I've been coming to Swerve salon in Old Town for a few sessions now and would recommend the salon to anyone. They're conveniently located right on Wells so it's been easy to get in and out. Swerve offers a full suite of services and has a well maintained Instagram if you want to go through individual stylists recent work. I love that they have online appointments which make booking very easy. They've almost always had some availability in a short time frame and offer evening weekday appointments. Prices are really reasonable especially for some of the newer stylists. Prices are clearly listed on their booking system by stylist and service which I really appreciate. I've been with different stylists and they have all been great. Recently had a very great haircut with Emmie who was great about listening to my preferences. Maddy as well did a fantastic color/balayage for me that had grown out well even after a year. I had a minor issue with a service recently and the staff were so so nice about immediately accommodating me for a fix up. read more

My granddaughter - age 6- was visiting, and I was pleasantly surprised to get a same day appointment for her with Amanda. Price was reasonable, location nearby, and best of all - her hair cut was professionally done. We were both delighted with results, so were her Mom and Dad. Amanda was terrific - patient, friendly, professional. read more

My first experience here - for the price, I would have expected a) above average salon care and b) results without issues. Over $400 later, I left with a big line in the middle of my hair and feeling confused (I was quoted in the $200s when I made the appointment, which was on par for what I'd expect). The haircut was trimming the ends, took less than 5 mins. I've never had a $200 balayage not include the bleach, root fixing, etc... unfortunate experience, but wanted to share as most of the reviews don't show what I felt read more

Swerve Salon - Receipt for context (pre tip) - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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i had a good experience the first time I got my hair colored here... I have white hair and I asked them to add low lights which they did... The last time I went in they just dumped black hair dye like it was a can of paint on the top of my head and the bottom half tinted purple gray so that it just looks like a very bad hair dye job... when I a they had me meet with the said they would get back to me with some solutions... five days later and the salon has yet to offer any remedy and refuses to answer my calls read more

Loved my hair cut by Emmie! I have long hair with a lot of layers so it's so hard to find someone that doesn't disappoint but Emmie was flawless. She truly is an expert and is so friendly! Will definitely return! read more

I went to this salon for the first time since I moved to Old Town! I went in for a balayage touch up after my brunette hair with brown/ blonde balayage was getting brassy and my roots grew out. Visit 1) I think there was a miscommunication with me and my stylist, and I ended up getting a color I disliked with my balayage. I stated I didn't want brassy or warm or blonde colors in my balayage and I ended up with the colors in the picture titled "visit 1". I felt rushed through the initial conversation when explaining what color i wanted& I felt deprioritized for another client who was booked during my time Visit 2) I went in for a consultation and my stylist was so nice and understanding when I explained I didn't like the color and just wanted it to be darker overall and didn't want it to be brassy at all. The hair salon HANDLED THE SITUATION SO WELL!!! She told me they would redo it complimentary - such great customer service!! Pro tip: find a stylist that knows how to operate on dark brunette hair. As soon as I saw this second stylist she looked at my hair and knew the problem and said she tones brunettes differently. This experience was great, I could relax in my chair this whole time and I felt like a priority. OVERALL PRO's: 1. Great customer service, redid my hair complimentary when I came in and expressed discontent after the first visit. They made me feel listened too and didn't question me at all. They really embody the ideal that the customer is right and it's refreshing to see a business operate this way! 2. Jennifer as a stylist! She really listened to what I wanted up front, asked good questions, didn't make me feel rushed when we talked about what I wanted, and she looked at all my pictures to understand what I wanted 3. Expertise of stylists - she realized that I had some waxy build up in my hair from my old shampoo and recommended a better shampoo for me , she explained my hair type and overall had good strategic recommendations for me and my hair! OVERALL CONS: 1. Non- transparent pricing. The price you book with online is not the price you get. this place charges separately for the materials on top of the base price (ie toner, shadow roots, etc) 2. Cash tips only - this is stated on their website! read more

Swerve Salon - Visit 2: Balayage by Jennifer (LOVE - this is the color I got after they fixed the first balayage I didn't like) - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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called this salon yesterday hoping someone would help cut the back of my hair because I've been trying to grow out v shaped layers by myself for a full year. Last October a stylist from another salon gave me a pointy long v shape without my permission and I've been trimming my own hair for a while. All the stylists here are very sweet and Emma took good care of me. She explained I'd probably reach my goal hopefully within a 6 month time frame. She evened out my hair in the back bringing me to a bob cut and ignored other layers to give them a chance to grow out more. This cut will be a work in progress and if I remain in Chicago for the winters season I will return here most definitely. My goal is to get back my curls where they should be and I'm confident Emma can do this with time. The salon here is clean and everyone here is friendly. The staff really seems to be on the ball and they all work really well together as a team. Payment is credit card but you have to tip in cash or venmo. read more

