PINKY Nail Boutique

Great mani pedi while in DC on business. I only had an hour but was double teamed — and offered champagne — and left thrilled and on time. I’ll be back!

Another great mani! I was a little nervous to try someone new since Jenny did such a good job last time, but this manicurist was just as detailed and careful. I also got a pedicure, and she patiently helped me find the perfect nude-​ish pink. This is a high quality salon!

Think I just found my new saloon for manicure/​pedicure in the DC area. The staff greeted me with an infectious smile, and all attended to my needs with grace.
And did I mention, they make a phenomenal mimosa I highly recommend the establishment to my family and friends.

I was sooooo disappointed by this place, especially since it got such good reviews. First of all, they messed up my gel mani and then attempted to fix it, which was nice of them but it took forever. But the worst part of it was that after 2 days, the gel mani is already chipping. My nails have never looked so bad (I’m super picky about my nails). I am very disappointed especially since it was so expensive. Bottom line, I won’t be returning.

I got a pedicure here with Daniel. It was my first time at this salon. Overall, I was happy with the service and the results. I felt like he took his time, and he was thorough. It was a weekday after work and there were only a handful of customers there. The complimentary beverage was also a nice touch. I had made an appointment and was seated right away. I think you have to make an appointment because that’s how they determine their staffing needs. A couple people walked-​in and it seemed to throw off the technicians — there was some confusion about what to do and how long the wait would be etc. They seemed stressed. They didn’t have a person at the front desk so it was kind of annoying for everyone (technicians and customers) since they had to stop to greet walk-​ins.
Why not a 5 star? Weeell…
They have a series of small screens on one entire wall (facing the pedicure chairs) playing music videos. It was loud and irritating. I don’t really want to hear that when I’m trying to have a little pampering experience after work. Maybe others like that but not me. It felt out of place to me. It felt like getting your nails done at the bar. Then the manicure/​pedicure stations were all bare (no lamps, bottles etc). I’ve never seen that at a nail salon before. They were using these little Container Store type plastic containers that they had tucked away in certain places for carrying around their equipment. They also don’t have a drying station. They use small plastic fans. There seemed to be quite a bit of improvising on everything. The décor/​furniture in general just seemed off for a nail salon — it was the opposite of cozy. I couldn’t help wonder why they haven’t made the effort to make the place look a bit more spa-​like. They’ve been open a full year. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it lacks that comfortable/​relaxing/​inviting ambiance.
If you have a more utilitarian attitude, then I think they’re a decent option.

My favorite nail salon n spa… me n my girls go to place… always super friendly and very fast n top notch service…

This place is great! It was one of the few places I could find open late on a Saturday.
I called ahead and the service was great. I was greeted at the front and offered a drink. My boyfriend came in to wait and they showed him to a seat next to me and offered him a drink too. The entire place is gorgeous, even the bathroom. There were lots of little screens with music videos playing.
I got a gel manicure. Nothing exciting, my nails just needed a little rehab. It has a couple bubbles in it, but is otherwise perfect.
Only negatives: There are no sample nails so you can tell the actual color of the polish. And you pay a couple dollars more for using a card rather than cash. And you can’t tip on the card — only cash tips.

The BEST place in AdMo. The salon is beautiful and clean. I felt like i was in a full service spa. I made an appointment and was seen right on time. I was offered a cocktail complimentary and got to sit back and relax during my pedicure. Sadly for me there was an annoying lady complaining about the a la cart price to have extra services done sitting near me who ruined my relaxation. Like hello you are in a major city have you never had a pedicure before. You are not in Ohio getting a $ 10 pedicure, as she kept referencing. I do not find the pricing to be any higher than anywhere else.
Other then the annoying disturbance next to me, I am obsessed with this place and return weekly.
Thank for you being a great asset to the neighborhood and always making my nails look amazing!

The first time I went I had a great experience. Tammy was my nail technician and did an excellent job.
I was eager to go back. A month later I made another appointment for a manicure and a pedicure. I asked for Tammy but was told she was on vacation.
I’m disappointed with cuticle work done on my second visit. It was subpar and didn’t really look like I got a manicure once everything was done. Also, my nail polish begin to chip badly 3 days later so I ended up removing polish. After removing the polish I realized my natural nail bed was filed down too much. Now my nails are weak and look scratchy. I have natural long strong nails and now its going to take a while for me to grow everything out. Smh…
On a positive note the atmosphere is pleasant. The complimentary refreshments are nice. Also, the manager is very personable and friendly.

