Damn right The Braid Bar is as good as it gets! And not only…read morebecause it is Local and black owned! But, also because: The Bar is a Beautiful, professional shop with multiple chairs and inviting interior, (there's tons of candy). The most impressive aspect of the Braid Bar is that there are plenty of stylists, assistants and booths. They have their own well-stocked beauty supply within the salon; that carries rare hair colors and hot new accessories - that I adore because I love having braids and playing up my styles. There doesn't seem to be any unnecessarily long waits and no shortage of hands like some traditional shops. Finally, I've actually never had my done here but I have the pleasure of being friends with Ricky, who works at the shop. He always does a beautiful job on my hair during our private sessions, and is very gentle and has so many years of knowledge.

I am sorry to write a negative review, especially for a local Black and woman owned business!…read moreI had originally made an appointment online to get my daughter's hair braided on Friday August 7th. A scheduling conflict came up so I called the salon on Thursday and had a nice conversation with a worker (owner? bad on me for not getting the name) and we were able to reschedule to Monday the 10th at 3:15pm. My daughter was SO excited! We arrived at the salon a little before 3:15pm, and no one was there, shop was closed and locked. After 10 minutes, I called the same number I had used on Thursday (shop number) and left a message. We ended up waiting for 30 minutes, I called one more time and no one came. My daughter was absolutely devastated as she had been waiting to get braids for a while. No return phone call or follow up from this shop. I can understand if it was just human error and they had forgotten to write down or reschedule the appointment...but ignoring multiple calls without following up to apologize or clarify what had happened was disappointing and unprofessional. Unfortunately can not recommend.

Sigh.... I loved my braider. he was skilled. I assisted in the braid down. My hair is pretty short…read moreso I asked if the length would be a problem. He said that it wouldn't be. I've had these braids for 10 days and about 12 have slipped out while I'm on vacation. The price that I paid made me think these would last a while. I'm on the airplane pulling out the remainder since the lady behind me just handed me another one... I normally braid my own but since it was short and I thought I couldn't grip it, I went to a braider... I've never had this issue before when braiding it myself...I was able to rebraid 4 of them but after that, I just said f*ck it. Now... I would still totally recommend this place to anyone who wants to get braided... BUT if u have short hair, be prepared for quite few to fall out. This was only MY experience, and I would still recommend them... but If u have short hair.... be prepared edit: I got to watch a sew in installed and I don't know her name who did it but she was fast, precise, neat, skilled and ol' girl she hooked up walked out SLAYING!!!!!!!

Terrible experience, the stylist was unlicensed and did not match the style that we were looking…read morefor. Would not recommend to anyone.

After a year of having my Sisterlocks retightened by a "Sisterlocks Brand Ambassador" in Antioch,…read moreseveral rows of my locs in the back just broke off. The Brand Ambassador had no explanation of what was going on and had stopped taking my calls to make a new appointment. I did a Google search for hair loss specialists and found SANKOFA Braiding and Natural Hair Care in Oakland. Dr. O NanaEfua, owner and operator of SANKOFA is a Board Certified Cosmetologist, Trichologist and Holistic Health Coach, with specialized training and experience in hair loss and natural hair care, as well as a Sisterlocks Loctician. She knows her stuff! She is knowledgeable about how to treat and maintain our natural hair. I made a consultation appointment with her and was very impressed that she was able to diagnose my problem and recommend treatments to repair my locs. She restarted my broken locs and they are now growing beautifully. The treatments she recommended have given my locs new life. I would recommend any Sister having problems with her natural hair to schedule a consultation with Dr. O NanaEfua at SANKOFA. She is professional, knowledgeable about black hair care and truly cares about our hair and how it looks once we leave her practice. She also offers services that address different types of alopecia, hair loss caused by PCOS, all types of scalp disorders and hair loss caused by nutrient deficiency, medications and hormone imbalances. I am more than happy that I found SANKOFA and once again I am proud of my beautiful Sisterlocks.

