Reviews of Rock's Bar and Hair Shop (Barber Shop)

Eric L.

Ask for Calvin for the best cut. What a cool place, you can order beer while you wait and drink it while you get a snip. They also do a helluva job with beards. A fantastic shop in the heart of Durham.

Paul DiMuzio

This is only regarding the customer service: I called to say I was going to be a few minutes late because I couldn’t find a parking spot. No one answered the phone. So when I was late the stylist had already taken someone else. When I told the front desk guy I was frustrated at missing my appointment because no one answered the phone, all he said was, "I was by the phone all day"- which was obviously a lie. Terrible customer service.

Joshua Klein

The three people who cut my hair did a great job. The atmosphere is amazing. every time I go in there they asked me what I'd like and I always say "just make it look." Which is what they do.

Ryan MacKinnon

Doors are open and sign is up outside at 6:25 pm tonight. I walked in was greeted and walked towards the desk. The girl walks away from the desk and i noticed a colorful sign saying sorry not taking any more cloents today

Jason Hall

Powell is da man

Jeff Mahorney

I order a $15 buzz cut. Because the hair cutter suggested changing form a 3 to a 4 guard on top, she charged me $28 instead of $15 for a 5 minute haircut. Very disappointing. Also there was no mention of the complimentary craft beer that they advertise. edit: I have changed my 1 star rating to 4 stars because the manager did a very good job of making reparations and I will try them again.

Richard Bobholz

I've gone to Jennifer a few times and love the way my hair looks everytime. She's a top-notch professional! The place also gives you beer and massage chairs while you wait (at least for the upstairs stylists). I highly recommend!

Lois Lane

Awesome place! Keri is THE best!

Damitha Pathmalal

Best haircut in Durham and free beer to boot!

Diego Rodriguez

Be ready to wait. Otherwise great barbers.

Nick Holdgate

Decent hair cut but good luck getting in there to get your hair cut

Clarke Cooper

Great Staff Top Notch Barbers, Beer on Tap...

Barrett Kluttz

Took junior in today while i got a haircut and had my beard touched up. Got him cleaned up a bit and now I'm pretty sure he'll be getting ALL the digits in at dinner tonight! Thanks Keri!!!! Are you going to have a little wait? Of course you are! If you want a fast, crap cut, head over to Supercuts or sport clips. If you want to look like a properly groomed man then enjoy a free beer, relax and exercise a little patience for the finer things in life!

Mike Arnstein

Great haircut and beard trim. Erin is amazing. Worth the price.

David Bollinger

Best hair cuts in town. Lala is A+

Stefanie Gore

Jennifer cut my brother's hair today and oh my gosh...he looks FANTASTIC! She did such a wonderful job. He and I both have curly hair, so it is hard finding someone that can cater to what our style needs are, but she nailed it. 10/10 would recommend this spot.

Ken Thompsen

Love this place.. Erica is fantastic!

Trevor Chenoweth

Good haircut in a really, really cool hip space. Availability of beer and friendly staff to hang out with make it worth the visit - if you have the time or can go at non-peak hours. I do not remember the name of the person who cut my hair, but she did a great job and in good time. I do not typically let hair stylists use clippers because I have very thick hair and it has gone badly in the past. I took a risk and allowed their use for the sides on this visit and it turned out great. The only real problem here seems to be that you will often have to wait - there are no reservations. This means that at peak times around lunch or after work you are going to be sitting a while, sometimes in excess of 30-45 minutes from what I understand. The only time I went I arrived only an hour before closing and only had to wait about 15 minutes. While waiting you can sit at the bar and try out some interesting craft beers. This and the opportunity to chat with the bartender make a wait of that length totally bearable. The space is also really cool and well decorated. Lots of industrial-chic, manly stuff. For example, small tables made out of giant wire spools. I was told over the phone that I could bring my dog in if he would be well-behaved. I did not end up bringing him, but the option is there and that's great. At the end of my cut, because I was the last there, the staff had a cheese plate that they had been snacking on and they offered me some. Apparently the owner is connected to a creamery somehow. Just an indication that it's a small staff of friendly folks. Another nice thing: they won't try to sell you on some new product and try to get you to buy from some cosmetics company that sponsors the salon. That's always kind of transparent and annoying from some of your typical hair salons. The difficulty of scheduling and long wait means it does not get 5 stars. Otherwise, a really cool place that I will visit again.

