Private I Salon

Family-owned & operated

Consultations available

Kiyoko is fantastic! I absolutely love her tiny little salon in the middle of Japan Center, right…read morewhere all the action is happening! She is incredibly meticulous and detailed with her haircuts, wonderfully gentle and careful with washing, and amazing with hair color. You can tell she takes so much pride in her work and pays attention to every little detail. My hair is very difficult to cut because of years of processing, but she worked her magic. This is hands down the best haircut I've had in years! If you're looking for someone who is skilled, thoughtful, and truly cares about the quality of her work, I highly recommend Kiyoko.

I drove 2.5 hours to come here for a haircut and showed the hairstylist pictures of both the front…read moreand back of the hairstyle I wanted. She told me she could do it, but unfortunately, it became clear during the haircut that she did not know how to achieve the style. She cut my hair short and then tried to use a hairdryer and comb to make it look like the pictures, but it did not work. I showed her the reference photos again and asked if she could get help from someone else. She asked a colleague, who showed her how to cut the style, but she still seemed unsure how to do it. Eventually, the owner had to step in and finish the haircut for me. For a long-hair haircut that cost about $100 total ($85 for the haircut plus a $15 tip), I was very disappointed with the experience. At this price point, I expected the stylist to be able to achieve the hairstyle she had confirmed she could do, or to be upfront from the beginning if it was outside her expertise. Unfortunately, based on my experience, it was not worth the price or time.

4.2 mi•Union Square, Financial District

Ombré with cherry red!

Curly Hair Color & Hair Cut at nepenji San Francisco, Tokyo .

See all

Feeling to be short cut! Nepenji San Francisco.

Hector Estrada

4.8(456 reviews)

Hector Estrada; hairdresser EXTRAORDINAIRE: color, cut and…read moreshaping. I was a medium brunette. A few years later, Hector said, ""I'm going to make you a blonde, because, You have a good personality." Now, every 6weeks, I'm a little bit blonder and a lot happier. I'm constantly complimented, "Who does your hair?" Hector has transformed my life. Getting an appointment is challenging, as he's booked two months out, but, his Assistant Michael, is amazing and will work you in as soon as humanly possible. I promise.

I've been in SF for 8 years trying to find a hairstylist I actually trust, and I finally found…read moreHector. I went in not really knowing what I wanted, just vibing with some general ideas. Hector totally got it and did an amazing job. The thing that impressed me most is I wanted highlights without bleaching my hair, and he made it happen. Every other place said I had to bleach it. The salon is super clean, bright, and has a great vibe. Everyone there is really kind and helpful. Yeah, I had to wait for an appointment and send pics beforehand, but it was 100% worth it. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a great stylist!

3.0 mi•Japantown, Lower Pacific Heights

After shot!

Balayage and cut by Hector

See all

Style by Akela

Kaori Hair Salon

4.8(73 reviews)

I think the choice of barber is a very personal choice - you want to find a really good one that…read moreunderstands what you want out of a haircut, and also has to be able to construct that haircut on a bi-monthly cadence. For me, I found Kaori through Yelp. She is best reached through text, and she is responsive. The first time I showed her the haircut I was going for, she was able to understand immediately, and she was also able to work around my difficult hair (read: male pattern baldness). I have been going to Kaori for a year now and I plan to continue going!

Kaori was great! Very kind, fun to talk to, and skillful with my hair. Would come again for sure.read more

3.0 mi•Lower Haight, Hayes Valley

See all

Taylor Monroe

4.3(1.3k reviews)

So happy I found Benji! I'd been professionally covering my grays every 3-4 weeks, fighting that…read moreharsh demarcation line as my hair got darker and darker. From the moment I sat in his chair, he made me feel completely at ease -- personable, attentive, and so easy to talk to, like catching up with an old friend. He took the time to consult with me, listen closely to my concerns, and develop a thoughtful plan to begin lightening my base and gray blending journey -- keeping the integrity of my hair a priority every step of the way. He's incredibly talented and knowledgeable when it comes to color, using modern techniques to create a natural, seamless blend with no harsh lines -- just soft, pretty color that'll grow out beautifully. A total perfectionist, he made sure I was thoroughly happy with the result before I left the chair. The whole experience felt effortless, and I haven't loved my hair like this in so long. Benji is the only person I'll trust with my color from now on -- so grateful to have found him!

