Bishops Barbershop

If I could give zero stars I would. Not only did these people put color in my hair without bleaching it first one time (the color washed out in the shower nearly blinding me), they also fried my hair, and wouldn’t listen to me when cutting my hair. I have tried different stylists and have given this place too many chances. Stop focusing on the ‘vibe’ and focus on hiring talent.

Image is everything. We are driven to improve how people see us. Hair stylists are in fact artisans, building the confidence we need for daily interactions, whether its for an important job interview, or creating a look that can launch a thousand ships. So I was apprehensive coming here. Understandable. I wanted a new look. With deft hands and an eye for detail, she did not disappoint. My time here was short and sweet. Like my haircut, and beard trim. $ 32. Free session beer and Wi– Fi. My Wife loves my new haircut. A little vanity does pay off. Thanks, Bishops.
(and girl who cut my hair whose name I couldn’t remember)

Five stars for the haircut– I had a photo inspiration, and the stylist tailored the idea to my face shape and it looked even better than I hoped. The cut was a great price, especially for the quality.
2 stars for the color though, and 1 star for the pricing and no-​appointment model. Because they don’t take appointments, I waited over an hour to be seen and get a price quote. The color ended up being significantly more than expected– the cut is full price, no discount for getting it with a color. I needed a root touch up, and wanted full highlights, which I was told needed a toner to achieve closer to the desired dark blond color. I got it done anyway, because I’d waited so long. After tip, the cost was around $ 200– so while the cut was budget friendly, the color wasn’t at all. The price was comparable to other nearby salons, but not a good deal considering I didn’t end up with what I wanted at all. She warned me my hair was very dark and may not be as light as desired. However, after three hours of coloring and toning, I ended up an orangey/​brown color– not remotely close to the dark blond desired. And the more natural highlights I’d shown in the picture were instead a full all over color, with a dramatic line where the color started– not even close to natural looking.
I’d consider going back for a cut, but not for any color service.

I’ve been here 3 times. They cut well here.
The problem is how this business is run. I’m told it’s a 20 minute wait and it’s been 40. 4 people on staff and when they finish the cut their on, all four stepped away-​no communication about what’s going on. I presumed some breaks, go for a smoke. Instead, 2 went home. This is a very different story. I wouldn’t have stayed if I’d known it would take this long. I’m still waiting…

I absolutely love this place. I had a hair dresser for many years and she moved away. I didn’t get a haircut for two years! Went to Bishops twice now and Kelsey and Nicholas have done my hair. I will never go anywhere else. When I go in I just say «do what you think looks good» and it delivers. I would recommend this spot to anyone.

Woke up needing a quick trim and didn’t want the hassle of having to wait and book an appointment at my usual spot. You know when you wake up and it MUST BE DONE TODAY? That’s how I felt. I decided to check out Bishop’s cause it’s a couple of blocks away from where I live and I’ve walked by before and it seemed pretty cool. It was a weekday and I went, literally, like, 15 minutes after they opened. I only had to wait about 10 minutes because both stylist’s were taking care of other customers. They offered a free complimentary beer, which I declined, because it was 9:15, but NO JUDGEMENT on those who did have one! :) Rebecca was the stylist who cut my hair and she did a great job. She listened to what I wanted and offered suggestions, and on a whim, I decided to get my bangs cut as well. I’m very particular about who cuts my bangs, but they came out looking cute as hell, ya’ll! Also, the playlist they had going on was a lot of Ke$ha, so bonus points for that! Will definitely go back for sure!

Suboptimal haircut. I said, ‘Take off an inch.’ She just started hacking away without listening to anything I said. Didn’t seem to understand that my hair is unruly and curly. Chop, chop now it looks like bad shag carpet. Not a barbershop definitely a salon. I guess good for cuts and color, but not a proper gentleman’s haircut. And please refrain from using a mach3 when I want a shave. Not pro just disappointing.

They ripped me off and charged me $ 26 (long hair cut) when my hair is short and I only had her trim the back of my a line that took tops 5mins. And I know she was ripping me off because when the receptionist asked her what type of cut I got she got all weird and tried pointing to the screen and whispered so I wouldn’t see that she was charging me for a long cut when she and I both know it should have been a short cut (at most).
I’ve gotten my hair cut there before and felt fine about the cut/​price so I guess it just depends on who you get.

I came in with pictures and an idea, Nichole knew what I wanted. We chatted and talked about what she was doing step by step. I went from shoulder length hair to a longer pixie cut, but it’s definitely not my first time with short hair. We talked about product, she asked what I used in the past on my hair and told me about the texturizing powder. I’m always intrigued by new things, so of course I bought some to try. She explained that I’m welcome to trade it out for something else if I’m not satisfied. While she was cutting my hair, she let me know if in a few days, I see something that could be tweaked, I’m welcome to come in. Nichole gave me A+ service along with everyone else in the shop. The overall vibe here is relaxed, but professional. My friend and I came in together and were both helped almost immediately. I will definitely come back!

