I have frizzy, sensitive, dry hair which is very difficult to style. So I just wash and naturally dry my hair with some leave-in conditioner, but a good haircut is really crutial to making my hair look decent. When I go to the Grateful Head, I ask for Mai, the lady who has been there the longest as she has been consistently better than any other hair-cutters in the Bay Area at these cost-cutter salons. I usually go there either on Thursday or Friday evening, and get my hair cut fairly quickly but not rushed. I can safely say that this place fits my budget and taste. read more

I must admit, I do not go for expensive hair salons. What I'm looking for in a barber is convenience, reasonable price, and a hairstylist who listens to me and does what I ask for. I used to go to SuperCuts, but got frustrated with seeing a different stylist every time I went. Not to mention that frequently the stylist would say "I do good for you" and then send me out looking like I stuck my finger in an electrical socket. When I found this place, it was close, convenient, little wait, and I come out with a decent haircut. I have moderately difficult to cut hair as it is very fine and straight and sticks up if it is cut too short. I feel that the stylist really listen to me and don't try to argue and talk me into a different style- "I do buzz cut, OK?" No, not OK. Recommended for someone looking for a clean and professional place that does a reasonable job. read more

Okay, I've been going here for about 5 years. Why do I keep going back if I think it's only worthy of 3 stars? Well, mainly because I'm a cheap bastard. Not cheap enough to go to one of those $8 haircut places (where the last time I went the uglified me good), but fairly cheap. Besides, I have short spikey Asian hair, so how bad can you really screw it up (barring the good people at the $8 haircut place)? Anyway, the 1st time I went was not so good. They somehow made my poofy Asian hair extra poofy. However, I returned for my next haircut due to the low prices and the close proximity to my workplace. The 2nd time around the got it right. Since then, they've done a fairly consistent job, with a few issues here and there. For example, with the cut I got last week, for some reason, the hair on one side of my head spikes at a different angle than the other. Call me a stickler, but they've cut it symmetrically before, so I don't know what the deal is. Anyway, I give it 3 stars for good prices, nice people, and decent haircuts at least 75% of the time. read more

You get what you pay for, is apparently the operative phrase. My husband came home $20 lighter with an OK haircut and his neck and ears covered in hair. He wasn't delighted with the cut, but he doesn't hate it either. Of course he had to immediately shower before he itched himself to death. I know its a cheap haircut, but some people take pride in their jobs anyway. At least enough to rub a wet towel over the client's neck so that they don't come home looking like Sasquatch. read more

I have long straight hair I wanted to layer and style, highly recommend Li. She did exactly what I wanted and was super quick.

Nice place for hair cuts, located in the San Antonio shopping center near the Wal-mart side. This was the first place I tried after my terrible visits to Supercuts. I found this place on Yelp. Must say that my experience was very pleasant. Thuan cut my hair. But, before you stereotype this place as one of the asian-dominated place, I should note that the other people cutting hair were of different ethnicities. Thuan was nice to talk to and seemed to have lots of experience cutting hair. He was very meticulous, worked at a reasonable pace, and was responsive to my feedback. Everything was perfect, except he was slightly off on the sideburns (one was a little longer than the other after evening). I should also note that this is a great place for kids to get their hair cut. The people running the place on the day I was there were extremely friendly with the kids. They also give lollipops out! $15 per Haircut. read more

My Dad cut my hair into a bowl helmet until the 6th grade. Somehow that didn't drive me to high-maintenance hair. Most of the stylists here are Asian and do a great job for the price. They are able to layer my hair and take off some of the weight by texturing the ends. The cut always looks slightly different, since I don't always get the same stylist, but the wide variation in skills I've experienced at "salons" has never justified the price to me. Admittedly, I am cheap and low maintenance. If you are too, you will like Grateful Head. read more

Just don't go there. I've been there at least half a dozen times to try different stylists and came out with worse hair than before. Today's stylist could not even follow simple instructions and blamed my curly hair for cutting it too short. I was left speechless. Trust me. You'd be better off shaving it all off. (Which I just did.) read more

Good haircut at a good price. $16 for a men's haircut and worth every penny. I have come here four times and Mai has done a great job every time. I come on a walk in basis and the wait is usually 10-15 minutes. I can't speak for other hair types but I highly recommend this place if you are a white male with shortish hair. read more

