Great cut and blow out by BOB !! Thank you....3 days and counting!!

Posted on 04/12/2013 by J.M.

Bob at Maxine gave me only the best haircut and blowout experience of my life - that's all! From his warm greeting and mischievous smile to his honest appraisal of what would work best for me to carrying it out, Bob was so far beyond the best hair styling experience I've ever had. The blowout lasted from Friday till Wednesday and looked every bit as good the last day as the first. If I were a billionaire I'd hire Bob myself as my personal hair stylist so I could look this fabulous every single day. I love my hair cut from Bob as I style it too but what he does is pure magic.

Posted on 06/28/2012 by Vicki D.

After reading all the great press, good reviews on Yelp and being stuck in a hair rut with my current stylist, I decided to give Maxine's a try. Sure, it's not conveniently located for a suburban girl like me but I will drive far and wide to get a good cut and color on my fine lifeless blonde hair. I saw Leslie for Balyage and she immediately identified a solution for my too blonde all over color and got to work on adding dimension and movement to my hair. After my color, I went downstairs to get my haircut with Bob. I had read the reviews and heard all the praise about Bob but was skeptical at first. Well, I am now a believer! Bob gave me the layers I needed to give my thin hair volumet without removing the length (even though I said I could go much shorter). He gave me great blow dry styling advice, recommended a product but wasn't pushy about getting me to purchase it (although I did - I'm a sucker for hair products). I Ieft with a spring in my step and more bounce in my newly balyage'ed 'do. Yes it's a bit pricey, but totally worth it. For a high end salon, everyone there was very down to earth, not at all pretentious and VERY welcoming. Thanks for a great experience! I will defintely be back!!!

Posted on 06/19/2012 by Jennifer E.

Having celebrated one fabulous year here in Chicago I would like to add my own observation about Maxine's and the one and only Bob. My first visit (as a result of some great Yelp reviews) was with my best friend who was visiting from Ft Lauderdale. The salon is modern and very clean and populated with pleasant professional people. But the best part of the story is Bob. He looks like your attorney or accountant complete with dress slacks and nicely starched dress shirt. Very cool and professional. It gets better though. Just when you think it will be your typical high end salon appointment he starts talking to you, like an old friend, weaving in details and gathering facts about you and your hair history in the most amazingly charming way. From there you get a world class hair cut and for the first time in my hair life an unsolicited styling lesson, which by the way works. If you are ever in the Chicago area and want or need a fabulous hair experience run as quickly as you can to Maxine's and Bob.

Posted on 06/15/2012 by Donna H.

Just had my 4th haircut with Bob -- he is amazing! He always gives me exactly what I am looking for and his blow outs make me feel like a supermodel. Love!

Posted on 06/05/2012 by Katie M.

As a student in Chicago, I always get my hair cut when I am home in Los Angeles. However, I was craving something drastic, so I went to Bob at Maxine to cut my hair. He did a great job balancing the drastic cut I wanted with what would work with my hair. I have only grown to love my hair more as it has grown!

Posted on 05/20/2012 by Samantha K.

i went to see Bob a few weeks ago. I had not had a good haircut in a long long time and my dad and Bob are friends so my dad suggested I go see him at Maxine's. Seriously the best haircut I ever got. He took off a good amount of length which made my hair really healthy but it doesn't look that much shorter. I was really happy with it and the styling after was amazing too. I went to meet up with a friend after and she didn't even recognize me it looked so good. Thanks Bob!

Posted on 04/09/2012 by Nina M.

