Came to Salon Central based on Yelp reviews. I was able to make an appointment with the recommended Sara about a week out. The salon is conveniently located and easy to get to. I was warmly greeted by Gail on my arrival. She was very attentive to the fact it was my first time there and offered me coffee/water. We chatted a bit as Sara had not yet arrived. Everyone was very friendly. I did not wait long and Sara took me back as soon as she got in. She was a sweetheart and listened wonderfully about my hair issues and made recommendations to complement my concerns. Gloria did an excellent job washing and massaging my scalp. The cut came out beautiful and I was happy I didn't have to cut off more than an inch after waiting almost 8 months for a cut! The cut was $75 which is a little higher than what I have paid elsewhere but my hair is long (mid-back) and takes awhile to blow out. Sara did suggest a product (that I ended up buying) and highlights which I have never done as the sun does a fine job. The only knock down was I didn't realize you couldn't put a tip on credit card. It has to be cash or check. It would have been nice to have been informed on the phone when I booked the appointment so I could have had enough to provide a good tip. I was just short and I hate giving bad tips. read more

I went to Melody at Salon Central for the first time the other day. Melody gave me one of the best cuts I have ever had. She listened to me and did everything I asked for, and she did things I didn't even know to ask for! Truth be told, the cut isn't all that different from what I had, but it is updated and sophisticated, and she knew how to handle my thick, wavy hair that I straighten every day. The small differences she made make a huge difference in how I look and feel. Every time I see myself in the mirror I think, "Oh, my hair looks good," (instead of "It will grow out in a few weeks..."). Thank you, Melody! The salon was very nice, too. Clean, vibrant, and everyone was really nice. read more

Visited as a first time customer and used the great offer of highlight/cut/blow dry for $100. Limor did an excellent job making my highlights look natural and also gave me an amazing cut with long layers and perfect blow out. The salon also gives you a cute little gift bag as a first time guest! I will definitely be back! read more

Another amazing experience with Jay. Will never go to another salon as long as I live here! Have already recommended a friend who had a great time, and will do so for many more. I barely even had to say anything and Jay knew exactly what I was looking for. Everyone at the salon is very pleasant, as always. Love my new haircut! read more

I love this salon! I didn't think it was overpriced. Everyone was friendly, cordial and talented. I like Samiah .

Suppose you're a Salon Central regular. But one day, you get frustrated, and decide, maybe, it's not worth it. Maybe it's just too pricey. Maybe you're bored of the sleek salon with its cutting edge products and consistently GOOD service. Maybe, you think, you should be a little adventurous, and try to go somewhere else for a change. Let me save you the trouble. Don't. I have problematic hair, and have all my life. My hair caused me endless problems until I met Gretchen. I know Gretchen is no longer with the Salon Central family really, but her legacy lives on as she is not the only extremely talented haircutter there. Mindy is also very good. So is Doug (not sure he still works there). Honestly, my entire family has been going to Salon Central for 10 years and seeing all different stylists there, and I'm not sure any of us has ever come home with a bad haircut. I recently moved to Baltimore and tried getting my hair done recently at the "nicest" salon in Baltimore (my criteria for selection was basically whichever spot seemed the most like Salon Central). Not worth it. And it wasn't even any cheaper! The prices may be high at Salon Central... but at least the value is good. Sheesh. Props to Gail for running an excellent salon. Also, I once referred my friend to Gretchen simply because my friend had even more unmanageable hair than I do, and I got a free haircut out of it! I didn't even know about the refer-a-friend deal. And, for the record, my friend--whose hair used to make stylists actually cry out of frustration--started getting the only good haircuts she'd ever had in her life thanks to Gretchen--it seemed like she actually enjoyed the challenge! We are still mourning the fact that Gretchen moved to Florida! read more

I have been going to see Sarah for about two years now and love every single visit of mine there. She does my highlights and I have received a lot of compliment on them. She is a great stylist. I will recommend the salon to everyone. read more

I have been going to Mindy at Salon Central for many, many years. She is a master at color. I am often stopped and asked about my highlights and who does them. It took me years to make the leap into adding highlights but I am so glad I did, thanks to Mindy. Mindy is also so talented at cutting and styling. I always walk out of the salon with a cut I love and most importantly, a cut I can style on my own at home. Can't say enough good things about Mindy! read more

