Great haircut! Tom does a thorough job and checks in regularly about what you want/like. The cut was also very affordable, especially relative to many other places in the east bay where I feel like I'm may way more for less. read more

Came here on a friend's recommendation and am so happy I did. Tommy did a great job and the hair washing lady was nice as well. I needed several inches chopped off and Tommy is a pro. Value is good for getting a wash, cut, and blowout for $35. Men's haircuts are $20 with no wash and kids cuts (boys and girls) are $15. read more

Elite Hair Design - Business card - Hair Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

Very good haircut skills. Tommy is very good. The lady who washes your hair is also very good with her scalp massage.

My relationship with Elite Hair Design is complicated. It runs like a business - much like the rest of the hair salons in Chinatown, as mentioned in my prior review, so despite making a phone appointment they will get the next customer if it's not busy. I noticed that, due to Elite only having 2 stylist, that they always be working on somebody whether it be for a haircut, coloring, or perming. They're great people. I guess my only qualm is that they don't communicate how long a wait would take. As a result, the 'very soon' may be anywhere from 10 minutes to a staggering 45 minutes. I can't wait anymore, since life has gotten more and more chaotic. My usual stylist - Tom, still does great work. I never noticed that I was crowning a bit, in my hairline, until after I tried another stylist who wasn't too familiar with my hair. Props where props are due. read more

"Long layers and thin it out" I am so glad I walked into Elite Hair Design. I had stopped by two other places nearby but they were fully booked on a Thursday morning. The hairstylist at Elite Hair somehow knew exactly what I wanted even with my vague request. I always just hope it turns out well and this time it really did! I could tell the stylist was really experienced by how he was working with the different tools. No guess work here. He really took his time and his care and attention to detail were amazing. Layers turned out really nice. No choppiness at all and he knew exactly how much to thin out my hair. Couldn't be happier and will definitely be back! read more

I've had my hair cut here for many years. Tom's sense of style is impeccable to me; I have never left here unhappy with my haircut. I love what he does with my hair every single time. The shop can be crowded at times but he's very accommodating with walk-ins and such. It's his wife that usually does the hair rinse (of wash if you want). I usually don't have a picture in hand to show what I want but a quick description would be enough for him. From multiple layers to short hair cuts, he's done everything that I've always asked for. He works fairly quickly but with care and detail. When I had my Junior and Senior prom back in high school, I came here to have my hair done (curls one time and a half-up do another). I was worried that the half- up do would make me look a bit too old for my dress, but he made it work wonderfully. A few glittery pins from him really pulled the whole look with my dress together. I typically come to get my hair cut every 6 month to a year and he's always remembers what I like. For a girl, haircuts are typically fairly expensive but I can always count on spending under $20 here. Final Thoughts: I've never left here not loving my hair. Probably in a few years, I'd want him to do my hair for my wedding! read more

Elite Hair Design - Sale display for New Years - Hair Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

I wanted to thin my long hairs and have natural layers. The guy in the shop did a perfect haircut and the result was exactly what I wanted. The hair wash lady also did a great job washing my hairs. She took a longer wash time to really make sure my hairs are clean. read more

Amazing guy who took his time cutting my hair! I think his name is Tom/ Tommy from all the previous reviews listed. This review is only for the haircut. My balayage highlights was at a South Bay salon. I wanted a small cut to get rid of all the dried ends from my balayage highlights two weeks ago. I told Tom that I wanted a small A-line but slightly layered in the back. It wasn't exactly like the pic I showed him, but he was able to accommodate my haircut to my preference! I waited about 20 minutes and the haircut took another 20 mins. Overall, I like my cut and would come again considering it was $17, also happy to tip $5 for this :) read more

Elite Hair Design - Note: Balayage done at another salon in the South Bay, this is only for the haircut, which I love :) - Hair Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

