Have you ever walked out a hair salon feeling like you got exactly what you wanted? Have you ever gotten a haircut so good you began to suspect every other stylist and barber who ever touched your hair of--I don't know, padding their resumes, fabricating their certificates, having terrible taste? Neither had I until I went to Emerson. I'm a guy with medium-length (comes more than halfway down my face), very thick, very coarse hair. When my hair was short, I was content to go to Rudy's, but as I grew it out I found it was too much for the barbers there: they gave me competent but consistently unsatisfying cuts. I tried some of the nicer spots in town - Capelli's, Gene Juarez; each hit a different sour note (barbers/stylists didn't listen, didn't know how to handle my hair, atmosphere made me instinctively cross my legs). Things to like about this place. First, there's no contrived atmosphere. Most salons put me off with their salonness, that sort of delicate, deliberate polish meant to complement the unbearable dance music they pipe in at happy-hour volume. None of that here. Also none of the theatrical, mahogany-heavy touches the higher-end barbershops (places that cater specifically to men) affect; no stacks of Boat Magazine Monthly, no big screen TV screaming sports and man and man, no caricatured sense of masculinity. Emerson's a nice-looking place in handsome building; that's all. Nothing about the place makes me feel uncomfortable. Second, the haircut is some kind of voodoo (and you were all, 'What's that headline mean; what's this squirrelly business?' *That* is what this squirrel is about.) I've been to John several times now, and every time the haircut is punch-a-wall-for-joy good. He listens attentively to everything I say. He looks at my hair, messes with it a bit, gets a sense of what it can and can't do. It's hugely important for the person cutting your hair to be honest about the limitations of the cut; you have to work *with* the stylist to come up with a cut. Huh, that's a novel concept. Every time someone cut my hair in the past, when I told them what I wanted, they'd just go for it, even if what I wanted was totally unachievable with my hair. Once you've fully discussed how you want your hair to look and how to achieve that look, he goes about doing exactly what you wanted him to with such precision you're left wondering whether he's the only person in the world who ever went to school for this stuff. From techniques so basic it's dumbfounding no one else used them on you to incision-like snips, he was able to achieve the cut something like five stylist/barbers (some of them much more expensive [thank you sister's old gift card]) weren't. He goes through the hair section by section, cutting each bit and comparing it to the overall cut. Did you know that Top, Sides and Back aren't the only sections to your hair? I didn't. I mean, I did in that I knew parts of my hair looked ridiculous (like the top of the back), but I was never able to get the person cutting my hair onboard with this idea: when I said, 'Cut the top of the back of my head,' they would cut all the hair on the back of my head. John understands the words that I say with requisite specificity. If what you want needs a tweak, John knows and gently suggests it. You wind up getting exactly what you want within the bounds of possibility. $40 is more than I have historically paid for a haircut, but I think of it this way. Rudy's is $25 now; it's as though a genie said, 'Either you can torch 25 bucks for a disappointing haircut, or throw in an extra 15 and learn that you are in fact a decent-looking human being a woman could someday love. What's 15 bucks to look like a million?' That's cute, right? That's a cute tagline. Seriously, though, I've never written an online review for anything before, and this thing is a monster. Doesn't it piss you off to get a bad haircut? So stop getting them. read more

I discovered Emerson when i was visiting Seattle and needed a last minute blowout. Most stylists would (and have) cringed and handed me to someone else...My hair is really long, really thick, and really color treated; a nightmare to some stylists, a fun challenge to others. Rusty was available and gave me a great blowout. He was also great to hang out with. A couple months later I moved to Seattle (from L.A.) and needed to find a good colorist. It had taken me years to find one in L.A. that i was happy with. I like to keep my waist length hair various shades of fake (it's gone from goth black, to cherry red, to blonde-ish and now back to red) I thought i was in for quite a challenge to find a colorist i could trust and who wouldn't be scared off by my great abundance of somewhat abused hair. I read many reviews on yelp , planning to interview various colorists...But Rusty, the sweet guy who gave me a last minute blow out was in the back of my mind. So i went back to Emerson and Rusty colored my hair. That was about 7 months ago, and i've never looked back. Rusty is THE best colorist i've ever had work on my hair. He has taken my hair from a damaged, very dry state to hair that feels healthy, is shiny, and can be combed through with a fine toothed comb while wet! That is a miracle for hair that is as long, color treated, and thick as mine. Really. And about the color itself. Rusty really is one of the best. What first impressed me was that during our first consultation he looked at my skin and eye coloring, as if he actually cared about the specific color he would put in my hair. Many stylists don't do this; i've seen enough to know. Rusty's one of the really good ones who knows color and actually cares about how an individual client will look with the color they want. If he thinks a color will look bad on a person, he steers them towards something he thinks more suitable. He's done this with me. Right now he's been doing my hair red, and i think every incarnation has been great. The man knows color, and if he can make my mass of evil hair look and feel good, i think he can do it for anyone. Highly recommended. Also, rusty's great to hang out with during the 2+ hours it takes to color my hair. The salon itself has a great, non- prissy attitude and neat steampunk design. The other stylists that work there are sweet to be around and also seem to know their trade quite well. If Rusty were ever unable to do my hair, i'd definitely trust one of the others! Everyone is very friendly in a genuine way, and there isn't any awful snobbery that i've experienced in other salons. It's a nice, welcoming atmosphere; the best i've ever found (and that includes many high end/ punk rock los angeles salons!!!) Rusty and the other stylists at Emerson are treasures!!! read more