Brandon DeZarn

Great place. Friendly staff and good beer. Lindsay was awesome, easy to talk to, and gave a great haircut.

Elan Church

We walked-in for our best man, bride (short hair), and groom haircuts the day before our wedding. Great lofty open space with wood that glows warmly in the natural light... Very comfortable for a barber shop with a delicious selection at their bar in the back. Bright, entertaining atmosphere and staff who definitely enjoy their work. Their blend of classic and modern style was a great compliment for our wedding cuts. Go sometime! We'll certainly be back for a visit the next time we are in Durham!

Robert Skinner

Great location, Angela is amazing

Camille Alexander

A great queer friendly establishment. Fantastic people working there. I love my cut.

Will Hare

Grab a beer and get a legit haircut from stylists who know what they're doing. Then, who knows, go grab a drink when you're done at the back at the bar. Cool vibe here.

Brian R

I've had my hair cut by Powell for the past 8 months and recently by David. Great dudes and awesome cuts. You can't go wrong with these two.

larry james

Best shave in town.

Daniel Ratiu

Hit and miss service

Alex Allen

Eric is amazing! Best haircut in town

John Morris

If you live in downtown Durham, its an okay concept because you can obviously afford it. If you don't live in downtown Durham, it is WAYYYY overpriced and looking for parking is atrocious. I like to get a haircut at least twice a month. Here, we're talking $50 for a haircut and trim AROUND the beard and even more money just to touch it! Honey, it looks like I'm headed back to Great Clips!

jason karlin

Quality place. All the stylists are very good at what they do.

Christopher Huddleston

Great place. Walk-ins don't take too long to get seated as long as you're not coming in on the weekend. They got a bar for a pretty nice beer selection. Appointments are on point. When you make one, you are almost guaranteed to be seen within those 5 minutes of your appointment. Of course, they do a great job on your hair/beard no matter who you see.

Christian Durango-Lopez

This place is great. The environment is very chill, as are all the staff I interacted with. More importantly the hair cut I got was spot on. Lindsay cut my hair, and it was one of the most effortless and relaxing cuts I've ever received. I was getting a lot chopped off (it was past my shoulders when I went in) to a more formal, short cut. She not only got the style perfect from just a verbal description but was also done within about 20 minutes. In my mind, this is the best experience you can have at a barber.

Taylor Boyle

If you're interested in drinking some beer, this is a nice place. If you're interested in getting your haircut in a reasonable amount of time, this is not the place. I've dropped in at 3 different times in the past week and the shortest wait time was an hour (8:02 AM on a weekday), the longest over 2.5 hours (Saturday 2:30 PM), and the 3rd time they had already stopped taking customers at 5:45 PM (so at least a 1.25 hour wait). For a business built on "walk-ins", it's not actually very accessible to walking in apparently unless you have hours of time to kill. They do a great job if you can actually get seated though.

Michael Dowd

I was really hoping for this to be a good experience. The reviews were solid and it seemed like a place that could handle a traditional, tailored men's haircut. As a raging craft beer fan, the concept seemed right up my alley. What I ended up with was the 2nd worse haircut of my entire life. In fact, two separate folks at work and 3 of my clients have commented on my haircut. All wondered "what happened"? The request was simple enough, tapper the sides and back and leave the length on top to allow enough weight for the hair to lay properly. Tappering seems to be a forgotten art. The idea is that the hair is cut close to the neck and it gradually lengthens from the occipital bone to the crown. On this day it was translated as short sides and back all the way to the top at one length, removing a good chuck of one side to cut in an artificial part (eventhough I specified where it should go). Cut so short the hair just sticks up. When it is parted where it should be (natural part), numerous long strands hang over and it looks ridiculous. If an undercut was what I wanted, I would have asked for that. Now I get to endure some form of connected/disconnected top, multiple different lengths on the sides and back due to some very poor scissor over comb technique, and a crown cropped so short that it will be 2-3 months before it will have enough weight to lay down again. This is just an embarrassing mess. Typically, I would give a new cutter a 2nd shot. I understand it is not always right on the money the first time. Unfortunately, this is just so bad, that courtesy will not be extended. So bad, that I may just have to have someone take clippers to the whole thing and go back to very short hair again. Very disappointing indeed. I might have let this go and not taken the time to write a review but when five different people notice just how bad it was, I was inclined to speak up. Approach this establishment with care.

