I couldn't love this place more. I've been getting my hair cut here since 2017 and have no plans on leaving this glowing gem in a basement. I recommend this place to friends too. Ryan has guided me through growing out my practically faux hawk to a chin length bob over the past year. I always trust his judgement and what he thinks I can manage being a very low key maintenance hair person. read more

Saint Martin's - At home, but one of my best hawk shots. I was able to get clean ups more often to Saturday fresh! - Hair Salons Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Vibe is relaxed, kinda quirky. I put myself in Lizz's hands and the cut always works out really well.

Being a newbie to DC, I was pretty apprehensive to get my haircut anywhere other than my regular girl back home in Florida. I've had some horrible haircuts in my life and I'm pretty picky about who touches my hair. I did A LOT of research and came to the conclusion that Eastern Confederate was the place for me. I have never been more right in my life! *pats self on back* I actually scheduled through Yelp and the whole process was super easy. I got an appointment scheduled about a week out for my bang trim and undercut touchup with Liz. The salon was easy to find (even though I have no idea where anything is here) and parking wasn't too bad either. My guy and I walked in and were promptly greeted. Someone took my coat while another gentleman grabbed us a couple of PBRs. Liz came over and introduced herself right away. We had a brief discussion about how I like my bangs and undercut styled and she did an AMAZING job. Seriously. Amazing. I went up to pay and she didn't charge me, which I couldn't believe. I will for sure be back! read more

Saint Martin's - Hair Salons Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Exceedingly talented group of stylists and colorists that will give you an amazing look for a reasonable price. The space is fun and pleasant to be in, and there's always a water or tea (or hell, a beer) available for you if you come thirsty. Ryan always makes me feel at home when I visit, and gives me cuts that make me look great - even when I'm not sure what I want going in. The team is taking all the necessary precautions during COVID and prioritizing customer (and worker safety). Masks on! read more

Eastern confederate I really wanted to like this place. It's in my hood and has a hip vibe to it. Alas, my first experience will be my last. I scheduled a cut and highlights with Meg. She was professional in a sullen hipster kind of way. We discussed how I was self conscious about my grey streak and I asked for highlights and low lights. She recommended highlights and doing an all-over color once the foils were in. That's where I think things went wrong. The highlights were not close enough to my scalp, but the toner covered that up, so now, three weeks later, I have crazy roots and need to have my hair done again. I usually get my hair highlighted every two and half or three months, so three weeks later is very disappointing, especially when it cost $210 the first time. So, I called yesterday to tell Eastern Confederate about what I was experiencing and talked to Kate. I offered to walk over and show her, but her appointment had apparently just come in, so I offered to take pictures and send them to her, which she agreed to and gave me the email address. The email she gave me was to a b&b in Galway. On one hand, that is savagely funny, but on the other hand, this is how you chose to treat a new customer? Damn, you deserve a bad review. For the record, I tried different variations of the st. Martins email address and waited a week, but didn't hear anything from anyone. Conclusion: Everyone has an off day, but it's how you fix it that matters. This place didn't care and didn't want to fix it. Buyer beware. read more

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I got a an ok haircut here by Ryan, and terrible highlights by Meg. I asked for balayage-type highlights. What I got is full saturation from top to bottom, except that around my part she just kind of left blotches and roots of my natural hair color. Color's fine, so from a distance it's fine, but close up I cringe. Does not at all resemble the natural sun-kissed look I had done once before with a transition to full color towards the ends. It's a bummer- I was excited to finally take the dive into getting my hair colored regularly , Ryan is super nice, and I like the vibe here, but my search for a good salon in DC continues. read more

Saint Martin's - Hair Salons Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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A true test of a haircut is how it grows out. I was in love with my cut from Eastern Confederate on the first night that I came home and received lots of raves. One shampoo and a day later, I realized it was cut in weird sections, which had to be hidden by blow-dry styling and flat iron. (hate when that happens!) Later, it grew out more mullet-y and thick. Only someone like Macgyver would be happy! le sigh. Very key here: This salon is better for those with more of a wave and texture in their hair (read: *not* super straight asian hair like mine; bummer that they can't get it right). Ryan and other stylists here seem like artists with their sheers and have success with loyal clientele. Decor is hipsta hip and nails that industrial, yet cozy style. Mirrors the salon experience. Pet cats run around and snuggle in different corners of the shop, and you can drink a free, complimentary beer. read more

Saint Martin's (and especially Liz) continue to be fantastic! They are taking COVID very seriously - including reducing their appointments to limit the number of people in the salon (as well as masks, hand sanitizer and the other typical precautions). It's very impressive that they would take a loss when other businesses aren't taking things as seriously. read more

