Bottega Salon & Spa

Where to begin? My experience at Bottega was by far the most awkward and uncomfortable I’ve had at any salon I’ve visited. I had purchased a Groupon for a cut and color with Fredy, which I suspect played into my poor experience (nearly all of the service was provided by his «assistants,» both of whom demonstrated lack of experience in working with hair).
I was greeted by a female assistant, who was pleasant and friendly, who led me over to a chair. Fredy came over and asked me what I wanted, to which I showed him a picture of my desired color and told him that I just wanted my bangs and length trimmed, with an update to my layers. He immediately told me that I should let my side-​swept bangs grow out because, as he put it, they are totally disconnected from the rest of my hair, and that I should take a more substantial amount off the length. As this was the complete opposite of what I had stated I wanted, I politely declined his suggestion, to which he seemed displeased. I was then left entirely in the hands of a male assistant for the color.
First, this assistant was terribly awkward, continuously asking intrusive questions (read: questions about income, personal questions about my relationship, etc.) without any apparent awareness of social cues. Second, he didn’t seem to know a whole lot about applying color, as at one point the female assistant came over to «help out», but basically told him he was doing it incorrectly and also taking way too long. Sit, wait for color to take, rinse with male assistant, accompanied by more uncomfortable conversation.
I’m then directed to a chair for my cut with Fredy, who asks to confirm that I want the cut as I’d previously requested — when I respond that I do, he states that «it’s a choice that you are making.» Umm, okay. Is there some waiver that you would like for me to sign indicating that I’m making this decision against your expert advice? The cut itself is brief before he hands me off to the female assistant for my blow dry. She again, is nice and pleasant, making socially appropriate small talk and acting really as the only redeeming aspect of this whole experience. Although she did get my hair tangled up and stuck in the round brush while drying my hair, to which Fredy needed to assist her with getting it out. After this 3 hour experience, I walk away with a decent cut and color, along with a heightened sense of anxiety that I would have never anticipated from a salon experience.
I’m glad, of course, that I didn’t pay full price for this experience, but I honestly feel that offering a Groupon with stylist Fredy is deceptive and misleading, as the bulk of your time is going to be spent being passed between assistants with little experience or expertise. This is NOT a deal in my opinion and you can just as easily go to a cheaper salon to get a more personalized experience.

Bottega Salon & Spa is the best salon in PAsadena. If you are looking for a salon, I strongly recommend this pace. I recently moved to Pasadena and I was looking for a salon that I can trust with my hair. I found it! Freddy did my highlights and I love them. Everyone complements my hair. Freddy is just amazing finding your perfect look and style. I love this place!

Yes, I’m a guy. I was definitely skeptical about going to a salon but, if you feel like breaking away from the barber and getting a little special attention I do recommend this place. Khalfani takes extra time to get your look just right. The second time you come in, he’ll have been thinking about different looks he saw and thought maybe might work on you. I don’t typically pay this much for a hair cut but I’m never disappointed with the over all experience Khal and this shop have to offer. Give it a try!

I have had Mario Askary cutting my hairs for years. He is extremely knowledgeable, compassionate and always looking to make you look great.
I would highly recommend Mario. He is the best!

Karla is the best. She’s the only hair dresser I trust with my short hair. My cut is always perfect and I always get compliments on my hair.

I had been ready for a change with my long hair, and I came to see Fredy a couple weeks ago. There was almost no wait to be seen, which I appreciated. Having worked in a salon previously, I understand stack booking with cuts and color, and didn’t mind that. I always felt like I was shown respect and consideration.
I had a few ideas in mind but I wanted to see what he would suggest. I gave him some guidelines for what I was hoping for (sophisticated, low maintenance, a length change) and he looked my hair over and said: «Here’s what I see:…» and described basically just what I had hoped for! He was confident, skilled, and clearly knew exactly what he was doing. We chopped off about ten inches of ponytail and I walked out with a swishy new above the shoulder crop, which got rave reviews from my husband and parents.
I’m now feeling braver and ready for an even shorter style, and I’m excited to come back in to see what Fredy will do to transform me next! If you’re not exactly sure what you want and are just ready for a change, this man knows what to do! Calm, beautiful salon too. Very lovely experience!

I was introduced to Khalfani through a mutual friend and he told me about Bottega. Timing was good bc i was looking to make a big change from longer hair to a shorter style. I’ve always been a barbershop guy so I was also a little apprehensive about going to a salon, I just didn’t know what to expect, but I liked Khalfani and wanted to give him and the salon a chance.
Upon entering Bottega, I was pleasantly surprised. The salon was comfortable, clean, organized, and not at all stuffy. The receptionist was very friendly and my wait was about 10min. So far so good. I sat down with Khalfani and had a bit of a consultation. Having the same style, and barber, for many years i wasn’t sure about making such a big change. Khalfani understood this. He was very patient and not at all pushy, which I really appreciated. He had some great ideas to go with what I was thinking and we were off. A short time later I had the best haircut I’ve ever had. I’m not even exaggerating. I honestly could not have been happier with Khalfanis work. I felt and looked great. This man knows his craft!
Even though the salon was busy, my whole experience was relaxed and not rushed in the least bit. I actually felt a little guilty for the amount of time he took with me! I received a lot of compliments on the cut, not just bc it was a big change, but also bc people said they could see it was a really high quality cut. I’ve been back to see Khalfani twice now and I’m looking forward to booking my next visit very soon. The guy is an absolute pro!

