I had a horrible haircut at some other place in Chinatown where the guy basically took a razor to my hair and thinned it out so much I probably lost like 3 lbs. Looking for a way to remedy the situation, I found this awesome hair salon. Everyone in there is super friendly, it's really clean, and it's clear from the moment you step in they really know what they're doing (especially when it comes to Asian hair). I had Marie and told her I was thinking of getting a digital perm to try to get at least the illusion of volume back. She not only gave me honest advice on my situation, but did an amazing job on the perm itself. I really wanted just body waves (not super tight curls) and they came out exactly like that. She was also super friendly and considerate in all the little ways that most people don't notice (if she saw I was almost done with my magazine she'd get me a new one, if she saw I was almost out of tea she would ask if I needed more). Oh yeah, and that's another huge perk-- they have really delicious tea and drinks while you're getting your hair done. :D I also really appreciated that she took the time to double check exactly what I wanted-- she showed me various pictures in a book to make sure the curls were exactly as loose/big as I wanted. I've gotten bad perms before where it came out way too curly, so that was a huge relief. All in all, I'd HIGHLY recommend this place. Will definitely never go anywhere else for a hair cut again. read more

Had one of my most stylish, sophisticated and sexiest haircuts EVER! It was my first time here and I made an appointment for a cut and digital perm with Kyoko. She was honest with me, which I really appreciated (thank you Kyoko!), and told me that she didn't think the perm was a good idea for my hair, which was really long but had been through highlights, bleaches, straightening perms and hair coloring. She said it's a possibility that my hair might turn blonde in the parts that's been bleached in the perming process or even melt and she didn't recommend that I do the perm at all. So we ended up just doing a cut and deep conditioning treatment. She even gave me great assymetrical bangs that no other stylist has so far been able to. And she curled my hair with the curling iron and showed me how I can style my hair if I still wanted it curly. She took her time with my cut, which made me feel that she was really focused on what she was doing, and through everything she was very professional and sweet. I really don't mind paying $50 at all for a satisfying haircut. And even though my usual stylist is such a sweet lady too and does wonderful coloring for my hair, she lacks the creativity somehow to create modern, comtemporary hairstyles, so I think I'll be switching over to Kyoko from now on. UPDATE: Went back to ARTY today to get some red extensions put in. I initially wanted to put some highlights in so that my hair didn't look so blah color-wise. I absolutely love the cut Kyoko gave me a few weeks ago. Kyoko said perhaps to save my hair from being bleached, I could try some color extensions. They braid these extensions so it doesn't damage your hair, unlike glues and weaves, and I have more creativity and flexibility to change these extensions to another color in the future. And I do love to play with color. They last for about 2 months and it was a breeze for Kyoko and Ayuko to put them in. Took them like 30 minutes to put in 10 pieces. Compared to other hair extension places that charge a bomb, they are only $10 per piece (for both the hair and labor), and it's real hair on top of that. I'm loving my red highlights! Thanks Kyoko & Ayuko! read more

If guys are afraid of needles, women are afraid of somebody messing up their hair.... It took me 2 years to finally convince myself to find a soul to style my hair! I usually do it myself but I can only do so much. So today, I gathered enough courage to set an appointment in ARTY. The place is cool and very Harajuku Japanese style. It was a relief that the staff can speak English! At least I know that when I face my stylist, we can understand each other especially my Japanese is already rotten. Yumiko is my stylist and I saw how she did the hair of the girl ahead of me and I love it. I was hoping that she will be my stylist and thanks to the goddess of scissors and hair dryers!!! :) We spent a few minutes discussing my dilemma and daily routine and how firm I am that I will not adjust my life because of my hair style. My hairstyle should adjust with my lifestyle. Unlike other horror stories I heard about salons, Yumiko took her time to style my hair. A good one hour for a medium length hair. The result: FANTASTIC!!! The proof: A guy let me pay my groceries first even though he was ahead of me. And he asked for my name! I will definitely go back to Arty should I need a new hairstyle! The price is very reasnable: $55 for fabulous haircut with shampoo and blow dry. Extra plus for them knowing how to take care of my fine Asian hair. To Yumiko-san, Domo arigato gozai-masu!!! read more

