I took my daughter to get her haircut by Alessia, she did an amazing job, talked through my daughter's inspiration pictures and did a wonderful job bringing my daughter's vision to life. She was very kind and patient and we will definitely be returning! Everyone was also very kind! read more

Very disappointing experience, especially for the price. I paid nearly $300 for what was supposed to be a layered cascade haircut with movement and shape, but the actual cutting lasted maybe 10-15 minutes and the result looks almost unchanged. I had spent a year growing my hair out and specifically asked for soft layers while keeping the length. Instead, there's barely any visible layering or shape at all. Friends and family genuinely keep asking if I even got a haircut. The attached photo is my hair five days later, and this was supposed to be the final result of a layered cut. I've now booked another haircut at a different salon because I still don't have the haircut I originally asked for. I completely understand subtle cuts and preserving length, but this did not feel like premium service or a professional result for the price point. read more

Pony Studios - Supposed layered cascade haircut result after 5 days - Hair Stylists Near Me - Oakland, California

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I love this place! I just had the most amazing wolf cut with Grant. The hair washing experience before the cut was heaven too. We talked about what I wanted and he asked questions along the way to make sure I was happy with it. He even said if there was something I didn't like later that he would fix it. The whole experience was really great. I will definitely go back and highly recommend him as stylist! read more

Pony Studios - Wolf cut at Pony with Grant. - Hair Stylists Near Me - Oakland, California

Corinna and the Pony team made my wedding hair AMAZING! Thanks to Tiffany and Eryk, my color specialists! Michelle made booking all my various specific appointments seamless. When you have an important event the Pony crew has your back!! read more

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Such a great job. The place is a vibe. The apprentices are super kind & seem like they're stoked to be there & do what they do. I've only seen Pamela for haircuts and bang trims and I have received the best compliments whenever I get my hair done by her. She's a wizard! read more

Came in for a "consultation," which is what they suggested when I wrote in asking what coloring service I should book, as I mentioned I was interested in highlights and lowlights (which is what I have had done previously with my former stylist). They booked me for an appointment the following day. When I met with the stylist, I told her what type of highlighting style I was after, explained I wanted cool toned ash blonde and a cool toned espresso dark brown following my curl pattern. She asked "why?" Which didn't make a lot of sense to me. I said I liked the contrast of the two colors together and how it adds depth. She said "espresso can mean a lot of different things to different people " and essentially refused to do a consultation because I didn't have inspiration photos. She didn't offer any suggestions, didn't offer any photos (not to mention that they didn't say I needed to come in with any). I realize they help, but I have never been to a salon where they don't even talk to me about what ideas they have to see if we're on the same page. Maybe she's a trainee? When I said I thought that's what the consultation was for she said no it's to tell you what the pricing is. I have never had such an unwelcoming experience in a salon ever before. I felt like she was eager to get me out of the chair (not to mention they were late to seat me). It was a bad vibe from the very start . What a waste of time. I really don't like writing such negative reviews but I was so offended by her unwillingness to basically even "consult" in this consultation it felt borderline rude. I was curious about this place, and needless to say, I won't be back . read more

This is such a cute salon! I cannot say enough amazing things about Helena! After a *traumatic* haircut experience the month before, I was honestly nervous to trust anyone with my hair again--but Helena completely turned things around for me. She worked her magic with a rich, chocolatey balayage that not only transformed my color but also helped correct the uneven, butchered mess I walked in with. From the moment I sat in her chair, I could tell how passionate she is about what she does. She's incredibly sweet, attentive, and clearly knows her craft inside and out. I left feeling like *myself* again--and honestly, even better. Thank you, Helena, for bringing my hair (and my confidence) back to life! Highly, recommend her to anyone looking for a true hair artist. ‍ read more

I did a hair modeling appointment with Myles for a mid-long hair length with many layers. It took about 2 hours, but I got a nice haircut with oversight and a nice wash and head massage! I would definitely do this again when I have the time. read more

Didn't really notice it well enough or have the heart to say something while there but my hair was cut too short, layered as asked on one side and not on the other, and reviewing the inspiration photo - not the same vibes at all. Can't say I'll go back. read more

Eryk gave me my first professional haircut in 15+ years, and my first short hair cut. He nailed it and was a delight to work with. Besides being a gifted stylist, he has a real gift for "seeing" people. I left the salon feeling like a hotter version of my true self. read more

