First off, Alma is fantastic. She has a great story, a great personality and she's extremely talented at cutting hair. One of her best qualities is that she really listens to what her clients are trying to accomplish. If you just want a little bit taken off, that's exactly what she'll do. If you want a completely new style, she can create a great new look. I called her towards the end of the day as I was in town on business and needed my hair trimmed. She kindly offered me an appointment at the end of her day allowing me to get in the same evening. The interior of the salon could use a refreshing but I'm sure that will be part of her future plans. All in all, an outstanding experience. I will definitely be back when I'm in town. read more

Alma is an artist! I've been going here for 3+ years for the most perfect bob / long bob haircut and maintenance. She knows how to do a bob- perfect every time. Alma is also extremely talented at balayage. I'm obsessed with my cut as always. Couldn't ask for better service. Thank you!! read more

Alma did an amazing job. I wanted long round layers with face framing. I got exactly what I wanted and even better with her judgment having a softer and fuller look from root to ends. I'll be back for sure! read more

Francis Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Friendly and schedule-accommodating stylists. HOWEVER did not get what I wanted!!! I came in with a Groupon for a cut and wash. I booked an appointment thinking I could use it with any stylist, but turns out in the fine print it only applied to Alex. The stylist who I was originally scheduled for explained this to me nicely, and Alex ended up being free to take me if I waited for his current appointment to be done. I was very happy that they were still able to take me that day. Alex was super nice! I enjoyed talking with him. However, I was very clear that I was trying to grow my (relatively short) hair out, and was only in the salon to clean up some loose ends- in order to make it grow out longer and healthier. He seemed to understand, and asked me if I wanted a half inch cut off. I told him this might even be too much, and again emphasized I wanted as LITTLE AS POSSIBLE taken off. We discussed "long layers" which at my old stylist meant layers that were only slightly shorter than the rest of the hair. Once I got home and blow-dried my hair (I didn't want to pay extra for the blow-dry service) I realized my shortest layers were THREE INCHES shorter than the rest of my hair. It now looks choppy, uneven, and does not cascade in the way that even normal layers should. I feel that this has set me back months in my hair growth progress- I wanted to have it nice and long in time for my law school graduation in May! Now this isn't going to happen unless I get extensions. Alex was very nice but I am very unhappy and wish I had never gone at all. I can't even go back to get it fixed because nothing will fix it unless they magically make my hair grow back. read more

Francis Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I went in and booked an apt with Alma after reading awesome reviews about her and I'm so glad I did. She brought my vision to life and that's hard to do when I didn't know how to describe to her exactly what I wanted. I showed her pictures and she just understood, listened to me and transformed my hair. She's also so warm and kind and so personable. Thank you Alma for being so great. I will def be back read more

Francis Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I got my hair cut here by Heather the other day - awesome experience! She listened to my hair concerns and gave me her opinion on some of the things I wanted, which worked out great and I appreciated her honesty about what would look good and what wouldn't. I have pretty curly hair and once I got home and styled it with the products and technique I like, WOW. It's been a long time since I liked my hair, my curls look amazing, and her cut really flattered my face. I'm excited to see how it looks when I blow it out. Heather was also super friendly and fun to chat with, we had some great conversation while she did her thing. It's pricier than what I'd typically pay for my hair, but I'm realizing I'm picky about how my hair looks and like I said, it's been quite some time since I was happy with the way someone cut it. Totally worth the extra money. I will definitely be going back here! read more

Excellent experience from start to finish. The best bob I have ever had. Alma knew exactly what I was looking for. I will definitely be back again. Thank you! read more

Alma was so, so sweet and accommodating when my sister-in-law and I booked last-minute blowouts together on a time crunch. We had a great time and she gave us exactly the styles we asked for. She did an amazing job (totally by herself!) and was so efficient with her time when she had another client scheduled for color. She even made time to trim up my bangs for me! We really enjoyed chatting with her and hearing her amazing story. Would definitely recommend her to anyone looking to support a small business and get a wonderful hair service. I hope to be back in town soon to get a cut and color from her! read more

Francis Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Really great customer service! Francis is very nice! Everyone is! Pleasure doing business with them!