This review is for D'arcy. I'd never been to a fancy salon before...as a guy, I've traditionally just gone to Great Clips, tell them "same as last time", and call it good. Sometimes it turns out alright, sometimes it just doesn't look right the next day. But I figured I'd just get used to it. I went to D'arcy at Emerson this last time, as I was in a theatrical production and needed to get my hair cut a certain way, that would work for both of the characters I was playing, and getting my "same as last time" haircut...wasn't going to work. Several friends recommended D'arcy as an excellent hair stylist, and assured me she could supply what I needed to find the right balance between the two characters I had to play. And they were right! I made my appointment, and she was incredibly flexible with timing, making it possible for me to get in after work, but before rehearsal started. I told her about the different characters I was playing, and that I needed something different than what I usually get. She asked specific questions, to make sure we were both on the same page, and turned my "fro-mullet" (I hadn't had a haircut in a little over 3 months, which is ridiculous) into something sleek and professional, yet stylish, which worked perfectly. Lord knows, I never would have been able to describe specifically what I needed, but she was smart, and knew the right questions to ask. She totally held up to the recommendations of my friends, without a doubt. I rarely get compliments on my haircuts (usually, I just get a "oh you got a haircut!", which noticeably omits a positive comment), but this time was much different, with many co-workers--even males ones--noticing and complimenting the work done. As an added bonus, she washed out all the loose hair bits and let me brush it like I normally do, so I could 1)not go to rehearsal with itchy hair bits poking at me, and 2) avoid the whole "woke up the next morning, and it didn't look the same" problem that frequently can happen. I walked out of there with my hair ready to go, and it looked great for the entire show run! D'arcy is great, and I'm looking forward to going to her again. I trust her to make my hair look awesome. read more

This review is for D'Arcy and I really want to say that I have never been SO DISAPPOINTED with my hair before this, that too after paying $76.70 (18% tip). As I had just shifted to Seattle so I booked whatever was available for my function. The minute I walked in, I felt like an UNWELCOME CUSTOMER. I wasn't even offered water or coffee, have never seen that in any salon and the weird part is that the lady whom Darcy attended right after me was offered both, so it was a clear message that I WAS NOT WELCOME THERE. I was around 7 minutes late and the appointment for hair styling was for an hour but the whole time she made me feel like an UNIMPORTANT AND INFERIOR customer. I had already told her over the phone the previous day, when I was making the appointment, that I am not sure if I would wash my hair and come, but when I reached and told her that I need hair wash it was almost visible on her face that she didn't want to wash my hair. I really didn't expect that reaction when I am paying extra for hair wash. The WORST part was the blow dry. I had really really BAD HAIR FALL after the visit as she used the blow dry at such a super high temperature. I could almost feel my scalp burning. Even after I told her that it's too hot, the only thing she had in reply was that "Ya, it's hot", I mean really?? I guess if you tell anybody that it's hot, the person will obviously understand that the temperature has to be reduced. I knew right then that my hair style is going to be a disaster. I had expected to get a really nice hair styling done after reading good reviews on Google and Yelp but my hair style was so AWFUL that my husband said, "I guess you paid to get a bad styling done". It was a total waste of my time and money as I had to open my hair completely and guess what, I was so upset that I didn't even attend the function. The thing which I hated the most was her BEHAVIOR towards me. I am never ever going to go back there. Really really disappointed. I guess she really does not want to have new customers, as I can see no other reason for such behavior. read more