Yesterday was my first time getting a hair cut at Arty Salon and i am SO glad i went there! I was recommended by my little sister to get my hair cut at Arty. At first i was kinda scared because when it comes to hair -- ITS VERY IMPORTANT TO LEAVE THE SALON HAPPY. My first reaction to Arty Salon was the chic, modern & pretty Japanese stylists. Every girl was so chic and trendy! Plus everyone was super nice and polite, which made me felt as ease. They even took my bag and coat for coat check. One of the employees walked me to my stylist's chair and my stylist, Mickey approached a few moments later. Mickey was sweet and knowledgeable, she listened to what i wanted and how i wanted to fix my bangs and thin out my hair. She took about an hour on my hair including wash, cut, & styling. After walking out feeling like a whole new person i was completely happy and satisfy with my haircut. Especially since my BF even noticed the change so that was a PLUS and he was sweet enough to come with me to get a hair cut. HA HA. Cost for hair cut for female $50 (wash, cut & style) & guys $45. read more

Request Romi, now! Hadn't seen her in over a year and she immediately welcomed me back! She doesn't disappoint - she spent so much time making sure she understood what I was looking for with my new hair/color and kept asking if I was happy with the end product before styling my hair. Request Romi at Arty! read more

Arty - Hair by Romi! - Hair Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

For the past couple of months, I feel like there has been a large conspiracy whose sole purpose was for me to grow out my hair (yes, I'm that egocentric). Friends, coworkers, relatives, friends of friends, stylists, sales people, and pretty much everyone else dropped small and large hints that maybe I should add some length to my vaguely military-ish do. I'm not against change, and I've had the same haircut for a couple years, so I shrugged my shoulders and didn't cut my hair for a while. The problem, however, is that I have really thick Asian hair. Which meant that when my short hair started entering that middle ground, I ended up with this unmanageable mess of hair that even the craziest waxes were powerless to tame. Time to take action. After much deliberation, I decided against going to my usual guy, Bin. Bin always does a fantastic job, but he has been cutting my hair for a while and has a specific idea of how my hair looks best, i.e., military short. Bin sports a similar style, so you know he has a certain aesthetic. And every time I think about growing my hair longer, Bin convinces me otherwise. So it may be time to check out a new place. I ended up picking Arty solely through Yelp reviews and the fact that it is a Japanese place. Like I said, I have thick Asian hair, and I find that Asian places generally have a better idea on how to cut this crazy shit. I called on Monday for a Saturday appointment and kept my fingers crossed that they would give me someone who knew how to cut men's hair. I ended up with Michi, and she did an excellent job. She took out a lot of volume in my hair while keeping the length, and she evened out and cleaned up the mop. Michi spent a lot of time on my hair and was very thorough. She has a good eye and was great at understanding what I wanted. And a word of encouragement for guys who are thinking about this place. I by no means have the desire or the occupation to look like a Japanese host club boy, and the Japanese hair magazines in the waiting area may scare the begeezus out of you (nuanced or hard perm, impact color, etc.), but Arty is great for stylish but more conservative cuts. There was one other guy getting a cut while I was there, and it looked cool AND could work in an office environment. Details: $45 for a shampoo, cut, brief massage, and style. No language issues at all. Quite busy on Saturday, pretty much a full house. And everyone on the staff was really friendly and sweet . . . and really really attractive. There. I said it. I haven't seen that many attractive women under one roof in a long, long time. Maybe I should stop hanging out at dive bars with angry alcoholics and World War II vets. read more

Yes, I am a Japan Center Beauty Clinic patron. But... Michiaki is so hard to book now!!!! I figured that I always wanted to try this place anyways, and my hair was begging for a cut, especially since I thought that bleaching my black hair to blonde on my own was a doable thing.... forgetting that my ends were previously bleached six times, and of course it let me know it. I needed to get an appointment WITHIN THE WEEK. I scheduled my cut and color for 5PM. The day after, I decided that I wanted 4PM instead and informed them. Hooray for flexibility! I got Marie, who speaks fluent English (sorry my Japanese is extremely weak), and she's super stylish and really nice and honest about what she could achieve with my hair and transformed my long hair into a really rocking light brown asymmetrical layered bob. The store itself is really cute, bright, and clean. I feel like it's really inviting, stylish, and "open". I can kind of tell that it has been there for a while, but it's not really a bad thing. It seems like the owners made an effort to keep things updated and they did a great job on the decor. I don't regret it at all. I love how my new hair looks with my face and the compliments are overflowing. If you can't get your slot at JCBC, give this place a shot. I feel so oshare~ read more

