Urban Nail Box - Fremont — Attraction in Seattle

I think that Seattle unfortunately falls into this weird habit of giving places more favorable reviews based on how photogenic the space is rather than fairly evaluating the services they received.

The staff is friendly, sort of, I guess. I didn't feel exactly cared for or welcomed but that's not extremely important to me. It is worth stating, however, that the staff was at times just flat out rude and throughout our time there, they were very obviously annoyed. Which again, not an issue for me, I hate working in a client facing role as well. But, it was my friends birthday and we felt pretty awkward the whole time.

Now for the actual meat of my issue with the service. I got a gel manicure. No nail art. My manicurist did an AMAZING job on my cuticles and I would return without a doubt, just based on the cuticle care but they absolutely botched the gel. It's lumpy, dented, there's pockmarks throughout and less than 24 hours later and they're already dull and scuffed. I went straight home from the salon, haven't exposed my nails to any hot water or anything so... no reason for them to look this worn in already.

In addition to this, their nail color selection is only available via a QR code that is nowhere near accurate. And if you, like me, are at the station furthest from the wall of color, it's sort of painful to watch your manicurist literally sprint to the far side of the salon to fetch colors for you. Just get the swatch sticks... or would that ruin the whole Kim K Limestone Asylum vibe?

I had preemptively booked myself a mani / pedi at Urban Nail Box for my birthday in a couple weeks which I canceled as soon as I left the salon.

My friends manicure looked great. She got a clear base with some simple chrome nail art.

I had this lumpy mess removed and redone at a nearby, traditional salon and had a higher quality service, and didn't feel like I was inconveniencing the nail tech.

If you're very #girlboss and dont mind a chunky manicure, Urban Nail Box is the...

Finally, a neighborhood nail salon that is professional, clean, friendly, and high quality! I never used to be the kind of person who got my nails done, but after my experiences with Urban Nail Box, it's an essential step in getting ready for all my big events :)

The first time I tried UNB was after my sister had been raving about their Ballard location for months. I finally caved, as I had a wedding and then a baby shower over the same weekend, and I was hooked. This is the only place I've been to where the gel manicure is not too thick; I have very small hands so usually the gel or dip manicures look very chunky on me. The gel manicure from UNB is thin AND strong and usually lasts me at least two weeks, sometimes three if I don't have too many events in a row.

I've had several different technicians and they have each been polite, kind, and helpful, especially when I can't make up my mind on a color! Very often they will bring over the 4 or 5 colors I "can't decide" between and paint samples onto a cloth or a nail to show me my options before committing. Even after I've picked, they will check with me throughout the process that I'm still happy with my color selection--love this thoughtfulness. It's what makes me feel valued as a client, even on their busiest days.

While I mostly visit for gel manicures (see photos for shine and amazingly clean cuticles), I also sometimes will add on a regular polish pedicure when I have time. Getting my toes all cleaned up while I relax is the best, and the color lasts a long time once it's dry (bring sandals!), which is awesome. If you're on the fence about trying a new nail salon, don't be; this place is great and has always worked with me to give me the color, design, and experience I need, whether that's a speedy manicure or a chill...

UPDATE: I initially updated my review to a higher rating because the customer service was good, and I thought my previous experience might have been a one-off. Unfortunately, I’m changing it back to 1 star. This salon hides poor service behind a cute aesthetic.

During my most recent visit, the nail tech trimmed a small hangnail on my finger and ended up cutting off a chunk of skin, leaving me in pain and bleeding. Instead of apologizing, she asked me, “What happened?”—as though it was somehow my fault. I felt shamed and stayed quiet for the rest of the appointment, but the experience was incredibly uncomfortable.

To make matters worse, the manicure wasn’t even done properly. The edges of my nails weren’t sealed, and the polish started chipping in less than 24 hours. It’s clear that the staff lack basic manicure skills.

Old Review: The gel polish and nail art services were great, but I don’t recommend the gel extensions. I got gel extensions and nail art from Uri. While I initially didn’t love the square shape (I had asked for more rounded), I let it slide. However, the bigger issue was that the gel extensions felt loose within 1–2 days, and by day 6, they were lifting—even on fingers I don’t use often.

Since I was traveling for an event, I didn’t have time to return to the salon to fix it. To their credit, the salon gave me a partial refund (50%), which helped. Their customer service was excellent, and they genuinely tried to make things right. Kaylee was particularly helpful in recommending techs for future gel extensions.

Conclusion: While the customer service was good in the past, the quality of work and attention to detail are consistently lacking. I can no longer recommend this salon for any services, especially if you’re looking for...