I've lived in Seattle for about 7 years now, and I've been the victim of cheap haircuts. This was the first experience in an actual salon. I made my appointment with Franz for Tuesday. I was there about 40 minutes early and greeted by Andrea, who was super sweet (she also took my appointment). I told her I was very early and would just chill. She offered me a cup of tea and I read magazines. I didn't even realize i had been there as long as I had until it was about 30 minutes *past* my appointment time, and Andrea was letting me know my stylist was still with his previous client and offered to reschedule. I was a bit sad, but I understand some people need more help. So i rescheduled. My appointment was on Thursday the 23rd. I met with Franz, who sat me down and had a conversation with me. What do I like about my hair, what don't I like, what have I done before and why, what am I looking for now. After the consultation, he told me what he wanted to do, how he'd do it, and what it should end up like. He then opened his Macbook in front of the mirror (was that there the whole time??) and showed me some examples. He was enthusiastic and seemed genuinely interested in making my hair styling experience a positive and rewarding one. Wash, cut, and style, Franz was up front with what he was using and why ("Not many people know this is a volumizing shampoo, but it definitely gives more body to work with and works great with your hair") and even went so far as to show me how to style it different ways to add versatility to the style. I have never been as impressed with a haircut in my life. In addition, the entire experience from scheduling to the post haircut glamour shot for his portfolio (and the website) was gentle and warming. So much so that the star I would have taken off for rescheduling was completely regained by the positive experience. I'm sure someday I will have to get my haircut somewhere else for some reason, but I hope it's no time soon. read more

I have had unmanageable hair for the majority of my life. I have tried every product I could find and every stylist I could to tame what I would term, a "rat's nest" of hair. I've even gone as far as to dredlock my hair just to deal with it. I had all but given up on my hair until I had the opportunity to visit the lovely Katherine Kalnins at Emerson Salon. She was the first stylist that I had ever been to that really listened to me and made me believe that it was even possible to make my hair work in a way that I would find to be attractive on any level whatsoever. I was stunned by what she was able to accomplish and I also learned a great deal at the same time. Katherine recommended some products that made my hair look amazing, and believe me, I thought I had tried EVERYTHING. I was wrong. I had always wanted to have a very close fade on the sides and previous stylists were unable to do this. In addition, she was able to cut my hair in such a way that eliminated the "poofyness" that had plagued my hair for much of my life. She explained to me what she was doing as she was doing it and she didn't bother asking me the proverbial questions that all stylists ask just to make small talk when you know they don't really care about the answers you would give. She made me feel as though she really cared about what she was doing and that making me look good was the ultimate goal. I'm proud to say that that goal was achieved and then some! Next time you need your hair transformed, give Emerson Salon a call and book an appointment with Katherine Kalnins, you won't be disappointed! read more

I moved to Seattle in February and began facing my biggest fear that comes with relocation, finding a stylist. I have super thin, fine hair and enjoy trying new things, but am very picky about how it's cut because the smallest screwup is HUGE for my little bit of hair. I tried 2 other people in and around Seattle before I found Emerson on Yelp. I called and got a same day appointment with Ellen. I believe the first time she did my hair was in April? and I can't even begin to describe how happy she makes me every time I go in! She listened to everything I described, I told her about my weird quips and my hair history and she was so very careful that first time that I couldn't wait to go back and really let her be creative. In Sept, for the first time in my bleach-blonde life, she convinced me to try being a brunette, for fall. I am 28 years old, have never thought I could even attempt having dark hair and I am absolutely in LOVE with it!!! Everyone, including my family, tells me how great it looks and honestly, it's going to take some convincing to go blonde again. I've been a brunette for 2 months now and actually went even darker today. I kept meaning to write a review for Ellen, but I wanted to wait until I had some history with her...and I think 9 months of awesome hair is worthy of an awesome review! I live in West Seattle and my ONLY issue with Emerson is it's a little pricey...but the short drive (depending on traffic) and extra $ is worth it for Ellen to do her magic. read more

I am a creature of habit, and I've been going to Emerson Salon to have Rusty cut my hair for years now. The experience the fellow had who had his "hair cut off" would be pretty anomalous, as far as I'm concerned. Can your favorite restaurant put out a plate of food you don't like? Sure, and that's a pretty good analogy. Rusty doesn't claim to be infallible, but he is talented and consistently so. For me, finding a great haircut is the first thing I do in a new city; nothing is more important than making a good first impression. I'm pretty finicky too -- especially for a guy. I won't see anyone a second time if they make me look like a clown the first time. The fellow who negatively reviewed Rusty here makes several references to being made to look like an '80s gay porn star (Um, there's only one way I know of to have an accurate image of what gay '80s porn stars look like, chum. Is there something you'd like to let us know?), so I'm thinking that homophobia plays some role in this guy's disdain. Either way, I'm sure it has grown out to some length considered straight enough for the wearer. Next time, just put it in pigtails and tell people you're related to either Willie Nelson or the chick on the sign at Wendy's. Meanwhile, I'll be stylin'/profilin' because Rusty makes me look like the kind of porn star that has both men and women turning their heads. ;-) read more

