Finding a barber you genuinely trust isn't easy, but once you do, you stick with them. That's exactly how I feel about Armando at Lion's Den Shave Parlor. I've been coming here every 2-3 weeks for almost six months, and not once have I left disappointed. The consistency is what really stands out. Whether it's a regular trim or a fresh fade, Armando always takes his time, pays attention to the little details, and makes sure everything looks perfect before you leave the chair. The shop has a relaxed, welcoming vibe, and everyone is friendly from the moment you walk in. You never feel rushed, even when they're busy, and it's clear that customer experience is something they truly care about. One of the best feelings is walking out after a haircut, looking in the mirror, and thinking, "Yep, that's exactly what I wanted." Every visit I leave feeling fresh, clean, confident, and in a better mood than when I walked in. If you're looking for a barber who delivers consistently great cuts and genuinely cares about his work, I highly recommend booking an appointment with Armando. I'll definitely keep coming back every few weeks. read more

So I recently moved from the Houston area to SFO for work and it's been a grueling process with having to find a new barber. I met Jorge as a bartender at a local spot called Jack's and since I frequented Jack's a bit when I first got to this area, he gave me his info and told me that his full time gig was as a barber. I had a 2 day work conference I needed to go so I decided to him him a shot instead of going to a Supercuts or some type of corporate haircut place, which I've had bad experiences in the past. Since I wanted Jorge cut my hair, I needed to confirm a time when he would be able to cut my hair. They also do walk ins but since I wasn't familiar with the other barbers, I thought it would be best to just have him block out a time for me. Anyway we set a time for 12pm and since I wasn't familiar with the area where this shop was, I came a bit early to make sure I was there on time. The good thing about making an appointment was that because I came early and called ahead he said he was able to take me earlier. This place wasn't hard to find but since it was raining that day and I was new to the area, I had to find street parking (seems like all street parking or garage parking comes at a cost in the Bay Area). But I found metered parking close to the shop and with me being there a bit early I ended up eating at a pizza joint a few doors down from the barber shop. He was able to cut my hair and was good at the cut. He even rinsed out my hair after requesting to do so, since I was going straight into work right after. He was pretty concise with my cut, showing me as he went along and giving me a play by play with what he was doing. He was consistent with this process as he did the same for the client before me. I was satisfied with the cut and left content. Since I still haven't found a place to live, this will determine if I would return since I would preferably like to find a new barber relatively close to whenever I decide to live. But the service was good, it was just much pricier than what I'm used to in Houston and now living in the Bay Area. But Jorge was good. Super communicative and patient with how you tell him to cut your hair. I noticed that this location also won a few awards that they displayed on the wall. The ambience of the establishment was nice with the black and gold contrast as well as a wall of greenery (not sure if it was live plants or fake) and 2 waster fountain features on both ends of the store front window. It was definitely a high end vibe feeling. But if you're looking to try a new barber out, check out Jorge at Lions Den Shaveparlor!! Tell him Sebastian sent you!! read more

Lions Den Shaveparlor - Visually appealing esthetic. - Barbers Near Me - San Mateo, California

Bobby is great. Amazing cut and service all around. Looking forward to the next time!​

Super weird vibes here. Boyfriend went in for a cut here and they don't know how to cut black people's hair and they say the n word. Run black folks! I wish I can give them 0 stars. read more

Absolutely AMAZING! Roby is super professional and very friendly! Love his vibes and his haircut recommendations have ALWAYS been on point!!! read more

Lions Den Shaveparlor - Haircut was one week ago and it still looks FRESH. - Barbers Near Me - San Mateo, California

I have so many things to say about my experience here at the Lions den! Let's talk about it! So my original Barber canceled on me... and it is usually hard to get an appointment day of so I was happy to find that the Lions den was able to take walk-ins. I called and the gentleman on the phone asked me what type of specific hairstyle I wanted. After disclosing to him the haircut, he recommended me to Robby. I arrived within the next 10 minutes and Robby happily received me. I showed him a preferred hairstyle that I am comfortable with, and he proceeded with the cut. Robby didn't just nail it, he cut my hair correct on the first go! Impressive! He also took his own spin to it, which I appreciate. The level of care, the conversations we had, and the way he took his time shows me that he is passionate about the job. I highly recommend him. Posting pictures of the final result . This place is affordable, reliable, and atmosphere is just right! They had great music and the decoration of the shop makes you feel like you're in a luxurious environment with added water fountain sounds to make it that much more relaxing. Great job Lion Den! I will be coming back read more

