Walked in and told them i wanted gel-x, one lady told me they didn't do them, but another one confirms they do and proceeds to tell me to come back and asked if i wanted a full set. ofc i said yes, assuming she meant gel-x even after i stressed again that i wanted gel-x, she said ok and started soaking my previous set off. after finishing, another lady was about to start putting acrylics on. i told her i wanted gel x and she then went back and front with the other lady who told me to come back who then proceeded to say they don't do gel x. aggravated as i was, i politely said that's not what you told me earlier. but anyway, this is how i left.. no cuticle oil or anything. just fake "i'm sorry"s after you obvs went on a full rant in a language i don't understand. so definitely wouldn't recommend having to pay for a service like this read more

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Loved the way she did my nails! I left feeling the vibe I was looking for! Nice and clean and very attentive to detail. I love coming to see Genesis whenever I am in Reading! read more

This is one of the best nail salons I have ever been to. The girls are so detailed, so friendly, and my gel manicures never chip. I am able to keep my manicure for 4 weeks. It is always an extremely relaxing visit, and the shoulder massage is a nice touch. It also is a fair price point. I have also utilized the eyebrow waxing service, and they are just as detailed-oriented and do such a wonderful job. This is my go-to place. read more

Due to Covid it's been a looooong since I've had my feet and nails done, don't judge. I went there 2 weeks ago as a walk in and service was good but when I went back as a scheduled appointment, babyyyyyyyyyy, heaven. The tech Mae took her time and made sure she everything she did was pleasing. The foot massage was so amazing, I think I started snoring !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will be going there from now on A+A+A+ read more

Great service and very accommodating for my last minute request for mani/pedi! 10/10 would go back.

I was able to schedule my appointment for the next day and I love how my dip manicure turned out. She was very detailed oriented and professional. Beautiful work! read more

Genesis Nail Salon - Beautiful and natural. Great job! - Nail Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I'm a regular here now. The girls are always welcoming and it's a relaxing environment for mani pedis. Great pedicures that include leg/ foot massage. They are very professional and do a great job!! read more

Technician was quick and detail oriented. Got a gel manicure and am very happy with the results.

I got a regular pedicure (NOT GEL) and it was $35 total. I was a walk in and they took me after a little wait. The pedicure is good quality. The service was great - foot massage was surprisingly long. I did turn down the shoulder massage but I hear that may increase the price overall. I'd recommend! read more

They don't seem to give free shoulder massages anymore while nails are drying but my nail technician was awesome this week. My nails usually chip 2 days after a manicure. It's been 3 days so far and no chips, not even a tiny one! She painted the edge and underside of each nail and it did the trick. I'll remember that when painting my own nails! read more

Genesis Nail Salon - 3 days later and still no chips! - Nail Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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It's been a minute since I had a great pedicure. I didn't even get polish, just needed a good pedicure and this place will definitely give you good one. The Korean ahjumma is a doll and very sweet. She has strong hands so she was able to give me a good leg/foot massage. This is what a pedicure should be! Not those soak, scrub and done, simple pedis that are overpriced. This is well worth $30! It's clean. They don't reuse the towels by just folding it in half or flipping it to the other side. My friend got a gel manicure during my wonderful pedicure. They are so thorough! To quote: "uhm, how many layers of polish are we doing?" And while she did an extra cure, she got a shoulder massage. read more

I'm surprised by the negative reviews- I like this place. It's clean and the women are very nice. The gel manicures look great for a long time and they do a nice pedicure and nice leg massage. This is my go-to place and they have NEVER turned me away even close to closing. But I am also polite and tip well. I don't get my nails done for a "spa experience" it's out of necessity/vanity and thus I prefer faster service. So I don't mind when they start my gel mani during my pedi. If you walk in at 6pm you will have a rushed service - they've worked all day and want to get home too. And to clarify another review- they don't charge $10 for the automated chair massage. That's for a manual massage while seated in the massage chair ‍. read more

Omg love this place so clean and all the girls are so nice and friendly. Got my eyelashes done there and got so many compliments had them done several times beautiful job. I also got done my eye brows done omg love it the girl did a great job. Definitely would recommend to go and check this place out. Manicures and pedicures are great to. Patty read more

