I scheduled online to have a specific specialist work on my nails for my appointment. As well, two days in advance I spoke with someone at Shade to confirm my appointment and let them know I had a repair and wanted cat eye, as well as remind them about my preferred stylist. If I was going to drive 90 minutes for the appointment, I wanted to make sure they were aware of my interests. Shade has provided quality work and excellent customer service until today. Today they did not have the requested stylist work on my nails. Instead another person did while the person I requested worked on other people's nails. I expressed my disappointment but they did not remedy the situation. The person who worked on my nails cut them SHORT. She shaved the sides making them look like bird talons. Then she argued we with me, proclaiming that I should've said I don't want to have the sides cut so low into my nail bed. Ugly work. And the builder gel is running into my skin. The worst. Also, she seemed surprised that I needed repairs and wanted cat eye. Wow. So sad for Shade's reputation. I MAY try again, just because I've seen two stylists who I appreciate for providing quality service. So sad going home with my nails today. My displeasure was made apparent. There are soooo many nail shops. I once appreciated Shade's work and customer service with 100% assurance. Now I'm questioning my opinion of the place. So sad, shade. So sad. Edit: Day two- the gel is coming off. Their work is seriously lacking. See photo. read more

Shade Nail Spa - 20 hours later. - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

I would say 3.5 but I'll give 4 because my lady stayed way late to finish. Quality-wise, it wasn't what I was hoping for (sorry for no pics but I did regular polish French tips w a flower on each nail, total $70 without tip) but I felt like it was worth the price, and she was able to make lots of changes for me. read more

Emmy and Linh did such a great job on my nails. I'm in love with the cat's eye polish at the moment. Emmy did my initial tips and a pink polish that was so pretty and Linh did the purple. Really pleased with the durability of my nails and the quality of the polish and overall manicure! read more

Shade Nail Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here with my mom (we both got Shade Pedicures, their most deluxe treatment) and my sister (Gel Mani + gel pedi) to get nails done for my upcoming wedding. We get pedicures often and don't usually get the packages with all the bells and whistles, but wanted to treat ourselves for the special occasion! In addition to what a regular pedicure includes (cuticle care, massage, nail filing, buffing, shaping, warm towel wrap, hot stone (!!)), the Signature Shade Pedicure includes a nourishing soak, sea salt scrub, callus, paraffin, hot stone, and 15 minute massage. The hot paraffin wax was HEAVENLY. And I loved the hot stone. I've never had that before, and it comes with all packages here! The guy that did my massage was extremely kind and attentive. They really take their time here. I really appreciate the attention to detail, but something to note as I wouldn't come here if I was in a rush. As with all salons, there's some variability with technicians. Once I chose the color, the tech warned me that it was super sheer. She wasn't helpful or enthusiastic about helping me find an alternative; so while she was prepping my nails I found exactly what I wanted online (down to the brand and shade) and she was able to find that polish in the salon. If you know what you want, you won't have issues. It being my wedding pedicure made me admittedly more picky than usual. I thought the $20 add on for gel instead of regular polish was pretty steep, but their pricing is transparent and on the website so can't complain too much. Cat eye was an extra $20 also. Beautiful interior. Lots of specialty polishes (cat eyes, chromes). Quality finished product with technicians who take their time to provide great service. Also their bathroom was great! Haha we couldn't stop talking about how nice it all was. read more

Shade Nail Spa - Specialty gel options: lots of cat eye, chrome, jelly - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

I had an amazing time at Shade Nail Spa! The space is beautiful and relaxing, I felt welcomed from the moment I walked in. I got a Gel mani and Gel pedi and am very pleased with the results. They have a beautiful and large selection of polish to choose from. I would highly recommended getting the cat eye polish! it's a little extra, but so worth it. My nail technician, Emmy, put so much care into my manicure. She was very communicative about shaping my nails which I appreciated and she made sure that they turned out exactly how I wanted. My toes are fabulous as well! I didn't get the name of the technician who worked on the pedicure, but she was absolutely amazing as well and very kind! I will definitely be back and will be booking with Emmy for a manicure in the future. read more