Lions Den Shaveparlor - Hard Part Side Slick... courtesy of Robby! - Barbers Near Me - San Mateo, California

The haircut was fine, but I detest the follow-up, which was some pushy AI pretending to be human and insisting that I book another appointment next week because my barber "missed" me. I hate spam, and I especially hate LLM spam. Until Lions Den stops using Flowsell.AI (which, contrary to what Flowsell claims, is *obviously* generated by AI), I have no interest in coming back. read more

Simply the best haircut and shave in the Bay Area. Make sure you book with Henry - you won't be sorry. He's the best!

Haven't got a haircut for years but Jorge got me looking fresh, definitely will be back, great vibe with an awesome shop dog.

Byron did a great job on my haircut. He took his time and gave attention to detail. Very friendly and inviting atmosphere. I'll be back.

Everything went well! I went back to Alex and he hooked me up! It was super easy and he really took his time to ask the questions needed, he started with a 2 on the sides and then asked if I wanted to go shorter and he was happy to go shorter so we settled on a 1. Checking in and out was great and efficient. They had the game on so it was great to watch the game as I was getting my haircut. Everyone was laughing and it seemed like there were a few new people that just joined not too long ago as they were still being trained but I love how everyone was helping train them. read more

Lions Den Shaveparlor - Barbers Near Me - San Mateo, California

I had an appointment with Henry at 2pm but at 2:10 I was still waiting until someone else told me Henry was downstairs in the basement. I went down there and Henry was just on his phone chillin and didn't even try to see if I was there for our 2pm appointment. The entire time he was cutting my hair he would cut a little then go on his phone and use ChatGPT to text a girl he was trying to "get at" which was sooooo unprofessional. Like dude, cut my hair and get off your damn phone. And he had another friend in the room and they were talking to each other on how Henry was going to text the girl and take her out for the "best night of her life." Next, he had another friend who came in and he started drinking while talking to Henry. The entire time I felt like I was crashing a hangout. He has the tipping system so that the least amount you can tip is 22%!!!! What the hell. And he messed my hair up so bad but he used so much gel to hide it. When I got home and showered I finally saw the extent of the bad hair cut. STAY FAR AWAY FROM HENRY!! read more

I have an appointment at 7 PM with Henry, but he is just in the back using his phone and didn't even ask if I am ready or not. I feel neglected. Got here 7:05- and waited until 7:25, no hi hello, so just decided to go. First time customer wanna try a haircut here but just got neglected. I hope they even say Hi to their new customer and make them feel welcome. read more

Five star barbershop! The price is very convenient and I will definitely be back Yandel was my barber !! Highly recommend read more

Tried Lions Den for the first time and had Robby perform the "Royal Kings Treatment". Robby was very professional and would check in with me to make sure my hair was trimmed to the right level, and my beard was lined up exactly how I like it. Overall it was a very good experience and I look forward to my next appointment. Thanks again Robby! read more

Really happy with my haircut! Mauricio is super friendly, easy to talk to, and made sure I got exactly what I wanted. The cut looks great and I'll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend! Thank you! read more

I got the most amazing shave around Halloween, with Henry. I was in the neighborhood a couple doors down at 3 Bee's for coffee and light bites. Henry was available as I was just wanting a shave. After leaving I decided I would book my next haircut with Henry, because he was so thorough and meticulous with shaving, I knew he would not disappoint with getting a haircut. I selected the haircut and shave, for $85.00. It was relaxing and the hour passed and it was perfect. I gladly paid with extra..To Insure Proper Service (tips)..so thank you, Henry and I will definitely schedule again in the near future. I highly recommend anyone who enjoys getting a great haircut and shave to schedule here. It's got a great relaxing chill vibe atmosphere. read more

