- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Parlour Salon
Category: Beauty and Spas Hair Salons Hair Salons [Edit]
6 Ossington AveToronto, ON M6J 2Y7
Neighbourhoods: Ossington Strip, West Queen West, Beaconsfield Village
(647) 345-6663
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 10 am - 8 pm
Sat-Sun 10 am - 6 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Kids:
- No
- By Appointment Only:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
52 reviews for Parlour Salon
52 reviews in English
-
Review from Georgia F.
Mississauga, ON
12/2/2011
LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE!
I first came to Parlour about two years ago, when I had my almost black hair bleached and dyed to a semblance of my natural dark blonde in a single afternoon. Needless to say that it went excellently. There was definitely a price tag that I won't share for fear of some of you fainting, but it was worth every penny! My hair felt like I had barely more than washed it, and looked absolutely fabulous. I only wish I remember who did my cut and correction because it was a work of art that should be commended!
I returned about two months ago for a cut this time, and this time booked with Jay. From the moment I sat down he not only told me what my hair needed, but LISTENED to what I wanted(just the damage taken off, clean it up, needs to be wash and go) and told me honestly what would and wouldn't work. He was fantastic. When he eventually got the scissors out, he kept me in the loop at every turn and made sure I was okay with the length he was taking off. He knew I wanted to keep the length and only cut off what really needed to go. He really made the experience great and I would suggest him to anyone!
I can't see myself taking my hair anywhere else, I've definitely been spoiled at Parlour! -
Review from Maheen M.
12/21/2011
I booked an appointment at Parlour based on the awesome yelp reviews and I am glad I did! The place has this hip and funky vibe, I really felt relaxed and at ease when I entered. The receptionist was super friendly and directed to the sitting area upon my arrival.
My hair stylist was awesome, she took my recommendations and added her own flare while she cut my hair. She was super friendly as well. I mentioned to the salon that I wanted to get my hair styled for a wedding I was going to that day and they made accommodations without extra charge! How awesome.
The girl that styled my hair after my cut, did a great job of keeping my hair natural yet done up. My styled hair lasted till the next morning after the wedding!
I will be back for another hair cut in the future! -
Review from jocelyn l.
11/9/2011
I requested a low maintenance haircut from Brionie and she delivered in a low-key, non-dramatic way.
Contrary to other reviews, the receptionist on duty that day was very pleasant, polite, friendly and...well, easy to deal with.
Would recommend for anyone seeking a new salon...and out of towners (like me) who may be wary of new stylists in a new city -
Review from Mochi M.
9/23/2011
Got my hair cut at Parlour Salon and I paid $68 (before tip and after tax) for the wash, cut and style. This is a FANTASTIC price.
The salon itself is very clean (thumbs up!), well kept, had a cool retro vibe with the stylists in funky retro styling, like with waistband suspenders, dyed colourful hair and tattoos all over. Very urban. A lot of metrosexuals go there apparently because I clocked 3 of them within the time span of an hour.
The stylist was right on time but still sipping his coffee which made me wonder if he was really all there and alert enough to take care of my hair.
The stylist first assessed my hair, asked me what I wanted and then made a few suggestions. Then after the wash, he started cutting my hair. Afterwards, he dried it and finished the cut when my hair was dry.
It looked great afterwards... but frankly, it doesn't look so good if I don't put product in it and dry it, which is NOT what I wanted.
That said, I am not hating the haircut but I don't love it either, or think it's the best haircut I've ever received.
Perhaps once it grows out a bit, I'll love it.
The reason why I am still giving it 4 stars is because he really took care of me. It would have been better if I had gone in there with a photo or an idea of what I wanted, but I told the poor guy to do whatever he wants.
Incidentally, if you take the TTC, you can go by Ossington station and then take the southbound bus 62 (?) to get there. When the stop says "Queen Street", the bus stops RIGHT in front of the salon, so don't wander around like an idiot looking for 6 Ossington the way I did, because it's right in front of you. :P
Overall, I really liked the salon and liked the stylist, but I recommend you go in there with a plan of what you want so they have a base to work from. -
Review from Julia L.
Toronto, ON
12/16/2011
Paul is a genius with scissors, and it's evident that he truly has a passion for hair. He took the time to ask me what I wanted and really listen to my needs, which I appreciated. He did a beautiful job blending my bangs in with the rest of my layers. I've been toying with the idea of getting full bangs in front, and Paul would be the only stylist I would trust to do the job. Every visit to Parlour is a lovely and satisfying experience, highly recommended.
-
Review from Laura C.
Toronto, ON
8/21/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Wow this was one of the quickest haircuts I've ever had - effective and awesome - and I have thick hair which usually takes them a while to blowdry.
I booked the appointment a little under a week and said I had thick asian hair and I need someone that knows how to cut. I was paired up with Jay - he was sweet and after hearing I had bad experiences and paranoid about new stylists, he reassured my fears.
I was really pleased with the cut and a $68 price point was pretty awesome too. Its no frills, so pick up a coffee at the Starbucks or El Almacen to your west.
Free parking on weekends on the residential streets.
The real test comes after I wash it!Listed in: Thanks Yelp!
-
Review from angie c.
5/28/2011
THANK YOU YELP.
