Like so many things labeled "fusion" out there, Fusion Salon tends to do American much better than they do ethnic. Recalling the fondness my most fashionable (White) friend from college had for this place, I came to this place in August 2010. I had just received an iffy haircut from a cheap Asian hairdresser in Swillberg with rudimentary texturizing and fading skills and I wanted something a step above the standard 15-minute haircut. I figured if anyone could cut my difficult hair well, it would be these guys. At first glance, Fusion was all I had ever dreamed of in a salon. They had comfortable chairs and an extensive magazine collection in the waiting area, Vampire Weekend and other cool indie tunes pumping from the speakers, local art on the walls, and Harney & Sons tea in the pantry. The massive leather barber's chair in which I sat to get my haircut was even more comfortable than the chairs in the waiting room and a peppermint facial massage and hot towel treatment came with every haircut. At $30 plus tip, the price was a little steep, but I loved everything about this place. Except my haircuts. While Jes gave me decent, fashion-forward haircuts when I first started going there, it was never exactly what I asked for and I found more and more wrong with the end results as time went on. After about 5 months, I began noticing unevenness (I'm talking 1/2 inch difference from left to right sides) and my fade soon began to resemble a bowl cut. Admittedly, I have two large protrusions of bone on both sides of my head and my Asian hair is ultra straight, but over the years, I have discovered that these things could be compensated for by cutting my hair to a certain shape, rather than cutting it based on how it might look in a couple of weeks or how you believe my hair might eventually fall. Asian hair doesn't fall. Like a bad relationship, I continued going to Fusion probably much longer than I should have because I was comfortable. I liked the people who worked there, I liked the atmosphere, and the haircuts were satisfactory, at times. I knew how difficult it was for me to find someone who could actually cut my hair and I had tremendous anxiety when thinking about searching for a new salon. But I had to break it off. I'm not saying that Fusion Salon isn't a good place to get your haircut. I'm sure if I were a White woman looking to update her look or a White man asking for something easy, I'd probably still go here every three to four weeks. Unfortunately, I don't fall into either of these categories. read more

Free drinks, a scalp massage, hot towels... sorry, where was I? Going to Fusion is a fun and relaxing experience. The atmosphere is chill and hip, the staff focused and talented. I've seen Nico many times and he always helps me figure out the right cut, gives me ways to style it, and really puts in extra care, thought, and time. Some of my friends go to Andrea, and I've heard amazing things about Jes. These guys are top notch! A little on the pricey side (depends on who you see) but ask about student discounts. read more

Ladies with short hair, I get you. I know your struggles and your strife. I also now know the importance of having a HAIR STYLIST! Nico can be trusted with your short hair, girls! He understands your awkward curves and makes you look please check them out at their new location! read more

Barbetorium - I mean, seriously?! Yes please. - Barbers Near Me - Rochester, New York

Stop here and don't go anywhere else. Jes and his crew are as hip as they are talented. The staff is excellent and the atmosphere - top notch as you would get in NYC or San Fran...and this travel hobo definitely knows! I have to tell you a secret. You have to look beyond just hair....you MUST come here to see Nico if you are looking for an interesting style for the evening. You MUST see Andrea if you are looking for a new look or looking to get your make-up done. She is really unbelievable and a genius with make-up!! But what else...they premier interesting artists on the walls of the salon and always look out for any parties they host for art opening. A must go! Get beautiful! read more

The service is AMAZING. I can't help but to think that Tabitha's Salon Takeover wouldn't be able to improve anything here. A great place to go as a splurge or treat, but maybe not on a regular basis if you are a woman, or if you get the right stylist. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of going with the wrong stylist and given the intimate, close quarters, it would just be too weird and uncomfortable to go back. I would not suggest making an appointment with Nico for women or long hair. Nice, but very obnoxious and egotistical. I think he has a good, artistic eye, but maybe not the most advanced cutting skills. It got old paying a fairly high price just to listen to him talk about himself, how cool he is, how awesome he is and be just OK with my haircut after all was said and done. The nice perks though where beverages, scalp massage, warm towels, etc... Great place to splurge, just pick the right stylist! This would be a 5 star easily if I had just gone with Jordan or someone else! I do hear that the place is one of the best around for mens' services! read more

Nico is officially our family stylist! He has done my hair for years, and also cuts my son and husband's hair. We love it here! Great service, fabulous stylish salon with all the extras - including wine and snacks. Nico does an amazing haircut. I've recommended it to other friends who have also had great results. I also want to add - Nico is a no-pressure stylist who gets a customer's vision. I have long hair and several previous stylists try to convince you to cut it shorter, get tons of layers, etc. He never does that and has trimmed and maintained my layers impeccably for years. I get a zillion compliments! read more

I would highly recomend Nico for any Queer/ non-binary Feminine bodied folks. He is a very thoughtful dude who can definetly do a nice side shave. read more

In a business in which my hair is potentially visible to all of Rochester at any given time, I trust only Jes and the crew at Fusion. I moved to Rochester from the San Francisco Bay Area nearly a year ago, and struggled to find a place that not just gave me the look I desired, but the overall atmosphere and experience to make monthly appointments enjoyable. Nevermind the fact that you can have a cold adult-beverage while you wait, but the cozy confines at Fusion provide an awesome combination of upscale and rustic, and the artwork rivals that of any private gallery. All of this, of course, would mean nothing without the personalities of the crew itself. Jes, Nico and Andrea are as good at making you feel at home as they are at sculpting your look. I continue going back, and highly recommend it to all my friends! read more

