This place is a rip off and will scam you for money. I went in with my son asked for 30 min massage for both of us. The guy agreed and told us to go to the table. As I was getting the massage the guy kept asking 40, 50. I was lying on the table face down and couldn't understand him. I had to pop my head up and say 30. He kept doing this and the other guys would be speaking back and forth in their language. At the end when I was checking out they charged us for a 40 min massage and $10 tip each. I was so fed up I agreed. It was not a 40 min massage. I literally had to tell the guy lighter pressure every other minute. The massage was uncomfortable and hurt and times when he would apply pressure. It was not a body massage it was a pressure release of some sort that was painful. I feel like this is a dirty tactic they use to rip people off. Not satisfied on how they trick an haggle you into taking your money for less time you agreed on. Will not go in ever again. Make sure you use a timer and tell all of the workers the time of massage you want if you go in. read more

This is the type of massage I LOVE. It's not for the general population here but I lived in Eastern Asia and this is the REAL and amazing deep tissue chair massage I absolutely appreciate. Left there with lots of knots mitigated and feeling so much better after having a tense back for days. read more

Ain't nothing like getting a massage from a dude that hears nor speaks any English, focused on applying raw pressure as hard as he can. At some point, I convinced myself I'm getting my moneys worth. The frequent sounds of pain I made, had no response nor distracted or broke his focus. A few minutes from beginning, I felt another set of hands on my feet creeping up my calfs. They call this a 4 hands massage. Wow, am I this lucky and does this mean I've been shared by 2 men? Until I got the bill, I felt that euphoria of relief and it was totally worth it; however, the overall price is pretty steep compared to other places. If you are super tight, price isn't an issue and need that level of pressure, this is the place to go. read more

Staff was nice and friendly but the message was very painful, I have bruises all over my back. I understand that they are trying to work out the knots but I should walk away feeling relieved not in more pain than when I walked in. read more

I went there a while back, asked for a 20 min massage, he ended up giving me a " 60 minute " massage. The worst massage ever!!!! I got up 45 min through the massage and told the kid no thank you, I was done! Then the main guy wanted to charge me a 60 min massage, Im glad I had proof that it was 45 mins... it was a horrible experienced overall ... left more stressed than when I came in! Then He had the to ask for a tip! Of course I saiD NO! Tips are for a service you like and enjoyed , a tip is "I will come back" "loved your service " ...this was way far from it! If you are looking for a good massage and a good service, DO NOT COME HERE! read more

I like this place, I prefer a mid upper back massage and it needs to be hard. They got all my knots. Will be returning.

DO NOT!! I repeat, DO NOT COME HERE. My husband and I came for a quick 30 minute massage. Pretty simple... it was laid out for us and told to us by the workers, $38 for 30 minutes on the table, back, feet included. 30 minute massage was basic. Typical for a mall salon so we knew what to expect. When we went to pay, he charged us $114!!!!!! Told me it was because they massaged my husbands feet, it was an extra charge. I fought back and forth with them about it. And he said no 2 people were massaging him so that's an extra charge..... EXCUSE ME?!? We did not request an extra person to massage his feet. We told them exactly what we wanted just a simple quick massage.. All of sudden, he doesn't understand English, but knew enough to ask for a tip!!!! Completely scammed. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY HERE!!!! read more

I request services then they add someone on without asking. It cost more than double what I asked for. The massage was fine but the person give me the message private area kept rubbing agaist me. This was very uncomfotable and inappoarite. I as well could tell he was enjoy it which really inapporaite. I personally would NEVER come back here. read more

I didn't even remember I had written a review for this place two years ago. It was when I was here last. I had a very similar experience as my previous review. No wait very good massage. read more

I feel great! I plan to come here every month! These guys are very strong and experienced- if your feet are sore you've got to try this place . read more

I love the So Relax at UTC. I recently moved closer to Mission Valley, so I was thrilled to find out that this was open near my home! It's owned by the same people who do So Relax in UTC. I loved it!! I can't wait to go back again. Located near Micheals and Wenzel's prezells in mission valley mall, it's a great escape when your stressed from life. Warning, if you are not used to Chinese massage, you must remember, you will be wearing all your clothe, but they do massage your butt, and sometimes your inner thigh. If you are not comfortable with that, you have to let them know. Also, Chinese massage is more powerful that american sports massage. I would never ask for deep tissue because the deep tissue for them is very very powerful, and can hurt. read more

