I walked in with a head of cotton candy in a orangey rusty color with no curl definition. I can't thank Sandy and Kristy enough for getting my curls back, a beautiful rich color and a great cut. The salon is a nice vibe and reasonably priced by SF standards. They use aveda products which I always love for quality and scent. So glad I found this place. read more

So happy to have found Xiochtl, she really did wonders to bring my hair color back from the deads! My hair was really tired and ugly from a few years of cheap color and care and since xiochtl took over my hair is much healthier, shinier and looks natural but with fun touches. I have gotten a lot of compliments including that my hair looks fuller now. Very happy to have found you! read more

Xochitl does amazing color. Her attention to detail is unparalleled and I'm always thrilled with the results. Not only is her work fantastic but she is fun to talk to and her personal style is super cute and makes me want to step up my game. If you need advice on what products you should be using on your hair she will show you the way! Shell out for a conditioning treatment while you're here. So worth every single penny. read more

Xochitl is the best!! It is great to walk out of the salon feeling 10 years younger! My grey is always hidden and she's down to change the color up when l'm feeling bored. (Ps, the music is also great here) read more

Okay...so my friends kept telling me how much younger I looked after my extreme hairdo from lonnnggg to a "bob". So, of course I wanted to see how much "younger I would look with a much shorter "do". I'm running around and got so incredibly hot and tired of my overgrown "bob" and made an emergency "does Kristy have an open spot today, or I'm going to shave myself bald!" call? And sure enough she had time for a quick cut within an hour's time. So I saw a couple of friends this morning and now they tell me I look "14". YESSSSSS!!!! That was the response I wanted!!! Kristy is THAT GOOD!!!! The only reason I would go to Laurel Heights is this place. Kristy did the boldest thing a hairdresser could ever do...cut about 10 inches off of my head and feel confident enough to make it fly. And she did an awesome job!!! I walked out of there in smiles and will walk back in another time, I think I just found my new hairdresser!!! Thanks to Kristy!!! Good background music to sooth the soul, too. read more

Kristy, the owner of Strand, cut my hair and I was less than impressed. In fact, I hate my haircut and I'm pissed every time I look in the mirror. I had been growing my hair for 2+ years to donate to Locks for Love, so Kristy had plenty of hair to work with. The style I requested was simple: a shoulder length stacked bob which curls under and is cut for wavy hair. What I left with was an uneven chin length bob that flipped out and was blunt cut (not compatible with wavy hair!). Finally, Kristy styled my hair in the worst way possible. She twisted little pieces of my hair into mini-dreads making it impossible to see how uneven the cut was and how it was nothing close to what I had requested. I was totally embarrassed to go back to work. I had brought many images with me to show her exactly what I wanted - I expected her to style my hair in the same fashion as the images I brought (NOT styled like a wet mop). This cut is so bad that I've considered keeping my 15" of cut hair and having my own wig made. However, the people I'm donating my hair to need it far more than I (and I'm sure they would be grateful for my lousy haircut rather than their cancer and bald head). Additionally, I feel that if a salon charges $75 per haircut, they should have some fluff to boot. There was no head/neck massage, no posh or pretty interior, and very little professionalism. There was a cold shoulder, condescending chitchat and totally shabby interior. I found Strand and Kristy because of the glowing reviews on Yelp. Perhaps I just have bad luck with haircuts? In the future, I'll take my Yelp with a grain of salt (the salon reviews anyway!) read more

Today I walked into work and was attacked with kind words like "wow!," "love the hair," "so fashion forward," "love it love it!" Maybe my coworkers were talking to the girl in the cube next to me.....but pretty sure they were talking about my new 'do by Kristy. Kristy and I have a LTR (long term relationship). I choose not to be promiscuous or even think of leaving Kristy because she has been very faithful, reliable and honest with me for many years (at least 4 I think?). Now, how hard is that to find now-a-days?! She tells me if my 'do is getting boring, has taken me through both long and short 'do periods of my life, and seems to create a bounce in my step after each visit. Who knew the hair on my head was connected to my feet. Today, I proudly sport bold bangs courtesy of Kristy. Thank you for helping me take this important step in life! read more

the BEST place I've ever been to. Had a diy hair color disaster. My hair was splotched various shades of orange and yellow in a desperate attempt to get back to blonde. Didn't sleep at all, next morning I was searching for salons that were open on Sundays in a panic. I found The Strand and the receptionist made me an appointment the same day for an hour later!! I was thrilled and she was so nice. Jay brought my hair back from the brink, I swear. He was so nice, warm, and welcoming and didn't make me feel guilty or bad for attempting at home highlights. He was quick too. I was out the door in 3 hours which is a miracle considering my super thick hair takes hours normally. And the price point was spot on. $250 for saving my hair (my life!). I tipped him more than I ever thought I'd tip a hairdresser simply because he was amazing and deserved every penny. I won't go anywhere else for my hair. Everyone at the Strand is so friendly and the work is impeccable for a great price. read more