See all

I got a great manicure here this week. It took almost an hour because they made me sit until it was actually dry and I think it's the first time I haven't messed up my nails on the way home (no, I can not sit still). It was remarkably busy for a Monday morning with the usual cast of characters: the bossy, super demanding regular (shade 105 with tips and gel and a little powder and do it fast! no the shape is wrong! do it over!) the person who would rather eat their own nail clippings than make a peep (me) and all the in between normal customers. My one complaint was that it was a little grungy. The table where they do the manicures was crammed with all kinds of bottles that were dusty and stained and everything just needed to be moved and wiped down. I kind of fixated on it for my whole manicure. Hopefully they will take care of that because everything else was great. read more

I got a gel manicure here on Saturday and now 4 days later on Thursday 3 of them have fallen off and a few others are lifting. I've been here a few times before and have varying results - sometimes the nails last awhile, but my last 3 times they have started lifting after only a few days. Really disappointed for the price read more

Shade Nail Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

A friend recommended Shade after we got frustrated with our other nail salon that was always taking walk ins over appointments. While it was nice that Shade was appointment only, the services weren't great. The first time we went we both got pedicures which were just ok. Though it was just ok, we decided to give it one more try before deciding if this salon was good or not. We booked another appointment for one mani and one pedi. The pedi was just ok again. The mani was pretty bad. The nails were uneven and we could've done a better job just doing it ourselves. We tried to point it out during the service but she just made it worse. Sad to say we will not be back. On a side note, and this is not their fault, parking is awful in that neighborhood. read more

Emmy P. Is super cute and fun to chat with, she's got skills when it comes to designs! Everyone was sweet and easy to joke with, the ambiance is light and open! Enjoyed our time! read more

Shade Nail Spa - Got some dope art from the cutest nail tech at Shade! Emmy P. Is super fun to chat and joke with and she's got skillsssss! - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Last review. After one too many inconsistent experiences here, I've got to move on. My last manicure (see photo with blue nails) was so bad that I can't justify spending my money let alone my rare free time to come here. I'm actually pissed that I paid for my last deluxe manicure after having my finger cut open with a nail file, then my chain bracelet getting covered in wax, then a garbage paint job. I showed the owner and she looked at my nail and said she would repaint them if I came back but did not look at the calendar to tell me when was a good time or if I wanted to schedule a new appointment. They are frequently too busy for walk ins on the weekends. I went home and removed the nail polish. read more

See all

Came in for a regular pedi and a gel manicure the other day. I've been here a few times and every time it feels like they are rushing my nails. However, this was the worst gel manicure I've received. It was clumpy, thick and she didn't even get close to the cuticle. On top of that, the top coat didn't even cover the full nail so now I have random splotches on my nails. They also didn't do the cuticle softening process where it sits in water, she went right to using the acrylic nail filer on my nail claiming I had 'thin cuticles" and ultimately made me bleed. On top of that, this is one of the pricier salons in the area. Will not be returning. It has really gone downhill over the years. read more

This has been my go-to nail spot for the past year. They always do a wonderful job with manicures & pedicures and are often very welcoming and kind. I also love the interior of the salon; it feels very cozy and relaxing. Unfortunately, I had a really bad experience with gel removal. The technician seemed somewhat rushed. She didn't leave the acetone on very long, and ended up sanding off the rest of the polish. I was fine with that, until she sanded down my natural nails to be paper-thin. One of my nails was sanded down so far there is a hole in it down to my nail-bed. It left a tender spot in the middle of my nail that is extremely painful. I pulled my hand back in pain and asked her to be more gentle. I wanted to get my gel redone at the appointment, but had to opt for regular polish as I was afraid gel/the uv light would cause more damage or pain. When I came in, I had pretty strong nails that I've been taking good care of. I'm disappointed with the experience because it will take a long time before my nails will recover from the damage. A day after the appointment, and I have splitting and cracks in my nails. I had to cut them down as short as possible to stop them from bending/breaking further. I would love to keep coming in for manicures and pedicures, as I have always had a great experience at this salon. However, I would be careful coming here for polish removal service. read more

Shade Nail Spa - Less than 48 hours post appointment-- here you can see how much she wore down my nail. It's almost all the way down to my skin in that spot. - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Clean, and they reliably do good work. I find the prices fair for the level of service they give. This is definitely the best salon in the Haight/Cole Valley neighborhood. read more

I got my nails done (soft gel) on July 10, and today is August 15. It's been 36 days, over five weeks. THEY ARE STILL PERFECT. WHAT IS THIS MAGIC?! Except that my nails grew out! Incredible! They ladies are sweet. The spot is cozy and calm. Love this place! read more

