I'd been in Berkeley for three weeks straight, about two weeks past my last haircut, and the situation was becoming untenable. I was not scheduled to return to LA for several more weeks. We were having an 87-degree day in West Berkeley, which -- for those unfamiliar -- is hot for West Berkeley, a neighborhood where the default setting is breezy and cloudy and lovely and sixty-three degrees, the kind of microclimate that lets you own one jacket and never think about it. Eighty-seven degrees in West Berkeley is an event. Eighty-seven degrees with hair that's two weeks past due is a crisis. I have Asian hair. I've written about this before. It is coarse and thick and grows outward like a porcupine asserting its personal space, and my coping mechanism in Los Angeles was to throw $85 at a hipster barbershop every three weeks to make it stop. This worked in the way that all expensive coping mechanisms work -- reliably, but at a cost that quietly compounds until one day you do the annual math and feel ill. 2026 being what it is, and a dollar these days being asked to do about a dollar forty's worth of work, I needed a new tack. I asked an AI assistant for a good cheap haircut in Berkeley and got several suggestions, which I then searched on Yelp -- yes, the very Yelp you are looking at, imagine that -- for reviews. One thing I noticed about La Petite was that people mentioned Asian women cutting hair there, and the photos confirmed it. I had a thought, the kind of thought that sounds reductive when you say it out loud but is grounded in lived experience: Asian women probably know how to deal with hair like mine. This is not a stereotype. This is pattern recognition developed over decades of watching non-Asian barbers stare at my head with the quiet bewilderment of someone asked to solve a math problem in a language they don't speak. No shade intended, just facts. So I gave La Petite a go. You watch closely when someone new is cutting your hair. You can't help it. You're tracking every snip in the mirror, reading their hands the way you'd read a stranger's driving in the first five minutes of a road trip -- are we safe here, does this person know what they're doing, should I have said something three turns ago. About halfway through, I watched her take volume out of my hair in a way that hadn't been done in years -- not just trimming the length but actually understanding the architecture of thick Asian hair, where the bulk lives, how it falls, how it will eventually grow out, where it needs to be thinned so it lies flat instead of projecting horizontally from your skull like it's staging a protest. She knew. I knew she knew. I had my new stylist. Twenty-eight dollars. Twenty-eight dollars, and I walked out with the best haircut I've had in longer than I'd like to admit. That's $57 left over from what I was paying in LA -- enough to buy groceries, or three martinis at happy hour, or a pizza at June's, or whatever you buy when you realize you've been dramatically overpaying for a basic human service because you confused a cool neighborhood and exposed brick with competence. La Petite has neither exposed brick nor a cocktail menu. What it has is someone who looked at my difficult hair and knew exactly what to do with it, which is the only thing that has ever mattered and the only thing I'm paying for from now on. read more

I went to get a haircut Friday afternoon for a special occasion and showed them exactly what I wanted: a classic Ben Affleck Bruce Wayne-style haircut with regular-sized sideburns, just like the character. They asked me if I was graduating, and I said no, I was meeting my fiancée's mom the next day. Five minutes before the haircut was finished, the stylist took a big chunk off my right sideburn. She cut it too high, which ruined the whole haircut, especially since my face shape doesn't suit short sideburns. I told her I didn't like it. I didn't overreact or yell, I was just uncomfortable. The hairdresser said, "Too bad!" and tried to dismiss the issue. I told her again that she should have asked me about the length. She then took it personally and told her boss that I was making things up so I wouldn't pay, saying, "They do this so they don't pay." What do you mean by "they"? Not only did I feel dismissed and treated unprofessionally, but also disrespected. I was upset after the whole situation, but even then I was willing to pay and didn't want to leave without paying because I didn't want to prove her point. Plus, it's not that expensive. At the end, the stylist said she had 40 years of experience. Well, after this, it feels like you wasted 40 years and somehow skipped the basics of customer service. Not coming back, even after being offered a free haircut. I would rather pay three times what I paid today for a standard service where you're treated with basic courtesy. read more

