Finding private (man's) hairdresser

"My guy" is named Varga Istvan and he does hair out of his flat in the 5th district.
I used to go to him several years ago when he had his own shop on Vaci Utca, worked as an owner/operator for years there.
He is now 63 years old and a couple years back he did up his flat so he could do his clients in his home.
He usually works between 9 to 5 hours, sometimes he doesn't take people until 1 in the afternoon if he has a singing gig at night and is up late into the wee hours. He is a trip, speaks enough English to get by and understand what you want with your hair. He charges me 6,000 forints for a women's cut, not sure how much a man's cut is but it should be a bit less.
I was silly and quit going to him for awhile and tried several salons in the city. I am a trained hairdresser myself in the US and know a good cut for the price or not.
I am back to my guy again and won't try anyone else in Budapest unless he retires for good.
You just ring up his flat and he will buzz you in.
Address is: Budapest V.ker.  Veres Palne u.4-6.
                   3.em.doorbell#41

I have never called his number by phone, not sure if we can list phone numbers on this site,he takes walk-ins.

It is hard to get consistant good cuts at most salons I have gone to in Hungary, Steve is always fast, accurate and a professional in attitude, funny guy too sings like Elvis if you are a good customer, nothing like a floor show to go!
I am very fussy with my haircuts, used to go to some of the best in LA Calif, worked with Jerry Tyler, he was 5 years running the Calif state barbering president , was an instructor at Sassons Academy in Beverly Hills for a while and used to do many "rock stars" hair in the 1980's ( Pat Benatar for one) I modeled for his shop in the day as a hair model so I think I know a bit about what is a good cut and not so good.Sometimes I admit even with Steve's cuts, I will go home an snip a bit, just something I do as a hairdresser, we are never happy with our looks.

Wow, what a great post! I will be sure to check him out, thanks!!

I was looking for a hairdresser as well, thanks a lot Marilyn! 

Hope he works out for everyone, he is quirky but decent and a professional.
From what I understand being an actual owner of a salon in Hungary means you had allot more testing then the average hairstylist has to have.
he has been doing hair for a long time, well over 30 years, still acts young and has energy, not ready to hang up his shears just yet.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

It is hard to get consistant good cuts at most salons I have gone to in Hungary.

My wife says similar.

In fact, she says she has gone to a hair dresser, tells them what she wants, then they cut her hair how they want or how they think she should have her hair cut.

Seems to be a consistent problem here: people thinking for you and then acting on your behalf.

klsallee wrote:

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

It is hard to get consistant good cuts at most salons I have gone to in Hungary.

My wife says similar.

In fact, she says she has gone to a hair dresser, tells them what she wants, then they cut her hair how they want or how they think she should have her hair cut.

Seems to be a consistent problem here: people thinking for you and then acting on your behalf.

Bit off topic but this also applies to building work.  A friend of mine was told by his builders that the architect's plans were rubbish and he should have his house "our way" and despite his protests, they proceeded to build it their way. Obviously he didn't want to pay for it "their way".  I am also experiencing something similar where the builders told me my drains need to be in other places despite the architect having done the engineering drawings and calculations. Crazy!

2 years ago this July we drove to SE Poland for a family reunion that I had been waiting for all my 58 years of life.
Went for the 4 th or so time to the same female hairdresser that I had used before, trusted her.
I really wanted to have some nice photos taken on this once in a life time trip.
She jacked my hair up so short and cut so sharply at an angle that I felt like a jerk.
Not the first time , I had a lady doing my hair at Laszlo Hajas studio, pricey but she was experienced for over 20 years and she always gave good cuts. My son and DIL got their hair done for their wedding by her etc.
The problem with her was half the time she was on vacation and would pass me to someone else last min. for a cut. I literally once sat in the chair for over 90 mins while a newbie stylist cut my hair. It looked good but I was freaking out sitting there that long with my thin straight hair which anyone can cut in less the 25 mins if they know what they are doing. Paid full price too. The cut was very good however so I decided next time my girl was on vacation and couldn't take me I would ask for that guy again. Well his next cut was horrible, too short for my long face and strong jawline, I felt ugly and dumb.
next time in the shop I wouldn't let him do my hair and he made a strange face towards me. I noticed he was giving the next 2 women the same factory cut he had given me. One looked ok, the lady was young and hip but he gave a 70 something year old women the same cut and she looked stupid, didn't go with her style of dressing or her age.
A good stylist looks at more then a person hair, their face shape, way of dressing, how tall they are and their weight all should come into play to balance the face and make the person look and feel their best. A one size fits all hairstyle just does not work.
I have tried them all, Toni and Guy, small shops, big salons with free drinks and snobby staff, I feel more comfortable just going into my guys home and not having to impress the shampoo girl, other customers & counter staff. We went into Toni and Guy years ago for my cut,had an appointment etc. Had to wait a short time , no problem to wait but the jr. staff of assistant stylists were so rude my husband very nearly dragged me out before my cut.They were literally laying every which way on the furniture which should of been off limits to them and left open for customers to sit on while they waited. We had to stand while I waited to be called for my cut because the staff was using the lobby to hang out in, so unprofessional and not cheap at all. Never went back there again, my husband said he would rather shave my head bald himself before going in there again.
I worked in Carlton's hair international as an assistant when I got out of cosmetology school, a very nice chain of salons from S. Africa, all in the best locations in Calif. There was no way in the world we could sit in the lobby while paying customers stood around twiddling their thumbs.