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I had a really unfortunate and disappointing experience here. After a few friends had posted their toddles getting cut here, and seeing that the Lions Den promotes elegance and top tier service... I booked with the owner, for a kids cut, which was all available through the booking site. Upon arrival, I waited almost 20min. The owner finally came out, less than friendly and after my son asked to use the bathroom I was told someone else ( not the person I booked with) would cut my sons hair. The reason was "because this barber was better with kids"... I was immediately thrown off but proceeded. However, seemed like the barber was forced to do the cut and stacked us on a previous appointment he had. My son sat through the entire cut, calmly. at the end I noticed awful patches and misaligned cuts . i asked barber to fix a couple of things which he did, however I gave up about the patches because I could notice the next appointment getting anxious walking by the shop as he was cutting my sons hair. The cut total with tip was almost 60 dollars. I dont think that every barber should have an option of a Kids Cut if they dont all enjoy, like to or are good at these cuts. Nevertheless if they dont like cutting kids hair maybe they shouldn't even promote it. I was mostly disappointed because I wanted to support a local San Mateo business owner but left saddened by the way it was all handled. Do not recommend for kids cut unless specifically asking for Santos, apparently he is the only one good with kids, legitimately. After hearing barber talk I also realized I was assigned to "the newer barber" by the owner, it all felt very dismissive and disingenuous. read more

Lions Den Shaveparlor - Barbers Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Credit where credit is due; the haircut was decent. The part I had a problem with was the vibe and honestly the owner himself. I paid for the VIP and upon arrival it was incredibly awkward after being told that Henry would come get me. I went downstairs and Henry just had an attitude the entire time. I asked, "you got me down for the beard trim up and haircut right?" Henry's response was, "I don't know, you tell me." The entire haircut was awkward with Henry taking breaks to text and call people. Not only this, but a kid came downstairs and started walking on the couch in the VIP room, knocking my RayBans and button up to the floor. No one apologized and they remained on the floor for the entirety of the haircut. After this 3 guys came down and started having a conversation about someone else in Spanish in the tiny room that the VIP section was, making it even more awkward and uncomfortable. After the haircut was over, I looked in a mirror to fix my hair for a second and was asked by Henry, "are you done?" The takeaways: Unprofessional, inhospitable, uncomfortable, and over-priced. read more

Took my 5-year-old in for his very first "big boy" haircut, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Henry was 10/10--so patient and kind, and he made my little guy feel totally comfortable and even excited about his new look. The haircut itself was perfection--exactly what we asked for. Our appointment started right on time, and we were greeted at the door with a warm welcome and even offered something to drink. The shop itself is definitely a vibe--stylish, clean, and super welcoming. We'll absolutely be back. Highly recommend! read more

I really think men should spend more time around masculine energy. In this gentlemen's barbershop you will get that. I always come out of here better than when I came in. My boy Henry and his barbers really deliver. If you're looking for more than an amazing cut but also an amazing connection as well, make sure to visit lions den! read more

Convenient option to hit on my lunch break in downtown san mateo. Opted for the normal haircut. Henry does a clean tight fade and won't disappoint. For a 10 minute walk from home it's prime. read more

Tried to return to see a senior barber and the one who answered the phone couldn't comprehend a simple conversation when I was asking for a senior barber. Tried to give em a second chance. I would never return to this spot read more

Was in need of a haircut on short notice and called to see availability . They were busy being Sunday , but I was able to get a fresh cut and beard trim /cleanup from Mauricio. The cut was above what I expected . Staff was friendly , very clean shop and music on the TVs gave it an old school meets new school barbershop vibe. Will be back for sure. read more

I made a 1pm appt for today with Armando. He wasn't in the shop when I arrived at 12:56. He was late and only called me at 1:08 to say he'd be another 10 minutes. That lack of punctuality is wild, especially when charging me $68.75 ahead of time on a credit card before tip. read more

Santos has been my barber for half a year now and it's always the best haircut ever. He listens and is intuitive also. Great place!

Great experience here. Staff is friendly, place is super clean and the services were amazing. Henry did my haircut and shave. He did an incredible job on everything and went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect. Definitely coming back here! read more

Pepe definitely 5 stars Good service and very friendly I definitely highly recommend it

Been getting cut by Pepe for a minute, I really recommend you guys pass by the shop and get a cut from Pepe Ramirez!

