I love getting my nails done here. I think I've been coming to Essential Beauty for at least 2 years now - originally starting with shellac manicures before I moved onto bio gel for both manicures and pedicures. The ladies do such an amazing job! Mary leads a well oiled team - every time I've come, I know I'll leave with an awesome set that will last at least 4-5 weeks with the bio gel. The price I think is quite reasonable for downtown Toronto ($60 for a bio gel refill - without designs). Sunny has been my recent tech - she knows how to file such a good almond and I love how quick she is with designs! I always feel welcomed as soon as I arrive. It is such a cute / unique spot filled with colourful personality and Sanrio decor. I'll be back in a month :) and then the month after that... read more

See all

This was a totally new experience. The whole set up is completely different from the salons I've visited here in the US. I loved the products they used. The no acrylic application using the Builder gel method is great. They had a great selection of colors and application methods. The prices are amazing and They do very quality work. I love how they take their time and I hate that this was possibly the only time I can experience this is disheartening but I am glad I decided to get my nails done here. read more

See all

Amazing vibes, and gorgeous manicures. Mary is great, she will spend a lot of time/effort on details. I have been coming here for a few years. It is great, and their spa pedicure with paraffin is an incredible luxurious experience. read more

About a week or so ago, I went in for an express manicure. The vibe was amazing and I ended up going with the staff's recommendation of doing a shellac polish change because I wanted my nails to last longer instead of the express manicure (P.S. everyone is so kind and helpful!). 10/10, Absolutely love the results!! Will definitely come back read more

The service was so extremely poor! I was treated as though I was an inconvenience. My nails were awfully done, thick and bumpy and the incorrect gel was applied. As I waited my nail tech was with a regular client and she was so nice to her, took her time, and made conversation. When she came to do my service her attitude was off the charts disgusting! I pay a lot for my nails on average $150-$250 and never have I been treated so poorly for a simple fill and shellac. At the end of my service I paid cash and tipped $20 despite the poor service and that's when she finally tried being kind to me. If you want to pay $80 to be judged and discriminated, go here! read more

I did a cat eye French manicure the gel nails, and Darcy had done that for me. She was really good and then I did my toenails with Tina and she was able to help me with my ingrown toe but you do have to come early at 10 AM she needs time to do it but they were both excellent so read more

Essential Beauty Bar - Nail Salons Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

My husband and I went in for pedicures, it is a simple setup on a second story walkup. I am sometimes nervous to try new salons while traveling but this one was great. the sink setup was a little awkward but that is my only complaint. Very clean, I was able to make an appointment over the phone. I can not speak to artificial nails or art but for what I needed it was perfect! read more

My friend really likes coming here and I understand why - the aestheticians are quick, nice and they've got a vast selection of colours. I've come here before with her and enjoyed my pedicure. Here are the reasons why I'm giving 3 stars: - the polish they use is questionable at best. I don't know what they did this time but my shellac polish shrunk a few mm when curing. I'm currently 1 week into my shellac and a nail has started to peel. - I understand Mandarin and can speak it but know that the staff talk both good and bad about you. - they really like receiving cash, to the point where the $20 in my wallet was almost hounded over. The boss said to the woman checking me out "oh she's got a bit of cash" when I requested to pay debit on the full amount & then tried to sway me to hand out the $20 and pay the rest on debit. Pros: You get a stamp card The staff ask you at every step if you can check their work & are friendly and courteous Assortment of colours to choose from It's always busy so you never feel the obligation to make conversation I'll return with my friend but not on my own accord read more

I m leaving for Miami tomr and need a quick nail makeover during lunch. I found this place on Yelp and loved it. Bella was the one who helped me. I did shellac on both my feet and hands. She was very quick normally I need double the time to sit in the chair and finish my nails. Nice clean place close to work. Will def be coming here from now on. Highly recommended!! read more

This is my go-to nail salon when I'm in Toronto. I have been visiting this location for almost five years. Since I moved away from the city few years ago, I started to try different nail salons in other areas. It did not feel the same level of service as I got here. Mary and her team are courteous, professional, and hard-working. Their products are authentic and true to the brands they carry, and their technical skills are above and beyond your expectation. My nails look better and last longer. The most important factor that keeping me coming back is they treat me like a VIP. I can tell they have many return customers by the way they greeted those by names. No wonder this business can survive and thrive in the competitive beauty and nail service industry! read more

If you want a quick and cheap mani pedi, this place does it. The pedi is interesting because they place your feet in a sink and you have to position it in a weird angle but it does the job. If I didn't live so close to this, I probably would've gone elsewhere but for something quick, I'd definitely come here again. Staff is nice and the place is clean; two important criterias checked. read more