I was looking for a change with a cut and color. I was referred to Gretchen and she brought my vision to life! She heard what I wanted, we collaborated on the style and she executed flawlessly. I can't wait to show off my new "do" and will definitely be back for more! read more

Went to have my roots touched up. First time--completely the wrong color and roots were worse than when I went in. Terrance tried to tell me they looked great (just to get me to leave) completely disregarding my very valid concerns. Called back and went in to have them fixed..again. Same experience and after coloring the roots again twice my hair still looked terrible. Terrance STILL tried to pretend they looked great and sent me away without even offering to blow dry my hair. I guess I was naive to think that a simple root touch up (on all brown hair no hi Lites) would be an easy thing to take care of. DO NOT go to this salon. I am appalled that they #1 took my money when such an obvious mistake was made multiple times and #2 wasn't even offered a discount or anything. They all just acted like nothing was the matter and weren't concerned at all that I was practically in tears. Incredibly unprofessional. I have been getting my hair colored for years and have NEVER had such a terrible experience. You're crazy to go here unless you want a wack hair color and horrible customer service. Oh and they're more concerned with you purchasing products (if you decline you're met with eye rolling and harsh tones) than if you're happy with how your hair has turned out, the original reason for your visit. read more

Bottom line: not worth the high prices. Bella Bethesda does a better job for less $ and snark. Also, I was there about 45-60 minutes longer than necessary because the stylist was late and overbooked. Maybe another stylist would have been better, who knows. I won't be trying my luck there again, not when I can pay $200 for an awesome job at Bella Bethesda. Pros: *nice space *easy to get an appointment *stylist seemed trying to understand and do what I wanted Cons: *stylist seriously inconvenienced me due to a late customer before me *scalp massage chaffed my forehead *highlights are a little streaky *stylist kept walking away to tend to other customers and a bevy of employees in the middle of my session *price was just as much as high-end salons that bring you cappuccino and are on time *I was charged $45 higher for the color and $5 higher for the cut than starting prices on website without any warning or explanation *stylist repeatedly made annoying, snarky comments *stylist made me stand up and turn around during haircut *I think it was the owner but the staff was very caddy and I could overhear them making fun of clients, very unprofessional. *and they carry low end products, not classy OH and if you see at the very bottom of this page it states that Yelp has ten other reviews that they wont show you or recommend you read so basically their our ten more unfavorable reviews but the owner pays yelp and in return they only show the favorable reviews. read more

I went to this salon a while ago but seeing as I haven't been to a hair salon since, I decided to leave a review. Not sure if the stylist I'm writing about is even still at Salon Central. My hair is naturally kinky curly so I went to see Marcus who I was told did a great job on my type of hair. I hadn't been to the salon in a little over a year so I was excited to have someone else style my hair. When I arrived for my appointment, Marcus came up to me right away and took me back to his chair. He was very nice and funny, asked me about my current hair routine and what I wanted done which was ombre, a popular color technique at the time. After inspecting my hair he determined that it wasn't in good enough shape to handle the bleaching required for ombre and I would definitely experience a lot of breakage. I was very disappointed but it was nice that he cared enough to refuse to damage my hair. He offered to do highlights instead. This wasn't what I wanted but since I was already there I figured fine, why not. By the time he was done and showed me the finished product I was very underwhelmed. He only gave me four highlights in the front of my hair which you could barely see unless I was in the right light. My hair looked good but it looked the same as how I typically style my hair at home. As usual when I left the salon, I had to put on a fake smile and act like I loved it when I hardly saw a difference. To pay $100+ for that was very disappointing and I haven't been to another salon since. I went home and did the ombre myself, loved it! Hopefully one day a stylist will give me what I ask for. read more

I recently moved here from Colorado and was in need of a new stylist.. After asking around for several months I was referred to Salon Central-what a mistake! the staff is rude.My hair is now orange. read more