If I could give Ryan (and the whole Saint Martin's fam) 10 stars I would. Ryan has been cutting my hair for over five years now and I would never trust another. He gave me years of boring "nothing new this time" cuts (boring because I am a lawyer and I wanted it that way, not his fault), then held my hand when I decided to chop off my long hair. He gave me the most stylish pixie that I get tons of compliments on. I'm telling you the man is a wizard with curly hair pixies! He is generous and thoughtful, smart and kind. I love our conversations about politics and current events while I am in the chair. He's outrageously talented at what he does, but more importantly, Ryan is an awesome person. The rest of the staff is welcoming and fun. Very friendly place. Definitely come get your hair cut here! read more

I trusted Ryan to chop off 10 inches, and when I asked him how to style my new haircut, he said that I can just let it air dry. I have never heard a stylist tell me that before. Ever. I am absolutely in love with my short & charming cut and frankly, I haven't been so happy with my hair in a long time. I think Ryan really understood that I wanted low maintenance, and the best part is that now I really can wash my hair & run out the door. Other bonuses: 1) Ryan is genuinely easy to talk to & doesn't make the awkward small talk that so often stressed me out at other salons, 2) he doesn't push products that I would never use, and 3) Eastern Confederate has tons of low-key, vintage charm. read more

I am confident that I found THE salon for me. After reading many great reviews, I went in for a haircut and bit of a color change. Kate colored my hair, after which Ryan cut it. I am extremely satisfied with both services. Kate: I wanted to go darker, but was scared to go too dark. Kate was extremely patient and professional. She ended up choosing the exact color I wanted. She is also very friendly and easy-to-talk-to. A+! Ryan: I didn't know exactly what I wanted, but knew I wanted to try some sort of bangs with my already short hair. Ryan gave me a perfectly cute spin on a Katie-Holmes haircut (a picture of which I had shown him) and chopped off the hair incrementally, making sure I was ok with the length before going any shorter. The bangs came out EXACTLY how I envisioned them and the whole cut looks edgy and fresh. Eastern Confederate may seem overly "hipster" at first, but upon closer examination it turned out to be very down-to-earth and not pretentious. The prices are also very reasonable. The decor is unique as well. read more

I got a cut and a color here. First, Meg colored it. I had dishwater roots growing in to home-dyed medium blonde. Meg decided (well, we decided) to first give a single process dark blonde, then go for some redder highlights for a strawberry-blonde overall effect. For the first couple of days it was orange tiger-striped. YIKES! However, by the end of the week it had softened to exactly the color we discussed. Ryan gives GREAT haircuts. My hair is straight, fine, and one length with bangs. Boring, and there's not a lot you can do to make it look different since there's not a whole lot of hair to begin with. Somehow, Ryan gave me a great looking cut with more up to date bangs. Wow! Miracle worker! I'll definitely be back. Atmosphere is not typical salon (that is a compliment). Basement, cement floors, agreeable random music with some 70s, some current; it's not thumping EDM like so many other salons. read more

Ryan gave me one of the best haircuts I've ever had and as someone who has difficult hair to tame, I can say with confidence that you can trust him. My hair feels lush and light and curls nicely again. Thanks, Ryan! I told him I usually just smooth my hair down with argan oil and stay away from chemicals. He actually created a natural oil concoction right there for me out of argan, grapefruit oil (for scent, he said... Thoughtful touch) and something else I can't remember. I was a little shocked and thankful for a stylist who A) didn't try to sell me on product I don't want B) listened. Nice dude, too. I'll be back. I had my hair colored as well but there was some miscommunication with me and Meg and I wasn't happy by the time my hair had fully dried. But you know what? Sometimes that happens. What matters to me is that this is a salon willing to work with me until I'm happy (because let's face it, I'm the one who lives with the result). I think that says a lot. Kate redid my hair when I came in a few days later and even stayed after hours to finish and did not charge me to fix it. It turned out exactly as I had pictured... subtle, barely-there balayage highlights. read more

Saint Martin's - Subtle highlights and a color correction from Kate - Hair Salons Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This newest venture by hairstylist, musician, and all around guy-you-wish-you-were, Ryan Hunter Mitchell, is his best yet. I have been a loyal client of his for many years, recommending him to every haired person I know. Now, he has created a space that combines his skills and aesthetic with those of a few other select hair magicians. Why should you come here? Personally, I go for the skilled and fashion forward haircuts that cannot be found elsewhere (trust me, I've looked!). I stay in hopes that some of the immense "cool" of this place will eventually rub off on me. read more

