It’s tough to find a good barber shop in Sydney if you don’t know where to look. The generous spread of luxury barber shops in the CBD to hipster standards in the Inner West have all been met with varying success over the past few years. We’ve included the best of them with our list of Sydney barber shops that are well worth your hard-earned money.
If you’re struggling to think of the right trim as well as the right place to get it, check out our list of best haircuts; whether you like it short, whether you’re going grey, or even if you’ve got a big forehead that money can’t buy, we’ve got ideas for the lot of you.
Sydney’s Best Barbers By Location
| Location | Barber |
|---|---|
| Best Overall Barber in Sydney | UNOIT, Darlinghurst |
| Best Barber in Sydney CBD | Truefitt & Hill |
| Best Barber in Eastern Suburbs | Badlambs |
| Best Barber in Western Suburbs | Chuffed |
| Best Barber in Inner West | Mr Wolf |
| Best Barber in North Sydney | Captain Sip Sop’s |
| Best Barber in South Sydney | Barbers Blvd |
Top Barbers in Sydney Right Now
Truefitt & Hill, Sydney CBD
Since 1805, founder William Francis Truefitt has watched his eponymous barber become a global symbol of men’s style. Anchored by a composed British standard, he’s serviced high-profile clients such as the Duke of Edinburgh, Sir Winston Churchill and Frank Sinatra.
Truefitt & Hill’s Sydney outpost has the kind of studied elegance that instantly makes a man feel at home. The perfect amount of natural light peeks through the Queen Victoria Building’s colourful arched windows, spotlighting luxurious furnishings, wooden cabinets and leather chairs; it’s pure comfort for the discerning gentlemen.
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This local expression sticks true to Truefitt’s legacy. Over 200 years of expertise sit behind each of these treatments, from the standard $45 clipper cut to the $300 “quintessential grooming package” which combines a haircut and traditional hot towel shave with custom treatments designed to create men of unmatched style and confidence.
| Price | $45 for a clipper cut; $45 for a beard trim |
| Address | Shop 7, Second Floor, Queen Victoria Building, 455 George Street NSW 2000 |
| Contact | 0481 880 070 |
| Opening Hours | Monday – Friday: 10am – 6pm Saturday: 9am – 6pm Sunday: 11am – 5pm |
| Website | truefittandhill.com.au |
UNOIT, Darlinghurst
Run by 2022 AMBA Australian Modern Barber of the Year, Costa Zacharia, UNOIT is the perfect example of a contemporary barbershop reimagining the men’s grooming experience with modern ideas.
An extensive treatment menu is coupled with science-backed clinical beauty treatments in a split model – one side of the space is dedicated to cutting hair, and the other runs on restorative skin treatments. You can head in for a straightforward cut and trim from Australia’s top barbers, or you can go all-out and spend hours carefully crafting a new signature style.
The $349 ‘Boss Experience’ is the best example of UNOIT’s unorthodox approach, offering a haircut, cut-throat shave, and scalp massage on one of two supremely comfortable shiatsu lounges with a made-to-measure shirt from CBD atelier Riley & Sons. Pound for pound, it’s a high-value offering from one of Sydney’s best barbers.
| Price | $55 for a haircut; $37 for a beard trim |
| Address | 101 Crown St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010 |
| Contact | (02) 8964 5859 |
| Opening Hours | Tuesday – Wednesday: 9am – 8pm Thursday: 9am – 7pm Friday: 8:30am – 6pm Saturday: 8am – 5pm |
| Website | unoit.com.au |
5000 BC, Sydney CBD
The only lashes of colour disrupting 5000 BC’s stylish, black-and-white monochromatic look are the premium men’s grooming products and the prime stash of top-shelf spirits hiding behind a cabinet on the far wall.
Award-winning barbers Jimmy De Jesus and Tay Basham have gifted Sydney CBD the barbershop of the future. Everything is designed to calm the modern man, offering an immersive, high-end salon experience that’s appropriately elevated and priced accordingly.