Amazing quality-- not only the final product, but also my time spent in the chair…read more I had the pleasure of having my hair done by NanaEfuwa (Cynthia) today and was not disappointed. My lower back length Senegalese twists are all that I wanted-- and more. Upon arrival, we had a consultation where she took the time to patiently walk me through the process of understanding cost of the service as having three variables: 1) girth/size of braid (from micro to jumbo--she even has a standardized ring to help you decide), 2) length of the braid from the scalp (shoulder length, mid-back, etc.) and 3) density of the braids (how many braids will be placed in your hair given the other two variables). I had a LOT of questions--primarily how she would be able to make braids that were durable on hair that was recently tapered and less than an inch long in some parts. After ensuring I was happy with the intersection of what I desired and what was possible (as well as all feeling good about the price), we started the process. First, it was quite the visual experience watching her blend hair colors. From my description of "medium brown with light brown/golden tones", she took three different colors and started turning them together in her hands, personalizing my hair bundles. She said no two of her clients ever have exactly the same color-- what an unexpected delight! After having me approve of the final hair, she started braiding. I appreciate her checking in with me to ensure I was happy with a few test rows before reaching a point where it would not have been as easy to pivot (she didn't need to change anything, but I appreciate the question). I also benefitted greatly from the stillness offered in her salon. I closed my eyes and enjoyed silence (even nodded off a few times), engaged in captivating conversation, stared at degrees on the wall and wondered "What happened to Julie?"** and watched a master beautician impart her knowledge onto the next generation through apprenticeship. Overall, I am so grateful a ChatGPT prompt for "low-tension braiders in the Bay Area" displayed her shop. NanaEfuwa specializes in taking care of the scalp and your hair (as well as your entire being), so in addition to using natural products, she utilizes specific techniques to hold the braid in slight counter traction to oppose the pull generated while braiding. Between me, NanaEfuwa or Una holding the braids at various times, the entire process was at most uncomfortable-- never painful. I wanted to write this review to thank NanaEfuwa and help others to make a great decision to reach out. I have found my Bay Area Braider and maybe even a new friend! **look at the two "Board Member" signatures on the degrees and compare 2018 to 2022. Of course, you have to book a service to sit in her chair to do so. You should. :-)

don't usually leave negative reviews, but I feel it's important to note some customer service…read moreconcerns. I canceled my appointment because I was unable to reach anyone at the business. While a credit card is required to book, I tried calling multiple times and only reached a full voicemail box that couldn't accept messages. I also sent emails and reached out via Facebook without any response. As a new customer, it's concerning to share payment information and not be able to contact the business with questions. The website also lacks important details. For example, a "curly haircut" is listed at $200, but it's unclear what's included (cut only vs. wash, condition, style, etc.). More clarity--or even a simple FAQ section--would be very helpful. Additionally, the listed phone number is labeled "informational only," but it doesn't provide any useful information and leads to an unusable voicemail. If phone contact isn't intended, it may be better to remove it or replace it with a monitored contact option. Overall, the lack of accessibility and clear information made me uncomfortable moving forward. I hope this feedback is helpful, as it may be impacting other potential customers as well.

Went for curly cut with Antoinette. I was 10 minutes late (I wouldn't recommend this. If you drive,…read moregive yourself ample time to find parking). Place is cozy but you and your stylist have adequate space. Appreciated the "tea room" where you can change, hang your coat, and grab a snack and/or beverage. Cut was phenomenal and Antoinette was efficient but friendly.

Talented stylist, efficient and great service! Keyana took great care of my daughter as this was…read moreher first salon experience and she made her feel so special, beautiful and did a great job doing her hair!!

Everything she touch she bless truly and honestly .TOP TIER braiding . Nice and neat with a vibe to…read morecomplete the services . She washes her so good she truly has a passion for doing hair. 10/10 recommend!