I'm not much of a girly girl, but recently I had a great experience elsewhere and after a rough day at work I needed a little pampering. I quickly looked up nail salons that were open when I was leaving work and found Genesis Nail Salon. People seemed pretty happy so, I went for it. They were busy when I walked in, and I thought that it was great. The place is very chic, and I was impressed with it. I came in for a mani-pedi, and picked out my color. A lovely purple with a blue base. I asked for a gel manicure and we looked for purples. Apparently they didn't have a blue base purple in gel so I had to get a brown base. Okay. Not thrilled, but it's purple. I was asked if I wanted water. I said yes. That never came. Sitting back and pulling out the first book that I have had time to read in two years, I was asked if I wanted a massage. I agreed to it, and they turned the massage chair on. I was surprised. I thought they meant a foot massage. The chair felt nice for a bit, but it grew old quickly. Looking up, I noticed a sign - Massage Chair 10 min for $25. Wait what? I asked for them to turn it off, and they looked surprised. Apparently they don't get the request often. I wondered if I would be charged for that 'massage'. You'll notice I'm saying 'they'. Remember how I said they were busy? Well they were so busy that they didn't have a place for me to sit to have my manicure done. So they were doing the mani-pedi at the same time. This meant my book reading was limited to 6 pages. So much for relaxing. But, yay for time saving. If that was it, I'd let it go - but they weren't set up for simultaneous mani-pedis, so I had to hold the gel dryer/setter on my lap. They were starting to close up, but my toes weren't dry, so they set me up with the toe dryer. They were ready to leave, but my toes still weren't dry enough for shoes - they were surprised I didn't bring flip flops - in the last week of December - so they wrapped my toes in plastic wrap. To their credit, the nail polish didn't smudge. But, I squeaked all the way to the train. Loudly. When it came time to pay, they gave my total - $60... yes, indeed... I was charged for the 10 min of the massage chair. Now I was just mad. I paid, of course, but I didn't tip. I couldn't. Each individual thing wouldn't have been a big deal, but everything together was too much. I won't be back. I suggest you save yourself the trouble as well. read more

First time I came here I had the best pedicure (hello included hot stone massage!) and a great gel manicure. I thought I had found "my place" in the city. Today I went in and got yet another amazing pedicure... ahhh I was feeling good. Then I was handed over to the manicurist, Heather. As I was getting started, a woman who knew Heather came in and started getting a pedicure and then was supposed to get a manicure with her. Let me tell you that I have had dozens of gel manicures, this was the fastest one I have ever had.. she was rushing so much (I assume so that the other chick didn't have to wait) that she kept making mistakes up to and including cutting my cuticle until it bled. I have NEVER had someone cut me and make it bleed during a manicure. Heather told me that "your skin is too close to the cuticles so it got cut, sorry" Uh... isn't everyone's skin right next to the cuticle? And wouldn't this have come up during the hundreds of manicures I have had in the past 15 years? Heather then poured some miscellaneous blue stuff on there, popped the cutters in a jar next to her, and proceeded to rush through AKA finish the shittiest manicure I have ever had in my life. When the woman sat down next to me and stared at us, Heather assured her she was almost done.. one little squirt of lotion and some, um, neosporin globed on my nail and she was like THANKS BYE! I looked at my nails and not only was there gel polish "outside the lines" and on my hand, my other cuticles were awful looking! I don't even think she looked at my nails when she was "finished". Under any other circumstances, I would have complained and asked for someone to fix what will now be called "the shittiest manicure I've ever had." However, when I saw Heather just pop those cuticle cutters back in the magical jar of blue stuff to use on the next customer (you know, the ones covered in my blood).. I said no way was I letting anyone else or any thing touch me. This will be the manicure that sets the bar for all other shitty manicures, as in "OH hey, that manicure you got at the airport sure looks shitty, but remember the time I got my nails done at Genesis?? Now THAT was a shitty manicure." Sadly, even the best pedicure I have ever had can't make me forget that this place is not sanitary. read more