Update: Like other reviewers have said, the digital perm does not last. Pretty much after 3 weeks, my waves were almost gone. I think the chemical they use is not strong enough. It's not worth $190 for only 3 wks of wavy hair, but I did love my hair while it lasted. I may go back fo just a haircut but will be looking elsewhere when it comes to a perm. read more

So I usually don't bother getting haircuts... let's just say, I'm cheap and I usually too lazy to go out and get one. It's been about three years (?) since my last haircut -_-; (I usually just cut my own hair and bangs). Anyway, I figured it was about time to fix up some of my layering and my bangs (I'd been super lazy and not even cut those myself) and also get a decent trim (my hair was a bit damaged at the end). I figured I would invest in a decent place, just to see what they could do with my usually dull and lifeless hair :( Made an appointment on a Saturday (they seemed to have lots of openings) and went in not knowing what to expect. When I got there, they had a coat check (so I didn't have to sit wearing my jacket the whole time; which was great because it was kinda hot in there) and told me to sit and wait a bit while they got everything ready. I was seated relatively quickly and had a quick discussion with my hairstylist, Lenka (I did not catch her name at all... thankfully, she handed me a card with her name on it later). I'm relatively particular about my hair, as I like to keep things simple and low-maintenance (don't have a whole ton of time to do anything on my hair in the morning). I usually tie my hair up sometimes, but I do like to leave it down for special occasions. I described everything I was looking for and Lenka took it all in and gave me a very detailed plan of what she was envisioning. First was the shampoo/wash. Definitely a great experience and super relaxing. They put a sheet of tissue paper (I think) on your face so that water doesn't splash all over your eyes and you can just sit back and relax. I didn't really know what to expect (since I've pretty much only gotten one professional haircut in my life...), but it seemed like she was doing a pretty good job. Lenka was very friendly, accommodating, and professional. Then the haircut. Since I wear glasses, it was pretty much impossible to tell how it was going... so I literally had to go on blind faith on her ability to cut my hair. And to tell the truth, I think it came out pretty good. Lenka did a great job with the layering and my hair feels so much lighter now that I've gotten rid of all the damaged ends. The bangs she cut were definitely better than I could do, but I'm still a bit mixed about it as they sit on my eyes a little funny. Not disastrous or anything and I don't really know how she could've done it better. Pretty satisfied with this haircut. Since I was waiting for my friend, Lenka offered to give me a curls as well (with a curling iron) to show me how I might be able to get more volume with my hair ('cause I suck at being a girl). She even gave me a shoulder massage after she was done! (that I didn't expect) AND I got a complimentary drink after (I got mango Calpico). The haircut did cost me a bit more than I would've liked (~$60), but I did look them up before and knew about their pricing. They get four stars because I had a pretty good experience (first time I might've actually liked how my hair looked). My friend on the other hand, didn't get any of the perks I got... and I'm not sure if he really liked his cut in the end (plus it cost him the same amount as mine...). I don't think I would mind going back here, but this is definitely a place for more Asian hair (very Japanese looking hairstyles) and they seem to specialize in Asian haircuts (but I'm Asian, so it was a good fit). read more

All you thick, coarse, wavy, bushy haired girls come to Arty's! I have thick hair. So thick that Kyoko said in all the years she's been cutting Asian hair, I'm the champion. I gave up on my hair years ago and just let it grow and grow until it was a bushy mess. Why? Because every stylist I went to would tell me, "Sorry, I can't cut your hair like the picture because you don't have that type of hair." I didn't know what to do with my hair or rather they didn't know what to do with my hair. I got there early, flipped through the Japanese hair magazines and wistfully looked at the pictures. Thinking I love that hairdo, but can't pull it off with my "hair type." But Kyoko took one look at the picture I picked out and immediately knew what my hair needed. She said a little layering and thinning. I'm afraid of layers because I usually end up looking like a helmet-headed puff ball, but somehow I felt reassured that Kyoko understood my dilemma. After shampooing my hair, she cut off the length and dried it straight. Once it was dry, she thinned away the thickness, curled my hair with a big barrel iron, and set it with a light hairspray. I came out of there looking like a totally new person. I didn't even recognize my hair. I finally had straight, thin hair with long layers! Amazing what she did with my hair! Now, I'm even thinking about getting bangs. Another bugaboo with wavy hair. My bf always complained about how I always got the same haircut, and he totally LOVED this one. Well worth the $55 considering I spent that much 10 years ago. read more

