Lisa Nails

I went to La Nails last week for the first time in several months.
I had planned on using a gift certificate that my husband bought
me a year or so ago. To my surprise they would not accept it
due to a change in ownership. I told the woman that I thought that
was a poor business decision since I would never come back again,
and I would no longer recommend the salon.

I hear good things about this place, since the extensive remodel and new management. La nails is back on my list!

Checked out La Nails Spa with a friend due to its high Unilocal reviews. To my disappointment, the service was mediocre. Requested medi and pedi, pedi was descent. But medi was a whole other story.
Requested Shellac French, the lady used almost empty soft pink as a base (didn’t want to say anything because I figured she’ll make it look good some how), so the pink tone left slight stripes on the nail. After putting the white french, the tip was bumpy and look unprofessional. To ensure the white is straight, she used acetone to clean the edges, which removed some of the pink base. Therefore, the nail started off stripy pink, faded into natural tone (no polish), then white bumpy french.
Shellac French was almost twice the cost of standard french, therefore, I paid $ 77 total (including tips) for the service. I’d rather pay $ 100 as I did in other nail spas but a MUCH better quality job.
Took my polish off. This is the worst quality I’ve had experienced yet.

I love this place! I’m new to the area and was in search for a nail and waxing place and found this on Unilocal.So glad I did!
I called on a Sunday morning and booked a same-​day appt thru Mary who was very nice and pleasant and accommodated my schedule. She even told me all services are 20% off — WOO-​HOO! $ 32 for a classic mani-​pedi is right up my alley.
The place itself is quite small upon entrance but the décor and music give it a cozy atmosphere. You have your choice of a massage (with standard foot tub) or lounge chair (comfy brown recliners where the pedi is done over a large bowl of water drenched in lavender oil and rose petals). There is a wide assortment of OPI polishes with some Essie and China Glaze as well.
For those looking to host a bridal party or girls day of pampering, have no fear, there is a second room with a ton of addl lounge chairs to fit your group.
Tracy and Lin took care of my nails and both were fantastic. Lin finished my day with the waxing and did a very clean and thorough job. I was very impressed!
Mary took over the business just a a week or two ago so I have no clue what this place was like before but I think it’s a good thing she now has the reins. Highly recommended!

I’ve been to the salon twice and both times I noticed that while the atmosphere is pleasant and the place is clean, the service is not quite stellar. First time, the technician was in a middle of an angry telephone call with her husband while doing my nails, making our communications somewhat strained. She wasn’t really paying attention to what she was doing. And even though at the end, she did a fair job, the experience was strangely unpleasant.
The second time, Lynn did my nails and she was very sweet but needed constant direction. And while very happy to take suggestions, she did not do some very obvious things like actually clean under the nails.
But the thing that left the most impression was the owner who took a look at my nails that had a glittery top coat (which I own and brought with me) and rushed to tell me that any design is extra. It was just nail polish with glitter– no design. Much easier to put on than some dark solid colors and it was no expense to them. (btw, they had NO glitter polishes of their own which is why I brought my own) But her knee jerk response felt unpleasant and unthoughtful. I was really hoping for a better service skills from such a highly rated salon. Fact is, I may go back again but I felt compelled to write about it.

I normally love this place, but I have stopped going because i made an appointment and they didnt honor it. When I showed up (on time of course) they told me it would be at least 45 minutes and asked me to come back later.
This is a really big disappointment because I love their work — but I cant rely on a business that *may or *may not honor your appointment time.
Like I said, big disappointment because the quality of their work is so nice.

Just passing by and hoped this place would be a great find. Unfortunately not for me.
*No tables and chairs– recliner style sofa seats. This might be great for someone wanting super relaxation during a pedicure… But not for me who just wants to sit and get my nails done! Honestly, I was very uncomfortable.
*Gel nails were not smooth– there were bubbles/​bumps. This is the most important part too! After wiping gel with alcohol it became less shiny! I’ve never seen that before… That’s why I get gel for the shine! I told the girl it was making it less shiny and she said «no, it makes it stronger»… So from this point I didn’t want to fuss any further and wanted to get out of this place!
I really wanted to have a new go to nail spot but I guess the search is still on!

