Backstreet Barber shops.
One of the things we love about the capital is the ever-increasing supply of male grooming options available at men’s spas, salons and in hotels. But if you’re looking for a good quality haircut, value for money and a more authentic Abu Dhabi experience then it pays to head a little off the beaten track and visit one of the many backstreet barber shops, commonly known as ‘saloons’.
Despite being one of the more follicly-challenged members of the Abu Dhabi Week team, a good trim every three to four weeks helps keep everything looking neat and tidy so we decided to head to one of our favourite barber shops, the Al Barq Saloon, for a short back and sides.
So what’s the deal?
Walking in, a couple of the Indian barbers are at work but the third chair is open and the unoccupied barber motions for us to sit. We start with the usual formalities – the smock over the shoulders and the strip of paper between the neck and the smock.
Then comes the slightly tricky part – imparting instructions to our barber who speaks little or no English.
Holding up our fingers, showing the space between our thumb and forefinger and performing a circling motion from one side of my head to the other, we were OK on length and he gets to work. Electric razor, then scissors followed by some soap and a straight edge for spots behind the ears and on sideburns. The barber then gives our head another once over before switching back to the scissors and carefully trimming our eyebrows, nose hair and ears.
Finally happy with the cut, the barber brings out a mirror to show us his work. Nodding our satisfaction, he loosens the smock and paper and begins the infamous scalp massage.
Starting with the temples, the massage is quite firm but not uncomfortable and no part of the head is untouched as he kneads the eyebrows, gently massages our eyes, neck and shoulders before finishing with what can only be described as cracking his knuckles on our skull for a couple of minutes.
Feeling nicely refreshed and strangely invigorated, he removes all the towels and we’re done.
Why go?
Although the general appearance may be basic, the service is anything but and while the tools are not the most modern, everything is clean and sterilised. The barbers take real pride in their work, meticulously trimming every last hair and the end result is comparable to much more expensive salons.
Why not?
To the uninitiated the whole scalp massage process may come as a bit of a shock but bear with it, you may find that you actually enjoy it: we definitely did and we think you will too.
What? Men’s haircut
Where? Al Barq Saloon
Cost: AED 20 for haircut and scalp massage, including tip
We say: A good haircut combined with a relaxing, albeit unusual, massage for just twenty dirhams – you can’t really go wrong.
Contact: 02 446 5262
Jon Muller
