Lee Lee Beauty & Hair Salon

I went for a hair cut (short hair) and Nikki immediately suggested me a «light perm», like she said. She said my hair would be wonderful, no need to do anything. What a lie!!! She not only damaged my good quality hair but also did the worst cutting job ever. It is almost a joke her hair cut. I noticed that another lady was also getting a perm when I realized that they suggest the perm so that they can make more money. Of course, the hair cut is only $ 20 and the perm $ 39, at the end you pay the same as you would with a good professional. Every day when I look to my hair I think about how dishonest Nikki was. If she was just selling a product, I would waste my money but what she did affected my visual. Missing very much my wonderful hair stylist from The Cosmopolitan, in Brewster, NY! Be aware of the «light perm scam»!!!

I found this place by accident. I needed a haircut and my hairdresser had just had his prices go from $ 65, to $ 85 to $ 100 and that was the last straw. I decided no more expensive haircuts they are just not worth it. I am also one of those people who doesn’t freak out from a «bad» haircut. I just figure it will grow… The first time I went in they told me the haircut was $ 18 including wash and blow dry and I figured what the hell let me give it a try. There was a very hip looking asian guy, young in his 20s or so and he asked me what I wanted. I told him that I didn’t know. He asked me if I wanted Chinese style or Hong Kong style. I asked him what the difference was and he told me «one is Chinese style and the other was Hong Kong style». So I showed him a picture of my old haircut done by the $ 100 guy uptown. He said ok and I was sent to the person who washed my hair. She tried to sell me dye, treatments (if you bought a treatment the haircut was free) but I didn’t want any treatments and I don’t dye my hair. When I went back to the chair he started to cut my hair… I needed up looking like him which was a la Justin Beiber. I told him no… I wanted it shorter and he cut and he cut and it finally looked like what my hair had looked like before. It was ok. Nothing great nothing horrible but ok. A couple of months later I decided to give it a shot again only this time I went to Eliane Lim. This time I got a really good hair washing and scalp massage which was amazing and they didn’t try to sell me any extras. I showed the picture to Elaine and she said, «ok» and she started to cut, and cut and cut and for the first time in my life I got a bit nervous. I asked how long she was cutting hair for and she said 35 years. I felt a bit better. I have to say that spent probably 45 minutes cutting and when she was done I swear I looked like a model in the haircutting magazines. I could have been! She was fantastic and I will never go to anyone else ever again. I have recommended her to other friends who go there now and are as happy as I am with her!
OH and when you are done you can go just around the corner for Chinese soup dumplings… but NOT Shanghai Joes…

I have mixed feelings about Lee Lee Salon. My intention was to go to Beauty and Styling House to Johnny. Proximity-​wise it is next door, but was closed down… literally, shut down, out of business. I was standing in front of the former styling house looking confused and trying to figure out my next move, when the staff at Lee Lee beckoned me in. Being in desperate need of a cut and in somewhat of a hurry, I decided to go for it. I asked how much the cut would be. $ 20. Great!
While I’m sitting in the chair getting my hair washed, the woman who is washing starts pushing all the different services the salon offers. Do I want a hot oil treatment? No, thanks. Seconds later she pushes it again. Still, no thanks. Do I want my eyebrows done. No, thanks. This goes on for the duration of the hair wash. I finally just outright told her I only want to get my hair cut.
Now to the cut. My stylist was Elaine. She asked what I wanted. I told her. She did a great job and I really love my cut. She suggested cutting the back slightly different from what I wanted. I agreed and it turned out really nice. She was a little rough with the scissors at times and I felt my hair being pulled, but that didn’t bother me so much – the cut looks wonderful. What I did mind was the constant up-​selling of the salon products. Do I want a hot oil treatment, eyebrow clean up, color? NO! NO! NO! Between the stylist and the hair washer, I seriously must have been asked 10+ times if I wanted extra services. As with the hair washer, I had to flat out tell Elaine I did not want any extra services and not to ask me again.
So, the experience was mixed. I was pleasantly surprised by the nice cut I received. However, I was bombarded the entire time by attempts to be sold other salon products. Would I go back… possibly…on the sole condition that I state once I get there to both the hair washer and stylist that I only want a haircut and do not want to hear a peep about the other salon services.