Had a cut with some new lady that felt super rushed. Everything is super choppy and inconsistent throughout especially my bangs, didn't even bother to clean up the back of my head/neck. And don't get me started on the back of my head, it's like they didn't even bother cutting it; it was still long and shaggy. I do not understand the high ratings. I been here TWICE in hopes of getting better results the second time, but it is even worse. I feel so ripped off, what a joke and supposedly this is one of the cheapest hair salons around here so but it was still $27. I would rather spend the $50 at Eclipxed and ask for Dayian! She's the best read more

Went today to get my haircut last moment before a trip to NZ. I've been to a lot of places and barbers, but I'll definitely be going back. Phung was AMAZING and gave me the perfect haircut!! read more

The quality is amazing everytime and I always go here to get cut by Lan or Phung. Best barbers out there!! Always getting me right and making me feel welcome read more

I've known La Petite for many many years. Professional. Punctual. Fair Pricing. Great Work. Friendly staff. Would definitely recommend the hair salon to anyone. read more

I've been getting my hair cut here for almost 2 years now. Both stylists here are super professional, nice, and exceptional at what they do. I highly recommend La Petite Hair Salon. read more

Hard to find a place like this - you won't regret! Warm, friendly, local, and personable, you'll feel like you're a past friend who has visited before even if it your first time. Get your hair cut here! I'm Asian and appreciate someone that knows how to cut Asian hair too. There's a method and nuance, and they got it down. read more

I kept coming back and booked a different lady each time. They are all fantastic. No complaints about their skill and generally they are wonderful people to sit and chat with for a part of your day. A+ read more

Got haircuts here for years and always ended up thrilled with how my haircut turned out. Highly recommended

I usually get Lan for my hair cut and that was good for a while, but she left so I had to get a new lady. Hair was rushed and uneven. Told them to layer it to make it less blunt, but they just add a few chops and call it a day. Felt like a pig on a cutting block. The lady also wasn't very friendly when I was trying to show her how I wanted my hair cut, and never talked during the cut itself. I don't care about any of that if she was skillful and wanted to let her skills do the talking, but the skills did not talk. read more

Been around the area for four years and finally decided to give this place a try after losing contact with one of my favorite stylists. 2nd time so far with them and I haven't been disappointed! They understand how to work with my difficult straight Asian hair and make helpful suggestions about what to get done since my requests can be a little ambitious at times. Everyone there is super sweet, affordable pricing, and they even have delicious guava candies at the end. Came right in time for my yearbook photo and they were willing to touch anything up the day of if there were any issues. Will definitely continue going to them read more

Great barber shop! The owner is super nice and skilled with scissors. $26 for a 1/2h is a bargain.

Great place, quick with multiple stylists cutting at a time. Went in without an appointment and Lon Lon is awesome!

Scheduled an appointment with this salon the morning of, and man, they were busy. The hair stylists were swamped because one of their employees called out that day, so the woman who did my hair seemed very rushed. Despite that, she and I had great conversation, and my hair was done in less than 20 minutes! I only got about 3 inches cut, but she made sure to layer it like I asked and did take a little bit of time to make sure I liked it. She also said I could come back in 3 days if I didn't like the way my hair turned out after a shower, and she even gave me a guava candy! Don't really recommend doing a walk-in, but they do try their best to communicate with you about that. Anyway, would totally come again for a trim. read more

Wonderful experience at La Petite! I was looking for an affordable and high quality place in Berkeley and will definitely be returning

THIS IS THE BEST PLACE HANDS DOWN TO GET YOUR HAIRCUT IN BERKELEY. OH MY LORD. PHUNG is my lord and savior and my favorite hairstylist I have ever had. I've been here many times while I attended undergrad at Berkeley. Phung is THE best hairstylist. I moved to the city and still BART over just to get my haircut by her. She was the first person to ever show me that it's possible to blend my sideburns into my beard which I was just getting lazy about shaving and it looked good too! The staff are all super friendly and each time I'd visit I'd have a great conversation. I even ended up running into Phung in the city and got so excited and was able to meet her little boy! Such a wonderful spot for haircuts :) could not recommend enough! read more