After suffering through a miserable haircut, the receptionist botched the bill.
Began with a passive aggressive serving of the complimentary beer by the hair dresser, then moved on to being bumped with the clippers. I rubbed my head instinctively, she asked why, I explained, to which she scoffed «I didn’t cut you.» I asked about the referral discount that I received from my friend, and the hair dresser began by dismissing my claim, saying a referral discount doesn’t exist, but I pressed the issue and she eventually agreed to ask the receptionist about it. She asked and I was right along, but in the end the discount didn’t matter because the receptionist clicked the wrong buttons at the computer, so I was charged full price. I wouldn’t have even known it was full price had I not then double checked by asking a follow up question, «did that include the discount we just discussed??» I didn’t see any prices listed anywhere but $ 26 seemed pretty high for 5 bucks off. Receptionist said «no, I made a mistake, but how about you use the discount at the NEXT hair cut?» I insisted we get it all over with now for obvious reasons… Now I get to watch my bank statement to make sure the refund goes through… There are better Bishops out there I suppose but def won’t return to the one on Hawthorne.

Terrible. They charged me $ 26 for a kids haircut and they barely touched his head! Not only were they grossly understaffed with a big wait when it finally was our turn the stylist did not want to do kids hair so we had to wait longer. Never again

I normally go to Rudy’s barbershop on Division, but felt like trying out something new, and having heard good things from coworkers about Bishop’s, I decided to give them a try. They don’t take appointments, so I was happy to walk in and be set up with a stylist almost immediately. I came in with an overgrown pixie cut (about down to my neck), and wasn’t sure what I wanted besides a couple inches cut off. My stylist, Matti Breanx (sp?), asked for some pictures of what I might like, and with that gave me exactly the cut I had (vaguely) imagined! The cut itself took less than twenty minutes, and the price ($ 26) was more than reasonable for what I was getting.
Here’s the rundown on Bishop’s:
–If you wake up and feel like getting your hair cut, and don’t have anything too complicated and specific in mind, go to Bishops! You’ll be in and out in less than an hour, and if you go on a weekday, expect no line in front of you.
–The barbershop on Hawthorne has a «punky» atmosphere; don’t go in expecting a salon-​style customer service experience. Instead, treat Bishops like what it is: the nicest «cheap» barbershop around! The chatter of patrons and stylist alike can be a bit rowdy, so if you’re easily offended/can’t handle hearing swear words, find somewhere else.
–Looking at previous Unilocal reviews, I see a lot of complaints that stem from people going into Bishops and trying to get really complicated dyes and cuts. If you want your hair done in an extremely specific and time consuming way… don’t go to a barbershop! It’s that simple! You get what you pay for, and if you’re demanding an intense styling/​color that’s going to take a couple hours, why don’t you go to a salon designed to do that for you?
Onet thing to note: I’ve gotten pixies before by stylists that spend a lot of time meticulously making everything even. Even for a pixie, those «detail cuts» take about an hour a least. Bishop’s seems designed to get everyone in and out pretty quickly (I assume this is because they don’t take appointments), so don’t expect the level of detail that you’d get if you payed $ 50 for a salon cut. But for what I was looking for, Bishops was perfect.

The guy at the front desk (Corey Haim) is the most flagrant douchebag in all of Portland.
Why four stars? Because all the stylists/​barbers are very nice and seem to sincerely do their best. They’re always open to the client’s ideas and each have their own creative style. A couple of them are outstanding. The few times my wife came in I thought they did a wonderful job. She was very pleased, too. However, she is not the least bit into the «rough barber» type of atmosphere, as I suspect it could detract from her confidence. Not the case! We stopped going here because there are places in town that cost about the same and seem to pay their stylists/​barbers more of a living wage. Also, this place is always very busy and the stylists seem truly overworked. I currently live on near poverty income and would rather spend my few hard-​earned dollars on an organization that takes better care of their employees.

Wonderful experience. I was greeted with a smile and FREE beer from Kyle when I got there. It was busy and hot outside, but the ac and beer where cold! They were playing some awesome tunes and had a great magazine selection. Alex L. was my stylist, and she was one sweet and very hip chika. (Beautiful tattoo work!) She was friendly, but not crazy chatty. She did an excellent job on my hair. She took her time and fixed anything I asked.
Great experience overall!

Maddie was awesome! She said she’d only been working at Bishops a week and gave me exactly the haircut I asked for. She listened to what I said, gave tips for my style, and was pleasant conversation!

