Mario’s Salon

I had a TERRIBLE experience here. I will give them that they are slightly cheaper than surrounding salons but if you want what you went in for, you should look elsewhere. I saw Allen for highlights and a cut. I have been getting the same thing done for at least the last 10 years and have never had anyone have a hard time with it. Instead of subtle blond highlights, I received bright red highlights. An attempt was made to fix it but it was still red! I had to pay double to have it fixed at another salon. Do yourself a favor and pay a little more to have it done right the first time.

I walked in and was fit in right after a scheduled appointment. Staff was courteous. Peppi was my stylist, and he did not disappoint. Highly recommend this place to both men and women who want a high end haircut without exorbitant prices.

I feel like I’ve been on a life-​long search to find the perfect haircut. My girlfriend used to make fun of me all the time because I used to say «I want my hair to be like a THING» without any game plan of how i might make that happen. Mario has sculpted some sort of brilliance atop my head and I’m very grateful. My hair looks great from haircut to haircut… he’s crafted it such a way that my hair just grows out absolutely perfectly. But enough about me.

I’ve gotten brazilian waxes by both Zen & Rosa. Both of which will not be seeing me again. They were very sweet & talked to me the entire time (only reason I gave them stars) but not only was it a horrible waxing experience, it was also way over priced. Rosa said over and over that she was the cheapest around but there is a place right in the square that does brazilian waxes for $ 35. Rosa is $ 60 & charges $ 25 extra to do the outside of your butt cheeks. So now we’re up to $ 85 for 45 minutes worth of pain and to get home and find that there’s STILL hair that wasn’t removed. After three chances, I finally pulled the plug on Mario’s.

Mario’s was very accommodating in getting me a wax appointment today. I called and 30 mins later I was able to walk in for my arm and underarm wax. Walked in and was greeted very nicely. Unfortunately my wax experience was the ultimate worse in the 10+ years I have been getting waxed!
Zen who waxed me was very sweet and courteous. However the 30 – 40 mins of wax time was very unpleasant. As Zen would go back and forth from the side table where the wax was to the table I was laying on, some strays of the wax would land on my pants. She was very nice to apologize for it and wipe it off with cleaner as it would happen. I am quite understanding the first time it happened, okay the second and third time it happened. Finally I asked her to please place a towel on my legs and waist so it would not spill on my clothes again. That did not occur, until maybe the 5 – 6 time, she finally placed the same type of paper that was underneath me on top of my legs and waist. Unfortunately she also used that now to place the dirty wax strips and wax container on. On both sides of my head were dirty wax strips and wax everywhere, I was afraid it was going to get in my hair. not a very pleasant wax experience!
Zen was very accommodating in going back over and re-​waxing places that she missed and I asked her to go over again. However when applying the wax remover at the end, she only applied it to one arm. She then used the dirty wax strips that were laying on my lap to wipe of the excess wax remover that was on my arms! Also, what happened to the other arm and underarms! When I mentioned this to her she gave me the bottle of wax remover so I could remove the wax on my own. By this time I have now sat up and wax is all over the table sheet underneath me. So she tears the sides of the paper so I could sit up and swing my legs around without getting wax all over my clothes. Okay fine I appreciate that, so now I stand up apply my own wax remover, and Zen starts to clean up! She is applying a new table sheet and cleaning up her wax table, while I am still trying to remove the wax! I asked her for a towel so I can wipe the excess wax remover off, she hands me the towel from the floor that she used to cover me in the beginning that had wax on it!
I was really hoping that this would be my spot to get my regular waxing however I just cant handle the unprofessional experience!
I get my arms and underarms waxed regularly every month and half, I am new to the area and would have loved to continue coming here, but in all my experience I have never walked out feeling like that. I count myself as a very giving and understanding person to things but this took the cake of unprofessionalism!
Zen was very sweet and polite. However she gave me the worse wax experience ever!

My family loves Mario’s Salon. I’ve been going to Pepe for many years and now my children do too. They love going and look forward to their haircuts.

Mario’s is located steps away from the Davis Square T-​stop — super convenient. The salon is clean and bright. The prices are very reasonable. Cut and single/​process color for under $ 100. Eyebrow waxing for a mere few dollars. Zen has been cutting/​coloring my hair for just about 10 years. She’s WONDERFUL, especially if you have long hair. I’d strongly recommend trying this place!

I’ve been having my hair cut by Peppi at Mario’s for the past 8 years. If you’re looking for a high quality, consistent cut every time, this is the place for you.
Previously, I had been bouncing around between other less expensive places in the area. Sometimes I’d get a good cut, but most of the time it would either be way too short, too long, or just uneven. I’d frequently experience the awkward moment at the end where I’m trying to get the guy to fix it without insulting his work.
A friend recommended Mario’s and I haven’t looked back. Peppi always takes the extra time to make sure things are just right. Service is always good, I rarely have to wait. I highly recommend it.