Romi did such an awesome job!! Seriously the best color I've ever had. A true perfectionist, she looked through photos with me for almost half an hour and asked me a million questions. Then she re-mixed the colors 3 times before settling on the right ones. read more

See all

Excellent hair cut by Ayako. Well done, careful job. Language not a problem at all - she's fluent in English (if one was curious since it's a Japanese hair salon in Japantown). Ayako also seems to have many, many years of experience. I needed someone who could cut long Asian hair and I've found her. $55 for long hair (hair cuts are posted as $50-55 on their website). Also included tip for her and my hair washer. AmEx not accepted here but Visa / Mastercard and some type other uncommon credit card accepted. You can add tip to your credit bill. read more

Very mediocre haircut, I don't think they're used to cutting Asian guy hair. Good haircut places will blow dry and ask if you need any adjustments, but the person cutting my hair asked me if it was fine wet, how can I tell... also it was cut too short. Most importantly, I specifically asked the stylist to make it neat, but she used thinning scissors to just Fuck shit up. Just beware what you ask for. Good thing is you can make same day appt and service outside of the haircut is okay. I'd bump to 3 stars if it was half the price. read more

### EDIT - they changed their name to Arty Hair!! http://www.artyhair.com/ #### I have finally found the salon for me. I've been bouncing around looking for the perfect haircut and I think I've found a place that finally gave me some style. All my life I've had straight boring hair and when I ask the stylist to give me something fashionable, something easy to take care of, they'll either give me a bob or straight long hair - no layers. With long hair, I always had the problem of having it too heavy at the bottom and flat on top, making me look like a triangle. AND I'm Chinese so I have STRAIGHT STRAIGHT hair that's not going to automatically curl and style and stay like Jessica Simpson or Jennifer Aniston. My cousin recommended COMSA and said that many of her friends go there too. I made an appointment on the phone and when I got there, Yasu in white jeans and a pink cotton top greeted me with the rest of his staff. He did a quick shampoo and conditioning, I showed him what I wanted and he did it and in under an hour! He styled it exactly what I wanted to and told me that I had to style my bangs this way or "else it won't be .. um.. sexy." hehe. $50 for the cut is not bad at all. I am so happy he gave me exactly what I wanted. He cut off A LOT ON THE BOTTOM and at first I was really scared, but after a week, I feel so carefree and light! The only complaint about it is that I really liked the Japanese spray wax, but it was $26.. more than half the price of my cut!!! read more

This is the place to get a japanese hair cut !! I went to Arty last saturday. When i first walked in i was greeted by everyone, the front desk offered to put my coat and purse away. I was soon seated at the station. My boyfriend was waiting for me that whole hour that it took to wash, cut, dry and style my hair !! My hairstylist knew exactly what she was doing. She gave me bangs, thinned out my hair, layered the back, shorten at the top to add volume ^ ^ She kept on asking me for my suggestions of how i wanted it before she cuts. So, you don't have to worry they'll cut it differently then you told them. My boyfriend kept on saying how cute i was the whole entire day lol definitely worth it ^ ^ I think the only downfall for me was after i got home and washed my hair i totally didn't know where to part my bangs lol but that's just me lol hope you'll enjoy your cut at arty as much as i did ^ ^ Price - $50, length of hair over shoulder: includes wash,dry,cut and style read more

I heart this place. talented and friendly stylists. it is a little pricey though. i didn't realize until i went back to nyc for my haircut, and it was about 50% less in nyc. i usually only go to asian hair stylists bc i personally think asian stylists are better at cutting asian hair. (same as some other yelpers!) i love going to japanese sylists, they are particularly talented! i love junko, she is SUPER nice, love love love her. she only works certain days though, so make sure to call way in advance. I wanted to see what my hair would look like curled and she was soo sweet, she went out of her way to show me how to curl my hair (which never stays curled bc it is thin and straight). she actually spent A LOT of time on my hair. very sweet of her. the owner cut my hair once, he was really good too. but i still love junko the best. i like how they cover your face with a lil face cloth when they wash your hair, keeps my makeup intact. need to call at least 2 weeks in advance to get the stylist you want. it's always busy there. i think a wash and cut runs about $50-55 bucks for women, and $45 for men. read more

