This place is no frills and gets the job done nicely for clean looks. Helen is so nice and I can…read moretell she has great technical habits by double checking the size of the nails between hands and also painting really close to the cuticle. I will say I've had cleaner cuticle work but the shape and precision close to the cuticle is what I look for most after a gel mani. It's $48 now! Their latest appt is 5:15 usually. Make sure to account for parking (downtown San Mateo so quite busy sometimes with meter parking). Their DND polish line is large but they don't have all the colors. I'd call in to confirm if you have a preference. No OPI. $10 French tip and $15 chrome extra charge. I'm happy with my service and would recommend coming here.

First time here, and the service was exceptional. Made a phone call reservation for same day…read moreservice (including a $25 appointment deposit since it is by appointment only). I got a pedicure today, and the attention to detail was the best I've experienced in a long time. The environment is calm and quiet, and the service itself was great. Gentle, detailed, relaxing, and the pricing is competitive for the area. This will definitely become my go-to nail salon

The first time I tried this place was on 06.23.26 with Tracy. I loved that I was able to schedule…read morean appointment through their website and it was a very easy process. I opted for a combination gel manicure and gel pedicure, which was amazing! The best part is almost always the warm foot bath, massage, hot stone massage and hot towels! When it came to the manicure, it's actually a dry manicure, which I've never had before, nor have I ever heard of them! Let me tell you, there is such a thing as a dry manicure and I prefer this way better than a wet manicure. I have eczema, so I am very selective of nail salons and this was great! The different drill bits that Tracy used are to exfoliate the cuticles and around your nail bed, so minimal cutting/trimming is done. I made another appointment through their website for 07.13.26, again with Tracy, to have my gel manicure and gel pedicure removed and this time chose the combination classic manicure and classic pedicure. Basic treatments as before except for regular polish, not gel. Loved every minute of it! I would highly recommend this place! Convenient location. It's near a parking garage or there is street parking. The service and quality is great! The people are nice. It is a bit pricey, but worth it. Thank you Tracy for a great experience!

I just moved back into the area and was looking for a new salon that does nail designs. I booked…read morewith Sharon and she did an amazing job. They were quick and the design was exactly how I wanted. I will be back!

Found my new go-to for nail art. Located at downtown san…read moremateo, this cute little nail salon was busy even on a weekday. I chose nail art with anyone, as it seems senior nail tech was booked. I was assigned with Abby. She was truly so kind and attended to my requests. I could not pick out a certain design whether I would go matte or glossy, I kept changing my mind but she followed through and her hand paints were so cute. I'm glad I was able to get my holiday nails done. I've already booked my next nail appointment. Price can be quite steep compared to other places but considering it is in the peninsula and for a nail salon, I love it. They dont rush you and the quality of my nails look great. Parking is a bit limited (as usual since its downtown) but overall love this place. They take walk-ins but from what I heard better to book online very seamless since they are usually always busy.

I love NailBox. The women who work there are all incredible at what they do. I leave every time…read morefeeling like an absolute baddie. My nails look so good that I have friends coming from the East Bay and the city to get their nails done here.

Wonderful experience with Linda! I called for a last-minute appointment and she got me right in…read more One of the most thorough pedicures I've had-my feet feel great. It's a warm and welcoming space and I look forward to going back!

Needed an early Sunday morning nail spot as a meeting point for my friends. We come from Oakland,…read moreSan Jose, and Castro Valley. We all agreed to meet in San Mateo. This was a get together to get our nails done for some TLC and to strategically get our friend to get her nails done before her engagement !!! The quality of the nails in photos looked great and the inside looked comfy and fitting enough for us to catch up and yap. Kudos to the team bc originally my friend was not gonna get her nails done and only wanted a pedi !!! We finally convince her but then she didn't want gel !! I spoke with my nail tech in secret and had them convince her to get gel. It was a success and without them it would've been mission fail. Our nails looked super cute, great quality, price, & service. Would recommend again. And now our friend is a fianceee with a beautiful rock and with stunning photos !!

Celine was phenomenal! I received a gel builder mani and deluxe pedi and it felt amazing. Will…read moredefinitely be going back!

Very friendly and talented nail technicians! My nails turned out so cute. Would come again​read more

Went back to treat myself and am happy with the results (again)! She was able to squeeze me in last…read moreminute too. The gel manicure was $45 base + $10 for French tip. She even took the time to add glitter too without charging extra. Will be back the next time I need my nails done again :)!