Swerve Salon - Cut in transition :) - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hanna did a great job and was on time and efficient! They are very honest with their processes, what they think and how to go about things. Don't love the cash only tips part, but will definitely be coming back. read more

I wasn't able to add my MOH to our hair and makeup itinerary this past Saturday, but I was able to get her an appointment at Swerve. She had a positive experience here, and her hair and makeup turned out great for my wedding! Their prices for hair and makeup are reasonable. read more

Maddy cut my hair today and she was amazing! She gave me a great haircut recommendation to suit my hair type and even gave me tips and tricks for how to style my hair and give it more volume. I definitely recommend seeing Maddy! read more

I needed a stylist when a trip to see my daughter lasted longer than I anticipated . I was pretty nervous going to someone rather than my regular stylist back home plus I had been away from Chicago for a while and my old salon had closed. I was searching on line and by accident or actually luck, I found Hanna. I was really impressed with the pictures from this new stylist at Swerve. I made an appointment but still felt a bit of trepidation. That anxiousness was soon relieved after my consultation - I felt like she really got what I was looking to do and added a few more impressive suggestions. She was very knowledgeable and understanding. My cut and color made my hair vibrant , healthy-looking and brought many compliments. Hanna definitely knows her stuff and highly recommend her! It was a wonderful experience and the results well exceeded my expectations. Now I can't wait to see her again when I come back in town visit my daughter! read more

Swerve Salon - My amazing results! - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This used to be a great ClassPass find...insert sad face. I started treating myself to weekly massages after work because like the majority of people, it couldn't hurt to destress a bit. I booked the Swedish for relaxation, and would enjoy the me time and the good night's sleep afterwards. Unfortunately, they've started canceling my ClassPass reservations without the courtesy of an explanation. I book, a day or two later they cancel, a couple hours later I notice the same time slot appears as available, I rebook it, and they cancel again. Of course, I already put in for leave so I also get to enjoy watching those hours burn. I did reach out to ClassPass and they in turn reached out to the Account Manager at Swerve, but I never heard back. Bottom Line: I'm not dense. I'll take my business elsewhere. read more

I love this salon and my stylist Lucy!! She has been cutting my hair since I moved the area a year ago and I have never been disappointed! She's really fun too!! read more

Swerve Salon - Haircut - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had such a fantastic experience at Swerve. The salon is incredibly professional and creative. It's clear that they foster a culture of learning which was so inspiring to observe. Lisa was recommended to me and I received the best color styling I've ever had in my 20 years of color. (The cut was also fabulous and exactly what I wanted.) Lisa listened to what I was looking for and executed it to perfection. Super excited to have a new salon and stylist that I can count on for excellent service in a timely manner at a very reasonable price. Couldn't recommend the salon or Lisa more highly. A+ read more

We've recently moved to Chicago and one of the hardest parts of any cross-country move is finding a new stylist who gets you, loves what they do and does simply amazing hair. Fortunately for me, this time I found the perfect salon and stylist on the first try! Swerve is a marvelously cool, comfortable and expert salon and Grace is amazing with short hair. She's engaging, intuitive, gracious and exceptional at her craft. The pandemic and this move had me feeling really out of sorts with my hair, and after my time with Grace I feel like a new woman! If you're looking for a great place to get fresh and fabulous hair, you've found the place! read more

Swerve Salon - Sassy new pixie cut; Chicago style! - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Today was my first time coming to this salon and it was great! Everyone wore masks and I felt very safe. My got my hair done by Mickey and he was AWESOME! read more

Went to a beautiful, youthful, and perfectly toned blonde with Laura. First thing she did was talk me through to manage expectations, which I truly appreciated. She was very forthcoming, personable, and professional. My husband said it's the best my hair has ever looked. I'm so incredibly happy and grateful. The assistants, I'll also have to mention, were sweet and so helpful. Great experience overall. Just found my new salon. Thank you all! xoxo read more

I've been going to this salon on and off for years. I've never had an issue until now. It's been a single process for a while, however, I wanted to try the highlights for the root touch up. The root touch up w/highlights did not start at my roots and did not make any difference in the root touch up. I called the salon to complain to make the correction to redo the highlights. The hairstylist mentioned for me to come back in a week to correct it. I called to make an appointment. The manager called back and stated wait another 3 weeks to resolve my hair issue so my hair will be damaged. I would have to pay regular price or maybe discounted price. No thanks. I'll find a new salon. I'm not going back this salon. I've found a new salon (Anthony Cristiano) to correct the highlights. read more

Swerve Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Been seeing Gio for over 6 years now and I can guarantee you will get the best Men's haircut in the city with him.

