K2 Salon & Spa

Just plain amazing! Every single time I’ve been here for a haircut I’ve come out so happy. It’s neat and clean and Ken is just great at what he does. He is such a warm and wonderful person too. Sometimes I show him pictures of the haircuts I want and he gets it right each time! Ken even gives my husband a great haircut! I love coming here. And definitely would recommend this place to anyone.

Kan is awesome. He patiently listened to what I needed and took a look at the sample picture I showed him. The haircut came out close to what I requested and with styling, he made it better looking. Definitely will come back to cut my hair in the future

To be honest, I dun even wanna rate it wif a star… the experience I had was reali bad. At the beginning, I sent them reference pic that I want to do a DARK BLUE highlight and they said they can do it for sure… guess what I got finally? I got LIGHT BLUE and even GREEN highlight… look alike a peacock (even my fd said that :() I almost burst we into tears that I cannot believe myself for having such a weird color highlight wif $ 115. I understand there may always be slightly color difference wif what I expected and what I got… but I cannot believe such a big difference. What made me angrier was that when I paid, they even said like they had already given me a discount wif hair cut… the only thing I wanna say is that I DID NOT DO A HAIRCUT… sorry guys u may think that I m being a bit aggressive… but I believe u would be in the same situation as me if u hv experienced this… I do not mean to say that every single experience in this salon must be bad… just wanna share my experience and to be honest… maybe is my fault that I should not request such a tricky and difficult highlight color…

I’ve gotten to know Ken well over time and he’s a great guy.
Ken keeps my hair looking updated and sharp.
He keeps track of trending hairstyles and the techniques to create them.
My haircut is always done in under 30 minutes and that includes a thorough rinse and blow dry.

Ummmm — whomever is writing these reviews must have been going to stylist that use bowls to cut their hair. No really, looking at the pix and the girl that came out, everyone has the same cut. This guy was awkwardly impersonable, and basically just trimmed my hair, not re-​styling it (there’s a difference). He was incapable of doing a blow out on my wavy hair — I looked like a damn Pomeranian when he was done. I looked at him and had to «request» that he use a flat iron, to which he stated «your hair is curly» — not sure if there’s a language barrier or if he’s incompetent. I think that the majority or client/​reviewers must have straight asian hair so he was overwhelmed by my WAVY, fine hair.
And all the reviews about $ 40… he charged me $ 45, and I gave him a generous tip which he barely acknowledged.
Would I recommend to a friend — hells no, not even a divorced friend.
Not giving him a «1» b/​c I don’t want to «poo poo» everything.

I have been going here for the past two years and Ken has always done an excellent job cutting my hair. They give very reasonable prices. I have never had a bad experience here, especially for the price.

I came to Ken in a desperate moment over one year ago. I had a bad haircut at Super Cuts and tried to have a friend fix it. The result was a pure mess. I didn’t think anyone would be able to fix it. Not only did Ken give me a cut that looked amazing when he was done, but he gave me a cut that looked great for months. Another great thing about K2 is that you don’t get all the gossip and cat fights that you get at many salons. Now I just have to decide on my next haircut.

I’ve been here twice now, and I’ve been really happy with both my haircuts. Actually I’m most excited that he listens to me and cuts what I’ve requested. Sadly that’s been unusual for me over the course of my lifetime.

The good:
The scalp massage. Holy moly, it was divine. I would pay money just for that alone.
I was so tired that day and wasn’t in the mood to chat through the haircut, and Ken was totally respectful of that.
I was able to get an appointment the same day I called in.
Reasonably priced.
The bad:
I kind of hate my hair cut. It’s not terrible, but it’s really not good either. I asked for soft layers throughout my long hair, and then side swept bangs. But what I got instead were kind of shaggy blunt bangs that were cut way too short. They’re so short that the hair won’t properly lay flat and flounces upward in a strange way.
The price of the haircut up front is reasonable. $ 45 compared to the $ 70 – 80 you get charged elsewhere. BUT, it’s $ 45 for a mediocre cut. Which is pretty much a waste of that money. If you’re able to get a good cut here, which a lot of other reviewers seem to be happy, then it’s a great deal.
There was NO ONE else in the salon almost the entire time I was getting my hair cut. And yet, Ken kept walking away from me at various points, some times to just peek out the window and I don’t know why. It seemed like he was expecting something or looking out for someone? Don’t know what was up with that. And he also stepped away a few times to answer the phone, once when I was in the middle of having my hair washed. So I was just sitting with my head in the sink while he made an appointment with another guest. Not a big deal at all, but just a little strange since I’ve never experienced that at other places.
Extra star because 2 stars makes it seem like it was terrible, and it wasn’t.