My experience at Mario’s was great! I was having a hard time finding an available stylist for New Year’s Eve a couple weeks ago. Literally I called 30 places that were either booked, or did not have experience with curly natural black hair. When I called Mario’s the receptionist was very friendly and helpful, she said she had someone that could tame my wild hair. Hurray!!! The appointment was at 3pm and when I arrived a nice woman washed my hair (I bring my own shampoo and conditioner, since most salon products dry out my hair) and she chatted me up about her daughter being mixed race as well, and asked if the products that I used helped with frizz and manageability.
My stylist was Zenaide and she did a fabulous job on my hair!!! I have never gotten so many compliments on it! She was able to get it so straight and soft to the touch. I became vain over the next week, haha, and every time I saw a mirror I had to look at my flowing locks. She knew exactly what she was doing, and did it well. Although it was a bit pricey for a week to week straightening ($ 45, plus a good tip $ 10) I will definitely be coming back for special occasions! I suggest going to her if you have mixed race, curly, kinky, hair.

Out of all the places and people I’ve gone to get my legs and underarms waxed, Rosa is by far the best. She is thorough, makes it quick and as painless as possible, and it’s the best price around. I’ve been going to see her for approx. 14 years. I’ve tried people before her and when she goes on vacation if it coordinates with a need for waxing. Other places and people have left me disappointed. I highly recommend Rosa.

Consistently the bests hair cuts I have ever had time after time for the last 3 years.
There are a few really cool things about the place that stand out:
1) Every single person who works there can give a great haircut. Seriously, no duds. I really don’t even have to make an appointment because as long as someone is free I’m good to go.
2) They take their time with your hair. They don’t give you gucci ass head rubs and stuff but they are masters of their craft and know how to utilize all the different tools to give great cuts.
3) Hair wash. 2 minutes of pure heaven.
4) They appreciate regulars and they will acknowledge loyal customers (for instance, when I had a beard I would sometimes go in for a trim and they would end up cleaning up my entire domepiece for $ 5 or even free once or twice)
5) They are happy.
6) They get it. You say professional, they make it professional. You say just a little trim keep the length they do that. You say (what I say most of the time) just do whatever, and it’s always solid.
Men’s hair cuts are $ 25 which is a bit expensive (used to be $ 20) but they definitely earn it. Way more than twice as good as $ 15 cuts I’ve had.

Carla has been cutting my hair faithfully, inexpensively and quietly for the past 2 years. She is not a talker, I am, but we do make the time pass. That said, Carla does a fine job with my short hair. When I first went to her I was dealing with a growing out «angled bob» that had been cut incorrectly by Zen a few months before. I had walked in and asked for a sleek angled bob that was shorter in the back. I left unhappily with a straight blunt bob.
I decided that if edgy was what I wanted, I was going to go short. Carla to the rescue! She looked at my reference photo and sketch and went to work quietly and methodically. She is good at what she does and is patient and willing to make adjustments as needed. She listens (how novel)! She always checks with me as she cuts so i can put on my glasses and check her progress. Carla knows what I want and she always delivers.

I had my wedding hair and makeup done here by Maria.
So like a good bride-​to-​be, I trooped in a month or so in advance for «practice hair.» Maria created a beautiful updo. .. which my fiancé hated when he saw me later. When the hairstyle fell out over the course of a casual night out, I knew it was not the wedding look for me (N.B.: I have scads of thick, heavy hair, so I don’t believe the falling out of the updo reflects on Maria’s skills).
On the Big Day, Maria unexpectedly produced champagne for me and the bridesmaids. It added a great celebratory touch to our primping and was SO NICE of her. Maria was great about changing directions with my hair, which I ended up wearing down but pinned off my face. I was very happy with the hairstyle – it was both dressy and «me.»
Three of my bridesmaids also had their hair done here (not by Maria) with varying degrees of success but no failures. Everyone’s hair still looked great at midnight after ten hours of dancing and drinking.
The makeup was not quite as successful. I hadn’t realized until the day before the wedding that I needed to bring my own cosmetics, so my sister and I had done a mad-​dash drugstore run. Maria supplemented our purchases with a few items of her own. Mostly, the makeup looked good – heavy in the mirror, but perfect in photos. However, I did need my cheeks redone when the photographer noted that the shimmery color Maria used (from her collection) made me look «sweaty.» No big deal, really, and easily fixed, but man, it felt so stressful that day.
Overall, this is a recommend for me. Maria did not need to treat me so well as an out-​of-​state gal who obviously wasn’t becoming a regular anytime soon, but she really went out of her way to try to make the morning special. Thank you!

You know how your friends cut hair? Like… they can do it. its just …
… not how a professional does it… but its free so what can you do? Similar experience except i spent $ 25…
…
. $ 25…im not horrified or anything… but i feel like if i was partially buzzed and had a serrated knife and used my reflection in a spoon i could have probably saved myself some money.
MEANWHILE HOWEVER, there was a customer who got his little dome cut by a man (who i assume was the owner) that could not get over how great his hair was done. «this is amazing. this is just how i like it. oh man… this is good. great job. thank you so much» i nearly thought he was mocking the guy.
I’m reluctant to go back however i dont believe there are many decent looking/​non barbershop places in the davis/​porter area so we will see…
moral of the story: could be a roll of the dice. you could also cut your hair OR feed your whole family i dont know, its up to you.