I went to a hairdresser here on the advice of a friend who has great looking hair ( she attends lots of DC parties and events). My hair was a bit tired looking and I am on a never ending quest for a good a hairstylist who is consistently good, not just the first time . In DC, many Stylists appear to be a bit snobby for me. ( Always looking at the front door to see who is entering, always at a critcial moment in a haircut.) I drove up from NW DC. When I arrived for my appointment, at Salon Central, I was immediately greeted and my coat was taken and hung up. I met with the stylist for a hair cut--it desperately needed re-shaping and highlights. The thing I noticed is that everyone is VERY friendly and introduces themselves--from other stylists to the shampoo girls. The salon was clean and very upbeat. We reviewed a few pictures I had brought and I was encouraged to tell my styliist what I currently did not like about my hair and what I wanted to change. NO ONE ever asked me that before in ANY salon. I was offered a beverage during the processing, everyone there was super nice and professional. The finished result was lovely and similar to some of the photos I borught. I wanted a mid lenth versatile style.I am over 40 and did not want a too long or too short a style. The stylist and I discusssed how much hair would have to be cut...we made sure we understood each other by holding up our fingers to indicate the exact length. She did both the highlights and the cut .The result is that I am very happy with my highlights and the style. Today, I styled imy hair myself and it looks really good. As I left the owner and her husband introduced themselves and were quite friendly. I got the impression that this is a really good family run business where they really care about their clients. I made my appointment for my next visit before leaving. One note, bring cash as I found out at check that tips cannot be placed on the credit card. Their prices are average for the area. There is plenty of parking as the salon is located in a small shopping center behind Montgomey Mall with a few restaurants. great for a meal before or after your appointment read more

I was recently in town visiting family and really needed to get my hair cut. I didn't have time to get my hair done before I left home but my previous haircut had grown out and was in a really awkward state to say the least. Came into Salon Central and Limor was my stylist. She transformed my awkward, lopsided hair into beautiful layers without cutting off too much! If I still lived in MD I would definitely come back to see her. Thanks again Limor! read more

I just went here for the first time after years of loyalty to another salon, and I absolutely love my hair cut and highlights! I have never before found a hair stylist who will take the time to refresh my highlights using the technique the Salon Central stylist (Jay) used. Other stylists always chose the fast and dirty approach of evening out my natural hair color + old highlights with a darker color first, then adding new highlights on top of it. This leaves my hair looking duller and duller over time, and duller than it is naturally because it wipes out the variation in my hair color. I never really like the result. Jay refreshed my highlights by targeting just the roots, without using anything other than the highlight color. She also balanced out areas where the highlights were uneven (from my previous stylist), and used a treatment that brought back the brightness/blondness of my old, somewhat washed out highlights. I love the result! It looks beautiful, bright, and natural - and no roots! I was also impressed by the haircut. Jay was very precise and meticulous, and she added so many layers, that my hair has a completely perfect shape. It's exactly what I wanted. I highly recommend both Jay and Salon Central. read more

The sylist did a great job on my hair. The front desk staff is very friendly. It's a little pricey though.

Thank you, Jay for always taming my large mop of hair with such patience and perfectionism! All staff members are super friendly and welcoming. read more

Terrance is an incredibly talented hairstylist. His dry cuts are well worth the time. I have long curly/wavy hair that I blow dry straight. He took his time to precision-cut layers that melt together, and give my hair much needed movement and body. I cannot say enough good things - this coming from someone who prizes her hair and has tried just about every famed D.C. salon to no avail. I will have Terrance on speed dial from now on. read more

Salon Central is an excellent salon. I have a wonderful experience every time I get my hair colored and cut. Mindy has been my stylist for years and she is a genius for color! She listens to what I want and guides me to the look that is best for me. I rarely have dark roots as she applies color in a way that does not expose new roots. Mindy is also great at cuts! If I just want a trim, she cuts the absolute least she can to keep my hair healthy (but still long!). I have wavy hair and she adds layers that keep my coiffe voluminous even after a night of sleep. As Mindy does my hair she gives me ideas for styling such as different ways I can braid my hair or put it up but still look fresh. She is a pleasure to spend time with and I always look forward to my appointments. Thank you, Mindy! read more

