Executive Nails & Spa West University — Attraction in Southside Place

My first visit to this nail salon was perfect — Taylor did an amazing job, and I left very happy with my French shellac manicure. Unfortunately, my second experience was the complete opposite.

I returned a week later for the same service, but this time the shellac started chipping within just 3 days — which shouldn’t happen with a gel manicure. Since they offer a “7-day warranty service,” I came back to have it fixed. At the front desk, they took a photo of my nails — 8 out of 10 were chipped, and in some spots, there was almost no gel left.

They had Lily, the original tech from my last visit, redo the manicure. She never apologized or asked what had gone wrong the first time, and didn’t show any interest in improving the result. The entire process felt rushed — she tugged at my hand multiple times and didn’t check in with me. I had to ask her more than once to fix the French detail, even showing her a reference photo.

When I was done, I walked up to the front desk to express my concerns. The nails felt flimsy, thin, and the French tips were uneven — some were brighter white than others. The manager insisted shellac is supposed to feel thin and claimed nothing looked wrong. When I suggested what felt off, he asked me what I thought they should do — even though I'm not the expert here.

I left feeling frustrated and dismissed. I wasted my entire morning on what should’ve been a quick fix under their warranty. The lack of customer care, accountability, and attention to detail was disappointing. I won’t be returning.

I walked in on July 27, 2025, at 3:01 pm and left at 4:48 pm. I paid $96 for the services that day. I went back on August 3 from 12:24 pm to 1:45 pm. I never complained about any wait time. My issue has always been with the quality of the work.

When I returned, I explained that my nails felt and looked very thin, not like a proper shellac manicure, but more like regular polish. Before I left, I clearly expressed my disappointment with how my nails felt.

Regarding the picture I showed during my return visit, it was to reference the quality and coverage of the polish, not to change the shape or design. The response here seems to completely dismiss that point and instead suggests I was trying to get a different style, which is not accurate.

Reading this management response, it’s clear there is no real commitment to customer service or making things right. I’m sharing my experience so that any potential clients are aware of the quality of work and service they...

This place treats their employees terribly. Don’t let the polished appearance fool you. I walked out within 5 minutes of walking in, and will never return. I hope that they treat their employees with more dignity than what I witnessed tonight. I will not support the cruelty I witnessed.

The gentleman (although I can think of a few more appropriate names) at the front desk was abhorrently rude both about and directly to his own employee. They close at 7pm. I called at 6:15pm to see whether they accept appointments up until 7pm or if that’s when they aim to be finishing up. The woman I spoke to was incredibly accommodating and told me to come on in and let them know I have an appointment with X upon arrival. Fast forward to 6:45pm. I walk up to the front desk and tell the gentleman that I spoke with X and so on. The gentleman proceeds to tell me “well I’m sorry to inform you we close at 7, but one sec.” He walks away and returns and asks me to take a seat on the couch. I asked if X is going to be able to see me or if I should come back (at this point, I was totally happy to come back!). His response was: “well, you see, I run this place. X cannot make any decisions here. I make all the scheduling decisions.” Shocked, I said “oh I’ll just come back.” The gentleman starts again: “no, wait. X was wrong. She is not allowed to do that. She needs to come tell you to your face. I don’t want to upset you. This is just how I do things around here.” This poor woman then scuffles over to tell me that she didn’t know she couldn’t make an appointment (and something about this being their grand opening weekend and having a meeting) and that I need to come back. The gentleman shamed her in front of me. It was appalling. For a rebranded “Executive” name, my first and last experience there was anything but executive. Not only was this a grotesque fail on the customer service front, but it was a horrendous display of decency...

2 stars for location, esthetic, and the "free" drinks. The service and quality are possible poor. Please don't say you weren't warned. Pros: this is truly a beautiful nail spa, with modern finishes and chandeliers, it's relaxing as soon as you enter. They offer a variety of services and the full, open bar serves great cocktails. Cons: SERVICE. I've been here 5 times now. The 1st time was their grand opening and they went above and beyond in every way. I got a shellac with design and it was perfect. 2nd time I went with a friend and they rushed us, kept forcing an upsale of services for ghel instead of shellac and special hand massages. Then charged a $2 service fee on both our tabs. 1 day later my nail bed started bleeding and my point nail chipped off. 3rd time was with my kids on the Astros Championship off day. I figured I'd give them another chance. We'll the kids had fun but the polish copied off before the end of the day and they charged $35 for a mani pedi for my SON who just sat in the chair without actually getting anything. They didn't bother so much as offering me a water since I wasn't getting a service. 4th time I went in an emergency situation because I had an appointment cancel. Same poor quality nail polish that chipped the next day and rushed service with a $2 convenience fee and no offer of a drink. I hope these people go...