Went there today to get my eyebrows cleaned up.
I have been to a few different places for my eyebrows but I came here this time because I wanted to go during lunch and needed something closeby. I don’t know the name of the person who did them but she spent so much time and attention making sure that everything was right. I’ve been to a lot of places where they put the wax on, take it off, and clean up the sides a little bit. But this person really took her time.
Five stars for the attention to detail and solid price.

Before I go into my review, let me preface that this is based on only 1 experience and if it not had been for one particular incident that happened during the visit this place would’ve easily gotten 4 stars from me.
I came here with my cousin who was getting married and we both got a mani/​pedi the day before her wedding. Once we arrived we both though that place was very cute and seemed like a hidden gem. Once inside they have a wall lined with oh-​so-​comfy recliners. We were seen promptly at our appointment time and each were started with our pedicures. They did a great job but just as I was getting done with my mani/​pedi (which took 1 ½ hours) my cousin, the bride, still needed her manicure finished. Now the salon was starting to pick up so the lady who was working on my cousin turned here over to one of the other employees. So this 2^nd lady left right before putting on the top coat on my cousin’s nails when another customer came in. So we’re both just sitting there waiting for someone to come and finish with her top coat. By the way, this was about 2 hours later! So the first employee had already started with another customer and was doing a pedicure. My cousin flagged her down saying she still needed the top coat on her fingernails. This is where the 1 star comes in… Remember she had already started a pedicure and was wearing gloves and she comes over to my cousin, and before I could even say anything she grabbed my cousin’s hands and put on the top coat on her fingernails. SHE NEVER TOOK CHANGED OR TOOK OFF HER GLOVES THAT HAD BEEN TOUCHING AND SCRUBBING SOMEONE ELSE’S FEET!!! EWWW! EWWW! EWWW! And this is the reason why I gave this place 1 star. That is just gross and unacceptable.

Tonight was my 2^nd visit. I’d been here months ago, back when I was still in the doom and gloom of Seattle and scoping out a new place to live.
Fast forward – I’m living here, loving the weather, and couldn’t have been more pleased during my return trip to La Nails.
Linda, the owner, did my Fresh Fresh pedi and I was really pleased with the results. My toes look great, and my calluses are at bay (at least until tomorrow’s run).
We spent a bit of time tonight chatting about her new baby, future plans to expand the salon, and some of her challenges with finding reliable employees who can provide good service. I really came away with the sense that she cares a great deal about her business and clientele.
This is my new go-​to nail place. Even though it means a short drive, as opposed to several nail salons within walking distance, I’ll happily make the trek from now on.

Very comfortable and relaxing. Nice girls, good mani pedi good prices and discount for cash.
UPDATE: New owners. Lost cute feel. Now like any other nail place. Now has spa chairs too, which I don’t like.

I received a gift certificate to LA Nails this Christmas, and after reading all the great reviews on Unilocal,I was super excited for my Rose pedi and manicure. When the bowl was brought out with the rose milk bath, my feet screamed in excitement. It smelled SO good! And my feet literally smelled like roses long afterwards. Loved it! Tracy did my pedicure and she was awesome. My toes look amazing. I didn’t get the name of the girl who did my manicure, but she also did a fantastic job.
The salon itself is very cute. Love the recliners. They have the dark brown ones now, and they’re unbelievably comfortable! They envelope you when you sit down, its quite dangerous! I like the feel of the salon, with its soft lighting and cute décor. I really like how they use individual bowls for their pedicures, that way you don’t have to stick your feet into germ infested jet tubs like in most salons.
I had my appointment almost near closing time, and my ride didn’t arrive until after 5pm, when the salon was already closed. Tracy was very nice and let me wait inside as opposed to standing out in the cold. I’m sure a lot of other salons would have just kicked you out no matter what, but I really appreciated that act of kindness. It WAS freezing outside. Thanks Tracy!

Really nice small salon, pretty clean. I went there based on all the good reviews I read, but I am not so happy with the work they did. I did acrylics, my nails turned out to be bumpy and have bubbles from gel.
I don’t think I’ll go there again.

I enjoyed the mani pedi here. The person who took care of me was way pregnant and I was a bit nervous but she was lovely, asked me what I thought, treating me like a person not just a pair of feet! The massage was nice. The chairs were interesting and comfy and I was offered tea.
It was 15 dollars more than what I pay in the city but I will be back.