Yes, a lot of things could go wrong for a $16 haircut... but not for me! :) I have very straight, black Asian hair. I mean STRAIGHT! A lot of people mistaken me for straightening my hair when I don't (I don't mean to make anyone jealous :) When I lived in San Jose, I'd go to a salon near my house that cost $20 for girls' haircuts and get the same haircut each time (straight in the back, with slight layered bangs in the front). I'm not creative when it comes to haircuts... which is a hairdresser's dream! Every salon I've entered, hair stylists' faces light up when they see my hair AND when I ask them for a simple cut. Anywho -- I called ahead to make sure that I didn't need to make an appointment before arriving. The lady on the phone was very nice and told me to walk-in because they weren't busy. I was hesitant to go at first, but I went against my gut, because hey, it's really difficult to screw up my hair. I walked in and was very surprised at the cleanliness of the place. For $16, I expected a more insanitary salon :P The lady greeted me: I told her what I wanted, the usual haircut that I've always gotten, and she started working on my hair. Her English wasn't perfect but enough to get by.. so there wasn't a communication barrier between us. She finished with a smile and asked me to return. I paid $16 + $4 tip. I'm not going to complain about my haircut because let's face it -- it was $16. Where else can you get a haircut for $16 in the Peninsula? It's like complaining for cheap quality goods at the 99 cent store. Same deal. I went to the Grateful Head.. I came and left :) I love the name of this place. read more

I went to have my hair cut, and was told to put my name on the list. I was taken by a woman to have my hair cut. She asked how I wanted my hair and I told her I like a 1 or 2 on the sides, and then trimmed on top. She said, either 1 or 2, and I was taken aback. I thought a hairdresser would figure out what was best considering my hair length at the time. Then she asked if she could just use clippers on the top of my head. I told her that I had very stubborn hair that sticks up when too short, but she insisted to use them. I had to blatantly say no and was ready to leave before she relented. That aside the haircut was kind of blah. She seemed to spend too little time passing the clippers over my head, and only when I pointed out areas she had missed did she go over them. I think that I have a fairly obvious hair style, clipped short on the sides, trimmed on top and then hair pushed up in the front. I didn't know what kind of training this woman had, but she could have been a little bit more professional. I would not go back. Beware... read more

I didn't want to spend $35+ to just trim my hair so I went to Grateful Head instead for a hair trim and a bang cut ($16). It's $16 for a cut, $22 if you want it shampooed/washed before cutting. I came in and was seated in less than 5 minutes. This Chinese lady who had received me when I came in was the one who cut my hair. I have long, "V-shape" layered hair that extends down mid-back. When she trimmed my hair I expected her to keep the "V-shape" at the bottom of my hair but nope, she just trimmed my hair straight flat across. Then she cut me some side-swept bangs which ended up looking great except for that awkward spot on the side where my bangs don't merge with the rest of my hair, but I'm not sure if it's because of her or if it's because of my layers. She offered to trim my sides further to better connect my bangs with the rest of my hair but I declined because I didn't want to annoy her by making her do all of this for a $16 haircut. I also was scared she'd mess the cut up. If I wanted it fully styled I felt that I should go to a more expensive salon. Service was prompt, my stylist was very friendly and patient with my requests, haircut was okay. Well, with $16, you get what you paid for. As for me, I'm not sure if it's worth it coming back though; if I just add 10 more dollars I can get my hair fully cut and styled at another salon. Overall, Grateful Head is perfect if you're a guy getting his hair cut/trimmed or a girl getting a really SIMPLE-styled haircut. read more

"Wow that's possibly the best name ever for a hair salon in the Bay Area." Thus spake The Wife. And I must agree. I tend to rate establishments by value received divided by cost paid. Given that metric, the Grateful Head is clearly a five-star place. Normally I have Mai do my standard #-3-clipper-around-the-sides-trim-the-top-please haircut, but most of them can handle it without much of a problem. It's very inexpensive, but you're getting a good product. The salon is always immaculate, and the furniture and stations always appear in like new condition. I've seen several ladies of means (based on clothing) sitting in the chair to get their hair colored and such, but I am not the man to say whether they can do those jobs to exacting standards. I can say that they are unfailingly friendly, polite, take walk-ins, and you never really have to wait that long. After having my hair cut by Francis (who owns the shop with her husband), I can see from her pride in her business that it's not by accident that the shop is as well-run as it is. read more

