Charles Barber Shop

Absolute rip off. $ 30 for a men’s haircut that requires no scissors (just clippers) no neck razor shave or hot towel in a 3 chair barber room that is almost impossible to find. This should have been $ 10-​$ 15 at most. Unless of course their barbers make over $ 100 an hour since I was in the chair all of 15 minutes. I should have asked first about the price and that’s definitely my own fault as I would have left laughing at the $ 30 price. Do NOT go here expecting basic barber service at a reasonable price.

Wow! Excellent military haircut, medium skin shave. Worth $ 30! You wanna support local business, go here. Ask for Mary.

Great barbershop. Bathsheba (Sheba to her friends and clients) is an excellent barber. As was Lou and the other lady who also works there. I know there are some negative reviews for the elderly gentleman (I think his name was George), who worked there — but if you arrived there without knowing him and didn’t note his advanced years and shaky hand, that’s kind of on you. He was the only barber available on a few occasions, but I passed on him and waited for someone else. Yes, it may hurt his feelings, but I’m the one who would have had to live with a mediocre cut for a month. Anyway, he’s gone and I think Lou may be as well, but the two ladies that are still there are fantastic. I always call and make an appointment with Sheba, and I am never disappointed. $ 30 for starter is expensive — but lets just say it’s worth the extra $ 10 over Diego’s for me — where the barbers have made several mistakes (for some reason none of them seem capable of leaving my sideburns the length they are).
Cash only.

These are very nice people at this shop; but all of their haircuts start at $ 30. I got a quick buzz cut that would only have cost me $ 17 where I normally go in Arlington (Willy’s). They tend to spend a bit more time with people at Willy’s; and i’ll go there instead of Charles Barber Shop for future buzz cuts.

Great haircut, reasonable price, and Bathsheba is always a joy to talk to. Best barbershop in DC.

Best haircut I’ve had in the DC area. Service was quick and only a block up from Farragut West 18^th St metro station exit. Hard to find bc of current construction, but if you walk into 1800 K street and take the elevator down a floor, you’ll see it. They also pick up the phone if you can’t find it. I’ve been looking for a barber since I moved here in January and won’t be looking anymore. Also, I didn’t have to wait at 6:15 — 6:30 when I came in, which helps a lot. Other places seemed to have a long wait and did a similar to worse haircut.

Reasonably priced, consistently great haircuts.

Bathsheba knows how a man ought to look. Based on other reviews here, I had a similarly positive first experience. I showed her what I wanted, and she crafted the cut to suit the shape of my head. I felt incredibly confident walking back to my office with a new look fitted for the cover of GQ. Price is very reasonable considering K Street real estate, I was treated professionally, and I’m very satisfied with the result. Will recommend and return.

Bathsheba, the woman who owns this shop, is without a doubt the best barber I’ve ever had. She puts genuine effort into the details of a man’s haircut. She tapers the sides perfectly and actually makes suggestions based on head shape and hair type. (She gave me what she calls the «Star Trek guy cut» which I’ve been so happy with!) I’ve been going for years and haven’t had a bad cut yet. I travel for work occasionally and grow out my hair rather than let someone else cut it. Not to mention her shop is convenient for most people in dc being right on K street. Though it’s tucked down on the B1 level of a building, so you’d walk right by with out knowing she’s there.

I never go anywhere else for my haircuts. Not only is the staff friendly and great to talk to, but they’ve got amazing stories to tell too. Hair cuts are great — I’ve never had as many compliments about my hair as I get after I get them at Charles’s.

I have been going here for nearly 3 years, to bathsheeba. $ 25 for a haircut from her is well worth it, she has decades of experience in cutting mens hair. She is great at setting appointments and can often squeeze you in if you are a regular. Very easy to get ahold of her on the phone, right by the farragut north metro. She knows my style and can always fix me up when another barber mutilates my hair. Highly recommended. Be sure to tip her well she earns it every time

Sheba is great. So nice of her to let me in her shop even she had already taken the last customer of the day. Super convenient location. Loved her and her place. Highly recommend to visit her shop for the hair cut.

Love this place. Hard to find a barbershop that knows how to cut hair at a reasonable price. Bathsheba (Sheba) is great.

