I don't write negative reviews often and so delayed in writing this one. I went here in May and it was my second time here. I was fine with the previous mani I had gotten so thought I would go again since I am fairly new to Oakland and wanted to find a new salon. Mistake. I showed up after finishing a work shift (I'm a server) with my apron still on, got the stare up and down from a number of people, both staff and clients. Wtfever. Explain to the manicurist that I want my nails the same shape, a little shorter and no filing on the sides because it makes my nails tear. Starts off curt but fine. First nail, files the sides. I stop her. No, don't file the sides, it makes my nails tear. Second nail same thing. Third nail. Same thing with a much more emphatic response. Fourth nail. SAME GODDAMNED THING. Manicurist THROWS the nail file at me and tells me to do it myself. Needless to say, I walked out and am never going back. read more

This is the first time I've taken the time to use this site to write a negative review, but with so many nail shops to choose from, I'd hate for any of you to have my experience! The fact that they were empty should've been a red flag. I had to tell the lady three times to add hot water, nothing more relaxing than sitting in cold water. While talking to her coworker the ENTIRE time, she pushed my feet, was rough, nipped me more than once..."finished" with crooked nails, polish on my toes.. When I alerted owner, she clipped & filed my nails...no new polish.. Then asked if I wanted to add a tip?! read more

Called in on a Friday afternoon about 4:30pm to inquire about the wait time. The kind lady on the phone assured me there was no wait time for my friend and I to get a fill & gel manicure, so we went on in. After choosing my color & getting my service started around 4:45pm, she goes on to inform me she is the only person working that does acrylic (amongst the seven other employees) & has a 5pm appointment so she will have to take them before me (whom she has already started on) so after removing my polish she sent me back to the waiting area for another 30+ mins (BOOOOOO!) Also in addition to the fact she quoted my nail price $4 dollars more than the price list quoted. All I needed was a regular acrylic fill with regular polish. How do you just up & change the price? Be prepared to watch people that come in after you leave before you. To make the long story short, very nice polish selection, nice decor, but sub par to poor customer service. Keep on driving to find a place with equally good selection of colors, comfortable interior, and people who value your business. read more

Are nail salons supposed to feel like going to a 3rd rated dentist office? Ugh, I hardly ever get my nails done- but due to a special occasion I came in two weeks ago to get acrylic tips and pedicure with gel-polish and they were super nice, and I ORIGINALLY thought they did an ok job. However -my acrylic tips barely lasted 1 week, and by the second week they were coming off and pulling off my natural nails with them. In addition to this my gel polish pedicure was already chipping- and I thought that gel polish was supposed to last a lot longer than that! So I went in again to get my acrylic nails removed, and to get the gel polish removed. The lady did an ok job on my pedicure after she removed the gel polish with an electric file. However, after using an electric file on my fingernails, the gel polish and tips were still firmly planted on my fingernails. So then she soaked my nails in acetone, not caring about an open sore near my fingernail, even when I told her that it was painful. After that- they tried using the electric file again, and another round of acetone - but the acrylic tips were still on my fingers.When I realized that they were just going to paint over the acrylic leftovers- I noted that I would like them completely removed- at which point the owner came over and started using nail clippers to chip of the acrylics, but at the same time she started removing my natural nails! When I told her to stop because I didn't want my natural nails ruined (nor did I want bloody fingers)- she demanded that now that she started she had to continue because "this is what I wanted". I told her - no - I did not want my natural nails torn off my fingernail bed.. but she just glared at me and continued picking away at my nail. In addition to this -I saw her watching tv on her phone while working on me.. with one earbud in .. and she started filing my nails while watching tv!!!! She ended up filing part of my skin and only realized it when I said 'ow'! After I told her to just forget it and leave my other nails alone- she just slabbed on polish over the fingernails that still had tips halfway on. Then after this- they were closing -and she had me drying my nails, but then she told me that they were done and sent me on my way. Needless to say- my nails were not dry.. and I ended up ruining them in the car after I left the store. I feel so traumatized .. that I will never get acrylics again.. and I definitely will not ever get a mani or pedi at lavender nail salon ever again. Side notes- in addition to the way I was treated -there was another lady at the salon that I was talking to- and I noticed the people in the salon laughing about her when she requested that they do the pedicure in a certain way. They all started talking about her (not in English) and giggling and it was very clear that they were disrespecting her and her wishes. DO NOT GO HERE IF YOU WANT A GOOD MANICURE/PEDICURE OR ACRYLICS.. OR IF YOU WANT ANY CUSTOMER SERVICE AT ALL read more