I live far away. I take half a day off to come into Eastern Confederate and get a haircut. Ryan is great at cutting hair that doesn't look weird. I have weird hair, that is strangely curly, straight and wavy all at the same time. I appreciate the zero up sell. I love the cool, old chairs. There are always people in there getting color done and it never smells like so many other salons (chemicals). I used to be the kind of person who would get one haircut a year (start out short and deal with growing it out until the next time I got it cut). That's because I never really liked my haircuts before. It's been awhile since I was in there and I am looking at my hair and want to get it cut again. I have NEVER felt like that about a haircut before. read more

Eastern Confederate came highly recommended to me. I have had very long hair my whole life and have always been able to trim it myself. I decided to cut it off and donate it before I lost it all to chemo. I had 24 inches cut and got a short style as my transition cut before it all fell out. Ryan was really wonderful, I came in with a couple of pictures of what I wanted and he got it spot on! He really made my cut extremely flattering for my hair texture etc. I couldn't have asked for more. As my hair grows back out I will definitely be back for styling as it grows out. I actually liked my cut enough that I may never go back to long hair. Thanks Ryan and the front desk staff and Eastern Confederate! I was nervous about getting my hair cut and you all made the process so easy and nice! read more

I am abnormally critical of my haircuts. Meg cut my hair yesterday and f*ing nailed it. There was no awkward conversation, she gave me exactly what I asked for, which is surprisingly rare in my other hair cut experiences in DC. Eastern Confederacy is priced for the quality of talent behind the scissors. I'll definitely be going back. read more

As someone who never really appreciated the value of a stylist cutting my hair, I've grown to really like the few cuts I've received from Kate at Eastern Confederate. Hipster may probably be one of the last descriptors people would use for me, so I was a bit cautious about how my cut would turn out. But I went ahead and threw caution at the wind (maybe the beer they offered helped take the edge off) and just let Kate do her thing. At the end of the day (or really the 30 mins it took to do my cut and wash), and after a couple days of getting used to the new look (which was definitely new considering I've had the same look for about the last 20 years of my life), I really turned out to like the style. I've paid more for a cut here than I normally do, but I think for the quality of the cut, the nice welcome refreshment, and the pure convenience (as I reside in Mt. Pleasant), I think Eastern Confederate is totally worth it. read more

E. C. Rules, Everything else Drools. Beautiful Salon, with very talented stylists. Everyone is incredibly nice and very funny, and they use wonderful products. I have been going here for the past 6-7 months, and I could not be happier with Meg cutting my locks. read more

I was never one that understood why anyone would pay over $12 for a haircut. Granted, the majority of my cuts were courtesy of Uncle Sam and the only haircut I knew was a military "high-and-tight". Furthermore, I considered "styling" to be putting some product in my hair when the top grew to a whole 2"-2.5" in length. That being said, my hair styles have varied... greatly. My wife has seen me come home with some pretty interesting haircuts, lol. I came across Eastern Confederate via an article in DCist. In full disclosure, what sold me was that you get a free beer (PBR). So with zero expectations, other than getting a free beer, I walked out with a really good haircut! How do I know that it was a really good haircut? Because, I loved it AND my wife loved it! Moral of the story: I understand why good haircuts can be expensive. I will continue coming back to Eastern Confederate. For men, I highly recommend asking for Kate. read more

Yep, I'm gonna be that jackass that'll complain through Yelp rather than just tell the company directly. I went in for a men's haircut. Customer service: wonderful. Making an appointment via email was easy as pie and Ryan was nice, didn't force conversation, and had zero attitude. He also let me know that I can come in two-three weeks and he'll clean up my hair for free so that the style lasts longer. Bonus! They also offer complimentary beer. Interior: really lovely. There are cats around this place though so if you're severely allergic then maybe consider not coming. Everything was really clean and there were cute pictures and memorabilia on the walls. Satisfaction with cut: a little low. I'm just not really happy with it. I showed him a picture and he didn't really pick up on some important details in the cut that I wanted. Now, I totally acknowledge that I should have just told him to do what I wanted when I noticed he wasn't doing it, but I get anxiety bringing it up especially when a stylist is basically wrapping it up and hoping to get to the next person. I feel like it'd be sorta rude to go "hey, you didn't do what I wanted so please spend 10-15 more minutes on me." In a nutshell: place is great, don't have severe cat allergy and don't have anxiety. Lol. read more

My boyfriend and I have been getting our hair cuts from Ryan (owner of Eastern Confederate) for 3 years - he is pretty great, versatile and interesting to talk to. I have seen Ryan give female hair cuts ranging from the standard cleaning-up-of-ends trim to a funky yet feminine half-shaven head look for girls and he can also give a good haircut for men with any style (clean political cut, trim up guys with long hair, etc.). Talented guy and I like the ambiance of this basement salon. read more