Queenie spent two hours giving me a gel mani and pedi. Attention to detail was incredible. She was friendly with me and didn’t talk with others, was so focused. Best nail salon service and place I’ve ever been to.

I went to Pinky’s a few weeks ago on a Sunday to get a gel manicure. When I arrived, I was greeted promptly by a guy sitting at the desk. From what I read in other reviews, I assumed that this guy was the owner, but after my visit, I’m not sure what to believe.
I was told to choose my color and was shown where to sit. The salon is absolutely beautiful and the complimentary mimosa I was offered was delicious and potent. That rocks. My nails also turned out beautifully. I had a hand surgery two days later and the surgeon and nurses raved about how great my nails looked for quite some time. That was fantastic.
Honestly, I thought that I would be giving this place 5 stars for sure. I just knew that this would be my new nail spot and that I would always go here. Unfortunately, the level of customer service I received was extremely lacking.
There weren’t even that many people there, but no one was really paying me any attention because some woman was upset about there nails. I guess she didn’t like them or something. So, the one technician who was supposed to be doing my nails left me sitting there for about 15 minutes while she worked on the other lady. (I had an appointment, though.)
After that, she started working on my nails, but continued to go back to the other lady. She literally focused on this lady the whole time. I could not understand why that lady was even still in there. The guy at the front desk who was so kind at first was also extremely focused on this lady. I’d also like to note that the lady who did my nails had the worst attitude ever. Maybe she was just annoyed with whatever the situation was with the other client, but I didn’t do anything and I shouldn’t have had to deal with that.
When my nails were finished, I had to wait for over 7 minutes (I timed it because I couldn’t believe it) to pay my money. They were focused on a different person at this point. The guy apologized to me at the end and said that they were short staffed that day.
I told him not to worry about it and that I would still give a good review because other than the strange customer service, I really enjoyed my experience. I said «I’ll come back during the week and try it again.» I was going to come and get a pedicure and see if things were better on a day when they had more staff. I believe that at this point he told me that the lady who did my nails was the owner. That is when I decided that I would never return. I didn’t like her one bit and I would never give money to an establishment that was owned by her rude self.
Would I recommend Pinky’s to someone? No.

I went to PINKY’s Nail boutique last night for the second time and had a great experience. I absolutely love the décor and the fact that they serve you drinks! The complimentary champagne is much appreciated. I went to test a gel manicure in preparation for my wedding. I was hoping to get a reverse french manicure and showed the kind gentleman at the front desk my inspiration photo. He said it was certainly possible and informed me it would be an extra $ 15.
I had Evie (most likely not spelled this way) and she really surpassed my expectations! The final result looked great and I even had other women in the nail salon complimenting how great my nails looked.
This place is a great addition to the Adams Morgan neighborhood. I can’t wait to see what other types of gel manicures they can do! The salon is clean, they have a wide selection of gel colors and were able to fit me in within 2 hours of closing time.

A few weeks after posting my review, the owner called and apologized for my experience. He also offered another visit to make up for the experience. Additionally, he mentioned that the tech who injured my cuticles was let go.
I appreciate the owner’s apology, and he seemed genuinely concerned about my experience. However, it’s just hard to erase a bad experience. Based on all of the positive reviews, maybe I just got them on a bad day.

Still 5 stars! I went back for fill #2 with Jenny and am still as pleased as the first time! About 20 mins after leaving one of my nails cracked in half. I’m not sure what caused that, but I came back and Jenny fixed it good as new! I’m used to nail salons having a bad attitude about having to fix thing, but this was NOT my experience at all. I bet you can’t even tell which nail was fixed! I’ll be back for a pedicure and fill in 2 weeks like clockwork! Pinky is hands down the best nail salon in DC… Always friendly, always quality work, always clean. Thanks, Jenny!

