Excellent pedicure for an old man. Competent and friendly staff. Clean and comfortable salon.

I've been here a few times and never been disappointed! They do a wonderful job and the environment is relaxing. This is my new go-to spot for manicures going forward! read more

Akua Nail Salon - Manicure with Essie's mademoiselle polish - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Always a great pedi mani. Go for the deluxe, definitely worth it. Clean salon, super sweet owner and staff. Locally owned and owner operated! read more

The quality of service was excellent! Very friendly and passionate vibes, did not rush at all. Christina is the best!!! I only come here if i'm in the sunset area. read more

I just happened to walk by this place and it was really lucky of me. I've been needing my eyebrows cleaned and their wax and threading were only $15. I picked the wax just because I wanted something quick. The owner, Christina, was helping someone with a foot rub (?) but paused to help me really quickly. She was wearing gloves but I'm not actually sure if she washed her hands before helping me now reflecting LOL. Either way, she helped me clean my eyebrows really quickly. I took off a star because after she did my eyebrows, she didn't really go in too much with like trimming or plucking any extras which I think would have been nice. She also didn't give anything to soothe my eyebrow skin area after and that actually irritated my skin so I had to apply vaseline after. Overall, friendly place & good prices. Would like a little more service than just eyebrow waxing (basically I wanted a bit more of a trim) but I suppose you get what you pay for. read more

very good at manicure pedicure and wax. Cheerful, clean and relaxing massages included with deluxe package.

I called on a Monday morning and she was so nice to take me in, it's only by appointments. I was so lucky because she was very busy that morning. read more

Akua Nail Salon - I love my nails! - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I highly recommend this place if you're looking to get your nails done. I was in town for a wedding and looking for a nail salon for a mani and pedi. I called the salon and asked if they had availability first though, but I did ask if they take walk-ins when I got there and they do! My favorite part of the experience was when they soak your nails in water, it comes infused with lemons. Relaxing experience, friendly service. read more

I've noticed a pattern. Whenever I get my nails done here, I'm never asked if I'd like anything to drink. The minute a white female patron walks in, they're offered tea, water, refreshments etc. And the overall vibe is different- more attentive, hospitable, smiley. It's strange because I'm Asian, so is this manicurist. We know all about each other's families, kids, etc,,we talk. I've been coming in for about 2 yrs already. I tip 25% every single time. But I always get 2nd class treatment. Colonialist mindset in effect and very present here. She does a really good job, which is why I keep coming back. But this actually makes me a bit sad. It takes self awareness to deconstruct a mindset that's been so deeply ingrained. Perhaps she'll read this and realize what she's doing. I feel for her. But I deserve better. It's time to find a new salon, go elsewhere :( read more

I received an excellent pedicure this morning from L and L. The experience could not have been better. The salon is well-appointed and clean, and the chairs are very comfortable. The owner and staff were friendly and helpful. I will return. read more

Christine was our nail artist and she did a wonderful job. We were especially impressed with the large stainless-steel bowls used to soak our feet: no worries about persistent bacteria in those "pool-chairs" some nail salons use. She was a bit surprised that we didn't want color on our nails: I guess we're not THAT gay! read more

First manicure/pedicure since the pandemic. I lost my former salon when I retired, so I wanted a new place near home - and now Akua is it! Calm atmosphere, super clean, stainless soaking bowls instead of those grody foot sinks. My practitioner paid great attention to detail, and was a very nice and kind person. I recommend them highly! read more

Akua Nail Salon - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

I needed a last minute manicure appointment and Akua is on my way home. I walked in and they were completely empty. Van did my gel nails and she was super detailed and had attention to detail. She asked me exactly what I wanted and made sure along the way, that I approved of what she did. She's super sweet and my nails came out exactly the way I wanted! Salon was also super relaxing and spacious. I love love love them and would recommend them to anyone. read more