I have been a client here, off and on (mostly on) since their inception. #1. I first learned of this spot because of the owner, Corinna. I was a hair model for her a long while ago, before she opened her own shop, and I fell in love. She knew what the hell she was doing. I talked to my then stylist about her and she exclaimed: "she's a genius, she's who I go to when I need self-care and a hair cut." #2. I have seen 75% of the stylists here. I have enjoyed 65% of them. I love Misty for hair. I love Shelley for hair and color. Eryk is great for color. Cory has been doing my color lately. They book up fast, so sadly, since I always wait to the last minute, I tend to get whoever is available. There are a few stylists who I haven't loved both the end result and their bedside service. A little rude, a little rushed, etc.. But, there is a lot of quality vs the less ones. #3) They do a ton of education here and I have been a hair model 3x. Basically, you give 3 hours of your life, and someone is giving you a cut with a straight razor as they learn and hone their skills. The first 2 were great, the third not so much. Sadly, I don't have the time anymore, so I no longer partake in modeling cuts. If Queen Corinna is too pricey (I have yet to bite the bullet), I truly find Misty to be so talented. She's easy to talk to, caring, so nice and my hair hasn't looked this healthy and maintained in awhile. She transforms my wonky ass bangs and debulks my thick ass Jew-ess hair. Overall, Pony's a win! read more

Amazing salon!! Absolutely beautiful. Got my hair done with Myles and a help with his mentor Hanna. The whole atmosphere was amazing. My first time!! I felt so welcomed. I have curly hair and it is so hard to find a place to cut my hair. I am always nervous about it. Myles did a great job and made me feel so comfortable and easy. Thank you so much Myles and Hanna for a wonderful experience. I truly appreciate!! Carla read more

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Aspen did a great job. I have thick and wavy hair and she took her time on it. She was thoughtful, listened to what I was going for and gave feedback on what she thought would work. I'll be back. read more

Got a great haircut, so returned for a basic toning service. I had bright blonde highlights, but other pieces still had red tones, so I wanted to control the red temporarily until I could get in for a longer color appointment. The stylist asked if it was ok if I was a "little darker" on the light bits, and I was fine with that, as I knew any blue based ash toner would also grab and impact the bright pieces a little. The result I walked out with was a muddy dark brown, not a highlight in sight. I don't recall being in tears after a hair appointment, but I was close. They refunded my money, but it was clear my stylist didn't listen, or did not get her formula right, and then didn't want to engage with my distress. read more

New, palatial location for the same great Pony ride and first-rate hair care. Sixteen chairs, dozens of talented professional stylists, and endless loops of good music. Corinna and crew have created the best place to get your hair cut. This salon is welcoming, buzzin' and run like clockwork. Kudos to the whole Pony team, I'm never going anywhere else!! read more

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I began visiting the salon while I was living in the area. Over the past few years, I've driven 50 minutes to get there because I haven't been able to find a similar salon closer to home. I've had haircuts with several stylists, and they always take the time to listen to my preferences, offering great suggestions based on my hair type and face shape. The salon is beautiful and clean, and the staff is welcoming and attentive. Scheduling an appointment online is very easy, and if I need to reschedule, the staff is accommodating and communicative. read more

Everything about my experience is positive. My stylist Tiffany is an absolute artist! Her skill level is a 10 and her creativity and intuitive insight a 10 +++++++! Tash, her assistant also is amazing! read more

Today was my first time going to Pony! I went in with drab long hair and left with a great cut and color. My stylist was Helena and she took the time to listen to my issues and came up with a plan and style! The shop was bright and welcoming and parking was easy. Great shop,Great people and my great style! Looking forward to going back! Thanks Helena!!! read more

I've seen Debi here twice for a haircut and loved my bob cut each time! She takes her time and is very skilled and meticulous. And she and other staff I interacted with were super friendly and welcoming. I really love the vibes at Pony! read more

I had my first haircut here in December 2023. I really enjoyed the experience: everybody was super nice and they were even cute dogs on site. I worked with a junior stylist whose work was overseen by a senior stylist, and the result was great. read more