I have a colleague who swears by this place and since it's a block from my work I thought I would try it out on a last minute basis. I was able to get an appointment for the same day I called, but I left pretty disappointed. It irks me that the prices here are higher than other salons ($30 for a basic gel mani) but to be fair, they are in Center City and also give you a massage while your nails are drying. But here are my issues: 1. The manicure was awful. The basics were fine, I suppose, but the file and paint jobs were a wreck. I asked for a very simple French manicure with a silver line (diving the pink and white sections). I guess they had never done this before because actually, the silver line was probably the worst part. My manicurist was not able to do it well. Whether a shaky hand or inexperience, they looked awful. Even the white tips were bad as they did not cover the entirety of my nail. I asked for square nails with rounded corners and they came out more round than anything, but not an actual round...Like a messed up jagged mess. I had to go home immediately and file. 2. When she was done the manicure, she told me, "It will be better next time." She KNEW, she actually KNEW, that she had done a poor job but still let me walk out the door like that. WHAT. 3. Because of the poor quality of manicure, I had to get my nails redone sooner than I should have. The gel didn't cover my entire nail so when they grew out, it was painfully obvious with messy edges. 4. The English spoken here is pretty bad. And for the ultra liberals who are two seconds from jumping on me, hear me out: you cannot work in this industry without enough English to understand what I'm asking for or what needs to be corrected. And although I am Korean, I do not speak it, and they just couldn't get over it. My manicurist tried to speak to me in Korean several times even after I told her I didn't speak the language. She couldn't believe it. And I'm pretty sure after the last time I explained it to her, she just started talking ABOUT me. I've been to many other immigrant-owned salons and a lot of them actually have a policy where they don't speak to each other in anything but English. Regardless of the nature of your business, it's rude. I'm giving the salon two stars instead of one because I know there are people who swear by the place and the massage IS a nice little perk unfortunately, the customer service isn't what it should be for a Washington Square salon and the quality of work doesn't make the cut. read more

Don't bother making an appointment here it means nothing. They will take walk ins and still make you wait with an appointment. Be careful of the massages as they are not trained and if not careful they can actually hurt you. They are not professional and they gossip with each other in Vietnamese. (Probably about their clients). I've been going here for a year but I'm done. There are plenty of other nail salons in the city. Ps I'm using my husband's Yelp account I am a woman.... read more

I had gotten a pedicure from another place that I wasn't happy with, so I walked in and they were able to accommodate. Despite my picking a color that I wasn't happy with and having to start over, and a miscommunication about the fact that I wanted a French done, the technician (Ali - I think) was incredibly patient and accommodating. She picked a color for me after I told her what I was looking for, and she did an amazing job. One of the best French pedicures I've gotten. One thing, they want tip in cash, so I had to run out and grab some, but I'll be back! read more

Great nails and fabulous employees! So kind, really take the time to understand how you want your nails. Quick by great, super thoughtful and offer quick-dry and also back massages. Highly recommend!! Such sweet women!!!! read more

Terrible experience. The first time we made an appointment and then we got there and they just stared at us in silence until we left bc they never wrote it down. Second time we got two dip manicures that lasted 3 days before the top coat started pealing off completely and the dip cracking and breaking off and for an overpriced dip manicure at that. We will not be back. read more

I usually have a nice time in the salon. However twice I've been in for gel manicures. The first time my nail polish came off one finger in three days, while I was on vacation. I thought maybe it was a fluke. But I went in last Thursday to have another gel done and same problem. To spend 30.00 on a gel manicure and have it get messed up so soon after is unacceptable, especially twice in a row. It's only been a week! read more

Genesis Nail Salon - Nail Salons Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This was my third trip to Genesis; my first two were about 4 weeks apart at the end of last summer, and after my last annoying pedicure experience I wrote them off. However, I needed a manicure for an event so I figured I'd give them another go, since they're about a block from my work. Pros: My manicure looks great, and I've made it more than 12 hours without a chip which is a record for me (and was the case the last time I got a mani here). The staff are generous with the neck massages, both during the manicure and during drying. At 14 bucks, it's a great deal. Plus, my cuticles weren't hacked at like happens at so many other places, just lightly trimmed. They also have a great selection of color and brands. Cons: If you don't have an appointment, you're going to wait. This place is always crowded. Every single manicure and pedicure chair was full at 5:10 on a Thursday evening. It was crowded the last time I got a pedicure, too. That's great for business, but it's annoying when you want a quick stop after work and don't have time to sit around until quarter after 6, which is when I got done. At my last pedicure, the tech spent the entire time telling me about the money she spends on clothes and designer accessories and no offense, but I'm not here to chat about your shopping habits. I want to read a magazine and zone out while the massage chair does its thing. Lastly, they push the membership on you. It's free, but I still don't want it, thank you. Next time I'm going to try Allure on Chestnut and see how it compares. read more