Adam Long

I’ve been searching for a quality barber for 10 months with no luck, until now. After a short conversation at the front desk I was paired with Lindsay. I knew within seconds of meeting her that Lindsay had the knowledge to do quality work. Her performance and attention to detail were nothing short of excellent.

Ellis Monore

Horrible experience the customer service was quick to tell me over the phone to come in then once I'm there they tell me they wouldn't cut my hair. I have a funeral to attend tomorrow at last minute notice. I thought I would have been treated much better. I would not recommend this place to anyone. NO CULTURAL SENSITIVITY at all. Not to mention how no one even greeted me as I came in except the one African American barber everyone else acted as if I didn't exist! Funny thing is I work across the street so this would have been a convenient place for me but after my experience I will never go there again!!!

Loren Tatum

Beer options are great. Be sure to get your free 8 oz pour with your haircut and ask for Kisa for the best haircut. It's definitely a huge leap above in the barber shop experience. I followed Kisa from another shop and this place is the best place to get your hair cut.

Joseph Amodei

Great cut!

Sean Bokhoven

Cool place. NIce people. They were booked up the day I walked in for mustache trim / shave & Faith was able to work me in on the spot. She did a great job. Highly recommend.

Samuel Jamieson-Drake

I have a wedding to attend this coming weekend, so I wanted to look extra sharp. Calvin did an excellent job on my hair and beard, and was very fun to talk to as well! 10/10 would recommend

Nick Jones

Good atmosphere and location. Have a beer while you wait. Talented barbers.

Alexander Cahill

Great cut. Great service. Great atmosphere. First haircut in NC and won;t go anywhere else now. Got the real story of Durham and learned something too. Thanks Powell!

Noah Youkilis

great haircuts plus free beer? what isn't there to love

nolan may

True professionals.

JD Whittle

I liked the concept here. Designed simply but eye catching and effective. No draught beer, all craft bottles. Be careful if you call an Uber as there's a front and back entrance both on main roads.

Andrew Cutler

Fantastic service and one of the best haircuts of my life, and I even got a "free" beer thrown in!

Nick Margroff

Scott is one of the best barbers I’ve ever had. His attention to detail continues to impress me every time I go back.

Catherine Hall

Everyone was super friendly! From the front desk staff to the stylist. Super helpful and nice, Jennifer did a cut,style and facial for my husband and he absolutely loved it!!! I highly recommend this place to anyone, super classy.

Gregory Scott

Twice now I’ve tried to do a walk in at this location and they’ve had a sign showing they can’t accommodate. Change the website to “We often CANT accommodate walk-ins.” Or “Appointment only.” Don’t advertise you often can do something you can’t.

Nathan Mize

Best place in Durham for cuts. I have a weird shaped head and yet I always leave feeling great. A true testament to David's skill!

Ralph Rojas

This is my go to shop. You cant beat the quality of the staff. Everyone is nice and helpful. My stylist is awesome and always does a great job with my hair. Not naming her because I don't need more competition for available appointments. lol The place is very nicely decorated. You can drink draft beers while you wait for your cut or stay after and drink at the bar. They throw in a free beer with your visit; doesn't get better than that. I highly endorse Rock's Shop. Five very solid stars.

Eric Goldman

Totally hip. First time. Laura cut my hair. I was the canvas she was the artist! Awesome cut - professional and trendy with a hard part! Would like more non-alcoholic options.

Michelle Ward

Best thing that happened to me

Stephen Marquez

Atmosphere is great but the staff takes a while to warm up.

Shantel Smith

Scott is the best barber you'll ever find! His attention to detail is phenomenal and I always leave absolutely loving my haircut.