Alex was awesome. He was really professional and explained how things were done, which I absolutely love. I was nervous about changing my hair after keeping it the same style and color for 4 years but I love how my hair turned out. The only reason why I give a four star instead of 5 star is how the pricing was not transparent. I got a groupon for full balayage, which according to their website is supposed to cover everything including toner and blowout (only extra if olapex etc). When we started, Alex explained to me the toner would cost an extra $35 and blowout an extra $35. I agreed and we went ahead but I feel like I paid full price for this haircut so really no point of buying this Groupon. Just a heads up for everyone out there who was thinking about saving money when getting this Groupon. read more

I try to avoid leaving bad reviews especially for small businesses but what I experienced was not what I would have expected from a center city salon. I did my research and their work on Instagram is amazing but what I left the salon with was far from it. I made an appointment for full balayage which on their website lists what is included (hand painted/foiled balayage, shadow root, toner, and blowout/style for $155.) I added on olaplex and the website states that olaplex is an extra $20 which is understandable. I was expecting my price to come out to $175 per the website but somehow I was charged $245 and with tip that comes out to almost $300. In addition I didn't even get a true blowout. The customer before me and the one after me got their hair curled but I didn't. That's my absolute favorite part about getting my hair done. I know the stylist was super busy but if I'm paying $300 I should have gotten what was supposedly included without having to ask for it. I really wanted this to be my new go to place but unfortunately I was shortchanged. Not to mention I've been told by close friends my hair is multi colored and brassy. Even a coworker told me it looks like I haven't gotten it done in months (even though it was just 6 days ago!) Had I known they weren't well versed on working with dark hair, I would have gone elsewhere. If you have darker hair, I would be wary. I did come back to fix the 'face framing' and I'm thankful she did that, but I still didn't leave with $300 worthy hair and I'm reminded of that every time I see a reflection of my hair. :( I would not come back to get the whole head fixed as I wouldn't want to sit through this again. Also I wish I knew that I would have been charged way more than booking price ahead of time. read more

Francis Salon - What I got vs what I asked for. The photo doesn't capture the level of brassiness seen in person though. - Hair Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Alex did an excellent job! I really enjoyed our conversation and my hair came out beautiful! I love my new cut and caramel bayalage! read more

Francis Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Came in with a groupon for a balayage and haircut with Alex. His technique was great and most importantly he did a masterful blowout in my long hair (which has quirky curls). I've been all over the city and for some reason not many can get my blow out right, but Alex did a fabulous job. Highly recommend. read more

I got my hair done maybe 5 seconds ago, but I'm so happy with the way my hair turned out that I needed to review asap. I got a balayage and cut done with Alex and wow you all need to run and get your hair done with him. He's so sweet and did an incredible job! Enough said. read more

Francis Salon - After - Hair Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I am extremely ignorant when it comes to what my hair needs to attain what I actually want it to look like. This has resulted in a ton of horrendous things happening to my head. Until I found Alma. I came here after a highlighting fiasco from another salon finally started to grow out. I actually didn't know it's was a fiasco until Alma showed me how awful the job was (I used to box color my own hair so a few lazy leopard spots was normal to me). What I love about Alma is she's a perfectionist and she takes her time. I also got the sense she goes above and beyond for her clients, and willing to add extra time to her schedule to fit someone in. She listens. She chats. She really is like a therapist for me. I always feel better inside and out after sitting in Alma's chair. read more

I had a really great experience here! My stylist Alex gave me a beautiful full balayage. You could tell her takes pride in his work and knows what he's doing. I came in with a really think balayage from a different round of it with a previous salon and he did a great job blending it in. I came in on a Groupon but the prices were still really reasonable for center city. read more

