Cable Car Clothiers

I was visiting town for a few days and needed a trim. Luis gave me an excellent cut and trimmed my eyebrows. I was in and out of there in less than 30 minutes with a great haircut that will last. I would definitely make this my regular spot if I lived in the area!

The store is classy, and old-​school. Everything is basically hand-​made, and from the USA or UK.
The barbershop is unparalleled. It’s old-​school, without pretense, and teeming with 1920’s era memorabilia, never mind the fact the guys are dedicated to classic methods, straight razor shaves and building a rapport with the customer.
The haircuts are fairly priced. The store goods are expensive, but you get what you pay for.

Super cool spot, I got a great haircut from Luis who talked me through what I wanted and some recommendations that he had. Had a great conversation with him and Nick while I got my haircut. Luis took a full hour to really go over all the details and included a wet shave at my neckline to keep things super clean like any old school barber should! If you like clean, old school (businessman) hair cuts this is the place.

THE hat store in San Francisco. Outstanding selection of quality headwear along with great service. I have purchased two Borsalino fedoras from Ed and have my eye on another. Nice selection of other clothing items.

I came in before my wedding with my groomsmen and Nicky the Barber took care of us! I was lucky enough to meet Nicky earlier this year, and have received the best hair cuts of my life since then. Nicky reserved his entire Friday morning and took care of all the groomsmen cuts/​shaves and did my hair cut. First class shop, I’d certainly pay more for his services and always look forward to my next cut. Nothing better than working with a professional that cares deeply about his industry.

I’ve been looking for a barber for a long time. If you’ve ever tried to get your haircut in San Francisco, one soon realizes how difficult this simple task may actually be.
I found Nicky’s the Barber’s location inside Cable Car Clothiers by accident during an afternoon stroll at lunch time. The business, or rather the barber shop, is attached behind the counter in what looks like a place from 1920’s Americana. It’s cool because it’s not trying to compete with all the other «barbershop salons» who are trying to be modern and appeal to men and women alike.
The day of my visit Nicky the Barber was not available. However Luis the Barber, an apprentice to Nicky, decided to take me on and trim my beard. Luis recommended a haircut which in retrospect was long overdue.
Before and during my cut Luis made suggestions regarding the stylization and maintenance of my hair. I could tell based on his questions that he really knew his shit and this made me feel comfortable.
Afterwards, I was very pleased with the result and so was my girlfriend!
The next day I brought my buddy over to CCC to get a haircut from Luis and he too was pleased with the result.
A week has gone by and I started to notice that even as my hair is growing out, the «shape» is still there. This is a great sign.
Overall this is a good location that focuses on doing hair and Luis was is a pretty damn good barber.
I’m looking forward to my next appointment with Luis.

Great haircut, great people and great atmosphere. Definitely recommend, barbers take great pride in their tradecraft.

Nicky the Barber is amazing! The best haircut I’ve ever had. He knows exactly what he’s doing and executes perfectly. He’s top notch, you will not be disappointed.

The guys at the clothiers are great too, but my review is mainly about Nicky the Barber. He’s top notch. His attention to detail is impeccable. He is clearly passionate about what he does. My first time in I had just received a bad haircut from another place (won’t mention names), and he couldn’t stand to see me that way — fixed it up for free (though I tipped him healthily). Since then I’ve had shaves and cuts. He’s incredible. Fun to hear him tell his stories. Don’t be in a hurry when you go — just go to get the best cut of your life.

Nicky the Barber gives me the best haircuts I’ve had in my life. He’s an artist, one of those people doing exactly what he’s meant to do. His attention to detail is amazing, and he’s a lot of fun to talk to. Plus, the store itself is fun to browse and the staff are very friendly. A relaxing and rewarding experience.

Nicky the Barber is incredible. I walked in and wanted to see how his business operates. Having a handlebar mustache and being very particular about my beard and haircut, he put me instantly at ease. We discussed what I wanted and he listened… and gave me exactly what I wanted. If you’re looking for classic barbering (1860 to 1960 styles) he is the one. You won’t be disappointed. And, he is genuinely a nice guy.

San Francisco’s Best
I’ve been a customer here for nearly 20 years back when I lived in San Francisco.
Still an amazing store, CCC is one of the last great independent stores in the city. Charlie, the original owner, passed away last year, but grandson John has done a great job of keeping the original «gentleman» feel to the store going strong.
What always made it great was their ability to offer products not found in other places in the city, from Filson, Pendleton, and many others.
My most recent visit allowed me to purchase a great Viyella shirt. It’s bright red and can be worn as either casual or dress. I’ve gotten many compliments on it.
I also purchased a tie bar with a British coat of arms on it. Really stunning, this is exactly the kind of offbeat thing that one could only find here.
CCC is a true breath of fresh air in the San Francisco retail jungle that has become overpopulated with generic luxury brands. And Ed, the guy who used to run the San Francisco Hickey Freeman store is there on a daily basis. He has wonderful knowledge of many different brands. Give him a call for your next Hickey Freeman fitting, which CCC is now the only store in the area to carry it. (Patrick James was the only other who had it but they are now closed)
They also have a great selection of italian silk pocket squares, British shaving products, and sweaters with British flags on them.
Always a great place, that never disappoints.

I didn’t get a good impression from this place when I came by. The selection of clothes and old school stuff is pretty good but the prices are way over priced. I paid $ 15 for a comb that I did some after the fact research and found the going rate for the exact same comb is $ 5. But that’s my fault for not doing my homework before coming here. Don’t make the same mistake !