I have been debatably blonde forever, and it was time to commit. At some great yelper's recommendations, I decided to go see Markis @ Parlour since he apparently does the "best blondes."
He really does. He wove pretty highlights through my hair that look natural, subtle but decidedly blonde, no more light brown kinda sorta dirty blondish for this girl.
After he finished my highlights he put me under the dryer for 20 minutes, checked me and gave me an amaaazing hair wash, massaging my head thoroughly for the shampoo, toner, and conditioner. Mmm.
Included in the price of colour was a rough dry and flat iron - my colour looks perfect, I will definitely be back. Thanks Yelp for leading me to my new colourist!
~125 before tax for my highlights, depending on length thickness, etc.Listed in: Taking Care of Me
-
Review from Jane M.
4/26/2011 ROTD 11/9/2011
I called Parlour this morning after a particularly embarrassing hair-related melt down at about 1am last night. I asked for something anytime this week and they said they could fit me in today, giving me a choice of three different time slots.
I was actually quite worried that the place would be pretentious, because I'm very wary of people in the services industry judging me. I can't even order pizza without worrying that the man on the phone thinks I'm a tool. Call it a quirk? Anyway, I got there and everyone was lovely. I couldn't have asked for nicer people. Really warm and friendly.
Considering I made my appointment so last minute I was practically a walk-in, I didn't ask for any particular stylist. I ended up with Matthew and the two of us had a grand time. I told him I hadn't had a haircut since I left Ireland and that it needed to be done, but that I didn't really want a hair cut at all. I told him short hair makes me look like Kelly Osbourne but right now the condition was just awful, and despite three years of growing out half a decade of Kelly hair, I was ready to let go of some of the length.
LONG story short, my hair turned out fantastic -- a million times better than I had hoped. Matthew was very meticulous and his attention to detail was mental. The man did things to my bangs that I never knew was possible (and I'm a complete hair salon slut, not to mention a demon with a scissors, so I've had it all)!! He was also just a medium amount of chatty, which was nice. I get shy at the hair dressers, and when I'm nervous, I ramble. A few times he asked me questions, about where I was from, my job, whatever, and I could hear myself starting to babble, so I had to catch myself and just tell my mouth to shut up. Still, he didn't seem to mind my babbling or my bouts of silence!
At the end of the day, I expected to come home moderately happy; knowing I'd done the right thing but depressed that I'd lost half my hair. I actually like it as much as my old hair!! YAAAY! At $68, I was pretty pleased. His next appointment actually arrived before he was finished and he still took his time, cutting this strand and that until it was perfect.
If this were eBay I'd be all A+++, would do business with again! But I guess five stars will have to do. I'll definitely go back. -
Review from Jessica W.
Toronto, ON
7/27/2011
Had to find a new salon after my longtime stylist retired. The killer reviews on Yelp convinced me to give Parlour a try.
Really great cut from Sergio, who was completely meticulous without taking forever. I went in with long hair, just past the shoulder blades, and left with a chic cut a few inches short of shoulder-length. I never felt rushed or that any corners were being cut, but was still done in just under 1 hour. Fantastic, in my books. Also, Sergio was clear about what he was doing and checked that I was liking how the cut was progressing.
Enjoyed the relaxed vibe and music in the salon for my morning appointment, didn't get even a whiff of any hipper than thou attitude as some posters had suggested. Everyone was just chill. I'll be a repeat customer for sure.
A bonus was the book-it-yourself online appointment system. Love that. -
Review from tokill a.
Etobicoke, ON
2/19/2011
I've just started going to Parlour as my Stylist (Sam) has recently moved there (from John Steinberg). She's really the only person I trust in terms of skill-set, and abilities. So this is more about the change of venue, than Sam (see my JSA review of Sam)
My biggest issue with getting my haircut is generally the tone of the Salon. You either feel like you're under a microscope for your style sensibilities, and this is usually accompanied by a "Hipper than Thou Attitude" mixed with a wee bit of condescension.
I'm happy to say; Parlour isn't like that. The vibe is pretty relaxed and it feels like you're just hanging out at someone's house...albeit, a House inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey. But the fireplace and couches add a nice touch of chilled ambiance. The bust of Jean-Luc Picard reinforces that they really don't take themselves too seriously.
All-in-All, very refreshing and progressive change from a lot of other Salons where you feel like you're inconveniencing ~them~ if you're 5 minutes too early, 5 minutes too late. Also really like that I can book appointments online! -
Review from Laura T.
Toronto, ON
1/29/2011
Amazing, amazing, AMAZING! I had such a great experience at Parlour! Everyone was so nice and knowledgeable, the space is so cool, the price is right ($60 for all stylists, $50 for students), and the Kevin Murphy hair products they use are wicked.
A BIG thank you to Matthew who gave me an amazing haircut and special shout out to Mandy for the moisturizing hair treatment. I really can't get over what a great experience I had with the people at Parlour. Everyone really took the time to talk with me, found out what I wanted, and gave me exactly that. Request Matthew, he's a peach.
Other cool features are the online booking (super convenient) and if you refer a friend, the next time YOU go back for a cut, they give you 10% off.
H -
Review from Happybadfish S.