Shade Nail Spa - Soft gel still perfect, 36 days later - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is my new go to nail salon! The vibe overall is modern minimalistic, very clean and bright. Linhsy did my pedicure and she was so sweet and did an amazing job. I recommend doing the shade signature pedicure, it was so relaxing. They have every color you can think of, cat eye colors and can do nail art. Overall 10/10 read more

They took their time on my nails and toes, were very thoughtful and listened to my requests to fix small mistakes. I truly appreciate the attention to detail, my french tips ended up practically perfect. read more

Shade Nail Spa - French tip gel manicure - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

I already left a review about shade. But i just want to say that i love Le! She always does an amazing job and i look forward to all my appts with her! I get compliments on my nails every time she does them!! read more

Shade Nail Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

This place was great! I had a wonderful experience. Everyone was very kind, my appointment started on time, and the space is super clean and inviting. I've been struggling with some new mobility issues and was worried about getting a pedicure and if I'd be comfortable. The elevated chairs at Shade made it super easy to get a pedicure (I find it painful to hold my legs at the necessary angle for pedicures at places where the chair is on the ground and the manicurist is on a low chair). They had a ton of colors and the vibe is really chill. Be forewarned, parking is not fun. I left 20 minutes for parking and I need every one of those minutes to get a space. Worth it though! read more

They were able to do exactly on the picture I showed them. Staff are nice and friendly. They take their time and not on a rush. That's why I keep coming back. read more

Shade Nail Spa - White on white French - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Best nail experience in SF. So detail oriented and great environment. Emmy did my manicure and it is beyond perfect. Gel was not globbed on or thick in any way, and my nails look super clean all around. Clean place, communicative staff, lots of color options, I'd recommend going out of your way to come to Shade it's that good!!! read more

I was initially impressed by the new location and the sleek, clean design of this studio (which is rare for businesses in San Francisco). I've been a regular client for over a year. The manicure service was ok at first, but with each visit, the quality worsened. I've had to ask for corrections multiple times during each session, but it still turned out poorly. In addition, when I booked appointments online with a specific technician, I was greeted by someone else, who falsely claimed to be the person I had booked. This technician even wore a different name tag. I won't go into further detail about the quality of the manicure itself, as the numerous photos I have speak for themselves. As a client familiar with European manicure standards, I must say that you should be ashamed of the level of service provided here. It would be more beneficial to focus on developing your skills instead. read more

See all

Great friendly staff. So clean Nice location feels like a cozy spa Had a refill and pedicure, nervous as was my first visit! They did super read more

Shade Nail Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Love this place! Come here every 3 weeks for my dip. Everyone is very kind. It's super bright with tall ceilings. Highly recommend.

Finally, a salon that keeps to appointment times - and the staff are all so kind! On my most recent visit, I had builder on natural nails with Rosa and WOW I have never had a more detail-conscious manicure. She was so careful from my cuticles to making sure length and thickness of all nails matched. Excited to come back. read more

Shade Nail Spa - builder on natural nails - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

I always have a great experience here! The spa is quiet and has big windows with lots of sunlight. I have gotten my nails done by most of the staff and everyone is wonderful! read more

Shade Nail Spa - Dip powder fill - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Stopped by Shade for a pre-holiday mani pedi and I was so happy I did. They were so welcoming and the service was lovely. They even understood when I had to pop out to check on my daughter at school, picking right back up as soon as I was back in that (oh so relaxing) spa chair. Already looking to book my next appointment. Thank you Shade! read more

Im three days into this gel mani and my gel is already cracking:(( feeling like i wasted $55 wont be going back here:( read more

Shade Nail Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

This nail salon is decorated so nicely. Not too much going on, and it's very clean. It was my first time coming here and I'm really happy with the service and the way my nails turned out. I got a gel mani and pedi and called prior to driving here if I could be seen. The lady on the phone was very nice, and allowed me to come in with such short notice. When I walked in they were quite busy but still sat me right away. Their work here is pretty good and they listen to the shape and color that I want. Will definitely be coming back here!! read more

This salon is well maintained & very clean and sleek look ! I love that all the spa chairs are well kept as well as having the nail tech tables in the middle . For waxing there is a separate room in the back ! The lady who waxed me (sorry I forgot her name) was very experienced with a great attitude & made me feel very comfortable! I will definitely be back ! + they have a variety of colors all lined up for you to see along the walls ! read more