I read your reviews, guys, and got myself appointment with Kathleen. I like the results, and it wasn't THAT expensive. For my haircut/blow dry = $65.00 +$15.00 tip = $80.00 It's difficult to find hair stylist who knows how to deal with thin hair and Kathleen did wonderful job with mine. I will be back there in a 6 weeks. Kathleen accepted my card, but mainly she takes only cash/checks. read more

I'm rewriting my first review and adding a couple stars since Peggy did call to try and remedy my problem. I'll start with the good. The salon itself is cute and clean, and they offer cookies, coffee, and tea which is nice. This was my 1st visit to the salon, and I saw Peggy for a highlight and haircut. She did a great job with getting the highlights super close to the scalp like I wanted. The placement is good too. Here's the negative. The thing I was most upset about was that I left the salon with completely unfinished hair. When you pay $300 for a salon service you want to leave with beautiful hair that looks like you just stepped out of the salon. My hair looked awful when I left. It was only half dried and frizzy, and my highlights were very brassy. All my past stylists have always used a toner after highlighting my hair so it wont look yellow. Peggy only washed it. I had to fix the brassiness at home with some purple shampoo & conditioner. The haircut wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. She had another client waiting, so I think she rushed my haircut. I asked her to take 3" off, and my hair hardly looks like it's been cut at all. Peggy did call me to see if I wanted more highlights or a stain put in, but I'm a stay home mom who lives 2hrs away. It was a big deal for me to be able to come get my hair done, and I can't just pop back in. I think I'll be returning to my old stylist, who doesn't get the highlights as close to the scalp as I like, but the color is always great, and I leave the salon with smooth beautiful hair every time. read more

I have been to several salons and spent countless dollars searching for the perfect colorist. I have stopped women in the street, asked them for their stylist's phone number and booked an appointment. I am never totally happy with the way it looks when its over! Here are some brief highlights (Ha! Pun intended!)-I will spare you all of the details: I used to see David at Blend salon who could make my brown hair look like a natural auburn, but David would spend hours chatting and not coloring so it became too painful to get my roots touched up... I never knew how far into the next ice age it would be when I finally got out of his chair. Then I moved over to a stylist who shall remain nameless at Di Pietro Todd on Fillmore. She was good (less chatty than David) but did not like coloring me auburn so I would walk out without the look I wanted). And, what the !@$ is up with not getting a blowdry included in my $120 one-process color (way too expensive in my opinion). Also, at DPT I always felt like a loser becuase I didnt have tatoos or go to Burning Man every year, and I like getting my long hair cut at Super Cuts for $15 (I mean, why would I pay someone $75 when it is a cut I could do in my own bathroom if not for being deterred by the mess created on the floor??). So, for the first time in my adult life, I went on hair color hiatus. For two long, colorless years. I was ready to get back in the game when I found Jay at Strand Salon. There was no attitude in the place, they had really cute cookies with jelly-filled centers under a cake plate on a table by the door (totally not relevant, but it was really cute!), and Jay was great. We talked about what I wanted for my hair for a good 15 min before he even went back to mix color. He even threw in a deep conditioning treatment and (shocking!) a free blow dry (oh yeah, most places do that). I loved the result and at $70 for the whole shebang (I didnt get a hair cut) I can afford to go back in 6 weeks! Thanks, Jay! read more

Marie cut my hair. She charges $90 and the haircut isn't worth it. I've had better and more creative cuts by people that charge ~60. The wash was boring, the cut was boring and the style was boring. Her comment after the style was something along the lines of "I did the style very casual so you could see what it would look like when you do it." I want to look great when I leave a salon. Not like I look every other day. read more

It breaks my heart that I did not have a better experience here with Jay, but since I based my decision to make an appointment here based on the Yelp reviews and had to fight to not cry on my walk back home, I feel it's necessary to contribute my own review. I had brought along a photo with me to my appointment of a simple, layered style that I knew could be easily achieved with my type and length of hair. Unfortunately the cut I received is uneven and choppy, and the bangs that he cut for me are the same: uneven, too thin... an afterthought. I haven't had such a poor bang cut since I made an attempt myself back in second grade. I did not comment during the appointment for fear that any attempts to remedy the situation would simply make it worse. The styling that came after the cut bore zero resemblance to the styling in my useless photo (less casual, rumpled texture, more Dallas circa 1994), but that I could easily forgive if the cut had been redeemable. Or if it hadn't set me back $75. An incredible amount of money for an auto-pilot haircut and which will now at least double once I'm able to find a new stylist to try and salvage the haircut that has been hidden under headbands and hats since I received it less than 24 hours ago. read more