Toronto, ON
8/17/2011
I researched alot prior to choosing Parlour. I have been here twice, both times to see Sam. I have long hair, and I hate how some hairdressers want to chop it all off. She takes extra caution to make sure she doesn't traumatize me by cutting too much length off. The price is so great in comparison to other salons. They don't push products on you, which I love because I always feel guilty and buy them even if I don't want or need them. And my favorite feature about Parlour is you can book online! Love that!
-
Review from sara l.
Toronto, ON
12/22/2010
I got a haircut from Paul. He was really thorough and did a lot of detail work on my hair when dry to get it just right. He was friendly but not too chatty. Just the way I like my stylists. I wasn't a huge fan of the way he styled my hair, as my hair was larger than my usual, but the cut was fabulous and looked awesome for 3+ months afterward.
I got the feeling that I was not cool enough to get my hair cut there though. There was a heavy "hipper than thou" vibe from the guy who ran the desk. I arrived 20 minutes early to peruse their magazines for a new hairdo, and he announced to Paul and the room rather loudly that I was so early. Made me feel a bit more awkward than I was already.
The other stylists were friendly enough though. I give Paul five stars, the ambiance and emo front desk guy take it down to three stars.
Okay, so there was a misunderstanding. I just got a lovely message from Tyler who was the behind the desk that day, and he explained that he has to let the stylists know how much time they have got so they don't feel rushed to finish their previous clients. And this has to be done at a level so it can be heard over the hair dryers. It all makes sense now!! I guess I was just having a socially awkward day. I guess I better call my life coach!!! jk. -
Review from Renata R.
Parlour is a great salon with awesome music playing (did you know Beck's "Everybody's gotta learn sometime" is a version from a 30-year-old song by The Korgis? They played the original!) and great, great hair stylists.
I was feeling adventurous and chose a random stylist to cut my hair, and told THE CHOSEN ONE to just have fun with my hair. I loved the retro-but-modern look, and I absolutely fell in love with Matthew, the way he touches your hair has some kind of magic, I don't know. It's just... magic.
All the hair products smell great and customer service is awesome too (online booking? Gotta love that!). The downside is the price, a bit over the top for just a haircut - c'mon, my hair is so short... But I have a haircut only once in a while, so I'm probably coming back.Listed in: The Beauty and The Beast
-
Review from Holly L.
Montréal, QC
8/3/2011
As twenty-somethings that travel for work 100% of the time, my wife, best friend and I can't stress the luxury of having the same person attend to your hair needs every six weeks... Unfortunately due to our lifestyle a luxury we don't have. So when the three of us booked with Parlour, we put a considerable amount of faith in the people coming at us with bleach and scissors, and even more faith in the sparkling reviews on Yelp.
Two of us booked two-color processes and cuts, the other just a basic cut.
This place is fantastic. Clean, classy black and white interior with soul/jazz music softly playing, bottled diet coke on hand, a gorgeous sitting area with black leather sofas, the most recent version of your favorite indulgent magazines, AND delectable Kevin Murphy products. What more do you want?
Probably expert stylists, right? Well, Parlour has that too! They look like extras from the set of "LA Ink" minus the pretentious, "I'm a tormented artist" attitude.
Markis did an amazing job on my color and finally achieved the look I've been seeking for months.
Samantha is the Queen of Cuts.
I have a bob-style haircut that I've been trying to take in a certain direction for over a year. She actually explained to me the scientific formula to the coveted Bob and fixed all the excess texturing my last year of cuts left me with.
The three of us were more than impressed and plan to rebook before we have to move again.
Go! Go now. Seriously. -
Review from Michelle A.
Toronto, ON
11/21/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I agree with all the Parlour praise! I had an awesome hair cut with Matthew. He was so nice, and an excellent stylist. He spent a lot of time asking what I wanted and offered a lot of good styling tips along the way. He really focuses on the details and made sure all my layers were cut perfectly. Thank you Matthew.
The salon also uses paraben-free hair products by Kevin Murphy- they smell amazing. Hair cuts cost $60 (for guys/girls), BUT for students, it's only $50.If you're a lazy last-minute booker like me, you'll be happy to know you can just check the website for availability and book online - very convenient. -
Review from Susu H.
Toronto, ON
4/5/2011
I have crazy, multi-ethnic hair that has a mind of its own. frizzy, coarse, long, slight wave...i hate it. and, unfortunately, i have had my fair share of monstrosities called "haircuts".
well, it had been six months since I had moved to Toronto, so I was definitely due for a trim of some sort. After searching around, I decided to give Parlour a shot. Armed with my tall, outspoken friend who would stand up for me if thinning shears made an appearance, I went to my appointment with Paul.
I was very nervous, apprehensive, and I filled him in on my most recent "new hairstylist" experiences. However, he definitely put me at ease, could tell that the last person to cut my hair greatly damaged it (without me telling him), and decided on a moderate hair cut since my hair still needed more time to grow out. I really appreciated his honesty, his professionalism, and the fantastic trim and shape he gave me. Will definitely go back
((ps - if you are a student, they do offer student discounts!)) -
Review from Kaye H.
Toronto, ON
10/7/2010
Since moving to Toronto I have felt like a fish out of water in regards to haircuts and salons, I was always floundering around in search of an adequate stylist. I kept coming across Parlour at Ossington and Queen on yelp and whilst researching salons. It opened around the time I moved into my old neighborhood of Little Italy, and the salon's pretty and delicate website featuring photographs of stylists decked out in tattoos, sporting wicked hairdos, intrigued me. But it seemed just a little too cool for me, the idea of going there to get my hair cut intimidated me.