Becoming a regular at this King Street barber shop is a hefty investment. A 40-minute haircut will set you back $75 but includes all manner of tapers, fades, trims and scissor cuts. The immaculate service and consistency are priced in, but there are also more affordable options like a $27 wash and style to refresh before a business lunch or special occasion.
| Price | $41 for a haircut; $57 for a beard trim |
| Address | 31-43 King St, Sydney NSW 2000 |
| Contact | 0490 940 118 |
| Opening Hours | Monday – Friday: 9am – 6pm Saturday: 8am – 4pm |
| Website | 5000bc.com.au |
By France, Sydney CBD
Affable award-winning hairdresser France Khames does some of the best cuts in Sydney. The upscale men’s hair studio is set within a restored heritage building on King Street in the CBD, sitting on a great deal of industry experience and one of the most talented barbering teams in Sydney.
Cuts here don’t come cheap but you get what you pay for. A tailored consultation and barbers that work with your face shape and overall style will always leave you looking your best. Couple that with a tranquil atmosphere, best enjoyed with a stiff drink from the full cocktail menu, and Australia’s top grooming brands, including Kevin Murphy and Patricks, on offer.
As we’ve established, the best barbers also offer a stress-free environment and an experience that goes far beyond just a cut or a hot towel shave. By France fits that brief with the utmost confidence.
| Price | $70 for a haircut, $70 for a beard trim |
| Address | 50 King St, Sydney NSW 2000 |
| Contact | 0447 577 901 |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 9am – 6pm Tuesday – Thursday: 9am – 7pm Friday: 9am – 4pm Saturday: 8am – 1pm |
| Website | byfrance.com.au |
Hair by Tommy J, Redfern
Tommy J Heath is one of the most famous barbers in Sydney, loved for his no-nonsense barber shop that favours a distinct hipster aesthetic over the high polish oft associated with CBD barbers.
Sailor Jerry tins for brushes, Budweiser for the drinks, skate decks on the wall, and punk rock on the stereo should tell you about the 1950s vibe here. But don’t mistake the lack of occasion for anything but snub-nosed professionalism. These barbers know how to impress, with reliability a big reason why this barber shop enjoys a cult following well beyond just Redfern locals.
You won’t get many auxiliary services like a hair wash and a massage, but sometimes stripping away the excess and keeping it simple is exactly what the doctor ordered. Plus, there are virtually no affordable beard trims in Sydney CBD, so this is about as close as you’ll get.
| Price | $60 for a haircut; $25 for a beard trim |
| Address | 112 George St, Redfern NSW 2016 |
| Contact | 0405 331 286 |
| Opening Hours | Tuesday – Friday: 9am – 6pm Saturday: 8am – 3pm |
| Website | hairbytommyj.com |
Badlambs, Bondi Beach
As soon as you see the meat cleaver, autographed by Mark “Chopper” Read, you know that Badlambs does things differently than all the other barbers in Sydney. Hairdresser Tony Mellis opened this hybrid barber and event space in the early 2010s and has since turned it into a staple for Bondi Beach.
Banter is a given, good music is guaranteed, and you’ve got a pro team of barbers more than able to leave you feeling refreshed with razor-sharp cuts. Badlambs doesn’t take reservations either so just walk-in and wait your turn. You might even catch some live music while you’re there.
| Price | $62 for a haircut; $28 for a basic beard trim |
| Address | 132 Glenayr Ave, Bondi Beach NSW 2026 |
| Contact | (02) 8386 6306 |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 8am – 6pm Tuesday: 9am – 6pm Wednesday – Thursday: 9am – 7pm Friday: 8am – 7pm Saturday: 8am – 6pm Sunday: 9am – 5pm |
| Website | badlambs.com |
Mr Wolf Barber Shop, Newtown
Watch out for the fresh pompadours parading out onto Enmore Road and you’ve found Mr Wolf Barber Shop. You’d expect a rough-around-the-edges hipster barber shop in Newtown but this neatly appointed spot is as slick as anything you’d find in the inner-city and CBD.
Cuts, fades, beard trims and cut-throat shaves are delivered with clockwork precision by a team of usually four barbers at a time. But the barbers here really strut their stuff when you’re looking for a more eccentric and individual style.