JJ Nails is my go-to spot for gel manis & pedis!…read more Compared to other salons in the area, JJ provides excellent service for a reasonable price. The manis & pedis come with a complimentary paraffin wax treatment that other places tend to charge for. My gel pedis can last up to 2 months which is great for summer sandal times. For manis, I usually pop in to get them done before a special event and it's pretty easy to call and get a last minute appointment. They have a large selection of colors to choose from. Note that this is in DTSM so parking is a little hard. I recommend parking at Central Garage. Payment can be done via Venmo & Zelle along with other traditional transaction processes. Looking forward to coming back for a little pamper session.

Noa is amazing, super reasonably priced, located in a small salon in downtown SM with only one…read moreother tech so it's nice and quiet and relaxing. Just started seeing her but once I find someone I like I stick with them for years until one of us moves. So I am so happy to have found her. She's very talented, detail oriented and somehow also quick, her time management is really impressive. I get builder gel and honestly it's hard to find techs that do builder well and not wonky as it's finicky. LOVED how these turned out!

Noa is absolutely incredible! I've been seeing her for nails and eyebrow waxing in San Mateo for a…read morewhile now (2 almost 3 years), and I can honestly say she's the best. Her nail work lasts longer than anyone else's - I usually go every 3 weeks (sometimes 4!), and my nails still look perfect (I only change them because I get bored with the color!). I've done acrylics, gel, dip, and I don't even know what else with her, and she always knows what's best for the health of my nails. Thanks to her, my natural nails are healthier than they've ever been. She's also amazing at nail art and design - super detailed, perfect shaping, and she always has fun new ideas to try. On top of that, her eyebrow waxing is so clean and natural. Noa recently opened her own business and is renting a spot at Sarah's nail Salon in downtown San Mateo. She's professional, talented, and incredibly sweet - I genuinely love my time with her. If you're looking for gel nails, dip powder nails, acrylics, pedicures, or eyebrow waxing in San Mateo, you won't find anyone better than Noa. Highly recommend booking with her!

I've been coming here regularly for my manicures and have had appointments with different nail…read moretechnicians. I've always been very pleased with their work. Everyone is professional and attentive, the service is consistently good, and the salon has a pleasant, relaxing atmosphere. The location is also very convenient, and I've never had a problem finding parking. I always enjoy coming here and definitely recommend this salon!

I had an amazing experience here! The technicians are very thorough and meticulous. They pay…read moreattention to every detail, and ensure that the experience is memorable. I had the pleasure booking with Vika. She did a pedicure and manicure for me. Her work is amazing. I was pleased that she asked me about her work throughout the time, ensuring that I was happy with everything. This salon is the best place if you're looking for detailed work, with high quality materials. The artists ensure that you receive everything you need as a client. I'm so happy to have found this spot, I will be coming back :)

I had a great experience with Lan today. She was able to help me with exactly what I wanted (a gel…read morex set with ombré color) with short notice. The price was fitting for the high end work she did for me. I appreciated that she gave me a recommendation to try something new next time, so I'll be looking forward to returning soon

amazing! got a pedicure here speedy but good precision, I have been looking for a new nail place…read moresince moving and I definitely found the one! Thank you and I will be returning

The ladies working at Vale nails are amazing…read more I've had gel-x nails done twice by Karolina. She's precise and pays great attention to the details.

I was really excited to try this salon because of all the amazing reviews, but I left feeling…read moreextremely disappointed. First, I had to pay a $50 deposit just to secure the appointment. I even arrived early, but my appointment didn't actually start until 15 minutes after the scheduled time. The technician who did my nails was not welcoming at all--she didn't introduce herself and didn't communicate with me throughout the entire appointment. While working on my nails, she cut or nicked me multiple times. I made it clear that it hurt, but she didn't acknowledge it or apologize once. There was a complete lack of care and professionalism. When the appointment ended, I honestly didn't even realize it was over because no one communicated anything to me, I was just walked over to the register. I was then charged $100, even though I had already paid the $50 deposit. When I called to ask about it, I was told the extra charge was for "fixes" and additional services that were never explained or approved by me. I left without a "goodbye" or "thank you for coming." Very cold and hostile service. The person I spoke to (who I believe is the owner) barely apologized and said the deposit would be refunded. I was told I'd receive an email confirmation, but I never did, and I still haven't seen the refund. I also followed up again regarding the refund and still received no response. I've been to many nail salons, and this was by far the worst experience I've ever had. If I could give zero stars, I would. Needless to say, I won't be returning.