Cut to (no pun intended!) a year later, I was in desperate need of a haircut as I'd fried my hair real bad. Encouraged by my months' of research and pawning over the Parlour website, I finally decided to bite the bullet and make an appointment with Brionie, who has received rave reviews on yelp.
I walked into the salon, and was surprised, because it's completely white, and laid out very simply. There are no fancy-pantsy, obnoxious decorations placed out in order to give off the notion that the salon is more hip or fancy than it actually is. And that's because, this salon doesn't need to make up for shitty haircuts or bad hair-dye jobs with pretty trinkets or walls and walls of fancy hair products: the stylists at Parlour are really just that good and don't need to compensate for a lack of anything with a salon that is aesthetically fancy. The salon's basic and clean appearance helped me to feel at ease, I didn't feel nearly as intimidated as I had before.
Atfer having my hair washed upon arrival, Brionie came to introduce herself to me. Brionie is super kind and cool. She listened to me patiently as I anxiously apologized about the state of my hair and she laughed in understanding. She then proceeded to take my hair and shape it, thin it out, and cut it so drastically without diminishing the length, that it was a miracle. Stylists are always really hesitant to thin out my hair, but I have ridiculously thick hair that needs to be thinned; Brionie has recognized that and always thins it out appropriately so that it not only looks good, it feels amazing.
The next time I went to see Brionie, I said, "Just cut it off. I'm sick of it. I want a cute, fun, short cut. I want it kind of Mia Farrow." I came out with the best hair cut I've ever had. She listened to me and took into account my face shape, my hair type and generally what I was asking for.
I am completely comfortable with going to Parlour now. Getting my hair cut is now an enjoyable experience again that I look forward to. Best of all, Brionie never judges me for having dead, fried hair, whereas other stylists have scoffed or scolded. She actually used a phrase that I use all the time now, especially when talking about her. She said, "If you don't have long, gorgeous hair, you're gonna fry the shit out of it." And that's true. I fry the shit out of my hair time and again. And when I need it coiffed and perfected, I just hop along to Brionie at Parlour and she fixes me right up. -
Review from Athena Y.
Toronto, ON
3/26/2011
I have really thick hair and this time around, I'd let it grow to mid-back, so there was a lot of it. I wanted a shorter, layered style that still had volume and body, and Brionie, who is absolutely wonderful, came up with a style that took into consideration that my hair, when shorter, is actually wavy and that I usually don't do anything to my hair than wash, condition, and apply hair serums. I came out with a sleek, layered, armpit-length hairstyle with shorter bits framing my face that everyone in my dorm said looked wonderful on me.
Brionie is a jewel; she listened to my vague descriptions of how I wanted to look and my usual hairstyle and then took that and turned it into something I completely did not expect but love more than my old cut.
In addition, the girl who shampooed and blow-dried my hair (didn't catch her name) was fantastic; she was professional, friendly, and skilled - probably one of the best shampoos and blowdrys I've ever gotten.
And while Parlour is a bit pricy ($51 - yay for the student price!) and I did kind of get the this-is-a-bit-too-hip-for-me vibe that other yelpers described, the atmosphere was very warm and welcoming and you totally get what you pay for.
Would recommend this salon to anybody! -
Review from Kasia M.
Toronto, ON
10/9/2010
Paul cuts my hair, does a great job.
The products they use are amazing, like some other people who have reviewed them I splurged on the Kevin Murphy products and did not regret it.
The atmosphere is modern but welcoming, I never feel intimidated or frenetic when I'm there; it's actually a calming experience!
My one word of advice, and it's the same for every salon you go to: if you have a vision, bring pictures, visual language, and pay attention. If you need to, always speak up because especially at Parlour they'll always work hard to fix it for you.
Love Parlour. -
Review from Hana B.
Updated - 6/24/2010 1 Check-in Here
So i received a note from the wonderful owner of Parlour inviting me back for a re-cut. Putting my apprehensions aside I decided to go for it. Paul was able to add a few more layers to the front, which made me feel quite a bit better about the cut, and i felt more like "myself".
Overall, the cut is decent (I love the bangs/volume at the crown) but I'm not overjoyed. I did smell like patchouli and blend in with the Queen-west hipsters when I left the salon after been given a bed-head finishing look. Generally I expect to look polished, but maybe I'm just not cool enough for Parlour.
3.5 starsListed in: Feelin Pretty in the GTA…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
6/4/2010
I was looking to get a super nice haircut, modern but customizable for my best friends wedding i am… Read more »
-
-
Review from Maggie E.
Toronto, ON
2/26/2011
After reading all these rave reviews, I decided to give Parlour a shot a few months ago.
I have long, very thick/ wavy hair so I decided on Courtney. The cut was good, not spectacular. The student discount was great. Overall the whole experience was a little underwhelming. I mean, I left happy, and my hair grew out well but it was by no means the best cut I've ever received. One big meh. -
Review from E C.