Michael Shiffer

Just terrific all around service from the front desk to the bartender to the hair stylist. My son and I come here about once a month and always leave looking sharp and satisfied with the entire experience. And if you're not visiting the back bar you are missing out on terrific service and a great rotating selection of craft beers.

Max Isaacs

Always give a great haircut. Book upstairs to skip the wait.

B & L Chase

Absolutely LOVE this place. I originally went to the sister shop Rock, Paper, Scissors where I met one of the owners, Jenean (who is brilliant by the way). She helped me craft my base hair design. The folks at the Bar maintain it beautifully since my schedule makes it tough to catch Jenean . Whether I make an appointment with David upstairs or grab someone on the fly downstairs, my hair always looks great - with many compliments (both locally and abroad).

john healy

Awesome haircuts in an awesome space. I never really consistently got my hair cut in the same place until going to Rock's. Now, I really can't imagine getting my hair cut anywhere else.

Michael Sharpe

Staff and atmosphere are an A+

Mike Skeen

Walked in at ~11am on a Wednesday. Guy at the front was absolutely unwelcoming and made it seem like I was bothering him. Acted as if it was a huge pain for him to look through the schedule to check availability. I was told nothing until the evening. I get it if you’re busy, but at least make me want to come back. Terrible vibe. Won’t be back.

Vincas Sidrys

Rock's is AWESOME! The environment is very comfortable and chill. Morgan was my stylist and she was great! She didn't just ask me how I wanted to cut my hair, she analyzed it and let me know what would be the best cut for me. On top of that, she's interesting, fun and quirky. Looking forward to my next haircut.

Laura Jent

Jennifer is an amazing stylist. Her fades go beyond just the normal barber shop cut, she takes time to get to know you and makes sure your cut really brings out your personality.

Jeff Underwood

Best haircut you get! Dave does an amazing job with my really fine hair, he's great at fades and a lot more! Check him out.

Levi Washburn

Schedule ahead! This place fills its chairs quickly. If they had time for walk-ins it would be an excellent place to chill, play pool, take in one of the most magnificent sunset views of downtown Durham, and drink good beer. My Barber was excellent. She knew how to gently nudge me towards a sharp, modern cut and gave the beard a neat shape-up

Joey Quinn

Beer, beard trims, quality fades, affordable and queer friendly? What is this magical place?

Max Godfrey

Great haircuts, beautiful space, and the new upstairs is top notch.

Darin Beery

Super atmosphere, professional staff, probably the best haircut I've ever had, good prices, the chance to support a creative downtown Durham business and, of course, excellent beer! Couldn't want anything more than that.

Eric Baker

Great stylists! Beer or coffee while you wait, hot towels avalible! What do you want? This place is amazing.

Penny Jones

My husband and son routinely get their hair cut here. I took my son tonight and wow what a neat atmosphere. Oliver does a great job. He spent 45 minutes on a kid's cut. He does a wonderful job on my husband's beard as well. Highly recommend!

joey hathorn

The friendly staff and warm, well lit space made for a very pleasant browsing experience. The art was stunning

Slawek Pruchnik

Great service, appointments can be booked online

Paul Keen

I really like the service, but I think it's a little overpriced and the location isn't great for parking. So you're good if you live in downtown Durham but otherwise....meh.

Jonathan Hurtado

High quality haircuts done right, will take the time to figure out what you want and the work done was awesome. Plus they have a bar inside toward the back

Brian DeShazer

Nice and skilled barbers! ✂️

Sam Clifford

Most consistently good haircuts the 2 years I was there with Powell and David. Make an appointment upstairs, its worth it.

Tonio Tone

Had a fantastic cut with Gospel. Unfortunately, she no longer works there, does anyone know where she went, she was a great stylist. I will go back to Rock's Bar, very good experience.

Eric Richardson

Hair cuts. Not too expensive. Get a free drink. They do a pretty great job on beards as well. I approve. Back to chopping wood.

Jay Colingham

A great cut with good service and fun barbers.

Rob Monahan

It took 40 years but I finally found the best hairstylist.. KISA.

Michael Holt Skinner

Awesome place, service and atmosphere with lots of dope extras!

