Beatnik Barbershop

Went there and got my and my sons haircut by Liz. She is amazing and something I liked about her, she was quiet but not aloof. The place is cool, simple as that and I love they way she cut our hair. The owner was there and he is more talkative but also has the laid back vibe that makes this place what I believe it is, the coolest barber shop in Baltimore. Also, prepare to have your music tastes expanded upon. We will be back as we now have a tradition of getting his haircut before each semester at UB. He has over a 3.0 GPA so why mess with something that clearly works. The straight razor shave on the back of the neck to finish the haircut is the perfect finish. We will be back

Good price, good barbers.
Always been happy with the cuts here.
If there is a wait, it moves quickly.
The staff are all people, so their personality may vary from your own (I saw a previous review, which focused on the owner negatively)

Great little place for a haircut. Music selection perfect and Brittany is super friendly. Just moved to the neighborhood and plan to make it my regular place for a cut.

Have u ever contacted a barber shop and/​or hair salon & ask this question, if u are a person of colour: «Do u do ethnic hair?»
Only the responses that u get back from the Owner are very discouraging 2 say the least… Well… That’s what happened 2 me very recently when I’d contacted the The Beatnik Barber shop on W. Read St. in Mt. Vernon.
Pete Babone, Owner, thru a series of emails seemed 2 initially encourage me 2 come 2 his shop 4 a haircut stating that they do all types of hair, but then he turned around & discouraged me from visiting his barber shop 4 a haircut by downplaying both his & his fellow barbers skills, when it came 2 doing «ethnic hair!» I was like «WTF!!!»
I’ve since asked 4 an explanation 4 the turnabout, but haven’t received a reply in several days! Is this strange or what? Geesh! –Mikey

Got my hair cut from Liz? Love the cut. She did a great job. Will definitely go back

Moved to Baltimore in January and have been going here ever since. Great atmosphere and great haircuts. The owner is a really chill guy and always does a great job. As long as I’m in Baltimore I won’t be going anywhere else.

Excellent barbers. I’ve been going there for 3 years now. Highly recommend it.

I really enjoyed the ambiance of the place, it plays interesting music and has interesting art.

Ok. I’m bouts to break it down totally legit. So, listen up. I’ve been going to Beatnik since I moved to Baltimore four years ago. The original four barbers (as of four years ago) were Derek, Myrna, Heather, and the owner, Pete.
Derek gave THE BEST haircuts.
Wait. The best?
Yes. The best.
Heather and Myrna also gave really good haircuts. Pete gave an average haircut, but, honestly, having to sit there and listen to him talk was too much for me. He’s conceited and loves nothing more than talking about how he’s the coolest person ever (I’m a rock climber! I’m a mountain biker! I’m a diver! I am in experienced in all things! My knowledge is ineffable! I’m awesome!). So, I stopped letting Pete cut my hair and I only let the others give me haircuts, and I was never disappointed.
However, sitting in the chairs up against the wall while waiting to get my hair cut exposed me to overhearing Pete’s «I’m so radical!» conversations, and people like him bother me to the point where I started going to a different barbershop. I felt that was that bad.
But, no one cut my hair like the barbers at Beatnik, so I had to go back and suffer through listening to the owner talk about himself. That was until recently when the last of the «original» barbers left. First Myrna left (like two years ago). Then Heather left (about a year ago). Now Derek is gone. The barbers who took their places look like they’re just out of school. Sadly, I believe this shop is on its way down.
This means I will be finding a new barbershop somewhere, because the great three barbers are no longer there. If there is a silver lining to any of this, it’s that I won’t ever have to listen to the owner talk about how super he is.
The End.

Good haircut for a good price. I’ve been going to QG for a couple of years and decided to give Beatnik a shot on three different. I’ve never had to wait too long and everyone seems friendly enough.
However, I don’t think I’ll be returning, preferring the experience and quality of cut at QG more than Beatnik.
Definitely give Beatnik a shot, you probably won’t be disappointed.

Came in yesterday for the first time, and I will definitely return.
I have very curly hair which can sometimes be difficult, and it was cut exactly how I wanted, without even knowing exactly what I wanted.
I believe it was Brittney who tamed my mane, but I can’t be 100% sure. She was very nice and sweet, and engaged conversation to help pass the time. She said she has two daughters with curly hair like mine, and obviously knew how to handle it.
I was very pleased that when I showed up, unannounced, at around 4:15, I was immediately seated and treated to a very nice haircut.
I have visited two other barbers in the neighborhood, and although I have nothing negative to say about them, this place was great. For $ 18 (plus a generous tip, of course), it was a very pleasant experience that made the task of a haircut simple and enjoyable.
In the words of The Terminator, «I’ll be back.»

Heather and Britney know how to give you the haircut you want. Even if you don’t know what you want they’ll give you what you want. You can’t go wrong with them!