6/3/2010
I had my grey roots colored here and was unhappy with the way the colour was matched to my hair colour. It wasn't pulled through the rest of my hair so I was left with a weird band of colour in a slightly different hue. The girl that blow dried/ styled my hair after also seemed quite dispassionate about her job and as if she was afraid to touch hair in general. They were very friendly and nice, but overall, they did not seem very knowledgeable and the service was fairly mediocre on a technical level.
06/08/10 - As a follow up to my review, I just received a message from the owner of Parlour offering to fix my color on the house. I'm very impressed with the level of responsiveness and customer service. Wow! -
Review from Em J.
Toronto, ON
10/19/2010
My least favorite part of moving to a new place is finding a new person to cut my hair. So after a nail-biting evening browsing yelp reviews, I called up Parlour to make an appointment. When I told the receptionist that I had curly hair that I like to wear short, he replied "I have just the stylist for you."
He was right. Paul listened to my requests and methodically cut away. And, I have to say, my hair looks pretty great. Yay! -
Review from Rayanne L.
East York, ON
7/5/2010
Wow -- last time I saw this business on Yelp, there were only six reviews! Too awesome.
Got dumped, was sad and wanted to chop my long hair off. Same ol' story, ya know.
I went to Parlour based on a friend's Twitter suggestion. Did a little Googlin' and found these reviews! Um, hi? Sounds good! Sign me up! Got the famous Brionie (sweet name) and loved her to pieces. Told her I went because of Yelp reviews and she said, "People keep telling me that. I should really check that thing out." Heh.
Wanted a pretty simple bob, but fancy Toronto salons can't seem to cut a straight line on fine, straight fair. She rocked it. Did what I wanted, but since I said I was easy, she put her twist on it and made the back of my head look real nice.
And yay -- straight bangs! And I didn't even have to do them myself.
Brionie was awesome. We talked about where we were from and turns out there's a little Kevin Bacon degrees happening between us. Super cool girl. -
Review from Anon O.
Toronto, ON
8/3/2011
i'm pretty low maintenance when it comes to hair. i like to wash, blowdry/airdry and then i'm good to go. my hair is pretty flat so i never have a problem with frizz, nor do i worry about styling products. that being said, i haven't been to a hairdresser in a very long time but decided to do something nice for myself and finally get a real hairstyle.
i went to parlour based on a friends recommendation and though i was skeptical it would be another artsy fartsy pretentious hair salon where i'd get half my hair shaved off, it turned out to be the opposite. it's conveniently located at queen st. west & ossington, 20 seconds from the streetcar stop. from the outside you'd think parlour was a small salon but it's actually quite large, extending to the back. very spacious and modern, great decor and a very friendly, personable receptionist.
my appointment was with Jay. i explained my situation to him and he was understanding in relating to my haircut anxiety and inexperience with hairdressers. i was worried that my hair would turn out too short but what Jay did was actually quite wonderful. he layered my hair in such a manner that gave not only my hair shape but made features of my face stand out, like my eyes and cheekbones. his execution was immaculate in that he took his time (an hour for medium length hair!) with each section of my hair to perfect the cut. he was also very down-to-earth and friendly, very easy to communicate with. overall, we had a great time and he explained to me how to upkeep my hair and when to get it re-cut.
after i paid (which was reasonable) i felt really good about my new hair. i was slightly worried that if i washed my hair and didn't style it like Jay did it wouldn't be such a great haircut. however, it's been weeks and my hair is still wonderful. i don't have to invest a lot of time to get it to look good or "co-operate" as some people would put. i can blowdry my hair and walk out of the house without my layers looking wavy or mullet-like. it's a nice haircut and i will definitely be seeing Jay again.
PS- i forgot to add that this place has excellent music taste! sitting there i had heard maybe 5 of my favorite songs through-out the session. let's just say it added to the experience of awesome! -
Review from Shari M.
Toronto, ON
12/13/2009
It has taken me a while to figure out how to rate Parlour.
Parlour is not your regular salon. It is a large room filled with artists. If your experience with hair before has been stylists doing a fair to pretty good job, you will be impressed by Parlour. The staff here take pride in their work and truly perform masterpieces.
A week ago I had my hair cut and coloured here, and really enjoyed it. I wanted to wait a few days to see how the hair was working out and to sort out my ratings system. Overall, 4 stars. But, the breakdown is as such:
Decor: Okay. The pictures on Yelp were taken a while back I think. I guess I had high expectations as this place was top rated and raved about. But, the couch could be replaced, there is paint chipped in the back and the green in the bathroom makes ya kinda dizzy. There is however this amazing painting in the bathroom that I so love and want to have in my apartment!!!! Decor rating: 3 stars
Hair cut: I was fortunate enough to have Brionie cut my hair. This girl is amazing! Turns out, as I was waiting for Brionie to come into the salon, I was staring at this woman who looked so familiar but I couldn't place her. Said woman sat next to me and had her hair coloured. Turns out it was Brionie's mom and I had worked at the same law firm as her when I just got out of university. Small effen world.