Haircut from Ken:
One of the best haircuts I have had. It’s pricey and I have had better haircuts, but it was a long time ago. So one less star. It’s the best place in the bay area for me to get a decent haircut — («whiteboy hair» that is soft and fine). Plus, there are pretty ladies hanging out that smile and are friendly. Well, for me it’s pricey, but I’m a cheap bastard. From what I remember it was around $ 50. I’m used to the $ 12 places. Also, you need to make an appointment in advance, he’s usually booked a week or two ahead of time, but it’s worth the wait. Or you can just plan ahead.

Shop Local! Or more like Salon Local? Ken is is the best Oakland has to offer.
Conveniently located near BART. There is also a small parking lot. If this is full, there is pretty easy metered street parking. No teleportation device needed *coughunionsquaresalondistrictinsfcough* For $ 45, you get a wash, cut, blow out/​style. Can’t beat that.
I have been growing out my long layered Asian hair for 2+ years now. I have stopped coloring it which dramatically reduces my salon time. This also means this is not a review of coloring or spa services at K2. That being said, I don’t think I’m ever letting anyone else cut my hair again.
Cut #1: Wanted to get my long layers evened out. I only wanted about ½ an inch off to trim the ends before a Vegas trip. I loved that he didn’t get scissor happy. I got exactly what I wanted, a TRIM. Why is this normally so hard for stylists? I have no clue. I always check the evenness of my layers in the car mirror as soon as I get out of a salon. He passed this test with flying colors. Did I mention that Ken (and the salon) have a very comfortable vibe that is friendly but still professional?
Cut #2: I impulsively called to see if I could drop in on my way back from shopping. This is not recommended. I got lucky and took his last appointment (there were 2 other walk ins that got turned away as I sat there!) Anyway, I had been hit by the blunt bang bug (thanks to Taylor Swift). I asked for about an 1 inch layer trim and then had very specific pictures of Taylor’s bangs. Ken was so great about looking at the reference pictures (not just glancing at them) and was amazing at getting my hair to look EXACTLY like her hair. He was very sweet and receptive when I asked for the bang to be a bit thicker as well. I couldn’t have been more pleased. I didn’t even think about the fact Taylor’s hair was flat ironed until Ken got to the styling part of my experience and asked if I wanted mine flat ironed like hers. A+++++! I will be going back for $ 10 bang trims very soon (they grow way too fast…)
Since my favorite SF salon closed, I have not fallen in love with a salon again until K2. I have had stylists that did good jobs, but the price here just makes this the best of all worlds.
Oh, and there is this genius raised box that sucks up hair when it is swept under the box. Also, Ken’s hair dryer has a touch screen. Uh… AWESOME! Or, I’m just a geek… anyway…

Review directed only for my haircut from Ken.
Me: Happy
Wallet: Happy
Boyfriend: Happy
It’s a triple happiness rainbow tagged at a mere $ 45. I showed him the pics, opened my magazine, next thing you know, I’m looking like a bad bitch with a capital B.
Apparently, my social media circles approve as well. I haven’t gotten that many likes apart from the time I posted pictures of two sibling kittens.
I’m of the belief that great haircuts don’t need to come with tears over a strained wallet. Practically all of my best haircuts cost less than $ 50. Subway in Shanghai. Outside a pub in London. Pregnant lady’s neighborhood joint in Taipei. And now, a fantastic man by the name of Ken, in Oakland.

I came in to K2 earlier on the weekend for a haircut from Ken and microdermabrasion from Michelle.
Ken’s haircut was definitely great because he listened to exactly what I wanted, and gave me his honest opinions on what wouldn’t work. I truly appreciated that, because I never really have a clear image of what I’d look like with a certain hairstyle.
But I have to say Michelle’s microdermabrasion treatment blew me away! I assumed while booking the appt that it’d take thirty minutes. However, Michelle performed a massage, followed by extractions, followed by microdermabrasion and a light facial application. And with the 50% discount right now for new customers, that was an amazing deal and a top-​notch spa experience.
I’ve never experienced something like this level of service, and I’m definitely going back.

Just got a Kencut™ I’m hesitant to write a glowing review for fear that Ken will become way too booked to see me and my crazy cowlicks. But man, this guy knows how to cut hair.
Let’s just say that I’ve found my new barber. As long as I can get to him, I will be coming to K2.
Thank you Ken!

I am very pleased with my haircut that Ken gave me. I didn’t love it after he first cut it – perhaps it was too short? — but it’s really grown on me (pun kinda intended). It has been about a month now, and it looks great. After going to the butcher shop otherwise known as Charles Blades barber shop in Jack London (my last haircut in Oakland), I appreciate the evenness and cleanness of the look. I’m very pleased and Ken is reasonably priced. Granted, he didn’t wash my hair, but I don’t need him to, if he can do a job this well without.
Lucky for me, he took me same day.
Recommended.