Evan Bassler

Called to get on the list. Was told there was no wait and to come on in. Arrived 15 minutes later (30 before they closed ) to be told that most of the stylists had gone home and the one remaining was leaving when he finished with his current customer. This is the second time this has happened. Unimpressed. (EDIT: Received a very kind message from the staff. Doesn't change my experience but definitely testifies to their desire to provide quality service.)

Michael Travers

Keri hooked me up with new do that looks great, is easy to maintain, and she was l'it the most talkative and enjoyable stylist I've sat with in like 20 years! I hate paying 30$ for a cut, but when the local barber charges 20$ for a buzz cut, I guess theres no room to complain. She also trimmed my bear PERFECTLY and gave a great shampoo/ scalp massage. Oh, and always say yes to the hot towel. The lavender scent is a nice touch. Boils down to this- Waiting sucks, but that just means that it must be good. And it was. REAL good. Recommendations- Jack that comp beer up from 6 oz. to 16. your competitors (while none have a 'full service' bar) are offering full bottles and wines. It'll help with the wait complaints.

Jim J

Technique-wise, I'm probably an awful reference point - as I just get my hair lopped off to 1/2" all around - but the atmosphere of Rock's and their commitment to being a bastion of tradition among the legions of interchangeable strip-mall forgettables is why I'll keep coming back. Go here and rediscover what a haircut used to mean.

NJ Chatham

Great funky place!

Cindy Current

Love this place

David Benac

Super stylish haircuts, friendly vibes, and free beer before your trim!

CVThiele82

Very cool barber shop with vintage games and a BAR! Also the haircut and shampoo was Excellent!

Shawn Daugherty

Great cut and beer too!

Matthew Pait

No appointments, so be prepared to wait (while trying their expansive selection of beers). Free 6-oz pour of pre-selected beer with hair shop service.

Jedediah Purdy

Morgan gives me excellent cuts with a sharp understanding of my hair. Because my hair is both boring and difficult, getting a consistently good cut is a challenge, and I'm very pleased when I can find someone who does the job well. I'd send anyone to her.

Brent Evans

Great cuts and beer!

Jamie Daniel

Amazing

Chris Hollowell

I’ve been coming to Rock’s for about two years (despite living about 25 minutes away). Never disappointed. The barbers and staff have always been great, and my cut has always been great. If you want a stylist that actually listens to what you want before they start buzzing, this is your place. Complimentary clean ups also means you can make a good style last.

Moif

Since they have started taking appointments during the week, a lot of the "wait" times that people complained about are non-existent. This is not a Great Clips, so please do not expect to be in and out in 20 minutes. They still take walk-ins on the weekends, so put your name in, go grab a beer somewhere, and enjoy the space and vibes.

Greg Erickson

I called before I walked from my apartment down the street and was told it was virtually empty. Went in and it wasn't empty. However, I took this as a good sign so I signed up on the waiting list. I waited for the 5 folks who came in before me and was intentionally skipped over twice by folks who just walked in. Then, when It was finally time...the two ladies who had just finished with their clients left for over 10 mins. Perhaps, there are a million excuses for poor customer service. No one said hello, made eye contact or smiled. Closest barber shop from my front door, and I will not be coming back.

Tiffany A.

I made an appointment for my guy to have his beard trimmed up for v. Day. He came back to me with razor burn and a few bloody spots... even down his neck away from the beard. He said it was painful and also that jessica didn't warn him before she started shaving (she had a towel over his face). He was just about to readjust his body when he felt the razor and realized he better not move. I've uploaded a few pics from the morning after the shave, so check it out if you want. Super disappointed

Jonah Orr

A great barber shop with a bar in the back that has enough selection to justify a visit between haircuts. Rock's is rarely not busy, so appointments are highly recommended. I would not go without one. Although priced significantly higher than other local barber shops, the product is also much better, in this reviewer's experience. Upstairs, appointments with a master stylist come with a beer, and again, the product received justifies the price jump.

Chris K

This is a great shop with friendly barbers/hairdressers who take their profession seriously, spend time working on the details of your haircut, and always give you a great cut for a great value.