I’ve been coming here for four years, same length as my stay in Baltimore. I“m finally writing this review now that I’m headed back to NYC after my last haircut at Beatnik. Baltimore grows on you because of small gems like this… quintessential charm city.
Based on my 4 years of haircuts at beatnik, here are my thoughts on why you should give this place a shot:
1: have always come out satisfied with my haircut. only $ 18
2: friendly, friendly, down to earth staff. can’t go wrong with any of the barbers.
3: great conversation when you want to chat, but also quiet when you just want to sit
back and relax
4: warm shaving cream neck shave to finish off a great haircut
OVERALL: if you’re reading this and new to baltimore/​mt vernon, I hope you’ll stop by and find your go to haircut destination
now to find a new barber in NYC…

Since moving to Baltimore two and a half years ago, this has become my regular barbershop. I previously got my cut from an old-​fashioned, no-​bullshit shop where I could be in and out in 10 minutes max – where the service was dependable and there was no pressure to attempt conversation with my barber. When I needed to switch, I sought out a place with quick service but also some personality.
Luckily, the first spot I tried was Beatnik, and since then I’ve been in once every month or so. I usually wait for Pete, Derek or Heather, who all do a great job. The conversation is there if you want it, and the music on the stereo is legit – I think Bo Diddley the first time I walked in… a good sign. The hot cream, straight razor and tonic on the back of the neck are a great finish and a big part of why I keep going back.
I know Beatnik gets a lot of attention because it’s «hip,» but I think it’s well-​deserved.

Finding the right place to get your hair cut has always been a hard thing for me. Since I started coming to the beatnik Barbershop there isn’t a better place to go. Pete is a very talented barber and Im always impressed when I leave the shop. They always cut my hair the way I want it done, and finishing it off with a neck shave is a plus. If your looking for a place, stop looking because you have found it, theres no better place in Baltimore to get your hair cut, they will always do a great job.
The Beatnik Barbershop is always going to be my number one choice when it comes to getting a good hair cut. Everyone they have working there is top notch and I have to say Im quite impressed with them.

I recently started wearing my hair clippered close on the sides and back and found myself needing to get my hair cut every 2 weeks in order to keep it looking right. Whenever I’m in Baltimore City and feeling a little scruffy, I make my way over to Beatnik.
They are offering exactly what I’m looking for. I’ve never waited more than 15 minutes. They know new and retro looks as soon as you tell them what you want. The clipper work and blending is top notch and I love the straight razor neck shave.
I get complimented on my hair cut at least once a day.
All that for under $ 20 adds up to a big win for me.

I am of the «grow it out until it is unmanageable then chop it all off» school of thought. I went here on a lunch break not long ago and there was a wait. Meh. So I came back after work and there were two barbers talking, but only one was cutting hair. Kinda never-​wracking when you have to wait. Under such conditions.
The barber was nice enough, but «styled» it. I just wanted a buzz. After protesting, he relented and cut it all off.
All this for 18 billz is too much. Taking my shape-​up elsewhere.

Beatnik was my first haircut in Baltimore.
$ 18 for great mostly scissors cut, given in a Brooklyn-​sque looking shop. There was no wait when I went near opening time on a Saturday morning. I came out 20 minutes later with a much needed new-​do.
I haven’t explored other places for haircuts yet, but I suspect Beatnik might be on my revisit list.

BEST. HAIRCUT.
Recently moved to the area and frankly, I’ve had enough bad hair experiences to be terrified of new hair cutters. Buuuuuuut…
I decided to trust Unilocal and head over to Beatnik’s. Aaand I may post pics later, but for now, I’m still enjoying my cut (a simple bob, but well balanced and thinned). Here’s the deal: you walk up a few steps into a skinny brick-​walled dive with paintings on the wall and barbers at the ready. No wait. I sat right down and got lucky to find myself in Heather’s chair.
Heather is THE BEST. We had a fun conversation while she did her thang and I relaxed feeling like I was in good hands. Aaaand I was. She did a great job, and the total cut was $ 18. One of the best cuts I’ve ever had, even though there was only maybe 10 minutes of a blowdry. (I’m sure this is one way they keep the costs down). Loved it.
Can’t beat the price, the friendly atmosphere, and the professionalism. Definitely coming back.

Nice shop, four chairs, some waiting.
I’ve been looking for a real barber for some time — one that does a decent job and hasn’t moved their cousin or sister into the back of the store to do nails. I’ve tried a few, but haven’t been satisfied with my cut — the last guy did a real hack-​job on my head. I just about gave up and went back to the estrogen sauna that is Envy because I knew I could get a good haircut there.
Beatnik’s gonna be my new shop. Even with a wait, I was in and out in about a half-​hour. They asked the right questions, gave a good cut, cleaned up everything real nice, and done. Good tunes on the stereo, nice bustling vibe about the place. Best haircut experience I’ve had in a while.