I HATE getting haircuts because it never comes out the way I want my hair to look like. I have to wait days/weeks for the look that I asked for to grow in (sometimes after I trim it myself to get the right layers). I walked in to this place surrendering to the fact that I would hate my haircut (but I needed to get one so badly). I didn't give TOM any elaborate details. I just said, I don't want it too short and i want long layers. he understood what I meant. he went to work and, wow! I was/am so happy, ecstatic even, with the results. he was sure. there was no doubt or hesitation with the way he moved. great chinatown price, too! plus i had 5 mins to pick up a couple of bbq buns to bring back to the office with me before my lyft arrived. I am now a regular customer!!! THANKS, TOM for my happy hair! read more

I randomly walked into this hair salon without any plans or any hairstyle in mind. I only knew I needed a haircut. I just told the guy how short I wanted my hair and he cut it to the perfection. He gave me little hairstyling tips and he took time to make sure it was perfect. Wash, dry, and cut was $25! I am very pleased with the result and I feel 5 years younger! I will definitely come back again. read more

Got an average haircut, but the whole time they were doing accounting, talking, and shouting in my ear. At some point the guy stopped in the middle of the cut to talk to the other person. At the end of the day, it took a long time to get an average cut but I was extremely deaf leaving. Very unprofessional. read more

I am never returning after many years of getting a haircut from this salon. I hate waiting. Tom would prioritize his other customers over me when there are some waiting. He makes me feel like I don't deserve to have a haircut. I had waited patiently for him every time knowing he is the only one cutting. He understands how to cut thick hair that's the reason why I was returning. On this visit he gave me hideous layers and my ends look terribly cut--I know when Tom does a good job. I pay every time for service plus tips so he is not doing me a favor by cutting my hair. I am never coming back because he had pushed it this time with a horrible cut which fucked up my hair. read more

It's been a while since I last yelped and it is nice to be back. After much deliberation, I decided I needed to get rid of my long hair in the spirit of summer, saving shower time, and a change. Originally intended to donate 8 inches to the Pantene program, I actually got 10.5 inches cut off. So they can't measure right it seems... And she kept cutting/thinning... can't really tell but I just knew hair was falling fast. Before I knew it, I walked out with 13.5 inches less hair, from the original goal of 8 inches less. SO WHY FOUR STARS? Because she did an excellent job. I had such a drastic change and was expecting a disaster (sort of), but came out with short hair (shortest since 3rd grade!) that I was actually HAPPY with, even though I didn't expect it to be that short. So all in all, they know how to make your hair nice. If they can take my very long, VERY VERY thick, hair work, they have some skills. I'm glad to have found my asian hair cut place here. Oh, and it's cheap! $17 for my long hair; $15 for initially shorter hair. At the end of the day, I didn't even spend $20 after tip! BTW, CASH ONLY. read more

horrible salon wouldn't recommend getting your bangs cut here, old man does not know how to cut hair. Showed him a reference of the bangs I wanted and mans started freestylin his own way, fucking up my hair. read more

I really like this place. 3 main reasons: 1. Cheap 2. Very experienced stylist, Tom 3. Willing to fix your haircut for free if you don't like the cut My aunt from Oklahoma owns a salon and she is an experienced hairstylist for over 20 years. She is a great hairstylist and well-known in Tulsa. She is constantly looking for someone who is able to give her a good haircut. Her sister-in-law was also a very experienced hairstylist for over 20 years; however, do to a current accident she no longer can work. During my aunt's visit to California, my aunt's sister-in-law took her to this place "Elite Hair Design." Afterward, my aunt gave numerous of compliments to Tom, one of Elite's hairstylists. She said "Tom really knows how to cut hair." Therefore, I visited the place and I love my haircut. I use to have hair almost down to my waist line; you can see Tom's work in one of my profile picture wearing a white dress. I also got highlights; the only thing I wasn't that excited about was that the highlights didn't touch my root as close as I wanted it to. My cut and highlights cost me around $70. NOT BAD AT ALL!!!! I also brought my co-worker to get her haircut here. She is white with very full long hair. Tom charged her $30, because of her hair texture and length. She was very happy with her cut and wants to go back. She use to live in Italy and she said Tom is not bad at all compare to her favorite Italian hairstylist in Italy. She said "Tom knows what he is doing." So in my review, you actually got 3 individuals' feedback about Elite Hair Design. Hope this is helpful. :) read more