Matt Gladdek

I love going to get my hair cut here. It's a fair price ($30 for a haircut) and every time I go it's a different stylist/barber but they each do a great job. After a few years of going here I've never gotten a haircut I've been unhappy with. They've done a surprisingly great job of adding in a bar with a great beer selection, and a bunch of great men's grooming products that make great gifts. They also do straight razor shaves and beard grooming, I haven't tried these yet but I hope to soon.

Izaak Earnhardt

My stylist buzzed my entire head without asking if that was what I wanted. What was supposed to be a clean-up cut left me looking worse than when I came in and twenty dollars poorer. Would not recommend.

Eric Williams

Great place for a haircut

James Salkind

Excellent service in a great atmosphere. One of the best haircuts I've ever gotten.

Josh Higgins

Great

Mike Revoir

Got a hair cut and bread trim with Powell and he did a great job. Got there a little after 8am and had a minimal wait. I appreciated that he didn't push products on me. Will definitely be returning.

John Russell

New to town and went there for a haircut. You get a complimentary 6oz pour of craft beer with your haircut. Great atmosphere and really cool people. Highly recommend Angela!

Jeffrey Robbins

I have been going to Rock's Bar and Hair Shop for a little over a year now and am always pleased with the experience, the hip environment, and the quality of the hair cut from Jessica. I had a frustrating experience today during the check in process, and before being able to pen this review the owner reached out to me via e-mail, apologized, offered accommodations, and assured me that "we genuinely always want people to have the best experience possible". My positive 5 star impression of this establishment has increased today based on the way they handle themselves when things don't go as expected. If you are looking for a hair cut in Durham - this place should be on the top of your list.

DY OH'AR

Beautiful space. Great shave with excellent attention to detail. The new bar in the back with sunshine patio is killer awesome. The brews are fantastic!

Taylor Treadaway

Great haircuts and beer. I've been coming here for a while and don't envision that changing any time soon.

Josephine Bland

Boyfriend went there to see if someone could tame his thick Italian hair while it's in the awkward phase as he's trying to grow it out. They were fast and it really did look so much better, it's amazing. Plus we got beers while he was getting a cut.

Nick Foster

Kudos to Rocks for allowing appointments to be scheduled. Shame on Rocks for not actually booking appointments that customers made. Time to find a new barbershop.

Andrew Burns

Free beer with a haircut and friendly staff.

Mark Arnstein

GREAT PEOPLE!! AWESOME atmosphere!! Morgan does my hair!! To perfection!! She knows how I like my hair done, and exceeds all expections!! My home away from home!! For the current ever, go to Rock's!!;

Victor Rocha

I have been a client for the last 3 years, and I have noticed how the quality has gone down considerably. It used to be that I would just walk in and regardless who did my hair, it would turn out great. Not so much now, I have more frequently been regretting coming here. Today was the straw that broke the camel's back. I got a terrible un-even haircut, and not stylish at all. I think I could have done a better job cutting my own hair with my eyes closed. Would not recommend until the fix the quality issue with new hires.

walter Ford

I don't try to rate businesses poorly as I am a small business owner but 28 bucks for a haircut and 30 for a shave around my skinny beard. That was not made clear at all when I came in. Decent job but I don't have 50 bucks every three weeks to fork out. I recommended they be more clear next time.

Rob Vogel

Excellent cuts and a beer to boot

Kyle Cooper

Great atmosphere. Online scheduling is a breeze. Powell was great! Very satisfied with his haircut and beard trim.

Edward Paschall

Great place to get a hair cut

Owen Slomianyj

Great place for a haircut and/or shave, and you get a beer included! (And a good beer at that). It's my go-to.

Axel Sloan

Always cuts my hair right

Jill Zimmerman

Rock’s is the real deal! I have been going to this shop for 3+ years now and I have never once felt my stylist cut my hair wrong! Great location in the heart of downtown Durham with walking distant to restaurants and stores. Great atmosphere, very friendly staff and best of all I always feel like a million bucks leaving this place! If you need a fresh cut, or trimming of your beard look no further and find out why this place rocks!

Zach Goldstein

Got a hair cut from Morgan. Awesome haircut! She was super friendly and fun to talk with.