I stopped by to get their business card, met Mai and decided not to become their client after all. I must say I amazed by people who persist being rude, though it hurts their business. Strength of character! read more

walked in for a hair cut because a friend suggested this place. they were very helpful. i wanted to get layers cut into my hair but keep the length, she did a great job. read more

Shttiest haircut i've ever gotten, three people showed up for the same appointment time (haircut stylist seems to have memory issues) Gave her clear instructions but she decided to do her own thing. read more

I had a wonderful haircut from Mai today. To be honest, I have never left a salon so pleased. I had previously gone to a place in Menalto that I do not recommend and had been living with an uneven and choppy haircut that brought me disappointment daily. Mai to the rescue! I received a great haircut, even and blended really nicely. I am very happy and will return and ask for Mai. read more

3.5 stars I'm pretty pleased with my first haircut here. It had been a few months since my last one, so I was definitely a little shaggy. The stylist took it all in stride, incorporating my desired cut but also opting to thin out my hair to make it more manageable. Efficient and pleasant. Prices (?)recently upped to $15 and the Safeway nearby sometimes has coupons on the backs of the receipts. read more

Not a bad haircut, the staff are really friendly...they'll greet you as soon as you step in. Was looking for a quick haircut around my work and found this place. Located in the Wal-Mart shopping center, it's off the side next to a Chinese-food place, easy to find. Had my haircut done by Tuan almost three weeks ago, he's only there Monday and Thursday afternoons since he's at his other profession the other days. Told him I needed a short faux hawk, 1 on the side blended into a 2 and finished with a 6 on top. I'd normally cut my hair myself, but I'm starting to get lazy cleaning up all the hair shards in the bathroom. Anyways, he did just as requested and it turned out great! Going back today to get another cut...price was about $16 bucks if I can recall. read more

I found this place after searching for hair places near my new apartment (I moved here from NYC and wanted to find a hair salon that wasn't pricey and was close). The reviews were positive, and they were spot on! The place is big and a bit too fluorescent light bright-- not too ambient. The woman did my hair in under 40 minutes, and I had a wash, cut, and blow out! I told her what I wanted, and she hacked right away! At first, I was a little scared, because I had never seen a hairdresser hack away with such abandon and so fast, and I kept asking her if it wasn't getting too short. However, when she did blow it out and set it, it looked great! I came away with a styled, layered and blown out bob with side bangs, and all for $30! Sweet deal, I will definitely be back. read more

I feel sorry that I have to write such a bad review for an individual, but it's the worst hair cut I've ever had. I've never had hair cut that has a lot of unevenness and even missed long strands! The person who cut my hair named Mai. She was just trying to get rid of me right after I sat in the hair cut hair. Terrible. I will try a different one next time there. read more

I can not recommend Mai's service more. She is a master of her craft and also a truly wonderful human being. She treats everyone with respect, speaks enthusiastically about her family, and will be happy to have met such a genuine human being. Tip big because she deserves it! read more

Terrible. I got my haircut from Mai because someone told me Mai was good and she did a lot of women's hair. She was sloppy. I asked for a layered style with soft choppy bangs and she just cut my hair straight across. There's absolutely no layer in my hair and she didn't do anything about bangs. Also, her techniques were horrible. She didn't really cut hair, she tore my hair using scissors. When hair is torn with scissors, it damages hair and can create split-ends. Apparently she didn't know that. She didn't care about her work, and she didn't bother to see whether hair lengths of both sides were the same or not. I went home and found one side was longer than the other. Her service was bad. She chopped my hair and rushed me out as if I was the Black Plague. She never even asked if I was happy and she didn't finish styling my hair. Aren't we suppose to feel good because we look good when we get out of a salon? Not at Mai's. She knew I was unhappy, she didn't look at me after she did my hair, she was not concerned if I was happy with her service. She just didn't care. Terrible place! Bad service and bad techniques. read more

