Top Reviews about 16 Nail Salons in Palo Alto, CA (Part 2)

Truth Integrity The Nail Bar is an absolute gold mine! If you go here, expect nothing but the best. Leo did the most flawless acrylic nails for my mom, Judy—she absolutely loved the shape. She had been searching high and low for a great nail tech, and Leo is hands down the best she has ever had. Kim worked magic on my cat-eye nails, creating the best design I’ve ever had. Her attention to detail and precision with the magnet placement were outstanding. And let’s not forget the other Kim, who did my pedicure—she was so cute, spunky, and incredibly efficient! This is easily one of the best nail bars in the entire Bay Area. I’m beyond pleased with the service and can’t wait to return!

S I went to the nail bar yesterday6-4-24. I thought it would be convenient for me since I live in Mountain View. They took me in right away but they did a horrible job. I don’t know her name she seem to be in a hurry. My nails are different sizes and my thumb looks like it has a buildup of powder that she put on there for the gel so it’s all lopsided, as I walk to my car it seemed wrong but I thought maybe when it dries it’ll be better? Well I’m wrong it’s already dry when you walk out the door this morning I noticed it looks horrible. Cost me $65. I usually go to diamond nails in San Jose. They charge 40 for a much better job. I will not go back to the nail bar. They weren’t very friendly either.

An Nguyen A summary of my past two visits: During my first visit, my nail artist refused to use the color polish I requested and attempted to paint my nails using an entirely different color twice. Each time, I had to point out that she wasnt using the requested color and each time she would try to convince me she had brought what I had asked for. This seemed like an odd thing to lie about because the bottles are clearly labeled and I had to point out that the label did not match what I had requested. During my second visit, I had requested a French manicure using regular varnish. Only after I was in the middle of the service, did they say that a French manicure with regular varnish wasnt possible. Im not sure if the artist simply didnt know how to do a French manicure or if she was upset I didnt choose a more expensive service. Either way, I was refused the French manicure I originally requested and had to settle for my nails to simply be painted. When visiting a nail salon, I would hope that the artists will honor my requests but it seems this place isnt interested in that. Edit: This business has replied to my review to confirm if I am writing about the correct salon. I did indeed visit this salon in the two visits I described. I would not have credit card information on file because I paid in cash.

Kelly Scirpo I just went to this nail spa and they offered me three different types of pedicure fragrances . Just thought I was getting a regular gel manicure and it was $80. I will never go back with tip $96 total. they’re not forthcoming with their prices and their add-ons! So mad I didn’t ask.

Angela Bazigos I used to go to this spa because of Hannah, the good prices, the fact that they accepted credit / debit cards and the fact that the salon identified as women owned. In the last month or so there have been many unpleasant changes: Hannah is no longer there, the prices went from $80 to $100 for gel mani-pedi, credit / debit cards are not accepted and the new owner is male. The new owner seems to bully his clients into accepting a particular nail color (possibly based on his supply) and he pushed really hard for me to accept a dip color, instead of gel, at my last appointment. I did not like the dip because it took much longer than the gel. To that, the owner threw the tech under the bus, stating that it was her fault for being too careful! I did not appreciate that. Finally, the reason the new owner stated for the dip, was that the color lasts longer than the gel. I have lost the nail color from 3 of my nails already, which would not have happened with the gel. So gave me incorrect information as well. Anyway, I no longer like the atmosphere so will not go back there

Roxana Raissi The places manager (Tammy) is extremely rude and unpleasant. She has acted rude to me before on different occasions, but I always chalked it up to her having a bad day. However, my experience today was a particularly troubling one. Her rudeness began on the phone when I called to make an appointment. She was rushing me through the phone call and saying that she can not talk. When I got there after work, despite making an appointment, I had to wait for almost an hour. While waiting, I was asked if I wanted some water or tea, and I said Id like some water since I was thirsty. After 2 hours of being there, I started to feel sleepy, since I was tired from work too, and I asked for tea too. In response to this, Tammy decided to mock me in front of everyone. When it was time to pay, I said Id like to pay for the tea too, but also told her that she should be a little nicer to the customers. She started screaming at me and telling me things like "Do not come back", and "I am rude to the rude people like you." Even though I havent done anything that could be considered rude at all. All I wanted to do was to have a nice relaxing time and get my nails done. I am 58 years old and I have been having my nails done regularly for at least 40 years. I know what needs to be done, and what customer service is like. There is a wonderful girl (Hali) here, who does a great job. But unfortunately, my entire experience was ruined by Tammys rude remarks and attitude, and what I hoped would be a nice relaxing time, turned into a really shocking and upsetting experience. I would caution everyone against going here.