Our tip is to leave the creative brief to them if you want to try out a new signature style. These guys are used to all sorts of hairstyles (it is Newtown, after all) so are very adept in working to strengths you might not even know you have.
| Price | $40 for a haircut; $20 for a beard trim |
| Address | 22 Enmore Rd, Newtown NSW 2042 |
| Contact | 0420 565 959 |
| Opening Hours | Tuesday – Friday: 10am – 6:30pm Saturday: 9pm – 4pm |
| Website | instagram.com/mrwolfbarber |
Captain Sip Sop’s, Manly
After expanding from Noosa Heads in 2014, Captain Sip Sop’s has steadily built a loyal following on the Northern Beaches with its coastal fitout and traditional barber services. Although the auxiliary services are light, the welcoming atmosphere, sharp banter and proximity to the beach are all part of the experience.
Buzz cuts, undercuts and fades, are common here, but given it’s right near the beach, the barbers are more used to working with tough natural curls and longer hair. That said, there seems to be very little this team can’t turn around given both our personal experiences and the consistently solid Google reviews.
| Price | $60 for a haircut; $35 for a beard trim |
| Address | 69 Pittwater Rd, Manly NSW 2095 |
| Opening Hours | Tuesday – Wednesday: 9am – 6pm Thursday: 9am – 9pm Friday – Saturday: 9am – 6pm |
| Website | captainsipsops.com |
Chuffed, Parramatta
Over 17 years of experience sit behind Parramatta’s best barber. Although the most luxurious barber shops can be found in Sydney CBD, Chuffed makes a strong case for an elevated grooming experience out west.
The grooming salon typically keeps things traditional and lets the services speak for themselves. But the minimal design is a sea of calm, especially since you won’t anything else in Parramatta that comes even remotely close to this attention to detail.
You may not get a drink and a head massage, but you’ll walk away feeling like you’ve just got your money’s worth. And given how expensive barber shops in Sydney are nowadays, that counts for a lot.
| Price | $65 for a haircut; $40 for a beard trim |
| Address | 423 Church St, Parramatta NSW 2150 |
| Contact | 0404 908 655 |
| Opening Hours | Tuesday: 10am – 7pm Wednesday – Thursday: 10am – 8pm Friday: 8am – 6pm Saturday: 8am – 4pm |
| Website | chuffedbarber.com |
Barbers Blvd, Matraville
Most barber shops at South Sydney tend to stick to the same formula. And look, Barbers Blvd doesn’t have much of a point of difference. It looks, feels and operates like your standard barber shop but the difference is in the quality of service.
Prices are kept affordable and customer service has always been a strong suit for the Matraville barber shop. The key here is patience. These barbers take their time with you and are great at communicating to make sure they’re with you every step of the way. Otherwise, you’re just left staring in the mirror wondering what the end result will be.
| Price | $30 for a haircut, $10-15 for a beard trim |
| Address | 476 Bunnerong Rd, Matraville NSW 2036 |
| Contact | (02) 9661 4024 |
| Opening Hours | Monday – Tuesday: 9am – 5pm Wednesday – Friday: 8:30am – 5pm Saturday: 8am – 3pm |
| Website | instagram.com/barbers_blvd2 |
How We Decide on Who Sydney’s Best Barber Shops
We know lists like this can often feel overstuffed and arbitrary these days, which is why we’ve taken the right steps to be able to confidently say that these are the best barber shops Sydney has to offer.
To help our research, we spoke with the affable Costa Zacharia of UNOIT and asked for some insights into what separates a truly exceptional barber shop from an average one. We figure if anyone is an expert on barber shops, the 2022 Australian Modern Barber of the Year is a safe bet.
For him, it seemed to be all about three things:
- experience
- conversation
- and maintenance
You want your barber to care about your style, which is why it always pays to choose somewhere and become a regular.
“As a barber, you have to connect with the client. That’s the number one thing,” says Costa.
“The skill is important. The technical side. That’s the expectation, as it should be. But you need barbers that can authentically connect with their clients beyond that.”
Costa Zacharia
Costa thinks connection is what ties it all together, whether you’re in a beautiful space or a shed.
If a barber isn’t looking at the entire experience, then they can only charge so much before customers start to feel short-changing (which makes them less likely to return). This includes auxiliary services like massage chairs and tailored consultations.
As for what you should be demanding from your barber, Costa thinks consistency is number one. You should be able to expect the same treatment no matter who you see in your favourite barbershop.
“You want something that’s going to last. You want something that’s going to suit your individual face shape. And you want a barber that educates you on how to maintain that look each day, whether that’s with products or a simple style before you’re out the door.”
Costa Zacharia