I am so impressed with this nail salon! I got my nails done yesterday and I can't stop looking at them! I hope they wear well (and I will give an update on them) but as of right now, they are perfect! I think the lady who did my nails is named Mia? She was extremely detail oriented! She took her time and really perfectly did all the steps. She was very polite and I personally don't like to chat too much when getting my nails done and she was so into her work that she didn't chat too much either. 10/10 would go back! PS: I got a classic shellac mani and the color is creekside Update: they were practically indestructible. Lasted way over 3 weeks but my nails grew out so I had to take it off read more

Essential Beauty Bar - Nail Salons Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I went to Essential recently with my boyfriend to get a mani pedi. Unlike the cheaper nail salons, the staff at Essential are very polite and pay attention to the details. The salon is also kept very clean and easy going. I've been to a couple where the staff are constantly chatting to each other but here they really pay attention to you. I had to book an appointment in advance since they only had limited staff that day. I went in for a classic pedi and shellac mani and they both came out great! The colour I originally chose for my pedi was quite sheer so my technician suggested a few alternatives colours and solutions for a similar treatment. They was very helpful and attentive in their service. Although they don't have massage chairs, the overall experience was great and the price point was even better. You save on taxes if you pay with cash. I would definitely come back for my next appointment! read more

Essential Beauty Bar - Nail Salons Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Every employee is so nice and patient! Love the nails and atmosphere. The amount of colours and different options are amazing, I come here once in a while and the employees are so respectful and kind! read more

Anna and Vivian did a very good job on the nails, my normal mani lasted 2 weeks. However, don't go on peak hours! They'll give you manicurists and shitty nail jobs read more

My friend and I decided to go on a spontaneous nail day, and since my friend found out about this beauty bar that does walk ins, we decided to try it out! The store wasn't too busy when we arrived (Saturday 5pm) so we got seated at the nail stations pretty quickly. The nail artists are very welcoming and polite, they tried to converse with us while doing our nails. My friend had very thin skin and while they were cutting cuticles, her skin started bleeding. The nail artist was very apologetic even though my friend insisted that it's okay. We both got the Shellac Nails for $30 (tip: pay in cash so you don't have to pay tax!), which includes nail filling, cuticle cutting, color, and a short massage! I have never gotten my nails done in Canada so I didn't know what to expect. However, I was quite disappointed that nail patterns are not included in this price, since they usually are at asian countries. (I'm also not sure if it is generally non-inclusive at nail salons in Canada?) Overall, it is a very clean salon and the service here is superb. Staffs are super friendly and patient. Will I be coming back next time? Definitely, if I'm not feeling like trying out a new place! read more

Essential Beauty Bar - End result - Shellac Nails $30 - Nail Salons Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

My sister and I flew in from the US, and her nail broke! We took a chance at stopping by a random salon to get it fixed and MARY was the best! She was super sweet and she did a great job on my sisters nails read more

Absolutely loved my experience here! I only get nails done back home in Korea but now I think I found a place in Toronto where I can go regularly! (Great location & affordable price) I got my nails done by Bella, she was extremely sweet :) read more

Essential Beauty Bar - Nail Salons Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Went to Essential Beauty Bar for a shellac mani and regular pedi. My fiancé got regular mani-pedi. I am giving this place a 4 star as a whole. The shellac I got with Sita deserves a full 5 star but the pedicure experience brings the whole rating down. Still, my overall experience was a 4 and I will be back to Essential Beauty Bar for sure. First of all, the staff are super polite. This is not one of those "feel bad" salons that you go to and end up being treated badly not knowing why everyone is so rude and mad. The staff here is patient and polite and you can tell that they like their job. The space is very small but they use it efficiently. They do not have massage chairs, you sit on a long elevated bench/sofa and they have sinks at the base of that. If you're looking to get a massage at the same time as your pedi, this is not the place to go. That being said, there is a short foot massage that comes with the pedi for free. They use green salt which feels good on the skin and massage you up until the mid-calf area. The sinks were super small, my fiancé had to put his feet in there at an angle to make sure they were fully submerged in water. He requested extra scrubbing at certain spots of his feet and the lady did it with no problem. They asked me to move to the chairs to do my shellac, but my fiance had to do his manicure as he was sitting on the pedi bench. He had to twist his body the whole time to make sure the lady could see all his nails and work on them. Not a very pleasant experience for him. Now for the shellac, Sita did mine and she did an amazing job! I first asked her to do sparkle at the tips but she told me with the type of sparkle i chose it makes it very difficult to do just the tips, so I decided to do all. It looks amazing! She made the coats very thin which I liked, and was taking her time applying the nail polish and cleaning everything. She did an amazing job. I personally do not like to talk that much as they work on my nails. She was not talking too much, focusing on her work and getting the job done perfectly. She was extremely friendly too and wrapped my feet in saran wrap after the pedicure and helped me put my shoes on. When I go back again, I will just go for Shellac, and I will just book it with Sita. I am very happy with the results!!! P.s. they stamp cards for you, with 10 stamps you get free service (not sure if it was shellac or a whole package though). read more