Mary Moran I took my daughter for a full set Almond shaped hoping it was a good fit since its a local business. Horrible job! A full set in under 30 minutes is unheard of so when she called to say she was all done I was shocked. I saw mixed reviews and thought it give it a fair shot and was very disappointed and regret it. The shaping was sloppy, uneven, acrylic edges where not cleaned up. The rushed through the entire service. If you are coming here to pamper yourself for some self care, please avoid at all costs. Id give 0 stars if possible but I guess the only plus side was she is cheap. Wow. I cannot believe how she allowed a paying customer to walk out of her establishment with the that horrible job. My daughters words. Speechless. Needless to say we will not be EVER coming back.

Ana Luis I dont like the service and she said she knew how to make designs but she doesnt know at all She does everything too fast because she is too busy. This is my design And this is what she made

Reyna Nava Love this place, great work and really good colors, Tom is amazing and hes wife is really good to. One time I had a different lady do my nails and she didnt do a very good job, so I called to have them fixed and I set up an appointment and they did a great job a fixing them I even got to get the new colors they added, so in love with the glitter.

Jean McCormack The best nail salon. I wash my hands multiple times per day in healthcare amd love to garden..and Thuy does the best job of making my battered hands presentable. I have known her for 10yrs now. Thuy has clients that have been with her for 30yrs, a testament about how fantastic her service is. Thuy books up fast so I always book my next appointment the same day as the current appointment. Thuy is very helpful when trying to accommodate ones schedule.

Audrey Green I got a gel removal from Thuy and she was one of the sweetest and most gentle nail techs Ive ever had! Highly recommend coming here! PS she is located inside of Hair International.

Camille Wray Went to this nail salon in a pinch to get my friend and I’s acrylic fill set done. We had an appointment at 3:30p and wasn’t see until much closer to 4pm. With that being said, after we picked out colors and found out that on top of the $50 for a full set, it’s $5 for a gel color that was never even dried with a UV light. After we sat down to start what we thought would be a relaxing experience, she about files my friends and is nails off with how hard and FAST she was going. She then proceeded to ask about our nails length and when we showed her that we wanted coffin shaped nails that are a little longer than “short” and she immediately stated that it would be $15 up charge to cut less of the fake nail off. So if you’re keeping track, we’re at a total of $70 for each of us. I was about to walk out after I saw what was next... she then put the acrylic powder on our nails in 4 different uneven sections that made my nails looks worse than when I started. All together, I will have to say that this is THE worst experience I’ve ever had at a nail salon. We had such high hopes with it being in THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN PALO ALTO, but I guess not. Save your money and go to San Jose for your nails. Not worth it. While she was nice, it doesn’t make up for quality

lisa hinchman I wish I could put a photo of my nails. I gladly spent $60 expecting my nails to look great for my niece’s wedding. Within 24 hours, three of the nails had broken off, despite that I was only attending social gatherings ( nothing hard on nails). Very disappointed.

Natalie I really enjoyed my experience at Kims Salon (now at 174 University ave). I got my gel nails removed and she and Tammy took time and care doing it. Will be back! The salon is also lovely, with nice wood finishes and is very clean.

Tuane Quintella I have been to Kendras twice now and both times got amazing service and beautiful nails! Staff is super nice and incredibly talented. Its my go to nail salon now!

Marjory Ruiz I went to Kendras last week for a standard mani-pedi. I called ahead on the same day and made an appointment. The staff were extremely friendly, both on the call and in person, and my pedicure has held up great, which is why I am giving this place 3 stars. I am greatly disappointed about the quality of the manicure in particular. One person started my manicure, and as soon as another customer came, this person left to attend the new customer. Normally this would not be a problem, but the first person failed to communicate with the second person who did my manicure, and as a result, the cuticles on my left hand were left untouched. Additionally, the manicurist left a huge unpainted gap between the base of most of my nails and the base of the polish, and sloppily layered on the different coats of polish (see photos). Exactly 1 week after the manicure, I took new photos of my nails, showing how while the tip of my nails still look nice, the base, especially on my right index finger looks atrocious. I suspect that had I gotten gel polish, they would have taken more of a care with the look of the finished product. Anyway, if you are getting a normal mani-pedi, please do not come here!

Kelsea Brittain I really wanted to love this salon. Everyone was very friendly, Kendra was kind and spoke to all the customers. However, my gel manicure and regular pedicure were very messy, a couple of my fingers have cuts from the cuticle cutter, other nails look like they did not even get the cuticles trimmed. There are bumps and visible debris under the top coat of gel. The nail tech I had did not completely take off my previous gel manicure and just painted over it, causing it to look uneven. Unfortunately, my gel manicure is already chipped after less than a week as well. The friendliness of the salon would have me consider giving them a second try but I’m definitely disappointed!