A couple years ago, I decided it was time to venture back into the hair salon scene and the first place recommended to me was Elite Hair Design. It is about $20 for a women's hair cut/wash, and I was thrilled by the meticulous work Tom performed every single time. My usual is getting my side bangs trimmed along with the layering of my hair. Once Tom knows your request, he does his magic and I leave as a happy customer. Super simple, and no frills. The only negative is the wait time which can be about 15 to 20 minutes. I advise you to call ahead of time to see if he has a heavy load of customers that day before going in. read more

Tom is great! He might not look like your fashion-forward stylist, but when once he starts working on your hair you can feel that he knows what he's doing. I used to get my hair done in SF for more than triple the price and it wasn't even as good! You go here for a cheap, good, and fast haircut. Don't expect refreshments, a massage, or an I'll-listen-to-all-your-troubles-stylist, it's not that kind of place. read more

I usually like to do my research before I select a hair salon but I decided to be spontaneous today and just walked right in! It's definitely a hole in the wall and my initial impression was - my hair might get fucked up. But, when the hair stylist said he had 27 years of hair cutting experience, I was reassured and thus, felt less anxious. In fact, I LOVE my haircut! The stylist took his time and knew exactly what he was doing. :) It ONLY cost 17 bucks too! I didn't think that expense exist anymore! Anyway, I'm definitely coming back!! By the way, fancy hair salons are overrated. read more

October 2020 - just got a long overdue haircut here. They are open Thursday-Sunday for now during COVID - best to call ahead for a time slot just in case although business is slow so they could use some boosting. Tom always knows exactly how to cut my hair even without much direction from me - layered, thinned and cut shorter. I got my hair washed there too although not required - just to help them out - and it was a super relaxing experience. They all wore masks and sanitized the chairs before I sat in them. read more

Wow, I made an 11:30 appointment to get my hair cut. When I walked in, a woman tells me that she was a walk-in customer but she had been waiting for awhile, so if I wanted to get my haircut with Tom, I was after her. First of all, why is this lady even talking to me? Well, I responded that I had made an appointment, so after he finished his current customer, I assume I was next. I then asked, who I assume was Tom because he greeted me by saying "sit"), if I would be getting my haircut next. He asked what time my appointment was at (weird question since I scheduled my appointment with him), I told him 11:30 (and it was 11:30 at the time we were having this conversation), he told me I would have to wait 45 minutes to 1 hour to get my haircut and the walk-in customer was going to get her hair colored first. I told him "no thanks" and left. This is just bad business. He could have called me to cancel or reschedule, or he could have made the walk-in customer wait. This would have been my first hair cut at Elite Hair Design, and I was hoping to make it my regular salon due to the nice reviews and the location close to my job. You just lost a customer. read more

Just wanted to update Tom's temporary hours: Thursday - Monday, 9:30am-5pm but CALL to make an appointment! He's hoping as situation improves, he can increase his hours back to 6 days. read more

The cheaper salon across the street had a long wait so my boyfriend and I came here instead for the $15 haircut (men). The cut was fairly quick (less than 15 minutes) and looked good. Still a fairly inexpensive good backup if the usual $8 places are packed. (We had Tom) read more

Tom is a good stylist. He will listen to how you want your hair. Only downside is that the wait can be long, and the owner along with the other workers tend to be a little rude. Bottom line is that its cheap, & go to Tom. read more

Had one of the worst haircuts of my life here. Made a same-day appointment for myself after work. Got there and the place looked like it was closing down. After waiting 10 minutes after my appt time a nice lady set up me in a chair and then went in the back. Then this guy (50-something with bags under his eyes and going bald) walks in from smoking and asks me how I want it done. After I tell him, he starts going Benihana on my head, whacking it with a comb and the clippers like a chef with two spatulas. And he stinks of cigarettes because he didn't wash his hands after smoking. Disgusting. So he rushes through it all because it's near closing and I think it looks decent enough so I pay. But when I got home I realized he did a messy job on the back of my head/neck, shaving some and leaving the rest (see the pic). For a mens haircut, this is just not my place. Maybe the other stylists are better but this guy was terrible. I don't care if it's closing soon, you don'r rush through a haircut. read more