Contrary to the report as being "Closed," Saint Martin's is still open and is still amazing. Everyone is fantastic (I've been going to Lizz for a year and she is, without fail, incredibly nice, great at her profession, and just a positive addition to any day). The only bad thing I can say about this place is that it can be hard to get an appointment, but I really can't hold against them that they are well-liked for being outstanding. Pro-tips: Schedule an appointment a few weeks in advance, if you can do a weekday afternoon, Go in with an idea of what you'd like, and ask for thoughts. Also, I've never had any hair treatment done, but everyone who I've seen there has had great results with coloring, etc. read more

My girlfriend is new to DC, and we were recommended to this shop. We decided to give it a shot because it's only a few blocks from our apartment. 5 star rating for Meg, and 5 stars for the atmosphere and decor!! read more

It's taken me 15 years to find the perfect DC hair salon--but this is it! Liz is amazingly talented, smart and creative. Gray salon!!

I've been getting my hair cut by Ryan for almost 10 years and I've never had a bad cut. Ever. I have fairly thick, wavy/frizzy hair and Ryan has done everything from a pixie to long layers. All spot on based on what I've told him or the pictures I've shown him. And, as others have mentioned, i don't even have to dry my hair! He's the best. I can't imagine having anyone else cut my hair. I recently started getting my hair colored by Kate and she's great too! I've had blonde streaks and denim blue done by her and it turned out perfectly. Going back for my third appointment this month. As for the salon itself, as everyone else has said, you get beer and cats, what more could you ask for?? Oh, and the price is , especially for DC. read more

I'm visiting family next week out of town so I scheduled a "clean up" appointment three months after I stopped in the first time for a cut just to trim my ends. Ryan accommodated me same day, did a fabulous job trimming my ends, and they didn't even charge me! I discovered that clean ups are complimentary. Too good to be true. read more

Saint Martin's - They're reading what I'm reading. - Hair Salons Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Lizz is the best hair stylist I have ever had. She's fantastic with all styles of hair. Every person I've recommended to her also loves what she does. Can't recommend enough! read more

I can see why this place gets amazing reviews and I'm so happy to have found it. I've been looking for a go-to hair salon place since moving here last summer and this will be it. The atmosphere is relaxed and they do an amazing job while having friendly customer service. It's such a quick let down if a place isn't friendly, I'm from the south so this is important to me. I showed Ryan a couple pictures of what I was going for, more layers to lighten things up, and he did exactly that. We also talked about how this will be better for those days when I wear my hair curly too so I can't wait to try it out next time I wash it. The price is right, which is helpful since moving here from a smaller city. Super easy to get to by bus or metro. read more

Came here on a recommendation from a friend and so glad I did! Went in for a simple haircut- was looking for face framing layers and to take weight out of the back. Meg did exactly what I asked for. I was in and out in under an hour, and the salon had such a nice chill vibe. I will be back! read more

Got my hair cut by Liz and she was great! I was nervous going for a short cut after long hair for so long but she made it as stressless as possible. Liz was capable, professional and did a damn fine job. Thanks! read more

Wow if I could give this zero stars I would. I work near by and desperately needed a haircut so I looked up a salon nearby and this one popped up with pretty good reviews so I decided to give them a call. Their website was not functioning on the phone or on the computer and Yelp said they were open today till 8pm. I must have called around 50 times with absolutely no answer at all. So I decided to pop over during my lunch break to see if I could schedule an appointment and wow I've never encountered anything like this. The sign in the door said they were open, so I tried to open the door-also open and unlocked- and walked into a completely empty and deserted salon. I tried to look for someone, walk around and saw nothing and no one. I waited a good fifteen minutes with no one in sight. I finally decided to leave them a note. The phones kept going off, wow such a disaster. As I was walking out a young man was bringing chairs in and said they were closed today, on a Wednesday, with no holiday, with the salon unlocked and saying open. Can't believe it read more

Saint Martin's - Hair Salons Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

There are many things to love about this place, and I'm sure that many of the stylists there are fantastic. My stylist was great to chat with and nice. Unfortunately, she didn't seem skilled enough to be working on my hair. The cut isn't outright horrible. There are some things I like about it. But it feels like I went to a friend who is super stylish and "interested in hair" and got a cut. It looks OK, but not polished or professionally done. This would be fine if I had paid $20 like I would pay a friend and if I was 20 years old. But I spent more than $60 on this haircut and am a working professional. I think this particular stylist needs more professional training, and she could be great. On a side note, I have to agree with one reviewer that the atmosphere is a little too laid back. There didn't seem to be an understanding of where the line should be in a professional salon (even a hipster one) regarding conversation topics, how much socializing stylists should do between themselves while working, and the appropriate time for a boss to critique employees or question their methods. read more