For the first few years of my college career, I took the easy way out and went for the 15 dollar haircut for the convenience. I always left with a cut that I swore would grow into something decent. Once in a while I was right. By my senior year i finally wised up and started going to Fusion. From my first step through the door, I was barraged with hospitality. Never mind the complimentary food&drink, excellent music, artistic ambiance, and personable stylists, I got a phenomenal haircut. Matt always asked how I'd like to have my hair cut, made suggestions, and gave me a quality result. More than that, he and Jes were always excellent conversationalists and provided me with great tips for how to manage my extremely coarse hair (without shoving products down my throat). Matt and the rest of the crew are the highest level of professional. Not only do they run a professional practice that actually makes the chore of getting my hair cut enjoyable but they also hold master salon classes across the country, style hair for photo shoots and local events, and even run social events supporting the local art community. These guys are the real deal. Bottom Line: Ever since my first visit, friends, family, and even the ladies have noticed the difference and it feels good. read more

Been here a couple times. Great salon but my last visit was horrible. I had a new stylist named Jes that really was disappointing. He was very unprofessional and arrogant. The final haircut had not been blended well as it was very uneven. I had to go down the street for them to correct it. I am usually ok with people expressing their feelings and opinions but this guy used non stop profanity and spoke about how he is the best stylist at Fusion and how no one else there has the same skill set. I almost walked out as I had been there in the past and had great experiences every time. I am sorry to see Jes kill my overall positive impression of this place. I'll be back but not for Jes. read more

Awesome haircut, super friendly staff, and great atmosphere...can't recommend this place enough. Worth every penny!

I started going to see Jes at Fusion about 5 years ago when I had very long hair for a man. Everywhere I went before him could not cut men's long hair. The second I walked in the door at his old location I felt welcome and left with a great cut. Now that my hair is short I still stay loyal to Jes and the Fusion Salon team. They are super friendly, funny, and caring to their clients. I actually look forward to going and getting my hair cut. It really is like going over to visit a friend and leaving looking better then when you came in. The team is always learning and teaching, they travel to conventions and enter contests so they don't get stale and know all the new techniques and styles. GO HERE and no where else!! read more

I can't rave about this place enough. I have been to 5 salons in Rochester since I moved here 2 years ago and haven't been thrilled with any of them for one reason or another. I came here for my first cut and I love it. I went to Nico and he has the best attitude and energy. My hair generally sucks and must be curled as imperfections show up so easily, but now I am able, need be, to walk out of the house and let it air dry. He was also kind enough, while there wasn't time for a color, to throw some gloss on it to get rid of some of the brassiness from my last color (done at another salon) that had been upsetting me. Also he has a Dyson hairdryer that is the bomb. The salon is gorgeous, very chic. There is lots of natural lighting, high ceilings, fashion books, etc. read more

Preface: I am a male in my mid thirties looking to go from military style cut to a long hairstyle. Something med- to long in length and masculine. Thnk Brad Pitt or Chris Hemsworth. I had let it grow for 4 months and had reached the stage when I had no idea how to style it, nor how to take care of it. All I wanted to do was cut it short again. So I went to see Jes. I found he was well received on yelp, and my wife's stylist at Allora had good things to say about him. I am so happy to have met him. He showed me around the facility and then sat me down to talk about what I wanted. I showed him some pictures and he took the time to really understand what I wanted. He taught me how to blow dry, style and what products to use for my hair type to get the results he did. He walked me through the coming stages of hair growth to get where I want to be and what to expect. He was reassuring and so helpful which anyone who has really grown their hair out knows now important this is. He styled and shaped my hair and then messed it up to walk me through how to do the same thing every day. Then he gave me his card and actually told me to call him, come in, or Facebook him if I had any questions before my next cut on how to style or maintain my hair. He said he'd be happy to show me again. This is customer service! Th staff I met were very friendly. I will be back. read more

I have been trying to find the right cut for my curls for years. If you have curly hair too, you understand.. Nico did a great job on my hair. I am getting flooded with complements on my curls and cut. Nico is entertaining and full of life, a real pleasure to work with. I am so pleased! Thanks Nico!! Ill be back. read more

I love this place. From the very first time I went there (which was for an art gallery showing) till the last (moved to CA) I had excellent service. Jess, Andrea and Nico make up quite a team and they really have something going there. My stylist was Nico and he always did a fantastic job on my hair. He's a really nice guy and very easy to talk to. The comfort level was like I was going over to a friend's house to get my hair done, every time. Andrea did my fiancée's hair and she was always very pleased with the outcome. The stylists here are always ultra professional and have a great website. Last I heard, Nico and Andrea gained national recognition for their coloring skills! If you want to stay on the cutting edge of trend and fashion, or you are just looking for a warm, friendly environment that you can look forward to experiencing, Then Fusion Salon is definitely the place to come back to again and again! Thanks! read more

I am the son of a professional hair stylist and barber. I went to the fusion salon uncertain of how things would turn out. I left feeling incredibly satisfied. I have a receding hairline and am very self conscious about it. Matt listened to what I wanted and gave me one of the best haircuts of my entire life. Any man with thinning (or any type) hair would do well to go and see Matt at the fusion salon. The shampooing was relaxing and the music was great. They have lots of complementary items for customers and the pricing is reasonable, especially given the quality of service. Glad I have found a tasteful salon in the area. Will definitely be going back! read more