I have been a client of Jen's for over three years and I started with her at her previous salon Base Salon in West Loop. First off, I could not recommend her enough! Jen has kept my hair beautiful, long and healthy. We've gone from blonde to hand tied extension to brunette. I am always over the moon with her work and she is also fantastic company for the time you're in her chair! She has become a close friend. The transition to Swerve from Base has been a breath of fresh air. The people here are so nice and the space is beautiful! Couldn't recommend enough. read more

Amazing Grace! I've been coming to Swerve for awhile now and it's time to review. What a terrific salon! I see Grace at Swerve and she really listens to what I say and cuts my hair just the way I ask. I'm in that "not too long but please keep it long enough to pull back"place. I have curly hair and I'm a mom but don't want "mom hair". She really hits the mark! Grace's cuts encourage my hair to follow its natural curl and movement. My former stylist always managed to miss a section and I'd find asymmetry when I shampooed on my own. Not with Grace. Grace has never rushed through my cut and missed a piece. Finally! Oh, I get semi permanent color, too, and am always happy with her work. Grace gets it right. My son went in and she gave him a fantastic (much needed) cut. Beautiful men's precision cut. read more

Swerve Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First time at Swerve. Casey was professional and a total sweetheart getting my appointment booked. The entire staff was awesome and diligent with Covid requirements. I found my stylist Lindsay on Instagram and it was the best thing I've done for myself in a very long time. I needed a cut and red over gray hair color. Lindsay really listened to what I wanted and spent time reviewing the pictures I brought. She came up with a game plan, discussed it with me in detail and made sure that I approved every aspect of it. I got everything I asked for and at a reasonable price. She checked with me as she worked to make sure she was doing things exactly how I wanted and made it clear that I shouldn't leave her chair unless I was happy with everything. I am over the moon with the final result. I had also shared with Lindsay that I was new to Chicago and because of lockdown I hadn't had a chance to find other services to really get my new life set up. Lindsay told me that the entire Swerve team was there for me for any referrals I needed. It was the nicest welcome I've had since leaving Seattle. read more

Robert is absolutely fantastic! The best face to be greeted by the second you walk in to the salon. He makes my day everytime and makes me feel comfortable and welcome. He's a gem! read more

Ended up being $75 (not including tip) for a haircut with a new talent stylist which was more expensive than I thought was initially quoted. She did a good job with the hair cut, but my haircut is also fairly simple. read more

Loved my haircut!! I had long hair and went to shoulder length hair and I absolutely love it! The staff is SUPER friendly and accommodating as well! I was a bit nervous about going to a new salon but this will definitely be my go-to hair salon in Chicago! My hair looks so fresh, healthy, and cute! read more

I am deeply disappointed with my experience at swerve salon. I came to the salon with healthy, professionally colored black hair, wanting to go a brown blonde. I understand that this request is not only a multiple session process but can also be a quite pricey one. I started with a consultation to ensure the stylist and I were on the same page and so she could have a chance to look at my hair before beginning the process. After the first color appointment, my confidence was shattered and the health of my hair compromised. The stylist told me this was the awkward phase of going blonde that no one liked but I knew something was wrong. I was left with patchy, brassy, multicolored hair. I contacted two salons (M2 and art + science) and the colorists reassured me that not only was the way I was left completely unacceptable but the price I paid was a complete rip off. I was charged $340 to look like I had done my own hair in a dimly lit bathroom. When I expressed my disappointment to the salon I was told I simply needed to be retoned and that this again was normal for the blonding process. Absolute lack of accountability on both the stylist part and the salon's. Save your money and your hair. Swerve far away from swerve salon. read more

Swerve Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Two years later and I STILL love this place. Lucy is still my go to girl and I have never left Swerve feeling unsatisfied with my hair. Still a fantastic shampooing and always a hair cut I am super happy to rock. I can talk so easily to Lucy and she is always honest about what I can expect from my hair. I have a few looks I am definitely going to try due to her suggestions once I let my hair grow out some. There is nothing quite like finding someone who really gets your style, hair and how you want to look when you leave the building. It took forever to find someone who just wouldn't cut my hair into a bob, flat iron it straight (no matter how much I mentioned wanting to leave it curly!) and leaving severely unsatisfied. Those days are finally over for me and I will not plan to have anyone else touch my hair as long as I can go to Swerve! read more