Akua Nail Salon - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've been coming here for a few years now to get pedicures. I would call me a regular because I only do this maybe twice a year. Each time, however, is a very good experience. Wanna know something else? I'm actually here now sitting in this comfy chair tapping away on my phone on the Yelp app. I typically get the deluxe pedicure ($35, includes classic pedicure and additional 10 minutes of foot and leg massage). A classic pedicure is $22. I like to go close to opening time on the weekends. I don't think I've ever had to wait here. I take that back. I did once, but it wasn't too bad. They have a couch and other cozy chairs to sit on. They offer water or tea whether you're waiting or already in the chair getting your pedicure started. Akua Nails is right off the L Taraval, located right on the corner of Taraval and 15th, not far from West Portal. It's near home, so I can hop on and off the train whether I'm coming home from work or like now... chillin on the weekend. read more

I called to get a gel pedicure, they weren't busy it was just me in the salon. The lady who did my toes did a good job painting it. 3 stars cause she barely massages my foot and hurt me a little while using the nippers; Cut too deep and too much. The chairs looked very old and dirty. They used a dirty rug mat for me to put my feet on and the sanitation didn't look that great. The bucket used to carry their supplies looked very old and dirty. But she painted my toes nicely. So if you don't care about how clean it is then this place might be for you ! read more

Hm. I've had better quality gel nails done. They didn't ask me for the shape I wanted and proceeded to do it round even though I said I preferred squared. The edges are not evenly coated and i can see my nail bed on some fingers... The ladies were nice but the tools were definitely not sterilized.... just for that I want to give it 1 star. Overall, would not be coming back. Didn't catch the name of the ladies who worked on me. One did the shaping one did the paint job. read more

Akua Nail Salon - Mediocre quality and shape - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very comfortable environment, and love the nails I got done here. I asked for a different color on each nail and they didn't even charge me extra for it. Very good quality especially for a non gel manicure (the manicure in the pic is already a few days old) read more

Akua Nail Salon - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

I haven't had my nails or toes done since pre-pandemic so I was definitely in need of some help! I pick my cuticles which can be an unsightly and embarrassing habit, and gel manicures really help curb that. Akua Nail Salon is in my neighborhood and I feel good supporting a local and woman owned business. The 2 ladies who took care of me were very kind and thorough, and didn't make me feel bad about the state of my hands and feet. I'm so happy I decided to stop in today and will definitely be back!! My nails are ready for spring, Thank you! read more

Akua Nail Salon - Happy soft hands - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Everything is cheaper out in Sunset. Akua is on my way home from work; I got off the bus and got a regular mani pedi. Usually I don't get mani pedis unless there's either an occasion or a deal involved. I was taking another set of engagement photos the next day and wanted nice nails for it. I was the only one there when I arrived. I liked the big comfy space and that it's clean. The ladies were nice and two of them were working on me until someone else came in. I got two coats of color to make my nails pop out while still keeping it a neutral pink (almost French style). It was only $30 pre tip & I asked if they allow tip on card since some places don't. They said they prefer cash, which is always a given but I dislike when people say that to their customers. After eating dinner at home (mind u I didn't cook or do dishes because my fiancé was making me a belated bday meal) I noticed that she didn't get very close to the cuticles at all, as you can see in the pic. There was a significant amount of my bare nail showing. I don't think she was rushing either, so I'm not sure why it was a sort of sloppy job. I really hope this isn't a usual occurrence as there's not much on Taraval and would like a great nail shop to thrive in the area. I guess you do get what you pay for, even way out on the outskirts of SF. read more

Akua Nail Salon - Taken the next morning. She didn't get very close to the cuticle. -_- - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was looking for a nail salon on a whim since I wanted to treat myself for my birthday. I'm glad I stopped by here because I got my nails done in 40 minutes, which I must say is a lot faster than previous nail salons I've been to before. The salon is clean and quaint. I really recommend coming here to get your nails done! I got a gel manicure in this purple color and I love how it turned out! I want to note that I like that she adds sunscreen on my hands before she starts applying the base coat so that way my hands can be protected while getting baked lol. Appreciated it. read more

Akua Nail Salon - My first gel manicure after the pandemic! - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