Francis Salon - Before - Hair Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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My boyfriend gifted me a salon service here for my birthday. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but I haven't had my hair touched in a very long time since the last time I did, it got very messed up (not at this salon). All I can say is that I am so happy with my hair now! Alex is absolutely phenomenal and saved my hair! He brought it back to life and gave me the best haircut I have ever gotten! It fits my face so well and he gave me really great advice and how to style it. He took his time and cut it to perfection. I've received so many compliments and now I feel so confident! Trust me when I tell you, you will not be disappointed going here. Great, friendly service and they know what they are doing. If you want to look fabulous, definitely book an appointment with Francis Salon! Thank you Alex! :) read more

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Alex did a great job on my balayage and cut! I can be pretty picky about my hair and I left very happy:) read more

Francis Salon - Balayage and cut by Alex - Hair Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The owner is the best and I had the most amazing haircut at this salon! She was incredibly meticulous with every cut and explained to me how to style my hair. The price was also reasonable with as the women's haircut was 50. Will definitely come back! read more

Francis Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Tonight was my first time at Francis Salon and I had an awesome experience. Alma was an absolute delight to talk to and gave me exactly what I asked for. I did a DIY hack job on my bangs about a week ago, and after her cut & styling they look great. She also matched me with the exact hair color that I asked for. Personable and professional experience overall and will be returning! read more

I've had multiple haircuts from Alma, the owner of Francis, over the last 5 months (4 + haircuts). Alma is one of the most professional hair stylists I've ever been to. She's good at what she does, treats you with respect, and most importantly, cares about YOU and YOUR HAIR! I always walk out of Francis smiling with confident because I know my hair is on brand and on point (hah!). Alma's prices are reasonable - honestly, she charges way less than she's worth! Francis is also a gay-friendly establishment, which is a major plus! read more

I had a really good experience. I absolutely love Alex! He did such a great job with my balayage. He took his time to understand what I really wanted and made sure that I really liked the end result. Elma is also a very kind person and made sure that I am a happy client. Make sure you communicate with them what you exactly want during the initial consultation! read more

Francis Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I always go to see Heather. I feel she does an awesome job and gets my cut exactly right each time. She also helps me find the right style that matches what I'm looking for and suggests other looks that would be good on me. Also really easy to get along with and chat to :) read more

Heather is the best! I have been going to Heather for a few years now and would follow her wherever she goes. She always listens to what I want, and has great suggestions. Every time I leave, I feel like I am walking out with the best haircut I have ever had. She is experienced, skillful and fun to talk to. Even with the pandemic going on, I felt extremely safe and protected when I got my hair cut. I would highly recommend Heather! read more

Heather at Francis Salon is an absolute pro! I've been going to her for several years and wouldn't even think of straying elsewhere. She's the consummate professional: experienced, knowledgeable, upbeat and a deft conversationalist. Five-star rating all day long! read more

My girlfriend and I both go to Alma - she is a great stylist for both men and women, and reasonable pricing, and we love supporting her.