Very intense, at times quite painful! This is Asian massage people. Don't expect to feel fluffy and pampered. This is hard massage for working sore muscles. If you like it hard, then this is the place for you! If not, go to Massage Envy and quit whining! I shopped the Rack next door until people started asking me for help because they thought I worked there. My feet ached worse than when I was pregnant! So I couldn't say no to this place. I chose the combo Foot Reflexology/Chair Massage for 30 min- $33 bucks. The foot massage was very thorough and the guy used an incredible variety of techniques on every square millimeter of my feet! A couple of moves on the soles were painful but I bit my lip and it passed after 20 seconds or so. The rest was heavenly deep tissue massage. Next, I moved to the chair and he massaged my neck back and arms with the same force and variety of technique he used on my feet. At one point he pumped my back several times so hard that I involuntarily grunted and started laughing! I loved the arm and hand work! The neck work was a little deep and hurt, but again, this was brief and I attribute the pain to my chronic tension and long-standing knots. Bottom line: when I walked out, I felt like a million bucks compared to how sore and worn out I felt before! Pain stimulates endorphin release- as they say, "No pain, no gain!" Honestly I can't wait to go back next week and I am thinking I will have to make this a habit! read more

I've never had a problem with So Relax. I have gone to different types of spas and massage places over the years and this is the place to go when your muscles are rock-solid tense. I go here when I know that a pampering ooh-la-la massage with oil in a dim-lit room and New Age music at a fancy spa won't be enough (I go to those places for general maintenance). I need the strength of a So Relax masseur to get to the core of my shoulder and upper back muscles to kick tension's and blockage's ass! I know they have done a good job when I hear the adjustment (*crick*) on my upper back. So yeah, there's a bit of chiropractor treatment as well. This place is not for you if you're seeking frills and gentle touch. They are very nice people, but they don't mess around at So Relax. You don't even have to tell them where you're tense; they totally get it and utilize their knowledge of pressure points and intense massage techniques. Sure, it may hurt or feel sore, but it's the good kind (major toxins being released) to undo the stress. It's the next best thing to acupuncture or even better, get a massage two days after acupuncture. Reading other reviews, yes, there were times the masseurs and masseuses were chatty, or smelled like cigarette smoke (though rarely) or their lunch, but they do such an effective job, I naturally tune all that sh*t out. I always feel great afterwards, walking taller with muscles reset. I am kind of like Claire in that episode of Modern Family where she gets a mall massage minus the vocalizations. LOL P.S. Drink plenty of water afterwards to ensure you pee out the toxins, otherwise they will tense up your muscles again! Word. read more

I went here and asked for a 30 minute neck and shoulder massage and they guided me to the table. One guy started on my neck and someone else started touching my legs. I said, again, neck and shoulders only. They said okay and the one guy started on my shoulders again, but started going a little farther down my back, which I was fine with. He then started to massage my butt and thighs. I had to say stop and repeated that I only wanted neck and shoulders. Two more times he started to touch my butt and things again and I had to ask him to stop. It was awful. I should have left after the first time, but I felt stuck. I totally understand this is no spa--it's a mall massage, but basic consent should not be an issue, especially after expressing you don't want to be touched somewhere repeatedly. On top of that, the cost of 30 minutes on the table is listed as $38, but he charged me $50. I shouldn't have, but I paid it--at that point I really just wanted to leave and not have to negotiate extremely basic things with this guy anymore. read more

This place used to be excellent. Not any more! Twice in a row I've had the massage therapist swap out mid-massage while I was I the table and then swap back right at the end, as if I wouldn't notice. Tonight, they switched and the second guy continued working on the same hip the first guy had been roughly jabbing for 25 minutes ( I've had a lot of deep tissue massage and there's some finesse to doing it properly). He never actually worked on the other hip until I pointed out that they both had worked on the same side, so he used 10 more minutes to rough up the same area a THIRD time, cutting into the time allocated for the foot reflexology, and they barely worked on my upper back and shoulders. Mind you, they also ignored my loud ouches and flinching. I really sold have walked out before completing the torture session. I won't be back. read more

Horrible experience!! This is not a massage place what so ever. They pound on you and make you feel like a piece of meat being beat out to cook for dinner! 3-4 minutes of that and I got up and left feeling in more pain and motion sickness! For your own health and welfare I would HIGHLY recommend you don't stop here. How they're in business is beyond me. It's probably a front for some thing else. read more