Reason for visit: Impromptu nail session Visit date: December 1, 2013 First time? Yes. My friend and I were in the mood for a last minute nail session so we wanted to go somewhere nearby that took walk-ins. I checked out Lavender because I see them on my drive home from work but had never tried them out. We called to see if they had any openings in the next half an hour and they did. And - manicures are only $10! Sold! The ladies are friendly and ask lots of questions (does that make them nosy or really nice?). They cut cuticles and filing square means filing square with 90-degree angles. I prefer pushing the cuticles down and filing square with rounded edges. Be sure to specify exactly how you want your nails done. Highlights: Great massage and selection of polishes, including my favorite, Essie. read more

I live in the area, and have come here 5-6 times as a walk-in. After my last visit, I won't be going back. They rushed my pedi - no massage, no lotion - and the woman doing my pedi kept getting up and running all over the store, so it was the opposite of a relaxing experience. The same happened with my gel nails; she only let my nails sit for 30 seconds under the UV light between coats, and the sloppiness showed. The service here is extremely inconsistent; sometimes great, sometimes awful. If you're willing to roll the dice, the prices are reasonable, but I'll be going elsewhere from now on. read more

Update to my review. Went to a professional spa to redo my manicure. It took them 45 minutes to remove the poor work I received from Lavender and make repairs to my nails that got stripped off.All of the technicians asked where I received the service and I told them. They all agreed that is not how shellac/gel are suppose to be applied or used. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, EVER AGAIN. read more

What I liked: - Great massaging chairs - The place is clean What I didn't like: - Terrible service - The most terrible quality I have ever experienced (details below). I did mani and pedi in parallel. While one person was working on pedi, my hands were served by two different people. When my pedi was done, I moved to a desk to continue with mani, and my right hand's nails were all re-done once again (because the master did't realize someone has already worked on it). This master was probably the most senior person around, as she was looking not at my nails but everywhere else (she was constantly checking how other people are working). My fingers were not hurt, but the quality was terrible (it was a parody on French). I asked them to use Shellac for mani, they reaksed several times "Shellac? Shellac?" and took money for Shellac but instead started doing a usual Gel (which is cheaper even according to their prices). When I realized it, it was already late, and they even didn't apologize but smiled instead and didn't offer to return some money back (as I already paid), although they perfectly understood what was wrong. After only a week I have two nails totally free of nail polish, and other nails were 50% "naked", which is ridiculous, I have never experienced such a bad quality before. As for my pedi, its nail polish were partly destroyed on Day 4. read more

A great gal pal took me here for a birthday mani-pedi - she swears by this place. We opted for the shellac and I couldn't believe how fast they completed it, and how good the service was -AND then how long it lasted. It was pretty darn beautiful for a long time. I was impressed, even felt bad for wanting to make this my new nail salon instead of my usual fave. I don't understand these negative reviews - it doesn't make sense at all when I think about the service we received which to me was VIP. Treat yourself, go here. It's worth it. read more

We came here to start the celebration for my friend's buttday night. Our friend took lead and made reservations for the five of us and once we entered we were seated right away in our pedicure spa chairs. The lady who did my feet was nice. She didn't talk much but the atmosphere was relaxing and very pleasant. She did a great job getting my feet smooth and making my french toes spotless. I was pleased. read more

Apparently this place is new, which is probably why I was able to get seated right away for a mani/pedi and brow wax on a Sunday afternoon. This is definitely the most thorough, proficient pedicure I've gotten in a long time. My gal was all business and left me with practically new feet. Definitely recommended, and definitely coming back. This plus Crossroads across the street is a bit dangerous. read more

Good location. Clean space and appears that they take cleanliness seriously. The only downside is that I made an appointment and arrived 5 minutes early yet these people who were walk by's got seated. Then it took 2 hours for a Mani Pedi Shellac...which is crazy long considering the people who came in at the same time were out in an hour after getting the same services plus two girls who came after me who then left less than hour later. Everyone else received messages and I was apparently overlooked. It's unfortunate that this happened. Had high hopes for this place. They need to be more organized and respect the customers time as well. They gave me a $5 discount for the trouble which was also insulting. They were aware of the delay and obviously did not care to correct it. My manicure was not good either as there's a big gap between the nail bed and cuticle. read more