I’ve been waiting to write this review so that I could base it on several visits, but I can tell you I love this place. The owner, Jack (whom I like to call Pinky), is the nicest host, and tries to make sure everyone has an ideal experience. After disappointing experiences at a couple of other nail salons, I think I found a home for my cuticles.
As you walk up the stairs into the salon, mosaic tiles and a mirror cover one wall by an ultra-​modern sink. A refrigerator is below with water, juice, and sparkling wine, which you are offered when you sit. Video screens are built into the mirrored walls so that everyone can watch the hat ever YouTube videos are featured. The nail color display has a light feature, there are little screens with koi pond displays as you step up into your spa chair. The place is immaculate.
The color selection is good — goes beyond OPI and Essie. They have gel and acrylic options. Regular pedicures and spa pedicures. The spa pedicure gets you more time with great scrubs (lavender, green tea, or milk and honey), lotion massage, mask on your legs, and hot towels. You’ll be melting into your spa chair. Callous remover is still extra, but you aren’t pressured to add this service. Definitely worth it to spring for the spa pedicure.
They’ll keep your drink flowing as they bring you down to the tables for your manicure/​fill. They’re even renovating the next floor up to have more space for group salon experiences. Best to make an appointment, their calendar fills up fast, and they will be honest and tell you if they are booked solid and cannot accommodate your request, which I appreciate.
I brought several friends through already, and everyone has a great experience. We’ve seen Danh, Tam, and Tammy — all wonderful, and everyone is friendly. This past week, Jack called me to ask if we could make our appointments a little earlier, since he knew I was bringing a close friend and he wanted to make sure we were well cared for. Super considerate.
Note: if you pay in cash, they will discount. Credit card charges are built in to the regular fees, but they take them out when you pay cash. Tips are cash only!

My appointment was on March 4, today is March 21. Two & a half weeks later and my gel manicure is still going strong! No chips, no peels, nothing.
Yvonne was great. The salon is cute, bright and clean. No complaints about the polish wall, they have a few mood changing polishes that caught my eye but since it was my first time I chose a basic nude, OPI Kyoto Pearl.
Overall, definitely worth the $$…and who can say no to complimentary champagne?!

Having been going to Pinky for 6 months now, I want to reiterate that it is the best place in the DC area hands down. The quality is unmatchable — I’ve ran to other places closer to home when I couldn’t get out to Pinky, but I found my nails breaking, peeling, etc. within days whereas a Pinky visit keeps my nails in perfect shape for three weeks.
I see Yvonne here at Pinky and she is flawless, fast, and thorough. She has an eye for what is trendy, but always listens to what I want and makes recommendations (ex. Color/​shape) that I consistently end up loving! I’ve been traveling a lot the last two months, and people are going crazy for Yvonne’s work. In Europe, all young ladies I met kept asking me where I got my nails done at. Every tech here, though, is of top quality, so I promise you will be happy no matter who works their magic on you.
I also want to clarify their pricing. Previously, I mentioned it was a little high but I rescind that. It’s on par with other salons, but here you get quality that lasts and an amazing, personalized experience! It is worth every penny and consistently surprises me because I would expect higher prices for such superior service. This is NOT one of those salons that nickel & dimes you (you know you’ve been to one…).
Please call and make an appointments; you will be so satisfied!

So I went here based on the glowing reviews and I had a good experience.
I called and made an appointment and asked for the person that does acrylic the best because I’m super particular about it and I just haven’t really been able to find a place that meets my standard. The meek, light speaking woman on the phone recommended Yvonne, so I went with her recommendation.
I made my appointment for about an hour after I called. It’s easy to miss the place but if you pass Smoke and Barrel, you’ve gone to far. I climbed the steps and a pristine salon awaited me at the top. They offer you a drink upon arrival, including champagne (of course I got the champagne) they have a great selection of color, but it would be nice if they put the gel colors on samples because it’s hard to see what they will look like since the bottles are opaque.
Let’s start with pros, Yvonne did a beautiful job on my nails. I got a full set with a matte gel mani. She did my ballerina shape very well because she wasn’t lazy and didn’t try to cut corners by literally cutting the corner of the nail like some places do. She filed it to get the shape correct. I loved that she did three or four thin coats of gel before she put on the top coat. I loved that i was offered refills on my champagne because some places will give you one glass and not try to give any more. My pedicure was fine, nothing to write home about, but I feel like most pedicure experiences are like this.
Now to cons, this place is sorely overpriced. I’ve been in DC for 25 years (born and raised) and I have neverrrrrrr seen a place charge $ 45 for a full set, but that’s how much it costs here, not including the polish. You get a $ 3 discount if you pay in cash. While Yvonne did a good job on my nails, she was really rough. I had three cuts to my fingers that she had to put antiseptic on. This annoyed me because the stuff hurts and if she were gentler I wouldn’t have had to endure that. Also, there are quite a few bubbles on some nails and they’re black so it’s easy to see if you look close enough. Overall my services were $ 90 plus the $ 10 I gave Yvonne so $ 100 total. This was for a full set, gel polish and a pedicure. The old place I went to, which was also over priced, would run be about $ 85 for the same services.
I plan to keep trying other places to see if i can find somewhere with quality and cost consciousness but if I’m unable to find the Holy Grail I will most likely to be back to see Yvonne… after my scars heal.