My designated hair cut and color place. Kioko ( if I spelled right) is amazing. I like how she understands what I wanted and makes it happen. read more

i got a haircut with a last minute appointment at Arty's after searching for a Japanese salon. Got in. told her what i wanted and off to shampoo. I don't know about other people but i usually get an awesome massage with my shampoo. I didn't get anything!! Not so much than a simple scratch on the scalp. Ok. off to the cutting. i told her i wanted more volume and trim off my split ends. She ends up cutting 4 inches off my hair at a straight line and kind of shaves through the hair. She told me she was giving me more layers and more volume. i didn't get it. She only blew dry it and gave me a little bit of max to my bangs. the style was not as intricate as i wanted and from start to finish it only lasted 30 mins!!! shortest cut ever. Maybe it was because she had another client waiting. i had high hopes for this place too. read more

Once I moved to San Francisco, my first goal was to find a good hairstylist. I've tried many many hair salons, far and near but I wasn't satisfied or happy until I came to Arty's (the name used to be Comsa and I'm happy that it was changed to Arty's). By chance, I was assigned to Tomoko. I like her techniques and how she always cut my hair like the picture I show her from magazines. I told myself, wow, I've finally found my place! But then, Tomoko had visa trouble and had to go back to Japan...sad face!!! Then I was introduced to Michi--I'm so glad that Tomoko gave her clients to Michi! If you can't remember her name, she is the lady with tattoos all over her body. I love her; I seriously wanted to be selfish and didn't want to mention her name in this review because she gets so busy lately but I suppose sharing is caring... Please note that she will cut your hair like the pictures you have shown her. She also cuts bangs really well. After each haircut, she would always ask me if I want her to curl my hair because she knows I like it. I have long hair and with color, cut, shampoo, blow-dry, and set, the total price was $160. You will also get a massage is the session is long! I will not cheat on this place by getting my hair done at anywhere else! If you are looking for a good hair salon place, give this place a try! P.S. the reason it's 4-star: Hard to get an appointment and once in a while, you will get an inexperienced shampoo person. read more

I've been to Arty Salon a couple times and each of my haircut experiences were nice. When it comes to getting haircuts, I usually always end up leaving salons crying because I always get all my hair chopped off. Coming to Arty Salon, the receptionist greeted me, took my jacket/bag and offered me tea while I waited for my turn. So far, I've had 2 stylists work with my hair. Mr. Kugo the director of Arty salon and Junko. The first time I went to Arty for my haircut appointment, I was almost an hour late due to traffic and finding parking. They almost had to reschedule me because the next client was waiting. Fortunately, Mr. Kugo was able to squeeze me in and cut my hair for me. He was very quick and I was really pleased with the results. Although I would have preferred if he spent the whole hour cutting my hair instead of working on my head and another clients, but it was kind of my fault for being late. The next time[about a year later] I had Junko cut my hair because Kugo was all booked. Junko was really really sweet and talkative. She doesn't work as fast as Kugo, takes her time - which I liked and gave me tips on how to take care of my hair. She was really careful to not cut off too much hair because I told her I wanted to grow my hair out long. I really loved the results. It's sometimes quite difficult to book a haircut appointment here. I recommend booking maybe a week or 2 in advance. It's always busy, all the stylists look good, trendy, cute and professional. The service here is really great. I am always treated with nothing but kindness when I come here. I rate this place 4 stars because Arty is quite pricey! I usually don't mind paying a little more when the service is really good, but damn.. sometimes getting a haircut here really burns a hole in my wallet. Besides that, I highly recommend this place!! Will definitely come here again!!! ... Sometime soon hopefully..!! read more