I've always loved getting my hair cut and mixing it up with color, but I've had trouble finding a good spot since I've moved from California. After a couple of bad experiences I actually stopped getting my hair done in Chicago at all and would just wait to get it done during my frequent trips back to Cali. It's been seven going on eight years now, and I've FINALLY found a place (and more importantly people) that I love going to. Jasen (for color) - Jasen is wonderful. He really listens to what I want, and he's one of the first colorists that I feel like understands the "language" of non-colorists (ie if I don't use the technical term he doesn't correct me or turn me a wonky color). My issue has always been that I like changing my hair a lot, and that I'm more interested in it turning out fabulous than exactly like the magazine page I ripped out (what looks good on Jessica Alba might not look so hot on me!). I always thought that would make me a dream-client: I sit down and I want suggestions and am open to anything non-green, but I always seem to get a blank stare as a response. Jasen has given me some really fun looks while making sure that I'm comfortable and not going outside my comfort zone (ie I don't get fired!). He is always very clear about exactly what he is doing and why, so there are never any surprises. He never disappoints! Bob (for cut) - Bob is such a character (in a great way!!). He is really fun to talk to and really focuses on what looks good. I am the first to admit that I have a huge paranoia about people lopping off my hair. Bob put me completely at ease and has given me great results every time I've gone (4-5 times at the time of this review). He manages to keep my length while still mixing things up to pacify my hair ADD. He also does these head massages that are AMAZING! Chills, every time. He has a wealth of information about products and tips, and shares them freely without being pushy. The salon itself is nice and I really appreciate that a couple of days a week they have after-work hours so that I can go straight from work. All of the staff has been very friendly, and they have some yummy flavored teas worth checking out.

Posted on 03/07/2012 by Sarah S.

I heart Bob. I'm not afraid to say it. When you walk in to a hair salon, you want to walk out feeling fabulous and polished. Bob has never ever let me down. The salon itself doesn't give me the warm fuzzies (it's fine, but as others have mentioned, a tad sterile), and it's definitely pricey. HOWEVER, Bob takes his time to understand what I'm looking for, gets to know my random hair quirks, and manages to consistently create flattering cuts for my face shape. Really, what more do you need?

Posted on 02/27/2012 by Elizabeth A.

I was looking for a new salon since the girl I always went to before never did anything special with my hair despite repeated requests for something new. As soon as I walked into Maxine I knew this would be a different experience. Everyone was extremely friendly and I felt immediately comfortable. Bob met me at the waiting room rather quickly and took me up to his window seat styling station. He immediately made me confident that this would be a special haircut and that he would make my long stringy flat hair look like "movie star hair". He absolutely delivered. In the past hair stylists have spent about 10 minutes max cutting my hair and gave me a quick blow dry then shoved me out the door. Bob spent 30+ minutes cutting my hair with extreme finesse and also explained what he was doing and why throughout the entire process. He gave me a wonderful shampoo message and an even better head message after the cut! Then he gave me one of his famous blow outs and talked me through it so I could repeat it myself. He didn't oversell products to me that I didn't need but did suggest one or two when I was ready to try them. My hair looks and feels beautiful and I've gotten a million compliments. He gave me an anything but ordinary cut and for that I am very thankful. 100% worth paying more than usual for my haircut- Bob is fantastic! Don't settle for average hair-- go see Bob at Maxine!

Posted by Amanda S.

Girls, if you want hair like you see on tv or in the magazines, then you should make an appointment for a cut with BOB. Whether I've wanted to go for a shorter shoulder length cut or long layers that I can wear straight or with waves, he always delivers the cuts perfectly. I promise, you won't be disappointed!

Posted on 12/01/2011 by A F.

Bob: The Best!! (and NO I am not his mother or sister), I found this salon while looking for a new hair stylist and while googling like a mad woman I came upon Maxine's. I am so glad I did! Everyone was very friendly and the salon was clean and inviting. I have been going to Chic salon in Palos Park and previously gone to Mario (total waste of $ there now days), Chic is great but I just felt like I needed a new pair of eyes to evaluate my hair. I had color done with Tracey Mangers, she was very good and very friendly. The color turned out beautiful. Then I moved on to Bob who turned out to be the highlight of my visit. He is sooo funny and it felt like time flew in his chair. He listened to every issue I had with my style (angled bob with some crazy cowlicks) and gave me his opinions and even showed me step-by-step how to blow dry it just like he did. H e also gave the BEST head massage ever!!!! How nice to actually be able to relax while getting a hair cut with someone new when I was so nervous about how it would turn out. He has years and years of experience and it shows with the precision and attention he gives to even the smallest details. My cut is absolutely gorgeous!! I haven't laughed so much in such a long time, thank you Bob, I will definitely be back! (maybe we can do those cornrows Bob... ; p ) Amanda~

Posted on 10/05/2011 by Amanda W.

Bob is the most talented stylist in Chicago. I have been going to him since 2002, and he has never given me less than a perfect cut. Ricky and Carlos in reception are so friendly and welcoming.

Posted on 07/19/2011 by fran a.