I have been coming here for at least 4 years now and still have mixed feelings. But for the price alone, it can’t be beat. I used to love having my hair cut by Ming who has sadly gone back to Shanghai. The ladies here were very helpful over a period of years when I was transitioning from colored hair to gray and during that time I did get the hot oil treatments. With Ming gone, Elaine has become the main stylist, and she does have a license — it is on display there.
I am Italian-​American and have a thick mass of hair that really gets bushy. They are excellent at cutting layers and people comment on what great cuts I have. My daughter is Chinese and has pretty thick Asian hair — they do a great job on her as well so we like to make a day out of it.
I would just say that if you go here, you need to be firm and clear about what you want and how much it will cost. Perhaps because I’ve been going there for so long, they don’t pester me about the hot oil. This is also a very Chinese place and in China you will get pressured to buy this or that — it comes with the culture.
I often look along Pell Street and other parts of Chinatown for alternative hair salons. The ambiance at Lee Lee is a lot more pleasing than some of the cheaper spots and their staff is fairly young and hip which I find more refreshing than other shops. In the end I walk into Lee Lee because at least there, I am not blinded by cheap florescent lights, and the unknown factors. Another tip: I always go mid-​morning on a weekday when it is not busy. There was a new guy today who did a great job, very careful and attentive to every strand. That alone was worth the train ride.

I’ve been coming to this salon since my cousins introduced me to it about 10 years ago. Elaine does a wonderful job at cutting «asian» hair. Asian hair is normally really straight and coarse. Being from Florida and visiting NYC every three months or so, I always make sure to stop in to get a hair cut.
I never have good hair cuts while in Florida.

i came here for a blow out as i like to treat myself every so often. 2 of us walked in here and we were quickly whisked away into the back shampooing stations. we compared our ladies at the end and realized they said the same load of crap to both of us. they complained we had thick hair. (this is coming off the tip by the way!) because i know i have thick hair – no need to point it out captain obvious. i absolutely despise it when the ladies say that since they are essentially complaining that they deserve more tip for the thickness of your hair. whatever, then they tried to tell us our hair was dry and we should do a quick oil treatment. no thanks i came here for a wash. and they also pointed out that they do laser hair removal in case we were interested. wtf??? SHUT UP and wash my hair dammit!!! is what i wanted to say to her.
there was NO massage of any sort. they literally just rubbed our heads with shampoo a quick 5mins and conditioner and started blow drying right away. i was looking for the cheapy blow out that includes scalp massages while shampooing as well as freebie neck/​back massages! NOT HERE. $ 12 for the blow out that literally only took them 20mins. quickest ever, needless to say i am not coming back for sure! BOHUM

Elaine does a good job on my hair. I have straight fairly fine hair and just need blunt cuts. She is skilled at cutting a straight even line. I’ve spent three times the price of this haircut on average and the cuts were usually not as good. I’m pretty particular and I feel I can trust Elaine with my hair.

This was my go-​to place for 6 years — I went to Ming every couple of months for a can’t be beat haircut that cost $ 16. I endured and ignored the upsells and generally tipped the washers better who stopped their entreaties for the hot oil treatment.
I introduced friends from around the country to Ming, and he patched up my friend’s botched haircut (which she tipped him $ 20 for.) It was a beautiful relationship for the time that we had it.
Now Ming is gone (went back to China, the salon says.) And so am I. *wipes a tear*

STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE! I went in for a simple trim to get rid of my split ends but now I have the ugliest haircut in my life!
First of all, while the girl was washing my hair, she kept pressuring me to get the hot oil treatment. After repeatedly telling her «No No No» she then continued to ask if I wanted my eyebrows waxed or my lips waxed. Oh my god, how many times does I have to say NO!
So I sat down in the chair, and my hair stylist was Elaine. Seriously this lady sucks! I don’t even think she has her license! After I told her I just want to cut my split ends, she started snipping around. Then she asked me if I wanted to trim my bangs. I told her that I just want them an inch shorter. Did she listen? Nooooooo. She took a scissor and went SNIP straight across a section right at my eyebrow! OMG! HIDEOUS! I was so upset! Ugh, but what can I do? I can’t walk out with one section of short bangs… so I told her to just cut the rest short but that I wanted side bangs. She took the scissor and cut straight across, then took a comb and combed it to one side, and said «Look! Side bangs!»
Yeah, at that point, I just wanted to leave. I said that was enough and got up to pay. Both the stylist AND the hair washer demanded a tip! Yeah right, I don’t think so! So unless you want a super ugly asian mullet type of thing on top of your head, avoid this place!

WORSE PLACE to go! The women are pushy and annoying… trying to get you to add services for $ 10 here and $ 16 there. if I could rate them zeo stars, I would. The girl asked me to do my brows and I said no. Then she continued to do them anyway. i just wanted a wash and blow dry. Do no fall into going in… you will never want to go back. BEWARE! They have bad business karma! Do not go!

Located in a row of other beauty salons in New York Chinatown, it can be overwhelming to pick one out!
Lee Lee stood out because they seemed like they were younger, hipper hairstylists (plus there salon was kinda flashy relative to their neighbors.) Being an out-​of-​towner, I wanted a cheap, quick haircut to chop off my split ends & also, I wanted a «New York» haircut experience!
When I sat in the chair, the stylists immediately said my hair was dry, «not shiny», & I should try their hot oil treatment. Being easily peer pressured… I said sure. For $ 39, my hair was slathered with a conditioner and I sat under one of those steamy things for about 10 minutes and then it got washed out. This «treatment» seemed like a fancier, deep conditioner mask… A week later, I’m not really sure if my hair is any shinier or smoother…
Although I do really like my haircut, I DON’T appreciate being peer pressured into a service. Felt like I got hustled by a fellow asian sistah =/

Haha I had a similar experience to «Lindsay O.» I was supposed to meet a friend at Beauty and Styling House and was late for our 4pm appointment. I rushed into Lee Lee and started to get shampoo’d. My friend texted me and said that she was also having her hair shampoo’d, so I realized my mistake since I was the only one there! Lee Lee is located at 12 Pell Street, while Beauty is located at 12a Pell Street.
Anyway, the best thing at this salon is Ming. He gave me a gorgeous haircut, taking his time to shape my hair. I even brought my mom there to get her hair dyed and cut. My haircut ended up being just as good as my friend’s at Beauty and Styling House, but $ 18 instead of $ 28. If you go, make an appointment with Ming only.
The women there are horrible salespeople and wear cheap clubwear. They run around coercing people to get hair conditioning treatments and eyebrow waxings. It’s a tough industry, I guess, but if you a) look like a professional beauty expert, b) strike up a conversation with me and mention other services you provide instead of saying bluntly/​rudely, «you want your eyebrows waxed?» MAYBE I would trust you and buy more!

It is with great pleasure that I warn other people about this place. I made an appointment at Beauty and Styling House for a friend who was in town with the amazing Johnny Z. For those unfamiliar with the area, Beauty and styling house is 12a Pell St. not 12 Pell St. and literally right next door. Yes, only in NYC…
It had been a while since I had been to Beauty and Styling House and we somehow missed it when we were walking on Pell St. and stumbled into Lee Lee’s. I thought maybe they changed the name… NYC is unpredictable at times. So we walk in and ask for Johnny Z. «Oh yes, he’s here» replied the woman, and put my friend in the hair washing area immediately. Come to find out, it was a COMPLETELY different guy, and when I saw him, I immediately realized the error. So I walked outside and sure enough, Beauty and Styling house was bustling with customers and Johnny Z was working on someone’s hair just next door. I rushed back into the dead zone that was Lee Lee’s and said to my friend «Your appointment is next door, we have to go». The woman shot me a «you’re dead to me» look and told me it was too late. She had already started this «treatment» on my friend’s hair. Knowing how Chinatown works, what I assumed was correct — she had upsold us without our knowledge… completely scammed us. I didn’t want them to slaughter her hair at this point, so we ended up paying the $ 45 for the haircut and some special Japanese treatment (that washed right out) that day. Did this other Johnny do an OK job? Sure… but they knew who I was looking for. On top of that, the other salon indicated that this wasn’t the first time Lee Lee’s has stolen their customers.
We felt completely scammed and honestly, I know it’s only $ 45 dollars for a haircut, but that gives them no excuse to be so dishonest. STAY FAR FAR AWAY!!!