I went to the salon after a recommendation from a cousin and seeing the results. So I had high hopes. I was disappointed from the beginning. Came in with pretty long natural nails with square edges. The lady that was doing my nails took of all the length and started rounding the nails, I also noticed that all the nails were uneven. I took the file and proceeded to fix my own nails and make them all uniform as much as I could at that point. The technician proceeded to buff the nail bed with the file she used to file the nails, I did not like that. The cuticles are mediocre, slightly jagged, and some not completely done, but at least no injuries. I decided to get the gel nails, the coverage is satisfactory, they put base coat, 3 layers of color and 2 layers of top coat. I think that's excessive. Many of the nails have uneven nail bed with all the layers, but I think it's primarily due to bad application. The nail color does not go to the edges, it looks like a week old nails and growth rather than a fresh manicure. At the end she chose to "even out" the nails after all the curing was done. This was unsuccessful and resulted in some jagged edges on all nails. Overall, extremely disappointed with the end product, nails are uneven, in length, the excessive layers distort the shape of the nail bed, the manicure looks fake with the thickness of the polish and being far from the edges. read more

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The ladies did a superb job. I typically avoid nail salons due to the rush, up-selling, and have learned how to do a pretty good job of doing it myself. This time I wanted to bite the bullet, pamper myself, and give this nail salon a try. They took their time and really made me feel special without negotiation. The client service felt authentic like they really care for quality. I will definitely be coming back! There's also a lot of space too and it feels like a galleria/living room if that makes any sense. I do recommend headphones if you're there for longer service. It kinda echos in the space and if you want to avoid eavesdropping on the woes of professional life from other customers, an audio book is your friend. read more

Akua Nail Salon - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

I called the salon as I left work and they made availability for me. I had one woman on my hands and one on my toes and I was able to get a beautiful manicure and pedicure while taking a conference call. They are always so nice and professional. I love how clean it is too! The foot bath is in a stainless steal bowl with cucumber and lemons, which is so sanitary and relaxing. They also do a sugar scrub on your legs. I got gel and was also impressed when they put sunscreen on me too. Overall great experience with great prices! $70 for mani pedi, both gel, plus toe designs. read more

Akua Nail Salon - Gel Pedicure with heart designs - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

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You get what you pay for...pretty cheap for a regular manicure, but quality wasn't the best. Just got a regular manicure and they didn't paint my nail all the way to the cuticle so it looked like my nail was already growing out. The job itself was also very rushed and they didn't dry between each coat like other places do. read more

REDEEMED. They're actually pretty nice when you get service. I was seriously super lazy to drive too far out and gave this place another shot. They're 5 minutes driving distance from me. Plenty of free street parking. Clean facility and cushy chairs make for a relaxing experience. The lady who helped me was gentle but efficient. They also toss in a scrub to help exfoliate after cleaning your cuticles. Color application came out good. She made sure to remove the excess around my nails. $20 for a pedicure. Cheaper than most places. read more

Akua Nail Salon - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place is terrific. Good service, lasting manicure and excellent value. It's less fancy than some of the other salons, but superior in many other ways. highly recommend. read more

Unfriendly staff, not a good service. I got a mani n pedi, both aren't good. I don't know why I didn't get a massage while the other customers did. The woman who did my mani n pedi was super unfriendly, she touched my coat and bag, I felt very uncomfortable around her. I had to ask her to redo some of it. So disappointed ughhh... read more

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So, I actually really liked the atmosphere of this place, it feels like you're getting your nails done in someone's living room. Also, I just moved to a home around the corner and I was excited there was a nail salon close by. However, what did it for me as I was walking home was I got a cold sore on my lip after my lip wax. I've never gotten a cold sore on my lip before. There was another person getting waxed before me and I'm questioning if everything was cleaned beforehand. I believe the only thing applied after my wax was an oil to help get rid of access wax. The cold sore is extremely painful and it's been a couple of days. I've gotten waxed before, and this is the first time I have ever gotten a cold sore. Unfortunately after this experience, I am not returning. Very disappointed as this is the closest salon by my house. Will find business elsewhere. read more

I stumbled upon Akua Nail Salon while in the city and ladies, it was a gem of a find! Van is such a lovely lady, she was quick, professional and very pleasant! I am so happy with how my nails turned out! She made some great nail care recommendations and even put sunblock on my hands before using the UV lamp! I am definitely coming back! read more

