5 Best Salons in Downtown, Des Moines IA
Updated 29 September 2026 · 22 salons in Downtown, Des Moines IA considered · Ranked from Google ratings
This guide lists five salons in and around Downtown Des Moines for anyone looking for a haircut, colour, braids or nail services. The list is ranked by Google rating weighted by how many people left a review, so places with consistent scores across many reviews rank higher. Twenty-two qualifying businesses were considered. Each entry gives opening hours, address and the services and experiences reviewers mention most.
#1
Salon Spa W
★ 4.9 (2,303 Google reviews)Beauty Parlour
Representative photo, not of this business.
Salon Spa W is on East Locust Street and opens early most days, with evening hours until 8 pm Monday through Thursday and closed Sundays. Reviewers mention hair consultations that explain what their hair needs, care tips for long hair, and manicures and pedicures. The salon has separate departments including nails. One reviewer felt a colour appointment was rushed and overpriced. It has wheelchair-accessible parking, entrance and toilet.
Best for: Hair and nails in one visit
- Address
- 400 E Locust St Unit 2, Des Moines, IA 50309, United States
- Hours
- Fri 8 am–6 pm; Mon 8 am–8 pm; Sat 8 am–4 pm; Sun Closed; Thu 8 am–8 pm; Tue 9 am–8 pm; Wed 8 am–8 pm
#2
J. Michaels Salon
★ 4.8 (1,006 Google reviews)Beauty Parlour
Representative photo, not of this business.
J. Michaels Salon is on Ingersoll Avenue, open until 9 pm Monday through Thursday, with shorter Friday and Saturday hours and closed Sundays. Reviewers mention children's haircuts booked at short notice, highlights on naturally curly hair, and stylists who keep coloured hair healthy over years of visits. They describe appointments that are careful and never rushed. It has wheelchair-accessible parking and entrance.
Best for: Family cuts and colour
- Address
- 2801 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312, United States
- Hours
- Fri 7 am–5 pm; Mon 8:30 am–9 pm; Sat 8 am–3 pm; Sun Closed; Thu 8:30 am–9 pm; Tue 8:30 am–9 pm; Wed 8:30 am–9 pm
#3
Marc Stephens Salon
★ 4.9 (153 Google reviews)Hair salon
Representative photo, not of this business.
Marc Stephens Salon is a hair salon on Locust Street, open Tuesday through Saturday with evening hours midweek. Reviewers mention cuts for curly hair, conditioning treatments, blowouts and colour, and several say stylists showed them how to care for and style their hair at home. They describe the front desk as friendly and the prices as reasonable. It is wheelchair accessible.
Best for: Curly cuts and styling tips
- Address
- 1440 Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309, United States
- Hours
- Fri 9 am–5 pm; Mon Closed; Sat 9 am–3 pm; Sun Closed; Thu 10 am–8 pm; Tue 9 am–7 pm; Wed 10 am–8 pm
#4
Salon Bounce
★ 5 (102 Google reviews)Hair salon
Representative photo, not of this business.
Salon Bounce is a hair salon on Ingersoll Avenue, open Tuesday through Saturday, with late hours until 8 pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Reviewers mention bohemian knotless braids, thinning out heavy hair while keeping length, and repair work after a bad experience elsewhere. They describe clear communication and careful planning before each service. The space is fully wheelchair accessible.
Best for: Braids and corrective hair work
- Address
- 2928 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312, United States
- Hours
- Fri 10 am–6 pm; Mon Closed; Sat 11 am–6 pm; Sun Closed; Thu 11 am–6 pm; Tue 11 am–8 pm; Wed 11 am–8 pm
#5
Elevencherry Salon
★ 4.9 (129 Google reviews)Hair salon
Representative photo, not of this business.
Elevencherry Salon is on 11th Street, open Tuesday through Saturday with hours until 8 pm midweek. Reviewers mention natural-looking blonde highlights, butterfly cuts, vivid and vibrant colour work and relaxing scalp massages. They describe a calm, welcoming chair where the stylist listens to hair history and client wishes before suggesting changes. It has a wheelchair-accessible entrance, seating and toilet.
Best for: Vivid colour and highlights
- Address
- 106 11th St Apt 105, Des Moines, IA 50309, United States
- Hours
- Fri 9 am–6 pm; Mon Closed; Sat 9 am–4 pm; Sun Closed; Thu 9 am–8 pm; Tue 9 am–8 pm; Wed 9 am–8 pm
How we made this list
We looked at 22 salons in Downtown, Des Moines IA with a Google rating of 4.0 or higher and at least 20 reviews, then ranked by Google rating, weighted by how many people left one. A rating from thousands of reviews counts for more than the same rating from a handful, so a new place with a few perfect scores does not jump the queue. Ratings and hours are from public Google listings on 29 September 2026 and can change. Nobody paid to be on this list.
Tips before you go
- For an early start, J. Michaels Salon opens at 7 am.
- Hours and prices come from Google listings and change, so check the listing before a long trip.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the highest-rated salon on this list?
Salon Spa W ranks first, with a Google rating of 4.9 from 2,303 reviews. J. Michaels Salon is second at 4.8 from 1,006 reviews.
Which salons in Downtown, Des Moines IA are open late?
None of these stays open past midnight. The latest to close is J. Michaels Salon, at 9 pm.
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