After I watched Bathsheeba cut both my son’s and husband’s hair and saw how meticulous she was about trimming every little stray, I was thinking about asking her to cut mine. I didn’t realize when we first scheduled the cuts that she did women’s cuts as well. When she offered to cut my very curly hair, I jumped at the chance because of the confidence she exuded and assurances from her that she knew exactly how to layer it to get the best results. I was thrilled that I did because it turned out to be one of the best haircuts I have ever had at a very reasonable price. I have sometimes paid almost 5 times the price in fancier places. This is probably the most «insider» of places – a tiny little three seat barber shop in the basement of a big nondescript office building with no sign except on the door. You have to know it is there and go searching in order to find it. Thank you, Bathsheeba for your confidence in your ability with the competence to back it up. No more bad hair days for me!

I needed a haircut. My son took me there and I had the best haircut ever. Bathsheeba cut my hair and did a superb job.

May be the worst, most overpriced haircut I’ve ever received. $ 35 to have an old man (there — I said it) tickle my head ineffectually with the clippers.
Terrible. I went in out of desperation, visiting on business. I’ll spend another $ 20 back in Brooklyn repairing the damage.

I have been visiting Bathsheba since 2001, and, even though I have moved and changed jobs, I go way out of my way to continue to visit her. In fact, I have followed her from H street to the new Anton’s, and now to Charles Barbershop. Not only does she give great haircuts, but she is also extremely charming and provides great conversation. She always does the little things that make the cut look extra sharp.
The place is clean, the chairs are comfortable, Bathsheba is great, and the price is right!

Edit:
To be fair, the execution of the haircut I received was decent.
The huge problem is, I got a completely different haircut then the one I clearly specified.
How do they have such inflated reviews. It must be fluff.
Went with the old man with glasses.
Discussed the hairstyle (before and during the cut), Showed him 6 pictures (of me) of the hair style I’ve had for over a year.
I had a classic hair style short and straight on the sides. 3 – 4 inches on the top of my head, 6 inch front fringe to sweep it back.
I end up with a kid’s haircut typical of what 80% of the government workers in D.C. walk around with.
Meaning, 1.5 inch fringe, 2 inch top, fades down to the neck and sideburns.
Tell him he clearly missed the mark on the top and front. Being frank with him, said «I gave you 6 angles of ME, and you still botched the job.»
He asked for 25 dollars, I gave him 20 out of pity. He’s old and If this place is giving out haircuts like this, ignoring what the patron wants. I don’t see this place staying open for long.
I guess the owner understood what was going on. Her name was Bathsheba. She clearly overheard and even saw the photos. She scolded the coworker that he did a hack job, gave me her card, and said come back and she’ll give me the next haircut free.
I told her we’ll see. I’m not going to grow out my hair 4+ months to roll the dice again at the same incompetent place.

Felt like George was rushing a bit because on an anxious customer w/​an appt. About three minutes passed his «time,» he requested to be seen by the other barber that was present. Rude IMO. George was happy to take me on and the other customer should have just left. I wouldn’t have waited on his impatient butt.
The location is underground and the shop has three chairs. A large LCD TV w/​FOX news playing. It’s a quaint shop and the cut u received was good. Not superior nor did I feel like he was «taking a chance.». George carefully traced my hairline from the previous cut and cleaned it up.
I’d go here again for a «safe» haircut although I still prefer my guy who knows how to do it short. Once again, I felt rushed myself because of the guy in line w/​an «appt.»
If not for him, I might have said to go shorter. Oh well, good stuff. $ 25 is a little steep too but I guess that’s right for Washington, D.C. I’m use to paying $ 9 in San Diego.

I personally think this is the best haircut you can find in downtown DC for the money. I typically get my haircut by George, although, I hear the other two also give a great haircut.
The first time George cut my hair, he spent almost an hour slowly cutting my hair to make sure it was exactly how I wanted it. Even though it was almost 2 months before I went back for a second haircut, George remembered exactly how he cut my hair the first time and has done an equally good job each time.
As an added bonus, George is a native Washingtonian and has a ton of great stories about the transformation of DC over the years. Although I can’t be certain of his exact age, I would say he’s in his mid-80’s– which makes for a lot of great stories. Sometimes I feel it’s worth $ 25 to hear his stories and the haircut is just an added bonus.