Love this place!!! Got there about 20 minutes early for my appointment, and my stylist, Sara, greeted me even though she was with another client at the time. Julie (?) at the front was very warm, and asked me right away if I needed anything while I was waiting. Lots of mags to read while waiting! Sara does great cut and color. Actually helped me figure out how to blow dry and straight iron my new 'do. This was my first trip there, compliments of a 'Bloomspot' coupon, and it is now my go-to salon. Trip from Alexandria is worth it; only 25 minutes in rush hour! read more

I have had three really great experiences with Salon Central. I first came here with a Bloomspot voucher after my stylist moved out of town and I was shopping around for a new one. My first visit to Salon Central I had a stylist who did a good job, but then she moved out of town as well! Then I found Marcus. Talk about an upgrade. I've been to him twice now and both times he's been consistently good. He cuts and colors my hair and has advised me about the right color and he's right on the mark; he blended just the right color for me. He also deep conditioned my hair since I travel a lot and am in the sun frequently - he threw that one in. The last time I went he was also coloring a young girl's hair purple (I'm not so adventurous, my hair is "just" brown) and it looked pretty fantastic. He's funny too. A plus when sitting in the chair for a few hours. read more

Love coming to Salon Central. Great service, friendly staff, and a stylist who really listens and remembers my preferences. Thanks, Sarah for making me feel fabulous every time!! read more

I had pink ombre before and was looking for a new look. I came to the Salon for Limor and I must say she did such a fabulous job. She really is an artist. Now I have the most beautiful purple hair I could ever ask for! If you're looking for a high quality color and a healthy cut, I most definitely suggest this salon. Ask for Limor! She's the best :) read more

This was my first time at Salon Central and i was placed with Mitch. I never get my haircut and had no idea what to ask for or tell him and he still cut my hair perfectly. I highly recommend this salon and Mitch! I will definitely come back! read more

I have recently become a client at this salon. They are very organized .Sara who I go to is a talented stylist at this place , she does a fantastic job and the best blow dry ever .she is super nice. Thank you Sara. read more

My wife and I both go to Salon Central. The service is fantastic and the staff is super friendly.

Salon Central has been my salon of choice in Bethesda for the past few years. The owner, Gail, and her staff are extremely friendly and inviting. As a guy, its often intimidating to walk into a salon because they all tend to have more women clientele, but I always feel welcome at Salon Central and the cuts I get are top notch. I always stop in before a wedding or job interview to make sure I look my best. I enjoy the atmosphere there and have never had a bad experience with any of the stylists. Very highly recommended, especially for men looking for a salon. read more

Just went to Salon Central for the first time and absolutely loved it! All of the staff were professional and very friendly. Sara did a cut and color for me and my hair has never looked better! The salon was modern and clean. I do not think the salon is pricey at all especially considering the location. I used to get my hair done in Gaithersburg and paid about $100.00 more at my old spot. I can't wait for my next appointment. :) read more

Jay is truly the best hairdresser I've been to in 50+ years of hair cuts! Jay put together a plan of highlighting and regular cuts to help me grow out my gray hair without trauma. It looked great throughout the process, and it looks fantastic now with its natural highlights! I feel and look 10 years younger, thanks to Jay! read more

I love Salon Central. The stylists (Mindy and Sara) are exceptional and the service could not be better. I always feel welcome, fully attended to and never rushed. Gail has put together a top-notch staff and customer experience. read more

They say that a woman will sooner change her doctor than her hair dresser and that goes the same for me. I have followed Mindy from her previous salon and would follow her again if I needed to. Owner, Gail, and the rest of the Salon Central staff are always very friendly and welcoming. An additional shout-out to Gloria who gives the best scalp messages when she washes your hair. read more

I was in Maryland for business, and did some yelping to find a salon where I could get my haircut and roots touched up. When I got to the shop, I was immediately greeted by a few lovely ladies who made me feel right at home. The shop was super clean and very inviting. The woman who did my hair was wonderful and listened to exactly what I wanted. She was not pushy at all. My hair looked and felt fantastic, I truly could not have been more pleased. Overall, it was an excellent experience! I just might have to make a trip to bethesda next time I need my roots done :) read more

I've been a client for a while now and I've always seen Sarah. She does the most meticulous cut, does great color, and I always leave with exactly what I wanted to achieve when I arrived. It took me ages to find someone I really trust with my hair, and I've never had anything less than great service here. Sarah's my go-to! read more