Shade Nail Spa - Inside - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

I came here for a basic pedicure and left with my skin open and bleeding. They claimed that they were removing "ingrown skin" around my toenail but didn't stop after I told them it was painful. I refused to let them finish the pedicure because I was worried about infection. They apologized, but still asked me to pay $35 for the pedicure. I will not be coming here again. In regard to the business owner's reply, I requested a chargeback after I reached out to them to discuss what happened and ask for a refund, but never got a follow-up response or confirmation. I was within my right to request the chargeback after attempting to discuss it with the manager, so I don't think it was "dishonest" or "unethical." I acknowledge that I didn't contest it at the salon right after my appointment, but I didn't feel comfortable after already uncomfortably expressing multiple times that the removal of the skin was painful, stopping the pedicure, and asking for a band-aid. I was not informed at the salon of their sanitation procedures or the fluid that coagulates your blood, so I didn't know what was happening. It was still an open wound. I understand that mistakes happen and it was unintentional, but I felt it was appropriate to not complete the service and stop once my toe was bleeding, and request the chargeback once the business owner did not follow up on our conversation. read more

I was given a gift certificate to try this spa. I got the shade signature pedi and gel x nail extension with lady's mood purple and magnet design. It was very relaxing to sit in the message chair while getting the warm foot soak, hot towels, and below the knee message. Very nice people and detailed work. I love my new nails! Just in time for the 4 day weekend! The woman who did my nails was super nice and did not rush even though she had to stay past closing time! I'm def coming back here. The place was cute and clean with a relaxing atmosphere. read more

Shade Nail Spa - Gel x nail extension with cat eye lady's mood purple - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Gels didnt even last a week. Went back , they did the three nails that had peeled off and next day , two of them came off. Now not even two weeks, all but one are off. read more

Went for the first time, did have to wait about 15-20 min for the nail artist even though I did have the appt set but she took her time, asked exactly what I wanted, helped me select the correct colors. Place was clean, organized, lots of colors to choose from, quiet and staff was friendly, would definitely go back and recommend, pricing was great considering other places I've seen as well. (Sorry for bad quality photos but they truly came out super great) read more

See all

My first time I went, I got gel-x on my natural nails (the pink set) and I loved it! I've never gotten gel-x before, but now I'm hooked! They're as strong as acrylic on my natural nails and are not as damaging by far. My nails lasted an entire MONTH without chipping at all and barely started lifting before I got a fill (the off-white color), a whole month later. If you're looking for a nail place that takes their time until perfection, come here!!! The staff is also super friendly and the nail shop itself is so clean and chic. 1000/10, would definitely recommend! read more

See all

Favorite nail spa in the city! Lovely location and the nicest staff. I called for a last minute appt on NYE and the owner was more than happy to accommodate. Modern looking stations with comfy massage chairs and natural light shines throughout the airy space. The rainbow assortment of nail color options made me feel like a kid in a candy store. Excellent service and reasonable prices for quality. I was able to enjoy time for myself and feel pampered. Great playlist too! I recommend the Shade Signature mani pedi because you deserve it. Will definitely be back again. Thank you Shade! read more

Shade Nail Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

I brought my daughter for a mommy and daughter spa day a few weekends ago. It was so cute to see a few other customers doing the same thing. She requested French tips which turned out soo nice! She loved them. She loves coming to Shade nails and getting pampered. read more

Shade Nail Spa - French tips - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Gorgeous new nail salon in Upper Haight Cole Valley. This neighborhood desperately needed a good high end nail shop. Whether you're looking for a basic mani pedi, which is what me and my husband went for, or you're down to splurge on a luxurious advance treatment, this place is a little wellness retreat for your hands and feet. Super clean and so many nail colors to choose from. Brand new massage chairs with spa pedicures, they even wrapped my feet in warm towels while I massaged my stress away in the massage chair. Great staff, atmosphere, and more importantly, they did amazing cuticle cleaning and polish. Welcome to the neighborhood and thank you for bringing top notch service and experience to the Haight! read more

Gorgeous new nail salon located in Cole Valley. This beautifully designed salon is relaxing and has a great aesthetic. The staff and owner are all extremely kind and provide great service. I'll definitely be back! read more

Shade Nail Spa - Nail Salons Near Me - San Francisco, California

Nice salon. Walked in for a gel manicure, 1 day later-chipped. I really wanted to like this place, to make as my backup nail spot.

terrible salon don't go here. my gel nails didn't even last 2 days! this place is horribly overpriced for the low quality service they provide read more