I can’t believe it get’s any negative reviews. It’s absolutely the BEST — hand’s down. Elaine is great — I’ve always received comments about the high quality of my haircut from my co-​workers. The massage and facial ladies are wonderful — especially Irene (who seems to have moved on). I don’t know how the business survives given that they give so much for $ 18, but I’m happy customer,

Easily the most stressful haircut experience I’ve ever had.
The place looked pleasant enough at first: clean, warm and a seemingly friendly environment. I have a typical shaggy-​ish Asian male style haircut and was hoping to simply get a trim. I sat down and tried to explain to the woman, Elaine, what I wanted but she kept saying that she had in mind a good look for me. Before I could argue, she shaved off, I repeat, SHAVED OFF the entire left side of my head.
Now, I’ve rocked the super short hair before so it wasn’t the end of the world but she then proceeds to try and convince me to go for a more «stylish look» that would cost $ 39. I asked her how much a regular hair cut is and she says $ 18 so I say no thanks and I’ll stick to the regular. She persistently asked me twice more, to which I politely decline and she says «fine, fine, I’ll do it for the regular hair cut price.» Trying to scam me woman? Probably but hell no am I gonna bite.
After shaving off both sides of my head, and making me look like a 3 year old mushroom, she sends me off to wash my hair. The girl who does the hair washing rinses my head and sends me back to Elaine who has a horrified look on her face and immediately begins berating the girl who simply chuckles and returns me to the chair to actually WASH my hair. Not gonna lie, the hair washing paired with the head massage was exquisite.
After my hair is squeaky clean, I return to Elaine who begins cutting the top of my hair. In the middle of the hair butchering, she drops the comb. Normally at other places, they pick up a new comb and continue. Not here though, Elaine picks up the comb from the hair littered floor and as I open my mouth protest, she interrupts with some small talk to avoid any objections I may have. *sigh*
After a few moments, she reaches for the hair gel and I quickly ask if she can take a bit more off the top and that it’s still a bit long. As she responds «Are you sure? I think it’s a good length right now,» she goes ahead and starts gelling it. I re-​assert my request and she seriously cuts it about a half centimeter. No lie. I ask again and she does it even less this time.
By the end of the haircut, I was relieved that this experience was over, but boy was I wrong. Paying was probably the most stressful part. With the service they gave me, I had no intention of tipping anyone but the girl who washed my hair. After I give her a few bucks, Elaine puts her hands out and asks «what about me?!» As several of the hair stylists who were present darted their eyes in my direction, I went ahead and gave her two dollars. She looks at it, counts it out and says «But I cut your girlfriend’s hair too!» (my gf got one too right after me) I acknowledged it and she repeats it several times, the volume of her voice increasing each time. At this point, all I want is to be ANYWHERE ELSE so I give her two more dollars and dart out of the door, a door I swear I will never open again, even if you paid me.
Overall, a terrifying experience. The haircut wasn’t terrible, but it’s the kind of place children would cry if they stepped foot into it. Avoid this place. Avoid Elaine. Be glad you’ve never stepped into this doorway on Pell Street.

I liked the haircut I got from Ming and will come back for the haircut
but did not like how the other workers there were really adamant about getting you to buy extra products and do extra services from mole-​removals, to facials, to buying hair products… I almost felt attacked…