This place was really cute. I felt like I was back in Taiwan at some cute nail place there. The ladies were all pretty polite and friendly, not the most talkative bunch but they weren’t mean. And they didn’t ignore you and only talk to each other in non-​English. They offer you tea, have assorted candies and cookies in the waiting area, too.
I got the mani/​pedi combo. Another reason it feels like you’re in a cute house or cottage is cause nothing is very nail like in the furnishings. You sit on comfy recliners, you put your feet in large glass bowls with pretty accent colored smooth pebbles in them, you put your hand in a smaller glass bowl with more cute pebbles in them.
The place didn’t smell like toxic nail stuff. The ipod is playing smooth, relaxing women friendly music, no hd tv in here blaring the stressful evening news.
They heat up the lotion they use for your foot and hand/​arm massages which is a great touch.
I really enjoyed my outing here and would come back.

Ooo, I feel gorgeous! I had an excellent experience at La Nails on Monday – considerably better than the first (a bloody event that I hope never to relive). I was able to relax this time around. I could tell «Tracy» was an experienced technician and I didn’t have to worry about losing any digits to the cuticle trimmer.
I got a very meticulous French manicure just in time for my French vacation. I got a great little massage and took a quick nap in the recliner. I was mercifully allowed doze until the 8 year-​old girl next to me asked loudly «Is that lady asleep?».
In addition to great service they keep their lady’s magazines stocked and current, they offer tea and snacks, and they also have a full complement O.P.I, Essie, and China Glaze polishes in nearly every color.
This is really the best value in San Mateo. They are offering a Mani/​Pedi special for $ 35 this month! And bring cash, you get a tiny discount for paying cash instead of using credit.

If you are in a pinch and just need that mani-​pedi I would recommend you drop into La Nails Spa. The salon was clean, well lit, prompt, had good color selection, nice massage and scrub. It’s the perfect spot for a lunchtime pedi.
The ladies here are courteous and do a good job at a basic pedicure, which is what I got. The prices are reasonable as well. They charge half as much as some other places nearby. They do not use bowls with fresh water every time. The water could have been a little warmer, but I could have asked for that, too. They do listen to your requests. And best of all, no crazy crowds!
The only reason I gave it three starts is that it’s just A-​OK, but nothing above and beyond. Overall, I recommend it for a good basic pedicure.

3.5 to 4 stars. My husband got me a gift certificate for this salon a couple years ago, but we lost it in the house. It miraculously turned up recently, so I decided to take advantage of it. However, I did not notice that the certificate had an expiration date one year after purchase. They were nice and accepted the certificate anyway (after I gently protested and said that I thought CA law did not allow expirations on gift certificates and pointed out that they had received payment for the certificate).
Fortunately, I got a good mani/​pedi. It’s the first time I haven’t had to point out mistakes, so I was very pleased with that part (hence the high rating). The woman who did my manicure picked a nice color for my nails (brought my own for pedicure). The ladies were polite, but not terribly friendly. The older one who did the manicure was better than the younger one who did the pedicure. Another customer who was a walk-​in got much more attentive service than me despite also being a first-​time customer, which makes me think that the gift certificate incident or the fact that I wasn’t paying for any upgraded special services was a factor, but I wouldn’t know since everyone was speaking to each other in their native tongue and I’m not Asian. Alas, I’m not dowgrading their rating for this because it happens at just about every nail salon in the country (when will they figure out that it’s just plain rude?).
The only thing I didn’t particularly care for was that they do your mani/​pedi at the same time while you’re sitting in the chair, so you have to reach over with both hands to one side while keeping your feet still. It’s not the most relaxing pose. Still, the fact that I walked out with perfectly clean and polished nails without having to point out a bunch of mistakes means that I would come back. The manicure lasted almost a week and the pedicure is going on two and still looks good.

This is officially my new pedi haven. I was in the market for a new nail salon. Recently came here and was so impressed with everything. I’m glad I don’t have to try any more salons — this is the one!
Smiley and friendly staff = smiley and friendly Kelly
Big basin bowls for soaking feet = no gross lurking fungus
Reclining lazy boy chairs = nap time
Smooth feet and purdy toes = I’m a happy camper!

Go ahead with no worries. They have a clean place, nice employees, good specials, offer beverages, nice massage during the manicure or pedicure, relaxing music, quiet, and the place smells good. For a few dollars more they also take requests like flowers painted on toes. As George Castanza might say, «It’s Spring baby!.»