I've only done standard pedi's here and they do a decent job but always seem rushed, probably b/c there are so many walk-ins. The salon is generally clean but they make you feel like a number rather than a client. In my experiene they will take you as a walk in or with an appointment without turning anyone down. That means if you have an appointment you may have to wait if a walk-in arrived ahead of you. One other note, they always have the front door open b/c of the nail salon acrylic fumes, but there is a bus stop bench right in front of their door and endless amounts of second-hand smoke from ppl waiting for the bus waft into the salon no matter what time of day it is. Not sure which is worse, the second-hand acrylic fumes or the second hand smoke. read more

I have been driving across town, onto the freeway for at least 10 years, to the ever popular Femi Marcus. While I miss the banter, I prefer the quiet attention one gets at Lavender Nails. I have only had a regular mani/pedi, and it is fine, Lasts a bit longer than my old favorite and I do get the impression that they try hard to please, The salon is clean, and the ladies seem to like working here. The best part is the overall convenience-- so nice to walk over, not hassle with a car, parking etc. I am going to be a regular customer! read more

I read some of the recent negative reviews and I'm honestly shocked. I'm so glad I didn't listen to them. This place is amazing. So clean, beautiful interior, excellent service, the best pedicure I've ever had. I got the CBD pedicure and the parafin wax left my feet so soft, the massage after was truly amazing and so relaxing. I had absolutely no complaints. read more

My manicures last almost two weeks, my pedicures last about 4. I've been a customer since I moved to Berkeley. I always leave with a beautiful mani and pedi, I have some of my waxing done here and the prices are very reasonable. The owners and staff are all very nice and seem to care about their customers leaving happy. More convenience: there is a parking lot behind the building you can park in, street parking, and a bus stop is right on the corner. read more

Oh the joys of getting a pedicure. After a hiatus, somtimes you forget you're a woman when your feet are all nasty and bare and your toes are covered in cuticles. Nothing like getting your calluses rubbed off and a little nail polish to remind you of your feminine roots. The spa was clean, they had awesome massage chairs, and a great selection of OPI and Essie. If you can, do make an appointment, it gets booked up! I definitely enjoyed my pedicure. read more

The ONLY place in Berkeley/Oakland area I go to get my nails done. I've tried Elmwood Nails and The Nail Spa, and Lavender Nails is astronomically better than both. The ladies are all very nice, and definitely do their best to give you the best mani/pedi to your liking. Their polish selection is vast, and they have colors from Essie, OPI, and other less well-known brands. I usually get a shellac manicure and a regular pedicure when I go and I am always satisfied! The best part is the hand/foot massage that comes with the mani/pedi. It's never half-assed like other places and my feet feel like cotton balls afterward! Located right by the 49/51B bus stop, free wifi, this place is awesome. read more

Love this place!! Super clean and the ladies are all so nice! I get gel and the results are always amazing - I go three weeks without chipping. The price is great too, $25 plus tip. read more

Lavender Nails Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

Went in for a mani/pedicure yesterday. My pedicure was fabulous and included a wonderful massage. The owner did my gel manicure and it was rushed with no attention to detail. My old nail polish wasn't completely removed and you can see the old color coming through, my nails weren't buffed or filed and the sides and tips of my nails aren't colored in. I then got up-sold on an eyebrow wax. She spent literally 30 seconds and didn't trim or clean up with tweezers. My regular spot provides so much care. If I was in the neighborhood I wouldn't return. read more

Totally awesome hidden gem in Oakland. The pedicure was not only non toxic but held up really well. The owner was really friendly and I even got yummy tea! read more

The entire staff at Lavender Nails is wonderful! Super friendly and excellent at what they do. I have been a customer for several years. I always leave with a giant smile on my face after a wonderful treatment, chatting with the staff, and taking some time to relax. I can't say enough good things about Lavender Nails and its staff! read more