Illiana NA Wonderful place to have a manicure, pedicure and other spa services! The owner, Jenny, is a talented nail artist! The other ladies who work here, are also very talented and take care of their clients with high quality products and clean tools. I have been a devoted client of Jennys for several years and I would not go anywhere else for my mani-pedi services. Jennys nail art is unique and custom tailored to what you want, she has an impeccable sense of aesthetics!

Lindsey Tee Jenii is AMAZING!! I’ve had my dip powder manicure for 3 weeks now and my nails are still PERFECT! Normal growth, and no chipping or lifting at all. I’ve gone to several nail salons over the years and I’ve never made it 3 weeks without having at least one or two nails lifting. I also love that Jenii’s dip manicures don’t use UV light (many salons still use UV light for the top coating of dips). My skin is very sensitive and gets easily irritated and itchy from the UV light machines, so I’m grateful Jenii doesn’t use that. So excited to come back soon! I don’t even live near Mountain View but I’m determined to prioritize a visit to Jenii whenever I can!

Chrissie Glidden I love this place. Always a friendy welcome when I come in. Jenii is a master at her craft. My nails always look beautiful and last a long time. Reasonable price.

J H I was visiting town and staying at the Graduate Hotel one block away. I had a shellac manicure with Cindy, and was so glad I chose this place! She was gentle, careful, and timely and I left with gorgeous fresh looking nails for my trip. Thank you, Cindy!

Char P. A colleague and I had decided to get our nails done on a really cold Sunday; it was last minute, but we were able to reserve an appointment on their online service platform. It was fairly easy. I had gotten a regular mani and a Trendy pedi; my massage was not as satisfying as I had expected it to be. They had also run out of the neon color I wanted so I had to choose a different one. The staff were really nice even though they were really busy. I do like how my nails had turned out. They had a lot of color options, and Im okay with my service.

Niki I have come to this place multiple times over the years, but my recent visit has made me decide not to come back to this business unfortunately. I found a significant discrepancy between what was listed on their website and what they charged me despite me pointing this out. For example, I was charged $15 for a paraffin treatment that is listed for $10 on their website. Furthermore, I requested an express pedicure that based on their website includes a 5 mins massage, aromatic mineral soak, and stimulating hot towels none of which i received. When I pointed this out, I was told their menu has changed and shown a pamphlet different than what is on the website. When I pointed out that the printed pamphlet she was showing me still included the mineral soak, she told me they have stopped using the soak since it’s bad for your skin :))

Lauren Shaffer Koepke I’ve been getting my nails done by Ivy for three years, even following when she had to move locations because of how exceptional the service is. The high quality, friendly staff, and attention to detail keep me coming back. I can’t recommend Ivy’s enough! She has gone above and beyond for me on multiple occasions, and even did my nails for my wedding.

Rania Johnson Ivy does a perfect job every time! She is the first person I’ve gone to for dip nails that is able to make them look thin and natural. She has attention to detail (I’m picky) and is always learning new techniques. She is also very careful with removal of dip manicures so that my nails are never damaged. I’ve seen a number of technicians for pedicures and they have always done a careful, thorough job. The salon is clean and welcoming. I highly recommend it!

Richa Juneja Ivy is a true artist, and all the other ladies here are excellent as well! The attention to detail is amazing, appointments are always efficient, and the customer service is top-notch. Highly recommend! I come up with new design all the time and this salon always goes above and beyond.

Samantha White-DeSilva The staff is very friendly, their prices are reasonable, and they do nice work. My sister daughter, and I love coming here to get our nails done. Highly recommended! Lisa, the owner, is a gem!

Jessie Ford Lisa was so sweet and did a really great job on my gel manicure for a really reasonable price too. I’ll definitely be back!

Megan Bergman Five days into a gel manicure, most of my nails are scuffed, one is chipped, and most have polish unevenly applied so they appear streaky/see-through. I came to this salon because of strong reviews, but this is the worst gel manicure I’ve ever had.

Jennifer Tellefsen I’ve been coming here for many years. Nancy always does an excellent job cutting and styling my hair. I won’t go anywhere else.

Ryan Sun Nancy is really great, she’s the only one I trust to cut my hair after having a bad experience elsewhere (I have long hair fyi). She’s meticulous and makes sure the length and layers are even, even when it’s very busy. Prices are so low and I hope they stay in business a long time so I can come back. (She’s very busy since she manages everything herself with no front desk receptionist, which is probably why prices can be so low, so if you are understanding and patient about that, it’s so worth it and the best place I recommend)

Micah Alon Horrible experience. I came to remove my Gel polish and they refused to give me nail strengthener. The lady who was doing my nails was constantly picking up the phone and wasn’t focused on my nails. She was too aggressive with my cuticles and now I have an infection. Overcharged $30 for poor results.