Jay is THE BEST! He is a genius with color and a wizard with the shears! I LOVE being able to just sit down in the chair and leave the whole matter in Jay's capable hands and creative mind! Seriously, if you want to meet a great stylist you can trust when you say "Please don't cut it too short" and know they will ACTUALLY listen to you- then I highly suggest you give The Strand a call and schedule an appointment with Jay Long. You won't regret it! Especially if you like to be a redhead! I've posted a picture from last week's visit (3/11/08) on my profile page! read more

I had previously rated this salon as a "5" after my first visit with Jay. I had to retract that original post since my second visit was pretty bad. I was getting a simple highlight touch-up (just the root area) since I keep my color fairly natural and a simple haircut (one layer all the way across). The color ended up pretty good after a couple of weeks of washing (that is why I didn't give the worst rating possible) but my haircut was rushed and I didn't notice it was completely uneven until I got home and styled it myself. I think that The Strand overbooks their clients because both times Jay was rushed doing my hair, and there is nothing more unsettling than your stylist rushing to get you out the door. For the price that they charge, customers should be asked if they would like water, tea, or coffee and should also receive a respectable shampoo. Not the case either time I went to Jay. I wouldn't go back here after a simple one layered haircut was botched. A 50/50 chance that my hair might be okay afterwards is not good enough odds for me to waste my money here. read more

Went here for the first time on Sunday to get my highlights done by the very sweet and talented Kylee. I have been following Kylee from salon to salon for the past three years and couldn't be happier that she is now at Strand, in a cute little neighborhood, with lots of street parking (free on Sundays) and convenient to bus lines. Kylee is amazing at highlights. As I blonde I fear the unnatural streakiness of a poorly done highlight job but I trust my hair in the hands of Kylee, who layers in a dimension of blonde colors and leaves me with naturally sun-kissed highlights. read more

Jay has been cutting my hair for two years now, as it dwindles in quantity and introduces gray into the mix. He's great at what he does and he's a really good guy as well. Always easy to talk to. His schedule is extremely convenient, covering weekends and taking off days midweek. At times I've even been able to get morning or afternoon appointments on the same day or within 24 hours of calling. The Strand isn't a large salon, but it's just as large as it needs to be. You can get a free cup of coffee, tea or water, as well as cookies if you'd like. Though I moved away from the neighborhood two years ago, I'll keep driving the 20-25 minutes across town for a shampoo and haircut that take only 30-45 minutes. read more

I came here on a reco from a co-worker and absolutely loved Kathleen. The entire experience was fantastic, and I'm happy to have found a great stylist in SF, as I'm super finicky about my hair and who cuts it. Kathleen is really practical and honest; she takes the time to understand you, your style, and your hair issues before she makes her recommendations. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone. She also does bang trims in between appointments! read more

YEEAH! I was able to track down Kathleen (Thank you fellow yelpers!) I was finally able to get my haircut cut right! I don't know what these other people are talking about because Kathleen is a perfectionist! You tell her what you want and you get it. I first met Kathleen at Treat Salon and when she left I was devastated! I tried to get my hair cut from someone else at Treat but they just plain sucked ! I am very picky on how my hair should look so the cut is important to me. I have been to too many hair stylists that overprice and under deliver (especially since my hair is thick and long stylist think they are entitled to charge me a little more hm?) ...but not with Kathleen, she has skills and her prices are very reasonable PLUS everyone at the Strand are so friendly. I don't know yelpers, to make fun of someone on how they think they look and talk smack just seems mean, unprofessional, spoiled, and too personal, a little suspicious even,....a true artist is judged by their work period! read more

