Marianne Strokirk Salon — Local services in Chicago

I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience warrants it. I saw Melissa, and this was, without question, the worst salon experience I’ve ever had. I take exceptional care of my hair and arrived with it in healthy condition, requesting a subtle brightening and a cooler, more refined tone. Instead, my hair was processed twice, left visibly patchy, brassy, and noticeably dry. It now has darker roots and compromised ends, the exact opposite of what any client would want. My hair is naturally thick, full, long, and strong, and has always responded beautifully to color services, which makes the outcome here especially concerning. For a salon that markets itself as “the best,” the result and lack of professionalism were unacceptable.

My stylist, Melissa, never apologized or showed any genuine concern for the unsatisfactory outcome. When I mentioned that my hair felt compromised and requested a bond treatment (such as K18), she informed me that the salon doesn’t carry it. That’s remarkable for a modern salon claiming to specialize in color. Any reputable color studio should have a professional bond-repair system - whether K18 or an equivalent - to preserve the hair’s integrity when a client requests it.

To make matters worse, I was informed - with wet hair - that a blow-dry would not be provided. Apparently, it must be added as a separate service. At any reputable salon, a proper finish is part of the experience - you simply cannot evaluate your work on wet hair. I was shown a drawer of communal brushes and told to dry my own hair using tools that appeared to be shared by countless clients. I had little choice, as I had plans immediately afterward, but the lack of hygiene was deeply concerning! Meanwhile, my stylist sat in her chair texting on her phone. When I finished, she was nowhere to be found. A simple gesture, such as offering to style the front pieces or ensure the result looked polished, would have gone a long way. As someone who books weekly professional blowouts, I found the absence of even this most basic attentiveness genuinely shocking.

I’ve had my hair colored for years at salons across the country and have never left feeling this disillusioned. I sincerely hope management takes this feedback seriously and reevaluates the stylist’s training, standards, and overall commitment to client care. Furthermore, despite marketing themselves as a “luxury” salon, both the service and setting fell far short of that claim. From the front desk staff to the overall environment, there was nothing remotely elevated about it.

Under normal circumstances, I would have been open to some form of resolution from the salon. However, given the atrocious outcome and the complete absence of even the most basic standards of grace or decorum, I simply paid in full and left. At that point, I had no confidence that they were capable of handling the situation with the discretion required.

I've since scheduled a corrective appointment with a regarded color specialist in Chicago to repair the damage and restore my hair's tone. The new salon has already demonstrated a true level of expertise, professionalism, and care that this one so...

I've been going to Marianne Strokirk for the last 5 years ever since Rhi (@donebyrhi) started at the salon, and every experience I've ever had has been nothing short of amazing!

She always makes sure to ask the right questions and accommodate what I'm looking for, and has greatly educated me on the hair-dying process. She's always been super clear that it's tough to know how my (or anyone's) hair will lift/react to different processes no matter how experienced the colorist is, and posts educational videos and graphics about this on her Instagram. I've always left the salon feeling absolutely gorgeous and happy with the result, and when I return and give her feedback with what small items I'd like to change from my last session, she makes sure to apply the feedback to the current session. I'll never trust or go to anyone else for my hair coloring needs after going to Rhi the last 5 years.

In the last 2 years, I also found an amazing stylist in Lois (@glowwith_lo). I initially saw her to style my hair after Rhi's color a couple of years ago, and she really knew how to make the color pop! So the next time, I tried her for a cut and loved the result, so have been going to her ever since. There was also a time when I had an appointment that was closer to home for my engagement photos last year and unfortunately the stylist had to cancel a couple of days before, so I reached out to Lois for an updo (half up/half down hair with big curls) for our photos and I was blown away with the result and her ability to accommodate.

All in all, Marianne Strokirk really knows how to hire and train the best talent! I'll never go...

I appreciate the text message appointment reminders. I was running a few minutes late and when I called the staff was kind and understanding. When I got there, they had personal lockers for your belongings which I appreciated.

5/5 for Violet and her assistant Jasmine!! They were both really thoughtful and welcoming. Violet gave me one of the best haircuts that I’ve had in Chicago. I trusted her to recommend a good cut and she delivered!! She made sure I felt comfortable with the direction we were going beforehand and gave me tips on keeping my hair healthy. I highly recommend Violet - she’s been in the game for almost 10 years, is up to speed on all the latest trends, will tell you her honest opinion on what cut will suit your face shape, and overall is really sweet!

Downside: I think there needs to be better upfront communication about how much the haircut will cost. On the website it said $80+, so I came in anticipating it would be around $100 max because I have long hair. At first they handed me a receipt of $80 and then replaced it with one that was $128 (they mentioned it was a printing error on the machine). I also wasn’t able to tip on my card and feel that being able to tip without cash is a standard at most salons these days. They had an ATM machine in the back, but I didn’t want to incur extra fees from my bank. Again, I think there needs to be better upfront communication, especially from the perceptive of someone coming to the salon for...