Just like Jennifer B. I too wanted to like this place. Unfortunately I can't. I emailed in a date and somebody (I am guessing Meg) emailed me back asking if 1:45 was ok and I replied it was and that I was a first time client and excited. So...1pm comes, I have arranged my afternoon around the 1:45 timeframe, and I get an email "Is 2:30 ok?". I am not pleased about the last minute time change but hey, I thought "this might be a busy place and things happen!" So I reply "No problem!". When I arrive I am a few minutes (30 minutes to be exact) early but like I said, I rearranged my afternoon to be here so I thought I could do some work while she worked on somebody else or an emergency or something. When I walked in, she and another girl were on their phones. Not talking, just texting or checking social media. I said I am here a little early is it cool if I just hang out on the couch and do some work. Meg (I figured out who she was eventually) said, "Oh, hey...whats your name?....Chris? Yeah, I was hoping to get somethings done...that's why I rescheduled...but whatever, I can take you early." Wow. Ok. I am now hesitant to get my hair cut by somebody whom I am invading their "get stuff done" time but whatever....the reviews are good and I am still excited despite the fact that Meg and the other girl talked about how disgusting the bathroom was for the first 10 minutes of my experience here. She took the time to get to know what I wanted (with my hair, and in my preferred restroom sanitation levels) and what she thought about it. Great. We are on the same page, everything is good. Then she cuts my hair. No issues there. She cut the sides (I keep it pretty short) with scissors which I really appreciate when people do it well and I have had some amazing haircuts with this technique! She then washed my hair and finished cutting. The light is dim but she looked me over several times, made a few adjustments and whatnot and I thought I looked ok. When I got home, I looked in the mirror. The sides look like miniature mountain ranges. There are peaks and valleys EVERYWHERE! WTF? I have to go get this fixed tomorrow. By somebody else. So for a bullshit attitude, rescheduling me within an hour of my appointment and not achieving a good...no not even a good...an EVEN haircut....I have to give this place 1 star. Maybe Ryan is better? Who knows. read more

Cats and beer greet me Meg tames my thick hair with shears My thought: perfection read more

Being new to the area and frustrated with the cost of cut and highlights at some other salons, I gave E.C. a try. I'm so glad I did! A laid-back and casual atmosphere with the right amount of professionalism to make me feel that my hair was in good hands. No efforts to sell me products and straight-forward information about hair products I could buy from a (gasp) drug store! I knew it was the place for me when they offered me a beer- and I gladly accepted! Aside from that perk, I walked away very happy with my cut and high/low lights, and a price that can't be beat. I will definitely be back. read more

I have always gotten very stressed out about hair appointments. When I moved to DC 3 years ago I had a few mishaps with some other salons before a friend recommended Ryan at Eastern Confederate. I started seeing him with very long hair and bangs then he helped me transition out of the bangs and eventually to a very short (think Clair Underwood style) haircut. Ryan has always done a phenomenal job and I can't say enough nice things. Since cutting my hair short I've had a lot of people ask me who does my hair and I point them all in his direction! (This probably doesn't help his availability- make sure you call a few weeks before you need an appointment!) The salon vibe is relaxed- you can have a PBR on the house while you wait and everyone is always so nice. read more

Ryan gave me one of my best hair cuts ever. This man knows how to do a pixie! Fun/funky salon, very nice staff, and super easy to book appointments (plus text reminders). Highly recommended. read more

I was excited to find a well-reviewed salon in my neighborhood, and went in for a haircut with Meg. I was really disappointed. She cut substantially more than I asked her to, and though I was specific about what I was looking for (basic long layers) and even brought pictures, she went pretty far off course. She cut a big chunk of hair on just one side in the front, which looked weird and there was nothing I could do but grow it out. I'm not planning on going back. Also, the decor was super kitschy and campy, which I personally didn't find that pleasant, but ymmv. read more

All of the love for Ryan & his crew. I feel very lucky to have such an easygoing den of talented people up the road from me. Best value for a ladies' haircut in DC, no question. No one will sell you on product, but they will hand you a beer and ask you about your day. Ryan used to cut my hair when he was cutting out of his basement, and I wouldn't dream of going to anyone else these days. To second others: when they say these are haircuts you can air dry, they mean it. Ryan's pulled it off on my head (not easy with long wannabe-wavy fine hair) and Meg with my roommate's (also not easy) and everyone else I've referred has left singing their praises. read more