Quality nail salon?
A superficial but helpful to me question: I am returning to salon visits for manicures/pedicures this year and have had disappointing experiences going to places I’d visited pre-COVID or saw were recently reviewed well via Yelp. I may go once and have a good experience-but then the next time find polish is applied haphazardly, or worse am getting nicked fairly often. Does anyone have a place they consistently love (ideally around Berkeley/North Oakland/Emeryville, but at this point I am willing to go farther)? I value skill and cleanliness over massage or other pampering.
I saw recent positive reviews for at least one natural salon but am interested in gel pedicures as an option too.
Sep 21, 2022
Parent Replies
I love Versailles nails in Berkeley on College Ave. They're very friendly, have comfortable chairs, and give long massages.
Hi! I’ve been going to Top Nail Spa in Piedmont for about a year now and am very happy with them. They have vegan polishes as well as the traditional stuff. Very clean but also offer great massages and pampering. It’s best to have an appt with them because they do get busy.
I’ve been pleased with every manicure I’ve gotten at The Classic Nail Shop on Piedmont Ave, and I’ve been a lot.
Check out Marlowe on Fourth Street. Very clean, sleek environment. They are also committed to paying their staff reasonable wages. It’s the only place I go now.
I recommend the Nail Suite on Delaware between 5th and 6th in Berkeley. I went there this summer, it was the first pedicure I got since 2019, and although pricier than the cheapo places I used to go, I felt it was worth it. For a pedi you are escorted into a separate room, just you and the salon tech (masked, as was I, though it appears to be voluntary for customers). I felt the treatment was very thorough, careful, and gentle. No nicks or even accidental pokes by the tech's long nails! Despite my best efforts, the polish remained impeccable for almost 3 weeks--I don't tend to go to nail salons often, even pre-COVID, so this was a big plus for me. I've been back since (and am going next week), and have had the same results in terms of the quality of the pedicure and the long-lasting appearance. I don't believe it is a natural salon, and they do offer gel.