Lefty’s Barbershop

Per their answering machine message… closed… for good.
Chuck/​AJ at 858−274−1787 after Oct 5^th, Brian/​Douggie at the old PB location.

Another Travesty!!! Now there is no decent barbershop in Downtown SD!!! Rest assured I have followed them back to Pacific Beach!!! Nothing can stop me from getting my cut from Brian and the crew! Long Live the 2 Pacific Beach Locations!!!
Best Barbershop in all of San Diego by far. Old school style, Old school atmosphere, down to earth chill attitudes, combined with barbers that excel with the cuts they provide make Leftys a destination to get your hair did whatever part of San Diego you are coming from. You walk in, you get the old school vibe. You need to go to experience it yourself. Makes you feel like you stepped back in time to an era when every cut was a «gentlemens» cut and the utmost care and precision was taken every single time. Bonus is that all the guys are «real» barbers, not «salon» style. They can all handle a blade and can give clean, fresh shaves, hot towels and all. Whether its a cut or a shave, Brian and his crew know how to get it done. Just make sure to call for an appointment because the place is always jumping and its difficult to get a cut on a walk-​in basis.
East Village in Downtown San Diego, in fact all of San Diego represented well by Leftys Barbershop, Brian and the rest of the crew.

I have never been to a barber before, my mom has been cutting my hair for my entire life and since I go to SDSU and live nearby, I still have her cut my hair because she knows how I want it. But when I decided «okay I want to try a barber place,» my friend recommended me here, Lefty’s Barbershop, and I have been very impressed for sure!
I was nervous because I didn’t know what to say, do, whatever. I still have the card from my visit, and I was taken care of by a guy named Brent. He made my very first visit to a barber very easy and smooth. He was kind and just asked me whatever I wanted to do with my hair and kept making sure if it looks good, recommended me some things, and kept great conversations going. It was the first time I was shaved by the knife too! And it felt really fresh and great. I really loved the haircut I got and tipped well for sure!
These guys know what they’re doing and they will take care of anyone who wants to get a cut here. I will definitely be back in the near future! Make sure to call in for an appointment, because they get booked fast! Oh and the guys there are really generous about cancellations and stuff. I had to cancel my appointment like 3 times, but the guys were chill about it and always had more times opened for me. There’s a restaurant that I love called JWok right next door, so right after the fantastic haircut get something to bite over there!
Want a haircut? Come here and let the legendary shop take care of you. Excellent price for excellent haircuts with excellent people. A++

Killer barbershop, real old school feel but the guys really got some skills when it comes to guys cuts. Whatever you need from fades to ‘just clean it up’ I have faith these dudes can do it all. Chill, no fluff conversation w these guys, if you have tattoos you can talk with these guys for hours.
Unfortunately, I cant grow a shred of facial hair, but a ‘real’ shave looks damn relaxing. As long as I live in PB, lefty’s will have my business.

I visited Lefty’s today to get my wig split during my lunch hour. I had parked in front of this place several times because it’s around the corner from Blends but failed to cross their threshold. This barbershop came highly recommend by more than a few homies and rightfully so. Lefty’s offers excellent service for reasonable prices ($ 16 for a Men’s cut). Good ol’ Baby Jesus failed to bless me with an abundance of facial hair so I know very little about maintaining a beard; however I would recommend this place to my friends looking for a shop to clean up their fuzz.
Where most barbershops close at 5 or 6 pm, Lefty’s is open until 7. The barbershop is by appointment only so don’t think you can just walk in. If you are in search of a quality haircut at a barbershop that exudes 50’s style and customer service, Lefty’s is your place. Ask for Chuck when you schedule an appointment.

Before I decided to sport a mane full of glorious, luxurious hair, I was a proponent of getting skin fades and straight edge razor shaves, and the only place in town I trusted to keep me so fresh and so clean was the original Lefty’s down in PB. The only problem with this would be the commute over to PB, which was kinda out of the way considering I lived in East San Diego. So when I heard Brian was planning to open a second shop in East Village, I was intrigued.
That being said, I entrusted my stylish looks to only two people — Mitch and AJ — and being that they were both at the PB location, I still sucked it up and journeyed out to PB every two weeks like clockwork until I decided to grow my hair out.
Fast forward 1.5 years.
When I decided to make a return to a short look, I took a shot at Barberside, which was a hop and a skip away from me. The resulting cut was not something I dug too much, but fortunately, I got the heads up from Marvin that AJ had moved to the East Village location.
When my hair grew back, I made an appointment with AJ who remembered me right away. Even with more than a year’s absence away from the chair, we picked up right where we left off as though I’d been in only a couple of weeks earlier.
And needless to say, my current cut seems to knock the right people off their feet.
If you’re looking to stay as fly as this guy, do yourself a favor and make an appointment at Lefty’s post-​haste. You’ll be glad you did.