I was recently in San Francisco for a conference and I had actually heard a lot about this place and was pretty excited to go in. I won’t make that mistake again! One expects to find a pretty high markup on resold goods, but this was just outrageous (Filson goods are plenty expensive already, and there was almost no variation in their selection anyway). Otherwise, not much else to write home about. You can get a good shave and a haircut in enough other places that I wouldn’t bother with going to a clothing store for one. Maybe if they start offering snow tires.

I’ve been with Nick for over 6 years now. Let me tell you that you won’t find a more dedicated and righteous dude out there. The man is a true master at his craft and he’s as old school as it gets in my book.
The shop is very well kept and cozy. With his partner in crime Nills, they run a professional and authentic operation.
I’m originally from L.A., so to have someone from the East Coast that gets my style and understands the SoCal slick back look was a major plus. I have that thick Chicano hair, which isn’t easy to tame, but Nick is the man for knowing how to tackle it and style it. You are truly an OG Nick. Thanks!
Ritchie!!! a.k.a Bob

First time customer, intending to be a long-​time customer. If you want a great shave, Nicky the Barber is the man. He care about his craft and even more so, he cares about his customer’s satisfaction. By most barber’s standards, I have a tough beard but Nicky went right to work, knew exactly what to do. Meanwhile he’s giving plenty of tips about how to take care of my face at home, how to avoid cuts, etc. It’s a pleasure to be taken care of by someone who knows what he’s doing and goes out of his way to make sure you’re happy. Dedicated, passionate and skilled. Really can’t say enough about him. Excellent barber, solid guy.
* I haven’t gotten a haircut from him yet but judging by the shave (probably the hardest task for a barber) and his loyal following, it’s fair to assume his cuts are top notch too.

For classic men’s haircuts, it doesn’t get better than Nicky & Nils at Cable Car. It’s all about the details… and these guys do not forget a single one. Personal service, guaranteed appointments (put it in the book!), and the best fade in town. It didn’t take long for almost every guy at my work to start getting their cuts here.

Nicky the barber. All I can say is wow. Firstly let me say that it’s good to see people doing what they love in an environment where they can thrive. Nicky clearly loves what he does. I made an appointment last week for a beard trim because I was on transient looking status and had never had a professional barber do the works on my face.
Immediately I was comfortable, sitting in a barber’s chair older than my grandparents. We started chatting about what sort of look I was going for and what I wanted to do with my hair (head and face) moving into the future.
I got trimmed up bigtime, taking off a good portion of my giant lumberjack beard making it look like I was gainfully employed and that I showered this morning. :)
The trim looks amazing, the ambiance is crazy awesome, and the service was stellar. He went from scissors to clippers, to another set of clippers, down to the old school straight razor. Finished off with a hot shave which felt amazing.
If you’re thinking about getting cleaned up and you want to get it done right, by someone who knows the business, don’t hesitate to come see Nicky or Nils.
Service — ⁵⁄₅
Décor — ⁵⁄₅
Price — ⁵⁄₅ ($ 30 for a beard trim/​eyebrow trim/​clean up sides above ears and taper)

This review is for the barbershop. I moved to San Francisco start of the year and needed to find a good barber. I had tried a few spots that either completely butchered the top of my head, or butchered my beard. While at one of them, I asked if they could recommend a place to buy some high end shaving products and they sent me here. I lucked out and they had some availability for a walk in (very rare, appts are a must here). I got Nil’s and have been going back every 3 weeks since. He’s done about 10 cuts for me and I’ve yet to never be happy (even my old loyal barbers would screw up here and there).
Nicky is great, although he’s never cut my hair he’s a fun guy to chat with; it’s rare to come across any individual this dedicated to his profession. Nil’s is the man, and would be recommend anyone to sit with either of these two guys and get their hair cut.
As far as the clothier part of the business, lots of items, most not my style but I usually pick up 1 – 2 new suits per year and 1 – 2 new sports coats and will be checking these guys out when it’s time. I’ve used their tailor for a few operations and Roberto is the man!
Price has gone up to $ 40, but that includes a full beard trim for me as well. First place I went to out here in the city charged me $ 54 for a cut and then an extra $ 18 for a beard trim, I about lost my freaking mind.

I have been going to Nicky to get my haircut for a few years now, back when he was still at Bay City Salon. To witness the operation and following he has been building since (and even before) is truly remarkable. Despite all of the awesome coverage he has gotten in movies, TV, magazines and festivals, both on the local and national level, the barber shop he has built at Cable Car Clothiers is larger than all of that. Nicky cares more about his craft than anything else; all the other stuff is just secondary.
Nicky’s shop at Cable Car Clothiers serves as both a fully-​functioning barbershop as well as a certified cosmetology museum. Everything including the chairs, scissors, clippers, brushes and razors are all authentic vintage, and he uses only top-​quality products made by barbers for barbers.
The haberdashery at Cable Car Clothiers is truly a sight to see for the well-​dressed man or the guy who wants to take his formal wardrobe up a notch. The items may be a bit pricey, but everything is hand-​crafted and made in either the USA or the UK, and Jon and Rodney will work with you individually to make sure your suits, shirts, pants, jackets and hats are tailored to your exact preferences. I got a navy blue Southwick shirt for my birthday last year from here.
There are a lot of places in San Francisco offering classic haircuts these days, but for a truly intimate, genuine haircut come down to the FiDi Tue-​Sat and make an appointment with Nicky or his new partner Nills, and escape from the ordinary barbershop and men’s clothing retail experience.