Barbers and hot shaves in San Francisco. What it costs, and where the Castro goes.
Short answer: a published San Francisco men’s cut runs from a $35 buzz cut in Dogpatch to $85 for a scissor cut at J.P. Kempt, and a hot-towel shave from $45 to $75. Want a shop in the Castro? Louie’s on Castro Street was described by the SF Examiner as a barbershop in the gay neighborhood that caters to everyone; it runs a wait list instead of appointments. Prices below come from booking pages, so check the shop before you sit down.
In a city where a latte costs more than a fade should, the spread between $35 and $85 is real. Here’s who publishes what, and what we couldn’t confirm.
$35
buzz cut at Dogpatch Barber and Shave, per its booking page
$45–$75
hot-towel shave from Cable Car Clothiers ($45) to a Master Barber shave at Bus Stop Barbershop ($75)
$70
haircut at Peoples Barber & Shop on Valencia Street, per Squire
At a glance
Compare in 10 seconds
From each business’s own page or license record, checked November 2, 2026. Prices and hours change, so confirm before you go.
Grooming in San Francisco compared
Place
Known for
Cut from
Walk-in
State license
Louie’s Barbershop SFCastro St
Haircuts, touch-ups
—
Wait list, no appointments (2018 article)
—
J.P. Kempt Barber & SocialDivisadero St
Scissor cuts, lather shaves, beard trims
$40–$85
—
—
Peoples Barber & ShopValencia St
Signature cut, razor shave
$70
—
—
Peoples Barber & ShopPolk St
Cuts, fades, razor shave
$60–$65
—
—
Fellow BarberValencia St
Cuts, house hair products
—
—
—
Bus Stop BarbershopHarrison St
Haircuts, hot towel shaves
$50–$55
—
—
Dogpatch Barber and Shave3rd St
Cuts, buzz cuts, hot towel shave
$35 buzz · $70 cut
—
—
Cable Car Clothiers BarbershopSutter St
Cut, razor shave
$60
Walk-ins welcome
—
Hair Sensation Barber ShopBush St
Old-school barbering
—
—
—
The BarbershopLombard St
Cuts, fades, straight razor shave
$75
—
—
“—” means the source we checked doesn’t list it, not that the place never offers it.
Where to go
Grooming in San Francisco
No paid placements. Each place is here for a stated reason, with the source we checked on November 2, 2026.
Louie’s Barbershop SF
Castro
No appointments
Senior discount
Castro Street barbershop for haircuts and touch-ups, run on a wait list instead of appointments.
Why it’s here. The SF Examiner quotes the owner, Martin Mendoza, calling it a barbershop in the gay neighborhood that caters to everyone; he bought it in March 2018.
Price
Full price list not published. The SF Examiner mentions a $35 cut for customers 60 and older.
How
No appointments: you join a wait list and pick a barber by availability. Hours weren’t published in the article, which dates from the 2018 ownership change. Call to confirm the shop is open.
SoMa barbershop with signature and master-barber cuts, hot towel shaves and beard trims bookable on Squire.
Why it’s here. A wide published menu with separate signature and master-barber tiers, so you can choose price over polish.
Price
Signature cut $50–$55 · hot towel shave $50–$60. Master Barber hot towel shave $75, master haircut $80, signature beard trim $25–$30; the page shows only 8 of 26 services.
Hours
Hours not reliable on the booking page. It shows “opens at 1 AM,” which looks like a listing error; call to confirm.
How
Book online through Squire. Walk-in policy isn’t stated.
Barbershop inside a downtown haberdashery on Sutter Street, with haircuts and hot towel straight-razor shaves.
Why it’s here. The cheapest hot towel straight-razor shave we found, $45, and a stated walk-in policy.
Price
Haircut $60 · hot towel straight-razor shave $45 · haircut and shave $90.
Hours
The site’s hours conflict. The header says Mon–Sat 11 AM–5 PM; the barbershop section says Mon–Fri 11 AM–4 PM with Saturday by appointment. Call to confirm.
How
Appointments recommended, walk-ins welcome. Call or text Luis the Barber at (628) 628-0040; the store line is (415) 397-4740.
Where
110 Sutter St., Suite 108, San Francisco, CA 94104
Paraphrased from public discussions, with links. Not endorsements.
Is there a barbershop in the Castro that takes walk-ins?Louie’s on Castro Street took no appointments and ran a wait list, according to the SF Examiner’s 2018 article. Call to check the wait and that nothing has changed. SF Examiner on Louie’s ↗
Why is a shave $45 at one shop and $75 at another?Tier and time. Bus Stop Barbershop lists a $50–$60 signature hot towel shave and a $75 Master Barber one, while Cable Car Clothiers lists a $45 straight-razor shave. Bus Stop Barbershop on Squire ↗
Where can I get a cheap haircut in San Francisco?Dogpatch Barber and Shave lists a $35 buzz cut, and J.P. Kempt lists a $40–$50 crew cut. Standard haircuts at the shops we checked start around $50–$70. Dogpatch Barber and Shave ↗
Before you book
Make the first visit easy
Check the license in 30 seconds
Search the shop or barber name at search.dca.ca.gov (Board of Barbering and Cosmetology). We haven’t checked licenses for this guide, so do it before you book.
Prices are ranges
Squire-booked shops list a range per service, often by barber tier. Ask which barber you are booking and what the final price is.
Confirm hours before you go
Several shops here list hours that differ by page or are temporary. Call or check the booking page the same day.
On NOCTI
Independent professionals in San Francisco
Message independent professionals directly. NOCTI doesn’t take bookings or payments.
No NOCTI professional lists this service in San Francisco yet.
A NOCTI profile is not by itself a license, identity or background check.
Quick answers
FAQ
How much is a men’s haircut in San Francisco?
Published prices we checked: $35 for a buzz cut at Dogpatch Barber and Shave, $70 for a haircut at Peoples Barber on Valencia, $60 at Cable Car Clothiers, and $40–$85 across cut types at J.P. Kempt.
Where can I get a straight-razor shave in San Francisco?
Cable Car Clothiers lists a hot towel straight-razor shave at $45, J.P. Kempt lists a shave at $55–$70, and Peoples Barber lists $60–$65 on Valencia and $60 on Polk for a razor shave or beard trim.
Is there a barbershop in the Castro?
Louie’s Barbershop SF is at 422 Castro St. The SF Examiner described it in 2018 as a barbershop in the gay neighborhood that caters to everyone.
Do San Francisco barbershops take walk-ins?
It varies. Cable Car Clothiers says walk-ins are welcome, and Louie’s uses a wait list instead of appointments. Most other shops here list online booking and don’t state a walk-in policy.
Listings checked November 2, 2026. NOCTI is not affiliated with the businesses listed and receives nothing for listing them. Ratings and reviews belong to their platforms; follow the links to read them. This guide is general information, not medical advice.