Okay so I took quite a few months to actually write this review because I had many MANY issues and mixed feelings about this place and after sitting and dealing with all the damage that came along with it. I feel I'm finally able to fully express how I feel about this place. I did my hair around the end of March as a early birthday present to myself. The day I came in the place was really empty, it was mid week in the city in the middle of the average working day, so that's as expected. I had the owner, Alma do my hair. I asked for a somewhat ash brunette that blended into my hair well. I wanted it to look seamless but still noticeable that there are highlights and BOYYYYY WAS IT NOTICEABLE. I was in the salon for hours as expected, my hair is dark brown and obviously it'll take some time to get lighter. I think the point where she went the most wrong is with the toner. She toned my hair to the point where it turned grey. In the salon light and under the ring light she placed me under, it looked nice and golden blonde and very pretty. In the pictures I've attached under the light of the salon, yeah my hair looks great but one of the points everyone needs to understand is that YOU wear the hair, you can't have the hair wear you. The blonde was wayyyyy too light on my sandy Indian skin tone, and when I got into natural light, it was very clear it wasn't even blonde, it was a dead grey color. The top of my head didn't blend in well with my roots and some pieces that she had started on first were wayyyy lighter than others. It was NOT cute. Alma herself was really nice to talk to and sweet and she explained how she started the business and a bunch of things to me, which is part of the reason I felt bad writing this review. I had a hard time telling her how much I hated my hair when I was looking at it in the salon, I actually caught myself looking at it really hard because I had a difficult time believing my hair could actually be grey after everything I just paid for. It cost me about 255$ I believe. I handed her 300$ and she gladly took it without thinking to hand me back my 45$ change and I found it rather awkward to ask for the change back. I would've given her a tip but she kinda just took it and at that point after hours of being there I really just wanted to leave. I went to work for about an hour and everyone looked at me horrified at what I did to my head (even my boss) and when I went home the only reactions I got were ones of shock (not the good kind). I had to go to another salon the next day and get a darker brown dyed over what she did to have it come back to a lighter hair color. Alma did add olaplex into my dye but going from very dark hair to very light will leave your hair damaged regardless and then the fact I had to dye even more on top of it, that completely left my hair dead. It took until now to even get my hair back close to its original texture. I have very thick Indian hair so I can only imagine what would happen to someone with weaker or thinner hair. I think my takeaway for this review would be that this place isn't a bad salon but she really should pay attention to the person and what would look good on them. She went lighter than the picture I gave her and she didn't blend it as well as I wanted her to, on someone with a more fair complexion that may be fine but on Indian skin it's very clear it looks unnatural and tacky. Work with your clients, not just their hair and cater to their needs accordingly. read more

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Wow. I can't even believe how awful I was treated at this place. I show up for my 12 pm appointment on time which I booked via the salon's online booking and the woman working greets me but doesn't ask me what I'm there for. I assume she knows since I was asked to confirm the appointment the day before via email. She tells me to have a seat. I sit down in one of the salon chairs because those are the only chairs to sit in and she continues working on the one other customer in the place. I sit there for 15 minutes and realize she isn't going to be finished with the guy anytime soon before I say, " I had a 12:00 pm appointment for balayage" and she says ok I'm going to be finished with him soon. I say okay I have somewhere to be after this and I just was wondering how much longer. She doesn't apologize, she looks at me with a glare and says people have to wait. I point out that if people make appointments those should be honored by a business. She says, " i don't think this is going to work out." Yeah. So I guess they don't actually need the business and you might be treated that way when you arrive. read more

I am not one to write yelp reviews, but when I have a really great experience I want to share. I have been doing balayage on my hair for about three years now and was in desperate need of an upgraded. My color was perfect and more importantly the color was bot abrasive and my hair was so soft! Nicole took the time to listen to what i was looking for and did exactly what i wanted. She was amazing! read more

I've been coming here for a few months now because a friend recommended Nicole for blonde highlights. After going thru 3 different hair stylists prior to nicole (my stylist of 10 years got very sick), I'm so happy I found Nicole! Nicole has a lot of experience and does the perfect blonde-- not too platinum but not gold/yellowish icky blonde. Not to mention, she is super sweet and gives a great hair cut! You won't regret this gal! read more

Francis Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Nicole did an absolutely amazing job on my hair!! Would highly recommend this salon! Here are the before and after photos. read more

Francis Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Before Alma started cutting my hair, I used to get terrible haircuts all the time. My out of date profile pic is proof. I've been going to Alma for haircuts for over 2 years now and every time I get a great haircut. I still get compliments from strangers on the street about my haircut (which is kinda weird but Alma's haircuts are that good). My friend's wife convinced him to drive up from Delaware to get a haircut for their wedding because she thought Alma did such a great job with my hair. I literally suggest Francis Salon every time the topic of men's haircuts comes up (weirdly often). Now I'm suggesting Francis Salon to you, stranger on the internet. You won't regret it. read more

Heather is amazing!!! I had an excellent experience. She looked at how my hair was dry and she listened to how zero-effort I am with my hair. Now I have side bangs, face framing layers and the beachy waves I wanted! I just scrunch & air dry now, my hair turns out perfect with minimal effort. She is also just great to talk to! For reference, I am not great at explaining what I want, I always want to try out a lot of different ideas, at the same time, none of which can all be done on one head of hair, haha! But she knew what would suit my wavy hair and my low maintenance ways. Heather gave great advice on what I could do with my hair and how it would look. I will definitely be back. She also has cut my boyfriend's hair for over 2 years now, and he raves about her to everyone as well. read more

