Classic Barbershop · Chicago, IL
We are a classic barbershop. Fades, tapers, full cuts, and hot-lather straight-razor shaves. Walk in or book a chair. Tuesday through Saturday.
Who We Are
The Standard started with one barber chair, a restored 1940s Koken, and a very short menu. Fourteen years later that menu is exactly the same length.
Most barbershops drift. They add waxing, they do color, they bring in a nail tech to fill the back room. We have not done any of that. Not because we have something against it, but because the moment you try to be everything, you stop being excellent at anything.
We do fades. We do tapers. We do full cuts with a hot-towel finish. We do straight-razor shaves with a hot-lather brush. That is the whole list. We get up every morning thinking about those four things.
Our barbers do not rotate through a waiting list. When you book, you pick your barber. You get to know their hands. They get to know your head. That matters more than most people realize until they have had a bad cut from someone who had never seen their cowlick before.
We have not added a single service since we opened. That is intentional.
The Menu
Full haircut with a hot towel finish and a straight-razor neck cleanup. We take our time. Budget 45 minutes. Bring a reference photo or describe what you want. We will tell you honestly if it works for your head.
Low, mid, or high fade. Skin fade or scissor fade. We will tell you which suits your head shape before we start the clipper. Clean lineup included. Takes 30 to 40 minutes depending on what you are working with.
Hot towel prep, badger brush and traditional lather, a straight razor, and a cold finish. One hour in the chair. Not something to rush and we do not. First-time shave clients get a five-minute skin consultation before we start.
The full service: haircut plus straight-razor shave in one appointment. Give yourself 90 minutes. The most popular booking on Saturday morning. Reserve in advance if you want it on a weekend.
Scissor and straight-razor beard shaping, a hot towel, and a cleanup of the neck and cheeks. Add-on to any haircut appointment or book it standalone. Twenty to thirty minutes.
The Barbers
Owner and Head Barber
Marcus opened The Standard in 2011 after twelve years cutting at shops on the north and west sides of Chicago. He trained on a straight razor before he trained on clippers, which is backwards from how most barbers learn and probably explains why our shaves are the thing people come back for. He takes a full book of regular clients and a small number of new-client appointments each month.
Senior Barber
Darius joined in 2016. He spent three years at a traditional shop in Bronzeville before coming to Wicker Park. His fades are the tightest in the building, which is something he will not tell you himself but his clients will. He is fully booked most weeks, so book ahead if you want a chair with him.
Barber
Tomasz trained in Krakow before moving to Chicago in 2019. European barbering has a different relationship with scissors than American barbering and it shows in his work. He is the barber to see if you have a lot of texture or curl and have spent years being frustrated by clipper-only shops.
The Work
From Regular Clients
I have been coming here every three weeks for four years. Marcus knows exactly what I want without me saying it. That is worth more than any fancy product or trendy shop.
The straight-razor shave is the only one I have had that does not leave my skin irritated. Something about the prep they do before they even touch a blade. I come for the shave and get a haircut while I am there.
Tomasz fixed a haircut I had been unhappy with for two years. He asked three questions before picking up the scissors and I immediately felt like I was in the right hands. My wife noticed before I got home.
I appreciate that they have a short menu and they are honest about it. I asked about a style once that would not work with my hair and Marcus said so before wasting my time or his. That kind of honesty is rare.
Before You Book
Yes, when there is an open chair. Tuesday through Thursday you can usually walk in before noon. Friday and Saturday the chairs fill up. If you have a specific barber you want, book in advance. Walk-ins go to whoever has availability.
No. We are a men's barbershop. We do not cut women's hair, we do not do color, we do not do highlights or keratin treatments. If you want any of those things, we are not the right shop and we are fine telling you that.
For a weekday appointment you can usually book same-day or next-day. For Saturday morning with a specific barber, book at least a week out. Marcus's new-client slots fill up first, so if you have never been in, get on the calendar before you need a haircut.
Cancel at least 24 hours before your appointment and we will reschedule you at no charge. Same-day cancellations are charged 50 percent of the service. No-shows are charged in full. We hold the appointment for ten minutes after your start time before releasing the chair.
For first-time clients booking a Cut and Shave or a standalone shave appointment, yes. We ask for a $20 deposit that comes off the total. Regular clients book without a deposit after their second visit.
One hour. We do hot towel prep, traditional lather, the shave itself in two passes, a cold finish, and a skin check at the end. If you are coming in for a shave plus a cut, give yourself 90 minutes. We do not rush either service.
Reserve Your Chair
Walk-ins are welcome when chairs are open. If you want a guaranteed time with a specific barber, book online. We confirm same day.
Contact
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