Brionie looked at my hair and decided to flat iron it first before cutting. I was impressed. I have very fine hair and by flat ironing it, she was able to give me va-va-voom layers that I have never been able to get my regular hair dresser to do. *disclaimer - still love my regular hair dresser, Brionie is an artist and was able to sculpt my tresses into the ability to have Texan big hair opportunity if I so choose to do so*
I must also stress that Brionie has the touch of an angel. Very, very gentle and relaxing!! Highly, highly, highly recommend Brionie. I will be back to have her cut my hair. 5+++++ stars!!! Cost for hair cut - just over $60
Colour: I noticed not many other people were getting their hair coloured (just Brionie's mom and I). I thought this was kind of odd, but didn't pay too much attention to it. Once Brionie gave me a kick ass hair cut, I was whisked off to get coloured by Francis (aka Franz). Francis looked at my hair and listed to my thoughts. I usually stick with a form of red and he found a colour that matched my skin tone PERFECTLY. He highlighted in the right spots, and left other spots untouched. The end result - a masterpiece that just "highlighted" my cut. I was impressed.
I must also point out that when Francis washed my hair, I was in heaven. My scalp and hair want to marry his fingers.
When Francis styled my hair he even gave me some handy tips and did a great job!
Cost for hair colour - $145. Yes, $145. I wish I was lying or kidding here, alas I am not. This is part of the reason that it took me so long to write this review. I love the colour, but I cannot afford the price. When I looked on Parlour's website, the costs were expensive, but within reason. Had I known it was going to cost me that much to have my hair coloured by Francis, I wouldn't have done it. That being said, again, I love the colour and have had tons of compliments. I just can't justify the cost. Overall colour - 5 stars, cost....1 star.
I will be back to Parlour, oh yes I will be back. But, only for a cut. I am also thinking with the prices they charge for colour that they could roll on some new paint and get a new couch and chair (the one you sit in to have your colour set is literally falling apart).
I was impressed that I was served coffee...which was awesome and greatly appreciated!!
A final note....check out Sergio. There is something cute and different about him!! -
Review from Erin B.
8/13/2010 4 Check-ins Here
I recently had my hair cut by Kenny at Parlour and it may be the best hair cut I've ever had. Ever.
A friend recommended Parlour a little while back and after reading the many glowing reviews on yelp I decided to give it a shot. I went to the website to book my appointment and read the stylists' bios. Everyone and their puppy raves about Brionie, so I was a bit nervous when she was not available the day I wanted to go (Sunday, the day after I made my booking - online booking is fantastic, btw).
As it turns out, Kenny was lovely and I left the salon thrilled. He listened to me say more or less the same thing I've been saying to stylists since I moves to town three years ago: My hair is super fine and has a tendency to fall flat. I want it to be low maintenance. I'm willing to blow dry some of the time but it needs to look ok if I just pin it back or put it up as well. And I'm happy enough with what it's doing but since transitioning off the bar and into a real job two years ago I feel like my hair is boring and dull and looks like it's totally without style. I want it to be more interesting without losing the tenuous hold I have on appearing professional.
Kenny's the first stylist who heard all that and pushed me just far enough out of my comfort zone that my hair is now gorgeous, stylish, and totally low maintenance. I have full bangs for the first time in my life and I'm totally in love.
As for the space itself, its clean, simple, almost spartan. There're some comfy chairs near what appears to be a fireplace that seem like they'd be cozy in colder months and there's plenty of natural light. The lack of hip kitsch is almost refreshing. -
Review from Becca G.
Toronto, ON
9/15/2009 1 photo
Parlour is a hip little hair salon at Queen and Ossington, right beside the Lennox Contemporary gallery. I followed my hair dresser here from Coupe Bizarre, and feel much more comfortable in this small, clean salon opposed to the hustle and bustle of Coupe. The salon only features a handful of stylists, 3 girls and 3 guys, with 3-4 working at a time. Overall, Parlour provides a casual, laid back experience, where you can actually carry a conversation with your stylist and not have to shout over the too-loud music. Everyone is very friendly, and you don't feel judged by your hair cut or personal style. A student cut is $50.
The decor is pristine and fresh, with white walls and cool art. The bathroom door is practically disguised into the wall!
The highlight of Parlour? The bust of Jean Luc Picard sitting in the front right-hand corner of the salon, made by my stylist Charlotte's EX-boyfriend. -
Review from Kat F.
Updated - 2/3/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Now that I've actually washed and styled my hair a number of times I can adequately assess the haircut I received from highly-recommended stylist Brionie.
I was unhappy with an unfortunate haircut I'd received at another salon some months ago and it needed serious adjusting. Brionie happily accepted the challenge and I warned her of my hair woes: hard to comb when wet, takes forever to blowdry since there's so much of it, not often washed, and P.S. don't give me something too layered because I'm too impatient to meticulously style it from scratch every day.
Brionie is cheerful and refreshingly self-deprecating - she's very easy to get along with and warms up to you quickly. You kinda want to be pals with her afterwards. She washed my hair, blowdried and flatironed it ("Man, your hair DOES take forever to blowdry!" she nodded) and then got to work. I appreciated that she was cautious to check with me a few times before making big cuts to make sure I was OK with the length. I left with a rad new haircut that's easier to style, air dries nicely and has garnered me a few compliments already. See you soon, Brionie!Listed in: Treating Your Body Right In…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/2/2009
I'm an impulsive, fancy-free type of person and found myself wandering around Ossington one day… Read more »
-
-
Review from Marie F.