I love my hair. The service, stylist and location are amazing!!!

I don’t write many reviews on Unilocal,but I wanted to chime in with a few others on my recent experiences at Bottega Salon. I decided it was time for a change, and after reading some of the reviews, went in to see Khalfani. He has completely changed my attitude about taking care of my hair and I feel so great with my new look!
After having very long hair for over 20 years, I had recently cut my hair much shorter, and was concerned about ongoing maintenance and ease of styling. I’m not a huge fan of getting to the salon every 4 weeks, but Khalfani has been wonderful in our consultations. He takes the time ask questions about how I take care of my hair, listens to my concerns about how much time I want to spend styling my hair each day, and provides great suggestions to enhance my current style to make it easier for me all around. I always feel comfortable asking him questions about hair color and other treatments, without feeling pressured to get additional services right then and there.
If you are thinking of making a change to your look, whether it be minor or major, I definitely recommend Khalfani, he has a great attitude and is an awesome stylist! In each of the visits I’ve had with him at the salon, he listens to my feedback and incorporates it into his vision for my next cut. For example, in one instance I explained that I wanted more layers so that I could have the option of wearing it naturally curly. He was great in explaining the look he was trying to achieve for me, yet also patiently looked through photos and listened to my concerns about being able to style my hair quickly, while keeping to a modern, youthful look. He is on par with other high-​end stylists I’ve been to, taking his time with the cut, styling, and then checking his work and making adjustments once it’s styled. Be prepared for the full salon pampering experience!
After each visit with Khalfani, I have received such rave reviews about my hair from co-​workers and friends, that I’m now hooked and have regular salon visits scheduled. Yes, miracles do happen!

This is everything a salon should be. Khalfani gave me the single best haircut I’ve ever gotten, he’s truly an artist.

I visited bottega salon over the past week. What can I say? I love this spot. It’s a great salon for everyone and the look of the salon is chic and modern. Definitely ask for my man Khalfani, he does an amazing job, always made me look sharp and is very patient.
I will be back forsure!

Sooooo, I was referred by a friend who knew I wanted a «fun» color change to head here and ask for Khalfani. It was out of my Weho neck of the woods but, hey– if you want something done WELL, well, you can travel a bit. I was nervous, excited, and all over the place on color ideas. Khalfani took my ideas, skin tone, and bravery into consideration and recommended a kind of burgundy red. A redhead? Muuuuahhh? EeeeK? Was I gonna do it? He (essentially) held my hand and led me thru the process and… VOILA! IT LOOKS FREAKING AMAAAAZE-​BALLS!!! I feel like a vixen, and am not mad at all the new love flowing my way! Haha… If you want to take the color «plunge» I HIGHLY recommend Khalfani at Bottega!!! He IZZZZ the shiZniT.

Absolutely amazing service friendly environment great music and my hair is 1000% better than I ever imagined it would be. Thankyou Khalfani, Sandra Flores Freddy !! Once again I am feeling like a million bucks xoxo see you in a few weeks

The atmosphere is great, everyone is friendly, and my stylist — Nesco, you have to ask for Nesco. He has recently landed in Pasadena after a 7 year stay in Dubois as a Loreal Color Instructor. Get ready to have the color and style you have always wanted!
I walked in blond– faded to red and the roots were awful, walked out a beautiful, shiny blonde and not a hint of red or brassy gold. Nesco is amazing.

Thank the gods of good hair and the angels that lured me to come to Bottega; I think I have finally found the perfect place to get hair done and I think you’ll love it at Bottega too.
The atmosphere is amazing– clean, bright, at a perfect balance of being relaxed yet cosmopolitan, and in no way drowned with the stench of hair-​processing-​chemicals.
Fredy, my stylist, was incredibly receptive and it was a joy to be taken care of by Khalfani, who worked alongside Fredy. From a magazine I pointed out a color I wanted my hair dyed (a vibrant dark blue-​purple that is perhaps quite elusive on my hair) and the work began! After some time, after my hair was bleached but before my hair was being dyed, Fredy told me that the color we were aiming for wasn’t in stock in the salon (absolutely understandable since I can’t imagine everyone gets a dark blue-​purple dye job on their hair) so he offered to allow me to go home with a color on my head and for another process to be done to further cement the color in my hair, although I had offerred to go home with just a head of bleached hair, for free. How can you beat that?
What’s so amazing about this place is that the service provided here is unparalled. Sure there must be fantastic hair dressers out there with amazing skills, and of course it’s found here at Bottega. However what’s rare is the phenomenal experience I had here at the salon. Fredy and Khalfani made my experience absolutely delightful. Although it took me a while to get out of the salon, as it was the nature of getting my hair bleached then dyed and ultimately cut, never at any moment in my time spent there did I feel uncomfortable or inconvenienced. In fact, it was a genuine delight to converse with Khalfani and Fredy.
If you want good people to do amazing things to the hair atop your head, come to Bottega and ask for Fredy and Khalfani. They’ll take care of you and you’ll have a great time. I promise.

