The Braiding Bar Inc — Local services in Romeoville

I was excited and nervous to go here for knotless braids all because I have a braider already, but she wasn’t available to braid myself & my daughter hair before our trip. I’m also a content creator and was expecting to make a content video, but that also did not go as planned. I booked us about 2-3 weeks in advanced. I booked my daughter under kids knotless with boho with Afia because it said she specialize kids styles and included a picture of how I was expecting it to look along with me booking myself w/Claudine because I liked her work from following the salon on IG. I had been following the salon for a year or so and decided to try them out because of all the positive post the owner makes. Both of our appts were booked for 3:30p. I took off work because I figured it may be a long day and we live in the city of Chicago and they’re located in Romeoville which is a good 45 mins or longer away depending on traffic. While running errands the day of the appts which were on 8/9/23, I received a text asking if 1:30p would be fine to come In. I made sure to reiterate was it from my daughter, myself or the both of us because we both had appointments booked same time. It was for my daughter, but once driving toward that way. I seen she switched the both of us to accommodate which was fine and made sense so we both can get in and out. Made it to the area early so we stopped to sit and eat. We made it to the salon at 1:30p and when we walked in, we both just got stares until Titus (he was really sweet) asked were we walking in or had appointments. I explained to him we had appts and the time switched from 3:30p to 1:30p per the person who texted me. it seemed he may have been caught off guard. Both ppl I booked with were braiding other ppl hair at the moment. My daughter braider seemed a bit annoyed when she realized she was the braider for her, but I figured everybody was just probably caught off gauged. We waited about a hour which was 2:30p at this time before our services started. I’m not sure what transpired between my daughter braider Afia and Titus and I believe the owner over the phone, but after doing two of my daughter braids, she rushed out the salon. My daughter said the girl was crying that’s what she texted me because we were sitting on opposite sides getting braids. She informed me when Afia came back in to start braiding again which was about 10 mins later. She texted me again maybe 45 mins into the appt and asked if I seen the young girl that was braiding her hair and I told her I seen her eating. My daughter is 9 very intelligent and said the braider didn’t tell her she was leaving to eat. She was gone for maybe about 20 mins before going back to do my daughter hair. All in all we got done around the same time which was about 9pm. Once it was time to pay, I was caught off guard at the pricing for my daughter hair. On the website with knotless for kids, it said $100 for the size that I book (medium knotless). However, because of her age(and I was not aware) it was really $200. I had to pay extra money and didn’t know. I believe the website should specify the age ranges for the kids hairstyles so other parents will know upfront. Though we both got $20 off for the inconvenience in the beginning, I personally wouldn’t come back. It’s only been a week and the pictures I posted are of my daughter boho a vast majority of the front of her head, they’re messing up the style because of how they were braided in. I have to cut it out already which sucks because she starts school Monday and I was hoping the style would last at least a month. I will continue to take my daughter to her regular braider and as for Claudine who did my braids, she was nice and did a good job. Very gentle and also informed me when she was going to eat or needed to go to the bathroom. I give the shop 3 stars because of her and Titus.

Update: owner Mimi reached out after review and rectified the situation for me which I appreciate that because she didn’t have to. Titus redid my daughter braids. I’ve added pics. Better experience...

Very disappointed in the lack of professionalism. My daughter has been to Mimi’s many times over the past 4 years, despite a previous visit when her soft locs started falling out the next day and my daughter reporting that a child did most of hair at that particular appointment. At her most recent visit, the visit was initially cancelled because my daughter didn’t answer a phone call from an unfamiliar number with a foreign name listed on the Caller ID, and didn’t get a text from Mimi due to an issue with my daughter’s phone. Apparently, making an appointment and paying a deposit are no longer enough to confirm an appointment. Apparently, now “from time to time” a client can receive a text or call the day before an appointment, and if there is no response, the appointment is cancelled. No emails are send to confirm the appointment because “we don’t really use emails anymore”, but the cancellation was communicated via email. It seems to me that my daughter’s appointment was overbooked from the start, and the intention was to cancel the appointment and keep the deposit. I’ve never cancelled, rescheduled, or arrived late for an appointment. I’ve also never received anything other than automated texts or email reminders that specify no reply is needed-I actually went back in my communication history to verify this. Because my daughters hair was loose and ready to be braided, I accepted a later appointment. Not even 15 minutes later, I was contacted and advised to come back to the salon because another client had cancelled. My daughter seems to like her hair, but we won’t return. Instead, I’ll take my child to MY braider/stylist-who doesn’t overbook, washes, conditions, trims, braids, provides complimentary snacks/drinks and provides a luxury experience to every client. I’ll be happy to pay more for less stress and better hair care.