I have received subpar customer service at various establishments during my life, but I have never before in my life been treated with such utter disrespect and flagrant douchebaggery as I was at Bishops on Hawthorne.
The short version: I arrived at 2:15pm, was told the wait was an hour and 20 mins, and I waited until 4:45, while watching people who came in after me get their hair done and leave. It was at 4:45 that I was told that they «refused to cut my hair,» because I was «clearly not happy.» I was not happy because I had been waiting well over two hours; I needed a haircut and dye very badly, but I had been patiently sitting on the bench quietly for the entire time! I hadn’t been doing anything at all that would give them cause to deny me service; I had literally been sitting reading my book and nothing more! The D-​bag who said this to me (receptionist?) even told me he would «call the police if I didn’t leave immediately» when I sat there in disbelief at what I was hearing!
Full story: I arrived at 2:15pm on Saturday, and was told the wait was 1 hour 20 mins. I sat reading my book quietly until they called my name about 3:15. I had faded blue hair; I told the stylist I wanted to remove the blue and dye it dark auburn red. She said «I can’t do that, I’m leaving in an hour and that will take too long.» She sat me back down, only for me to realize that in the 6 mins since my name had been called, 3 of the people behind me in line had all just begun haircuts, so I ended up waiting another 40 minutes to get called up again.
This time I told the stylist (Sara) what I wanted. She said she wasn’t sure they could remove the blue dye completely, which would make it hard to go red. I told her that I had a back up plan: to go mostly dark brown, and keep a few streaks of blue. She said that was fine.
She went to the back to get the lightening product, but they were out of it. I asked if she could use something else instead, but she said she couldn’t. I told her I was bummed out this couldn’t have been figured out sooner; I had already been waiting for nearly 2 hours at this point (and had even told the receptionist what my hair dye plans were when I had arrived so theoretically they could have told me earlier if didn’t have a necessary product, before I waited for so long). As someone who has worked in the service industry myself I was careful to express myself politely and also tell her «I understand that this is not your fault, I’m just frustrated with the way this has unfolded.»
She called the NE 28^th location, and they had some extra product in stock, and she sent the receptionist to fetch it. Before he left I made sure to thank him for running the errand for me, and also the stylist for helping to make it happen. The stylist told me I had to sit back down in the waiting area because she couldn’t do anything with my hair yet, so she took another haircut client.
I sat back down in the waiting area at 4:10pm. At 4:20 I got a phone call from a friend. I spoke to her for about five minutes, and naturally I complained (not loudly; being considerate of those around me), saying «I can’t believe I’ve already been waiting for over two hours and I’m still sitting in the waiting area, hair untouched! Oh well, I’m just happy to know I’m getting the blue out…» A few minutes later went back to my book.
At 4:35 the receptionist returned. I tried to say Thanks again as he walked in, but he shot straight to the back office, grabbing the stylist on his way.
The receptionist had been rude to me since the moment I walked in. When he told me the wait time, he said «it’s an hour and 20 mins… you can wait here, or you can try us again another time…» However, every single other person who walked in the door afterwards (and there were plenty on that sunny Saturday) was given the option of leaving their phone number, perusing the nearby shops, and receiving a phone call when it was their turn; an option I was never offered. I have a feeling that he was also irritated that I had caused him to run errands.
At 4:45 he sat next to me, and smirked as he said «we can tell you are unhappy.» I said I was irritated I’d been waiting so long, but was happy to get my hair done. He said «we don’t think we’ll be able to make you happy today. There are other salons on Hawthorne…» I said «I’ve already waited 2.5 hours. You got the product. Let’s do this.» He said «we will not do your hair… if you don’t leave immediately I’m calling the police.»
Seriously? I did NOTHING wrong. They refused me service for NO REASON after making me wait 2.5 hrs! I suspect the stylist was afraid she couldn’t get it red and just didn’t want to deal with the hassle of trying. I suspect the receptionist worried I would complain about the wait and angle for a discount. Also that first stylist who told me she was leaving in an hour was still taking clients when I left, 90 mins later!
Worst customer service in PDX! Do not go!

Love this place for my every-​other-​month cut. Price is reasonable, staff are pleasant, and the establishment is clean. Parking can sometimes take a few minutes but I’m kindly offered a beer when I walk in the door so that makes up for it.

Greeted with Miller High Life which a wonderful way to be greeted.
I personally always enjoy the shampooing and the scalp massage at the end.

A very hip and busy barbershop.
Going earlier in the day helps you avoid the afternoon rush. The wait can be as long as an hour, so bring something to read. The stylists can be lively or deflated, depending on how overworked they are. Be direct, and ask for suggestions. They have plenty of ideas if you’d like recommendation.
I ask for Jenny Lewis each time, because a) she’s talented and a good listener, b) kind and talkative, and c) shares her name with my favorite singer.
P. S. Yes, the free beer is Miller, but it’s the thought that counts.

I have had a hair cut here before and wasn’t quite satisfied and was skeptical about coming back.
Sara was amazing. Not only does she know the art of texturizing she made my hair look great. For a hair cut I would usually go to Vancouver for she made it possible for me to get my trims from here. I have really thick hair and she was aware and thinning out some of my hair and texturize it the way I like it. Even her bang trim is awesome. I will definitely come back for her hair cuts from now on. Nothing Beats under $ 30 for a great hair cut!