I've been coming to Jake's Place since I moved to Norfolk in 2015 and they've given me no reason to even think about looking elsewhere. It's a "men's barber shop" without feeling shoehorned or awkward about it. Just a clean, punctual, and professional establishment and they even offer a military discount, which tends to be pretty rare in this area. No matter when you go in, you're almost guaranteed to be greeted by the extremely dapper Eddie (sorry if I spelled your name wrong!) who feels pleasantly akin to a 5-star concierge. You can expect a complimentary water, tea, coffee, beer, or glass of wine while you wait. Also, in the lobby there's a fascinating selection of men's pomades, hair care essentials, solid colognes to browse through and discover something you otherwise might not have known existed.
HAIRCUTS. I always get my hair cut by Sean and have never been disappointed or kept waiting. You'll get a hair wash and style with your haircut as well as a straight razor shave on the back of the neck and around the ears (with that hot towel prep we all know and love) that helps stretch another week out of any crisp fade or taper. Just remember: know how to ask for a haircut! Your barber can't give you what you want if you can't communicate what you want to them. Top length and style, sides length (as well as high, medium, or low fade), and if you want a taper or a fade accordingly.
MASSAGES. I've also gotten a few massages done here. I've gone to two other places in the downtown Norfolk area and this is the superior experience by far. They have a steam room that you can use 15 minutes prior to your massage that absolutely makes the experience that much better! Oddly enough, the pricing is still on par with the other places I've gone that DON'T have a steam room, which blows my mind. I've been seen by three different masseuses and all of them have been courteous, professional, down-to-earth, and made sure they knew what I wanted out of the massage (points to focus on, different methods to get knots out, etc...). You might think that, since it's a barber shop first, that the "spa" portions have been overlooked, but that isn't the case here - quite the opposite, actually.
PRO-TIPS. If it's your first time coming, just know that tips are cash-only. There's an ATM on-site that charges a nominal fee or just show up with some cash on-hand.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. The only thing that could make Jake's Place better is if I could book an appointment online, but that's just me being picky.
FINAL VERDICT. If you're a guy who is particular about your hair and might want a massage as well, I highly recommend you try out Jake's Place. For the service, professionalism, attention to detail, and thoughtful touches, I give Jake's Place 5 out of 5 stars!