Minnie has Been cutting my hair for 4 years now. She is master barber and always knows how to work correctly with the scissors to blend my hair . She gives a real straight razor shave and pays attention to detail . I followed her to Lions Den ! The shop is clean , and has good energy . They have passion in what they do and I would highly recommend Minnie the master female barber . read more

Lions Den Shaveparlor - Barbers Near Me - San Mateo, California

Barber never showed up to an appointment I made several days in advance. To make matters worse Squire charged me and doesn't offer an option to dispute or resolve the situation. read more

I got my haircut with Mauricio and he did such an excellent job! He was quick and thorough, I highly recommend! read more

Lions Den Shaveparlor - Barbers Near Me - San Mateo, California

Nice clean shop in a great area of Downtown San Mateo. Street parking can be limited but there's a parking garage close by. I've been seeing Minnie now for about 3 years. She's always able to accommodate me, and is a pro when it comes to fades and a shave. She never rushes my haircut and always delivers a clean haircut every time I've booked with her. I highly recommend her and her fellow barbers here at Lions Den. Friendly, personable service is a guarantee when you visit this establishment. read more

I just had my first of many visits to Lions Den. Victor did my haircut and shave this morning. Absolutely flawless! It's been a long time since someone has taken the time and shown the attention to detail that Victor did. The rest of the staff is super friendly and helpful. Music was on-point! If you're looking for a great cut, precise shave, and killer ambiance, Lions Den is THE PLACE. read more

Henry is a great barber. He's old school with amazing shear work and still does straight razor shaves with hot lather. If you've never had one you need to treat yourself. His shop is clean and modern while still evoking a barbershop vibe, not a salon. His barber chairs are amazingly comfortable. Super convenient location just about on the corner of B and 3rd so there's plenty of parking. Really appreciate the ability to make appointments also, that way you also don't feel rushed and hurried. Glad to have an awesome barbershop in downtown San Mateo. read more

Great cut great service. I can't wait to come back! I told them what i wanted, and they cut it better than expected. read more

Really top class haircut and beard trim by Armando. My new favorite in San Mateo! And was done in 45 min, great service

Great Location! - Barbershop is near a lot of great resturants and bars. I don't usually enjoy getting my haircut. Its more anxiety than fun. Because of the location I will be able to have dinner / drink and get my haircut afterwards. Intoxicated. Henry is Great! - Was researching a lot of barbershops on Yelp. Couldn't decide. Looked at the pictures for the shop. Liked the decor of the shop. They had a same day appointment available. So I took a chance. It only had 1 review. But I didn't see all the hidden 5-star reviews below. Showed up and everything went smoothly. Showed him a picture. He took time to understand what I wanted. He was very detail oriented. I instantly trusted him and the haircut exceeded my expectations. He also did some beard work for me. $60 total. I think it is a great price for what you get. You can tell Henry cares about the cut and wants to do a great job for you and himself. You def get your money's worth. More actually. You can also tell cutting hair is easy for him. It comes natural to him. And he seems to enjoy it. Shop is Fun! - Henry is easy to talk to you. Very Nice. And you can tell he is just a solid person. He is multi-tasking. Answering calls, gretting walk-ins, making sure the hair doesn't blow out the door, etc. I'm not a big talker so I enjoyed all the random things happening. The shop is also super clean. The barber chairs are crazy nice. I never saw black and gold custom barber chairs. No Hair! - Usually after a haircut you leave with hair all over your clothes. You run your hand through your hair and its all hair. Not this place. Pretty amazing. I thought it was going to be risky going to random place on Yelp because I had a lot of bad experiences. But this place is legit. Either you know what you want and Henry can make it happen. Or you can just trust him to make you look as good as possible. read more

Henry as a shop owner should be professional and welcoming. However, he is neither of the 2. I had an appointment with him however he canceled with no notice and sent me with another barber. The other barber was very ruff on my head and very rude. This barbershop was also one of the most ghetto ones ive been to. The vibe was completely off and there was no good energy present. I do not recommend this shop what so ever. I will also never come back! read more

10/10, best barber I've ever had, no joke. Super detail oriented, very affordable, I have no complaints.