Hair By Tawoda in Oakland, CA

I had been to this salon twice previously for a weave installation with Nala. Everything was good with her. On 1/13/24 I arrived early for my 1:00pm appointment. One o'clock came & went....1:15,1:30,2:00...no one said anything to me....not an apology for the wait or anything!! The stYlist was acting like I was supposed to be sitting there waiting....never uttered one word about it! I answered a call on my cell and told the caller that I had been sitting here for over an hour. AFTER hanging up, THEN & ONLY THEN, did the stYlist say it shouldn't be much longer (2:00pm). I finally got into her chair twenty minutes later at 2:20pm. My weave installation isn't difficult-- no frills...I've had this done at least 100 times. As she began braiding & installing the hair, it just didn't 'feel' right. She was doing 'something' different. One specific thing was the closure, which is typically located at the top....but, it wasn't located at the top of my head, but more to the front, like a unicorn. The front of my weave was bunched up...either overlapped braids or hair...I have no idea, but it wasn't laying right...still isn't & never will at this point! The front doesn't have enough hair & I have to constantly reposition the hair. Talk about an unhappy & pissed customer... When the stYlist asked for her money, I was expecting a discount for having to wait an hour & twenty minutes...afterall...it was "her" that set the appointment time. She only had one customer when I got there. But, a discount was not offered & she acted like she had an attitude for me asking. She told me that the previous person was late & it wasn't her fault. AND....If you accept a late customer, you need to let them know that when your next customer comes in, you will stop doing their hair & begin doing the on-time customer's hair....bet that will stop all that foolishness. But making the on-time customer wait one hour & twenty minutes with absolutely no remorse is ridiculous!! After I got home, I texted the appointment person & let her know my extreme disappointment. She texted: "I apologize on behalf of the shop. Apologize for the wait. She informed me there was an issue this morning. If you do not like your hair, you can come back and get it redone or taken out. We want you to be satisfied not upset when you get your services." Uh....COME BACK?? Have it redone or taken out?? NOPE! I am/was definitely not satisfied...at all, but I will NEVER go back there. I work too hard for my money to give it away due to incompetence. Plus, I don't appreciate anyone not valuing MY TIME. I do not go to the hair salon for socialization....I go to have my hair done...not to SIT & WAIT FOR AN HOUR & TWENTY MINUTES AFTER the time I was scheduled. This was not cool or okay! And no...I don't go off, cuss, or talk crazy in these circumstances (oooh I could, but I choose not to do so), but I will write a review! You're welcome!

I booked over text & was quoted $75 for natural corn rows. No shampoo, no extensions. Just 8 braids. But before my appointment was confirmed, I was asked to Venmo a $50 deposit. I thought the pricing was so unusual, but I let it go. Fast forward to the day of my appointment: the stylist was 20 minutes late, dropping the comb over & over without swapping it for a clean one, etc. At the end, I paid my $75 & left. Days later I realized that the $50 deposit I paid was never mentioned or applied to my appointment. That means I ended up paying $125 for basic corn rows with a trashy experience. I texted the owner & got a refund for my deposit. However, I will NOT be back to this place. The entire experience felt uncomfortable & dishonest.

Very friendly and accommodating to your time needs. Nice people. Close to home. Parking is good.

Despite the negative reviews I love hair by tawoda No complaints, my twin daughters (6 y/o) go there all the time and I love their work it's clean and neat. Sometimes they do braid too tight but close mouths don't get fed. & she does my fiancé locs does take a while but they always look clean and neat . Would recommend!

I scheduled an appointment to get my hair done THREE separate times, the last time face to face with the scheduler. Every time I show up, I get told that I have no appointment. I am a physician with three young children. This is completely unacceptable and unprofessional. Don't waste your time by coming here.