Ken is a true rock star. First, let me tell you… if this salon was in San Francisco or a posh area of the suburbs, you would pay triple for the quality of services. In fact, Ken should probably be charging more than he does (for everyone but me of course).
Both myself and my husband have been coming to K2 for years. Ken never disappoints, and I’ve had lots of hair-​tastrophies at other places in my 31 years! He’s even proven to my husband that cost cutters is a $ 12 haircut for a reason.
Do yourself a favor and skip going to the pricier places in the East Bay. I won’t name names, but I’ve tried those as well and came out happier with K2 than any $ 500 highlights/​haricut out there.

Ken’s the owner and stylist of this well-​kept salon, and he gave me the haircut I’ve been envisioning for years! I’ve had many great cuts, all falling a little shy of this vision, and most at a higher cost, but Ken finally nailed it.
I was able to book an appointment within a day’s notice, got in and out on time, and only $ 45 lighter.

So I have a habit of never going back to the same hair stylist more than twice because they have all ended in disappointment. I have tried the ‘top-​rated’ stylists all around the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento and none of them come close to Ken’s ability to style and shape hair. (And let me tell you, I choose the ones who supposedly teach hair workshops at beauty colleges.)
I’ve paid $ 100+ for my haircuts, always with the same mediocre results, or worse. UNEVEN layers and screwed up bangs. I recently went to a stylist in Old Oakland, who shall remain unnamed, and she gave me a cut that was the complete opposite of what I said I wanted. The ends were blunt like a broomstick and the layers were longer on top and shorter on the bottom. It made no freaken sense!
Ken’s price range is more than reasonable for the amazing cut he delivers. I went to him to remedy my shitty cut from two weeks prior and I am SO GLAD I did. He is a true artist and uses his own technique to shape hair that is in balance with your facial structure and direction of hair growth to achieve an overall flattering look for YOU. He works WITH the hair you already have to make it the most beautiful, not against it. I didn’t think he could do very much to ‘fix’ my hideous cut from the last stylist, but not only did he keep the length, he evened out the layers, made them more defined, re-​shaped my bangs for a more natural and romantic feel, and gave my limp Asian hair body and movement. I went home on my merry little way and I couldn’t stop staring at my beautiful head of hair for the next five hours! Again, he did all this while keeping the length of my hair. AH.MAZING.
Don’t hesitate booking an appointment with Ken. He is personable and has true talent when it comes to cutting, styling and coloring hair!

«Laura, your hair is SO freakin’ cute!!!»
That’s what I’ve been hearing all week since Ken cut my hair, and I love it! He’s very detail-​oriented and focused on making his clients happy with their haircut. When I asked him how he got into hairstyling, he told me, «I started it as a summer job, but I love it. I like making people happy, and if they’re happy, I’m happy.»
He definitely accomplished that with me. In fact, I was a little iffy on my initial cut because the reference picture I gave him didn’t show the back at all, so he invited me back to make it more of an A-​line, and didn’t charge me at all for the second visit. He’s not only talented, but affordable! I’d refer him to anyone. I’m so excited that I’ve finally found someone I can afford to go to regularly… and that cuts my hair as if I could afford a lot more!

!!! I got my hair cut here for the first time 2 weeks ago. I HATE getting my haircut b/​c I can’t find someone that I like. I get all anxious and ish. Anyway, I found K2 salon on Unilocal and picked it b. c if the reviews and proximity to work. Then I found out that Ken is the uncle of one of my coworkers so then I felt like I had to go… I’m glad I went!
I felt so relaxed when I got my shampoo, scalp massage, deep conditioner, and whatever else he did. I almost fell asleep!!! It was like that feeling when the masseuse tells you your massage is over and you have to get dressed? Drowesy, sad, but relaxed. He did some magical stuff in the sink to make my hair feel so soft I couldn’t stop touching it afterward PLUS i made other ppl touch it (which I would never normally do). it was just so soft…
I had really long hair going in and I had long hair leaving, which is the way I wanted it. Amazingly though he trimmed my hair and layered the heck out of it so now it is light, moves well, and has shape. I have WAY less hair but it’s still long. Plus I got my bangs back. Generally, when I get my bangs cut, i regret it later because they end up too heavy and I have to pin them back. These are perfect tho!
Ken also did an amazing job layering my hair without using that razor/​scissor/​comb thing that other salons use. He actually layered it free hand with scissors. Love it.
I normally get my hair cut once every six months or something cuz it is so stressful and i don’t know where to go. Now, I have a place!!!
Also, I told my sister to go here. He cut her hair super short (like chin length) and it looks too cute!
P. S. I know that there are a lot of !!! in my review. Sorry. If you look at my other reviews you know I am not a !! type of gal, but this is really how I feel about Ken. :)