The best barbershops in Sydney
From short back and sides to something a little more creative
Finding the right barber can be a lifelong search — ask any man who’s had too much or not enough of his locks cavalierly lopped off and stepped out onto the street disaffected. Thankfully, there are experts in this area who excel in getting the discerning man’s ‘do’ just right. Here, some of Sydney’s best barbers are recommended.
Sydney's best barbershops
The Barberhood Barbershop
Paul Anthony
Sam Overton Salon
Another British expat, Sam Overton is one of Australia’s leading hair stylists and is currently Creative Director of Unilever Hair Care. Signed with Vivien’s Creative, he’s a mainstay in magazine shoots in the Australian fashion industry, so it’s no surprise that his salon is a classy affair. Located in a renovated Victorian house in Paddington, Sam Overton Salon is worth visiting just for the décor — raw brick walls, taxidermy reindeer, hard wooden floors, leather chairs. And with each of the hairdressers picked by Sam himself, a slick cut is assured. Paddington
Sterling Hairdressing Parlour and Barber Shop
The Barber Shop
What more could you ask from a barbershop than a precise cut offered in the same space as an award-winning bar? The first thing one notices upon entering The Barbershop in the heart of Sydney’s CBD of an evening is the dimly lit European cocktail bar-style interior, and indeed they offer a variety of beverages to suit your tastes, from vintage gins to boutique-bottled beers to European wines. Their bar is so good, in fact, that their owner Mikey Enright won a Time Out Legend award in 2014. As one might imagine, they offer all the traditional barber services, alongside contemporary cuts.
Hawleywoods Barber Shop
The Californian-style Hawleywoods Barber Shop is as much as place to hang out with other men of substance and style as it is to get the best cut, shave or shoe shine in Sydney. They also offer a range of classic Layrite pocket combs and their signature Hawleywoods T-shirts, for those looking to complete their greaser look. To top things off, there’s a neck massage machine that they guarantee will “knock your socks off.” Newtown
The Happy Sailor’s Barber Shop
Not far from Sydney’s iconic Bourke Street Bakery (the best place for sausage rolls in the country), there’s another of the city’s gems — The Happy Sailor’s Barber Shop. As retro as their name suggests, this barbershop has candy-striped poles at the entrance and the walls are covered in framed vintage-feel artworks and curiosities. It’s a feel-good establishment on a leafy part of Bourke Street, made all the more accessible by their walk-right-in-and-have-a-chat vibe and their $40-a-cut rate. Redfern