Essential Beauty Bar - Sparkly Shellac done by Sita. Love it!! - Nail Salons Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

DO NOT COME HERE. they tried to scam me and my friend into a gel manicure for $60 plus an additional fee of $10 for each color. SERVICE WAS HORRIBLE. read more

I and my friend lulu just been there for shellac manicure and classic pedicure. Bella did my nails and Cindy did lulu's.. They did very good job and the place is clean . The manager named mary did my eyebrow waxing ! Will def be back read more

Essential Beauty Bar - Nail Salons Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Very good experience. Was visiting from out of town and needed a quick mani. Although busy, they took me as a walk-in and did not make me wait. Staff was friendly and prices were good. The shop was clean. I would highly recommend this shop. read more

The salon itself was tucked away on the second floor of a dusty old building near Wild Wings near construction and Osgoode station. It looked super sketchy from the outside. Inside, however, was a different story. The staff were friendly, very accommodating and they knew how to do Shellac well. The interior of the salon reminded me of those salons that you find at Pacific Mall - colourful, eclectic, somewhat claustrophobic (despite the fact that it was actually roomy) yet it was charming at the same time. Overall, service was very good. Staff were patient and friendly. They were especially patient when they were filing my nails to the way I wanted them to be. I was quite impressed during my first visit. Mary shaped my nails perfectly (a lot of the salons that I've been to in Toronto kept filing my nails crookedly) and my Shellac stayed on for the week and a half between my first visit and my second visit. Unfortunately for my second visit, the technicians filing my nails (I forgot their names) kept filing them crookedly...my second visit ended up being an hour and fifteen minutes rather than about forty-five minutes. Despite the fact that it took forever for my nails to get shaped the way I wanted them to look, the technicians were very patient. They were also informative regarding their services and their products. Would I come back again? I would. One thing that I suggest the technicians do in the future is check the shape of the nails from the client's point of view before proceeding to the next stages of the mani - it would save some time as well as make the client more confident about their mani - no one wants crooked nails! Overall, friendly service, reasonable prices and good shellacs. I'll be coming back again in the future to see how their regular mani holds. read more

I have been coming to Essentials for about a year now. It's recommended to book an appointment as they are usually busy during prime times (evenings and weekends). I have had a few techs work on my nails but I prefer Mary by far. She's very meticulous and always checks in to see how she's doing and how I like the progress so far. I typically get a shellac mani and a monthly pedicure. I also love that they work quickly so you're not spending more than an hour there for a shellac. They have free wifi (awesome) and the place is very clean. You can get a card stamped receive a complimentary service. Pay in cash and skip the tax! read more

I am at the bar now.. their service is average but the staff v rude! I just got yelled at by one of the staff because I did not like the flower they made on my nail. I am NEVER coming back here! Stay away! read more

Love this place! Came here for my prom nails back in June and recently for an express mani pedi and the nail technician was so nice and kind and did the most for me, both times. Far from home but would come here always! :) just make sure to get a fan and plastic wrap when you get ur pedicure lol read more

Essential Beauty Bar - Prom nails -- French acrylics with marble design (bad picture) - Nail Salons Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

I've been back here a few times, and seriously, I think it was a fluke that they did my eyebrows nicely the first time. It was already shaped nicely to begin with, so it didn't even require that much effort. The next few times when I let the eyebrows get bushier they made me look like my eyebrow was a line that thinned out at the end... what a disaster, and the worst part is that I never realize how bad it is until after I get home. Why, oh why. They've also taken off the student discount sign. read more

Fan-flippin'-tastic! We came here a few days before my sister's wedding and, with a mere reservation, got the royal treatment. For $50 for a french combo, we were given precise, beautiful work. Sheila works wonders with a brilliantly steady hand; this is the best french pedi I've ever had, hands-down (2 weeks later and it's still immaculate). They even repaired my sister's broken nail so she could exchange rings with confidence. In a land where you can trip outside one mani/pedi spot and find yourself flung into the turquoise-watered tub of another, it's so nice to see that quality, cleanliness, and service still rate. Suffice to say, you, Essential Beauty Bar, have nailed it. (Thanks, I'll be here all week.) read more

I would not go here or to any other nail salon. I know an individual who contracted a nasty case of athlete's foot from the Essential Beauty Bar. In case you didn't know, athlete's foot is highly contagious and can be spread. After hearing this story I decided to do some investigation of my own. I asked Toronto Health if they checked out beauty/nail salons or have some type of review process (pass/conditional/fail). They do, but only 1 time per year and they come announced. Apparently even if they are offenders the city cannot legally shut them down. This doesn't give me any piece of mind at all! Word to the wise, give yourself the mani/pedi. read more