I'd been coming to this nail salon once a month for a year. Unfortunately, I won't be returning. It's been clear to me that no one who works there has been trained for giving a foot or neck massage. But usually the massage is just weak and lazy, so I let it slide because my nails look good. But a couple days ago, I came in for a manicure and this time the "neck" massage was several long minutes of an old lady with a calloused thumb talking to her coworkers while rubbing the same point on my skin over and over until it burned and I had to ask her to stop. Later, I showed the owner my reddening back (the burn blister hadn't formed yet) and she said,"Oh, you got sunburn." And I said, "No, it's from the massage. She just rubbed one spot over and over again." Then the owner said, "I will tell her." She turned to her staff and said something in Vietnamese, repeating the english phrase "one spot" and everyone laughed. It was rude and careless and that's when I decided I won't be coming back. In addition this, the owner has extreme ADD and gets distracted immediately after asking a question that she doesn't really care about the answer to anyways. Every time I come in she asks me the same questions about where I live, where I work, and when I'm getting married. This last time, when I mentioned wanting to get a dog, she showed me a youtube video of a poodle being yelled at in Vietnamese and beaten by it's owner to stand up like a human and she thought it was hilarious. I did not. read more

Lavender Nails Spa - The skin burn from my horrible "neck massage" at Lavender Nails Spa. - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

I've been here twice for a mani/pedi and have been happy with the service both times. The lavender and white color scheme, the soft white lighting and the high-quality massage chairs make checking your mani/pedi off your to-do list more of a spa-like experience. The techs pay attention to detail and give a lovely chair massage to top it all off. Cash only... read more

smitten with this place! I don't write reviews enough but Deena is thoughtful and warm. place is clean w/ nice lighting. street parking is bad, use the lot behind. Make an apt or walk in. Have gel manicures. read more

Lavender Nails Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

I walked in and was helped pretty quickly. I got a pedicure and my upper lip waxed. It was well priced and I was very comfortable. I didn't feel intimidated like I usually do when I go to a nail salon. It was a good experience. I will be coming back for another visit soon. read more

Lavender Nails Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

Been coming here for about 2 years and they have yet to disappoint. Everyone that works here is super friendly and remembers all of their customers which feels really special. Today they fed me durian cake! They make sure that you have gotten the service that you want and are meticulous with gel which is crucial! Love this place!!! read more

I've been here twice now and have had a great experience both times. First time I went for a mani-pedi. They did a nice job, the pedicure lasted a very long time and you got a massage on your legs and shoulders after each service. It was very relaxing and enjoyable. The second time I went, I just received a pedicure. The seats are clean, the massage chairs work well and the associates are very friendly. The pricing is cheap too. Can't wait to go back again. read more

I came here on a Wednesday night at 6:45pm for an eye brow wax and noticed they close at 7:30pm. During the wax, I asked the lady if she can fit me in for a pedicure and she said yes. I told her I don't need to get my nails painted since they are almost about to close and I just want to get my toes cleaned up. However, she highly suggested it's not a problem at all. I believe her name was Dina and she was very friendly and did a great job on the eyebrow and lip wax ($18 bucks - a bit pricy for both I think). She paid attention everything was cleaned up. She even threaded my lips after the wax. Another lady assisted in my pedicure and I thought she did great cleaning the cuticles and dead skin. The foot scrub could have been better, maybe a few minutes longer. Overall, I'm pretty happy with my experience since I came in at 6:45PM on a Wednesday night after work. I would definitely come back to try them again. Paint job on my toe nails were great. read more

I don't get my nails done often, but when I do I think I'll be using Lavender Nails Spa more frequently. I did a walk-in and they had room for me right away. I just got a regular manicure ($10.... GREAT price!) and it took only about 30 minutes. They did the hand massage, and then surprised me by giving me a shoulder and neck massage as well. They have a great selection of OPI and Essie nail polishes. My manicure lasted me about a week (which is a little longer or typical for me), and I was completely satisfied with my experience. Friendly, efficient, and a good price... can't beat that! read more

I found this place by random chance since my usual spot was too busy to take me in.. I've found my new spot! It's a little bit pricier than my other place but well worth it! I got I believe its called the delux pedicure? Oh my god amaazing!! I had the older gentleman for my pedi and that was hands down the best pedicure I've ever received that massage he gave is the reason why I will always come back here from now on! I also got shellac nails, the woman was really nice one nail wasn't coming out right and she kept at it til it was perfect like the rest, I appreciate it. It wasn't that busy this Sunday afternoon and I felt very taken care of. It was 50 for my wonderful mani pedi, I wish I could give them more stars This really was the best experience, Super nice I can't wait to tell my friends! read more

Lavender Nails Spa - My shellac mani - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