I am so in love with this salon it's not even funny! Lenka is my girl and she always saves my hair from me! THANKS LENKA IF YOU'RE READING THIS!!! I can't go to any other salon now because once you find a great hair dresser, you should stick to them like glue. I am truly terrible at the upkeep involved with taking care of my hair. I never get haircuts until I really have to, and every now and then I do a box dye (shock horror). I also in the past have had some really horrible experiences at hair salons, both low end and high end. People never seem to really listen to what I try and tell them I want, or they just don't understand. I've only ever had the best experiences at hair salons in Japan! They treat you so well, they know exactly what it is you're going for (despite the language barrier), and the quality of their service is unlike any other. Which is why I sought out Arty hair salon, because I just knew it would be worth the investment and I wouldn't regret it. I first came to Arty probably about 2 years ago for a digi-perm. It was all the rage in Korea and Japan at the moment but not many salons were using the technology in the US. Thankfully, Arty salon is cutting edge and they totally knew all about it. I honestly cannot remember the first stylist I saw at Arty. She was great and was very patient with me. She did my first digi-perm a bit too tightly wound for my taste and it took a few months for the curls to loosen and look a bit more natural but once they were loose i was SERIOUSLY in love with the look it gave. I was hooked! The second and forever onward times I go to Arty, I see Lenka! She's so awesome and always looks at my reference photos very carefully, making sure she totally understands what kind of look I'm going for. She's also incredibly easy to talk to and super funny. She just really makes me feel comfortable and she spends however long it will take to make sure the style I want is fully achieved. She's done my second digi-perm which was PERFECTION, loose and natural and amazing, she's also done most recently a full color and pretty much chopped off my length for me. I felt so terrible when we did our color session, because I think I was her last appointment and it took so long to lift the color from my natural hair (I was going for an hombre, very bleach blonde at the tips) but she was great and made sure it looked good before I left. The scalp massage when they wash your hair is worth coming to this salon in itself. I literally wanna take the girl who does the scalp massage home with me because she's so good at it!!!! They also offer you tea while you are getting serviced and they style your hair completely after your cut/color. Amazing salon, very much worth the prices they charge and OMG THAT SCALP MASSAGE. read more

My first haircut in the U.S. I was a little nervous but my friend recommended me Arty so I decided to go there. My stylist was Rei, she was welcoming and took care of my hair gently, which made me feel comfortable. I got a nice clean low layered cut and she also curled my hair at the end which made my hair look even nicer. I'll totally come again! read more

After years from my last visit I went back today. Now I remember why I trecked all the way out here and shelled out the big bucks for the hair cut. Well, in my budget. Michi yes, no longer here. But Hana is! All I can say is she is so sweet and totally understands what her client wants. No language barrier issue at allllllllllllllllll. For mid-back hair length a wash, cut, dry, shoulder massage, and style (curls) all for $60 which took a little over an hour? Hell yeah I tipped her a $20! Love the cut. read more

If possible, I would like to give this place a zero score, I did my color today here asking for a special type of purple color and the final color I hot is not even close to the color I asked for. I have to find another place to totally wash this aweful color off my head. After this many years of dying the purple I asked for at many other Japanese Salons, this is the only time I am sooooo disappointed at such a high price. I will never come back or recommend this place to anyone. read more

I made an appointment yesterday for a cut and color, and got my hair done today! My hair stylist was Michi, the girl with the colorful tattoos and the nose stud. We didn't talk much, which is what I like because I'm not a talker. My hair was 7 months over due for a cut and color and was a fat blob of split ends and uneven color. I told Michi that I wanted to keep my hair somewhat long but wanted to get rid of the damage. She seemed very focused the entire time, which is why I didn't mind the silence, and let me say, my roomie (who waited patiently on the couches for 2 hours!) was shocked at how good my hair came out! My hair length was only trimmed about 2 inches but she thinned and layered my hair so much that most of the damage is gone and my hair actually moves! She did a wonderful job at evening out my hair color as well. She offered to curl my hair for me but I said it was ok. I must buy that wax that she used on my hair.. It smelled awesome. I am definitely coming back. I have typical Japanese hair, thick and wavy so I've always come to Japan Town for my haircuts. I didn't like Glam-Up and was ok with Japantown Beauty Clinic, but I think I will continue to come to Arty. read more

I had my first haircut here and I must say I already love this place. They were efficient, professional, and courteous. I arrived 5 minutes before my appointed time on a Monday afternoon, they took my jacket and purse and sat me down at the stylist's chair immediately. My stylist Junko talked with me briefly to get an understanding of what I wanted and then they whisked me away to wash my hair with a small towel over my face. That was when I first realized how awkward it was in the past when I did NOT to have a towel over my face. :P It was soooo relaxing. Mmmm. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Junko! Not only was she incredibly nice, but she gave me exactly what I wanted, after making sure that I understood what I was asking for and the extra work it would involve. She could have stopped after giving me a haircut and drying my hair, but instead she went above and beyond. She remembered that I complained about my stupid cowlicks during the consultation, so as she was styling my hair, she showed me some tricks to subdue them a bit. She also showed me how to curl iron my hair. I doubt I will ever manage to do it as well as she did but I will practice. At $55 before tips, I am paying over 50% what I did at my old stylist, but my experience here shows that you really do get what you pay for. read more

