SoHo Atelier

Benito is a true artist! I haven't been feeling my best lately and after a harsh winter and getting over pneumonia, I haven't been looking the best. I wne in for a refresh, just conditioning and shaping to give me some life. Let me tell you! This man assessed my hair and determined the right conditioning that would work best for me. Then, he cut my hair to perfection. I have never had wisps by my chin and this truly framed my face. He brought back life and more! Not just Benito, but his puppy Whiskey is perfection! He just laid in my lap as I got my hair cut and cuddled me. The emotional support dog that I never knew I needed!!! Go there now! NOW!

This place is located on 3rd floor inside a building. I had my first haircut with Benito as I had a Groupon voucher. It was excellent. Benito followed all the instructions and gave a really nice look. They also offered a bottle of water as soon as i reached there. Great service and very friendly. Appointment required.

Benito did a great job! He mixed two shades of highlights (ashy and honey) to create a beautiful and natural look. I also really appreciated that he used high quality products to prevent hair damage. I'm a natural blonde fading darker, and I love the uplift! Also, I'd highly recommend getting a color consultation first, as that's something I really should have done beforehand. Luckily, Benito has 35+ years experience, and it worked out great in the end!

My colleague recommended that I see owner Benito Barron. Little did she know that Benito's salon does NOT have the required licenses to operate as a salon in Illinois -- and I was about to pay for this lack of credentials. At my appointment in December, Benito acted unprofessionally and ruined my hair. He put bleach and heat on my already-bleached hair, then left the salon and locked me inside. Twice. Later, he took a shot of liquor and continued to smoke and drink throughout the rest of the appointment. Benito’s treatment of my shoulder-length hair resulted in my hair breaking off just an inch below the scalp in some places and falling out altogether in other places. He demanded that I pay an additional $50 for the products that he used during the appointment. Due to his inebriated state plus his aggressive language and disposition at this point, I did not feel as though I could safely refuse or negotiate what I owed despite being completely dissatisfied with the service and outcome of the dye job. After all this, they ignored my calls and messages when I tried to call back to discuss the incident. Within days of my appointment with Benito, I sought out several other professional opinions. The only option was to get a pixie cut. I am deeply troubled by Benito Barron’s actions and I am very concerned on behalf of his current and future clientele that he is continuing to practice cosmetology despite his unprofessional and questionable business practices. From the research I've done on the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Soho Atelier does not appear to have the proper licensing required by the state licensing agency. Unfortunately, I had to learn this the hard way. Save yourself and your hair and find a different salon in the city.

My sister had a terrible experience with Benito at this salon a couple months ago. He bleached her already bleached hair causing her to have chemical burns on her scalp, spend a couple hundred dollars in additional haircuts, styles, and treatments, and fear for her well-being due to Benito’s aggressive behavior. Her shoulder-length hair had to be chopped off to a pixie cut after Benito (who was drinking on the job and left my sister alone and locked in the salon at one point) bleached her already-beached hair causing irreversible damage. Do not support this stylist nor his business. They are frauds and should face serious legal repercussions for their atrocious business practices.

Super happy with my style, cut , highlights. Best of all was the master of styling Benito, he explained the products and the benefits.

Late with my review but absolutely loved my experience! Haven’t had a consistent stylist for awhile and usually go way too long between appointments because I’m never thrilled with the outcome. Sarah did an amazing job. She listens and she’s talented. I was a first time customer after purchasing a Groupon and I will definitely be a regular now. Highly recommend!

I'm giving the stylist 2 stars because I do have a couple of positive takeaways from my hair appointment yesterday. I like how she was gentle and careful while combing through my hair. However, I was very disappointed with the outcome of my hairstyle. I booked an appointment for perm rods and she used flexi rods. I noticed too late and just decided to trust her choice. Big mistake. In addition the product that she used made my hair feel very dry and brittle. She even had some difficulty removing the rods. Since my hair was still damp at the roots after the second time under the dryer I decided to end my appointment because it was getting late. Thankfully I made that decision because when I got home I discovered that my curls were so stiff, hard to separate, and I had so many white flakes from product buildup. I'm now spending my birthday eve washing and moisturizing my hair. I sent the stylist a message this morning to request a refund and she didn't even have the decency to respond. Unacceptable!