5/16/2010 8 Check-ins Here
I was sceptical. As a self-proclaimed hair dresser slut, I have not been able to stick to one stylist since I moved to Toronto back in 2001. All of this is about to change!
I tried being loyal to the last place I went to but sadly my appointment procrastination led to no availability for a Friday morning walk in. I decided to play hairdresser Russian Roulette, get on the subway and let Yelp be my guide.
Parlour had an impressive 5 stars and 13 raving reviews so I figured I would give it a try. Suzie, my stylist was awesome! I didn't feel like I was getting my hair done so much as I was hanging out with an old friend. She thinned out my bangs and I left with hair that looked naturally nice and not "soccer mom hair"!
I will definitely come back!Listed in: I feel pretty... oh so pretty…
-
Review from Michelle C.
Toronto, ON
7/5/2010
I followed Charlotte to Parlour from her previous job. I had been letting my hair grow thanks to a terrible cut from a salon in the area and someone recommended her to me as an amazing stylist for those with curly/thick/wavy hair. Boy, were they right. If I have my way, I will never, ever get my hair cut by anyone else again. She really, really gets how to cut curly hair - mine is very thick and I like a cut that can work both curly and straight without a lot of time or energy. She gets it every time.
Thankfully, Parlour is a much better setting then the previous salon she was at. The space is bright, clean and open. The music isn't loud and obnoxious and there isn't that pretentious feeling that I often felt at some other salons while I was on my quest to find a decent stylist in this city. The receptionist I had gotten used to hasn't seemed to be there in a while - a shame because he was so pleasant. Hopefully I've just had bad timing and he's still around.
They use Kevin Murphy products which are so good that I actually splurged on some for myself and didn't regret it. Free bang trims are a plus and pretty easy to book. Don't count on same day appointments but the wait is never long.
I can't speak for other stylists or having colour done, but I can't seem to recommend Parlour and Charlotte enough. Actually, I should probably stop, because if I don't I'll never be able to get an appointment! -
Review from Barry Z.
Ottawa, ON
5/23/2010
For all the review checkers: I couldn't be happier. Enough said.
For a snyopsis on why, here goes:
I was in the neighborhood and torn between 3 suggested salons to get a new haircut. Torn, because I had let it go a VERY LONG time i.e. all Winter and part of Autumn and it was May.
Just think very long, curly, near-shoulder ski hair.
I stopped in to check the place out and decided to make my booking on-site. Tyler chose the right stylist for the task at hand and when it was over I left feeling amazing.
I got an excellent haircut that suits me 100% and I was looking good right away i.e. zero grow out time.
My stylist was able to translate what I wanted into what I needed.
The end. -
Review from Allison T.
Toronto, ON
8/11/2010
Now that I've had a few haircuts with Charlotte at Parlour, I know that I no longer have to book desperate haircuts when I visit my family in California (what can I say? I'm really loyal to my hair stylists...)
I don't feel pressure to get anything other than what I want & Charlotte is great at filling in the blanks since my 'hair lingo' isn't exactly fluent. Lackadaisical chatting while she cuts away & completes in rapid (but not hasty) timing.
It grows out fantastically & who doesn't love compliments on awesome hair?! I'm looking forward to getting it dyed there sometime after I save up some more pennies. -
Review from Val G.
9/13/2009 6 Check-ins Here
I've lived out-of-province for so long I couldn't remember the last time I had a haircut in Toronto so I checked yelp and sure enough, the best rated new salon in town was right in my neighb. I went to see Paul the next day after skimming a bunch of 5* reviews.
I have thick, shoulder length, layered hair that is very malleable and naturally wavy if I let it air dry but I usually blow dry it straight b/c of time constraints. I told Paul I am trying to grow it out so I can get the full effect when I wear it wavy. I thought I would need a moisture treatment b/c of all the sun drying I've been doing but he said it wasn't necessary, that after the cut all it would need was some leave-in conditioner for the ends.
He gave me just the trim I wanted. Whoever said he is meticulous is absolutely right. I enjoyed watching him work and I'm more confidant knowing that my hairstylist is concentrating on my hair and not the conversation.
He styled my hair using the blow dryer in a way that reflected its true shape, voluminous with a light curl. I had no idea it was possible to do that with a round brush. I watched in awe, no stylist has ever tried to do anything other than blowdry or flat iron my hair which leaves my hair looking limp and unnatural.
Paul listened and I walked out of there happy. All the stylists there looked like they love what they do and the clients seem loyal. The atmosphere is hip but casual and the decor is sparse but eye catching. Give this place a go. -
Review from Helen L.
Toronto, ON
2/10/2010 1 Check-in Here
I always say that finding a good hairdresser is harder than finding a boyfriend. When I found out my hairdresser at Civello was going on leave, I put off cutting my hair for a long time until I was slowly becoming Cousin It. I decided to switch hair salons as I've tried 3 other stylists at Civello before and they didn't quite measure up. I finally decided on Parlour based on a good friend's testimonial and Yelp reviews.
I love how easy they make it to book an appointment. You can see the stylist's schedule and book actual appointments online (not just make a request for them to call you back). I was able to get an appointment with Brionie for a haircut and treatment with only a few days notice (this was a treat for me as I am used to making appointments weeks in advance.) The price at Parlour is very reasonable - the haircut was $60 and glossing treatment was $10.
