my boyfriend went here a few months ago and i was definitely not impressed, and he just went here again today, and i was even less impressed. the woman greeted us with a frown and a very unfriendly offer for a haircut. she herself didn't have great hair, so i was a little worried for my boyfriend already. i sat nearby so i could make sure he made it out alive. it started off with a grouchy, obviously forced "how are you?", and soon got to "you have dandruff, you need green tea shampoo...we have it here" as she was ripping through the job. she was pretty rough with him. who would pay to have someone shave through your hair in a big fat rush? when she was "finished", she left a ton of loose hairs in his ears and all over his forehead. aren't you supposed to be nice and use that little brush to try and get most of the loose hairs off of the customer? she also did a very uneven cut...so he had to tell her a few seconds after she "finished". she fixed it, but it was obvious that she only was doing it for the tip. AVOID this place like the plague! read more

I will give 5 star to AKI, their best hair stylist and 2 star to the other 2 stylists that I've tried. I've been here just for haircuts. Aki listens to what you want patiently, asks questions and checks with you throughout the cutting. I have curly hair and few people know how to cut the curly hair well . She gives you a haircut that you'll get at a much higher priced place. If you wanna go there, call ahead and ask when Aki works and have her do the cut. They charge only 15 $ for haircut. read more

I used to go to the expensive Spas and now use this place. You have to be very clear on what you want and don't expect any mindless chatter...but you cannot beat the price and the quality of service. I would only suggest Mia. This is who I use. There is another one there who leaves bald patches and I am not sure she cuts straight....and it is best to avoid her...unless you like super duper short. Mia is marvelous. She is exceptional at shorter cuts and if you tell her exactly what you want for a longer cut...you'll get it. She does her best to make you happy. She is also very good at color. She might tell you what she thinks is best...but she is usually right in her suggestions. read more

Nice haircut place I goto because it's so close to the office. I went during lunch and didn't have to wait at all, that might be because the large tree in the front completely blocks their sign so people might not notice where it's located. If it's hard to find, it's just to the left of the Payless shoes. Overall pretty good job but I have only been here twice. I would most likely come back. read more

Completely ignored what I wanted. I've been growing my hair and wanted it tidied up. I stressed numerous times that that was all I wanted: when the appointment began, when she asked how short to take the sides, when she asked how much to take off the top, each time I stressed that I did not want it shortened, just tidied. I realise that means some loss of length but somehow it turned into inches off my hair. Unfortunately, I'm short-sighted so I couldn't tell until my glasses went back on. If you want a short haircut, you'll get what you want but don't go here if that's not what you want. Your wishes will be ignored. read more

Came here after reading up different places on Yelp. I usually go to a cheap $8 haircut in SJ at a vietnamese shack but discovered the virtues of a nice $18 haircut in San Diego. Hoped this place would live up to the premium, but sadly disappointed. Asked for my hair to get textured, but immediately once the haircut started I knew that I was in trouble. It basically turned out to a buzz with a few clips here and there. Wouldn't come back here again. Totally overpriced for $15. They won't even put any styling products in your hair after they finish the haircut unless you pay them extra. On the bright side, there was less lose hair after the haircut from a normal haircut. read more

trust me when i say i'm very picky about who cuts my hair...and mai does a great job! i read some reviews and apparently, others have had bad experiences? not sure if they were all for her, but doubtful. although i did have to point out a few particulars about how i like it, i only have her cut my hair and while i'm waiting, see others also doing the same while the other stylists (relatively less experienced) sit around. $15 men (wash/rinse extra) i would suggest going during less busy times (weeknights 5-7pm). anyhow, i've been going for the past 1.5 years and i'm still going back every 3-4 weeks! read more

Only ask for Mai. Taking a big chance with the rest. She colors really well had great intuition about what flatters and what does not. I've been taking my kids here for 5 years. No bowl cuts. Lots of texture and time spent on kids hair. Just got my first color and love Mai's work. read more

This place is only for hair cut. I had a nice experience with lee with hair cut. But I highly regret believing them for permanent hair straightening. It was horrible experience. I don't remember the person name who did my hair straightening. She does not know how to apply the chemical product on hair. She smeared it all over my head that caused my hair burnt. I am really disappointed with the work. I had to gone through more expensive treatment for hair smoothening than the money I spent on the hair straightening treatment. It was really unprofessional work. its my piece of advice for her that don't do the work which you don't know. read more

Very nice and convenient place. Not expenisve compared to other shops in Palo Alto and Los Altos.

very clean shop with nice people. walk ins welcome. Ok for your basic haircut, Not too sure if you want something complicated or high styled. Good prices. Good place to take kids read more

I've been going to this place regularly for the past 2 years. Like a few other reviewers here, I'm not terribly picky about who cuts my hair as long as it looks halfway decent when they're done. I've always been satisfied with the haircuts I get here and have never walked out looking worse than I did going in. So from that perspective, my rating is weighted more heavily by price than performance. Their prices have gone up since I started going there, but their location is rather convenient for me so I haven't left them quite yet. The barbers are all pretty nice; the only person who doesn't look so friendly is the guy who looks like the owner, but I've never had to interact with him. All in all, a solid place provided that their prices don't go up much further. read more

Still growing my hair out 3 months after Sandy cut it. I asked for a scissors only cut and she agreed. As she finished up I saw that she had used THINNING scissors on my thin fine hair. It was butchered. Why dont stylists listen to the customer instead of trying to be creative? We know what works and what fails. read more

Got my haircut with a Sandy. All I needed was a trim to get rid of split ends and she did a fine job :)

I think they do a great job on haircuts, especially for the price. The hair color, not as consistent.