And the skies opened up and the sun shone through as I realized my search for the perfect hair salon came to an end.
I walked in a washed-​out blond and walked out a smokin’ red head! I gave Fredy carte blanche and he ran with it. In the process he took about 10 years off me. Let him work his magic on you and you won’t be sorry. His assistants are also amazing and everyone in the salon was friendly. Other stylists were commenting on my transformation… in a good way!
If you need to break out of your rut, this is the place for you!!!

Treated myself (via Groupon) to a cut and color today after a month-​long recovery from surgery. With upcoming job interviews and clean bill of health, I wanted new hair too, but my budget is tight. Trust me. Every penny I invested was worth it.
It was so nice to be booked with Freddy, considering I am new and was using Groupon. My color and cut are fabulous! I did end up splurging a bit on extra highlights, but they made all the difference. Tiffany, my assistant stylist was wonderful as well!
The salon is beautiful and each member of the staff I encountered seemed genuinely friendly. When I first arrived at 10, the salon was quiet and relaxing. As more people came in, the energy increased but I still enjoyed myself.
I would highly recommend Bottega and hope I get a job soon so I can continue getting such quality service! I’m already spoiled. :)

I have been going to see Fredy and his assistant Khalfani for a year now. I actually came in to the Beauty Lounge with a Groupon before the location moved to Bottega and adopted the new name. I have worked for Fredy on several occasions and have gotten to understand that he is an artist and he knows what he is talking about. The first time he colored my hair I was skeptical but once he was finished and I saw my hair I was convinced. He really does understand hair, its color, texture, shape etc. Be trusting!
Also be patient. I read reviews about people waiting. What salon have you ever been to that doesnt have a little wait? It might appear that they are double booking but you may have a cut where someone else has a color and so while they are sitting for an hour to let the color set you are getting shampooed and cut. It is normal to have to wait a little. It is worth it for the product and the talented artist you have taking care of you. The Sistine Chapel took time and a masterpiece of a hairstyle does too.
The salon itself is very cute as well. I like the new location!
Fredy and Khalfani are the best. I have never been the type of person to find a stylist and stick with them. I always used to enjoy trying new salons… however I love those two not only as my stylists but as people. They are wonderful, funny, caring men and I am so surprised to read some of the negative opinions people have of them!!! Go to Bottega with an open mind and a patient attitude and you will walk out satisfied.

You NEED to go to Bottega Salon & Spa. It’s a little bit of heaven in Pasadena!
This new location is amazing. There is convenient parking in its own private lot. It is situated in a great area without too much traffic, which gives this salon a very quiet and peaceful ambiance.
Over the years, I’ve been to many different stylists, both in Los Angeles and in Orange County. But Freddy has been the best. He is very knowledgeable and really knows what works best for his clients. Will you pay a little more than other places, probably. But it’s worth it to pay more and get the best.
I started going to Freddy last year. My hair was to my waist because somehow, I had convinced myself that the longer the hair, the better. It was damaged with uneven color and it just lay flat, looking horrible. I purchased a Groupon and went in for my consultation. Freddy told me that the long hair was doing nothing for me and that my color was uneven. He suggested a great color and cutting off about 5 inches of hair. I wasn’t sure at first, but then quickly realized that I needed to trust an expert. And I did. It was the best decision.
Freddy gave me a great cut that was both modern and flattering. The color warmed up my face and I could see a difference immediately. My hair is now healthy, with a great cut and color. I couldn’t be happier. EVERYONE noticed the difference and I get compliments on my hair.
When you go to someone of Freddy’s caliber and expertise, you need to listen. He’s been doing this for a long time and his one goal is to make you look good. After all, you will be a walking advertisement of his work and he wants you to look great. I now relinquish control over color and style to Freddy, knowing that he will give me something that will make me look better and more polished.
I highly recommend going to this great salon. The staff is so wonderful and they make you feel welcome and comfortable. If this is your first time try purchasing a Groupon or buying a gift certificate from Unilocal.
Ask for Freddy. You will not be disappointed.

I went here today and Fredy did my hair.
Let me first say, I have been looking for «The One» as in «The Hairstylist» for a while now and I think I found him.
I had originally just wanted a trim but asked for suggestions and he gave me some great ideas so I told him to just work his magic. I had read about how he had been doing hair for a long time and had a long list of dedicated clientele, so I told him to do what he wanted and work his magic.
What came out was perfect, unique and very flattering. This man knows what he is doing!