I love this salon! It was my first time and it's hip and cozy at the same time. As soon as I arrived I was warmly greeted and offered tea. They were all fun and chatty and it was a very pleasant place all around. As for my hair, my hair! I LOVE DANIELLE! My balayage, sombre to be exact, was perfect. I had it done twice before in a little place called Gene Juarez. and it does not compare to the work Danielle did on my hair. She asked for pictures regarding the look that I wanted and set to work. It was a struggle to get my balayage done at Gene cause all I heard was my hair's too dark, what I want isn't realistic, or chunky looking and in the end my hair was OK. But with Danielle she immediately understood what i wanted and said no problem and she carefully worked on my hair for 3 hours and it came out beautifully. And it didnt even feel that long cause shes so much fun to talk to! She truly enjoys what she does. My hair brings me joy each time i look in the mirror. Even my husband who is usually politely complimentary really raved about it several times. So yeah. She's amazing. Please go book an appointment with Danielle now and you will not regret it. I'm recommending her to everyone I know!!!! read more

Emily is THE BEST hair stylist I have ever had. She actually cares about each client as an individual! I have had her call me on numerous occasions and tell me she's scheduling an appointment because she has envisioned a cut for my hair specifically. Guess what? She's always right about what she envisioned and my hair always looks incredible. I literally don't even have to tell her what I want her to do because she knows my hair so well that I can sit in the chair and trust that whatever she does will be amazing. She has always answered all my questions about hair care and cut/color and she explains all of the steps she goes through to make me look like a rock star by the end of the appointment. :) My hair has never been healthier, nor has it ever been as stand-out as when Emily has been in charge of my tresses. People constantly ask me if they can take pictures of my cut, where I get it cut and who does it. They also compliment on Emily's impeccable use of color. Emerson Salon is truly blessed to have Emily working with them. Go get your hair done by her and enjoy the ambiance as well as the other kick-ass people on staff. You'll never want to get your hair done anywhere else! read more

What a lovely redo of the salon! It's comfortable, peaceful, and has a Steampunk theme. However, I would rather focus my review on one of the two stylists, Lancer Forney. Lancer is the reason I will keep going back to the Emerson Salon. He's been doing my color and cut for years. I have difficult hair; it is fine, wavy, and there is a lot of it. It will turn pink from improper coloring fairly quickly. I have medical conditions which have made my hair like straw, fragile and brittle. I also like to wear my hair red, a natural-looking dark auburn red with lighter red highlights. Lancer is the only person I trust to work on my hair and the only person I trust with my color. Even when it is at its worst due to medical issues, he keeps me looking good. He is a superb colorist and stylist and I would recommend him to anyone (and have, many times). I sent my husband to Lancer to get his ponytail cut, his hair cut and styled, and his 100% gray hair colored. He came home looking ten years younger with a very natural dark brown head of hair. The next day, he applied for and got a job in IT, and we think it helped that he didn't look his age. read more

Ellen at Emerson Salon ROCKS! I moved here 5 years ago from Santa Barbara, and left behind my hair designer of 10 years. I went to 15 different salons before I found Ellen at Emerson. - Yippee! Happy Day! I have really fine, thin hair, and very definite ideas about what I want in a haircut and color...so definite that yesterday I brought in pics of exactly what I wanted done to my hair, or so I thought.... After the cut and color, I got home last night and decided I really needed more highlights, and maybe a little more off the bangs, so I called today and spoke with Ashley who squeezed me in with Ellen at 12:00. Ellen listened to my requests and an hour later I walked out with a hair do that I absolutely love! I like the atmosphere at Emerson Salon-cool big windows, really great on a sunny or rainy day. Everyone there is extremely friendly and capable. I've always lucked out with the parking, so that's never been a problem. Overall, I am enthusiastically pleased with Ellen,Emerson Salon and the service I receive there. I would highly recommend Ellen to anyone who wants a fabulous haircut and color. read more