Review on: Hair cut + color by Kumi I think I finally found the perfect place. I've been in SF for 5 years now, bouncing from one hair stylist to the next, never completely satisfied. Not anymore! Kumi did a great job coloring and cutting my hair (I brought pictures, they're always a good idea). She told me she trims bangs for $5, without an appointment. Now that's a great deal-no more sloppy, self-cut uneven bangs for me! Kumi is very much up to date with hair trends in Japan and was thoroughly able to explain why/why not certain techniques would/wouldn't work on me. I didn't question her anymore; she knows what she's doing. read more

This is my first time going to Arty, and it turned out to be very nice. I got my hair colored and cut for $130, which is a reasonable price but can go higher if you have long hair. I had Marie, who has been doing hair for eight years since she started in Japan. She is very nice and experienced, the hair dying process didn't take a long time as I thought. She also speak fluent English, so communicating with her wasn't a problem! Strongly recommended if you want to get a Japanese style haircut :D read more

Kyoko was my stylist and she paid great attention to details. The environment was tidy and clean. A great experience in general.

I went to Arty spontaneously while in town for business, and I could not be more pleased. Since I have a spanish/asian mix, my hair is as thick as it gets and grows in every direction. I'm usually partial to japanese salons, but I believe this is the best one I've been to out of all of them. Ayoko is the stylist who tendered me. She asked a few insightful questions to consult about my hair, and some of those I had never been asked before. After a good shampoo/conditioning rinse, she went off to work. Ayoko is extremely social, and had no problem talking to me about various topics. It was easy to tell how comfortable she was behind the chair, and that regardless of my response, she never flinched. In fact, I've never seen anyone so comfortable while cutting, and thus I've never been so comfortable during a cut (and I am usually pretty nervous that something will get messed up!) She did a great job cutting it to the precise lengths I wanted, and she did a good job thinning my hair without overthinning (a problem I've encountered in the past). 3/4 of the way through, she asked me to check the progress, and I thought it was perfect. She motioned to have me rinsed again, and after, I received a nice shoulder massage and a hot wet towel for my face. Ayoko then completed the final touches on my hair, and I was set to go. I was thankful for the personalized business card I got from her, and I'll definitely visit for another cut next time I am in town. read more

Called for a last min booking and got an appointment the next day. Really glad that I found this place. Romi was my stylist and she was an angel. I have lots of hair and most stylists that I had before would make comments about it. Not only was Romi really patient with my hair, she was a great conversationalist as well. Convenient location and great service. Highly recommended. read more

Ever since I decided to grow out my hair a little longer a few years ago, getting a haircut has been an ordeal. It seems that atop my head is wild Chinese brush that many have attempted to tame but barely escaped with their lives. I've been bouncing from place to place in search of someone who could make my hair look halfway decent. I've frequented Chinese salons in the Sunset because a) they're cheap b) I'm cheap. That's just how we roll. However, whenever I go there, I feel obligated to speak in Chinese, which leads to mixed results. Even when I've communicated in English, it's been meh. So I thought, "Screw it" and figured I should go to a nice place for once. After scouring Yelp for reviews, I happened to come across one for Arty, and it seemed fairly promising. I made a morning appointment with Kudo-san, the owner of the place. He speaks excellent English, so I didn't have to rely on my crappy Japanese. I wanted something different, so he made his recommendation and went to work. It turned out great, and he gave me tips on how to maintain and style it. It ended up costing a little more than I expected ($50ish), but I felt like I got my money's worth with the good service and atmosphere. I've tried a couple of Japanese places but feel like this is the best of them. If yer willing to spend the dough, I highly recommend them. read more