As a 58 yr old woman it's nice to be noticed. Thanks to Benji I get compliments on my hair ALL the…read moretime! We've been on quite the hair journey since 2021, playing with a variety of shades of red. I've been loving being a redhead. I am 95% grey, which I have found is not easy to achieve perfect coverage. Benji's got me! I appreciate his excellent communication skills. He listens intently and asks a lot of clarifying questions to be sure that we're on the same page. He exceeds my expectations and I feel genuinely cared for in his hands. He's a sweetheart and so fun and easy to chat with during my services.

Done by Benji (instagram: wooneats)

Honey blonde Balayage by Emu

See all

Full Balayage by Benji Pow

Project XO Salon

4.8(69 reviews)

3.9 mi•SoMa

Thank you, Hung, for an amazing makeover! I have not had a real haircut in a few years, and hung…read morewas able to completely cut and tone my long/thick hair in under two hours. I highly recommend him- he is professional, friendly, knowledgeable, and his salon space is beautiful.

Casual and very relaxing once you enter through the door. Professional, creative, honest stylist…read more Newest addition is Georgie- what a beautiful pup. Highly recommend Hung for a hair cut and color, 100%

3.0 mi•Japantown, Lower Pacific Heights

Rich brown balayage

Elli with her gorgeoushair.

See all

Hung and little Georgie

Arty

4.2(397 reviews)

Yumiko was great! She is very nice, professional, and informative. I got a layered cut and a…read moredigital perm. She warned me that my straight, fine, virgin hair will have difficulty holding a curl after day 1, but it ALWAYS came back after a wash. The curls started to loosen at about mo 4, and lasted about 6mos. I went back for another digital perm 1yr later, and I'm going back for a third today!

I've been going to Arty for years now, and I feel as if the quality of service has declined. I went…read morein for a full highlight and haircut and I felt like it was being rushed and I didn't even get what I had asked the stylist for despite being very specific about my style. The highlights were done very well as well as the haircut, but neither were what I asked for/was expecting based on pictures and verbal requests. The haircut was rushed and I had to ask a few times for adjustments. I understand that sometimes hair takes a long time, but with the amount I paid for the session I would like for time and care to be taken to heed my requests. Unfortunately I will be searching for a new salon after this last session.

Exactly 1 year after the digital perm. Yumiko's cut and perm make this hairstyle look good at any length.

Yumiko gave me this perfect haircut and perm to make my first trip to Turkey beyond perfection. Thank you!

See all

KaYea Hair & Make-Up

4.8(246 reviews)

2.6 mi•Parkside

I absolutely love getting my hair done by him! He is incredibly skilled, and his sense of style and…read moreaesthetics is always on point. Every time I leave the salon, I honestly feel like I look three years younger! One thing I really appreciate is how respectful he is of my time. My appointments are always on time, and I have never had to sit around waiting. He is also very honest and never tries to upsell me. There have been times when I asked about adding extra treatments or services, and instead of simply charging me more, he honestly told me that I didn't need to spend the extra money. I really appreciate that kind of honesty. Overall, he is talented, honest, professional, and genuinely cares about making his clients look their best. I always leave happy with my hair and feeling refreshed. Highly recommend!

I've been coming for more than a year for to get my hair cut and consistently love my hair every…read moretime. It's effortless - I go in and have great hair coming out! One note is that he requires a deposit in advance via Zelle to make an appointment - that sketched me out the first time, but I'm glad I went for it. It's just a minor inconvenience to get on his busy schedule that's well worth it!