I also like that they book hour long appointments for hair cuts as I always felt a bit rushed at Civello where I am paying about $100 for a 45 minute appointment that included a quick shoulder/head massage and makeup touch up...that leaves maybe only 30 minutes for a haircut so I think the extra 15 minutes really helps especially because I have SO much hair. For treatments, they book an additional 15 minutes so it doesn't cut into your hour appointment.
Brionie was great and friendly right from the get go. There was no awkward silence or forced small talk. Based on what I told her, she was able to pinpoint exactly what to do about my mop of hair. I have thick wavy hair that i wear both straight and wavy so she decided to iron it first so my cut would work for both. She was able to layer my hair without thinning it out too much...a task not many stylist can accomplish successfully.
Overall, I am very pleased with my hair cut and will be back again for sure. Sure, there aren't anyone offering me tea/coffee/juice every 2 minutes and the decor could be a bit nicer, but this is a hair salon review, so I think the most important thing is that i left feeling happy about the hair cut. -
Review from Jenn G.
Scarborough, ON
6/18/2010 1 Check-in Here
I had a pretty pleasant experience here at Parlour Salon.
I had quite a few crappy experiences going to salons.
I've been to those cheap haircut places to the very expensive ones and i have never walked out happy.
One time, i went to a VERY expensive salon ..I had asked for dark brown base and dark blond streaks. When the lady finished, it came out dark brown base and CHUNKY YELLOW (and when i say yellow..i mean the YELLOW LIKE THE SUN) HIGHLIGHTS. I stared at the mirror and almost was going to tear and when the I complained..she told me that she can fix it, but she had to charge a lot more. It was already expensive, so she said to save me money, she wouldn't dry my hair...so I walked out with a crappy haircut & color and wet hair...*sigh*
Anyways, since I read so many good reviews, I decided to give Parlour a try.
*Finding park was hard because it is street parking...i should have went by bus...
i booked my haircut with Brionie...she was very sweet. I told her that I don't really style my hair and i wanted something easy to maintain and she listened to what i wanted. and started getting to work...first she flat ironed my hair, then stared cutting. I got to say...I felt very relax in the chair (i actually almost dozed off, haha) I ended up loving the haircut. She didn't cut it too short and she gave me exactly what I wanted, which was long layers..no choppy layers(YAY!)
After that, it was on to color...
Markis was great. I told him I wanted to dye my hair one color...just to change it up...and I told him i wanted his opinion which shade of brown i should go for and he chose the perfect shade!
Overall, I'm for sure coming back here. I'm very happy with the results. The only downside is parking and was a little expensive. It was around $160 plus i gave a 20% tip. -
Review from mika d.
Toronto, ON
12/11/2009
Thank. You. Paul.
Just moved to the city and had no clue where to go for my first professional haircut in over a year. Because of Yelp, I checked out Paul at Parlour and was SO impressed.
As promised, no attitude or pretension. Simple, stylish, neat little place. Very low-key and quiet when I went (6:00 on a Thurs. night). I liked Paul right off the bat. He listened attentively as I gave him the run-down: problem hair, thinning, coarse, frizzy. Undeterred, he proceeded to give me an awesome cut and style it with mega-volume (as requested). The man knows his shit (and how to tame a beastly situation). Along with his intelligence and warmth, it was well worth the trek in the cold and the cost ($60). -
Review from Jill M.
6/19/2009
I travel for a living - and try to hold out until I get home to have anything done to my hair. I was in desperate need of some color and a fringe trim - I crossed my fingers and made a blind appointment. Suzie was amazing with color and got exactly what I wanted and Paul treated something as simple as a band trim with the attention and precision of a master. I left wondering if it was somehow a wig - cause it looked unbelievably good.
True my expectations were low to begin with - but I was blown away - kind of hoping my travels bring me to Toronto again so I can go back and visit them! -
Review from Jen R.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 9/12/2010
So I returned to Parlour today and Francis was super helpful. And honestly appreciated that I came back to tell him it wasn't quite what I had wanted. He sees it as an opportunity to learn, expand his skills. We talked hair colour for a good while, looked at my hair in different lights (front of salon, bathroom, natural light etc...) I showed him a photo of what I didn't want to go back to (bright blonde) and I wish I had brought more photos but I was a bit too sleepy this morning to remember (!). We looked at hair colour swatches and decided on low lights and toning down the blonde highlights. He let me know that it might still be somewhat warm toned, but there isn't a way around that at this stage.
Once we were decided on colour, Franz (Francis) and I had great chats about music, movies and life in general. He's probably one of the most down to earth and disarming hair dressers I've ever met.
The final result is a beautiful shade of dark ash blonde/brown, there is wonderful texture b/c of all the high and lo lights and it looks great with my skin tone. (my profile photo is my hair now)
Francis gave a good run down on how to care for very processed hair like mine; and put a hair oil on it while drying which made my hair feel like silk. (so good I bought some without any upselling/pressure from Francis whatsoever.)
All in all, I'm super happy I went back. I was nervous going back to express disappointment but Francis' attitude was wonderful. I'm not 100% sure that I love my hair, but it's better for sure.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/11/2010
I'm wary of writing this review and should give a few days to get used to my hair but having to… Read more »
-