Edited to add In response to Mimi’s rebuttal, I never mentioned the issue with my daughter’s soft locs before, because I usually avoid confrontation and I understand that mistakes happen. I have never had my own hair braided at Mimi’s-I only book for my daughter. So, you must be thinking of another client’s soft loc mishap. I’m certainly not trying to ruin you, only share my experience. You should update your website so that clients are aware that they may receive a call or text, and have to respond or face cancellation-even after paying a deposit and receiving several automated reminder emails. That is nowhere on your booking site. The text that my child received days ago about her hair type was received (I was the person who wrote the response), but due to a tech issue, she didn’t get any other messages. I received a cancellation email 12 hours before her scheduled appointment and texted you from her phone, but never received the response and didn’t realize she was having the tech issue until the next morning as we were heading in for her braiding appointment. As I stated before, she did notice that she had 2 calls from an unfamiliar number, and she answered a 3rd call but said she only heard kids playing/background noise. She thought someone was accidentally dialing her and hung up. I showed up for the appointment anyway because I wasn’t sure if I’d texted too late and maybe there was some confusion about her appointment- and her appointment was first thing in the morning. Anyway, I figured I might as well see what the heck was going on and then find somewhere to get her braided that morning. When her style was completed and I came in to pay, you walked right past me a few times and never made an attempt to speak or explain anything. Again, it is not my intention to ruin anything for you- and realistically, a negative review will not ruin your business. No harm was done to my child.But, I will share my honest review. No accommodations were needed- my child got her hair braided, she’s happy with it. But the experience was terrible and you’re right- Mimi’s is no longer a business that fits my needs. I’m moving on and wish you well. Blessings to...

This is my 3rd time coming to this shop. My first time was back in March of 2024 when Maggie serviced me medium boho mid back knotless, WONDERFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE and I loved my hair, she made me want to come here every time. The next time I booked Fulani flip over & knotless I received Tonia has my braided, I loved my hair however this day I noticed attitudes and unprofessional while doing my hair with me and with other customers that I displayed. Moving forward I took a break due to that experience. I was recently booked for smedium knotless shoulder length minimal boho, with any braider under the impression that this style all braiders can successfully complete in a professional amount of time. They booked me with Lydia. On 8/13 Whom I am not aware of. No worries though. My appt was at 3pm I received a call at 1145 asking can I come at 2pm which was no problem. I was on my way and received ANOTHER call at 1:43 asking was I on my way and I said yes why is there a problem, the lady said yes the lady won’t be able to stop to do your hair. So I asked do I need to just keep it for 3, they said yes. Frustrating as this was I rearranged my work schedule to come in earlier when called and having to turn around when times were changed twice I still made my appointment on time at 3PM. When I arrived, the lady did not start my hair until around 3:45pm which is no big deal. After not even braiding for a hour she took a lunch break that was a little over 30 mins which I do not mind however I feel as though this should have been scheduled accordingly when not once but twice attempted to change my time. I was on time for my appointment and still was treated in an uncomfortable manner. As I go to tell the braider who is LYDIA that my braids are too small her and the other braider next to her basically told me to be quiet she is doing fine. I am not a confrontational person and for me to addrsss this very professionally to the braider and this was the response extremely did not sit right with me. I continued to ask what is their definition of smedium and that this is not what I expected etc. Titus comes over to explain every braider size is different and proceeds to say this is perfect size smedium and that he apologizes the braider should have shown me one braid before continuing. I appreciate him addressing this however when I came to several braiders they brushed me off and told me it is fine which is very frustrating when I am paying my hard earned money. as I continued to sit to get my hair braided, another braider came to take over to finish but my thing is why does it take after7 hours being in the shop for someone to assist with an issue? This could have been handled way before I was sitting in your shop for over the hours necessary. Customers should not have to address certain issues when it is obvious what is going on in the shop. when stuff is address your workers try to argue about a service you are commenting on and receiving which is crazy. After hours and no one has helped until it takes all of this for someone to professionally take control? There were several other customers that came and go and had the SAME STYLE SAME SIZE LENGTH and it is beyond me I came at 3 and left at 10:45pm being nearly the last in the shop. Didn’t even have time to fix my hair even if I wanted to. I have been more pleased with my hair & service at your shop than today. Even others with longer styles were gone before me and were assisted with their styles. I had to leave the shop to go straight to work and this is unacceptable. Time is everything and my time was disrespected . The unprofessionalism and unaccountability is ridiculous. Customers time is not appreciated. It is 8/20 and my hair is horrible I have to take it down as if I had it up for months, I have never had this issue I spend way tooo much money to have to take this down...