I visited Lefty’s after about 5 weeks without shaving. The full beard was in full force and it was time to shed a few pounds of facial hair. I briefly considered leaving the nose neighbor in tact and just getting rid of the rest, but the wife probably wouldn’t dig it.
So off I went to Lefty’s. Got a shave appointment with Chuck. Knowing that downtown parking is tough, I asked when I booked and found out I was on my own. I arrived early, found a spot a block away — no problem.
The straight razor shave is quite the process. Since I had the full beard, he started with just the clippers to get it to a manageable length. Then, he put me back in the chair with my feet up — like Deniro at the beginning of The Untouchables.
He did the hot towel thing and let it sit for a while and actually went over my face twice. Closest shave I’ve ever had — and I never once thought about getting whacked sitting in the chair (not enough enemies in this town… yet).
Overall — great experience. Ladies, this would be a good gift for your man for a special occasion. Dudes, this is something you have to do at least once in your life. Then have a cigar, some scotch, and hit the bowling lanes.

The only barbershop I’ve been to in San Diego where a man feels like he got a masculine haircut.
There are the male salons like alpha-​male that are about image vs. quality. I’d rather take quality.

Go to Lefty’s (actually you really ought to call first, I wandered in this morning thinking that a Tuesday morning shouldn’t be an issue, oh was I wrong, it was massively busy), see Brent. Proceed to get an awesome haircut from a really cool guy.
I also got a shave and I’m a fan. Next time I’m in San Diego, I’ll be visiting my new favorite barber, Brent.
(Btw: $ 35 for a shave /​haircut = teh awesome)
And don’t forget to BRING CASH

These days the idea of the good olé American barbershop is all but dead. I hate going into a salon that smells like my girlfriend’s perfume collection just exploded only to have some lady cut my hair that insists that I should let her do «something crazy» with it or add some ungodly color to my head that will make me look like a parrot and then spend half my pay check paying for it. The only other common alternative to that is to sit and listen to some folks yappin’ in some savage tongue destroy my hair and shape it into some Navy cut when I asked for a Marine medium regulation. Sure, it’s $ 5 but I’ll get in trouble at work on Monday for showing up with a squid mop on my head.
At Lefty’s I don’t have to worry about any of that. As soon as you walk in you feel like you’re in some sort of punk rock re-​enactment of a 50’s barbershop. Vintage everything and heavily tattooed barbers giving gentlemen hair cuts with clippers and straight razors. A legit men’s haircut place. You can B/​S with your barber about anything from sports to music and back again. My barber, Chuck, was even from my native Tennessee so we talked about the good old days back in the South. My haircut was flawless and I throughly enjoyed the whole experience, as I think any dude who’s not interested in having his hair look like an exotic bird or having his eye brows waxed would.
For as long as I live in San Diego, Lefty’s will be the ONLY I visit.

My husband goes here to get his hair cut and loves it. He didn’t like going to salons for a cut because he said they always tried to make small talk with him and he hated it. I do see him talking to his barber at Lefty’s so I’m not sure what the difference is besides that it must be «man talk» instead.
The guys are great and my husband is always sporting the latest Lefty’s t-​shirt. Maybe the only down side for a first timer is that they don’t take walk-ins…but if you know that up front you will be ok.

The terrific reviews here on Unilocal got me to try Lefty’s and I’m happy I did. I got a cut from Chuck and he did a great job. I really like the décor also of the old-​time barbershop and love all of the old seats. But then they bring in the two flat screen TV’s without sacrificing anything — a good touch.
Have to admit, I didn’t get a shave with the cut, but I think the next time I go I will have to try it. Because there will definitely be a next time that I go to Lefty’s. Really tough to beat, if not impossible, for the money, care and décor. I’m sure you can find places that are just as good to get a cut, but I highly doubt you’d find a better place.