Sexy Curl Perms(?) lasted for 2+ months

See all

Steel & Lacquer

4.7(293 reviews)

3.6 mi•SoMa

They're amazing, angels, and what it must feel like when a guy changes a woman's tire on the side…read moreof the road with a head nod as you're welcome. I walked in facing an absolute emergency after accidentally getting gum stuck in my hair while completely exhausted. Walking into a high-end salon when you're feeling at your lowest takes a lot of courage, and I was bracing for judgment. Instead, the beautician and assistant met me with pure empathy, dignity, and profound human kindness. They didn't see a problem to turn away; they saw a human being who needed help. They used the exact right professional product right off their shelf to solve the issue perfectly and with incredible care. True professionalism isn't just about technical skill--it's about heart. Thank you to the angels at Steel + Lacquer for showing me such grace when I needed it most."

Returning to The Bay after a four year hiatus, I desperately needed styling. Today I reunited with…read moremy longtime stylist, Cloe Washington. I wanted a Wolf cut, but not a mullet or a tight fade. Cloe did me right with a nice scissor fade, keeping it long on top. Trust!

I was so happy with my hair cut and beard trim!

Hair by Chrystal

See all

Hair by Marie

Hong Kong Mona Hair Studio

4.8(152 reviews)

0.5 mi•Inner Richmond

My new go-to place for haircuts! I have long, thick hair and my haircut was about $30 - not…read moreincluding wash & style. Usually other places charge me double and cut more than I want. I love that it's so affordable and not too far from my workplace. Mona always cuts it at the perfect length that I say, and never more than I ask. I always leave happy with the results. Highly recommend! CASH ONLY & metered parking. Highly recommend booking an appt via phone.

WOW! I got a $25 haircut here and it took less than 30 minutes. This did not include wash and style…read morebut I was okay with that! Mona was super sweet and has been cutting hair for 20+ years. I made an appointment via the phone about a week ago. CASH ONLY!! Will definitely be returning back here.

2.9 mi•Alamo Square, Hayes Valley

Hours

Haircut

See all

Hair highlights

David James

4.8(293 reviews)

Nielle is the best!! I'm so glad I found her, I would follow her around the Bay Area. She keeps my…read morehair looking fresh and healthy after it went through a major thinning process. A shoulder cut can quickly look crazy on me (mullet alert) but she was able to perfectly layer my hair with some face framing bangs to come out perfectly balanced. Also she's the easiest person to talk to, makes your appointment feel so relaxing and peaceful like you're catching up with a long time girlfriend - she is theeee best!!

I've been going to Nielle for over a decade and from the jump she really listened to what I wanted…read more I originally came to her after a botched balayage I got in the Philippines, and she completely fixed it. From there, we did an 10 hour transformation going blonde and honestly, that appointment bonded us for life. I've never trusted anyone else since, she's basically my hairstylist and therapist hehe Her balayage is SOOOOO good. It always looks natural, grows out beautifully, and lasts forever without getting brassy. I'm pretty low-maintenance, and somehow my hair still looks put together months later because of her work. Her haircuts are also super clean, and she's actually the one who got me into curtain byayangs and I've stuck with them ever since. What I appreciate most is how much she cares about doing things the right way. When I decided to go back to my natural color, she didn't rush it or take shortcuts. She slowly transitioned me over time and kept my hair healthy through every stage. I live in Los Angeles now and will literally fly home just to see her, that's how good she is! After 11 years, she's more than just my hairstylist, she's someone I trust completely. Highly recommend!

Cut by Sabrina.

Bleach and tone transformation by Devon.

See all

Bleach + tone and buzzcut on Devon, by Devon.

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

3 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Margaret L.

14 years ago

Kent is the man with the magic scissors. He has been my stylist for years. I always have the best cuts from him and haven't gone anywhere else for the last 20 years. Lisa is fantastic as well. She is the woman with fantastic sense of color and a good hair stylist also. Five stars all the way! read more

Ki S.