Akua Nail Salon - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Best nail salon in the city! The staff people are always accommodating, even for last minute appointments, pricing is reasonable, and the color selection is great. Recently, I messed up my pedicure a few hours after an appointment and they repainted free of charge. Thank you, Akua! read more

Akua Nail Salon - Getting the nails repainted :) - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

This review is for the owner Jenny, who is the sweetest woman ever! The mani pedis here are ok, but the secret is she is the absolute best for eyebrow shaping. I have been coming to her for almost 10 years and followed here from a different salon before she opened her shop. So amazing, definitely check her out! read more

When I went there last Wednesday around 1 pm, no one was there. I had the whole place to myself. They offered tea, which I liked. I did the gel manicure and regular pedicure. With tip of $10, getting my nails done costed $55. I liked the attention they give. However, I did not like the girl that did the nail manicure. Let me explain what happened. I saw that the nail polish were not pained closer to the cuticles (had 0.2 mm showing). I asked her to put the nail polish closer to the cuticles and she said no, because the water that can enter near the cuticles will ruin the gel nail polish. I didn't understand that explanation (and still don't). So, it's been exactly one week and of course, my nails look like they need to be redone already since at least 0.3 mm of my nails are showing!!1 I am a bit irritated that I spent $55 for nails and I am needing to go back! Is this their trick to getting people back in faster when they get gel manicure? read more

Akua Nail Salon - After ONE week of getting mani-pedi: lots of nails showing! Not cool! - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

I came here last night on a whim just because it was close to where I get off on my commute home. They were able to accommodate a last minute gel mani, pedi and eyebrow wax, which I really appreciated! The salon has somewhat of an unusual layout (pretty sure it used to be some sort of office or dental place?) and doesn't have the typical footbath/massage chairs (kind of odd, but not a huge dealbreaker for me). The footbath they provide you with has lemons and cucumbers and I was offered refreshments on arrival. The women who work here are super sweet and have a pretty good grasp on English, so we had no trouble communicating! The woman who did my toes and eyebrows did a fantastic job on both. She took extra time on the eyebrow trim/pluck, my favorite part! I'm usually really ticklish, but when she did the foot scrub, I didn't feel like I was going to kick her in the face, so that's great. Van did my gel French mani and she REALLY took her time and was phenomenally thorough. She wiped off and redid multiple tips and checked with me that the thickness of white was ok for each nail. She's great! I like this place because they don't use those annoying massage timers that let you know when your 5 minutes is up. This isn't your typical salon, but it has a super mellow and friendly vibe and i highly recommend checking them out! read more

I came here for a gel mani because I read good reviews on yelp, they had a good rating, and a friend of a friend recommended it! Needless to say I went with with his expectations. To start when you walk in, it's a little oddly et up. It's basically just a big room with chairs set around. All the mani/pedi chairs are in the front and then the waiting area lounge is in the back. The manicurist I worked with was very nice and sweet, not like as some places. When I sat down I was offered tea, and I gladly accepted. When my tea came I wish I hadn't. The tea was hot yes, but it also smelt a little like coffee. The taste, was mediocre, but they're not a drink spot so what do you expect? Now for the nitty gritty, what I'm really grading them on, my mani. Horrible. I asked for almond shaped nails, which my nails were already close to that shape and I got all misshapen and crooked stiletto nails. When I told my lady that one of my nails was crooked, she looked at it, looked confused, filed it a little more and said, "where? I don't see it." It was clearly crooked. I just brushed it off and said : ehh, it's only one nails that's okay." Later when I left the salon, and got a better look, more than half of my nails were crooked! Now I am a bit nail OCD and I hardly ever go to get my nails done unless I want a nice gel, I normally do them myself, this taught me a hard lesson. To top it off, the gel started peeling after only 4 days. I don't work with very much water, so it's not like I'm soaking them and trying to have the gel come off. I won't be going back. read more

Akua Nail Salon - I got a gel mani and not only is it crooked but it's bumpy! - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