I went in on a weekday around 7:30pm, and the place was empty. Lucky for me, since the hairdresser said it had been crazy busy all nigt. They recommend making appointments for getting your hair colored, but for just a cut, it's all walkin. I ended up getting a nice, simple cut (angled and layers) for just $15! What a great deal. I will definitely be coming back here again. read more

The Grateful Head is a pretty cookie-cuter haircut place. If you're a yuppie, or if your hair is particularly complicated, you're probably not going to like this place. It's very minimalist, sparse, but dirt cheap. If you just want to get your hair cut and aren't overly concerned about all the extras, you can go here without worrying about having your head totally butchered. read more

This place used to be a lot better. Several years ago they hired one woman who does not speak English to the level required to communicate hair style choices. So I would go and had about a 20% chance of getting that one woman. If you got her then it doesn't really matter what you "ask for" she is just going to do what she is going to do. Maybe she doesn't understand. Maybe she doesn't care. It seems like a bit of both. I stopped going for about 6 months because I didn't want to get that woman. I went back recently and the only people working was her and another new woman. 50/50 shot, right?! My plan was this: if I get the new woman then I give it a go. If I get the other one then I fake a phone call at the last second and bail. I got the new woman! Yay! My lucky day! I ask the new woman to cut my hair quite a bit shorter and pointed at a poster they have on the wall and said "like this.". She just did whatever she wanted instead. When it was done she asked me if I wanted product in my hair. I said "No, I'm ok.". Guess what happened? ... she put it in anyway. read more

I got my haircut here a few weeks ago, and it was a great deal (~$19 with tip). I think I was the youngest person there by at least 40 years. Anyhow, I waited about 10 min for Mai and was out of there pretty quickly. I had read reviews that they "hack" your hair off, which is actually a pretty accurate description. I've never had someone cut my hair like that, but in the end, it looked fine, so I don't mind. read more

: ( I hate to do this. (NOTE: my picture is very old, my hair doesnt look like that) I used to go to greateful head all the time like clockwork when I lived in mv. I started cutting my own hair so I don't really go to any place that often anymore. When I did go, I would usually request Mai. From time to time, she would be very busy so I would try out other stylists there. I never had a HORRIBLE hair cut... Until yesterday. All my hair cuts from greatful head varied from good cut to AWESOME cut NEVER bad. I have reffered many friends and family to go to Mai. They were always friendly. Well, I guess they forgot my face since its been maybe 1.5-2 years since I was there last, but just because I am not a regular does not mean I deserve less devotion. At first, Mai was taking her time cutting my hair. I wanted to cut my over grown A-line bob to a layered cut. I already had bangs. She decided to trim them and I LET her because she had done it before and done a wonderful job. Not this time. She CHOPPED it all off and cut it WAY too short. About 1/4 in my haircut a ReGuLAr came in. Known ona first name basis. Then Mai starts cutting my hair at crazy sweeny todd light speed (assuming to get my ass outa the chair for her regular). It not only HURT because she didn't wet my hair enough, but it was VERY un even. She had already done so much I didn't stop her because I thought.. maybe itll look better when shes completely finished. Boy I was so wrong. Im the type where if I get a new style, I have to stare at it a while to really appreciate it and let it sink in. Well this did NOT sink in. I started driving home and at every stop I would check it out in the mirror and I got sadder and sadder. 25min later in san jose, I really started crying because it looks SO DAMN BAD. Now to some, a bad hair cut isnt such a big deal, but my hair is already short as is and the only way to really fix it is to go pixie which I don't want. I went to the bathroom and tried fix my hair as best as I can. My hair is naturally PIN straight. Because of this, you can see ALL the mistakes. The best I could do was to create some wave for the illusion that its "supposed to be like that" and pin/ A LOT of hairspray my bangs (which is quite difficult since its extremely short.) : ( I gave it 2 stars because it seemed as though I was treated less important than her regular, she wasn't very friendly, she seemed to have an attitude as if I was taking up her time, and the fact that she lied and said it was good. If I cut your hair and fked it up, I'd say wow my bad let me see what I can do. She said firmly (eyebrows)" No, it looks better than before" as if she was TELLing me, not suggesting. I don't care if its $16. You don't have to lower your standards because you lower your prices. I went to a $40+ before and got a haircut I could have paid $16 for. bahhhh. my hairrrrrr : ( read more