I have unusually thick, course hair that is extremely difficult to manage. I have had problems finding a good stylist for this very reason. MIT takes some serious artistic ability to tame my hair. I moved to Capital Hill and made an appointment with Paul. He talked to me for quite a while and told me he could help. He did a FANTASTIC cut that took tons of bulk off and still kept most of my length. It was the hippest cut I have ever had as well! I was so excited to find a stylist that could actually STYLE my hair! As far as color goes, he nailed that too. I have gone from blonde to dark to lighter blonde, blah, blah, blah. He was able to blend it back to my actual natural color (no one has ever been able to do that) so all we had to do was touch up the highlights occasionally. Now, here's the kicker. I'm taking off to Bali for a few months and needed to go short. I have NEVER done this. Paul gave me a short style that rocks! He spent about 3 hours originally, making sure to go a little at a time, and the another hour yesterday fine-tuning. I cannot say enough about Paul. He is truly an artist!! read more

I first went to Emerson when we had just moved here---my little boy (7) was in desperate need of a haircut and wanted to try a "real salon." He has beautiful curly hair and was a little afraid of getting too much cut off. D'arcy was very patient and gave him a great haircut for a reasonable price---and we didn't have to endure any of that insipid kid stuff that dominates kiddie salons. She understood that he was nervous and listened to what he wanted-----and she didn't talk down to him. So, I went to see her recently and walked out with a fantastic haircut! I, too, have a curly mop and D'arcy did a wonderful job of giving me a short style that suits my face, doesn't fight my curls and allows me to grow it out a little. The price was right and she didn't pressure me to buy a bunch of products (though I did by the Moroccan Oil and I love it...). I love the atmosphere---no frou frou, but lots of style......a delightful change from the spare, zen, spa style of so many salons these days. I will definitely return to D'arcy and this time I will take both of my boys! read more

Chic, elegant decor, rich without being ostentatious. Love the high ceilings, monochromatic scheme is restful and the music relaxing and uplifting at the same time. However, that is NOT why I would come to Emerson Salon rather than anywhere else in the world. (and I DO travel the WORLD, as our business takes us on the road more than 25 days a month). The reason I choose Emerson Salon, is because I am GUARANTEED to look fantastic following my visit. Lancer gives me the BEST color, and the best cut I've had, from Venice, Italy to Key West, Fla, to Montreal, Canada. NO one is better in my books. And the knowledge of product for my finicky hair is well appreciated. I recommend anyone who wants the best of the best, call him. (wait, does that mean I might not get an appointment??? )!! Great job, guys! satin AKA globetrotter-ette read more

I have never been loyal to any hair salon let alone a single person. To be honest I never had such a haircut that I loved so much that I sought out one specific person. But I have been going to D'Arcy now for several months and love her! In these past months i've seen her i've gone through several different looks. She has given me awesome bangs (something I always wanted but never tried) and taught me how to train them. Cut off 13 inches to donate, and given me a very stylish bob (random people would compliment me on the street). And now is helping me grow out those bangs. --yes i cant seem to keep the same look for more than a week! I sincerely recommend D'Arcy. Best of all she listens to what you want and then tells you what will look good. Afterall SHE is the professional! read more

I have been to Emerson Salon several times now. Marissa is amazing. I quickly gave her free range on my hair and she has always done a wonderful job. She will cut your hair to fit you. I went from being a red-head to a dirty blond by her handy work. She matched the hair color with my skin tone so well. (A rather difficult thing to do w/ my skin). I have had sooo many people compliment me on my hair (people have stopped me on the street)... and I have been able to refer several people :-) The environment is very laid back and everything is very clean and well kept. Also, I never felt pressured to buy any product. (This has happened in almost every salon I've been to before and I find it rather annoying). I will be sticking with Marissa for as long as possible! read more

Emerson Salon is by far one of the best hair salons I have been to in a long long time. The stylist who fixed my very "scary" hair that had been touched by 3 other salons, did such an amazing job. She was sweet offered me something to drink, made sure I was comfortable, had something to read. I felt like I was there for a spa day. The stylist also had great recommendations for me, which was extremely helpful. The salon was amazing as well, wonderful furniture and great vibe. I actually live in the hawks pririe area down south a good 45mins to 1 hour away, I was visiting friends and decided to try a new salon, Emerson, and it was definitely worth it. I am now dedicated to driving every few months up to see my friend and have my hair done by Emersons salon! read more

I love Emily! I never thought it mattered what I did with my hair, since it is fairly wavy. I've had friends cut it, gone to nice expensive salons, and most often, done something like Supercuts. However, due to a promotion I tried out Emerson, and booked an appointment with Emily, whose description says she likes long wavy hair. The only haircut I have ever been impressed with. Seriously I had SO many compliments, even straight guys I knew who never said much about how I looked tell me I was a "new woman" with this haircut. I love it, and have been back twice now to have it done again. Emily is great, friendly, easy to talk to, and so talented!! Highly recommended! read more