ATTENTION ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS OR ANYONE THAT WANTS A GREAT HAIRCUT. I got my haircut done by Mary Lou (idk if I spelled her name right) but she was the KINDEST lady and she was super FAST with my cut. We had a great conversation while she was cutting my hair exactly how I wanted. She understood what to do right away. Im a guy and my haircut was $26. Their address is different and it is now 1816 Euclid Avenue right beside Mind Coffee! AGAIN, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND AND IM SURE THEIR WHOLE TEAM IS GREAT! read more

Marilou always gives an excellent haircut! She also gives good advice on how to keep your hair and scalp healthy.

Found this place through Yelp and it was so affordable compared to other places, but they do such a good job. Phung cut my hair, and she knew exactly what would look good and what wouldn't. She's super knowledgeable and everyone is so nice and friendly. They have appointments and accept walk-ins but you do have to wait. Haircut prices: $21 cash $22 credit read more

this review is for male/short haircuts! can't recommend this place enough. came here for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. the two stylists here are rlly sweet and caring. there's a real effort here to make sure your experience turns out well. i was rlly happy with my haircut ( not a usual thing ) and felt comfortable expressing what i wanted and didn't want. it's a small shop with only two chairs. i made an appointment the day of and was able to squeeze in a spot. they also take walk ins but be prepared to wait. i would just call just in case tbh. price is super affordable! i think i paid 26 before tip for a 30 min cut that i enjoyed. they take both cash and credit. there is paid street parking nearby also. i'll definitely come back here again in the future! read more

The owners at La Petite are so amazing and so friendly. They also care so much about you and get to know you - I couldn't recommend them more! read more

LANs the best! Great location etc.. but most of all they do a great job which is of course what you want!

High reccomend this place! I have thick and wavy curly hair that is a mess to deal with and Lan absolutely knew exactly what I wanted. Very kind and charismatic individual that made the whole interaction a very positive experience. read more

I'm pretty low maintenance when it comes to my hair, so La Petite was perfect when it came to a clean and quick cut! Phung was so accommodating, kind, and made sure I was informed of everything she was doing. All I got was a trim, and it only took 20-25 minutes! Very efficient, SO CHEAP, and she even let me know that I could come back 3 days later if I didn't like how it looked after a shower. Overall, lovely service and will definitely be coming back for any quick trims. read more

La Petite Hair Salon - Quick trim with long layers and slight face framing - Hair Salons Near Me - Berkeley, California

I've been going here for 4 years, their quality of service is very consistent and amazing!

I lived across the street at the Met when I was an undergraduate, so La Petite was always the most convenient hair salon to go to. I learned about it from one of my good college friends who told me about it, and I figured I'd try it out. In 2016, I absolutely loved the place. It was close, it was cheap (it was $15 back then), and it was fast. Sometimes, I'd go to my apartment's window and look out at Ellsworth to see how many people were waiting in line so I'd know when to go down and get in line when there were fewer people waiting. I was surprised to find that sometimes a line would start up ten minutes before the salon opened in the morning. In 2019, before I graduated, things were a bit different. The price had gone up $3 since I first came, now $18. The stylists that I liked didn't seem to be there anymore. Quality was still fairly good, but it wasn't as good of a deal as it was in the past. Being a guy, I can only speak to the men's haircut here. It's fast, good, and relatively inexpensive. But it isn't the cheapest salon in Berkeley to go to anymore, but it probably is the closest budget salon to the campus. I recommend it if you're near campus and decide you want to get a cut. -- The actual salon is a small room, resembling a box. There are four stations, and a small register on a table tucked in one corner. There's are two expanded window sills you can sit on inside, and the stylists usually put up four folding chairs outside for the people that will eventually line up outside. It's truly a no-frills location. Quite bare-bones outside. There's no salon sinks inside so don't expect to get your hair washed! Got to keep it under budget after all! Staff changes year-by-year, but I believe there are several employees who seem to be permanent. They're all fairly good at men's haircut, and I haven't really had a bad experience in all my time going to La Petite. read more