Elite Hair Design - see the hair he missed? - Hair Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

Tom is the best. I've lived all over the US and my favorite hair cut is always by Tom. I've been getting my haircut here for 15+ years. Whenever I'm in town visiting my parents, my mom and I get our hair done here. He always delivers on her short, permed style and my long, layered style. He is so talented. His sister, Fanny, is also very good, but Tom is my favorite. It's a humble 6 chair salon and I love it. read more

This is a great place to get a great and inexpensive hair cut! It's not a fancy upscale place, but Tom always does a great job! He is a very experience hair stylist. I usually bring in a picture or tell him what I want and he is able to do it. Come early in the morning when they first open to avoid the lines...he is high in demand! read more

This is a one-cut-fits-all kind of place. It started off bad right away with the girl shampooing used her nails scrubbing my scalp raw the whole time. I showed the hair stylist a photo of what I wanted. He barely glanced at it and said, "Is that it?" and started going to town like Edward Scissors Hands. Way too fast for me to even mouth "nooooooooo!" The result is similar to what I wanted, just generic and missing all the details of my carefully, painfully chosen image which he didn't study at all. And the styling was horrible. I had to wash it out later. Then, when I went to pay he informed me that he doesn't take credit cards. I told him he should change that on yelp and he just shrugged it off. I told him that was important for customers to know and he said that what they say on yelp isn't up to him. Which may be true, but his attitude was dismissive. So I had to walk to a bank and return. The guy definitely seems to have a lot of experience and operates intuitively, almost on auto-pilot. That can be a really good thing if you're in a hurry, are in for a maintenance cut, or are happy with something conventional. But if you think design is in the details like me, then I'd avoid the place. Anyway, if you go be prepared with cash - DOES NOT TAKE CREDIT CARDS. read more

I wish I lived in Oakland because I got one of the best hair cuts ever here! Fannie is great and listens to what you want done to your hair. I was in Oakland with my husband on business and wanted a hair cut. Looked at Yelp and saw the reviews and decided to try it. I was more than happy with the service and will go back if I am in Oakland again!! read more

I've come here a total of 3 times for a hair cut. How I found this place? I walked into a random salon in Oakland Chinatown - where hair cuts are supposed to be cheap. Experience 1) hair cut was good and cheap. Simple layers and I came out looking fine, not too fobby. Experience 2) because of the good from experience 1, I thought I had found a place I could go for a quick relayering. I referred my best friend and we decided to do a quick spur of the moment hair re-design. (big mistake 1). I chose to have my hair highlighted and not cut (they did a reasonably good job but it was a little pricier than I had thought for an asian salon- $90). My best friend decided to wave-perm her hair (big mistake 2) and cut (big mistake 3). I advised her that I thought it might be a good and cute change (big mistake 4). After all is said and done, she came out looking like a big mistake (#5). She got it fixed, I personally didn't think it looked as bad as she thought, but it hadn't been cut right and I had to be her moral support because I was somewhat guilty of making the mistake of not talking her out of getting a wave perm that turned a little too HK FOB for us both. Experience 3) despite my friends horrible experience, I still went back because I needed a quick layer..This time the guy charged me $30 and he didn't even fully cut my bangs, he left them looking like a shaggy dog. I understand a long hair hair cut is more than the normal, but usually it's like 5 dollars more not $15!! I don't live by oakland anymore so I won't be going here most likely anymore, but if all you're looking for is a quick trim, this place could get the job done, but then so could super cuts and if you went there, you'd have money left to grab a bbq pork bun after too. read more

I love Tommy! My mom, sisters and I have been coming here for years. Tommy does exactly what you want. If you want an inch off, he'll take only an inch off. Not 1.5 inches, not 2, not 3. He always takes his time and never rushes no matter how packed the salon is. read more

i love tom!! i'm always happy after getting my hai cut from him. the place is sometimes busy so call ahead before coming in :)