John’s Barber Shop

Great haircut, friendly atmosphere. Ive been going for 7 – 8 years and now bring my son along with me. The staff is always warm and welcoming.

I used to go here for about 15 years, great cuts, great staff, great location, but they changed their hours and no longer want to accommodate people who get their hair cut before work, so I was forced to look elsewhere.

Great, old-​school, no-​frills, barber shop in Central Sq. Went in for a cut for the first time in about a decade (I usually just buzz my own head). Was greeted warmly by all of the staff and took a seat all the way down at the end of the shop with no wait. My barber, Pat, was great. He knew exactly what I was looking for, gave me a nice tight, classic fade. Trimmed up the old beard, gave me the straight razor on the back of the neck, even fixed up my eyebrows for me without me even asking. I asked Pat for a recommendation on what to put in my beard to condition it, and as he’s a fellow beardsman himself, he was quick with advice and able to offer me a product they had in stock to take care of that. The barbers were all down to earth and jovial and it was a pleasant experience all the way around. I’ll definitely be back in soon when I want the full treatment on the old noggin. Ask for Pat, he’s my new barber.

3 years ago this place would’ve gotten four stars. They’ve gone downhill since John seems to have stepped down from day-​to-​day operations. It’s still a decent shop, but three key things have changed:
–Prices have gone up ($ 20 for a quick haircut now, although that’s still not all that high)
–Staff turnover. Every couple of months there seems to be someone new cutting hair. Half the point of sticking with a barber shop is to get the same barber and that’s not easy to do at John’s.
–Hours. This is the big one. They’re only open 10 – 6 Tuesday-​Friday, or 8 – 2 Saturday. They used to be open early on weekdays. Weekday cuts before work aren’t possible any more, so you’re stuck going on Saturday and waiting for 3 – 4 people before you.
I’ve been going here for 6 years but I’m looking for a new shop.

I stumbled on John’s driving by it each day to/​from work. It looked old school, so I thought I would try it. I was right. A great cut and a straight razor finish. That’s hard to find these days. They also trim beards as I found out when I returned from a two week hiking trip, a bit of a mess. I think John has retired and his daughter has taken over. The place has been spruced up and they have the news on the TV and decent music playing. I’ve been going here for over 7 years and getting my hair cut by Rudolfo each time. There is nothing like a good haircut early in the morning. I do recommend Johns.

If your looking for an uneven haircut in under 4 minutes sit with the little Spanish guy at the end. I went in there today n he rushed as fast as he could to get to the next customer, when I went home I noticed the hairs around my ears n the top was very uneven. Very disappointed.

They raised their prices by $ 3 since last month. Total rip-​off.

Great barber shop with real barbers!
If you’re looking to go to a barber shop where all you have to say is, «A gentleman’s cut» and they know exactly what to do, then John’s is the place for you. My husband used to go there when he lived and worked near Cambridge, now we live in S. NH and my husband and son go regularly for their cuts. It’s old school and that’s how my hubby likes it.
The barbers are very pleasant, professional and last time we were there one of them gave my 4yo a «hot shave» to emulate his dad. The barber didn’t have to do that, but it was awesome that he took the time out of his day to do something fun like that.

Not sure about the other barbers, but had a bad experience with the shorter older guy. The chair didn’t adjust so i had to slouch down and bend my head towards him the whole time (i’m 6’0″ in height). The cut came out uneven and when I said something he told me it was b/​c my hair is curly. He also dumped all the hair trimmings on my lap as he was taking off the smock. Generally unattentive. Will not return.

15 years ago a college buddy of mine told me about this old school barber shop… where a cut ended with a straight edge and hot shaving cream. I’ve been going every 2 weeks since. Now, not is John just my barber but a good friend.

Does your hair get cut? YES.
Do they talk to you? NO.
Is it fast? YES, unless you see a bunch of people sitting and waiting, then you have to sit and wait as well.
How much does it cost? $ 15 plus tip.
Do I go often? YEP, but mostly because it is near where I live.
Do you get what you pay for? I think so.
Do you get more than you pay for? I don’t think so.
Though all my cuts have been decent, there is definitely some variation in how good I think it looks depending on who has cut my hair (the older guys were the best). I don’t really know how to navigate the whole choosing one barber over another thing, so, oh well, but I’ve always been happy enough.
Nice location, bring cash.