I took advantage of a Groupon to get my hair cut by Bob. When I called to schedule an appointment I was recommended to see him after mentioning that I have fine hair. The place itself is really nice and modern and for such an upscale salon I was surprised by how kind everyone was. It's also not too bad of a walk from Union Station. Bob was really kind and chatty. I came in not really knowing what I wanted; I just told him that I liked having bangs and gave him a range for the length I was considering and let him decide what would work best. I'm really happy the with result and would highly recommend anyone seeing Bob!

Posted on 6/21/2011 by Katherine H.

I used a Groupon to go and see Bob. I chose Bob because of his years of experience and off course all the great reviews. I had never been to Maxine before and found the salon to be modern and clean and people to be welcoming and professional. When I met with Bob, he was outgoing, funny and extremely friendly. I immediately felt comfortable and we had a nice rapport. I knew exactly what I had wanted and even brought a picture of the haircut and style that I was planning to get. Lucky for Bob...and me off course that he agreed that I would indeed look good with that cut and style. Bob started off taking less and offered to take more off if I wanted, which was good, because I was fine with taking off less, and by less I mean abot 3". He also gave me shorter and more bangs. Bob was kind enough to do a deep conditioning treatment (which he no doubt convinced me to buy later...I swear he could sell ice to Eskimos) and then added some great products to my hair before he straightened and styled. I thought he did a good job. Sadly after I walked home through the wind, most of his fine work had been lost... If you can can afford to pay $100 for a haircut every 3 months, Bob is definitely the guy to see!

Posted on 06/04/2011 by Zarina K.

Bob Gartlan (The Guru) . Never I have been so excited about a haircut as the lastest one this month at Maxine. It was the bets bday treat ever. I am very accustomed to cuts in India as they go well with my jet black thick hair. I did have a picture though guess it helped a lot( After all the bad experinces so far I was not in for any more ruins! Just Perfect

Posted on 04/05/2011 by namita m.

Best cut and blowout ever! Thanks, Bob! I'll be back soon.

Posted on 02/16/2011 by Adalisa F.

Today's distinction in definitions: Classy (adj.): stylish, admirably smart, elegant Wealthy (adj): having great wealth, rich, affluent If this is your first visit and you were a modest or middle class person, you might walk into Maxine and worry that you are not wealthy enough to be here. The atmosphere and front-desk service is a bit sterile, you'll feel a bit lost, but please, walk in anyway. You'll have made an appointment to meet with Bob for a haircut. You'll be guided to the area where you can change into a smock and be sent upstairs to wait on Bob. Bob, I repeat. Bob. You may wait for a couple of minutes. Passers by will notice that you are waiting on someone, and will offer you a drink, coffee or tea or water. You'll take or deny the drink, then wait. Just a few more minutes. Enter Bob, the one person in this place who can make you relax and remind you why it is that you've come here. If this is your first time meeting, he'll introduce himself, then bring you to his chair and have a talk about your hair while combing through it with this fingers. He'll spend some time figuring out how your hair falls, how thick it is, what kind of texture it has. Then he'll send you to get your hair washed before he begins. See? So far, not so bad. I won't go into the experience of the haircut itself because, well, to each his own head of hair. But Bob treats both your hair and you very well. He is super friendly, and just loves to chat. You forget you're in an upscale salon because, well, you're with Bob! At the end of the appointment you'll be past the point of beaming (Bob likes to think his haircuts will make you look 'so hot' once he's done, or that 'so many guys will ask for your number once you walk out of here'--I know this is psychological but it's actually happened to me on two occasions!), and seriously in love with Bob. Oh, back to our distinction with definitions. Now in the avenue of price range, sometimes the cost classy haircut falls in line with a wealthier cost. But for $100 you'll have a haircut that can last you 4-6 months (seriously---Bob tells me not to come back for half a year because he knoows that his cut will grow out well) with free bang trims. (I should also add that Bob has given me the best set of bangs in hair history.) A stylish, elegant haircut that's noticeable and attractive? A hairstylist who is treats you and your hair like the best thing that ever happened to him, if only for a short hour? At least you won't be wasting tons of money on a mediocre haircut that makes you feel decent at best. At least you've chosen a place and person who offer the best of their services at a reasonable cost. AND to get a discount once you mention Yelp? Now that's an experience that only the classy will go for. P.S. Bob, if you're a Cylon and you've replicated yourself, please send one of your models over to San Diego--the westcoast is in dire need of good hair professionals =).