La Petite Hair Salon - A photo of me later on in the day after I got a haircut at La Petite in 2016. I show this photo to all the stylists I go to as a reference. - Hair Salons Near Me - Berkeley, California

I came to La Petite because my friend's bf recommended it to me as a shop with good haircuts, and affordable pricing. Boy... he was right! I got the male barber Viti (I hope I didn't butcher his name) and showed him pictures and told him the measurements for my haircut. He was able to get a majority of it. I asked for a mid skin fade with a 2 on the sides. The only issue he wasn't able to do was do a skin fade because of his clippers. That was a bit disappointing but I mean, I can't blame him for that. It was $18 for a mens cut which is pretty reasonable considering how expensive haircuts can be in the bay area! (Usually $25-35 depending on area/barbershop). I'd definitely would come here again and try to see how Phung cut's hair since I've always seen reviews on how fantastic/amazing she is. read more

Whether you're looking for a trim or a complete change in your hairstyle, I suggest checking this place out. Both ladies who run the store are kind and always down for a small chat whenever they're providing quality cuts for a solid price. They are kind and communicative on the style you want, and what works best for you. I suggest that if you're coming to this salon make sure to call for an appointment ahead of time! read more

The service was incredible. It was the first haircut that I got as a UC Berkeley student.

Best barbers in town! Both Lan and Phung were knowledgeable on what they do. Great quality of haircut on an affordable price and their vibe is good and welcoming. read more

Best haircut in Berkeley. They changed location - new address is 1816 Euclid avenue on the north side of campus.

Took little to no time, $26 for a wolf cut on mid length hair, super happy with results, good atmosphere, friendly staff

Visiting for work and the cut was so good. I'm usually very skeptical of letting someone new cut my hair because I grew up in a family of hairstylists. But the service, friendly conversation, and quick haircut was five stars. If I lived here, this would be my regular place for a cut. read more

Phung knows how to cut any type of hair. She is amazing!! Try calling the salon, she has her cell phone number listed on the new voicemail message. read more

La Petite Hair Salon - Soft curly hair - Hair Salons Near Me - Berkeley, California

Phung is phenomenal! Gave me the best haircut of my life! And the fact that it came at a very reasonable price was the icing on the cake

I've been getting my haircut here on and off for the last three years. Every single time they give me exactly what I'm looking for (simple men's cut) while being super nice and friendly. The price is similar to most orher Berkeley salons but closer to the lower side than anything. They've got super tasty candy at the end too which is always a plus! read more

This is a small, clean salon very close to the UC Berkeley campus. The lady who cut my hair was extremely kind and friendly. I went in for a trim for hair health, and she recommended I even out my layers and I was so happy with the outcome! The past few places I went to went all out with my layers, by making them dramatically different in length and making my hair look choppy/messy. But the lady here was able to assess the look I wanted and really helped me achieve a lovely look! I am so happy! read more

This place is amazing Phung is the best and she does such a great job I got some of the best haircuts of my entire life from Phung. read more

I had the best experience at La Petite! I called ahead and got lucky that there was availability for two , one male and one female haircut! $21 cash / $22 card. Both hairstylists did an amazing job and I felt very comfortable the whole time. As a female, getting a bad haircut is a nightmare but I was getting feedback every step of the process. I was asked my preference and satisfaction and alterations for framing, length, and shape. I was even give. The option to come back within 3 days for editing if I wanted. Love it. Tip: call ahead , as soon as I sat down there was a line of 10 ppl waiting for a haircut. They work fast but always call ahead to mitigate waiting! Thank you! read more