I received the best massage I've ever paid for;however, I ended up with an $84 chemical burn around my ankles. As a bonus, I was charged $10 more than the agreed upon price! read more

He did a decent job with the massage, but overcharged me and pressured me to give a more than 25% tip rather than letting me add my own amount when I signed the charge slip. Will not return. read more

HORRIBLE !!!! I was shopping at Nordstrom rack, and decided to kill sometime and walked into So Relax. They guided me to sit down, and review my options. There was an instant language barrier but I clearly pointed to the 30'minute foot massage & a 15 minute neck massage. When the massage began, about 10-15 minutes after I arrived, I quickly knew this was a mistake. The massage was isolated and repetitive, no relief. Simply annoying. The massage itself was also so unpleasant. Poor older gentleman was overworked and not trained. When it came to the neck massage, I made an excuse to end the experience early, but of course was happy to pay for what I asked for---$45. Upon check out, they charged me for the time that I was asked to wait for session. They wrote the time on the board for when I arrived, not when my services started!! --$60 The younger man working there raised his voice at me, angerly pointing at the board with the time, yelling at me saying "you call us liars? We don't lie!" It was so hostile and so wrong, they had 3 workers standing around bullying me with their eyeballs, I handed them my card and got dooped $15 extra just to get the heck outta there. It was such an insult to injury in so many ways. Extremely disappointed. An entire waste of money, time, and overall an abusive experience. Terrible. read more

Pro- You can walk in off the street and get pounded for a few minutes by these folks for about $1.50 a minute. No appointment, no waiting. The place is dark and clean. The pounding, however painful, does seem to work. Cons- For some reason many of the men smell like chicken. Which is a little distracting. Also, this is an up selling kind of joint. Don't expect to walk in for a 10 or 15 minute shot without constantly being reminded what a tightwad you are that you won't go get the 60 minute table massage. Alright this is an update. To the chick with the brown roxy shoes there...I hate you. You took my pummeling too far. You hurt me and I wish nothing but bad things for you, and my money back. When I told you it hurt you should have eased up you sadist. read more

I tried So Relax with my wife just before our vacation in Vegas in June. For the first time, a business I'm reviewing gets a single star from me. The experience was not relaxing. In fact, this was one of the worst services I've ever paid money for. The gentleman that did my massage was entirely too rough. I asked him several times to ease up. He would, but for about 30 seconds before grinding down again. I actually felt bad criticizing him so many times...but the experience was simply not enjoyable, and almost painful. Believe me, I tried to just tell myself to relax and enjoy that. I then got a foot massage, thinking there was no way that could really be screwed up (plus my wife wasn't done with her chair massage yet). The boss lady seemed pretty mean to her employees. She would scold in Vietnamese the lady that was doing my massage, glance at me and realize I was watching, and cheerfully smile at me as if I had no idea anything was wrong. I felt kinda...I dunno, like she was perceiving me as a dumb white tourist? The icing on the cake that was our visit...the next morning, having woken up in our hotel room and moved around a bit, my wife and I both realized we were really sore. --And not the psychological kind, either--I started to suspect I was getting the flu (does anyone else get that? the full-body soreness just before a bad flu?). Time later proved I had not. The one good thing I took away from this disaster was that I'll never feel bad turning this group down for "free massage!" the next time I'm cruising through the MV mall. I don't even want to give them a second chance. read more

The moment you even project a *hint* that you're interested in a massage, one of the workers at the door will try and entice you through the door by giving you a shoulder rub. Once you're in - SUCKER!!! Lol. Just kidding. Well, sorta. If you are one of those people who can't handle deep tissue massages, just keep walking past the shop and don't make eye contact. It's the kind of massage spot where there's only one level of pressure - hard. In fact, I think you have to be a bit of a masochist to get a massage here. But, they get the job done. Walk-ins welcome. Little to no waiting. Convenient if you want a quickie, during your lunch break, before going back to work. You can equivocate So Relax as the wham bam thank you ma'am of massage parlours. I got an older gentleman who had a friendly demeanor. He didn't smell like cigarette smoke. Thank goodness! He was even nice enough to ask me if I was okay during the massage. Granted, it's been years since I've had a massage, but it hurt like heck. I opted to not ask for any pressure adjustments because 1) I figured it might be useless to ask and 2) I really needed the kinks worked out. It was going to hurt no matter what because of my crazy, huge knots. My 30 minute chair massage cost me $33. My masseuse worked on the knots, eased the tension off of my neck and cracked my back. I have to say that I loved it. I walked out feeling way better than when I walked in. Yes, I was sore the next day; but, that's to be expected when you don't get deep tissue massages on a regular basis. I don't mind a little pain. You know, those masochistic tendencies. I'll be back in a few weeks for another beating. Errr...I mean massage. =P read more