So I love my old stylist, Kathleen from Maison salon. But... she's in Burlingame, and is on maternity leave. My lazy butt didn't remember to call before she left... so here I was, in dire need of a cut, and nowhere to go. Insert yelp. Insert extensive search for nearby, easily accessible, best value for quality. Insert The Strand and Kristy! I headed over at 715 one evening, for her last appointment of the day. It was super laid back and friendly. Kristy was awesome! I told her I'd been thinking about bangs for a long time, but never did it. I was nervous about how they'd look on my face. She told me I definitely could pull them off, but if I was unsure, we should probably grow out my (what used to be) side bangs. While Carolynn was washing my hair (she must be an assistant, and she was really sweet and awesome), we chatted about bangs. I kind of decided I wanted them. When Kristy got back to my bangs, I blurted out that I wanted them. She wanted to be sure that I was sure. I was. She chopped them. I LOVE them! I just have to say that I truly appreciate Kristy's willingness to cut my bangs, even after my initial hesitation. There are SO many stylists out there who will not tell you what they think, even if you ask. There are so many who will hesitate to cut your hair in a new style if you were at all unsure. I think they are generally just afraid to do something their client will end up hating. I really am not that attached to my hair--I've worn it long, short, with bangs, without, and with side bangs. It would be hard to make me hate my hair. Still, this was my first meeting with Kristy, and she didn't know all of this. So Kristy, thank you for trusting me. Thank you for listening to what I wanted. And thank you SO much for giving me some seriously hot bangs. Can't wait to visit you for a bang trim :). read more

Review is for Xochitle. She does an absolute amazing job and is always so willing to do what is needed to make you sparkle. I went from very platinum to a natural blonde. Hard transition but she gave me confidence along the way. Always up beat and positive, Xochitle is a great stylist who will treat you right! I never leave disappointed and instead feeling beautiful. :) read more

I have been here twice, and both times have left me feeling much happier about my hair. Kristy is a wonderful stylist...she doesn't rush you in and out. I feel relaxed enough to just sit back while she works wonders on my hair. I also appreciate that this salon uses Aveda products and colors, which are less toxic for the scalp and the world. read more

A.J. is a great colorist-I followed her from Treat. Susan is probably the best Keratin/Coppola person around. I tried a cheaper salon and it took half of the time but I got half of the great results. The owner, Kristy, gave me a brilliant haircut the first time around and I will definitely give her another try! read more

Everyone else is right -- Kristy is *great*! I was just in San Francisco visiting, but was in desperate need of a hair cut -- and I have very difficult hair (thick, very textured), so am always hesitant to try a new stylist. After surfing Yelp for a bit in the morning, I called The Strand to see if there was, by any chance, and opening that day. Kristy was able to get me in around lunch time! She gave me a fantastic cut with some tips on how to deal with my hair in the extreme humidity of where I actually live (south Texas). If I ever move to SF (hopefully!), she will definitely be my regular stylist. read more

Peggy is absolutely wonderful! She is the best at what she does and her work is never complete until her client is happy and satisfied! She has been coloring and cutting my hair for years and I always feel good when our session comes to an end. She listens to what I want and also gives great feedback on what would work well with my hair. She color weaves multiple colors into my hair almost every visit and my highlights always look fabulous!!! I am only one of many clients Peggy has that go many years back, and it's obvious why - she builds great relationships with those she comes in contact with. I love Peggy and would never see any other stylist. I also think very highly of The Strand too! It is a very clean and relaxing environment. I love that Kristy always has the best cookies out for all the clients to enjoy! The service and atmosphere makes this salon the best in town! read more

Marie is the absolute best! Her color is natural, youthful and elegant. And it gets better, her cuts grow out wonderfully! I never get stuck with that weird in between phase - it always looks great! I was riding Muni home after one of my first sessions with Marie when this guy very politely and courteously tapped my arm and told me he thought I was beautiful. I told myself he must be a crazy person, and thought nothing more of it. But then, the same thing happened the next day. I was at a crosswalk when this guy randomly said, "Wow, you are gorgeous. I'm sorry, I hope you don't mind that I said that". The same thing happened to me again later in the week! I'd never had anything like that happen to me - I tend to think of myself as a plump plain jane - so I thought I was just having a killer week. It all fell into place when the same thing happened again after my next appointment with Marie. She is magical! It is can be hard to get an appointment - she is in demand - but it is always worth the wait. She isn't cheap, but very few things worth having are. Marie is the perfect stylist for someone looking for amazing, vibrant color and lovely, understated and low maintenance cuts (at least that is what I get ) read more

5 Stars...LEGIT! So I came here like 2-3 years ago when I had junior prom and I was referred to this place by one of my friends. When I first got in I thought it was just one of those little neighborhood hair places and I was iffy! See I really wanted a pin-up inspired hairdo (I brought in plenty of photos that I got online). I forgot who I got but it was this sweet lady who I felt like could be my mom and holey moley...in 45 minutes she did WORK! My hair updo was AMAZING! It was definitely pin-up inspired but completely modern. I loved it. It was perfect. Such nice people here I loved it. read more

