Marcel's Unisex Salon — Local services in New York

Actors beware! I went in trusting the reviews saying she used all scissors. I went specifically to Marcel as the reviews suggested. I needed to match to a haircut for a low budget film I am in the process of filming for continuity and my normal hairdresser is out of town. I even said specifically you can go longer, please don’t go shorter than the picture. I had multiple pictures from all angles to work from. She immediately went in with clippers and took the sides too short with her first move. Then in trying to damage control I kept trying to get the shape to match and she sat and argued with me that the top needed to be longer, so now I have to go to someone else (luckily there’s a 3 days until the shoot) to try and damage control this situation costing me at least double and possibly lowering the quality of the film and maybe having to do expensive reshoots down the line if it’s too distracting.

The top is longer than the original pictures and the sides are much, much shorter, to the point I don’t look like the same character. I don’t even like the way I look even for just walking around, let alone my work may be affected! I certainly will never ever be back.

Be suspect of any review claiming “attention to detail”

EDIT: She offered a refund as seen in her reply, and over the phone said come by anytime. The only time I had available was after the haircut I got to fix this mistake. I assumed this was a peace offering and a forgiveness moment, so I decided to accept anyway and then edit the review a little higher after to show that she handled it professionally, it was an honest mistake etc.

THIS IS NOT HOW IT PLAYED OUT.

I feel morally obligated to describe this insane experience now, so I’m editing the review but keeping the one star and would go lower if I could. Read on for the craziness.

When I came in she was very upset to see me, which I could understand and didn’t think much of, she handed me back the money with half my tip, and proceeded to go into a lecture about how hard she works and how careful she is and how my review had “destroyed her business”. At this point I said “you have so many 5 star reviews that my 1 star took you from a 4.9 to a 4.8, if that destroys your business nothing would save it” but she was too busy raising her voice and talking over me to tell me “no you listen…” that I don’t think she was able to hear anything I said. She then points at my hair and said “and I gave you a great haircut!” And I had to explain that no, in fact this was the cut I got to fix hers and the only thing left of hers was the inch above my ears which I made sure didn’t get touched because the sides being too short was the problem in the first place. She instantly changed her tune and is now shouting over me that “she never cut it that short, she was very careful the whole time” and that she has cameras everywhere. So I encouraged her to go back and check the footage, I have no reason to lie to you, why would I want to get 2 haircuts in a week? But of course she’s still shouting over me and telling me how professional she is, so I decided, you know what? I am going to be petty, and let her know she gave me only half the tip back, and luckily she had cameras everywhere so that should be easily confirmable. I said keep it and she shouted back no no and basically shoved it at me, so I did end up getting a full refund to be fair.

At this point I’m trying to leave and she’s still shouting at me all of the same things and “no listen” and i just told her she’s f’n crazy and left. I hope there are microphones on those cameras so that she can maybe get a dose of reality when she’s less heated, but I doubt it.

Maybe she’s going through something, I don’t know, and if she is I hope things get better for her, clearly lots of people have had positive experiences with her, maybe this was just a fluke.

But I personally haven’t had a positive experience, this is in fact one of the most memorably terrible experiences I’ve ever had with any business. I will be talking about this one for...

If you're a black man or someone with tight curls, beware: Despite her protestations, she does not know how to cut black hair. This was my first and only visit to Marcel's. I've never had a problem with having my hair cut anywhere else. Over and over again she told me that my hair was "impossible" to cut (I have loose curls, medium hair length). She berated me about my hair not being "loose enough" and compared it to a brick. She also rushed through the entire thing, since she was running behind on her schedule. If she had just said that she didn't know how to cut my hair, I would've just gone to another place. Instead, she gave me an uneven haircut that was far shorter than I asked, all the while complaining about how difficult it was to cut my hair. At least she told me not to pay her since she couldn't handle it, but by then, the damage was done....

Honestly, I have gone to 5-6 barbershops in the area, and every time I get one okay haircut, I go back, and they ruin me.

EVERY… SINGLE…TIME… I went to Marcel’s Salon I got exactly what I wanted. I’ve left there amazed at what my hair looks like. Barbers would say oh, I can’t do that. Oh, your hair doesn’t do that. LIES. Marcel is SUPER TALENTED. You could be bald and leave there with hair. That’s how talented they are. They will make it happen if you show them any picture (within reason). My girlfriend has been much happier with my hair since I started going to Marcel’s, and I honestly rank them as the best barbershop I’ve ever gone to. When I see guys waiting in line for barbershops, I want to let them know there’s a better place down the street. Don’t waste your money or your time. GO TO...