I went to Pony Salon on Telegraph Ave. as a hair model almost two years ago and had the results of a bad haircut . Then almost two years later and this past month, I saw that the same person/hairdresser apprentice was looking for model. they told me they were near graduation, so I thought they must of improved tremendously since they are near graduation so went in with hope that I would get a decent chance at a haircut. the teacher trainer for this hairstylist had her purse on and on her way out the door when I arrived. she stopped by for a minute to hear what the hairdresser and I were discussing regarding the haircut. She soon left. I knew in that moment, I was in trouble. with no supervisor/teacher/coach, the hairdresser proceeded to cut my hair. I walked out about an hour later with chopped up hair and no style. uneven on one side and nothing like we discussed. when I gently wrote to the apprentice to express some concern, they expressed that I should get a proper haircut elsewhere. I don't really fault the apprentice but rather the salon for not guiding and checking and supervising apprentices and leaving them on their own when they are still practicing and learning. They need support to build their skills and haircuts. I am disappointed and will not got back to his salon. read more

Have had a cut here before, enjoyed the space & rebooked again last minute for a work trip. Was feeling inspired for something fresh so I tried booking Friday on afternoon for Saturday morning - no openings of course! Was bummed because I was headed out to Barcelona Saturday night, determined I went back on the website to at least put myself on the cancellation list & sure enough found an opening at 10A. HOW IN THE HECK, it was meant to be!!!!! Had been fairly stressed out with the trip & upcoming meetings so this brightened my mood, to make it even better I was booked with Hannah. She hadn't previously cut my hair and since moving to the Bay Area I haven't committed to one stylist (either too far, too expensive & or didn't know how to cut my hair). Hannah is someone everyone should experience and I look forward to rebooking with her in the future. She is dynamic, charming & the best part is she did a fantastic job cutting my hair. She made me feel amazing & received lots of compliments from my co-workers. Am so lucky that she had a last minute cancel, because of her I felt better about myself allowing me to enjoy my time. Stylists have the ability to transform not only your hair but your mood as well, she is a stylist that can do both. Check her out, she's one of a kind. read more

Funky. Cool. Great energy. Fantastic stylist. I was a model. Color not great but cut with razor amazing.

Misty is truly a hair cutting master. She has incredible talent with all textures of hair and will give you a cut you can style! The salon is gorgeous on top of it!!! read more

This was my first visit to Pony Studios. The interior of the building is lovely and spacious. I had high hopes for this salon since they have awards and many 5-star reviews. I booked an appointment for a full highlight and cut but received something else. Instead, the colorist decided to do a balayage and did not tell me that she was leaving the nape of my hair dark. This is not what I wanted, and my hair is two different colors! If she had asked me, do you want the nape dark? I would have said NO! I did contact the salon, and the manager/director told me to come back in and have the same colorist fix it. Do you think I want the person who decided for me to leave my nape dark without my consent to touch my hair again? NO! read more

Pony Studios - Hair Stylists Near Me - Oakland, California

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I love Corinna. No one else really gets my hair. Fine, kind of curly, kind of not. Corinna herself is a stellar stylist but also an incredible teacher. She challenges herself - every time I see her, she has some how learned more and elevated more. The hair washing is blissful, the location great and the seats comfy. But don't come here for that - come for the total hair transformation (or some subtle layers) you'll be happy either way!! read more

Pony Studios - Day after hair, slept in, post drywall install. I love it. - Hair Stylists Near Me - Oakland, California

You know it's bad when you hear your stylist say, "It will grow out nicely." Aka hide for the next 6+ months. I really wanted to like Pony - the vibes, the fun decor, and all the chic stylists and clientele. But now that I've been burned I will not go back. The search for a new hairstylist continues. Sigh. I came in with medium to long, thick hair and asked for long layers and some thinning out, but I ended up with extremely short layers (~3-4 inches) on the top and less than 50% of my hair left on my head. Imagine a shaggy mullet. Yea, not a cute look, esp when you have straight hair. Steer clear unless you like expensive surprises. read more

Great salon! This is my 2nd haircut from them and i love it. Genevieve has done my hair and i love her haircuts! I got a long bob cut from her last week and im happy. Staff is super friendly, the new space is really nice. They moved recently to this new location and its a big spot. This is my go to hair salon in Oakland! read more

Visiting Pony Studios was a wild ride! Initially, I had gone in for a purple full balayage with Hannah. Unfortunately, it did not come out at all how I envisioned it from the inspiration pictures I had showed her... :( You could barely tell there was any purple in the hair, and the top layer wasn't dyed at all. I get super embarrassed telling someone I don't like their work, especially because Hannah was super sweet (and I was a big fan of her cute little dog Oscar). I decided to speak up and give her another chance for a redo and it came out looking so awesome! Although the color is more vibrant, I figure it will fade out to a lighter purple and I can work from there. It did take a million years though (6 hours), but I could tell she was thorough in her process the second time around. Overall, I loved Hannah's professionalism and customer service, I really appreciate her bringing my original idea to fruition. Sometimes it's a hit or miss with hair salons, but I love the commitment to ensure the best outcome at Pony Studios. read more