My ranking is 90% for Mai, and 10% for the fact that it is a clean place in a good location (parking is not an issue) that has never given me anything to complain about. I just get basic civilian version Marine style cuts which actually for most places like this is harder for them to understand than a barber shop for example. I told Mai how to cut my hair one time about 8 or 9 years ago. Since then, I walk in and sit down and she remembers what I want and does it exactly the same way every time; her nice personality is a plus too. She does seem to have a lot of customers but I have never waited very long. read more

Many years ago I tried this place. I wasn't disappointed. But, ladies we do have to say we've been to *that* place & spent this $$$$$$$$$. That said, I returned to Mai. She's the best for me. I have no complaints so please don't crowd me. I'm happy to keep her to myself (I wish). read more

This place should not be listed as a barber shop. I highly doubt they can do men's haircuts very well, being that I have a comb over/undercut, somewhere in betweenx I even came in with my hair styled, and my hair was cut in a way I can not even do my hair the way I did when I walked in. It might be ok for super generic cuts but I wouldn't recommend it if you have any kind of styling at all for your hair as a guy. read more

I didn't go to Mai; I went with another lady, who I think was Chinese. (I read the review below about two Chinese haircutters being good, so I was reassured that she took me.) Mai did have a short waiting list, mostly of older women. My hairdresser said she's been there for 10 years. I thought she did a decent job. I was going to keep it simple -- just cut some inches off the back -- but she created layers and stuff, and I was happy with how it turned out. She did a "pre-cut" (rough cut) to make sure the length was right. She told me what she was doing a few times (like with the layers) and asked me how I wanted my bangs. We had a short but pleasant conversation. Sure she only spent 10-15 minutes on me, but that's what you get for $15! read more

It's a decent place for the cost. Eyebrow waste is just waxing and she doesn't spend any time using the tweezer or scissors. She didn't really know what to do with curly hair and kept trying to brush it straight. I've been to better places. read more

Great service and very good prices! I had done highlights at home with one of those kits and they turned out too yellow, so I went to Grateful Head looking for a solution. One of the hairdressers, Lee, suggested that we toned it down. She did it in 5 minutes. I stood there for maybe 20-25 minutes total and my hair was back to normal color with some nice blond highlights. All this for 25 dollars. Great place to take the kids too, since they have toys and books to keep them busy. read more

Review caveat: As a local Palo Alto resident, you receive discount coupons at the Grateful Head. As a cheap skate who doesnt care THAT much about his hair, I let financial costs be the driver for choosing which barber to go to. In other words, I am not that picky about who cuts my hair. I would say that 75% of my hair cuts here have been positive. Twenty percent is about average. Five percent is atrocious. There are typically two barbers working when I come to get my hair cut. Both are Chinese and female. I dont know their names, but I know them by sight. And both are good barbers. The 75% good haircuts I mentioned above was done by either of those two barbers. The other barbers are hit or miss (they have two other asian female barbers and one latina barber. there may be others). The haircuts are $15, which is not too bad for a regular male hair cut. Pros: Relatively cheap, especially with coupon. The two main barbers/hair stylists are consistently good. They are friendly, but dont overdo it (i.e. talk to you during the cut even if you've strongly indicated that you're not in the mood to talk). They also have a good understanding of what you want. If you say something vague like "medium cut" or "medium trim" they give you some feedback and specifics to ensure that they understand what you mean (some barbers from other establishments simply say "OK" after you ask for a "medium trim" and you end up with a freakin mullet). Cons: Other barbers besides the two chinese female stylists are not consistent. Typically have seen only two barbers on staff at a given time. This means during busy hours (i have found this to be weekend late morning and afternoon) you may have to wait a bit. Good to call ahead of time if you to book an appointment if you are getting your hair cut during these hours. Sample Size: I have had my haircut at this place over 10+ times. read more

I went to the shop because one of my friend got hair cut there. This was my first time at the shop. I got my hair done by the man , his name is Juan ( I hope I not misspell his name). He gave a nice hair cut that I've had for long time . I am in love with my hair now. Of course, I will be back. As I know he just work part time in this salon. If you want to have a beautiful look, call to make sure he there. read more

This place gives the best value that I've seen in the bay area - I only paid $16 for a shampoo, cut and blowdry. I love my haircut and got many compliments for it. I would give it a 5 but I wasn't 100% happy with my bangs but that's pretty typical for almost anywhere I go (even when I've paid $50). I would definitely recommend this place! read more

This review for AKI. she is the best hair stylist, she is professional. Aki is listens what you want, always ask twice before cutting. I sent almost all my friends and co-workers to her and they was happy after. I do not know how work other stylist working there, I recommend Aki. read more

