Interesting you mention GQ...
A few years back, there was an article about how much to spend on a haircut, and Glenn Obrien said if you're spending more than $20, you're getting ripped off. I used to think that was way too cheap and I'd end up getting my hair fucked up. But, at 29, I now agree with him.
I went to a pretty amazing salon for a while here in Nashville. Recently, the news has been all over Nashville, and GQ did a huge spread about the city. My barber happened to be in the magazine. Needless to say, the salon got a lot of attention. He's a friend, so wait time was never an issue, nor did I mind spending $40 to get it cut. But, I needed a trim one day and I was leaving unexpectedly the next day, so I went to a local barber shop that's on the campus of Vanderbilt.
$18 is all the guy charged, and it's the best haircut I ever got. Turns out, he also cuts my old barber's hair! I got lucky, but I really do think if you're going to a barber shop and work with guys who cut only guys' hair all day long, you can't go wrong. I mean, you probably COULD go wrong, but use good judgement.
$27 isn't that much money to spend on a haircut, especially in Miami, but if you're willing to post a topic on here about it, it seems like you're ready to try a cheaper alternative (even if it is just ten bucks).
Good luck!