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3.5 stars I was in need of some "me" time so I decided to treat myself to a mani & pedi. I had a 2pm appointment and was greeted by someone when I walked in. I was asked to pick a color and was offered tea/water when I sat down. Akua offers a great selection of colors and brands (e.g., OPI, Essie, Zoya, etc.) When I walked into Akua, I immediately felt relaxed. It's tastefully decorated. Although you're sitting in a big room with a bunch of other customers, the nail techs aren't too chatty and yelling to their co-workers in another language. I'm sure the nail techs are more than happy to converse with you, if that's what you like. Also, the nail techs are very friendly. I got the classic mani & pedi ($30 & was able to redeem a 10% check-in offer from the previous time I visited) at a reasonable price. Why the 3.5 stars? My nail techs were attentive, but not efficient. After the techs were done, they used a fan to dry off my toes. However, they never came back around to see how I was doing even though eye contact was made. I understand that they were attending to other customers, but I felt I had to stay unnecessarily long. Akua is clean, but I did see a couple of flies flying around. It made me wonder how clean and hygienic the facility is. I hope the next time I return they'll be more efficient. That way, I can give them a higher rating. read more

The decor of this place is very nice and classy. I love how open everything is compared to other nail salons. I read reviews before coming here and people said there was a wide range of selection of colors here, but when I got here, I was quite disappointed. Some nail polishes were on a shelf, while many others were just put on a table in front of the shelf and we're just very disorganized. If your looking for OPI or Essie or any of the bigger brands, this probably isn't the place to come, there aren't very many colors to choose from with these brands. The OPI nail polish with the silver cap on it is an extra $3, but they don't have any sign saying it's an extra charge. They pretty much only have shades of red here if you're not planning on getting a gel manicure. I was looking for a more coral summer color, but there was literally none that could be found. They do offer you tea or water when you sit down which is nice. My sister and I were here for about 2 hours. She got a gel mani &regular pedi, while I just got a regular pedi. It wasn't very busy inside, but there were only 3 people working. My pedi was pretty good, but my sister's gel mani was way too thick and her nails weren't even shaped evenly. We were tired of staying there so long and didn't want to wait longer to get them fixed, so we just left. But we probably won't be back, we just thought we'd try some place new by coming here. read more

I wanted to like this place but the quality of work just wasn't there. Strengths: They were nice Offer tea or water Fair massage even without the deluxe package Major setbacks: The quality of work Accuracy in quoting wait time I called to see if they were available; they told me in 15 minutes but it was really at least 30 Minutes. During my service they commented to someone else in waiting that it'll be 5 more minutes. It was at least another 20. I would rate this place 3 stars if it wasn't for my nails chipping so bad the next day. I feel she rushed to get to the next guest. I think this is the first time my nails chipped the very next day or rather beginning the night of. I tipped well too. Now it's clearly an over tip because proper service wasn't delivered. I might give this spot another chance and re-review them but if the next experience is poor, it'll be the nail in the coffin for my business here. Bummer. Pics attached. read more

Akua Nail Salon - Multiple chips the next day which is rather disappointing... - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I'm always looking for a new favorite nail salon to go to in the sunset district, I think I found it! Two of my girlfriends and I walked in 20min before closing time and they gladly sat us down. Their nail polish selection is amazing! I was most impressed with how the manicurists asked us if they could be excused when they answered their phones (usually manicurists at other salons answer the phone and talk loudly and pretend you're not there). I was offered tea or hot water as well as candy and cookies - definitely a plus. The prices are definitely reasonable given my manicure is super shiny and looks like a gel mani! The Tiffany blue walls and orchids make the nail salon look chic and clean. Will be back! read more

Akua Nail Salon - Bright apple red and some silver shimmer :) - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This review is for Amy Hair Design! After I found out that she left Modern Design Salon on Irving, I was panicking because I only let her cut my hair. A kind fellow Yelper informed me that she has rented a studio place at Akua Nail Salon. Personally, I like it here better because she has her own room, much more quiet than the other place ( no television blasting in the background, no more harsh chemical nail smell while I'm getting my hair cut and better parking!!! ) She's pretty busy so book an appointment with her if you want to get a haircut with her. read more

Akua Nail Salon - Amy from Modern Design Salon ( on Irving ) is here! - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I have going here for many years. The ladies here do an excellent job with nails and waxing. The salon is clean and the tools are sterilized. That do not have massage chairs for pedicures but I prefer that not trusting how clean you can get them. The environment is peaceful and calm with reclining chairs read more