I got the mani/pedi combo. My toes looked good, but my manicure fell short. I think it might have been the person I had...a bit lazy. When my mani was done, I still had dirt along the side of my hail bed and my cuticles hadn't been touched. There was no clipping around my cuticles either. The pricing makes the pedicure much more expensive ($20) and the manicure is only 12$. I don't even remember getting a massage, probably because it was so short. On the plus side, the interior is very pretty, the ceiling has really cool architecture and is painted lavender and white. I might come back. read more

I will never return to this location. The staff made me feel incredibly uncomfortable for a full hour. It's one thing to gossip about a person in another language but to do so in such an obvious manner that even a toddler could sense it (i.e. pointing, staring, laughing) throughout my entire visit is unbelievable and unacceptable. The women were talking about how young I appear to be as a mother (having snuck a glimpse of my cellphone background picture of my beautiful baby boy). Because of their blatant and continued gossiping, I revealed my actual age, and you'd think that'd shut them up as I'm a few months shy of 30, but they persisted to chatter rather than focusing on the work I'm paying them to do. I left early just to escape the negative energy pervading the store. On top of their poor behavior,the polish and waxing jobs were extremely shoddy most likely due to how fixated they were on judging me. I will have to go elsewhere to have their mistakes fixed. Customer service was poor (the woman who administered the waxing was on the phone trying to return a Macy's order she placed whilst barely looking at my face). What a waste of time and money. I want my $30 back and will be telling all of my girlfriends to go elsewhere. Good thing I have good ole Yelp to judge YOU, Lavender Nails! read more

Pros: What can I say, they do good nails! I've gone there for gel nails more than once and they're always stellar. I really like their massage chairs, which doesn't seem like something that would be that different from salon to salon but yes, it is. They also do an intense shoulder/arm massage when you get a manicure. I usually only get my nails done for special occasions so I hadn't gone in a while, at least a year, but when I came back the manager (?) recognized me and even asked where my husband was, as we've gone together for pedicures before. I can't believe she remembered me! Cons: One time one of their massage chairs was broken but they still sat me in it; I didn't really figure out what was wrong (not all the rollers worked, but some still did) until the pedicure was already underway. I'm conflict-averse so didn't want to demand to change chairs. But the massage chair is 75% why I love pedicures so that was a bummer. The reason why my husband didn't come with me recently was because the last time he went, he got an ingrown toenail from the nail being trimmed too short. It'd put him off pedicures for a while, and rightly so. They've been a bit rough on my nails when removing gel polish; I've been left with coarse nails before. read more

Amazing massage- super sweet folks and great quality! Definitely coming back here. Also great prices- $35 for a mani pedi!

Dina is the best in town. I love the personal touch of getting to know her customers and her staff are all very polite and kind. I've been going there for my gel manicures for years. I've tried others (don't tell Dina) but they just don't do as an amazing job with my thin nails. read more

Never ended up going back. Why go back and pay money for a crap job when I can spend it somewhere else in a huge city with many competing nail salons. Ended up going to all about nails in Oakland and they did a WONDERFUL job. Said whoever did my nails did a hack job. Always do every customer like they are writing a review, just because people walk in does not mean I should get a half decent manicure after booking an appointment in advance and paying 35$ for a gel manicure. read more

The massage with the pedicure was nice and the woman did a good job. However, my gel manicure was probably the worst, rushed job I've ever gotten. The whole point of gels is that they look perfect and last long. But my first coat was uneven, thin in some spots, and didn't cover the sides of some nails. When I pointed it out she added another coat, you can't fix gels that way. Sure enough a week later that second coat was peeling off. Not coming back here. read more

First time at Lavender Nails, I was completely satisfied with the service. Dina, who's the owner, did an amazing job at doing my nails. She was helpful, friendly and professional. I will definitely come back next time. read more

Lavender Nails Spa - Great Halloween nails! - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California

I've been coming here for the past 2 years and I absolutely adore the ladies here. The quality of my nails have always been consistent and the ladies are always super sweet. My schedule is somewhat erratic and one of the things I like about this place is even though they also do appointments they take walk ins and I never have to wait more than 10 min if at all. I get gel manicures and pedicures every 2-4weeks and have never had any issues. I love their color selections and their massage chairs are a dream. I've moved to SF recently and I still make it a point to cross the bay to see my favorite nail salon. read more

Lavender Nails Spa - Natural nails with gel - Nail Salons Near Me - Oakland, California