Ponte Catrina

- 2150 S Canalport Ave 5th floor, Chicago, IL 60608

Located in the dynamic Pilsen-area of Chicago, Ponte Catrina has positioned itself as a destination hair salon specializing in complex color transformations and makeovers. The salon's brand identity, inspired by elegance and culture, aims to provide an extraordinary professional experience in hair styling and beauty. Led by a Master Hair Artist, the salon offers an extensive menu of services that caters to clients seeking highly specific and challenging aesthetic goals, such as dramatic color changes and corrections.

The initial draw for many clients in the Illinois region comes from the promise of achieving significant transformation, even from difficult starting points like black box-dyed hair. The salon is recognized for its stylish, inviting decor and a friendly, welcoming staff, creating an atmosphere that instills "instant hope" for dramatic change. However, prospective clients must weigh the specialized service offerings and the salon's artistic reputation against reported inconsistencies in execution, service time, and, most critically, post-service client care. While some clients report successful initial steps in complex processes, others have detailed severe damage and a complete breakdown in communication and accountability from ownership following issues. This dichotomy means Ponte Catrina represents a high-potential, yet high-risk, option for serious hair change in the Chicago area.

Ponte Catrina is situated at 2150 S Canalport Ave, 5th floor, Chicago, IL 60608, USA. This unique location within the city's diverse and art-centric Pilsen neighborhood makes it a notable spot for local users seeking a dedicated beauty experience. The unique location, likely within the vibrant Lacuna Lofts complex, contributes to the salon's artistic and trendy atmosphere, which many clients appreciate.

In terms of accessibility, the location offers a Wheelchair accessible entrance, ensuring that the salon is physically welcoming to all patrons. Parking, a common challenge in this part of Chicago, is addressed, with one client noting the availability of parking "by the Alivio lot," which is helpful information for local drivers who might otherwise pay for street parking. Given the highly specialized and time-intensive nature of the services offered—such as Color Correction and Make Overs—the salon operates under an Appointment required policy, which ensures dedicated time for each client. This system necessitates proactive planning by clients but is designed to optimize the service experience. The salon is set up to handle modern transactions efficiently, accepting Credit cards, Debit cards, and NFC mobile payments.

Ponte Catrina offers a highly specialized and comprehensive service menu, with a clear emphasis on advanced color and correction techniques, appealing directly to the Illinois market's demand for complex hair transformations.

• Haircuts and Styling: Woman's Haircut, Haircut, Hairstyling, Bang Trim, Wash & Style
• Advanced Coloring: Balayage, Color & Balayage, Hair coloring, Hair Color, Partial Balayage
• Specialized Color Services: Color Correction, Gray Coverage, Root Touch Up, Dye Removal, Face Highlight, Toner / Gloss, Includes Gloss
• Consultation and Testing: Color Consultation, Hair Extensions Consultation, Strand Test
• Treatments: Deep Conditioning Treatment, Metal Detox (Addressing mineral buildup)
• Makeover and Special Events: Make Over, Special Event, Private Party
• Inclusions: Includes Wash (Enhancing the overall service experience)
• Wellness Services: Fitness Training (An unusual and notable addition, suggesting a broader wellness focus)

The extensive offerings in color, including Color Correction and Dye Removal, highlight the salon's capability and confidence in addressing highly challenging hair situations. Services like Metal Detox and Deep Conditioning Treatment show a commitment to hair health alongside aesthetic results. The inclusion of Hair Extensions Consultation further solidifies the salon's position as a full-service transformation hub.

Ponte Catrina boasts several appealing features and highlights that contribute to its reputation and desirability among local users in Chicago, though these are severely tempered by customer reports.

• Specialization: Highly focused on complex Color Correction, Balayage, and Make Over services.
• Atmosphere: Features "super cute" decor and a friendly environment, with all the girls being "friendly and nice."
• Health Focus: Initial reports indicate the use of techniques and products to maintain hair health, with one client noting their hair did "not look damaged at all" after a multi-hour bleach process.
• Comprehensive Beauty Hub: The salon shares space with a nail tech, offering clients a broader range of beauty services in one location.
• Professional Credentials: The salon is led by a Master Hair Artist with a history of industry education and technique development (e.g., the "chandelier effect").
• Convenience: Offers Wheelchair accessible entrance and client-noted nearby parking (Alivio lot).
• Planning: Strictly Appointment required, ensuring the initial promise of dedicated service time.

However, the factual highlights must be balanced. The positive note on hair health was immediately followed by a disastrous second session where the stylist "put bleach on top of bleach causing my hair to break off in half," resulting in "chunks of missing hair" and orange color. The professional highlight of the owner's leadership is directly contradicted by reports of the owner being "horrible," failing to return calls, and providing no resolution for severe damage.

Clients in the Illinois area who wish to contact Ponte Catrina for a consultation or appointment should use the following information. Given the severity of reported communication issues, prospective clients are strongly advised to document all agreed-upon terms, pricing, and service steps.

Address: 2150 S Canalport Ave 5th floor, Chicago, IL 60608, USA

The salon does not currently provide a phone number publicly outside of the contact forms or social media messaging mentioned in the review, suggesting initial inquiries may need to be made through non-traditional channels.

What is worth choosing about Ponte Catrina is its ambition and its demonstrated technical capability in the initial steps of highly complex color work. For clients seeking specialized services like color correction and Balayage, the salon offers an advanced menu and a creative, stylish atmosphere. The availability of services designed to handle the toughest hair challenges, like box dye removal and deep conditioning, positions it as a go-to for transformative makeovers. The location's accessibility and friendly junior staff also contribute to a pleasant in-salon experience.

However, the choice to patronize Ponte Catrina comes with explicit and severe reported risks. The most critical issue for Illinois users is the factual inconsistency in service quality, where an eight-hour, high-cost service can transition from a promising start to "stripes" and eventually to "chunks of missing hair" due to alleged poor judgment (bleach on top of bleach) in a follow-up. Even more concerning is the reported complete breakdown in customer service from the owner, who allegedly "never reached out," "didn't care," and essentially disowned responsibility for the client's damaged hair. The discrepancies in time (quoted 3-4 hours, actual 6.5 hours) and cost (quoted $300, actual $360) are also important red flags. Therefore, clients are choosing a highly specialized service with the knowledge that if the outcome is negative or hair is damaged, factual customer feedback suggests the ownership may not provide the necessary accountability or remedy. Patrons are advised to weigh the potential for a great technical result against the explicit risk of severe hair damage and a complete lack of support from the salon's leadership should a problem occur.

Ponte Catrina

2150 S Canalport Ave 5th floor, Chicago, IL 60608, USA