Its official, i'm on a new kick: chair massages. After my wonderful experience at the So Relax Bonita location, I decided it was worth a try to head down the road for a local quickie massage. It was fine. No, it was fine plus 2. My main issue is that the dude who gave me my massage had apparantly smoked three cartons of cigarettes simultaneously just minutes before I got arrived and didn't remember/care/? to wash his hands, his clothes, his entire self before massaging me. Now, cigarette smoke, ok, i can handle it. But being massaged by a walking stale cigarette, not my idea of 15 minutes in heaven. Aside from that, really good massage. He woooorked my shoulders and 36 hours later they are still relaxed. So relaxed, if you will. He pulled out some crazy moves and managed to crack my back in a place that usually only the chiropractor can reach, which was pretty much exctasy. Nice decor, indoor location (right down the walkway from Loehmans and Nordstroms rack, nice ambiance. Stop smoking. read more

Wow. I wish I could give negative stars. If so this place gets -5 stars. My shoulders and back have been so knotted I wanted a massage bad enough to come to the mall for one. Big mistake. It starts off with the people basically kidnapping you from the walkway in front of the shop. They follow you as youre walking and pressure you into a chair. "Sit. Just sit. Massage SIT! Sit here! Come in!" O.o So I walk in and sit in a chair and try to relax. I say "try" because its really hard to relax when all the people in the shop are blabbing on and on and on in whatever language they speak right above your head, loudly. Uh. Not "So Relax". Then the "massage" starts and I feel like they're beating the crap outa me. They beat me so bad that I had bruises on my jaw from my face being shoved through the face hole in the massage chair. ???? REALLY???? In the end I still have knots in my shoulders, I am bruised up, and not relaxed. NEVER COME HERE! read more

I'm just being stubborn with the last star, sorry. But anyways, my husband and I just walked in here one afternoon because my husband was very tight in his back. He could barely move when we came in. We were helped right away and we both received really great massages. We decided on both doing the chair massages. I just got a half an hour massage to get some relief from the extreme tension in my neck. My massage was very intense and effective! I enjoyed it very much. The pressure was a lot for me, but I needed it. We should of scheduled my husband for a table massage, but hind sight is 20/20. Instead, he received an hour long chair massage. He left much better than he was when he came in. We are both very happy with the experience we had. We came here because I felt that we would get helped right away and pay a fair price. I was right. Being that we don't usually enjoy massage as part of our life style, this type of walk in massage was just right for us. We would definitely come back again and we look forward to our next visit! read more

Very rough, perhaps this is good "no-pain, no gain"? The part I didn't like was the cigarette smoke from the employees and the constant yelling in Chinese or Korean. I could not tell what they were saying but it was not relaxing to listen to this constant yelling. They cannot understand you so trying to tell them something does no good. This is apparently just one of many locations. The employees have a "script" and do the same massage, regardless of what you ask for. Go somewhere else than the mall for a massage. read more

Surprisingly consistent. I get someone different almost every visit, and they're always working hard/ strong pressure. No appointments is my favorite thing. They don't speak much English, so there's not a lot of chit chat during.. That's a good thing. read more

So Relax - So relaxed. - Massage Near Me - San Diego, California

Not relaxing at all. The man at Mission Valley store with the growth coming out of his cheek actually dislocated and cracked my toe. I've seen a podiatrist and the bone that he dislocated will take years to heal. I still walk but hiking gets painful. read more

This place is pretty nasty. The entire place should be cleaned out and redone. The floors are dirty. The lounge chairs for massage and deeply stained and dirty. It is just a mess here. We decided to cancel our massage after walking into this dirty spot. On a related note, we booked two chair massages. When we arrived to start our massage they said they only had one massage available so one of us would have to wait. Obviously, that was not workable. Fortunately, we were happy for their mistake because the place was disgustingly dirty and we just wanted to get out of there quick and never come back. read more

I read the reviews, good and bad, and then decided to try. If you need a warrior to go to battle on the tension in your body, this is your place. If you are faint of heart and require only gentle and soothing pressure, go somplace else. I had 30 min on the table and 20 min foot reflexology. My back and shoulders had been bothering me for weeks and I couldn't stand it anymore - I'm so glad I stopped in on my lunch break. It's intense at times, but they are working hard to release the toxins you've been storing in your body from all of your stress. Just relax and breathe through it. I would go there again. read more

