Best of
Best hair salons and barbershops in the West Loop, Chicago
The West Loop is one of the densest pockets of independent hair stylists and salon collectives in Chicago. The list below is grouped by format — flagship salons, independent operators inside Salon Lofts and similar collectives, and specialty studios. Every pick links to its full business page.
Flagship salons and barbershops
Full-service salons with their own storefronts.
- Art + Science Salon Open now Flagship West Loop location of Art + Science — a Chicago salon group founded on an apprenticeship-first training model. Every stylist, colorist, and barber has completed an advanced apprenticeship.1144 W Randolph St 1-2, Chicago, IL, 60607 Call
- Lake Street Barbering Company Open now Hair-and-skin studio on South Ashland operating as The Shoppe (City record name is Lake Street Barbering Company). 30+ years of combined barber, stylist, and esthetician experience.126 S Ashland Ave 1st, Chicago, IL, 60607Near the West Loop Call
- Goldust Studios Collective of independent hair and makeup stylists at 333 N Oakley — hair, makeup, and bridal-party services with a clean-beauty ethos.333 N Oakley Blvd 2 206, Chicago, IL, 60612Near the West Loop Call
- Bluebird Salon Bluebird Salon — small salon on West Monroe run by stylist Taryn, with 20+ years of cut, color, and styling experience.1148 W Monroe St 1 C1, Chicago, IL, 60607 Call
- Bartucci Salon Open now Bartucci Salon — operates as Bartucci Beauty on North Aberdeen; cuts, color, styling, and renewal treatments.327 N Aberdeen St 1, Chicago, IL, 60607 Call
Show 5 more
- Base Salon Open now Base Salon — boutique six-station salon on Morgan Street, opened in 2016 by owner Krysta Rojas.31 N Morgan St 1st, Chicago, IL, 60607 Call
- Eighty8 Salon Eighty8 Salon — third-floor salon at 1101 W Randolph specializing in custom color, extensions, and smoothing treatments.1101 W Randolph St 3rd #14, Chicago, IL, 60607 Call
- Golden Fleece Salon Golden Fleece Salon — Greektown hair salon.1101 W Randolph St 23, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Ovrhed Salon LLC Open now Ovrhed Salon — boutique salon inside Salon Lofts at 1101 W Randolph, run by owner Erica Polacek; cuts, color, and keratin treatments.1101 W Randolph St 3 Loft 7, Chicago, IL, 60607 Call
- Mane Abstracts Hair Salon Mane Abstracts — appointment-only hair and barber salon on North Morgan; owner Karima leads a small team.16 N Morgan St 1st 115, Chicago, IL, 60607 Call
Independent stylists (Salon Lofts and similar collectives)
Independent licensed stylists operating inside shared-salon collectives.
- Beth Bayman Hair Open now Independent stylist Beth Bayman, working from a private suite at 1101 W Randolph.1101 W Randolph St 3rd, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Hair by Alexis Chambers Independent hair stylist operating as a Salon Lofts tenant.318 N Carpenter St N/A, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Hair by Tara Peterson Independent hair stylist operating as a Salon Lofts tenant.318 N Carpenter St, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Nove Hair Studio Nove Hair Studio — independent stylist operating as a Salon Lofts tenant.318 N Carpenter St Ground 150, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Pascale Marie Hair Pascale Marie Hair — independent stylist in a private suite at 1101 W Randolph.1101 W Randolph St 3 6, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Patrick Knows Hair Patrick Knows Hair — independent stylist in a private suite at 558 W Roosevelt.558 W Roosevelt Rd 1 5, Chicago, IL, 60607Near the West Loop
Specialty hair salons
Specialty formats — braiding, makeup, beauty studios.
- Mari Mimi African Hair Braiding Specialty African hair-braiding salon at 117 S Western — box braids, cornrows, twists, and other protective styles.117 S Western Ave 1st, Chicago, IL, 60612Near the West Loop
- Art of Pretty by Toni LLC Independent beauty salon/studio at 558 W Roosevelt.558 W Roosevelt Rd 6, Chicago, IL, 60607Near the West Loop
Frequently asked questions
- How many hair salons are in the West Loop?
- Substantial — the neighborhood has 15+ active hair salons, barbershops, and independent stylists according to the City of Chicago Business Licenses dataset. The cluster includes a flagship salon group (Art + Science), several independent studios, and a Salon Lofts collective of independent stylists.
- What is the difference between a flagship salon and a Salon Lofts tenant?
- Flagship salons (Art + Science, Bluebird, Base, etc.) are full salons with their own storefronts and consistent brand. Salon Lofts and similar collectives rent individual rooms to independent licensed stylists — you book the stylist, not the salon. Each Salon Lofts stylist holds their own City of Chicago license, which is why they appear individually in this directory.
- Where can I get African hair braiding in the West Loop?
- Mari Mimi African Hair Braiding at 117 S Western is the specialty option — box braids, cornrows, twists, and other protective styles.
- Where can I find a barbershop in the West Loop?
- Art + Science includes barbering across all West Loop locations. Lake Street Barbering Company (The Shoppe) on South Ashland is a dedicated barber-and-stylist studio. Blind Barber on Fulton Market combines full-service barbering with a hidden cocktail lounge — see the bars page.
Most recent pick verified 5 days ago. Some picks may be older — the date reflects whichever pick on this page was checked most recently.