I went here to get my hair cut for about two years when I was living in Central Square. I must have gone here a total of 10 – 12 times. Out of all those times, I only ever got one great haircut – the rest were average at best. I stuck with it, though, because there aren’t too many options in the area other than Supercuts. I even stuck with it after John gave me an unrequested tickle/​massage on the neck – it was strange, but I don’t think he meant any harm.
What put the nail in the coffin was when Rodolfo grazed my ear with the clipper a few months back. I felt a really sharp sting on the back of my right ear, but I figure he must have noticed if anything was actually wrong, so I ignored it. He kept on cutting my hair for a few minutes, then returned to my ear and said «You’re bleeding.» No wonder it stung so much. In all seriousness, he then proceeded to dab the back of my ear with a small tissue/​paper towel that had a bunch of black hair on it. The tissue was totally soaked in blood when he was done. He then applied some powder to the back of my ear. The cut took 1 – 2 weeks to heal. When the haircut was done, I paid and tipped in full, and there was no apology, no refund, nothing of that sort, like nothing had ever happened.
Really disappointing stuff, especially when the place is run by people who seem to have been cutting hair for a very long time.
On the plus side, I’ve switched over to La Flamme in Harvard Square, and I’ve gotten some pretty good haircuts there. No bloody ears.

The shop opens early and all barbers can cut well. Conversations have been great. 1^st time I was there I was able to vent for 45 min while getting a great cut

John is a great guy, goes straight to the job, fast and efficient. I recommend.

John’s is an old school establishment that reliably churns out good haircuts. I always left there satisfied. It’s got the charm you’d want, including faded postcards of Italy hanging on the wall and thick Italian accents.
Though I have affection for John’s, I can’t honestly say that their work is anything special. The attention to detail isn’t astounding, and I’ve found some stray hairs that got overlooked by the shears afterwards. However, it’s a good value, and its about as authentic of an old barber shop as it gets.
This isn’t the place to get an impeccable haircut, but if you want fast and inexpensive, it’s worth a try. You may become a regular.

After moving to Boston two years ago, it took me some time to find a barber shop that could give a quick, masterful cut that is also affordable. The search has ended with John’s Barber Shop.
I work right down the street so it’s convenient to get a cut in during my lunch hour and still have 45 minutes to spare.
I’ve been in a few times since and have had everyone cut my hair except for Kathy — I don’t she exists. Kathy is probably what they named the empty chair. Anywho, the other woman, Betty, should not touch hair… at all. I was stuck with her chair once and she gave me the (second) most jacked up fade I had ever gotten in my life. My recommendation: skip Betty; and skip your cut if no one else is available.
Roldolfo is a pleasure. He can be as meticulous as John, but much quicker.
John is a delight. We always converse heavily when I come in. You can tell that the man has his craft down and loves what he does. He is, by far, the best chair to sit in. Get to the know man and experieince a cut as if you were still in the 50’s. He’ll even offer a hot straight-​edge shave afterwards.
I enjoy coming here as it’s convenient and most of the staff is talented. Haven’t found a better cut yet!

I walk by here all the time so decided to give it a shot based on Unilocal reviews. There are only ever two people in there, a man and a woman. I had my first cut with the man, and it was ok, not great. Fast and uneven. I then tried the woman and it was much faster and worse. It’s so close to me I wish it was a great place, but unfortunately it’s not.

The haircuts I’ve received here haven’t always been the best, but they are good enough for $ 15 that I continue to come back. On at least one occasion I’ve had to come home and take out the scissors to finish off a little trimming.
There is an extra $ 5 charge for «long hair» and their definition of long isn’t quite what I would think it is. I paid the extra money without saying anything, though if I ever let my hair grow out a bit, I’ll chop off some before going in to even it out to save the money.

If you hate small talk and have less than 10 minutes to spare, John’s is the place to get your snip on.
In a matter of minutes, John will sit you, drape you, and snip you all before you’re able to mention the weekend weather forecast. Don’t let the little man fool you; he moves swiftly and efficiently, using his scissors and thinning shears the way Wolverine wields his retractable bone claws. In the spirit of the old school, John will finish off your tornado of a trimming with a straight razor shave.
Problem is, John often moves too fast to the point that he misses a spot or two. He’s also not one for being gentle; he has no qualms about grabbing a handful of hair and yanking your pansy ass to one side or the other.
That said, he’s cheap, he’s quick, he’s no frills. John doesn’t mess around.

Outstanding haircut experience. I have been going only to John’s for the last five years, even got my haircut on my wedding day (by Rodolfo).
Having John cut your hair in the first chair is a special treat, but all three barbers — John, Betty and Rodolfo do a masterful job.
Price is just right too and you can hop in and out on the way to work (or I can since I pass through Central Square on my commute!)
It’s like stepping back in time, complete with the mellow music stylings courtesy of WJIB AM 740, coming out of an old-​school radio!
Best Haircut in metro-​Boston, hand’s down!