10 years ago

Nothing compares to Private I Salon, and I would never think of going anywhere else. Period.

Hyunouk R.

11 years ago

Cheap! and Kind people. Good skills too.

Private I Salon - hair - Updated October 2026

Browse Nearby

BEST of San Francisco, California Coffee near Private I Salon

BEST of San Francisco, California Things to Do near Private I Salon

BEST of San Francisco, California Barbers near Private I Salon

BEST of San Francisco, California Restaurants near Private I Salon

BEST of San Francisco, California Perm near Private I Salon

BEST of San Francisco, California Coloring Services near Private I Salon

BEST of San Francisco, California Sushi near Private I Salon

BEST of San Francisco, California Pilates near Private I Salon

BEST of San Francisco, California Beauty Supply near Private I Salon

People found Private I Salon by searching for…

Browse Brands

Brands by name

Browse Articles

Articles by date

People who viewed Private I Salon also viewed

Salon 828

4.4

(21 reviews)

Watch out, people. I've been coming to this place for a while and the price was always $25 (I…read moreusually leave a tip and pay $28 total). Today was a completely different experience. The barber rushed through the haircut, didn't follow what I asked for, and tried to finish as quickly as possible. I specifically asked for a certain length, but he ignored it and insisted everything looked "good" when it clearly didn't. On top of that, I was charged $30 without any explanation. When I asked about the price, he just laughed it off. Very unprofessional. Feels like they take advantage of regular customers.

DO NOT GO TO THIS SALON! Jimmy destroyed my hair. In…read moreOctober of 2024, I came into Salon 828 with mid-length, healthy brown hair and having read reviews online I thought I could trust Jimmy to dye my hair blonde while keeping it long, but boy was I wrong. Not only was I charged $500 for a yellow dye job that fell out in clumps resulting in an unwanted pixie cut, when I went to another salon months later to try and salvage what was left of my hair I was told the dye he used was so strong that when this other salon had accidentally ordered it (instead of putting it onto paying customers hair, like Jimmy) they poured it on the concrete outside their building, that's right- he put a dye strong enough to bleach concrete onto my hair. My formerly long, healthy hair was bright yellow when I wanted it a white bleached color, and the consistency of straw. Even the blunt pixie cut I was forced into couldn't hide how many different lengths it had split off into. Somehow, I was convinced to revisit Jimmy for a touch up on my roots, I assumed this would be free because he had destroyed my hair- nope- I was charged around $300, for a root touch up, mind you he couldn't even successfully dye my roots to match the yellow of my hair, he let me leave the salon with orange roots. I've spent the last 10 months attempting to regrow my hair, I've poured hundreds of dollars into olaplaex, k18, and not touching it with bleach, yet it has barely grown 2 inches and is still completely broken and all different lengths. Not only did Jimmy at Salon 828 destroy my hair, he destroyed my bank account (charging ridiculous prices) and my confidence and trust in stylists. Don't end up like me, don't go here. Thanks a lot, Jimmy.

Ruby's Cut

4.3

(95 reviews)

Desperately needed a blowout and they squeezed me in with a fabulous wash and style! Will…read moredefinitely be back!

I've been here several times with good results. Today I walked in and it was empty of customers…read morewith only this Asian guy staring at me like I had 2 heads. I asked, " Hey, is one of the ladies here?". He replied, "yah..". Then nothing but more staring. I felt uncomfortable and asked if she was available for a haircut, and the guy said. " YEAH, WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?!?". I decided to just leave as the guy was being a jerk for no reason. I'm sure I can find somewhere less creepy.

