fantastic haircut. I have curly hair that I wear straight 90% of the time, plus, I'm mixed with black and white, so my hair is a little unusual. But, Tanya Mia has experience cutting mixed hair, wow! Talk about a first for me. Since I came in with straight hair, she decided to cut it dry. Even though I wasn't sure what I wanted, gave her a vague instructions and pointed to a pic in a book, she asked me specific questions and gave me the best haircut of my life. This is one talented and intuitive stylist. My cut is like a top-heavy bob, that sometimes the ends flick out, sometimes I flat iron them straight, and I can turn the ends slightly under. And in the SF fog, the whole bottom curls while the stop stays straight. Sigh, I'm gushing, can you tell I'm totally in love? I couldn't stop playing with my hair for weeks. Hell, I still haven't stopped playing with it! I brought a friend with me, who got the most adorable cut as well, and she's also thrilled. Tanya has the best vibe, she's totally funny, and we spent a great Saturday afternoon in her shop. We walked out feeling fab and looking even better. I can't wait to go back for my next cut! read more

I've now been going to Pirate Salon consistently for over a year. At some point I switched to WC, I think because Ana was on vacation, but Ana is also amazing, as my previous review attests to. Tanya, Ana and WC are all amazing. But this review is for WC, who, with infinite patience, has helped me nurse my neurotic desire to have awesome hair without looking like I did anything to it. He has been cutting my hair (which I have been impatiently growing out) over the last year with incredible skill, somehow managing to make my hair look fresh and exciting even through its most awkward stages. Yesterday, I finally settled my inner hemming and hawing and got my hair highlighted -- after imploring that "no one should notice" that I'd had my hair colored. No regrets: my hair is now my hair, but better -- I have golden blonde highlights through my already blonde hair, and it looks like I just emerged from a summer paradise where the sun gently colored my hair while I lay languidly by a lake or on top of a tin roof -- yeah, I kind of romanticize my hair, but we all have our vices. WC understands my foibles, creatively indulges them, and the price is so reasonable. He also recommended just a bang trim instead of a full hair cut, since I didn't really need one, which saved me $35. This impresses me. I love this place. I've always wished I was lucky enough to have a friend/roommate/relative who was also a hair stylist. Pirate Salon hits the sweet spot between having said friend and going to a fancy salon -- you get a friendly, laidback vibe and affordable prices, as well as super talented and inspiring stylists. read more

I have had my hair done by WC for the 4th time, and the least I can say is that I'm thrilled with his service as well as with the Salon overall. About me - I am extremely picky when it comes to my hair, and rather conservative overall in terms of cuts/colors I like to do. I like feeling that my hair dresser listens and understands what I want, and can deliver on what I expect, even though I'm not extremely precise about what I'm asking. About WC - WC clearly can deliver on any kind of requests, and has the creativity to perform any kind of cuts and coloration. I usually go for a layered cut and highlights, so nothing extravagant. WC always gives lots of movements as well as volume to my hair, and my haircut never goes un-noticed by my friends and peers. As for the color, it blends perfectly with my natural hair, which is exactly what I want. About the Salon - cozy, fun, friendly, I always have a good time there. Everyone is nice and authentic, and I always find parking around it which is a nice perk! And the price is just amazing for the quality of service. Conclusion: if you are looking for someone to take care of your hair in SF, this place is THE place to go. You won't regret it, and your wallet neither. read more

I was so lucky to find Tanya Mia 12 yrs ago when I had cried way too many tears for bad hair stylist after bad hair stylist. There are many stylists that claim they can cut curly hair and even the ones with DevaCurl training had left me in tears. Then I found TanyaMia and I can honestly say that no one knows curls better than her. I have fine short curly hair that has 3 different curl types and every cut she has given me, I have LOVED. And it always grows out great until my next cut. I now find myself moving to Seattle and if I cannot find a curly cut stylist up there, I will be flying home just to see Tanya Mia! read more