If you live or work in the East Village and you’ve been settling for a mediocre haircut, this is for you.
Matter of Instinct is located at 250 E Houston Street — right on the border of the East Village and the Lower East Side, a few blocks from Tompkins Square Park. We’ve been here since 2006, and for a lot of people in this neighborhood, we’re the barbershop they didn’t know they were looking for.
Why East Village Clients Come to MOI
The East Village has no shortage of places to get a haircut. What it has a shortage of is places that take the craft seriously.
At Matter of Instinct, every cut starts with a full consultation. We talk about your hair type, your face shape, how you style it at home, and what you’re trying to achieve. That conversation is part of the service — not a formality.
The result is a haircut that looks right when you leave and keeps looking right for weeks.
What We Offer
- Full Haircut — consultation included, every time
- Back & Sides — for maintenance between full cuts
- Buzz Cut — clean, precise, no guesswork
- Straight Razor Shave — old school, close, and comfortable
- Beard Trim — shaped and detailed
- Hair Relaxer — exclusively with Ruben Aronov, consultation required
The Shop
Matter of Instinct isn’t a chain. It’s not a walk-in-only volume shop. It’s a proper barbershop built around craft and client experience, founded by Ruben Aronov — a barber with over two decades in the industry.
The shop has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Complex, Mr. Porter, WWD, and Men’s Journal. The clientele includes finance professionals, musicians, film industry, and residents of the surrounding neighborhood who’ve been coming back for years.
4.8 stars on Google across 242 reviews.
Getting Here from the East Village
We’re at 250 E Houston Street, Suite 2 — less than a 10-minute walk from most of the East Village. Take Houston east from Avenue A and you’ll find us on the right, just past the intersection.
Street parking is available on Houston and on the side streets. The F train at 2nd Avenue puts you two blocks away.
More Than Just a Haircut
A great barbershop experience goes beyond the cut itself. Whether you’re looking for guidance on your men’s haircut neckline — squared, rounded, or tapered — or want to understand what separates a good shop from a great one, we’ve covered it all.
If you’re still deciding, read our full breakdown of the best barbershop in New York City and why Matter of Instinct has been the standard since 2006. And if a skin fade is what you’re after, we’ve got you covered there too.
Hours
Mon–Fri: 9am–9pm Sat: 9am–6pm Sun: 10am–6pm
Walk-ins welcome. Online booking available at matterofinstinct.com.
Book Your Appointment
Stop settling. If you’re in the East Village and you want a haircut done right, come see us.
Book at matterofinstinct.com or call (212) 390-1880.
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