Sabina A I did powder nail extensions with ombre design with a spa pedicure at this salon. In total it took 2hours - in the end it looked really good - lots of compliments. Powder extension and ombre turned out to be complicated but Truc handled it so well. She’s is a real professional. Spa pedicure was amazing too - clean fast and good color. my only complaint is that while we were discussing and doing the nail extensions i didn’t get to enjoy foot massage . Perhaps next time I’ll ask to stop the mani for 5 min for it. A week later - still looks good. Free flip flop for multiple use is also TOP! Looks like I’m a regular here .

Samantha Martinez I had the spa jelly polish manicure and cats eye pedicure combo with Tiffany Q & Ann. The shaping of the nails were meticulous and carefully done. They made sure I liked it every step of the way & honestly I’ve never liked my nails more! ☺️☺️ very happy and will be coming back!

Chelsea Einerwold Ornelas Booking an appointment online for this place was so easy and convenient. It’s a friendly and inviting atmosphere. It was quiet and calm. Mahsa did my manicure while Jennifer did my pedicure. They did excellent work and were attentive to details. They also gave me coffee. It was truly a treat and just the pick me up I needed!

Landy Luna I found Orchid Nails 2 years ago (after struggling with several other nail salons in the Bay Area) and never left! I’ve been getting my nails pretty regularly since then and have tried gel, dip and acrylic. I switch back and forth and they are always so kind, accommodating and make feel happy and relaxed after my appointment. They always make space for me, try any designs I bring and change my nails in the shape and thickness I want. I have brought my family and my close friends and they all have absolutely loved them! Highly recommended!

Bailey Linden Quynh is by far the best nail artist I’ve ever been to! I’ve been coming to Orchid Nails for a little over a year now & each time I show Quynh a new nail design, she is always open to trying it & they always come out looking even better than the picture. I absolutely love my nails every time & I enjoy my visit to Orchid Nails each time, too, as everyone there is so kind & helpful!!

Lisa Sung Impeccable! The best looking manicure I’ve ever had, and so reasonably priced. Truly a hidden gem!

Emily Mathison Having moved to the area in the past year, I hadn’t yet found a go-to nail salon…but needed my nails done for my wedding!! I took the risk to go somewhere new for my wedding nails and I am SO happy I did. Mai did my manicure and Tiffany did my pedicure. I did a mini French tip gel for my fingers and a crisp white for my toes. Both were absolutely amazing. Fantastic selection of colors, beautiful space, and incredible care and attention to detail. All of my nails looked perfect! I actually didn’t take photos immediately after but I just took a photo two weeks later (after a wedding, honeymoon, lots of packing/unpacking) and they still look perfect. I already can’t wait to come back and am so happy to have found my new favorite nail salon and be done with the search!

Jennifer Wright Wonderful location to get your nails done and all other spa essentials!!! The ladies were incredibly nice! I was about 5 minutes late to my appointment and they welcomed me at the time I got there. I asked for a French tip design and they had a very talented young lady help me! Highly recommend!!!!

Megan Nicholls Today was my first time here and I had an amazing experience! Samantha did a great job on my nails and design! The whole manicure is very luxurious and worth every penny. I will be back!

coco svindland I was in Palo Alto for a trip and needed my nails done so I came here. What I can tell you is that Michelle is so amazing!!! I called her in the morning and she got me in quickly! I also was able to text her the color and length I wanted beforehand, and once I got there she had a few swatches for me to pick from! She is very skilled and efficient and I such a nice time talking with her. Her studio is also very clean and comfortable. I will defiantly be coming back when I’m back in town!

Stephanie Michelle is a pro. I texted her the color and length I wanted beforehand, and on the day of my appointment she had a few swatches for me to pick from. She is skilled, efficient, and a delight to talk to. Her prices are very fair, and her studio is clean and comfortable. Im spoiled with her and cant imagine going to anyone else. See Michelle if you want beautiful nails :)

Ann Marie Abraham This was my first time getting silk nails and they look great! Michelle is very friendly and fun to chat with. She helped me find the perfect color and length. I will definitely be coming back!

Kristy Tong Lily is super talented and did a fantastic job on my wedding nails. Love how she hand painted all the flower details and made sure my nails would last until my wedding. I was super impressed how great they still look over a month. That had never happened before since I have very oily nails and would normally last only a week or two at most. Highly recommend her!

Shannon Soto Couldn’t recommend MORE this place. I’ve tried everything in Palo Alto and by far this is truly the BEST place to do your nails.

Suzanne Rosenblum Came here for powder dip manicure. It is a relaxing, clean nail spa with great personal service. Lilly, the owner did my nails and they look amazing. She knows her craft and is so lovely. I will be back!