This is the terrible place! I found it! I came in today July 10, 2014 at 7:20 PM and I so two dudes playing games on their cell phones. I walked in nobody paid attention to me and then when my massage session started the guy kept on getting phone calls and he will just like put one hand on me and hold the cell phone with the other hand. I got up and left. All i heard is sorry sorry please come back! Pooooooooooor service! read more

I went to the Horton Plaza location, and had a pretty good experience. This kind of massage isn't what most people think of when they hear the word "massage" -- no gentle music, aromatherapy, or aura of pampering here. If that is the kind of massage you're looking for, that's cool, but this isn't the right place for you. If you're sore, or you have a crick in your neck and just want the problem fixed, this place will do the trick. It is a brisk, business-like, goal-oriented kind of massage, that works the knots out really well. The shop was clean, and everything was hygenic. The proprietors were a bit brusque, but they got the job done. I'll definitely go back when my shoulder starts knotting up again. read more

AWESOME!! ITS NOT A BEAUTY SPA , so if you are fragile, or want to get sugar rubbed all over u or wrapped in sea weed.... not your cup of tea! this is a no appointment needed facility.I never have more than $20 to throw down, but if I stop by I can pay $15 and in ten-15 minutes I have relief from my extreme pain, and migraines. this is not for people WHO PREFER SUPERFICIAL MASSAGES!! if YOU STOPPED IN AFTER GOING TO NORDSTROMS , GETTING Starbucks AND ARE about to NAILS DONE!? you want to go somewhere else. I play roller derby, have a great deal of pain from time to time in my shoulders and neck and this place ALWAYS does the trick. They work the pressure points fast, and I dont need them to speak English, as another yelper insists because I can read , and I know what gratitude looks like , they are plenty courteous. read more

He left bruises on my back and I told him twice to use less pressure but he didn't listen. He pushed so hard that my neck was being hurt. I ended injuring my back too. Don't day you haven't been warned. Shell out the extra $30 and save your back. GO TO A PROFESSIONAL!!! read more

My wife is chinese and goes for massages quite often. We are by no means wealthy people. This place gives you a great massage for a decent price. I however have never been massaged other than simply asking my wife for back or shoulder rubs. Now when my wife said I am not sure of your pain tolerance but brace yourself, I must admit I was a little frightened. The massage is a deep tissue and lets just say at times it gets a little painful, but in a good way. I went for the chair massage for 30 mins. Walked out feeling great, but a little sore today. Wife said it's very normal because you aren't used to the deep tissue massage. As today goes by I feel better and better and I honestly would love to go back in way more often. Just remember unless you specify you will get Deep Tissue. read more

Saw it across from where I had dinner and thought a 20 minute massage would be nice. The guy almost broke my ribs it was like he was just poking me hard in spots with no flow or concept. Woke up very sore with bruises on my back. The chair smelled of strong men's cologne which I stank of after. He talked to the other workers loudly as he massaged, not relaxing at all. Waste of money unless you like to pay to be tortured. read more

This is the REAL CHINESE MASSAGE that you would literally get in China: trigger points, and a massage which involves pushing, stretching and kneading the muscle, so yes it can hurt. It's highly effective though. It is literally like being transported to a massage salon in China, so you get all of the cultural habits that come along with So Relax (Chinese music & behavior) but its the real deal! If you like an aromatherapeutic oil massage, this won't be your place. If you like strong hands kneading your tissue and pressure points, these are your guys. What a masseuse does for $100 in 1 h., So Relax can do for $18USD in 15 min. I treated my 60-year old Uncle to one, who's had few if any massages in his life, and he walked out floating. read more

Ok I have read all the reviews.. agree on English for sure, none of them speak any English so it was hard to communicate for sure. Giving 5 stars for the massage, I truly loved every part of it. Had 30 minutes, then stayed for 60 minutes. Planing on going soon. They were very nice to me. Polite and everything so I write my experience with them ;) read more

Can't speak to experience of others; but my table massage & wife's foot massage was very good. Right pressure, right price, good customer service. Only complaint is Cash Only, not prepared to accept plastic. read more

I just needed a quick massage for tension I've been holding in my neck and shoulders. It was a great place to stop in for a quick fix.