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How much do I love Tiff and the team at Pony Studios? I'll BART over in an effing Bomb Cyclone Atmospheric River Flash Flood to have her tame my curly mess. She's a hair artist, trust her and you won't be disappointed! read more

Went with several pictures of what I wanted from hair color before a special event. The stylist (Lucky) and I talked about the pictures in a consultation in advance and agreed to brunette balayage ends slightly lighter with darker base, pretty standard. First result was completely different - highlighterd, basically blond, stripey, and very old lady. Second was just an all over darker color instead of fixing to giving me what we agreed on. They told me to go back and wash me hair and that it would look exactly the way I wanted in a wash or two. It did not look even close. When I complained again, they said they would give me a refund and never did. Truly disappointing. read more

I am really, really pleased with this salon. While I am loyal to my stylist and would follow her anywhere (Shout out to Alexandra!) I have been very happy with the people working at this spot. They have ample street parking on College and in surrounding areas, the salon is clean and inviting, and I feel very comfortable coming here. read more

shout out to helena - my partner unironically told me i look like a rockstar.... i asked for a gender ambiguous haircut and i would say she hit the nail on the head read more

Thursday was my 2nd visit at Pony. But my first appointment with Corinna. I have been growing out my hair to donate and was ready to chop it off. Corinna nailed it! She's super talented and I love her low-key vibe. Seems to be a commonality with the whole team. Beautiful bright salon too. I think I finally found my go to stylist. Thank you! read more

Pony Studios - Hairchop - Hair Stylists Near Me - Oakland, California

I saw Nichole here and am SO glad I did! I was referred here by my hair person in San Diego (Honestly, I went to SoCal to get a haircut because finding a new hair person is so hard) and am so glad to have learned about Pony Studios and about Nichole. First of all, parking is street parking and I came on a Thursday morning and had no problem. Be prepared to pay for parking (something like $1.50/hour or so). The salon is small-ish and super cute, open, and airy. The staff are super nice and friendly and I felt super well taken care of! I got the cut I wanted with the expertise of Nichole, who heard my goals for what I want with my hair and gave my very reasonable styling tips so I can maintain the super cute cut. I am super happy and absolutely will be back :) read more

Yeah this was a weird one. I brought photos of what I wanted and ended up with a very different look. The images I showed them was for a somewhat layered look and Casey never used scissors or sectioned my hair. You can't really do layers without sectioning hair. They just pulled out a razor and went at it. So I'd say I ended up looking a bit Les Misérables. Which is a look- but not what I asked for. The communication at the salon sucks. I had actually asked for a recc for a stylist for a scissor cut and they recd Casey. And then the razor happened. I also communicated in their intake form that Id like to be able to be quiet while getting my cut. I don't need small talk and would rather they just focus on cutting so I can relax. None of that was communicated either. Also you can't call and talk to someone. You can only text/message the salon. read more

This was the worst salon experience I have ever had. I was there for 6 hours. Aspen didn't even give me the end result I asked for. My hair has tons of breakage. Absolute nightmare. I am fuming. I asked to have my hair lightened and I left looking darker than I was initially. read more

I have been going to Corinna for 3-4 years now for all major and minor cuts! She is an amazing hairdresser and artist and her team is just so helpful and kind. Every time I go in I feel like I'm coming out looking like a million dollars :) CoVID experience was nothing short of what I expected and heard to be. Very clean, air flowing, temp being taken, no washing, and masks on at all times! Needless to say there were two other people more than 6 ft distances from where I was sitting! Nothing like precaution to make you feel confident about getting your hair done! read more

Pony Studios - Corinna bringing my curls back to action! - Hair Stylists Near Me - Oakland, California

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Pony is the sweetest salon in Oakland. The vibes are on point. I always feel welcome here and never leave unsatisfied. I'd recommend Corrina or Debbie for a cut. read more

I just came back from getting a haircut with Alexandra at Pony studios and I'm SO happy with it. The booking process was so easy. I asked for a short bob cut but I hadn't had my hair shorter than shoulder length in 20 years. It was shocking to see myself so different at first but Alexandra was so patient and kind throughout the process. As time went by, I started to embrace the change and I love it. It's exactly what I needed. Thanks, Alexandra, for taking my look to the next level! read more