The most important thing I find with hair stylists is chemistry. You gotta be comfortable with the person who's about to hack off a chunk of your hair and trust in their abilities to shape your head the way you want. It's a two way street, they aren't mind readers, so open communication is uber important.
My experiences at Salon Prive vastly differ from Emily's as this has become my spot for haircuts. Granted, haircuts for men and women are night and day, but before coming here I was never satisfied with the cuts I'd get elsewhere in the city.
It's a friendly environment, the owner David is easy going and yes, he lets his terrier Jojo wander around the salon which I'm a fan of though I understand that some people aren't.
I've referred about 5 people to this place and all have come back with glowing reviews. I pay about $28 for a haircut which I think is totally reasonable considering some of the prices they charge on Queen W.
Note: they carry Kevin Murphy products which I find hard to come by in the city.