I've been holding off writing a review for a while, but it's gotten to a point where my interactions with Swerve have become absolutely intolerable. I agree with the review below from Su that the phone etiquette of Casey is deplorable. He is SO rude. He's cancelled my appointments 3 times now and each time he just says, "these are unprecedented times" and to go somewhere else. 1) There's a difference between the unprecedented times taking place, and Swerve being unable to treat their clients with respect & decency 2) There is no excuse for the lack of empathy and terrible customer service I've received All in all, I would neither recommend nor return to this salon. read more

I was taken in by Grace. I was trying Swerve for the first time so took a Groupon for Single-Process Color. I also took a conditioning treatment and a run through for which I paid in addition to the Groupon. Salon & Stylist Experience - Grace knew the best color options for my hair and did the needful. She also tried to keep the conversation on which might be good for people who are talkers!! The salon was clean, vibrant and welcoming - they also give a small goodie bag on your first visit. They have cash only tip policy which is little inconvenient if you are someone who always carry plastic money. They take Groupon members in without a fuss which was good. Quality & Service Experience - I am however not satisfied rather disappointed with the color brand which was used. Average quality hair colors do last a minimum 3-4 weeks. The color applied to my hair faded in less than 2 weeks which was surprising. Also the run through was not the ideal color application (as I thought it to be). It was some color formula which was applied to my hair at the time of shampoo and was just given 5-7 mins of wait time. I still do not know what kind of application and what formula was used, needless to mention the run through color faded much faster than 2 weeks. I would have appreciated if I as a customer had been told the exact way, formula and stay expectations of the run through color. I also want to emphasize that I have not been to pool or exposed myself to sun which could have faded the color. I have been indoor lately and seeing the color fading away in just two weeks was upsetting. From a salon like Swerve I would expect color applications which promise a minimum of 3 weeks stay power that too being generous! For me it was a waste of money (groupon + run through + conditioning) if I see my hair back to old form in such a less time and now need to spend the same amount or maybe more again on my hair :( I am giving 2 stars simply because my expectations from color quality were not met and I have to see someone again for the same work. read more

I have been going to Swerve since I moved to Chicago two years ago and I cannot imagine going to another salon! My stylist, Lucy, is talented, intuitive, and so easy to chat with (which is important because being a blonde is a process). I have also gotten several treatments such as spray tans, lash lifts, and tints from their spa. All were incredibly consistent with the quality of their hair services. I cannot recommend this salon and specifically Lucy more highly. read more

I received a massage from Veronica and she was absolutely phenomenal! The space was welcoming, clean and calm. She was so sweet and knew exactly what she was doing. 10/10 read more

I booked a facial through class pass with Jane and she was amazing!! The spa area was quiet and beautifully decorated. Jane really took her time understanding my current skincare routine, making recommendations, and explaining every part of the facial. I have seen several other estheticians and none compare to the quality of service Jane gave me today. Already booked my next session, can't wait to be back! My skin is glowing! read more

Recent moved to the old town area and was in the market for a new salon. I read the reviews online and had a client refer me too. I called and spoke w the manager explained what I was looking for. And also I realized it a weekend before the holiday, but she said "oh no, we actually have a appt today or tomorrow which would you like. I was happy to hear this. I did have to give a credit card to reserve my appt. When I arrived I was greeted by receptionist and offered to take my coat and if I'd like coffee, wine, water. Nice touch to start off a Friday w . Lucy was my stylist she was very nice had great hair and took time to listen to what I was looking for and promised to get me out within 2 hours. The salon was updated clean, bright and well designed. Lucy brought me to the dryers and very nicely placed for some quiet and nice tables to set your drink w reading material while waiting for color to set. Loved the washing stations w the foot rests and head massage to remove the coloring from my hair. My hair cut was perfect not too much and listened to exactly what I was looking for. The blow dry was great and Lucy recommended a great beach style product for my hair which smelled amazing. Being a blonde I'm very nervous and have only used two people in my life for my hair and glad I did my research very happy with my results and the price is same anywhere you go in the city. I would highly recommend this salon and look forward to returning. I also can walk to this since parking is limited in the area street pay by the hour can be pricey. read more

Unimpressed with this blow dry and this salon. Grace did my blowout and I had to ask her to wash the back of my head which she missed while shampooing. Really?! I asked her not to blow it straight dry, which she did anyway, and claimed that she couldn't get it wavy or it would be frizzy. I've never heard that before from any professional quality hair stylist. She pulled out her curling iron and then didn't tell me there was an add on fee to do it. Completely dishonest. They charged me $15 extra to use a curling iron which I wouldn't have allowed her to do had I known there was an extra fee. She pushed the products "you get a 25% discount today" so she made extra commission there as well. Shady shady! They should not have charged me extra since I was not told ahead of time. I mentioned this when checking out and the guy at desk could not give two f***s. I would not go back here and I don't recommend it. Ok - update on my review (3 hours later) I just received a very nice call from Casey at the salon who apologized and offered to refund and handled it very professionally (the woman who answered the phone did the refund and was very nice). Thank you for handing this so quickly and for offering th refund. I would give you guys a chance again based on how you handled this! So I'm updating my stars to 3 stars. read more