Great cuts and color, VERY reasonable prices, plus intelligent and wildly entertaining political and pop culture commentary for free! If you're having a hair emergency (job interview, big event) Francis will find a way to work you in and make you look chic and polished for that big day. Needless to say, do NOT book if you're on a very tight schedule, better book another time, as this salon sometimes runs more like a party than a rigidly organized machine. One other thing -- if you want an unflattering look, Francis may actually tell you "no", and explain why another style might be better for you. He is the kind of stylist everyone wants, but so few people are are lucky enough to have. read more

I have been going to Francis (the man, not the salon) for 20+ years now for my hair color and style. I've been going to Francis (the salon) since its inception. Those two statements themselves should tell you what I think of Francis Salon. But let me elaborate ... Besides giving fabulous haircuts and awesome color and highlights, Francis is a treat himself. He never stops talking, well almost, and everyone knows everyone else. We all talk about our lives and families...our ups and downs. Francis is frequently quoted in The Philadelphia Inquirer as he feels deeply about certain things and isn't afraid to voice his opinions (part of what I love about him). The best part about going to Francis isn't the great haircut and style you'll certainly receive. It isn't even the price, which is MUCHO lower than what most in-town salons charge. It's being part of the Francis family who frequent the salon. Recently, because Francis was behind schedule, I volunteered to have Charles do my hair. Charles is a recent addition to the salon and the best person Francis has ever hired! Charles performs magic with his hands, giving the BEST head massage along with the shampoo I've ever had. It's worth going just for that alone! Charles recently changed my color and style, and I can't tell you how many people have already asked me where I have my hair done. The salon has an updated look now (thanks to Charles) and has 2 shampoo sinks and 4 stations. Neither one overbooks so your wait time is just about nil. Can you tell I really, really like this place? read more

I still go to Francis - since 2006 - and occasionally I stray. I have "cheated" on him at high-end places and lower-end places. I always come home to Francis - and twice I have had him rescue me from botched color jobs from other salons. Francis is still the BEST old-school mid-priced place for a cut and color. I love Frances as a person and respect him as a stylist. Over the years we have become good friends as well. I have ALWAYS been pleased with my color here. Love it! read more

Alex was amazing!! I got full balayage, wash and cut and then added a blow dry. He did a great job, listened to what I was looking for, and definitely delivered! He took his time and made sure I was happy every step of the way. The salon was very clean and well run. I would definitely recommend!! read more

I have been getting my great haircuts and color since the day this place opened-I followed Francis from another salon to his own spot 30 years ago. Despite being in a prime CC location, the top notch services are far below cost for other high end salons in the area. Although we lost Fran to leukemia, he left the salon in the more than capable hands of his then assistant Alma. I still come from my home in NJ and don't see myself ever needing a new salon as long as I live in the area. Excellent cuts, beautiful color, reasonable prices, and convenient hours! Definitely recommend this salon for men or women! read more

Alma is just great. I'd heard a lot about her from my girlfriend, so thought it was just a great place for women. Tried it out one day and I've been going to Francis ever since. She's super good with men haircuts too and she remembers every cut. Basically, it's the kind of place where a guy can walk in and say "the usual" and you can expect the best. read more

I have a lot of hair. Heavy hair. Wavy hair. And it is a struggle. I spent a long time going to one stylist out of state because he knew what to do, but he was so good he eventually became too busy for the amount of time it takes to do my hair. I've spent years seemingly style homeless bouncing between Groupon to Groupon searching for happiness. Years of telling stylists what I wanted and then not understanding. What I got was always the same basic, mundane almost dye job with a half-hearted cut. But not anymore! Alex understood my hair. He understood what makes it difficult. He also understood what I wanted and delivered. And he was entertaining the whole time. I'm not searching anymore. read more