Just wondering if anyone besides myself has gotten their haircut while in Madrid and would like to recommend a place or tell a funny story about their experience.

Yes....several times in Madrid and many times over 2 years around the province. I found that Spaniards are notorious for using the thinning shears! That's the first thing they always did when I sat down -- grab the zig-zag shaped cut shears and start chopping. I just thought it was strange. Then they always shaved the back of my neck with a very long straight edge razor (the same razor I saw them use on the guy right before me not 15 minutes earlier!).

Leche

i alwayw went the corte ingles on goya, they did a good, safe job

no chain barbershops for me.... independent all the way. Then you can see what it's really like.

Leche

I prefer independents also. I think that personal appearance is very important and finding a good barber or hairstylist in a foreign country pretty important. In Spain I didn't have to worry about this.

Both my wife and my son, who is 4 got their haircuts at a place around the Gran Via metro stop. I don't remember the name.

I am sure Madrid is a fine place to have your locks trimmed, but everyone knows that nobody beat the Barber of Seville! So heed my recommendation and take the AVE to Sevilla and hum a few bars as your Spanish barber prepares for you a coif befitting a torero.

During my summer stay in Spain, I visited the barber at El Corte Ingles in Alicante. He did a fine job.
ALso, while in Madrid, I escorted a few females to the salon in El Corte Ingles to get their hair cut as well. They were so happy. Apparently what they got was a good deal.