After two unhappy years (since moving here) of search in the Bay Area for a consistently good, no frills men's haircut place, I finally found the Grateful Head. They listen and do a careful job, without any fuss -- very professional. And they charge just right for the job well done. Highly recommended for men's haircut when you are not after a lot of styling, instead just looking for a regular job well done for a reasonable price. read more

This pictures of my sore neck (turned into red) shows how skilled is the young guy who gave me a hair cut today. Totally disappointed with everything... getting a hair cut with a sore neck that I can't even put on anything that may touch the back of my neck! read more

This is for a simple women's haircuts ($16). I've gone to those "salons" that charge $60+ for a haircut. There, you get lots of people smiling at you and a swanky atmosphere. I talk to the hairdresser and they give me a haircut and spend 30 minutes styling my hair ... and I emerge with TV anchor hair. I'm a simple girl. My hair is relatively uncomplicated (fairly straight with a tiny bit of wave at the end). I like uncomplicated haircuts and I know what works for me. Also, I hate making appointments. Ugh. The Grateful Head (you have to love a name that conjures all sorts of sexual innuendos, or do I just have a dirty mind?) gives me a simple, uncomplicated haircut with no fuss for $16. I go in there, and someone greets me. Within 10 minutes, I'm seated in a chair as the hairdresser sprays some water on my hair. (No shampoo if you don't request it.) 5-10 minutes later, your haircut is done and you're on your way. It's awesome for a simple gal like me who likes to get what she pays for. I don't mind paying $60 for a haircut but only if it's amazing. In the Bay Area, that's hard to get. Here, I can pay less than half that and know I'll leave with a decent haircut. I don't really get anything amazing, but it's great for what you pay for. If you want a fancy haircut, this isn't the place for you. If, however, you have straightforward hair and a simple cut ... go for it. read more

DO NOT go here to get your hair cut. Some how a quarter inch off the top equates to getting a buzz cut. The asian ladies working here do not seem to have a strong command of the english language so communication is a MAJOR PROBLEM. Don't waste your time here, look else where. read more

This is the Bay Area and there are salons around here that are way to expensive....And really, for a trim I ain't gonna spend anything over $20. And since Im a gal with pretty long hair (its down mid back) some places charge more since its longer I found this place driving through the San Antonio Shopping Center and thought I'd give it a try. At first glance its kinda sparce but I really needed a hair cut that day. I just walked in and was immediately seated in the styling chair and one of the ladies quickly started with what I wanted. I was very impressed with the finished cut and I LOVED that it was only $16!!! I think this will be my new place. read more

Mai is awesome. I call and she is always willing to fit me in. Mai does a great job and takes her time. $60 for highlights. Cut, blow-dry and style is $16. Thank you Mai! read more

Hair cut is OK. But the communication of the stylist needs to be improved. For one thing, don't ask questions that'd lead to controversial topics - I am here for a hair cut , not for picking up on something that we don't agree to. For the other, if you ask me whether I like the result, be prepared that I might say I don't - if you think I need to pay more because you spend more time, communicate that explicitly to me, rather than expressing that implicitly in your seemingly angered actions or words. Win my respect and appreciation with your professionalism, rather than your anger. read more

I've been going here for a couple years and I consistently get good haircuts, no matter who cuts my hair. Granted, I have pretty manageable hair and I've never asked them to do anything complicated. On top of that, when I was getting married and I went to a fancy pricey place to have my hair done, the lady asked who cut my hair because it was done with really good technique. I thought it was awesome to tell her it only cost $15 when she charged $65 for a haircut. In your face! read more

Mary has been cutting my crazy curly hair for a long time. She is amazing. I can't trust anyone else to touch my hair. She also has a lovely personality, which makes it a great experience! She also cuts my boyfriend's hair now. He is picky! But we have always loved the cuts he gets. read more

don't expect much, it's a 17$ haircut you get what you pay for. I thought she was doing a good job until I got home and find that my hair is choppy and uneven. :( won't be back read more

Quality is not that good. Service is better, friendly staff. Closes really early.

Mary is no longer there! I found her again at the great clips in Palo Alto that's at 3902 Middlefield Rd. I shall be following her there. Someone who can help you keep your hair consistently good is worth following. read more