I've been coming here for over a decade. All the stylists are amazing but my stylist Kristy is the 'intuitive hair aficionado'. In fact, i just give over my hair completely to her and let her figure out what needs to happen... the results are impressive but I am not the only one who thinks so because i constantly have people ask me where i get my hair done. Kristy knows just what YOU need but is certainly not forceful about it... her skill and magical ability will transform you. Not to mention that the soothing environment keeps you coming back for more (and they see clients on Sunday, amazing!) read more

I followed Kathleen G from Treat to the Strand despite it being even further away from where I live because she is a wonderful stylist with a warm yet straightforward style. I travel quite a bit and Kathleen has never steered me wrong when it comes to providing insights on styles that will last. She is also just a joy to be around and she makes me laugh. I've never once left disappointed. The salon is welcoming and offers water and tea plus there is usually a pretty good selection of cookies/treats. It's in a nice neighborhood too so if you get there a little early or have time afterwards you can pop into a cafe or just wander around a little bit. I've also never had trouble finding parking which is a plus. read more

Wanna look like a rockstar without having to be broke and on tour with a few stinky guys in a van? Check out Kristy at The Strand, she's a stylist who's artistic side shows through. If you need to have a toned down look during the day and want to take it up a notch when you go out she can give you a cut that does double duty. Give her a call if your inner rock star is screaming to get out! read more

Not only do I LOVE my hairstylist Peggy Mizono but I am pleased that she works in a professional and fun salon like The Strand. I always leave extremely happy with what Peggy does with my hair and I am not an easy client to deal with. I am constantly changing my mind about what I want and she always is patient and gets it right every time. I enjoy catching up with Peggy, her co-stylists and their clients. It is a fun and pleasant environment. I just moved to Sacramento and I will continue to travel to The Strand to have Peggy do my hair! She is awesome, always thinking of what is best for her clients! Best Regards, Kay Lee Clemons-Haw read more

Joshua is an excellent, talented, attentive stylist with a great eye for shape and color. Worth every penny and I walk out of there looking goooooood! read more

Kathleen Gagnier has been cutting my hair for years. I was happy to follow her over from Treat. She truly is a genius with scissors! She always listens carefully and asks a lot of questions to make sure we are on the same page. She understands that with my active lifestyle I need my hair to be practical, but that I want it to be cute as well.... which she pulls off every single time. And at the end of the cut, when my hair is looking fabulous, she always shows me what to do at home with the brush/blow drier/flat iron so that I can recreate the look. ( I can't recall anyone else doing that for me.) As for the Strand, the atmosphere is relaxed and unpretentious. And the fact that there are always cookies waiting for me is a plus. read more

I cannot say enough good things about Kathleen at the Strand. I started with her at Treat in Pac Heights and love the low-key atmosphere of the Strand so much more. Kathleen does a fabulous job - she is meticulous when it comes to cutting and always listens to what I want/need (but also gives her very helpful opinions). I enjoy her stories and sense of humor almost as much as my haircut. read more

Finally, after ten years here and a half dozen other stylists/barbers, I found Cadance Wyatt. She's probably the best stylist I've had for my very fine and dense hair. Her scissor and razor artistry got complements from spouse and friends after the first time I visited. The second visit was even better as she zeroed in on the smallest details. Finally, my search is over. NB. read more

Jay is an incredibly talented stylist!!! He did a wonderful job with my hair, and was also extremely patient! I went into The Strand a few weeks ago not really knowing how to describe what I wanted done. Jay walked me through the process, and made sure he got it exactly right! My hair looks gorgeous!!! Jay is without doubt one of the best stylists I've been to in SF!!! Definitely check out The Strand and book an appointment with Jay! read more

Amber does a phenomenal job with mine and my boyfriend's hair. I never even knew a haircut could be so good until I went to her. Cute salon.

Open-minded, confident, cool and fun. Kristy is WAY talented. After having gone to the SAME hairdresser for 7 years, it was a new and somewhat daring experience on my part. Kristy at The Strand chose the right color, the right products and helped me walk away feeling fresh and anew! read more

Last week on MUNI a woman said that my hair was "perfect" and pulled out pen and paper to write down the name of my stylist. I think that says it all about Kathleen's awesome haircuts. read more

So I grew out my hair SUPER long for my wedding. I swear, I had a mop for a head. It was definitely time for a cut. I was desperate. "Where should I go?" I asked myself. Thankfully, Yelp was there to answer my inquiry; it saved me. After some extensive research, I made an appointment at The Strand. The reviews said Kristy was awesome, so Kristy had to be the one for me. She cut cut cut away. She left it long, but helped take the weight away. I loved it when I left, but it was only after I was literally stopped on the street multiple times regarding my great hair, that I became obsessed. Just go and see for yourself. Oh, and Kristy, if you read this, THANK YOU!! read more