Had an excellent experience at swerve with a colorist Mallery. Had a not so great experience at swerve with a woman who was booked to do a brow wax tint etc. I'm told that Mallery has left the salon and they are not offering forwarding information on this colorist. Confusing and unprofessional. Disappointing. read more

Loved the haircut I got from Gio!!!! I have super thick and wavy, kinda textured hair (aka super easy to mess up), and he did exactly what I wanted! He styled my hair at the end, but this review is based on a week later after I washed and air-dried it to get a feel for the cut itself. Swerve has a level system and since I was scared to try a new stylist, I asked for one level up from the starting point, just for my own peace of mind. Gio asked me a few questions about my hair, but honestly I don't know much so I doubt that made a difference to him, but if you are particular, just know that he will take the time to listen if you need it! In the end, he took off the perfect amount of length (basically I just needed a trim and to take some weight off my hair) and added layers or whatever which made my hair way lighter, but not frizzy. Honestly, he cut it super fast and it seemed like he only made about ten cuts with his scissors, but my hair came out looking exactly the way I always wanted my hair to look. He did the initial cuts while it was still wet, then he blow-dried it and made the final shaping cuts while dry. Speaking of - he is an absolute wizard with blowouts. He only used a blow dryer and managed to get my hair as shiny, smooth, and bouncy in about 15 minutes as I do when I spend an hour with a curling iron. Normally, blow dryers turn my hair into an eighties nightmare, so this was magical. A note about the salon in general -- they seemed to be overbooked. My appointment started 10 or 15 min late and at the end, Gio seemed pressed to make his next appointment and it felt rushed at the end. HOWEVER, my haircut came out perfect, so still a 5 star review from me. read more

I bought a Groupon for a haircut and paid normal pricing for a full highlight. I saw Mackenzie. My haircut was "ok", however my highlight was not. When I got home I noticed my roots looked orange. Also many areas the highlights were 2 inches from my scalp. I called a few days later and went to the salon to show her. I was of course told "oh the foils must have slipped..." No answer on why orange. Mackenzie did a partial of my roots to fix the orange, and then i had to go back another time for 3 hours to do another highlight to try and fix the gaps in color. So at that point I had spent 10 hours in the salon. I have 3 little kids so this is not easy for me to get away and do. Also when checking out on the first redo appt, I was asked to pay for the partial! Seriously? My hair was still not great looking, however I had spent far too much time. I was surprised given the disaster that nothing was offered to me proactively - for a future service, or refund. I emailed them a few weeks later asking for a refund for the highlight (not the cut) and eventually was given a partial refund, even though they said they would give me a full refund. I have sent several follow-up emails but they are not responding. I am not going through my credit card to dispute this. I just got my hair done at a new place, and they commented on how awful my alleged "full highlight" was before them. So many areas had no highlights at all. I would avoid this salon at all costs. Bummed since they are close to my house. read more

I had my hair cut at Swerve yesterday and it was a great experience! Kayla cut my hair and did a great job! I decided to cut off almost a foot of hair and Kayla made the usually nerve-wrecking exprience both comfortable and fun. She even helped cut the hair in a way that allowed me to donate it! The free wine didn't hurt either... highly recommend this Salon and Kayla! read more

Swerve Salon - Cut by Kayla - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First time client that came in for a haircut with Mackenzie! I was very happy with my haircut and complementary hair mask (due to no blow dryers allowed during COVID-19.) Although it was strange to leave with damp hair, we are living in strange times and I am happy this salon is talking extra precautions. They had 6ft distance between guests waiting for their services and all stylists were significantly spaced out at their stations (much greater than 6ft.) Everyone was wearing masks and they took your temperature when you entered. They also had dividers between the shampoo stations and plexiglass installed at the front desk. I greatly appreciate everything they are doing to keep everyone safe! I was very happy with my haircut, thank you again Mackenzie I will be back. read more

Picture is worth a thousand words. Terrible job on my daughter, especially when she tried to fix her mistake. She tried to convince her that it was fine, not knowing I was there. I saw my daughter was upset and confronted the woman. I showed her where the many mistakes were and she just shrugged her shoulders and walked to cash register. Needless to say I did not pay! DO NOT GO THERE! read more

Swerve Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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