Mai Ling Hair Design

3.8

(32 reviews)

My mom brought me here for my first professional hair cut almost 10 years ago and this is the only…read moreplace I get my haircut now. Even though I don't actually live in San Francisco and have moved from the Bay to Davis to SoCal, I simply don't trust anyone as much as I do Mai Ling. My family, being terribly last minute all the time, rarely ever make appointments with her (which is horrible! Don't do what we do!) But she knows us well now and is always happy to accommodate us. And what's even better is how cheap it is! My mom has been coming here for upwards of 15 years probably, as have my aunts (one of whom actually lives in SoCal, but she comes to Mai Ling anyway!), and the prices haven't changed much at all. We always tip heavily because she's so accommodating of us :)

Best shampoo I've ever had! Like a head massage!! Then a precision cut, I'm very happy with!! Mai…read moreis a one-gorl-show, with her assistant shampooing! My little niece looooooved her trim, also! We'll be back!!

Susan's Salon

4.1

(27 reviews)

I went here for a quick trim, and Susan herself came out and convinced me to get a bob! I payed her…read more20$ and a kiss on the cheek and it was the best dang bob I've ever gotten! thank you susan :)

Good price for a quick trim, $17. You have to know what you want, not a ton of English but enough…read moreto get by.

Ken & Mary Hair Salon

3.3

(44 reviews)

My teenage daughter goes to this salon a few times. She has tried both ken and mary. Both of them…read moredid a good job on cutting hair. They are also very friendly.

What poor service and a ripoff. When Ken brushed my husband's hair out, he was pulled so hard on…read morehis hair, it hurt. When he finished trimming his hair in less than 5 mins, he was charged $40. We would not recommend this place at all. There are planting other places on Clement Street and elsewhere.

Miu Miu Hair Salon

4.3

(24 reviews)

I've been coming here for over a year now, and it has been awesome…read more I'm not really a hair person, but according to my girlfriend, the haircut is done really well. I like that the price is really good as well for $13, and that it's close to me.

1 star for decent service and 1 star for the cut…read more My hair is thick but I don't know why he decided to just give my hair a little trim. It was like he didn't want to cut my hair or being lazy? I also didn't like how he kept charging for this and that like my bangs for $10 and extra for long hair. I felt like it was just business and I don't recommend this place.

Perfect Cut Hair Salon

4.1

(412 reviews)

Tony did some magic on my hair. He was very friendly and chatty, but when I asked him for hair…read moreadvice (side bangs or no side bangs), he was very quick to give his opinion. He clearly knew his craft well. I asked for a relatively simple hair cut (long with layers) and he delivered. I have very thick Asian hair that needs to thinned out periodically and he made my hair feel light without sacrificing the volume. He also had this magically way of cutting hair where it didn't matter which way I did my hair part (on the left or on the right) and it looked the same both ways. A fantastic hair cut for me and I will return the next time I'm in San Francisco. Furthermore, the price point was fantastic ($55). I will say -- I really enjoy relaxing shampooing and hair massages at hair salons and I wouldn't say that this was a particularly relaxing hair cleaning. Much more vigorous (not painful) and I felt like my scalp was very clean. I liked it, but others may not.

After 8yrs of growing out my natural hair I decided it was time to color it again. I asked for a…read morewarm balayage and left hours later with brassy dry dead hair. The salon completely damaged my hair. On top of that, the beautician was aggressively rough. I had trouble sleeping that night from the throbbing pain coming from my scalp after enduring the way she treated my head earlier in the day. I do not recommend this salon.

City Cuts

3.9

(34 reviews)

Been going to Vivian for so many years, it has to be 20+, started in my younger days, then started…read morebringing my son - she is awesome and remembers how to cut your hair the way you like it! My son is very picky about who cuts his hair, and he doesn't like it when anyone else's cuts his hair, never turns out right. She does a great fade - she's the best! Not sure about anyone else in the other chairs, only Vivian!

Vivian always cuts my hair exactly how I want. She's affordable, and I love this salon.read more

Taraval Hair Design

4.7

(22 reviews)

Kenny was sweet and amazing. Been doing this for 30+ years. Straight forward haircut done with the…read moreprecision of years of practice. I will go back!

Kenny is the best! So nice to my mom and so fun to chat with. He's a Taraval stapleread more

Paul's Hair Design

4.7

(26 reviews)