My hair looks ok, but..... she defintely cheated by making some of the ones in the center thicker…read moreand with shorter hair, which limits how I can style it. But the bigger issue is that she took SOOO MANY breaks. She braids out of her home, and people were coming and going to pick up plates of food that she sells. We agreed upon a time, but when I arrrived she took a quick shower before starting my hair. Also, her prices were not any cheaper than going to a shop. If I'm dealing with a kitchen beautician, I expect it to be cheaper than a shop. #ReclaimingMyTime in 2018, so I won't be returning

I have been going to Ami for twists for 10 years. She is consistently neat and professional. I am…read morevery picky about my hair being neat so I don't go to anyone else. She does not start the twists with braids (this method looks more natural) but they are secured with no pain. They don't slide off when shampooed yet easy to take down when it's time.

Andreya has been my hair Angel for years; I have enjoyed the service at B'Gorgeous since the early…read more2000's every appointment is on time! I have Never had to wait for an Appointment nor have I been disappointed with her work; I trust Andreya implicitly....No one is allowed to touch my hair but Andreya! The Consistent Great Service, Clean Environment (before COVID 19)! Andreya & B'Gorgeous services continue to maintain the highest standards of cleanliness, professionalism. I encourage you to allow Andreya the opportunity to provide the same level of care and service I have received for over 15 years.  Andreya is so personable and caring, the level of care she provides is admirable. I am so proud to call her my Stylist and Friend.   I highly recommend anyone in need of self care to schedule an appointment! Andreya ~Thank you for your consistency of service, professional standards and business etiquette! Blessings Dawnn Hills

I showed up excited, to my appointment 15 minutes early, and Andreya still had another client in…read moreher chair. She didn't seem to realize that I even had an appointment scheduled. She told me I would need to wait because she was running behind, but from the beginning, her tone was not very pleasant and I could immediately sense a negative attitude. I'm getting married tomorrow and have other appointments to catch, so I waited an additional 20 minutes before letting her know that I was on a time crunch and would need to cancel my appointment. I asked her to cancel the appointment through StyleSeat, and with an attitude, she assured me she would and that was the only way to cancel it. She then proceeded to tell me that she didn't know my name, which came across as if she was trying to make me feel unimportant. I found that extremely unprofessional, especially considering she didn't seem to know my name or even realize that I had an appointment scheduled with her in the first place. I explained that I didn't feel comfortable leaving until I knew the appointment had been canceled because I did not want to risk being charged through the app. I asked her once more to please cancel it, and her response was, "I'm not gonna stop what I'm doing here to cancel. I am trying to catch up." At that point, I took her card and walked out. By the time I got to my car, I saw that she had rescheduled the appointment and then canceled it. That made the interaction even more frustrating because it showed me that she was perfectly capable of handling the cancellation shortly after I left, but simply did not want to do it when I asked her to. It came across as prideful and as a complete lack of professionalism. It also gave me the impression that she wanted to handle the cancellation on her own time and in a way that would prevent me from being able to leave a negative review on the StyleSeat app. Whether that was her intention or not, the way the situation was handled certainly left me with that impression. Overall, the entire interaction felt unnecessarily rude and unprofessional. I was understanding of the fact that she was running behind, but the attitude and dismissive way I was spoken to were completely unnecessary. I arrived early for my scheduled appointment, waited beyond my appointment time, and simply wanted to make sure I would not be charged for an appointment I could no longer stay for due to her lack of time management.

Great job! I called in a jam because my stylus did not show up for our scheduled appointment. My…read moredisappointment was a blessing in disguise. Miracles did my hair better than my now old stylus. My next appointment will be at Miracles. Very professional.

Great personal service. Each person I contacted went way beyond and provided excellent service. I…read morechoose the perfect products with their help and they even had me sit in one of their chairs and they fitted the wig on me. Showing me a number of options. I will definitely be back.