*insert champagne emojis here*
All around amazing!!! Reading the reviews and website info before I arrived left me still impressed. This shop is run by the most welcoming people. I spent Saturday afternoon in the shop for some much needed birthday pampering. They took SUCH good care of me. My tech TAMMY never let my glass run dry, she kept the complimentary chilled sparkling wine flowing. They even played happy birthday on the TVs for me!!! Almost cried. :))))) thank you so much
I’m gonna start with Quality, because let’s be honest besides the free wine a great nail job is the most important.
QUALITY is superb, SHE TOOK HER TIME, no polish left on my fingertips. Smooth application, I didn’t have to give my opinion (you know sometimes you have to speak up and tell them they missed a cuticle) I’ve only had one other gel mani as good as this and it was across from Bloomingdales in New York City. PINKY is right here is DC and the price point is competitive.
You also get a discount if you pay cash. Sweet.
Okay here’s some Deets:
Appointment: I made my appointment by phone, Jenny giggled when I said my name was Chanel– THEY HAVE CHANEL NAIL POLISHES! They won me over right there. They also carry OPI and OPI hello kitty
Arrival: easy to find. And I love that they are upstairs away from the hustle of Adams Morgan. The place IS SPOTLESS and LUXURIOUS. I walked in and everyone said hello, they offered a plethora of chilled drinks and explained the polish selection. The host was nice without being pushy or rushy.
Space: the décor is unlike anything in the area, it takes your mind to another place. They have LCD screens on the base of the pedi chairs that display what looks like the bottom of a goldfish pond. It’s so cool. There are TVs in the mirrored wall directly across from the pedi chairs — he had a playlist of vevo music videos playing. It was a nice touch. The space is pretty small but you don’t feel it because of all the luxurious accents. It’d be great to being girlfriends and have the whole place to yourselves.
My boyfriend waited downstairs for me, and TAMMY encouraged him to come upstairs. I liked that they didn’t make me feel weird about taking up a seat. There was also another girl that came in after me with her boyfriend. They offered the guys drinks too it was a nice touch. BF had coconut water :) said it was really good.
I will definitely be back.
xoxo
CHANEL

Perfect.
Every nail salon should be this amazing.
They usually work by appointment with very few slots for walk-​ins. I had to call a couple of times to get someone on the phone in order to make an appointment but once I spoke with someone it was very easy.
They sent me a text 2 days before my appointment asking if I wanted to confirm my date and time or if I needed to cancel … Nice!
I got to the boutique a little early (my appointment was for 2:30pm on a Thursday and I showed up at 2:15pm) and as I walked up the stairs I could smell the fresh paint. This place is new, about 5 months old and super clean.
So clean!!!
As I came up the stairs a gentleman greeted me by name. How nice :-) Based on other reviews I take it that he is the owner. He introduced me to my technician and she helped me pick out some OPI colors.
The boutique was almost empty and I was under the impression that they do this on purpose and don’t overbook as to keep the calm environment. Finally a nail boutique that gets it :-)
We did waxing first and let me tell you it was relatively painless. I mean as painless as it can be, lol. Their wax is top notch and smells like chocolate. What’s not to like? Angel, my technician, has such skill and great technique. She asks a lot of questions up front as to make sure that she gives you what you want. She’s super sweet, friendly, and professional, too. She has great attention to detail and takes great pride in her work with over 10 years of experience.
After waxing, she led me to the stylish and sleek pedicure chairs. Before getting seated she asked me if I’d like something to drink. Normally I decline and I started to but then she said the magic word … Champagne? Don’t mind if I do! I don’t even like most champagnes but theirs was yummy and very drinkable.
Oddly I usually can’t relax when I get my nails done because I’m so on edge about getting nicked or poked but I was so zen at this boutique. Maybe it was the champagne but it felt like a spa day. My eyebrows, hands, feet, legs, and even underarms look fabulous.
With a quiet calming environment, wax that smells like chocolate, champagne, and professional technicians this place is a must and is now my go to.
Love, love, love this place. Unilocal did not lie. 5 stars all the way! I am so impressed that I am writing this review while out front of the boutique, lol. Already scheduled my appointment for next month. Can’t wait.