I had the best leg/foot massage of my life at this location last night. I walked in without an appointment on a Friday evening after a very difficult week. The staff must have seen how stressed I was (or maybe this is just the norm and they're even more awesome than I think..) because my technician spent 10 minutes just massaging my calves and feet and even threw in hot stones for free. They also gave me a free chair massage while my toes were drying. On a side note, they must have been playing some kind of late 90's/early 2000's station on Pandora because the hits. kept. on. coming. Maybe this would be a deterrent for some, but I was really enjoying a walk down memory lane with my favorite boy band slow jams. Nothing like a pedicure to the sweet sounds of K-Ci & JoJo. read more

I love this nail salon. The ladies are sweet and professional, the place is spotlessly clean, and the service is amazing. I especially LOVE the little "extras" like the hot stone foot massage during a regular pedicure, and the quick, complimentary shoulder and neck massage while you are at the drying station. The prices are reasonable, they offer a free membership so you can rack up points for free services, and check out their website, as they often have a coupon you can print out and bring in. Genesis is definitely my favorite Philadelphia nail salon! read more

I used to just get my nails done wherever I happened to be when the urge struck me. But, this place has become my favorite. My manicures seem to get a little more mileage than usual when I get them here. And the hot stones used during the standard pedi are a lovely bonus. I find the staff to be kind and professional. Judging by the comments, not every manicure here is a home-run for everyone. I find that to be true everywhere within my price point. The one time I walked out with a bad manicure here, they fixed it the next day for free. The only reason I am leaving four stars instead of five is because of the ambiance. The furniture is comfortable enough, but the chairs are very close together and the lighting is not pleasant. Overall though, this is a good place. read more

Honestly, don't bother going to this place. They say they take walk ins but they rarely do, especially if it's later in the day. Three times now in the last two months they've said they couldn't take me for a walk-in mani/pedi because they were booked solid with appointments- each time only one customer was in a chair and the few workers that were there were just cleaning or standing around. These times were usually between a 1.5 to 2 hours before close (PLENTY OF TIME FOR A MANI/PEDI) but it was obvious they were trying to close early. Proof because I went around the corner and was able to get service at a different salon and when I walked by afterwards they were closed up well before their closing time (7pm). I had been able to walk in once before (during the summer- maybe that matters?) because it's on my way home from work and overall they did a mediocre job, but nothing out of this world. They don't line their pedi bowls with plastic and they definitely rush you to get out. I didn't see any wine/water/any beverages with any customers, so it's probably never offered. A short back massages was given during drying time. I've visited so many better and more polite salons in the city so my recommendation- find a different place to spend your money!!!! read more

Horrible experience. My pedicure was rushed and had bubbles and missing coats of nail polish. The manicurist removed my toe separators prior to my manicure. When I looked down and saw my the shape of my toes I requested another coat. She quickly did another layer without putting new separators on. My toes fold under and consequently the polish got all over my toes and the pedicure was destroyed. They reimbursed me after I declined to come in the following day (I was leaving town). I was not planning on writing a review until my gel manicure starting PEELING OFF after 4 DAYS. For $65 dollars this experience was completely unacceptable. Find another nail spot. read more

Walk in was great.. I came during lunch break and had a mani/pedi combo. They have a coupon online so before going print 1. Ambiance was good, chair massage was good. Pedicure is to come back for, Maria did a great job! Massage was perfect Manicure is okay.. not really happy with the result.. Just did a little trim but I was expecting more,. read more

I agree with Jessica A. review. This place is a block from my work place, I have been there prior for a Gel Mani which was my visit there because the price $30 for a basic Gel Mani was not worth it! Thought it to be fair since they are in Center City and they also give you a massage while your nails are drying, but my manicure was awful and not worth the money they are charging people. They UP their prices for their services because of the location (Center City) and they offer a massage while your nails are drying, so they think they can and they do. My recent visit was to get my eye brows wax (price $10) and I only went because it was convenient due to my business schedule. I thought I would give it another try even though I was not happy with my prior visit. During the process of getting my brows waxed, the lady asked me did I shave my brows and I stated " NO, I'VE NEVER SHAVED" she continued. Once she handed me the mirror to look, I was very upset because it looked as if she hadn't done anything. It was hair every where. She stated the hairs were to little. I then asked her "What type of wax do you use because it looks like you didn't do anything and I never have a problem anywhere else I go. I expressed my disappointment and she did not offer to fix them or tweeze them. When she realize I was very upset, she offered not to charge me, but I declined because I did not want them to think I was just complaining because I didn't want to pay because THAT WAS NOT THE CASE! I did express that I will never come back! That will be my LAST TIME EVER going to Genesis and I will never recommend anyone to that location. They are not worth the money they charge! I should of have just waited and I would of been better off getting it done where I would usually go and paid $7 for a better outcome! read more