This was my first visit to this Beauty Bar. I usually go elsewhere but wanted to try somewhere closer to home today for convenience. I was a walk-in but ended up scheduling for an hour later than my arrival due to them being a bit busy & I wanted a few things done. They do take walk-ins but sounds like they get a lot of appointments & this may be a smart idea next time. When I re-arrived for my appointment I was taken in right away. They were super quick but did a great job! I had some waxing done, shellac manicure & a classic pedicure in just over an hour. The price was pretty reasonable I think in comparison to other nail salons in Toronto (just over $75 for everything). The place was really clean & the staff were super nice as well. I will definitely be going back here again. read more

I travel often to Toronto and am very picky about my nails. I have been on road for a few weeks and unable to go to my regular place at home so looked to Yelp for help. I found this place, read the reviews and looked at the pictures and figured I'd give it a shot. From the outside, I was a bit scared, however as I entered (it's upstairs), I was pleasantly surprised at the cleanliness, the layout and the facility in general. I decided to go for the "essential" mani/pedi which is their most expensive option ($74 total) and it did not disappoint and was a full hour fifteen of pampering. The scrub and lotions they use are top quality and the experience was very pleasant. The polish appears quality (a lot of them use that drop stuff and it makes the polish weak and not last). The ladies spoke little to no English, but that didn't bother me as I wasn't there to talk. Very nice experience and I will definitely be back on my next trip(s)! read more

Great place. Already been here twice and the shailac nail polish is very good quality. Recommending you to schedule an appointment before coming read more

Essential Beauty Bar - Nail Salons Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I've been here about 4 or 5 times and i've only ever had a positive experience. Good pedis that last a month and a good price point. Their monthly specials are not to be missed! The March Special is a full set of gel overlays for $35. So far i've had them 10 days and they still look fantastic! The girls here are sweet if you care to get to know them. I will continue to go here. If you want fancy (and are prepared to pay more for it) try The Ten Spot. read more

Still amazing! This is my go to place for the past 4 refills of shellac. I always take the risk of going in as a walkin! But they're pretty quick every time read more

I got the express mani/pedi - I wish I could remember exactly how much it was but it's definitely a you-get-what-you-pay-for deal. There was no scrubbing, rubbing, or rinsing - just polish removal, nail-filing, cuticle-clipping, and a fresh paint job. I did ask for a little design for my big toes - $6 extra - but the girl forgot to do it until she started my hands and by that time I just wanted to finish and leave. My nails and toes looked good when I left but I had to be careful because they didn't have a drying station. It would have been nice if my nails hadn't been drip-drying as I dashed out the door... The manicure lasted maybe five days or so in good condition, which is pretty typical anytime I get a manicure. The pedicure still looks good though, no chips anywhere that I can see and it's been close to three weeks, so no complaints there! read more

Having moved offices and home, I have been looking for a new place to get my nails done. I saw the reviews for this salon, and decided to give them a try. I called around 2pm and was able to schedule an appointment for later the same day. When I arrived I was immediately escorted to the area where I would be getting my pedicure by really friendly staff. While I was getting my pedicure, I decided to add on a manicure, and I was surprised to have someone run over to me quickly and begin the manicure while the pedicure was being done - tagged team! I was apprehensive about the quality of the manicure when it was being done by someone standing up above a sink, but ultimately I had nothing to worry about. Though quick, both the manicure and pedicure were very well done, and the price was very reasonable ($40 for the combo). One other thing that I really appreciated was that they made sure that my nails were dry before I could leave, and even wrapped my feet in saran wrap before I put on my boots - this is a big plus for me as there have been many occasions when I have gotten home and my pedicure was completely smudged or gone altogether (though the waiting is boring as hell). Highly recommend this place! read more

I loved my experience at this nail salon. Super clean, professional, and affordable-- plus they don't use the unsanitary hoses for pedicures, commonly found at nail salons in Toronto, they use sinks for your feet. The work itself is top quality (shellac/regular polish) and the workers are super sweet. read more

I am always accommodated, given great service, and I find the staff to be super friendly and warm. The quality for the cost is also exceptional! I'll always highly recommend Essential Beauty Bar! read more

Essential Beauty Bar - Nail Salons Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Great little spot to get a mani/pedi! I went there with my friend and Mary did my nails, she was super sweet and accomodating. I'm really particular about my nails & Mary did a great job shaping and painting my nails. I will definitely be returning for a touch up in a few weeks! I only left out 1 star because the Playlist could use an update, I love Shania Twain but not every song! read more

Essential Beauty Bar - Nail Salons Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

My partner and I came for a walk-in mani pedi special. Yelp didn't lie - SETI was great! My man loved his first nail salon experience and my nails look great. No complaints! read more