This is the worst place to get a Brazilian wax… I’ve had several people give me waxes before it never hurt this much not even my first time! She didn’t want me to take my underwear off and wanted me to stretch my skin. I hurt so bad I told her to stop! Her name is Rosa by the way!!!
Luckily there’s a place across the street Skin & Body Works, Priscilla was great!!! Fixed up what Rosa couldn’t finish and hardly even hurt. I was jumpy because I had been traumatized but other than that it’s what I excepted when I Brazilian waxes!!!

So after years of talking about it, I finally decided to suck it up and get a brazilian. This is coming from a girl who still insists on plucking her own eyebrows for fear of waxing. I checked out reviews on Unilocal and read good things about Rosa at Mario’s Salon.
Good thing! Rosa was super amazing, and has totally converted me to being a waxer. She was so sweet and it was way less painful than I thought it would be. I’m not saying it didn’t hurt at all… but it was more than bearable and I will absolutely be going back to her.
PLUS it’s only $ 35! If I had gone to Newbury St. like I had originally thought about doing, I would have paid double. I’m obsessed. What’s next… vajazzling? Kidding ;)

It was my first Brazilian wax experience here, so perhaps that is why it hurt so much. Rosa was sweet and felt bad that I was sweating all over from the pain, saying, «Oh my god, poor baby! You’re so sweaty!» I had asked to perhaps take a little break, but she said, «We’ll take a break when I’m done.» Hmmm… maybe she was strapped on time or thought this way would be easier, like pulling off a band-aid…for 20 minutes.
Rosa uses chocolate, talks a lot, and has music in the background, all to divert your attention from the jerking motions down south.
I would give 4 stars because I wasn’t allowed a break and it was very painful. But I’m giving three because she opened the door about 2 seconds after finishing and I felt exposed to the whole salon in a gynecological position…

Here’s the thing: right after my first leg/​bikini wax with Rosa – whom I found through Unilocal – I got laid after an excessively long hiatus. So I can’t entirely claim as coincidence something that was so very much due to smooth-​skinned confidence. Are there better places? Yes indeed. Have I found them yet? Alas, no. Thus, Rosa is my default siren of the linen strip.
You walk into her fluorescent-​lit abode, move to the rhythm of whatever utterly and adorably dated cassette is playing in her boombox, and let her take you away. She’s a walking waxing dichotomy: simultaneously sweet and savage, calmly accommodating and yet will fearlessly rip and rip away until you have to literally pry the wooden stick out of her hands. Watch out and you’ll end up with a Brazilian when all you wanted was a tidy. You will leave covered in an unceremonious dump of baby powder. Oh, and don’t think you won’t participate. You – and your ladybits – will inevitably be holding taut your own undies/​flesh while she burrows in.
The prices are average – a full leg and bikini and tip will run you about $ 65−70 – and are stringently tallied per body part. Don’t try and wrestle a freebee out of her. And NEVER let her do your «feet” – she does the tops with the leg, and you’ll save yourself an extra $ 5 of pure toe-​plucking pain. That said, she remembers me, she’s a sweetheart, and I haven’t found anything better.

Imagine that you walk into a hair salon, say you want a haircut and the people behind the counter look at you like they don’t know what you’re talking about.
[First time I should’ve left]
After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, one of the girls behind the counter is told that she’ll cut my hair. She actually looks surprised – as if she’d never cut hair before.
[Second time I should’ve left]
She walks me back to wash my hair and doesn’t say two words to me.
[Going for a third]
Sits me down in the chair and I tell her what I want: layers and for my bangs to be cut a little bit. I take my glasses off – keep in mind that without my glasses, I’m at the mercy of those around me so I’ve had to try to learn to trust hair stylists. After she blow dried my hair, I put my glasses on – and proceeded to cry (internally of course). I was 10 years old again with 90s bangs. I hated them in elementary school which is why I always wore my hair up and hairsprayed my bangs to the top of my head (it was a hot look) so why in the hell would I want them at 24? I immediately asked her what I can do about them because they were way too short and not what I asked for at all. Her response? «I think they look good.»
At which time I actually walked out the door.
Luckily my hair grows kinda fast.

I can ONLY review Rosa’s waxing since it’s the only thing I’ve ever had done here, and it might just be the best wax I’ve ever had. Unlike the other waxed reviewers, I had a full leg and bikini wax, which was amazing. Rosa’s choice in music was a little old for my tastes, but was pretty mellow and relaxing. Unlike some of the salons I’ve been to, the room was well-​lit and efficient, something I think it kind of important when trying to make sure your client is hair-​free.
Rosa was chatty, sweet and no-​nonsense, getting the job done quickly, although it was VERY thorough – she spent quite a bit of time with the tweezers getting the strays that escaped the wax.