I get a great haircut at Grateful Head, and what a great name for a salon. A friend told me about this place. It's on my way home from a class and very convenient to shopping afterward. Tina eventually became my steady until between cuts she moved to L.A. Freak out not necessary. Mary jumped in with speed and confidence, giving an equally good or better cut. Like that I can get my brows waxed in one stop. Clean hair is not washed, but if you need a wash, you can get it and pay a little more. Can't speak about coloring but I like this place a lot. It completely meets my needs and price lets me get a cut when I need it instead of trying to eke out a little more time between visits. read more

I'm a regular here and the thing that keeps bringing me back is the professional, friendly staff and the inexpensive price. All the ladies are very polite and nice. For most of them English is not their first language, but that doesn't mean they're rude or ignorant like some of the other comments suggest. You just have to make sure you're communicating clearly and thoroughly so they know what you want. As someone who grew up getting haircuts in Chinese hairsalons in NYC, I really like this place because of the familiar atmosphere. I'm not an expensive haircut type of guy and I prefer a natural look to my hair as opposed an overly fancy and showy style that requires pricey products. Overall, this place is clean, the staff is kind, and the haircuts are great for the affordable price. read more

I've been going to the Grateful Head for over 3 years. The first time I went there was after The Haircut left Stanford Shopping Center, so I was looking for a quick, good haircut that didn't cost more than $20. Mai cut my hair and did such a good job I got comments from several people who had never noticed my hair before, including my mom who used to cut it when I was a kid. I haven't gone anywhere else since. Friendly staff, other people have cut my hair and done a good job, but I think Mai is outstanding. Used to have to shake my head outside the shop to get rid of the loose hair but the past year or so they have been using a blow dryer and damp towel on the neck. No complaints! read more

Walked in to the hairstylist arguing about what "layered" means with a customer almost in tears. Luckily my turn was with the other hairstylist. Anyway, not the friendliest customer service in the world, but I gotta say I was happy with the cut, and can't beat the price. read more

Five stars is for the value. No, it's not a trendy salon; there are no luxurious gratis shampoos and hand massages. But there are some very solid stylists here who will give you a cut just as good as you could expect for much more money. read more

I love this place. Akee is the best. She is professional, Nice and knows what she is doing. she is up to date. And my husband and I both don't trust anyone with our haircuts but her. We live in San Jose and we drive to Mountain view just to make sure Akee takes care of us. read more

Started going there a few months ago and love it! Kathy is awesome and knows how to handle my very difficult to handle hair! I love that I can get everything done in one place - color/cut/mani/pedi/eyebrows! One stop! They are reasonably priced and take appointments! read more

Great if you just want something simple or to clean up your ends before you go to your stylist. I went this week and got right in and was out in 15 minutes. I had Li who was fine. Really nice and listens well. You can tell she isn't an amazing stylist but won't chop your hair in a way you don't want or aren't expecting. $15. read more

Stay far away. The lady there spent like 5 minutes on my hair -- total hack job

I have had my haircut there for the last 6 months and this place is the best I have ever had. I have gone to dezens of places and they are hit and miss, Thuan has given me the most consistant haircuts over the last several months. I even have people at work and friends comment on my great haircuts (strange for a guy). read more

I no longer use Mai's services. Instead I am with Lee Yun now. She does excellent work and is always accommodating. She does not rush through her clients and I highly recommend her. read more

Very fast, relatively cheap, quality is OK. A perfect place if you simply want to shorten your hair, but don't expect much for $17.

I have been getting my hair cut by Mai for years now and she consistently provides me with a very professional, nice looking cut. She attends to detail, is quick, asks me for feedback. She never assumes that I want the same cut....always asks.....even though I always tell her that I want it the same as usual. She has helped me find products to improve my thin curly hair. In observing the other employees, they appear to be very professional too. My daughters get their hair cut by whomever is available when they walk in and have been happy with their haircuts and keep going back as well even though it's not as convenient as it used to be for them when they lived at home. For $15 for a haircut, I don't think I would do any better at a high-end salon frankly who would charge over $40 for a cut. Grateful Head is very good value. read more

pretty much worst haircut ive ever recieved. I am a guy with very straight hair and I spike it striaght up. should be easy.... not when your head is cut in patches and the middle part of my head is shorter than the outside. this has seriously never happened to me before in my 23 years. guess i deserved it for going and giving her a second try after the first was pretty bad too read more

Went in today to get a trim. I like that the salon is clean and well maintained. I had an outgrown A-line and wanted everything to be cut one length. Instead, I got a cut that looks is completely unflattering on my larger face. Tons of layers in the front are too short and the Left side is about a whole inch and a half longer than the other side. It's bad enough the cut doesn't flatter, even worse that it wasn't even cut right. I wear my bangs long and to the side. When she asked how to cut my bangs, I said no shorter than the middle of my nose. After they dried, my bangs barely reached my eyebrows. This was the saddest part of the whole experience. I can handle growing out the bad cut, but the bangs are horrific. I wanted to cry in the salon chair. After this grows out, I"m going back to downtown and paying $65 for my haircuts. read more