Posted on 02/11/2011 by Kat S.

Go see Bob!! For my birthday, I had Bob cut my hair and it was the best present I could give myself. Not only did he do a beautiful haircut that left my hair looking healthy, but his blowouts make me want to strut down the street and whip my hair back until i have whiplash (and the blowout lasted a good 3 days - loves it). Bob is kind, funny and he definitely knows what he's doing. I felt very confident in him and could just relax and let him work his magic.

Posted on 2/22/2010 by Wren B.

UPDATE THREE This may be getting tedious that I keep making updates, but after a decade of putting up with shoddy hairdressers who claim to be elite (Toni & Guy, Charles Worthington etc salons), I am so thrilled that I found Bob and Josh at Maxine. Bob is the best - I don't need my hair cutting that often but i do need my bangs taming as they go wild inbetween cuts and i start to look like a porn version of Jill Munroe. Bob lets me run in to see him for 10 minutes to tame my bangs and then I'm off looking less pornish for another couple of months. Josh is the best colourist I have had, period. He's an artist with his balayage skills. Love you both!! And if my friends don't start using you, I'm cutting them off.

Posted on 6/11/2009 by Victoria G.

DEFINITION OF MAGICIAN: One whose formidable skill or art seems to be magical. EXAMPLE OF A HAIR MAGICIAN: Bob Gartlan! He really does have the ability to make you look like a movie star. Just let him do his thing and bask in the results. With all of the compliments you'll receive, you'll be addicted to Bob's cuts. I promise! It took me 6 long years in Chicago before I finally found my hair magician. Thanks BOB! Recently I switched colorists. I am with Robert now. Bob has the ultimate confidence in him and that is what I was looking for after being disappointed with my previous experience. I have worked with Robert only once so far and I was impressed. I look forward to seeing what else he has in store for me. If you are looking for HAIR MAGIC, check out Bob and Robert at Maxine.

Posted on 1/4/2009 by MELEK L.

I just moved to the city and was a little nervous about finding a new stylist. My search is over! I have hair extensions and plan to fly back to Scottsdale to have them redone every 3 months but was looking for someone to trim them up in between (not an easy task). BOB GARTON is "THE MAN" ! I left feeling and looking like a movie star! I seriously noticed people staring at my hair as I walked down Rush Street :) I was happy that when I washed my hair and styled it by mybigself it still looked fabulous. He even sent me home with styling products that really made a differnece. I will be back

Posted on 11/19/2008 by Denise R.

Bob, Bob, Bob. It is all about stylist Bob and his miracle cuts. He knows what I want before I know. I am thinking of a style, and when I walk out I have it. He can read between the lines when I chat about what I think would be good. His cuts last longer than usual. A good thing since I have moved to the burbs and have to travel to get there. (One of the things I miss about living in Streeter area). Would and have recommended Bob to numerous people. Those that tried Bob have great comments about their experience. He makes the whole experience fun!!

Posted on 7/28/2008 by deborah z.

The only reason I can't give Maxine a 5 is because it is pricey. I guess it's not their fault - it's the neighborhood - I just wish I weren't so addicted to Bob. Not only does he always give me a great haircut (and is mindful of the fact that I'm not coming back every 6 weeks or buying $100 worth of product), but I have a HUGE crush on him.

Posted on 6/27/2008 by Molly S.

This place is incredible. I get my haircut with Bob, and he's fantastic. It's such a joy to get a haircut! The colorists are so talented as well...I have had Jasen color my hair and he's dynamite. The salon is beautiful inside and always busy...so you know they are doing something right. It is more expensive than most salons, even in the downtown area, but you get what you pay for, and it is very much worth it!

Posted on 4/8/2008 by Jennifer H.

I love this place. Everyone is so friendly--not snooty like a lot of upscale salon employees. I recommend Josh for color. He is the only colorist I've ever been to that understands exactly what I want to do with my color--and I've been to a lot of salons. He's also got a delicious southern accent and good sense of style. And I recommend Bob for your cut. Again, understands what I want and has NEVER left me traumatized and I am really picky and weird about my hair. He's handsome in a classic way and extremely charismatic. This place rules.

Posted on 12/9/2007 by Angela H.