This review is for my haircut by Kudo! The +s: +++++ A big plus is when your stylist advises against your wishes to save your hair and money. I was so excited to get my digital perm but disappointed when Kudo advised against it. My hair was too dry and would not take the perm well. To reconfirm his opinion, he had asked Kumi for a second opinion. She agreed. I love that Kudo did not give me the digital perm because it would have been a waste of my money. The outcome would have been disappointing since my hair was so damaged. +++++ Kudo advised that I have my dead ends cut and to wait 8 months for regrowth. I wanted a digital perm and long hair so unfortunately I have to wait for my damaged ends to grow out. Meantime we settled on cutting 4-5 inches off. It looked so much healthier when he was done! I couldn't believe I had been walking around town with dead locks! +++++ Great shampoo service! The white napkin over my forehead kept my face dry from any splash. +++ Green tea as a beverage! Yes! +++ Great reception service! Everyone here is so polite and upbeat. +++ Tons of Japanese magazines with every hairstyle imaginable. +++ Just $60 for great cut! +++ Kudo gave advice on styling my hair with a curling iron while my hair regrows and recovers. +++ Gratuity and payment on credit cards only. Good because I hate carrying cash. The -s: - Street parking or find the garage Overall I am pleased with my haircut and can't wait till my hair is ready for a digital perm (lasts on average 4 months)!!! read more

I had been wanting to get this done for the longest time, but was scared to do so because I was living in Austin, TX with no experienced Japanese salons in town.... Finally I came to the bay area and my sister in law recommended I check out some places in SF and I came across Arty's on yelp. I am soooo happy that I decided to go with Arty. They fit me in on short notice, and even though I arrived late (damn 101 traffic!), they still let me come in. I was lucky enough to get the owner, and he explained to me the reality of a digital perm, and every step along the way. He was so friendly the entire time, and the whole staff was very, very polite and communicated to me in English the whole time. It took a damn long time, but I am in love with the result. I have really fine, thin and straight Asian hair. Anytime I curl it with a curling iron, it becomes straight within a few hours unless I drench it with hairspray. After Arty's got their hands on it, I now have a sexy wave that I am very, very happy about. I am just sad that I will be going back to Texas so I will have to find a replacement for Arty's down South. :( Thank you so much Arty's! xx read more

If you are hesitant like I was before I went here. Rest Assured you will be satisfied. Men's Hair Cut Ask for Marie read more

'Going to get my hair cut' is kind of up there on the hate list, somewhere near 'going to the dentist'. Weird, I know. I cut my hair like, once a year. I think the fear is attributed to an experience with a really bad poodle perm in the 3rd grade. *deliberate vague memory* Arty's did not disappoint. I'm probably one of those clients-from-hell, specifically categorized into the type that can't help but direct every snip and whose eyes tear up at a centimeter over-cut. I APOLOGIZE to every past and future hair stylist that has to put up with it! But yeah, I was treated with kindness, patience, and felt totally understood. I can't remember the stylist's name (it's been quite a few months)...unfortunate because she deserves some credit. The hair cut has grown out nicely; I still get asked where I got it cut. $70, very reasonable. read more

Finally was able to get out to SF for a hair cut. My stylist was Aoyumi and she spent about an hour and a half on my cut. The place is modestly decorated, a relatively minimalist look. All the gals working there have awesome hair and style. I felt that i walked into Shinjuku. Aoyumi first sat down with me and went over some styles on what i think i want for my hair and then she made a recommendation, she was very honest and i certainly appreciate it! We trimmed about 3 inches and she gave me some bangs that work well with my face -- my other stylist was adamantly against them... in any case, i've washed and re-styled my hair a few times now and while it'll never quite look as good as when she styled it, i still like it. I did notice that other clients received some sort of neck massage that i didn't receive...... Cut / Wash / Style $50 no tip. read more

Kumi gave me a digital perm and a cut (which comes with the price if you're doing a digital perm). She was SO sweet, cute and trendy. She knew what I wanted and gave me ideas that would give me natural looking, voluminous curls. I loved the service there, all the girls are so nice, which means a lot when you're getting a digital perm or any treatment that takes a long time. I sat there for a few hours and felt good. Japanese stylists pay a lot of attention to detail which I LOVE. Not that other stylists don't pay attention to detail, but Kumi was telling me that in their Harajuku salon, her clients would bring in their outfits for that season to show her, so she could help them find the proper trendy hairstyle that would match. Great experience! read more

Seems like I've been coming here for a long time now.. my first review was written in 2008. WOW! I never left Arty disappointed. I tried somewhere else, but never found anywhere better... and again found myself back to Arty. I love Kyoko. She is my Goddess. From trim to extreme makeover, she always did amazing job. Whenever she is cutting my hair, I know I'm in good hands. Service is great, and price is reasonable. read more

Please don't cut your customer's bands to a flat band when they came in in a sideband and DID NOT ask for a straight, flat band. Such a nightmare. read more