I had sandy today for my lash extension appointment. I got a full set (versus the half set they also offer). Sandy was amazing. She was kind, gentle with my lashes and explained the process and how to maintain them. I would absolutely recommend the lash extensions here! Great affordable price and wonderful work! read more

Rushed basic service. Which is ok ONLY if the price reflects it. That is not the case here. Keep on walking.

This place is great if you are looking for an excellent massage with your mani/pedi, but not if you are looking for a top notch mani/pedi job. The salon is clean with a ton of pedicure chairs. When I first got there and went to pick a color, I asked one nail tech to help me match a gel polish with a regular polish for my mani/pedi - she looked at me like I asked her to eat a cockroach and had NO clue about matching colors. Another girl did my pedicure and she seemed fairly new - some might call her "meticulous" but I thought it looked like she was going extremely slow because she didn't know what she was doing. Her cuticle trimming skills were lacking, and paint is not entirely even across the nail. I moved onto another girl who did my gel mani (after I had to ask during the pedi for a soak-off because they forgot). The girl who did my gel mani (the same girl who I asked for help color-matching, which I did on my own by the way) filed my nails somewhat unevenly, didn't TOUCH my cuticles (she claimed they were already in good condition), and painted the gel unevenly around my cuticles so it will look terrible when it grows out. I asked if they offer a gel mani polish change given that she wasn't touching my cuticles, and she said no. They massage you during every step, which isn't really my thing - I'd rather have no frills but a perfect-looking mani/pedi. This isn't the place for me, but might be a good fit for others. I will not return Update: my pedi chipped after less than 2 weeks, which has NEVER happened to me before. read more

Worst salon. Yes their service to do nails is good but they make you wait 40-60 minutes after your appointment time and then when they finally serve you they snicker and laugh in another language.... They make it so obvious they are talking about you. So insulting especially since you are paying for a service to treat yourself but instead you get stressed out from waiting and being laughed at in another language. Never going their again! Rather spend double the money at a respectful salon. read more

We called the morning of our visit to schedule some pedis and a mani for 5 of us. The folks at Genesis were nothing but awesome. They got us in all together right away, and everyone was very nice. The hot stone massage with the pedi was a nice bonus, as was the short back/neck massage we received while our pedis were drying. The salon itself is pleasant, and from my perspective (coming from DC) the prices are more than reasonable. We had a great experience. read more

I used to love this place but customer service has severely fallen. Usually I find this place to be very clean, but the woman that handled my pedicure today did not wear gloves. When I looked over at the other chairs, only half the staff present were wearing gloves. The quality of my pedicure was only ok. When I got home I took care of some errands dry spots myself. While I was enjoying the electronic massage chair, I was asked to turn it off so she could polish. I think this was my last visit here. read more

I've been using this place for about 15 months and it was fine for a while. But lately under different management they are awful. The manager gossips in her 'language' and makes snarky remarks about the clients. Don't bother making an appointment because it means nothing and they will take walk ins while making you wait. I got a pedicure today and the girl nearly bruised my foot. They are not trained massage therapists and if not careful they can actually hurt you. Most of them speak SOME English but it's very difficult to communicate with them. There are plenty other nail salons in the city. Skip this one. read more

Genesis II is one of the best nail salons in the city. It took me a while to find a place and manicurist that I love. Heather does my manicures and always does an amazing job. Everyone at Genesis is very friendly and knows me by name. Definitely the place to go. read more

GREAT nail salon. They are very clean, they have lots of colors to choose from (even gel) and the prices are reasonable. They also give a massage which is awesome. Favorite part - there is a coupon on their website. I have been for a pedicure but I'm looking forward to it!. read more

Best in the city. Pleasant, extremely attentive. Affordable and you get a mini massage at the end! You can't beat the staff here. Über friendly. Love them. read more

Not a very nice job with eyebrow waxing. I came as a walk in for eyebrows and wasn't even greeted and was lead to back for my waxing. She waxed my eyebrows but left some baby hairs and scolded me for not closing my eyes. Now I have two uneven red eyebrows. read more