Brian and Brett are the best damn barbers in town. They have cut my hair and my sons hair — killer jobs on both.
Nice cut and a little bay rum…
— Joe

Upon first impression this place looked more like it was trying to look like an old school barber shop, but looked more like a tattoo shop. Lots of young guys with piercings and sleeves wielding scissors.
I gave it a try anyway but was told I needed an appointment. Appointment? At a barbershop? I was dumbfounded. I asked if i could make one for later in the day and the guy said they were closing early because it was too hot. Sigh. The guy tried to hand me a card but I decided I’d just go somewhere else.
However, fate and a long series of dissapointments too long to go into here brought me crawling back to Lefty’s. In the end I must say the price is right, and Chuck knows what he’s doing. I’ll be coming back regularly, but I’ll make sure to call first.

Lefty’s Barbershop is that best place in town to cut your hair ! 2 big flat screen TV ‘s so you don’t miss the game. straight razor shave, what more do you want. well it would be cool if they served beer or wine. lol
You have to go check it out, i had AJ as my barber and he did a great job.

It’s all been said, but I will say it again.
I just moved to Downtown and was looking for a new place to get my hair cut. There probably isn’t a better place I’ve been in all my experiences since I started cutting my hair super short years ago.
AJ is awesome, personable and definitely adds to the easygoing environment that you instantly become a part of the minute you step inside.
As for my haricut, they know how to give you a damn good fade without making you look like a cholo.
There you have it. Go, you won’t regret it.

I generally don’t like adding yet ANOTHER glowing review when every other review has been super positive, and yet, here I am…
I learned about Lefty’s from Unilocal and likely would not have gone there otherwise just because I had a guy that gave a me a decent cut a few months ago. They only work on reservations, so call ahead. Luckily, I was able to get one for the same morning I called.
The place is small, but it was class and a half. The guys were all professional and the magazine rack was more manly then an episode of THE MAN SHOW watched in the back of a pick-​up truck.
The cut was really tight and the beard trimming that I got was the best I’ve ever gotten.
The best surprise was the price. Cut and a beard trim for $ 16! Fuck yeah. IF he had said $ 30 I woud not have been surprised. $ 16 just meant his tip doubled.

My brother was getting married, so the best man decided that the wedding party should come here the morning of the wedding for haircuts/​shaves. Apparently, the best man didn’t realize that there aren’t eight barbers on duty, so only my brother had an appointment. I stopped by the day before to get my own appointment.
Lefty’s is a neo-​traditional barbershop — you’ll find barbers, not stylists here. While the barbers didn’t get their tattoos in the Navy, they certainly have ‘em. There are Playboys, surf magazines, and muscle car magazines on the rack. There are actual barber chairs instead of «stations.»
My brother liked his shave, although he thought it wasn’t as close as the shave he could get from the «old guy in Japan.» Whenever Unilocal expands to Japan, look for the «old guy» review. Until then, if you’re in need of a shave and/​or a haircut in San Diego, here’s your place.
My barber did a great job trimming my beard, cleaning up the sides, taking just a bit off the top, and taking care of the back. When I wanted the sides done with scissors over comb, he didn’t complain or suggest the clippers (which are quicker but give you the «I just got a haircut» look).
After the shave, trim, and cut, I expected a big pricetag, but was pleasantly surprised with the cost. It would have been a wise decision to come here even if I wasn’t about to be in a dozen pictures later that day.

I have to agree with Evan M. on this one. Not much else to say that has not been said. To sun it up for people wanting the short of it:
Do you get a good haircut here? YES
Do they make you feel comfortable? YES
Will you leave with your hair cut they way you wanted it cut? YES
Is the price fair? YES
Will you be a return customer? YES
If there was a 10 Star rating system, would they earn 10 stars? YES
Any questions?

Thank you, Unilocal!Got a real haircut at Lefty’s yesterday. At first, I thought it a bit strange that I needed an appointment, but now I understand. Brian’s that good! Great shop. It’s just Brian in the downtown shop (conveniently located stumbling distance from Neighborhood)), and during my time in the chair, he explained that he frequently lights up a cigar in the place at the end of the day, to give it the old barber shop smell.
Technically, the best haircut ever, and as other Unilocal patrons/​reviewers have pointed out, he asks a ton of questions about what you want done before touching a hair on your head. Loved the attention to detail (he trims eyebrows, and even nose hair), and the straight razor trim took me back to my childhood days in the booster seat at my dad’s favorite shop.
This Tuesday (6÷3÷08), he’s hosting the famous shoe-​shine Frankie Webb (from Nordstrom, Fashion Valley). Frankie’s a legend, and if you’ve never had your shoes shined by him, it’s worth a trip.
In short, this is an establishment that you’ll recommend to others, and I look forward to a time when he’s got all four chairs going downtown.